Phazon Mines
This is a quick trip through previously explored territory in the Phazon Mines; there have been a few changes since your first time through but we won't cover every room again. The Grapple beam opens up some of the remaining exploration in other areas as well.
Main Quarry
The Mega Turrets are gone now and more Space Pirates that attack as soon as you enter the room have taken their place.
Security Access A
The Turrets are gone from here as well, replaced by Shadow Pirates. There is a makeshift wall made of Bendezium near the start; drop a Power Bomb to break it, but roll out of the way before it goes off because there are explosive boxes behind the wall. Collect a Missile Expansion here.
Mine Security Station
The Wave Troopers have moved to the lower level and Ice Troopers have taken their place in the upper level. Keep an eye on the grates in the ceiling because the Troopers like to hide behind them. A Mega Turret now guards the ramp between the levels.
There is a Bendezium wall here but you can't do anything useful with it so just leave it for now.
Elite Research
The Pirates and Troopers are gone now, but there are Mega Turrets covering the upper levels. There is a canister with an Elite Pirate inside; you can drop a Power Bomb to release it and win a Chozo Artifact if you want, but you can do this any time and we'll cover it later under Chozo Artifacts.
Ore Processing
The room should be empty now but there may be Metroids depending on whether you've done any extracurricular exploration. The cylinder in the center will be in the same position you left it so roll up the red track to the third level. Jump to the ledge with the next hologram and drop a Power Bomb to clear the rubble blocking the Morph Ball slot. It's finally time to complete the puzzle for the yellow track as with the blue and red tracks.
- Summary
- Fourth level - two turns at third level, three turns at second level, then one turn at bottom level.
When you get to the top level go through the white door.
Storage Depot B
The Grapple Beam is here in a tiny room.
Ore Processing (cont.)
There are grapple points here and now that you have the Grapple Beam your scanner finally recognizes them and adds them to your log book. This should be the last Research entry.
Use the Grapple Beam to get to the opposite ledge on the top level and go through the door there.
Waste Disposal
This is an underwater Morph Ball maze similar to the Hydro Access Tunnel in the sunken frigate.
Main Quarry
You're back in the Main Quarry on a ledge opposite the control room, so you have a shortcut here from Ore Processing. You can grapple the crane to get across but it's not needed now. But you can use it if you're starting here to get to the ledge, giving you a shortcut back. It's probably a good time to save.
Expansions (Chozo Ruins)
There's a bit more territory in the Choze Ruins left to explore and the Grapple beam finally allows you to do that.
Ruined Fountain
Go through the door behind the fountain.
Meditation Fountain
There is a shallow pool of water in this passage with a few Blastcaps on the edges.
Magma Pool
Before doing anything, look to the left and notice some steps leading up to the ledge you're on now. This is your escape route if you fall into the pool of magma in front of you. You need to do a double swing with the Grapple Beam as in Biotech Research Area 2 when you were escaping from the frigate at the beginning of the game. This time though, if you miss you'll land in the magma; if this happens then remember the steps where you came in.
When you reach the opposite ledge you may notice an electric hum. Start to listen for that hum as a clue that there's something useful in the room. You may have noticed this earlier but more often than not whatever was making the noise would be out of reach. But now that it's near the end of the game and you have nearly all the upgrades the sound is a useful hint.
Scan the wall to find out it's made of Bendezium and drop a Power Bomb to break it down. Collect the Power Bomb Expansion and scan the inscription for the last Chozo Lore entry. Continue right.
Training Chamber Access
There is a Missile Expansion that's easy to miss if you're not listening for the hum mentioned above. The passage seems empty but there are some leaves covering a wall near the end. Switch to Morph Ball and follow the hum through the leaves into a tunnel, and at the end of the tunnel is a small side room with the expansion.
Training Chamber
Chozo Ghosts attack when you enter the room. When the battle is over, two statues on either side of a half-pipe structure break to reveal Morph Ball slots.
There is a similar statue at the far end of the room; start doing Boost Ball swings in the half-pipe facing in that direction. You need to get to both of the Morph Ball slots and activate them, but try to do the left one first; it breaks the statue at the far end allowing you to leave. When you activate the one on the right you have a short amount of time to reach a small, Morph Ball sized hole to the right of the statue. A lift there carries you to a Spider Ball track which carries you to a tunnel and the tunnel takes you to a side room with an Energy Tank.
Follow another Spider Ball track to get out, then jump into the tunnel at the remains of the statue.
Piston Tunnel
This is a Morph Ball maze with pistons as obstacles. You'll take damage if you're crushed by the pistons so watch your timing.
Main Plaza
You come out on a ledge near the main entrance, but don't drop to the ground yet. There is a Grapple Point in front of you that looks out of reach. But if you get a running start, jump, and fire the Grapple Beam in mid-air you can get it. Swing to the opposite ledge to get a Missile Expansion. If you miss you'll need to go around through the Magma Pool again to start over. (This has to be the longest running teaser in the game. You may have noticed the Missile Expansion on the way to get the Missile Launcher near the beginning of the game, and here it is near the end of the game when you can finally reach it.)