Samus, the two guardians and Mother Brain
Read each major encounter as part of the original Zebes mission.
Original 1986 Metroid as adapted for the international NES release in 1987. These guides use the NES password system and original Zebes areas. The Famicom Disk System save menu, Zero Mission remake, later Metroid movement abilities and sequence-breaking glitches are excluded.
4 characters · one picture per entry · open a picture for full size.
Character directory
Samus Aran
Samus moves through Zebes with an arm cannon and gains equipment that changes her routes. The Morph Ball, Bombs and beam upgrades turn repeated exploration into progress, while energy and missile reserves determine how much punishment a route can absorb.
Kraid
Kraid occupies the first boss hideout connected below Brinstar. His projectiles and close-range pressure reward a deliberate approach with useful energy and missiles.
Ridley
Ridley guards the second boss hideout reached through Norfair. Watch his movement and fire while arranging attacks, and replenish after the fight before another long route.
Mother Brain
Mother Brain waits beyond Tourian’s Metroids and defensive barriers. Samus needs a prepared missile reserve, energy and a plan for the escape that follows.
Quick notes
- Make Samus’s equipment part of movement. Samus begins with a limited set of actions, and collected gear expands how she travels.
- Prepare for Kraid and Ridley individually. The two boss hideouts are separate destinations.
- Recognize what the final objective demands. Mother Brain’s area contains hazards beyond the final target itself.
A boss attempt is easier to evaluate when you arrive with a consistent energy and ammunition reserve.
Picture details
Game artwork belongs to its respective rights holders.