Phazon Mines: East - Metroid Prime Guide - IGN (2024)

Access the Phazon Mines East from Transport Tunnel E near the Great Tree Hall in Tallon Overworld.

You'll see a large construction crane ahead -- but before you go there, there is a save station located just off to the left of the Main Quarry. You can spot its location easily because you must use a Spider Ball track to roll up into it from the ground floor. Before you get into any fights in this place it would be wise to save your progress.

Note: There are no other save stations in the mines until much later, so don't be afraid to backtrack here and save again if you're running low on energy.

With that safety cushion in place, head back into the Main Quarry and take note of the large orange force field blocking your progress. Begin the search for two scan reticles, which are located parallel to each other straight in front of the field; one is farther back than the other. Before you proceed through that path, however, take the walkways up to the crane control station. Naturally, it requires power.

At the base of the main crane arm you can locate the power conduit with your Thermal Visor and send power to it with your Wave Beam. Scan the controls once more to change the crane's position, whereupon it will crash into the rock-face and reveal a Missile Expansion. Use the Spider Ball track attached to the underside of the arm to grab it.

Put the arm back in its original place and scan the underside of the crate hanging from the crane. It has a Grapple Point connected to it. If you scan it, you should get the research entry in your Log Book.

Exit the Quarry and move through the Ice Beam door that was behind the force field, entering into Security Access A. There is a Mega Turret set awaiting your arrival. Instead of blasting them to pieces, freeze each of them with your Ice Beam, and then use your Scan Visor to disable them via the reticle in the back of the room. Then be sure to scan them to acquire their data for your creature log.

Moving into the next room, Mine Security Station, there is much opposition; first Shadow Pirates and then a group of Wave Troopers. The latter new fiend is extremely aggressive, but weak to the Wave Beam. Several charged shots are most effective against them. Assuming you're successful, head into Security Access B. You'll have to blast through a few gates, but it's a straightforward area otherwise.

In Elite Research, just ahead, you should spot a giant stasis tank that houses an Elite Pirate Alpha -- a sign of things to come, perhaps? Flip on your scan visor and acquire the Pirate Data located on the terminal near the pirate. Another terminal must be scanned to activate nearby platforms. Work you way up the platforms, defeat the Wave Troopers, and scan the next computer terminal on that level to activate more platforms.

Keep your scanner on as you head up the platforms and acquire data on the newly sighted Power Trooper. It's very potent and must be destroyed with the Power Beam. A Super Missile blast (charge your Power Beam and fire a missile) will do the job fast.

Once you arrive on the third floor of Elite Research, you'll find there is a terminal that controls an Industrial Grade Pulse Beam and a Morph Ball spinner.

Use the spinner to point the gun at the wall surface with 8% integrity. Behind it is a Missile Expansion.

Then use the beam to blast the wall directly ahead of the terminal, which reveals an Ice Beam door. Take this to Research Access and use the Spider Ball track to avoid the machinery. Get your Power Beam ready as you head into Ore Processing.

There are more Power Troopers. They are incredibly fierce and team up, so use Super Missiles to dispose of them quickly. After they are removed, it's time to focus on another Morph Ball puzzle.

This one revolves around the giant pillar in the center of the room, which happens to be lined with color-coded Spider Ball tracks. Locate the rotation control unit, which must be bombed to turn the pillar. The holographic display next to it shows you how things are lining up. First line up the blue track to take you to the second level; you should be a branch that sticks out connect. Then roll up to the second level and connect the red track. You can't go up yet, so roll back down to the bottom and bomb the rotation control unit a few more times to line up the bottom half of the red track.

This will allow you to roll all the way to the third floor. You can't use the yellow track yet, so just exit through the Ice Beam door which will lead you through to Elevator A, the transport to Phazon Mines Level Two.

You should land in Elite Control Access. Flip on your Thermal Scanner and notice the square yellow and purple signatures located in a ventilation shaft. One of them is an explosive crate. Shoot it to reveal a Missile Expansion hidden in the vents.

It's a tight squeeze, but you can jump right over to it. As you enter Elite Control, get your bearings straight and your Power Beam ready. It's time for a major battle.

This Phazon-infused Frankenstein might be the result of years of work by the Space Pirates, but he's much weaker than he looks. He can absorb shots from your Power Beam, so try to hit him with Super Missiles. Dodge his shots by hiding behind the pillars in the room. Also, if he slams his fists to the floor sending out a shock wave, just double jump to avoid it. Nailing him with two good Super Missile shots should do him in.

Once he has fallen, [if you're facing the direction you entered] scan the computer terminal to the right and download two new Pirate Data entries. Then to the left of the stasis unit is another terminal near a set of walkways. This too contains Pirate Data.

Head up that walkway and you will be attacked by a new creature: the Ice Trooper. These are the weakest of the weapon-specific troopers because they can be easily frozen with a charged Ice Beam blast and blown to bits with a missile.

The second floor contains a grouping of terminals with some interesting, but optional data downloads.

The third and highest floor is full of new Pirate Data; five new entries, in fact. Scanning one of the terminals should take the force field offline. Behind it is an Ice Beam door.

Jump up into it, arriving in the half-pipe shaped Ventilation Shaft. As you enter the pipe gas will begin to pour from the ceiling. Ignore it for now and continue forward into Omega Research. If you linger, you'll lose health.

Note: The Ventliation Shaft room is a great place to refill your health if you're low and worried about the next fight. Simply stay out of the gas near the entrance, get yourself a good angle and shoot the mines that endlessly spawn to get health refills.

You will be attacked by a few Wave and Power Troopers, but that should be the extent of the attacks in this room. Work your way down to the bottom floor -- scan the reticle to deactivate the force field if need be -- and examine the terminals your first piece of Pirate Data about the Omega Pirate. Then drop down into the Dynamo Access via the Ice Beam door.

This will lead you into the Central Dynamo. Take things slowly here. As you jump down to the center of the room, an invisible Drone will appear. Shielded by cloaking technology, you will not be able to scan it or lock on to it. So, use your Power Beam and missiles combined with manual aim (R-trigger) to take it out. You can use the central pillar to shield you and circle-strafe around it.

As you defeat it, causing it to explode, it will reveal a hole in the grating below -- just big enough to slip your Morph Ball into.

Note: The Ice-Beam Door nearest to where you enter the room has a Save Station behind it, so use that immediately if you're running low on health after that long gauntlet of rooms.

Basically, it is a Morph Ball maze and the borders are harmful bolts of electricity. Avoid them and make your way through the maze. Look for puddles of water. When you lay bombs in it, it will splash the power conductors opening up a new path. In the center of the maze you will find the Power Bomb.

Suit Upgrade

• Location: Phazon Mines
• Room: Central Dynamo
• How to get: Defeat invisible drone and solve Morph Ball maze

The doors will also unlock. The Ice Beam door with no fallen wreckage in front of it opens up to a save station, which by now you should be dying to use.

Subsequently, head back into the Central Dynamo and directly across the room is an Ice Beam door with collapsed bendezium in front of it. This material can be conveniently blown away with a Power Bomb.

Note that if you return to Central Dynamo later, you'll encounter four Ice Troopers. So be on your toes if you enter here with low energy.

It leads to Quarantine Access A, and there will be a row of turrets. You can slowly dispose of them one by one, or you roll into a ball and access the Morph Ball hole on the right edge of the hallway (by the stasis tank).

As soon as you roll out of the other side, flip on your scanner and disable them via a terminal on the wall ahead. You should be able to accomplish this without losing any energy -- stay close to the wall.

The next room, Metroid Quarantine A, is home to a few Space Pirates which you can teach a lesson. As the cut-scene hints, a force field is all that sits between them and the Metroids outside. Use your scan visor on the computer terminal to deactivate the field -- then sit back and enjoy watching the evil fiends suffer. But, when the Metroids are done with them, they'll come for you -- have your Ice Beam ready.

On the other side of the field, where the Metroids are held in captivity, you will be met with an impassable pool of Phazon. You cannot cross it for now, but remember this place and examine it. There are no grappling hooks, no secret Morph Ball tunnels, and even if you take the damage and run across the other ledge is too high. How will you cross it?

Upgrade Roundup

Return to the Omega Research lab where you'll find another Ice Beam door blocked by bendezium. The only catch is that when you arrive, another Elite Pirate will break free from captivity. He shouldn't pose a major threat, though.

Jump up to the top floor and blast away the rubble in front of the door to Map Station Mines. Download the data and proceed to the Ventilation Shaft. Change over to your scanner and locate the bendezium vent on the floor. Blast through it with a Power Bomb and roll into Morph Ball form and drop into it.

On the other side scan the panel to activate the fans and rid the place of that awful gas. In the process, those Puffer creatures will break the fan grating on the other side revealing an Energy Tank. Finally those nasty things prove useful.

Use the half-pipe to get out of there and head for Elite Control Access to take the transport back to the first level of the mines. Then go back to Ore Processing and begin setting up the yellow track.

The rotation control unit is blocked by a pile of bendezium on the second floor. Once completely lined up, you should be able to follow the yellow track to the very top and access Storage Depot B. Inside is the much-anticipated Grapple Beam.

Suit Upgrade

• Location: Phazon Mines
• Room: Storage Depot B
• How to get: Follow yellow track from Ore Processing

After acquiring it, use the grapple point on the ceiling of Ore Processing to access Waste Disposal directly across the gap. Just leap out and tap the L-trigger as you become close enough to it. Take the Waste Disposal, a water-filled ball puzzle, out to the Main Quarry.

You should considering saving your progress.

Right now you want to take the Transport to Tallon Overworld South, which is just outside of the Quarry. When you arrive in Tallon Overworld, set a path for the Great Tree Hall. Begin platforming up around the edge until you reach the Morph Ball spinner. You should have already used it, and the ledge just above it will be free to pass through. Do so and position yourself in the upper part of the Great Tree Hall.

Continue jumping on the edge of the hall until you find the corkscrew-shaped Spider Ball track. Use it to arrive at the highest door in the entire area -- an Ice Beam door that leads to the Life Grove Tunnel.

Flip on your scanner in this small room and you should locate a rock face that has been rendered weak due to the wet conditions. Power Bomb it to press forward into a Morph Ball Tunnel. There is a Missile Expansion at the top of the half-pipe structure, just boost yourself up there and place a bomb in the top-center and you will fall into a hole and get the expansion.

Then roll out of the right-hand side of the half pipe to proceed to the Life Grove.

Suit Upgrade

• Location: Tallon Overworld
• Room: Life Grove
• How to get: Power Bomb your way into the Life Grove from Great Tree Hall.

There you will find the X-Ray Visor, which allows you to see through walls and spot otherwise invisible objects. As you're trapped inside this secret area, you'll need to turn on the X-Ray Visor and have a look around the place. You should see that there is much scenery revealed beyond the walls of this holding -- much of which does not show up on your map.

Power Bomb the walls to reveal the scenery. There's only one path out of here, but you can also retrieve an Artifact from this location. Place a Bomb on the Chozo Symbol submerged in the center of the pool, and use the revealed spinner to reveal the Artifact of Chozo.

Collect it before moving to the Eastern edge of the grove and climbing to an embedded Morph Ball tunnel and rolling through it.

As you jump towards the waterfall at the back of the grove, a trio of Chozo Ghosts will arrive to take you down. With your newfound X-Ray technology you'll be able to lock on to them at all times; no more disappearing. After defeating them, it will reveal a Morph Ball tunnel underneath a Chozo face on top of the gazebo. Jump around the edge to return there and head back for the Great Tree Hall.

Fall back down to where the roots are collecting (the root floor that's halfway up Great Tree Hall - not the very bottom of the hall where the water is) and look around. You may find it peculiar that raindrops seem to be stopping on an invisible object. Use your X-Ray Visor to locate what is a hidden platform. This will lead you to the door behind the tree. Within it, the Great Tree Chamber, lies a Missile Expansion pack.

Transport Tunnel D and eventually the Transport to Chozo Ruins South.

As soon as you arrive in the Chozo Ruins, go right around the corner to the Transport to Tallon Overworld East (Morph Ball tunnel behind save station). In Tallon, roll through Transport Tunnel C and into the Overgrown Cavern. The "overgrowth" is Venom Weed. Fire off a few rounds at it and roll through the Morph Ball sized opening to receive a Missile Expansion.

You'll next arrive in the Frigate Crash Site, where you'll spot two grapple points to help you easily navigate across the water; but that's not all they're for. The one closer to theFrigate Access Tunnelentrance can be used to grab the Missile Expansion that is embedded into the cliff-side underwater. Go underwater first so you can locate the expansion, then either jump on the submerged branches and into the cave, or go back up and use the grapple. Just try to line yourself up as best you can and swing right into the rock face, hopefully to land in the small cave.

Afterwards, set a course for Tallon Canyon and then take the Transport to Chozo Ruins West. We're going to grab some optional pickups in Chozo Ruins now that we have more abilities, starting in the Watery Hall.

This water was toxic the first time we were but it is now clean. Jump in and look for a submerged cave against the far (north) wall. Walk down, and then jump up into the cave to find a Missile Expansion.

Next, go to the Ruined Fountain and you should see an unopened door that leads into the Meditation Fountain.

Follow this through to the Magma Pool and use your Grapple Beam to cross it. On the other side, there is a wall (seemingly bendezium) covered with vines. Use your X-Ray Visor and you'll see there is something behind it. Set a Power Bomb next to it and you will reveal a Power Bomb Expansion as well as what should be the last of the Chozo Lore.

Exit through the Wave Beam door, but don't go through to the next room yet. Before the next door is a wall of red leaves which is obscuring a small Morph Ball tunnel. Roll at the wall to find the hole, which should lead you to another Missile Expansion.

Head back out and go through to the Training Chamber. Chozo Ghosts will appear. Dispose of them and two Morph Ball slots will be revealed under the Chozo busts.

Use the half-pipe to bomb into them, sending power to a nearby Morph Ball elevator, which leads to a Spider Ball track that will carry you into a room with an Energy Tank.

Exit the room through the Morph Ball tunnel under the third of the Chozo busts. You will arrive on a ledge in the Main Plaza. Directly across from you is a Missile Expansion. Use the grappling point just ahead of you to swing over there.

Believe it or not, there is yet another power-up waiting for you in the same vicinity. Scan the tree trunk to reveal a weakened knot. Shatter it with a Super Missile and jump from the ledge across from it to pick up another Missile Expansion.

Then turn right around and carve a path towards the Ruined Shrine.

The first thing you should spot is a sandstone weakness on the floor. This can be blasted away to reveal a Morph Ball tunnel, which leads to a Missile Expansion.

Look around some more and you should notice that there is a smooth half-pipe structure. Both sides have something you want. Boost Ball your way up to the side that leads back to the small room that houses a Missile Expansion.

After you acquire that, boost over to the other side and enter the Tower of Light.

This huge room is filled with vertically stacked platforms, and for good reason. At the top lies a hefty weapon upgrade. Begin platforming your way up. You should arrive at a perfectly centered platform. From here you can scan the area and find that the pillars that support this huge structure are weakened brinstone.

Use three missiles on each of the four pillars to send the first level crashing down. This will allow you to jump up to a higher level. However, you have to be quick because the seismic activity will send the Plated Puffer creature reeling out of the nearby pipes; coming into contact with it can knock you off the platforms.

Repeat this process of bringing down the levels a few more times and you will eventually be able to reach the very top where the Wavebuster is found.

Suit Upgrade

• Location: Chozo Ruins
• Room: Tower of Light
• How to get: Use missiles to shatter weakened brinstone pillars; platform to top of tower

This is an unnecessary, but cool upgrade that is activated by charging the Wave Beam and tapping the Y-button simultaneously. The result is a stream of energy that will eat away at your missile supply, but deal major damage.

No doubt boiling with excitement, you'll want to drop straight down into the water below to cool off. And, while you're there, check your Artifact data.

You should see that Lifegiver, the fifth Artifact of twelve may be located very close. Indeed, simply access the Wave Beam door hidden on the other side of the pool of water and you will find it in the Tower Chamber.

With all that out of the way, go back to Tallon Canyon via the Transport to Tallon Overworld North.

Your next checkpoint is the Root Cave. As soon as you enter you should find a grapple point staring directly at you. Use it to swing to the other side and begin jumping upward. You will hit a dead end shortly after crossing a small bridge, but turn on your X-Ray Visor to uncover otherwise invisible platforms. As you arrive on the last platform, you will see a red door ahead of you. No, you can't go through those yet. However, turn just to the left -- with your X-Ray Visor activated -- and you will see a Missile Expansion hiding behind a wall of foliage.

After nabbing the power-up, fall all the way down to the bottom and make a move for the Transport to Magmoor Caverns East. When you arrive in Magmoor, use Transport Tunnel B to make your way over to the Shore Tunnel. The hull is made of bendezium, which has been stressed over time by the intense heat. Set off a Power Bomb in the center of the tunnel to shatter the surrounding glass.

This will let you jump beneath the bridgeway to acquire the Ice Spreader. Like the Wavebuster, the Ice Spreader is an optional, yet very powerful upgrade. It can freeze multiple enemies at once.

Suit Upgrade

• Location: Magmoor Caverns
• Room: Shore Tunnel
• How to get: Set off a Power Bomb to shatter hull; located beneath bridgeway

Subsequently, turn around and head back from where you originally entered. You want to end up in the Geothermal Core.

By the way, there's a little secret about traversing the Magmoor Caverns we should tell you about. All those pesky flamethrowers attached to the ceiling can be frozen with the Ice Beam. So, if you get tired of timing your jumps or waiting on them, just freeze the fire-breathing nozzles to remove the hassle.

When you arrive in Geothermal Core, position yourself on the side closest to South Core Tunnel. There is a platform you can jump on, and from there you can use your Grapple Beam to swing from a nearby point. Land on top of the first rotation unit and locate the Morph Ball spinner. You will notice that the platform splits in two, raising one above you.

Jump over to the next closest rotation unit and repeat this process. Then return to the first one you raised to gain new height. From there you can access the third highest platform to again raise it with the Morph Ball spinner. This time you'll need to use the Spider Ball track to access the raised platform. Once on top you'll be able to jump to the fourth and final rotation unit. In contrast to the others, however, this unit has a Morph Ball slot, which can be bombed to send power to all the units.

As a result, the roof of the entire Geothermal Core will rise, revealing a huge mural of Spider Ball tracks. Begin by bombing up on to the Spider Ball track that branches off of that final platform. Once on the walls the path is pretty linear, but you'll need to drop to a track below you or bomb to one above you quite often. You should also watch out for Plated Parasites, which can knock you off the tracks. If you're successful, you will wind all the way around the huge room and arrive at a very well elevated Ice Beam door.

Then just walk right into Plasma Processing and upgrade your suit with the latest weaponry: the Plasma Beam.

Suit Upgrade

• Location: Magmoor Caverns
• Room: Plasma Processing
• How to get: Raise the platforms in Geothermal Core, follow Spider Ball track along wall

This fiery hot stream of magma is not only powerful against enemies, but it can be used to melt through thin sheets of ice. As always, you want to save frequently so head through Magmoor Workstation and access the save station behind the Transport to Phendrana Drifts South.

Afterwards, circle around back into the Magmoor Workstation and access the elevated, unopened door. This leads into the Workstation Tunnel where you can clear some bendezium rubble with a Power Bomb and continue on to Phazon Mines West via the transport.