Kraid

Kraid
	; ; Artwork of Kraid
Game(s)	Metroid; Metroid: Zero Mission; Super Metroid;
Attacks	Projectiles from claws and abdomen
Weakness(es)	Missiles; Super Missiles; Charge Beam;
Location(s)	Kraid
Rewards	Expansion of 75 Missiles (Metroid); Speed Booster (Metroid: Zero Mission); Varia Suit (Super Metroid);

This article is about Kraid, the recurring enemy. For Kraid's lair, see Kraid (area).

Kraid is a large reptilian creature and the most prominent Space Pirate aside from Ridley and Mother Brain. He attacks by firing projectiles from his abdomen and claws. His lair is in the Depths of Brinstar.

In Metroid and Metroid: Zero Mission, both he and Ridley must be defeated for Samus to access Tourian, while in Super Metroid, Kraid, Phantoon, Draygon, and Ridley must be defeated.

Appearances

Metroid

In Kraid's original appearance, he is far smaller than in the future games and his entire body is vulnerable. Samus obtains a large expansion of Missiles after Kraid is defeated.

Metroid: Zero Mission and Super Metroid

Kraid returns in both Metroid: Zero Mission and Super Metroid in a much larger, two-screen tall form. Kraid can spew rocks from his mouth and fires giant claws from the three holes on his belly, which act as platforms. Kraid can also throw his sharp claws from his fingertips. Samus defeats him by firing Missiles, Super Missiles, or blasts from the Charge Beam directly into his mouth.

In Zero Mission, Samus obtains the Speed Booster for defeating Kraid. In Super Metroid, the Varia Suit is obtained.

Two rooms before fighting Kraid, a much smaller version of Kraid, known popularly as Mini Kraid, is fought. Mini Kraid is much weaker than the original Kraid but will yield plenty of Power-Ups.

Metroid Prime

Kraid was planned to be in the original Metroid Prime in his section of the Phazon Mines called Meta Kraid. He was shown with blue Phazon veins running up his abdomen and a metal guard on his head. However, due to time restraints, he never made it into the final version of the game.^[1]

Other Appearances

Super Smash Bros. Melee

Kraid also appears in the Super Smash Bros. series stage Brinstar Depths, where he rocks the floating platform making up the stage. This stage appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee, and the stage music appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but not the stage itself.

Metroid Manga

Kraid also appears in the Metroid Manga. Samus, at first, has a considerable amount of trouble defeating the powerful Kraid. Samus manages to defeat Kraid with the help of the Morph Ball Bomb upgrade supplied by Adam Malkovich. Although his appearance is relatively brief, it is significant in that it marks the first and only time Samus uses her Morph Ball Bombs in the manga.

Manual

Manual Entries

Manual info from Metroid

Kraid:

This is the head of the Mini-Boss hideout. He hurls horns from his stomach and back. Be very careful of his fierce attacks. If Samus gets hit by him, his energy will be weakened a lot.^[2]

Manual info from Metroid: Zero Mission

Kraid:

The largest enemy in all of the mazes beneath the surface of Planet Zebes, Kraid fires spikes from his belly and claws from his fingertips for extremely powerful attacks.^[3]

Manual info from Super Metroid

Kraid:

The giant lizard of Brinstar attacks Samus with thorny projectiles and spits spheres out of its mouth. No weapons -beams, Missiles, or bombs- have any effect on its body. The creature's weak point is unknown.^[4]

Sprites

Game	Kraid
*Metroid*
*Super Metroid*
Metroid: Zero Mission

Gallery

Images

Japanese Website
Official Artwork
Official Artwork

Video

The Kraid boss battle in Metroid: Zero Mission

External links

Kraid's Super Metroid boss theme

Trivia

Kraid is one of the largest bosses Samus has ever fought, along with Quadraxis, Flaahgra, Omega Pirate, Mogenar, Phantoon, and Amorbis.
Kraid's roar in Super Metroid and Metroid: Zero Mission is sourced of the Tyranosaurus from the 1957 Universal film The Land Unknown. This same cry can also be heard during the battles against Phantoon and Crocomire.

References

↑ "The level that he was to be included in was well underway to being designed. There just was not enough development time remaining to fully implement all aspects of the scenario that were needed to pull off a highly polished/fun gaming experience... It was [ultimately] decided that Kraid was not imperative enough to the Metroid Prime project to run the risk of pushing up the release date to fit him in" —Gene Kohler (Did You Know?)
↑ "This is the head of the Mini-Boss hideout. He hurls horns from his stomach and back. Be very careful of his fierce attacks. If Samus gets hit by him, his energy will be weakened a lot." Metroid Instruction Booklet, Pg 32
↑ "The largest enemy in all of the mazes beneath the surface of Planet Zebes, Kraid fires spikes from his belly and claws from his fingertips for extremely powerful attacks." Metroid: Zero Mission Instruction Booklet, Pg 33
↑ "The giant lizard of Brinstar attacks Samus with thorny projectiles and spits spheres out of its mouth. No weapons -beams, Missiles, or bombs- have any effect on its body. The creature's weak point is unknown." Super Metroid Instruction Booklet, Pg 29