Navigation menu

Missile Launcher

From Metroid Wiki
Missile Launcher
The Missile Launcher upgrade in Echoes

Echoes' Missile Launcher upgrade

Game(s)
Users
Located in
Authorized in

Main Sector

Uses

Allows Samus to fire Missiles

This article requires user attention!
This article requires user attention!

This article or section is in need of attention.

Please improve it by giving the aesthetics an overhaul. Images and subsections need to be more orderly.
This article has been flagged since August 11th 2015.


Samus's Missile Launcher is an Arm Cannon upgrade that allows Samus to use Missiles. The Missile Launcher can initially only fire normal missiles, but it can fire several different kinds of Missiles as Samus obtains the appropriate upgrade. In earlier games, simply obtaining the first Missile Expansion installs the Missile Launcher onto Samus's Arm Cannon.

In 2D Metroid games, the Missile Launcher can be activated without firing a Missile. Activating the Missile Launcher alters the Arm Cannon's appearance. The tip of the Arm Cannon opens wider, allowing Missiles to fit through the cannon. The Missile Launcher holds Samus's Missiles, however many she may have. The number of Missiles she has depends on how many Missile Expansions she has picked up. Because there are so many Missiles to be carried, it is possible that the Missile Launcher creates Missiles as it fires, and when the Launcher receives an upgrade it can create stronger variants of Missiles.

Firepower[edit | edit source]

The Missile Launcher's firepower seems to depend on the Missile upgrade Samus has collected. Initially, and consistently , Samus's Missile Launcher fires a single Missile at a time to deliver concentrated, explosive damage in one area. Missiles seem to be able to break through many obstacles that Samus's Power Beam cannot. Missiles are known to be effective against Brinstone, Radion, Missile Door Locks, Red Blast Shields, Fuel Gel, Phazon crates, flammable crates, and other substances. They can also break through hard-shelled enemies such as Brizgee. In all cases, there is at least one brief second where Samus cannot fire a consecutive Missile. The Missile Launcher's firepower can be altered through acquiring different upgrades, though acquiring any Missile upgrade does not alter the Missile Launcher's appearance in any way.

Usage[edit | edit source]

The Missile Launcher seems to be heavily used by the Galactic Federation; Adam Malkovich uploads Missile data onto Samus's Power Suit,[1] former Federation Dark Missile Troopers use Missiles, and Missile data seems to appear in many GF locations such as G.F.S. Olympus and B.S.L station's Main Deck. The Missile Launcher system seems to have been created by the Chozo, considering it is a weapon found in Zebes Chozo Statues and Chozo Ruins, though the Galactic Federation seems to have adapted to this Chozo technology and used it extensively themselves.

Technology from the Missile Launchers seems to have been adapted by the Federation for use on ships. In Federation Landing Site, a GF post in Bryyo, Samus's gunship can be armed with Ship Missiles. These Missiles were likely used by the Federation as a defensive measure, though Samus uses them mainly to clear large obstructions.

Aside from the Galactic Federation, certain intelligent enemies are armed with the Missile Launcher and it's destructive capabilities. Notably, Cyborg Zebesians aboard Bottle Ship and Dark Samus have the ability to shoot Missiles through Missile Launchers of their own. Dark Samus, after obtaining Samus's DNA and her Phazon Suit, is able to fire Phazon-infused Missiles that leave a relatively large blast radius.

Cyborg Zebesians are also armed with Missile Launchers. Ironically, these enemies were armed by none other than the Federation themselves, researchers of the Bottle Ship armed them for possible use as biological weaponry. Samus can dodge the Missiles they fire with ease, meaning they lack homing capabilities of Samus's Missiles.

The Phrygisian bounty hunter Rundas seems to be equipped with Ice Missile technology. Rundas uses his abilities to manipulate ice to launch blasts of ice. Whether these blasts can be considered Missile blasts or not is debatable. Upon defeat, however, it is certain that Rundas leaves behind Ice Missiles that Samus uses.

SA-X, creatures that have mimicked Samus Aran's DNA are armed with Super Missiles. The creatures don't hesitate to destroy even the slightest of obstacles, such as a Blue Door, with the very powerful Super Missile blast. They usually don't shoot Samus with it, however, as their Ice Beam is more effective against her.

Appearances[edit | edit source]

Samus's Missile-ready mode changes her suit's color

Metroid[edit | edit source]

The Missile Launcher first appears as the second upgrade available in Metroid, following the Morph Ball. Samus obtains the launcher after finding a Missile Expansion in Brinstar. Unlike later appearances, activating the Missile Launcher will change Samus's Arm Cannon's color and not it's shape. Samus's blue Missile Launcher is capable of shooting Missiles, but its Missiles can't be upgraded. Samus can hold a maximum of 255 Missiles.

Samus's Missile Launcher in Zero Mission

Metroid: Zero Mission[edit | edit source]

The Missile Launcher appears in Metroid: Zero Mission exactly where it is found in the original Metroid. It rests on parallel columns in a room in Brinstar. After turning around to exit the room she obtained the Missile Launcher from, Deorem, the large, spiked, cycloptic worm creature will attack Samus. He can only be defeated by shooting Missiles at his singular eye. The Launcher is used to get past various other obstacles, mainly Red Doors.

The Missile Launcher functions identically to Metroid's Missile Launcher. In this game, however, Samus's Launcher can be upgraded with Super Missile firing capabilities. Upon defeating Kiru Giru, a large flying insect, Samus can grab a Super Missile Expansion to upgrade the Missile Launcher with Super Missile firing capabilities. This green Super Missile is five times more powerful than the standard red Missile.

Samus's Missile Launcher ready to fire at a Gamma Metroid

Metroid II: Return of Samus[edit | edit source]

At the start of her mission to eradicate the Metroids on SR388, Samus is equipped with the Missile Launcher. This Missile Launcher is required to even begin her mission, as the various Metroids on the planet are only able to be destroyed by taking hits from Samus's Missiles in certain areas. Metroid II introduces a new element to the Missile world, the Missile Battery. Missile Batteries recharge Samus's Missile count to their max.

Metroid Prime[edit | edit source]

Metroid Prime marks Missiles' entrance to the 3D world. Samus is initially armed with the Missile Launcher, but it malfunctions along with many of Samus's other suit functions on Frigate Orpheon. The Missile Launcher is retrieved from Hive Mecha in Chozo Ruins' Hive Totem. In Prime, Missiles are enhanced with homing capabilities. If Samus is locked on to a target using her Combat Visor, shooting a Missile will cause the Missile to follow her target, making it easier to hit enemies. Samus can either fire a homing Missile or free-fire an unguided Missile.

Prime also introduced Charge Combos, weapons that combine separate beams' Arm Cannons with the Missile Launcher. The power of the Missiles with charged beam weaponry allows Samus to fire different kinds of weapons. Among these Charge Combos is the Super Missile, with similar capabilities as before. It fires a much stronger, faster variant of the Missile that still retains its homing ability.

Metroid Prime Hunters[edit | edit source]

Metroid Prime Hunters emphasizes the Missile Launcher as Samus's signature weapon; it is her Affinity Weapon, her main weapon when fighting the other hunters in the game. It is the only Affinity Weapon not to have an opposing counterpart.

The multi-Missile weapon, Seeker Missile

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes[edit | edit source]

Samus is obtains the Missile Launcher early on when she arrives on Aether. She acquires it after reaching the downed Federation ship G.F.S. Tyr in the Temple Grounds' GFMC Compound. The Missile Launcher functions identically to the first Prime. Echoes has a set of Charge Combos of its own, integrating Luminoth weaponry with Missiles.

Echoes also introduces a multi-Missile system, the Seeker Missiles. With the Seeker Missiles, Samus is able to fire up to five Missiles at up to five targets. These Missiles will all home, and they can be fired more than once at a locked on target. This is the first instance of a system in which more than one Missile can be shot simultaneously.

The Phazon-infused Missile weapon, Hyper Missile

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption[edit | edit source]

During Samus's mission to destroy Leviathans in Corruption, Samus receives an array of upgrades to her Missile technology. She first obtains the Missile Launcher aboard the G.F.S. Olympus within Munitions Storage, a room used for Federation storage. With this, Samus is able to clear debris she could not destroy before. This Missile retains homing capabilities as the first two Primes.

Samus's first main mission in Corruption is to locate Rundas, who had lost communication with the Federation. During her mission, in order to advance through Thorn Jungle Airdock, Samus must first obtain Ship Missiles. Samus is able to upgrade her ship with Ship Missiles in a Federation Landing Site for use. These Missiles are, as one would expect, much stronger than any of Samus's weaponry; they are able to destroy enemies such as Berserker Knights in one bombing run. These Missiles are capable of destroying Maldium.

Samus installing Rundas's Ice Missile

After locating and defeating the corrupted bounty hunter Rundas, Samus retrieves Ice Missiles. For a brief moment while obtaining the upgrade, Samus's Missile Launcher turns a frigid blue at the tip, the Launcher quickly reverts to its original state, however. Ice Missiles give Samus the ability to freeze both enemies and Fuel Gel, much like her Ice Beam.

Reaching eastern SkyTown's Xenoresearch labs reveals a third Missile upgrade, the Seeker Missile. The Seeker Missile returns in Corruption, retaining the same abilities as before. Charging Missiles will cause the Seeker Missiles to activate. It also stacks with Ice Missiles, meaning that Samus can shoot up to five frigid Missiles at once.

After Samus completes her exploration on SkyTown, she is able to enter Elysia's Leviathan and battle Helios. Destroying Helios further corrupts Samus with Phazon and gives her the ability to shoot Hyper Missiles. Hyper Missiles are very powerful Missiles that are infused with poisonous Phazon. These Missiles are identical to the Missiles that Dark Samus fires, even leaving behind a similar sized blast radius, but they still fire at a slower rate than Dark Samus' missiles.

Samus's Missile Launcher ready to fire in Super Metroid
Samus's Missile Launcher ready to fire in Super Metroid

Super Metroid[edit | edit source]

Super Metroid makes use of Missiles much like the first two Metroids. Samus must obtain the Missile Launcher to bust through Red Doors and various other obstacles. The Missile Launcher can be later upgraded to use Super Missiles. The Missile Launcher is normally obtained shortly after obtaining the Morph Ball. It sits on the hands of a Chozo Statue.

The Seeker Missile locked on to multiple Reos

Metroid: Other M[edit | edit source]

Samus first fires Missiles in Other M when debriefing and training with the Galactic Federation. Samus fires her Missiles at a hologram Zebesian. Samus later uses her Missiles to allow Galactic Federation 07th Platoon entry into the main levels of Bottle Ship. After that, however, Samus chooses not to use Missiles because Adam had not authorized their usage. Unlike every other appearance of the Missile Launcher, Samus is able to replenish her Missiles simply by concentrating. This follows the possibility that Samus's Missiles are produced within her Missile Launcher. It is not known, however, why she previously required Missile Ammo if she could have replenished her Missile count by concentrating.

Adam authorizes use of Samus's explosive weapons during the battle against Brug Mass. Samus is able to shatter pieces of the creature that the 07th Platoon had frozen using their Freeze Guns. Samus is then free to use her Missiles throughout the rest of the Mission.

Super Missiles are authorized as Samus is fighting a clone of Ridley. Samus uses a Super Missile to open a hatch sealing back lava. The lava illuminates the room and makes Ridley visible. Samus uses them to severely damage the creature and to escape from the lava-filled room she was left in. She later uses them throughout the ship to destroy tougher shielding.

Samus's final addition to the Missile Launcher in the game is the Seeker Missile. Unlike every other upgrade in the game (except for the Diffusion Beam), Samus obtains the upgrade aboard the ship rather than previously having it but withholding its usage. After defeating the Rhedogian, Samus installs the Seeker Missile upgrade from the sphere it leaves behind. The Federation seems to have developed these Seeker Missiles to add to their arsenal. They also have locked their secret Sector Zero behind a Multi-Lock Blast Shield, requiring Seeker Missiles to enter. Samus uses the Seeker Missiles to enter this place.

Samus firing a Missile at a Sciser

Metroid Fusion[edit | edit source]

After losing all her weaponry to the X, Samus is unable to use Missiles. She obtains the Missile Launcher, however, from a Data Room, it is the first upgrade she obtains. Missiles are proven to be very vital, as they raise Samus's chance of survival from 10% to 20%, a relatively large jump.[2][3] With this Missile Launcher, Samus is able to defeat the Core-X and obtain any other upgrades they have absorbed.

An SA-X shooting Samus's Super Missile

The SA-X, mimicked versions of Samus, are able to fire Super Missiles. Because they mimicked Samus while she was equipped with her suit at full potential, they now have the Missile Launcher as well as other weapons.

Samus's Missile Launcher later receives a Super Missile upgrade in Sector 3 (PYR). Unlike every other appearance of Super Missiles, they stack onto Samus's regular Missiles, meaning every Missile she fires is armed with Super Missile capabilities. These Super Missiles are used to damage and later destroy Security Robot B.O.X.

Samus's Missiles receive freezing capabilities much like in Corruption. Because Samus's Fusion Suit was infused with Metroid DNA, Samus was as susceptible to cold as they were. With this in mind, the Federation decided to send a B.S.L Data Room Ice Missile data. Ice enforced Missiles are usable by Samus without damaging her.

With no aid from Adam, Samus is able to find the Diffusion Missile Data Room. With this upgrade, Samus's Missiles become chargable and more deadly. This weapon is powerful enough to damage SA-X. The Federation chose not to arm Samus with the Diffusion Missile, fearing that she would be able to become "too powerful" to the point where she would destroy the B.S.L Station, a feat she did complete.

Other Appearances[edit | edit source]

The Missile Launcher defeats Samus's nemesis, Ridley

Metroid Manga[edit | edit source]

The Missile Launcher appears very briefly in the Metroid manga. Adam mentions[1] upgrading Samus's Power Suit with Missiles for her mission to stop Mother Brain on Zebes. On the planet, Samus doesn't use her Missiles until she fights Ridley. After a shot from her Wave Beam and Ice Beam, Samus finishes Ridley with a direct hit from her Missile.

Samus firing a high-powered Super Missile in Brawl
Samus's Missile Launcher in Melee

Super Smash Bros. Series[edit | edit source]

Main article: SmashWiki: Missile

Samus's Missile Launcher appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Brawl. It is her side special move, able to fire homing Missiles. Her Missiles have a relatively short range dealing 5% damage. In Brawl, tapping her side special shoots Samus's Super Missile. The green-tipped Missile shoots at a much faster rate with a longer range and deals twice the damage of a normal Missile. Super Missiles, however, do not home onto targets.

Data[edit | edit source]

Sprites[edit | edit source]

Game Missile Launcher
Metroid Metroid - Missile Launcher
Metroid II: Return of Samus Metroid II: Return of Samus - Missile Launcher
Metroid Fusion Metroid Fusion - Missile Launcher
Metroid: Zero Mission Metroid: Zero Mission - Missile Launcher

Trivia[edit | edit source]

Gallery[edit | edit source]

References[edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 "I've uploaded data on the Missile and Bomb system" —Metroid (manga), Adam Malkovich, Vol 2 Ch 14 Pg(s) 15
  2. "You are only at 10% battle capacity. Your chance of survival is extremely low. The Federation needs you alive and on duty, Samus..." —Adam Malkovich (Metroid Fusion)
  3. "With Missiles, your chance of survival climbs to 20%..." —Adam Malkovich (Metroid Fusion)