Chapter 1: Super Missile

This opening section of Super Metroid introduces the game's exploration-heavy design, where players are encouraged to experiment and find their own path. Unlike more linear entries in the series, it's easy to miss upgrades or take inefficient routes early on. This guide helps you progress smoothly while highlighting important items and efficient navigation strategies.

Super Metroid rewards careful exploration, so it's worth checking every room thoroughly before moving on. Pay attention to unusual walls or floors, as many hidden paths require missiles or bombs to reveal. Taking your time early on can prevent unnecessary backtracking later.

In the early stages, conserving health and missiles is important since resources can be limited. Try to avoid unnecessary damage by learning enemy patterns and using distance to your advantage. Prioritizing upgrades like the Morph Ball and Missiles will make later sections much easier.

A common mistake in this section is overlooking hidden paths that require missiles to open, which can cause players to miss important upgrades. Another issue is progressing too quickly without fully exploring, leading to unnecessary backtracking later in the game.

The map in Super Metroid doesn't always make the next objective obvious, so it's helpful to remember areas that seemed inaccessible earlier. As you gain new abilities, revisiting these locations often leads to new paths and upgrades.

After the cutscene, drop down from the elevator and go to the bottom of the room. Go right through 5 doors until you're in the room with the Metroid.

Approach the Metroid and Ridley will appear out of the dark. After your energy goes below 30, Ridley will flee the room.

After Ridley flees, you'll have 60 seconds to leave the research station. Return to the elevator and take it up to begin a cutscene.

After landing on the surface of Zebes, go left through 1 door. Then go to the far left side of this room and drop all the way down, taking the door in the floor. Continue all the way down in this room and then go through the next 2 doors on the right. Take the elevator down.

Go to the left to find the Morph Ball Ability.

Go through the door on the right. In this room, shoot the blocks on the floor and then go through the left door. Shoot the Chozo orb to find the Missile Launcher.

Return to the previous room. Go up through the floor blocks and then through the missile door on the right. Continue to far right side of this room to find a Missile Expansion.

Go left through 2 doors and then up the elevator. Head left through 2 doors, then up through the door in the ceiling. Continue up and through the first missile door on the right. Go through 1 more door on the right to find a map station.

Return back to the left 2 doors. Go up and through the first door on the left to find a Save Station. Return to the previous room and continue all the way up. Move right toward the space in the ground that you can use the Morph Ball to go into. Drop all the way down and go through the door on the right. Go through the missile door on the right and shoot the Chozo orb to find the Morph Ball Bomb.

After acquiring the Morph Ball Bomb, the room will lock and the Chozo Statue will attack you. The statue can be damaged with missiles or the beam, but missiles do a lot more damage.

Go left through 2 doors. Then proceed up and through the blocks that can be destroyed with bombs. Then go all the way left and drop down, going through the second door on the left.

Use the Morph Ball and bombs to go through the small space. Then proceed through the door on the left to find a Missile Expansion.

Go through 2 doors on the right. Then go all the way up. Use a bomb on the wall to the left. Head through the left door and then go down the slanted room until you find the Energy Tank.

Continue through the left door. Drop all the way down and go through two more doors on the left. Then take the elevator down to Brinstar.

Drop down and go through the first missile door on the left. Use bombs on the left wall to roll through the small space and then take the door on the left to find a Map Upgrade.

Return to the room with the elevator and then go through the missile door on the right. Jump up to the second level and then fall through the floor to get a Missile Expansion.

Use a bomb to get through the left wall, then return to the previous room. Drop down and go through the first missile door on the left to find a Save Station. Return to the previous room, drop all the way down, and go through the missile door on the left. Move left and down, then go through the door on the left to find a Missile Reload Station.

Backtrack to the room with the elevator and go through the missile door on the right. Go all the way to the right and use bombs to get through the wall. Proceed through the door on the right. In the next room, move all the way to the right and drop down as far as you can, past the yellow hatch door. Then run to the left side of the room and drop down to find a Missile Expansion.

From the Missile Expansion, use a bomb on the bottom part of the wall that's just to the right. Use the morph ball to go into the wall and drop into the floor. Shoot the Chozo orb to find the Charge Beam.

Jump back up through the floor (to where the previous Missile Expansion was). Then climb all the way up the room into the upper left corner where you'll find a blocked that can be destroyed with a bomb, creating a path to the left. Go through the left door to find a Save Station.

Return to the previous room and go through the missile door in the top right corner. Then go through the door in the ceiling to encounter another boss battle, Spore Spawn.

To avoid Spore Spawn's attacks, use the morph ball and go into the floor's corner. Spore Spawn can be damaged with missiles when its head stops spinning and it opens its mouth.

After defeating Spore Spawn, use its head as a platform to go upward. Proceed through the door on the right. Run all the way to the right and you'll fall through the floor. Then shoot the Chozo orb to get the Super Missile.