Metroid Dread was recently released for the Nintendo Switch, and players are scrambling to discover every little thing about the newest entry to the Metroid series. There's a lot to find out, whether it's new abilities and weapons for exploration or legacy techniques that have carried over to Metroid Dread.
Naturally, there's still a lot that many players have yet to discover, and newer players might not even know about all the different things that Samus can do. Not knowing about some of these things can make the game a lot harder, especially for those who are new to the series as a whole.
10 Wall Jumping Is Easier Than Ever
Wall jumping is a Metroid staple, and it is used to help Samus scale up high walls, especially early on when she has less of her abilities. While it's not an essential skill, it can help to reach areas Samus might have needed other abilities to get to.
In Metroid Dread, wall jumping is even easier than in previous games. The player only needs to tap B when Samus is spin jumping and touching a wall, and she will hop off the wall towards the other direction. Wall jumping is important for the early game, so neglecting to learn this can make the game harder than it needs to be.
9 Gain Height With Bomb Jumping
In Metroid Dread, attaining the Morph Ball naturally allows you to jump while in ball form, unlike in other entries. This is helpful, since it allows Samus to traverse through small tunnels without having to leave ball form.
However, sometimes the height Samus gains from jumping in ball form isn't enough. In that case, the player might try using bomb jumping. Bombs can propel Samus upwards if she is still sitting on them when they explode, and by placing multiple bombs at the right timings, Samus can go even higher. Bomb jumping is quite difficult and it's not necessary to beat the game, but it can be used to create shortcuts where there weren't meant to be.
8 Change The Environment
There are various environmental hazards throughout the planet ZDR. Giant areas flooded with water, sectors containing extreme temperatures, and many other obstacles serve as puzzles that will hinder Samus's progress throughout the game.
There are many actions that Samus can take to change the areas around her to remove such obstacles, such as destroying rocks to change the water level or accessing terminals to change the flow of thermal energy. These changes can alter the map permanently, not only opening up new areas but also closing off old areas.
7 Notice Extreme Temperatures Through Doors
Extreme temperatures are very dangerous to Samus, and she must avoid such areas at all costs. But these extreme temperature zones are not marked on the map, so how is the player supposed to know when they're about to enter a hazardous area?
Thankfully, there's a small hint if the players pay close attention to the various doors scattered out throughout the game. If a door is going to lead to an area with extreme heat, the player will see heat emitting from the doors. Accordingly, a door leading to a cold area will emit cold air. The player can use these hints to avoid taking unnecessary damage.
6 Attack With A Charged Spin Jump
Early on, Samus gets the ability to charge her beam shots. This improves the strength of her beam shots, allowing her to deal damage to even bosses with just her basic beam. This is an important upgrade that gives her some much-needed damage.
However, the Charge Beam upgrade lets Samus do one more thing. If Samus performs a spin jump while holding a full charge, she can damage enemies by coming into contact with them. While this can also hurt Samus if the attack does not kill the enemy, she can still use this to quickly get rid of small swarms of weak mobs.
5 Highlight Objects On The Map
Not all of the amazing things players can do in Metroid Dread are flashy and intense. The map in Metroid Dread is extremely useful, marking every single item pickup or door type for players to peruse as they navigate their way through Planet ZDR.
One new feature is the ability to highlight these objects on the map. Highlighting them doesn't just highlight the object by itself, but every other instance of the object in the current area as well. This is extremely useful, especially if Samus has just obtained an upgrade that will allow her to get through them.
4 Destroy Projectiles With Dash Melee
Hitting the Melee button while holding forward will make Samus perform a Dash Melee attack which is a much stronger version of a normal melee attack. The attack comes out very quickly and increases in damage with each suit upgrade.
The Dash Melee can also be used to destroy projectiles. While it's possible to destroy projectiles with Samus's normal beam, it takes a little more time to do so. Dash Melee is a much faster alternative for destroying incoming projectiles, although it cannot be used in every situation.
3 Jump With Flash Shift
Eventually, Samus will obtain the Flash Shift Aeion ability. This allows Samus to shift forward in an instant, allowing her to traverse short horizontal distances very quickly. While Samus can't use this to phase through enemies, it is still an extremely useful ability.
Samus can also use Flash Shift to extend her horizontal jump distance. Samus can use this to clear large wide distances or to quickly dash over a boss. Flash Shift can greatly increase Samus's maneuverability, so it's important to make use of it.
2 Stun An E.M.M.I. With A Counter
E.M.M.I.'s are extremely powerful robots that serve as the major threat in Metroid Dread. They are immune to many of Samus's attacks and will instantly kill her if they manage to make contact with her.
However, even if Samus gets cornered by an E.M.M.I., she can still avoid impending doom by parrying the E.M.M.I.'s attack. By countering with the Melee button in time with the yellow flash that signals the robot's attack, Samus can stun them, giving her a chance to getaway. The windows for doing so are extremely short, but there are two opportunities, so players should always try to counter the E.M.M.I. robots.
1 Blaze Through The Game With Shinespark
Shinespark is a classic Metroid trick that has been around since Super Metroid. After gaining the momentum needed to activate Speed Booster, the player then must crouch, which will cause Samus to store up the acceleration inside her body. She then has a short amount of time to adjust her position and shoot off towards another direction, whether it be up, down, or in diagonal directions.
While shinesparking isn't necessary to beat the game, it can be used to take advantage of shortcuts or even sequence break the game. Some hidden areas in the game can only be accessed with a shinespark, and the technique is easier to use than in older games, so players should try it out when they have the chance.