Metroid Database Bestiary

After a Gamma Metroid has absorbed enough energy, it will molt into the Zeta Metroid. With this mutation, the Metroid grows well-defined arms, legs, head, and tail. Zeta Metroids are incredibly fast and will strike quickly and efficiently with their sharp talons. Although not as fully-developed as the adult form, the Zeta Metroid's jaws are also formidable, with strong teeth for latching onto prey. However, the low amount of teeth in these jaws make them seem more capable of latching onto prey so it can be swallowed whole rather than rending flesh. Zeta Metroids have also developed highly acidic salivary glands. These glands will build up large volumes of acid, which the Zeta Metroid spits to incapacitate its prey.

In addition to its fearsome attack abilities, the Zeta Metroid's shell has hardened considerably, with the top of its head and its legs being particularly well-armored. Still, its carapace in the front and back can be penetrated by high-explosive projectiles. However, the creatures retain the ability to fly and will leap about cavern walls rapidly to overcome their opponents, making them extremely difficult to attack from behind. Thankfully Zeta Metroids have never been observed to hunt in packs...

There are four Zeta Metroids in the game, and while they are less powerful than Omega Metroids, they can be quite formidable in narrow confines, making them in some ways more deadly. Zeta Metroids will charge at Samus relentlessly, rushing through the air at very high speeds. For this reason, they are much easier to defeat with the Screw Attack - in fact, this item is almost essential to the task.

The brute force method is to use the Screw Attack to fly circles around the Zeta Metroids, pummeling them with Missiles when you see an opening. Of course, this is easier said than done, particularly in rooms with tight spacing or that are covered in spikes. Zeta Metroids can be defeated with 20 Missiles.

You can also take advantage of the Zeta's algorithm for flying directly at Samus. One good technique is to jump and fire one or two Missiles while standing right next to the Zeta, then crouch to avoid its fireballs and swooping attack. The Zeta will fly over you, letting you turn around and repeat the process.

The first Zeta Metroid you should encounter is in the front entrance of the large tower in Ruins Area 4, right before collecting the Screw Attack. When you encounter the Zeta Metroid, it is highly recommended to quickly Space Jump up through the ceiling; here, you'll come to an item room containing the Screw Attack. If you don't collect it, be prepared to lose a bare minimum of 150 energy.

The most troublesome Zeta Metroid is in the sand pit in the caves outside Ruins Area 4. When you enter a room full of sand, more forward cautiously, clearing out the sand above and in front of you to give you some maneuvering room. You will eventually encounter a Gamma Metroid in the process of molting. Once you are prepared, approach it to begin the fight. One good trick is to lead the Zeta Metroid to the entrance where you can pump it full of missiles rapidly.

Zeta Metroids have a special molting animation.

In Metroid Fusion, you can also see a Zeta Metroid in a storage capsule. While the Omega Metroid was vulnerable to the Ice Beam, Samus was not able to fight any other form of mutation in this game, but it seems reasonable that a Zeta Metroid would also be vulnerable to a combination Plasma + Ice Beam.

It is also possible that if Zeta Metroids appeared again, they would also no longer be able to fly, as the Omega Metroid did not seem capable of this in Metroid: Fusion.