Super Missile

The Super Missile is a weapon sometimes found in the Metroid series.

In 2-D Metroid games
In Metroid: Zero Mission and Super Metroid, the Super Missile is gained from a Super Missile Tank and is used much like a regular Missile is. It is much more powerful than a standard Missile, and can open green doors as well as red doors in one shot (which, in Super Metroid, requires five regular Missiles). In Zero Mission and Super Metroid, the Super Missile has a separate set of ammunition that had to be selected, but the expansion numbers between the two games differ; in Super Metroid, you gain five when you obtain an expansion, whereas in Metroid: Zero Mission, you only gain two per expansion. In Super Metroid, the Super Missiles move much more quickly than normal Missiles, and do not need time to accelerate in order to gain speed. The appearance of the Super Missile in these games differs from the design of the regular Missile. As the regular Missile has a streamlined rocket-like shape with a small red or pink warhead at the tip, the Super Missile has a much more cylindrical shape along with a ring around the midsection, and also with a very large green warhead at the tip.

The Metroid Fusion Super Missile is gained from a Data Room upgrade. These Super Missiles completely overwrite the initial Missile upgrade, and ammunition can be gained from the same Missile pickups. These have triple the firepower, and have the ability to destroy purple Bio-Barriers on the Biologic Space Laboratories research station. These do not have any difference in appearance from a regular Missile other than a larger amount of exhaust being release from its propulsion when it is flying. However, the Diffusion Missile upgrade changes the appearance of the Fusion Suit's missiles to highly resemble the original Power Suit Super Missiles.

In the Prime trilogy


In the Metroid Prime series, it is the most frequently used Charge Combo and is usually the first one to be claimed. The Super Missile is used to defeat certain enemies, destroy Cordite in Metroid Prime, and to open green doors in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. In both games, the Super Missile Charge Combo is required to complete the game. In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, the combo is obtained by defeating 8 Space Pirates in the Light Torvus Bog Arena before proceeding to the Torvus Temple.

The Super Missile is fired by charging up a shot from the Power Beam and then simultaneously firing a Missile. The Super Missile would then launch, and if the lock-on targeting system was currently in use, it would home in onto the current target. The Super Missile uses up 5 missiles each blast so it is to be used sparingly. Some enemies are only taken down by the Super Missile.

While not explicitly named "Super Missiles", in Metroid Prime Hunters Missiles can be charged in order to fire a single, more powerful Missile with limited homing ability.

The Super Missile is replaced by the Hyper Missile in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

Super Smash Bros.
In Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Samus can fire Super Missiles by using her Forward+B attack as a Smash attack. Super Missiles are more powerful, and they move a lot faster, but cannot home in on opponents like regular Missiles can.

In Melee, the two Missile types are identical in appearance, but Brawl redesigns the Super Missile into its traditional green-tipped shape.