Rocky cave

The rocky cave is a significant room in Crateria. It made its first appearance in Super Metroid, although chronologically it is first seen in Metroid: Zero Mission.

Description
The rocky cave consists of an uneven horizontal tunnel, with a pair of natural rocky shafts extending downward on the left and right sides. The rocky tunnel is found directly to the left of Samus Aran's Gunship, and proves to be essential in traveling between Crateria's landing site, Tourian's escape shaft, and Brinstar's Corridor No. 1.

During Samus Aran's Zero Mission, she first passes through the rocky cave while escaping the imminent destruction of Tourian. She ascends the left shaft and has to break several barriers with her Beam to reach the landing site. During this time, a large red rock blocks the right shaft. After receiving the Fully Powered Suit in Chozodia, Samus can return to the rocky cave to access the ruins of Tourian. She can also destroy the red rock with a Power Bomb and use the right shaft to travel to Corridor No. 1. During this time, the rocky cave is completely uninhabited.

The rocky cave plays a much greater role during the Raid on Planet Zebes in Super Metroid, and is the first room Samus enters after landing her ship on Zebes. At first, the rocky cave appears desolate, with only a few Sbugs that are spooked by Samus's presence. Starting with only her basic Power Beam, Samus can only two Blue Doors at first (with one leading quickly to a dead end), but many more paths and doors quickly open up to her as she acquires her Morph Ball, Missiles, and Bombs. After returning to the rocky cave from the ruins of old Tourian and Brinstar, she finds the tunnels swarming with Geemers, Rippers, and Skrees.

Just like in Zero Mission, Samus's escape from the exploding Tourian in Super Metroid brings her through the rocky cave, which is now uninhabited once again. She has the option to detour through the right shaft to rescue the Etecoons and Dachora before returning to the landing site.

Connecting rooms
In both games, the rocky cave connects to the landing site through a Blue Door on the right.

In Super Metroid, the rocky cave connects directly to the old Tourian escape shaft through a vertical Blue Door at the bottom of the left shaft. The left shaft also has a Blue Door to a Save Station; a Blue Door to a room with glowing Koma-like faces; and a Red Hatch to a corridor with Mellows and a Reo, leading to a Map Station. The right shaft has a Blue Door to a Mellow-infested corridor leading to Torizo's room. The upper left Blue Door leads to a sloped room with large mushrooms.

In Zero Mission, the left shaft of the rocky cave has a Green Hatch leading to the elevator room, which then connects to the Tourian escape shaft. The right shaft has a Blue Door to a corridor that eventually leads to Corridor No. 1.

Super Metroid

 * 11 Geemers
 * 2 Rippers
 * 17 Sbugs (first visit)
 * 3 Skrees

Metroid: Zero Mission: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide

 * 276 RETURN TO TOURIAN (pg. 89)
 * "Your item-collecting travels will take you to Tourian next. Run left, blasting barriers as you go, then drop through a long natural shaft and use a Suepr Missile to break through a green hatch. Continue left to the Tourian elevator."


 * 281 BEGIN AGAIN (pg. 91)
 * "Climb up the rock shaft, move right and detonate a Power Bomb at the reddish boulders. You'll carve a path to Brinstar - where you started your adventure."

Trivia

 * Much like Crateria itself, the rocky cave did not appear in the original Metroid but was included in the Zero Mission remake, strengthening its continuity with Super Metroid.