Giant Electric Mine



A Giant Electric Mine is an attack used by Evolved Alpha Metroids and Evolved Gamma Metroids in Metroid: Samus Returns. They are an enhanced version of the smaller, similar electrical projectiles dropped by regular Alphas and Gammas, which can be shot for pick-ups. During the battle, an Evolved Metroid will frequently stop levitating over a platform, and drop a medium-sized red, indestructible fireball that spreads into flames as soon as it makes contact with the platform below. Despite its name, the mine is a fireball, and not electrical in nature, and is not overly large. The flames cover the entire surface of whatever platform or floor they impact. An Evolved Gamma Metroid may drop as many as two in a row. Contact with the fireball will cause Samus to lose 144 units of energy. Interestingly, the flame is not affected by water, as an Evolved Alpha can drop a mine into a pool of water in Area 5.

Metroid: Samus Returns Official Guide

 * Alpha Metroid (page 60):"You see a lot of the same attacks the Alphas perform, but the move you need to watch out for is its Giant Electric Mine attack. Instead of dropping small, destructible electric balls, this type of Alpha drops a single, large fireball down to the ground, which ignites whatever platform it touches. If you see this attack, get off the platform the Metroid is hovering over ASAP!"


 * Gamma Metroid (page 105):"Evolved Gammas are almost identical to normal Gammas. The major variation is that the Evolved Gamma doesn’t drop orbs for you to destroy and instead drops Giant Electric Mines that ignite whatever platform they hit—everything else is the same."