Scan Visor

The Scan Visor is one of two visors found in all of the games with first-person: Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Metroid Prime Hunters, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, and in some ways Metroid Prime Pinball and Metroid: Other M. The other visor that appears is Samus' 'default' visor, the Combat Visor. The Scan Visor allows Samus to scan certain objects to learn more about them or perform a function. When a scan has finished, the game action freezes to allow Samus to read its contents.

Some scans are recorded in the Logbook that allows them to be accessed later on; such data can be gathered from enemies, items, and lore or logs from such groups as the Space Pirates and the Chozo. Filling the Logbook with these scans in Prime and Echoes unlocks concept art, while in Corruption Red and Blue Credits are given to buy various unlockables. Scans that do not get recorded include those that perform functions, and those that are not critical to the mission, such as doors or crates.

In Metroid Prime/Metroid Prime Hunters
In Prime and Hunters, the Scan Visor is almost identical to the Combat Visor. Scannable items are only marked with an orange or red square, called a "Sight Window", representing what objects can be scanned in the area. It also allows Samus to see Alimbic Datashades in Hunters. After scanning in Prime, images of the subject appear to the left and right of the screen. Depending on the subject, different images will appear. Creature scans show blue pictures and close-ups with notable features displayed in orange. Subjects that can not be downloaded to Samus' Logbook will only display text.

The Scan Visor in the New Play Control! version of Metroid Prime and in the Metroid Prime Trilogy version is similar to the one used in Corruption, but the Sight Windows are retained.

In Metroid Prime, if an enemy or object is scanned exactly when Samus' energy is depleted, the visor will show the dialouge box that usually displays information, but it will be empty and no data is shown. Whatever music that was previously playing will continue to play, however.

In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
In Echoes, scannable objects are completely highlighted in red, blue, or green. Red objects are mission-critical and have not been scanned. Blue objects have not been scanned but are not mission-critical. All enemies appear as blue when being scanned for the first time. Green objects have already been scanned.

The Scan Visor can also be used to perform a scan jump similar to the Dash-Jump, which is used throughout the Prime Trilogy to sequence break and obtain items out of the normal order. The images to the right and left of the visor that appeared in Prime are replaced by a category system showing the scanned object's location in the Logbook. Objects downloaded to the Logbook mostly show a model of the subject, and Samus can zoom in and out, pan, and rotate it.

In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
In Corruption, the Scan Visor returns with a revamped look. Four crosshairs are used as a cursor for locating scannable objects, which expands over the target depending on the size of the subject. Corruption retains the Blue, Red, and Green coding system of scannable objects. It also allows Samus to gain Red and Blue Credits, which are used on the game's menu to unlock secret concept art, music and other features. It shows a reflection of Samus's face, which shows the spread of her Phazon corruption as the game progresses. The images that are shown after scanning return from Metroid Prime, and applies to all objects. Also, the models that appear in the Logbook from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes are retained, and are viewed in a similar fashion.

In Metroid Prime Pinball
In Pinball, the Scan Visor itself does not appear, but there is a similarly named item, the Award Scanner, in its place. It can be considered a Scan Visor usable in Morph Ball form. A Board Feature on every table, it resembles a Spinner and can be "scanned" to get a powerup or enhancement.

In Metroid: Other M
A form of Scan Visor, named Examine, appears in the Search View mode in Metroid: Other M. The Visor is used to lock onto environmental objects, such as mission-critical characters, items for the same purpose as the characters and obstacles to find their weakness. Various symbols scroll through a bar (depending on the item/obstacle it could be an item for the necessary item to remove the obstacle) and the appropriate one is highlighted. Bosses can also be scanned to reveal their health bars in Search View, but the text and Logbook sections are no longer present. Enemies and parts of the environment also cannot be scanned.

Sometimes, when the camera shifts into Samus' point of view during a cutscene and she is looking at something or someone, a colored outline will appear around the subject, as it does during gameplay. This either indicates Samus' Scan Visor feature is always turned on in this game, or that she is actively using it.

A full list of possible targets with Examine are below:
 * Accel Charge
 * Anthony Higgs
 * Blood
 * Commander Adam Malkovich
 * Cyborg Zebesian
 * Door
 * Dr. Madeline Bergman
 * E-Recovery Tank
 * Energy Part
 * Energy Tank
 * Galactic Federation ship
 * Gigafraug
 * Grapple Point
 * Head Quarantine Officer
 * Holographic Generator
 * James Pierce
 * K.G. Misawa
 * Little birdie
 * Lyle Smithsonian
 * MB
 * Maurice Favreau
 * Metroid Egg
 * Missile Tank
 * Mystery Creature
 * Quarantine Officer
 * Ridley
 * Terminal
 * Zero

Official Metroid Prime website
Weapon Effect: N/A

Weapon Range: N/A

Weapon Potential: Non-Lethal

''The Scan Visor is used to collect data and activate certain devices. Samus is unable to fire any weapons while using the Scan Visor, but it can provide invaluable data about enemies' vulnerabilities. Scanned data vital to the success of the mission is downloaded and stored in Samus's Log Book.''

Metroid Prime manual
"While Samus uses the Scan Visor, a magnifying reticule will appear in the center of her visor. This reticule picks out anything that can be scanned—from creatures to computer terminals—and shows it as an orange or red symbol. If you press and hold the L Button while locked onto one of these symbols, the Scan Visor will download information. Once it's done downloading, the visor will display a message."

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes manual
"Scannable items in the environment appear in red, blue, or green. Green light means the object has been scanned before, red light means the item is mission-critical, and blue lights mean you can gather some information about the item. If you press and hold the L Button while locked onto one of these symbols, the Scan Visor will download information. Once it's downloaded enough, the visor will display a message. You can press the A Button to display more of the message if it continues off-screen."

Metroid: Other M On-Screen Tutorial
"EXAMINE Press and hold B on the area you want to examine."

Trivia

 * It is seen a few times that the method Samus uses to activate her Scan Visor is to press something on the left side of her helmet.
 * Acording to the final cutscene from Echoes, the Scan Visor will turn opaque when scanning even in the Light Suit.