Alt-Form

Alt-Forms (or Alternate Form) are a secondary state of movement and fighting that several characters, notably Bounty Hunters, have. Alt-Forms are generally smaller in size, allowing them to fit through narrow spaces that Biped forms cannot, and have various unique modes of movement and attack. Most attacks used by Alt-Forms are either melee-based or traps such as Bombs, in contrast to the more ranged weaponry used by Bounty Hunters in Biped form. In Metroid Prime Hunters, Alt-Forms do not take damage from neck-breaking heights, unlike Biped forms, though they are still vulnerable to falling out of the playable area.

The term first emerged in Metroid Prime Hunters, although Samus's Morph Ball has been around since the first game of the series.

Known Alt-Forms

• Samus Aran - Morph Ball
• Noxus - Vhoscythe
• Spire - Dialanche
• Weavel - Halfturret
• Kanden - Stinglarva
• Trace - Triskelion
• Sylux - Lockjaw

Alt Form Weapons

• Morph Ball - Bomb
• Stinglarva - Larva Bomb
• Halfturret - Halfturret Slice
• Dialanche - Fire Blade
• Vhoscythe - Spin Attack
• Lockjaw - Electric Bombs
• Triskelion - Jump Strike

Other Alt-Forms

Dark Samus, Gandrayda's Samus-G form and the SA-X, as doppelgängers of Samus, use the Morph Ball as an attack and for navigation. The Boost Guardian also uses the Boost Ball.

Finally, Ghor's Armorsuit has a sort of "Alt-Form", which allows him to ride in it as a form of spacecraft.

Zero Suit Samus does not have the capability of using the Morph Ball without her Power Suit, and so she crawls through tunnels (seen in Metroid: Zero Mission).

The E.M.M.I. in Metroid Dread can reconfigure themselves to fit through narrow spaces as a standard feature. However, they move slightly slower when in this configuration and must pause momentarily in order to change between it and other forms. Because this body configuration is distinct from typical crawling and slightly limits an E.M.M.I.'s abilities, it may be seen as an Alt-Form. E.M.M.I.-01P and 02SM lack this ability for differing reasons (01P is too damaged to be able to enter any configuration besides the basic biped form, and 02SM's faceplate is too large), so the 03MB model is the first E.M.M.I. Samus encounters that can move through narrow spaces at all. Suitably, she reacquires the Morph Ball by destroying 03MB.

Official Data

Metroid Prime Hunters: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide

ALTERNATE FORMS

"While in an alternate form, buttons function differently from the way they're described on page 13--you can no longer control your perspective and L and R have different uses.
Each hunter has an alternate form with unique characteristics and weaponry. Some also have special properties, such as Spire's ability to adhere to walls while in Dialanche form."

Alternate-Form Attacks

"Each hunter's alternate form has an attack. For Samus, it's the Morph Ball Bomb, a versatile explosive that can damage foes or propel Samus upward. To use these attacks, press the L Button in right-hand control schemes or the R Button in left-hand control schemes."

Alternate-Form Boost

"Samus can give herself a quick boost of speed that allows her to damage any bioforms she rams into. To use the boost, hold and release R in right-hand control schemes and L in left-hand control schemes. Alternatively, swipe the stylus quickly in the desired direction."

Development notes

According to Richard Vorodi, by the end of development on Hunters, there were no stand alone or cut ideas for Alt-Forms; every idea NST had was implemented into the game in some form. At least one Alt-Form was originally assigned to one hunter, but then given to another as it made for sense for them; Vorodi could not recall which hunters these were.

Gallery

Samus Aran's Morph Ball

Noxus' Vhoscythe

Spire's Dialanche

Weavel's Half-Turret

Kanden's Stinglarva

Trace's Triskelion

Sylux's Lockjaw

Dark Samus' Morph Ball

Boost Guardian's Morph Ball

SA-X in Morph Ball form.