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- This article is about the area. For other uses, see Brinstar (Disambiguation).
Brinstar (ブリンスタ Burinsuta) is an underground complex of caverns and jungles on Zebes. Home to many creatures, Brinstar is used as a Space Pirate base, and is relatively easy to navigate. The area appears in Metroid, Zero Mission, and Super Metroid. It is well-known as the area containing the Starting Point, the very first room of the entire Metroid game series.
Topography
Old Brinstar
Old Brinstar in Metroid.
The original Brinstar was the first area Samus Aran explored during her first mission on Zebes. Its many tunnels and caverns were chiefly comprised of blue, orange and occasionally green rock, with pools of acid here and there. It was relatively easy to navigate, but was teeming with life. In the original Metroid manual, the horizontal corridors are named Corridor No. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
After Mother Brain's first defeat, this area fell into ruin, and it was almost completely desolate by the time Samus returned here years later. However, "Eye" security systems had since been set up here, and as Samus searched Old Brinstar they alerted the Space Pirates to her presence. By this point, all that remained of Old Brinstar were three of the blue-rock areas: The Starting Point where Samus acquired the Morph Ball (curiously, it is present there once more); the room leading down to the elevator to Kraid's Lair (the door to the elevator has been blocked off, though a new door leading to Missiles is on the opposite side); and a corridor containing a large block with a small crevice that the Morph Ball can fit through (the door previously present behind the block is gone as well; a Missile Tank is in its place). The Energy Tank hidden within one of the ceiling's rocks in the first Metroid is there once again. Aside from these three areas, nothing remained of the original Brinstar after Tourian's destruction, making it one of the smallest areas in Super Metroid. However, the Brinstar region also expanded into two additional, larger areas.
Upper Brinstar
Unlike the lifeless original Brinstar, the underground jungle of Upper Brinstar was teeming with life: Overgrown with vegetation, it was home to many species of flora and fauna. There were many flowers in the background that may be related to the Cyrlic Tree. This area is also the most maze-like. Spore Spawn inhabited this area, before it was defeated by Samus. Notable locations in this area are the "n00b bridge" and "Hell".
Lower Brinstar
Samus in Lower Brinstar.
The "Red Soil Swampy Area" is more straightforward. As its moniker suggests, the soil in this sub-area is red. The main shaft of this area faintly pulsates a violet color; the source of this light is unknown, but presumably mechanical in nature. There are also numerous pools of water here, as well as many Samus Eaters. This area also became the new site of Kraid's Lair, and the new residence of Kraid himself (while Kraid's Lair lacks any of the red soil, the music from the area still plays up until a corridor two rooms before Kraid).
Inhabitants
Samus' arrival in Brinstar in Metroid: Zero Mission.
Metroid and Zero Mission
- Dessgeega (Zero Mission)
- Hive (Zero Mission)
- Mellow
- Parasite (Zero Mission)
- Reo (Metroid)
- Ripper
- Skree
- Tangle Vine Fruit (Zero Mission)
- Waver
- Zeb
- Zoomer
Super Metroid
- Beetom
- Boyon
- Cacatac
- Dachora (non-hostile)
- Etecoon (non-hostile)
- Eye (non-hostile)
- Geega
- Geemer
- Kihunter
- Mellow
- Metaree
- Reo
- Ripper
- Samus Eater
- Sbug (non-hostile)
- Sidehopper
- Skree
- Waver
- Yapping Maw
- Zeb
- Zebbo
- Zeela
- Zero
Bosses
Zero Mission
Super Metroid
Items
Metroid
Metroid: Zero Mission
- 10 Missile Tanks
- 3 Energy Tanks
- 1 Super Missile Expansion
- Morph Ball
- Long Beam
- Bomb
- Varia Suit
- Charge Beam
Super Metroid
Upper Brinstar in Super Metroid.
- 11 Missile Tanks
- 3 Super Missile Tanks
- 4 Energy Tanks
- 1 Reserve Tank
- 5 Power Bomb Tanks
- Morph Ball
- Charge Beam
- Spazer Beam
- X-Ray Scope
Music
In Metroid, Brinstar (Metroid) plays throughout Brinstar. It has become one of the most recognizable and remixed themes in the Metroid series.
In Super Metroid, Planet Zebes - Arrival on Crateria plays during Samus Aran's initial return to old Brinstar; on subsequent visits, Crateria - The Space Pirates Appear will play instead. Upper Brinstar plays throughout the green jungle section of Brinstar. Lower Brinstar plays in the red swampy section of Brinstar.
In Zero Mission, a remixed version of Brinstar (Metroid) once again plays throughout Brinstar. 10 plays exclusively in the room containing the Stone Statues, while 06 can be heard in the elevator room leading to Kraid's Lair.
In Super Smash Bros. series
Non-canon warning: This article or section contains information that may not be considered an official part of the Metroid series in the overall storyline by Nintendo.
Super Smash Bros. Melee introduced a stage based on Brinstar. This stage features rising and falling acid that damages fighters on contact; Zebetite-like structures holding up the platforms; and an unknown substance holding together two parts of the main stage, which can be destroyed by repeated attacks (although it will simply regenerate). The stage is based on the Planet Zebes stage from Super Smash Bros., essentially being a redesign of the original stage.
The stage also appears in Melee's Adventure Mode, where the player must fight Samus Aran, then evacuate Zebes in 40 seconds or lose one stock life. The shaft bears resemblance to shafts in both Crateria and the Ceres Space Colony in Super Metroid.
Kraid's Lair is also present as a stage, under the name "Planet Zebes: Brinstar Depths".
Both stages return in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with graphical updates.
Non-canon warning: Non-canonical information ends here.
Official data
Super Metroid manual
"The jungle area of Zebes is a maze of heavy foliage."
Super Metroid Players' Guide
- Zebes - A Visitors Guide (page 13)
- "A real jungle, not only in terms of the heavy foliage but also because of the brutality of the inhabitants."
- Brinstar
- "Samus' adventure continues in Brinstar, the home of numerous alien monstrosities and the killer Kraid. Samus will discover many important items here that are vital to her quest, so she'll need to search the jungle-like area well. Remember, Mother Brain is watching and waiting - Samus needs to be swift if she's to survive..."
- "Get used to the layout and idiosyncrasies of Brinstar as you'll be spending a lot of time here. Not only is it one of the largest areas of the game, it also holds more special add-ons than any other. No fewer than five of those hallowed objects reside in the caverns and tunnels that make up Brinstar and at least two of them are necessities if you're to complete the game. There's also a huge supply of other bonuses such as missile packs, save units and booster terminals."
- Area B
- "Initially, Brinstar might seem un-nervingly big and that's without discovering the abundant secret rooms hidden around its cavernous splendour. Look for the second map computer to help Samus navigate this maze since it has more links to other zones than anywhere else."
- Area C
- "Section C sees Samus perform one of the most spectacular stunts in the game - a stomach-churning, speed boost-assisted super jump to clear deadly flowing lava seeping from fiery Norfair."
- Area D
- "Deep within Brinstar Samus will come across strange, lichen-like vegetation. She must not allow the pleasant green hues to fool her, though, as much of the plant and animal life has developed effective defences such as thorn spitting thistles and stinging insects."
- Area E
- "Though the vast majority of life forms Samus encounters prove dangerous and hostile, here she will meet a friendly bird-like creature. Watch it's [sic] actions well, and you just may learn something!"
- Area F
- "There's no rest for the wicked or heroic adventurers in this section. Virtually all the skills required in the game will be tested in the gruelling arena of section F. A tough challenge climaxes with Kraid and the battle for the Spazar [sic]."
Metroid: Zero Mission manual
"Brinstar is covered in rock formations and is home to an array of dangerous indigenous creatures."
Trivia
- In the Metroid Manga, Mother Brain states that humans like the young Samus would only be able to survive in Crateria and Brinstar, which resulted in the Chozo infusing Samus with Chozo DNA provided by Grey Voice allowing her to survive in other areas of Zebes. This indicates that Brinstar is habitable and has a breathable atmosphere.
- There is a class of ships named after Brinstar in surviving Blood of the Chozo stories.
