Darkburst

Darkburst
The Darkburst in item form
Featured in	Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Damage	Very high
Effect(s)	Draws smaller targets into a dark dimensional vortex.
Special uses	To make quick work of Light enemies, to open Purple Hatches or Blue Doors.
Obtained	Mining Station B, Agon Wastes

The Darkburst (ダークバースト Dākubāsuto) is a Charge Combo for the Dark Beam, featured only in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. It is an optional power-up that is acquired in Mining Station B in the Agon Wastes.

Description

This Charge Combo is much more powerful than the Dark Beam and requires 30 Dark Beam Ammo and five Missiles to use. The weapon uses a massive amount of dark energy to open a highly unstable dimensional rift, simultaneously inflicting massive amounts of damage to larger targets and engulfing smaller targets completely. When a target is nearby, the Darkburst rips apart its molecular structure and draws it into a "dark dimension, pulling enemies to oblivion." It is this characteristic that makes it similar to a black hole (in fact, the Italian name for the Darkburst is "Buco Nero", which translates to "black hole"). It is important to note that the Darkburst does not open a dimensional rift that leads to Dark Aether. Since the Darkburst can actually be used on the surface of Dark Aether, it is indicated that the dimensional rift formed leads to a completely unrelated dimension of spacetime, or by extension, to a completely different dark planet.

Samus firing the Darkburst at a group of Pirate Commandos.

The Darkburst will eject as a large sphere from the Arm Cannon, moving on a fairly fast, straight trajectory. The Darkburst is easily evaded by agile opponents, so it is recommended to aim charges at the ground or an adjacent wall, to prevent the Darkburst from passing by if it is to miss. The Darkburst is not particularly effective as a weapon on the surface of Dark Aether, since the dimension's inhabitants have a natural resistance to the dark energy of which this weapon is composed. The Darkburst is of great use against aerial foes, or large numbers of enemies. It is important to note that not all targets will be pulled into the vortex of the Darkburst, depending completely upon its size. Larger targets such as Grenchlers will not be pulled into the Darkburst, but smaller targets such as Sandbats will most definitely be. If a target is not pulled in, but is directly hit by the Darkburst, it will still receive damage. Larger targets that have already received much damage can be pulled in, however, such as an Ingsmasher.

Samus fires the Darkburst.

To obtain the Darkburst, Samus must manipulate an Industrial-Grade Mining Drill in Mining Station B. To do so, she must activate a Bomb Slot to start the drill. She must then quickly use a nearby Kinetic Orb Cannon to reach another Bomb Slot. This one will move the drill upwards to reveal a Dark Portal behind a cracked surface. After returning to where the Kinetic Orb Cannon is, Samus must use a half-pipe to reach a new area that will lead to the top of the drill. Samus can now use the Portal to transfer to Dark Aether. After this, she must locate another Portal in the next room to return to Aether. Samus must then return to Mining Station B to acquire the Darkburst.

There is also a method of obtaining the Darkburst involving Sequence Breaking. Samus must perform a Spring Bomb Jump off the drill to reach the ledge containing the Darkburst. If she does this, there will be no pickup cinematic. [1]

Official Data

Inventory data

Darkburst

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Inventory entry

The Darkburst is the Dark Charge Combo. This potent blast opens a rift to a dark dimension, pulling enemies to oblivion.

Samus's Notes

Firing a Darkburst will cost you 5 Missiles and 30 Dark Ammo.
The Darkburst is a slow-moving blast. It is of limited effect against agile and rapid-moving enemies.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes acquisition message

"Darkburst acquired!
This powerful attack uses 5 Missiles! Using the Dark Beam, press and hold [A] to charge, then press [Y]/[Control Pad (Down)] to fire.
Additional data downloaded to Inventory Screen. Press [START]/[2] to access the Inventory Screen."

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide

DARKBURST

"The Charge Beam Combo is the Darkburst, which creates a dimensional rift that sucks enemies inside. It will cause many foes to vanish completely, but it's slow to fire and tough to aim. The move consumes five missiles and 30 units of Dark Ammo."

Development Data

An unused Inventory entry for the Darkburst exists within the Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Bonus Disc. Its entry is near identical to the final game. The only change from the Bonus Disc is the line "10 Missiles and Dark Ammo", which was the original ammo minimum required to fire the Darkburst. This line is appropriately updated in the final game to include the final game's ammo requirement.

Trivia

• The Darkburst can also be utilized in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Multiplayer (via hacking). It is just as powerful as its single-player counterpart, inflicting damage with a mid-sized radius of impact to nearby opposing enemies. Interestingly, a direct shot on an opponent in Morph Ball mode will have them be sucked completely inside the center of the blast and unable to move during the blast's duration (though normally, a direct shot is fatal).
  • The Darkburst's associated death animation is the only death animation to be unused in multiplayer mode, requiring hacking to be seen. This excludes the Sonic Boom, which is completely unused in favor of the Bonus Disc's "Imploder" (which uses the Light Beam's burn-to-death animation).
• In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, using hacks in single-player mode can allow the Darkburst to combine with the Seeker Missiles, allowing for Samus to fire up to five consecutive Darkburst blasts per launch of the Seeker Launcher. Darkburst blasts fired this way do not home in on targets, due to the lack of a lock-on feature for the Darkburst.
• In Metroid Dread, one of Raven Beak's attacks is a slow-moving, blackish-purple energy ball similar to the Darkburst. As the Luminoth and Chozo are known to have interacted with each other and possibly exchanged technologies in the past, this attack may actually be a Chozo variation on the Darkburst.

Gallery

The Darkburst in its Item form.

A Pirate Aerotrooper is ripped apart into the Vortex from the Darkburst.

Samus unleashes the Darkburst on an Ingsmasher.

Five Darkburst shots fired from the Seeker Missile (via hacking).

An opposing player being vaporized by the negative energy of the Darkburst in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Multiplayer (via hacking).

Unused Logbook entry seen in the Bonus Disc.