- For the difficulty level of the same name, see Hyper Mode (difficulty level).
Samus Aran in her Hyper Mode state, armed with the deadly Hyper Beam.
Hyper Mode is a state in which a creature is powered up using the strange properties of Phazon. Introduced in Metroid Prime and expanded on in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Hyper Mode can seemingly be achieved by organisms or mechanoids that have sufficient control over Phazon, though with Federation Marines and Space Pirates, this mode is activated by injecting a small amount of Phazon into their weaponry using a device such as the PED. In Hyper Mode, creatures gain additional health and more powerful attacks.
Impact Crater
In Metroid Prime, Samus can enter a state called "Hyper Mode" during the final battle with Metroid Prime itself when she steps in a pool of liquid Phazon generated by Metroid Prime. The Phazon Suit uses the liquid phazon to add power to Samus's arm cannon, changing its physical shape drastically (its mass increases, turns black with blue veins covering it). It can then fire a continuous stream of phazon energy in a chaotic manner (compared to the precise and controlled Hyper Beam in the third game). This attack is known as the Phazon Beam. This is the only way to damage the second form of Metroid Prime. This hypermode may be considered a precursor to the more evolved system used in Corruption.
Corruption
In Metroid Prime 3, Samus Aran, Rundas, Ghor, and Gandrayda are infected with Phazon by Dark Samus. This causes their bodies to produce a constant supply of Phazon. After their recovery, the Galactic Federation equips them with PEDs, which allows them to enter Hyper Mode through the use of their internal Phazon, at a cost of their own energy. However, unbeknownst to all, this also puts them at risk of corruption by Dark Samus. Only Samus succeeded in resisting this corruption, leading the others, who had their virulant Phazon spreading within them for two weeks prior, to fall under Dark Samus's control and attack Samus throughout the game. When in Hypermode, strange blue dots appear to be drifting everywhere. These appear to be the Phazon particles, infecting the atmosphere. They are most likely exhaust from the PED rather than indications of nearby Leviathan corruption (as they can be seen on the G.F.S. Olympus, Norion and Valhalla all without a Leviathan).
At some point of Bryyo Fire, after shooting three Phazon Vine nodes, Samus unintentionally engages the "Corrupt Hypermode" status. After venting out, AU 242 receives the reading and decides to look further into this state. While Samus is searching for the Ship Missile upgrade, the AU returns with a report: moments after Hyper Mode is active, the Phazon within Samus will start overreacting, causing the corruption. Unfortunately, the Federation did not foresee this error, unknowingly putting Samus and the other bounty hunters in great danger, and apologizes.
On Phaaze, Samus's PED becomes unstable and leaves her in permanent Hypermode status, though with a few adjustments.
According to AU 242, the Hypermode function is the only way to defeat Dark Samus, which turns out to be correct. The same applies to the final battle with Dark Samus in Echoes when Samus had to absorb the particles of Phazon to defeat Dark Samus.
Gameplay
Samus
In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Samus can achieve Hyper Mode by sacrificing some of her energy from one of her Energy Tanks after obtaining the PED Suit. In Hyper Mode, Samus's suit becomes invincible to most attacks, and her weapons are powered up, assuming she has the appropriate upgrades. The weapons are:
Hyper Mode is governed by a bar on top of the screen that replaces the health bar. Under normal conditions, this bar is white, and decreases when Samus uses a Phazon attack.
Samus enters Corrupted Hyper Mode, a state that puts her at risk of fatal corruption.
After experiencing a Phazon overload in Bryyo, Corrupted Hyper Mode can be entered after 10 seconds of regular Hyper Mode. In Corrupted Hyper Mode, the Phazon bar turns red and constantly increases. The bar can be increased by being hit by enemies' Phazon attacks, such as the pulses used by Phaazoids. If this happens she has only a couple of seconds to vent Phazon before she is fully corrupted. If the bar is completely filled up, a cinematic shows Samus becoming fully Corrupted and turning into Dark Samus. Corrupted Hyper Mode can only be exited by emptying the Phazon bar through repeated use of Phazon attacks or by waiting 25 seconds for an auto-vent, which does not restore any of the energy vented; manual exiting is disabled. Manual exiting is the only way to restore unused energy - any form of automatic venting or Hypermode failure simply removes the Phazon from the system. However, corrupted Hypermode has its benefits. If Samus needs to attack several targets with Hypermode, not only does it prolong Hypermode time, but Samus will regenerate her Phazon in this state if hit by enemies, so she can strategically allow herself to be hit to give herself extra Phazon to use for attacks, while being careful not to overload. During Hypermode, no visors can be used, and only the Phazon-enhanced equivalents of normal weapons (such as the Hyper Ball) can be used. Strangely, the Screw Attack seems to be exempt of this, as it can be used even when in Hypermode (albeit with blue Phazon energy instead of yellow energy). If the bar turns red, blue tentacles can be seen at the edge of her vision. Morph Ball Bombs can be used in Hyper Mode before the Hyper Ball is obtained, but Missiles cannot be used; not even before the Hyper Missile is obtained.
Certain enemies have attacks that can cause Hyper Mode to fail, such as the Pirates' Phazon grenades (can also cause extreme Phazon Overload), a Phazon Metroid's discharge attack or a Phazon Hopper's shockwave attack while it is in Hyper Mode itself. Some of these attacks will usually also send Samus into critically corrupted Hyper Mode if she is not in Hypermode when she is hit. If Samus is involuntarily sent into Hypermode the red bar will be almost completely full, and Samus will have a few seconds, if not less, to vent her Phazon completely or to a reasonable level to await auto-vent. A number of Phazon blasts from Hypermode-engaged Pirates will also send Samus into corrupted Hypermode, even if they were not in Hypermode when hit by the blasts. In addition, contact with hazardous substances (Fuel Gel, acid rain) while in Hyper Mode will trigger a "Hypermode Failure" if Samus is not equipped with the Hazard Shield. It is also noted that Samus' vision changes to greyscale in Hyper Mode, except for certain enemies, objects, and obstacles.
On Phaaze
Samus enters permanent Hyper Mode on Phaaze.
On the planet Phaaze, a high Phazon concentration causes Samus to enter a permanent state of Hyper Mode. The regular health bar is replaced by a yellow Phazon bar, the length of which is dependent on the number of Energy Tanks Samus has collected throughout the game. The bar constantly increases at a slow rate, as well as when Samus takes damage. It can only be decreased by collecting Anti-Phazon Units, by draining energy into foes using the Hyper Grapple, or when a Phazon Puffer absorbs her energy. When the bar is completely filled, Samus becomes corrupted and the game ends. Because she is now permanently in this state, she has access to her other visors and her Combat Visor no longer displays the area around her in monochrome colors. It also takes on the same apearance and features as the regular Combat Visor, regaining the minimap, radar, etc. Interestingly, being exposed to Phaaze's atmosphere has caused Samus to reach a level of corruption likely above 75%, causing Samus' Gunship to deny her entry and she presumably loses any control over it. Apparently the high Phazon concentration alters her DNA to a point where her Gunship fails to recognize her as Samus Aran.
Enemies
An Armored Pirate Trooper entering Hyper Mode.
Space Pirates (except Berserker Knights and Lords), Crawltanks, some Phazon-mutated creatures (such as the Phazon Hopper), Tinbots and the corrupted bounty hunters can all enter Hyper Mode. Enemies in Hyper Mode gain resistance to non-Phazon attacks and more powerful attacks. They also will look different, often being tinted blue and having small Phazon tendrils emanating from them. Enemies tend to roar or taunt Samus right before transforming.
Trivia
- Strangely, Samus cannot fire standard Missiles in Hyper Mode until she obtains the Hyper Missile. However, she is still capable of laying Morph Ball Bombs and firing the Grapple Beam without both the Hyper Ball and the Hyper Grapple.
- In one of the preview trailers for Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, a PED Marine in Hyper Mode is seen killing a Berserker Lord with ease. This footage is nowhere to be seen in the final version of the game.