The subject of this article is not named in-game.
The current title is from a guide or other published source.
The Kago[1] (カーゴ)[2] is a species of small insectoid creatures that coexist with each other within large hives, which are caged inside a web of hardened biomatter known as Kago's nest (カーゴの巣)[3]. They do not actively cause any damage if their hives are left alone, but if fired on, individuals are expelled to defend their homes.
Description[]
Super Metroid[]
Kagos are first seen in Crateria, but are also found later on in Norfair on Zebes in Super Metroid. They appear as a green cage with glowing red biomass inside. The Kago's nest can be destroyed if the nest is shot enough times, and when shot, members of the colony will jump out and surround it, hopping around back and forth. Remarkably, Kago nests will violently shake the rooms in which they are found with every hit they receive from Samus's weapons, suggesting these structures are strongly fixed to the ground. These can be used to collect energy and weapons ammunition pickups, and deal little damage as well. They are of very little threat to Samus, only becoming dangerous if large quantities of them are released.
Metroid Fusion[]
In Sector 2 (TRO), Sector 4 (AQA), and Sector 5 (ARC) on the Biologic Space Laboratories research station in Metroid Fusion. there lies an infected version and/or a mimicked variant of Kago[2], both caused by the X Parasites. The nest, when uninfected, has a shiny green web cage, and the Kagos within now glow with a slight purple tint. When a free-floating X merges with one of these Kago's nests, it mutates, tripling in size and transforming into a towering purple cage with a glowing green, pulsating interior. Both forms are vulnerable to both the Screw Attack and Shinespark, though Samus is unable to destroy a smaller Kago's nest, simply passing through one with these attacks. They often block off certain areas, but can also be used by Samus if frozen to become very useful platforms. Freezing a smaller Kago's nest can prevent any nearby X Parasites from merging with the frozen Kago's nest until it thaws. Larger Kago's nests, when destroyed, release two X Parasites, with a high chance of either or both to be a Red X.
The smaller Kago's nest will emit a sound when hit with a weapon. A larger Kago's nest will repel any attack except for the aforementioned ones, shaking rapidly briefly. None of the Kagos emerge when their nest is fired on. While Kagos do not spawn from their cage, they are fully programmed as enemies, and unused sprites exist within the game's internal data. They have no programming allowing them to escape their cage, nor are they programmed to release any X Parasites upon their destruction.[1]
Official data[]
Super Metroid Nintendo Player's Guide[]
KAGO
| Enemy Data | Description | |||||||
| Color | HP | ATK | E | BE | M | SM | PB | Crateria/Norfair. Stand back and shoot the hive, then shoot what comes out. |
| Normal | 15 | 4 | 20 | 35 | 27 | 8 | 8 | |
Information
CRATERIA AREA D (p. 34)
- BLOW THE HIVE
- "Stand back a bit and rapidly shoot the pulsating hive until it blows up. Don't move on until you dust off all of the tiny enemies, though."
Trivia[]
- In Super Metroid, if Samus crashes into a Kago's nest by using the Shinespark, she will be stopped by it. However, in Metroid Fusion, if she does this, she will pass through the nest, although the nest will not be damaged. This supports the theory of the Kago's nests being built out of an incredibly solid matter that permanently affixes them to the ground.
- Metroid Fusion: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide refers to the vine Kago's nest as a "living wall".
- In Fusion, if a short Kago's nest is somehow destroyed via hacking, it explodes without leaving an X Parasite nor a drop, revealing that it is uninfected.
- The ecology and appearances of Kago's nests appear to be inspired by native Australian stingless honeybees, where their hive composition is more loose and vein like.
Gallery[]
.png "Kago spawns in Fusion (unused).png (369 KB)")
References[]
- ^ Super Metroid Nintendo Player's Guide pg. 15
- ^ a b Nintendo Official Guide Book for Metroid Fusion pg. 27
- ^ Concept art published in Nintendo Power
