Kraid's Lair[1][2][3], also known as Kraid's Hideout[4], Mini-Boss Hideout I[5], Brinstar Area F[6], Brinstar Area G[7], depths of Brinstar[8], Brinstar Depths,[9] or simply Kraid[10], is the name of two distinct areas on planet Zebes. The first lair appears in Metroid and its remake, while the second one, built in another location within Brinstar, is visited during Super Metroid. These places are where Samus Aran battles the Space Pirate enforcer, Kraid.
Kraid's Lair also appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee as a stage named Planet Zebes: Brinstar Depths.
Description[]
Both versions of Kraid's Lair has their entrances decorated with a large statue of an unknown creature featuring a disproportionate head similar to a Geega. The statue's appearance remains mostly unaltered between Metroid and Super Metroid, but Zero Mission has heavily redesigned it to resemble a reptilian being with its mouth closed.
Metroid[]
In Samus's first mission on Zebes, Kraid's Lair is completely separate from Brinstar, and consists mostly of structures crafted out of natural stones colored white. Despite this, vegetation is persistently growing in several segments of the region. Pools of acid are common hazards to be found; a few of these are actually illusions used to hide passages. Several isolated rooms, including Kraid's room, contain blue-colored metals, while others feature Air Holes as well. As Samus reaches closer to the Pirate's room, the surrounding environment is no longer constructed of stones, but instead with green metal, panels, and fences; Fake Kraid is located in these synthetic corridors. Both rooms outside and inside of Kraid's chamber contain ceilings designed to resemble eyes and sets of teeth. Noticeably, an extensive vertical shaft containing long rows of Fake Blocks can be found in this region, which requires Samus to carefully shoot and move quickly before the blocks reform on her.
It is reached via the second room in Brinstar, once the Bombs have been obtained.
Zero Mission[]
In the remake Metroid: Zero Mission, the layout of Kraid's Lair is slightly changed. The background of the entire region now features ruins and crumbled architecture. There is also sophisticated technology to be found in the area, such as zip lines and their power source, the ancient Chozo machine, along with Morph Ball launchers. One of the large pools of acid now contains a mini-boss known as the Acid Worm. Rooms with purple stone seemingly replaced all blue-colored rooms.
Thanks to Zero Mission's improved graphics and additional content, Kraid's Lair is ultimately revealed to have once been an important Chozo region before the gigantic Pirate settled in it, as it features numerous ruins and destroyed structures, along with Chozo machinery.
Similar to Metroid, Samus can reach Kraid's Lair the moment she has Bombs. Although the Power Grip is required to reach certain Morph Ball ledges, it is possible for Samus to reach and defeat Kraid immediately after obtaining Bombs via Infinite Bomb Jumping. Doing so means Samus can defeat Kraid even before reaching Norfair.
Super Metroid[]
By the time Samus returns to Zebes during Super Metroid, the original lair belonging to Kraid is inaccessible, with its only entrance entirely closed off with Brinstar's blue cavernous rocks. Kraid is to be found in a new lair, located in the red swamp segment of Brinstar, though carefully hidden with Super Missile Blocks. It is largely industrialized, with scarce signs of greenery and plantlife, except for some vines and Kraid's chamber. Some rooms are built with the same synthetic, green metal seen during the previous mission on Zebes. Contrary to the original hideout that mostly featured dangerous wildlife, there is a large presence of Space Pirates in the form of green Kihunters and Green Zebesians that guard Kraid and Mini-Kraid; the corridor containing Mini-Kraid features a ceiling crafted into a threatening face similar to those found in the boss's chamber in the previous hideout.
Power-Ups[]
Metroid[]
Zero Mission[]
Super Metroid[]
Enemies[]
Metroid and Zero Mission[]
- Barisute (Zero Mission)
- Gadora (Zero Mission)
- Geega
- Memu (Metroid)
- Mini-Kraid (Metroid)
- Reo (Zero Mission)
- Ripper
- Sidehopper
- Skree
- Zeela
Super Metroid[]
- Beetom
- Gadora
- Green Space Pirate
- Kihunter
- Mini-Kraid
- Sbug (non-hostile)
- Zeb
- Zeela
Bosses[]
Music[]
In Metroid, Brinstar Depths plays throughout Kraid's Lair. The Zero Mission remake features a remixed and extended version of Brinstar Depths.
In Super Metroid, Lower Brinstar plays in the first few rooms of Kraid's Lair. Upon entering the long corridor containing Zebesians and Mini-Kraid, a tense theme will start playing up until the boss battle against Kraid; if Samus revisits these areas after defeating Kraid, Silence will play instead.
Official data[]
Nintendo Power Volume 29[]
- KRAID'S HIDEOUT
- "Mini-Boss number two is Kraid, a reptilian monstrosity which fires spikes from its belly. Although the hideout is near the starting point of the game, visit Kraid only after having defeated Ridley. Here you will find treacherous shafts and other challenges."
Super Metroid Players' Guide[]
- 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[]
- KRAID
- "This is the lair of the largest boss in the fortress - Kraid."
Trivia[]
- Kraid's Lair in Super Metroid contains the infamous and mysterious dead soldier, seemingly killed a considerable amount of time before Samus returned to Zebes.
- In Super Metroid, the ceiling designed to resemble eyes and teeth in Kraid's second hideout can harm Samus if she jumps and touch the sharp structures that comprise the fangs (the original version seen in Metroid is harmless). Due to Mini-Kraid launching its belly spikes from across the corridor, a player trying to jump over these obstacles is likely to hurt themselves on these spikes.
See also[]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ^ Classic NES Series: Metroid manual, pg. 16
- ^ Metroid Prime: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide pg. 130
- ^ Metroid: Zero Mission: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide pg. 43
- ^ Nintendo Power Volume 29, pg. 43
- ^ Metroid instruction manual, pg. 30
- ^ Super Metroid Players' Guide pg. 36-37
- ^ Super Metroid Nintendo Player's Guide pg. 56-57
- ^ Super Smash Bros. Melee Kraid Trophy
- ^ Super Smash Bros.
- ^ Metroid: Zero Mission
| Kraid | |
|---|---|
| Areas | Kraid's room (Kraid's Lair/Cataris) Planet Zebes: Brinstar Depths • Volcanic Sector • Dark Realm |
| Weapons | Spinning claw • Kraid Bouncing Creature • Kraid's Missile Gun • Rocket |
| Music | Tourian • Big Boss Confrontation BGM (Kraid, Crocomire, Phantoon) Boss Kraid • Brinstar Depths • Brinstar (Metroid) |
| Other | Gallery • Mini-Kraid • Raven Beak X • Doug Parker • Kraid's Toy Shop |