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Metroid: Zero Mission: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide is the official strategy guide for Metroid: Zero Mission, published by Nintendo Power.
Content[]
The book is 112 pages long.
The front cover, as with most strategy guides, depicts the same image as on the game's box art. In this case, it is Samus Aran on the surface of Zebes with a Dessgeega, Waver and Ridley in the background. The front cover also features a "Play it anywhere!" message showing the systems that can play Zero Mission: the Game Boy Player, Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Advance SP.
The first page on the inside of the guide depicts Samus and the silhouette of a Metroid. After this, artwork of Chozo ruins and Samus' opening quote about Zebes in the game is present.
The guide is divided into four main sections: Gameplay Basics, Maps of Zebes, 100% Adventure, Big Finishes and Back to the Future. Gameplay Basics details the controls of the game and features descriptions on each item (except the Paralyzer and Zero Suit), with these descriptions naming Chozo Blocks as such. The Unknown Items' true identities are revealed here, and featured alongside them are screenshots of them later in the game.
Maps of Zebes features zoomed-out sprite maps of every area in the game with Doors, Save Stations, Map Stations, items and Chozo Statues highlighted as well as tip numbers for the 100% Adventure section of the guide. Though official artwork is used to depict Kraid and Ridley on the maps, Mother Brain and the Ridley Robot simply appear in their in-game sprite forms. These images have an explosion behind them, which is also present for the Starship and the Escape Ship at the end of the game.
100% Adventure is a walk-through for beating the game 100% in under two hours for one of the suitless Samus endings. Each suit upgrade features a description and map. The walk-through also features individual expansions, boxed into sections with instructions on obtaining them.
Big Finishes features a 15% and speedrun walkthrough of the game.
Back to the Future, finally, is a walk-through of the original Metroid, which is available as a bonus in Zero Mission; much of this walkthrough is reprinted from the guide in Metroid Prime: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide. This section also includes details on ending images and connecting to Metroid Fusion for more endings.
The inside back cover features an offer of a free Zero Mission t-shirt when one subscribes to Nintendo Power.
Back cover description[]
Samus's Secrets Revealed
"You may think you know everything about Samus Aran's first fight on the planet Zebes and her connections to the ancient Chozo civilization, but until you delve deep into Metroid: Zero Mission, you won't know the half of it. Unravel the dramatically spun tale, root out 100 hidden items and earn the game's best endings with help from the official Nintendo Power player's guide. Chock-full of advanced strategies and comprehensive maps, the guide provides details that even adventuring experts might miss. It's the definitive source for info on the mission that defines Samus Aran."
- Complete callout-packed maps of every underground cavern, alien ship and ancient ruin
- A full walk-through with strategies for collecting all upgrades and items in record time
- Additional walk-throughs that focus on the game's most difficult challenges
- Strategies for the unlockable NES Metroid and details about the GBA link with Metroid Fusion
Sourced names[]
Metroid: Zero Mission: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide provides the English titles for the following articles:
- Acid Worm
- Ancient Chozo machine
- Brain blast
- Charge Beam Beast
- Chozo Block
- Escape Ship
- Escape-ship bay
- Fake lava
- Floating-eye sensor
- Gray Space Pirate
- Hive (Mellow)
- Hopping-Mad Corridor
- Imago
- Imago's hideout
- Parasite (Zebes)
- Ridley's room
- Ruins Test
- Searchlight
- Space Pirate vessel