Phazon Processing Center

Phazon Processing Center
Game	Metroid Prime
Planet/Ship	Tallon IV
Area	Phazon Mines
Notablefeatures	Phazon, floating platforms, invisible platforms, Spider Ball Tracks
Significance	Location of a Missile Expansion
Inhabitants	Space Pirates, Plasma Troopers, Wave Trooper, Power Troopers, Mega Turrets, Fission Metroid (PAL/Wii only)
Internal name	13_mines_vertical_ascent

The Phazon Processing Center is a large room in the Phazon Mines. It appears in Metroid Prime.

Description

This room, as its name implies, contains a lot of Phazon in the lower level. The center is full of Trooper Pirates and, in the PAL and Wii versions, after the Omega Pirate has been defeated, Fission Metroids appear. The main purpose of this room is to provide a shortcut to the Magmoor Caverns.

Connecting rooms

Samus climbs a magnetic rail to the highest part of the room.

• Transport Access (via White Door)
• Maintenance Tunnel (via White Door)
• Processing Center Access (via Red Door)

Inhabitants

• 2 Fission Metroids (PAL, New Play Control!, Metroid Prime Trilogy and Metroid Prime Remastered versions only, after defeating the Omega Pirate)
• 2 Space Pirates (before Plasma Beam)
• 2 Plasma Troopers (after Plasma Beam)
• Wave Trooper (after Plasma Beam)
• 2 Power Troopers (after Plasma Beam)
• 2 Mega Turrets

Items

Missile Expansion

On the eastern side of the room, there is a Missile Expansion hidden inside a wall that can be seen using the X-Ray Visor. Because the wall is made of Bendezium, it can be destroyed with a Power Bomb to get the Expansion.

Development notes

This room's internal name is 13_mines_vertical_ascent. Its name references the amount of platforming required by Samus to maneuver through this room.

The Phazon Processing Center was built by Zoid Kirsch.

Trivia

• If Samus knocks one of the Troopers off the platforms, they will instantly die when they hit the Phazon flooring, showing how dangerous the substance can be for unprotected individuals. Oddly, they will not die if they come into contact with some of the larger bulb-like formations.
• After obtaining the Plasma Beam and if Samus enters the room from Transport Access, if she fires a Super Missile at the Power Trooper from above, the Trooper may land on a thin bar and be stuck in place hopping around on the bar, attempting to reach its footing (it can still fire at Samus if she is within its general front view). Eventually if one waits long enough, the Power Trooper will fall off and land, then dying instantly from the fall.
• The Mega Turrets' shots can hit the Fission Metroids in the room, killing them instantly.
• The Fission Metroids in this room are surprisingly fragile. If they come into contact with Doors or other features of the room they may die instantly. For example, there if they charge at Samus while she is just outside the door leading to Processing Center Access, they will hit an invisible wall and die. They will also die if they touch any of the Phazon formations in the room. Also, just a few shots are sometimes sufficient to destroy them. Nowhere else in the game are the Fission Metroids this weak.
• It should be possible to see the Transport to Magmoor Caverns South (Phazon Mines) and the Transport Access (Phazon Mines) through the large window looking outside, however these structures are not present.

Gallery

The bottom of the room

A Space Pirate upside-down on a Spider Ball Track.

A Space Pirate standing on a structure of Phazon.

The three types of Beam Troopers in this room (post Plasma Beam acquisition).

The Plasma Troopers in this room, with one standing on an invisible platform.

The transport to Magmoor Caverns should be visible from this perspective.

Room seen on the Map.

Icon based on this room, available through Nintendo Switch Online from March 2-9, 2023.