Changes: Total darkness

Revision as of 19:25, 16 September 2019

M2 Phase 7 Dark Chamber — Total darkness in the Dark Chamber

Total darkness^[1] is a recurring obstacle in the Metroid series.

Description

Samus Aran's helmet is equipped with an Infrared Ray Scope that allows her to see in the darkness, which is a necessary tool for exploring the dark caves and tunnels of various planets. However, there are some areas that are too dark for even her Infrared Ray Scope, forcing her to rely on other methods to navigate her way through total darkness.

Metroid Prime

In Metroid Prime, Samus acquires the Thermal Visor in the Glacier One Research Core. However, upon doing so, many rooms of Glacier One will lose power and become enveloped in total darkness, with only some glowing technology still visible. This also allows Tallon Metroids to escape their containment and increases the number of Shadow Pirates guarding the facility. Fortunately, Samus can use her newly-equipped Thermal Visor to navigate these dark rooms.

Whenever Chozo Ghosts spawn, the room that they occupy becomes considerably darker. While this adds to the atmosphere and makes it more difficult to navigate the room, it also makes it easier to see the brightly-glowing Chozo Ghosts when they are visible.

Some rooms in the Phazon Mines, such as Fungal Hall B, are also very dark with a little illumination provided by the Saturnines.

Metroid II: Return of Samus

Total darkness was first introduced as a gameplay element in Metroid II: Return of Samus. The Dark Chamber in Phase 7 received its name from the fact that it is almost entirely pitch-black. The only things visible in this chamber are Samus, her weapons, a Missile Pod, and a bit of light coming in through the two openings in the ceiling. Because her weapons are visible, Samus can most easily navigate the Dark Chamber by leaving a trail of bombs.

Total darkness does not return in the remake, Metroid: Samus Returns, with the redesigned Dark Chamber now being fully-illuminated.

Super Metroid

In Super Metroid, Samus can find caves inhabited by Firefleas in Brinstar and Ridley's Hideout. At first, these rooms are well-illuminated by the glowing Firefleas. However, for every Fireflea that Samus kills, these rooms grow darker and darker, making them more difficult to navigate. If all the Firefleas are dead, then the room is fully enveloped in total darkness, with only Samus and a few environmental objects still able to be seen. Therefore, to avoid total darkness, Samus must navigate these rooms without killing the Firefleas.

Trivia

A downplayed form of total darkness can be seen in some rooms of the Biologic Space Laboratories research station, most notably in the nocturnal environments of Sector 6 (NOC). These rooms are darker than any other sector of the station, with a small circle of light surrounding Samus. This effect is also present in some rooms of the Chozodia Chozo Ruins. However, the rooms are still well-lit enough to easily navigate, and this lighting effect is hardly noticeable when the game is played on a backlit screen (i.e. Nintendo DS or Virtual Console).

Gallery

References

^ Metroid Prime Thermal Visor Inventory Data

Obstacles
Destructible	Breakable Organic Block • Dark Webbing • Dynamo Unit • Luminoth Webbing • Magma-eruption port Meltable Metal • Ornamental frame • Phazon Blocker • Phazon mass • Rinka • Rock spire Steel orb • Ventilation cap
Indestructible	Air Hole • Blue magnetic strip • Boulder • Fan • Flame jet • Invisible platform Jump Pad • Kzan • Pirate Alarm System • Secret Passage • Spike • Structural Debris
Mechanisms	Access ramp • Ball Clamp • Bryyo Lore Locks • Chozebo • Circuit board • Combination Lock Energy conductor unit • Golden Statues • Grapple Voltage Terminal • Gun Socket Key Code (GF) • Laser beams • Laser Barrier • Light barrier • Locking mechanism Pirate X-Ray Pad • Portal generation system • Pull Block • Pumping station • Red crystal switch Red Eye Statue • Rotating lift platforms • Runic symbol • Security lever • Security ring Sensor • Shot Target • Stalactite • Stone Statues • Storm Missile Box • Switch (Complex) • Target Ventilation fans • Volcano • Weakened Column • Wide Beam Box
Gates	Converted cargo pod gate • Echo Gate • Electric Gate • Mechanical gate • Mk VI Gate Mk VII Defense Gate • Sandgate • Security Gate • Vault • Zipline Gate
Puzzles	Containment system • Conveyor system • Echo Key Beam system • Gyroscopic system "Lava cooling machine" • Luminoth laser emitter • Luminoth sonic security system Power storage racks • Routing tower • Rubiks Puzzle • Solar lens
Transportation	Conveyor • Elevator Terminal • Grapple Point • Spider Ball Track • Zipline Cable
Atmospheric	Air of Dark Aether • Air pressure • Acid Rain • Dark vapor • Extreme cold • Extreme heat • Gravity Total darkness
See Also	Blocks • Doors • Force Field • Hatch-Blocking Enemies • Phazon

[1] Metroid Prime Thermal Visor Inventory Data

[1]

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 ===''Metroid Prime''===
-In ''[[Metroid Prime (game)|Metroid Prime]]'', Samus acquires the [[Thermal Visor]] in the [[Glacier One]] [[Research Core]]. However, upon doing so, many rooms of Glacier One will lose power and become enveloped in total darkness, with only some glowing technology still visible. This also allows [[Tallon Metroid]]s to escape their containment and increases the number of [[Shadow Pirate]] guarding the facility. Fortunately, Samus can use her newly-equipped Thermal Visor to navigate these dark rooms.
+In ''[[Metroid Prime (game)|Metroid Prime]]'', Samus acquires the [[Thermal Visor]] in the [[Glacier One]] [[Research Core]]. However, upon doing so, many rooms of Glacier One will lose power and become enveloped in total darkness, with only some glowing technology still visible. This also allows [[Tallon Metroid]]s to escape their containment and increases the number of [[Shadow Pirate]]s guarding the facility. Fortunately, Samus can use her newly-equipped Thermal Visor to navigate these dark rooms.
 Whenever [[Chozo Ghost]]s spawn, the room that they occupy becomes considerably darker. While this adds to the atmosphere and makes it more difficult to navigate the room, it also makes it easier to see the brightly-glowing Chozo Ghosts when they are visible.
@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 ==Trivia==
-*A downplayed form of total darkness can be seen in [[Sector 6 (NOC)]]. The nocturnal environment is darker than any other sector of the [[Biologic Space Laboratories research station]], with a small circle of light surrounding Samus. However, the rooms are still well-lit enough to easily navigate, and this lighting effect is hardly noticeable when the game is played on a backlit screen (i.e. [[Nintendo DS]] or [[Virtual Console]]).
+*A downplayed form of total darkness can be seen in some rooms of the [[Biologic Space Laboratories research station]], most notably in the nocturnal environments of [[Sector 6 (NOC)]]. These rooms are darker than any other sector of the station, with a small circle of light surrounding Samus. This effect is also present in some rooms of the [[Chozodia]] [[Chozo Ruins (Zebes)|Chozo Ruins]]. However, the rooms are still well-lit enough to easily navigate, and this lighting effect is hardly noticeable when the game is played on a backlit screen (i.e. [[Nintendo DS]] or [[Virtual Console]]).
 ==Gallery==