Tips: Metroid Prime 3

Feeling a little lost in space? Since it launched, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption has had players hooked thanks to its blend of intense action, intergalactic exploration and tricky puzzle-solving. But we all know that being a bounty hunter isn’t always easy. If you need a helping hand to get you through the testing times that lie ahead or want to unlock some of the game’s many secrets, read on. But be warned; if you want to go uncover everything for yourself then look away now!

Boss battle – Rundas

Deep in the dangerous Temple of Bryyo you’ll have your first encounter with one of the hunters who has fallen foul to the corrupting power of Phazon. Just because Rundas saved your neck as you fell towards a sticky end in a generator shaft, don’t expect a friendly reunion.

Shielded by heavy armour and constantly on the move, Rundas is a powerful foe who will throw everything at you in a bid to bring an early end to your quest. The key to bringing him down lies in ripping off his protective armour. Being careful to avoid his devastating ice attacks, wait until Rundas is standing still; either on the ground or on top of one of the many pillars littered around the battle area.

Once he’s static, throw everything you’ve got at him to stun him then unleash your Grapple Lasso to tear off his armour. Once that’s out of the way you can let loose with cannon fire and missiles, or enter Hypermode to deal maximum damage.

As the battle nears its conclusion Rundas will throw some new attacks at you, but just keep strafing and firing to avoid being taken out and continue to remove his replenished armour with your Grapple Lasso once he’s stunned. Before long you’ll bring an end to the battle and show this upstart hunter how it should be done.

Mii Bobblehead

There’s nothing like a novelty dashboard bobble-head to cheer you up as you make your way through the depths of space. The sanctuary of Samus’s ship is made all the more enjoyable by the neat addition of this little novelty item that puts the face of your very own Mii atop a Varia Suit-clad bobble-head! You can even interact with the little fellow with a simple point and push of your Wii Remote!

To unlock your personal bobble-head, you’ll need to trade off some of the credits you’ve picked up in the game. For one Blue Credit, two Friend Credits, three Gold Credits and three Red Credits you can take a giant leap in interior design and kit your ship out with the most desirable accessory in the galaxy!

Remember, you’ll pick up different coloured credits for performing special tasks, defeating bosses and scanning the lore and creatures you come across on your adventure. It might help you out to know that the first ten times you dispatch of 100 enemies, you’ll earn yourself a handy Friend Voucher to send to someone.

Secret Messages

While you’re spending some quality time alone in your ship, why not get in touch with some famous friends? Opening Samus’s computer terminal will reveal eight symbols that may mean nothing to the un-trained eye, but behind them lie some interesting secrets. Look at the symbols from left to right and imagine they represent the numbers one through to eight.

Now just tap in the equivalent of the number sequence 8,3,5,4 to hear a personal message from the legendary creator of Mario, Shigeru Miyamoto! The numbers 2,7,5,1 will also earn you a message – this time from Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. There are more secret messages to be found, but be warned - you may struggle to understand them unless you are fluent in Japanese!

Lights of life

Ever wondered what the four little lights right at the top of Samus’s visor represent when you are playing Metroid Prime 3: Corruption? Will your mission to save the day be over when they blink away to nothing? Well, no, but you will have to take a quick break. The four horizontal bars actually represent the remaining life of the batteries in your Wii Remote!

Remember these helpful revelations only represent the tip of the ice-berg when it comes to overcoming the challenges and discovering the secrets that await you in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. So what are you waiting for? Start exploring and save the day!

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is in shops now, only on Wii. For more information, visit the official website. Check back here next week for even more Metroid Prime 3 tips!