Phendrana Drifts

Metroid Prime guide · Exploring frozen ruins and high-tech research labs to acquire thermal vision, beam weapons, and the gravity suit ✓ Checked against sources

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Phendrana Drifts is a frigid, mountainous biome on Tallon IV composed of ancient frozen Chozo structures, deep icy caverns, and fortified Space Pirate research laboratories. Samus Aran explores this region in multiple visits to recover crucial gear upgrades like the Wave Beam, Super Missile, Thermal Visor, and Gravity Suit while infiltrating facilities where Pirates experiment on Metroids. Navigating the terrain requires thawing frozen mechanisms, navigating pitch-black darkened corridors using thermal imaging, and subduing massive indigenous ice predators.

Items

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Boost Ball: Phendrana Canyon, sitting in an open alcove at the far end of the canyon half-pipeWave Beam: Chapel of the Elders, floating inside the shrine after surviving the Sheegoth encounterSuper Missile: Observatory, floating at the pinnacle above the holographic planetary projector after scanning all consoles and activating the lift spinnersThermal Visor: Research Core, located at the bottom of the multi-tiered tank chamber after disengaging the containment fieldSpider Ball: Quarantine Cave, awarded directly after shattering the massive rock monster ThardusGravity Suit: Gravity Pool, resting at the very bottom of the deep subterranean pool beneath the ice

Key fights

Chapel Guardian Battle

Enemies: Sheegoth (accompanied initially by Baby Sheegoths)

Threats: Blasts freezing breath across the floor, stomps to send shockwaves, and deflects head-on energy shots

Weaknesses and resistances: Vulnerable to explosives dropped under the underbelly or concentrated missile strikes to the unarmored mouth when panting

Tactics: Circle-strafe around the room, roll underneath in Morph Ball mode to plant bombs under the belly, and blast its face with Missiles after it exhales

Rewards: Wave Beam

Quarantine Cave Guardian

Enemies: Thardus

Threats: Hurls giant rolling boulders, causes falling stalactites, and unleashes a blinding snowstorm that obscures ordinary vision

Weaknesses and resistances: Armor plating is invulnerable; target glowing thermal weak points spotted through the Thermal Visor, then strike the shattered target with the Combat Visor

Tactics: Switch to Thermal Visor to identify the overheated rock segment, pummel it with Super Missiles until it breaks, dodge tumbling rocks, and swap back to Combat Visor to finish off that spot before repeating

Rewards: Spider Ball

Enemies

Sheegoth

Weak to Plasma Beam, thermal vulnerabilities, and Morph Ball Bombs under the belly

Armored predator that exhales freezing breath and absorbs front-facing beam attacks with its horn crystals.

Baby Sheegoth

Weak to Missiles or Power Beam hits to the soft back after baiting an attack

Smaller carnivore that absorbs frontal projectile fire with its crystalline shell.

Flickerbat

Weak to Power Beam or Wave Beam

Flying bat-like organism that stays cloaked until struck or approached.

Shadow Pirate

Weak to Thermal Visor tracking paired with Super Missiles or Wave Beam

Cloaked Space Pirate that disappears from ordinary sight to execute ambush attacks.

Tips

When the Space Pirate labs undergo a complete blackout after grabbing the Thermal Visor, immediately switch your visor mode to spot powered conduit switches and cloaked Shadow Pirates in the dark.

Not listed for this area: secrets, shops and people.

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Magmoor Caverns

Phazon Mines

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Sources checked: nintendolife.com, youtube.com, ign.com, kotaku.com