- Metroid Zero Mission all items routes are easiest when grouped by region and ability requirement.
- Finish the main route before attempting a full cleanup of blocked rooms and hidden expansions.
- Prioritize movement upgrades such as Speed Booster, Hi-Jump Boots, Gravity Suit, and Screw Attack.
- Use the map to mark unexplored rooms, colored doors, bomb blocks, and missed item markers.
- Save the final sweep for Chozodia and late-game areas after Samus has her complete toolkit.
Metroid Zero Mission All Items Route
The most reliable way to collect Metroid Zero Mission all items is to combine story progression with regional backtracking. Do not force every visible expansion immediately. Many Missile Tanks, Energy Tanks, Super Missile Tanks, and Power Bomb Tanks are intentionally placed behind abilities obtained later.
The route below follows the major progression from the opening ruins through Brinstar, Norfair, Ridley’s Lair, Tourian, and Chozodia. It also separates essential upgrades from optional expansions so new players can keep moving when a room is temporarily inaccessible.
| Region | Main objective | Important upgrades | Cleanup timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crateria | Reach the planet interior | Early Energy and route access | Early or first return |
| Brinstar | Build the starting arsenal | Morph Ball, Bombs, Long Beam, Charge Beam | Early and late cleanup |
| Kraid | Open the Norfair route | Missiles, Energy Tanks, regional expansions | After mobility upgrades |
| Norfair | Gain heat protection and movement | Varia Suit, Hi-Jump Boots, Speed Booster, Ice Beam | Mid-game and final sweep |
| Ridley’s Lair | Complete the late main route | Wave Beam, Screw Attack, expansions | Late-game |
| Tourian | Defeat the final story threat | Ice Beam and ammunition management | Story completion |
| Chozodia | Explore the post-game route | Power Grip, Gravity Suit, Space Jump, expansions | Final sweep |
If an item requires an ability you do not have, mark the room and continue. Returning with the correct upgrade is usually faster than searching for an alternative entrance.
Essential Upgrades
- Morph Ball
- Bombs
- Missiles
- Varia Suit
- Speed Booster
Combat Upgrades
- Charge Beam
- Ice Beam
- Wave Beam
- Super Missiles
- Power Bombs
Movement Upgrades
- Hi-Jump Boots
- Speed Booster
- Gravity Suit
- Screw Attack
- Space Jump
Expansion Types
- Missile Tanks
- Super Missile Tanks
- Power Bomb Tanks
- Energy Tanks
- Reserve Tanks
Step-by-Step Collection Route
Follow this sequence when you want a structured path instead of collecting items room by room. The goal is to avoid unnecessary backtracking while still gathering the upgrades that improve survival and open new routes.
Clear Crateria and Enter Brinstar
Explore the opening ruins, use the Chozo-guided route, and enter Brinstar. Collect accessible early expansions, but do not delay progression for rooms that clearly require Bombs or advanced movement. Use save rooms whenever they appear.
Collect the Brinstar Core Upgrades
Obtain the Morph Ball, Bombs, Long Beam, Charge Beam, and Missiles as the early route opens. Bomb suspicious floors and walls, then revisit nearby side rooms that become reachable with Morph Ball movement.
Complete Kraid’s Route
Travel through lower Brinstar, defeat Deorum, and continue toward Kraid. Gather practical Energy and Missile expansions near the route, but postpone high ledges, Speed Booster corridors, and green-door rooms until the required abilities are available.
Advance Through Norfair
Use the Varia Suit for safer heat-region travel. Collect Hi-Jump Boots, Speed Booster, and Ice Beam as the route develops. When you gain a new movement ability, check nearby vertical shafts and long corridors for newly accessible expansions.
Finish Ridley, Tourian, and Chozodia
Complete Ridley’s Lair, preserve resources for Tourian, and finish the main story. After the Zero Suit sequence, explore Chozodia with the recovered equipment. Use the late-game abilities to perform a final sweep across earlier regions.
Do not spend a long time testing every blocked room during the first visit. Colored doors and special blocks are progression signals, not invitations to brute-force the area.
| Collection phase | Recommended targets | Defer until later |
|---|---|---|
| Early game | Morph Ball, Bombs, Missiles, nearby Energy Tanks | Speed Booster paths, green doors |
| Mid-game | Varia Suit, Hi-Jump Boots, Speed Booster, Ice Beam | Power Bomb blocks and advanced Shinespark routes |
| Late main route | Wave Beam, Screw Attack, Super Missiles | Difficult cleanup rooms |
| Post-game | Power Grip, Gravity Suit, Space Jump, Chozodia items | Nothing after the final sweep |
Item Locations by Type
Use the item type to decide how much backtracking is likely. Major abilities usually follow progression routes, while expansions reward map knowledge and careful inspection of side rooms.
Missile Tanks and Super Missile Tanks
Missile Tanks are distributed throughout Brinstar, Kraid, Norfair, Ridley’s Lair, and Chozodia. Check Morph Ball tunnels, bombable floors, narrow shafts, high ledges, and rooms behind red doors. Super Missile Tanks generally require later ammunition access and are best collected during the regional cleanup phase.
Energy Tanks and Reserve Tanks
Energy Tanks improve survivability, making them valuable before difficult boss routes and long environmental sections. Reserve Tanks should usually be collected during the late sweep because their rooms may require Speed Booster movement, Power Bombs, or advanced platforming.
Power Bomb Tanks
Power Bomb Tanks are concentrated in areas with yellow doors, special blocks, concealed corridors, and large destructible sections. Once Power Bombs are available, revisit suspicious dead ends and rooms with clusters of unusual blocks.
| Item type | Typical clue | Common requirement | Best collection window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missile Tank | Red door, small tunnel, hidden block | Missiles, Morph Ball, Bombs | Early through final sweep |
| Super Missile Tank | Green door or advanced side room | Super Missiles, movement upgrades | Late game |
| Power Bomb Tank | Yellow door or special blocks | Power Bombs | Post-game cleanup |
| Energy Tank | High ledge, hidden floor, long route | Varies by room | Before difficult sections |
| Reserve Tank | Concealed late-game room | Advanced movement | Final sweep |
A dead end with a suspicious ceiling, floor, or isolated ledge often indicates a future collection route. Remember the room rather than treating it as a failed path.
Ability Requirements
| Upgrade | Primary function | Collection impact |
|---|---|---|
| Morph Ball | Enter narrow passages | Opens early tunnels and item rooms |
| Bombs | Destroy bomb blocks | Reveals hidden paths and vertical routes |
| Speed Booster | Build high-speed movement | Opens long corridors and Shinespark routes |
| Hi-Jump Boots | Increase jump height | Reaches elevated platforms and shafts |
| Super Missiles | Open green doors | Unlocks advanced expansion rooms |
| Power Bombs | Destroy special blocks | Clears large hidden areas |
| Screw Attack | Damage enemies while spinning | Supports late-game traversal and cleanup |
| Gravity Suit | Improve hazardous movement | Opens late exploration routes |
| Space Jump | Sustain spinning jumps | Reaches difficult Chozodia areas |
Boss Preparation and Resource Planning
A strong item route also prepares Samus for the major boss encounters. You do not need every expansion before each fight, but a few upgrades make the route safer and reduce the pressure on ammunition management.
Kraid Preparation
- Carry a healthy Missile reserve.
- Use platforms to control distance.
- Watch for the open-mouth damage window.
- Collect nearby Energy upgrades when convenient.
Ridley Preparation
- Refill before entering the boss route.
- Bring extra Energy Tanks when available.
- Learn the movement pattern before attacking.
- Avoid trading contact damage for quick hits.
Mother Brain Preparation
- Preserve Missiles for the exposed eye.
- Manage Rinkas and beam hazards.
- Use Ice Beam and ammunition carefully.
- Prioritize survival during the escape sequence.
| Boss area | Useful preparation | Main combat priority |
|---|---|---|
| Deorum | Missiles, basic mobility | Attack the exposed eye |
| Kraid | Missiles, Charge Beam, Energy | Use platforms and target the mouth |
| Ridley’s Lair | Varia Suit, Missiles, Energy | Maintain distance and wait for openings |
| Tourian | Ice Beam, Missiles, Energy | Freeze Metroids before passing narrow routes |
| Mother Brain | Missiles, Super Missiles, Energy | Avoid the beam while targeting the eye |
| Mecha Ridley | Late-game movement, Missiles | Move around large mechanical attacks |
Before a boss, use the nearest save and recharge rooms when possible. A few extra expansions help, but full health and ammunition preparation often matter more.
100% Collection Sweep:
- Mark every unexplored map square in Brinstar and Kraid
- Collect accessible Missile and Energy expansions during the main route
- Return to Norfair and Ridley’s Lair with Speed Booster and Power Bombs
- Complete Chozodia after recovering the major late-game abilities
- Confirm Missile, Super Missile, Power Bomb, Energy, and Reserve Tank markers
Final 100% Cleanup Checklist
The final sweep should begin after the story route and Chozodia have opened the majority of Samus’s toolkit. Move region by region instead of jumping randomly between rooms. This makes missing items easier to identify and reduces repeated travel through dangerous corridors.
Recommended Cleanup Order
- Chozodia: Finish the post-game route and collect its major upgrades.
- Ridley’s Lair: Recheck high shafts, bombable floors, and Power Bomb routes.
- Norfair: Search heated side rooms, green doors, and Speed Booster corridors.
- Kraid and Brinstar: Revisit early rooms with late-game movement abilities.
- Global map review: Confirm every visible item marker and unexplored square.
| Cleanup region | What to inspect | Key abilities |
|---|---|---|
| Brinstar | Morph Ball tunnels, bomb blocks, high ledges | Bombs, Speed Booster, Screw Attack |
| Kraid | Green doors, vertical rooms, hidden floors | Super Missiles, Power Bombs |
| Norfair | Heated side rooms, long corridors, shafts | Varia Suit, Speed Booster, Hi-Jump Boots |
| Ridley’s Lair | Advanced movement rooms and concealed passages | Screw Attack, Gravity Suit, Power Bombs |
| Chozodia | Ship interiors, Chozo ruins, isolated platforms | Power Grip, Gravity Suit, Space Jump |
Use unexplored squares and remembered barriers together. A completed room is not always a completed item route, especially when the room contains Speed Booster blocks or hidden destructible tiles.
Q: What is the best order for Metroid Zero Mission all items?
Follow the main route through Brinstar, Kraid, Norfair, Ridley’s Lair, and Tourian, then complete Chozodia and perform a final regional sweep.
Q: Should I collect every item during the first visit?
No. Collect accessible expansions, but defer rooms requiring Speed Booster, Super Missiles, Power Bombs, Screw Attack, or other later abilities.
Q: Which upgrades matter most for a 100% item run?
Morph Ball, Bombs, Missiles, Speed Booster, Hi-Jump Boots, Super Missiles, Power Bombs, Screw Attack, Gravity Suit, and Space Jump are especially important.
Q: Where should I look when an item seems unreachable?
Check for a colored door, bombable block, high ledge, long straight corridor, liquid hazard, or narrow Morph Ball tunnel. The missing ability usually indicates the next progression step.
For foundational controls and official release information, consult the Nintendo Metroid: Zero Mission game page and the official instruction manual.