The Metroid series has been one of Nintendo’s most established properties for decades, but fans of the series have had to wait for nearly two decades for the release of Metroid Dread. The Nintendo Switch release, Metroid Dread, is the follow-up to the Game Boy Advance’s Metroid Fusion, which brings the sci-fi series back to its sidescrolling staples. Metroid is a Nintendo franchise that’s never been completely abandoned, but Metroid Dread has reignited interest in the series in exciting new ways.
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Metroid games never struggle when it comes to ambitious boss battles, but Metroid Dread introduces a new and dedicated series of antagonists known as the E.M.M.I. The E.M.M.I. are advanced DNA-extracting machines sent by the Galactic Federation to retrieve Metroid DNA, which puts Samus Aran in their efficient crosshairs. A number of unique E.M.M.I. come into play in Metroid Dread, each with their own special quirks.
7 The Damaged E.M.M.I. Helps Introduce The Basics
There are six main E.M.M.I. that are sent by the Galactic Federation after Samus, but there's technically a seventh one who functions as a tutorial of sorts on how these resilient robots operate. The first encounter with an E.M.M.I. is in Artaria, when Samus runs into a nondescript E.M.M.I. that lacks a distinct color, is already significantly damaged, and stuck in its bipedal mode.
This Damaged E.M.M.I. doesn't have any extra skills, but it helps Samus understand the slide counter and use of the Omega Beam Cannon that's essential for future E.M.M.I. destruction.
6 The White E.M.M.I. Excels When It Comes To Climbing
The White E.M.M.I. is the first fully advanced E.M.M.I. that challenges Samus and it's especially challenging because Samus has the least amount of abilities at this point in her mission. The White E.M.M.I. stands out because its faceplate projections are larger than its counterparts, which help Samus understand they're her target with the Omega Cannon.
The White E.M.M.I. is quite determined with how it follows Samus, with climbing not slowing the robot down. It's why Spider Magnet is the ability that Samus acquires from this E.M.M.I. upon destruction.
5 The Green E.M.M.I. Doesn't Let Tight Spaces Slow It Down
The Green E.M.M.I. is one of the first major threats that Samus experiences in Cataris and its striking color and design make it more intimidating than its predecessors. The robot forces Samus to stay on the move since it's able to crawl and work its way through air vents, which the previous White E.M.M.I. couldn't.
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Strong evasion and use of the Phantom Cloak is essential to defeat the Green E.M.M.I., which will also reward Samus with its corresponding Morph Ball ability.
4 The Yellow E.M.M.I. Prioritizes Speed In Its DNA Hunt
It's often a solid plan of attack for Samus to focus on a strong offense to take out her enemies, but there are also plenty of occasions where speed is more important than strength or defense. Dairon is the home of the Yellow E.M.M.I., whose specialty is that it operates at extreme velocities. This makes the Yellow E.M.M.I. especially terrifying and doors need to be effectively closed at the right time to prevent sudden death because Samus' speed pales in comparison.
The Yellow E.M.M.I. is a serious challenge, but Samus regaining her Speed Booster and Shinespark powers make it worth it.
3 The Blue E.M.M.I. Can Literally Freeze Samus In Her Tracks
The Blue E.M.M.I. from Ghavoran is especially vicious in its tactics to take out Samus and acquire her Metroid DNA. The Blue E.M.M.I. can produce a spotlight that keeps its target immobilized in its place.
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A single second that's lost can be enough of an opportunity for the E.M.M.I. to take out Samus, so a prolonged period of being frozen is essentially game over. Once again, clever use of walls can be used to trip up the Blue E.M.M.I. and its defeat will appropriately reward Samus with Ice Missiles.
2 The Purple E.M.M.I. Doesn't Let Walls Get In Its Way
Curiously, Metroid Dread's Purple E.M.M.I. from Ferenia bears a lot in common with the previous Blue E.M.M.I., albeit with some essential differences. The Purple E.M.M.I.'s specialty is also the paralysis of Samus, but its attack doesn't freeze Samus for as long as the Blue E.M.M.I.'s maneuver. However, it is able to go through walls, which adds another challenge to the battle.
Additionally, the Purple E.M.M.I.'s E.M.M.I. Zone lacks many lengthy passages to properly charge the Omega Cannon, which means that Samus has to get a little creative when it comes to the destruction of the environment.
1 The Red E.M.M.I. Can't Contain Its Explosive Power
Many of the previous E.M.M.I. that Samus must defeat in Metroid Dread have ability-based quirks that are essential to their elimination, but the final Red E.M.M.I. from Hanubia is just an assault of power that pushes Samus to effectively combine all of her skills. The Red E.M.M.I. confidently blows up its environment whenever possible, which will stun Samus,but it also creates the proper sense of anticipation for this difficult battle.
The Power Bombs that the Red E.M.M.I. returns to Samus are vital, but unfortunately, they’re not available until after the Chozo Soldier feud that immediately follows the E.M.M.I. fight.
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