Metroid Prime 2: Echoes/Boss Tricks
From SDA Knowledge Base
Contents
Jump Guardian
Jump Guardian can be cheesed easily without actually fighting the boss by taking the path backwards. Not only does this allow for an easier, faster Jump Guardian fight, but the path taken to go to Judgement Pit backwards is much, much faster than taking the intended path.
In Dark Agon at Portal Site, there are two paths Samus can take: the left path with a morph ball bomb slot, and the right path that is normally inaccessible without space jump. Use a 2BJ or 3BJ, and unmorph at the top of the bombjump to access the right path to Portal Access. Make sure you're not physically pressing against the wall while bombjumping, and press forward during the unmorph.
In Portal Access, when facing the higher ledge, l-jump on the bladepod on the right, then jump diagonally forward-left to land on the ledge. After falling off the other side, grab health from the bladepods, as the next door is loading regardless.
In Judgement Pit, go to the unactivated light beacon on the higher ledge on the left and aim towards the statue in front of the green door. Start alternatively shooting charge beams and missiles at the spot in front of the statue. You will start damaging jump guardian, because jump guardian's hitbox is present at that location before the fight is not yet triggered. How many charge beam shots and missiles to use depends on how many missiles you currently have.
You cannot finish Jump Guardian before actually triggering the fight. As such, any attack that would normally finish Jump Guardian will not actually damage him. So use some uncharged power beam shots when you think Jump Guardian is nearly dead, then fall down to the ground to trigger the fight. The fight should start with him having nearly no health; you should easily be able to finish him with power beam shots.
Doing ILS makes this trick useless for any%, as Samus already has space jump anyways, and does not need to fight Jump Guardian. However, this saves significant time for 100% or ILS-less categories.
Dark Samus 1
Power Bomb Method
If you already have the early power bomb from Temple Grounds, then Dark Samus can be killed in one hit with a power bomb. The most consistent method is to morph immediately when the fight starts (without pressing any direction), then roll to the left and around the center pillar until you roll into Dark Samus. Plant a power bomb just as you touch her, as she will use her force field attack and stay in place.
No Power Bomb Method
If you did not get the early power bomb, or are doing 100%, then you will have to actually fight Dark Samus.
The best way to deal damage is to repeatedly use fully charged power beam shots. As the power beam travels somewhat slow, you want to stay close to dark samus as much as possible.
Dark Samus will almost always use her force field when a missile is fired within her vicinity, or if Samus herself is almost touching Dark Samus. This is very useful for manipulating her AI and making her stay still. Occasionally, the missile will actually hit Dark Samus, stunning her and dealing damage, which is good. By manipulating her to put up her force field, she stays still, giving enough time for you to charge a power beam charged shot and hit her before she jumps away.
In the first phase of the fight, stay close to Dark Samus as much as possible, as you want to avoid using missiles because they do waste time; only use missiles if Dark Samus is far away. (If you have trouble staying close though, then feel free to use missiles).
The second phase is where missiles become important, as Dark Samus has two attacks where she is completely invincible for several seconds. You want to constantly make sure she has no opportunity to use these attacks by firing a missile at her, then shooting a charge beam, then shooting a missile at her again to keep her in place, and so on.
Alpha Blogg
This boss fight after obtaining gravity boost can be skipped quickly.
After starting the fight, roll to the wall on the left and do a BSJ on the wall. Use the gravity boost to reach the platform opposite of where you started; this platform is not normally accessible until after finishing alpha blogg. Hover to the higher platform by the door and exit via the blue door to skip the fight!
When doing the BSJ, make sure you are actually using a wall. You can't BSJ on the gates that closed at the openings of the arena (those aren't actual walls).
Grapple Guardian
Phase 1
First scan Grapple Guardian. You can't lock on to his eye if he is not scanned.
Three normal light beam shots in the eye stuns Grapple Guardian. When he is stunned, strafe around him, and shoot his back with a fully charged light shot. Try to sneak in a few normal light beam shots on his back while he slowly turns around after the charged shot. Then repeat; this round should go down in 3 sets of attacks on his back, if done properly.
If Grapple Guardian attempts to grapple you, then let him grab you and shoot a single normal light beam shot into his eye. This will instantly stun him, and you can damage his back more quickly.
Phase 2
Phase 2 starts when Grapple Guardian goes into an animation where he roars in pain and loses the armor on his back. While waiting for this animation to end, you can use a power bomb to blow up the gate at the dark door as you generally should be leaving that way.
Try to stay close to his front to manipulate him into try to attack you with his horn. You want to avoid him using his grapple attack, since if he grapples you and you stun him, you can't damage him for several seconds. If he does grapple you, let him reel you in and hit you, as it's faster than either letting him miss repeatedly, stunning him, or letting him grapple a pillar. Of course, don't do this if your health is low.
Stun him with three shots in the eye again. Immediately after the third shot, charge your light beam and hit his eye with it as soon as possible. Usually he will have a sliver of health left; if you were fast enough, you can sneak in an extra light shot or two to finish him off.
After Grapple Guardian is dead, morph near his body as the game warps you by where Grapple Beam spawns anyways, and when Samus is morphed, all of his drops move towards Samus in this part of the game.
Chykka
Dark Samus 2
You should be fighting Dark Samus 2 in 100%, as echo visor is skipped in any%.
This fight is mostly straightforward. Charged Dark Beam Shots are key to defeating Dark Samus 2 as quickly as possible, as she is weak to dark beam (ironically), and charged dark beam deals much more damage if the chasing ooze hits her as well. As such, try to stay close to her to manipulate her into using her force field attack so she stays still while you hit her with the charged dark shot (meaning the ooze will damage her).
If Dark Samus morphs, use a charged dark shot to break her out of her boost attack (you can only do it AFTER she's done morphing).
Every time Dark Samus returns from Dark Visor Mode, when she's in the air, shoot a charged dark shot the moment she lands. She is vulnerable at this moment, and standing still, so the ooze damage can deal extra damage.
Quadraxis
Quadraxis Skip
Quadraxis can be skipped by wallcrawling past him.
(todo - video and details)
Fighting Quadraxis
If you are not experienced with aether jumping, do not wish to skip quadraxis, or are doing 100%, then you can fight Quadraxis with these strategies.
Phase 1
Each leg part takes one fully charged light beam shot and two normal light shots to destroy.
Start with the closest leg on the right, as it will always be flashing first. Then work on the legs in a clockwise-fashion. Every time a leg part is destroyed, make sure to spend a few seconds using charge beam to collect the drops, as you will need the health, assuming you are fighting Quadraxis without dark suit.
After two legs are destroyed, Quadraxis has a tendency to use his annihilator attack, which wastes time. Manipulate him into using his stomp attack instead by staying near his leg, making sure there's a leg between you and his main body.
If you desperately need health, and Quadraxis's leg parts aren't giving you health drops, let Quadraxis use his spinning attack and power bomb him. This will almost always give you four ultra energies, which is 400 health.
