To fully explore the depths of ZDR in Metroid Dread, you’ll need to reacquire all of Samus’s iconic upgrades. Like always, you’ll find Bombs, Super Missiles, the Screw Attack, and way more upgrades that appear in every entry of the series — but there are a few surprises here. You’ll need them all to progress thanks to the new Door Covering system, meaning there are even more types of barriers. That includes barriers for specific types of beam weapons too. There are even doors that can only be used with the Grapple Beam, the Flash Shift, or the Phantom Cloak.
It isn’t always clear where you need to go or what you need to do next in Metroid Dread. If you’re lost and want to get your hands on the next plot-important piece of gear, just check the full list of upgrades below. Everything is covered in order.
More Metroid Dread guides:
How To Evade EMMI | Artaria & Corpius | Walkthrough Pt. 1 | Cataris & Kraid | Walkthrough Pt. 2 | Burenia & Drogyga | Walkthrough Pt. 3 | Elun & Escue | Walkthrough Pt. 4 | Screw Attack & Z-57 | Walkthrough Pt. 5 | Hanubia & Raven Beak | Walkthrough Pt. 6 | How To Find All Energy Tanks & Missile Tanks | 100% Completion Guide | All Boss Battles
All Samus Suit & Weapon Upgrades | Locations Guide
Charge Beam: Artaria – Located at the bottom of the map. Required to open Orange Doors. After reaching the Map Station, go through the water and re-enter the EMMI area. Go down in this area and stand on a platform to activate the water, raising a platform and allowing you to slide down to the exit. Follow this path down and destroy the red pustules to create a path further down past Orange Doors. Slide and you’ll reach the Item Sphere.
Spider Magnet: Artaria – Acquired for defeating the fully functional EMMI in Artaria. Allows Samus to magnetize to blue walls. She can now climb vertically or horizontally.
Phantom Cloak: Artaria – Ability that allows Samus to enter Sensor Doors. Gained by defeating the Corpius boss in Artaria.
Wide Beam: Dairon – Fires a beam of three lasers. Can activate three-button switches and doors. Collected in Dairon after restoring power to the derelict sector.
Morph Ball: Cataris – Allows Samus to roll through small gaps. Acquired by defeating the Cataris EMMI. With Morph Ball, Samus can climb into small gaps from ledges, or jump with [A].
Varia Suit: Artaria – Allows Samus to safely traverse super heated rooms — but not cold or lava. Acquired after using the red Teleporter in Cataris and returning to Artaria. After using the Thermal Flow switch, retreat upward and you’ll be able to collect this upgrade.
Diffusion Beam: Cataris – Special Charged Beam attack that can destroy objects on the other side of walls. Reward for defeating the boss Kraid.
Bomb: Dairon – After restoring power to the second generator in Dairon, travel up and right (right of the uppermost Save Station) to a room to obtain the bomb. The bomb upgrade lets you place bombs while in Morph Ball mode. You can use bombs to destroy hidden blocks, bomb blocks and activate Morph Ball Launchers.
Flash Shift: Burenia – Ability that allows you to instantly shift forward on the ground or mid-air. Acquired in Burenia after using the Dairon tram.
Speed Booster: Dairon – Acquired after defeating the Dairon EMMI. Speed Booster allows you to sprint, gaining enough speed to break through Speed Booster blocks. Once you acquire the
Grapple Beam: Artaria – The classic Grapple Beam that latches onto grapple points — and any magnetic walls. After acquiring the Shinespark, use it to reach the Yellow Teleporter in Dairon. From the Yellow Teleporter, use Speed Booster to Shinespark through the Speed Booster Blocks — this unlocks a path to the Grapple Beam.
Super Missile: Ghavoran – After reaching the Network Station, go through the area below and reach the whale room. Through the left door, use Bombs on the floor to reach a path leading to the Super Missile. This powerful missile type can break through green coverings.
Plasma Beam: Elun – Rewarded after following the path through Elun. Can pierce multiple enemies when charged, harm robotic enemies normally, and break Plasma Beam Coverings.
Spin Boost: Ghavoran – After evading the Blue EMMI, you’ll acquire the Spin Boost powerup. The Spin Boost gives you a second jump.
Ice Missile: Ghavoran – Reward for defeating the Blue EMMI. Upgrades missiles to deal ice damage, freezing enemies.
Pulse Radar: Ghavoran – Found after defeating the Blue EMMI and gaining the Ice Missile. Break through the Enki alien in the upper-right of the tall shaft room in the center of the map, and drop through the floor to gain this ability. Now you can scan rooms to reveal all hidden blocks.
Storm Missile: Ferenia – Reward for defeating the Escue boss. Allows you to target up to five objects / enemies and lock-on to unleash a missile barrage. Uses x3 missile ammo per use. Hold the missile button to charge it.
Space Jump: Ferenia – Acquired by breaking the Storm Missile Crate above the Network Station. Allows you to jump infinitely during spin jump.
Gravity Suit: Burenia – Acquired after using the Green Teleportal in Ghavoran. Use the Space Jump and lower path to cross through the underwater section of the facility and reach this upgrade. This increases you defense and gives you protection from Extreme Cold and Lava. You can also move freely underwater.
Screw Attack: Artaria – Using the Blue Teleportal in Cataris, Samus reappears in the far left side of Artaria. The area is now thawed, allowing you to access an Item Orb. This is available after defeating the Experiment Z-57 boss. Go toward the Chozo Statue on your map to collect the Screw Attack upgrade. Now your Space Jump has an additional attack that can break through Screw Attack blocks.
Cross Bomb: Ghavoran – Defeat the Golzuna boss to earn the Cross Bomb power-up. The Cross Bomb is a special type of bomb that explodes over a wider area and pushes Samus’s Morph Ball further.
Wave Beam: Ferenia – For defeating the Purple EMMI, you’ll gain the Wave Beam, which allows Samus to shoot through walls and destroy purple Wave Beam Covers.
Power Bomb: Hanubia – Defeat the Chozo Soldier to gain the Power Bomb. Charge the Missile button while in Morph Ball form to set a Power Bomb.
