Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - Flare Pool - Guide to Missile Expansions, Elemental Shot Expansions, and Energy Tanks

Completing a Samus Aran game at 100% comes with the territory. It's part of the fun. Better or worse, fans feel we have to do it. Some of the best puzzles and challenges in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for Nintendo Switch 2 and the original Switch lie precisely in the secrets hidden as collectibles. Beyond the traditional Energy Tanks and the usual explosive-ammo expansions (Missiles and Psychic Power Bombs), the game now also adds Elemental Shot Expansions for the Arm Cannon's special ammo.

And what does this mean? Even more secrets to uncover! In this guide we gather every expansion in Flare Pool, the game's inevitable volcanic environment; one you'll first visit only to be blocked and then return to for the equally inevitable Metroid escape sequence as everything collapses around you.

• Learn more: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - Guide to all of Samus Aran's upgrades and suits

Flare Pool contains the usual 2 Energy Tanks, as well as 9 Missile Expansions, 9 Elemental Shot Expansions, and 1 Psychic Power Bomb Expansion.

Missile Expansion 1

Right as you enter the biome, at the entrance to the volcano before the Flare Pool signage even appears, you can use the Psychic Visor to materialise purple platforms around a pair of pillars to the left, over the lava, where those creatures reminiscent of Matrix Sentinels drift by.

You'll spot another expansion behind a lavafall in the next chamber (the shore access), but you can't reach it yet. You also can't cross the lava sea until you upgrade the Vi-O-La, so it's time to turn back, collect the Fire Chip, and leave Flare Pool for now.

Missile Expansion 2

Remember the one we mentioned behind a lavafall? If you already have the Ice Shot, freeze the lava momentarily, destroy the solidified portion, and grab the expansion before the molten flow resumes.

Elemental Shot Expansion 1

You'll need the Psychic Boost Ball and the Vi-O-La IC Suit. As soon as you cross what used to be the lava lake bridge, reveal a psychic turbo rail to ride through the area and grab your Elemental Shot Expansion.

"Psychic turbo rail: A track made of psychoenergy that follows irregular curves. Once materialized, it can be ridden using the Psychic Boost Ball."

Elemental Shot Expansion 2

After passing your first half-pipe, in the lower traversal room, remove the barrier to grab the expansion.

Energy Tank 1

Once you've cooled the boiler and met Duke (your new Federation pal) take care of the annoying psibots in the vertical hall (the injection chamber), then activate the Lamorn device in the storage room.

Psychic Power Bomb Expansion 1

With your newfound destructive power, you can return to Flare Pool after its collapse and enter the magma plant by hovering with your Vi-O-La IC Suit after breaking through the rocky wall. There's a Morph Ball puzzle here, but before attempting it, cross to the opposite shore and shut off the lava flow from a terminal.

Energy Tank 2

If you return to where you fought Phenoros in the heart of the volcano, you'll now find a lava pool and lots of debris from the factory's collapse, but hidden among it is treasure. The crate containing the Energy Tank sits on the left-hand side, but as soon as you break it and attempt to grab it, a magma collector steals it away. Time for another lava-soaked mini-fight, but it's very easy.

Missile Expansion 3

In the boiler room you get a double prize, just like the H'vynn priest statue in the Ceremony of the Sacred Flame. Remove the electrical lock now that you have the Thunder Shot, then activate the generator with a Psychic Power Bomb. On the right, your Missile Expansion...

Elemental Shot Expansion 3

... and on the left, a bonus Elemental Shot Expansion.

Missile Expansion 4

There's another electrical lock before the cooling chamber. Inside one of the heat-resistant suit lockers lies your reward.

Missile Expansion 5

In the cooling chamber proper there's a route for the Psychic Spider Ball. Climb up while avoiding the electrical bursts and you'll collect another five missiles.

Missile Expansion 6

In the observation room you get ambushed, but once you clear it you can access the expansion waiting on the grate to the left: give it a good zap.

Elemental Shot Expansion 4

If you climb through the spiral-shaped injection chamber, at the top you can swing like Tarzan using the Psychic Grapple to reach the final platform.

Where to find the Flare Pool Scout Bot

These useful scanning and map-update bots are the ultimate tool for completionists in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. If you activate them with an electrical discharge, they'll show on the map (marked with a small cross) every collectible remaining in the zone. Perfect for that 100% run.

"Mechanoid: Scout Bot. Emits ultrasonic waves from above and displays valuable objects detected in the area. Can be activated with an electrical discharge."

The Scout Bot for the game's hottest zone was always waiting for you just past the lava lake bridge they collapsed, tucked in the left corner. But you didn't have the Thunder Shot. Now you can activate it.

Elemental Shot Expansion 5

Right next to the recon robot, play yoyo using the Psychic Grapple on the tower between the steam vents.

Missile Expansion 7

In the second half-pipe of the ventilation system, now that you have the Psychic Spider Ball, you can cling to the left wall and slip into the maintenance duct.

Elemental Shot Expansion 6

Next to the broken-down vehicle shown in the screenshot there's a flammable grate. Burn it away and roll inside with the Morph Ball.

Elemental Shot Expansion 7

The injection chamber puzzle is a bit trickier. They tell you to activate all the scanners, but first you must find the rotogenerator's activation circuit behind you. Activate it with an electrical discharge, use the Boost Ball to deploy all scanners, and hit them again with another set of discharges to remove the cover and push out the stabiliser piston of the cannon's projectile—revealing a LARGE Elemental Shot Expansion.

Missile Expansion 8

This surveillance room puzzle is also more elaborate. First, remove the cover from the central ceiling mechanism. Then, generate a psychic mote by holding the Psychic Bomb in Morph Ball mode and launch it to power the system. Afterwards, activate all three nodes at once with the Control Beam. It's yours.

Elemental Shot Expansion 8

If you didn't do it when returning to the volcano's heart for the last Energy Tank, note that at both "poles" of the map there's a small expansion floating near the rocks. To the left, an Elemental Shot Expansion...

Missile Expansion 9

... and to the right, a Missile Expansion.

Elemental Shot Expansion 9

Remember the scrap depot where you borrowed the Fire Chip? If you haven't done it yet, you can pulverise the debris, use the Psychic Spider Ball to navigate inside the arch, and take the Elemental Shot Expansion.