Powamp

Powamp
Featured in	Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion
Knownlocales	Underwater environments including Maridia and Sector 4
Known worlds	Presumably Zebes
Attacks	None; passive creature. Inflates when approached
Weakness	Any projectile weapon

Powamps are passive creatures that dwell in the depths of Maridia on Zebes.

Super Metroid

Powamps generally just float around in the water, immobile, and inflate whenever other creatures come near. They aren't aggressive, and can be latched onto with the Grapple Beam for use as a makeshift Grapple Point. Despite their docile nature, Powamps will cause damage if touched, as well as explode if Samus shoots one; the explosion will launch several spiked projectiles in all directions. Worthy of noting is the Powamp's physical resemblance to Phantoon, though no connection is known to exist between the two.

Metroid Fusion

In Metroid Fusion, several X Parasites have been able to infest/mimick the Powamps that were living on the Biologic Space Laboratories research station. The X have modified the creatures' genetic structure, giving them new traits, such as darker coloring and a spiky exterior. They are encountered only in the watery environments of Sector 4. They are most notable for their frustrating nature, in which they inconveniently block the paths to small access routes throughout the sector by inflating when Samus approaches. To approach these without causing them to enlarge, they need to be frozen from afar by an Ice Missile.

X-infected Powamp.

The only weapon capable of incapacitating them from an indirect angle, is the Diffusion Missile. When frozen in an inflated state, they can be used as platforms to reach high areas. They can be killed with the Screw Attack.

The Powamps depicted in the screenshot to the left can be used as an alternate means of seeing the Secret Message. Samus must jump below the platform in front of them before firing an Ice Missile down diagonally. This will freeze it and allow her to get through without using the Shinespark method. This was fixed in the European version.

Metroid Fusion: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide refers to Powamps as "inflatable enemies".

Official data

Super Metroid Nintendo Player's Guide

Enemy Data								Description
Color	HP	ATK	E	BE	M	SM	PB	Norfair. You can latch onto them with the Grappling Beam.
Normal	10	100	1	0	0	99	0

Information

Etymology

The word "Powamp" is possibly a portmanteau of the two words "power" and "ampere," the ampere being the unit of electric current in SI.