From Wikitroid, the Metroid wiki
Power-ups are items that
Samus Aran uses in every Metroid Game to gain new abilities and powers. In the Metroid
Various Powerups as they appear in Super Metroid
Universe, there are many different kinds of powerups. There are powerups for beams, suits, morphball modes and jumping abilities. Powerups will usually give you an ability that you need to get to a new and explore that area. Also, not all power-ups are needed to win the game. Items such as the
Spring Ball in
Super Metroid are power-ups that make things easier, but are not required.
[edit] Origin
Powerups in most Metroid games are Chozo technology to expand the Power Suit and Power Beam. In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, there are also Luminoth powerups. In Metroid Prime: Hunters, there are beam powerups that are of Alimbic origin and beam powerups from the defeated hunters. In addition to these, there are also Galactic Federation power-ups. The best example of these are in Metroid Fusion. You get the powerups from download stations that the GF will send to you to help you on your mission.
[edit] Appearance
Throughout the Metroid games, powerups have taken on
A Chozo Statue holding a power-up inside a protective case.
different appearances. In most of the games, the powerup will appear symbolizing what it does, such as a case with a morphball bomb in it for Morphball Bombs. It is also noteworthy that the
Screw Attack powerup (usually a red or purplish-black ball with a small yellow lightning strike on it) is used as Metroid's main symbol. Many of them also will be found in the hands of an ancient Chozo Statue. If it is in a Chozo Statue's hand, then it will be inside of a protective case to protect the power-up. To break the case, all Samus has to do is shoot it with any beam. Some of the power-ups will also just float in the air until you touch it (this is common if the powerup is gained from a boss), some of them are on different pedestals in rooms and areas and some of them are just hidden in various places and sit on nothing in particular. To help you find these areas in the Metroid Prime games, all powerups will give off a faint humming noise that alerts you that a powerup is nearby.
