In Super Metroid, Samus' shinespark and missiles travel at the same speed, although the missiles gain a boost in speed after about 1 second. For this reason, I will assume Samus' missiles travel at Mach 1.2, or 411.6 m/s.
In Metroid: Zero Mission, Samus' arm cannon is pointing outward horizontally. She's 1.98 m. I checked the pixels for Samus in MZM, so 1.98 m. is equal to 81 pixels. The bottom of the tip of Samus' arm cannon to the ground is 53 pixels.
- 53 pixels / 81 pixels = 0.6543, or 65.43%
- 1.98 m. * 0.6543 = 1.296 m.
With this in mind, I will use the equation, g = 2(viyt - Δy) / t², where g is gravity, viy is the initial velocity for the y axis, t is time, Δy is change in initial height divided by time squared. Because the initial velocity and time is 0, that will be ignored. I will begin with the distance Samus' missiles traveled under the gravity produced by Nightmare, which was 4.551 m.
- 4.551 m. / 411.6 m/s = 0.0110568513119534
- g = 2(1.296 m.) / (0.0110568513119534 s)²
- g = 2.592 m. / (0.0110568513119534 s)²
- g = 2.592 m. / 0.0001222539609346456 s
- g = 21,201.7670444692484371206676 m/s
Samus' missiles, according to the official Metroid Prime Web site, can travel 3 to 10 m. I will use the same equation, the only difference now being the time it would take for Samus' missiles to travel 10 m. while traveling 411.6 m/s.
- 10 m. / 411.6 m/s = 0.0242954324586978 s
- g = 2(1.296 m.) / (0.0242954324586978 s)²
- g = 2.592 m. / (0.0242954324586978 s)²
- g = 2.592 m. / 0.0005902680383551466 s
- g = 4,391.2253951999874861275618 m/s
Since I have the gravity for both, I shall divide them.
- 21,201.7670444692484371206676 m/s / 4,391.2253951999874861275618 m/s = 4.83 g
In Metroid Fusion, Samus' missiles drop as soon as they're fired. I think it would be generous for me to say that Samus' missiles even travel 1 m. when she's fighting Nightmare in MF. Using the same calculation, I end up with the following.
- 1 m. / 411.6 m/s = 0.0024295432458698 s
- g = 2(1.296 m.) / (0.0024295432458698 s)²
- g = 2.592 m. / (0.0024295432458698 s)²
- g = 2.592 m. / 0.0000059026803835516 s
- g = 439,122.5395199887798500124531 m/s
- 439,122.5395199887798500124531 m/s / 4,391.2253951999874861275618 m/s = 99.99 g, or 100 g for simplicity sake.
One of the other issues I have with this, however, is that visual evidence does not show that the effective range for Samus' missiles is 10 m. I have checked that RPGs can fire 100 to 800 m. If I use 100 m. instead, I'll end up with different results.
- 100 m. / 411.6 m/s = 0.2429543245869776 s
- g = 2(1.296 m.) / ( 0.2429543245869776 s)²
- g = 2.592 m. / ( 0.2429543245869776 s)²
- g = 2.592 m. / 0.0590268038355144684 s
- g = 43.9122539520000173997041 m/s
Since I have the meters per second for when Samus' missile only covers a range of 4.551 meters, I will take the end result for both and divide them.
- 21,201.7670444692484371206676 m/s / 43.9122539520000173997041 m/s = 482.82 g
If I do the same thing with Nightmare in MF, I end up getting 9,999.99 g. That's ridiculously high and makes me think to myself that 482.82 g isn't as bad. At least the acceleration for that localized area would be Mach 14. I'm going to ignore the 9,999.99 g only because I think Metroid: Other M demonstrates better mechanics as far as gravity goes.