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The Varia Suit (バリアスーツ Baria Sūtsu?), alternatively referred to as Barrier Suit[1] and Varia Feature[2], is a Power Suit upgrade.

Samus is most commonly depicted wearing this suit, but like many of her other upgrades, it is lost at or prior to the beginning of most games, requiring her to track the upgrade down at a later point in time. It is acquired by picking up an item, which is called the Varia in Metroid and Return of Samus.

In general, the Varia Suit reduces damage taken and protects Samus Aran from extreme heat. The maximum temperature that the Varia Suit can protect against is unknown, but the Gravity Suit is generally required for some of the higher temperature liquids. The name "Varia" is a mistranslation of the word "barrier" (although the Return of Samus manual uses the correct translation), which describes its shielding properties; coincidentally, it also resembles the English words "variety" or "variable", referring to how the suit can handle a variety of temperatures, a trait demonstrated in Metroid Fusion.

Description[]

Metroid v2 ch16 140

Samus acquires the Varia Suit for the first time.

Traditionally, the Varia upgrade adds stronger, orange-colored armor plates onto the arms and legs of the basic Power Suit. The Varia Suit’s ridged shoulders are round and bulky, while the red chestplate becomes thicker with dual lights.

In the original Metroid, the Varia Suit would turn Samus' armor pink, but a design change was made in Metroid II, as the Game Boy used a monochrome system. During Metroid: Zero Mission it just turns the flat-shouldered Power Suit orange; the Varia Suit with the iconic bulky shoulder pads is obtained after Samus' Power Suit is destroyed in her Starship's crash-landing. It is referred to as the Fully Powered Suit. She retains this suit for future use, which explains the jump from the sleek orange Power Suit in Zero Mission to the large-shouldered Varia in Metroid Prime.

Gandrayda is able to morph into a copy of Samus, named "Samus-G", and wears the Varia Suit in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

M Brinstar Varia Suit

Varia Suit in item form in Metroid.

In Fusion, the Varia upgrade (like much of Samus’s other equipment) is sent via Data Room. Unlike other upgrades, it is intercepted by a Core-X before Samus can reach it, necessitating the defeat of the Barrier Core-X and absorption of that X Parasite. Restoration of Varia functionality to the Fusion Suit changes its color scheme from blue over bright yellow to a yellow-green over a rich magenta, but does not alter its dimensions. For its appearance in Fusion Mode in Metroid: Samus Returns, the magenta and yellow green colors are changed to a darker green and pink, now resembling the color scheme of a Metroid.

In Metroid Prime, she starts out with the Varia Suit, although after she was caught in a massive energy surge while activating an elevator to escape the doomed Frigate Orpheon, she lost most of her upgrades, including the Varia Suit, thus forcing her to adopt the comparably weaker Power Suit instead. She eventually regained the suit after defeating Flaahgra. In the later Prime entries, she retains her Varia Suit until getting further upgrades.

SM Varia Suit Obtain

Samus obtains the Varia Suit in Super Metroid.

In Metroid: Other M, the Varia Feature is noticeably different, and is not a starting item. The ridges on the shoulders appear to have been removed, along with the shoulders being slightly smaller, the top of the visor is more flat, and the lights on the chest plate have been altered, so that they curve from the side of the plate to the bottom. The lights on the legs have moved to the back of the legs and are less visible and the line pattern is also different. In-game, Adam authorizes Samus to use it shortly before the fight with the Goyagma. It features damage reduction again, like in the 2-D titles and Metroid Prime. When activated, while not changing the shape, it will turn the usual areas into a light orange.

Locations and benefits chart[]

The following chart details the locations (if any) of the Varia Suit in each game and the benefits bestowed by it:

Game Location Damage reduction Other benefits
Metroid Chozo Statue in Brinstar, past the "Varia Suit corridor" 50% N/A
Metroid: Zero Mission As in Metroid. 20% Stops damage from superheated areas, Parasites, and acid.
Metroid Prime Samus begins the game with the Varia Suit before losing it after the prologue. She reacquires it after defeating Flaahgra in the Sunchamber, Chozo Ruins. 10% Stops damage from superheated areas.
Metroid Prime Hunters Beginning item N/A
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Beginning item N/A
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Beginning item N/A
Metroid II: Return of Samus Statue in Phase 3 50% Increases running speed by 30%.
Metroid: Samus Returns Statue in Area 2, as in Return of Samus. 25% Stops damage from superheated areas.
Super Metroid "Kraid's reliquary", Brinstar 50% Stops damage from superheated rooms.
Metroid: Other M Authorized in Sector 3 / Pyrosphere 50% Stops damage from superheated areas.
Metroid Fusion Barrier Core-X in Sector 6 (NOC) Varies Stops damage from superheated and sub-zero areas. Allows safe absorption of Blue X and negates the freezing ability of the SA-X's Ice Beam. Damage reduction varies per enemy.
Metroid Dread Statue in Artaria 25% Stops damage from superheated areas, but not extreme cold. Slightly increases damage done by the Dash Melee.

Official data[]

Metroid manual[]

Varia
"This raises Samus' powers of resistance and cuts in half the amount of energy he uses up when attacked by an enemy. It is most useful when in combat with the deadliest enemies."

Metroid Virtual Console manual[]

Varia Suit
"Halves the damage Samus receives when attacked."

The Official Nintendo Player's Guide[]

VARIA
"This is a wonderful item which cuts in half any damage done to Samus by his enemies. It will be very useful when you fall into the Sea of Lava or battle with Mini Bosses, so be sure to get it."

Nintendo Power Volume 29[]

VARIA
"The Varia is one of the most difficult items to find, but it's worth the effort. It is a type of armor that reduces damage from enemies and lava by half."

Metroid II: Return of Samus manual[]

Samus artwork 6

Manual image showing the transformation of Samus's Power Suit.

BARRIER SUIT (pg. 14)
"Becomes enabled when Samus finds the Varia."
Varia (pg. 19)
"This item effectively doubles the energy absorption of Samus' cybernetic suit, enabling her to withstand enemy attacks much more effectively."

Metroid II: Return of Samus Virtual Console manual[]

Varia suit (pg. 10)
"Find the Varia to equip this armor upgrade."
Varia (pg. 12)
"This armor upgrade increases your running speed and halves the effects of any damage received."

Nintendo Power Volume 31[]

VARIA
"When you discover the power of the armored Varia, you'll be able to take twice as many hits."

Nintendo Power Volume 37[]

ARMOR ADDITION
"You can double the strength of your armor by releasing the Varia. Bomb the rocks around it, then hit it with beams."

Super Metroid manual[]

VARIA SUIT
"This suit cuts the damage from enemy attacks in half and allows you to explore in high-temperature zones."

Super Metroid Nintendo Player's Guide[]

VARIA SUIT
"After equipping this Item, Samus will be able to withstand hot areas and will sustain half as much damage as she would without it."
VARIA SUIT
"Located in Brinstar. You will earn the Varia Suit just after defeating Kraid. It provides extra protection to your shoulder, chest, and legs. It reduces the damage you'll take by one half."

Super Metroid Players' Guide (page 9)[]

"The Varia Suit halves the damage inflicted by nasties and allows Samus to withstand the excessive heat encountered in certain sections of the game. Location: Brinstar."

Super Metroid GamePro Strategy Guide[]

Varia Suit
"The Varia Suit enables Samus to safely explore heat-screened areas."

Metroid Fusion manual[]

VARIA SUIT
"Reduces the damage suffered from enemy attacks. Nullifies damage from high and low temperatures."

Official Metroid Fusion website[]

"The Varia Suit can withstand some of the station's extreme temperature variations. It is also more effective at shielding Samus from enemy attacks."

Metroid Fusion in-game acquisition message[]

"Varia Suit effect recovered.
Survive extreme temperatures."

Metroid Fusion: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide[]

VARIA SUIT
"If Samus steps into a hot or cold environment in her Fusion Suit, she'll lose energy at a steady rate. She'll also be vulnerable to damage from icy enemies and the SA-X creature's Ice Beam. The Varia Suit puts an end to Samus's temperature sensitivity. It also shields Samus from enemy attacks more effectively.
Hot and cold temperatures won't affect Samus once she has the Varia Suit.
Location - Sector 6"

Official Metroid Prime website[]

"The Varia Suit adds increased heat resistance to Samus Aran's Power Suit. While the Varia Suit can handle higher temperatures than normal, extreme heat sources and heat-based attacks are still capable of damaging the Varia Suit's shield strength."

Metroid Prime flash[]

"The Varia Suit shields you from extremely high temperatures like those found in the fiery caves of Magmoor, deep under the surface of Tallon IV. It also increases your shield power slightly."

Metroid Prime manual[]

VARIA SUIT
"Once Samus finds the Varia Suit, she will be able to survive extremely high temperatures like those found in the fiery depths of Magmoor Caverns."

Metroid Prime and Metroid Fusion: Prima's Official Strategy Guide[]

Metroid Prime[]

Varia Suit
"The Varia Suit is an upgrade to the Power Suit. It maintains all the normal functions, but also protects Samus from extreme heat, which is found in Magmoor Caverns and other areas."

Metroid Prime: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide[]

VARIA SUIT
"The Power Suit can take a great deal of punishment, but the crushing heat of raw, molten magma is just too much. The Varia Suit, however, can withstand even the most extreme heat with ease (short of falling into a pool of hot lava or encountering the flaming breath of a Magmoor)."

Metroid Prime Official Strategy Guide[]

VARIA SUIT
"The Varia Suit adds increased heat resistance to the Power Suit, thus allowing Samus to enter the Magmoor Caverns (amongst other areas). This heat-resistant modification increases your defensive shielding as well. While the Varia Suit can handle higher temperatures than normal, extreme heat sources and heat-based attacks still cause damage."

Metroid Prime Official Perfect Guide[]

Suits
"THE VARIA SUIT allows you to withstand extreme temperatures--specifically, rooms that are so hot that your mere presence inside of them triggers the steady depletion of your energy tank until you get outside."

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Premiere Edition[]

THE VARIA SUIT
"The Varia Suit is an advanced Chozo armorsuit modified for use by Samus Aran. It provides life-support functions and is well shielded from attack. The modular nature of the Varia Suit allows the addition of weapons, visors, and other gear as needed. The suit's shielding loses energy with each hit--collect energy when possible to keep the shielding charged."

Metroid Fusion[]

Varia Suit
Location - Sector 6
Acquired By - Defeating Core-X
Controls - N/A
"After running from the blue X in Sector 6, you'll be thrilled to acquire the Varia Suit, because it enables Samus to absorb the little floaters. This upgrade also gives Samus added protection against all enemy attacks, and specifically prevents damage from high- or low-temperature environments."

Metroid Prime acquisition message[]

"Varia Suit acquired!
Dangerous areas of heat are now accessible.
Additional data downloaded to Inventory Screen. Press [START]/[2] to access the Inventory Screen."

Inventory data

Varia Suit

Metroid Prime

Inventory entry

The Varia Suit adds increased heat resistance to the Power Suit.

Samus's Notes

This modification increases your defensive shielding.
While the Varia Suit can handle higher temperatures than normal, extreme heat sources and heat-based attacks will still cause damage.

VariaSuitScan
VariaSuitScan

Varia Suit

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes / Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Inventory entry

The Varia Suit is an advanced Chozo exoskeleton modified for use by Samus Aran.

Notes

The Varia Suit provides life-support functions and is well shielded from attack.
The modular nature of the Varia Suit allows for the addition of weapons, visors, and other gear as needed.
The Varia Suit’s shielding loses energy with each hit; collect energy when possible to keep the shielding charged.

Metroid: Zero Mission manual[]

Varia Suit
"This enhanced suit reduces the amount of damage taken from enemies. It also negates the effects of intense heat and acid."

Metroid: Zero Mission: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide[]

Varia Suit
"After you suit up with the Varia, you'll take less damage from enemy attacks and you'll cease to experience negative effects from contact with hot air or acid. Lava, however, will still sap your energy."

Metroid: Zero Mission Samus Screen data[]

"Decreases damage taken from enemies. Prevents damage from acid and heat."

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes manual[]

VARIA SUIT
"Samus's standard Power Suit, built for her by the Chozo people, is made even stronger by the Varia Suit upgrade. It provides shielding in battle and augmented physical strength, and its life-support systems allow her to survive in water and even space without addition equipment."

Super Smash Bros. Brawl Trophy[]

"A suit with a higher level of protection than the Power Suit. It eliminates damage caused by very hot or cold areas. It is also more resilient to enemy attacks than the Power Suit and greatly differs in shoulder design. Recent visual depictions of Samus often show her wearing the Varia Suit."

SNES Super Metroid
GCN Metroid Prime
Sticker
Samus - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes [Explosive] Attack +18 (All)

Metroid: Other M Art Folio[]

Pyroclasm in the Pyrosphere: "The Pyrosphere, a simulated volcanic area encompassing Sector 3, was predictably awash in magma flows, lava pools, and a host of beasts adapted to extreme heat. Nonetheless, finding an erupting volcano caught me off-guard, especially when it began raining chunks of flaming rock on me. The Varia feature of my suit quickly became necessary."

Metroid: Other M on-screen tutorial[]

VARIA FEATURE
This will reduce damage from enemies and cut heat damage in lava zones.

Metroid: Other M manual[]

Varia Feature
"Cuts damage from high temperatures and reduces damage from enemy attacks."

Metroid: Other M Status screen data[]

"Effects: Cuts damage from heat and reduces enemy attack damage."

Metroid: Other M Premiere Edition[]

Varia Feature
"The Varia Feature upgrade is an added feature that allows you to withstand heat and absorbs some extra damage. With the Varia Feature upgrade, you will be able to enter hot, sulfuric, lava environments without losing energy. Which can be a big help in certain areas."

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS trophy[]

(NTSC) "When most people think of Samus, they think of her wearing the Varia Suit. It not only grants her power far beyond her own physical strength but also can unleash a deadly array of beams from the Arm Cannon. And, in a feature quite unique to the Metroid series, it lets her morph into a ball instead of having to crawl!"
(PAL) "The Varia Suit is the armour Samus is most commonly seen in. It not only grants her power for beyond her own physical strength - it can also unleash a deadly array of beams from the Arm Cannon. And, in a feature quite unique to the Metroid series, it lets her morph into a ball. Do you reckon it's comfy in there?"

Mike Sneath interview[]

"When I first modelled the Varia suit it was under a very tight deadline and as I finished each part of the suit another artist Rodney Brunet would paint the texture plus another artist Ludovic Texier created the gun arm of Samus. The deadline was so tight because model had to be complete so it could be rigged and animated. At the time the goal was to make sure we could create this cool movie for E3 when Nintendo would announce that we were creating Metroid. So at that time we simply had to take the old Samus Varia suit and just recreate it so we could get the E3 movie done.

"We had used that version of Samus for about a year and then I think after about a year into the project was when Nintendo had asked Retro to explore a new updated design for Samus. When the new Varia suit redesign ideas were being considered, Gene Kohler (the other character artist on Metroid) was already doing a great job on Samus' gun arm and Gene already had a reputation as not only a great character artist but he really kicked ass when it came to making metal armor look really cool with all the work he did on Retro's RPG title before it got canned."

Metroid: Samus Returns Samus Screen[]

"The Varia Suit reduces damage taken from enemy attacks. It also prevents damage from extreme heat."

Metroid: Samus Returns Official Guide[]

THE ARMORY - POWER SUIT UPGRADES (p. 12)
VARIA SUIT
"Most who've played a Metroid title will immediately recognize the Varia Suit. With bold orange and red hues, the prominent dome-shaped pauldrons, and the ability to resist extreme heat, this suit upgrade is a staple in Samus' arsenal."
WALKTHROUGH - AREA 2 (p. 71)
"You find a new Power Suit upgrade in the next room: a staple of the Metroid series known as the Varia Suit. It allows you to traverse the hot areas on SR388 without taking damage, but you still need to take care around lava; the Varia Suit doesn't do much if you fall in."
VARIA SUIT LIMITATIONS
"The Varia Suit may protect you from the extreme temperatures of the red zones, but lava and Wallfires are still going to hurt, so take care when approaching other fiery obstacles."

Nintendo of America tweet[]

"Use this handy trick to get the powerful Varia Suit upgrade early (no High Jump Boots required). Just make sure to bring at least 5 missiles to break open the item room door! Try it out for yourself with a #NintendoSwitchOnline membership. #NES"[3]

Metroid.nintendo.com[]

"Reduces damage taken from enemy attacks and insulates Samus from extreme heat, but she remains vulnerable to extreme cold and lava. Slightly increases damage for Dash Melee."

Metroid Dread Samus Screen[]

VARIA SUIT
Dread VariaSuit Demo Reduces damage taken from enemy attacks and insulates Samus from extreme heat. However, it does not prevent damage from extreme cold and lava.

In addition, the Varia Suit slightly increases the Dash Melee's damage.

Nintendo UK tweet[]

"That fresh suit feeling. #MetroidPrimeRemastered"[4]

In other media[]

Noncanon
"What's the matter? All I said was that Komaytos look like little Metr-"

Non-canon warning: This article or section contains information that may not be considered an official part of the Metroid series in the overall storyline by Nintendo.
  • The Varia Suit is the armor in which Samus is most often depicted in spin-offs, comics, manga and other licensed (and unlicensed) works. It is Samus' standard attire in the Super Smash Bros. series. The Gravity Suit is an alternate color scheme. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Samus has a color change which resembles the Varia Suit in Missile mode in the original Metroid, but with the bulky shoulder pads. The Gravity Suit is also available. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Fusion Suit and the Dark Suit are other color schemes, and in Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U, the Light Suit and a Dark Samus color swap are available as well.
  • The Varia Suit has been made into a model by First 4 Figures, and depicts Samus in her pose seen in promotional artwork from Metroid Prime: [2]
  • In the Metroid Blast attraction of Nintendo Land, Miis wear Power Suits. In any multiplayer mode, the first Mii playing on-foot as Samus will have the Varia Suit's color scheme; the same is true for the original Battle Mii Wii U demo. If playing Assault Mission in single-player, the player's Mii will always have the Varia Suit color scheme, even if they are piloting the Gunship.
  • Animal Crossing: City Folk and Animal Crossing: New Leaf feature clothes based on the Varia Suit. In City Folk, a Varia Suit t-shirt is obtainable through the Tom Nook Point System for 5000 points, and through random Lucky Tickets in the Nookling's store in New Leaf. New Leaf also includes trousers and shoes based on the Suit, and both games feature Samus' helmet as an obtainable item.
  • The Varia Suit (known as Samus Power Suit) was wearable in Miitomo during the Metroid Promo event.

Non-canon warning: Non-canonical information ends here.

Development notes[]

Metroid Prime Samus's blue canisters

Samus's Varia Suit in an early screenshot of Prime, with Kohler's blue canisters.

Due to the color limitations of the Game Boy, the Varia Suit was redesigned with the now iconic round shoulders and orange hue in Return of Samus. Super Metroid was the first game to refer to the upgrade as the "Varia Suit", when both of its predecessors simply called it the Varia. This was also the first game to introduce the suit's ability to protect Samus from extreme heat.

The Varia Suit in Prime was modeled and skinned by Gene Kohler, and the original model was designed by Rodney Brunet. Kohler added blue canisters to the back of his original Varia Suit model, which are not present in the final game.

LeRoy Strauss skinned and modeled the new Varia Suit design for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, which was used in all subsequent Metroid Prime games. It was the most scrutinized model in the game, and Tomoyoshi Yamane was asked to supervise its design. He visited Strauss' office for a few days and guided him in fine tuning the model. One of his design choices was to make the feet symmetrical rather than asymmetrical. Strauss has acknowledged that no human could realistically fit into the shoulder joints of the Varia Suit as it appears in Echoes onward.[5]

In early footage of Corruption, Samus was seen wearing the Varia Suit while riding a Zipline Cable on SkyTown, Elysia. By that point in the final game, she is wearing the PED Suit.[6]

Zero Mission Event Viewer 4

VARIATYOKU seen in the Event Viewer.

Within the Event Viewer of Metroid: Zero Mission lists three flags relating to the Varia Suit. 13 VARIACHO refers to the hint statue pertaining to the Varia Suit, and 19 VARIA refers to the item's acquisition itself. When the former flag is active, the Chozo hint statue remains in its sitting position. When the Varia Suit is obtained, both flags activate. The latter flag also spawns Parasites in the left half of Corridor No. 3 when active. 68 VARIATYOKU refers to the Varia Suit's acquisition at the Top of the ruins and is activated once the Ruins Test is cleared, along with 67 POWSUITGET. The former flag seems to force the game into Samus acquiring the Varia Suit, as both VARIACHO and VARIA will also be active at the same time. VARIATYOKU's Japanese text appears to be cut off, with its full in data text translating to Varia no longer available.

Trivia[]

Varia Suit Prime

A close-up of the head area from Prime.

Varia suit closeup

A close-up of the head area from Echoes and Corruption.

Transparent Samus Varia Corruption Render

In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

  • The Varia Suit is the only suit to appear in every Metroid game in one way or another, sometimes even over the basic Power Suit.
  • Some early depictions of the Varia Suit seem to depict a watch or compass within the green circle on the back of Samus's left hand, such as Nintendo Power's Super Metroid poster and some artwork for Metroid II: Return of Samus.
  • Although the Varia Suit generally has the trademark round shoulder pads and red and orange coloration in its appearances, the suit's design varies from game-to-game. Metroid Fusion, which uses a new Power Suit entirely, represents the Varia Suit upgrade with a simple lime/purple variant of that. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes sticks to the basic design, but uses smaller shoulders and other minor changes. Finally, the Varia Feature in Metroid: Other M is not even a suit, but a sort of 'mode' within the basic Power Suit.
  • Metroid's manual depicted artwork of Samus with an aura around the Varia Suit. Auras are also featured in the Phazon Suit in Prime, the Hazard Shield in Corruption (which only activates when standing in Acid Rain, Fuel Gel and in non-Trilogy versions, Phazon), and the Gravity Suit in Other M.
  • In the original Metroid, the Varia upgrade did not give the Power Suit additional armor plating as in later games. Instead, it merely changed to a light pink color.
    • If Samus then equipped Missiles, the pink would change to purple and the green would change to light blue, causing a color scheme that strongly resembles the Gravity Suit. It is possible that this scheme inspired the look of the suit when it was introduced in Super Metroid, considering that Samus's pink alternate costume in Metroid is based on the Super Gravity Suit according to Masahiro Sakurai.
  • The only time Samus ever demonstrated the use of the Varia Suit outside her Power Suit was in the original Metroid with the Justin Bailey suit. There, it changes her hair color from brown to green. Because the Justin Bailey passcode spawns Samus with the Varia Suit equipped, she is most commonly depicted with green hair when wearing the leotard.
    • The Varia Suit's color scheme in Fusion reflects this: green (Samus's hair) overlaying purple (her leotard).
  • In Fusion, the Varia Suit additionally protects Samus from extremely low temperatures due to the Fusion Suit containing Metroid DNA and inheriting their vulnerability to cold.
    • In Prime, it is possible to skip the Varia Suit and enter the Phendrana Drifts by sequence breaking.[7] Samus is not affected by the cold climate without the Varia Suit.
      • Although the Varia Suit in Fusion negates the freezing effect of the SA-X's Ice Beam and the damage incurred from Blue X, Samus can be frozen in the Prime series when having this suit in her arsenal. The SA-X, which is supposed to have the Varia Suit with it, can also be frozen by Samus's Ice Missiles. A likely reason is because the Chozo had more strength than humans, therefore allowing them to break out of ice easily. An alternate possibility is that their ancient homeworld did not have any frozen environments.
    • The Varia Suit provides no such protection in Dread. This may be because Fusion's version of the suit was made by the Galactic Federation with protection against a newfound weakness of Samus in mind, which would explain the above oddity as well.
  • In Metroid: Zero Mission, if Samus completely skips the Varia Suit but finishes the Ruins Test, she will automatically acquire its effect along with the Gravity Suit.
    • Conversely, if Samus uses a hidden tunnel in the blue-bubble shaft to acquire the Hi-Jump immediately after the Ice Beam, she can also acquire the Varia Suit early. It is also possible to obtain the Varia Suit as early as immediately after collecting Bombs using Infinite Bomb Jumping.
  • In Zero Mission, some Chozo Statues, if looked at closely, appear to have the Varia Suit's characteristic large shoulders. The same is true of the Chozo Statue that holds the Spider Ball in Corruption. This could mean the Chozo wore suits similar to Samus' or that large shoulders were part of their physiology that they wanted to reflect in Samus's suit design. The fact that the Chozo Statues holding the Unknown Items (revealed to be the Plasma Beam, the Space Jump, and the Gravity Suit, upon acquisition of the Fully Powered Suit) all have the Varia Suit's characteristic large shoulders seems to suggest the former.
  • Also in Zero Mission, the Chozo Statues that both lead to and hold the Varia Suit fittingly possess an orange tint, a detail which reflects the Varia Suit's coloration when applied to Samus.
  • The Varia Suit's resistance to acid in Zero Mission is inexplicably lost in all chronologically later appearances.
  • In Echoes, the Varia Suit is identified as a "Chozo Battle Suit" and is given the serial number SA1-4468-VM6-P. This can be seen when Samus' upgrades are stolen by the Ing and when rebooting after being attacked by a Rezbit.
    • The "SA" likely stands for "Samus Aran", like in the name of the SA-X.
  • It is possible to remove the Varia Suit in the inventory of Echoes, however this does not appear to have any effect on gameplay.
  • The item form of the Varia Suit from Prime was repurposed in Echoes as the item form of the Massive Damage power-up. In-game, the Varia Suit item gains a red hue around it, which references how a player also gains a red glow around their body. The Varia Suit's item form was also used as a placeholder image for many inventory items within the Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Bonus Disc.
  • Other M is the only game that forces Samus to run through superheated areas before Commander Adam Malkovich authorizes use of the Varia Feature. To compensate for this, superheated areas damage Samus by one Energy unit instead of five.
    • Similarly in Echoes, Samus is forced to trek through the hazardous Air of Dark Aether before obtaining protection from the Dark Suit and the Light Suit.
  • Even though the various power suits are not shown to have a right arm, the beginning of the Dark Horse comic adaptation for Metroid Prime briefly showed Samus having two arms while putting on her helmet while suited up.
  • Dread's version of the Varia Suit slightly increases the damage of Dash Melee, making this the second time the Suit's features included a non-defensive property. The first time was in Return of Samus, where it increased Samus's running speed.

Gallery[]

Metroid[]

Metroid II: Return of Samus[]

Super Metroid[]

Metroid Fusion[]

Metroid Prime[]

Live-action commercial[]

Metroid: Zero Mission[]

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes[]

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption[]

Metroid: Other M[]

Metroid: Samus Returns[]

Metroid Dread[]

Other[]

References[]

  1. ^ Metroid II: Return of Samus manual, pg. 14
  2. ^ Metroid: Other M
  3. ^ Nintendo of America (NintendoAmerica). 19 Nov 2018 12:00 p.m. Tweet. https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1064548866471706625?s=19
  4. ^ Nintendo UK (NintendoUK). 2 March 2023 6:00 a.m. Tweet. https://twitter.com/NintendoUK/status/1631248115587055616
  5. ^ Shinesparkers. Interview: LeRoy Strauss. October 27, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  6. ^ B T. "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Opening Trailer (Better Quality)". YouTube. June 7, 2006. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ Nintendo UK (NintendoUK). 17 October 2021 9:00 a.m. Tweet. https://twitter.com/NintendoUK/status/1449721989430611969


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