- Speedsters Beyond upgrade order: Prioritize tools that unlock movement, combat, and major backtracking routes.
- Early route: Recover missiles, then secure Psychic Bomb and Psychic Boots before hunting optional expansions.
- Mid-game focus: Boost Ball and Psychic Lasso open several efficient exploration loops.
- Late-game tools: Thunder Shot, Super Missile, Spider Ball, Ice Shot, and Power Bomb finish the route.
- Best practice: Mark blocked rooms instead of repeatedly revisiting areas without the required ability.
Speedsters Beyond upgrade order explained
This Speedsters Beyond upgrade order is designed around the recommended progression for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. It is not a rigid sequence for every collectible; instead, it prioritizes upgrades that improve mobility, open new map routes, and make later backtracking more efficient.
The strongest approach is to follow the main story until a new ability changes how Samus moves through the world. At that point, revisit nearby rooms before pushing into a distant region. This keeps exploration efficient and reduces unnecessary travel across Viewros.
Treat every locked passage as a future objective. Scan or remember the obstacle type, then return after obtaining the matching beam, bomb, grapple, or movement upgrade.
Combat Upgrades
Improve damage, ammunition access, and your ability to defeat armored enemies or break reinforced barriers.
Movement Upgrades
Unlock higher ledges, launch routes, rails, tunnels, and gaps that cannot be crossed with basic movement.
Psychic Tools
Manipulate objects, activate hidden mechanisms, and reveal paths that are not accessible through standard weapons.
Traversal Cleanup
Return to earlier regions only after several new abilities are available, making each backtracking trip more productive.
The progression priorities below provide a practical order for players who want story progress and useful optional upgrades without attempting a full 100% route immediately.
| Priority | Upgrade group | Main purpose | Exploration value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Missile Launcher | Restores basic missile combat and missile locks | Opens early missile barriers |
| 2 | Psychic Bomb | Clears organic growths and special Morph Ball obstacles | High in early backtracking |
| 3 | Psychic Boots | Reaches elevated psychic platforms | High movement utility |
| 4 | Boost Ball | Activates boost slots and launches Samus through routes | Very high traversal value |
| 5 | Psychic Lasso | Pulls buried or distant objects | High puzzle utility |
| 6 | Thunder Shot | Powers electrical systems and removes thunder locks | High regional access |
| 7 | Super Missile | Breaks reinforced targets and heavy barriers | High late combat value |
| 8 | Spider Ball | Uses specialized tracks and advanced bomb jumps | High cleanup value |
| 9 | Ice Shot | Freezes temporary hazards and lava-like flows | Situational but important |
| 10 | Power Bomb | Destroys major late-game obstructions | Endgame cleanup |
Early-game upgrade route
The opening portion should focus on restoring Samus’s core combat options and then collecting movement tools. Do not spend too long searching for every expansion before obtaining the abilities that make exploration faster.
The recommended early route is Missile Launcher → Psychic Bomb → Psychic Boots. These upgrades establish the basic loop used throughout the rest of the adventure: progress through the story, unlock a tool, then revisit nearby rooms for optional pickups.
Recover the Missile Launcher
Use the restored Missile Launcher to handle early enemies, open missile barriers, and interact with the first set of missile-specific mechanisms. Save ammunition for reinforced targets when the route is unfamiliar.
Return with Psychic Bomb
Once Psychic Bomb becomes available, revisit Morph Ball passages containing organic growths, seed-like obstructions, or suspicious environmental objects. These locations often lead to ammunition and energy upgrades.
Secure Psychic Boots
Make Psychic Boots the next major movement goal. They allow Samus to interact with elevated psychic platforms and reach ledges that were previously visible but inaccessible.
Clear nearby detours
Before entering the next major story region, sweep the surrounding rooms for newly accessible pickups. This is faster than waiting until the end of the game to revisit every early area.
If a route requires multiple abilities you do not yet possess, mark it and continue the story. Repeatedly testing the same blocked passage usually wastes more time than progressing toward the next major upgrade.
| Early upgrade | Use it immediately for | Save for later |
|---|---|---|
| Missile Launcher | Missile doors, weak barriers, early enemy defenses | Reinforced blocks that require stronger ammunition |
| Psychic Bomb | Morph Ball obstructions and organic growths | Complex bomb-jump rooms |
| Psychic Boots | Psychic platforms and high ledges | Long traversal chains requiring Boost Ball |
| Basic Morph Ball tools | Narrow tunnels and floor-level passages | Advanced tracks and precision puzzles |
A useful early-game habit is to scan every unusual wall, lock, platform, and machine. The visual language of an obstacle usually indicates which future upgrade will solve it.
Mid-game movement and exploration upgrades
The middle portion is where the recommended route becomes more flexible. Boost Ball should receive high priority because it does more than improve speed: it activates boost slots, launches Samus across gaps, and creates access to vertical routes.
After Boost Ball, aim for Psychic Lasso and Thunder Shot. These upgrades complement each other by opening physical-object puzzles and powered systems. Together, they make backtracking through industrial and shrine areas significantly more rewarding.
Use Boost Ball to open traversal loops, then obtain Psychic Lasso for object manipulation. Thunder Shot should follow as soon as the story makes it available because it unlocks powered doors and machinery.
| Recommended order | Upgrade | Why it matters | Typical blocked route |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boost Ball | Converts speed into vertical and horizontal access | Boost slots, launch ramps, container puzzles |
| 2 | Psychic Lasso | Pulls mechanisms and buried objects | Federation boxes, tubes, panels |
| 3 | Thunder Shot | Activates electrical devices and removes locks | Powered doors, generators, control systems |
| 4 | Super Missile | Breaks stronger barriers and heavy targets | Reinforced rubble and special blockers |
Use this phase to build a regional cleanup rhythm:
- Finish the current story objective.
- Check the map for rooms close to the newly obtained upgrade.
- Collect the safest nearby expansions first.
- Leave advanced bomb-jump or multi-tool puzzles for a later sweep.
- Recharge before entering combat-heavy optional rooms.
The most efficient players do not chase every icon immediately. They group objectives by region and ability, reducing repeated trips between distant zones.
Late-game combat and cleanup order
Late-game upgrades are more specialized, but they complete the paths that remain blocked after the main movement tools are obtained. Super Missile is usually the first major combat-focused priority because it handles reinforced targets and opens several high-value detours.
Next, use Spider Ball to complete track-based puzzles and advanced Morph Ball routes. Ice Shot is more situational, but it becomes essential wherever temporary hazards or flowing environmental obstacles block a passage. Power Bomb belongs near the end of the cleanup order because it is best reserved for major obstructions and final optional routes.
Carry a comfortable missile reserve before testing Super Missile barriers or entering unfamiliar rooms. Some optional areas combine a destructible obstruction with an enemy encounter immediately afterward.
| Upgrade | Primary role | Recommended timing | Difficulty profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Missile | Destroys reinforced barriers and powerful targets | Early late-game | Moderate resource cost |
| Spider Ball | Traverses specialized Morph Ball tracks | Late-game exploration | Precision movement |
| Ice Shot | Freezes or interrupts environmental hazards | When the region requires it | Timing-focused |
| Power Bomb | Clears major late-game obstructions | Final cleanup | High-value limited resource |
When clearing the map, prioritize upgrades in this order:
- Energy and missile expansions in rooms that require only one newly acquired ability.
- Super Missile barriers in areas you already understand.
- Spider Ball tracks that connect to known save stations.
- Ice Shot puzzles located along existing travel routes.
- Power Bomb obstacles after confirming that no earlier upgrade is still required.
Do not assume that a late-game ability makes every earlier collectible immediately available. Some rooms combine multiple mechanics, so revisit them with the full set of relevant tools rather than forcing a partial solution.
Completion checklist and upgrade priorities
A clean upgrade route depends on tracking both abilities and unfinished locations. Use the checklist below after each major story milestone. It is especially useful for players who want strong exploration progress without following a strict collectible-by-collectible walkthrough.
Upgrade Route Checklist:
- Recover the Missile Launcher and test nearby missile barriers
- Use Psychic Bomb to clear early Morph Ball obstructions
- Obtain Psychic Boots and revisit elevated psychic platforms
- Unlock Boost Ball and complete nearby launch routes
- Use Psychic Lasso and Thunder Shot to open regional mechanisms
- Return with Super Missile, Spider Ball, Ice Shot, and Power Bomb for final cleanup
Group revisits by region rather than by individual item. A single return trip should include every visible obstacle that the current upgrade set can solve.
| Player goal | Recommended approach | What to postpone |
|---|---|---|
| Story completion | Follow the priority order and collect convenient upgrades | Distant optional detours |
| Strong combat setup | Prioritize Missile Launcher, Super Missile, and ammunition expansions | Difficult traversal puzzles |
| Map completion | Record every blocked route and revisit by ability | Random room-by-room searching |
| Low-stress exploration | Use save stations as route anchors | Long trips with low resources |
For a reliable completion routine, check the following before leaving a region:
- Have all obvious missile and energy pickups been collected?
- Did a newly opened door lead to another blocked route?
- Are there Morph Ball passages that require Psychic Bomb or Spider Ball?
- Did a powered device become active after obtaining Thunder Shot?
- Is a return visit better saved for a route that needs two or more future upgrades?
For additional game information, consult the official Metroid Prime 4: Beyond product page for current platform and release details.
Upgrade order FAQ
Q: What is the best Speedsters Beyond upgrade order for normal progression?
A practical route is Missile Launcher, Psychic Bomb, Psychic Boots, Boost Ball, Psychic Lasso, Thunder Shot, Super Missile, Spider Ball, Ice Shot, and finally Power Bomb. Story progression may place some upgrades slightly differently, so treat this as a priority route rather than a mandatory sequence.
Q: Should I collect every expansion as soon as I see it?
No. Collect easy nearby expansions immediately, but mark locations that require multiple abilities. Returning after Boost Ball, Psychic Lasso, or Spider Ball is usually more efficient than making several early trips.
Q: Which upgrade has the biggest exploration impact?
Boost Ball generally has the broadest movement impact because it activates boost slots, launch routes, and several vertical traversal puzzles. Psychic Boots and Psychic Lasso are also valuable for reaching elevated platforms and manipulating objects.
Q: When should I start final map cleanup?
Begin serious cleanup after obtaining Super Missile and Spider Ball, then return again when Ice Shot and Power Bomb are available. This combination covers many late-game barriers and reduces the number of separate revisits.
Follow the story until each major upgrade changes your movement options, then sweep nearby rooms before moving on. This balances progression speed with meaningful exploration.