Introduction
Metroid Dread might appear flawless during a casual playthrough, but beneath its polished exterior lies a treasure trove of glitches and exploits. From speedrun strategies to downright game-breaking bugs, this guide will take you through some of the most fascinating glitches discovered by the Metroid Dread community. Note that this guide is based on version 1.0.3, so some glitches might be patched in later updates.

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Glitches That Got Patched

1. Final Escape Crash:
   • Issue: The game would crash if a map marker was placed on the door leading to the ship during the escape sequence.
   • Status: Patched.
2. Mystery Move (Morph Ball Launchers):
   • Issue: By jumping and placing a bomb the moment you landed in a launcher, Samus would sometimes get launched to unintended locations, occasionally soft-locking the game.
   • Status: Patched in version 1.0.3.
3. God Mode Glitch:
   • Issue: By activating an EMI zone door without passing through it, players could make Samus invincible, taking no damage from enemies, environmental hazards, or bosses.
   • Use: Allowed players to skip certain bosses or obtain items like the Wave Beam early without the Gravity Suit.
   • Status: Patched in version 1.0.3.

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Glitches That Still Work

1. Axis Skew Glitch:

• How It Works:
  • Perform a melee attack while being pushed by an EMI to glitch Samus into facing the screen.
• Benefit:
  • Allows Samus to charge a Shine Spark in place, enabling sequence breaks like obtaining the Wave Beam early.

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2. Pseudo-Wave Techniques

What is a Pseudo-Wave?

• A technique that allows Samus to shoot through walls without the Wave Beam by manipulating how her arm cannon interacts with geometry.

Key Methods:

1. Slide, Jump, and Shoot:
   • Slide against a wall, jump, and shoot to make Samus’s arm cannon clip slightly into the wall, allowing shots to pass through.
2. Melee Aim Crouch:
   • Crouch after a melee attack and aim to shoot through walls, useful for breaking blobs or activating switches early.

Key Uses:

• Skipping the Broken Down EMI:
  • Use a pseudo-wave to bypass the EMI encounter entirely.
• Early Phantom Cloak:
  • Perform a pseudo-wave to fight Corpius earlier than intended.

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3. Ledge Warp and Space Ball

• Ledge Warp:
  • Morph into a ball just as Samus’s ledge-climbing animation starts.
  • Allows you to store and release the animation later, teleporting Samus to the ledge even across rooms.
• Space Ball:
  • Executed by morphing a frame early during a ledge warp, propelling Samus high into the air.
  • More of a novelty but can reach high places in certain rooms.

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4. Camera Lock Glitch

• How It’s Done:
  • Triggered by abusing the melee tutorial glitch.
  • Perform pseudo-waves and fight Corpius without saving, then return to the melee tutorial to activate a permanent camera lock.
• Impact:
  • The camera gets stuck, preventing access to the map or menus but allowing Samus to move freely, enabling sequence breaks.
  • Only way to undo: use a Shine Spark.

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5. Shine Spark and Instant Spark Techniques

Storing Shine Sparks:

• Charge by running with Speed Booster, then press down.
• Stored for 5 seconds and can be used in 8 directions.

Instant Spark:

• Flash Shift or Melee Counter immediately followed by a jump activates a Shine Spark instantly.
• Mid-Air Instant Spark:
  • Press jump and shoot simultaneously while aiming a direction to execute.

Notable Uses:

• Water Bomb Jump:
  • Bomb jumping in water without Gravity Suit using an unmorph trick.
• Shine Spark for Bosses:
  • Deals massive damage, useful for bosses like Drogyga.

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6. Shine Sink Clipping (Advanced)

• How to Perform:
  • Store a Shine Spark, then Flash Shift into a wall, slide, and activate the Spark.
  • Use the Grapple Beam to clip through one-block-thick floors.
• Benefits:
  • Enables players to steal the Omega Cannon and bypass certain bosses.
  • Can result in hilarious scenes like fighting Raven Beak with the Omega Cannon.

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Omega Cannon Glitch

How It’s Done:

• Use Shine Sink to escape the Central Core Unit room without defeating the blue EMI.
• This results in permanently having the Omega Cannon.

Pros and Cons:

• Pros:
  • Can be used against bosses and during the escape sequence.
• Cons:
  • Weak compared to the Hyper Beam.
  • Some boss mechanics can bug out.

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Key Tips for Using Glitches

• Save Often: Glitches can soft-lock the game.
• Practice Pseudo-Wave Timing: It’s one of the most versatile glitches.
• Shine Sink is Advanced: Only attempt if you’re comfortable with complex inputs.

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Conclusion Metroid Dread is a fantastic game both for casual players and speedrunners alike. These glitches, while breaking the intended gameplay, showcase the creativity and skill of the community. Whether you’re aiming to speedrun or just curious about what’s possible, experimenting with these glitches is sure to add a new layer of enjoyment to the game.

Good luck, bounty hunter—may your runs be fast and your glitches plenty!