Plasma Beam Early

As soon as you have the Ice Beam and the Space Jump Boots, it's very possible to aquire the Plasma Beam next, however, the route to it isn't easy (even less so if you're using the PAL version of MP). Several tricks must be used if you are to aquire the Plasma Beam right after the Ice Beam, and these will be listed in the order that you will come across them. Please note that it's NOT possible to get Plasma before grapple in the US Players Choice version of MP!

Please note, that NTSC players can skip right to the tricks needed to get the Plasma Beam in Geothermal Core right after they get past the Twin Fires Tunnel. That link can be found directly below the Twin Fires Tunnel Without Spiderball guide (below).

.:Twin Fires Tunnel Without Spiderball:.
In order to reach Geothermal Core (which houses the Plasma Beam), it's much quicker to go through the Twin Fires Tunnel. This normally requires the use of the Spiderball, but seeing as we're sequence breaking, there'll be no spiderballing through this room for you!

To get through the first step is to find the ledge that we're going to stand on then jump from. This ledge can be found to your left when you reach the edge right in front of the pool of lava. (See screenshot 1).

As soon as you're on top ok, turn left towards the rock wall itself. Now look towards the 'U' shaped rock formation, which can be found to your right slightly (see screenshot 2). Jump up towards the center of the 'U' and you'll land on an invisible platform.

Now carefully turn towards the ledge that signals the platform you want to land near. (see screenshot 3). This is where you'll need to do a long Space Jump. You won't make it to the ledge, so this is where it becomes tougher...

As soon as you approach the ledge that overhangs the lava, morph into a ball and land in the lava. Yes, I said land IN the lava. Now - quickly - do a double bomb jump out of the lava and the unmorph while facing forward. You will know 'run' onto the ledge.

The Double Bomb Jump is a variation on the normal DBJ, as the time needs to be altered because of the lava. The timing needs to be altered like so:

* Bombs 1 and two are placed as per normal, but on your way down from bomb 1, you must lay bomb 3 just above the lava. This will result in you landing ON bomb 3 when you're coming back down from bomb 2 sending you up, giving you the necessary height to reach the ledge for umorphing (see Screenshot 4).

Just make sure that you never touch the control stick when in the lava, as this has a tendancy to change the direction you unmorph out at, possibly messing it all up.

A video of this trick can be found below (just right-click the link, and "save as").

If you're a PAL player (Europe/Japan/Australia) then continue on to step 2. For all NTSC Original players, click on the link below to go straight to the tricks needed in Geothermal Core...

> Step 4: Geothermal Core Tricks

Or here for the next step for PAL players...