Longtime fans of theMetroidfranchise will no doubt recognize Kraid, the second major boss inMetroid Dread. Samus will encounterthe ridiculously large reptilianwhile exploring the Cataris region of Planet ZDR and will need to defeat him in a two-phase fight in order to progress to the next area.
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As inpreviousMetroidgames, the trick to defeating Kraid inMetroid Dreadis to unload missiles and charge shots directly into his open mouth, while also dodging his numerous projectile-based attacks. It’s a simple fight in terms of strategy, but one which requires a decent amount of skill to overcome.
Updated June 03, 2025 by Tom Bowen:In the months following Metroid Dread’s release, players have discovered plenty of sequence-breaking secrets, two of which are connected to the fight with Kraid. By obtaining certain pieces of equipment early, players are able to make things a lot easier for themselves, with the game’s developers opting to reward those who venture off the beaten track rather than punishing them. Details regarding both Kraid sequence breaks have now been added to this guide, as too have instructions on how to pull them off.
Where to Find Kraid in Metroid Dread
The room where players fight Kraid is in the southwestern part ofthe Cataris region. To reach it, players will need to counter and destroy a boss door, which will then lead them to an area beneath a previously explored room. As they make their way to the left, they’ll soon reach a Morph Ball tunnel, and climbing into it will send Samus falling down into Kraid’s lair below.
How to Beat Kraid (Phase 1)
The fight begins with Kraid’s arms shackled to the wall, which severely limits the number of attacks that the boss can use. In fact, to begin with, he has only two; both of which are projectile-based. The first sees the boss flicking his giant claws at Samus, which can be destroyed using either missiles or charged shots.
As well as claws, Kraid will also fire out two different types of projectiles from his mouth from time to time. The red ones can be destroyed and will provide players with both health and missiles. The ones that are on fire are invulnerable to Samus' attacks, however, so players will need to dodge them if they want to keep the bounty hunter alive.
How to Beat Kraid (Phase 2)
After players have fired enough shots into Kraid’s mouth, his arm shackles will break and he’ll destroy the platform that Samus was originally standing on. When players next gain control, they’ll find themselves down by the boss' belly, where they’ll need to contend with three new attacks.
The first and most common of these sees Kraid firing out poisonous purple projectiles from a hole in his stomach, which players should destroy with the charge shot to replenish their health and missile supply. He’ll occasionally let out a large ball of purple poison too, which will explode on the ground and will need to be jumped over by players.
After a while, Kraid will fire out some solid objects that will stick into the wall behind Samus. Players should use these as steps and make their way up to the blue Spider Magnet panel on the wall. As soon as they grab onto it, they should start firing off missiles towards Kraid’s face. This will lead to a counter opportunity, which players can utilize by pressing the X button when prompted.
If players get the timing right, Samus will have a chance to fire off a barrage of missiles directly into Kraid’s mouth. If they mess up or are too slow to fire off missiles, however, Kraid will knock Samus back down and players will need to start the process all over again. Eventually, though, Kraid will succumb to his injuries before sinking into the lava below.
The Reward for Beating Kraid
Due to Kraid’s body being submerged in hot magma, players won’t actually get a reward for defeating him right away. Shortly after leaving the boss' lair though, they’ll find themselves in a room with a Chozo Statue, and destroying the ball that it’s holding will allow Samus to acquire the Diffusion Beam.
Though perhaps not quite as useful as some of theother beams inMetroid Dread, the Diffusion Beam is far from useless. Players can use it to attack enemies from the other side of platforms and can even open up hidden routes by targeting organic matter that’s buried deep within walls and other structures.
How to Beat Kraid Faster Using Sequence Breaking
Due to the non-linear nature ofMetroidgames, sequence breaking has always played a prominent role throughout the franchise. This basically entails collecting certain weapons and upgrades early, which in turn can open up new parts of the games or present alternative methods for dealing with enemies. This is once again the case inMetroid Dread, with players able to take Kraid down much faster with the help of certain upgrades.
If players go out of their way tocollect the Bomb power-up early, they’ll be presented with an opportunity to insta-kill Kraid during the second phase of the fight. Players will need to use a bomb to destroy the hidden block at the end of the Morph Ball Launcher to their left and then roll inside. This will result in Samus being fired straight into the hole in Kraid’s belly, where players can hammer the Y button to start releasing bombs and destroy Kraid from the inside out.
Though not quite as devastating, players can also make the Kraid fight easier bypicking up the Flash Shift a little ahead of schedule. They’ll then need to reach the second phase of the Kraid boss fight as normal before using the Grapple Beam to reach the Spider Magnet platform on the wall to the left. From here, it’s simply a case of waiting until Kraid’s eyes glow red and then Flash Shifting over to the right side of the screen.
If done correctly, Samus will latch onto Kraid’s head and force open his jaws, allowing players to unleash a barrage of Super Missiles right down the boss' throat. Assuming players fire off enough of them, the fight will come to an end, with Kraid sinking down into the Lava. Whether or not these faster kills are worth the extra effort of sequence breaking is perhaps a matter for debate, but, for those who plan on sequence breaking the game anyway, the alternate methods are definitely a nice little reward.
