Kraid

:This article is about the character. For the area, see Kraid's Lair.
 is a corpulent, three-eyed green reptilian extraterrestrial from the Metroid series. He is a Space Pirate and one of the largest enemies Samus Aran ever encounters in her missions, taking up multiple screens at a time. He is featured as a boss in Metroid, its remake Metroid: Zero Mission, Super Metroid, and Metroid Dread.
==Background==
Although Kraid is known to be a Space Pirate, his rank within the organization has never been officially stated. He is likely a high-ranked member and may even be a leader due to several factors such as being a prominent boss in his canon appearances. In fact, both of Samus Aran's missions on Zebes require Kraid, among others, to be killed as a means to infiltrate the Pirate HQ, Tourian. The rooms preceding his lair in Super Metroid are filled with Space Pirates in the form of Zebesians and Kihunters, giving the implication they're defending him.
Giving further credence to Kraid having a high-ranking status is his close association with Ridley, a fellow Space Pirate firmly stated to occupy a leadership position; starting with the original Metroid game where the boss duo under Mother Brain consisted of Kraid and Ridley, the two draconic characters have often been depicted as comrades in various official artwork, media and merchandise where they're posed side-by-side and/or teamed up against Samus Aran, with the latest example seen in Metroid Dread's galleries. Within the games, their association is only shown via their statues featured in Metroid along with its remake and Super Metroid, while the Magazine Z manga outright states they are comrades.
Additionally, he is described in the Metroid Prime manual alongside Ridley as the Space Pirate armies' "mainstays"; one could easily imagine the colossal Kraid as the muscle and backbone behind Pirate attacks and raids. As is the case with most Space Pirates, his origins and his homeworld remain unknown.
A press kit profile for Super Metroid has Samus refer to Kraid as the "brutal ruler of Brinstar". In official Zero Mission art on the Japanese website, Kraid is titled the .
==Abilities==
Kraid attacks solely with his body's natural weapons. He shoots dagger-like spikes from his belly and spinning claws from his hands, the latter which consist of either his nails or entire fingers depending on the game; all of his weapons are infinitely generated in his body. In his Super Metroid and Metroid Dread appearances, he gains the ability to spew out rock-like projectiles from his mouth in addition to small fireballs in the latter game. Kraid also uses his arms' raw strength to hit Samus while using his massive body to push and corner her. In the manga, he demonstrates extreme accuracy with his belly spikes by successfully pinning down three of Samus's limbs against the floor (without harming her no less) before he follows up with a stomp, crushing her under his weight. 
In Super Metroid, Kraid burrows out of the ground at the start of his battle, establishing him as a natural digger. He does so in Metroid: Zero Mission as well, though to a lesser extent.
The skin on Kraid's body is completely invulnerable to damage and impenetrable from the outside, making all of Samus's weapons useless. Only areas with soft tissue are exploitable, namely his eyes and the inside of his mouth, and his incredible height helps keep these areas out of conventional reach. In Metroid Dread, he is shown to be unaffected by lava when he is found imprisoned and partially submerged in the substance, capable of moving through it without expressing any pain except for discomfort towards the shackles limiting his range of movement. His immunity to lava seems to be on an external surface only, for he desperately tries to stop himself from sinking in it after the cables around his collar, which were keeping his enormous body afloat, are removed. Kraid's skin does not retain its invulnerability in the manga: Samus manages to blow up his left foot and inflicts further damage to his body with mere Bombs.
==Behavior==
Throughout all the games that feature Kraid, he is consistently presented as a brutish individual who does nothing beyond fighting and roaring. While Ridley is portrayed in a similar animalistic fashion, both he and Mother Brain have gained some form of characterization and displayed clear signs of high intellect over the years following their first appearance, making Kraid the only one from the Metroid series' original trio of villains to not be expanded upon in any significant way, even in supplementary materials. In the Metroid manga, he remains unable to talk, unlike the other antagonists. 
What can be interpreted from his actions is that he is noticeably very short-tempered, much to his own detriment since he will angrily roar at Samus whenever he is shot in the face despite how this very response exposes his vulnerable mouth. Kraid also exhibits signs of a lazy disposition, as he will put minimal physical effort at the start of his battles in both Zero Mission and Super Metroid; only when he receives some amount of damage will he finally exert himself, notably by destroying nearby structures in the environment to gain an advantage over his opponent. The exception to this is in Metroid Dread where he immediately lunges at Samus in his intro cutscene (possibly bearing a grudge for their past encounters), but his chains force him to have a slow start once more in this battle. Once he realizes the shackle on his right arm becoming loose, he displays some degree of intelligence by immediately applying enough force to break it open and quickly smashes the platform Samus was on, and later uses his unshackled arm to remove her off the blue magnetic strip that grants her a direct line of fire with his face. 
In his manga appearance, Kraid makes a conceited smile after believing to have vanquished Samus, and some of the sounds he makes earlier when her beam shots are being reflected off him may be interpreted as laughter. 
==Appearances==
===Metroid===
In Metroid for the Famicom and NES, Kraid is one of the two bosses on Zebes whose defeat is required to access Tourian. He dwells within Mini-Boss Hideout I, found in a room surrounded by a pool of acid. His original design differed considerably from later installments; besides being approximately the same height as Samus, he also has green fur on his back, only two eyes, and boomerang cutters that can fly from his back. He fights with these arching cutters, also shooting spikes straight out from the front of his body. 
Kraid can be damaged by any of Samus' weapons, but the invulnerability of his projectiles makes for a powerful defense. In particular, the middle spike on Kraid's front is aligned with the Arm Cannon's line of fire, requiring either precise jumps or timing to aim between the spikes. Samus can use the Ice Beam to temporarily freeze Kraid's spikes, leaving him completely exposed until the ice thaws. Only the front spike closest to the floor can never be frozen, due to the absence of crouching or diagonal aim in the game. However, if Kraid's projectiles are frozen before he launches them, they'll remain attached to his body for an extended period. The Screw Attack and Bombs can also harm him, but the close proximity needed to make them effective makes them risky. Due to all of the mechanics in Kraid's battle, he is generally considered to be a more difficult boss than Ridley.
Worthy to note is that due to the Famicom console's superior internal memory, the back spikes on Kraid and his doppelganger are thrown in various different trajectories chosen at random. The NES console's lower specs only offer a single path for these projectiles (among other objects and enemies in-game), making the non-Japanese version of Kraid slightly less challenging.
Once Samus defeats Kraid, 75 Missiles are added to her maximum amount. His defeat also activates one of the two Stone Statues overlooking the path to Tourian.
There is also a Fake Kraid which Samus can encounter before fighting the real Kraid. However, since there are multiple paths leading to the authentic Kraid, Samus may never come across the imposter. Fake-Kraid shares the same attacks and the appearance of his namesake, but is a darker shade of brown with light blue fur and has much less health. Unlike the real Kraid, it respawns after death if Samus re-enters the room.
===Metroid: Zero Mission===
In the remake, Kraid's size and design are revised to resemble his appearance in Super Metroid. He is initially asleep with the lower half of his body buried when Samus first enters the room, before awakening and emerging to do battle. He attacks by ejecting the boomerang claws from his right hand, sometimes swiping at Samus with his left hand if she gets too close. He can only be damaged on the inside of his mouth, so Samus must first hit him in the eyes with a Charge Beam or Missile to make him roar before she can hurt him.
Once Kraid has taken enough damage or if Samus falls off the pillar in front of him, he begins shooting spikes from the two lowest holes in his belly. This destroys most of the aforementioned pillar, leaving a small floating platform for Samus to stand on when attacking his face. The belly spikes get embedded into the wall and Samus may use them to climb back up if she falls, though she must be quick about it as they explode after a few seconds. When his health is critical, Kraid moves closer to corner her and begins shooting from all three belly holes. The top most spike destroys the remaining platform, leaving Samus with only the embedded projectiles to use if she wishes to reach his face. If enough Missiles and/or Super Missiles have been collected prior to reaching Kraid, Samus can quickly defeat him before he manages to damage the pillar she initially stands on.
Upon his defeat, Kraid sinks back into the ground while roaring and explodes. This unlocks one of the Stone Statues leading to Tourian, and also allows Samus access to a room behind him containing the Speed Booster.
===Metroid: Volume 2 ===
Kraid appears in the second half of the Metroid: Volume 2 manga, which is an adaptation of most of the events of Zero Mission. Mother Brain describes Kraid as "Ridley's comrade" and also states that "his skin is on par with an anti-optical shield", explaining how most weapons cause him negligible damage.
===Metroid Prime===
Although he doesn't physically appear in the game, Metroid Prime's instruction manual refers to events of the original Metroid, such as Samus Aran killing the "gargantuan mainstays of the Space Pirate army, Ridley and Kraid", foreshadowing their retconned sizes in Metroid: Zero Mission. The manual also mentions that, after the fall of Zebes's Pirate base, the Space Pirates orbiting the planet split into two main camps - one to search for a planet with powerful energy resources (soon settling on Tallon IV), and the other to rebuild their ravaged facility on Zebes and resuscitate Ridley, Mother Brain, and Kraid. Only Ridley, as the reborn Meta Ridley, would make an active appearance in the game, leaving the other two's redevelopment at an unknown status throughout the entire Prime series.
===Super Metroid===
Kraid reappears in Super Metroid, being the first appearance of his iconic giant size. Before his room, there is an unavoidable encounter with an imposter named Mini-Kraid, akin to the original Metroid. It is much smaller and falls quickly to Missiles. This decoy is a bait-and-switch, especially effective on players going in blind from the first Metroid. Just outside Kraid's room, there is also a mysterious corpse with signs of advanced decomposition and Sbugs. It is unknown if the killer was Kraid or his respective Gadora.
Kraid is nowhere to be seen in his room at first, until his upper torso tunnels out of the thorns atop the floor to face Samus. In this phase, Kraid attacks by spitting rock-like projectiles or charging to skewer Samus against the wall with his claws. The inside of his mouth is his weakpoint which he exposes when he roars in reaction to being shot in the face, or when using the aforementioned projectiles. Once Kraid takes a set amount of damage, he rises entirely out of the ground, breaking the ceiling to reveal a large chamber with platforms sitting above the thorny ground.
In his standing phase, Kraid takes up approximately two vertical screens' worth of space, making him the largest being in the entire game. He stops spitting rocks and instead shoots spikes from his three belly holes, as well as throwing his boomerang claws which now bounce around the room. The belly spikes do not stick into the back wall and instead travel through it completely, leaving very little time for Samus to stand on them. She can shoot Kraid in either of the three holes to trigger a roar from him if needed. Kraid is also unexpectedly mobile, as he moves back and forth across the room and can push Samus off the small platforms into the thorns below. Similar to the battle in Zero Mission, a quick kill can be performed on Kraid which prevents the 2nd phase from occurring.
As Kraid dies, he falls through the floor while weakly roaring. His death activates one of the Golden Statues to Tourian, and allows Samus access to a room behind him where the Varia Suit can be collected.
=== Metroid Dread===
After decades of absence, Kraid returns in Metroid Dread as the main boss of Cataris. Although the Chozo Archives depict Mawkin Chozo Soldiers restraining him in Cataris, no further explanation is given for his presence on ZDR.
While identified as Kraid in the game's map and Mission Log, it is unclear if this is the same character from previous games; Metroid Dread Report Volume 6 coyly describes him as "a giant monster who appears to be Kraid" rather than outright confirming his identity. Quiet Robe's exposition presents an unclear timeline for the aforementioned Chozo Archive image; because the Mawkin were ravaged by X Parasites while Samus exterminated the Metroids on SR388, it is unlikely that they could have captured him after Super Metroid. Otherwise, it would mean that the Chozo Soldiers were still active enough during Super Metroid to capture Kraid despite their X infestation. This suggests that this game's Kraid is a separate specimen (much like Mini-Kraid) captured at an earlier time by the Mawkin. Kraid's aggressive behavior may suggest he recognizes Samus; alternatively, if this Kraid is another specimen altogether, his aggression may be a Pavlovian response to associating Samus's Chozo armor with his captors. There is also a possibility that Kraid may have been cloned, since Raven Beak indicates that he is capable of cloning creatures as bioweapons."You no longer serve any purpose. Even your Metroid DNA is no longer necessary. Do you want to know why? It is because I can now clone an army of the most powerful Metroid of all... Samus Aran." - Raven Beak, Metroid Dread.
His appearance differs very little from the last two encounters except for his eye lids which are now vertically aligned rather than horizontally. Kraid is held prisoner in a large room full of lava; his legs and tail are submerged in the substance while his neck and wrists are bound by giant restraints. His middle belly hole is swollen with a sickly purple color due to a parasite infestation.
His roars can first be heard from neighbouring rooms as Samus approaches. Upon entering, she remains cautious of the darkness but eases up upon seeing the restrained Kraid. He lunges at her with a bite but the various shackles on his body prevent him from reaching her and he resorts to roar angrily at her. Unshaken, she calmly shoots him in the mouth with her Charge Beam and after regaining his composure, he unsuccessfully tries to free his arms and roars once more, initiating the boss battle. Later on, Kraid manages to break the restraint on his left arm through sheer strength, granting him a minor amount of freedom to move around.
At the end of the battle, Samus runs up Kraid's belly and he frees his restrained right arm in an attempt to smack her before following with a bite. She evades both attacks and jumps onto the dangling wire that previously held his left arm. She dodges another swipe from Kraid, causing him to smash a nearby wall as Samus safely lands on a ledge. Due to all the agitation and/or the severing of both arm shackles, one of the cables tied to Kraid's collar breaks off and he begins sinking into the lava, revealing that the devices on his body are not only holding him prisoner but also keeping his body afloat. He grasps at the walls and shoots one last stomach spike that Samus dodges with ease. The final cable breaks, and Kraid loses his grip as the collar's weight sinks him further. He claws at the ledge on which Samus stands before completely submerging. Afterwards, Samus uses Kraid's final spike as a platform to reach the exit, leading her to the Diffusion Beam.
Although Kraid's fate beneath the lava is not explicitly shown, his death is suggested by the purple X Parasite that creates Raven Beak X, a giant amalgamated monstrosity combining Raven Beak with features from Kraid.Looygi Bros. "12 Cool Details in Metroid Dread (Part 9)". YouTube. February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022. However, the belly spike that Samus used to exit the room vanishes following the X Parasites' release from Elun; this leads to the possibility that the X instead acquired Kraid's genetic information by consuming the leftover spike.Now that's attention to detail!, posted by u/CYBER_X5 on r/Metroid Whether he died by drowning in the lava or through the actions of the X, the subsequent obliteration of Raven Beak X at the hands of Samus' Hyper Beam, along with the entirety of planet ZDR self-destructing minutes later, leads to the safe assumption that Kraid was thoroughly eliminated.
====Battle ====
Similar to Super Metroid, Kraid's battle has two phases: one against his upper half, the other against his full height. Samus first fights atop a platform as he spits globules and fireballs, and throws boomerang claws. His weak point is his mouth, which he opens as he roars or spits; it can also be forced open by shooting him in the eyes with the Charge Beam or Missiles as usual. Samus can destroy the globules he spits for pickups.
Once Kraid takes sufficient damage, he frees his left arm to smash the platform, forcing Samus to stand on broken metal atop the surface of the lava. Kraid is still restrained by his neck and right arm, forcing him to attack with his belly holes by releasing Bouncing Creatures and splashes of pink acid. Samus must shoot the sore on his lowest belly hole, provoking him into firing his classic belly spikes, which Samus should duck under as they smash into the wall. The tremor brings down a blue magnetic strip that Samus can grip with the Spider Magnet; it then rises to Kraid's face. Alternatively, Samus can wait for his spike attack regularly and quickly climb them before they shatter, grabbing the blue magnetic strip to attack his face.
Hanging from the magnetic strip, Samus can resume her previous tactic of shooting Kraid in the mouth. Kraid uses his old attacks, but also a new backhand swipe from his left arm which is susceptible to the Melee Counter, allowing Samus to initiate a Grab Sequence. In the Grab Sequence, she leaps over his punch and kicks a foot into his jaws, prying his mouth open to fire directly inside before retreating to the magnetic strip. Afterwards, Kraid will perform another punch to force Samus down; this is telegraphed by his eyes glowing brightly, allowing Samus to potentially avoid it with a careful jump. If Samus falls back to the broken platform below, she must repeat Kraid's second phase to reach his face once more.
Sequence breaking can completely change the dynamic of the battle. If Morph Ball Bombs have been obtained early, Samus can use a Morph Ball launcher hidden in the lower left corner of the room to blast herself into Kraid's belly sore; there, she can repeatedly plant Bombs inside to instantly defeat him. This must be done quickly, as Samus takes steady damage while inside the hole. Additionally, if Flash Shift is obtained, Samus can instantly trigger the Grab Sequence by Flash Shifting into Kraid's face when his eyes flash.https://twitter.com/yassu_yassu/status/1459797684340985858
== Cancelled appearances==
===Metroid Prime===
Kraid was intended to have a larger role in the first Metroid Prime game; a reborn Kraid was planned to make an appearance as a boss character in the Phazon Mines area on Tallon IV. He was modeled and textured by Gene Kohler for that purpose. He possessed what appears to be a metal helmet on his head, likely made by the Space Pirates to protect his eyes (an exploitable weakpoint established in other games). Kohler indicated in an email reply to N-Sider that the helmet was supposed to be an obstacle to be overcome in the planned fight against him. This was later clarified by an anonymous former employee at Retro who stated players needed to cause objects to collapse onto his armored head, a goal made difficult by Kraid firing projectiles at Samus from his belly holes and tipping over the platforms she needed to ascend; the former employee further stated there may have been additional phases to the fight, but could not recall them. Interesting to note is that his belly projectiles were mentioned by the same person to be missiles instead of the organic spikes previously used on Zebes, strongly implying that the Space Pirates had installed weapon systems in his body. While Kraid likely was not cybernetically enhanced to the same extent as his comrade Meta Ridley, the missile system and the metal helmet contribute the fan-coined nickname "Meta Kraid".
A piece of concept art made during Metroid Prime's development shows a helmetless Kraid extending multiple organic spears from his stomach at Samus while she is jumping and firing at his exposed face; she appears to have simultaneously destroyed some of his uppermost spears and dodged a strike from his left hand along the way. This concept, in which Kraid features over two dozen belly ports launching a different type of weapon, may have represented a phase following the destruction of his helmet. The fight (and character) ultimately did not make its way into the game in time for the release. According to Jack Mathews, the Omega Pirate replaced Kraid, since it was built on the existing Elite Pirate AI, whereas Kraid required new AI to be written. (starts at 57:10) The Elite Quarters, where the Omega Pirate is fought, was intended to be Kraid's location.Kiwi Talkz. "#144 - Jack Mathews Interview - Metroid Prime 20th Anniversary (Crunch, A.I., Fetch Quest, Bosses )". YouTube. November 18, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJkxpG5R9PI (starts at 47:27)
Due to being cut from Metroid Prime, Kraid's only 3D appearances had been in other series, namely the Planet Zebes: Brinstar Depths stage of Super Smash Bros. and the Metroid Blast attraction of Nintendo Land, until he finally appeared nineteen years later in Metroid Dread.
==== Developer comments====
Mathews also joked that Kraid was cut because "we had a hard time finding him a toothbrush".https://twitter.com/jack_mathews/status/958185981563342848
===Metroid Prime 3: Corruption===
Though Kraid does not appear in this game, a released storyboard for an unused introduction animation by Ben Sprout features a creature resembling Kraid attacking Samus, but is quickly destroyed by her Gunship. This design features an additional row of spikes placed horizontally across his chest, with vertical rows of upward facing spikes seen at the creature's sides. Finally, each of his arms end in a single, largely extended claw-tipped appendage.
==Appearances in other media==
===Metroid: Zebes Invasion Order===
Just as in Metroid, Metroid: Zero Mission, and Super Metroid, Kraid appears as a guardian of the Space Pirate stronghold on planet Zebes. Normal beam attacks do not work on Kraid; missiles must be used to damage him. He resides in Brinstar room A-22, which is guarded by a Side Hopper and a Doublehopper. Upon his demise, Kraid explodes in a bright flash and drops a Key Stone, which is used to activate his Stone Statue.
===Captain N: The Game Master===
In the animated cartoon series Captain N: The Game Master, Kraid appears as a minor recurring character in multiple episodes, acting as a minion who serves Mother Brain. He is frequently seen patrolling Metroid as a guard, armed with a spear-like weapon and a Missile Gun holstered on his belt.
As with many other characters in the series, Kraid has a drastically different appearance from his canonical design, resembling an overweight bipedal rhinocerus wearing a green tunic and blue hat. Since Kraid is never identified by name in the show itself, his identity has only been confirmed by concept artwork of Kraid's Missile Gun. 
In Kevin in Videoland, Kraid makes a cameo appearance as the minion guarding Princess Lana's prison cell. He is instantly defeated when Kevin lands on him, in a similar manner to Super Mario Bros. enemies.
In Mega Trouble For Megaland, Kraid is seen enslaving the residents of Mt. Icarus, which has been renamed Mt. Mother Brain after being conquered by the Forces of Chaos. He appears alongside an identical creature, which may be a possible reference to Fake Kraid. Notably, this episode is the only time Kraid has been voiced with dialogue, speaking with a high-pitched scratchy voice as he threatens the enslaved workers. Doug Parker (who also voices Mega Man in the same cartoon) confirmed in 2024 that he voiced Kraid.Shinesparkers. Kraid from Metroid speaking in Captain N: The Game Master (voiced by Doug Parker). YouTube. July 19, 2024. Retrieved July 19, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFpdsnp0htU
In Metroid Sweet Metroid, Kraid and a Viola patroll Metroid while Kevin and Duke are trapped in its corridors. Later, Kraid finds Duke lying on the floor and prods at him with his spear-like weapon, unaware that Duke is merely playing dead as a distraction. Kevin sneaks up on Kraid and ties him up with rope, then steals his Missile Gun.
In Gameboy, Kraid is among the monsters generated by the Mother Brain-controlled Gameboy. He charges at Simon Belmont and pins him against a wall. Once Duke unplugs Gameboy, Kraid vanishes along with all of the other monsters.
===Nintendo Comics System===
Kraid appears as a character in the Nintendo Comics System adaptations of Metroid and Captain N. Unlike his animated appearance, Kraid much more closely resembles his original artwork from Metroid.
In The Coming of a Hero, Kraid and Ridley explore the Surface of SR388, where they become the first Space Pirates to discover a Metroid.
In Breakout, Kraid makes his most significant appearance in the comics, appearing as a prisoner of Metroid Cell Block 1 on RX 338. He attempts to convince all of the prisoners in his block that were put away by Samus to turn on their fellow captive, pointing out that she is weaponless. Samus punches Kraid, then grabs him by the foot and swings him around as an improvised weapon, beating the prisoners into submission. Samus later uses Kraid as a diversion to make her own escape, and she threatens him into compliance. He is caught by the guards in the watchtowers and presumably spends a month in solitary confinement as punishment.
In When Friends Fall Out, Kraid and Ridley appear in a flashback taking place several years prior to the main story. They capture Samus and connect her to a machine, intending to brainwash her into a minion for Mother Brain. Samus breaks free of their machine and steals their Flame-Chip as she escapes.
===Super Smash Bros.===
====Super Smash Bros. Melee====
Kraid appears as part of the Planet Zebes: Brinstar Depths stage. Occasionally, he will emerge from the magma, roar, slash at the arena with his claws, and then sink back into the magma. While he cannot directly attack players, Kraid causes the entire arena to rotate, with the direction based upon how he strikes it. This changes the battlefield and forces players to adapt. Compared to Samus, Kraid is also much bigger in size than he originally was in Super Metroid. He also makes a different roaring sound. 
A trophy of Kraid is also obtained when the Brinstar Depths stage is unlocked.
====Super Smash Bros. Brawl====
The Brinstar Depths stage does not return in Brawl. Therefore, Kraid only makes a cameo appearance as a sticker, using his artwork from Zero Mission.
====Super Smash Bros. Ultimate====
Kraid returns in Ultimate along with the Brinstar Depths stage. In addition to being much higher quality than Melee, his model is now more closely modeled after his appearances in Super Metroid and Zero Mission, such as his red eyes. He plays the same role as he did in Melee.
Kraid appears in Dark Samus's congratulations screen for Classic Mode, where he is seen emerging from the lava at Brinstar Depths while Dark Samus and Ridley are about to fight each other. Kraid also appears with fellow reptilian villains in the image unlocked by completing Luigi's All-Star Smash Challenge.
Kraid is also a Master Spirit, using his artwork from Super Metroid. He is unlocked in the Dark Realm of the World of Light adventure mode, and is a mandatory encounter along the path to the Sacred Land. Kraid's Spirit Battle is a stamina battle against a Giant King K. Rool on Brinstar Depths' Omega Form. During the battle, K. Rool has reduced jump power and movement speed. As a Master Spirit, Kraid cannot normally be equipped by fighters; exclusively during this fight, he is classified as a Neutral type that is neither strong nor weak against other Spirits.
Once unlocked, Kraid runs a Dojo, where he trains up to four other Spirits. He teaches them the Tank Style, which increases offense and defense but reduces move speed and jump. As a Master Spirit, Kraid is given dialogue for the first time in a video game; however, it consists entirely of roars and grunts. Translations are provided in parentheses, although these translations seem to be somewhat uncertain (often guessing what Kraid means or ending with question marks) for added humor. On a similar note, this technically marks the first time that Kraid acts as an ally to the player rather than an enemy.
===Nintendo Land ===
In the Metroid Blast attraction, Kraid is featured as an animatronic robot and is the first boss that Miis must fight in Assault Mission. He appears in the Volcanic Sector during missions "10. Hostile Colossus", "24. Kraid's Army", and "30. The True Final Battle", which all have the objective of defeating Kraid. His battle theme is a remix of Brinstar (Metroid).
He begins by partially emerging from a pool of lava, exposing his head, arms and chest. At this phase, he attacks solely by throwing his classic boomerang-like claws, however they now detonate with a wide explosive radius after a few seconds. The Mii must shoot the presented target on his nose and then fire Missiles (if piloting the Gunship) or Charge Bombs (if on foot) at his throat - after three successful shots, Kraid will rise out of the lava and add to his long-range arsenal by firing Rockets, bullets, lasers and energy spheres from various locations on his body. He also extends platforms from his body which carry Zebesian Pirates, revealing Kraid as a sentient, mobile fortress. The Pirates are not necessary to kill, though they can hinder the Mii by shooting beams from their claws and may try to close-in on the player for melee attacks. Regardless, the Mii must continue to shoot all the new targets spread throughout Kraid's body (including attacking the one on his nose once again) which will expose his throat. After enough damage is inflicted, Kraid will rise higher out of the lava, unveiling more of his large, cylinder-shaped, heavily armed mechanical body. After repeating the process with the targets a third time, Kraid will explode, thus ending the battle.
Another method for killing Kraid is made available to the player if another Mii is piloting a Gunship: the Mii on foot can Grapple Beam with the left arm onto the underside of the Gunship, allowing the player to be carried above Kraid's head and, if the latter's mouth is open, drop down his throat and land inside his chest, where the weakpoint can be damaged with standard beam fire.
"10. Hostile Colossus" just has the Mii fighting Kraid. "24. Kraid's Army" requires the Mii to defeat Kraid under a time limit, while Kraid is accompanied by numerous Cyclons and Geemers to increase the overall difficulty. "30. The True Final Battle" consists of fighting both Kraid and Ridley simultaneously; Ridley can regenerate himself indefinitely, making Kraid's defeat the main goal to completing the mission. As Kraid explodes at the end, so too will Ridley.
If Kraid is defeated, the Mii unlocks Survival Mode for Ground Battle. His head is also a prize in the Nintendo Land Plaza.
==Official data==
===Metroid manual === 
;Kraid
:"This is the head of the Mini-Boss hideout. He hurls horns from his stomach and back. Be very careful of his fierce attacks. If Samus gets hit by him, his energy will be weakened a lot."
====Virtual Console retranslation====
;Kraid
:"A miniboss that shoots horns from his stomach and spinning horns from his back. These horns can do considerable damage, so be careful."
===The Official Nintendo Player's Guide ===
;KRAID
: "This is the Boss who protects Brinstar. He shoots missiles from his stomach, and uses a spinning horn on his back to attack. Missile attacks are the best way to kill him."
===Nintendo Power Volume 29===
;KRAID: The Second MINI-BOSS
:"Kraid fires spikes from his gut--spikes with the power of Samus' missiles. It won't take many of these to finish you off. Again, there are two methods of attack. Jump on the spot where Kraid stands and use missiles, or jump and fire from the lava pit with the Wave Beam."
===Metroid: Zebes Invasion Order===
;Passage 178
:"Warning. 
:"A high-pitched alarm went off from the command computer.
:"'Warning! Warning! Massive energy readings past this room. Kraid, the boss of area A is ahead. At this moment, you are able to retreat from this room. It is preferable that you proceed in top condition. This room has a three-layer shutter. The enemies have not yet noticed you, so you can clearly escape. And since Kraid is the area boss, this fight will not be simple. Will you proceed or turn back?'"
;Passage 97
:"A dinosaur-like creature with numerous, enormous spikes appeared. Its height was easily around 3 meters. The command computer spoke: 'It's Kraid.'
:"Kraid's method of attack is to use his spikes as a weapon, launching them [at his enemy]."
;Passage 169
:"The command computer issued an alert. 'Without missiles, Kraid cannot be defeated.'
:"I shot my beam behind him as a distraction. Using that, I managed to dodge his attacks and fled the room. For the moment, I think I'll leave the area, stock up on missiles and energy, and try again." 
=== Super Metroid manual===
;KRAID
: "(The Boss of Brinstar)The giant lizard of Brinstar attacks Samus with thorny projectiles and spits spheres out of its mouth. No weapons - beams, missiles, or bombs - have any effect on its body. The creature's weak point is unknown." 
===Super Metroid Players' Guide===
"By far the largest guardian in the game, Kraid will prove a tough adversary. He only has one weak spot and that's the inside of his mouth. Shoot him in the head then, when he roars in pain, lob as many rockets and laser bolts down his throat as possible. When he first emerges, he pauses with only his upper body showing. Use this time to get in as many hits as possible; he'll then rear up to his full height and your job becomes much trickier. To make matters worse, he will launch a myriad of projectiles from his body. The spikes launched from his chest can be ridden upon if you can get on top but contact anywhere else results in damage being sustained. The spinning claws have to be either shot or dodged. If missiles or energy are running low, try shooting the claws as they sometimes leave bonuses behind. Three super missile direct hits will do for Kraid, but otherwise use normal missiles and charge shots."
===Nintendo Power Volume 60===
;CLASH WITH KRAID
: "The leader of Brinstar is much larger and much stronger than he was in his previous incarnation. When you reach Kraid's quarters, the mighty, mean lizard will rise up from the ground, charge forward and spit out rocks. You've got to blind it with beams or Missiles in order to make it open its mouth. Then fill it up with more firepower."
===Nintendo Power Volume 95===
; KRAID
:"Kraid begins by rising out of the floor of spines. Only shots into his open mouth will be effective. Three Super Missiles will do the trick. First, shoot Kraid to get him to open his mouth. Blast the spikes he shoots to collect energy and Missiles." 
===Samus (JoyRide Studios)===
"In Super Metroid for the Super NES, the hulkin Kraid is the boss enemy that resides in Brinstar. The giant's weak spot is its mouth, and you can inflict damage by firing a missile into its mouth when it's open. To get Kraid to open up and say 'ahh,' fire a missile at its face, then shoot another missile into its slack-jawed mouth."
"Fire missiles into Kraid's open mouth to cause damage. If you're out of missiles, use Charge Beam shots."
"When Kraid rises, hop onto one of the platforms that it shoots out of its belly. Use the platform or the Hi-Jump Boots to set your sights on Kraid's face, then blast missiles into the alien's open mouth."
===Metroid: Zero Mission manual===
;Kraid
:"The largest enemy in all of the mazes beneath the surface of Planet Zebes, Kraid fires spikes from his belly and claws from his fingertips for extremely powerful attacks."
===Official Metroid: Zero Mission website===
"Extremely dangerous! Giant lizard-like monster over two stories tall. Possesses iron-shredding claws and fires small projectiles from its mouth. When angered, shoots regenerative claws from giant openings in belly. Can be destroyed by hitting soft tissue in mouth with Missiles. DANGER LEVEL: VERY HIGH."
*"Soft tissue (weak spot)"
*"Iron-shredding claws"
* "Regenerative claws"
===Super Smash Bros. Melee Trophy===
"A boss enemy from Metroid. Kraid lives in the depths of Brinstar. He immobilizes enemies with his three red eyes, and his powerful jaws can crush anything. He can also shoot the three spikes in his belly; it's said he often fires them at his prey. Once Samus defeated Ridley and Kraid, the way to Tourian opened."
===Super Smash Bros. Brawl Sticker===
*Kraid Metroid: Zero Mission - [Head] Attack +33 (All)
===Nintendo Land===
"This hulking monstrosity dwells in the depths of planet Zebes. His skin is impenetrably thick, so try shooting into his mouth. You'll have to climb his towering body to reach his face!"
=== Nintendo of America tweet ===
"Surprise, looks like a familiar big bad behemoth is back to pay Samus a visit. #MetroidDread" Nintendo of America (NintendoAmerica). 27 August 2021 1:44 p.m. Tweet. https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1431311719889088512
===Nintendo UK tweet===
"He's baaaa-aaaack! #MetroidDread"Nintendo UK (NintendoUK). 27 August 2021 10:00 a.m. Tweet. https://twitter.com/NintendoUK/status/1431255184517304322
==List of appearances==
*Metroid
*Victory Techniques for Metroid
*Metroid: Zebes Invasion Order
*Captain N: The Game Master
:*Comics
::*Breakout
::*When Friends Fall Out (flashback)
:*Cartoon (incomplete list)
::*Kevin in Videoland
::*Mega Trouble For Megaland
::*Metroid Sweet Metroid
::*Gameboy
*Super Metroid
*Super Metroid manga
*Super Smash Bros. Melee
*Metroid Prime (manual, removed boss)
*Metroid: Volume 2
* Metroid: Zero Mission
* Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Bonus Disc
*WarioWare: Smooth Moves (Super Nostalgic Entertainment System)
*Super Smash Bros. Brawl
* New Play Control! Metroid Prime (manual)
*Nintendo Land
*NES Remix 2
*Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 
*Metroid Dread
==Development notes==
Kraid's Super Metroid and Zero Mission sprite artists never created the large Pirate's entire tail. By extracting Kraid's sprites from the games' internal files, it is revealed that his tail always ends abruptly; the sprite artists likely ignored this detail since players are never capable (and are not meant) to get behind Kraid and explore the areas beyond him until he is defeated, which results in him sinking into the ground and exploding, thus preventing his tail from being fully viewed. This continues in Metroid Dread, wherein his in-game model does not have legs or a tail.
Kraid's size changes throughout the games. For example, in Metroid, he is about the same size as Samus, whereas in Super Metroid and Metroid: Zero Mission, he takes up two screens. In Melee, he is even larger. This is likely due to the NES' limited processing power being unable to smoothly handle larger sprites. According to the official Metroid: Zero Mission web site, Kraid is over two stories tall, the low-end being three stories. This would mean Kraid is at least 9.9 meters tall (32.5 ft.). When asked to explain the discrepancy of Kraid's sizes in Metroid and Super Metroid, Dan Owsen joked that "He lost his supply of Slimfast [meal replacement powder] when the first planet blew up." This is erroneous as Zebes was not destroyed in Metroid, but it was in Super Metroid.
Kraid's roar in Super Metroid and Metroid: Zero Mission is a stock roar from the Universal Studios Sound Effects Library, previously heard in films such as The Land Unknown (1957) and King Kong (1976). This roar is shared with Crocomire and Phantoon.
In Zero Mission, there is an unused alternate palette that gives Kraid white eyes (with pupils) and a mouth, although his appearance is otherwise unchanged. A mod that restores this can be viewed here.
For Dread, MercurySteam sought to keep Kraid recognizable while showing off a new version of him.Jarop. "Metroid Dread dev on taking the series to HD, E.M.M.I.’s design, much more". Nintendo Everything (originally published in Famitsu, translated from Japanese). January 30, 2022. Retrieved March 19, 2022. As previously mentioned, the most noticeable difference in his Dread design are his eyelids being changed to a vertical position. This may have been inspired by his robotic appearance in Nintendo Land in which his eyes were red vertical slits.
Concept art of Metroid Dread reveals various iterations of Kraid and his restraining device(s). For the latter, some have his hands bound tightly together at his front similar to hand cuffs while his eyes and upper part of his head are confined within a metal structure, with one of them featuring a muzzle of some kind for his mouth; the partially-covered face may be an homage to "Meta Kraid" that was removed during the development of Metroid Prime. On the same page for the helmet-like design, there is a drawing featuring Kraid with a heavily-scarred face with his right eye seemingly missing and the left side of his crown-like appendage partially broken; it is unknown if these injuries were meant to be scars inflicted by the Chozo on ZDR or by Samus during their previous battle back on Zebes. Alongside this concept art are several different head designs for the character, as well as a full-body display of Kraid standing upright with a muscular, non-corpulent physique with hefty arms.
== Trivia== 
*Notable official artworks that display Kraid's comradery with Ridley can be found in the instruction manuals for both NES and Famicom versions of Metroid where the two have Samus surrounded and the boxarts for Super Metroid (North American and Japanese) where they are seen pursuing the bounty hunter. Media such as Masahiro Sakurai's Twitter post for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate makes reference to this as well. 
**Despite not being part of the Metroid series, Nintendo Land is the only game where Kraid and Ridley can be fought simultaneously as a duo akin to their depictions in the mentioned artwork and media.
*In Super Metroid, Kraid is one of the only two major bosses to have Zebesians guarding their room, the other one being Ridley. Although Mother Brain also has Zebesians in close proximity, they are only encountered after she's defeated.
*Kraid appears on the Super Metroid Stare-E-O Poster.
*The battle music "Big Boss Confrontation" was kept as Kraid's theme for two of his appearances in a row, but the tradition concluded with the release of Metroid Dread, in which he was given a new melody that is only slightly similar to the one heard in Super Metroid and Zero Mission.
* Due to the Reptilicus species possessing three eyes and a reptilian appearance, some fans believe Kraid may be related to the former. The Reptilicus' statues and busts on Bryyo, as well as their Mogenars built with arcane arts and technology, are also tricloptic. On top of this, Mogenar's battle theme is similar to Kraid's, though this is likely to have been an intended homage similar to Berserker Lord's theme being an altered rendition of the unrelated Arachnus' in Metroid Fusion.
*In the NES Toys "R" Us commercial, Kraid's Toy Shop is shown to be sold out of NES games.
*The Squizzard boss in Super Mario Galaxy 2 bears subtle similarities to Kraid. Such similarities include the weak point being the mouth, and spiked projectiles being fired by the flick of a hand. The Squizzard is also half-burrowed in the ground, similar to Kraid in Super Metroid.
*The color of Samus's Power Suit during the cutscene with Kraid rising before her in Zero Mission will vary depending on whether or not the Varia Suit is acquired prior to the battle.
* Kräid in Luxembourgish translates to "Cretaceous", possibly an intended nod to the Pirate's dinosaur-like appearance.
*The secret means of defeating Kraid in Metroid Dread (entering his body and laying Bombs) may be a reference to a recurring method of damaging the Queen Metroid in its appearances as a boss.
*If Samus were to sequence break in Metroid Dread in a manner that skips the encounter with Kraid in Cataris, he will disappear from his room after the X Parasites are released from Elun. This suggests the X eventually found and killed Kraid, consuming his entire body in the process. This skip would lead to Samus being completely oblivious to Kraid's presence on ZDR until the later appearance of his monstrous mimic, Raven Beak X.
*The particular room and manner in which Kraid is held captive in Cataris was seemingly designed by the Chozo to guarantee his own demise if he ever managed to free himself from his restraints.
*As seen in the gallery below, Metroid: Zero Mission initially intended to have Kraid's lower body submerged in lava during his boss battle akin to how he would eventually be fought in Metroid Dread. His battle in the original Metroid game also involves a hazardous liquid that fills the arena, though Kraid is located on top of a platform which stands above the substance.
**Nintendo Land became the first game to feature a battle against Kraid where he is partially submerged in lava.
*In all of Kraid's canonical battles, the one in Cataris is the only one where he is not directly defeated by Samus' hands. Were it not for his restraints breaking which lead to him sinking in the lava, Kraid was more than capable of prolonging his fight as evidenced by the post-battle cutscene where he forcefully removes his remaining arm shackle and attacks several more times. This implies he still had plenty of strength remaining despite the damage inflicted by Samus.
*In Dread, if the Hyper Beam is hacked and used on Kraid during the beginning of the fight, the platform Samus is on will immediately be destroyed and the lower half of the area will be glitched along with Kraid (who will simply be stuck in its idle animation, no longer attacking). This is most likely due to the fight not having a proper transition. Samus can walk around on the lava as if it were a normal platform and even pass through Kraid's stomach. Should Samus enter the hidden launcher to her left, she will then be softlocked in mid-air with no way out.Postposterous. "What Happens If We Fight Kraid With The Metroid Suit & Hyper Beam? | Metroid Dread TA Sequence Break". YouTube. October 27, 2021. 
*If Samus somehow acquires Power Bombs before the fight with Kraid in Metroid Dread, they will be disabled once she enters his stomach. Power Bombs can still be used outside Kraid's body, but this will not affect him in any way (aside from destroying breakable attacks and killing any Bouncing Creatures onscreen).KesslerCascade. "Can you beat Kraid with just Power Bombs in Metroid Dread?" YouTube. December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
*Viewing the full 3D model of Kraid in Dread through hacking reveals that the lower part of his body, which remains out of sight during gameplay, have blackened as if it's been burnt to a crisp.
*Kraid's death in Metroid Dread marks the (seemingly) definitive end of the original trio of bosses from the first Metroid game: himself, Ridley and Mother Brain. Ironically, while Kraid was always the first who got defeated within the games that the three bosses are featured in, he ultimately managed to outlive the other two in the Metroid timeline.
**Kraid suffers a similar fate to Ridley in that both had their DNA used by the X Parasites to battle Samus once more beyond their grave.
**If the individual Samus battled in Cataris is indeed a clone of Kraid, then this would be yet another event he shares with Ridley as the latter was also cloned during the course of the series.
==Gallery==
:For concept art, see Kraid/Gallery.
===Metroid (NES) related media ===
Kraid.png|Kraid as depicted in Victory Techniques for Metroid.
MZIO page 95.png|Metroid: Zebes Invasion Order
Famicom Choco - Kraid.png|Famicom Choco
Kraid Famiken Ryu.png|Famiken Ryu
Tumblr kx3awtklto1qzp9we.jpg|1988 Nintendo Power Metroid Artist Contest Winners.
Mt hero2.jpg|Kraid in The Coming of a Hero
Cn4-18.jpg|Kraid in Breakout
CapNcustompage.PNG|Kraid in Breakout
Kraidlike creature Captain N.png|Captain N: The Game Master
CN Kraid VS Simon Belmont.png|Kraid attacking Simon Belmont in Captain N
Nintendo1991Calendar-09-August.jpg|1991 The Power Game Calendar
===Super Smash Bros. Melee and Ultimate===
Kraid-melee.jpg|Kraid in Planet Zebes: Brinstar Depths from Super Smash Bros. Melee.
Link 360.jpg|Kraid in Planet Zebes: Brinstar Depths from Super Smash Bros. Melee
SSBU challenge image 096.png|Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Challenge image
SSBU Dark Samus Screw Attack on Brinstar Depths.jpg|Dark Samus Classic Mode congratulations screen.
Samus facing Kraid and Ridley in SSBU.jpg|Samus facing Ridley and Kraid in Ultimate.Sakurai, Masahiro (Sora_Sakurai). 12 July 2020 11:00 p.m. Tweet. https://twitter.com/Sora_Sakurai/status/1282510058199252995
SSBU Kraid and dragon.jpg|Kraid and Rathalos in UltimateSakurai, Masahiro (Sora_Sakurai). 29 August 2020 11:00 p.m. Tweet. https://twitter.com/Sora_Sakurai/status/1299904674875621377
===Metroid: Zero Mission===
41 EwFmB65L.jpg|Kraid in an earlier version of Metroid: Zero Mission.
Kraid Awakening Animation.gif|A cutscene from Metroid: Zero Mission before fighting Kraid.
Kraid cinematic ZM.png|Kraid rises to challenge Samus in Zero Mission.
Zero Mission Kraid Intro (Varia).png|Kraid appears towering in front of a Varia Suit Samus in Zero Mission.
===Metroid Dread===
Metroid Dread Report Vol. 6 screenshot 26.jpg|Kraid in Metroid Dread.
Metroid Dread Report Vol. 6 screenshot 27.jpg
Metroid Dread - Kraid glaring at Samus.png
Metroid Dread Kraid battle.png|The battle.
Metroid Dread Kraid breaks restraint.png|Kraid breaks out of one arm restraint.
Kraid globule spit attack.png|Kraid spitting globules.
Kraid biting Samus.png|Samus in Kraid's teeth.
Kraid Dread Large.png|Large, slightly zoomed-out view of Kraid's immense body and size.
Kraid Dread Large (Front).png|Full body seen in-game (front).
MD Chozo Archives 02 - Kraid.jpeg|Chozo Archives, image 02
Metroid Dread JP site Kraid.png|Japanese Dread website.
Raven Beak Monster.PNG|Kraid's likeness in Raven Beak X
===Other===
082510_samusridley_obs03--article_image.jpg|Size comparison of Kraid and Samus in Super Metroid.
Kraid Manga.png|Metroid: Volume 2
Metroid Prime 3 Ben Sprout Storyboard.jpg|Storyboard by Ben Sprout of a creature who strongly resembles Kraid.
JP Other M Guide 169.jpg|Nintendo Official Guidebook for Metroid Other M, page 169
Reptile Awareness Day.jpg|Nintendo of Europe tweeted image on Reptile Awareness Day 2019 (October 21).Nintendo of Europe (Nintendo Europe). "Happy #ReptileAwarenessDay! To celebrate, why not tell us who your favourite reptilian juggernaut is to fight against in #SuperMetroid, now available to play with #SuperNES – #NintendoSwitchOnline!" Oct 21, 2019 9:46 a.m. Tweet. https://twitter.com/NintendoEurope/status/1186277558368661504
==References ==
ru:Крейд
Category:Characters
Category:Bosses
Category:Space Pirates
Category:Zebes
Category:Kraid's Lair
Category:Cataris
Category:Phazon Mines
Category:Super Smash Bros.
Category:Trophies
Category:Stickers
Category:Spirits
Category:Deceased
Category:Unused Bosses and Species
Category:Recurring Characters
Category:Gene Kohler
Category:Giants
Category:Greg Luzniak
Category:Reptilian
Category:Kraid
Category:Predators
Category:Nintendo Land
Category:Main antagonists
Category:X