If you’re a completionist hunting down every Missile expansion, Energy Tank, and upgrade in Metroid Prime 4 Beyond, then Scout Bots are about to become your best friends. These deactivated purple robots are scattered across planet Viewros, one in each major region, and when properly activated, they’ll reveal the exact location of every single collectible you’ve missed in that area.
No more wandering aimlessly wondering if you missed a Missile Tank behind some random wall. Scout Bots do the hard work for you—but only if you know where to find them and how to activate them properly. Let me show you the location of all six Scout Bots in Metroid Prime 4 Beyond and exactly what you need to do to get them working.
What Are Scout Bots in Metroid Prime 4 Beyond?
Scout Bots are specialized robots found in each major dungeon and region of the game. At first, they just sit there deactivated and useless—you’ll probably pass by at least one early in your playthrough without being able to do anything with it.
But here’s the magic: once you’ve unlocked Thunder Shot (which happens later in the game), you can activate these bots. When fully activated, a Scout Bot scans its entire region and marks every undiscovered collectible on your map with a small orange cross. This includes:
- Missile Expansions
- Shot Expansions (for Ice, Fire, and Thunder)
- Energy Tanks
- Other upgrade items
Think of them as your personal treasure-hunting assistants. They won’t hand you the items, but they’ll point you exactly where to look—which is honestly the next best thing.
Important note: You cannot activate Scout Bots until you’ve unlocked Thunder Shot, which requires defeating Phenoros in Flare Pool and collecting the Thunder Chip from Volt Forge. Don’t stress if you see these bots early but can’t interact with them yet.
How to Activate Scout Bots in Metroid Prime 4 Beyond
Before we dive into locations, let’s cover the activation process so you know exactly what to do when you find each bot.
Prerequisites for Scout Bot Activation
1. Unlock Thunder Shot
You must have Thunder Shot unlocked. This happens on your third visit to Volt Forge, after you’ve obtained Psychic Grapple from defeating the final boss at Flare Pool.
2. Have Psychic Visor Available
You’ll need the Psychic Visor to complete the activation process. If you’ve progressed far enough to get Thunder Shot, you definitely have this.
Step-by-Step Activation Process
Once you’ve found a Scout Bot, here’s how to bring it online:
- Shoot it once with Thunder Shot – The electric blast powers up the bot
- Switch to Psychic Visor – Activate your visor mode
- Scan the Scout Bot – This fully activates it
- Watch the cutscene – The bot will scan the entire region (pretty cool to watch!)
- Check your map – The bot falls silent, and your map now displays orange crosses marking undiscovered items
That’s it! Once activated, the Scout Bot has done its job. From that point forward, you can reference your map anytime to see exactly where you’re missing collectibles.
Pro tip: Activate Scout Bots as soon as you get Thunder Shot, even if you’re not ready to collect everything yet. Having those orange markers on your map makes future cleanup runs way more efficient.
All 6 Scout Bot Locations in Metroid Prime 4 Beyond
Now let’s get to the good stuff—where to find every single Scout Bot in the game. I’ll break them down by region with detailed directions.
Scout Bot #1: Fury Green – Ancient Path Chamber
Region: Fury Green
Location: Ancient Path chamber
Difficulty: Easy (unmissable)
This is the first Scout Bot you’ll encounter, and honestly, you can’t miss it. As you make your way through Fury Green for the first time following the main story path, you’ll automatically walk right past it in the Ancient Path chamber.
Since this is part of the natural progression, just make a mental note of where it is. You’ll come back later with Thunder Shot to activate it. If you’re already exploring Fury Green for Green Energy Crystals, you’ve definitely seen this one.
Scout Bot #2: Volt Forge – Near Second Generator
Region: Volt Forge
Location: Small platform near the Morph Ball path to the second generator
Difficulty: Easy-Medium
This Scout Bot is positioned in a somewhat out-of-the-way spot, but not too difficult to find if you know where to look.
Detailed directions:
- Navigate to the area where you use the Morph Ball path leading out to the second generator
- Look for a small platform that extends off to the side of the main path
- The Scout Bot sits on this platform
If you’ve been working through the Volt Forge manufacturing floor or fought Sylux in this area, you’ve been close to this location. It’s easy to miss if you’re rushing through, so take your time exploring the side platforms.
Scout Bot #3: Ice Belt – Snowfield Junk Pile
Region: Ice Belt
Location: Directly in front of the junk pile in the Snowfield section
Difficulty: Very Easy
This might be the easiest Scout Bot to spot in the entire game—it’s literally sitting right in front of a giant junk pile, impossible to miss if you’re in the right area.
How to find it:
- Head to the Snowfield section of Ice Belt
- Look for the large junk pile (you can’t miss it)
- The Scout Bot is positioned directly in front of it
If you’ve been dealing with Snow Wolves and navigating the Ice Blockers in this region, you’ve probably already seen this bot. Super straightforward location.
Scout Bot #4: Flare Pool – Past Lava Lake Bridge
Region: Flare Pool
Location: Near the rock wall after crossing the channel below Lava Lake Bridge
Difficulty: Medium
This Scout Bot requires you to navigate through a lava-filled area, so be careful not to get burned while searching for it.
Step-by-step directions:
- Make your way to the Lava Lake Bridge area
- Cross the lava below the bridge (use Vi-O-La IC Mode or appropriate traversal method)
- Cross the small channel on the other side
- Check near the rock wall in this area
- The Scout Bot should be visible here
Flare Pool is where you fought Phenoros and unlocked Psychic Grapple, so you’re familiar with this region’s lava hazards. Take your time navigating to avoid unnecessary damage.
Scout Bot #5: Great Mines – Main Shaft Level 3
Region: Great Mines
Location: Corner of Main Shaft – Level 3, near the Maul Griever cocoon
Difficulty: Medium
This Scout Bot has a very specific location tied to a story moment, making it easier to find if you remember the context.
Detailed location guide:
- Progress through Level 3 until Samus and VUE-995 get separated
- Continue to the large corner section called Main Shaft – Level 3
- Open the large door in this area
- You’ll see a massive Maul Griever cocoon (hard to miss)
- Face the cocoon, then turn left
- The Scout Bot is sitting in the corner
The Maul Griever cocoon is your landmark here. If you’re in the right room, it’s obvious, and the Scout Bot is just a quick left turn away. The Great Mines is a pretty linear dungeon overall, so you shouldn’t have trouble retracing your steps to this spot.
Scout Bot #6: Sol Valley – Island West of Volt Forge
Region: Sol Valley
Location: Small island reached via Psychic Platforms, north along the western edge
Difficulty: Medium-Hard
The final Scout Bot is in Sol Valley, but not just sitting in the open desert. You’ll need to use Psychic Platforms to reach a small isolated island.
Complete directions:
- Position yourself just outside the entrance to Volt Forge
- Head north along the western edge of Sol Valley
- Look for the purple glow that indicates Psychic Platforms
- Use the platforms to reach a small “island” area
- The Scout Bot is positioned at the edge of this island
This one requires a bit more exploration than the others since it’s not on the main paths you typically travel. If you’ve been thoroughly exploring Sol Valley while collecting mech parts or hunting Green Energy Crystals, you might have already spotted this island.
Quick Reference: Scout Bot Locations by Region
Here’s a quick summary table for easy reference:
| Scout Bot # | Region | Location Description |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Fury Green | Ancient Path chamber (unmissable during first visit) |
| #2 | Volt Forge | Side platform near Morph Ball path to second generator |
| #3 | Ice Belt | Front of junk pile in Snowfield section |
| #4 | Flare Pool | Near rock wall after crossing channel below Lava Lake Bridge |
| #5 | Great Mines | Corner of Main Shaft Level 3, left of Maul Griever cocoon |
| #6 | Sol Valley | Island west of Volt Forge entrance, reached via Psychic Platforms |
Why You Should Activate All Scout Bots
Beyond the obvious benefit of revealing collectibles, activating all Scout Bots has some other advantages:
Saves Massive Time
Without Scout Bots, finding that last Missile Tank or Energy Tank can take hours of aimless wandering. With them active, you just open your map and follow the orange markers. It’s a huge time-saver for completionists.
Reduces Frustration
There’s nothing worse than being stuck at 99% completion with no idea where that last item is hiding. Scout Bots eliminate this frustration entirely.
Helps with 100% Completion
If you’re going for a full 100% save file (including all Green Energy Crystals and collectibles), Scout Bots are essentially mandatory. You could technically do it without them, but why make it harder than it needs to be?
Perfect for Backtracking
Once you’ve beaten the game or unlocked all abilities, Scout Bots make your cleanup run incredibly efficient. Just fast travel to each region and follow the markers.
Tips for Using Scout Bots Effectively
Activate Them ASAP After Getting Thunder Shot
Don’t wait until you’re ready to collect everything. Activate all Scout Bots as soon as you unlock Thunder Shot. Having those map markers available from that point forward makes exploration so much smoother.
Use Fast Travel Between Regions
Once you’ve activated a Scout Bot, use fast travel to hop between regions efficiently. No need to manually trek through each area multiple times.
Prioritize by Region
Tackle one region at a time when collecting revealed items. Jumping around between regions is inefficient—clear Fury Green completely, then move to Volt Forge, and so on.
Combine with Other Collectible Guides
Scout Bots show you where items are, but sometimes you still need to figure out how to reach them. Combine Scout Bot markers with guides for specific upgrades or puzzle solutions for maximum efficiency.
Take Screenshots of Your Map
After activating each Scout Bot, consider taking a screenshot of the map with all the orange markers visible. This gives you a permanent reference even if you’re away from your console.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I activate Scout Bots in Metroid Prime 4 Beyond?
You can activate Scout Bots after unlocking Thunder Shot, which happens on your third visit to Volt Forge following the defeat of Phenoros in Flare Pool. You need Thunder Shot to power them up and Psychic Visor to complete the activation scan.
What do Scout Bots reveal on the map?
Scout Bots reveal the location of all undiscovered collectible items in their region, including Missile Expansions, Shot Expansions (Ice, Fire, Thunder), Energy Tanks, and other upgrade items. These appear as small orange crosses on your map.
Do I need to activate all Scout Bots to beat the game?
No, Scout Bots are optional for completion. However, they’re extremely helpful for finding collectibles and achieving 100% completion. If you’re going for all upgrades and items, activating all Scout Bots will save you enormous amounts of time.
Can I reactivate a Scout Bot after it’s been used?
No, once a Scout Bot has been activated and completes its scan, it falls silent permanently. However, the orange markers it placed on your map remain visible indefinitely, so you don’t need to reactivate it. The markers stay until you collect the items.
Scout Bots are one of those quality-of-life features that make completionist runs actually enjoyable instead of tedious. Track them all down, get them activated, and let them do the heavy lifting for your item hunting. For more help with bosses, abilities, or other collectibles, we’ve got tons of other Metroid Prime 4 Beyond guides to help you master the game!