Today, for the first time in centuries, the long-dormant Alimbic System is stirring, delivering strange tidings. A telepathic communiqué, originating in Alimbic Cluster, has downloaded into the brains of some of the most exceptional beings in our galaxy. The message translates into a thousand different languages on a thousand different worlds. But the message always is the same: "The secret to ultimate power resides in the Alimbic Cluster."

This message has intrigued and enticed some of the most formidable bounty hunters in the galaxy to make the long journey to the Alimbic Cluster, each of these great warriors motivated by a different reason. Some desire power for themselves, or for their planet or people, while others simply have a relentless desire to hunt, or to kill, along with a fierce determination to prove themselves the best bounty hunter in the galaxy. Now, it's a race against time to see which bounty hunter will triumph over the others, who will discover the secret behind this promise of "ultimate power."

The Galactic Federation has heeded this strange, suspicious communication as well, and has called for the help of Samus Aran. Her mission: to discover the truth about this mysterious message, to protect against a potential threat, and to keep the Alimbics' ultimate power from falling into the wrong hands.