Macbeth — Supply Train Assault

Overview

Macbeth is the industrial supply train stage, reachable from Solar on the medium route, from Sector X via the secret hatch, or from Zoness if the stealth mission failed. Fox McCloud flies through a factory complex chasing a massive supply train loaded with Andross's war materials. The stage is famous for its eight-switch train shortcut that derails the locomotive and routes directly to Area 6.

Macbeth presents the most impactful routing choice outside of Corneria and Zoness: defeat Mechbeth normally for Bolse and the normal ending, or hit all eight switches plus the railroad sign for Area 6 and the true ending path.

Route Triggers

Macbeth has two exits:

• Bolse (standard): Complete the train chase and defeat Mechbeth, the mechanical boss at the end of the tracks. This leads to Bolse and the normal Venom ending.
• Area 6 (train shortcut): Hit all eight track switches scattered along the route, then shoot the railroad sign at the end of the line. The train derails, skipping Mechbeth entirely and warping directly to Area 6 — the penultimate stage before Venom II.

Peppy calls out switch locations as you approach them. Switches appear as colored levers on the trackside — fly close and shoot each one. Missing even one switch prevents the derailment sequence.

Boss Strategy

Mechbeth: A giant mechanical creature riding the supply train as its final car. Mechbeth attacks with claw swipes, laser beams from its eyes, and by throwing train cargo at your Arwing.

Shoot Mechbeth's exposed joints and head with charged laser shots. Barrel roll through laser beams and loop over thrown cargo. Mechbeth's claw swipes cover the width of the train — ascend to clear them. Smart bombs during Mechbeth's cargo-throw animation destroy the projectiles and damage the boss simultaneously. If you are attempting the train shortcut, you skip Mechbeth entirely — only fight this boss if you want the Bolse exit.

Medal Tips

Macbeth requires 150 hits for the medal. The factory complex along the train route is packed with destructible targets — containers, turrets, pipes, and machinery that provide abundant scoring opportunities.

Destroy trackside scenery with charged shots as you fly through the factory. Many targets are grouped along the rails, making smart bombs highly effective. The train itself has destructible cargo cars that yield hits. If attempting the train shortcut, you still have plenty of scoring opportunities before the switches — do not skip destructible targets in pursuit of switches alone.

Wingmate Advice

Peppy is the most valuable wingmate on Macbeth because he calls out track switch locations — follow his radio prompts to ensure you hit all eight switches for the Area 6 shortcut. Falco destroys trackside targets independently, contributing to the team hit count.

Slippy may struggle with the tight factory corridors and moving train obstacles. Clear turrets and overhead pipes before the formation reaches them. In co-op, assign one player to handle switches and sign shooting while the other focuses on target destruction for hit score.

Switch 2 Remake Notes

Macbeth's eight switches must be hit in a single run — there is no checkpoint. Peppy calls out each switch location, and on Switch 2 his radio prompts appear as on-screen text for easier tracking. The railroad sign at the end requires a direct hit; charged shots improve accuracy at speed. The train shortcut is the fastest path to the true ending from the medium route without completing the full hard route from Corneria.

Related Missions and Routes

Standard completion leads to Bolse. The train shortcut routes to Area 6. See the true ending guide for when to choose each exit and the medium route walkthrough for Solar-to-Macbeth context.

Related Guides

• Area 6 Mission Guide Train shortcut destination toward true ending
• Bolse Mission Guide Default exit after Mechbeth boss
• Solar Mission Guide Previous medium route stage