- For the item of the same name, see Screw Attack (item).
Samus, using Screw Attack in Frigate Orpheon
The Screw Attack (スクリューアタック, Sukuryu Atakku) is a move used by Samus Aran by pressing Up-B. The move shoots Samus into the air, engulfing her in a blueish-tint electrical field(yellowish-tint in Melee), and spins her around and around, inflicting damage on any opponents that touch her. Just as in the first Super Smash Bros., the Screw Attack does cumulative damage and sucks opponents into the center. It's also often used to survive from a fall off the stage. This move can also be used as a Star KO when used from the ground on near-by enemies. One of two moves that Samus can use to send opponents upward.
The Screw Attack is one of the last special abilities Samus can learn, causing her to spin with electrical energy whenever she jumps, instantly destroying most enemies. Combined with the Space Jump, Samus can continually jump and destroy everything in her way.
In Super Smash Bros., the Screw Attack has invincibility frame(s) in the first few frames of initiating the move.
In Brawl, the Screw Attack regain its ability to trap enemies seen in Super Smash Bros., but absent from Melee. A new and useful addition to this move is the increased knockback at the very end of the move, making this a somewhat useful getaway move to use on the ground to escape tough situation (similar to Bowser's Whirling Fortress), as the knockback provides enough time for counterattack.
Unfortunately, in Super Smash Bros. Melee, any charging of your Charge Shot will be cancelled if you are hit during this attack in the PAL version of the game.
Origin
The Screw Attack is an upgrade that Samus collects in nearly every Metroid game. In the Metroid games, it is much like its Smash Bros. counterpart - it constantly damages enemies during any spinning jump; however, it's Smash Bros. version is much weaker by comparison: in all Metroid games the Screw Attack deals so much damage it kills/destroys almost everything in it's path on contact as well as protecting her from all but the strongest attacks, and also continues to be active while she falls in the spinning motion, while in Smash Bros. it merely does chump damage, offers little to no extra protection, and ends at the peak of the jump. In most Metroid games Samus can combine the Screw Attack with the Space Jump upgrade (which allows infinite consecutive jumps, and even unlimited vertical movement in the 2D games, though obviously not in Smash Bros.) to chain multiple Screw Attacks together. In the Metroid Prime series, the Screw Attack is used after the normal jump and second Space Jump are used, allowing her to jump up to five additional times in order to cross large gaps, as well as wall jump. In Metroid Other M, it is similar to both variations: it allows infinite consecutive jumps, as well as changing direction (2D games, mostly), and is active during any spinning motion whether jumping or falling; however, it has a height limitation similar to it's Prime variant and as such is not able to take Samus higher than the top range of the space jump done at the top of a normal jump.
Gallery
| Samus' Special Moves | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | Melee | Brawl | 3DS/Wii U | Ultimate | |
| Standard Special | Charge Shot | ||||
| Side Special | — | Missile | |||
| Up Special | Screw Attack | ||||
| Down Special | Bomb | ||||
| Final Smash | — | Zero Laser | |||