Screw Attack (item)

The Screw Attack (, Screw Attack) is an item that first appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Origin
The Screw Attack made its first appearance in . In Metroid, the Screw Attack is a Chozo artifact that allows Samus to attack while somersaulting, which would become the basis of Samus's up special in Smash. The Screw Attack upgrade has since appeared in every 2D Metroid game with the same functionality, although it is obtained from a Core-X Parasite instead of an item in Metroid Fusion. The upgrade also appears with a new design in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, where it allows Samus to perform continuous mid-air jumps.



The item in Smash is derived from the Screw Attack's design in the 2D Metroid games. In Melee, the Screw Attack specifically resembles the item as seen in-game in Super Metroid; later Smash games have updated its appearance to match the item's brighter color palette seen in Metroid: Zero Mission.

The Screw Attack's iconic design, resembling a stylized letter "S", also serves as the symbol for the Metroid series.

Overview
When held, the item alters a character's first and second jumps (leaving any further jumps they may have unchanged), changing them to mimic Samus's up special move, also named the.

In Melee, it can be thrown at an enemy, which forces them to perform the attack. Unlike when using it normally, however, this leaves the victim helpless in the process. When thrown, Screw Attacks can steal KOs, since the distance the character rises after getting hit by it depends on how fast the character is getting launched. If characters are launched from a high percentage and get hit by a Screw Attack, they fly up very quickly while performing the Screw Attack and often cross the blast line for a Star KO.

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl onwards, the Screw Attack is purple and instead of being throwable, it is instead a badge item, similar to the Franklin Badge. As a result, it cannot be thrown as in Melee, but allows the user to attack as normal while it is being held; it will eventually fall off, however. A very large portion of the attack from Brawl onwards is interruptible, allowing it to be cancelled into any of the character's attacks. In Smash 4, the Screw Attack has a quirk of removing the character's ability to short hop while it is equipped. It also slightly boosts jump height.

Each attack deals a single hit of 8% damage in Melee, and up to ten hits for 1% damage each in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. 4.

Spirits
Equipping the Sandshrew, Top Man, Bubbles, or Helirin support spirits will give the player a Screw Attack at a start of a match.

Trivia

 * In Melee, the mechanic where opponents are forced to use the Screw Attack when hit by the thrown item is accomplished using a hitbox effect unique to the item. As a result, it is possible to hack any hitbox in the game to force opponents to do a Screw Attack.
 * In Ultimate, the Screw Attack will not spawn on Spring Stadium, due to the trampolines.
 * This can be bypassed by using a spirit with the Screw Attack Equipped skill. When used on the trampolines, the player won't get the jump boost from the trampolines and will instead perform a Screw Attack jump like normal.