Beetle

The Beetle (, Beetle) is an item in Super Smash Bros. 4 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate from series.

Origin
The Beetle first appeared in  and can be obtained in the. It is effectively a replacement for the Boomerang, in that it is capable of cutting ropes, dealing minor damage to or stunning weaker enemies, and collecting items for Link. The Beetle can be directly controlled by tilting the in the desired direction, and can stop moving and return to Link at any time by pressing the B button. Unlike the Boomerang, it can be upgraded to pick up bombs and drop them, and it cannot be used directly in battle to stun larger enemies; it can also be maneuvered after release, unlike a thrown boomerang.

In Super Smash Bros. 4
The Beetle is a throwable item. It is one of the two new items introduced in Smash 4 (the second being the Boss Galaga) that can potentially KO opponents by sending them to the upper blast line. It can be picked up and thrown at an opponent: it will fly in a straight line in the direction it is thrown (including up or down). If an opponent gets hit by it, the Beetle then grabs its target and flies up quickly, attempting to carry them above the upper blast line for a KO. Like with Boss Galaga the Beetle can be escaped by button mashing, however, unlike Boss Galaga, the victim will not be released automatically if enough time passes before reaching the upper blast line, and instead requires button mashing to escape. Furthermore, the required number of inputs increases with percent and thus becomes almost impossible to escape at high percents. The number of inputs required to escape is based on the formula  (where d is the captured fighter's damage) and is reduced by 8 for every stick input and 14.4 for every button input, causing a release when the value reaches or passes zero.

The Beetle's rising speed is affected by weight, slowing doing with heavier fighters; the weight increase from sources such as the Metal Box also apply. The Beetle's upward acceleration is  units/frame² (where w is the captured fighter's weight) and will stop accelerating after 57 frames. If the Beetle is unable to reach the blast line within 8. 33 seconds (500 frames) of rising, it will release the fighter and fall to the ground, exploding on impact (the explosion is only visual and doesn't deal damage). The same will also happen if it gets stuck for more than 1.5 seconds while holding a fighter (e.g. on the ceiling of Temple's underground area). Fighters under the effects of a Super Mushroom, Poison Mushroom, or Lightning will not be grabbed and the Beetle bounce off of them and become an item again.

Players launched into a moving Beetle will be caught by it as they fly sideways. Attacking a thrown Beetle causes it to reverse direction and potentially attack the original thrower instead, as if it was reflected.

Trophy
The Beetle trophy appear in both versions. In it is part of the Skyward Sword.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
The Beetle makes a return in this game and functions like it did in its predecessor. The acceleration formula, the formula for inputs, and the number of inputs are the same as in SSB4. It will now force a Screen KO on players taken past the blast line if the stage allows for it, remaining latched onto the player as they drop off the screen. It starts rising sooner after grabbing a fighter (30 frames → 15).

Trivia

 * In Skyward Sword, the Beetle in its base form was unable to pick up items and merely dealt damage until it was upgraded into the Hook Beetle (which replaced its blade for pincers). The Beetle's design in SSB4 is this initial one, and thus its ability to grab onto and carry enemies in this game is inaccurate.
 * If a fighter escapes and the Beetle continues to rise into a ceiling, it will explode.
 * Very rarely, when the Beetle sends the player up in the blast line, they will instead get Star KO'd instead of a Screen KO.