Grab release glitch

The grab release glitch is a glitch in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. 4, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate that deprives certain characters of their recovery move if they have used it and are released from a grab without touching the ground or flinching. As a result, grabbing and releasing the character without pummelling or throwing will leave them with no recovery move, effectively guaranteeing a KO if they've already used their double jump.

The glitch occurs because of the behaviour of each character's up special move. Most characters regain their up special move when they exit their helpless state in any way. But for characters that do not become helpless upon using their up special move, the restoration has to be done in a more case-by-case way. The glitch is a result of the situation "grabbed and released without being pummeled, being thrown, or landing" not being recognized as a way to interrupt recoveries, and so was not coded to restore recoveries in such situations.

In competitive play, the grab release glitch is a viable edge-guarding tactic against these characters, most notably against in Brawl, who must use C4 as a bomb recovery after being grabbed out of Cypher. As a result, characters must be careful when recovering low or aiming for the edge, as a single grab against a wary opponent will instantly gimp them.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

 * - loses Monkey Flip
 * - loses ExtremeSpeed
 * - loses Fire
 * - loses Wings of Icarus (may be intentional, as Pit normally cannot reuse the move even if he is hit)
 * - loses Cypher
 * - loses Spring Jump
 * - loses Flip Jump

Super Smash Bros. 4
Note: Barring Mii Brawler, the custom variants of the specified special moves are also affected by the glitch. * Will lose the move only if the jump is used.
 * - loses Clown Kart Dash*
 * - loses Monkey Flip
 * - loses Falco Phantasm
 * - loses Fox Illusion
 * - loses Extreme Speed
 * - loses Feint Jump
 * - loses Bouncing Fish
 * - loses Flip Jump

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
* Will lose the move only if the jump is used.
 * All characters - loses air dodge
 * - loses Clown Kart Dash*
 * - loses Monkey Flip
 * - loses Falco Phantasm
 * - loses Fox Illusion
 * - loses Devil Blaster
 * - loses Jolt Haymaker (may be intentional, as Little Mac now cannot reuse the move even if he is hit)
 * - loses Extreme Speed
 * - loses Feint Jump
 * - loses Space Pirate Rush
 * - loses Bouncing Fish
 * - loses Wolf Flash
 * - loses Flip Jump