Special Flag

Special Flag (, Special Flag), also called S-Flag, is an item from numerous games developed by Namco. It appears in Super Smash Bros. 4 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an item.

Origin
Special Flags have appeared in multiple games developed by Namco. The item debuted in the maze game , acting as an item that had to be collected by the player alongside other flags scattered throughout levels; the Special Flag, however, gives double the score of a normal flag and would double the values of every flag collected for the rest of the level unless the player loses a life.

The item has appeared in more recent games by Namco, often acting as an easter egg to players; among these appearances include ' and '. Similar to the various series symbols that have appeared in the Smash Bros. series, the Special Flag has also been a flagship symbol for the company, even having been used as section markers or as the for its official website (archive).

Overview
When used, the character will hold the Special Flag in the air and become immobile for 3 seconds; the successful completion of its use will add a point to the user's score in a timed match, or give the user an additional stock in a stock match (if they are not at 99, although AI opponents at 99 stocks will still attempt to use a special flag). If a character takes any hit while holding the Special Flag, they will automatically drop it (this resets the time needed to use the flag as well).

While holding the flag, all grounded up, down, and neutral standard attacks will activate the flag. A dash attack will not activate the flag. The flag can be tossed away without using it with the grab button.

Limits
Given the nature of the Special Flag's bonus, it can only appear in variations of Time and Stock matches, and will not appear at all in Coin or Stamina battles, even if it is enabled in the Item Switch. It also does not appear in Smash Tour battles. As of Ultimate, Special Flags can now appear in Stamina battles; however, oddly, they will still not spawn in a Special Smash in Stamina mode, despite neither of these conditions on their own disabling them.

Special Flags will also not appear in any format of Squad Strike, due to the mode limiting each selected fighter to a single stock, and the item will simply be absent from the Item Switch of a Squad Strike ruleset (unless accessed from the Rulesets menu in Options).

Trivia

 * CPU players have notable behaviors for a Special Flag: if any other fighter attempts to use it, all CPU players will focus their attention on that fighter in attempt to knock the flag out of their hand. Low level CPUs generally dawdle for a few seconds before reacting, usually giving human players a free point/stock. If a CPU player grabs hold of it, however, it may proceed to use the flag if no other fighters are close by, but are extremely likely to throw the flag offstage as soon as possible even if the coast is clear. This makes the Special Flag one of the few items CPU players are willing to discard from play.