Boomerang

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Boomerang
Young Link's Boomerang in Ultimate.
User	Link Young Link Toon Link
Universe	The Legend of Zelda
Article on Zelda Wiki	Boomerang

“	Tap for longer range and tilt up or down to throw it.	”
—Melee's instruction manual

“	Increase range by tapping the Control Stick to the right. Control the angle of his throw with the Control Stick.	”
—Brawl's instruction manual

“	Can pull foes in when the boomerang returns. Control the angle with .	”
—Smash for 3DS's foldout (Link)

“	Does damage on the way out and on return. Change the angle with .	”
—Smash for 3DS's foldout (Toon Link)

“	Throws a boomerang diagonally. The control stick can be flicked for extra power and distance.	”
—Description from Ultimate's Move List (Link)

“	Throws a boomerang. He can even throw it diagonally. A flick of the stick can change the power and distance.	”
—Description from Ultimate's Move List (Young Link)

“	Deals damage on its way out and on its way back. Can be thrown diagonally.	”
—Description from Ultimate's Move List (Toon Link)

Boomerang (ブーメラン, Boomerang) is a special move used by Link, Young Link, and Toon Link. In Super Smash Bros., it is Link's neutral special move, while in every other game, it is Link, Toon Link, and Young Link's side special move.

The Boomerang is a useful tool for spacing opponents. One can tap the control stick while doing this move to increase its range, and tilt the stick up or down to aim it towards those directions. If the player dodges the Boomerang as it comes back to them, it will continue flying and curving towards the direction they dodged in. Link can only have one Boomerang on screen at any time; trying the attack again while a boomerang is out only results in Link doing his boomerang throwing animation without actually throwing anything.

Originally, Link took out the boomerang and merely tossed it with a slight overhanded toss, while as of Melee he instead swings it behind himself before tossing it forward sideways and somewhat underhanded.

Gale Boomerang

The Gale Boomerang in Brawl.

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. 4, Link no longer used the standard Boomerang, but instead the Gale Boomerang (疾風のブーメラン, Hurricane's Boomerang) from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Toon Link still uses a normal boomerang, as seen in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.

The Gale Boomerang has the same function as the normal Boomerang. When it comes back, however, it drags opponents towards Link, dealing no damage at all. If used properly, the player can string a number of different attacks following the boomerang's retrieving tornado. Link's side standard smash would be the most favorable attack of choice, as it would cancel the knockback allowing the second hit to connect. Link's down smash - if used with correct timing - can also damage opponents with both hits, causing a significantly larger amount of damage. Care has to be taken with this technique, though; as the Gale Boomerang doesn't do damage while dragging opponents, the opponent can also take the chance to prepare their own attack while being drawn towards Link. The Gale Boomerang is also capable of throwing large items forward and bringing small items toward Link.

If reflected, the Gale Boomerang automatically enters the second phase of its attack, meaning Link cannot be hurt by it, only pushed away by it.

The move can be used to perform Gale Guarding. If timed perfectly, one can ride atop on the Gale Boomerang.

Interestingly, the Gale Boomerang seems to cancel the landing lag from any of Link's aerial attacks if it returns to Link while he is on the ground after an aerial attack, most noticeably, his down aerial.

Customization

Special Move customization was added in Super Smash Bros. 4. These are the variations:

Link

1. Gale Boomerang	2. Boomerang	3. Ripping Boomerang
"Deals damage on its way out, and can pull opponents towards you on its way back."	"A normal boomerang with good attack power, but it won't pull opponents."	"A short-ranged boomerang that passes through opponents, dealing multiple hits."

1. Gale Boomerang: Default.
2. Boomerang: A variation that lacks the wind effect, functioning identically to games prior to Brawl. It is stronger than the default version, but it loses the ability to pull objects and opponents towards Link.
3. Ripping Boomerang: A short-range boomerang that passes through opponents, dealing multiple hits.

   In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, this variation is a Challenge unlock, only obtainable by scoring at least 50 KOs in Endless Smash while playing as Link.

Toon Link

1. Boomerang	2. Floating Boomerang	3. High-Speed Boomerang
"Deals damage on its way out and on its way back. Can be thrown diagonally."	"Throw a boomerang that's slow to return. It'll vanish if it hits anything on its way back."	"Throw a high-speed boomerang that passes through fighters. Deals less damage than normal."

1. Boomerang: Default.
2. Floating Boomerang: Flies slower with more control. More easily returns to Toon Link.
3. High-Speed Boomerang: Flies faster and passes through multiple enemies, but is slightly weaker and only returns to the spot where it was thrown.

Glitches

The Boomerang glitch [1] is a glitch in Super Smash Bros. Melee (version 1.1). It is a minor glitch discovered by Jimmymcjimthejim that causes Link's Boomerang to get stuck to his arm, thus disabling his ability to throw it again. This glitch is caused by getting touched by a Poison Mushroom, or in Tiny Melee, during the frame animation when Link is throwing his Boomerang. The glitch may fix itself at times, and self-destructing will end it automatically.

The Boomerang Superjump glitch can be performed by both Link and Young Link.

Origin

Link using the boomerang in the original The Legend of Zelda game.

Link using the Gale Boomerang in Twilight Princess.

Boomerangs have been one of Link's main weapons since the very first The Legend of Zelda game; while generally inferior to the Bow as a means of indirect attack, it is reusable, capable of pulling items back to Link, stuns enemies, and triggers switches, making it more of a tool than a true offensive weapon; enemies such as Goriyas also possessed boomerangs as their main weapons as well. Some weak enemies could be defeated using the boomerang, and in some games the boomerang was capable of cutting down objects.

The design used in Melee is based on its design in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. However, Adult Link in the game couldn't use the Boomerang; only Young Link could.

In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the traditional Boomerang is replaced by the Gale Boomerang, which had the ability to summon tornado-like gales. The Gale Boomerang has the same uses as the traditional Boomerangs from the other Zelda games, but the Gale Boomerang could additionally turn fans and put out fires. The item pulling effect is not used in the Smash Bros. series.

Gallery

• 

  Render of a boomerang in Smash 64.

• 

  A diagram of aiming the boomerang in Smash 64.

• 

  Link's boomerang in Melee.

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  Animation of Link throwing a boomerang in Melee.

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  Animation of Link catching a boomerang in Melee.

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  Young Link's boomerang in Melee.

• 

  Toon Link's boomerang in Brawl.

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  Link using the Gale Boomerang in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

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  Link using the Gale Boomerang in Super Smash Bros. 4.

• 

  Challenge board unlock image for Ripping Boomerang.

• 

  Toon Link using the Boomerang in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

Link's special moves

Neutral special	Boomerang	Bow	Hero's Bow		Bow and Arrows
Side special	—	Boomerang	Gale Boomerang		Boomerang
Up special	Spin Attack
Down special	Bomb				Remote Bomb
Final Smash	—		Triforce Slash		Ancient Bow and Arrow

Toon Link's special moves

Neutral special	Hero's Bow
Side special	Boomerang
Up special	Spin Attack
Down special	Bomb
Final Smash	Triforce Slash

Young Link's special moves

Neutral special	Fire Bow	Fire Arrow
Side special	Boomerang
Up special	Spin Attack
Down special	Bomb
Final Smash	—	Triforce Slash