Grab

Mario grabbing Donkey Kong.

Kirby throwing Captain Falcon.

File:Grab.jpg

Mario grabbing Diddy Kong

A grab is the action of grabbing and holding an opponent. Regular grabs are performed by pressing Z, R+A, or L+A (GameCube or Classic Controllers), the - button (Wii Remote without Nunchuk) A+B (Wii Remote, with or without nunchuk), or Z+A, D-Pad down+A, or D-Pad left (Wii Remote+Nunchuk). Once grabbed, a character can be pummeled with the attack or grab buttons and thrown by tilting the stick in one of the four standard directions. A grabbed character will automatically escape after a certain amount of time depending on their damage; characters at higher damage percentages will be held longer. Damage inflicted upon the grabbed character will increase grab time, and any button input by the grabbed character will decrease grab time.

Once a throw is begun, the character cannot escape, with the exception of Kirby's forward and back throws in Super Smash Bros. Melee. All throws grant 8 invincibility frames when started.

Grabs cannot be shielded; attempting to do so has no effect; this also means that grabs cannot be perfect shielded. Grabs ignore launch resistance as well.

In Melee and Brawl, characters can also grab while dashing, without cancelling the dash during the grab frames: this is called a dash grab. Every character uses an unique animation for dash grabs. Most dash grabs have further reach and more ending lag than regular ones, depending on the character, though some characters with extended grabs have different properties. For example, Link's dash grab seems to cancel the dash, while Samus's is quicker than her normal grab but has shorter reach, and in Melee it is also unaffected by the extended grapple trick. Dash grabs were not present in Smash 64; instead, the dashing character grabs as usual, cancelling the dash.

Interrupting grabs in Super Smash Bros. causes the character that performed the grab to make his or her "ow!" noise. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, if a character grabbing another character is interrupted (that is, hit by an attack), the grabbed character will be sent flying horizontally.

In Brawl, it is not possible to grab an opponent that is standing behind the grabber, even if the grab makes contact with a part of the target's body that extends in front of them. In the previous two games grabs will connect regardless of the opponent's position.

Some special attacks are specialized grabs. These are:

• Bowser's Koopa Klaw in Melee (can grab in the air or at close range on the ground, can only throw forwards or backwards. No invincibility frames)
• Bowser's Flying Slam in Brawl (can grab and sacrificial KO opponents)
• Yoshi's Egg Lay (traps opponent in an egg, opponent takes half damage until they escape)
• Kirby and King Dedede's Inhale (traps opponent in Kirby or Dedede, opponent can wriggle to affect movement. King Dedede's is noticeably more powerful.)
• Captain Falcon's and Ganondorf's up special moves (grabs opponent in air and propels them away, can be done repeatedly if it connects the first time)
• Ganondorf's Flame Choke in Brawl (grabs opponent and slams them into the ground)
• Wario's Chomp (bites opponent several times, then spits them out).
• Lucario's Force Palm (grabs and throws forwards after about a second, cannot grab in air or at long range)
• Diddy Kong's Monkey Flip (latches onto an opponent, can either pummel to release or let go)
• Mewtwo's Confusion at close range (grabs the opponent, spins them around, and drops them)

Some grabs also function as a recovery technique when used in midair. By pressing the grab button in midair, certain characters will extend a long-range grappling item. When used on the ground, these grabs have the longest range, but they have a lot of ending lag if the grab does not connect. In Melee, if the grab connects with a wall, the character will hang from that wall and can press a button to be pulled up to where the end of the grab connected, allowing for second and third jumps to recover (known as wall-grapple). In Brawl, they will be shot to the nearest edge, making them tether recoveries. These include:

• Link, Toon Link and Young Link's Hookshot (and Link's Clawshot in Brawl)
• Samus' Grapple Beam
• Lucas's Rope Snake

In addition, there are several other ranged grabs, although they cannot be used as tether recoveries:

• Yoshi's tongue (the only character with a ranged grab without a tether recovery)
• Olimar's Pikmin, which dash forward and do the grabbing and throwing for him (one special is already a tether recovery)
• Zero Suit Samus's Plasma Whip. (two of her specials are already tether recoveries)
• Ivysaur's vines (also one special is already a tether recovery)

Pivot grabs

A pivot grab is performed by dashing in a direction, then pushing the control stick in the opposite direction while inputting a grab. The resulting grab usually has longer range than a character's standing grab, and may be useful in varying one's approach.

Initial grab range in Melee

Melee grab ranges by character according to Mew2King's webpage.

1. Samus
2. Link
3. Young Link
4. Marth
5. Roy
6. Yoshi
7. Kirby
8. Sheik
9. Zelda
10. Falco
11. Jigglypuff
12. Mewtwo
13. Peach
14. Fox
15. Luigi
16. DK
17. Ice Climbers
18. Mr. Game & Watch
19. Ganondorf
20. Captain Falcon
21. Mario / Dr. Mario
22. Bowser
23. Pichu
24. Ness
25. Pikachu

Initial grab range in Brawl

Initial grab range in Brawl.

Tether grabs (Grabs disjointed from the character)
1. Olimar's Blue Pikmin 10.1
2. Olimar's White Pikmin 10.0
3. Zero Suit Samus, Olimar's Red Pikmin 9.75
5. Olimar's Yellow Pikmin 9.6
6. Samus: 9.2-9.4
7. Link: 8.25
8. Olimar's Purple Pikmin: 7.5
9. Lucas: 7.25
10. Toon Link: 7
11. Yoshi: 6.75
12. Ivysaur: 6.1

Non-tether grabs

• Note: None of these characters' grabs were longer than the tether-grabbers although King Dedede came very close to surpassing Ivysaur.

13. King Dedede: 6
14. Charizard: 5.5
15. Zelda: 5.3
16. Donkey Kong: 5.1
17. Squirtle: 5
18. Marth, Diddy Kong , Snake: 4.75
21. Kirby, R.O.B.. 4.5
23. Peach, Fox, Falco, Ness 4.25
27. Wario: 4.1
28. Bowser, Pit, Meta Knight, Jigglypuff, Ike, Sonic: 4
34. Pikachu, Sheik: 3.9
36. Lucario: 3.75
37. Wolf, Ice Climbers, Mario, Luigi, Mr. Game & Watch: 3.5
42. Captain Falcon 3.25
43. Ganondorf: 2.75

Grab frame data in Brawl

This is the first frame on which the grabs hit for the whole cast.

Character	Standing grab	Dash grab	Pivot grab
Mario	6	12	11
Luigi	6	12	11
Peach	6	6	13
Bowser	9	10	9
Donkey Kong	8	10	8
Diddy Kong	6	10	8
Yoshi	17	11	10
Wario	6	10	8
Link	12	14	15
Zelda	12	11	14
Sheik	6	7	8
Ganondorf	7	11	10
Toon Link	12	14	15
Samus	17	17	19
Zero Suit Samus	16	16	16
Pit	6	10	9
Ice Climbers	6	8	8
R.O.B.	6	9	10
Kirby	6	10	10
Meta Knight	6	8	7
King Dedede	6	9	7
Olimar	11	11	11
Fox	6	11	9
Falco	6	11	9
Wolf	6	11	9
Captain Falcon	7	11	16
Pikachu	6	9	10
Squirtle	6	8	9
Ivysaur	13	13	13
Charizard	6	8	10
Lucario	6	8	9
Jigglypuff	6	10	10
Marth	6	9	9
Ike	7	12	9
Ness	6	8	6
Lucas	13	16	15
Mr. Game & Watch	6	9	10
Snake	8	11	9
Sonic	6	10	10

Grabs in the original Super Smash Bros.

While the physics of grabbing remain much the same between Melee and Brawl, they were heavily altered between Smash 64 and Melee. In Smash 64, a grab always lasts the same amount of time. Once the time is up, a forward throw automatically takes place. Grabs cannot be escaped unless someone is hit hard enough, and only two throws (forward and back) exist in Smash 64. Pummeling does not exist; pressing any button results in a forward throw. The strength of throws in general is significantly higher than in the two sequels, dealing damage comparable to air attacks and often KO'ing around 100%.

Trivia

• In Smash 64 and Melee, characters cannot be grabbed by their lower legs or lower arms (in general); the grab bubbles must make contact with a more substantial part of their body. This behaviour does not appear to exist in Brawl.