Screw Attack

The Screw Attack (スクリューアタック Sukuryū Atakku) is one of Samus Aran's most iconic and powerful Power Suit upgrades. It is an advanced movement system that allows Samus to emit energy waves from points on her armor while she somersaults into the air, turning her into a rotating energy blade of destruction. The Screw Attack can instantly kill most creatures and destroy Screw Attack Blocks on contact. It first appeared in the original Metroid, and has appeared in most games since, except for Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime Hunters.
==Origin==
The Screw Attack is traditionally thought to have been invented by the Chozo, due to its appearance in the hands of Chozo Statues. However, this origin is possibly disputed in the Prime series; while most scans made by Samus' Power Suit for the Hint system in Echoes specify whether an upgrade is Chozo or Luminoth in origin, the Screw Attack is referred to only as "unknown technology". Still, it is entirely possible that the Hint system may have simply not been able to identify its origin, especially since it was protected by a state-of-the-art Luminoth Vault.
At some point in the past, the Chozo exchanged the Screw Attack technology with the Reptilicus. This is commemorated in Bryyo Ice in monument form by two giant statues: one represents the Chozo De'la, having its hand outstretched above the hand of another statue representing the Bryyonian emperor N'ge, the latter holding the Screw Attack in its palm. The scan of De'la says, "Statue represents De'la and the first Chozo gift of knowledge bestowed upon the Reptilicus." The Screw Attack item in N'ge's hand is collectible by Samus.
==2D Metroid series==
In Metroid: Zero Mission, Metroid: Samus Returns, Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion and Metroid Dread, the Charge Beam features a semi-Screw Attack function called the Spin Jump Attack. However, the official Screw Attack will make it obsolete. Neo-Ridley had the Screw Attack item in his possession in Fusion, and his Core-X restores the item to Samus.
In Metroid: Other M and all 2-D Metroid games except for Metroid II and Super, the energy surrounding Samus during a Screw Attack constantly shifted colors; Super and the Prime series kept it to a single color: green and yellow, respectively.
In Other M the Screw Attack is re-equipped by Samus at the same time as the Space Jump, although the two are separate items by default and nothing like in Echoes and Corruption. It is far more powerful than in previous 3-D games, capable of reducing enemies far larger than Samus to a puff of smoke. Samus activates them without Adam Malkovich's approval, having lost contact with him while tracking the Deleter. He disables a bridge to stop her from following him, and she takes the liberty of enabling both items, jokingly asking "Any objections, Adam?"
When the Screw Attack is used in conjunction with the Space Jump, it becomes one of the most devastating weapons in every game it is featured in.
==Metroid Prime series==
The Screw Attack seen in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is different from those found in every other game. It is actually a combination of the Screw Attack, Space Jump and Wall Jump from the 2D games. It enables Samus to "jump" in midair, though only in one general direction and allowing up to five consecutive jumps; pushing the control stick either left or right will make her curve slightly towards the desired direction. It also enables her to jump off special surfaces, which activates the Wall Jump ability seen in post-Metroid II games.
While Samus is performing this form of the Screw Attack, she is granted immunity to damage or "invincibility". This proves useful against certain boss's attacks or even from the very air of Dark Aether itself in some pre-Light Suit situations in Echoes. It is possible that the Prime Screw Attack upgrades are of a different technology from their 2D counterparts, allowing them to perform altered functions. This would explain why the Hint system does not recognize the technology in Echoes, even though Samus had the upgrade during her Zero Mission before. Though the variant in the Prime games is quite powerful, it is only capable of killing off weak creatures in a single jump and requires additional hits from the upgrade to dispatch more powerful beings, unlike the Screw Attack from other entries. This makes it less practical as a weapon.
In Echoes, Samus has the ability to cancel the Screw Attack. She cannot activate the upgrade underwater in Echoes, as a third jump will simply activate the Gravity Boost instead and without the latter item (via Sequence Breaking), she will become too sluggish to perform a Screw Attack. However, she can activate the Screw Attack slightly above water and repeatedly descend into and jump out of water with it, with no impact on the Screw Attack's performance.
Interestingly, the Screw Attack gains a blue color in Corruption when used during Hypermode, including when Samus was in permanent Hypermode on planet Phaaze.
The glowing part resembles a buzzsaw.
===Development notes===
According to Kynan Pearson, multiple developers (including Andy O'Neil (starts at 48:50)) worked on designing the Screw Attack in the Prime series. They first decided to limit its usage to prevent Samus from being able to gain altitude. The number of jumps (five) may have been chosen after tests in a chasm determined an ideal maximum distance for Samus to travel.Kiwi Talkz. "#144 - Jack Mathews Interview - Metroid Prime 20th Anniversary (Crunch, A.I., Fetch Quest, Bosses )". YouTube. November 18, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJkxpG5R9PI (starts at 16:24) Retro Studios spent time polishing the Wall Jumps and ensuring the camera would understand how to time using the item.Interview: Kynan Pearson. Shinesparkers. November 7, 2021. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
Bryan Walker said that the Screw Attack was added to Echoes due to significant fan demand, and was more challenging to implement than the Spider Ball from an engineering standpoint. Michael Kelbaugh added that the decision to add the Screw Attack was unpopular with the game's engineers, but the studio was satisfied with the final result.NOM Staff. "Post game report: Retro Studios talk Metroid Prime 2 Echoes". Computer and Video Games. December 3, 2004. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
The Screw Attack was discussed for inclusion in Metroid Prime, but "quickly shot down" according to Clark Wen. He enjoyed designing its sound, which was a synthesized and modernized version of its sound effect in Super Metroid.Kiwi Talkz. "#112 - Clark Wen Interview (Metroid Prime, Sound Design, Kenji Yamamoto, Mixing, SFX, Game Audio )". YouTube. October 23, 2021. Retrieved April 24, 2022. (starts at 11:12)
===Unused Data===
An Inventory entry for the Screw Attack exists within the Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Bonus Disc. It is slightly different than what is seen in the final. Apparently, the Fire or Missile Button was to originally cancel the Screw Attack mode mid-flight. In the final, rapidly pressing B off tempo immediately places Samus in a standby off mode. Some sentences were either added or removed in the final, with the remaining sentences (besides the aforementioned) being identical from the Bonus Disc. There is no mention of a jump limit, making it seem possible the Screw Attack had infinite amounts of jumps during this part in development.
==Official data==
==In other games==
*The Screw Attack is used in the Metroid Prime Pinball minigame Wall Jump, where Samus Wall Jumps exactly as in the Prime series to reach a bonus.
*The Screw Attack was in Kirby Super Star (under the name "Screw Ball"), as a collectible treasure in The Great Cave Offensive, worth 80,000 Gold. It returns in the Nintendo DS remake, Kirby Super Star Ultra (now named correctly).
*In Super Mario Bros. 3 and later Mario games, when Mario acquires a Super Star (or Rainbow Star in Galaxy), he will be able to spin-jump. This spin-jump greatly resembles the Screw Attack.
*In the NES and SNES game adaptation of the 1992 film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, the player character, Kevin McCallister, after getting a bell item can end up performing a similar move to the Screw Attack, and can use it until he takes damage.
*In Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, one of Eggman's mobile machines performs a Screw Attack in which the machine surrounds itself in deadly energy whilst spinning around. 
===Super Smash Bros. series===
Samus has appeared in every Super Smash Bros. series game to date, and the Screw Attack has consistently been her Up Special recovery move in each game. When used, she quickly launches up and deals damage to opponents on contact. After using the move, Samus descends while in a "helpless" state, in which she flashes rapidly and cannot move until she lands or is KO'd and respawns. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, each Special Move has three variants, with the Screw Attack's custom variants being the Screw Rush and Apex Screw Attack. As an Echo Fighter, Dark Samus also uses the Screw Attack as her Up Special.
The Screw Attack has also been an item usable by all characters, which gives them the ability to Screw Attack every time they jump, damaging opponents on contact. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, the Screw Attack is held, and it can be thrown at an opponent to deal damage. Starting in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, it is worn like a badge and falls off when it expires. Melee uses the more subdued color scheme of the item's Super Metroid sprite, while Brawl updates its design to match the brighter colors of its Zero Mission sprite.
The Screw Attack symbol is also used as the Metroid series emblem in the games.
One of Zero Suit Samus's victory poses has her kick with her leg and then pose with it bent; this stance slightly resembles the lightning bolt of the Screw Attack.
Sc ball 110.jpg|Smabura-Ken, the Super Smash Bros. Melee website.
Screw AttackMelee.jpg|Screw Attack trophy, Melee.
Melee Metroid-Screw Attack icon.png|The Screw Attack logo representing the Metroid series in Melee.
Item15 080305 52-l.jpg|The Screw Attack as it appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
BrawlTrophy5.jpg|Screw Attack trophy, Brawl.
SSB3DS Samus Screw Attack 1.jpeg|Samus using the Screw Attack in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
SSB3DS Samus Screw Attack 2.jpeg|Samus using the Screw Attack in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
SSB43DSTrophyScrewAttack.png|Screw Attack trophy, 3DS.
SSB4UTrophyScrewAttack.png|Screw Attack trophy, Wii U.
SSB Ultimate Screw Attack render.png|Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
SSBU Dark Samus Screw Attack on Brinstar Depths.jpg|Dark Samus using the Screw Attack in Ultimate
===Popular culture===
A video game website ScrewAttack got its name and logo from this item. The website also ranked Samus's Screw Attack as number 2 best power-up in its "Top 5 Best and Worst Power-Ups" list.Best and Worst Power Ups in gaming, from ScrewAttack
==List of locations==
*Metroid/Metroid: Zero Mission: Chozo Statue in Norfair, past the "Screw Attack corridor".
*Metroid Prime Pinball: Used in the Wall Jump minigame.
*Metroid Prime 2: Echoes: Hidden inside a chamber in the Vault, Sanctuary Fortress.
*Metroid Prime 3: Corruption: Hall of Remembrance, Bryyo Ice.
*Metroid II: Return of Samus/Metroid: Samus Returns: Statue in Phase 7/Area 5.
*Super Metroid: Statue in Lower Norfair.
*Metroid: Other M: Samus allows herself in the "Bioweapon Research Center access bridge", Biosphere.
*Metroid Fusion: Neo-Ridley's Core-X in Sector 1 (SRX).
*Metroid Dread: Statue in the "Screw Attack complex", Artaria.
==Screw Attack symbol==
Since Super Metroid, the Screw Attack symbol of a lightning bolt on a circle has become the Metroid series' official logo, being used for Fusion and Prime. It has also been the symbol for the suit upgrades in the Prime games. The "S" shape would seem to represent "Samus", "Suit", or "Screw". Alternatively, the shape could be a lightning bolt, in relation to the electric nature of the upgrade. The symbol is depicted on the Metroid Hat and Medallion, two promotional items for Super Metroid. Furthermore, it is used on the Results Screen of the Metroid Prime Hunters Multiplayer Mode despite the upgrade's absence from Hunters: gold, silver, and bronze Screw Attack symbols indicate that the player ended up in first, second, and third place respectively. The player in fourth and last place is shown a red skull representing death.
M3 art Screw Attack logo.png|The symbol in Super Metroid
Screw Attack symbol - Prime style.png|Orange version of the Metroid Prime logo symbol
MD results screen Screw Attack.png|The symbol in Metroid Dread
MPR Screw Attack .png|Metroid Prime Remastered logo symbol
==Trivia==
*The only time Samus ever demonstrated the use of the Screw Attack outside her Power Suit was in the original Metroid after beating the game in under two hours or using a specific password.
**Using Debug Menu in Metroid: Zero Mission can allow Zero Suit Samus to perform the Screw Attack.
*In 2-D Metroid games, the Screw Attack only functions as an attack while jumping and does not increase Samus's jumping height or time she can spend in the air (which in 2D Metroid games is left up to the Space Jump) while in the Prime series the Screw Attack increases the amount of times Samus can jump from two to seven.
**In Metroid Fusion, Samus has more control over her wall jumps if the Screw Attack is enabled without the Space Jump (seen through the debug menu). 
*In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, using the Screw Attack off the edge in Grand Windchamber will not deal falling damage.
*When Warrior Ing throw themselves onto Samus for an Ing Possession attempt, their spinning body motion bears a resemblance to how Samus herself spins with the Screw Attack.
*In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Multiplayer, the Screw Attack can be hacked in and will instantly kill any opponent it touches when used. If two players collide while using it simultaneously, no damage is given to either player.
**The Screw Attack is not invulnerable to a Kinetic Orb Cannon's blast however.
*This upgrade is one of three that the Luminoth sub-sentinels never mention or give hints to in-game, the others being the Boost Ball and the Grapple Beam.
*Curiously, the artwork from Echoes features Samus using the Screw Attack while wearing the Varia Suit. This is only possible by using Sequence Breaking to skip the Dark Suit.
*Sequence Breaking in Echoes reveals that it is possible to still activate the Screw Attack without the Space Jump ability. When doing so, the Screw Attack may not always activate as intended, though this may be due to a programming bug.
*In Echoes, it is possible to exploit a waterline glitch that will allow Samus to use normal above-ground physics in water, letting Samus use the Screw Attack "underwater".https://www.metroid2002.com/echoes/other_air_underwater.php
*In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Gandrayda is highly vulnerable to the Screw Attack. However, it is very hard to hit her with it as she is jumping around for the majority of the battle. Because of this, it is possible to completely destroy her Swarmbot-G form this way, causing Samus to become stuck and force a reset of the console as this will not end the battle normally. This weakness has been reduced in Metroid Prime Trilogy.
*The Screw Attack can also play a role in the final phase of the Aurora Unit 313 battle, where it is an effective means of stopping AU 313's spinning attack.
*This item plays another prominent role with Omega Ridley, as he will usually cancel whatever he is doing and simply dodge it.
*In Corruption, a glitch may sometimes occur where the blue colored Screw Attack can be seen without being in Hypermode.
*In Echoes and Corruption, the Screw Attack can be used to find a number of Secret Worlds and Sequence Breaks. Most large open rooms however have invisible barriers to prevent Samus from Screw Attacking out of bounds. The Screw Attack also places Samus in a Morph Ball-like state, allowing her to glitch inside most Morph Ball-sized tunnels or occasionally to save time by jumping over the wall in Dynamo Access. This also leads to Secret Worlds.
*The Metroid Prime Trilogy instruction manual states that Samus can use a maximum of 6 jumps with the Screw Attack. This additional jump may be referring to the initial startup jump that activates the Screw Attack (third jump after a Space Jump).
*In Metroid: Other M, Samus is capable of using the Screw Attack while underwater without the use of the Gravity Feature, a feat not possible in previous games.
**In Super Metroid, if she activates the Screw Attack and falls into water without the Gravity Suit, the Screw Attack will continue but with usual water physics and a considerably slower spinning animation.
**Metroid Fusion's instruction manual states that Samus cannot utilize the Screw Attack underwater until she has obtained the Gravity Suit. While this fact is normally true (seen through the Debug Menu), Samus cannot naturally obtain the Screw Attack normally until after the Gravity Suit is obtained.
*In Metroid: Other M, Samus performs the Screw Attack while Kick-Climbing, despite the fact that she does not actually enter a Spin Jump in that process.
*Coincidentally, the Screw Attack bears the same initials as Samus Aran, SA.
==Gallery==
==References==
ru:Винтовая Атака
Category:Chozo technology
Category:Items
Category:Norfair
Category:Sanctuary Fortress
Category:Bryyo Ice
Category:Area 5
Category:Ridley's Lair
Category:Biosphere
Category:Sector 1
Category:Artaria
Category:Trophies
Category:Super Smash Bros.
Category:Recurring Items
Category:Unused Items
Category:Movement
Category:Special Actions
Category:Attacks
Category:Metroid Prime/Dark Samus