The suited bounty hunter returns with her limitless arsenal of energy shots and missiles, no longer tied to her suitless persona. Samus is a character with a strong emphasis on projectile zoning, with multiple projectiles that rack up damage, punish and even KO, making Samus a dangerous contender at long range. Even though projectiles are where Samus shines, her melee attacks are nothing to scoff at either, letting her hold her own at close-range combat. However, Samus does have a range of problems that prevent her from becoming a dominant threat. Her unique jump physics can hinder more than it helps when projectile zoning. Samus also has limited reliable KO options, which can make her predictable when trying to get a KO. Nevertheless, Samus is still an all-around solid character that suits defensive and patient players. Whether you're attempting a war of attrition or a careful physical fight, Samus has the tools to help her come out on top.
Samus's metal power suit makes her quite heavy, being at the upper end of the weight spectrum. Her ground speed and air speed are slightly below average, to compensate for her strong defensive kit. Samus has pretty bad rolls. While they carry her a fair distance, it forces her to enter and exit Morph Ball form whenever she rolls, making it easy to intercept and counter. Samus is well known for her floatiness, an odd trait for such a heavy character. Last but not least, Samus has a useful wall jump to help out with her recovery.
Samus punches forward, then swings down with her arm cannon. On opponents with low percents, both hits of this combo chain into each other poorly by design. This move is one of Samus's more disappointing features. While the first hit is fast and the whole combo does good damage, the inability to reliably get both hits in hampers Samus when fighting healthy foes. Since the first hit is quite weak, does next to no knockback and stun, and cannot combo into the second hit consistently, you can get punished for a successful strike, as your opponent can either retaliate immediately or shield the second hit then strike back. This gives Samus a disadvantage in close-range, as she has no other moves that are as quick to use in grounded melee battles.
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Power Suit Roundhouse
Samus performs a roundhouse kick. The attack can be angled up or down using the control stick. The kick is minutely stronger at Samus's foot. Samus's Strong Side Attack is primarily used as a poke or a spacing tool. It is fairly fast and has good reach as well, especially with the ability to angle your attack. This makes it a good move if you want to keep your distance against approaching foes, using the move's range to attack from a relatively safe distance. It is punishable if shielded, so use it with care.
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Axe Kick
Samus lifts her legs up and slams it down, meteor smashing nearby grounded opponents while sending aerial foes at a forward angle. This move has a fair amount of startup lag as it only strikes when Samus's leg starts moving down. Despite its slow startup, it is still decent, as the attack has good range and area. If you get a meteor smash, you can usually get a follow-up attack while your opponent is bounced upward. It can also be used for onstage edgeguarding, knocking recovering foes further from the ledge. Lastly, the move does have KO potential if you keep it from staling, so it could serve as a surprise KO move.
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Ground Blast
Samus aims at the ground and causes an explosion with her arm cannon. This move is one of Samus's fastest ground attacks, only slightly slower than her Standard Attack, so it is fairly safe to throw out. It has good range and a low hitbox that helps it hit foes on or near ledges, as well as intercepting predicted rolls. Finally, it does moderate upward knockback, which lets you combo into aerial attacks afterward. It is definitely one of Samus's stronger grounded options.
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Shinespark Tackle
Samus charges forward and strikes with her whole body. As a Dash Attack, this move is pretty good, with nice sideways knockback and a significant shift in position. It is best used as a fast punish, as its immediate speed boost can let you punish minor mistakes from mid-range. However, the attack only activates partially into Samus's charge, so you can miss foes at point-blank range. Be sure to space this attack well, as you are easily punished if you miss.
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Samus flips up and swings a leg down to attack.
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Smash Attacks
Control
Attack
Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Nintendo 3DS
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Arm Cannon Smash
Samus punches with her arm cannon hand, while letting out a close-range blast. The move can be angled up or down with the control stick. The attack is strongest at the tip of the cannon where the explosion occurs. This is Samus's strongest melee range KO option, provided you strike with the fiery sweetspot. It has a slight bit of startup lag and can be shielded on reaction, so you mustn't use it carelessly. It is imperative to space this smash attack so that you hit the sweetspot consistently to maximize its power. Samus lunges forward a bit during the move; use this extra reach to your advantage.
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Cover Fire
Samus fires explosions in an arc over her. This move is not strong enough to KO consistently, although it has decent utility. Unlike past games, each hit of the smash combos into each other more consistently. It has a nice arc over Samus, and it deals the most damage out of Samus's smash attacks if every hit connects. This attack is a good anti-air, but the hitbox is a bit high, so it might miss on grounded opponents. The duration of the attack is also moderately long, making it easily punishable if you miss.
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Breakdance Sweep
Samus swings one leg in a circle around her. Like Up Smash, it lacks KO power, but has some other uses. It is about as fast as Side Smash, so you cannot use it liberally, with a more strictly horizontal knockback angle. This knockback trajectory lets you send foes offstage for edgeguards, and while it is nowhere as strong as Side Smash, you don't have to worry about sweetspotting. It also hits on both sides, so it could be used to punish predicted rolls.
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Air Attacks
Control
Attack
Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Nintendo 3DS
Two-Sided Kick
Samus kicks forward, then backward. This is a new move of Samus's, replacing the lasting drop kick she had since Smash 64. While it does strike both sides, you mainly want to hit with the first kick, as it has an excellently low knockback angle, sending foes almost horizontally. This angle lets you combo out of the move if timed right, including into a deadly Charge Shot. It is also amazing for edgeguarding due to its horizontal knockback, striking foes away from the stage without knocking them excessively upward.
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Attack Fire
Samus launches explosions while swinging her arm cannon down. This air attack is pretty good for zoning, as it creates a brief wall of fire in front of Samus. It can also be comboed into itself against certain characters with good execution and reaction. The hits don't chain into themselves very reliably, but it is consistent enough to work most of the time. It has a fairly long duration, so it is punishable if you hit a shielded enemy with it.
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Rear Roundhouse
Samus kicks backward, with the tip of her foot hitting with most force. This attack is an excellent spacing tool, as well as a potential aerial KO move depending on how much you use it. It is moderately fast, has good reach and great knockback, making it a safe poke if you space it correctly. The sweetspot at the tip of the foot is what you should be aiming for, and it has enough power to rival Side Smash when unstaled. Even if it is weak from knockback staling due to repeated use, it still functions well as a potent offstage edgeguard.
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Falling Drill
Samus performs a drill kick upward. This is one of Samus's fastest attacks, and a great damage dealer. It comes out extremely fast, drags foes down with its multiple hits and has little to no landing lag. These traits make it excellent to use during combos, as you can pull foes down with the drill, land, then follow-up with an attack. It is also a decent aerial anti-air due to its speed.
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Cannon Meteor
Samus swings her arm cannon below her. This move has mostly diagonal knockback, but it is a meteor smash if you land a hit during the exact middle of the swing. Like most meteor smashes, this attack is not easy to land, but you'll likely be rewarded with an offstage KO if you succeed. It has moderate startup lag, so your opponent can respond and attempt to avoid the meteor. Good timing and spacing are definitely necessary to launch your foe downward. The swing has good horizontal range, and even if you didn't get the meteor smash, you may still hit them further offstage.
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Throws
Control
Attack
Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Nintendo 3DS
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Grapple Beam
Samus fires a blue energy beam forward to grab foes. This move is a tether grab, so it has more reach than most other characters' grabs. However, this means it has more endlag, leaving you vulnerable if you miss, although it's not as bad as in past games. When used in the air, it's a conventional attack that is stronger at the tip. This move is faster than Samus's projectiles and has no landing lag, so it is a solid mid-range zoning tool. It is also a tether recovery with very long range, so it's the recommended recovery option if you're level with the ledge.
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Quick Chop
Samus strikes the grabbed opponent with the side of her hand. Samus's Grab Attack is one of the fastest of its kind in the game. It doesn't do a lot of damage, but you can rack up good damage off of a grab due to its sheer speed. As with all Grab Attacks, feel free to use it whenever you get a grab at mid-high percents.
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Beam Fling
Samus swings the grabbed opponent forward. This is a pretty conventional sideways throw. It is Samus's most damaging throw, tied with Up Throw. Like any other sideways throw, you can use it to get foes offstage to begin an edgeguard scenario or simply to create some distance for projectile zoning.
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Backward Beam Fling
Samus swings the grabbed opponent backward. Like Forward Throw, Back Throw is pretty standard and uninteresting. It is practically as strong as Forward Throw and shares its uses. It is the better throw for getting foes offstage when your back is to the ledge, and it can also be used to swing your target into a comfortable position for your projectile play.
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Beam Shock
Samus zaps the grabbed opponent with the Grapple Beam, launching them upward. This throw is decent, but like many characters' Up Throws, it is usually overshadowed by Down Throw. While it launches foes vertically and is the most damaging throw Samus has, Down Throw comes with better follow-ups that enable you to rack up more damage more reliably. It also doesn't have enough power to serve as a KO move, so it is rarely used.
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Beam Slam
Samus swings the grabbed opponent into the ground. This move is Samus's combo throw. It's weak and has a vertical angle, which lets you combo smoothly into air attacks, usually Up Air Attacks, at low percentages. Even at higher percentages, it leaves you in an advantageous position for follow-ups relative to the thrown opponent, so it's definitely recommended then if you intend to continue a close-range spar.
Samus fires a ball of energy that travels straight ahead. The shot can be charged to increase its power and size, but only on the ground; using it in the air will automatically fire the projectile at its current power. Samus can store the charge by shielding or with a roll. This move is one of Samus's signature attacks, and it gives her an ability few characters have: a long-distance KO move. A full power Charge Shot is as threatening as any of Samus's physical KO moves, but with great speed, size and range. While you can also fire uncharged or partially charged shots to pester foes, your Missiles are better for the job, so save this for KOs. Charge it whenever you have the opportunity to do so, and store the charge whenever danger draws near so you won't lose it. Always look for opportunities or setups to land your Charge Shots, from punishing rolls and airdodges to daring offstage edgeguards.
Dense Charge Shot
Samus fires a denser ball of energy that is stronger, but charges longer and moves significantly slower. While the default Charge Shot is most threatening for long-range snipes, the Dense Charge Shot uses its lingering hitbox for area denial. It travels extremely slowly, so it can be avoided with ease. This actually works to your advantage, as you can observe your foes' reaction to it and try to punish their response. It is especially deadly when used at the ledge, as a recovering foe will have very limited options to return on to the stage while the projectile is floating above them. The strength of a max Dense Charge Shot is obscene, so your opponents will have extra incentive to avoid it, even if it means falling for your other attacks.
Melee Charge Shot
Samus fires a close to mid-ranged blast of energy that is very quick to charge up. This move is not a projectile. This variant is quite odd in that it doesn't really fulfill any gameplay niches. It is quicker to charge up then the default Charge Shot, but with its reduced power and range, it is essentially a marginally faster but weaker Side Smash. Being a non-projectile, it can't be reflected or absorbed, although this perk is negligible against the majority of the roster. You can experiment with it if you like, but there's really no reason to choose this over the other Charge Shot variants.
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Missile
Samus fires either a Missile or a Super Missile depending on the input. If the control stick is tilted, she fires a heat-seeking missile that homes in on the nearest target to a limited degree. Smash the control stick and she will fire a Super Missile, which is faster and stronger but has no tracking capabilities. This is Samus's primary harassment projectile, and it is meant to supplement her Charge Shot. Missiles are the backbone of your projectile zoning. While they aren't overly spammable or hard to defend against, they can annoy your enemies and hinder their approaches. You should use the normal Missiles more often than the Super Missiles as their trajectory is less predictable. There is moderate startup and ending lag on the move, and the Missiles are unsafe if blocked by a nearby opponent, so avoid using it if there are foes close to you.
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Relentless Missile
Samus's normal Missiles move slower but homes in on opponents very accurately. Her Super Missiles still don't home in and loses speed as they travel forward. Relentless Missiles are a stronger option for projectile zoning compared to the default Missiles. Even though they are harder to hit with, they are much better at pestering your enemies and stymying their offense. The persistent tracking of the Relentless Missiles forces your foes to account for their presence while fighting you, which can lead to reduced aggression or punishable attempts to evade them. The slow speed of the Missiles is another perk, making them good at area denial and restricting your opponents' movement. If you are a zoning-heavy Samus player, the Relentless Missile should be your custom move of choice.
Turbo Missile
Samus's normal Missiles rotate to track the opponent then shoots toward their chosen direction in a straight line. Super Missiles have a delay before flying forward but are faster. This variant is the opposite of the Relentless Missile, as it is slightly easier to hit with due to its high speed, but is overall worse for harassment. The normal Turbo Missiles are rather interesting though, as they can fly at a variety of odd angles depending on your enemy's position. Ultimately though, they are not as much of a nuisance to other players, and their fast speed and linear motion makes them easier to evade. While they aren't the worst projectiles in the game, Samus simply has better Missile options.
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Screw Attack
Samus jumps up while spinning, damaging nearby foes with the rotating motion. As an Up Special, this is obviously Samus's recovery move. It is a decent recovery with good vertical distance and a hitbox to drive off potential edgeguarders. You can't move horizontally during the leap, which makes it somewhat predictable. However, with both Bombs stalling your fall, a wall jump and a tether grab complementing it, Samus has a well-rounded and versatile recovery. Screw Attack is also usable as an attack. It is great as an Out-of-Shield option to punish aggressors, and has KO potential, especially when used on a high platform. It does leave Samus helpless after the attack, so you're definitely eating a punish if you miss.
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Screw Rush
Samus does a forward leap while spinning, sacrificing height for horizontal distance. It launches foes sideways instead of upward at the end. This variant is a bit awkward and has a bit of a learning curve to get used to. Samus doesn't really need more horizontal recovery when she already has the Grapple Beam, and the move's odd trajectory might get you stuck under stages. Its strong suit is as an attack. Screw Rush, like Screw Attack, is a good Out-of-Shield option, but its forward motion makes it easier to use in regular combat, since you don't have to be close to your enemies to land it. Its final hit has KO potential and horizontal knockback, which sets up edgeguards nicely. Although it's not the strongest attack among Screw Attack variants, its unique properties make it a custom move worth trying out.
Apex Screw Attack
Samus's Screw Attack only harms foes at the beginning and the end of the move, but has more KO power. Samus's recovery is slightly worse, as the hitbox is more brief and it takes longer before she can grab the ledge during the move. In return, Samus gains a deadly upward KO move to use in direct combat. Apex Screw Attack shares many similarities and flaws with the original Screw Attack. It's great out-of-shield, it has limited range, is quite strong and leaves you vulnerable if you miss. However, it's all-around stronger, being much more reliable as a KO move. More KO options are always welcome, especially at close-range, so if you have trouble KOing with Samus, its worthwhile to learn to use this variant.
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Bomb
Samus drops a time bomb that explodes after a short delay. If she is close to the explosion, she will receive a weak upward thrust while briefly becoming the Morph Ball. This move is pretty awkward, but it certainly isn't completely useless. The bomb discourages foes from being too aggressive near you, as it can disrupt attacks or break you out of juggles. It can also be used at the ledge to harass recovering foes. Unfortunately, it is rather slow to deploy and has limited range, so it is easy to avoid and is punishable at close range. In general, try to avoid being within the blast radius, as you cannot attack when forced into the Morph Ball. Lastly, you can use Bombs to slow your fall, improving your horizontal recovery.
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Slip Bomb
Samus's time bombs are weak, but they can trip grounded foes and meteor smash aerial enemies. Since the default Bomb isn't known for its strength, the side effects of the Slip Bomb makes it an attractive substitute. While it is still hard to hit with, it is much more rewarding when you do. You can likely get a follow-up once your opponent trips, which can lead into a lethal KO move. When used offstage, the meteor smash isn't very strong, but it's enough to make a difference on characters with intermediate or poor recoveries.
Mega Bomb
Samus drops a large time bomb that is stronger and has a wider blast radius, but has a longer timer. Only one Mega Bomb from each player can be on the field at any time. The Mega Bomb has one major purpose: area denial. Samus can move around and attack during the interval after dropping the Mega Bomb and before it explodes. As foes would want to avoid the explosion, you can use the Mega Bomb to restrict their movement and limit their options. Note that due to the Mega Bomb's larger hitbox, you also have to keep your distance yourself to avoid getting forced into Morph Ball form and being vulnerable to retaliation.
Taunts
Control
Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Nintendo 3DS
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Samus does a rigid salute.
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Samus operates her arm cannon.
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Samus checks on both sides of her with her arm cannon ready.
Samus unleashes a massive laser that slowly travels the length of the screen. Any enemies caught in the beam will be trapped and receive rapid instances of damage, culminating in a final blow that blasts foes away. Zero Laser is undoubtedly one of the most well-known Final Smashes in the game, due to its spectacular range and ease of use. It can be used well by even the most inexperienced novices. Simply point at the direction with the most enemies and let loose. You can direct the beam up or down with the control stick to catch any stragglers. The power of Zero Laser is average for a Final Smash, but you will have a better chance of KOing opponents closer to you, as they will be trapped by the beam first and take more damage.
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