Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Special Zoom: Difference between revisions

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{{ArticleIcons|ultimate=y}}
{{ArticleIcons|ultimate=y}}
[[File:RidleySpecialZoom.jpg|thumb|200px|{{SSBU|Ridley}} attacking with [[Skewer]]. Note the sweetspot causing the Special Zoom effect.]]
{{technical data|What is/are the slowdown factor(s)?}}
'''Special Zoom''' is an aesthetic effect introduced in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', designed to add drama during a match. The term was coined by [[Masahiro Sakurai]] and his development team.
[[File:Captain_Falcon_Neutral_B_SSBU.gif|thumb|{{SSBU|Captain Falcon}} attacking with [[Falcon Punch]], which causes the Special Zoom effect.]]
'''Special Zoom''' is an aesthetic effect introduced in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', designed to add drama during a match. The term was coined by [[Masahiro Sakurai]] and his development team<ref name="Sakurai interview">https://nintendoeverything.com/sakurai-on-smash-bros-ultimate-tempo-items-changes-and-additions-choosing-taunts-much-more/</ref> (referred to as '''Decisive Impact''' in the initial design document<ref>[https://youtu.be/2Iiu1k16Ukc?t=60s Writing Game Proposals <nowiki>[Work Ethic]</nowiki>]</ref>).


==Overview==
==Overview==
[[File:FinishZoomDuckHunt.jpg|thumb|A [[Burrowing Snagret]] hits {{SSBU|Duck Hunt}} and triggers a Finish Zoom at the end of the match.]]
[[File:RidleySpecialZoom.jpg|thumb|left|200px|{{SSBU|Ridley}} attacking with [[Skewer]]. Note the sweetspot causing Special Zoom.]]
Special Zoom activates when a fighter is hit by certain attacks: the background flashes blue with dramatic "spark" effects pointing towards the impact. If there are only two players on screen, time substantially slows down and the camera zooms in on the impact. The slowdown only lasts for a short moment in 1v1s and is even shorter in games with more than two players, and is usually accompanied by the sound effect previously only used by [[Little Mac]]'s [[KO Uppercut]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. (KO Uppercut previously had its own slowdown effect, but now uses Special Zoom along with [[Cloud]]'s [[Limit Break]] special moves.)
[[File:SpecialZoom.ogg|thumb|The sound effect of a Special Zoom.]]
Special Zoom activates when a fighter is hit by certain attacks: for a short moment, the background flashes blue with dramatic "spark" effects pointing towards the impact, time will substantially<!--If there's only one slowdown factor, replace the word "substantially" with the factor when it is found.--> slow down, and the camera zooms in on the impact. In games with more than two players, the slowdown and camera zoom effects will be nearly non-existent, although there are some exceptions (a few moves will always zoom even outside of 1v1 matches). A Special Zoom is usually accompanied by the sound effect previously exclusive to [[Little Mac]]'s [[KO Uppercut]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. During some Special Zoom events, camera control is disabled, though this is not consistently enforced.


During some Special Zoom events, camera control is disabled, though this is not consistently enforced.
A few moves in ''Smash 4'' which also had zoom-and-slowdown effects, such as KO Uppercut and [[Cloud]]'s [[Finishing Touch]] and [[Limit Break]] [[Cross Slash]], now use the standard Special Zoom effect.


In general, the attacks that trigger Special Zoom are slow and hard to hit with (such as [[Warlock Punch]] or [[Falcon Punch]]). Most other attacks that trigger Special Zoom have conditions that need to be met, such as {{SSBU|Ridley}}'s [[Skewer]] needing to be [[Sweet spot (hitbox)|sweetspotted]], or Little Mac's smash attacks requiring his [[armor]] to be triggered during the start-up. Certain [[item]]s and [[stage hazard]]s may also trigger Special Zoom, also requiring special conditions in some cases.  
In general, the attacks that trigger Special Zoom are slow and hard to hit with (such as [[Warlock Punch]] or [[Falcon Punch]]). Most other attacks that trigger Special Zoom have conditions that need to be met, such as {{SSBU|Ridley}}'s [[Skewer]] needing to be [[Sweet spot (hitbox)|sweetspotted]], or Little Mac's smash attacks requiring his [[armor]] to be triggered during the start-up. Certain [[item]]s and [[stage hazard]]s may also trigger Special Zoom, also requiring special conditions in some cases.  


Special Zoom occurs even if the attack's knockback is negated by [[armor]]. However, Special Zoom will not trigger if the opponent is hit while [[invincibility|invincible]], or when hitting the AI-controlled character of the {{SSBU|Ice Climbers}}.
Special Zoom occurs even if the attack's knockback is negated by [[armor]]. However, Special Zoom will not trigger if the opponent is hit while [[invincibility|invincible]], during the [[Final countdown timer|last five seconds]] in a [[time]] match, when [[Nightmare]] is active, when hitting the AI-controlled character of the {{SSBU|Ice Climbers}}, or when a [[Final Smash]] is active.


Similar to Special Zoom is '''Finish Zoom''' or '''Final Zoom''', terms also coined by Sakurai and his team. Finish Zoom is used when an attack will likely result in a game-winning [[KO]]. Like the '''Deadly Blow''' mechanic introduced in ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', this effect does not factor in [[DI]] being used to make an otherwise-deadly blow survivable. Like Special Zoom, Finish Zoom zooms in on the point of impact and briefly slows down time. However, Finish Zoom uses a red background instead of a blue one, and the sound is always the same. The sound used is also different again, being akin to a [[ping]] hit combined with the sound of slashing swords. [[Star KO]]s very rarely occur when a Finish zoom occurs.
===Finish Zoom===
[[File:FinishZoomDuckHunt.jpg|thumb|left|A [[Burrowing Snagret]] hits {{SSBU|Duck Hunt}} and triggers a Finish Zoom at the end of the match.]]
[[File:FinishZoom.ogg|thumb|The sound effect of a Finish Zoom.]]
Similar to Special Zoom is '''Finish Zoom''' or '''Final Zoom''', terms also coined by Sakurai and his team.<ref name="Sakurai interview"/> Finish Zoom is used when the game calculates an attack will likely result in a game-winning [[KO]]. Like the [[Knockback#Deadly Blow|Deadly Blow]] mechanic introduced in ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', this effect only factors in knockback and launch angle, and does not account for obstructions or [[DI]] being used to make an otherwise-deadly blow survivable. Like Special Zoom, Finish Zoom zooms in on the point of impact and briefly slows down time. However, Finish Zoom uses a red background instead of a blue one, and the sound is always the same. The sound used is also different again, being akin to a [[ping]] hit combined with the sound of slashing swords. With the exception of [[Giga Bowser Punch]]'s [[instant KO]], [[Screen KO]]s rarely occur when a Finish Zoom sends an opponent into the upper [[blast line]], while [[Star KO]]s are very rare.
{{clr}}
{{clr}}


==List of moves that trigger Special Zoom==
==List of moves that trigger Special Zoom==
 
<!--If each Special Zoom has its own slowdown factor, add a new cell to the table below.-->
===By character===
===By character===
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Character !! Move(s) !! Conditions
! Character !! Move(s) !! Conditions !! {{rollover|Always zooms|Special Zoom occurs, even when more than 2 players are on screen|y}}
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Byleth}}||''[[Byleth's down special move|unnamed]]''||Clean hit.
|{{SSBU|Byleth}}||[[Aymr]]||Clean hit.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Captain Falcon}}||[[Falcon Punch]]||
|{{SSBU|Captain Falcon}}||[[Falcon Punch]]||||{{n}}
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Chrom}}||[[Flare Blade]]||Charged for at least 2.5 seconds.
|{{SSBU|Chrom}}||[[Flare Blade]]||Charged for at least 2.5 seconds.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|rowspan=3|{{SSBU|Cloud}}||[[Cross Slash]]||rowspan=3|Limit Break.
|rowspan=3|{{SSBU|Cloud}}||[[Cross Slash]]||rowspan=3|Limit Break.||rowspan=3|{{n}}
|-
|-
|[[Climhazzard]]
|[[Climhazzard]]
Line 35: Line 40:
|[[Finishing Touch]]
|[[Finishing Touch]]
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Donkey Kong}}||[[Giant Punch]]||Fully charged.
|{{SSBU|Donkey Kong}}||[[Giant Punch]]||Fully charged.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|rowspan=2|{{SSBU|Ganondorf}}||<span class="explain" title="Up tilt">Volcano Kick</span>||Clean hit.
|rowspan=2|{{SSBU|Ganondorf}}||{{rollover|Volcano Kick|Up tilt|y}}||Clean hit.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|[[Warlock Punch]]||
|[[Warlock Punch]]||||{{n}}
|-
|-
|rowspan=5|{{SSBU|Hero}}||All smash attacks||Random critical hit.
|rowspan=5|{{SSBU|Hero}}||All smash attacks||Random critical hit.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|[[Command Selection|Metal Slash]]||Connecting with a [[metal]] opponent.
|[[Command Selection|Metal Slash]]||Connecting with a [[metal]] opponent, including another Hero using [[Kaclang]].||{{y}}
|-
|-
|[[Command Selection|Hatchet Man]]||
|[[Command Selection|Hatchet Man]]||||{{n}}
|-
|-
|[[Command Selection|Whack]]||rowspan=2|When it [[Instant KO]]s.
|[[Command Selection|Whack]]||rowspan=2|When it [[Instant KO]]s.||rowspan=2|{{y}}
|-
|-
|[[Command Selection|Thwack]]
|[[Command Selection|Thwack]]
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Ike}}||[[Eruption]]||Fully charged.
|{{SSBU|Ike}}||[[Eruption]]||Fully charged.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|rowspan=3|{{SSBU|Incineroar}}||All smash attacks||When [[Revenge]] is active.
|rowspan=3|{{SSBU|Incineroar}}||All smash attacks||When [[Revenge]] is active.||rowspan=3|{{n}}
|-
|-
|[[Alolan Whip]]||When Revenge is active and the move is sweetspotted.
|[[Alolan Whip]]||When Revenge is active and the move is sweetspotted.
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|[[Cross Chop]]||Explosion hitbox while Revenge is active.
|[[Cross Chop]]||Explosion hitbox while Revenge is active.
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Jigglypuff}}||[[Rest]]||
|{{SSBU|Jigglypuff}}||[[Rest]]||||{{n}}
|-
|rowspan=2|{{SSBU|Kazuya}}||[[Rage Drive]]||Occurs on final hit of the grab.||{{n}}
|-
|{{rollover|Glorious Demon God Fist|Forward smash|y}}||When hitting at the tip of Kazuya's fist.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|King Dedede}}||[[Jet Hammer]]||Fully charged.
|{{SSBU|King Dedede}}||[[Jet Hammer]]||Fully charged.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|King K. Rool}}||[[Belly Super Armor]]||If broken by an attack.
|{{SSBU|King K. Rool}}||[[Belly Super Armor]]||If broken by an attack.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|rowspan=2|{{SSBU|Kirby}}||[[Hammer (move)|Hammer Flip]]||Fully charged.
|rowspan=2|{{SSBU|Kirby}}||[[Hammer Flip]]||Fully charged.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|Any neutral special from other characters that triggers Special Zoom||If Kirby copies an opponent whose neutral special can trigger Special Zoom, Kirby will also experience it under the same conditions. The only exceptions are Little Mac's KO Uppercut, as Kirby can only copy Straight Lunge and does not have access to the KO Meter, and the Mii Brawler's Exploding Side Kick, since Kirby can only copy Shot Put.
|Any neutral special from other characters that triggers Special Zoom||If Kirby copies an opponent whose neutral special can trigger Special Zoom, Kirby will also experience it under the same conditions. The only exceptions are Little Mac's KO Uppercut, as Kirby can only copy Straight Lunge and does not have access to the KO Meter, and the Mii Brawler's Exploding Side Kick, since Kirby can only copy Shot Put.||{{n}}*
|-
|-
|rowspan=2|{{SSBU|Little Mac}}||All smash attacks||When attacked during startup armor.
|rowspan=2|{{SSBU|Little Mac}}||All smash attacks||When attacked during startup armor.||rowspan=2|{{n}}
|-
|-
|[[KO Uppercut]]||
|[[KO Uppercut]]||
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Lucario}}||[[Force Palm]]||On grab attack when at <span class="explain" title="Minimum 95%">high</span> [[aura]].
|{{SSBU|Lucario}}||[[Force Palm]]||On grab attack when at {{rollover|high|Minimum 92% at equal stocks|y}} [[aura]].||{{n}}
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Lucas}}||[[PK Thunder]]||On last hit of PK Thunder 2.
|{{SSBU|Lucas}}||[[PK Thunder]]||On last hit of PK Thunder 2.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Lucina}}||[[Shield Breaker]]||When breaking a [[shield]].
|{{SSBU|Lucina}}||[[Shield Breaker]]||When breaking a [[shield]].||{{n}}
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Luigi}}||[[Super Jump Punch]]||Grounded sweetspot only.
|{{SSBU|Luigi}}||[[Super Jump Punch]]||Grounded sweetspot only.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Marth}}||[[Shield Breaker]]||When breaking a shield.
|{{SSBU|Marth}}||[[Shield Breaker]]||When breaking a shield.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Mii Brawler}}||[[Exploding Side Kick]]||
|{{SSBU|Mii Brawler}}||[[Exploding Side Kick]]||||{{n}}
|-
|-
|rowspan=2|{{SSBU|Mr. Game & Watch}}||[[Judge]]||Judge 9.
|rowspan=2|{{SSBU|Mr. Game & Watch}}||[[Judge]]||Judge 9.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|[[Oil Panic]]||On release.
|[[Oil Panic]]||On release.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Ness}}||[[PK Thunder]]||On contact during PK Thunder 2.
|{{SSBU|Ness}}||[[PK Thunder]]||On contact during PK Thunder 2.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Ridley}}||[[Skewer]]||Sweetspot.
|{{SSBU|Ridley}}||[[Skewer]]||Sweetspot.||{{y}}
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Roy}}||[[Flare Blade]]||If charged for at least 2.5 seconds.
|{{SSBU|Roy}}||[[Flare Blade]]||If charged for at least 2.5 seconds.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|{{SSBU|Wario}}||[[Wario Waft]]||Fully charged.
|{{SSBU|Steve}}||[[TNT]]||Explosion hitbox on anyone not triggering the pressure plate.||{{n}}
|-
|{{SSBU|Wario}}||[[Wario Waft]]||Fully charged.||{{n}}
|}
|}
<small>* None of the attacks that Kirby can copy have the 'Always zoom' effect.</small>


===By item===
===By item===
Line 102: Line 114:
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Item !! Conditions
! Item !! Conditions !! {{rollover|Always zooms|Special Zoom occurs, even when more than 2 players are on screen|y}}
|-
|-
|[[Assist Trophy]]||Upon defeat. Only possible for defeatable summons.
|[[Assist Trophy]]||Upon defeat. Only possible for defeatable summons.||{{y}}
|-
|-
|[[Daybreak]]||When all three parts are collected.
|[[Daybreak]]||When a fighter has collected all three parts.||{{y}}
|-
|-
|[[Death's Scythe]]||Sweetspotted tilt or smash attack at ≥80% damage.
|[[Death's Scythe]]||Sweetspotted tilt or smash attack at ≥80% damage.||{{y}}
|-
|-
|[[Home-Run Bat]]||Smash attack.
|[[Home-Run Bat]]||Smash attack.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|[[Motion-Sensor Bomb]]||When detonated by touch (No sound and camera moves differently, but there is still a blue background).
|[[Motion-Sensor Bomb]]||When detonated by touch.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|[[Staff]]||Any hit at maximum range.
|[[Staff]]||Any hit at maximum range.||{{n}}
|}
|}


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{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Character !! Conditions
! Character !! Conditions !! {{rollover|Always zooms|Special Zoom occurs, even when more than 2 players are on screen|y}}
|-
|-
|[[Black Knight]]||Triggers for all attacks except a backhanded slash. Will not cause camera zoom.
|[[Black Knight]]||Triggers for all attacks except a backhanded slash. No camera zoom occurs.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|[[Lyn]]||
|[[Lyn]]||||{{y}}
|}
|}


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{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Hazard !! Stage(s) !! Conditions
! Hazard !! Stage(s) !! Conditions !! {{rollover|Always zooms|Special Zoom occurs, even when more than 2 players are on screen|y}}
|-
|-
|Invisible walls||[[King of Fighters Stadium]]||When hit with enough [[knockback]] to KO, shatters with the special zoom effect.
|Invisible walls||[[King of Fighters Stadium]]||When hit with enough [[knockback]] to KO, shatters with the special zoom effect.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|[[Klaptrap]]||[[Jungle Japes]]||On contact, causing a [[one-hit KO]]. Camera zooms in slightly.
|Walls and ceiling||[[Mishima Dojo]]||When hit with enough knockback to break, shatters with the special zoom effect. No camera zoom occurs.||{{n}}
|-
|-
|[[Mimic]]||[[Yggdrasil's Altar]]||When it bites a fighter upon being attacked.
|[[Klaptrap]]||[[Jungle Japes]]||On contact, causing a [[one-hit KO]]. Camera zooms in slightly.||{{y}}
|-
|-
|[[Red Bulborb]]||[[Distant Planet]]||Chomps down on any fighter that enters its mouth, which causes an [[instant KO]].
|[[Mimic]]||[[Yggdrasil's Altar]]||When it bites a fighter upon being attacked for the first time.||{{y}}
|-
|-
|Train||[[Mementos]]||When hit in front. Camera zooms in slightly.
|[[Red Bulborb]]||[[Distant Planet]]||Chomps down on any fighter that enters its mouth, which causes an [[instant KO]].||{{y}}
|-
|Train||[[Mementos]]||When hit in front. Camera zooms in slightly.||{{y}}
|-
|[[Odin]]||[[Midgar]]||When his attack hits an opponent.||{{y}}
|}
|}
[[Category:Terms]]
[[Category:Game physics]]


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
{{ImageCaption|File:Ganondorf Mario Volcano Kick (Special Zoom).jpg|File:Ganondorf Mario Volcano Kick (Finish Zoom).jpg|width1=160x160px|width2=160x160px|align  = right|caption=A comparison of Mario's expression when hit by the sweetspot<br>of Ganondorf's up tilt during a Special Zoom (left) and a Finish Zoom (right).}}
*Should a character be hit by an attack that triggers a Finish Zoom, they will react with a shocked expression that overrides the expression normally displayed.
*If a non-cinematic [[Final Smash]] causes Finish Zoom, the background will change to the stage's normal background, rather than the background for the Final Smash.
*If a non-cinematic [[Final Smash]] causes Finish Zoom, the background will change to the stage's normal background, rather than the background for the Final Smash.
*In-game parameters reveal that Captain Falcon's [[Knee Smash]] was planned to have the Special Zoom effect, although it is not active in the final game.
*In-game parameters reveal that Captain Falcon's [[Knee Smash]] was planned to have the Special Zoom effect, although it is not active in the final game.
*Hero has 7 moves which can trigger Special Zoom, the most out of all characters.
*Hero has the most moves which can trigger Special Zoom out of all characters, with 7.
*Collecting all three parts of the [[Dragoon]] and getting hit by [[Odin]]'s slashing attack will cause the camera to zoom in, but they don't cause the "Special Zoom" blue background to appear.
*Collecting all three parts of the [[Dragoon]] and getting hit by [[Odin]]'s slashing attack will cause the camera to zoom in, but do not cause the Special Zoom background to appear.
*In [[Home-Run Contest]], Special Zoom does not occur on moves that trigger the effect; presumably to prevent such moves from costing the player time due to the timer not slowing down while Special Zoom is in effect.
*In [[Home-Run Contest]], Special Zoom does not occur on moves that trigger the effect; presumably to prevent such moves from costing the player time due to the timer not slowing down while Special Zoom is in effect.
**However, using a Special Zoom move in place of the Home-Run Bat swing will not result in an angled view of Sandbag flying, and will instead feature a normal Special Zoom.
**However, using a Special Zoom move in place of the Home-Run Bat swing will not result in an angled view of Sandbag flying, and will instead feature a normal Special Zoom.
*Certain moves are given a hidden multiplier that increases the amount of knockback needed to trigger Finish Zoom, usually for moves that are clearly telegraphed and/or heavily affected by DI, which the opponent would feasibly always react to and DI against accordingly. Star KOs will be more common if the match is finished this way than with the actual Finish Zoom effect.
**These multipliers are set manually, independent from the move's actual knockback calculations, and may not always accurately reflect the practical KO potential of the move. For example, Mario's back throw can KO at around 140% at the ledge with no DI and 160% with optimal DI for a roughly 1.15x increase in survivability, but it is set with an arbitrarily high multiplier of 1.5x, causing the Finish Zoom to begin occurring well beyond its minimum KO percent.
*A glitch involving {{SSBU|Min Min}} and Finish Zoom was introduced in the Version 8.0.0; if the opponent didn't get KO'd (e.g. due to [[directional influence]]) after Min Min's attack triggered Finish Zoom, her last used ARM will be visually stuck in being stretched.
*If Finish Zoom occurs to a character getting hit from behind, the reverse knockback animation does not play, although they will briefly assume the pose.
*If {{SSBU|Hero}} uses [[Command Selection|Thwack]] on {{SSBU|Squirtle}} performing [[Withdraw]], Squirtle will be [[Instant KO|instant KO'ed]], but it will not trigger the Special Zoom.<ref>https://youtu.be/pWku5huh2Jw?t=706</ref>
*If Ryu uses Shin Shoryuken or if Ken uses Shippu Jinraikyaku as his Final Smash, the move uses a mechanic similar to Finishing Zoom where if the final hit has enough knockback to KO, the backdrop is set to an orange color.
*Characters launched out of the bury status that trigger Finish Zoom have a notably increased chance of being Star KO'd after Finish Zoom.
*If a character is on their last stock in a Stamina Battle and is grabbed, becomes invincible from a [[Super Star]] while being grabbed, and then thrown with low enough HP that the throw would KO, they will trigger a Finish Zoom as if they were KO'd, but won't take any damage or be KO'd. A similar effect occurs under certain circumstances in [[Classic Mode (SSBU)|Classic Mode]], such as in the fourth round of {{SSBU|Steve}}'s classic mode route, where if the player defeats all the {{SSBU|Pit}}s before the {{SSBU|Robin}} spawns, it will likewise trigger a Finish Zoom.
**In both cases, the screen will remain darkened for the rest of the match.
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Terms]]
[[Category:Game physics]]

Latest revision as of 15:16, June 21, 2024

Data.png This article or section may require additional technical data.
The editor who added this tag elaborates: What is/are the slowdown factor(s)?
You can discuss this issue on the talk page or edit this page to improve it.
Captain Falcon attacking with Falcon Punch, which causes the Special Zoom effect.

Special Zoom is an aesthetic effect introduced in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, designed to add drama during a match. The term was coined by Masahiro Sakurai and his development team[1] (referred to as Decisive Impact in the initial design document[2]).

Overview[edit]

Ridley attacking with Skewer. Note the sweetspot causing Special Zoom.
The sound effect of a Special Zoom.

Special Zoom activates when a fighter is hit by certain attacks: for a short moment, the background flashes blue with dramatic "spark" effects pointing towards the impact, time will substantially slow down, and the camera zooms in on the impact. In games with more than two players, the slowdown and camera zoom effects will be nearly non-existent, although there are some exceptions (a few moves will always zoom even outside of 1v1 matches). A Special Zoom is usually accompanied by the sound effect previously exclusive to Little Mac's KO Uppercut in Super Smash Bros. 4. During some Special Zoom events, camera control is disabled, though this is not consistently enforced.

A few moves in Smash 4 which also had zoom-and-slowdown effects, such as KO Uppercut and Cloud's Finishing Touch and Limit Break Cross Slash, now use the standard Special Zoom effect.

In general, the attacks that trigger Special Zoom are slow and hard to hit with (such as Warlock Punch or Falcon Punch). Most other attacks that trigger Special Zoom have conditions that need to be met, such as Ridley's Skewer needing to be sweetspotted, or Little Mac's smash attacks requiring his armor to be triggered during the start-up. Certain items and stage hazards may also trigger Special Zoom, also requiring special conditions in some cases.

Special Zoom occurs even if the attack's knockback is negated by armor. However, Special Zoom will not trigger if the opponent is hit while invincible, during the last five seconds in a time match, when Nightmare is active, when hitting the AI-controlled character of the Ice Climbers, or when a Final Smash is active.

Finish Zoom[edit]

A Burrowing Snagret hits Duck Hunt and triggers a Finish Zoom at the end of the match.
The sound effect of a Finish Zoom.

Similar to Special Zoom is Finish Zoom or Final Zoom, terms also coined by Sakurai and his team.[1] Finish Zoom is used when the game calculates an attack will likely result in a game-winning KO. Like the Deadly Blow mechanic introduced in Super Smash Bros. 4, this effect only factors in knockback and launch angle, and does not account for obstructions or DI being used to make an otherwise-deadly blow survivable. Like Special Zoom, Finish Zoom zooms in on the point of impact and briefly slows down time. However, Finish Zoom uses a red background instead of a blue one, and the sound is always the same. The sound used is also different again, being akin to a ping hit combined with the sound of slashing swords. With the exception of Giga Bowser Punch's instant KO, Screen KOs rarely occur when a Finish Zoom sends an opponent into the upper blast line, while Star KOs are very rare.

List of moves that trigger Special Zoom[edit]

By character[edit]

Character Move(s) Conditions Always zooms
Byleth Aymr Clean hit. No
Captain Falcon Falcon Punch No
Chrom Flare Blade Charged for at least 2.5 seconds. No
Cloud Cross Slash Limit Break. No
Climhazzard
Finishing Touch
Donkey Kong Giant Punch Fully charged. No
Ganondorf Volcano Kick Clean hit. No
Warlock Punch No
Hero All smash attacks Random critical hit. No
Metal Slash Connecting with a metal opponent, including another Hero using Kaclang. Yes
Hatchet Man No
Whack When it Instant KOs. Yes
Thwack
Ike Eruption Fully charged. No
Incineroar All smash attacks When Revenge is active. No
Alolan Whip When Revenge is active and the move is sweetspotted.
Cross Chop Explosion hitbox while Revenge is active.
Jigglypuff Rest No
Kazuya Rage Drive Occurs on final hit of the grab. No
Glorious Demon God Fist When hitting at the tip of Kazuya's fist. No
King Dedede Jet Hammer Fully charged. No
King K. Rool Belly Super Armor If broken by an attack. No
Kirby Hammer Flip Fully charged. No
Any neutral special from other characters that triggers Special Zoom If Kirby copies an opponent whose neutral special can trigger Special Zoom, Kirby will also experience it under the same conditions. The only exceptions are Little Mac's KO Uppercut, as Kirby can only copy Straight Lunge and does not have access to the KO Meter, and the Mii Brawler's Exploding Side Kick, since Kirby can only copy Shot Put. No*
Little Mac All smash attacks When attacked during startup armor. No
KO Uppercut
Lucario Force Palm On grab attack when at high aura. No
Lucas PK Thunder On last hit of PK Thunder 2. No
Lucina Shield Breaker When breaking a shield. No
Luigi Super Jump Punch Grounded sweetspot only. No
Marth Shield Breaker When breaking a shield. No
Mii Brawler Exploding Side Kick No
Mr. Game & Watch Judge Judge 9. No
Oil Panic On release. No
Ness PK Thunder On contact during PK Thunder 2. No
Ridley Skewer Sweetspot. Yes
Roy Flare Blade If charged for at least 2.5 seconds. No
Steve TNT Explosion hitbox on anyone not triggering the pressure plate. No
Wario Wario Waft Fully charged. No

* None of the attacks that Kirby can copy have the 'Always zoom' effect.

By item[edit]

Item Conditions Always zooms
Assist Trophy Upon defeat. Only possible for defeatable summons. Yes
Daybreak When a fighter has collected all three parts. Yes
Death's Scythe Sweetspotted tilt or smash attack at ≥80% damage. Yes
Home-Run Bat Smash attack. No
Motion-Sensor Bomb When detonated by touch. No
Staff Any hit at maximum range. No

By assist trophy[edit]

Character Conditions Always zooms
Black Knight Triggers for all attacks except a backhanded slash. No camera zoom occurs. No
Lyn Yes

By stage hazard[edit]

Hazard Stage(s) Conditions Always zooms
Invisible walls King of Fighters Stadium When hit with enough knockback to KO, shatters with the special zoom effect. No
Walls and ceiling Mishima Dojo When hit with enough knockback to break, shatters with the special zoom effect. No camera zoom occurs. No
Klaptrap Jungle Japes On contact, causing a one-hit KO. Camera zooms in slightly. Yes
Mimic Yggdrasil's Altar When it bites a fighter upon being attacked for the first time. Yes
Red Bulborb Distant Planet Chomps down on any fighter that enters its mouth, which causes an instant KO. Yes
Train Mementos When hit in front. Camera zooms in slightly. Yes
Odin Midgar When his attack hits an opponent. Yes

Trivia[edit]

Ganondorf Mario Volcano Kick (Special Zoom).jpgGanondorf Mario Volcano Kick (Finish Zoom).jpg
Magnify-clip.pngMagnify-clip.png
A comparison of Mario's expression when hit by the sweetspot
of Ganondorf's up tilt during a Special Zoom (left) and a Finish Zoom (right).
  • Should a character be hit by an attack that triggers a Finish Zoom, they will react with a shocked expression that overrides the expression normally displayed.
  • If a non-cinematic Final Smash causes Finish Zoom, the background will change to the stage's normal background, rather than the background for the Final Smash.
  • In-game parameters reveal that Captain Falcon's Knee Smash was planned to have the Special Zoom effect, although it is not active in the final game.
  • Hero has the most moves which can trigger Special Zoom out of all characters, with 7.
  • Collecting all three parts of the Dragoon and getting hit by Odin's slashing attack will cause the camera to zoom in, but do not cause the Special Zoom background to appear.
  • In Home-Run Contest, Special Zoom does not occur on moves that trigger the effect; presumably to prevent such moves from costing the player time due to the timer not slowing down while Special Zoom is in effect.
    • However, using a Special Zoom move in place of the Home-Run Bat swing will not result in an angled view of Sandbag flying, and will instead feature a normal Special Zoom.
  • Certain moves are given a hidden multiplier that increases the amount of knockback needed to trigger Finish Zoom, usually for moves that are clearly telegraphed and/or heavily affected by DI, which the opponent would feasibly always react to and DI against accordingly. Star KOs will be more common if the match is finished this way than with the actual Finish Zoom effect.
    • These multipliers are set manually, independent from the move's actual knockback calculations, and may not always accurately reflect the practical KO potential of the move. For example, Mario's back throw can KO at around 140% at the ledge with no DI and 160% with optimal DI for a roughly 1.15x increase in survivability, but it is set with an arbitrarily high multiplier of 1.5x, causing the Finish Zoom to begin occurring well beyond its minimum KO percent.
  • A glitch involving Min Min and Finish Zoom was introduced in the Version 8.0.0; if the opponent didn't get KO'd (e.g. due to directional influence) after Min Min's attack triggered Finish Zoom, her last used ARM will be visually stuck in being stretched.
  • If Finish Zoom occurs to a character getting hit from behind, the reverse knockback animation does not play, although they will briefly assume the pose.
  • If Hero uses Thwack on Squirtle performing Withdraw, Squirtle will be instant KO'ed, but it will not trigger the Special Zoom.[3]
  • If Ryu uses Shin Shoryuken or if Ken uses Shippu Jinraikyaku as his Final Smash, the move uses a mechanic similar to Finishing Zoom where if the final hit has enough knockback to KO, the backdrop is set to an orange color.
  • Characters launched out of the bury status that trigger Finish Zoom have a notably increased chance of being Star KO'd after Finish Zoom.
  • If a character is on their last stock in a Stamina Battle and is grabbed, becomes invincible from a Super Star while being grabbed, and then thrown with low enough HP that the throw would KO, they will trigger a Finish Zoom as if they were KO'd, but won't take any damage or be KO'd. A similar effect occurs under certain circumstances in Classic Mode, such as in the fourth round of Steve's classic mode route, where if the player defeats all the Pits before the Robin spawns, it will likewise trigger a Finish Zoom.
    • In both cases, the screen will remain darkened for the rest of the match.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b https://nintendoeverything.com/sakurai-on-smash-bros-ultimate-tempo-items-changes-and-additions-choosing-taunts-much-more/
  2. ^ Writing Game Proposals [Work Ethic]
  3. ^ https://youtu.be/pWku5huh2Jw?t=706
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