Grab

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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 either the shield and attack buttons simultaneously (as implied by the games' How to Play sequence), or a specific grab button, which is (by default) the R button for the N64 controller, Z button for the Gamecube controller, Minus button for the standalone Wii Remote, D-Pad sideways for the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, L button for the Nintendo 3DS and ZL or ZR for the Classic Controllers and Wii U GamePad. Once grabbed, a character can be thrown by tilting the Control stick in any of the four standard directions (only forward and back in the first Super Smash Bros.), or pummeled from Melee onward with the attack or grab button. A grabbed character will automatically escape after a certain amount of time depending on their damage; characters at higher damage percentages will be held for longer. SSB has no grab releases excluding Donkey Kong's forward throw, which must be manually imposed by the opponent: other grabs will automatically make the grabber use their forward throw after holding the foe for a full second. 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 eight invincibility frames to the thrower when started. Computer players at high levels use grabs conspicuously, often using dash grabs to approach in Melee, shield grabbing to punish foes in Brawl, and grabbing foes that come close to them in Smash 4.

An important property of grabs is that they cannot be shielded, completely ignoring a foe's shield and grabbing them out of it; in comparison to other unblockable attacks, grabs are available to the entirety of the cast in all Smash games, preventing foes from overusing their shields against any character. This, along with the grabs' generally fast startup, their ability to easily punish out of shield, and most throws allowing the player to execute diverse combos and chains, causes them to be used very prominently in competitive play, constituting the neutral game as a triangle in which grabs beat shields, but are beaten by attacks as they are outranged by them. Grabs also ignore moves that use the same hitboxes as shields, such as all counterattacks, and due to not causing knockback themselves, they also ignore launch resistance.

Hitting a character with a grabbed foe in Super Smash Bros. causes them to make their hard-damage noise. From Melee onward, if a character grabbing another character is interrupted (that is, hit by an attack), the grabbed character will be sent flying horizontally. In Melee, characters oddly cannot escape from grabs if they are constantly hit by other characters at certain intervals, which is the main cause of wobbling.

A particular character can grab only one opponent at once, and similarly, a grabbed character cannot be grabbed by another one before being thrown or released. When grabbing with the Ice Climbers, only one of them can grab the opponent, though they can grab two respective foes at once. In Melee, when the trailing Ice Climber grabs an opponent, he or she will be CPU-controlled. In Brawl, the partner is instead controlled by the player, allowing them to throw the enemy freely and instantly grab them with the other Ice Climber afterwards, which allows zero-to-death combos.

There exist some grab-related bonuses in Melee: the Butterfingers bonus substracts 500 points to the player if they fails most of the grabs used, and the All Thumbs bonus substracts 1500 if 4 or more dash grabs were done without grabbing enemies. Additionally, the Cuddly Bear bonus awards 2000 points if the player grabs opponents 3 or more times without pummeling or throwing.

If a character fails to grab a foe, they will suffer a considerable amount of lag, with most characters' getting about 25 frames of lag after their grab hitbox comes out. The lag can also be longer if a dash grab or pivot grab is used, and characters with extended grabs have significantly longer ending lag for all of their grabs, with most of them exceeding 60 frames (which is a full second). In Super Smash Bros., though, grabs can be used consecutively and more quickly, with all characters (except Link, Samus, and Yoshi, who suffer as much lag as in the sequels) grabs lasting for about only 15 frames.

Variations

Dash grab

From Melee onward, characters attempting a grab while dashing will perform a variation known as a dash grab: in comparison to regular grabs, dash grabs usually have longer range and conserve some of the dash's momentum, allowing them to be used reliably against foes at mid-close range, but also have longer ending lag when not grabbing a foe, making them punishable if overused. Every character uses a different more sluggish animation for dash grabs. Tether recoveries on the other hand are barely changed when used as dash grabs: for example, Link's dash grab keeps very little momentum from his dash in comparison to other characters, while Samus's is quicker than her normal grab but has less reach (about half in Melee). Dash grabs were not present in SSB; instead, the dashing character grabs as usual, negating some momentum of the dash (depending on the character's traction). In Brawl and Smash 4, dash grabs that give the character a significant boost forward, such as those of Meta Knight in the former game and Captain Falcon in the latter, conserve some of the momentum when dash grabbing foes: this can also drop them off edges in some instances.

Jump-canceled grab

In Melee, grabs can cancel the squat animation that characters undergo before jumping; since jumps can be performed while dashing, this allows normal grabs to be still used after a dash. Jump-canceled grabs are as such often preferred over dash grabs due to their shorter ending lag, since they retain almost as much momentum from a dash as them. This ability was removed in Brawl and Smash 4, though.

Pivot grab

A pivot grab is performed by dashing in a direction, then tilting the Control stick in the opposite direction and inputting a grab. This results in the character pivoting and performing a grab with longer reach than both a character's standing grab and dash grab, and may be useful in varying one's approach. The animation for pivot grabs is also slightly different.

Special attacks as grabs

Some special attacks are technically grabs. When viewed with Melee's hitboxes, these attacks have the same magenta hitbox as standard grabs.

• Bowser's Koopa Klaw (can grab in the air or at close range on the ground, can only throw forward or backward, no invincibility frames); Melee only
• Bowser's Flying Slam (can grab and sacrificial KO opponents); replaces Koopa Klaw from Brawl onwards
• Yoshi's Egg Lay (traps opponent in an egg, opponent takes half damage until they escape)
• Kirby and King Dedede's Inhale (Traps opponent inside Kirby or Dedede, opponent can wriggle to affect movement. King Dedede's is noticeably more powerful.)
  • Using Inhale, Kirby can also copy Egg Lay and Chomp, as well as King Dedede's Inhale.
• 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 and Smash 4 (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 midair or at long range)
• Diddy Kong's Monkey Flip (latches onto an opponent, can either attack or jump into the enemy to release, or let go)
• Mewtwo's Confusion at close range (grabs the opponent, spins them around, and drops them)
• Robin's Nosferatu (traps opponents and damages them while healing Robin)

Tether grabs

Some grabs also have a significantly large reach, and from Melee onward can 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, an action known as a grab aerial or z-air. 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 (lasting more than 60 frames). Tether grabs cannot grab midair opponents in Melee and Brawl, but this was fixed by Smash 4. In Melee, if a grab aerial 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; this is known as a wall-grapple. In Brawl and Smash 4, they will be instead 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 and Smash 4)
• Samus's Grapple Beam
• Lucas's Rope Snake
• Zero Suit Samus's Plasma Whip in Super Smash Bros. 4

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

• Yoshi's tongue
• Olimar's Pikmin, which dash forward and do the grabbing and throwing for him (his up special in Brawl is already a tether recovery)
• Zero Suit Samus's Plasma Whip in Brawl (cannot be used as a grab aerial, since her side and up specials are already tether recoveries)
• Ivysaur's vines (one special is already a tether recovery)
• Villager's net
• Pac-Man's tractor beam from Galaga

Grabs in the original Super Smash Bros.

While the physics of grabbing remain much the same between Melee and Brawl (and again between Brawl and Smash 4), 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%.

Initial grab range in Melee

Yoshi's grab range compared to Marth's. Note that Marth's grab only succeeds due the large hurtbox of Yoshi's nose.

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. Donkey Kong
17. Ice Climbers
18. Mr. Game & Watch
19. Ganondorf
20. Captain Falcon
21. Mario / Dr. Mario
22. Bowser
23. Pichu
24. Ness
25. Pikachu

Grab frame data in Melee

This is the first frame on which the grab hitboxes come out for the whole cast.

Character	Standing grab	Dash grab
Dr. Mario	7	11
Mario	7	11
Luigi	7	11
Bowser	9	10
Peach	7	7
Yoshi	18	11
Donkey Kong	8	10
Captain Falcon	7	11
Ganondorf	7	11
Falco	7	12
Fox	7	12
Ness	8	10
Ice Climbers	7	7
Kirby	7	11
Samus	18	18
Zelda	12	12
Sheik	7	8
Link	11	12
Young Link	11	14
Pichu	7	11
Pikachu	7	11
Jigglypuff	7	11
Mewtwo	7	9
Mr. Game & Watch	7	11
Marth	7	10
Roy	7	10

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 are longer than the tether-grabbers although King Dedede's is very close to surpassing Ivysaur's.

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

Trivia

• In SSB 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.
• In NTSC versions of Melee, is it possible to extend Samus's grab to nearly x2.5 its usual reach by using a special input combination. When this is done, her grapple beam also homes in on enemies if the L button is held, being the only tether grab able to do so, but only grabs enemies if the A button is pressed when the tip connects, being able to affect both grounded and aerial opponents. This affects both her normal grab and dash grab, though not her grab aerial.
• 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.
• If jump-canceled grabs existed in Brawl, the amount of character momentum given would be significantly greater than in Melee. This is especially true for fast characters with low traction, such as Captain Falcon.