Star KO
A Star Knock-Out, abbreviated as Star KO is a type of KO. When a character falls off the top of the screen (save for a few exceptions, see below), they fly through the background, yell/scream/etc, and eventually disappear as a star. (There is a random chance of a Screen KO instead.)
Exceptions
Members of a computer team (such as the Fighting Wire Frames) don't experience Star KO's, instead undergoing the usual colorful explosion (though it can happen in Event Match 37). Also, in the beginning of the second trailer for Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Kirby uses his up smash to knock Mario and Link off the top of the screen, but the usual colored explosion occurs, instead of a Star KO. The star KO is still in this game.
Note: In Super Smash Bros., members of a team (such as the Fighting Polygon Team) do get Star KO'd.
Trivia
- The concept of a Star KO is from a very common anime trope, where a character or characters is struck or blasted high into the air, eventually disappearing as a twinkle in the sky. It was made famous in anime like Pokémon (where this fate befalls Team Rocket in nearly every episode) and Love Hina (whenever Keitaro Urashima is struck fiercely enough).
- Any conditions on the character are seen in the Star KO, such as if a character is KO'd while frozen, or has a Smash Ball when they are KO'd. In Flat Zone 2 and Hanenbow, conditions are not aligned with the character (ie. the frozen block and character fly off separately).
- Giant characters/Tiny characters who are Star KO'd remain giant/tiny while falling on the background (their "falling voice" remains deep/tiny as well). On the other hand, Star KO'd metal characters appear in normal conditions on the background (inc. voice). The only exceptions are Metal Mario and Metal Luigi in Melee's Adventure Mode. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, when giant/tiny characters gets Star KO'd, they will return to normal size.
- If Kirby has copied someone's abilities and gets Star KO'd, he will appear as a normal Kirby while disappearing into the background.
- Characters holding an item will have it disappear when they are Star KOd.
- If the conditions are right, one can be hit above the upper blast line, but rather than be Star KO'd or hit the front of the screen, they will die as if they got KO'd off the bottom. However, its possibility of occurring is extremely rare.
- Currently, there are two ways to Star KO yourself without anyone or anything hitting you. One involves using a fully charged Wario Waft near the upper blast line. The other involves standing on a platform that moves off the top of the screen (such as in Mushroomy Kingdom 1-2).
- Giga Bowser can be Star KO'd by being hit while he is above the upper blast line; this is because he isn't immune to hitstun, which the upper blast line checks for.
