Flip Jump
| Flip Jump | |
|---|---|
 Zero Suit Samus in the air after using Flip Jump. | |
| User | Zero Suit Samus |
| Universe | Metroid |
| Article on Metroid Wiki | Zero Suit Samus |
Flip Jump (フリップジャンプ Furippu Janpu) is Zero Suit Samus's down special move. Zero Suit Samus flashes as she does a flip and an arching jump through the air. This provides some horizontal and vertical recovery. It functions as Zero Suit Samus' third jump, but does not put her into a helpless position, allowing her to use her tether recovery in addition, which makes up for its relatively short length compared to other third jumps. In addition, this move provides a short time of invincibility for Zero Suit Samus during the initial rise. She cannot perform the Flip Jump again until she lands, even if she is hit before returning to the stage.
If Zero Suit Samus hits a wall while performing the Flip Jump, she will automatically perform a wall jump. This does not count as the wall jump Zero Suit Samus can perform without landing. She will automatically do up to 4 wall jumps if she continues to contact them soon enough, mostly in custom stages. After using Flip Jump in the air, Zero Suit Samus cannot land on a fall-through platform until the move has completely finished (i.e. she is level in height with when she started), instead she will fall through it.
If the player inputs any attack button while Zero Suit Samus is flashing, she will stick out her foot at a 45 degree angle, performing a kick. Any aerial opponent hit by the initial extension of this kick will be sent downwards in an above average power meteor smash, while grounded opponents, if hit by the initial frame will be sent horizontally with rather high knockback. If anyone is hit after the first frame, they are sent horizontally as well, being deadly off-stage This makes for one of her few KO moves. She can also perform her down aerial attack when just past the 180 degree mark. The actual kick is a sex kick, being the only special move with that attribute.
If the player attempts to footstool jump while Zero Suit Samus is flashing, she will do a special spinning jump that goes about half the height of her double jump. This also works on items and is commonly known as the "flipstool".
Zero Suit Samus will usually jump up and forwards in the direction she is facing, and then land facing the other way. However, if the player taps backwards as soon as they use the move, she will flip backwards. This is effective for playing mind games as they cannot predict if they are going to strike. Same thing happens with the kick, the player can choose if she kicks forward or backwards.
Applications
The Flip Jump is obviously useful for recoveries (though her tethers are often more useful in this respect). However, there are many other uses.
Approach
One useful strategy for the Flip Jump is in an approach. As Samus, the player can run towards their opponent, and when they are a short distance away from them, use Flip Jump and attack. The opponent will most likely be trying to block an attack from the front, so the player can catch them off guard.
Defense
A common use of the Flip Jump is defensive; when the opponent tries to attack the player, use Flip Jump to arc over their heads and counterattack. This can be mixed up with rolls & dodges to make Samus very unpredictable. Very scary for off-stage edgeguarders, as the attack can spike (and even if it doesn´t spike, it still inflicts good horizontal knockback), and the player can edgehog them in succession with a tether.
Description from the Instruction Booklet
Perform an agile flip over foes that will let you attack from behind.
Flipstool Video
A video of the Flipstool in action.
<youtube>Qh4jPRFR3n0</youtube>
Glitch
On the Yoshi's Island Melee stage, or any other stage with a 45° slope, if Flip Jump is used while facing the slope, Zero Suit Samus will not perform the move, but make the sound, and the initial flash, and move a little up the slope. This can be done repetitively to make for an odd looking way to walk up the slope, but has no combat value except to possibly confuse an opponent.
