Samus Aran
- For fighter info, see Samus (SSB), Samus (SSBM), Samus (SSBB), Samus (SSB4), and Samus (SSBU).
| Samus Aran | |
|---|---|
  
Official artwork of Samus Aran from Metroid: Other M and Super Metroid. | |
| Universe | Metroid |
| Debut | Metroid (1986) |
| Smash Bros. appearances | SSB Melee Brawl SSB4 Ultimate |
| Most recent non-Smash appearance | Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch) (2023, cameo) |
| Console/platform of origin | Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom Disk System) |
| Species | Human (augmented with Chozo DNA and Metroid DNA) |
| Gender | Female |
| Place of origin | K-2L (birthplace) Zebes (surrogate homeworld) |
| Created by | Makoto Kanoh[1] |
| Designed by | Hiroji Kiyotake[2] |
| Article on Metroid Wiki | Samus Aran |
Samus Aran (サムス・アラン, Samus Aran) is the protagonist of the Metroid series. Samus is the galaxy's most famous bounty hunter, thanks to her constantly helping the Galactic Federation in their fight against the Space Pirates. Samus is widely praised as one of Nintendo's most iconic heroes, and a groundbreaking example of proactive, powerful female protagonists in gaming.
As a member of the "perfect-attendance crew", Samus has been featured as a playable character throughout the Super Smash Bros. series.
Origin
Samus Aran debuted in Metroid (1986) for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The original game concepts for Metroid were done by director Makoto Kanoh and designer Hiroji Kiyotake. Like Link, Samus is mostly silent during gameplay and acts as an avatar for the player — however, she is occasionally given spoken dialogue or monologues, with her level of expressiveness varying between games. This carries over to her incarnations in Super Smash Bros., where Samus is completely silent (although the Galactic Avenger event description in SSB4 is written as if spoken by her) and her Zero Suit self has a small number of spoken lines. Metroid: Other M attempted to introduce more emotion and backstory to Samus; however, the game's approach was poorly received by fans and critics, discouraging this kind of storytelling in future games. Titles such as Metroid: Samus Returns and Metroid Dread would revert Samus to her traditional silent and stoic depiction, using body language to convey her personality. Samus is a hardened warrior who is fearless in the face of danger, willing to take on enemies much larger than herself. However, her refusal to kill the baby Metroid shows a softer, sympathetic, even maternal side of Samus, and her hopeful desires for peace. She also greatly respects her Chozo heritage, seen in Dread where, after Quiet Robe beseeches her to stop Raven Beak's plans, she responds in the language of the Chozo people with a promise to end the warlord's ambitions.
The first Metroid game saw Samus on her initial mission on the planet Zebes, sent to stop the Space Pirates from harnessing the dangerous Metroids. Samus successfully carried out the mission by defeating Kraid, Ridley, and finally Mother Brain, the mechanical lifeform controlling the Space Pirate hideout. The game kept Samus's gender a secret (with the intent of surprising gamers after they completed it); even the game's English instruction manual refers to Samus as a male. However, clearing the game quickly unlocks an ending where Samus would remove her Power Suit to reveal a bikini, and the well-known "JUSTIN BAILEY" cheat code would allow her to be playable in a leotard. Since then, almost every game in the series would depict an unsuited Samus in some way, typically as part of an ending sequence. In the game's remake, Metroid: Zero Mission, an epilogue allows the player to play as Zero Suit Samus for the first time. After being shot down during her escape from Zebes, she fights her way through a Space Pirate mothership to recover an upgraded Power Suit and escape.
In Metroid II: Return of Samus, Samus is sent to SR388, the homeworld of the Metroids, to exterminate them all after they were deemed too dangerous to exist. Samus accomplishes this mission, destroying even the Queen Metroid, but after completing this task, the last Metroid egg hatches and the infant bonds to Samus as though she were its mother. Samus chooses to spare the baby Metroid and take it with her. The game's story is retold and expanded upon in the remake Metroid: Samus Returns, most notably by having Samus and the baby Metroid encounter Ridley before leaving the planet.
In Super Metroid, with the last Metroid in captivity, the galaxy is at peace. Galactic Federation scientists study the Metroid, but just as Samus leaves the Ceres Colony, it is attacked, and Samus returns to witness Ridley making off with the infant Metroid. Samus chases him to Zebes where she once again defeats Kraid and Ridley, along with many other creatures, but is attacked by a giant Metroid on her way to Mother Brain. The giant Metroid, in reality a grown form of the infant, recognizes Samus at the last minute and flees. In a final epic battle, Samus fights Mother Brain's new mechanical body, but is almost defeated. However, she is saved by the baby Metroid at the last moment, though it is killed by Mother Brain. Using the Hyper Beam the Baby Metroid had taken from Mother Brain, Samus avenges the baby and kills Mother Brain, escaping Zebes before the entire planet explodes.
A Nintendo Power comic adaptation of Super Metroid was the first depiction of Samus's backstory, which was later expanded in the Monthly Magazine Z Metroid e-manga. These comics established that she was born on the mining colony K-2L to parents Virginia and Rodney Aran, the latter being a member of the Galactic Federation. When Samus was 3 years old, her parents were on a mission in the K-2L mines to retrieve a precious mineral known as Afloraltite when the Chozo arrived. One named Old Bird quickly befriended Samus, before departing. Soon after, the miners were ambushed by the Space Pirates, led by none other than Ridley. While Ridley considered Samus cute, he decided to kill her out of mercy, inadvertently killing Virginia as she leapt between the two. Rodney then detonated the Afloraltite, sacrificing himself to destroy the Pirates and bury Ridley under rubble. Old Bird and the Chozo returned soon after, finding Samus was the sole survivor of the incident. They decided to adopt the orphaned girl and took her to planet Zebes. As she grew up, she was infused with their DNA, trained with them in combat, and was given a Chozo Power Suit. Eventually, Samus left the planet and joined the Galactic Federation. She was present for the Space Pirates' occupation of Zebes, in which she reconcile her troubled relationship with her guardian Gray Voice just before his death at the hands of Ridley. Soon afterwards, Samus left the Federation due to her disagreements with procedures and general distaste for authority, as well as an argument with her superior officer, Adam Malkovich. Samus became a bounty hunter instead, and developed a reputation as the best in the galaxy.
In Metroid Fusion, Samus is assigned to escort a research expedition on SR388. There she is infected by an X-Parasite, and subsequently crashes into an asteroid when she passes out in her ship. Unconscious, parts of her suit are surgically removed by the Galactic Federation due to the X-Parasites infecting it. Her life is saved only when she is given the Vaccine "Metroid", made from the baby Metroid's cells, giving her Metroid-like qualities such as immunity to X-Parasites and weakness to cold. After this, Samus is sent to the BSL Research Station to investigate a disaster. There, she encounters the SA-X, an X-Parasite that form from her infected Power Suit. Learning that a rogue Federation branch is planning to clone Metroids as a bioweapon and secure the X-Parasites for the same purpose, Samus resolves to destroy both the station and planet SR388 to prevent such an outcome. Samus sends the BSL crashing into SR388, escaping after absorbing the SA-X and destroying an escaped Omega Metroid.
In Metroid Prime, set between Metroid and Metroid II, Samus investigates a Space Pirate distress call from the Frigate Orpheon. She discovers the Pirates had been studying a new form of mutagen called Phazon, and encounters the reconstructed Meta Ridley. Samus pursues Meta Ridley to the planet Tallon IV, where she learns that a Chozo colony had lived there and a meteorite had struck on the planet long ago, warping a Metroid into an evil creature known as Metroid Prime. Samus searches through Tallon IV, uncovering not just Space Pirate research on the Phazon mutagen and Metroid Prime itself, but Chozo lore as well, detailing their spiritual way of life on Tallon IV before their end. Samus opens the way to the meteorite, defeating Meta Ridley at the entrance, and seemingly defeats Metroid Prime despite it stealing her Phazon Suit upgrade.
In Metroid Prime Hunters, Samus is sent to the Alimbic Cluster after the Galactic Federation intercepts a message claiming that "Ultimate Power" lies in the center. Samus explores four separate areas: Alinos, Arcterra, Vesper Defense Outpost, and the Celestial Archives, and secures the Octoliths, keys to the Infinity Void, where the ultimate power was said to be. Other bounty hunters named Sylux, Trace, Noxus, Spire, Kanden, and Weavel, stand in her way, each seeking the ultimate power for their own ends. The message turns out to be a trap, an attempt by the monstrous being Gorea to escape imprisonment. Samus, after securing an ancient Alimbic superweapon called the Omega Cannon, vanquishes Gorea and earns the respect of the Alimbic people.
In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Samus is sent to the planet known as Aether to find a lost group of Galactic Federation troopers. She learns another Phazon meteorite had struck Aether, splitting it in two at the dimensional level: one dimension of regular Aether and the other an oppressive world called Dark Aether, which boasted a literally corrosive atmosphere of evil. Samus explores the planet, destroying the dark Ing creatures and reclaiming the light of Aether for the native Luminoth species. She also encounters Dark Samus, a doppelganger of herself born from her Phazon Suit and the remains of Metroid Prime. With the help of the Luminoth, Samus stands against the Emperor Ing, destroys Dark Aether and apparently Dark Samus as well.
In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Samus and three other bounty hunters, Rundas, Ghor, and Gandrayda, are hired by the Galactic Federation to heal the Aurora Units across the galaxy, which are infected by Phazon. However, Dark Samus, now leading the Space Pirates, plots to corrupt the entire galaxy with Phazon. On Norion, Dark Samus "corrupts" Samus and the three bounty hunters with Phazon, so the Federation attempts to harness it using PED systems. However, the hunters succumb to Dark Samus' influence, forcing Samus to trek across three planets, Bryyo, Elysia, and the Space Pirate Homeworld, to kill the corrupted hunters and complete their missions. Samus and the Federation then travel to the planet Phaaze, the origin of all Phazon, where Samus finally destroys Dark Samus and renders all Phazon inert. As Samus flies off into space, a mysterious ship (later confirmed to be Sylux) follows her.
Metroid Prime: Federation Force marks Samus' first role in the series as a supporting character. Samus is hired to investigate the Bermuda System, a three-planet system with abandoned Galactic Federation resources. As the mech suit-equipped members of Federation Force are already undertaking missions there, Samus occasionally intervenes to assist them. Samus eventually discovers that the Space Pirates are building the battleship Doomseye to attack Federation headquarters; however, she is kidnapped and brainwashed, and serves as the game's final boss under Space Pirate control. Once freed from the brainwashing, Samus helps the Federation troopers escape from the Doomseye and rescues them from the void of space with her gunship.
In Metroid: Other M, set just after Super Metroid, Samus responds to a distress signal from the Bottle Ship, a research station. There she runs into Adam Malkovich, her former commander in the Galactic Federation, and his platoon, including her old colleague Anthony Higgs. They discover that the Bottle Ship's Federation staff were creating illegal bioweapons from the Space Pirates and unintentionally Ridley, but they had broken out and the ship was riddled with monsters. She later discovers that they had used the remnants of the Baby Metroid, which were attached to her suit, to create Metroids as bioweapons. However, in order to control them, they created an android with Mother Brain's AI, named MB. The android staged a bioweapon rebellion, leading to the chaos throughout the Bottle Ship. In the end, Adam sacrifices himself to kill the remaining Metroids, Samus defeats the Queen Metroid, and the Galactic Federation kills MB. Samus leaves the Bottle Ship with Anthony and Madeline Bergman (a surviving scientist and MB's mother figure). After Samus leaves, the Galactic Federation decides to destroy the Bottle Ship via self-destruction. Samus is allowed to return to secure Adam's armor helmet, which she succeeds in after a battle with Phantoon. Samus makes her escape just as the station is destroyed.
In Metroid Dread, set after Metroid Fusion, Samus is dispatched by the Galactic Federation to ZDR, having received video evidence of X-Parasites on the planet despite their supposed destruction. The Federation had sent E.M.M.I. robots to investigate, but they lost contact. As the only being with immunity to the X-Parasites, Samus hopes to end the X's existence. Soon after arriving on ZDR, Samus encounters a hostile Chozo named Raven Beak, leader of the warmongering Mawkin tribe. Raven Beak attacks her and steals her abilities, though her body's reaction makes him spare her. As she wakes up and explores the planet in search of a way back to her ship, Samus encounters the E.M.M.I. robots, which now seek to kill her. A friendly Chozo, Quiet Robe of the peaceful Thoha tribe, warns Samus of Raven Beak's plot to dominate the galaxy using the power of the Metroid DNA in her body, with Samus vowing to stop him. Samus' latent Metroid abilities begin to awaken, one of many side effects of the "Metroid" vaccine. This culminates in Samus obtaining the Metroid Suit and unleashing tremendous, but wild power, defeating Raven Beak, the remaining X and ultimately, ZDR itself. Samus' new condition almost dooms her when she nearly drains her ship's batteries, but an X-possessed Quiet Robe restores her original condition, allowing her to escape.
In Super Smash Bros.
As a playable character
Samus makes her first appearance in the Super Smash Bros. series in the original Super Smash Bros. as a starting playable character. Samus is a heavy, yet floaty character. Her design is based off her appearance from Super Metroid. Her neutral special move is the Charge Shot, which can fire small blasts that do little damage; but when it is charged to full power, it is quite devastating. Her up special is the Screw Attack, which causes Samus to shoot up in the air, spinning her around very fast. Her down special is the Bomb, which can be used for a recovery through using it to air stall. However, Samus is considered one of the weaker characters in the game due to her lack of combo attacks, and being the only character in the game who cannot pull off a zero-to-death combo via natural combos. This has lead to her position on the current tier list, where she is ranked 8th out 12 at the top of the C tier.
Samus' in-game character description reads as follows:
- Samus Aran
- Samus Aran is the toughest bounty hunter in the galaxy. Using a special suit powered by the technology of the bird people which allows her to execute daring acrobatic feats, Samus pursues the airborne life form, Metroid, throughout the universe.
- Works:
- Metroid (NES),
- Metroid II: Return of Samus (GB),
- Super Metroid (SNES)
In Super Smash Bros. Melee
As a playable character
Samus returns as a starting selectable character in Super Smash Bros. Melee, in which her moveset has been tweaked. Her design is still based off her Super Metroid appearance. Her new side special move is the Missile. Samus's tier list placement is much higher than in the previous game (11th out of 26, in the B+ tier) due to her improved projectiles and edgeguarding capabilities, as well as a hugely improved recovery with many options, including bomb recovery and the wall grapple.
Trophies
Samus as a playable character is featured on three trophies. Her normal trophy is acquired by beating the Classic mode with her on any difficulty, and her Smash Red and Smash Blue trophies are acquired the same way by beating the Adventure and All-Star modes, respectively. The only other trophy that features Samus is the Samus Unmasked trophy. However, this trophy is only obtainable via special events or by hacking.
- Samus Aran
- This intergalactic bounty hunter's full name is Samus Aran. Clad in a Power Suit made by the Chozo race and infused with their enhanced blood, she cleared the planet Zebes of a Metroid infestation. Samus is an orphan, the sole survivor of a Space Pirate raid that destroyed an Earth colony named K-2L.
- Metroid (8/89)
.png)
- Samus Aran [Smash]
- Samus has an abundance of projectile weapons, making her a long-distance attack specialist. The most powerful weapon in her arsenal is her Charge Shot, but be warned: it can be reflected. Her Missiles have homing capabilities, but when fired as Smash Attacks, they fly on a straight trajectory and have boosted power.
- B: Charge Shot
- Smash B: Missile
.png)
- Samus Aran [Smash]
- While Samus's arsenal of missile weapons is indeed formidable, her enemies are in for a rude awakening if they guard against nothing else. Her Grappling Beam captures foes and latches on to walls, and the Screw Attack drags foes upward in a series of spins that doubles as a recovery move. Samus can also use her Bombs to perform Bomb Jumps.
- Up & B: Screw Attack
- Down & B: Bomb
- Samus Unmasked
- It's said that the orphaned Samus Aran was raised by the few survivors of the Chozo race. They armed her with a Power Suit and taught her the ways of advanced combat; even burdened with her heavy suit, Samus is as graceful as a butterfly. In the Metroid series, it was standard that Samus would remove her helmet and armor if you cleared the game fast enough.
- Metroid (8/89)
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
As a playable character
Samus returns in Brawl, with an embellished design based on Metroid: Zero Mission. After using her Final Smash, the Zero Laser, her Varia Suit will fall off, thus making her become Zero Suit Samus. Her Varia Suit color can be changed to resemble the color schemes of some of her other suits, like the Fusion Suit or Dark Suit. When her suit color is changed in such a way, her Zero Suit color also changes and has different markings on the back. Her tier ranking is far lower than it was in Melee (32nd out of 38, in F tier) due to her severely nerfed KO power and projectiles.
Trophies
Samus has many trophies about her, including her main one that is awarded each time Classic mode is completed with Samus on any difficulty.
- Samus
- The intergalactic bounty hunter named Samus Aran. Orphaned at an early age, she was taken in and raised by the alien race known as the Chozo. The Power Suit she wears is a product of their technology. Her unique combat skills combined with her athleticism and Arm Cannon have seen her through countless missions.
: Metroid
: Super Metroid
_-_Brawl_Trophy.png)
- Samus (Fusion Suit)
- During exploration of SR388, Samus is infected by an X parasite and nearly dies. A vaccine created from Metroid cells saves her, but her suit turns blue and loses most of its abilities and weapons. This new Samus must regather her special abilities and fight to neutralize the threat of the X parasites in the space station run by Biologic Space Laboratories.
: Metroid Fusion
_-_Brawl_Trophy.png)
- Samus (Power Suit)
Samus in the basic version of the legendary Power Suit, made for her by the Chozo race. Samus is most often seen at the beginning of each game in this suit. The normal Power Suit has the lowest level of protective power and features no additional functions. She can use the cannon on her right arm for power shots and build up her arsenal through item pickups.
Samus in the basic version of the legendary Power Suit, made for her by the Chozo race. Samus is most often seen at the beginning of each game in this suit. The normal Power Suit has the lowest level of protective power and features no additional functions. She can use the cannon on her right arm for power shots and build up her arsenal through item pick-ups.- : Metroid
: Metroid Prime
_-_Brawl_Trophy.png)
- Samus (Varia Suit)
- A suit with a higher level of protection than the Power Suit. It eliminates damage caused by very hot or cold areas. It is also more resilient to enemy attacks than the Power Suit and greatly differs in shoulder design. Recent visual depictions of Samus often show her wearing the Varia Suit.
- : Super Metroid
- : Metroid Prime
_-_Brawl_Trophy.png)
- Samus (Gravity Suit)
- A Power Suit that provides even more damage protection than the Varia Suit. This Gravity Suit also allows Samus to move without water resistance when underwater. In most games in the series, this suit also blocks lava damage and friction. In addition, it allows Samus to use item bonuses like the High Jump, Space Jump, and Speed Booster, even when underwater or in lava.
- : Super Metroid
- : Metroid Prime
_-_Brawl_Trophy.png)
- Samus (Dark Suit)
- A Power Suit that reduces damage taken from the atmosphere of Dark Aether. It is obtained after defeating Amorbis in the Dark Torvus Temple. With its increased protection, it greatly widens the range of exploration available in the toxic atmosphere. This suit was developed by the Luminoth, the native race of Aether.
- : Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Stickers
| Name | Game | Effect | Fighter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Suit Samus | Metroid Prime 2: Echoes |  Attack +16
|
|
| Gravity Suit Samus | Metroid: Zero Mission |  Attack +11
|
 
|
| Samus | Metroid Fusion |  Resistance +16
|
|
| Samus | Metroid Prime 2: Echoes |  Attack +18
|
|
| Samus | Metroid |  Attack +15
|
|
.png) Dark Suit Samus (Metroid Prime 2: Echoes) |
.png) Gravity Suit Samus (Metroid: Zero Mission) |
.png) Samus (Metroid Fusion) |
.png) Samus (Metroid Prime 2: Echoes) |
.png) Samus (Metroid) |
In Super Smash Bros. 4
As a playable character
Samus returns as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4. Her appearance now matches the design used in Metroid: Other M, albeit with minor cosmetic additions. However, she can no longer turn into Zero Suit Samus, who is now a separate character.
Currently, Samus places 36-37th out of 54 characters on the Smash 4 tier list in the D tier (tying with Robin). While her Charge Shot gained KO power and had its speed increased, she had seemingly not improved much since Brawl. However, Samus received many helpful buffs in game updates, with the most noteworthy being update 1.1.5, which increased her air speed and noticeably improved her dash attack, forward tilt, forward aerial, and tether grab. Charge Shot and Missile also saw their start-up lag reduced, strengthening her camping options. Thanks to the buffs Samus has gained through updates, she is now considered to be better than how she was in Brawl and during the early days of Smash 4.
As a costume
Outside of her role as a playable character, Samus's helmet is available as headgear for all three Miis in the base game, while her Varia Suit serves as the basis of a downloadable content costume for Mii Gunners. Buying the Varia Suit costume will automatically unlock the helmet if it hasn't been unlocked already. Nintendo also released a QR code for those who wish to have the exact Mii used in the costume's advertising.
Trophies
- Samus
Samus Aran has fought her way across a variety of planets in the Metroid series. She wears a Power Suit designed by the Chozo, giving her incredible versatility in a fight. She can wade in, but she favors beams and missiles. A fully charged Charge Shot packs a serious punch!
Samus Aran is known for her numerous battles across alien planets in the Metroid series. She wears a Power Suit designed by the Chozo, giving her incredible versatility in a fight. She can wade in with kicks and punches, but she favors beams and missiles. A fully charged Charge Shot packs a serious punch!- : Metroid (08/1987)
- : Super Metroid (04/1994)
- The heroine of the Metroid series, Samus Aran. Her missions take her across the reaches of space, and her Power Suit gives her immeasurable fighting prowess. In this game, she uses a variety of ranged attacks based around beams and missiles. When her Charge Shot is fully charged, it can launch foes with devastating force.
- : Metroid (01/1988)
- : Super Metroid (07/1994)
- Samus (Alt.)
- Samus protects herself from overhead enemies with her up smash, Cover Fire, which can land multiple hits on anyone it connects with. Samus also fires a homing missile by holding sideways and pressing the special-attack button or launches a Super Missile by quickly tapping sideways instead.
- Samus protects herself from overhead enemies with her up smash, Cover Fire, which can land multiple hits on anyone it connects with. Samus also fires a homing missile by holding sideways and pressing the special-move button or launches a Super Missile by quickly tapping sideways instead.
- : Metroid (08/1987)
- : Super Metroid (04/1994)
- Samus's up smash attack, Cover Fire, fires five small blasts overhead, making it great for countering incoming aerial attacks. Her Missile attack fires a homing missile if you hold sideways and then press the special button, but if you do those things at the same time, you'll fire a Super Missile.
- : Metroid (01/1988)
- : Super Metroid (07/1994)
- Samus (Varia Suit)
- When most people think of Samus, they think of her wearing the Varia Suit. It not only grants her power far beyond her own physical strength but also can unleash a deadly array of beams from the Arm Cannon. And, in a feature quite unique to the Metroid series, it lets her morph into a ball instead of having to crawl!
- The Varia Suit is the armour Samus is most commonly seen in. It not only grants her power far beyond her own physical strength – it can also unleash a deadly array of beams from the Arm Cannon. And, in a feature quite unique to the Metroid series, it lets her morph into a ball. Do you reckon it's comfy in there?
- Samus (Gravity Suit)
- Power Suits aren't known for being good in water, so if you're the aquatic type, what you need is a Gravity Suit. This stylish, glowing suit upgrade not only completely nullifies fluid resistance—making moving underwater a breeze—but also reduces damage and improves your underwater vision. What more could you ask for?
- Power Suits aren't known for being good in water, so if you're the aquatic type, what you need is a Gravity Suit. This stylish purple suit upgrade not only completely nullifies fluid resistance, making moving underwater a breeze, but also lets you see better underwater and even reduces damage! What more could you ask for?!
- Samus (Dark Suit)
- No, not what you might wear to a formal party—this is one of the Power Suit types in Samus's arsenal. The Varia Suit might have the most iconic look, but its defensive abilities are sadly lacking. On Dark Aether, this suit will be much more useful. The Luminoth created it to mitigate the deadly substances in the planet's air.
- No, not what you might wear to a formal party – this is one of the Power Suit types in Samus's arsenal. The Varia Suit might have the most iconic look, but sadly its defensive abilities are a bit lacking. This suit is much more useful on Dark Aether. The Luminoth created it to neutralise the deadly substances in the planet's air.
- : Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (11/2004)
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
As a playable character
Samus is playable once again as a starting character, using her design from Super Smash Bros. 4. Samus has received numerous changes that drastically change her playstyle from Smash 4, making her more of a powerhouse character with a stronger projectile game. Furthermore, Zero Suit Samus dons the Varia Suit during her Final Smash, using the same model as the playable version.
Aside from the two playable incarnations of Samus, multiple versions of her appear as Spirits, including the Fusion Suit and Gravity Suit.
As a costume
Samus' outfit for the Mii Gunner returns from the previous game, now being available from the start as a customization option.
Spirits
Fighter spirit
264. Samus Aran
Primary spirits
| No. | Image | Name | Type | Class | Slots | Base 
|
Max
|
Base 
|
Max
|
Base 
|
Max
|
Ability | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 270 |  |
Fusion Suit |  |
★★★ | 3 | 2707 | 8123 | 1291 | 3874 | 1216 | 3648 | Shooting Items Power ↑ | Metroid Series |
| 272 |  |
Dark Suit |  |
★★ | 2 | 1704 | 6837 | 784 | 3145 | 920 | 3692 | Can Be Enhanced at Lv. 99 | Metroid Prime Series |
| 273 |  |
Light Suit | |
★★★★ | 2 | 4840 | 12103 | 1810 | 4526 | 2399 | 5999 | Healing Shield | Metroid Prime Series |
| 274 |  |
Young Samus | |
★★ | 2 | 1458 | 5837 | 810 | 3243 | 540 | 2162 | Shooting Items Power ↑ | Metroid Series |
| 1,497 | .png) |
Samus (Metroid Dread) | |
★★★ | 3 | 3,087 | 9,265 | 1,673 | 5,019 | 1,186 | 3,560 | Shooting Items Power ↑ | Metroid Series |
Support spirits
| No. | Image | Name | Class | Cost | Ability | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 269 |  |
Gravity Suit | ★★ | 1 | Lava-Floor Resist | Metroid Series |
| 271 |  |
Phazon Suit | ★★★ | 2 | Poison Immunity | Metroid Prime Series |
Gallery
Samus's Armor as a Mii Gunner costume
In other languages
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
 Japanese |
サムス, Samus |
 English |
Samus |
 French |
Samus |
 German |
Samus |
 Spanish |
Samus |
 Italian |
Samus |
 Chinese (Simplified) |
萨姆斯, Samus |
 Chinese (Traditional) |
薩姆斯, Samus |
 Korean |
사무스, Samus |
 Dutch |
Samus |
 Russian |
Самус |
 Portuguese |
Samus |
Trivia
- In Smash 64 and Melee, the announcer pronounces the first syllable of "Samus" as /sɑ/ (as in "saw"). However, in Brawl onwards, it's pronounced /sæ/ (as in "Sam"). This change in pronunciation is consistent with the way "Samus" is pronounced in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and Metroid Other M.
- Samus's floaty nature in the Smash Bros. series is an approximation of her physics in the first three Metroid games, which were all released prior to the original Super Smash Bros. Later Metroid titles give her a significantly faster falling speed, but that has not carried over into Smash.
- Samus has the longest dodge duration in the Super Smash Bros. series.
- Samus has the shortest height when rolling due to her decreasing in size when shifting into her Morph Ball form.
- As of Melee, Samus is the heaviest character that can wall jump.
- Samus and Chrom are the only two playable characters to appear in another character's Final Smash in the same installment (Zero Suit Samus' version of Zero Laser and Robin's Pair Up in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate), although in Samus' case, this is due to the fact that both characters are the same individual.
- Samus is the first ever female playable character in the series as well as the only female playable character to appear in every installment.
- While Samus' face is normally obscured by her helmet (a feature of the suit's visor in Other M), her face can be seen through her visor in some Subspace Emissary cutscenes, Bayonetta's promotional artwork, and Ridley's reveal trailer, using the same facial model as her Zero Suited self in all cases.
- Samus has never officially used her basic Power Suit as an alternate costume in any Smash Bros. game, in spite of how much she's worn it in her home series. It is only seen in her Classic trophy in Melee and its own trophy in Brawl.
- As of Melee, Samus (along with her Echo Fighter Dark Samus in Ultimate) is the heaviest female character by default; conversely in Brawl, her Zero Suited self is the lightest female character.
- Samus is the first character to be a standalone character in one game and become a transformation fighter in the next game. She and Zero Suit Samus are also the only transformation fighters to not transform through down special.
- In the official one-shot manga The Nintendo All-Stars Free-For-All! Smash Brothers, Samus assumes the role of a henchman to Phantom X, the main antagonist of the manga. She, along with Link and Fox McCloud, decided to create these alter egos so the other characters can stop bickering and unite as friends against a common enemy.
References
- ^ Ultimate Nintendo FAQ - May 2002. N-Sider. Retrieved on 2007-03-23.
- ^ Credits for Metroid. MobyGames.
| Character Inspirations for Mii Fighter Costumes in Super Smash Bros. 4 | |
|---|---|
 Mii Brawler
|
Akira · Captain Falcon · Flying Man · Heihachi · Jacky · King K. Rool · Knuckles · Toad |
 Mii Swordfighter
|
Ashley · Black Knight · Chrom · Dunban · Gil · Link · Lloyd · Monster Hunter · Takamaru · Viridi · Zero |
 Mii Gunner
|
Fox · Geno · Inkling · Isabelle · K.K. Slider · MegaMan.EXE · Proto Man · Samus · Tails · X |
| Headgear only | Barbara · Chain Chomp · Chocobo · Daisy · Inkling Squid · Luigi · Majora's Mask · Mario · Meta Knight · Peach · Red Shell · Sheik · Shy Guy · Spiny · Super Mushroom · Waluigi · Wario · Zelda |
 Metroid universe
| |
|---|---|
| Fighters | Samus (SSB · SSBM · SSBB · SSB4 · SSBU) · Zero Suit Samus (SSBB · SSB4 · SSBU) · Ridley (SSBU) · Dark Samus (SSBU) |
| Assist Trophies | Metroid · Dark Samus · Mother Brain |
| Bosses | Ridley · Meta Ridley |
| Stages | Planet Zebes · Brinstar · Brinstar Depths · Frigate Orpheon · Norfair · Pyrosphere Brinstar Escape Shaft (Adventure Mode) |
| Item | Screw Attack · Power Suit Piece |
| Enemies | Geemer · Kihunter · Metroid · Reo · FG II-Graham · Joulion · Zero |
| Other | Gunship · Kraid |
| Trophies, Stickers and Spirits | Trophies (SSBM · SSBB · SSB4) · Stickers · Spirits |
| Music | Brawl · SSB4 · Ultimate |
| Masterpieces | Metroid · Super Metroid |
