Screw Attack

The Screw Attack is possibly one of Samus's most famous Power Suit upgrades. It is an advanced and powerful movement system that allows Samus Aran to cause extreme damage to enemies while somersaulting, engulfing Samus in an aura of glowing plasma and electricity. The Screw Attack can destroy most creatures instantly on contact. It appears in Metroid, Metroid II: The Return of Samus, Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion, Metroid: Zero Mission, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Metroid Prime Pinball and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

The Screw Attack is traditionally thought to have been invented by the Chozo, due to its appearance in Chozo Statues. However, there is (disputed) evidence that suggests it is actually an item of Luminoth origin, as scans from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes state that it is "unknown technology" and do not identify it as of Chozo origin. It can now be noted, based on statues in the ice climate of the planet Bryyo, that the screw attack may have been gifted to the Chozo as a sort of exchange for the knowledge the native people received from them. This is depicted in monument form by a Chozo statue, with hand outstretched, touching the forehead of a statue of one of the primal natives, who in turn has a hand presenting the screw attack (collectible by Samus) to said Chozo. However, it could be the other way around, since Samus didn't have it in the beginning of Echoes.

The version in Metroid Prime 2 and 3 were different from those found in every other game. It is actually a combination of the Screw Attack and Space Jump from the 2D games. It enables Samus to "jump" in midair, though only in one direction and only 5 times in a row. It also enables her to jump off special Wall Jump Surfaces, similar to her Wall Jump ability in post-Metroid II 2D games. Possibly this version found in the Prime series is different technology from the Screw Attack found in the 2-D titles, but performs a similar function. This would explain why the technology wasn't recognized in Metroid Prime 2, even though she had the upgrade in her original Zebes mission only a short time before.

In Metroid Fusion, this upgrade was possessed by the infected Space Pirate, Ridley-X.

In Other Games

 * The Screw Attack is used in the Metroid Prime Pinball minigame Wall Jump.
 * It is an attack of Samus's (B+Up) in every Super Smash Bros. game. It is also an item in Super Smash Bros. Melee (held) and Super Smash Bros. Brawl (acts like a badge). The symbol is always the logo for Samus.
 * The Screw Attack was in Kirby Super Star (under the name "Screw Ball"), as a collectable treasure in The Great Cave Offense, worth 80,000 Gold. It returns in the Nintendo DS remake, Kirby Super Star Ultra (now named correctly).

Screw Attack in Pop Culture
A video game website ScrewAttack got its name and logo from this item.

Since Super Metroid, the Screw Attack symbol has become the Metroid series's official logo.

It's symbol has also been the symbol for the suit upgrades in the Prime games.