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- "Grapple" redirects here. For other uses, see Grapple (Disambiguation).
The Grapple Beam (グラップリングビーム Gurappuringu Bīmu), also known as the Grappling Beam in Super Metroid, is a beam weapon with tethering properties. It is used to latch onto certain surfaces, allowing Samus to swing from this point and reach areas that would be otherwise unreachable without the Screw Attack or Space Jump.
In the 3D games, the Grapple Beam can attach to special Grapple Points as well as Gliders (which spawned the sport of 'Glider riding'). In its first 2D appearance, the beam can attach to Ripper IIs and swing from them or allow the creatures to carry her across chasms. Upgrades to the beam allow it to perform other functions such as lassoing and feeding/drawing energy in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Somewhat notably, in the Prime games, the Grapple was no longer fired from the Arm Cannon like the Grappling Beam. Instead, a second firing piece, similar to a gauntlet, is used - likely either to make more use of Samus' free hand, and/or to free up the Arm Cannon for shooting in the sequels (Prime disabled the cannon while swinging).
In the main series
The Grapple Beam is used in Super Metroid.
Super Metroid
The Grappling Beam, in its first appearance, is found in Norfair shortly after defeating Crocomire. In a normal playthrough, this allows Samus to return to Crateria and cross the flooded cavern to reach the Wrecked Ship.
It can kill most small creatures in a single hit when they come into contact with the beam, but does negligible damage when it comes to larger enemies. Creatures that fly out of Air Holes are the most appropriate to dispatch with the Grappling Beam, since the item has the added functionality of absorbing Energy Capsules, Missile Ammo and Power Bomb Ammo dropped by them; this greatly eases the effort of refilling Samus' suit reserves. It can also be used to open Blue Doors.
While not very powerful, the Grappling Beam seems to be the weakness of certain enemies. For example, the resilient Sciser has to be shot multiple times with the standard beam, but it is instantly destroyed by the Grapple Beam, possibly because of its aquatic nature. Most notably, the Grappling Beam can be used to prematurely kill Draygon by grabbing one of the electrified surfaces while in the grip of the boss.
It is possible to complete Super Metroid without the Grappling Beam using wall jumping to reach higher areas and Shinespark to cross gaps. When Samus obtains the Space Jump item, the Grappling Beam becomes obsolete.
Metroid: Other M
The Grapple Beam returns in Metroid: Other M, now issuing from her Arm Cannon like in Super Metroid, and is typically used to grapple onto floating hooks. It is used against two bosses, the Vorash and the Queen Metroid, as grappling them is required to aim at the enemy's weak points.
This beam proves to be highly useful, since there are some areas where Samus cannot gain any possible altitude (the Space Jump can only move horizontally and is unable to traverse through higher areas, nor is there enough room to perform a Speed Booster and a Shinespark). Its application is much faster as well. Sometimes there is a noticeable delay when the button is pressed to detach from a Grapple Point.
It is authorized immediately when Samus sees a Rhedogian threatening to drop Anthony Higgs into a pool of lava, allowing her to grapple up to their level and save him.
Metroid: Samus Returns
The Grapple Beam appears in Metroid: Samus Returns, a 2.5D remake of Metroid II: Return of Samus. This item did not exist in the original game. It has a Grapple Lasso-like ability of being able to pull and break Pull Blocks with red Grapple Points obstructing tunnels. Samus can also use her Grapple Beam to pull herself onto wall and ceiling-stationed, blue Grapple Points in order to avoid obstacles. She can also swing from certain Grapple Points as well. At one point Samus uses it on a red Grapple Point connected to Diggernaut which seems to restore power to the robot in a Grapple Voltage-like manner causing it to activate and destroy the rubble it was buried under that was blocking Samus' path. Red Grapple Points also occasionally appear on Zeta Metroids allowing Samus to pull them down off ceilings.
Like in Super Metroid, it is fired from the Arm Cannon and can be used offensively to kill weak enemies, but does negligible damage when it comes to stronger enemies. It can also be used to open normal Doors like other beams. If Samus Free Aims her Arm Cannon at a Grapple Point it will automatically switch to the Grapple Beam, though returns back to the previously selected beam (Power Beam, Ice Beam, or Beam Burst) she had selected before aiming at the Grapple Point after she has let go of the Grapple Point which allows Samus to use Grapple Points without having to constantly manually switch between beams, though she can also manually select it as well, however it will remain selected after it is used on a Grapple Point. This automatic swapping is especially useful in battle.
Along with the Ice Beam, the Grapple Beam acts as a standalone beam option that is separate from the Power Beam (which the Wave, Spazer, and Plasma Beams stack on top of) and does not stack. Unlike the Ice Beam, it remains selectable beam option even when the Beam Burst is activated (which takes up the top two beam slots). As a result, Samus can switch between it even when the Beam Burst is activated.
In the Prime series
Metroid Prime
The Grapple Beam is used in Prime.
The Grapple Beam's first 3D appearance was first seen in use by Samus in Metroid Prime, where it was primarily used to get across long distances via special Grapple Points dotted throughout the environment. The Grapple Beam is one of the abilities Samus can use on the Frigate Orpheon before losing all her upgrades due to an electrical surge whilst escaping the ship. However, unlike all the other upgrades Samus can use at this point, Samus did not obtain the Grapple Beam in Metroid. Where Samus first obtained the Grapple Beam is unknown.
After losing her power ups, Samus manages to track all of her original items down on the planet Tallon IV, along with several new ones. It is not until Samus ventures deep into the Space Pirate's Phazon Mines for a second time that she is able to retrieve the final one of her original upgrades, the Grapple Beam from Storage Depot B. The Pirates seem to have discovered the item and placed it in the Depot, rather than it being a technology of their own - it is believed to be of Chozo origin, due to Samus' computer in Echoes referring to it as such when detecting its location.[1] The Grapple Beam is vital in reaching the Omega Pirate.
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
The Grapple Beam is used in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.
Samus was able to shoot while swinging on the Grapple Beam in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, a skill that was not possible in Prime. Like in the previous game, Samus loses her abilities at the beginning of her mission on planet Aether, due to an ambush by a race of creatures known as the Ing who steal and absorb her items. Whilst her mission progresses, Samus recovers the stolen upgrades and battles each of the Ing that has mutated to use them. The use of the Grapple Beam is made somewhat redundant by the acquisition of the Screw Attack later in the game, which allows Samus to jump five times in succession.
The Grapple Beam's thief fled to the Dark Torvus Bog and possessed a large Grenchler residing there. This creature was mutated by addition of the Ing possessor's Grapple Beam. The "Grapple Guardian" was then contained in a Sacrificial Chamber, where foes would be placed in to be devoured by the creature. When Samus arrived here, she was able to trick the creature into using its Grapple abilities on a magnetic surface, so she could attack while it struggled to break free. Samus defeats the Guardian and reclaims her Grapple Beam.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
The Grapple Swing is used in Corruption.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption features several variations of the Grapple Beam. Samus first obtains a Grapple device on Norion during the Space Pirate invasion. It is placed in an enclosed cache in Docking Hub Alpha. The Grapple Lasso allows Samus to attach to surfaces and rip them from their support. Instead of a forearm attachment, the Lasso is integrated into Samus' existing armor in the form of a glove, with other additions being integrated in the same way.
Replacing the conventional Beam seen in the previous games is the Grapple Swing, which functions in a virtually identical manner. This upgrade appears to be made by the Bryyonians, as it is found in a secluded grove in Bryyo Cliffside, Reliquary I.
Additional items which upgrade the Grapple Lasso are:
- Grapple Voltage - An item that allows Samus to drain or direct energy from/into terminals or other targets with a Grapple Point. Obtained after Samus defeats her corrupted ally Gandrayda in the Proving Grounds, Pirate Homeworld.
- Hyper Grapple - An item that allows Samus to drain or direct Phazon energy from/into terminals or other targets with a Grapple Point while in Hypermode. Obtained after Samus destroys her nemesis Omega Ridley in the Pirate Homeworld Leviathan Core, Pirate Seed.
Samus's gunship also gains a Ship Grapple power-up, that gives Samus the ability to transport various large objects with Ship Grapple Points by having her Gunship fly in and grapple them via the ship-mounted Grapple Beam.
Super Smash Bros.
Non-canon warning: This article or section contains information that may not be considered an official part of the Metroid series in the overall storyline by Nintendo.
Since Super Metroid, the Grapple Beam has appeared in every game of the Super Smash Bros. series as as Samus's Grab, and is also utilized in her Throws. In Super Smash Bros. Melee onward, Samus could use it to hang from ledges (or attack in the air). In all versions of Melee except for the PAL version, there is an exploit that allows Samus to fire an extended Grappling Beam. When Super Smash Bros. Brawl was released, it was made into a simpler-to-use Tether Recovery (as opposed to requiring a precise aim).
As an Echo Fighter of Samus, Dark Samus also uses the Grapple Beam. Zero Suit Samus's Plasma Whip functions as a similar Tether Grab.
Non-canon warning: Non-canonical information ends here.
Official data
Super Metroid manual
"You can use this beam to grab onto special blocks, then swing into open areas. You can shoot the Grappling Beam into metallic blocks with holes in the center."
Super Metroid Players' Guide
- Terminals (page 8)
- "Shoot the beam into certain blocks and Samus can swing Tarzan-like to previously unreachable platforms. It can also be used to kill the weaker nasties. To swing first make sure you're in range of a block like this one."
Official Metroid Prime website
"The Grapple Beam upgrade allows Samus Aran to traverse large gaps by swinging from one Grapple Point to the next. The Grapple Beam can latch onto Grapple Nodes and slow-moving creatures called Gliders."
Metroid Prime Inventory data
Grapple Beam
The Grapple Beam allows you to swing back and forth from special points in the environment.
Grapple Points appear in your Visor as a 
icon.
Press and hold 
/
to fire the Grapple Beam.
Hold / down to stay connected; let go to release.
The Grapple Beam can be used to cross large gaps.
Use the 
/
while grappling to swing in different directions.
Prime onscreen tutorial
"To Grapple, use when
the icon appears."
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes hint system
"Missing gear detected.
Chozo origin confirmed.
Recover missing gear."
Corruption Inventory data
Grapple Swing
The Grapple Swing allows you to swing back and forth from special points throughout the environment.
Target a Grapple Point and press and hold to fire the Grapple Beam. Hold down to stay connected and let go to release. Use to turn while swinging.
The Grapple Swing can be used to cross large gaps.
Look for special points that shimmer to swing from.
Metroid.com
"Grapple Points scattered throughout each sector can lead to hidden passages and useful items. This beam lets Samus latch on to those points and reach elevated locations."
Metroid: Other M manual
"Press A when locked onto certain Grapple Points to hook onto them with a ropelike beam. Samus can then swing around while hanging with the beam."
Metroid: Other M Samus Screen data
"Effect: Attaches a ropelike beam to a Grapple Point.
Controls: Lock on a special target and press A."
Metroid: Other M on-screen tutorial
GRAPPLE BEAM
Press A or 2 with good timing.
Nintendo of America tweet
"Samus’ Grapple Beam lets her swing from certain objects, giving her access to new areas. It should be a big help in exploring Planet SR388."[2]
Metroid: Samus Returns Samus Screen data
"The Grapple Beam latches onto blue or red grapple points. Tap its icon on the touch screen to equip and hold [Y] to fire. Holding [Y] while fixed to a grapple point will maintain the connection, allowing you to perform various actions. Fire at a grapple point in Free Aim mode to auto-activate this beam."
Metroid: Samus Returns Strategy Guide
- The Armory (p. 11)
- "This weapon isn't much of a weapon at all, but it does make for a clever utility device. It can hook onto certain Blocks to move or destroy them, and Samus can also anchor onto specific ceiling Blocks to swing to previously unreachable places. Add to that its efficiency in pulling wall- and ceiling-dwelling enemies from their perches, and Samus has got herself a top-tier tool to find and defeat every Metroid on this planet."
- Walthrough (p. 90)
- "The Grapple Beam is more utility than weapon, though it can definitely be used as a weapon. It allows you to grab on to the red-light-adorned Pull Blocks and pull, or destroy, them. The Grapple Beam works at its full potential, however, when used on the blue-light Blocks, known as grapple points, usually found in room ceilings. Hooking onto a blue-light Block causes you to swing back and forth while grappled. Use Left and Right on the Circle Pad to increase swing speed, and use Up and Down to raise and lower yourself from the ceiling. You can also grapple onto grapple points horizontally, should the oppurtunity present itself. This causes you to be pulled quickly toward the grapple point, usually between lines of spikes and other hazards.
- Equip the Grapple Beam by tapping the icon on the bottom-right corner of the touchscreen. The Grapple Beam is used automatically if you target a grapple point or Pull Block while using Free Aim. The target laser turns blue when you're targeting a grapple point, even if it's off-screen. This is a sign that the Grapple Beam will be used if you fire your weapon."
Glitch
In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, there is an interesting glitch involving the Grapple Beam. To perform the glitch, Samus must go to the Vault Attack Portal in the Ing Hive. The portal behind Samus must be active, and then Samus can grapple onto one of the points, but before leaving the ground, quickly move back into the portal. When Samus emerges from Dark Aether, she will be holding up her left arm with the blue aura and sound that usually accompanies the Grapple Beam, even though it is not grappling onto anything. When Screw Attacking and in Morph Ball the aura will still be there. Sometimes the arm might disappear, but the Grapple Beam sound still plays.
This glitch can also be performed on the multiplayer stage Shooting Gallery. Samus must destroy the grating covering the dark water and fall in it. Just as she is about to die she must grapple onto the point above her. When she respawns, she will be holding her arm up again.
Trivia
- While it appears in most 3D Metroid games, Super Metroid and Samus Returns are the only 2D Metroid games in which the Grappling Beam is used. These are also the only two games in which the standard Grappling Beam can be used offensively.
- In the Super Smash Bros. series, the Arm Cannon's Grapple Beam is used as in Super Metroid. This was not changed even in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, despite the Metroid Prime series moving the Grapple to the other arm. This is likely due to the fact that Super Smash Bros. primarily models Samus after the main Metroid series instead of the Prime subseries.
- An early version of Metroid Fusion had the Grappling Beam as a second Arm Cannon, with the normal cannon moved to the left hand. The Grappling Beam's cannon had claws at the end of the barrel and the beam homed onto the enemy. [3]
- Derek Bonikowski researched, animated and tested the Grapple Beam in the Prime series.
- Metroid Prime uses a green variant of the Grappling Beam called the Snare Beam, which possesses a vacuum-like effect.
- In Echoes, the Grapple Beam takes on different appearances. When Samus has the Dark Suit, the Grapple Beam will be a white device attached to her arm with two bases. When Samus has the Light Suit, a small coil runs along the back of her arm. If Samus skips the Dark Suit and obtains the Grapple Beam, the model will be reused from Prime.
- Despite the Grapple Beam being said to be one of the items stolen by the Ing at the beginning of Echoes, Samus technically never had the item, as shown if the item loss scene is skipped using a sequence break. The same is true for Power Bombs as well.
- In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, this upgrade is one of three that the Luminoth Sub-sentinels never mention or give hints to in-game, the others being the Screw Attack and the Boost Ball.
- Although Samus' Grapple Beam is blue in all other games, it is yellow in Metroid: Other M.
- The first time Samus' Grapple Beam uses a different color besides blue is first introduced in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. The Grapple Lasso will turn yellow if Samus grabs and pulls an enemy or object. The Grapple Voltage is purple, but turns red when Samus powers terminals or overloads enemies, while it turns blue when drawing power from terminals or enemies.
- In Other M, Samus cannot move around while swinging unlike in the Prime series. Instead, she swings back and forth in a fixed position, like in Super Metroid. She also cannot stop swinging and simply hang off the Grapple Point, except in one instance in the Biosphere where one lifts her up to a small crate holding a Missile Tank.
- For some reason, the Grapple Beam attachment on Samus' arm is almost never seen in the cutscenes of Metroid Prime; the only instance it does appear is actually in the scene where she acquires the upgrade. However, it is visible on her arm in the game's Samus Screen.
- PAL and NTSC versions of Metroid Prime on Gamecube feature different Grapple Beam acquisition cutscenes. The animation for picking up a Chozo Artifact was used in the NTSC version, whilst PAL and later Wii versions, use an exclusive animation.
Gallery
 The Grapple Beam in its item form, Metroid Prime.  Firing the Grapple Beam in Metroid Prime.   The Grapple Beam in its item form, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.  The Grapple Beam in Echoes.  The Grapple Beam acquired with the Varia Suit through Sequence Breaking, in Echoes.  Metroid Prime 2: Echoes  The Grapple Swing in its item form.  Samus obtains the Grapple Swing.  The Grapple Beam becomes purple after Samus gets the Grapple Voltage.  Scan images for the Grapple category of the Inventory.  Grapple Beam in Metroid Prime Trilogy loading sequence.  Artwork of the Grappling Beam in Super Metroid.  Metroid: Other M  Samus fires the Grapple Beam into the Queen Metroid's mouth.  Only on this Grapple Point in Metroid: Other M does Samus simply hang off of it.  Grapple Beam icon shown in Other M when examining a Grapple Point.  The Grapple Beam as seen in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.  The Grapple Beam in Nintendo Land.  Samus using the Grapple Beam on a Pull Block in Area 3  Samus using the Grapple Beam on a Zeta Metroid  Samus using the Grapple Beam on the Queen Metroid  Super Smash Bros. Ultimate |
References
- ^ Hint System: Missing gear detected. Chozo origin confirmed. Recover missing gear.Retro Studios. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. Nintendo. English. August 24, 2009.
- ^ https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/905822985386385408
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojaNBuEeJt4
| Power Suit movement systems | |
|---|---|
| Thrusters | Screw Attack • Gravity Boost • Speed Booster • SenseMove |
| Boots | High Jump Boots • Space Jump • Jump Boots • Space Jump Boots • Spin Boost |
| Morph Ball | Spring Ball • Spider Ball • Boost Ball |
| Arm Cannon | Grapple Beam • Spider Magnet |
| Grapple systems |
|---|
| Grapple Point • Ship Grapple Point Grapple Beam • Grapple Swing • Grapple Lasso • Grapple Voltage • Hyper Grapple Ship Grapple Beam |
| Beams | |
|---|---|
| Armaments | Arm Cannon • Paralyzer |
| Weapons | Power Beam • Wave Beam • Ice Beam • Plasma Beam • Grapple Beam Hyper Beam: (MD/MP3/SM) • Phazon Beam • Dark Beam • Light Beam Annihilator Beam • Nova Beam • Zero Laser |
| Enhancements | Beam Burst • Charge Beam • Diffusion Beam • Long Beam • Phazon bullets • Spazer Beam • Tractor beam • Wide Beam • Omega Cannon (Dread) |
| Affinity Weapons | Volt Driver • Battlehammer • Magmaul • Shock Coil • Judicator • Imperialist • Omega Cannon (Hunters) • Electro Lob |