Power Grip

The Power Grip is an item received in Metroid: Zero Mission that enables Samus to grab onto ledges with her left arm. While holding onto a ledge, Samus can either pull herself up, aim and shoot or jump from one ledge to another. If the Morph Ball has been acquired, Samus can pull herself into tight spaces by automatically shifting into ball form as she enters them. In all other games of the Metroid series, Samus either cannot grab ledges or has the ability to do so by default.

Properties[]

In Metroid Fusion, the Power Grip ability is not featured as a collectible power-up; Samus can freely grab ledges and ladders while in the Fusion Suit. The same applies to the Zero Suit in Metroid: Zero Mission. Strangely in Fusion, Samus can aim and shoot while grabbed onto ladders but not when hanging from a ledge as her sprite animation shows that Samus uses both her arms when holding onto a platform (contrary to her official artwork on the right). Even more strangely, Samus is capable of firing off Charge Beam shots directly in front of her while grabbing onto a ledge, but not normal shots. Because of her position facing the wall, Samus will only fire off the top-most portion of a Charge Beam shot while the rest of the Beam hits the wall she is gripping on. The Wave Beam however, proves most useful as the entirety of a Charge Beam shot is capable of passing through the wall she is gripping on. This allows Samus to hit or destroy an enemy positioned on the ground above her before she climbs up, or to hit enemies on a similar elevational level.

The above properties during a ledge grip appear to be somewhat the opposite in Metroid: Zero Mission. Ironically, although Samus is able to aim her weapon while gripping, she cannot aim directly in front of the ledge she is facing on. She is also unable to fire a Charge Beam shot directly in front of her. Unlike Fusion, Samus grips onto a ledge using only her left hand.

Although the Power Grip item is not included in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, there are certain green magnetic ledges which allow Samus to pull herself onto platforms (in different ways) and into tight spaces; the latter will automatically shift Samus into ball form just as in 2D games.

Zeropowergrip — The Power Grip item in *Zero Mission*

In Metroid: Other M, Metroid: Samus Returns and Metroid Dread, Samus can grab ledges without the item like in Fusion, and is now capable of firing from ledges like in Zero Mission. In Other M, Samus can use different Grab Ledges which are attached to walls to pull herself up. Additionally, if Samus falls off or does not manage to land on a ledge, she can grab the ledge and pull herself up, without the need for a Grab Ledge.

In Samus Returns and Dread, Samus has many defensive options while holding onto a ledge. She can use Free Aim while holding onto a ledge, allowing her to aim in almost any direction, including at enemies on the ledge she is grabbing. This is limited to a 270° arc in Samus Returns, but 360° aiming is possible in Dread. In addition to firing Beams and Missiles from her Arm Cannon, Samus can Melee Counter while holding onto a ledge, allowing her to parry attacks.

In Dread, Samus can perform a Quick Rise by pressing the jump button immediately after grabbing a ledge, causing her to quickly climb up and jump. A similar action can be performed in Samus Returns, but requires much more precise jump timing.

Official data[]

Metroid Fusion manual[]

HANGING FROM LEDGES: "Jump toward ledges to reach out and grab them. Some are harder to reach than others, but don't give up!"

Metroid: Zero Mission Manual[]

Hang from Ledges

Power Grip

"Face a ledge and jump toward it to grab and hang from the ledge. Some are harder to reach than others, but keep jumping!"

Power Grip

"This upgrade gives Samus the strength to grab onto and hang from ledges after jumping toward them."

Metroid: Zero Mission: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide[]

Power Grip: "In your search for the Ice Beam, you'll stumble upon the Power Grip, an upgrade that will allow you to grab on to ledges and sliding mechanisms on ceilings. While you're hanging from a ledge, you'll be able to fire your beam in five directions. To climb up from a ledge, press Up or push toward the ledge and press the A Button."

Samus Screen data[]

"Grab and hang from ledges and corners."

Nintendo of America tweet[]

"Samus can wall jump for extra elevation. New to #Metroid: Samus Returns, she can hang from ledges and pull herself up from them as well."^[1]

Metroid.nintendo.com[]

LEDGE GRAB: "Hang off the side of a ledge and climb up. While hanging, Samus can fire her Arm Cannon and Missile attacks, use Free Aim, and Melee Counter."

Metroid Dread loading screen tip[]

POWER GRIP: When jumping or falling, tilt toward a nearby ledge to grab on to it.

In other games[]

Samus first demonstrated this ability in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee before the mechanic was introduced to the main series in Metroid Fusion and made into an upgrade in Metroid: Zero Mission. Super Smash Bros. Brawl continues this tradition with all of the characters. This makes it one of a few aspects that originated in Super Smash Bros. and later appeared in Metroid. Other examples include the Prime-style Space Jump Boots and the Paralyzer's name.
Samus was intended to appear in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga at Starbeans Cafe with other Nintendo characters. Dialog remains in the game's code- "Cashier: Whoa! A power outage? Yikes! Samus Aran! I see you're rocking and rolling as usual! ...Looks like your energy tanks are empty! Sorry, but can't you give your Hoolumbian to Samus? Oh! Feeling better?" She would then give the player an Energy Tank in exchange for the drink. Ultimately, most of the items were replaced with similar ones in the final game, though the Energy Tank became a Power Grip accessory. This item was removed from the game's remake Mario & Luigi: SuperStar Saga + Bowser's Minions and replaced with the Secret Specs.
- "By holding the Hammer button while defending (when a character has the Power Grip equipped), that character will never drop the Hammer, making countering enemies easier."

Trivia[]

Power Grip Deceit Du Jour — In *Deceit Du Jour*, Samus is seen grabbing a ledge, the earliest known depiction of the Power Grip.

While Metroid Fusion is the first game to feature the Power Grip, Metroid: Zero Mission is the first and only game to contain the item as a power-up.
The Debug Menu in Zero Mission refers to it as the Kado.^[2] A debug list of events also lists obtaining the item as "POWERHANGGET", meaning "Power Hang" is an alternate name for the Power Grip.
The Chozo Statue holding the Power Grip in Zero Mission has a unique Chozo warrior design seen only in that particular temple of the Chozo Ruins.
The Power Grip, despite being collected in Zero Mission, is missing as an ability in the Metroid Prime series which takes place between Zero Mission and Samus Returns (aside from Grab Ledges). However, missing items is a constant inconsistency present throughout the Metroid series. Super Metroid, in particular, is currently the only game that offers no explanation for the disappearance of every single power-up she had previously collected.
- It is possible that like the Long Beam, the Power Grip may have become permanently integrated into Samus' Power Suit, thus explaining how she uses it in Samus Returns and Other M despite it not appearing in Samus' inventory. Its absence in other games is unexplained, though presumably it is simply due to game mechanics or the nature of the terrain Samus encounters. This is further supported by the loading screens in Metroid Dread, which call her ability to climb ledges the Power Grip.