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Grapple Beam
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The Grapple Beam is a useful upgrade in the Metroid series. It allows Samus to swing across gaps and can also perform other tasks. She can only use it on set points throughout each of the game it appears in. These points are called Grapple Points. The Grapple Beam in Super Metroid, Metroid: Other M, and the Super Smash Bros. the Grapple Beam is a beam released from Samus's Arm Cannon. In the Prime series, however, the Grapple Beam is an attachment to Samus's rarely used left arm.
Super Metroid
The Grapple Beam was first featured in Super Metroid. It is able to be obtained after defeating Crocomire. It is used to swing across Grapple Blocks and can defeat small enemies and open doors. It can be used to quickly and easily defeat the boss Draygon.
Metroid Prime
In the first Metroid Prime, the Grapple Beam is again used to swing across gaps and lava. After being lost at the explosion on Frigate Orpheon, it can be found again in Phazon Mines after solving a Spider Ball puzzle while fending off Metroids. Once the upgrade is obtained, a small cannon-like periphery is attached to Samus's left arm. It fires much slower than Super Metroid's and other games' Grapple Beam. Samus can grapple onto Gliders, humble bioforms with a magnetic underside.
Echoes
The Grapple Beam in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is identical to Prime's Beam. It is obtained upon defeating the Grapple Guardian in Torvus Bog. The visual appearance of the Grapple Beam is identical to the one in Metroid Prime
There is an interesting glitch in Echoes that allows the Grapple Beam to be held indefinitely and pointed towards other objects and enemies. It is, however, a cosmetic glitch that causes no apparent harm, nor does it enhance gameplay.
Corruption
In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption the Grapple Beam received a set of upgrades of its own. These include the Grapple Lasso, Grapple Swing, Ship Grapple Beam, Grapple Voltage, and Hyper Grapple. All Grapple upgrades are used in conjunction with a special attachment to the left hand of Samus's Power Suit that constantly glows green around its openings. The color of the beam shot out is variable depending on the type. Yellow for Grapple Lasso, light-blue for Grapple Swing, gray for Ship Grapple Beam, purple for Grapple Voltage (red when releasing energy, blue when absorbing energy), and Phazon-colored for Hyper Grapple. All Grapple upgrades, however, have a static-like, electric look. Samus is able to hold onto the beams, probably because of her left hand's attachment.
Grapple Lasso
- Main article: Grapple Lasso
The Grapple Lasso is the first Grapple Beam upgrade obtained. It is obtained almost immediately after landing on Norion. It allows Samus to rip apart enemies and structurally unsound objects that shimmer yellow. Many enemies and bosses, such as Gragnol Adults or Omega Ridley, can be damaged or stunned with the help of the Grapple Lasso. Usually, it's usage entitles revealing weak points in structures or creatures to shoot and destroy.
Grapple Swing
The Grapple Swing is the familiar version of the Grapple Beam, functioning nearly identically to previous versions of the Grapple Beam. It allows Samus to swing across great distances with the use of special Grapple Points. This Grapple upgrade is obtained shortly after landing on Bryyo, after Samus fends off a group of Reptilicus. It is necessary to pass various places and reach many expansions. Unlike every other appearance, Samus can (and must at certain points) shoot while aboard a Grapple Swing. Also unlike other appearances, Samus can be stationary while using the Grapple Swing by grappling certain objects, such as SkyTown's Zipline system.
Ship Grapple Beam
- Main article: Ship Grapple Beam
The Ship Grapple Beam is used to pick up large objects. It is a ship upgrade that allows Samus's ship to carry objects at her command using the Command Visor. Command Visor interface allows Samus to see whether or not Samus's ship has an object and what object it is holding. This upgrade is important in assembling the Theronian Bomb to destroy Elysia's Leviathan's shield.
Grapple Voltage
- Main article: Grapple Voltage
Upon defeating Gandrayda on Space Pirate Homeworld, Samus grabs the Grapple Voltage upgrade that Gandrayda drops. This upgrade can be used to either funnel in or exert energy through a Grapple Beam "string". Both can destroy enemies, by either removing any energy they require to live or by overloading them. It can also be used on certain terminals that either require energy to power up or are energized and need to be shut down. As Samus removes energy from targets, her energy fills up while releasing energy causes it to go down. Notably, Samus's energy can be exerted far quicker than it can be drawn in.
Hyper Grapple
- Main article: Hyper Grapple
The Hyper Grapple functions as a stronger, Phazon-powered version of the Grapple Voltage. Samus uses the Phazon within her to power this powerful Grapple Beam. It allows Samus to exert and funnel Phazon from enemies and Phazon-based structures. This Hypermode addition is acquired after defeating the Phazon-infused behemoth, Omaga Ridley in Space Pirate Homeworld's Leviathan. The Hyper Grapple is necessary to advance to a portal between Space Pirate Homeworld and the Leviathan capable of opening wormholes to the planet Phaaze.
The Hyper Grapple becomes useful as Samus enters Phaaze. On Phaaze, Samus must keep the levels of Phazon in her body low, an easy way of achieving this is relieving her Phazon energy onto creatures using the Hyper Grapple. This is notably useful against the Phaaze-common and grapplable Phaz-Ings.
Other M
The beam is, once again, obtained in Metroid: Other M. It is quickly authorized as Adam, through Samus's visor, and Samus notice a Grapple Point leading to where a Rhodegian held Anthony over a pool of lava in Sector 3 (Pyrosphere). Samus uses the Grapple Beam to knock Anthony off the Rhodegian's appendages.
The Grapple Beam also plays an important part in defeating Vorash. Before the Vorash battle, Vorash attempts to eat a falling Grapple Point. The Grapple Point was, however, too large for Vorash to swallow and it stays lodged in its throat. Samus uses this to her advantage, Grappling its mouth and pulling him onto a platform to keep his stomach vulnerable as much as possible.
Super Smash Bros. series
In the Super Smash Bros. series, Samus can use the Grapple Beam, seeming very similar in appearance to its Super Metroid appearance. The Grapple Beam in Super Smash Bros. can be used to simply harm an opponent if Samus uses it while airborne (not in the original Super Smash Bros.) or she can use it to grab opponents while she is on the ground. The Grapple Beam is much slower here than most appearances due to it's long range grab nature. Additionally, it can be used as a tether, allowing Samus to grab on to a ledge in midair. Zero Suit Samus has a similar ability as the Grapple Beam known as the Plasma Wire.
