Super Smash Brothers Brawl Spring Guide by TwilightPhoenix -------------------------------- Table of Contents -------------------------------- 1. The Purpose of the Guide 2. Types of Springs 3. Things Everyone Can Do 4. Notable Spring Techniques for each Character 5. Items 6. FAQ 7. Contact Info 8. Copyrights -------------------------------------------- The Purpose of the Guide -------------------------------------------- SPOILER WARNING! THIS GUIDE IS FULL OF THEM! Granted, who doesn't know all of this game's spoilers yet? The point of this guide is to reveal some nifty tricks I discovered involving springs in this game while I was messing around. I noticed I could cancel moves upon landing on a spring, immediately allowing me to use a new one. With some moves, this caused some weird things to happen. I investigated in training mode with some springs and found they could do some interesting things with certain moves, some useful, some just weird. This guide will cover all of what I've found so far, much of which is rather situational in this game, but can be fun or ridiculous. People who play more casually will probably get more usage out of this guide than those who play without items and/or on certain stages only, simply because springs are rare on stages and having items off, well, practically guarantees you won't see one (unless Dedede's capsule makes one show up). What's the point to all these tricks? Weirdness, mind games, controlling when you go high from a spring, spamming otherwise unspammable projectiles, glitching your bounce height, and several other tricks. A lot of this is mostly for fun, but every character can get some good combat use out of a spring in certain situations, such as spiking a player into a spring, forcing them to bounce back up where you can spike them into the spring again, and repeat. -------------------------------------------- Types of Springs -------------------------------------------- In Brawl, there are three types of springs: stage springs, which are a part of the stage, springs, which are throwable items, and Sonic's spring, which appears when he uses Spring Jump and, if he does it from the ground, stays for a few seconds, allowing others to use it. All three have slightly different properties, allowing you to do the same tricks but changes the timing. The item and Sonic's spring can be walked/fallen through, making it harder to do some of the below moves on them. In contrast, stage springs cannot be passed through, making them much easier, but also non-portable. Spring items can also bounce, which can change timing, and fall on their side, which makes them useless for any of the tricks. Note: stage springs can only be found in Pictochat, the Subspace Emissary, and custom stages. -------------------------------------------- Things Everyone Can Do -------------------------------------------- All the characters in the game can take advantage of the spring. When a player lands on a spring, whatever they were doing is instantly cancelled by their bounce, ending the animation. This can be both good or bad, depending on what you were doing. The downsides to this is longer animating aerial attacks and moves being charged up get cancelled, making them do nothing. However, attacks that can do their damage much sooner can be cancelled off a spring, allowing an immediate follow-up attack This is especially useful for attacks with long animations, like neutral aerial attacks, or long delays after executing. Additionally, springs refresh jump counts, allowing you to get a new mid-air and recovery special attack. Knocking players into the spring can set up some interesting combos. Depending on the spring's location, it can be possible to repeatedly spike a player into a spring. Otherwise, knocking them down into one can set them up for an unusual aerial combo. I'm still experimenting with possible combos, but I've only found a couple. Of course, some characters can make better usage of the springs than others... -------------------------------------------- Notable Spring Techniques for each Character -------------------------------------------- Almost every character has some tricks they can do off of springs that are worth pointing out among their other moves either for sheer usefulness, sheer weirdness, or, most frequently, a combination of the two. Do note that these are easiest to do with stage springs in many cases, as you cannot fall through them and they're the widest. In contrast, the Spring item is the hardest, as it's easy to fall through with some of the spammable moves and tiny. However, if you adjust your timing slightly, everything should be possible on all the springs. ===Mario=== Cape - The Cape can be used to cancel Mario's vertical ascent a little ways up. Mostly useful for tricking an opponent, as this doesn't seem spammable right on top of the spring. Fireball - If you throw a Fireball close enough to the spring, you can throw another one again right afterwards, allowing for double projectiles. Since Fireballs fall with gravity, this can be fairly useful for hitting opponents on the ground while being vertically evasive. Why is this notable? Not all characters with projectiles can double shoot. ===Luigi=== Fireball - As with his brother, Luigi can double throw Fireballs. His travel straight, however, making them a little less useful. Green Missile - This can be spammed right on top of a spring endlessly. Green Missile will get cancelled before Luigi can damage anything. This makes this useless as an actual attack, but is pretty weird to see. Also, this move, like any other that cancels momentum, can be used for mind games and control when you bounce high off the spring. For example, you can trick someone into approach you and then, when they get close, hit them with an aerial move while going too high to be counter attacked right away. ===Peach=== Poor Peach, she doesn't have any notable tricks she can do off the spring. Just the standard fare everyone else can. ===Bowser=== Bowser Bomb - Bowser can spam this over a spring without any landing lag, allowing him to pop up and do it again. It can be done very close to a spring, but it won't cause any damage, though it will if you let him get some elevation. Flying Slam - Will get cancelled and do no damage if you land on a spring. If someone tried to use Flying Slam on you, try to force them onto a spring if one is available. ===Donkey Kong=== Giant Punch - If you hit a spring before the move completes, you'll waste any charge you had! Headbutt - This move cancels all momentum when used, allowing it to quickly be spammed on top of a spring. In Training mode, I trapped the opponent with it on the spring and spammed them 42% damage before they escaped. This will be a bit weaker in actual play since Training doesn't cause move spam to do diminished damage, but it can still rack of damage if you trap them in the ground. Or, if your spring is near an edge, it lets you ledge guard by spamming spike attacks, which will probably be fatal if you hit a foe with it. ===Diddy Kong=== Peanut Popgun - If you fire close enough to a spring, you can fire a second shot more quickly. Note landing on a spring will cancel a charge if you're building one. Monkey Flip - Grabbed opponents will be freed with zero damage if you land on a spring while grabbing their head. ===Yoshi=== Egg Throw - Yoshi can throw a second egg faster if you time throws with spring landings right. Yoshi Bomb - Like the Bowser Bomb, Yoshi can spam this right on top of a spring. Also like Bowser, if you spam it repeatedly too close to the spring, it won't cause any damage. ===Wario=== Chomp - If you land on a spring, the chomped opponent will be freed. Wario Bike - If you land on a spring, Wario will fall off the bike and it'll drop in place. Wario Waft - If you use it and bounce of a spring before it "fires", you'll waste your gas! ===Link=== Hero's Bow/Gale Boomerang - You can double shoot/throw these moves depending on your timing with spring bounces. You can use both together or two bow shots. However, you still can't have two boomerangs. Note landing on a spring charging the Hero's Bow will make you loose it. ===Zelda=== Nayru's Love - As this move cancels momentum, Zelda can spam this on top of a spring very rapidly. On stage springs where you can't fall through them, this can effectively make her immune to projectiles. It also does part of the damaging aura around it before getting cancelled by the spring. With that, you can spam it quickly and pseudo-trap a foe, almost like a rapid combo attack, but not quite. Din's Fire - This move can be nuts with a spring! Din's fire also cancels momentum, so it can be spammed. When Zelda lands on a spring, she can fire another shot and the previous one will continue to exist and still explode! You can only control the most recent Din's fire and only until you bounce again. The rest will more or less go straight, depending on what directional influence you give it, and explode at a seemingly random distance. Unlike Nayru's Love, this can be performed on any spring without falling through, allowing for some high powered, albeit somewhat random projectile spam. Transform - Notable only because a spring CANNOT cancel this move. The only other moves in the game with this property are Shiek's transform and, unless I missed something, Final Smashes. ===Shiek=== Down-aerial - Like everyone else with a dropping down aerial, Shiek can spam hers on top of a spring. Works best if you get some height before using it, as being too close to the spring gives the damage portion of the move a very tiny window to do anything. Needle Storm - Landing on the spring in mid-charge/throw will cause you to loose your charge. Transform - Exactly like Zelda's. ===Gannondorf=== Flame Choke - If you grab an opponent out of the air and then land on a spring, they'll go free. They'll still take 4% damage, however. Wizard Foot - This move has an interesting effect with springs. First, yes, it can be spammed onto a spring since it's a momentum killer. However, what makes it notable is it can be used to gain double spring height! I've only been able to consistently do this with stage springs, Sonic's spring doesn't seem to work (my timing might be off though). If you execute this right when you bounce, Gannondorf will instead flip in mid-air and go twice as high. Great for escapes, mind games, chasing Pit into the air, escaping Lucario's Final Smash, or what have you. Only Gannondorf and R.O.B. can get boosted spring height, as far as I've seen, and only Gannondorf can do it without being locked into an animation. Combo - You can pull someone down with you onto a spring with Wizard's Foot. They'll hit the spring a little before you, putting them in a perfect spot once you both bounce to be followed-up with an up-aerial attack. ===Toon Link=== Down-aerial - Like Shiek, it can be spammed on a spring. It has a greater window for damage than Shiek's, so you can still hurt people by staying as close as possible to the spring. Hero's Bow/Boomerang - Can be double used in the exact same style as Link. Either together or two bow shots. Note landing on a spring will cancel your charge for the Hero's Bow. Combo - A tricky one is to repeatedly spike a foe with your down-aerial into a spring. At the right height, you spike them, you bounce off of them, they bounce up back up, you spike again, rinse and repeat. Higher elevation gives more leeway for error, but also makes it easier to escape. ===Samus=== Charge Shot/Missile - These can be double shot together. Regular, homing missiles can be fired closer together than Super Missiles, but you can do both. Note if you land before your Charge Shot is finished, you'll loose your charge. So, if you want to double fire that, either do it uncharged or fire it second! Bomb - Can kind of be spammed on a spring, since it cancels momentum. The spring will cause you to ignore the bomb blasts yourself, allowing you to drop them without pause. However, you do seem to eventually get popped upwards, though my timing may just be off. ===Zero Suit Samus=== Down-aerial - Can be spammed like Shiek's, and needs to be used similarly to be effective. Paralyzer - Can be double-shot with the right timing. Note that the spring will cancel a charge-up if you land on one. ===Pit=== Palutena's Arrow - Can be double fired, though is hard to do due to Pit's fairly high fire speed. Unlike other controllable projectiles, ALL of Pit's arrows can be controlled. ===Ice Climbers=== Desyncing the Ice Climbers and doing spring tricks can result in interesting moves. Down-aerial - Cancels momentum, so it can be spammed. It enters the damage portion of the animation quickly, so it can be done from any height and inflict damage. Ice Shot - Can be double fired. By both. And in two directions if they're facing different directions. Squall Hammer - Can be spammed, but it is exceedingly difficult, especially with a tiny spring. Multiple springs make it easier, however. Belay - Notable because the behavior can be weird sometimes with springs, throwing Popo in odd directions. Usually this tends to go backwards and down, but I've also gotten stuck drifting sideways, upwards, and so forth. Once I even got locked into a drift until I went off the stage and died, with Nana chasing after me. ===R.O.B.=== Down-aerial: Can be spammed really close to the spring, but will be cancelled before it can do damage. Winds up simply looking weird and amusing. Robo Beam/Gyro - Can be double shot, but only if both are charged. Also, if you land on the spring in mid-animation, you'll get canceled and loose the charge. Arm Rotor - Notable because it gives you extra spring height when used right as you bounce. Not nearly as much as Gannondorf and you do get locked in the move briefly, but can be useful when you need more height. ===Kirby=== Final Cutter - Due to the lack of landing lag, you can spam it rather quickly on a spring, making a nice, vertical, up/down attack. It doesn't create the projectile, however. Hammer - Cancels upwards momentum and can be done repeatedly on a spring, but is hard to do and won't cause damage. You can come off a spring at a low height with the first swing, however, and surprise an opponent. Stone - The spring will break you out stone form instantly without any animation. Additionally, Stone cancels momentum, so you can spam it on a spring as well and enjoy rapid fire, albeit brief, periods of invincibility. ===Meta Knight=== Mach Tornado - Can be spammed endlessly on a spring, but it is hard to do. Additionally, there will be a pause in it where Meta Knight stops due to landing on the spring. Done well, it can trap an opponent at least for a little bit. Drill Rush - Can be spammed close to the spring, but gets cancelled before it can do damage. Like other non-damaging spam moves, its best use is for mind games and controlling when you spring up. Dimensional Cape - Can be spammed straight down into the spring. On contact with the spring, Meta Knight's invincibility and invisibility breaks instantly, letting you do it again. And, because you still gain some height, you can go in any other direction at any time to fool or attack opponents. Note if you hit the spring, you can't attack. You can go diagonally and hit someone near the spring. ===King Dedede=== Waddle Dee Toss - Like many other projectile moves, it can be double thrown. Though, it's tough due to the longer animation. Interesting to note, if you pull out the minion but don't throw before you land on the spring, Dedede will drop the minion. On a stage spring, they won't walk off of it sometimes, which can allow a Waddle Do to guard a spring for you. Super Dedede Jump - Can more or less spam it on a spring, due the lack of landing lag, though it won't have the hit pound. You could do this on a spring repeatedly and then suddenly go one way or another, but, since it's slow, not sure if you'll surprise anyone... unless you land on a higher platform fairly quickly. ===Olimar=== Pikmin Throw - Can be thrown in quick succession, though the window is small since this is a rather fast animating projectile to begin with. Pikmin Chain - Can be spammed close to the spring, letting you pelt players from diagonally above. It'll also quickly change the order of your Pikmin in the same way Pikmin Order does, albeit slower. ===Fox=== Blaster - Notable only because the spring can actually make the rate of fire pause if you land at the wrong moment, unlike every other spammable projectile with springs. Fox Illusion - Can be spammed on a spring, but it extremely hard to do and won't do any damage. You're likely to wind up missing a beat and shoot off in the direction you're facing. Good if you want the randomness, bad otherwise. Reflector - You can spam it on a spring, but the spring interrupts it. Good for controlling when you launch, but bad for reflecting. You could use it offensively on a spring, however... Fire Fox - You can spam it down into the spring without the landing lag, but... it's really slow. ===Falco=== Reflector - It can be double tossed with a spring, allowing you to trip up someone twice or reflect a pair of projectiles. Good for countering someone trying to shoot you off a spring. Falco Phantasm - Similar in every way to Fox Illusion when it comes to springs. Fire Bird - Also similar to Fire Fox in every way for springs. ===Wolf=== Blaster - Unlike the other Starfox characters, the spring will allow you to fire off two shots in quick succession. Or potentially melee someone with the blade on it twice. Wolf Flash - Similar to Fox Illusion and Falco Phantasm, except it's even HARDER to do on a spring. Fire Wolf - Can be spammed down into the spring repeatedly. Much better than Fire Fox/Bird, since it's faster and can also be better used for mind games, such as suddenly going in a different direction. ===Captain Falcon=== Falcon Kick - Like Gannodorf with Wizard's Foot, Captain Falcon can spam his kick down into the spring. Unlike Gannodorf, he cannot double his height with this move, though he will flip in mid-air if you execute Falcon Kick right when you bounce. I suppose that could confuse an opponent watching you closely. ===Pikachu=== Thunder Jolt - You can double-shoot it quickly with a spring. Depending on your timing and spring location, that could be two balls, two slinkies, or both. Quick Attack - You can quickly spam it down onto the spring endlessly, allowing you to suddenly move in a different direction to surprise an opponent. Tough to do, however, since Quick Attack is fast. Skull Bash - Can be spammed close to the spring, but won't cause any damage. Additionally, the spring will cancel a Skull Bash that's charging. Can be used for mind games, however. Thunder - Pikachu can cause some serious vertical pain. With the right timing, Pikachu can use Thunder twice, causing two bolts to fall from the sky almost simultaneously. If you jump onto the spring or off, you can have the two bolts land close together inside of side by side. ... I wonder if Thunderspamming on Wifi is about to get worse? ===Squirtle=== The little turtle doesn't have anything I can find out of the ordinary that works well with springs. Just multiple areas like everyone else. ===Ivysaur=== Up-aerial - You can spam this to juggle a foe in the air above the spring. You'll get thrown down into the spring quite quickly, though the attack will be a little ways above it. This will more or less create an impassable cloud of pollen. Down-aerial - Also, spammable, but slower since Ivysaur's mid-air flip causes it to quit falling briefly. It's still much faster than using it normally. Razorleaf - With the right timing, you can throw two close together. Vine Whip - Can be spammed like Pikmin Chain. Except, it's faster. ===Charizard=== Nothing to note here either. The spring doesn't even make you drop Rock Smash's boulder, just makes it vanish. ===Lucario=== Down-aerial - Can be spammed right on top of the spring. And, it works like it normally does, full damage and everything, allowing you to rack up some damage if you can get someone right on the spring as well as letting you bounce as you please. Aura Sphere - Can be thrown twice in quick succession, though a fully charged one sends him backwards, making it difficult. Also, if the sphere isn't charged all the way, a spring will kill the charge if you land on one while charing. Or if you throw too close to the spring. Double Team - Can be spammed on the spring, letting you do lots of counter attacks. Only problem is, if you're too close to the spring, the actual counter attack will get cancelled. ===Jigglypuff=== Pound - Cancels height mainly and can be spammed on the spring with some effort. Repeatedly pounding on a spring can be a mind game and surprise an opponent when you come off with the attack at the exact same elevation. ===Marth=== Dancing Blade - Can be spammed on the springs without any ending lag. However, landing on the spring resets wherever you were at in the move, forcing you to start over. This can make spamming Dancing Blade with springs tricky, but done well makes it nearly impossible for a foe to approach you from in front without projectiles. Counter - Marth can also rapidly spam counter on a spring. As far as I've seen, you cannot grab players off a springs, Flame Choke, Inhale, Flying Slam, Monkey Flip, and Chomp aside. Consequently, to dislodge you off the spring, the opponent will be forced to attack you more directly and risk being countered. Marth suffers vulnerability during the bounce, but is also able to counter half the time or more while doing this. Finally, Marth's counter swing is fast enough to strike before being cancelled by a bounce. Shield Breaker - Springs will cancel the charge. ===Ike=== Aether - Like Kirby's Final Cutter, this can be spammed on a spring without the landing lag, making a sort of vertical wall. Ike also won't flinch from some attacks while performing Aether, so countering it can be tricky for some characters. Counter - Exactly like Marth's, except much less effective since Ike takes longer to be in counter-mode and he swings slower, forcing you to be higher off the spring lest your swing get cancelled. Eruption - Springs will cancel the charge up of this move. Quick Draw - Springs will cancel the charge up of this move as well. It's also oddly unspammable on a spring, as far as I can tell. ===Ness=== PK Fire - Can be double shot. Fairly useful in the fact that it goes at a downward angle, so it's easier to aim at one particular spot. Psi Magnet - It can be spammed on the spring. Useful mostly for mind games or controlling spring bounce, as there's no advantage to spamming it over holding it. Except maybe gently pushing someone off a spring? PK Thunder - It can be spammed, but landing on the spring will end the attack and make the bolt vanish. A shame, really, as spraying a bunch of thunderbolts in every direction would be pretty cool. PK Flash - Can also be spammed, but the projectile also vanishes on bounce, just like PK Thunder. Now this one could have been really awesome, but sadly it doesn't work. ===Lucas=== PK Fire - Since Lucas gets pushed back by his PK Fire, double shooting it is a major challenge, but possible. Psi Magnet - Can be spammed like Ness, but the damage portion won't go off if you bounce, making it about as useful as Ness' on the spring. PK Thunder - Works exactly like Ness'. PK Freeze - Also works like PK Flash. Poor Earthbound characters, while Zelda can spam Din's Fire like mad, these two suffer from a total of four Missed Moments of Awesome between them. ===Mr. Game and Watch=== Down-aerial - Can be spammed onto the spring. And, like Toon Link's, it draws out quickly, allowing it to do damage easily with each fall. Very fun to do, especially since G&W is already a quirky character. Chef - While it already was sort of spammable, springs let you spam it endlessly without that mandatory pause, allowing for an endless amount of flying foods. Oil Panic - Cancels momentum and can be spammed on the spring. But, like the Psi Magnets, spamming it has no direct utility over holding, but can still be used for mind games and spring control. ===Snake=== Hand Grenade - Two can be thrown in quick succession, though if you mistime the first one, Snake will drop it on the spring. This can be good or bad, depending on what you're trying to do. C4 - Can be dropped and then detonated quickly, though the window for pulling this off is very tiny. Too soon and it takes as long as normal. Too late and the drop gets interrupted. Remote Missile - Can be spammed to a degree. Landing on a spring with a Remote Missile active causes Snake to loose control of it, but it is still dangerous and will explode on contact with anyone or anything it hits, like normal. This can be used to cancel Snake's control of the missile without loosing the missile or to have multiple missiles out (though only the most recent is controllable). ===Sonic=== Down-aerial - Like Shiek and Zero Suit Samus, it can be spammed on a spring. However, you'll want some elevation for it to be effective, because close to the spring the window for hitting is small. Spring Jump - Notable in that it's the only up-special recovery that a spring WILL NOT refresh! -------------------------------------------- Items -------------------------------------------- Some items work a bit differently with springs or may change the effectiveness of spring techniques. Assist Trophy - You cannot use on of these on a spring. Metal Box, Mushroom, Poison Mushroom, Lightning Bolt - All of these will change bounce speed or height relative to the character's size and weight. As a result, it'll change the timing for all spring moves. Being metal and/or big can possible eliminate some techniques, whereas being small might open some more. Cracker Launcher - Bouncing will make you drop it. Super Scope - The bounce will interrupt a charge up and cancel it. Additionally, it will still use the ammunition! Golden Hammer - The hover effect can be used to negate the bounce. Bombomb - Still will walk back and forth on a stage spring. Pitfall - If you throw one into a stage spring, it will actually plant itself next to it! This can be very sneaky as someone who isn't familiar with this mechanic might wander onto what he things is a safe spot and get trapped! Motion Sensor Bomb, Urina - These, however, will stick to the stage springs. Spring - These will sit on a stage spring. If it falls sideways, it can effectively lock down the spring like a bumper. Also, a nifty trick with Springs is, if you're falling fast enough, you can throw one straight down and bounce from it instantly! In the process, you'll regain all of your jumps! Handy for recoveries, aerial combat, and mind games! -------------------------------------------- Frequently Asked Question -------------------------------------------- Ok, since this is the first version, none have been asked yet. However, to anticipate... Q: I have a question about this non-Spring related mechanic for Brawl... A: Please ask someone else. I might be nice and answer it, but there's plenty of guides and more on GameFAQs and I'll most likely tell you to look elsewhere. And, while I have toyed with Spring's quirky mechanics a bit, I don't know everything. Q: Who's your main/which characters do you play? A: I can play the entire roster fairly well and often pick random. Of course, I'm better with some characters than other. As for my main, it's Pikachu, with Wolf and Ike trying to figure out who is my second and third best. Funny thing is, when I picked up the game I intended to main Fox, Pit, and Sonic... Q: What's your friend code? A: Because it's useless to you without me adding yours, it's 5455-9120-7758. Now, keep in mind, if you send me yours, I may or may not add if you. Also, at the writing of this version, I'm having troubles getting my Wii online in my dorm, so I can't even play online. And even then, I don't play online very frequently, usually only in pre-arranged matches. And then there's that whole "I'm better offline" spiel that applies to pretty much everyone due to network lag... Q: Hey, I discovered something you didn't... A: Tell me and I'll add it to the guide! And credit you! What I really need are some spring-related combos for characters. Ones that can be done consistently. I only have two in the guide and I'd like to have one for at least each character, even if that character only has a highly situational and impractical combo. But, even if you find something that's not a combo, I'll still take it. -------------------------------------------- Contact Info -------------------------------------------- Questions? Comments? Did I have incorrect information on something? Email me at TwilightPhoenix@gmail.com. Make sure to have something like "Spring Guide" as the subject. Also, no attachments unless I am expecting one from you. Finally, hate mail will be ignored, deleted, and blocked. Also, let me know where you found the guide, especially if you are not on GameFAQs (www.gamefaqs.com). -------------------------------------------- Copyright Info -------------------------------------------- This guide is copyrighted and therefore subject to international copyright laws. GameFAQs (www.gamefaqs.com) are permitted to have it viewable as they do any other guide. Anyone else is not permitted to distribute it or use it on their website. If you wish to use it, contact me and we'll discuss. Please note that I will not let you use the current version, since I'll have to update this little section. All rights not explicitly permitted in this section are reserved.