Charge Beam

The Charge Beam is a power-up introduced in Super Metroid that Samus can utilize to enhance her beam, increasing its power and sometimes adding additional effects (burning, freezing, etc.). Since its debut appearance, the Charge Beam has appeared in nearly every Metroid game since.

Metroid appearances
In 2D Metroid titles from Super Metroid onward, Samus can perform a Charge Attack (similar to the Screw Attack) by somersaulting with a fully charged beam, also named the Pseudo Screw Attack. This attack can instantly kill weak enemies, but it is incapable of destroying blocks, and Samus cannot hit multiple enemies in a single jump. If Samus hits a stronger enemy, she will only damage it and will be damaged in turn, ending her somersault.

In Super Metroid, Samus can combine the Charge Beam with the Morph Ball Bomb &mdash; by using the Morph Ball while holding a charge she releases a Five-Drop Bomb. The Charge Beam can also be combined with one other beam and a Power Bomb, releasing a powerful special attack by charging up while having Power Bomb selected.

In the Metroid Prime series, the Charge Beam can be combined with missile energy to use Charge Combos. For example, charging the Power Beam and firing a missile causes a Super Missile to be fired, using up 5 missiles. The Charge Beam also has a tractor-beam effect on power-ups in all of the Metroid Prime games. In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes it can also pull small Phazon particles out of the air and fire a Phazon shot. How far this tractor-beam effect can reach varies depending on the currently equipped beam.

In Metroid Prime Hunters, half of the rival hunters' weapons can be charged. In addition, if a hunter is using his/her affinity weapon (except for the Imperialist, Shock Coil and Battlehammer), a special ability is activated.

Super Smash Bros. series appearances
For the Super Smash Bros. series, the Charge Beam is Samus's standard special move in every Super Smash Bros. game. When used, Samus starts to charge up a blast in her arm cannon that can be fired by pressing the button a second time, and grows larger and increases in power and range the longer it is charged. Samus creates a larger beam than in the Metroid games. The player can shield or dodge by tilting the control stick to stop charging, and resume by pressing the button again. If the move is used in the air, Samus instantly fires without charging, the recoil pushing her back.

In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, Charge Shot receives two custom variations. The first is Dense Charge Shot, which increases the move's power at the cost of speed and range, and it takes longer to charge. The second is Melee Charge Shot, which allows Samus to fire a small burst of energy that can damage up-close opponents rather than ball of energy that travels; this move also increases in power and range if charged.

Since Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Dark Samus also has Charge Beam as her standard special move.