Grapple Beam
From Wikitroid, the Metroid wiki
The Grapple Beam was one of Samus Aran's many weapons. It is based on the Grappling Beam from Super Metroid. It can attach to special Grapple Points as well as Gliders (which spawned the sport of 'Glider riding'). Upgrades to the beam allow it to perform other functions such as lassoing and feeding/drawing energy.
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[edit] In the Prime Series
The Grapple Beam was introduced in Metroid Prime, where it was primarily used to get across long distances. Samus was able to shoot while swinging on it in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, while Metroid Prime 3: Corruption uses it to pull barriers from doors and shields from Pirates (Grapple Lasso), and later on, siphon and feed energy to and from certain devices (Grapple Voltage), using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk.
In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, there are four Grapple Beam-related powerups:
- Grapple Lasso
- Grapple Swing
- Grapple Voltage
- Hyper Grapple
Somewhat notably, in all of the 3D Metroid games, the Grapple was no longer fired from the Arm Cannon like the Grappling Beam. Instead, a second firing piece, or a glove of sorts (in Prime 3) was used (both on her left hand). This is likely either to make it more real-looking, 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).
The Grapple Swing is the game's name for the traditional Grapple Beam power-up, except in Corruption, where it is a separate power up (due to the new upgradable "glove") that allows Samus to swing from Grapple Points.
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.
[edit] 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.
This glitch can also be performed on the multiplayer stage Crossfire Chaos. 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.
[edit] Trivia
- In the Super Smash Bros. series, the Arm Cannon's Grappling Beam is used, as in Super Metroid. This was not changed even in Super Smash Bros. Brawl despite the creation of the Grapple Beam in the the Metroid Prime series.
[edit] Gallery
 The Grapple Beam is used in Prime. |
 The Grapple Beam is used in Echoes. |
 The Grapple Swing is used in Corruption. |
| Beams |
|---|
| Power Beam | Long Beam | Wave Beam | Ice Beam | Plasma Beam Charge Beam | Spazer Beam | Hyper Beam | Wide Beam Phazon Beam | Dark Beam | Light Beam | Annihilator Beam Volt Driver | Battlehammer | Magmaul | Shock Coil | Judicator | Imperialist Omega Cannon | Nova Beam | Paralyzer |
