Smash Ultimate has no shortage of classic Nintendo heroes. Hell, it has quite a few characters that are just different versions of themselves from throughout the years. There’s Mario and Dr. Mario. We’ve got Link and Young Link. And, of course, Samus and the aptly named Zero Suit Samus are back again. But don’t think these are just alternate costumes! Even among such a crowded roster, both versions of the galactic bounty hunter manage to stand out from the pack (and each other).
Smash Ultimate sports 74 different playable characters at launch — including every single previous character from the super-franchise and a bunch of fresh faces. That’s not even including the glut of DLC fighters, assist trophies, and more. There’s so much that no one person could possibly keep track of everything. That’s why we’ve compiled a guide to every single character.
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Zero Suit Samus first appeared in Metroid: Zero Mission (hence the name). Technically, it’s just Samus without her iconic set of power armor and most of the weapons that comes with it. Armed with just an electrifying emergency pistol, she still kicks a good deal of ass in Smash Ultimate. In fact, her play style is almost completely different from her armored alternative.
According to the official Nintendo description of Zero Suit Samus…
Although not as powerful as Samus, her speed is exceptional! Her Paralyzer not only has the ability to stun opponents, but it can also turn into a whip. For her Final Smash, she dons her suit and fires a powerful laser!
Zero Suit Samus Moves
Paralyzer (B) – Fires an energy blast that stuns enemies. A max charge increases range, power, and stun duration.
Plasma Whip (Side + B) – Attacks foes with an energy whip. Can also be used to grab on to edges.
Boost Kick (Up + B) – Rises into the air, striking multiple times, and then finishes with a spinning kick.
Flip Jump (Down + B) – Flips through the air and buries opponents into the ground if she lands on them.
Zero Laser (Final Smash) – Zero Suit Samus leaps to her Gunship and, donning her Power Suit, takes aim using a targeting reticle. Once fired, the laser hits consecutively and deals major damage. It finishes with one last energy blast that launches opponents.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strength
Samus is just as deadly without her suit, and in Ultimate, she excels in scramble situations. With strong and unpredictable methods for getting back to the ledge, a scary air game, and potent agility, Zero Suit Samus can quickly turn the tables on complacent opponents.
Weaknesses
Her ground game isn’t quite up to snuff, though. It feels like this version of Samus prefers airborne combat to the terrestrial flavor. She struggles to enact the same deadly conversions when on a flat slab of land, so try to move the game over towards the ledge and into the stratosphere to accentuate your strengths.
Zero Suit Samus Outfits
Most of the Zero Suit Samus costumes are just palette swaps of her classic blue bodysuit. However, the last couple show a bit more skin, placing Samus in a pair of shorts and a spacey sports bra. As if it weren’t already clear that her designers were just horny…
And those are our thoughts on the stripped-down Samus Aran. If you’re ever in doubt about her abilities, just remember that this version of the sci-fi bounty hunter prefers to keep airborne. No power armor means no deadly arsenal, and a solid hit to the face hurts more than ever.
All of our Smash Ultimate guides created with the help of Eric Van Allen.
