Squall Hammer

Attack

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Squall Hammer [Edit] [Talk]

Squall Hammer is the Ice Climbers' side special move in the Super Smash Bros. series, marking its debuting appearance in Super Smash Bros. Melee. The controlled Ice Climber (Popo, by default) spins around in circles like a top and travels forward a distance, with the hammer extended so that opponents will receive damage if contacting with the hammer. If the CPU-controlled Ice Ice Climber (Nana, by default) is present, the pair will whirl around while standing back-to-back together while extending their hammers together, before finishing with a rising ram of their hammers to send opponents flying with high damage and knockback.

When Nana has been defeated, Squall Hammer is quite essential for Popo to return to the stage, as Belay is virtually useless when alone.

Origin[]

NES Ice Climber Squall Hammer — Squall Hammer in *Ice Climber* for NES.

The move can be traced back to the fact that the duo have their sole weapon, their hammers, for combat in their NES debut, Ice Climber, though the move itself is exclusive in the Super Smash Bros. series. However, Squall Hammer has also been referenced in the Ice Climber series. While the Ice Climbers have never performed such a particular spinning attack in their non-Smash Bros. appearances and incarnations, the term "squall" is included to define a "sudden violent gust of wind or localized storm, especially one bringing rain, snow, or sleet:" this fits the "ice-based/mountain climber" motif of the characters and their generic series, and can somewhat describe the Ice Climber's action of spinning to lift themselves up into the air. Squalls also appear in VS. Ice Climber, with certain mountains having a blizzard effect that gradually pushes the Climbers to the side. In addition, an animation of the Ice Climbers performing Squall Hammer from the original NES edition of Ice Climber can be seen here.

The move is also potentially based on Kirby's Hammer ability, as the dashing "Hammer Swing" attack depicts him twirling his hammer horizontally while moving in a similar manner. Additionally, Squall Hammer also appears to be another case of the legendary spinning attack that consists of a character spinning in a tornado-like manner, an attack that most iconic video game characters across the world perform, which is identical to Squall Hammer, another case of tornado-like spinning attack.