Game Guides > Game FAQ >  

What is Screw Attack

What is Screw Attack
The screw attack is an attack from the old 2d metroid games. Screw attack changes your normal jump into a sortof energy field that surrounds your suit while you are in the air, destroying enemies that come into physical contact with you.

It would probably be "jump attack" or "plasma jump", but the first translation for metroid was crappy, and it stuck.