Hammer
Hammer artwork fromUltimate.
Universe	Donkey Kong
Appears in	SSB Melee Brawl SSB4 Ultimate
Item class	Duration/Battering
Article on Super Mario Wiki	Hammer

TheHammer (ハンマー,Hammer) is a close-rangeitem that appears in allSuper Smash Bros. games. Upon being grabbed by any player, it sends them into a unique state that inflicts significant damage and knockback.

Origin[edit]

Mario using the hammer inDonkey Kong.

The hammer comes from the arcade gameDonkey Kong. InDonkey Kong, when Mario obtains the hammer, he is unable to stop swinging until the hammer disappears. He also is unable to jump or climbladders while swinging the hammer. The hammer can be used to destroybarrels that are being rolled down towards Mario, and can be used against other enemies. Contrary to its depiction in theSuper Smash Bros. series, the Hammer's head cannot fall off in the game, nor can it otherwise malfunction.

The hammer has since been absorbed into iconography of theMario universe, with Mario himself using hammers on several occasions. Notable instances of Mario using a hammer is theWrecking Crew series,Paper Mario series,Mario & Luigi series, several mini-games in theMario Party series, and as an occasional item in theMario Kart series.

Overview[edit]

Bowser swings the Hammer inSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U.

Upon picking up the Hammer, characters enter a unique state for eight seconds; they will constantly swing the hammer back and forth, and will be unable to midair jump, use any other attacks, or defend. The Hammer also cannot be manually dropped unless the user has been sent into a state of tumbling. The Hammer deals about 22% per hit, and it also deals extremely high vertical knockback, potentially KOing opponents at low percentages; the effects of the Hammer are even more formidable inSuper Smash Bros., where the Hammer instead does 30% damage with even more knockback. The Hammer can also "chain" into itself, doing 60% and likely KOing the opponent. The Hammer disappears after seven seconds.

The Hammer, however, limits the user's options, and particularly careful hitbox placement by other characters can potentially interrupt the wielder.Counters are especially powerful against Hammers since most of them deal more damage for any attack they counter. As the wielder of the hammer cannot use special moves or midair jump, sending an opponent off a ledge while they swing the Hammer can effectively KO them unless they can somehow drop the Hammer. InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl andSuper Smash Bros. 4, the Hammer also operates on a "timer"; if a character wielding the Hammer is constantly hit so that they cannot swing the item, the timer will still count down, potentially getting rid of the Hammer before they can properly use it.

The Hammer is also an item inSmash Tour: when its trophy is selected, the user starts the battle wielding a Hammer.

Headless Hammers[edit]

A Headless Hammer in action.

Starting inMelee, there is a 12.5% chance (one out of eight) of the head of the Hammer falling off as it is picked up, after which the item becomes functionally useless, though the wielder will continue to swing the handle for as long as they would with a normal hammer. The Hammer Head itself can be picked up and thrown as a powerful item.

If the Hammer Head falls off, then the player is rewarded with the Headless Hammerbonus, worth 2500 points. This bonus only appears inMelee.

Damage for Hammer Head[edit]

Trophies[edit]

InSuper Smash Bros. Melee[edit]

The Hammer trophy can be obtained through theLottery after clearingClassic Mode andAdventure Mode at least once.

Hammer's trophy inMelee

Hammer

If you grab the Hammer, you'll run across the screen swinging it back and forth nonstop. In Donkey Kong, Mario used the Hammer in exactly the same fashion. It's an extremely powerful item, but you have no recovery move when carrying it. Every now and then, the mallet head will fall off, and you'll end up completely vulnerable, swinging just the handle.

Donkey Kong (Arcade 1981)

InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]

Hammer's trophy inBrawl

Hammer

An item that, once grabbed, makes you swing nonstop. It's a powerful attack item that does terrific damage and sends opponents sailing. Once in a great while, the hammer's head will fall off, leaving you nothing but the handle. Of course, you can't tell whether the head is securely fastened just by looking. Hammerheads that fall off can be picked up and thrown as weapons.

An item that, once grabbed, makes you swing non-stop. It's a powerful attack item that does terrific damage and sends opponents sailing. Once in a great while, the hammer's head will fall off, leaving you nothing but the handle. Of course, you can't tell whether the head is securely fastened just by looking. Hammerheads that fall off can be picked up and thrown as weapons.

:Donkey Kong

InSuper Smash Bros. 4[edit]

Hammer's trophy inSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

Hammer's trophy inSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U

Hammer

Once you grab this hammer, you can't help but keep swinging and swinging. Who needs special moves when you've got a hammer? And forget your second jump—use that time to deliver a second lump! Oh, but the hammerhead isn't attached very well, so watch out if it pops off or something...

:Donkey Kong Classics (09/1988)

:Mario vs. Donkey Kong (05/2004)

This is something you just can't stop swinging. At all. You'll do a lot of damage with it, but...you won't be able to jump in mid-air or use special moves, so if you fall off the stage, good luck getting back on! Oh, and if the head pops off, you'll be left waving the handle around. If that happens... man, you are going to look ridiculous.

:Donkey Kong (10/1986)

:Mario vs. Donkey Kong (11/2004)

Hammer Head's trophy inSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

Hammer Head's trophy inSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U

Hammer Head

A hammer is just a stick until you add the top. That's where this item comes into play. Sometimes, however, the top comes off. If that happens, just grab this loose part and throw it at your enemies. For some poetic justice, make the guy swinging the hammer handle your first target.

:Super Smash Bros. Brawl (03/2008)

:Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

If the head of a hammer should happen to fall off while someone's waving it around, don't let it go to waste! It's great for launching people, so pick it up and throw it at someone! How about that wally waving the hammer handle around? He's just asking for it!

:Super Smash Bros. Brawl (06/2008)

:Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Gallery[edit]

• The Hammer jingle from the arcade version ofDonkey Kong, as used inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.

• The Hammer jingle from the NES version ofDonkey Kong, used prior toUltimate.

• 

  Hammer artwork inSmash 64.

• 

  Hammer inSmash 64.

• 

  Hammer inMelee.

• 

  A Hammer head inMelee.

• 

  Hammer artwork fromBrawl.

• 

  Ridley holding a hammer inUltimate.

• 

  Isabelle clearing round one ofClassic Mode with a hammer inUltimate.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	ハンマー	Hammer
English	Hammer	—
French	Marteau	Hammer
German	Hammer	—
Spanish	Martillo	Hammer
Italian	Martello	Hammer
Chinese (Simplified)	锤子	Hammer
Chinese (Traditional)	錘子	Hammer
Korean	해머	Hammer
Dutch	Hamer	Hammer
Russian	Молот	Hammer

Trivia[edit]

• Certain characters have unusual Hammer-swinging animations:
  • King Dedede swings both the item and his own hammer in a back-and-forth fashion; his own hammer, however, does not actually do any damage, even if the Hammer's head falls off.
  • Pit swings the Hammer by pivoting his wrist in right angles; furthermore, his animations become much choppier, with his jumping and walking animations referencing Pit's sprite from the originalKid Icarus. This behaviour also carried over toDark Pit inSmash 4.
  • Mewtwo telekinetically rotates the Hammer horizontally around itself, with the head always pointed forward. As a result, its effective range is severely reduced, as Mewtwo is significantly more vulnerable from attacks that harm it from above than other characters.
  • Wario swings the Hammer above his head while facing the screen, making it seem as if he "wobbles" from side to side. InSmash 4, he faces the screen regardless of which direction he swings, and simply tilts more strongly towards either direction (although the animation of him turning around still occurs before he snaps towards the screen again). This mirrors the "choppy" movements ofWarioWare cutscenes.
• InMelee only,Mr. Game & Watch's model can be seen in 3D when turning around with a Hammer.
• InSmash 4, ifBayonetta grabs a Hammer (orGolden Hammer) with her forward aerial and stops the attack in midair without performing all three hits,the hammer music will not play.
• InBrawl andSmash 4, the Hammer's theme was changed to more closely resemble how it sounds in the NES version ofDonkey Kong. InUltimate, the Hammer's theme is a direct rip from the arcade version ofDonkey Kong. This and the changes to75m inUltimate may be related to Nintendo finally settlinga legal dispute that dated back to 1983.
  • Also inUltimate, when the Hammer connects a hit, the corresponding visual effect and sound cue from the original arcade version ofDonkey Kong are displayed.
• The Hammer is one of three items that will change the music being played on the stage temporarily, the other two being theGolden Hammer and theSuper Star. Incidentally, all three come fromMario and its sub-universes.

v • d • e Donkey Kong universe
Fighters	Donkey Kong (SSB ·SSBM ·SSBB ·SSB4 ·SSBU) ·Diddy Kong (SSBB ·SSB4 ·SSBU) ·King K. Rool (SSBU)
Assist Trophy	Klaptrap
Boss	Giant Donkey Kong
Stages	Kongo Jungle ·Kongo Falls ·Jungle Japes ·Rumble Falls ·75m ·Jungle Hijinxs
Items	Hammer ·Barrel Cannon ·Peanut ·Spring
Enemies	Kritter ·Tiki Buzz
Other	Dixie Kong ·DK Barrel ·DK Island ·Pauline ·Stanley ·Zinger
Trophies,Stickers andSpirits	Trophies (SSBM ·SSBB ·SSB4) ·Stickers ·Spirits
Music	Brawl ·SSB4 ·Ultimate
Masterpiece	Donkey Kong
Related content	Mario (universe) ·Banjo ·Barrel

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