Morphball bounce
Morphing Ball bouncing (referred in sentences below as simply "bouncing") describes the effect of Samus bouncing due to landing on the ground while morphed.
When Samus hits the ground while morphed, Samus will bounce once before becoming fully grounded, where her speed is then reduced to that of Morphing Ball's roll.
Pressing down on the directional pad twice in midair will cause Samus to morph in midair. To retain Samus's horizontal velocity, you will need to hold the jump button while pressing down, and hold forward after morphing.
Bouncing can be useful in a situation where numerous small platforms would otherwise force a slower route through the area. Viable spots to bounce include the first pillar in the Cathedral or the robot in the Basement.
Performing a bounce while entering water (or lava/acid) without Gravity Suit will cause the speed before hitting the water to be maintained into the water until the end of the bounce. This is known as "waterball."
This is also commonly used in the GT Code categories for getting to the bottom of the Lava Dive Room as quickly as possible.
The reason this works is because while morphed, you maintain all of your speed when entering the water. You can even keep blue suit from Speed Booster if you jump into the water from the ground, even if you do not have Gravity Suit equipped.
You can also use the mockball technique underwater if you build up speed on ground and then jump into the water.
Since gravity is different underwater, you will bounce much higher and can keep your speed longer, even though the water slows you down due to friction.
List of Bounceballs
| Room(s) | Category / Route | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kraid Room Revisit → Kraid Eye Door Room Revisit | * | Intermediate - A door fix as well by jumping high, this strat takes a bounce inside the door frame and across the spikes | |
| Cathedral | * | Beginner - Used to clear the gap and set up for a pseudoscrew on the 3rd jump. Cut the initial jump height short to avoid bonking the ceiling before morphing. Can also mockball | |
| Moat → Crateria Kihunter Room | * | Veteran - A pretty specific set-up that begins in West Ocean. Use this strat to quickly get across Moat on the way back from Wrecked Ship. A bounceball is several frames faster than a mockball here, and both can bypass the Kihunter in the final room. | |
| West Tunnel → Glass Tunnel | * | Beginner - Ideally, shooting the door open first and entering the next room morphed as high as possible allows for optimal Power Bomb placement to break the glass. | |
| Ice Beam Gate Room → Ice Beam Acid Room | * | Intermediate - Shoot the door first when the above Sova passes Samus, and jump after running under the last gate. Hold jump + direction to keep blue speed momentum, and bounce across to the 2nd platform in the next room. | |
| Magdollite Tunnel → Kronic Boost Room | * | Veteran - This door shot into bounceball on the final Space Jump sets up both an upper and lower Kronic Boost off the Viola | |
| Parlor Escape | * | Beginner - Before jumping to clear the "mushroom" shaped land above Alcatraz escape, shoot the door and morph to prepare for a bounceball or mockball. |
