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Hey guys, just got a question, wanna see what you all think.

The Spring Ball's location in SM has always bugged me. It's not exactly the most powerful ability, and I'd put it somewhere between Power Bombs and Wave Beam in the "intended" item order.

Yet, it's tucked away right at the end. It's the second-last item you get, just before the Screw Attack. The game almost throws you at the Plasma Beam's area post-Draygon, in comparison.

I've watched a few blind let's plays, and a lot of them just miss it completely. Most people are burned out from Maridia's labyrinthine layout, but to get Spring Ball, you have to go back through the quicksand, break the Grapple block, Space Jump up past the bugs, get past the Shaktool digging part...

Why though? I could understand if it were the X-ray Scope, which IMO it could easily have been switched with.


One other thing: I recently discovered a "hidden technique." Lay a bomb, then Spring jump on the ascent. The Morph Ball will jump in midair. I've never seen it before, and it seems like something that nobody would know about. Already known?
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Quietus: 2013-07-19 08:22:52 am
Super Secret Area - Dead Ahead!
Yep, the springball jump from a bomb-jump has been known for a long, long time.

As for its location, I think it's actually the opposite of how you're looking at it.  I don't think it's hidden because it's so good, but because it's not at all essential.  Items that the developers want you to get, you will likely get, but something that is not required can be tucked away somewhere, because it doesn't matter if you miss it.  It's the same as the Screw Attack and Plasma Beam - completely optional, and out of the way for your normal route forward.
Unlike Spring Ball though the game points you in their direction even if you don't need to pick them up. There's that unlocked door in the middle of Maridia once you defeat Draygon that drops you right outside the Plasma room. And, for newer players unless you're brave/stupid enough to try bombing through the stone pillars while the acid is rising you're sent right at the Gold Torizo and Screw Attack. I mean even with the Wave Beam you go right past its room on the way to the Speed Booster and you can get extremely close to collecting it without wall jumping so it's enough of a tease for players to probably remember it later.

Only problem I have with the Spring Ball is that you get it so late that it doesn't make too much of a difference in the end. If you could get it around the time you get say Ice Beam or Power Bombs it would make a lot more sense to me.
Super Secret Area - Dead Ahead!
I guess half the reason that it feels so useless is that the developers felt double bomb-jumping was too difficult, and therefore didn't add anywhere that it's mandatory, meaning that the only thing Spring Ball would be good for (morph tunnels) is worthless.
Yeah, it's a shame that it's so useless. I always make a habit of picking it up as soon as I have Gravity in normal playthroughs.

It's possible to do some really cool stuff with it though. Super Zero Mission (the hack) is a good example; the Spring Ball is pure gold there.
Super Secret Area - Dead Ahead!
As it is in Redesign.  The acceleration on it is fantastic. aiwebs_004