| “ | A sub-weapon that unleashes a high-speed tackle attack in the direction SOPHIA is facing.” |
| — Spark Tackle • Blaster Master Zero |
Spark Tackle is a Sub-weapon for the SOPHIA-series of Metal Attackers. These generally involve enveloping the MA in some element before launching it forwards to damage foes with its mass.
Games[]
Blaster Master Zero[]
| “ | Unleash a high-speed tackle in the direction SOPHIA is facing” |
| — Weapon Select Screen Description • Blaster Master Zero |
The Spark Tackle is an attack available to SOPHIA III after defeating Spark Salamander in Area 4 (Peeper's Den enemy rush room in Area 6 in Destroyer Mode), and later used by Invem Sophia. It consumes 1 SP in order to launch the MA forwards approximately 6 blocks over 0.5 seconds while enveloped in electricity. This attack makes SOPHIA invulnerable for the duration, allowing it to be used to bypass small stretches of red crystals, and causes considerable damage to enemies on contact based on main cannon power (approximately 2x main cannon damage minus 1 Normal Shot), making it an effective maneuver for offense and evasion.
- Hyper Shot [EX Character Mode only]: ~3/2 Hyper Shot damage
- Crusher Shot: ~5/3 Crusher Shot damage
If a SOPHIA model hits a wall in the middle of a tackle, it will bounce up and slightly away from the wall for ~0.25 seconds and will refresh the attack's hit box, allowing Spark Tackle to double-hit enemies next to walls or blocks (or that are walls, in the case of the wall mutants in areas 1 and 5) by ramming into a wall or block just below them. However, ramming into (or off of) terrain while crawling on a wall or ceiling with Wall Climb will merely force SOPHIA to dismount from the surface (if there is enough space for an upright MA) and lose all momentum, ending the tackle (and its damage and invincibility frames) early.
SOPHIA Zero possesses an empowered variant of Spark Tackle with an ~8-block tackle distance (still covered over 0.5 seconds) and greatly increased raw damage, though proportional damage is reduced to ~1x empowered Crusher Shot damage.
Blaster Master Zero 2[]
| “ | A burning tackle attack. Activate with the SUB-WEAPON button. Press repeatedly to maintain speed.” |
| — Burn Spark Weapon Select Screen Description • Blaster Master Zero 2 |
The Burn Spark (abbreviated as Burn and also known as Burning Spark) is found aboard Immigration Ship L-229 after defeating Unknown Cell-046. Upon initial activation, Gaia-SOPHIA consumes 12% SP to rocket forward approximately 6 blocks, nullifying vertical momentum (but not accumulated fall height for the purposes of SP generation with the Gaia System) and ignoring gravity if activated in mid-air or used to dash off a ledge, while enveloped in flame, similar to Spark Tackle. Burn Spark's flame aura instantly destroys pink barriers and deals 8/5 G-Crusher Shot damage to non-barrier enemies; in addition, the aura creates a flame trail in G-SOPHIA's wake while moving along the ground which deals ~1/5 G-Crusher Shot damage per segment to enemies chasing the MA from behind.
Unlike Spark Tackle, repeatedly tapping the Sub-weapon button after initial activation, at a rate of at least 1 button press per ~0.3 seconds, will extend Burn Spark's tackle and invulnerability frames (but not its anti-gravity effects) indefinitely, draining 2% SP every ~0.3 seconds during the extended tackle, though this can be mitigated by slamming into enemies to trigger the Gaia System and restore 10% SP per impact. Slamming into a wall, jumping or not pressing the Sub-weapon button within ~0.3 seconds after the last press will end the extended tackle, causing the next Sub-weapon button press to initiate a new tackle at full SP cost.
Burn Spark is the only way to destroy the security barriers sectioning off the Immigration Ship besides kiting Defend Them All's attacks. The sub-weapon also breaks blocks (a first for a sub-weapon in the Blaster Master Zero series), melts Planet Divido's snow fields, allows G-SOPHIA to traverse water and quicksand without losing altitude, and briefly interrupts full-power Garuda's dash attack.
Installing the Burn Spark module boosts G-SOPHIA's general power output (likely a side effect of the system upgrades required to support activation of this high-energy sub-weapon), which becomes necessary when the quantity of sub-weapons and upgrades for G-SOPHIA and Jason leaves less energy to allocate for Eve's life-support, as remarked on the initial approach to Area C. After finding and installing Burn Spark, Eve was able to wake from sleep mode and continue to support Jason again.
| WARNING
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| “ | A high-speed forward tackle. Capable of pushing enemies trapped with WATER BIND. Press the SUB-WEAPON button to activate.” |
| — Spark Tackle Weapon Select Screen Description • Blaster Master Zero 2 |
A variant of the original Spark Tackle, with a 6-block dash distance and 1 SP point cost, is also installed aboard Andreia which is primarily used to push enemies and objects encased in water by Water Bind. Against enemies which have not been immobilized with Water Bind, Spark Tackle instead deals 1x Crusher Shot damage and usually allows the MA to pass through them unharmed (Hard Shells, however, are too dense to pass through with this sub-weapon).
Unlike SOPHIA III's version of this sub-weapon in Blaster Master Zero, Andreia's Spark Tackle can only be activated one time in the air, after which the battle tank must land in order to refresh its air tackle; however, using Spark Tackle resets Splash Booster, allowing for a second mid-air jump. The air tackle limit is especially important to keep in mind during the Drolrevo fight, in which the boss can only be damaged by pushing water-bound floating orbs with Spark Tackle.
Related Quotes[]
| “ | SPARK TACKLE: With this sub-weapon, you can perform a high-speed, energy charged dash attack. You are invincible when performing the attack, but you will be vulnerable to attack right afterwards, so... Make sure you aren't being chased.” |
| — Eve • Blaster Master Zero |
| “ | "BURN SPARK" covers G-SOPHIA in energy for a high-speed tackle. By pressing the SUB-WEAPON button repeatedly, you'll maintain the high-speed state, but your SP will drain continuously. Be careful not to shut down as you zip around!” |
| — Eve • Blaster Master Zero 2 |