A homing cap throw (also referred to simply as a homing throw or abbreviated as HCT) is a movement technique that allows Cappy to home in on nearby objects during a cap throw. A homing cap throw can be performed by shaking the controller while Cappy is extended.

Using a midair homing throw in conjunction with a cap return spin is a very useful move for trickjumping, since it allows a bit of extra distance to be gained for precise jumps.

Behavior

Cappy's homing ability can be performed in four different directions: up, down, left and right, and the direction of the homing function depends on the direction in which the controller is shaken.

Cappy will obey the following behavior when a homing throw is performed:

  • If there are any nearby objects in the direction of the homing that Cappy can latch onto, Cappy will home in on the nearest one.
  • If there are no objects in that particular direction that are in range, but there are nearby objects in another direction, Cappy will home into the nearest object in general.
  • If there are no objects in range at all, Cappy will briefly move in the direction of the homing, then return to Mario.

Use in trickjumping

Because a homing cap throw will cause Cappy to quickly return to Mario if there are no objects nearby, it can be followed up with a cap return spin to gain extra distance during a trickjump. The homing throw and cap return spin sequence can be performed either before or after a midair cap bounce; both of these sequences yield equal distance. This is a better alternative to simply performing a cap return spin after the cap bounce, since it allows an additional cap throw to be performed to gain a small amount of extra distance. This sequence is sometimes referred to as a homing cap throw twirl, or HCTT.