What is the use and meaning of the underlined portion of the sentence below?

The wooden splinter felt as sharp as a needle when it pierced my skin.
A. It is a hyperbole to illustrate how the wooden splinter felt to the narrator.
B. It is a metaphor used to compare the wooden splinter to a sharp needle.
C. It is a simile used to compare the wooden splinter to a sharp needle.
D. It is imagery to illustrate how the wooden splinter felt to the narrator.

C. It is a simile used to compare the wooden splinter to a sharp needle.