Editing Character selection screen

[[File:SSBU Character Select DLC.png|thumb|400px|The character selection screen in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' with all of the characters unlocked and all DLC characters purchased. Stacking is turned off, thus all characters are separately visible.]]

 

The '''character selection screen''', also called the '''character selection menu''' and abbreviated as '''CSS''', is the menu where a player chooses their [[character]] to be used in a game [[mode]] and also where the player may sometimes make changes to the [[rules]]. The character selection screen is composed of boxed portraits of the heads or busts of playable fighters, normally arranged together by game series or related characters, with more characters added once they are [[unlockable character|unlocked]] or [[Downloadable content|downloaded]]. It is utilized in each game and appears in both single-player and multiplayer modes where the player is not required to use a specific character(s). Character selection screens are almost always uniform across game modes for each game, with the exception of the character selection screen for [[Tournament Mode]] and the [[Subspace Emissary]] single-player mode in ''[[Brawl]]'' which uses a very featureless character selection screen for assembling a party of characters.

Each player controls a small hand cursor which carries an emblem displaying their control [[port]] number and color. Selecting a character involves carrying the emblem over the character portrait and pressing a selection button. A box at the bottom of the screen will usually change to reflect the character choice; in ''Super Smash Bros.'', a full model of the character will appear and strike a pose, while all future entries only show a portrait of the character. Clicking on these boxes can also change to a CPU player and a [[Figure Player]] starting in ''SSB4''. A box that a player is connected to can also be manually emptied by another player, which can be used in the event that a controller did not disconnect cleanly.

Player character portraits after character selection are usually interactive. In ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' the color of the character's model will change in real-time when cycling through [[palette swap]]s. The player can cycle through the palettes of each character in ''Brawl'' in an alternate way by pressing the selection button while hovering their hand cursor over the player character's portrait. Additionally in ''Brawl'' and ''Ultimate'', the player can select the default form or starter character where applicable by using the cursor to highlight the form or character in the portrait. In ''Ultimate'', players can change the character selection screen so that [[Echo Fighters]] can be stacked together in the same slot with the fighters they are based on. When such an option is enabled, the player may switch between the base fighter and their Echo Fighter by selecting the desired character icon on the top right corner of the character's portrait. Stacking echo fighters also causes [[Mii]] Fighters to also be stacked, similarly to how they were in ''SSB4''. This option will only affect the screen in [[Vs. Mode]], [[Tourney]], [[Custom Smash]], [[Super Sudden Death]], and [[Online play|Quickplay]]. A player may also choose a [[name]] from an expandable box starting in ''Melee''.

Multiplayer mode character select screens typically feature a way to change quickly between [[free for all]] or [[Team Battle]]s and [[Coin Battle|coin]], stock, or time battles, as well as a way to quickly change simple parameters like [[stock]] amount and the [[time]] limit. Attempting to change the battle mode in ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'' accesses more advanced options by opening an options menu. Depending on the options and game mode set, additional parameters may be found in the character portrait, such as the sliding [[weight]] scale in ''Melee''. Ways to activate [[computer]] players and adjust their difficulty are also found in the character portrait.

 

A [[Random]] icon appears for selection in ''Brawl'', ''SSB4'', and ''Ultimate'', which randomly chooses a playable character. In ''Melee'', a random character can be selected by placing the cursor on one of the empty bottom corners once all characters have been unlocked. In ''Melee''{{'}}s Tournament Mode, the {{uv|Pokémon}} [[Ditto]], while not selectable by usual means, replaces this function.

In ''Ultimate'', it is possible to increase or decrease the number of character slots opened (from a minimum of 2 to a maximum of 8) by selecting "+" and "-" buttons on the right side of the screen, although it is still possible to leave slots empty like in previous games.

Once character selection and mode option requirements have been met, the game will give some kind of indication, such as a "Ready to fight!" banner and a confirmation sound. The player can proceed by selecting the banner or pressing the [[Start button]].

===''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''===

Starter characters SSB64.png|Starting roster

Super Smash Select.png|All characters unlocked

Ss ssb 1.jpg|[[beta elements (SSB)|Beta]] character selection screen

SSB64 Ready To Fight banner.png|The "Ready to fight!" banner

===''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''===

Melee Starter Characters.png|Starting roster

Character selection melee.png|All characters unlocked.

BetaCharacterSelect.jpg|A [[beta elements (SSBM)|beta]] character selection screen.

Betameleescreen.jpg|Another beta character selection screen. {{SSBM|Zelda}}'s portrait has been omitted.

SSBMReadyToFightBanner.png|The "Ready to fight!" banner

====[[Smashdown]]====

</gallery>

====[[Squad Strike]]====

UltimateStartersSquadStrike.jpg|Starting roster

SSBU Character Select Squad Strike.jpg|All base game characters unlocked

SSBU Character Select Squad Strike DLC.jpg|All base game characters unlocked and all DLC characters purchased

*''Super Smash Bros.'' is the only game to feature all portrait boxes for characters that have not been unlocked, as well as the only game to have character animations for picking a character. These animations were to be implemented also in ''Melee'', but were scrapped, although the animation files remained in the disc. These animations are ripped straight from ''SSB'' for the veterans, and most newcomers are unfinished, suggesting the concept was scrapped early on.

*Due to {{SSBM|Pikachu}} being the only {{uv|Pokémon}} series fighter to be available from the start in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'', it creates an oddity where its portrait is initally located after {{SSBM|Mario}}, but then moves to the bottom row when {{SSBM|Luigi}} is unlocked.

*Starting with ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', the announcer says "Choose your fighter" instead of "Choose your character" when selecting a fighter in the character selection screen, unlike previous installments.

*In multiplayer modes in ''Melee'' onwards, [[KO Star]]s appear in the player character portrait tallying the number of [[stock]]s taken off of other players.

*The background color for {{SSBM|Roy}}’s name in ''Melee''’s character select screen is completely black compared to the rest of the cast who all have more of a dark maroon color for their background text.

* In {{for3ds}}, the character selection screen will add another page for DLC fighters as Extra Fighters when all base-game characters have been unlocked and more than four DLC characters have been purchased.

[[Category:Single-player modes]]