Editing Classic Mode (SSBU)

[[File:ClassicSSBU.jpeg|thumb|300px|Classic Mode loading screen in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''.]]

'''Classic Mode''' ({{ja|勝ちあがり乱闘|Kachi Agari Rantō}}, ''Survival Smash'') is a single-player (optionally 2 players) mode in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. Each character now has their own predetermined set of opponents and stages to face in this mode. A unique name is given to each character's path, and there may be special rules or conditions: for example, {{SSBU|Ryu}}'s path references ''Street Fighter II'' by using only [[Ω form]]s and [[Stamina Mode|Stamina]] mode alongside the fighters most closely representing the characters of ''Street Fighter II''. It is different from the Classic Mode versions found in the two versions of ''[[SSB4]]'', shown by the return to the style of Classic Mode that was in ''[[Melee]]'' and ''[[Brawl]]''. Just like in {{forwiiu}}, Classic Mode can also be challenged by two players. When playing with two players, the route will always be based on Player 1's character. 1v1 battles (aside from Terry and Kazuya’s Classic Mode) become 2v2 battles with two of the same opponent (if there is originally only one), one in an alternate costume. If P2 chooses the same costume as an opponent, the opponent will not switch to another costume unless they chose the same character as P1.

Similar to the Classic Modes for the [[Classic Mode (SSB4-3DS)|previous]] [[Classic Mode (SSB4-Wii U)|entries]], players can select an intensity level, indicated by the position of the lengthy mural. The highest allowed starting intensity is 5.0, and it will increase slightly, depending on how well the player does, after each victory, to a maximum of 9.9. Each successful round moves the intensity up by a minimum of 0.1 depending on performance. Winning in fast times or with great dominance awards a "Nice Play!" label for the stage, and an intensity boost ranging from 0.6 to 1.4, depending also on how far along the player is in the game. Otherwise, the game's default intensity boost goes between 0.2 and 0.6, lower [[score]]s being awarded to long battles with more damage taken. The layout consists of seven stages plus a [[Bonus Stage|bonus stage]]. Unlike previous entries, the opponent in the last stage is not always [[Master Hand]] or [[Crazy Hand]]; each fighter has a different encounter at the end. Scores are also present in Classic Mode, which is displayed alongside the player's [[Global Smash Power]].

Players only have one stock, unlike previous installments. To [[continue]], the player can either spend {{b|Gold|collectible}} which lowers the intensity by 0.7 points, or use a '''Classic Ticket''' to keep the current intensity. Upon continuing, the match will start from where the player left off. Using a continue at any point during the run will stop the intensity from rising to 9.9, making the maximum possible intensity 9.8 for the rest of the run. However, it will not degrade a run already at intensity 9.9 if a ticket is used then. Continuing causes the player's score to go down. When playing with two players, the round does not fail until both players' stocks are lost.

 

After clearing Classic Mode the player will be able to play a minigame over the [[Credits]] and, at the end of said minigame, see a [[congratulations screen]]; the music for the minigame and the image at the end are themed to each character. Clearing Classic Mode with a character grants their [[fighter spirit]], much like [[trophies]] from previous games.

===Bonus Stage===

This is a challenge in the style of {{b|Race to the Finish|disambiguation}}, but rather than having a standard [[time limit]], the player must run from a black hole that consumes the stage behind them. Glowing orbs are scattered throughout the side-scrolling area which increases the player's [[score]], some behind breakable blocks and [[bomb block]]s that encourage the player to go out of their way as the void closes in. Some scattered physics objects impede progress in a similar manner to [[Trophy Rush]]. At the end of the stage, a [[Barrel Cannon#Classic Mode (SSBU)|cannon]] blasts the player into a portal that ends the Bonus Game. Every fighter goes through this bonus game stage at some point during their classic mode. Every fighter goes through the exact same stage with no differences.

Most fighters face a predetermined [[boss]] fight at the end of their route. The player must deplete the boss's [[HP]] in order to defeat them. The most common boss is [[Master Hand]] on {{SSBU|Final Destination}}, with [[Crazy Hand]] joining if the fight is entered at intensity 7.0 or above, similarly to previous games. Several characters replace Master Hand and Crazy Hand with either [[Rathalos]], [[Dracula]], [[Giga Bowser]], [[Marx]], [[Galleom]] or [[Ganon]], and certain others may feature Crazy Hand with Master Hand regardless of intensity, feature Master Hand only with no possibility of an appearance from Crazy Hand, reverse Crazy Hand and Master Hand's roles, or be on an Ω form of another stage. Additionally, there are a few instances where another fighter is part of the final round:

*Both {{SSBU|Mario}} and {{SSBU|Captain Falcon}} fight {{SSBU|Bowser}} in their final rounds before fighting Giga Bowser.

*Both {{SSBU|Pikachu}} and {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}} fight {{SSBU|Mewtwo}} in their final rounds before fighting Master Hand (with no possibility of an appearance from Crazy Hand, regardless of the difficulty).

*{{SSBU|Jigglypuff}} fights [[Giant Donkey Kong]], and does not fight a traditional boss at all in its route.

*Bowser fights Rathalos in his penultimate round, but his final round is against Mario, then [[Metal Mario]].

*{{SSBU|Bayonetta}} fights a giant {{SSBU|Palutena}}, and does not fight a traditional boss at all in her route.

*{{SSBU|Terry}} fights {{SSBU|Ryu}}, {{SSBU|Ken}}, and another Terry in his final round, and does not fight a traditional boss at all in his route.

*{{SSBU|Kazuya}} fights another Kazuya followed by a Metal Kazuya in his final round, and does not fight a traditional boss at all in his route.

==Classic Mode routes==

{|class="wikitable sortable"

|{{CharHead|Link|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||A Quest to Seal the Darkness<br> ({{ja|闇を切り裂く対魔剣|Yami o kirisaku taimaken}}, ''The Blade of Evil's Bane that Cuts the Darkness'')||Link's opponents on this route are all affiliated with darkness, including Ganondorf, with the penultimate battle being against Dark Link. The boss of this route is [[Ganon]].||The title references the main plot of most games in the ''Legend of Zelda'' series, where Link must defeat dark entities like Ganon. If the player selects the Dark Link costume, default Link appears as the penultimate enemy instead.

|{{CharHead|Samus|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Another Planet, Another Bounty<br> ({{ja|異星の深淵|Isei no shin'en}}, ''The Abyss of Another Planet'')||Each battle is set on a ''Metroid'' series stage and involves fighting characters that shares similarities with bosses from the series. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||--

|{{CharHead|Dark Samus|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||The Great Poison Given Form<br> ({{ja|仲間に牙剥く精神汚染|Nakamani kiba muku seishin osen}}, ''The Mental Pollution that Bares Its Teeth at Companions'')||Dark Samus's opponents are protagonist characters, and she is teamed up with dark/evil/corrupted variants of characters from their series (for example, Dark Samus is teamed up with Ken in his Violent Ken {{SSBU|alternate costume}}, and together they fight Ryu, or she is teamed up with Luigi in his Waluigi alternate costume, and together they fight Mario, Peach and Daisy). The penultimate round is a Free-for-All against Samus and Ridley. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The route is named after {{s|metroidwiki|Phazon}}, the essence of Metroid Prime and Dark Samus, which is named "the Great Poison" by the Chozo in ''Metroid Prime''. The penultimate round may be a reference to ''Metroid Prime 3''.

|{{CharHead|Yoshi|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Jurassic Journey<br> ({{ja|ジュラシックアイランド|Jurashikku airando}}, ''Jurassic Island'')||Yoshi's opponents all resemble older pop-culture depictions of prehistoric dinosaurs. His penultimate battle is against [[Giant Bowser]]. The boss of this route is [[Rathalos]].||The fight against Giant Bowser references the final boss fight in the ''Yoshi's Island'' sequels, in which Kamek transforms baby Bowser into a giant upon the latter's defeat. As it is a classical draconic wyvern, Rathalos continues the dinosaur theme.

|{{CharHead|Kirby|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Gourmet Clash<br> ({{ja|激突！グルメバトル|Gekitotsu! Gurume batoru}}, ''Clash! Gourmet Battle'')||Kirby's opponents are characters who, like Kirby, love to eat things, including their enemies, such as Pac-Man, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Wario and King K. Rool. For each battle, Kirby and his opponent each spawn with 35% damage and several food items appear on the stage as the match begins. Additionally, other food-based items (such as [[Banana Peel]]s and [[Superspicy Curry]]) appear more often. The opponent is giant in even-numbered rounds, and normal size in odd-numbered rounds. The penultimate battle is against King Dedede on [[Fountain of Dreams]]. The boss of the route is [[Marx]].||The route both is named after, and contains gameplay elements that resemble, the {{s|wikirby|Gourmet Race}} mode from ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby Super Star}}''. Dedede's appearance as the penultimate opponent can be taken as a reference to both the penultimate battle of ''Kirby's Adventure'' and to Gourmet Race. The final battle against Marx alludes to his status as the final boss in ''Kirby Super Star''.

|{{CharHead|Fox|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Spaceborne Smash<br> ({{ja|無限の宇宙|Mugen no uchū}}, ''The Infinite Universe'')||Fox's opponents in this route are characters associated with space or other planets. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||His penultimate battle with Wolf on Venom can be read as reference to either their battle in ''Star Fox 64'', or to the "[[No items, Fox only, Final Destination]]" meme since the battle is fought on an [[Ω form|Ω stage]] against a pseudo clone of Fox without [[item]]s appearing; Venom is also Team Star Fox's frequent final destination. Master Hand's appearance may be a reference to the battle against [[Andross]] in ''Star Fox 64'', in which his disembodied hands guard his face from attack.

|{{CharHead|Pikachu|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||I Choose You!<br> ({{ja|大乱闘ポケットモンスターズ|Dairantō poketto monsutāzu}}, ''Great Fray Pocket Monsters'')||The opponents are [[Pokémon]] characters from all across the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series. All rounds take place on ''Pokémon'' stages. The final battle is against {{SSBU|Mewtwo}}, immediately followed by {{SSBU|Master Hand}}. [[Poké Ball]]s are the only items that appear throughout this route.||In English, the route is named after {{s|bulbapedia|Ash Ketchum}}'s signature catchphrase in the ''Pokémon'' anime, which doubles as the [[bulbapedia:EP001|title of the first episode]] and [[bulbapedia:M20|the 20th movie]]. The Japanese title is a play on Japanese name of the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series: {{ja|大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズ|Dairantō Sumasshu Burazāzu}}, ''Great Fray Smash Brothers''.

|{{CharHead|Luigi|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Luigi's Nightmares<br> ({{ja|こっちに来ないで、コワい人！|Kocchi ni konaide, kowai hito!}}, ''Stay Away, Scary People!'')||All of Luigi's opponents are scary characters (such as Ridley), or characters using a scary alternate costume (such as Dark Link). The penultimate battle is against {{SSBU|Little Mac}} in his wireframe costume, followed by a giant {{SSBU|Mr. Game and Watch}} upon defeat. The boss of this route is [[Dracula]].||The route's theme is a reference to the ''Luigi's Mansion'' games and Luigi's tendency to be easily frightened. As a paranormal enemy, Dracula continues the ''Luigi's Mansion'' theme.

|{{CharHead|Ness|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Home to Onett!<br> ({{ja|ホームシック！ オネットに帰ろう|Hōmushikku! Onetto ni kaerou}}, ''Homesick! Let's Go Back to Onett'')||Ness's route is themed after the events of most of ''EarthBound'' played in reverse, from [[Magicant]] to [[Onett]], with opponents and stages that represent key enemies and points in the adventure. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||In Japanese, the route is named after Ness's {{s|wikibound|Homesick}} status effect from ''EarthBound''. The concept may also refer to the ending of ''EarthBound'', where the game doesn't end until Ness returns to Onett after saving the world.

|{{CharHead|Captain Falcon|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Up Close and Personal<br> ({{ja|戦いの基本は接近戦|Tatakai no kihon wa sekkinsen}}, ''Close Combat is the Basis of Battle'')||Captain Falcon fights opponents who specialize in close-range combat, such as {{SSBU|Ganondorf}} and {{SSBU|Roy}}. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Bowser}}, who transforms into [[Giga Bowser]] upon defeat.||Giga Bowser may have been chosen as the boss because he has the fewest projectiles of all the bosses ([[Fire Breath|one]]).

|{{CharHead|Jigglypuff|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||All Original, All 64<br> ({{ja|64オールスターズ|64 ōrusutāzu}}, ''64 All-Stars'')||Jigglypuff's route is themed after ''Super Smash Bros. 64'', pitting it against all twelve characters who debuted in that game (including itself), on stages that debuted in that game. The final battle is against [[Giant Donkey Kong]].||Elements of the route resemble the original [[1P Game]] mode: namely, Link as the round 1 opponent, Pikachu as the round 5 opponent, and the presence of Giant Donkey Kong. The penultimate battle is against the original four unlockable characters, (itself, Luigi, Ness, and Captain Falcon).

|{{CharHead|Peach|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||No Damsel in Distress<br> ({{ja|さらわれ姫から卒業！|Saraware hime kara sotsugyō!}}, ''Graduating from a Kidnapped Princess!'')||Peach fights against would-be kidnappers such as Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings, Donkey Kong (in his "classic" costume), Ganondorf and King K. Rool, with the penultimate battle against her own captor Bowser. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||If this route is played with two players, Bowser appears with a copy in his eighth costume, referencing ''Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels.''

|{{CharHead|Daisy|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Sarasaland Represent!<br> ({{ja|戦場のプリンセス|Senjō no purinsesu}}, ''Princess of the Battlefield'')||Most of Daisy's opponents are princesses in their respective franchises, such as Zelda and female Corrin. The penultimate battle is against Peach. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||In English, the route is named after {{s|mariowiki|Sarasaland}}, Daisy's kingdom.

|{{CharHead|Bowser|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||The Red One. Every Red One!<br> ({{ja|因縁の赤いヤツ|Innen no akai yatsu}}, ''The Red Guys of Destiny'')||Bowser’s opponents in this route are all affiliated with the color red such as [[Ken]], [[Samus]] and [[Diddy Kong]], with the penultimate boss battle being against [[Rathalos]]. The final battle is against Mario, with [[Metal Mario]] being summoned upon Mario's defeat.||The route is named and themed after Bowser's long-standing rivalry with Mario.

|{{CharHead|Ice Climbers|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Duos for Days<br> ({{ja|ベストパートナー|Besuto pātonā}}, ''Best Partners'')||The Ice Climbers fight two opponents per stage, all of which are certain iconic duos in their games. The duos they fight are in this order: Link and Zelda, Ryu and Ken, Villager and Isabelle, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, Palutena and Pit and Mario and Peach. The bosses of this route are {{SSBU|Master Hand}} and {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}}, continuing the duo theme.||Much like Ice Climbers, Master Hand and Crazy Hand work together as a duo.

|{{CharHead|Sheik|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Masquerade<br> ({{ja|仮面舞踏会|Kamenbutōkai}}, '' Masquerade'')||Sheik's opponents are characters who wear masks or other forms of headwear to conceal their identity, such as Meta Knight, Roy Koopa and Captain Falcon. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||--

|{{CharHead|Zelda|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Wisdom Prevails<br> ({{ja|狙われたトライフォース|Nerawareta Toraifōsu}}, ''The Targeted Triforce'')||Zelda's opponents are all antagonists on stages from ''The Legend of Zelda'' universe culminating in a penultimate battle with four [[Dark Link]]s. The final battle is against {{SSBU|Ganondorf}}, who transforms into [[Ganon]] upon defeat.||--

|{{CharHead|Dr. Mario|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Colorful Treatment Plan<br> ({{ja|いろいろ三色大作戦|Iroiro sanshoku daisakusen}}, ''Tactics of Three Different Colors'')||Dr. Mario's opponents are all trios of the same character in red, blue, and yellow costumes. The penultimate battle is against three Warios. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The concept of the route references the three colored viruses in the ''Dr. Mario'' games: Fever, Chill, and Weird. The three-Wario fight could reference either Wario's role as a secondary villain in ''Dr. Mario 64''{{'}}s story, or his poor diet and hygiene in the ''WarioWare'' series.

|{{CharHead|Pichu|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Lightweight Fracas<br> ({{ja|ふわっとバトル|Fuwatto batoru}}, ''Floaty Battle'')||Pichu's opponents are lightweight characters fought on stages set in the sky, such as [[Peach's Castle]] and [[Skyloft]]. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The route is both themed and named after Pichu's status as the lightest character in the game.

|{{CharHead|Falco|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Soar above the Darkness<br> ({{ja|光あるところに|Hikari aru tokoro ni}}, ''Where There is Light'')||Falco's opponents are "dark" characters, such as Dark Samus and Captain Falcon in his Blood Falcon alternate costume. The penultimate battle is against a giant {{SSBU|Mr. Game & Watch}}. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}}.||The Giant Mr. Game & Watch fight references his role as a corrupted character in [[The Subspace Emissary]]. Likewise, Crazy Hand's appearance references his status as Master Hand’s chaotic and destructive counterpart.

|{{CharHead|Marth|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||A Kingdom of Dragons<br> ({{ja|竜の王国|Ryū no ōkoku}}, ''A Kingdom of Dragons'')||Marth fights draconic characters on fantasy stages hailing from ''Fire Emblem'' or ''The Legend of Zelda''. The boss of this route is [[Rathalos]].||The route is themed after the major role that the many antagonistic dragons play in Marth's ''Fire Emblem'' games, in which Marth plays the role of a dragon-slayer using [[Falchion]] battling the dragon kingdom of {{s|fireemblemwiki|Dolhr}}. Rathalos can be seen as an analog to {{s|fireemblemwiki|Medeus}}, a primary antagonist, head of the aforementioned Dolhr and the final boss of all of Marth's games. Rathalos may also be a reference to {{s|fireemblemwiki|Wyvern}}s, enemy dragons in Marth's games.

|{{CharHead|Lucina|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||A Path of Heroes<br> ({{ja|歴代の英雄|Rekidai no eiyū}}, ''Heroes of Many Generations'')||All of Lucina's opponents are ''Fire Emblem'' characters, fought in reverse chronological order of the release of their games. The penultimate battle is against Marth. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The reverse chronological order of the fights likely references her traveling to the past in ''Awakening''. A similar concept of fighting characters in reverse of their debuts appears as [[All-Star Mode]] in the Wii U version of ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''.

|{{CharHead|Young Link|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Hyrule Smash!<br> ({{ja|ハイラル乱闘！|Hairaru rantō!}}, ''Hyrule Fray!'')||Young Link's opponents are characters from ''The Legend of Zelda'' universe. All stages, items and assist trophies are from ''The Legend of Zelda''. The boss of this route is [[Ganon]].||The fight against the quartet of multicolored Toon Links is a reference to ''{{iw|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords}}''. It may also allude to the GBA release of ''{{iw|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past}}'', which came with the original release of ''Four Swords'', in which an optional dungeon, "The Palace of the Four Sword", features four Dark Links as the last boss.

|{{CharHead|Ganondorf|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Encroaching Darkness<br> ({{ja|終わりの始まり|Owari no hajimari}}, ''The Beginning of the End'')||Ganondorf's opponents are all heroes and protagonists, culminating in a penultimate battle with Link and Zelda. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||Master Hand's boss appearance may reference Ganondorf's intended coup d'état against him in [[The Subspace Emissary]] from ''Brawl''.

|{{CharHead|Mewtwo|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Psychic Control<br> ({{ja|洗脳による支配|Sennō ni yoru shihai}}, ''Domination Through Brainwashing'')||The battles are a series of Team Battles where one of the opponents will join the player in the following battle. The bosses of this route are {{SSBU|Master Hand}} and {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}}, with {{SSBU|Pikachu}} as the player's partner.||The route's concept is derived from ''[[bulbapedia:M01|Pokemon: The First Movie]]'', in which Mewtwo uses its powerful psychic abilities to mind-control others into doing its bidding, such as Nurse Joy. Some opponents are characters who have been mind-controlled in their own games, such as Richter. Additionally, Master Hand and Crazy Hand being the boss of this route could reference [[World of Light]], where Master Hand and Crazy Hand were mind controlled and cloned themselves by [[Galeem]] and [[Dharkon]], respectively.

|{{CharHead|Roy|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||A Journey of Swords<br> ({{ja|異界の剣士|Ikai no kenshi}}, ''Otherworldly Swordfighters'')||Roy's opponents are all sword-wielding fighters, such as Meta Knight, Link, Shulk and Cloud. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The Japanese title mentions the concept of {{s|fireemblemwiki|Outrealms}} from more recent ''Fire Emblem'' games.

|{{CharHead|Chrom|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Fight as One<br> ({{ja|運命か、絆か|Unmei ka, kizuna ka}}, ''Destiny or Bonds?'')||Round 1 is a one-on-one match against Lucina on [[Arena Ferox]]. From Round 2 onwards, the battles in this route are Team Battles where Chrom's teammate alternates between Lucina in even-numbered rounds and either male or female Robin in odd-numbered rounds. The opponents are, in order, Fox and Falco, Ness and Lucas, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, Peach and Daisy, Simon and Richter. The bosses of this route are {{SSBU|Master Hand}} and {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}}, with female {{SSBU|Robin}} as the player's partner.||The route is themed after the [[Pair Up]] mechanic introduced in ''Fire Emblem Awakening'', which Chrom describes as "fighting as one". Round 1 is a recreation of Chapter 4 of that game. Peach and Daisy’s appearances in Round 5 could reference ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'', where they were partners. In Japanese, the route is named after ''Chapter 23'' of ''Awakening'' (known as "Invisible Ties" in the English localization).

|{{CharHead|Mr. Game & Watch|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||A Long Legacy<br> ({{ja|母川回帰|Bosen kaiki}}, ''Return to the Origin'')||Mr. Game & Watch fights classic characters on retro stages in reverse chronological order, starting with Kirby on the [[Dream Land GB]] stage. The penultimate battle is a multi-man of Mr. Game & Watches on the [[Flat Zone X]] stage. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The penultimate fight is similar to the finale of [[All-Star Mode]] in ''Melee''.

|{{CharHead|Meta Knight|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Two Sides of the Same Coin<br> ({{ja|表裏一体|Hyōriittai}}, ''Two Sides of the Same Coin'')||Meta Knight's fights are free-for-alls against fighters and their dark counterparts (such as Link and Dark Link, Pit and Dark Pit, Captain Falcon and Blood Falcon, Lucas and Claus, Samus and Dark Samus). His penultimate battle is with another pair of Meta Knights. The bosses of this route are {{SSBU|Master Hand}} and {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}}, likewise two sides of the same coin.||References Meta Knight's tendency to act as both ally and adversary in the ''Kirby'' games. The Meta Knights in the penultimate fight use alternate costumes that represent Galacta Knight, his ultimate opponent in ''Meta Knightmare Ultra'', and Dark Meta Knight, his evil doppelganger in ''Kirby and the Amazing Mirror''; if playing as one of these alternate costumes, the second opponent will become Meta Knight in his original costume instead.

|{{CharHead|Pit|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Fighting for the Goddess!<br> ({{ja|群がる悪を浄化する‼|Muragaru aku o jōkasuru!!}}, ''Purify the Swarming Evil!!'')||All battles are analogous to fights in ''Kid Icarus: Uprising'' (i.e. Ganondorf as Magnus, Bayonetta as Medusa, etc.). The bosses of this route are {{SSBU|Master Hand}} and {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}}, with {{SSBU|Dark Pit}} as the player's partner.||The Master Hand and Crazy Hand battle is likely a reference to the fight with giant form of Hades in the final battle of ''Uprising'', in which Dark Pit assisted Pit.

|{{CharHead|Dark Pit|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Created Warriors<br> ({{ja|つくられた戦士|Tsukurareta senshi}}, ''Created Warriors'')||Dark Pit's opponents are man-made clones or genetically enhanced fighters: Mewtwo, Dark Samus, Dark Link, Cloud, and Blood Falcon. His penultimate battle is against Pit. The boss of this route is [[Galleom]], who as a mechanical foe continues the artificial theme, with Pit as the player's teammate.||The route is both named and themed after Dark Pit's origins as a copy of {{SSBU|Pit}} in ''{{s|icaruspedia|Kid Icarus: Uprising}}''. Pit's appearance as both the penultimate opponent and an ally in the final fight references their developing relationship in ''Uprising''.

|{{CharHead|Zero Suit Samus|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Grapplers! Whips! Claws!<br> ({{ja|ワイヤーを使いこなせ|Waiyā o tsukaikonase}}, ''Master the Wire'')||Zero Suit Samus's opponents are largely characters who use [[tether recoveries]] (the exception is Little Mac, who represents the titular theme of "wires" by using his wireframe outfit). The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The English version names this route after the three styles of tether used by the opponents in this route: "grapplers" refers to the Grapple Beam used by Samus and Dark Samus, "Whips" refers to Simon and Richter's Vampire Killer and arguably Ivysaur's vines, and "Claws" refer to Young Link and Toon Link's Hookshot.

|{{CharHead|Wario|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||I'm-a Gonna Win!<br> ({{ja|オレ様怪力ナンバーワン！|Ore-sama kairiki nanbā wan!}}, ''My Super Strength is Number One!'')|| Wario's opponents are those with brute strength, such as King K. Rool and Incineroar. The only two characters missing are Donkey Kong and Bowser. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||In English, the route is named after a catchphrase Wario uses in the international version of ''{{s|mariowiki|Mario Kart 64}}'': "I'm-a Wario! I'm-a gonna win!".

|{{CharHead|Snake|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Weapons and Equipment OSP<br> ({{ja|装備あれば憂いなし|Sōbi areba urei nashi}}, ''If You're Equipped, There's No Worries'')||Snake's opponents are all characters who all prominently use projectiles and explosives in their attacks, such as the Inklings and Link. Projectile weapons and explosive items make up most of the item spawns on this route. The penultimate battle is a mirror match against another Snake. The boss of this route is [[Galleom]].||The English version names the route after a line in the opening of ''Metal Gear Solid'' ("OSP" stands for "On Site Procurement") which establishes that Snake must obtain weapons and gear within the mission area, as is the norm in almost all ''Metal Gear'' games. The Snake mirror match is a reference to Liquid Snake, his cloned twin from ''Metal Gear Solid'', while the Galleom fight can be taken as both a reference to the Metal Gear machines themselves and, as Galleom uses explosive projectiles, a continuation of the theme.

|{{CharHead|Ike|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||The Black-Clad Warriors<br> ({{ja|漆黒の武者たち|Shikkoku no musha-tachi}}, ''The Jet-Black Warriors'')||All of Ike's opponents are in their black alternate costumes. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The route is both themed and named after Ike's rival, the [[Black Knight]]. The second fight against Morton, Greninja and Sonic references ''Sonic and the Black Knight'', referring to the fact that both Sonic and Ike face a foe known as the Black Knight.

|{{CharHead|Pokémon Trainer|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||The Future Champion<br> ({{ja|未来のチャンピオン|Mirai no chanpion}}, ''The Future Champion'')||Like {{SSBU|Pikachu}}, the opponents are all Pokémon. The penultimate battle is against the opposite-gendered Pokémon Trainer, and the final battle is against {{SSBU|Mewtwo}}, immediately followed by {{SSBU|Master Hand}}. All items are disabled throughout this route.||In both languages, the route is named after the catchphrase {{ja|みらいのチャンピオン|mirai no champion}} (usually translated as "champ in the making") that is frequently used by {{s|bulbapedia|gym guide}}s in the ''Pokémon'' series. They use the phrase to describe the player and their goal of becoming the {{s|bulbapedia|Pokémon Champion}}. Items being disabled references how they are also disabled in regular ''Pokémon'' multiplayer modes, although they never are disabled in Gym/Elite Four battles.

|{{CharHead|Diddy Kong|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Hey, Little Buddy!<br> ({{ja|バディーコング|Badī kongu}}, ''Buddy Kongs'')||In each fight, Diddy is accompanied by a protagonist CPU ally whom he assists against corresponding series antagonists or final bosses (for example, Diddy is teamed up with Mario, and together they fight Bowser and Bowser Jr.). His penultimate battle pairs him with Donkey Kong against King K. Rool on [[Jungle Japes]]. The bosses of this route are {{SSBU|Master Hand}} and {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}}, with Donkey Kong as his partner again.||The English title is a phrase which originated from the manual of ''{{iw|mariowiki|Donkey Kong Country}}'' and was popularized by the ''{{iw|mariowiki|Donkey Kong Country|television series}}'' television series; Diddy Kong is also referred to as Donkey Kong's "little buddy" in games such as ''Brawl'' and ''{{s|mariowiki|Donkey Kong Country Returns}}''.

|{{CharHead|Lucas|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Magic, Sacred Powers, and PSI!<br> ({{ja|魔力、神力、超能力|Maryoku, Shinryoku, Chōnoryōku}}, ''Magic Powers, Sacred Powers, Psychic Powers'')||Lucas fights characters with potent psychic or magical powers. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||Mewtwo's status as the penultimate opponent is possibly a reference to {{s|wikibound|Giygas}}'s original form from ''EarthBound Beginnings'' (referred to as "Giegue" in the English version of that game), whom Mewtwo strongly resembles.

|{{CharHead|Sonic|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||At the Speed of Sound<br> ({{ja|疾きこと風の如く|Hayaki koto kaze no gotoku}}, ''As Fast as the Wind'')||Sonic's opponents are either references to characters in his series (for example, Fox resembles Miles "Tails" Prower) or to ''Sonic'' games in general, such as ''Sonic Heroes''. Half of Sonic's opponents are also some of the fastest characters in the game, such as Captain Falcon. The penultimate battle is against a giant Incineroar, resembling Zavok, leader of the Deadly Six, who debuted in ''Sonic Lost World''. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||References how fast Sonic is. The term "speed of sound" is commonly used in the ''Sonic'' franchise, including the lyrics of "Escape from the City" from ''Sonic Adventure 2''.

|{{CharHead|King Dedede|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Royal Rumble<br> ({{ja|王ってなぁに？|Ō tte nāni?}}, ''Whaaat's a King?'')||King Dedede's opponents are characters with royal titles, positions, or monikers, such as Marth, the Hero-King, Princess Peach, the Princess of Mushroom Kingdom, and Ganondorf, the King of Evil. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||--

|{{CharHead|Olimar|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Planetary Explorer<br> ({{ja|いろんな惑星航海日誌|Ironna wakusei kōkai nisshi}}, ''Record of Various Planets'')||Olimar's opponents are those who are space travelers in their respective series, such as Fox and Zero Suit Samus. The penultimate battle is against Alph, or Olimar if the player is using Alph. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||--

|{{CharHead|Lucario|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Counter Encounters<br> ({{ja|カウンターアタック|Kountā atakku}}, ''Counterattacks'')||Lucario fights characters with [[counterattack]]s, with the penultimate battle being against Greninja. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||--

|{{CharHead|R.O.B.|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Grey}}||Unreadable Expressions<br> ({{ja|ポーカーフェイスの戦士|Pōkā feisu no senshi }}, ''Poker-Faced Warriors'')||R.O.B.'s opponents all wear masks or lack expressive faces, including {{SSBU|Meta Knight}} and {{SSBU|Wii Fit Trainer}}. The penultimate battle of this route is a Multi-Man Battle of R.O.B.s. The boss of this route is [[Galleom]], who continues the expressionless theme.||The last two battles reference elements of [[The Subspace Emissary]] in ''Brawl'': the R.O.B Multi-Man Battle references the [[R.O.B. Squad]], and Galleom references his recurring boss appearances.

|{{CharHead|Toon Link|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||The Teamwork of Courage<br> ({{ja|勇気のチームワーク|Yūki no chīmuwāku}}, ''The Teamwork of Courage'')||All battles involve Toon Link teaming up with two other Toon Links. All opponents are groups of fighters from various universes. The penultimate battle of this route is Giant Ganondorf. The boss of this route is [[Ganon]].||The route concept is a direct reference to ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes}}'', a multiplayer title featuring the ''Wind Waker'' artstyle in which the player controls three multicolored Links.

|{{CharHead|Wolf|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Reunited Roster<br> ({{ja|参戦ふたたび|Sansen futatabi}}, ''Rejoining the Battle'')||Wolf's opponents are [[veteran]]s who were not included in ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', like Wolf himself, starting with the veterans that debuted in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''. The boss of this route is [[Galleom]].||Like Wolf, Galleom debuted in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', but did not return in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''.

|{{CharHead|Villager|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Mistake to Underestimate<br> ({{ja|普通のひとは強かった|Futsū no hito wa tsuyokatta}}, ''Ordinary People were Strong'')||Villager fights against characters who appear unsuited for battle but are very strong, such as Isabelle, Dr. Mario and Wii Fit Trainer. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The concept may reference Masahiro Sakurai's stated reasons for not including Villager in ''Brawl''.

|{{CharHead|Mega Man|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Variable Weapons System: Online!<br> ({{ja|Dr.マリオの謎|Dr. Mario no nazo}}, ''The Mystery of Dr. Mario'')||Mega Man’s opponents in this route are stand-ins for the thematically-armed Robot Masters (such as the Ice Climbers for Ice Man and Captain Falcon for Quick Man) fought on Ω Form stages, with the penultimate boss battle being against [[Galleom]]. The final battle is against Dr. Mario, with Mewtwo appearing after Dr. Mario is defeated.||In English, the route is named after [[X (Mega Man)|Mega Man X]]'s Variable Weapon System, which allows him to duplicate the abilities of his foes. Mega Man has a similar system, though it was never named as such. In Japanese, it is named after the Japanese subtitle of ''Mega Man 2'': {{ja|Dr.ワイリーの謎|Dr. Wairī no nazo}}, ''The Mystery of Dr. Wily''. The final battle is a reference to the final battle in ''Mega Man 2'', with Dr. Mario representing Dr. Wily, and Mewtwo representing Wily's Alien hologram.

|{{CharHead|Wii Fit Trainer|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Aerobic Smash<br> ({{ja|有酸素乱闘|Yūsanso rantō}}, ''Aerobic Fray'')||The opponents are round characters, such as King Dedede and Jigglypuff. Dr. Mario appears as a teammate. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||--

|{{CharHead|Rosalina & Luma|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||One Star after Another<br> ({{ja|星々へ探訪|Hoshiboshi e tanbō}}, ''Searching the Stars'')||The opponents are characters from space or other planets. [[Starfy]], another star, appears from every Assist Trophy. Her penultimate battle is against Bowser, with Mario as her partner. The boss of this route is [[Marx]], with Mario joining as her partner again.||The Bowser battle is a reference to the final battle against him in ''Super Mario Galaxy''. The Marx battle is likely a reference to his final battle in ''Kirby Super Star'' taking place in space.

|{{CharHead|Little Mac|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Friendly Sparring<br> ({{ja|異種格闘戦!!|Ishu kakutō-sen!!}}, ''A Different Kind of Melee Combat!!'')||All of Little Mac's opponents are close-range martial artists. Every item except the [[Sandbag]] is disabled. As such, the Sandbag can still be hit, but it will only spawn confetti. The penultimate opponent is Donkey Kong. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||Donkey Kong's presence is a reference to his secret boss fight in the Wii ''Punch-Out!!'' game.

|{{CharHead|Greninja|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Your Turn, Greninja!<br> ({{ja|タイプ攻略リーグ|Taipu kōryaku rīgu}}, ''Type Strategy League'')||Greninja fights against characters that each represent a ''Pokémon'' elemental type: Charizard and Bowser for Fire, Pikachu, Pichu and Zero Suit Samus for Electric, Lucario, Ryu and Ken for Fighting, Ivysaur for Grass and Mewtwo, Ness, and Lucas for Psychic. All battles take place on [[Pokémon Stadium]] and [[Pokémon Stadium 2]], except for the penultimate battle, which takes place on [[Kalos Pokémon League]]. The penultimate battle is against Squirtle and another Greninja, representing Greninja’s own type, Water. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The stage choices, combined with the elemental theming, likely reference the Gym Battles in the ''Pokémon'' games and the eventual battle with the Elite Four.

|{{CharHead|Palutena|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||A Little Divine Intervention<br> ({{ja|思いつきだけど、鍛えてあげます|Omoitsuki dakedo, kitaete agemasu}}, ''I Think I Should Train You'')||Palutena's battles are against characters whose gaming universes have a key emphasis on religion and mythology: Link and Zelda, Cloud, the Belmonts, Shulk, and Bayonetta. The penultimate battle is a multi-man battle of three Pits and three Dark Pits, and the boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The English title references a line spoken by Palutena in her debut trailer for ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''.

|{{CharHead|Pac-Man|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Ageless Classic<br> ({{ja|ファミコンクラシックス|Famikon kurashikkusu}}, ''Famicom Classics'')||Pac-Man fights classic characters who originated in the third generation of video game consoles, primarily on the NES, in chronological order of their original release date. The boss of this route is [[Dracula]].||The route concept is similar to All-Star Mode in the 3DS version of ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. The use of Dracula continues the theme of third-generation game characters (having debuted in 1986, he is the oldest boss in the game), and ties into ''Pac-Man'' as a supernatural being similar to the [[Ghosts]] that Pac-Man is known to fight.

|{{CharHead|Robin|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Thunder and Flames<br> ({{ja|雷炎闘技|Raien tōgi}}, ''Thunder and Flame Competition'')||Robin's opponents are all pairs of fighters who use fire and electric attacks (for example, R.O.B. and Ken). Robin's penultimate battle is against the opposite-gendered Robin, and the boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The route is both named and themed after two of Robin's tomes, {{b|Thunder|Robin}} and [[Arcfire]]. The penultimate battle with Robin is a reference to the final battle against Grima in ''Fire Emblem Awakening''.

|{{CharHead|Shulk|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Witness the Monado's Power<br> ({{ja|「翔」「疾」「盾」「斬」「撃」「機」|Shō, shitsu, jun, zan, geki, ki}}, ''Jump, Speed, Shield, Buster, Smash, Machine'')||Each opponent represent one of Shulk's [[Monado Arts]], fought in their cycling order in ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', Falco represents Jump, Sonic represents Speed, King K. Rool represents Shield, Cloud represents Buster and Little Mac represents Smash. The penultimate opponent is {{SSBU|Mega Man}}, representing Shulk's Monado Enchant Art (represented by the "Machine" kanji), which allows his party to damage Mechon armor with normal weapons in ''Xenoblade Chronicles''. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||--

|{{CharHead|Bowser Jr.|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Mama Peach, Where Are You?<br> ({{ja|あなたはピーチママ？|Anata wa pīchi mama?}}, ''Are you Mama Peach?'')||All of Bowser Jr.'s opponents are princesses, some of which are teamed up with their love interest (or in Lucina's case, her father). The penultimate battle is against Mario and Peach. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The route is named after how Bowser Jr. thinks Peach is his mama in ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario Sunshine}}''.

|{{CharHead|Duck Hunt|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Dog, Duck, Zapper<br> ({{ja|けものブラザーズ|Kemono burazāzu}}, ''Animal Brothers'')||Duck Hunt's opponents are all animals or {{SSBU|Mii Fighter}}s with animal costumes, such as Donkey Kong, Sonic, Fox and King K. Rool. The boss of this route is [[Rathalos]].||In English, the title is named after the three characters who comprise the playable Duck Hunt fighter. The Japanese title may be a reference to the franchise ''{{s|wikipedia|Kemono Friends}}'' ({{ja|けものフレンズ|Kemono furenzu}}). In addition to continuing the route's concept, the title of Rathalos's native series, ''Monster Hunter'', is similar to that of to ''Duck Hunt''. The title of this route is similar to the title of their trailer in ''Smash 4'', "One Dog, One Bird, One Zapper".

|{{CharHead|Ryu|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Seeking a Challenge<br> ({{ja|俺より強いファイターに会いに行く|Ore yori tsuyoi faitā ni ai ni iku}}, ''I'm Going to Meet a Fighter Who's Stronger Than Me'')||Ryu's route is themed after ''Street Fighter II'', meaning that all battles are one-on-one [[stamina battle]]s on Ω form stages. All items are disabled throughout this route. Each opponent represents a ''Street Fighter II'' character, Zero Suit Samus represents Chun-Li, Incineroar represents Zangief, Donkey Kong in his green costume represents Blanka, Giant Little Mac in his blue and red costume represents Balrog and Meta Knight represents Vega. The bosses of this route are {{SSBU|Master Hand}} and {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}}, with {{SSBU|Ken}} as the player's partner.||The concept references the single-player mode of ''Street Fighter II''. All of Ryu's opponents reference a ''Street Fighter II'' character with their costume choice, stage, and music. Master Hand and Crazy Hand may be a stand-in for M. Bison, given the similarity of one of their moves to the Psycho Crusher and the usage of his theme for the fight.

|{{CharHead|Ken|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Red-Hot Rivalry<br> ({{ja|燃えるライバル|Moeru raibaru}}, ''Burning Rivals'')||Ken's opponents are rivals to the main character of their native series, to some degree. {{SSBU|Ryu}}, his own rival, appears as the penultimate opponent. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}}.||The theme refers to to Ken's status as Ryu's rival. The Ryu fight is set on the Ω form Suzaku Castle stage, mirroring the start of Ryu's Classic Mode. The use of Crazy Hand references him being the "rival" to Master Hand, much like Ken's relationship to Ryu.

|{{CharHead|Cloud|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||A Ride? Not Interested.<br> ({{ja|乗り物...? 興味ないね|Norimono...? Kyōmi nai ne}}, ''A Vehicle...? Not Interested'')||All of Cloud's battles are on vehicle stages that travel, such as Meta Knight on Halberd, and Mario, Yoshi and Peach on Rainbow Cruise. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The title is a reference to Cloud's catchphrase, "Not interested" ({{ja|興味ないね|Kyōmi nai ne}}). The moving stages reference Cloud's {{s|wikipedia|motion sickness}} and the vehicles in ''Final Fantasy VII''.

|{{CharHead|Corrin|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Between White and Black<br> ({{ja|白と黒の狭間で|Shiro to kuro no hazama de}}, ''Between White and Black'')||Corrin's opponents alternate between black and white [[alternate costume]]s; for instance, Round 5 has a multi-man battle of six Mr. Game & Watches (three of them black and three of them white). The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||This title originated as [http://fireemblemtcg.tumblr.com/post/178774091805/fecipher-twitter-5-10-2018-corrin-f-betwixt an epithet given to Corrin] on a ''{{s|fireemblemwiki|Fire Emblem Cipher}}'' trading card released in 2018. The black-and-white theme is based on the rival kingdoms of {{s|fireemblemwiki|Nohr}} and {{s|fireemblemwiki|Hoshido}}, both of which Corrin belongs to.

|{{CharHead|Bayonetta|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||The Requiem of Fallen Wings<br> ({{ja|散りゆく翼の鎮魂歌|Chiriyuku tsubasa no chinkonka}}, ''Requiem of Scattering Wings'')||Bayonetta fights winged characters, and the final battle is against a Giant {{SSBU|Palutena}}.||Named after the epilogue of ''Bayonetta'': "Requiem". Each opponent can be construed as a reference to an enemy in the ''Bayonetta'' games, in order: Loptr, Flaming Affinity, Inspired, Fortitudo, the Masked Lumen, Affinity, and Jubileus, the Creator.

|{{CharHead|Inkling|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||An Inkredible Journey<br> ({{ja|イカした色に染め上げろ|Ikashita-iro ni someagero}}, ''Dye It With Trendy Colors'')||Each stage and set of fighters represents a particular color: for example, a pink Greninja on [[Magicant]] or a giant light blue Yoshi on [[Summit]]. The boss of this route is [[Marx]].||Both titles make puns relating to the Inklings: an "ink" pun in English (commonly seen in ''Splatoon'' dialogue), and a pun with {{ja|いかした|ikashita}} (which means "trendy") and {{ja|イカ|ika}} (which means "squid") in Japanese. The color theme refers to ink colors, and Marx continues this theme with both the multiple rainbow colors on his wings, and how in ''Kirby Super Star Ultra'' he utilizes attacks that grant Kirby the Paint ability.

|{{CharHead|Ridley|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||It Can't Be! Space Pirates!<br> ({{ja|銀河の脅威！スペースパイレーツ|Ginga no kyōi! Supēsupairētsu}}, ''The Galactic Menace! Space Pirates'')||Ridley fights characters who pilot their own spaceships, such as Samus, Olimar, and Meta Knight. In Fox and Rosalina & Luma’s case, they are teamed up with other fighters from their universe. Fox is teamed up with Falco, and Rosalina & Luma are teamed up with Mario and Peach. The penultimate opponent is Zero Suit Samus, and the boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The route is named after Ridley's {{s|metroidwiki|Space Pirates}} in all languages, while the English title is also derived from Samus's response to seeing Ridley in ''{{s|metroidwiki|Metroid: Other M}}''.

|{{CharHead|Simon|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Smash-vania<br> ({{ja|悪魔城スマブラ|Akumajō Sumabura}}, ''Demon Castle Smash Bros.'')||Most of Simon's opponents are monstrous characters that reference the beasts he battles in the ''Castlevania'' games. The penultimate battle is against his descendant, Richter. The boss of this route is [[Dracula]].||The title is a portmanteau with the names of the ''Smash'' and ''Castlevania'' series. The Japanese version makes a similar pun with the Japanese title of the ''Castlevania'' franchise, {{ja|悪魔城ドラキュラ|Akumajō Dorakyura}} (''Demon Castle Dracula''). The first five opponents, plus Dracula, each reference a beast that he battles in the ''Castlevania'' games, while the fight with Richter references the latter's role as a boss battle in ''Castlevania: Symphony of the Night''.

|{{CharHead|Richter|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Smash Echoes<br> ({{ja|ダッシュファイターズ|Dasshu faitāzu}}, ''Dash Fighters'')||Richter's opponents are [[Echo Fighters]]. The boss of this route is [[Dracula]].||The route is both themed and named after the use of Echo Fighters in it.

|{{CharHead|King K. Rool|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Super Heavyweight Class<br> ({{ja|ヘビー級のキケンなヤツら|Hebī-kyū no kiken na yatsura}}, ''Dangerous Heavyweight Guys'')||King K. Rool's opponents are the heaviest characters in the game, with most of them being antagonists. His penultimate battle is with his nemesis, {{SSBU|Donkey Kong}}. The boss of this route is [[Galleom]].||"Heavyweight" is boxing terminology, referencing the boxing-themed final boss battle of ''{{s|mariowiki|Donkey Kong 64}}''. Galleom's boss appearance continues the heavy theme, as it is one of the largest bosses in the game and looks very heavy.

|{{CharHead|Isabelle|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Best in Show<br> ({{ja|紅23点|Kō 23-ten}}, ''23 Red Flowers'')||All of Isabelle's allies and opponents are female, save for Popo of the {{SSBU|Ice Climbers}} in Round 4, for a total of 23 female participants. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}}.||The English name refers to {{s|wikipedia|conformation show}}s. The Japanese name is a pun on the phrase {{ja|紅一点|Kō itten}}, which translates to "one red flower (in a field of green)" but figuratively means "the only woman in a group of men", tweaked to refer to the total of 23 participants in the route (including Isabelle herself).

|{{CharHead|Incineroar|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Burning Pro Wrestling Spirit!<br> ({{ja|こわもてヒールのプロレスリング|Kowamote hīru no puroresuringu}}, ''The Pro Wrestling of a Hard-faced Heel'')||All battles take place on [[Boxing Ring]] in three different forms and feature opponents who use wrestling moves, such as Bowser, Donkey Kong, and King K. Rool. The penultimate battle is a mirror match against another Incineroar, and the bosses of this route are {{SSBU|Master Hand}} and {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}}, with {{SSBU|Greninja}} as the player's partner.||King K. Rool's presence is a reference to his boss fight in ''Donkey Kong 64''. Greninja's appearance as an ally in round 3 and the final fight references the general wrestling tag-team match.

 

|{{CharHead|Piranha Plant|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||New Bloom<br> ({{ja|花の新人王|Hana no shinjinō}}, ''Floral Rookie of the Year'')||All of the opponents are the newcomers for the base game. The boss of this route is [[Rathalos]].||The concept of the route references Piranha Plant being the last newcomer revealed prior to the game's launch. Each stage is based on the reveal trailer for one particular newcomer, in the order in which they were released. The use of Rathalos references it being a boss from a newly represented universe.

|{{CharHead|Joker|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Shadows<br> ({{ja|シャドウを追え|Shadou wo oe}}, ''Follow the Shadows'')||All of the opponents use dark alternate costumes. With the exception of the first and final round, Joker is joined by a character from the previous round using a light alternate costume. All rounds (except Round 2) take place on [[Mementos]] in three different forms. The boss of this route is {{SSBU|Master Hand}} on Ω form [[Mementos]] rather than [[Final Destination]].||The title refers to a recurring element in the ''Persona'' series, [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Shadow_(Persona) Shadows]. The battle with Master Hand references the god [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Demiurge Yaldabaoth]. The concept of allying with former opponents is a reference to a feature in the ''Persona'' series where after knocking down an opposing shadow with their weakness or a critical hit, the player can add them to their team through negotiations.

|{{CharHead|Hero|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||A History of Heroism<br> ({{ja|勇者たちの記憶|Yūsha-tachi no kioku}}, ''Memories of the Heroes'')||All battles against tiny opponents (except for the last one) are stamina battles. Rathalos appears in the fourth battle. The final battle is against Robin, who is replaced by a Giant Charizard upon defeat.||The first, fourth, and seventh battles represent the progression of a typical ''Dragon Quest'' game. The Tiny Kirby team in the first battle represents the common early-game enemies Slimes and She-Slimes. Rathalos's appearance in the fourth battle references mid-bosses. The final battle references Dragonlord: a two-phase final boss and the main antagonist of the original ''Dragon Quest'' game. The other four battles are against each of the playable ''Dragon Quest'' protagonists, with stage choices and companions appropriate to the specific entries in the series they originally come from: The Luminary with a Tiny red Robin, representing the mage Veronica, at [[Yggdrasil's Altar]]; Solo at [[Temple]], a stand-in for the floating castle Zenithia; Eight with a Tiny Pikachu representing his pet, Munchie; Erdrick in the subterreanean cavern in [[Castle Siege]], referencing the battles against Baramos and Zoma, which both take place in the basements of the villains' respective castles.

|{{CharHead|Banjo & Kazooie|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Perfect Partners<br> ({{ja|ぼくらでこぼこパートナー|Bokura dekoboko paatonaa}}, ''We're Bumpy Partners'')||All battles consist of duos of each series either as a two-in-one character, or two characters from a particular series. The bosses of this route are {{SSBU|Master Hand}} and {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}}.||The music and stage combinations reference the various worlds from ''Banjo-Kazooie''. Duck Hunt references the similarities between the characters with Duck Hunt using the palette swap most similar to Banjo & Kazooie. The penultimate battle being against {{SSBU|Diddy Kong}} and {{SSBU|Donkey Kong}} references how both the {{uv|Banjo-Kazooie}} and {{uv|Donkey Kong}} series being developed by [[Rare Ltd.]] In addition to them being a duo, Master Hand and Crazy Hand may reference Motzand, the piano-playing ghost hand from the Mad Monster Mansion level.

|{{CharHead|Terry|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||The King of Smash<br> ({{ja|ザ・キング・オブ・大乱闘|Za kingu obu dairantō}}, ''The King of the Great Fray'')||All battles are stamina battles against a team of three opponents, who each appear when one of their teammates has been defeated. The enemy teams are made up of fighters who hail from the same series, or share a similar theme. The final battle is against a team of {{SSBU|Ryu}}, {{SSBU|Ken}}, and {{SSBU|Terry}}.||The title is a portmanteau of ''The King of Fighters'' and part of the title of the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series in their respective languages; in the case of Japanese, {{ja|大乱闘|Dairantō}} from {{ja|大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズ|Dairantō Sumasshu Burazāzu}} (''Great Fray Smash Brothers''). The 3-on-3 setup resembles the 3-on-3 battles of ''The King of Fighters'' games. Ryu and Ken's appearances in the final battle references how they had previously crossed over with Terry in the ''SNK vs. Capcom'' games.

|{{CharHead|Byleth|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||A Heroic Legacy<br>({{ja|紋章の系譜|Monshō no keifu}}, ''Genealogy of the Emblem'')||All battles are stamina battles against ''Fire Emblem'' characters. The player always starts with 100 HP, solo opponents have 100 HP, opponents in team battles have 50 HP, and CPU allies in last round start with 30 HP each. The bosses of this route are [[Master Hand]] and [[Crazy Hand]], and {{SSBU|Marth}}, {{SSBU|Roy}}, {{SSBU|Ike}}, {{SSBU|Robin}} and {{SSBU|Corrin}} appear as partners.||This route is themed around ''Fire Emblem'' games that has a playable character in ''Smash'', each of which are fought in ''Fire Emblem'' series chronological order. The penultimate battle is against three Byleths that represent the house leaders in ''{{s|fireemblem|Fire Emblem: Three Houses}}''. In Japanese, the route is named after two Fire Emblem games from the Super Famicom era: ''[[Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem|Mystery of the Emblem]]'' and ''[[fireemblemwiki:Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War|Genealogy of the Holy War]]''.

|{{CharHead|Min Min|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||ARMS at the Ready<br>({{ja|ウデ自慢たち 全員集合!|Ude jiman-tachi zenin shūgō!}}, ''All Those Proud of their Skills/Arms, Gather Round!'')||All opponents specialize in punching attacks or use arm mounted weapons. Round 5 is a Horde Battle against a team of {{SSBU|R.O.B.}}s. The boss of this route is [[Galleom]].||Opponents make reference to various ''ARMS'' characters, including appearances of the [[Spring Man]] and [[Ribbon Girl]] Mii Fighter costumes in Round 1. The Round 2 fight against Little Mac references the similarities between ARMS and Punch-Out!!. The R.O.B. Horde Battle references the 1 vs. 100 mode in ''ARMS''. Galleom represents Hedlok after fusing with Max Brass or Dr. Coyle.

|{{CharHead|Steve|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Journey to the Far Lands<br>({{ja|世界の果てを求めて|Sekai no hate o motomete}}, ''In Search of the World's End'')||All opponents fought represent various mobs encountered throughout ''Minecraft''. Most battles except the penultimate round are stamina matches. The final battle is against a giant {{SSBU|Ridley}} and two tiny Endermen.||The English title refers to the eponymous world-generation glitch present in versions of the Java version prior to Beta 1.8 and also the Bedrock version prior to version 1.17.30; the Japanese title may be a reference to the official manga ''Minecraft: Journey to the End of the World'' ({{ja|マインクラフト 世界の果てへの旅|Mainkurafuto Sekai no hate e no tabi }}). The final battle is a reference to the Ender Dragon boss battle in the End dimension of the game.

|{{CharHead|Sephiroth|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||The Chosen Ones<br>({{ja|支配する者達|Shihai suru monotachi}}, ''Those Who Rule'')||Sephiroth fights all the bosses in the game except for [[Galeem]] and [[Dharkon]]. The bosses are, in order, [[Rathalos]], [[Galleom]], [[Marx]], [[Dracula]], [[Ganon]], [[Giga Bowser]]. The final boss is against {{SSBU|Master Hand}} and {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}} on [[Northern Cave]] Ω.||According to Masahiro Sakurai, the "boss rush" nature of Sephiroth's Classic Mode was inspired by his status as the final boss of ''Final Fantasy VII''. The final battle with Master Hand and Crazy Hand refers to the final battle of ''Final Fantasy VII'', where multiple characters team up to defeat Sephiroth. The title of his route references his leitmotif from the original game, "Those Chosen by the Planet".

|{{CharHead|Pyra|SSBU|hsize=20px}}/{{CharHead|Mythra|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Shared Destinies<br>({{ja|コインの裏表|Koin no uraomote}}, ''Both Sides of the Coin'')||Pyra and Mythra fight characters who comprise pairs, either due to being similar (such as {{SSBU|Ryu}} and {{SSBU|Ken}}) or parts of the same being (such as {{SSBU|Sheik}} and {{SSBU|Zelda}}, or {{SSBU|Pit}} and {{SSBU|Dark Pit}}). Items are limited to the home universe of each round. The final boss is against {{SSBU|Master Hand}} and {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}}, fitting the duo theme.||Many of the characters featured are [[clone]]s, either in the ''Smash Bros.'' sense or the literal sense, referencing how Pyra and Mythra are the same entity, colloquially known as the Aegis. Sheik and Zelda's presence in the route may reference how they were the first transformation characters in the ''Smash Bros.'' series. The concept and Japanese name of the route are somewhat similar to Meta Knight's, even including some of the same pairs.

All eight of the starter characters in ''Ultimate'' have their own character unlock trees, each with eight characters to unlock (except for Pikachu, who has seven). Completing Classic Mode with any character in a given tree will challenge the player to a Challenger Approaching duel for the next available character from the start of their tree down, as indicated in the table-chart below. For example, beating Classic Mode with {{SSBU|Donkey Kong}} will then trigger the fight to unlock {{SSBU|Bowser}}. If Bowser's Challenger Approaching duel has been previously attempted (via a timed encounter or a previous Classic Mode completion) or if he has already been unlocked through World of Light, {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}}'s duel would be issued next. When playing with two players, Player 1 will participate in the duel, and their fighter is used to determine whose duel will be issued.

When all the characters in a tree are unlocked, completing Classic Mode with those characters will unlock the next available character in Mario's tree, then Donkey Kong's, and so on. Completing Classic Mode with [[Downloadable content (SSBU)|downloadable fighters]] would also unlock fighters in this order, as these characters are not assigned an unlock tree.

The Challenger Approaching duels are the same as those issued on a timed basis; this is simply another way to trigger them.

 

Notably, all [[clone]]s, semi-clones, and pseudo-clones except for {{SSBU|Ganondorf}}, {{SSBU|Roy}}, and {{SSBU|Chrom}} are in the same tree as the character they are based on.

|3rd||{{head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=32px}}||{{head|Rosalina & Luma|g=SSBU|s=32px}}||{{head|Simon|g=SSBU|s=32px}}||{{head|Pit|g=SSBU|s=32px}}||{{head|Ryu|g=SSBU|s=32px}}||{{head|Pac-Man|g=SSBU|s=32px}}||{{head|Peach|g=SSBU|s=32px}}||{{head|R.O.B.|g=SSBU|s=32px|cl=Grey}}

|8th||{{head|Olimar|g=SSBU|s=32px}}||{{head|Duck Hunt|g=SSBU|s=32px}}||{{head|Toon Link|g=SSBU|s=32px}}||{{head|Dark Pit|g=SSBU|s=32px}}||{{head|Ken|g=SSBU|s=32px}}||{{head|Palutena|g=SSBU|s=32px}}||{{head|Mewtwo|g=SSBU|s=32px}}||None

[[File:SSBU Classic Mode Difficulty Mural Full.jpg|800px|thumb|center|The mural that is displayed when selecting the intensity level.]]

 

**A [[Continue]] does not restart an ongoing match.

**The difficulty rating can increase during the run depending on the player's performance.

**[[Boss]] fights show a health bar for the bosses instead of percentages or stamina counts.

**Not every fighter can be selected (due to {{SSBU|Mii Fighter}}s being absent from this mode).

*{{SSBU|Donkey Kong}}, {{SSBU|Joker}}, and {{SSBU|Sephiroth}} are the only characters to face {{SSBU|Master Hand}} and {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}} on a stage other than {{SSBU|Final Destination}}.

*{{SSBU|Terry}} faces the highest number of distinct fighters in his Classic Mode route, with a total of 21.

*{{SSBU|Link}} is the most common opponent for Classic Mode routes, appearing in 23 different routes.

**Conversely, {{SSBU|Snake}} is the least common base game opponent, appearing as an opponent in only three routes.

*[[Norfair]] appears in more Classic Mode routes than any other stage (appearing in 14 different routes and being the stage for 15 rounds). However, [[Boxing Ring]] is the most common stage to fight opponents on (being the stage for 21 rounds while appearing in 13 different routes).

*On the difficulty selection banner, which features every fighter in the base game, female {{SSBU|Corrin}} is featured instead of male Corrin, despite the latter being the default in ''Smash''.