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[[File:MatchTimerUltimate.jpg|thumb|The '''match timer''' in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', which shows two and a half minutes.]]

The '''match timer''' is an element that appears in the top-right corner of the screen (top-center in ''Melee''). It shows how much time is left during a game before it ends. It is present during a [[Time]] or [[Stock]] battle with the timer option set to on. The timer starts counting down once the [[announcer]] says "GO!". The timer can be adjusted between a minimum of 1 and maximum of 99 minutes (thirty-second intervals in ''Ultimate'') in the [[Rules]] section prior to the start of the match. Normally the format of the timer is "''MM:SS.<small>ss</small>''" (minutes, seconds, centiseconds). In ''Smash 4'', if the timer exceeds 60 minutes, it will include the number "1" to display the hour instead of the usual format. In addition to [[Versus match]]es, the timer can also appear with predetermined time limits in minigames like [[Trophy Rush]] and [[Target Blast]], or boss battles such as [[Master Core]], as well as on the [[Online Practice Stage]] when waiting in a lobby for the current match to end. There are instances throughout the series of unique time-based gameplay settings.

Depending on [[region]] and [[language]], timers are different audibly. While numbers stay the same visually, text such as "GO!" or spoken numbers by the announcer greatly vary. For simplicity reasons, only English is presented in this article. {{clr}}

==Pre-match timer==
[[File:RyuDuckHuntFinalDestinationUltimateBattleReady.jpg|thumb|Pre-match timer in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' for a [[Vs. match]].]]
The '''pre-match timer''' is an element that appears before the start of a match. The announcer will count down starting from three. Depending on which game, characters will make their [[on-screen appearance]] during this time, and the [[music]] track will be briefly displayed in the top left-hand corner as well (''Brawl'', ''Smash 4'', and ''Ultimate''). Prior to the start of the countdown in ''Ultimate'', a [[versus splash screen]] will appear, showing the fighters for that match. When the announcer gives the "GO!" signal and when the word appears onscreen, the match begins, as well as the match timer if applicable.

In ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', the timer uses a light sequence starting from red and while the announcer counts down, the lights will change to yellow from left to right. When the light turns blue, the match begins.

In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'', the announcer says "Ready...GO!" instead of counting down from three. A meter is shown visually onscreen to be counting down from three, displaying the time with centiseconds, though this is purely aesthetic and counts down quickly in less than three seconds. This variation is also used in ''Brawl'', ''Smash 4'', and ''Ultimate'' during [[single player|single-player modes]] including [[All-Star]] and [[Adventure Mode: World of Light]]. On-screen appearances will not occur with this countdown method.

In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', the pre-match timer uses numbers and has different colors for each of them: three (blue), two (green) and one (yellow). All numbers are red in ''[[Smash 4]]'', and then to flaming orange-red in ''[[Ultimate]]''.

When "GO!" appears onscreen, it will have a different color depending on which game: orange (''Super Smash Bros.''), blackish-yellow, (''Melee''), brown (''Brawl''), silver (''Smash 3DS''), gold (''Smash for Wii U''), and flaming orange-red (''Ultimate'').

<gallery widths="200px">
MarioOnScreenAppearanceSSB.gif|In ''SSB''.
NessOnScreenAppearanceMelee.gif|In ''Melee'' and [[single player|single-player modes]].
MarioOnScreenAppearanceSSBB.gif|In ''Brawl''
Smash3DSPreMatchTimer.jpg|In {{for3ds}}
MarioOnScreenAppearanceSSB4.gif|In {{forwiiu}}
RyuDaisySuzakuCastleUltimateFightStart.jpg |Once the fighters are ready, the announcer will shout "GO!" to officially begin the match.
</gallery>
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==Final countdown timer==
[[File:SmashUltimateMatchFinalSeconds.gif|thumb|200px|Final countdown timer in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' during a versus match.]]
The '''final countdown timer''' is an element that appears at the end of a match. When there are only five seconds remaining, the match timer will disappear (except for ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''), and the announcer will start to count down with each number getting bigger onscreen (the numbers are the same size in ''Smash for Wii U'' and ''Ultimate'') before calling out "TIME!" ("TIME UP!" in the Korean and Japanese version and original game) to signal the end of the match. When that word appears onscreen, a winner will be chosen based on the highest total score each fighter/team has during the match, depending on the [[mode|game mode]]. Players who are tied will face off in a [[Sudden Death]] match to break the tie.

In [[competitive play]], this event is usually referred to as a "[[time out]]"; sometimes it is performed intentionally in order to win by [[stock]] or [[percent]]age lead alone. In addition to [[VS. match]]es, the timer appears in single-player modes like [[Race to the Finish (disambiguation)|Race to the Finish]] and [[Trophy Rush]]. If [[Target Blast]] and the [[Home-Run Contest]] is played, then "TIME!" won't be called after the last second appeared. If a timed [[Multi-Man]] game is played, then the announcer will call out "GAME!" ("GAME SET" in the Japanese version) when time is up.

Just like the pre-match timer and the "GO!" message, the numbers have a different color. In ''Melee'', the numbers are crimson before it was changed to red in ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4'', and then to silver in ''Ultimate''. The 10-second timer on the [[Target Blast bomb|bomb]] in Target Blast starts from green and for each second the fuse takes, it changes to yellow, orange, and then to red when the bomb explodes. In ''SSB4'', the final countdown timer's appearance activates the countdown-affected [[equipment]], and prevents [[Star KO]]s and [[Screen KO]]s from happening for fairness purposes. There is [[End of Day#End of Day KO Glitch|only one known exception to this.]]
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<gallery widths="200px">
MarioHomeRunContestMeleeLastSecond.jpg|In ''Melee''
MarioLinkHomeRunContestBrawlFinal5Seconds.jpg|In ''Brawl''.
Smash 3DS Time Match (Final 5 Seconds).jpg|In {{for3ds}}.
SmashWiiUFinal5Seconds.jpg|In {{forwiiu}}.
MorayTowersMiiBrawlerPichuAnnouncerTIME!.jpg|Once the countdown is finished, then the announcer will shout "TIME!" to tell the fighters that the match is over.
</gallery>

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="200">
SSB Timer.jpg|In ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''
SSBM Timer.jpg|In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee|Melee]]''.
SSBB Timer.jpg|In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl|Brawl]]''.
SSB3 Timer.jpg|In {{for3ds}}.
MatchTimeHourPlus.jpg|In {{forwiiu}}.
</gallery>

==Trivia==
*When there's only thirty seconds left, the current music changes on some stages. This applies to five stages: {{SSB|Mushroom Kingdom}}, {{SSBM|Mushroom Kingdom}}, [[Mushroom Kingdom II]], [[Suzaku Castle]], and [[Moray Towers]].
**In Suzaku Castle's case, this only happens if the music currently playing is any of the original ''Street Fighter II'' or ''Super Street Fighter II'' themes (barring the Player Select theme from either game in ''Ultimate'').
[[Category:Gameplay]]