Editing Match timer

[[File:MatchTimerUltimate.jpg|thumb|The '''match timer''' in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', which shows two and a half minutes (150 seconds).]]

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 in a game before it ends. It is present during a [[Time]] or [[Stock]] battle with the timer turned on. The timer can be adjusted between a minimum of 1 and maximum of 99 minutes (with thirty-second intervals for matches under two minutes 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); the only exception is the original ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', whose timer does not display 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 numbers spoken by the announcer greatly vary. For simplicity, only English is presented in this article. {{clr}}

The '''pre-match timer''' is an element that appears before the start of a match. The announcer will count down starting from three and say "GO!" to commence the match and start any timer. 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.

In ''[[Melee]]'', the countdown is replaced with a meter depleting, with the time in centiseconds going down (though this is purely aesthetic and goes down quickly), and the announcer will instead say "Ready...Go!" while the fighters play their "trophy coming to life" animation. A variation of this without the time is used since ''Brawl'' during [[single player]] modes such as [[All-Star]] and [[Adventure Mode: World of Light]]. Unlike in ''Melee'', on-screen appearances will be absent during this time.

In all games, [[Sudden Death]] will trigger another timer as it begins.

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

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 the game: vermilion (''Super Smash Bros.''), blackish-yellow, (''Melee''), brown (''Brawl''), silver (''Smash 3DS''), gold (''Smash for Wii U''), and flaming orange-red (''Ultimate'').

MarioOnScreenAppearanceSSB.gif|In ''SSB''.

NessOnScreenAppearanceMelee.gif|In ''Melee'' and single-player modes since ''Brawl''.

MarioOnScreenAppearanceSSBB.gif|In ''Brawl''

Smash3DSPreMatchTimer.jpg|In {{for3ds}}

MarioOnScreenAppearanceSSB4.gif|In {{forwiiu}}

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 the time down. Afterwards, the announcer will call "TIME!" ("TIME UP!" in the Japanese version for ''Melee'' onwards, the Korean version for ''Brawl'' onwards and the Chinese version of ''Ultimate'', as well as the original game in all regions; except for [[Target Blast]] and the [[Home-Run Contest]]) to signal the end of the match and declare a winner, or commence 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 {{B|Race to the Finish|disambiguation}} and [[Trophy Rush]].

Each remaining second is punctuated by a large number in the center of the screen (with each number getting subsequently bigger except in ''Smash for Wii U'' and ''Ultimate''). 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''. In ''SSB4'', the final countdown timer's appearance activates the countdown-affected [[equipment]], and prevents [[Star KO]]s and [[Screen KO]]s from happening. This also applies to the [[Finish Zoom]] in ''Ultimate'' during timed Stock or Stamina matches. There is [[End of Day#End of Day KO Glitch|only one known exception to this.]]

MarioHomeRunContestMeleeLastSecond.jpg|In ''Melee''

SSB Timer.png|In ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''

SSBM Timer.jpg|In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''.

SSBB Timer.jpg|In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''.

*When there are only thirty seconds left in ''Smash 64'' or twenty seconds left in ''Melee'', 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'').

**In Moray Towers' case, this happens if the music currently playing is directly ported from ''Splatoon'' or ''Splatoon 2'' (with the exceptions of ''Split & Splat'', ''Octoweaponry'', ''I Am Octavio'', ''Calamari Inkantation'', and ''Deluge Dirge'').