Editing Online play

'''Online play''', sometimes known as '''netplay''', is the act of playing games in the ''{{b|Super Smash Bros.|series}}'' series with other players via the Internet. Thus far, ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', both versions of ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' have had netplay officially supported by [[Nintendo]]; while released without native netplay capabilities, modern methods exist for playing both ''[[Smash 64]]'' and ''[[Melee]]'' online.

Like ''Brawl'', both {{forwiiu}} and {{for3ds}} natively support online play, though this time, the service is provided via the [[Nintendo Network]]. The service also offers a variety of benefits over ''Brawl's'' online play, particularly in regards to options and matchmaking. The overall concept, however, remains the same, with players being able to play against either strangers or friends via the internet. The latest version of the game must be downloaded to access online modes, as different players going online with different versions would cause compatibility issues and desyncing, if not break the game entirely.

As of version 1.1.0, upon entering the ''Online'' submenu, the player is given five options: ''[[With Anyone]]'', ''[[With Friends]]'', ''[[Tourney]]'', ''[[Conquest]]'', ''[[Spectate]]'', and ''[[Share]]''. Upon selectin ''With Anyone'', there are two options to choose from: ''[[For Fun]]'' and ''[[For Glory]]''. For Fun is an unranked mode that can be used with any ruleset. For Glory uses a matchmaking system based on [[Global Smash Power]] and is restricted to no items, and Ω Form stages only. ''With Friends'' functions similarly to ''Brawl''. ''Tourney'' is similar to the mode in previous games, except online with occasional tourneys run by Nintendo themselves. This mode went defunct on November 8, 2017 after the discontinuation of [[Miiverse]]. ''Conquest'' aggregated global wins among specific groups of characters (known as teams) in With Anyone during a limited time, and determined the victor based on the number of wins. Players who backed the winning team would win prizes. The mode was discontinued on January 3, 2019. ''Share'' is a server that allowed players to upload content for others to view. Several options in this mode were discontinued November 8, 2017 after the discontinuation of Miiverse, including uploads to [[YouTube]], sharing snapshots and sharing custom stages. However, sharing replay data and Mii Fighters is still available.

As of version 4.0.0, upon opening the ''Online'' submenu, the player is given four options: ''Smash'', ''[[Spectate]]'', ''[[Shared Content]]'', or ''[[Online Tourney]]''. Upon choosing ''Smash,'' there are three options to choose from: '''Quickplay''', '''Battle Arenas''', and '''Background Matchmaking'''. Quickplay has the player select ''Solo'' or ''Co-op'' (local), with a ''Preferred Rules'' switch underneath the two options. Preferred rules include the format, time limit, stage, stock count, whether Final Smash Meter is on or off, and which items should be turned on. If a player accrues enough Global Smash Power with a single fighter, the player can use that fighter in ''[[Elite Smash]]'': a mode similar to Quickplay where players are only matched with other players in Elite smash. However, the player needs to maintain that GSP count, and will be kicked from Elite smash if they dip below the threshold.

'''[[Battle Arena]]s''' are a new form of online play for the series, being able to make it visible for all (Public), or for Friends only.

Online competition has been a fixture of the scene ever since the introduction of network play in ''Brawl'', though serious online tournaments were unheard of until the release of ''Smash 4'' except of [[AllisBrawl]]'s ladder playoffs, due to ''Brawl'''s notoriously poor online performance and players at the time predominantly playing on notoriously poor Wi-Fi connections. The ability to match with players regardless of location makes it an important avenue for players who wish to compete but are either unable or unwilling to travel to large-scale gatherings like tournaments. Like offline tournaments, online tournaments usually have an organizer that oversees the bracket, while having players that are matched friend each other on their respective systems, play their matches, and then report the results to the tournament organizer.

The use of online battles as an outlet for serious competition, however, is controversial. The inherent latency that comes with playing a game online, thus resulting in [[frame]]rate drops, [[online desynchronization]], and even complete disconnections, makes them significantly less suitable for testing the skills between players, especially for a game that tests players' reaction times in competition like ''Smash''. The need of an internet connection also opens up other issues, such as worse performance if one participant does not have a stable internet connection, and interference or some other form of [[griefing]]. These concerns have led the community to prefer offline play whenever possible and disregard most online competition as little more than diversions before 2020. Masahiro Sakurai himself has expressed the opinion that playing any ''Smash'' game online is not ideal, as the lack of camraderie that comes with playing with friends is lost and competing against unseen strangers makes playing the game less fun.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXpFTHtlmCo&t=59s Masahiro Sakurai on online play]</ref> However, the majority of players would still play online to practice, as it allowed them to conveniently play whenever they want, and play far more different players than they would have access to at their locals, being an invaluable source for obtaining [[matchup]] experience.

As with many other games, online competition received renewed attention because of the [[COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on competitive Smash|COVID-19 pandemic]]. Starting from the beginning of 2020 and continuing into the end of 2021, nearly all public events and gatherings either put strict regulations on in-person attendance or were cancelled entirely, including most offline ''Smash'' tournaments. As such, the community began prioritizing online tournaments, some of which acted as stand-ins for cancelled offline tournaments. While the aforementioned problems with online still persist, the competitive scene has slowly begun to recognize that, given the proper equipment and preparation, online play is a valid method for competition, with many high profile tournaments being online-only and annual circuits integrating online tournaments into their roster for credit towards the finals.

The necessity of unofficial tools to play the older ''Smash'' games online resulted in renewed friction between the community and Nintendo, the latter of which openly disapproves of the use of any mods. This came to a head with the cancellation of The Big House Online, the planned online replacement to The Big House 10, in November of 2020, after Nintendo ordered a cease-and-desist of the tournament due to its planned use of Project Slippi for the ''Melee'' tournament. Many community members felt that Nintendo's actions were in poor taste during a pandemic that prevented most offline tournaments from occurring, the backlash of which eventually culminated into the #SaveSmash movement.

A player that predominantly plays online is often called a '''Wifi Warrior''' or '''Online Warrior'''. These players have historically had the community doubt their ability to perform as well in an offline environment, due the belief that these players adapted to an online environment that would not have their skills translate to an offline environment without the input lag of online play (or less charitably, believe these players outright exploit the increased input lag and instability of online play in their play styles). Whether this ideology is fair or not is debated, as often these "Wifi Warriors" do perform at a comparable level when they compete offline, and since ''Brawl'', many top players, if not the majority of them, were initially "Wifi Warriors" or players that did play online a significant amount.