Editing Super Smash Bros.

{{ArticleIcons|ssb=y|fa=y}}{{Cquote|Something's gone wrong in the happy-go-lucky world of Nintendo!|cite=North American commercial}}

|image = {{tabber|width=250px|title1=American boxart|tab1=[[File:SSB64 box.png|250px]]|title2=European boxart|tab2=[[File:Box ssb pal.jpg|250px]]|title3=Japanese boxart|tab3=[[File:Box ssb j.jpg|250px]]}}

|genre = {{s|wikipedia|Fighting game}}<br>[[wikipedia:Platform game|Platforming]]

|modes = {{s|wikipedia|Single-player}}, {{s|wikipedia|multiplayer}} (2-4)

|ratings = {{s|wikipedia|ESRB}}: E<br>{{s|wikipedia|PEGI}}: 7<br>{{s|wikipedia|OFLC}}: G8+

The game released in Japan on January 21st, 1999, in North America on April 26th, 1999 and in Europe on November 19th, 1999 for the [[Nintendo 64]]. Subsequently, it released on the [[iQue Player]] in China on November 15, 2005. It was re-released on the [[Wii]] [[Virtual Console]] on January 20th, 2009 in Japan, a day before its 10-year anniversary, and later that year in Europe and North America, before becoming unavailable after the Wii Shop Channel shut down on January 30th, 2019.

''Super Smash Bros.'' received positive reviews, with most praise going to its multiplayer mode, while its single-player mode received some criticism. The game has sold 5 million units worldwide as of 2001, making it the fifth best-selling Nintendo 64 game of all time.

{{#widget:YouTube|id=piPJLPrqg0o}}

The game features nine stages derived from each character's universe, exceptions being {{uv|EarthBound}} and {{uv|F-Zero}}. While most universes receive a single stage, {{uv|Mario}} uniquely has two instead: [[Peach's Castle]] and the only unlockable stage in the game, [[Mushroom Kingdom]]. Besides of that, the other stages consist of [[Congo Jungle]], [[Hyrule Castle]], [[Planet Zebes]], {{SSB|Yoshi's Island}}, {{SSB|Dream Land}}, [[Sector Z]], and [[Saffron City]] from {{uv|Donkey Kong}}, {{uv|The Legend of Zelda}}, {{uv|Metroid}}, {{uv|Yoshi}}, {{uv|Kirby}}, {{uv|Star Fox}}, and {{uv|Pokémon}} respectively.

|width="20%"|[[File:PeachCastleSSB.jpg|100x100px|link=Peach's Castle]]<br>[[Peach's Castle]]<br>{{symbol|smb|20px|suffix=preBrawl}}

|width="20%"|[[File:MushroomKingdom64.jpg|100x100px|link=Mushroom Kingdom (SSB)]]<br>'''{{SSB|Mushroom Kingdom}}'''<br>{{symbol|smb|20px|suffix=preBrawl}}

|[[File:YoshisStorySSB.png|100x100px|link=Yoshi's Island (SSB)]]<br>{{SSB|Yoshi's Island}}<br>{{symbol|yoshi|20px|suffix=preBrawl}}

|width="20%"|[[File:CongoJungle.png|100x100px|link=Kongo Jungle]]<br>[[Kongo Jungle|Congo Jungle]]<br>{{symbol|dk|20px|suffix=preBrawl}}

|width="20%"|[[File:HyruleCastleSSB.png|100x100px |link=Hyrule Castle]]<br>[[Hyrule Castle]]<br>{{symbol|zelda|20px}}

|width="20%"|[[File:PlanetZebesSSB.png|100x100px|link=Planet Zebes]]<br>[[Planet Zebes]]<br>{{symbol|metroid|20px|suffix=preBrawl}}

|[[File:DreamLandSSB.png|100x100px|link=Dream Land (SSB)]]<br>[[Dream Land]]<br>{{symbol|kirby|20px}}

|[[File:SectorZSSB.png|100x100px|link=Sector Z]]<br>[[Sector Z]]<br />{{symbol|fox|20px|suffix=preBrawl}}

|[[File:SaffronCitySSB.png|100x100px|link=Saffron City]]<br>[[Saffron City]]<br>{{symbol|pkmn|20px|suffix=preBrawl}}

<small>Shown in '''bold''', ''Mushroom Kingdom'' is the only unlockable stage in ''Super Smash Bros.''</small>

|width=14%|[[File:Mario Target Smash SSB.png|100x100px|link=Break the Targets]]<br />[[Break the Targets]]<br />{{symbol|smash|20px}}

|width=14%|[[File:Mario Board the Platforms.png|100x100px|link=Board the Platforms]]<br />[[Board the Platforms]]<br />{{symbol|smash|20px}}

|width=14%|[[File:Rttf64.JPG|100x100px|link=Race to the Finish (SSB)]]<br />{{SSB|Race to the Finish}}<br />{{symbol|smash|20px}}

|width=14%|[[File:YoshisStorySSB.png|100x100px|link=Yoshi's Island (SSB)]]<br />{{SSB|Yoshi's Island}}*<br />{{symbol|yoshi|20px|suffix=preBrawl}}

|width=14%|[[File:MetaCrystal.png|100x100px|link=Meta Crystal]]<br />[[Meta Crystal]]<br />{{symbol|met|20px}}{{symbol|smash|20px}}

|width=14%|[[File:Battlefield 64.png|100x100px|link=Duel Zone]]<br />[[Duel Zone]]<br />{{symbol|smash|20px}}

|width=14%|[[File:FinalDestinationSSB.png|100x100px|link=Final Destination (SSB)]]<br />{{SSB|Final Destination}}<br />{{symbol|smash|20px}}

<small>These stages only appear in the ''1P Game''.<br>*The 1P Game-only ''Yoshi's Island'' lacks clouds and has closer blast zones.</small>

|width="33%"|[[File:KirbyBeta1N64.png|100x100px|link=Small]]<br />[[Small]]<br />{{symbol|kirby|20px}}{{symbol|smash|20px}}

|width="33%"|[[File:KirbyBeta2.png|100x100px|link=New]]<br />[[New]]<br />{{symbol|kirby|20px}}{{symbol|smash|20px}}

|width="33%"|[[File:Tutorial Stage SSB.png|100x100px|link=Tutorial Stage]]<br />[[Tutorial Stage]]<br />{{symbol|kirby|20px}}{{symbol|smash|20px}}

<small>These stages cannot be unlocked or played on in any way without hacking.</small>

* [[1P Game]]

* [[Training Mode]]

* [[Target Smash!|Break the Targets]]

* [[Board the Platforms]]

* [[Versus Mode]]

 

 

 

After development on the {{iw|wikirby|Kirby Super Star}} wrapped in 1996, creator [[Masahiro Sakurai]] wanted to create another property. He developed two different prototypes concurrently: a stealth and exploration based RC robot adventure game, and a four player free-for-all fighting game with no health bars. A long-time fan of fighting games, paricularly games developed by [[SNK]], he was interested in making a beginner friendly fighting game for four players. A specific inspiration for such an idea came from an experience at a local arcade where he had a winning streak on ''King of Fighters '95'' and felt pleased with himself, only to feel guilty upon realizing his opponent was a beginner and their partner. This made Sakurai realize that not everyone is a master, so a game designed for newcomers to have fun regardless of skill level would be a good idea.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/aug/08/super-smash-bros-ultimate-masahiro-sakurai-35-years-gaming-history-nintendo | title = From Kong to Kirby: Smash Bros' Masahiro Sakurai on mashing up 35 years of gaming history | first=Keza | last = MacDonald | date = August 8, 2018 | access-date = February 26, 2020 | work = The Guardian }}</ref> He also was concerned about how the fighting game genre was becoming increasingly combo-centric and how that invalidated the skills of the player being comboed. [[Command-input move]]s were also becoming increasingly complex, and Sakurai wanted controls that tested speed and reflexes instead of muscle memory, which culminated in [[tilt attack]]s and [[smash attacks]] that can be performable with a wide range of skill levels while still having a level of depth and strategy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3IOWaVDbx0|title=Super Smash Bros.|publisher=YouTube|date=2022-10-20|accessdate=2022-10-20}}</ref>

His initial design for the game was called ''Kakuto-Geemu Ryuoh'' (''[[Dragon King: The Fighting Game]]''),<ref name="Hobby"/> which featured simple characters. After presenting the game to co-worker [[Satoru Iwata]], he helped Sakurai continue on with the project. Realizing that the RC game would take much longer to develop, he shelved the concept and went all in on this fighting game. Sakurai understood that many fighting games did not sell well, so he tried to make his game original.<ref name= Hobby/> After presenting a pre-alpha demo to HAL Laboratory, he was approached by a fellow employee who suggested the game should include famous Nintendo characters as a way to market the game.<ref name="Hobby"/> Initially hesitant about the idea, he was later convinced and began retooling his demo. Sakurai has since claimed that filling a game with preexisting characters is more welcoming to new players instead of bombarding them with many original characters they are unfamiliar with. Knowing full well that he would not receive permission to do include their characters, Sakurai created a prototype of the game without sanction from Nintendo and did not inform them until he was sure the game was well-balanced.<ref name="Hobby"/> The prototype he presented featured [[Mario]], [[Donkey Kong]], [[Samus Aran]], and [[Fox McCloud]] as playable characters. The idea was later approved.<ref name="Hobby">{{cite web|url=http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/ssbb/6/0|title=Iwata Asks: Super Smash Bros. Brawl|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=2008-01-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/interview/rsbj/vol7/index.html|title=社長が訊く『大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズX』|trans_title=Iwata Asks: Super Smash Bros. Brawl|publisher=Nintendo|language=Japanese|accessdate=2008-01-31}}</ref> Although never acknowledged by Sakurai or any developers behind ''Super Smash Bros.'', third party sources have identified [[Namco]]'s 1995 fighting game ''{{s|wikipedia|The Outfoxies}}'' as a possible inspiration.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.destructoid.com/six-days-to-smash-bros-brawl-top-five-smash-bros-alternatives-71897.phtml|title=Six Days to Smash Bros. Brawl: Top Five Smash Bros alternatives|last=Holmes|first=Jonathan|date=March 3, 2008|work=Destructoid|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112703/http://www.destructoid.com/six-days-to-smash-bros-brawl-top-five-smash-bros-alternatives-71897.phtml|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/15-smash-bros-rip-offs-couldnt-outdo-nintendo/2/|title=15 Smash Bros. rip-offs that couldn't outdo Nintendo|last=Sullivan|first=Lucas|date=September 19, 2014|website=GamesRadar+|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115002115/http://www.gamesradar.com/15-smash-bros-rip-offs-couldnt-outdo-nintendo/2/|archive-date=November 15, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

Marketing teams and wholesalers were initially skeptical on the market viability of ''Super Smash Bros.'', as they were unsure how the public would respond to Nintendo characters beating each other up. Resistance from fighting game players were also met during the launch period, as they had many preconceptions of what a fighting game is and were uncomfortable with a wildly different product labeling itself as a fighting game. To alleviate this tension, Sakurai created the [[Smabura-Ken]] website that delved deep into all the new and different concepts.

''Super Smash Bros.'' was a commercial success, selling 5 million copies worldwide with 2.93 million sold in the United States and 1.97 million copies sold in Japan. It was the 5th best selling game for the [[Nintendo 64]]. Reviews were mostly positive, with many critics praising the game's addictive and fun multiplayer gameplay and simple controls, but it was criticized as well, mainly due to the game's lower amount of content and somewhat limited single-player mode.

SSB64CASTWB.gif|A image of the cast from the SSB64 Website.

*The starting eight characters are placed in the order of when they first appeared (as a whole) in their respective debut titles on the [[character selection screen]], starting with the oldest, [[Mario]] and [[Donkey Kong]], and ending with the most recent, [[Pikachu]]. This same order is used when listing the cast of the original ''Super Smash Bros.'' in later games, such as when organizing [[Trophy|trophies]] and [[fighter number]]s. This chronological ordering also applies to the four unlockable characters on the character selection screen, though this is only relative to each other and not the other characters.

*This game is one of two ''Super Smash Bros.'' games to not feature Adventure Mode, the second being ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''.  

*This game is one of two ''Super Smash Bros.'' games to not feature All-Star Mode, the second being ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''.

*If the player achieves No Miss x11 at the end of [[1P Game|Classic Mode]], the announcer will say "Incredible!" instead of "Congratulations!" on the victory screen.

*Counting both versions of ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' as one game, this is the only game in the series with more fighters than stages.

*Although the iQue player has a built-in controller, a message, albeit in Chinese, exists dictating that the controller isn't plugged in.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tcrf.net/Super_Smash_Bros./Regional_Differences#No_Controller|title=No Controller}}</ref>

*[http://web.archive.org/web/19991117175759/http://smashbros.com/ Official English ''Super Smash Bros.'' website (archived)]

*[https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/vq2LDXcejXQ2vNjNkcQAv6ylA5y9lMzu Official North American Virtual Console ''Super Smash Bros.'' game page]