Editing Super Smash Bros. 4

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{{Cquote|''SETTLE IT IN SMASH!''|cite=North American commercial}}

{{Title|''Super Smash Bros. 4''}}

|title = Super Smash Bros. 4<br></i><small>(unofficial title)</small>

|image = [[File:SSB4 Logo.png|250px]]

|caption = Collective logo for the game.

|developer = [[Bandai Namco]]<br>[[Sora Ltd.]]

|publisher = [[Nintendo]]

|platform = [[Wii U]], [[Nintendo 3DS]]

|designer = [[Masahiro Sakurai]]

|engine = [[Havok]]

|released = '''Nintendo 3DS'''<br>September 13, 2014 {{flag|Japan}}<br>October 2, 2014 {{flag|Germany}} <br>October 3, 2014 {{flag|North America}} {{flag|Europe}}<br>October 4, 2014 {{flag|Australia}}<br>July 24, 2015 {{flag|Hong Kong}} {{flag|Taiwan}}<br>September 10, 2015 {{flag|South Korea}}

'''Wii U'''<br>November 21, 2014 {{flag|North America}}<br>November 28, 2014 {{flag|Europe}}<br>November 28, 2014 {{flag|South Africa}}<br>November 29, 2014 {{flag|Australia}}<br>December 6, 2014 {{flag|Japan}}

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

|modes = Single player, Multiplayer, Online multiplayer

|platforms = [[Nintendo 3DS]], [[Wii U]]

|ratings = {{vgratings|CERO=A|PEGI=12+|ESRB=E10+<ref>[http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/zC34HnrON-_wV0ZUkSfQFC6ub3Ea8DQ6 Nintendo.com's page for the 3DS version]</ref>|OFLCA=PG<ref>http://www.classification.gov.au/Pages/View.aspx?sid=baAYDzOrSLTJS31kqfUnSQ%253d%253d&ncdctx=kY4ZcmxpzFiR75%252faQboRyhefdrcxUukb9ZDwrHw7sGSByd%252fNX2SA4QwXLhHqWtIb</ref>}}

'''''Super Smash Bros. 4''''' (also referred to by shorthands such as '''''Smash 4''''', '''''SSB4''''', '''''for''''' ({{ja|スマブラfor|Sumabura for}}), or more informally '''''Sm4sh''''', and officially as '''''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U''''') is a term used to collectively refer to '''{{For3ds}}''' and '''{{Forwiiu}}''', two games in the ''{{b|Super Smash Bros.|series}}'' series created by [[Bandai Namco]]<ref name="ign-namco">[http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/22/namco-bandai-developing-next-smash-bros IGN: "Namco Bandai Developing Next Smash Bros."]</ref> and [[Sora Ltd.]] [[Masahiro Sakurai]] stated in an interview with Kotaku that he considers the [[3DS]] version the fourth installment and the [[Wii U]] version the fifth installment. The games feature mostly identical gameplay, but with several differences in other areas. The 3DS version is the first game of the series to be released on a handheld console.

The 3DS version launched in Japan on September 13th, 2014, and in most other parts of the world on October 3rd, 2014. It was released in stores one day earlier in Germany on October 2nd, 2014 to avoid coinciding with {{S|wikipedia|German Unity Day}}, and was released one day later in Australia on October 4th, 2014 because of time zone differences. Hong Kong and Taiwan received a release of the game over ten months later, on July 24th, 2015, while South Korea got its release on September 10th, 2015, nearly a full year after the game's initial launch in Japan. The Wii U version was released in North America on November 21st, 2014, and was released on November 28th, 2014 in Europe, November 29th, 2014 in Australia, and on December 6th, 2014 in Japan.

Online support for the [[Nintendo 3DS]] and [[Wii U]] has ended as of April 8th, 2024, making it impossible to officially play ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' online.

==Opening movie==

The [[opening movie]] exclusive to ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' is composed of footage from both gameplay and the various [[List of Super Smash Bros. 4 character trailers|character introduction trailers]] shown since the game's reveal, barring the trailer for [[Duck Hunt]].

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[[File:SSBWiiU Character Select.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The [[character selection screen]] of ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' (with all of the characters unlocked and all DLC characters purchased).]]

[[File:SSB3DS Character Select.jpeg|thumb|250px|The first page of the [[character selection screen]] of ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' (with all non-DLC characters unlocked after purchasing all DLC characters).]]

[[File:SSB3DS Character Select 2.jpeg|thumb|250px|The second page of the [[character selection screen]] of ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' (with all DLC characters purchased).]]

Both games feature identical [[fighter|playable character]] rosters. In total, 51 characters are playable in the base game and 58 characters are playable overall, 34 of which return from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', 3 of which return after being cut in the transition from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'' to ''Brawl'' ([[Dr. Mario]], [[Mewtwo]], and [[Roy]]), and 21 of which are new to the series. Of these 58, 39 are [[starter character]]s in both versions and eight are [[unlockable character]]s in both versions, while four characters are unlockable in the 3DS version but starters in the Wii U version. Additionally, seven characters appear as {{SSB4|downloadable content}}. A further twelve "characters" exist as alternate costumes for other preexisting characters: [[Alph]] as a palette swap of [[Olimar]]; each of the seven [[Koopalings]] as palette swaps of [[Bowser Jr.]], and alternate genders for [[Villager]], [[Wii Fit Trainer]], [[Robin]], and [[Corrin]].

 

Five characters do not return from ''Brawl'': {{uv|Star Fox}}'s [[Wolf]], {{uv|Pokémon}}'s [[Squirtle]] and [[Ivysaur]] (alongside the [[Pokémon Trainer]] himself), two-time veteran {{uv|Ice Climber}}'s [[Ice Climbers]], and {{uv|Metal Gear}}'s [[Snake]]. [[Lucas]] initially did not return in the base roster, but he would later return through DLC. Additionally, {{uv|The Legend of Zelda}}'s [[Young Link]] and {{uv|Pokémon}}'s [[Pichu]] do not return from ''Melee''.

As for the new characters for already represented franchises, two newcomers come from the {{uv|Mario}} universe being Bowser Jr. and [[Rosalina]] & [[Luma]], [[Greninja]] for the {{uv|Pokémon}} universe, {{uv|Kid Icarus}} introduces [[Palutena]] and [[Dark Pit]] and finally {{uv|Fire Emblem}} introduces [[Lucina]], Robin and, as [[Downloadable content|DLC]], Corrin.

New characters slots are given to the Villager as {{uv|Animal Crossing}}'s first playable character, the Wii Fit Trainer from the {{uv|Wii Fit}} series, {{uv|Punch-Out}}'s very own [[Little Mac]] who first appeared as an [[Assist Trophy]] from ''Brawl'', [[Shulk]], who introduced the {{uv|Xenoblade Chronicles}} series, and [[Duck Hunt]] consisting of a dog and duck from their [[Duck Hunt (universe)|series]] of the same name. In addition, the [[Mii]]s, the custom avatars from the Nintendo Wii appear as playable characters. They appear in [[Mii Brawler (SSB4)|Brawler]], [[Mii Swordfighter (SSB4)|Swordfighter]], and [[Mii Gunner (SSB4)|Gunner]] variants, and are labelled as ''Smash''-original characters.

The two games feature considerably different stage selections, which is one of the primary differences between the two games. The 3DS version features a total of 42 stages (34 excluding DLC) with seven unlockable stages and eight DLC stages, 30 of which are new and 12 of which are familiar. The Wii U version features a total of 55 stages (46 excluding DLC) with six unlockable stages and nine DLC stages, consisting of 34 new stages and 21 familiar ones. Only 13 stages are shared between the two versions, seven of which are DLC.

In general, the 3DS version's new stages are based more on handheld console games, while the Wii U version's new stages are based more on home console games, though there are several exceptions to this in both games.

[[Past Stages]] in both games are now known as "Familiar Stages." Only three Familiar Stages are shared between the two games, all of which are DLC.

==Modes==

*[[Smash Run]] (''for Nintendo 3DS'' exclusive): In this mode, up to four players have five minutes to traverse a large dungeon-like environment, collecting various power-ups and facing enemies from multiple games. After the time limit, the players fight in a battle utilizing their boosted powers, and can then do subsequent matches with those power-ups. Sakurai mentioned in the April 2014 Nintendo Direct video that it took inspiration from ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby Air Ride}}''{{'}}s {{s|wikirby|City Trial}} mode, which has a similar premise.

 

===Single Player===

*[[Event match|Event Mode]] (''for Wii U'' exclusive)

*[[Special Orders]] (''for Wii U'' exclusive)

*[[Trophy Box]] (''for Wii U'' exclusive)

During the official unveiling of the Wii U at [[E3 2011]], then Nintendo president Satoru Iwata remarked that a new game in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series would be made for the system. No further information was provided at this time since the game would not enter production until sometime after October 2011, after the completion of Sakurai's other project, ''Kid Icarus: Uprising''.<ref>[http://andriasang.com/comw79/ Andriasang.com: "Smash Bros. U & 3DS development appears to be very early"]</ref> He had stated, in response to a fan asking him about whether a "child Link" would be in the game, that he had not at the time decided on which characters would appear. However, he had also said that he "can't say that it's entirely out of the realm of possibility that some [[Capcom]] character could appear in the next ''Smash Bros.''"<ref>[http://nintendoeverything.com/67219/sakurai-capcom-character-could-appear-in-next-smash-bros/ Nintendo Everything: "Sakurai: Capcom character could appear in next Smash Bros."]</ref>  

Development of the game began in early 2012.<ref>[http://www.cubed3.com/news/16506 Cubed³: "Sakurai Begins Work on New Smash Bros for Wii U and 3DS"]</ref> Sakurai and his company [[Sora Ltd.]] returned as director, with [[Bandai Namco]] being contracted as lead developer.<ref>[http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/30817/sakurai-and-kobayashi-release-messages-regarding-smash-bros Bandai Namco revealed as lead developer]</ref> The reason for announcing this information so early was to prevent the inevitable shock and scandal of Masahiro Sakurai being spotted at the Bandai Namco offices.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeLrIXCOUw0&t=138s Super Smash Bros. for 3DS / Wii U [Game Concepts]]</ref> The game went unmentioned during E3 2012, something which many fans were disappointed about despite the known extremely early state of the game; the "first step of the process" was taken shortly after in mid-June. Sakurai expressed disappointment that fans would be waiting for longer than expected for the game to be released due to the earliness of the initial announcement.<ref>[http://nintendoeverything.com/91807/next-smash-bros-in-first-step-of-the-process-sakurai-worried-about-long-wait/ Nintendo Everything: "Next Smash Bros. in “first step of the process”, Sakurai worried about long wait"]</ref> Shortly afterward, it was revealed during a Nintendo Direct that Namco Bandai (as Bandai Namco was previously named) was the primary developer alongside [[Sora Ltd.]], and had already completed a working prototype.<ref name="ign-namco" /> This is notably the first game Masahiro Sakurai has directed where the parameters were programmed by anyone other than himself. He has admitted that this development model should have never happened, but he wanted to do everything himself for previous titles in order to create his vision perfectly. He finally relaxed this position with ''Smash 4'', which gave other members more freedom in how the game is built and created a more efficient work culture.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeLrIXCOUw0&t=400s Super Smash Bros. for 3DS / Wii U [Game Concepts]]</ref>

 

[[File:SSB4 whiteboard.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The whiteboard drawing posted by Sakurai.]]

On July 2nd, 2012, Sakurai posted a whiteboard drawing on Twitter which was drawn by the game's staff. It depicts [[Donkey Kong]], [[Fox]], a [[Heart Container]], [[Kirby]], [[Link]], [[Luigi]], [[Mario]], [[Marth]], [[Meta Knight]], [[Mr. Game & Watch]], a [[Mr. Saturn]], [[Pikachu]], a {{b|Pikmin|species}}, [[Pit]], [[Sandbag]], [[Wario]], and [[Zero Suit Samus]]; some argue that the curved lines in the background form the shape of [[Master Hand]]. The sketch also has what appears to be large block letters hidden below the visible area. While the post came with no explicit confirmation of any of these characters or elements as reappearing, it did show that they were in some sense acknowledged by the staff; everything depicted would, in fact, appear in the final game. The image itself was later removed from the original Twitter post.<ref>[http://twitter.com/Sora_Sakurai/status/219759606463864832/photo/1 Jul 2, 2012 Tweet by Sora_Sakurai] ([[Masahiro Sakurai]])</ref>

 

Sakurai remarked the 3DS title was intended to offer a new experience for veteran ''Smash Bros.'' fans, and that neither the 3DS game nor the Wii U game would simply be sequels like ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'' were, and that they would do more than just add characters and stages. It had also been revealed that they were looking towards co-operative play for the Wii U title. Official Nintendo Magazine said, "there is merit in having skilled and unskilled players play together, so one emphasis will be on elements of players helping one-another." They also stated that the graphics would be significantly stepped up, as the Wii U can handle high-quality graphics, dynamic effects and smooth character movements in HD at 60 frames per second.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110617082040/http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/27806/smash-bros-wii-u/3ds-how-theyll-work-together/ Official Nintendo Magazine: "Smash Bros Wii U/3DS: How they'll work together"]</ref> Sakurai was also quoted as claiming that the new game was unlikely to emphasize new playable characters, focusing instead on gameplay balance and distinctiveness of its characters.<ref>[http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/39783/smash-bros-wii-u-may-not-feature-more-characters/ Official Nintendo Magazine: "Smash Bros Wii U may not feature more characters"]</ref> Indeed, ''SSB4'' initially introduced fewer newcomers than ''Brawl'' did.

 

The development teams decided to make unique content for each version based on the strengths of each respective console. Only one player can use a Nintendo 3DS at a time and the system can be played anywhere, leading to a focus on single player content and a pick up and play element to game modes that can be completed in a short amount of time. The Wii U can be played with multiple people and is designed to be played in a home, leading to a focus on multiplayer content and more substantial game modes that take a significant amount of time to complete.

 

While both versions could not play cross-platform due to unique content causing logistical issues, Sakurai had remarked that one feature of the 3DS ''Smash Bros.'' title would be that players can improve their character through battles and rewards, then transfer them to the Wii U ''Smash'' title to play against friends; such a function was ultimately made possible through [[character customization]]. The Nintendo 3DS hardware proved difficult to work with for the team, which led to several compromises to both versions. The system's inability to load multiple fighters to the same player meant transformations and multi-character fighters were not possible. Since both versions were required to have the exact same roster, characters had to be greatly altered, like {{SSB4|Sheik}} and {{SSB4|Zelda}} being split into unique characters that could not swap with each other, or cut entirely, like [[Ice Climbers]]. The team also had issues implementing the Circle Pad Pro, which meant all mechanics involving the [[C-stick]] were inaccessible, though still in the game code. The small screen of the Nintendo 3DS also caused issues with readability, so elements like knockback were made even slower than in ''Brawl'', which carried over to the Wii U version.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeLrIXCOUw0&t=125s Super Smash Bros. for 3DS / Wii U [Game Concepts]]</ref>

 

After over a year of silence, the game's first trailer, as well as its first official gameplay, would be shown at E3 2013. The game's two versions were revealed to be unique games and were projected to launch in 2014. The trailer confirmed {{SSB4|Villager}} as the first new fighter for the game, with Capcom's {{SSB4|Mega Man}} also confirmed as playable towards the end of the trailer as Sakurai teased years earlier. Later in the day, a special trailer for {{SSB4|Wii Fit Trainer}} was revealed on the E3 show floor. Shortly after the initial [[E3 2013]] trailers, Sakurai said there would be a single-player story mode included in the new ''Smash Bros.''<ref>[http://mynintendonews.com/2013/06/17/smash-bros-wii-u-and-3ds-story-mode-wont-be-like-brawl/ My Nintendo News: "Smash Bros Wii U And 3DS Story Mode Won’t Be Like Brawl"]</ref>, but that it would be different from ''Brawl''{{'}}s [[Subspace Emissary]] in that there would be no cutscenes, since he did not want them to be uploaded to the Internet. However, he would later recant this and announce that he decided to cut any story mode altogether <ref>http://kotaku.com/the-next-super-smash-bros-wont-have-a-story-mode-or-c-906856304</ref>.  

 

After the first reveal, new information was regularly released throughout the rest of 2013 and into 2014. Sakurai opened the [[Director's Room]] on {{b|Miiverse|social network}}, where he posted screenshots of the game on a regular basis, as well as periodically reveal several returning characters. New characters were revealed in [[Nintendo Direct]]s and other presentations in the form of high budget trailers with prerendered animation meant to maintain hype and interest in the game leading up to its release. A dedicated {{h1|Nintendo Direct|Super Smash Bros. Direct (April 8, 2014)}} for the game aired on April 8, 2014. Highlights included that both versions would have different stages, with 3DS focusing on handheld console games and Wii U focusing on home console games; that both versions would receive unique single-player content, with the 3DS version receiving [[Smash Run]]; and that there would be a rework of [[online play]] from ''Brawl'', with the mode being split into [[For Fun]], which would be more casual-oriented and focus more on items and stage gimmicks, and [[For Glory]], which would focus more on competition by disabling items, restricting character customization, and limiting the stage selection to [[Final Destination]] and the newly introduced "Ω forms", which give every stage a layout similar to that of Final Destination. [[Global Smash Power]] was also introduced as the game's online ranking system, with 1 being the floor and higher numbers increasing in skill level; this value would be used for the game's random matchmaking. The 3DS version was given a release window of Summer 2014, while the Wii U version was given a window of Winter 2014. The large gap between their releases was to give each version dedicated time for quality assurance and polish.

Two trailers for the game were shown in the Nintendo Direct at E3 2014. The first featured Satoru Iwata and Reggie Fils-Aimé, then the president of Nintendo of America, engaging in a choreographed and stylized fight, before transitioning into a reveal for {{SSB4|Mii Fighter}}s as playable characters. [[Mii]]s were initially considered to be playable in ''Brawl'' as a way for players to play as any character they wanted, but were excluded due to Sakurai finding Miis out of place in a fighting game. Mii Fighters would not be usable online in an effort to combat bullying and game imbalance. The second trailer revealed {{SSB4|Palutena}}, whilst also hinting at a {{SSB4|Dark Pit}} reveal. {{SSB4|Pac-Man}} would also be revealed at the ''Super Smash Bros.'' roundtable hosted later that day. The Wii U version would also be compatible with Nintendo's new amiibo figure line, introducing [[Figure Players]] that would learn from their opponents and could be saved to amiibo figures. The 3DS version of the game was given a release date of September 13, 2014 in Japan, and would release in October 2014 for most of the world. A demo of the Wii U version of the game featuring 20 characters was featured at booths in E3 2014.

 

Sakurai had stated that there were no plans to implement downloadable content or touch screen controls of any variety. However, he also said that once the game was released DLC was something they would take into consideration.<ref>[http://www.gamnesia.com/news/no-plans-for-dlc-or-touch-controls-in-the-new-smash-bros.-tripping-is-remov Gamnesia: "No Plans for DLC or Touch Controls in the New Smash Bros., Tripping is Removed"]</ref>

 

In August 2014, a collection of screenshots and videos showcasing what appeared to be the entire base roster, in addition to several details about the game, was leaked onto 4chan. Dubbed the [[ESRB leak]], it was eventually confirmed to be real despite initial skepticism from the community.

 

After {{for3ds}} officially released world wide, marketing pivoted to focus on {{forwiiu}}. This included a special presentation on October 23, 2014 titled the [[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U: 50-Fact Extravaganza]]. Highlights included several stage reveals, the reveal of {{SSB4|Bowser Jr.}}, and Wii U exclusive modes like [[Special Orders]] and [[Smash Tour]]. {{SSB4|Mewtwo}} was also revealed as the first piece of {{SSB4|downloadable content}} for the entire series, scheduled for release in Spring 2015. {{s|nintendowiki|Club Nintendo}} offered a limited-time deal in which Mewtwo could be downloaded for free as long as both versions of the game were registered on the same account before March 31, 2015. Registering both games to Club Nintendo before January 13, 2015 also allowed account owners to receive [[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U: A Smashing Soundtrack]] for free. {{SSB4|Duck Hunt}} was formally revealed in a Nintendo Direct on November 5, thereby formally revealing the entire base roster.

 

For the first time in the series, ''SSB4'' received software updates due to the process now being possible. Generally, these were content adjustment updates, including character balance adjustments, the introduction of amiibo functionality on the 3DS version, C-stick functionality on the New Nintendo 3DS, [[Tourney mode]] and [[YouTube]] integration for the Wii U version, and the [[Share]] function for both versions. Additional content would also often be released alongside these updates, introducing several additional fighters, stages, and costumes for Mii Fighters. The Nintendo Direct on April 1, 2015 gave Mewtwo a formal reveal trailer (albeit one that was lower budget and used very little prerendered animation, a trend that would continue with each ''SSB4'' DLC fighter reveal), as well as a release date of April 15. The Direct also revealed {{SSB4|Lucas}} would be added sometime in June. Nintendo launched the [[Smash Bros. Fighter Ballot]] the same day, allowing players to vote on characters they wanted to see in the series. The ballot ran until October 3 of that year.

 

A ''Super Smash Bros.'' presentation on June 14, 2015 would reveal {{SSB4|Roy}} and {{SSB4|Ryu}} as playable characters, complete with several {{uv|Street Fighter}} music tracks for the latter; [[Miiverse]], [[Dream Land (64)]], and [[Suzaku Castle]] as new paid stages, the formermost exclusive to Wii U; and several Mii costumes and trophies. All content announced during the presentation would release right after the presentation aired, along with Lucas. A Mii Costume based on [[K.K. Slider]] was made available between June 19 and July 11 in Japan as part of a promotion with 7-Eleven. The costume was released worldwide on July 31 alongside [[Peach's Castle (64)]], [[Hyrule Castle (64)]], and a wave of Mii costumes. [[Super Mario Maker]], a stage based on the game of the same name, complete with a remix of its music, was added as paid content to both versions on September 30, alongside another wave of Mii costumes and the release of the ''Brawl'' stage [[Pirate Ship]] exclusively on Wii U. The {{B|Duck Hunt|stage}} stage, which was formerly exclusive to the Wii U version, was made available on the 3DS version for free with this update as well.

 

After {{SSB4|Cloud}} was revealed as a playable character in a Nintendo Direct on November 14, 2015, a special broadcast for the game was announced for December 2015, later revealed to be the game's final video presentation which would air on December 15, 2015. During the presentation, {{SSB4|Corrin}} and {{SSB4|Bayonetta}} were announced as the final two downloadable characters, the latter being the winner the Fighter Ballot among "realizable and negotiable characters" (Sakurai would reveal years later that the actual winner of the ballot was [[Sora]], hence the disclaimer). Cloud released shortly after the presentation aired, alongside [[Midgar]] with two {{uv|Final Fantasy}} music tracks, a [[Chocobo]] hat, a [[Geno]] costume, and several trophies.

 

Corrin and Bayonetta were released on February 3, 2016 alongside the music track ''Lost in Thoughts all Alone'' in both original and remixed form, [[Umbra Clock Tower]] with several {{uv|Bayonetta}} music tracks, a wave of Mii costumes, and several trophies. A number of updates would release afterward, including one dedicated exclusively to Bayonetta nerfs, as well as one that disabled Miiverse support following its shutdown, before the game's development would officially cease.

 

{{main|List of updates (SSB4-3DS)}}

''Smash 4'' is the first game in the series to receive regular update patches post-launch. {{for3ds}} received several updates before {{forwiiu}} released, a few introduced while the game was still exclusive to Japan with the rest of the world never officially experiencing. After both games released, they received the same updates on the same day, despite occasionally having different changes within those updates. This means that there were no more major gameplay differences between regions; everyone gets the same experience barring languages and minor presentation differences. A unique issue caused by updates is [[replays]] being rendered unusable due to gameplay altering changes affecting the real-time recreation of a match. Nintendo's solution was to make replays created in older updates inaccessible, though uploading replays through [[Share]] mode or uploading them to [[YouTube]] would circumvent this issue. Nintendo often announced an update well before the official rollout and gave a warning about replays, giving players ample time to prepare if they wish to keep what they have.

 

''Super Smash Bros. 4'' adopted a simple incremental versioning system (i.e. version 1.0.0), with every update increasing the third number by one, rolling over the second number every tenth update. This caused some inconsistencies, such as {{forwiiu}} jumping from version 1.0.2 to 1.0.6 to match the version of {{for3ds}}. In this versioning scheme, all updates were treated equally regardless of if they introduced new characters or stages, or simply fixed minor bugs. The last update released for ''Smash 4'' was version 1.1.7, which added amiibo functionality for Cloud, Corrin and Bayonetta.

 

==Changes from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''==

{{ImageCaption|Image:Greater Size diversity.png|Image:TheDanceClubSSB4.jpg|width1=x150px|width2=x150px|align=right|caption=The character size comparison in ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4''.}}

*In an attempt to appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers, ''Smash 4''’s gameplay strikes a balance between ''Melee''’s faster, more technical gameplay and ''Brawl''’s slower, more relaxed gameplay.

**This is most easily apparent in ''Smash 4''’s game speed: most veterans from ''Brawl'' have faster [[dash|dashing]], [[falling speed|falling]], and [[air speed]]s, and additionally [[traction]] and [[gravity]] stats were also generally increased, though the game speed is still noticeably slower and floatier than ''Melee.''

*The differences in size across the cast are now more pronounced, with {{SSB4|Bowser}} now standing much taller than {{SSB4|Mario}}, compared to being only slightly taller in previous games. Larger characters like {{SSB4|Donkey Kong}} are thus easier to hit but benefit from longer reach, while smaller characters like {{SSB4|Kirby}} are harder to hit while hindered by shorter range.

*The differences in range across the cast have been overall toned down, with melee-oriented characters like {{SSB4|Diddy Kong}} having more elastic limbs, while sword-wielders have shorter range either through the improvements in range to the rest of the cast (e.g., {{SSB4|Marth}}) or direct nerfs to their range (eg. {{SSB4|Meta Knight}}).  

*Random tripping has been removed, making extended [[dash-dancing]] a viable movement option.

*[[Pivot]]ing, a movement technique previously possible in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 64]]'' and ''Melee'' has been reintroduced, generating more flexible mobility than in ''Brawl.''

*Mid-match character transformations have been removed. {{SSB4|Sheik}}, {{SSB4|Zelda}}, {{SSB4|Zero Suit Samus}}, {{SSB4|Samus}}, are all now completely separate characters, while {{SSB4|Charizard}} returns as a standalone fighter in place of the Pokémon Trainer. These changes are partially due to hardware limitations on the 3DS and Sakurai’s own wish for both versions of the game to feature the same roster.

*[[Edge-hogging]] has been removed entirely, as attempting to grab a [[ledge]] that someone else has already grabbed onto will now gently remove them from the ledge and "steal" it, a mechanic known as "ledge trumping".

**Ledge trumping itself can be used as an edgeguard, as it leaves the recovering opponent vulnerable.

*No intangibility at all will be granted if a character grabs the ledge twice without touching the ground or being hit, making them more open to edgeguarding.

*The length of [[intangibility]] given by grabbing the ledge is now affected by air time and current damage, and does not carry over if the character drops from the ledge.

*The difference between fast and slow edge options based on current damage has been removed.

*Characters cannot grab the ledge after going through [[hitstun]] for at least 55 frames.

 

*All fighters now have a trophy based on one of their {{SSB4|alternate costume}}s (with the exception of {{SSB4|Bowser Jr.}}), similar to the "Smash" fighter trophies from ''Melee'', which can be obtained by {{GameIcon|SSB4-3DS}} clearing All-Star mode (replacing the [[Final Smash]] trophies from ''Brawl''), or {{GameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}} purchased at the Trophy Shop for 1000G after clearing Classic mode; unlike them, each fighter have only one "(Alt.)" trophy as opposed to two. The [[Alph]] and [[Koopaling]] trophies can also be obtained at the Trophy Shop after clearing Classic mode. In the Wii U version, clearing the All-Star mode instead gives the Final Smash trophies like in ''Brawl'', making all fighters once again having three trophies in total (not counting Alph and the Koopalings).

{{ImageCaption|File:Sudden Death (SSBB).PNG|File:Sudden Death (Super Smash Bros. for Wii U).jpg|width1=x150px|width2=x150px|align=right|caption=The aesthetic changes between ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4'' when [[Sudden Death]] is about to begin.}}

*The characters' design styles are more distinct from each other and more in-line with their home series, in contrast to ''Brawl'' which gave the characters a more unified realistic look. For example, characters from cartoony franchises such as the {{uv|Mario}} and {{uv|Kirby}} series are much closer to their native styles, while those from more realistic-looking franchises such as {{uv|The Legend of Zelda}} (with the exception of Toon Link) and {{uv|Metroid}} series maintain more realistic appearances.

*Some characters will always stand to face the screen regardless of which direction they turn, with the intent of having them face the screen more often.

*[[Damage]] percentage numbers now rise through yellow shades before turning red. In the Wii U version, the numbers are also displayed with a metallic gradient.

**Smoke trails of struck characters are now thick trails of light, which become more prominent with higher amounts of knockback and are colored according to which player would be credited with a potential [[KO]]. Should the KO occur, the attacker will flash with an aura of their own color.

***In the Wii U version, the attacker's damage meter will also show a brief burst of flame when a KO occurs.

*The echo effect used for [[Final Smash]]es, [[Star KO]]s and the [[announcer]], {{SSB4|Master Hand}} and {{SSB4|Crazy Hand}}'s voice clips are smoother (with the exception of male {{SSB4|Wii Fit Trainer}} when using {{b|Wii Fit|Final Smash}}), in contrast to ''Brawl'' where they had a heavy reverberating effect.  

*A new visual effect is introduced, referred to as '''Deadly Blow''' by the game; hits that deal enough knockback to KO the character before they can act produce a red-and-black lightning effect during hitlag if they are close enough to the blast line. However, the effect is not always consistent, as it does not factor in DI or other obstructions, and does not always appear at an attack's minimum KO threshold. Attacks that cause [[frozen|freezing]] never produce the visual effect, instead, the screen briefly flashes white. Meteor smashes do not produce it until high percentages.

*Certain items such as the [[Bumper]] and [[Home-Run Bat]] have been given new, more striking designs. For example, the Home-Run Bat is more ornate and is now colored to match the new high-knockback lightning effect.

*A successful meteor smash that deals high [[knockback]] will play a distinct sound effect.

*[[Revival platform]]s now have a section that changes color based on the time remaining before the platform disappears. This section starts out yellow before fading between orange and then turning red before disappearing.

*Characters with over 100% of damage now flash red and emit steam, as part of the new [[rage]] game mechanic. The effect intensifies as their damage raises.

*In the 3DS version, players can tap on a character's icon on the bottom screen to place a marker on that character on the top screen, in order to more easily follow their movements.

*Victory scenes seem to be a cross between all of the previous three games. Like in ''Smash 64'', the screen has different animations that transition to the scene, instead of just cutting to it, while only the winner is shown in the main area like in ''Melee'', with the others applauding in small windows on the screen on the Wii U version. However, instead of a featureless black screen, the winner's area is an environment similar to that in ''Brawl''’s [[victory screen]]. Additionally, after the winner has been announced and the [[victory theme]] has finished playing, a remix of the character select music from ''Smash 64'' will play (with the exception of {{SSB4|Cloud}}, as his victory theme loops rather than finishing).

*Assist trophies and Poké Ball Pokémon now come with a marker above them, in order to indicate which player summoned them.

**Additionally, certain items come with white triangular markers above them to make them more noticeable, like in ''SSB64''.

*Some of the more realistic sound effects from ''Brawl'' have been eschewed in favor of sound effects which are inspired by the characters' home franchises, such as the one that plays when Kirby uses {{b|Inhale|Kirby}}.

*Like in the previous games, each character has a voice clip for whenever they take a fair amount of knockback. Though now, it plays right as they receive the blow, like in the original ''Super Smash Bros.'' and ''Melee'', and not during the knockback itself, like in ''Brawl''. In ''SSB4'', damage noises are no longer based purely on the amount of knockback taken, unlike in ''SSB64'' and ''Melee'', where characters had damage noises for medium damage and hard damage specifically. This means that certain attacks and items that repeatedly launch the character can make them repeat the voice clips constantly, such as the [[Drill]].

*On the Wii U version, most stages have constant subtle ambient noise in the background, such as wind (Onett and Mushroom Kingdom U) or animal sounds (Kongo Jungle 64). This is a new addition to most returning stages.

*Many characters are much more expressive than in ''Brawl''; for example, Wario now scowls when performing an attack, and in the Wii U version, Wario's mustache and eyebrows now stretch and grow to fit the situation.

 

*Pressing the attack button on a shooting item with no ammunition now has the fighter throw it instead of firing an empty shot.

The Wii U and 3DS versions of the game were shown to have distinct art styles from one another in that the 3DS version uses flatter shading and optional black outlines to make characters easier to see at a distance, a graphical style reminiscent of other 3DS games such as ''Fire Emblem Awakening'' and ''Pokémon X & Y''. These outlines are customizable as Sakurai stated players can change the size of the outlines or get rid of them completely. As stated before, many of the stages are version specific, with the 3DS version having more stages based on handheld console games, and the Wii U having more stages based on home console games.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQD1yJinzeQ Nintendo's YouTube channel: "Wii U & Nintendo 3DS Developer Direct - Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U @E3 2013"]</ref> There is no cross-platform gameplay between the Wii U and 3DS versions due to the exclusive stages to each version;<ref>[http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/wii-u-and-3ds-smash-bros-will-not-have-cross-platform-play-wil/ Joystiq: "No cross-platform play for Smash Bros on 3DS and Wii U"]</ref> however, one can create customized fighters in the 3DS version using the character customization feature and send them to the Wii U version. In addition to this, by connecting the two games (or using [[Smash Controller|a special downloadable application]]), the 3DS can be used as a controller on the Wii U version. However, this doesn't apply vice-versa, as none of the Wii U's peripherals can act as a controller on 3DS hardware.

As in previous entries in the series, both versions allow for up to four fighters to battle simultaneously on any stage; however, in a series first, the Wii U version also allows for up to eight players at once on a limited selection of stages.

Each stage on the 3DS version has only two music tracks available, as was the case in ''Melee''. On the other hand, the Wii U version sees the return of ''Brawl''’s [[My Music]] option, with a large selection of tracks available for each stage.

The 3DS version received positive reviews, with a current rating of 85/100 on Metacritic<ref>http://www.metacritic.com/game/3ds/super-smash-bros-for-nintendo-3ds</ref> and 86.1% on GameRankings.<ref>http://www.gamerankings.com/3ds/632937-super-smash-bros-for-nintendo-3ds/index.html</ref> The game has been praised for its large and diverse character roster, its improvements to game mechanics, and its variety of multiplayer options. Some criticisms include a lack of single player modes and issues concerning the 3DS hardware, such as the size of characters on the smaller screen when zoomed out and latency issues during both local and online multiplayer. There were also reports of players damaging their 3DS Circle Pads while playing the game excessively, and to an extent, the circle pad can easily fall off. The 3DS version sold over a million copies in its first weekend on sale in Japan and had sold more than 9.65 million copies worldwide as of March 31, 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/3ds.html|title=IR Information:Top Selling Nintendo 3DS Title Sales Unit|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=2023-07-05}}</ref> The 3DS version was nominated for both Best Fighting Game and Best Handheld/Mobile Game at {{s|wikipedia|The Game Awards 2014}}, but lost to the Wii U version and {{s|wikipedia|Blizzard Entertainment}}'s ''[[wikipedia:Hearthstone|Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft]]'', respectively.

The Wii U version received critical acclaim, with a Metacritic score of 92/100<ref>http://www.metacritic.com/game/wii-u/super-smash-bros-for-wii-u</ref> and a GameRankings score of 92.39%,<ref>http://www.gamerankings.com/wii-u/633202-super-smash-bros-for-wii-u/index.html</ref> being among the highest rated games of 2014, is also awarded the Metacritic's Game of the Year and the second-highest rated game of the series after ''[[Brawl]]''. The 2014 Video Game Awards even awarded the Wii U version with the "Best Fighting Game" award. The game was lauded for improving everything the 3DS version offered and significantly improving the online experience. The game has sold more than 5.38 million units as of September 30th, 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/wiiu.html|title=IR Information:Top Selling Wii U Title Sales Unit|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=2023-07-05}}</ref>

''Super Smash Bros. 4'' won "favorite video game" at the 2016 People's Choice Awards. As of February 2016, the Wii U version is the 5th best selling Wii U game, whereas the 3DS version is the 7th best selling Nintendo 3DS game.

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Smash4 - First Three New Characters.jpg|The first three confirmed newcomers.

Rosalina Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Rosalina & Luma.

SSB4_WiiFitTrainerNoBoard_SplashArt.png|Splash art of Wii Fit Trainer.

SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Bowser Jr..PNG|Splash art of Bowser Jr.

SSB4 Geno SplashArt.png|Splash art of the [[Geno]] Mii Gunner costume.

SSB4 Cast AKB48trailer.png|Characters from the {{Iw|wikipedia|AKB48}} trailer.

*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' introduces the [[Mii Fighter]]s, making it the first game in the series to have normally playable characters representing the ''Super Smash Bros.'' universe.

*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is the only game in the series to:

*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' introduces 10 new universes with playable characters, tied with [[Super Smash Bros.|the first game]] and [[Ultimate]] for the most of any entry in the ''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' series.

*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' marks the first time in the series where long-running veterans [[Luigi]] and [[Marth]] are starter characters. [[Jigglypuff]] and [[Ganondorf]] also have this distinction, though only in the Wii U version.

*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' marks the first ever playable appearance for [[Wii Fit Trainer]], [[Palutena]], and the [[Duck Hunt]] dog.

*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is the second collaboration between [[Bandai Namco]], [[Capcom]], and [[Sega]], the first being ''{{s|wikipedia|Project X Zone}}'' and the third being its sequel ''{{s|wikipedia|Project X Zone 2}}''. One of ''Project X Zone''{{'}}s co-developers, [[Monolith Soft]], was involved in ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4''.

**{{SSB4|Ryu}} from the ''Street Fighter'' series, [[X (Mega Man)|X]] and [[Zero (Mega Man)|Zero]] from the ''Mega Man'' series, [[Akira Yuki]] from the ''Virtua Fighter'' series, and [[Heihachi Mishima]] from the ''Tekken'' series, all appear in both ''Project X Zone'' and ''Project X Zone 2''.

**[[Lucina]], [[Chrom]] and [[Tiki]] from ''Fire Emblem '' series and [[Fiora]] and [[Metal Face]] from ''Xenoblade Chronicles'', appeared in ''Project X Zone 2''.

*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is the first game in the series to receive "E10+" ESRB rating and a "Mild Suggestive Themes" content descriptor.

*The 3DS version was released in South Korea while the Wii U version wasn't, as the Wii U console was never officially released in South Korea.

*[http://www.smashbros.com/wiiu-3ds/ Official site]