Editing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate ''}}

{{articleIcons|ultimate=y|featured=y}}{{Cquote|Everyone is here!|cite=Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tagline}}

{{redirect|''SSBU''|the Wii U version of ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''|Super Smash Bros. for Wii U}}  

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

|released = December 7, 2018

|ratings = {{vgratings|ESRB=E10+<ref>[http://www.esrb.org/ratings/search.aspx?from=home&titleOrPublisher=Super%20Smash%20Bros ESRB website]</ref>|PEGI=12|OFLCA=PG|USK=12|CERO=A}}

'''''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''''' ({{ja|大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズ SPECIAL|Dairantō Sumasshu Burazāzu Supesharu}}, ''Great Fray Smash Brothers Special'') is a fighting game for the [[Nintendo Switch]]. It was first teased on March 8th, 2018 at the end of the [[Nintendo Direct]] released the same day, and fully revealed on June 12th at E3 2018. It is the fifth installment in the ''{{b|Super Smash Bros.|series}}'' series (sixth if both versions of ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'' are counted as two games). The game was released worldwide on December 7th, 2018.

''Ultimate'' has received universal acclaim, with several critics calling it the best installment in the series. They praised its large amount of content and fine-tuning of existing Smash gameplay elements, although its online mode received criticism. It was estimated that the game sold over 5 million copies worldwide within three days of release, making it the fastest selling Switch game. The game has sold 12.08 million units as of December 31st, 2018, marking it as the fastest selling Nintendo game in history. Since then, the game has sold 13.81 million units as of March 31, 2019, making it the best selling game in the series, and also making it the best selling fighting game of all time (previously held by ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' with 13.30 million copies).

The [[opening movie]] of ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is composed of the cutscenes from [[World of Light]] and [[gameplay]] footage from the game set to the tune of [[Lifelight]], featuring all the [[characters]] in the game barring [[Downloadable content (SSBU)|DLC]].

==Characters==

[[File:SSBU Panoramic.png|thumb|center|700px|Panoramic Artwork of all playable fighters as of April 16th, 2019.]]

All 63 characters (65 if counting the {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}} as three fighters) from all previous ''Smash Bros.'' games return as playable characters. As well as the returning cast, the game also features 11 newcomers in the base game, with at least six characters (two known and four unknown) planned as [[Downloadable content (SSBU)|downloadable content]]. In total, this ensures that at least 74 characters (76 if counting the Pokémon Trainer's Pokémon<!--Mii FIGHTERS ARE ALWAYS COUNTED SEPARATELY. DISCUSS BEFORE CHANGING.!-->) are playable in the game at launch and 80 (82) characters are playable overall, the most for any ''Smash Bros.'' game. Each character is numbered in the order from when they first joined the series, with the exception of echo fighters (who share a number with the character they are based on) and {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}} (whose Pokémon are numbered instead).

[[File:SSBU Character Select DLC.jpeg|thumb|right|300px|The [[character selection screen]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' with all of the characters unlocked and all current downloadable characters available.]]

{{SSBU|Inkling}}, with various Girl and Boy designs from the original ''{{s|inkipedia|Splatoon}}'', was the first character confirmed to appear in the game as a new playable fighter. {{SSBU|Ridley}}, a central villain from the {{uv|Metroid}} series, was confirmed to be playable during [[E3]] 2018, with [[Meta Ridley]] as an alternate costume. {{SSBU|Simon}} of the {{uv|Castlevania}} series was announced as the game's first third-party newcomer. {{SSBU|King K. Rool}}, arch-enemy of Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong from the {{uv|Donkey Kong}} series, was confirmed to be a playable newcomer as well, with his move-set drawing on his appearances as a boss in the ''Donkey Kong Country'' games onward. {{SSBU|Isabelle}} from the {{uv|Animal Crossing}} series, who previously appeared in ''Smash 4'' as an [[Assist Trophy]], makes her playable debut as the second ''Animal Crossing'' representative. Finally, in the November Nintendo Direct, {{SSBU|Incineroar}} from ''{{s|bulbapedia|Pokémon Sun & Moon}}'' was announced as the title's last base roster newcomer.  

In addition, most full [[clones]] are now labelled as "Echo Fighters" and are marked with an epsilon (ε) next to their [[fighter number]]s, which they share with the character they are based on. Returning characters {{SSBU|Lucina}} and {{SSBU|Dark Pit}} have been given this title, while new characters {{SSBU|Daisy}}, {{SSBU|Richter}}, {{SSBU|Chrom}}, {{SSBU|Dark Samus}}, and {{SSBU|Ken}} are Echo Fighters of {{SSBU|Peach}}, {{SSBU|Simon}}, {{SSBU|Roy}}, {{SSBU|Samus}}, and {{SSBU|Ryu}}, respectively. Aside from an option allowing these characters to be displayed on the same slot as their counterpart on the [[character select screen]] exclusively during [[Vs. Mode]], [[Tourney]], [[Custom Smash]], [[Super Sudden Death]], and [[Online play|Quickplay]]; there is no special distinction between them in game, and the name is used mostly for marketing purposes.

{{SSBU|Piranha Plant}} from the {{uv|Mario}} series touches new ground as the first mob character in ''Smash'', and as an early purchase bonus DLC character. It has been confirmed that five more unique newcomers will be added as DLC by February of 2020. With the exception of Piranha Plant, all of the DLC characters can be bought together as part of the [[Fighter Pass]]. {{uv|Persona}}'s {{SSBU|Joker}} is part of [[Challenger Pack]] 1, while the other four fighters and their Challenger Packs are currently unknown.

As was the case in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', a further fifteen "characters" exist as alternate costumes for other preexisting characters. Specifically, [[Alph]] as a [[palette swap]] of {{SSBU|Olimar}}; each of the seven [[Koopalings]] as palette swaps of {{SSBU|Bowser Jr.}}; and {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}}, {{SSBU|Villager}}, {{SSBU|Wii Fit Trainer}}, {{SSBU|Robin}}, {{SSBU|Corrin}}, {{SSBU|Inkling}}, and {{SSBU|Pikachu}} each have opposite gendered variants as palette swaps. However, these fifteen characters are not treated as separate characters ingame.  

Only the starting characters from the first game are available from the start. Like in ''Smash 4'', the [[Mii Fighter (SSBU)|Mii Fighters]] are also available from the start via customization. The rest of the cast must be unlocked; however, the unlocking process and conditions are much simpler than in past games. Fighters will challenge the player in ten minute intervals or by clearing {{SSBU|Classic Mode}} with a prerequisite character, and can also be unlocked by being rescued in World of Light.

With the exception of the ''Super Smash Bros.''-original stages, all stages are ordered in chronological appearance and for the first time ever, all stages are available immediately from the start. Additionally, all stages can be played with up to 8 players, rather than just a select few as in ''SSB4''. All stages have both a [[Battlefield form]] and [[Ω form]]. ''Ultimate'' currently features 103 non-DLC stages (305 if counting Battlefield forms and Ω forms separately) and 1 DLC stage (3 if counting Battlefield forms and Ω forms separately). Four additional stages are planned stages to be added to the game as part of future DLC, which will bring the number of stages up to 108 (320 if counting Battlefield forms and Ω forms separately). In update 3.0, ''Ultimate'' gained the option to create custom stages with the [[Stage Builder]].

Currently, only 15 stages featured in previous games are not available in ''Ultimate'' (not including either single player-only stages and previous forms of Battlefield and Final Destination). These stages are: [[Planet Zebes]] and [[Sector Z]] from ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', [[Icicle Mountain]], [[Mushroom_Kingdom_(SSBM)|Mushroom Kingdom]], [[Poké Floats]] and [[Mute City]] from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'', [[Rumble Falls]] and [[PictoChat]] from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', [[Rainbow Road]] and [[Pac-Maze]] from ''[[Super Smash Bros. for 3DS]]'', and [[Jungle Hijinx]], [[Pyrosphere]], [[Woolly World]], [[Orbital Gate Assault]] and [[Miiverse]] from ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]''.

:''For the entire list of items, see [[Item#List_of_items|Items]] page.''

!Item!!Type<ref name="Item Types">[[Item#Types_of_items|Types of items]]</ref>!!Heavy<ref name="Item Types" />!!Notes!!Universe

|[[Banana Gun]]||Shooting||{{n}}||Ejects the banana out of the peel and the player is left with the [[banana peel]] after using it.||{{symbol|ssb|26px|}}{{uv|Super Smash Bros.}}

|[[Beastball]]||Throwing||{{n}}||Reappears near an opponent after being thrown and targets them, covered in flames.||{{symbol|ssb|26px|}}{{uv|Super Smash Bros.}}

|[[Black Hole]]||Throwing||{{n}}||Creates a massive black hole, dragging all items and players nearby in. Throws the opposite side of user's orientation.||{{symbol|ssb|26px|}}{{uv|Super Smash Bros.}}

|[[Bomber]]||Special||{{n}}||Explodes in the player's hand when used, which only affects enemies. Will also explode after a short amount of time or if it falls off a ledge, affecting everyone.||{{symbol|kirby|26px|}}{{uv|Kirby}}

|[[Death's Scythe]]||Battering||{{n}}||Instantly KOs opponents at high percentages.||{{symbol|castlevania|26px|}}{{uv|Castlevania}}

|[[Fake Smash Ball]]||Special||{{n}}||Flies around the stage, similar to the Smash Ball. Characters can break it in order to activate. Once broken, it will explode.||{{symbol|ssb|26px|}}{{uv|Super Smash Bros.}}

|[[Healing Field]]||Throwing/Recovery||{{n}}||Can be thrown on the ground. Once thrown, it will open up and will heal anyone standing on it.||{{symbol|ssb|26px|}}{{uv|Super Smash Bros.}}

|[[Healing Sprout]]||Throwing/Recovery||{{n}}||Sticks to fighters and gradually heals them. Can be transferred on contact like the [[Gooey Bomb]].||{{symbol|ssb|26px|}}{{uv|Super Smash Bros.}}

|[[Killing Edge]]||Battering||{{n}}||Will occasionally glow, causing it to do more damage.||{{symbol|fe|26px|}}{{uv|Fire Emblem}}

|[[Rage Blaster]]||Shooting||{{n}}||Does more damage the higher the user's [[damage]] is.||{{symbol|ssb|26px|}}{{uv|Super Smash Bros.}}

|[[Ramblin' Evil Mushroom]]||Shooting||{{n}}||Emits spores that, when they hit an opponent, cause a mushroom to grow on that opponent's head, reversing their controls.||{{symbol|earthbound|26px|}}{{uv|EarthBound}}

|[[Staff]]||Shooting||{{n}}||Fires a laser which deals increased damage the greater its distance from the user.||{{symbol|kidicarus|26px|}}{{uv|Kid Icarus}}

|[[Super Launch Star]]||Throwing||{{n}}||Can be set in midair, where it will attract and launch any characters that get too close to it. The launch has the potential to KO fighters.||{{symbol|mario|26px|}}{{uv|Mario}}

|}

Towards the end of ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'''s post-launch development, [[Masahiro Sakurai]] announced that his next project had been decided and that he would be taking a small vacation following the end of development.<ref>{{citeweb|url=https://sourcegaming.info/2016/01/06/famitsu-news-sakurai-catching-a-breather/|title="Famitsu News — “Sakurai Catching a Breather”" - Source Gaming}}</ref> Unlike previous Smash titles, which had their development studios built from the ground up, [[Bandai Namco]] returned to help game development. Prior to starting development, the team had a choice between completely overhauling the game's system and feel or working off of what was established in the last game. The team ultimately went with the latter. Had the team gone with the former, the game would have likely only had a third of its characters.<ref name="special">{{citeweb|url=https://sourcegaming.info/2018/07/02/smash_special_complete/|title="“Smash is Special” COMPLETE Translation" - Source Gaming}}</ref> Despite deciding to base the game off of the previous installment, Sakurai still increased the overall speed of the game, but only by an amount that wouldn't be too alienating to people unfamiliar with the series.<ref name="special" /> Sakurai notes that he had wanted to make these changes in previous titles, but was unable to because it was easy for one to lose track of their character's position on screen, especially on the [[Nintendo 3DS]].<ref name="special" /> When Sakurai had revealed to his development team that he intended to bring back every previously playable character, he was met with silence.<ref>{{citeweb|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/12/17453214/super-smash-bros-ultimate-nintendo-switch-masahiro-sakurai-e3|title="Why Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was such a daunting game for its creators to build" - The Verge}}</ref> The project plan was later finished by December 2015,<ref>https://twitter.com/AllSourceGaming/status/1062725619270762496</ref> and development officially began in February 2016, immediately after DLC wrapped up for ''SSB4''.<ref>https://www.sourcegaming.info/2018/12/12/sakurai-tells-more-details-about-smash-ultimates-development/</ref> On November 12, 2017, [[Nintendo]] filed a number of trademarks, notably including a [[:File:JapaneseSmashTrademark.jpg|Japanese ''Super Smash Bros.'' logo]].<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.japanesenintendo.com/post/167397863114|title=“Nintendo Apply for a Number of Trademarks” - Japanese Nintendo}}</ref>

A ''Super Smash Bros.'' title for the Switch was later officially revealed on March 8, 2018 via a [[Nintendo Direct]]. Without explicitly confirming the playable status of any characters, the teaser trailer hinted the [[Inklings]] would be debuting in the game as newcomers, while also suggesting that [[Mario]], [[Link]], and several other series veterans would be returning. Shortly after the reveal, Sakurai confirmed in a tweet that he had been working on the game "in silence, day after day".<ref>{{citeweb|url=https://twitter.com/Sora_Sakurai/status/971885028245307392|title=Sakurai announces that he has been working on ''Smash for Switch''}}</ref><ref>{{citeweb|url=https://twitter.com/AllSourceGaming/status/971901365826940928|title=Translation of Sakurai's ''Smash for Switch'' tweet}}</ref> On March 22, 2018, Nintendo announced the {{Trn|Super Smash Bros. Invitational 2018}}, a tournament taking place on June 12th where invited professional players will play the upcoming game. Later, in volume 542 of his Famitsu article, Sakurai revealed that his work schedule had been cut down significantly, citing strict regulations regarding work hours.<ref>{{citeweb|url=https://sourcegaming.info/2018/05/02/compliance-and-labor-vol-542/|title="“Compliance and Labor” – Sakurai’s Famitsu Column, Vol. 542" - Source Gaming}}</ref> On April 18, 2018, Nintendo again filed a number of trademarks for several game logos, including the [[:File:SmashTrademark.jpg|''Super Smash Bros.'' logo]]. Most of these game logos originate from games with some relationship to the ''Smash'' series, including {{uv|Pikmin}}, {{uv|Star Fox}}, and {{uv|F-Zero}}. These trademarks were approved on May 14, 2018.<ref>{{citeweb|url=https://twitter.com/trademark_bot/status/996151177099333637/|title=Several trademarks from Nintendo are approved for use}}</ref>

The first extended look at the game came at [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L93H7YC-83o Nintendo's E3 2018 presentation]. Masahiro Sakurai introduced the coverage, which kicked off with an extended video showing new incarnations for veteran characters. After confirming the return of previously cut characters such as Ice Climbers and Snake, the tagline "Everyone Is Here" was introduced, and the video revealed that all playable characters from previous ''Smash Bros.'' titles would be returning to the new game, including the formerly cut Ice Climbers, Pichu, and Young Link from ''Melee'', as well as Pokémon Trainer, Wolf, and Snake from ''Brawl''. New information on the ''Ultimate'' incarnations of characters was revealed, including the presence of [[Cappy]] in Mario's taunts and other moves, that [[Zelda]] would be based on her ''Link to the Past'' design, all the DLC fighters from ''Smash 4'' would return as part of the launch roster, [[Ike]] would have his ''Path of Radiance'' and ''Radiant Dawn'' designs from the two previous games and much more. The presentation introduced "Echo Fighters", which Lucina and Dark Pit are now marked as, while Daisy was revealed as a new Echo Fighter. The presentation also confirmed returning elements, items, and stages, which would receive revamped Ω forms and Battlefield forms. The trailer also confirmed the Inklings as the game's first newcomers, while concluding with a reveal of the game's final title: ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''. The presentation officially concluded with a final trailer in which [[Ridley]] from the [[Metroid (universe)|''Metroid'' series]] - long requested by fans for inclusion in the series but rebuffed by Sakurai due to his large size - was confirmed as a playable character.

Following the end of the presentation, a Nintendo Treehouse event went live. During the Treehouse event, several matches were streamed and some new features were revealed and discussed. In addition to the Treehouse livestream, a playable demo of the game was opened to the public at E3 2018 and at the Nintendo Store in New York. Following the end of the Splatoon 2 World Championships, the Super Smash Bros. Invitational 2018 began. During the match pitting {{Sm|MkLeo}} as {{SSBU|Bayonetta}} against {{Sm|Plup}} as {{SSBU|Ridley}}, Masahiro Sakurai reportedly shook his head after MkLeo had performed a successful ladder combo on Plup.<ref>{{citeweb|url=https://twitter.com/BearUNLV/status/1006667538900512769|title=Bear witnessing Sakurai shaking his head}}</ref> At the end of the invitational, the Nintendo Treehouse livestream resumed, further showcasing more gameplay elements and matches. In addition to this, the [[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Official Site|official Super Smash Bros. Ultimate website]] was published. This would serve as the primary source for new details about the game.  

At the [[Tournament:EVO 2018|EVO 2018]] fighting game tournament, Nintendo revealed that a new [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-kQWJrjRV4 ''Ultimate''-focused Nintendo Direct] presentation would be released on August 8, 2018. The presentation opened with a trailer confirming the inclusion of content from Konami's ''Castlevania'' franchise for the first time in the series. The trailer revealed the presence of new fighters, Simon Belmont and his Echo Fighter, Richter Belmont; a new Assist Trophy, Alucard; a new stage called Dracula's Castle, and more. The Direct also covered two new Echo Fighters, Chrom and Dark Samus, as well as new music, modes, stages, and items. The presentation concluded with a trailer introducing a new playable character: King K. Rool, leader of the Kremlings and nemesis of the Kong family from the ''Donkey Kong'' and ''Donkey Kong Country'' series.  

In a [https://youtu.be/CRuHg1dv8MI Nintendo Direct presentation] shown on September 13, 2018, a ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' Nintendo Switch console bundle was unveiled, featuring a specially designed dock and Joy-Con controllers along with the download code for the game. Isabelle, from the ''Animal Crossing'' series was also revealed as a newcomer.  

The final pre-release [https://youtu.be/fccgHnBQ0YM ''Ultimate''-focused Nintendo Direct] presentation aired on November 1, 2018. This revealed Ken and Incineroar as new playable characters, as well as the inclusion of DLC fighters - Piranha Plant appearing shortly after launch, followed by five other unannounced characters, which have been selected in advance by Nintendo as future additions, and have yet to be developed.<ref>[https://twitter.com/Sora_Sakurai/status/1059958604818657282?s=19]</ref> It also took a deeper look at the game's modes and online infrastructure, and revealed [[Spirits (menu)|Spirits mode]] and [[Adventure Mode: World of Light]], before finishing with the mode's opening cutscene and the reveal of the game's vocal theme, [[Lifelight]].

On November 20, 2018, an [https://youtu.be/WLu7e8RZoYc overview trailer] narrated by Xander Mobus (The [[Announcer]]) covered the game in further detail, showcasing all of the playable fighters, stages, items, [[Pokémon]], [[Assist Trophies]], [[Spirits (characters)|Spirits]], modes and more.

At the 2018 Game Awards, the Phantom Thieves from ''Persona 5'' interrupted the broadcast to announce that their leader, codenamed "Joker," would be joining the roster as the first DLC fighter of the [[Downloadable content (SSBU)|Fighters Pass]] in ''Ultimate''.

During the Nintendo Direct on February 13, 2019, a spring update was announced alongside a sneak peek at Joker's model and a look at new amiibo.

In the "Nintendo Switch My Way" trailer, "Stage Builder" was announced for the "Games and More" section.

*In Vs. mode, the stage selection screen now appears before the character selection menu, making players select a stage before selecting characters.  

*All stages now have a [[Battlefield form]]. [[Ω form]]s are also standardized to have the same underside shape akin to [[Final Destination]], with none of them having vertical walls.

*[[Stage hazard]]s can be turned off for the first time in the series, allowing players to remove intrusive elements, such as "environment changes or enemy appearances" from gameplay.

*The new [[Stage Morph]] option allows two stages to be selected at once; the two stages will transition into one another either at random or on specified time intervals.  

*[[Alternate costume]]s are now shown at the bottom of the player's portrait, with at least eight small stock icons representing each palette swap. Additionally, each color is now listed with a name from the numbers 1-8 (e.g. Color 5).

*In [[match timer|timed matches]], characters in the lead will occasionally flash with a gold sparkle.

*While a Smash Mode match is loading, an intense [[versus splash screen]] will appear, showing the combatants. [[Tips]] still appear regularly on loading screens in other modes, and can appear on the splash screen when loading takes long enough.

*In one-on-one stock fights, the stock count of both fighters will be briefly displayed onscreen whenever a stock is lost.

*The character select screen is now similar in appearance to the original ''Super Smash Bros.'' menu when starting the game, with the other fighters unlocked later on.

**Instead of being roughly organized by series, the character select screen now organizes characters (with the exception of Echo Fighters and Mii Fighters) by when they were first officially announced for a ''Super Smash Bros.'' game.

*While a fighter is knocked off the stage, a minimap which shows the character locations, [[blast zone]], and camera zoom will appear on the corner of the screen.

*The closer a fighter is to a blast zone, the smaller their "magnifying glass" camera becomes. It will start flashing when they are almost touching the blast line.

*Like {{SSB4|Little Mac}}'s [[Power Meter]] in ''Smash 4'', several characters now sport additional UI elements next to their damage meter, such as {{SSBU|Villager}}'s [[Pocket]]ed item, {{SSBU|Robin}}'s durability counters, or {{SSBU|Inkling}}'s Ink Tank gauge.

*Stages that once shared names now have been renamed. For example, the ''Smash 64'' version of Yoshi's Island is now Super Happy Tree and the ''Brawl'' version of Mario Circuit is now Figure-8 Circuit.

*Tracks in [[My Music]] are now organized by series rather than by stage, such that all music from a given series will be available across the stages corresponding to that series.

** Additionally, many remixes from ''64'' and ''Melee'' have had their names updated to reflect the source music title, rather than the stage they were present on, such as "Poke Floats" becoming "Pokemon Red/Pokemon Blue Medley".

*[[Sound Test]] can be used to create music playlists, which can be played in handheld mode while the screen is off like a music player.  

*Echo Fighters can either be displayed in their own character slots, or share their slot with the character they are based on, depending on user preference.

*The main text font from ''Melee'', ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4'' is no longer used.

*The user can set up control settings for players who don't enter a name.

*The physics of launch movement have been overall sped up, with characters receiving [[knockback]] having a much higher initial speed and deceleration, resulting in being launched at higher speeds yet slowing down to nothing quickly. This does not affect moves with fixed knockback.

**If a character is struck with enough knockback by a [[meteor smash]], they will be KO'd as soon as they are off-screen, rather than reaching the bottom blast line. This makes [[sacrificial KO]]s that rely on meteor smashes more reliable.<ref>https://twitter.com/notty_jirachi/status/1073305289519116289</ref>

*[[Fall speed]]s and [[gravity]] are now temporarily homogenized during hitstun from knockback which launches at angles 70-110 degrees. This prevents fast fallers from being disproportionally susceptible to ladder combos, but also prevents them from having improved vertical survivability.

*[[Rage]] has had its knockback increase reduced to a maximum 10% boost, down from 15%. Additionally, it no longer applies to hits that use [[set knockback]], preventing linking moves with high set knockback from KOing at disproportionately early percentages.

*[[Perfect shield]]s are performed in reverse: instead of pressing the shield button a few frames before an attack connects, players have to ''release'' the shield button when an attack connects on their [[shield]] instead. The window for the technique is also larger, lasting 5 frames instead of 3. A successful perfect shield causes the screen to pause briefly, with the fighter's eyes flashing to signify a perfect shield, and no shield damage being taken as a result. This updated mechanic makes perfect shielding a riskier tactic, and less likely to be performed unintentionally, but allows fighters to retaliate much faster against attacks when successful.

*Shield dropping incurs 11 frames of lag, up from 7 in ''SSB4'', making the game less defense-focused.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/smashbros/comments/8rgc3i/did_a_framebyframe_breakdown_of_the_invitational/?st=jii2wdxz&sh=4cc5fc06</ref> However, the minimum time the shield must be held for before it can be dropped has been reduced from 11 frames to 3, assisting in the new perfect shield mechanic.

*[[Edge sweet spot]]s have become smaller, and recovery moves take longer to snap on ledges in general. This makes [[recovery|recovering]] more difficult.  

*The window to [[tech]] has increased from 8 frames to 11 frames, and teching in general has mostly been restored to its state in ''Brawl'' (but the added leniency while already making contact with a wall or ceiling is retained), removing all of the untechable situations from ''Smash 4''; however, sustaining too much knockback from a certain distance from a surface can prevent characters from teching, making stage spikes guaranteed at high enough percents. This threshold is indicated by the visual shockwave of a rebounding character turning red. The threshold is also much smaller for characters that hit the ground, making meteor smashes more effective on-stage on aerial opponents.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-ge7VRRWUo</ref>

*Opponents [[footstool]]ed in midair can now tech on the ground during the animation. However, footstools now also grant the user a few frames of intangibility upon leaping off the opponent.

*Meteor smash attacks can no longer be teched when grounded, regardless of their properties, making them more reliable for starting combos.

*If a character lands in deep water while using a move with high downwards velocity, they will keep most of their movement speed when diving. This now causes moves such as [[Stone]], [[Aether]], [[Bowser Bomb]] or [[Super Dedede Jump]] to become self-destructs at certain heights.

*Characters can no longer run through other characters and instead push them backwards, preventing [[cross-up]]s or mixups revolving around moving through an opponent. This also seems to affect several momentum-based moves, which now stop on shield (such as [[Fox Illusion]] and [[Heel Slide]]). However, there are still a handful of moves that are still capable of crossing up, such as {{SSBU|Simon}} and {{SSBU|Richter}}'s dash attack.

*[[Screen KO]]s are much faster, making them once again faster than [[Star KO]]s.

*[[Shield break]]ing does not grant the victim any intangibility if it happens during the last five seconds of a match.

*[[Sudden Death]] consists of the screen slowly zooming in, making the blast zones gradually shrink. It also appears to have a fixed camera angle, and the screen progressively gets covered in aesthetic flames, starting with the corners. If the screen has finished zooming in, [[Bob-omb]]s will start falling after a while.

*[[Stamina Mode|Stamina]] battles are now part of the basic rule selection, allowing for combinations such as stamina with [[Stock|stocks]].

*[[Self-destruct]]ing in online matches with stocks can take away two stocks instead of one (unless it's one on one)

*The [[jumpsquat]] timing of every character has been standardized to 3 frames.

*[[Traction]] has been significantly increased across the cast.

*[[Rolling]] and [[spot dodging]] repeatedly now penalizes the user with increased lag and less [[intangibility]] frames, leaving them more vulnerable.

**Characters can only air dodge once before landing, grabbing an edge or getting hit, and both types of air dodges have much more ending lag, with directional ones lasting more than a full second. However, both have less landing lag than air dodges in ''Smash 4'' (10 frames in the case of neutral air dodges, down from 21), and unlike air dodges in ''Melee'', directional air dodges allow characters to grab edges during their ending lag. This significantly weakens defensive play by making air dodges more restricted and punishable, but increases their effectiveness for escaping [[juggle]]s and recovering if used opportunely.

**[[Wavedashing]] has made a return from ''Melee'', alongside techniques associated with it like wavelanding. However, it is significantly weaker due to the new mechanics added to directional air dodges, compounded further by their higher landing lag, as well as the cast's increased traction.

*Initial dashes have been lengthened, allowing some aspects of [[dash-dancing]] to return. They have also been significantly increased across the cast and have much less range in variance, with the slowest being slightly above {{SSB4|Mario}}'s in ''SSB4'' and the highest being slightly above {{SSB4|Fox}}'s.  

*Being sent into hitstun by any attack from behind will preserve the direction the character is facing, like with [[Back Slash]] in ''Smash 4'', having the effect of preserving the positions of their forward and back aerials.

*Characters can now perform any ground attack out of a run, including their [[neutral attack]], [[tilt attack]]s, and all [[smash attack]]s. In previous games, only [[dash attack]]s, [[up smash]]es and [[special move]]s could be performed out of a run. Characters can also instantly turn around to input any grounded attack in the other direction.

*Short hop aerial attacks can be performed by pressing the jump and attack buttons at the same time. However, this makes full hop aerial attacks more difficult to perform.

**As a further aid, several ground attacks can now be canceled by jumping during their very first startup frames (with a maximum of three for most), in which case they will automatically transition into a short hop aerial attack.

*The linking hits of all [[neutral attack]]s have had their angles and knockback altered to drag opponents close to the user, in addition to not lifting them off if they are on the ground. This allows for neutral attacks to connect much more reliably than before, and gives all of them the ability to [[jab lock]] (with the exception of {{SSBU|Ganondorf}}, {{SSBU|Meta Knight}}, {{SSBU|Roy}} and {{SSBU|Chrom}}). However, this removes guaranteed [[jab cancel]] setups.

**Neutral infinites have all been reduced in damage, but do far more hits in the same amount of time and inflict less [[freeze frame]]s, making them harder to escape. Their pushback from hitting opponents can also no longer drop the user off edges.

*The function of the 0° launch angle has been changed, now raising to 30° at greater knockback values, similarly to the [[Sakurai angle]], but occurring later than said angle.

*[[Smash attack]]s can be delayed for two additional seconds after reaching full charge. This is indicated by characters freezing in the last frame of their charging animation until the smash attack is released.

*[[Up smash]]es and [[up special]]s can be used [[out of shield]] without jumping.

*If two [[grab]]s collide, both characters take minimal damage and act as if [[grab release]]d. This event is known as "grab parrying" by the in-game tips, and removes the effect of [[port priority]] in determining who gets the grab.

*[[Shield grab]]s can no longer be used immediately after [[shieldstun]] from an attack ends, instead forcing the character to hold their shield for 4 extra frames beforehand.<ref>https://twitter.com/ChirozDR/status/1070137066636435458</ref>

*[[Pummel]]s have been universally sped up, but deal less damage.

*[[Edge attack]]s have been buffed, dealing 9% damage on average (up from 7%), and now granting intangibility until the hitboxes cease rather than until 2 frames before the hitboxes come out, allowing them to beat out opposing attacks.

*[[Charge]]able, storable special moves such as Samus' [[Charge Shot]] and Donkey Kong's [[Giant Punch]] can now be canceled by jumping. These moves can also be executed with the attack button while charging.

*[[Taunts]] can be [[interrupt]]ed much quicker, with most of them having faster animations. However, this does not apply to damaging taunts such as {{SSBU|Luigi}}'s down taunt.

*[[Final Smash]]es are quicker, with versions granting a controllable transformation being removed, so players can return to fighting quickly. As a result, many fighters have either new Final Smashes altogether, or returning Final Smashes with altered functionalities, such as [[Landmaster]] being replaced by [[Team Star Fox|an Arwing cutscene]], and [[Octopus]] dragging opponents offstage immediately after transforming.

*The particle effects of the game are significantly more cartoony, with a solid-color or cel-shaded aesthetic. Compared to ''Smash 4'', hits are signified by spark-like blows instead of colorful stars, while attack [[effect]]s appear visually longer-lasting or possess far larger particle effects.

*Continuing a trend from ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'', most returning fighters feature greater model detail and more subdued colors than in ''Smash 4''.

**However, hair and fur detail has been toned down, resulting in a generally flatter appearance.

*Knockback dealt by strong attacks will show a bright blue angle indicator, which visualizes the effect of [[directional influence]] along the character's final trajectory. This can be difficult to notice due to the effect being very brief.

*After using up their [[midair jump]](s), characters leave behind a subtle, transparent trail when moving through the air and until they regain their jumps. This aesthetic effect is difficult to notice unless the camera is zoomed onto a character.

*If two fighter's bladed weapons clash, they now produce a "clanging" noise, reminiscent to a similar effect in ''Melee''. The sound depends on the type of blades that clash; metal blades and energy-based swords both produce different sound effects.

*Stunned characters now use their voice clip constantly instead of only once, much like in ''Smash 64'' and ''Melee''. This was exclusive to Roy in ''Smash 4''.

*Fighters sent flying now leave a colorful, lingering trail of solid-colored smoke behind them. If dealt enough knockback, they will also play a whistling sound while flying, akin to a jet plane.

*When [[mash]]ing out of an inactionable state such as being grabbed or [[stun]]ned, characters display wind blade-like particles around them that increase in quantity depending on how fast they mash.

*[[Star KO]]'d characters now use a tumbling animation similar to ''Brawl''{{'}}s Screen KOs, rolling away from the screen as they fly away.

*Phantom [[footstool]]s now play the footstool sound effect to indicate one being performed.

*[[Final Smash]]es now cause a segment of the screen to show the upper portion of the summoner's face (in Mr. Game & Watch's case, the close up is of where his eyes would be; in Piranha Plant's case, the close up of its teeth), which is taken entirely from the summoner's official artwork, before the move begins, similar to Chrom's appearance in [[Pair Up]].

*Fighters are much more expressive than they were in ''Smash 4''; most characters now sport a shocked/surprised expression when missing a grab and will scowl or frown when putting up their shield.

*Any characters standing too close to a Final Smash will visibly react to it by displaying a shocked facial expression.

*Many [[Assist Trophies]] and Final Smashes now affect the background of the stage.

*On the [[results screen]], the announcer now says "(Character name/Team color) wins!" ("(Character name/Team color) win!" in the Japanese version), instead of saying "The winner is... (character name/team color)!" (''Brawl''/''Smash 4'') or "This game's winner is... (character name/team color)!" (''Smash 64''/''Melee''). Additionally, after Team Battles, all teammates will perform their complete victory animation instead of only the player with the highest score/stock count, much like the first three installments.

**In ''Smash 64'', the announcer did say "(Team color) wins!", but this was changed in ''Melee''.

*Even more characters now face the screen regardless of direction they turn towards, such as Donkey Kong and the Ice Climbers.

*[[Name]]s now override some instances of character names, such as underneath the damage meter.

*[[Smash Ball]]s and Fake Smash Balls have a chance of spawning with [[Soccer Ball]] physics, rolling around the stage and respawning once they drop offstage. These despawn after a set time.

*The [[Boss Galaga]] causes a black background to cover the screen when it catches an opponent, complete with pixel stars. Additionally, if the Boss Galaga Star KOs a character, it can now be seen with the character in the distance. The star also becomes larger.

*The {{b|Hammer|item}} and [[Golden Hammer]] have a unique 8-bit-styled hit particle, resembling the particle effect used when Mario destroys a barrel or a fireball in the original ''Donkey Kong''. The corresponding sound effect is also taken from the original game.

*The [[Warp Star]]'s descent can now be stalled by the user.

''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' received critical acclaim from both critics and the audience. Metacritic gave the game a 93/100<ref>{{citeweb|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/super-smash-bros-ultimate|title=Metacritic}}</ref>, tying it with ''[[Brawl]]'' as the highest-rated game in the series on the website, while GameRankings gave it a 92.17% <ref>{{citeweb|url=https://www.gamerankings.com/switch/234547-super-smash-bros-ultimate/index.html|title=GameRankings}}</ref>.

Within its first month, ''Ultimate'' sold 12.08 million copies, making it the fastest-selling game in Nintendo's history<ref>{{citeweb|url=https://www.vg247.com/2019/01/31/super-smash-bros-ultimate-is-the-fastest-selling-nintendo-game-ever/|title=Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the fastest selling Nintendo game ever}}</ref>. As of March 2019, ''Ultimate'' has sold 13.81 million copies, which is greater than the total number of sales for the Wii U.

===Miscellaneous===

===Characters===

Inkling poster.jpg|Official illustration of Inkling.

Mario artwork Ultimate.png|Official illustration of Mario.

Mario and Rathalos artwork.jpg|Official illustration of Mario and Rathalos.

Simon and Richter artwork.png|Official illustration of Simon and Richter.

Villager and Isabelle artwork.jpg|Official illustration of Villager and Isabelle.

Pac-Man artwork Ultimate.jpg|Official image of Pac-Man and Mr. Game & Watch.

Link Kirby Mario and Cloud artwork.png|Official illustration of Link, Kirby, Mario, and Cloud.

Bomberman artwork Ultimate.jpg|Official image of Bomberman.

Kirby Artwork.jpg|Official image of Kirby.

Sonic artwork.jpg|Official illustration of Sonic the Hedgehog.

Pokémon Smash Bros.png|Official image of all playable Pokémon characters, and the many Poké Ball Pokémon.

The Legend of Zelda artwork.png|Official illustration of the playable ''Zelda'' cast.

Fire Emblem Heroes Smash.png|Official illustration of all playable ''Fire Emblem'' characters and Assist Trophies.

Fire Emblem Smash Bros.png|Official image of all playable ''Fire Emblem'' characters on Arena Ferox.

Bayonetta Ultimate artwork.png|Official illustration of Bayonetta, Rodin, and Madama Butterfly.

Snake Ultimate artwork.png|Official image of Snake.

Pit Ultimate artwork.png|Official image of Pit.

Mega Man Ultimate artwork.jpg|Official illustration of Mega Man.

Inkling artwork.jpg|Official illustration of Inkling.

Joker artwork.png|Official illustration of Joker.

Ridley Hits the Big Time.png|Splash art of Ridley.

Simon Lashes Out.png|Splash art of Simon.

Richter Crosses Over.png|Splash art of Richter.

Chrom Joins the Battle.png|Splash art of Chrom.

Dark Samus Joins the Battle.png|Splash art of Dark Samus.

King K. Rool Comes Aboard.png|Splash art of King K. Rool.

Isabelle Turns Over a New Leaf.png|Splash art of Isabelle.

Ken Turns Up the Heat.png|Splash art of Ken.

Incineroar Enters the Ring.png|Splash art of Incineroar.

Piranha Plant Pipes Up.png|Splash art of Piranha Plant.

Joker Steals the Show.png|Splash art of Joker.

*This is the first ''Super Smash Bros.'' game since the original ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' to not be announced alongside new hardware. ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'' was revealed alongside the final retail version of the Nintendo GameCube at E3 2001; ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' was announced alongside the Wii itself, then-codenamed Revolution at E3 2005; and ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'' was announced alongside the Wii U at E3 2011. Moreover, unlike the latter two games, this is the first time since ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' that a ''Smash Bros.'' game is not announced years in advance, as ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' was announced in 2005 and revealed a year later, and ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' was announced in 2011 and revealed two years later, with both released in 2008 and 2014 respectively.

*This is the second game to feature attack names for several [[standard attack]]s and [[aerial attack]]s, as well as the first to show them in-game (in character-specific [[tips]]). Previously, only ''Melee'' had listed attack names in a ''Nintendo Power'' Player's Guide.

*This is the first ''Super Smash Bros.'' game to:

**Have a simultaneous worldwide release.

**Have the [[announcer]], [[Master Hand]], and [[Crazy Hand]]'s English-language voice actor unchanged, with Xander Mobus reprising his role from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''.

**Allow Master Hand to be legitimately playable, via a brief gameplay sequence near the end of [[World of Light]]. In previous games, Master Hand was only playable via [[Name Entry glitch|glitches]] and/or external modification of the game's code (e.g. cheat code devices such as Action Replay).

**Have none of its newcomers as starter characters.

**Feature [[Sonic (universe)|third-party]] [[Mega Man (universe)|universes]] with more than one Assist Trophy.

***Feature Assist Trophies from [[Bomberman (universe)|third]]-[[Virtua Fighter (universe)|party]] [[Monster Hunter (universe)|universes]] without playable characters.

***Feature third-party Assist Trophies who are protagonists in their series, as all previous ones have been antagonists.

**Have no new stages from the ''{{uv|Pokémon}}'' or ''{{uv|Kirby}}'' universes.

***This applies to {{uv|Donkey Kong}}, {{uv|Metroid}}, {{uv|Yoshi}} and {{uv|Star Fox}} if both versions of [[Super Smash Bros. 4]] are counted as the same game.

**Have the English [[announcer]] voice a playable character, [[Joker]] (not counting the Name Entry Glitch, nor Master Hand).

**Not introduce a character that has a move that can [[absorb]].

*Because of the size of the USK icon on the game's box art, the German version has a slightly different variation of said box art: [[Pikachu]] is moved upwards, [[Yoshi]] is completely missing, and the logo is off-centered.<ref>https://twitter.com/ZeldaUniverse/status/1009908072205160450</ref>

*This is the third ''Super Smash Bros.'' game to feature hand-drawn artwork on the box art, with the first being the original ''Super Smash Bros.'' and the second being ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''.

*This game marks the only appearances of [[King K. Rool]], [[Zero Suit Samus]], [[Dark Samus]], [[Ness]], [[Lucas]], [[Dark Pit]], [[Olimar]], [[R.O.B.]], [[Wii Fit Trainer]], [[Duck Hunt]], and [[Richter]] on the Nintendo Switch.

**It also marks the first appearances of [[Pichu]], [[Greninja]], [[Roy]], [[Ike]], [[Incineroar]], the [[Ice Climbers]], [[Pit]], [[Palutena]], [[Simon]], and [[Joker]] on the Nintendo  Switch.