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}}

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

|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''), often shortened to "'''''SSBU'''''", "'''''Smash Ultimate'''''" or "'''''Ultimate'''''," is a crossover fighting game for the [[Nintendo Switch]]. It was first teased at the end of a [[Nintendo Direct]] on March 8th, 2018, and fully revealed on June 12th at E3 2018. It is the fifth installment in the ''{{b|Super Smash Bros.|series}}'' series (sixth if the two versions of ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'' are counted as separate titles). The game was released worldwide on December 7th, 2018.

''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' received universal acclaim from both critics and players, with some critics calling it the best installment in the series. It received praise for its large amount of content and fine-tuning of existing ''Smash'' gameplay elements, although its online mode was widely criticized. As of June 30, 2020, ''Ultimate'' had sold over 19.99 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling ''Super Smash Bros.'' game and also the best-selling fighting game of all time, beating ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' and ''{{s|wikipedia|Street Fighter II}}'', which previously held each title respectively. Its massive success has caused it to be nominated for, and win, multiple awards.

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 (not including [[Downloadable content (SSBU)|DLC]]).

==Characters==

[[File:SSBU Panoramic.png|thumb|center|700px|Panoramic artwork of all announced fighters as of June 22nd, 2020.]]

<!--Remember: Pokémon Trainer is counted as 3 separate fighters by the Sakurai number, when Lucina and Dark Pit are added the total becomes 65, NOT 67-->

All 63 characters (65 if counting the {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}} as three fighters<!--Mii FIGHTERS ARE ALWAYS COUNTED SEPARATELY. DISCUSS BEFORE CHANGING.!-->) from all previous ''Smash Bros.'' games return as playable fighters. As well as the returning cast, the game features 23 newcomers. 11 characters are available in the base game, with 12 characters (seven known and five unknown) planned as {{SSBU|downloadable content}}. In total, 74 characters (76) are playable in the base game and 86 (88) characters will be playable overall, the most for any ''Smash Bros.'' game. Each character is numbered based on the order in which they first joined the series, with the exception of [[Echo Fighters]] (who share a number with the character they are based on) and Pokémon Trainer (whose Pokémon are numbered instead).

[[File:SSBU Character Select DLC.jpeg|thumb|right|300px|The [[character selection screen]] in ''Ultimate'' with all 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 along with his echo {{SSBU|Richter}}. {{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 (as they are Echo Fighters of {{SSBU|Marth}} and {{SSBU|Pit}}, respectively), 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 most of 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, released on January 29, 2019. It was also confirmed that five more unique newcomers would be added as DLC by January of 2020. With the exception of Piranha Plant, all of these DLC characters can be bought together as part of a [[Fighters Pass]]. For Fighters Pass Vol. 1, {{uv|Persona}}'s {{SSBU|Joker}} is part of [[Downloadable content (SSBU)|Challenger Pack 1]] (announced on December 6, 2018, which was one day before the game itself released; released on April 17, 2019), the {{SSBU|Hero}} from {{uv|Dragon Quest}} is part of Challenger Pack 2 (announced on June 11, 2019; released on July 30, 2019), {{SSBU|Banjo & Kazooie}} from their namesake series ''{{uv|Banjo-Kazooie}}'' are part of Challenger Pack 3 (announced on June 11, 2019; released on September 4, 2019), {{uv|Fatal Fury}}’s {{SSBU|Terry}} is part of Challenger Pack 4 (announced on September 4, 2019; released on November 6, 2019), and finally {{SSBU|Byleth}} from ''{{s|fireemblemwiki|Fire Emblem: Three Houses}}'' as part of Challenger Pack 5 (announced on January 16, 2020; released on January 28, 2020), finishing Fighters Pass Vol. 1.  

During the September 4, 2019 Nintendo Direct, after revealing Terry, it was announced that even more DLC Fighters beyond the five in the Fighters Pass Vol. 1 are in development, as Fighters Pass Vol. 2 will include 6 more playable characters. This number of newcomers was announced during the January 16, 2020 Presentation revealing Byleth. Challenger Pack 6 includes {{SSBU|Min Min}} from ''{{uv|ARMS}}'' (announced on March 26, 2020; revealed on June 22, 2020; released on June 29, 2020). The rest of the characters from the Fighters Pass Vol. 2 remain unannounced and are set to be released by the end of 2021, though their specific release dates are unknown.

As was the case in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', further "characters" exist as alternate costumes for other preexisting characters. In this game, twelve characters have such costumes: [[Alph]] is accessible as a playable character via {{SSBU|Olimar}}'s [[alternate costume]]s; the seven [[Koopalings]] are available as playable characters via {{SSBU|Bowser Jr.}}'s alternate costumes; one of {{SSBU|Pichu}}'s costumes depicts the specific "spiky-eared" Pichu variant; {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}}, {{SSBU|Wii Fit Trainer}}, {{SSBU|Robin}}, {{SSBU|Corrin}}, and {{SSBU|Byleth}} each have opposite-gendered variants as alternate costumes; {{SSBU|Pikachu}} possesses both an opposite-gendered variant and a costume depicting the specific "Cosplay" Pikachu variant; each of {{SSBU|Villager}} and {{SSBU|Inkling}}'s costumes represent different customization options for the character, including gender; and the [[Hero]] has three other protagonists from across the ''Dragon Quest'' series as palette swaps. However, these characters are not treated as separate characters in-game.

 

Only the [[Original 8]] characters from the [[Super Smash Bros.|first game]] are available from the start. Like in ''Smash 4'', the {{SSBU|Mii Fighter}}s are also available from the start via customization, but are otherwise locked upon initial startup of the game. 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]].

[[File:Stage Select Ultimate Normal.jpg|thumb|300px|The stage selection screen in ''Ultimate'' with all current downloadable stages available.]]

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'' features 103 stages (306 if counting Battlefield forms and Ω forms separately) at base game.

96 stages from previous games have returned overall: 7 from ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', 19 from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'', 27 from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', and 43 from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'' (18 from the 3DS version, 17 from the Wii U version, 8 from both versions), adding 7 completely new stages. In update 3.0.0, ''Ultimate'' gained the option to create custom stages with the [[Stage Builder]] and can be selected from the "Custom" tab. In update 8.1.0, a free downloadable stage was added, [[Small Battlefield]], which resembles Battlefield with the middle platform removed and the side platforms slightly closer to one another. The same update also allows any ''Super Smash Bros.''-original stages to play music from any series, instead of just the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series.

Five additional stages were added to the game as part of the Fighter Pass Vol. 1 DLC alongside the respective fighters, which brought the number of stages up to 109 (321 if counting Battlefield forms and Ω forms separately) with an additional six more to be released as part of Vol. 2 bringing the number up to 115 (339 if Battlefield and Ω forms were to be counted). The six DLC stages that have been released so far are [[Mementos]], [[Yggdrasil's Altar]], [[Spiral Mountain]], [[King of Fighters Stadium]], [[Garreg Mach Monastery]] and [[Spring Stadium]] which released alongside {{SSBU|Joker}}, {{SSBU|Hero}}, {{SSBU|Banjo & Kazooie}}, {{SSBU|Terry}}, {{SSBU|Byleth}} and {{SSBU|Min Min}} respectively.  

Only 15 stages featured in previous games are not available in ''Ultimate'' (not including single player-only stages or previous forms of Battlefield and Final Destination). These stages are: [[Planet Zebes]] and [[Sector Z]] from ''Super Smash Bros.''; [[Icicle Mountain]], {{SSBM|Mushroom Kingdom}}, [[Poké Floats]] and {{SSBM|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 Nintendo 3DS''; and [[Jungle Hijinxs]], [[Pyrosphere]], [[Woolly World]], [[Orbital Gate Assault]] and [[Miiverse]] from ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U''. While [[Flat Zone]] and [[Flat Zone 2]] are also absent, [[Flat Zone X]] incorporates all elements of both of those stages. The [[mariowiki:World 1-2 (Super Mario Bros.)|World 1-2]] version of [[Mushroomy Kingdom]] is also absent.

{{clrr}}

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 Nintendo 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 several 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 Pichu and Young Link from ''Melee'', as well as Pokémon Trainer and Wolf 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 ''A 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]] from ''Fire Emblem Awakening'' and the ''Metroid Prime'' series respectively, 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]] from the ''Street Fighter'' and ''Pokémon'' series respectively as new playable characters, as well as the inclusion of DLC fighters - [[Piranha Plant]] from ''Super Mario'' appearing shortly after launch, followed by five other unannounced characters, which have been selected in advance by Nintendo as future additions.<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]], [[mode|game 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]] Vol. 1 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 leaked. It is yet to be confirmed if this was a mistake on Nintendo's behalf or if it was simply a marketing ploy.

On April 16, 2019, a video titled ''New Content Approaching'' was released. The video detailed Joker's moveset and confirmed that he would release the next day, April 17. The video also revealed [[Mementos]], Stage Builder, new Mii Costumes, Video Editor, and Shared Content. Version {{SSBU|3.0.0}} was launched on April 17.

During Nintendo's E3 2019 presentation on June 11th, the [[Hero]] from ''[[Dragon Quest (universe)|Dragon Quest]]'' and [[Banjo & Kazooie]] from their namesake series ''[[Banjo-Kazooie (universe)|Banjo-Kazooie]]'' were confirmed as the second and third newcomers in the Fighters Pass Vol. 1, set to be released at some point in Summer and Fall of 2019 respectively. The former's gameplay would later be shown off in a dedicated video presentation on July 30th, the day of the character's release date, while the latter's was showcased in a special video following the September 4th Nintendo Direct. Both presentations were hosted by Sakurai himself.

During the September 4th Nintendo Direct, [[Terry Bogard|Terry]] from [[SNK]]'s ''[[Fatal Fury]]'' series was announced to be the fourth newcomer in the Fighter Pass Vol. 1, set to be released sometime in November while the third Challenger Pack, Banjo & Kazooie was shadow-dropped after the Direct alongside the 5.0.0 update, the return of [[Home Run Contest]], their stage: Spiral Mountain, 5 new Mii costumes and 10 new tracks. In addition, following Terry Bogard's reveal, it was also announced that more DLC fighters beyond the Pass Vol. 1 was confirmed to be in development thanks to ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'''s strong sales.

On January 16th, 2020, Nintendo released an "Mr. Sakurai Presents ???" livestream that revealed [[Byleth]] from ''Fire Emblem: Three Houses'' as the final (and only first-party) member of the Fighters Pass Vol. 1, set for release on January 28th. The 7.0.0 update wasn't mentioned but it would include their stage: [[Garreg Mach Monastery]], 11 new tracks added to all ''Fire Emblem'' stages and 5 more Mii costumes including Altaïr from Ubisoft's ''Assassin's Creed'' and indie star [[Cuphead]], with a music track from his game, Floral Fury. It was also revealed that ''Ultimate'' would receive a second DLC pass called Fighters Pass Vol. 2 that will consist of six more playable newcomers instead of five like the first one. Said pass is expected to have all six fighters released by December 31, 2021.

In a Nintendo Direct Mini held on March 26, 2020, a fighter from ''ARMS'' was announced to be the first fighter in Fighters Pass Vol. 2. The new fighter was revealed to be [[Min Min]] in a presentation held on June 22, with a release date of June 29. The 8.0.0 update becomes with a new stage: [[Spring Stadium]], which includes 18 new music tracks, and 5 more Mii Costumes, one of them returning from ''Smash 4'': Heihachi from Namco's ''Tekken'', the other four are Mii Costumes of Callie and Marie, the [[Squid Sisters]] from the ''Splatoon'' series (who are also an Assist Trophy), [[Ninjara]] from ''ARMS'' and [[Vault Boy]] from Bethesda's ''Fallout''.

[[File:StockCounter1-on-1.jpg|thumb|The stock counter in a one-on-one stock match.]]

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

*On the character select screen, the number of player slots can be adjusted with the + and - buttons on the right side. [[8-Player Smash]] had been merged with Standard Vs. Mode, with matches having 2 to 8 slots, while other game modes have different limits.

*[[Alternate costume]]s are now shown at the bottom of the player's portrait, with 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 7).

*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 on-screen whenever a stock is lost (With the exception of the final stock).

*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.

*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}} and {{SSBU|Isabelle}} [[Pocket]]ed item, {{SSBU|Robin}}'s Durability Counters, {{SSBU|Inkling}}'s Ink Tank gauge, {{SSBU|Cloud}}'s [[Limit Gauge]], {{SSBU|Joker}}'s [[Rebellion Gauge]], {{SSBU|Hero}}'s [[MP Gauge]], and {{SSBU|Terry}}'s GO symbol.

*The main menu, [[character selection screen]], [[Notice|Milestones]], [[Sound Test]] and many other UIs now use the new font, replacing the main text font from ''Melee'', ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4''. The font itself is FOT-RodinNTLG UB regular in the English version and FOT-RodinNTLG B regular in the Japanese version, both of which are identical to those used for ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario Odyssey}}''{{'}}s UIs.

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

*{{SSBU|Classic Mode}} is loosely a combination of the versions seen in ''Brawl'' and ''for 3DS'', but now each fighter has a set series of opponents to face; many routes feature bosses other than [[Master Hand]] and [[Crazy Hand]], and some feature a fight against a boss outside of the boss fight, or even the boss fight does not feature a designated boss, instead fighting characters who are otherwise playable.

*[[Spirit]]s are introduced as a new feature with the merger of [[Trophy|Trophies]] and [[Equipment]]; additionally, [[Spirit Battle]]s also replace [[Event match]]es from the previous games.

*All Battlefield/Ω form stages now reshape the main platform and [[blast line]]s to be identical to those in {{SSBU|Battlefield}}/{{SSBU|Final Destination}}, making some Battlefield/Ω forms such as those of [[Golden Plains]], [[Wily Castle]], and [[Kalos Pokémon League]] having larger, proper bottom blast lines.

*[[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.  

*Smash Attacks can be charged significantly longer. Once the fighter stops moving, the damage output will cease scaling. However, knockback will continue to increase until the charge is completed.

*Opponents no longer take more knockback when hit while charging a [[smash attack]].

*The physics of launch movement has 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 [[Knockback#Set knockback|fixed knockback]].

**This change significantly lessen the use of [[hitstun canceling]], as most hitstun and launch speed now wear off as soon as they are able to perform an [[air dodge]] or [[aerial attack]]s.

**If a character is struck with enough knockback by either a [[meteor smash]] or stage spike, 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 disproportionately susceptible to ladder combos but also prevents them from having improved vertical survivability while floatier characters have 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.

*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.

*"Magnet hands", a controversial element in ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4'' that allowed some characters to evade [[Edgeguarding|edgeguarders]] while [[recovery|recovering]] much easier, have been toned down. [[Edge sweet spot]]s have become smaller, and recovery moves take longer to snap on ledges in general. This makes recovering overall more difficult.  

**Meteor smash attacks can no longer be teched when grounded regardless of their properties, much like in previous ''Smash Bros.'' titles minus ''Smash 4'', making them more reliable for starting combos.

*[[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. This is presumably to balance the gameplay speed of Sudden Death across all stages, especially with large (such as [[Temple]] or [[New Pork City]]), autoscrolling (such as [[Mushroomy Kingdom]]), or [[Stage Builder]] stages. Raining [[Bob-omb]]s from ''Melee'', ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4'' is still present if the screen has finished zooming in and no one is KO'd.

**All characters participating in Sudden Death are ranked based on what time they are KO'd rather all KO'd characters being automatically ranked 2nd, much like in previous ''Smash Bros.'' titles minus ''Smash 4''.

*[[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. This is most easily noticeable with {{SSBU|Bowser}} and {{SSBU|Snake}}, as both characters used to have highest jumpsquat frames in ''Smash 4'' and ''Brawl'' respectively.

**[[Wavedashing]] has made a return from ''Melee'', alongside techniques associated with it like wave landing. 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. Furthermore, the universal buffs to dashing in general eliminates the need of this technique.

*[[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 their [[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.

**However, hair and fur textures tend to use less complex shading and modeling techniques, resulting in a flatter appearance similar to ''Brawl'' and ''for 3DS''.

*The characters' design styles are once again unified: cartoony franchises such as the ''{{uv|Mario}}'' and ''{{uv|Kirby}}'' series have slightly more realistic and subdued color schemes, while those from more realistic-looking franchises such as ''{{uv|The Legend of Zelda}}'' and ''{{uv|Metroid}}'' series have more vibrant color schemes. As a result, the overall color palette is slightly more subdued and less saturated than in ''Smash 4'', but still brighter than in ''Melee'' and ''Brawl''.

*Stock icons have been given a simplified, 2D appearance, akin to those in ''Smash 64'', and usually lack eyes (with the exception of {{SSBU|Kirby}}, {{SSBU|Meta Knight}}, {{SSBU|Sonic}} and {{SSBU|R.O.B.}}). However, most humanoid characters' stock icons are still depicted with eyebrows, accessories, as well as some facial features (e.g. {{SSBU|Mario}}, {{SSBU|Luigi}}, {{SSBU|Dr. Mario}} and {{SSBU|Wario}}'s mustache, {{SSBU|Ness}} and the {{SSBU|Ice Climbers}}' bangs, {{SSBU|Bayonetta}}'s glasses). Additionally, depictions of accessories in default stock icons no longer appears to be inconsistent with their actual colors; for example, {{SSBU|Peach}}'s crown now given its usual golden color instead of pink like in previous games, the latter of which matched the color of her dress.

*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 or the scenery behind them is particularly bright.

**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. As a result, all victory poses now "freeze" at the same time point during their animations.

***However, the Spanish, French, Italian and German versions still say the winner's name at end like in ''Smash 4'', such as "¡La victoria es para... (character name/team color)!" in Spanish; this also extends to the Dutch version, newly recorded for this game, which says "De winnaar is... (character name/team color)!"

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

|MC = 93% (99 reviews)<ref name="metacritic">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/super-smash-bros-ultimatel|title=Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Reviews|accessdate=2019-12-10|publisher=Metacritic}}</ref>

|award3 = Game of the Year<ref name="joystickgoty"> {{cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/Super-Smash-Bros-Ultimate-Nintendo-Golden-Joystick-2019/|title=Super Smash Bros. Ultimate wins Nintendo Game of the Year at the 2019 Golden Joystick Awards|publisher=GamesRadar|accessdate=2019-12-10}}</ref>

''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' received universal critical acclaim from both critics and the audience, 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.<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> In March 2019, that number reached 13.81 million, surpassing the total number of sales for the Wii U console in just 4 months. Since then, that number has reached 18.84 million units as of March 31st, 2020, 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).

''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' currently holds an aggregate review score of 93% on Metacritic,<ref name=metacritic></ref> tying it with ''[[Brawl]]'' as the highest-rated game in the series on the website, and held a score of 92.17% on GameRankings prior to its shutdown.<ref>{{citeweb|url=https://www.gamerankings.com/switch/234547-super-smash-bros-ultimate/index.html|title=GameRankings}}</ref>

===Characters===

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

Fire Emblem Heroes Smash.png|Official illustration of all playable ''{{uv|Fire Emblem}}'' characters and [[Assist Trophies]].

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

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

**Have a simultaneous worldwide release.

**Have both the English [[announcer]] and voice actor of {{SSBU|Master Hand}} and {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}} unchanged, with Xander Mobus reprising his role from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', as well as having the announcer use recycled voice clips from the previous game.

**Allow [[Master Hand (SSBU)|a boss]] to be playable without hacks or [[Master Hand glitch|glitches]].

**Have all of its veterans announced prior to launch and at the same time.

**Not have a minigame featuring [[target]]s, such as [[Target Smash!]] and [[Target Blast]].

****Counting both versions of SSB4 as one game, this is also the first game since the [[Super Smash Bros.|original]] to not introduce a new stage from the {{uv|EarthBound}} and {{uv|F-Zero}} universes.

**Feature Assist Trophies from third-party universes without playable characters, namely {{uv|Bomberman}}, {{uv|Shovel Knight}}, {{uv|Monster Hunter}}, and {{uv|Virtua Fighter}}.

**Feature a universe owned by a current console rival to Nintendo ({{uv|Banjo-Kazooie}}, owned by [[Microsoft]]).

**Have the announcer featuring unique, translated voice clips in the Korean version (the character calls for the {{SSBU|Ice Climbers}}, {{SSBU|Young Link}}, {{SSBU|Villager}}, {{SSBU|Rosalina & Luma}}, {{SSBU|Greninja}}, {{SSBU|Isabelle}}, and {{SSBU|Incineroar}}), the first being ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''; although the announcer is voiced by Xander Mobus rather than a native Korean voice actor, unlike in ''Brawl'' and like in {{for3ds}}.

**Upgrade [[Dark Samus|Assist]] [[Isabelle|Trophies]] and [[Chrom|a summonable character]] to be playable characters, with [[Little Mac]] and [[Palutena]] in ''SSB4'' being the first.

**Not feature [[Trophy|trophies]], with the first being the original ''Super Smash Bros''.

**Newcomers at 11, beating ''Smash 64''{{'}}s [[original 12]].

***Counting DLC, however, it currently has the second-highest amount of new character-based universes introduced, at seven (with {{uv|Persona}}, {{uv|Dragon Quest}}, {{uv|Banjo-Kazooie}}, {{uv|Fatal Fury}}, and {{uv|ARMS}} being added as DLC), surpassing ''Brawl''{{'}}s six and tied with ''Smash 4''{{'}}s base game, and has the second-lowest amount of new stages added, currently at 12.

**Sub-modes for Mob Smash at 3.

*Because of the size of the USK icon on the game's box art, [[:File:Super Smash Bros Ultimate German boxart.png|the German version]] has a slightly different variation of the said box art: [[Pikachu]] is moved upwards, [[Yoshi]] is completely missing, and the logo is off-centered.

**It also marks the first, but not last, appearances of Samus, [[Pichu]], [[Greninja]], [[Incineroar]], [[Olimar]], [[Joker]] and [[Hero]] on the Nintendo Switch.