Classic Mode (SSBU)

Classic Mode loading screen in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Classic Mode (勝ちあがり乱闘, Survival Smash) is a single-player (optionally 2 players) mode in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Each character now has their own predetermined set of opponents and stages to face in this mode. A unique name is given to each character's path, and there may be special rules or conditions: for example, Ryu's path references Street Fighter II by using only Ω forms and Stamina mode alongside the fighters most closely representing the characters of Street Fighter II. It is different from the Classic Mode versions found in the two versions of SSB4, shown by the return to the style of Classic Mode that was in Melee and Brawl. Just like in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Classic Mode can also be challenged by two players. When playing with two players, the route will always be based on Player 1's character. 1v1 battles (aside from Terry and Kazuya’s Classic Mode) become 2v2 battles with two of the same opponent (if there is originally only one), one in an alternate costume. If P2 chooses the same costume as an opponent, the opponent will not switch to another costume unless they chose the same character as P1.

Similar to the Classic Modes for the previous entries, players can select an intensity level, indicated by the position of the lengthy mural. The highest allowed starting intensity is 5.0, and it will increase slightly, depending on how well the player does, after each victory, to a maximum of 9.9. Each successful round moves the intensity up by a minimum of 0.1 depending on performance. Winning in fast times or with great dominance awards a "Nice Play!" label for the stage, and an intensity boost ranging from 0.6 to 1.4, depending also on how far along the player is in the game. Otherwise, the game's default intensity boost goes between 0.2 and 0.6, lower scores being awarded to long battles with more damage taken. The layout consists of seven stages plus a bonus stage. Unlike previous entries, the opponent in the last stage is not always Master Hand or Crazy Hand; each fighter has a different encounter at the end. Scores are also present in Classic Mode, which is displayed alongside the player's Global Smash Power.

Players only have one stock, unlike previous installments. To continue, the player can either spend Gold which lowers the intensity by 0.7 points, or use a Classic Ticket to keep the current intensity. Upon continuing, the match will start from where the player left off. Using a continue at any point during the run will stop the intensity from rising to 9.9, making the maximum possible intensity 9.8 for the rest of the run. However, it will not degrade a run already at intensity 9.9 if a ticket is used then. Continuing causes the player's score to go down. When playing with two players, the round does not fail until both players' stocks are lost.

Classic Tickets can be obtained through clearing Classic Mode or from the shop. They may also be used before starting a Classic Mode game to increase the rewards given out when finishing the mode. On a new save file, the player starts with 5 Classic Tickets.

After clearing Classic Mode the player will be able to play a minigame over the Credits and, at the end of said minigame, see a congratulations screen; the music for the minigame and the image at the end are themed to each character. Clearing Classic Mode with a character grants their fighter spirit, much like trophies from previous games.

Types of battles

Regular stage

Regular stages include Smash 1v1, 2v2, and Free-For-All battles where all enemy fighters must be defeated to proceed. Some variations include Giant Battles, where at least one opponent is giant, Metal Battles, where at least one opponent is metal, and Multi-Man Battles, where eight or less enemies are fought three at a time. When playing with two players, the 1v1 battles are replaced with 2v1v1 battles against two copies of the same opponent, and any allies granted by the match are overwritten by the co-op player.

Bonus Stage

Bonus Stage in Ultimate.

This is a challenge in the style of Race to the Finish, but rather than having a standard time limit, the player must run from a black hole that consumes the stage behind them. Glowing orbs are scattered throughout the side-scrolling area which increases the player's score, some behind breakable blocks and bomb blocks that encourage the player to go out of their way as the void closes in. Some scattered physics objects impede progress in a similar manner to Trophy Rush. At the end of the stage, a cannon blasts the player into a portal that ends the Bonus Game. Every fighter goes through this bonus game stage at some point during their classic mode. Every fighter goes through the exact same stage with no differences.

Boss

Most fighters face a predetermined boss fight at the end of their route. The player must deplete the boss's HP in order to defeat them. The most common boss is Master Hand on Final Destination, with Crazy Hand joining if the fight is entered at intensity 7.0 or above, similarly to previous games. Several characters replace Master Hand and Crazy Hand with either Rathalos, Dracula, Giga Bowser, Marx, Galleom or Ganon, and certain others may feature Crazy Hand with Master Hand regardless of intensity, feature Master Hand only with no possibility of an appearance from Crazy Hand, reverse Crazy Hand and Master Hand's roles, or be on an Ω form of another stage. Additionally, there are a few instances where another fighter is part of the final round:

• Both Mario and Captain Falcon fight Bowser in their final rounds before fighting Giga Bowser.
• Both Pikachu and Pokémon Trainer fight Mewtwo in their final rounds before fighting Master Hand (with no possibility of an appearance from Crazy Hand, regardless of the difficulty).
• Jigglypuff fights Giant Donkey Kong, and does not fight a traditional boss at all in its route.
• Bowser fights Rathalos in his penultimate round, but his final round is against Mario, then Metal Mario.
• Zelda fights Ganondorf in her final round before fighting Ganon.
• Mega Man fights Galleom in his penultimate round, but his final round is against Dr. Mario, then Mewtwo.
• Bayonetta fights a giant Palutena, and does not fight a traditional boss at all in her route.
• Hero fights Rathalos in his fourth round, but fights Robin in his blue costume and then a Giant Charizard in its purple costume for his final round.
• Terry fights Ryu, Ken, and another Terry in his final round, and does not fight a traditional boss at all in his route.
• Steve fights a giant Ridley and two tiny Endermen, and does not fight a traditional boss at all in his route.
• Sephiroth fights only bosses in his route, culminating with Master Hand and Crazy Hand.
• Kazuya fights another Kazuya followed by a Metal Kazuya in his final round, and does not fight a traditional boss at all in his route.

After defeating Bowser, Ganondorf or Mewtwo in the boss round, the player is given a Maxim Tomato.

Boss	Fighter Routes		Total
Master Hand			37
Crazy Hand			2
Master Hand & Crazy Hand			12
Giga Bowser			2
Galleom			7
Ganon			4
Marx			3
Dracula			4
Rathalos			6
None			5
All			1

Classic Mode routes

Fighter	Classic Mode title	Description	Inspiration
Mario	Let's-a Go! (世界をまたにかけて, Traveling Around the World)	In a similar fashion to the Classic Modes of past games, Mario's opponents are groups of fighters from various universes fought on a home stage from that universe. The penultimate battle is against Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings. The boss of this route is Bowser, who transforms into Giga Bowser upon defeat.	The English title is Mario's famous catchphrase. The Japanese title and overall concept may be a reference to Super Mario Odyssey, where Mario goes around the world and visits different kingdoms. The penultimate and final battles being against the Koopalings and then Bowser alludes to the Koopalings' appearances as world bosses before the final boss fight with his arch-enemy Bowser in various Super Mario titles (similar to the end of Melee's Adventure), which pays homage to his status as Mario's greatest enemy and final challenge to defeat.
Donkey Kong	Journey to New Donk City (ドンキーコング ニュードンクへ行く, Donkey Kong Goes to New Donk)	Donkey Kong's route depicts a journey by plane from the jungle to more urban locations, including the Onett and Moray Towers stages. From Round 2 onward, the player is teamed up with Diddy Kong. The penultimate battle is against Mario and Luigi. The boss of this route is Master Hand, set on Ω form New Donk City Hall.	The route is named after its final stage, New Donk City Hall. The penultimate battle alludes to Donkey Kong's rivalry with Mario throughout the Donkey Kong series.
Link	A Quest to Seal the Darkness (闇を切り裂く対魔剣, The Blade of Evil's Bane that Cuts the Darkness)	Link's opponents on this route are all affiliated with darkness, including Ganondorf, with the penultimate battle being against Dark Link. The boss of this route is Ganon.	The title references the main plot of most games in the Legend of Zelda series, where Link must defeat dark entities like Ganon. If the player selects the Dark Link costume, default Link appears as the penultimate enemy instead.
Samus	Another Planet, Another Bounty (異星の深淵, The Abyss of Another Planet)	Each battle is set on a Metroid series stage and involves fighting characters that shares similarities with bosses from the series. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	--
Dark Samus	The Great Poison Given Form (仲間に牙剥く精神汚染, The Mental Pollution that Bares Its Teeth at Companions)	Dark Samus's opponents are protagonist characters, and she is teamed up with dark/evil/corrupted variants of characters from their series (for example, Dark Samus is teamed up with Ken in his Violent Ken alternate costume, and together they fight Ryu, or she is teamed up with Luigi in his Waluigi alternate costume, and together they fight Mario, Peach and Daisy). The penultimate round is a Free-for-All against Samus and Ridley. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	The route is named after Phazon, the essence of Metroid Prime and Dark Samus, which is named "the Great Poison" by the Chozo in Metroid Prime. The penultimate round may be a reference to Metroid Prime 3.
Yoshi	Jurassic Journey (ジュラシックアイランド, Jurassic Island)	Yoshi's opponents all resemble older pop-culture depictions of prehistoric dinosaurs. His penultimate battle is against Giant Bowser. The boss of this route is Rathalos.	The fight against Giant Bowser references the final boss fight in the Yoshi's Island sequels, in which Kamek transforms baby Bowser into a giant upon the latter's defeat. As it is a classical draconic wyvern, Rathalos continues the dinosaur theme.
Kirby	Gourmet Clash (激突！グルメバトル, Clash! Gourmet Battle)	Kirby's opponents are characters who, like Kirby, love to eat things, including their enemies, such as Pac-Man, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Wario and King K. Rool. For each battle, Kirby and his opponent each spawn with 35% damage and several food items appear on the stage as the match begins. Additionally, other food-based items (such as Banana Peels and Superspicy Curry) appear more often. The opponent is giant in even-numbered rounds, and normal size in odd-numbered rounds. The penultimate battle is against King Dedede on Fountain of Dreams. The boss of the route is Marx.	The route both is named after, and contains gameplay elements that resemble, the Gourmet Race mode from Kirby Super Star. Dedede's appearance as the penultimate opponent can be taken as a reference to both the penultimate battle of Kirby's Adventure and to Gourmet Race. The final battle against Marx alludes to his status as the final boss in Kirby Super Star.
Fox	Spaceborne Smash (無限の宇宙, The Infinite Universe)	Fox's opponents in this route are characters associated with space or other planets. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	His penultimate battle with Wolf on Venom can be read as reference to either their battle in Star Fox 64, or to the "No items, Fox only, Final Destination" meme since the battle is fought on an Ω stage against a pseudo clone of Fox without items appearing; Venom is also Team Star Fox's frequent final destination. Master Hand's appearance may be a reference to the battle against Andross in Star Fox 64, in which his disembodied hands guard his face from attack.
Pikachu	I Choose You! (大乱闘ポケットモンスターズ, Great Fray Pocket Monsters)	The opponents are Pokémon characters from all across the Super Smash Bros. series. All rounds take place on Pokémon stages. The final battle is against Mewtwo, immediately followed by Master Hand. Poké Balls are the only items that appear throughout this route.	In English, the route is named after Ash Ketchum's signature catchphrase in the Pokémon anime, which doubles as the title of the first episode and the 20th movie. The Japanese title is a play on Japanese name of the Super Smash Bros. series: 大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズ, Great Fray Smash Brothers.
Luigi	Luigi's Nightmares (こっちに来ないで、コワい人！, Stay Away, Scary People!)	All of Luigi's opponents are scary characters (such as Ridley), or characters using a scary alternate costume (such as Dark Link). The penultimate battle is against Little Mac in his wireframe costume, followed by a giant Mr. Game and Watch upon defeat. The boss of this route is Dracula.	The route's theme is a reference to the Luigi's Mansion games and Luigi's tendency to be easily frightened. As a paranormal enemy, Dracula continues the Luigi's Mansion theme.
Ness	Home to Onett! (ホームシック！ オネットに帰ろう, Homesick! Let's Go Back to Onett)	Ness's route is themed after the events of most of EarthBound played in reverse, from Magicant to Onett, with opponents and stages that represent key enemies and points in the adventure. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	In Japanese, the route is named after Ness's Homesick status effect from EarthBound. The concept may also refer to the ending of EarthBound, where the game doesn't end until Ness returns to Onett after saving the world.
Captain Falcon	Up Close and Personal (戦いの基本は接近戦, Close Combat is the Basis of Battle)	Captain Falcon fights opponents who specialize in close-range combat, such as Ganondorf and Roy. The boss of this route is Bowser, who transforms into Giga Bowser upon defeat.	Giga Bowser may have been chosen as the boss because he has the fewest projectiles of all the bosses (one).
Jigglypuff	All Original, All 64 (64オールスターズ, 64 All-Stars)	Jigglypuff's route is themed after Super Smash Bros. 64, pitting it against all twelve characters who debuted in that game (including itself), on stages that debuted in that game. The final battle is against Giant Donkey Kong.	Elements of the route resemble the original 1P Game mode: namely, Link as the round 1 opponent, Pikachu as the round 5 opponent, and the presence of Giant Donkey Kong. The penultimate battle is against the original four unlockable characters, (itself, Luigi, Ness, and Captain Falcon).
Peach	No Damsel in Distress (さらわれ姫から卒業！, Graduating from a Kidnapped Princess!)	Peach fights against would-be kidnappers such as Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings, Donkey Kong (in his "classic" costume), Ganondorf and King K. Rool, with the penultimate battle against her own captor Bowser. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	If this route is played with two players, Bowser appears with a copy in his eighth costume, referencing Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels.
Daisy	Sarasaland Represent! (戦場のプリンセス, Princess of the Battlefield)	Most of Daisy's opponents are princesses in their respective franchises, such as Zelda and female Corrin. The penultimate battle is against Peach. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	In English, the route is named after Sarasaland, Daisy's kingdom.
Bowser	The Red One. Every Red One! (因縁の赤いヤツ, The Red Guys of Destiny)	Bowser’s opponents in this route are all affiliated with the color red such as Ken, Samus and Diddy Kong, with the penultimate boss battle being against Rathalos. The final battle is against Mario, with Metal Mario being summoned upon Mario's defeat.	The route is named and themed after Bowser's long-standing rivalry with Mario.
Ice Climbers	Duos for Days (ベストパートナー, Best Partners)	The Ice Climbers fight two opponents per stage, all of which are certain iconic duos in their games. The duos they fight are in this order: Link and Zelda, Ryu and Ken, Villager and Isabelle, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, Palutena and Pit and Mario and Peach. The bosses of this route are Master Hand and Crazy Hand, continuing the duo theme.	Much like Ice Climbers, Master Hand and Crazy Hand work together as a duo.
Sheik	Masquerade (仮面舞踏会, Masquerade)	Sheik's opponents are characters who wear masks or other forms of headwear to conceal their identity, such as Meta Knight, Roy Koopa and Captain Falcon. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	--
Zelda	Wisdom Prevails (狙われたトライフォース, The Targeted Triforce)	Zelda's opponents are all antagonists on stages from The Legend of Zelda universe culminating in a penultimate battle with four Dark Links. The final battle is against Ganondorf, who transforms into Ganon upon defeat.	--
Dr. Mario	Colorful Treatment Plan (いろいろ三色大作戦, Tactics of Three Different Colors)	Dr. Mario's opponents are all trios of the same character in red, blue, and yellow costumes. The penultimate battle is against three Warios. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	The concept of the route references the three colored viruses in the Dr. Mario games: Fever, Chill, and Weird. The three-Wario fight could reference either Wario's role as a secondary villain in Dr. Mario 64's story, or his poor diet and hygiene in the WarioWare series.
Pichu	Lightweight Fracas (ふわっとバトル, Floaty Battle)	Pichu's opponents are lightweight characters fought on stages set in the sky, such as Peach's Castle and Skyloft. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	The route is both themed and named after Pichu's status as the lightest character in the game.
Falco	Soar above the Darkness (光あるところに, Where There is Light)	Falco's opponents are "dark" characters, such as Dark Samus and Captain Falcon in his Blood Falcon alternate costume. The penultimate battle is against a giant Mr. Game & Watch. The boss of this route is Crazy Hand.	The Giant Mr. Game & Watch fight references his role as a corrupted character in The Subspace Emissary. Likewise, Crazy Hand's appearance references his status as Master Hand’s chaotic and destructive counterpart.
Marth	A Kingdom of Dragons (竜の王国, A Kingdom of Dragons)	Marth fights draconic characters on fantasy stages hailing from Fire Emblem or The Legend of Zelda. The boss of this route is Rathalos.	The route is themed after the major role that the many antagonistic dragons play in Marth's Fire Emblem games, in which Marth plays the role of a dragon-slayer using Falchion battling the dragon kingdom of Dolhr. Rathalos can be seen as an analog to Medeus, a primary antagonist, head of the aforementioned Dolhr and the final boss of all of Marth's games. Rathalos may also be a reference to Wyverns, enemy dragons in Marth's games.
Lucina	A Path of Heroes (歴代の英雄, Heroes of Many Generations)	All of Lucina's opponents are Fire Emblem characters, fought in reverse chronological order of the release of their games. The penultimate battle is against Marth. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	The reverse chronological order of the fights likely references her traveling to the past in Awakening. A similar concept of fighting characters in reverse of their debuts appears as All-Star Mode in the Wii U version of Super Smash Bros. 4.
Young Link	Hyrule Smash! (ハイラル乱闘！, Hyrule Fray!)	Young Link's opponents are characters from The Legend of Zelda universe. All stages, items and assist trophies are from The Legend of Zelda. The boss of this route is Ganon.	The fight against the quartet of multicolored Toon Links is a reference to The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords. It may also allude to the GBA release of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, which came with the original release of Four Swords, in which an optional dungeon, "The Palace of the Four Sword", features four Dark Links as the last boss.
Ganondorf	Encroaching Darkness (終わりの始まり, The Beginning of the End)	Ganondorf's opponents are all heroes and protagonists, culminating in a penultimate battle with Link and Zelda. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	Master Hand's boss appearance may reference Ganondorf's intended coup d'état against him in The Subspace Emissary from Brawl.
Mewtwo	Psychic Control (洗脳による支配, Domination Through Brainwashing)	The battles are a series of Team Battles where one of the opponents will join the player in the following battle. The bosses of this route are Master Hand and Crazy Hand, with Pikachu as the player's partner.	The route's concept is derived from Pokemon: The First Movie, in which Mewtwo uses its powerful psychic abilities to mind-control others into doing its bidding, such as Nurse Joy. Some opponents are characters who have been mind-controlled in their own games, such as Richter. Additionally, Master Hand and Crazy Hand being the boss of this route could reference World of Light, where Master Hand and Crazy Hand were mind controlled and cloned themselves by Galeem and Dharkon, respectively.
Roy	A Journey of Swords (異界の剣士, Otherworldly Swordfighters)	Roy's opponents are all sword-wielding fighters, such as Meta Knight, Link, Shulk and Cloud. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	The Japanese title mentions the concept of Outrealms from more recent Fire Emblem games.
Chrom	Fight as One (運命か、絆か, Destiny or Bonds?)	Round 1 is a one-on-one match against Lucina on Arena Ferox. From Round 2 onwards, the battles in this route are Team Battles where Chrom's teammate alternates between Lucina in even-numbered rounds and either male or female Robin in odd-numbered rounds. The opponents are, in order, Fox and Falco, Ness and Lucas, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, Peach and Daisy, Simon and Richter. The bosses of this route are Master Hand and Crazy Hand, with female Robin as the player's partner.	The route is themed after the Pair Up mechanic introduced in Fire Emblem Awakening, which Chrom describes as "fighting as one". Round 1 is a recreation of Chapter 4 of that game. Peach and Daisy’s appearances in Round 5 could reference Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, where they were partners. In Japanese, the route is named after Chapter 23 of Awakening (known as "Invisible Ties" in the English localization).
Mr. Game & Watch	A Long Legacy (母川回帰, Return to the Origin)	Mr. Game & Watch fights classic characters on retro stages in reverse chronological order, starting with Kirby on the Dream Land GB stage. The penultimate battle is a multi-man of Mr. Game & Watches on the Flat Zone X stage. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	The penultimate fight is similar to the finale of All-Star Mode in Melee.
Meta Knight	Two Sides of the Same Coin (表裏一体, Two Sides of the Same Coin)	Meta Knight's fights are free-for-alls against fighters and their dark counterparts (such as Link and Dark Link, Pit and Dark Pit, Captain Falcon and Blood Falcon, Lucas and Claus, Samus and Dark Samus). His penultimate battle is with another pair of Meta Knights. The bosses of this route are Master Hand and Crazy Hand, likewise two sides of the same coin.	References Meta Knight's tendency to act as both ally and adversary in the Kirby games. The Meta Knights in the penultimate fight use alternate costumes that represent Galacta Knight, his ultimate opponent in Meta Knightmare Ultra, and Dark Meta Knight, his evil doppelganger in Kirby and the Amazing Mirror; if playing as one of these alternate costumes, the second opponent will become Meta Knight in his original costume instead.
Pit	Fighting for the Goddess! (群がる悪を浄化する‼, Purify the Swarming Evil!!)	All battles are analogous to fights in Kid Icarus: Uprising (i.e. Ganondorf as Magnus, Bayonetta as Medusa, etc.). The bosses of this route are Master Hand and Crazy Hand, with Dark Pit as the player's partner.	The Master Hand and Crazy Hand battle is likely a reference to the fight with giant form of Hades in the final battle of Uprising, in which Dark Pit assisted Pit.
Dark Pit	Created Warriors (つくられた戦士, Created Warriors)	Dark Pit's opponents are man-made clones or genetically enhanced fighters: Mewtwo, Dark Samus, Dark Link, Cloud, and Blood Falcon. His penultimate battle is against Pit. The boss of this route is Galleom, who as a mechanical foe continues the artificial theme, with Pit as the player's teammate.	The route is both named and themed after Dark Pit's origins as a copy of Pit in Kid Icarus: Uprising. Pit's appearance as both the penultimate opponent and an ally in the final fight references their developing relationship in Uprising.
Zero Suit Samus	Grapplers! Whips! Claws! (ワイヤーを使いこなせ, Master the Wire)	Zero Suit Samus's opponents are largely characters who use tether recoveries (the exception is Little Mac, who represents the titular theme of "wires" by using his wireframe outfit). The boss of this route is Master Hand.	The English version names this route after the three styles of tether used by the opponents in this route: "grapplers" refers to the Grapple Beam used by Samus and Dark Samus, "Whips" refers to Simon and Richter's Vampire Killer and arguably Ivysaur's vines, and "Claws" refer to Young Link and Toon Link's Hookshot.
Wario	I'm-a Gonna Win! (オレ様怪力ナンバーワン！, My Super Strength is Number One!)	Wario's opponents are those with brute strength, such as King K. Rool and Incineroar. The only two characters missing are Donkey Kong and Bowser. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	In English, the route is named after a catchphrase Wario uses in the international version of Mario Kart 64: "I'm-a Wario! I'm-a gonna win!".
Snake	Weapons and Equipment OSP (装備あれば憂いなし, If You're Equipped, There's No Worries)	Snake's opponents are all characters who all prominently use projectiles and explosives in their attacks, such as the Inklings and Link. Projectile weapons and explosive items make up most of the item spawns on this route. The penultimate battle is a mirror match against another Snake. The boss of this route is Galleom.	The English version names the route after a line in the opening of Metal Gear Solid ("OSP" stands for "On Site Procurement") which establishes that Snake must obtain weapons and gear within the mission area, as is the norm in almost all Metal Gear games. The Snake mirror match is a reference to Liquid Snake, his cloned twin from Metal Gear Solid, while the Galleom fight can be taken as both a reference to the Metal Gear machines themselves and, as Galleom uses explosive projectiles, a continuation of the theme.
Ike	The Black-Clad Warriors (漆黒の武者たち, The Jet-Black Warriors)	All of Ike's opponents are in their black alternate costumes. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	The route is both themed and named after Ike's rival, the Black Knight. The second fight against Morton, Greninja and Sonic references Sonic and the Black Knight, referring to the fact that both Sonic and Ike face a foe known as the Black Knight.
Pokémon Trainer	The Future Champion (未来のチャンピオン, The Future Champion)	Like Pikachu, the opponents are all Pokémon. The penultimate battle is against the opposite-gendered Pokémon Trainer, and the final battle is against Mewtwo, immediately followed by Master Hand. All items are disabled throughout this route.	In both languages, the route is named after the catchphrase みらいのチャンピオン (usually translated as "champ in the making") that is frequently used by gym guides in the Pokémon series. They use the phrase to describe the player and their goal of becoming the Pokémon Champion. Items being disabled references how they are also disabled in regular Pokémon multiplayer modes, although they never are disabled in Gym/Elite Four battles.
Diddy Kong	Hey, Little Buddy! (バディーコング, Buddy Kongs)	In each fight, Diddy is accompanied by a protagonist CPU ally whom he assists against corresponding series antagonists or final bosses (for example, Diddy is teamed up with Mario, and together they fight Bowser and Bowser Jr.). His penultimate battle pairs him with Donkey Kong against King K. Rool on Jungle Japes. The bosses of this route are Master Hand and Crazy Hand, with Donkey Kong as his partner again.	The English title is a phrase which originated from the manual of Donkey Kong Country and was popularized by the Donkey Kong Country television series; Diddy Kong is also referred to as Donkey Kong's "little buddy" in games such as Brawl and Donkey Kong Country Returns.
Lucas	Magic, Sacred Powers, and PSI! (魔力、神力、超能力, Magic Powers, Sacred Powers, Psychic Powers)	Lucas fights characters with potent psychic or magical powers. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	Mewtwo's status as the penultimate opponent is possibly a reference to Giygas's original form from EarthBound Beginnings (referred to as "Giegue" in the English version of that game), whom Mewtwo strongly resembles.
Sonic	At the Speed of Sound (疾きこと風の如く, As Fast as the Wind)	Sonic's opponents are either references to characters in his series (for example, Fox resembles Miles "Tails" Prower) or to Sonic games in general, such as Sonic Heroes. Half of Sonic's opponents are also some of the fastest characters in the game, such as Captain Falcon. The penultimate battle is against a giant Incineroar, resembling Zavok, leader of the Deadly Six, who debuted in Sonic Lost World. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	References how fast Sonic is. The term "speed of sound" is commonly used in the Sonic franchise, including the lyrics of "Escape from the City" from Sonic Adventure 2.
King Dedede	Royal Rumble (王ってなぁに？, Whaaat's a King?)	King Dedede's opponents are characters with royal titles, positions, or monikers, such as Marth, the Hero-King, Princess Peach, the Princess of Mushroom Kingdom, and Ganondorf, the King of Evil. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	--
Olimar	Planetary Explorer (いろんな惑星航海日誌, Record of Various Planets)	Olimar's opponents are those who are space travelers in their respective series, such as Fox and Zero Suit Samus. The penultimate battle is against Alph, or Olimar if the player is using Alph. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	--
Lucario	Counter Encounters (カウンターアタック, Counterattacks)	Lucario fights characters with counterattacks, with the penultimate battle being against Greninja. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	--
R.O.B.	Unreadable Expressions (ポーカーフェイスの戦士, Poker-Faced Warriors)	R.O.B.'s opponents all wear masks or lack expressive faces, including Meta Knight and Wii Fit Trainer. The penultimate battle of this route is a Multi-Man Battle of R.O.B.s. The boss of this route is Galleom, who continues the expressionless theme.	The last two battles reference elements of The Subspace Emissary in Brawl: the R.O.B Multi-Man Battle references the R.O.B. Squad, and Galleom references his recurring boss appearances.
Toon Link	The Teamwork of Courage (勇気のチームワーク, The Teamwork of Courage)	All battles involve Toon Link teaming up with two other Toon Links. All opponents are groups of fighters from various universes. The penultimate battle of this route is Giant Ganondorf. The boss of this route is Ganon.	The route concept is a direct reference to The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, a multiplayer title featuring the Wind Waker artstyle in which the player controls three multicolored Links.
Wolf	Reunited Roster (参戦ふたたび, Rejoining the Battle)	Wolf's opponents are veterans who were not included in Super Smash Bros. 4, like Wolf himself, starting with the veterans that debuted in Super Smash Bros. Melee. The boss of this route is Galleom.	Like Wolf, Galleom debuted in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but did not return in Super Smash Bros. 4.
Villager	Mistake to Underestimate (普通のひとは強かった, Ordinary People were Strong)	Villager fights against characters who appear unsuited for battle but are very strong, such as Isabelle, Dr. Mario and Wii Fit Trainer. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	The concept may reference Masahiro Sakurai's stated reasons for not including Villager in Brawl.
Mega Man	Variable Weapons System: Online! (Dr.マリオの謎, The Mystery of Dr. Mario)	Mega Man’s opponents in this route are stand-ins for the thematically-armed Robot Masters (such as the Ice Climbers for Ice Man and Captain Falcon for Quick Man) fought on Ω Form stages, with the penultimate boss battle being against Galleom. The final battle is against Dr. Mario, with Mewtwo appearing after Dr. Mario is defeated.	In English, the route is named after Mega Man X's Variable Weapon System, which allows him to duplicate the abilities of his foes. Mega Man has a similar system, though it was never named as such. In Japanese, it is named after the Japanese subtitle of Mega Man 2: Dr.ワイリーの謎, The Mystery of Dr. Wily. The final battle is a reference to the final battle in Mega Man 2, with Dr. Mario representing Dr. Wily, and Mewtwo representing Wily's Alien hologram.
Wii Fit Trainer	Aerobic Smash (有酸素乱闘, Aerobic Fray)	The opponents are round characters, such as King Dedede and Jigglypuff. Dr. Mario appears as a teammate. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	--
Rosalina & Luma	One Star after Another (星々へ探訪, Searching the Stars)	The opponents are characters from space or other planets. Starfy, another star, appears from every Assist Trophy. Her penultimate battle is against Bowser, with Mario as her partner. The boss of this route is Marx, with Mario joining as her partner again.	The Bowser battle is a reference to the final battle against him in Super Mario Galaxy. The Marx battle is likely a reference to his final battle in Kirby Super Star taking place in space.
Little Mac	Friendly Sparring (異種格闘戦!!, A Different Kind of Melee Combat!!)	All of Little Mac's opponents are close-range martial artists. Every item except the Sandbag is disabled. As such, the Sandbag can still be hit, but it will only spawn confetti. The penultimate opponent is Donkey Kong. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	Donkey Kong's presence is a reference to his secret boss fight in the Wii Punch-Out!! game.
Greninja	Your Turn, Greninja! (タイプ攻略リーグ, Type Strategy League)	Greninja fights against characters that each represent a Pokémon elemental type: Charizard and Bowser for Fire, Pikachu, Pichu and Zero Suit Samus for Electric, Lucario, Ryu and Ken for Fighting, Ivysaur for Grass and Mewtwo, Ness, and Lucas for Psychic. All battles take place on Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Stadium 2, except for the penultimate battle, which takes place on Kalos Pokémon League. The penultimate battle is against Squirtle and another Greninja, representing Greninja’s own type, Water. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	The stage choices, combined with the elemental theming, likely reference the Gym Battles in the Pokémon games and the eventual battle with the Elite Four.
Palutena	A Little Divine Intervention (思いつきだけど、鍛えてあげます, I Think I Should Train You)	Palutena's battles are against characters whose gaming universes have a key emphasis on religion and mythology: Link and Zelda, Cloud, the Belmonts, Shulk, and Bayonetta. The penultimate battle is a multi-man battle of three Pits and three Dark Pits, and the boss of this route is Master Hand.	The English title references a line spoken by Palutena in her debut trailer for Super Smash Bros. 4.
Pac-Man	Ageless Classic (ファミコンクラシックス, Famicom Classics)	Pac-Man fights classic characters who originated in the third generation of video game consoles, primarily on the NES, in chronological order of their original release date. The boss of this route is Dracula.	The route concept is similar to All-Star Mode in the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. 4. The use of Dracula continues the theme of third-generation game characters (having debuted in 1986, he is the oldest boss in the game), and ties into Pac-Man as a supernatural being similar to the Ghosts that Pac-Man is known to fight.
Robin	Thunder and Flames (雷炎闘技, Thunder and Flame Competition)	Robin's opponents are all pairs of fighters who use fire and electric attacks (for example, R.O.B. and Ken). Robin's penultimate battle is against the opposite-gendered Robin, and the boss of this route is Master Hand.	The route is both named and themed after two of Robin's tomes, Thunder and Arcfire. The penultimate battle with Robin is a reference to the final battle against Grima in Fire Emblem Awakening.
Shulk	Witness the Monado's Power (「翔」「疾」「盾」「斬」「撃」「機」, Jump, Speed, Shield, Buster, Smash, Machine)	Each opponent represent one of Shulk's Monado Arts, fought in their cycling order in Super Smash Bros. 4, Falco represents Jump, Sonic represents Speed, King K. Rool represents Shield, Cloud represents Buster and Little Mac represents Smash. The penultimate opponent is Mega Man, representing Shulk's Monado Enchant Art (represented by the "Machine" kanji), which allows his party to damage Mechon armor with normal weapons in Xenoblade Chronicles. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	--
Bowser Jr.	Mama Peach, Where Are You? (あなたはピーチママ？, Are you Mama Peach?)	All of Bowser Jr.'s opponents are princesses, some of which are teamed up with their love interest (or in Lucina's case, her father). The penultimate battle is against Mario and Peach. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	The route is named after how Bowser Jr. thinks Peach is his mama in Super Mario Sunshine.
Duck Hunt	Dog, Duck, Zapper (けものブラザーズ, Animal Brothers)	Duck Hunt's opponents are all animals or Mii Fighters with animal costumes, such as Donkey Kong, Sonic, Fox and King K. Rool. The boss of this route is Rathalos.	In English, the title is named after the three characters who comprise the playable Duck Hunt fighter. The Japanese title may be a reference to the franchise Kemono Friends (けものフレンズ). In addition to continuing the route's concept, the title of Rathalos's native series, Monster Hunter, is similar to that of to Duck Hunt. The title of this route is similar to the title of their trailer in Smash 4, "One Dog, One Bird, One Zapper".
Ryu	Seeking a Challenge (俺より強いファイターに会いに行く, I'm Going to Meet a Fighter Who's Stronger Than Me)	Ryu's route is themed after Street Fighter II, meaning that all battles are one-on-one stamina battles on Ω form stages. All items are disabled throughout this route. Each opponent represents a Street Fighter II character, Zero Suit Samus represents Chun-Li, Incineroar represents Zangief, Donkey Kong in his green costume represents Blanka, Giant Little Mac in his blue and red costume represents Balrog and Meta Knight represents Vega. The bosses of this route are Master Hand and Crazy Hand, with Ken as the player's partner.	The concept references the single-player mode of Street Fighter II. All of Ryu's opponents reference a Street Fighter II character with their costume choice, stage, and music. Master Hand and Crazy Hand may be a stand-in for M. Bison, given the similarity of one of their moves to the Psycho Crusher and the usage of his theme for the fight.
Ken	Red-Hot Rivalry (燃えるライバル, Burning Rivals)	Ken's opponents are rivals to the main character of their native series, to some degree. Ryu, his own rival, appears as the penultimate opponent. The boss of this route is Crazy Hand.	The theme refers to to Ken's status as Ryu's rival. The Ryu fight is set on the Ω form Suzaku Castle stage, mirroring the start of Ryu's Classic Mode. The use of Crazy Hand references him being the "rival" to Master Hand, much like Ken's relationship to Ryu.
Cloud	A Ride? Not Interested. (乗り物...? 興味ないね, A Vehicle...? Not Interested)	All of Cloud's battles are on vehicle stages that travel, such as Meta Knight on Halberd, and Mario, Yoshi and Peach on Rainbow Cruise. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	The title is a reference to Cloud's catchphrase, "Not interested" (興味ないね). The moving stages reference Cloud's motion sickness and the vehicles in Final Fantasy VII.
Corrin	Between White and Black (白と黒の狭間で, Between White and Black)	Corrin's opponents alternate between black and white alternate costumes; for instance, Round 5 has a multi-man battle of six Mr. Game & Watches (three of them black and three of them white). The boss of this route is Master Hand.	This title originated as an epithet given to Corrin on a Fire Emblem Cipher trading card released in 2018. The black-and-white theme is based on the rival kingdoms of Nohr and Hoshido, both of which Corrin belongs to.
Bayonetta	The Requiem of Fallen Wings (散りゆく翼の鎮魂歌, Requiem of Scattering Wings)	Bayonetta fights winged characters, and the final battle is against a Giant Palutena.	Named after the epilogue of Bayonetta: "Requiem". Each opponent can be construed as a reference to an enemy in the Bayonetta games, in order: Loptr, Flaming Affinity, Inspired, Fortitudo, the Masked Lumen, Affinity, and Jubileus, the Creator.
Inkling	An Inkredible Journey (イカした色に染め上げろ, Dye It With Trendy Colors)	Each stage and set of fighters represents a particular color: for example, a pink Greninja on Magicant or a giant light blue Yoshi on Summit. The boss of this route is Marx.	Both titles make puns relating to the Inklings: an "ink" pun in English (commonly seen in Splatoon dialogue), and a pun with いかした (which means "trendy") and イカ (which means "squid") in Japanese. The color theme refers to ink colors, and Marx continues this theme with both the multiple rainbow colors on his wings, and how in Kirby Super Star Ultra he utilizes attacks that grant Kirby the Paint ability.
Ridley	It Can't Be! Space Pirates! (銀河の脅威！スペースパイレーツ, The Galactic Menace! Space Pirates)	Ridley fights characters who pilot their own spaceships, such as Samus, Olimar, and Meta Knight. In Fox and Rosalina & Luma’s case, they are teamed up with other fighters from their universe. Fox is teamed up with Falco, and Rosalina & Luma are teamed up with Mario and Peach. The penultimate opponent is Zero Suit Samus, and the boss of this route is Master Hand.	The route is named after Ridley's Space Pirates in all languages, while the English title is also derived from Samus's response to seeing Ridley in Metroid: Other M.
Simon	Smash-vania (悪魔城スマブラ, Demon Castle Smash Bros.)	Most of Simon's opponents are monstrous characters that reference the beasts he battles in the Castlevania games. The penultimate battle is against his descendant, Richter. The boss of this route is Dracula.	The title is a portmanteau with the names of the Smash and Castlevania series. The Japanese version makes a similar pun with the Japanese title of the Castlevania franchise, 悪魔城ドラキュラ (Demon Castle Dracula). The first five opponents, plus Dracula, each reference a beast that he battles in the Castlevania games, while the fight with Richter references the latter's role as a boss battle in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
Richter	Smash Echoes (ダッシュファイターズ, Dash Fighters)	Richter's opponents are Echo Fighters. The boss of this route is Dracula.	The route is both themed and named after the use of Echo Fighters in it.
King K. Rool	Super Heavyweight Class (ヘビー級のキケンなヤツら, Dangerous Heavyweight Guys)	King K. Rool's opponents are the heaviest characters in the game, with most of them being antagonists. His penultimate battle is with his nemesis, Donkey Kong. The boss of this route is Galleom.	"Heavyweight" is boxing terminology, referencing the boxing-themed final boss battle of Donkey Kong 64. Galleom's boss appearance continues the heavy theme, as it is one of the largest bosses in the game and looks very heavy.
Isabelle	Best in Show (紅23点, 23 Red Flowers)	All of Isabelle's allies and opponents are female, save for Popo of the Ice Climbers in Round 4, for a total of 23 female participants. The boss of this route is Master Hand.	The English name refers to conformation shows. The Japanese name is a pun on the phrase 紅一点, which translates to "one red flower (in a field of green)" but figuratively means "the only woman in a group of men", tweaked to refer to the total of 23 participants in the route (including Isabelle herself).
Incineroar	Burning Pro Wrestling Spirit! (こわもてヒールのプロレスリング, The Pro Wrestling of a Hard-faced Heel)	All battles take place on Boxing Ring in three different forms and feature opponents who use wrestling moves, such as Bowser, Donkey Kong, and King K. Rool. The penultimate battle is a mirror match against another Incineroar, and the bosses of this route are Master Hand and Crazy Hand, with Greninja as the player's partner.	King K. Rool's presence is a reference to his boss fight in Donkey Kong 64. Greninja's appearance as an ally in round 3 and the final fight references the general wrestling tag-team match.
Piranha Plant	New Bloom (花の新人王, Floral Rookie of the Year)	All of the opponents are the newcomers for the base game. The boss of this route is Rathalos.	The concept of the route references Piranha Plant being the last newcomer revealed prior to the game's launch. Each stage is based on the reveal trailer for one particular newcomer, in the order in which they were released. The use of Rathalos references it being a boss from a newly represented universe.
Joker	Shadows (シャドウを追え, Follow the Shadows)	All of the opponents use dark alternate costumes. With the exception of the first and final round, Joker is joined by a character from the previous round using a light alternate costume. All rounds (except Round 2) take place on Mementos in three different forms. The boss of this route is Master Hand on Ω form Mementos rather than Final Destination.	The title refers to a recurring element in the Persona series, Shadows. The battle with Master Hand references the god Yaldabaoth. The concept of allying with former opponents is a reference to a feature in the Persona series where after knocking down an opposing shadow with their weakness or a critical hit, the player can add them to their team through negotiations.
Hero	A History of Heroism (勇者たちの記憶, Memories of the Heroes)	All battles against tiny opponents (except for the last one) are stamina battles. Rathalos appears in the fourth battle. The final battle is against Robin, who is replaced by a Giant Charizard upon defeat.	The first, fourth, and seventh battles represent the progression of a typical Dragon Quest game. The Tiny Kirby team in the first battle represents the common early-game enemies Slimes and She-Slimes. Rathalos's appearance in the fourth battle references mid-bosses. The final battle references Dragonlord: a two-phase final boss and the main antagonist of the original Dragon Quest game. The other four battles are against each of the playable Dragon Quest protagonists, with stage choices and companions appropriate to the specific entries in the series they originally come from: The Luminary with a Tiny red Robin, representing the mage Veronica, at Yggdrasil's Altar; Solo at Temple, a stand-in for the floating castle Zenithia; Eight with a Tiny Pikachu representing his pet, Munchie; Erdrick in the subterreanean cavern in Castle Siege, referencing the battles against Baramos and Zoma, which both take place in the basements of the villains' respective castles.
Banjo & Kazooie	Perfect Partners (ぼくらでこぼこパートナー, We're Bumpy Partners)	All battles consist of duos of each series either as a two-in-one character, or two characters from a particular series. The bosses of this route are Master Hand and Crazy Hand.	The music and stage combinations reference the various worlds from Banjo-Kazooie. Duck Hunt references the similarities between the characters with Duck Hunt using the palette swap most similar to Banjo & Kazooie. The penultimate battle being against Diddy Kong and Donkey Kong references how both the Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong series being developed by Rare Ltd. In addition to them being a duo, Master Hand and Crazy Hand may reference Motzand, the piano-playing ghost hand from the Mad Monster Mansion level.
Terry	The King of Smash (ザ・キング・オブ・大乱闘, The King of the Great Fray)	All battles are stamina battles against a team of three opponents, who each appear when one of their teammates has been defeated. The enemy teams are made up of fighters who hail from the same series, or share a similar theme. The final battle is against a team of Ryu, Ken, and Terry.	The title is a portmanteau of The King of Fighters and part of the title of the Super Smash Bros. series in their respective languages; in the case of Japanese, 大乱闘 from 大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズ (Great Fray Smash Brothers). The 3-on-3 setup resembles the 3-on-3 battles of The King of Fighters games. Ryu and Ken's appearances in the final battle references how they had previously crossed over with Terry in the SNK vs. Capcom games.
Byleth	A Heroic Legacy (紋章の系譜, Genealogy of the Emblem)	All battles are stamina battles against Fire Emblem characters. The player always starts with 100 HP, solo opponents have 100 HP, opponents in team battles have 50 HP, and CPU allies in last round start with 30 HP each. The bosses of this route are Master Hand and Crazy Hand, and Marth, Roy, Ike, Robin and Corrin appear as partners.	This route is themed around Fire Emblem games that has a playable character in Smash, each of which are fought in Fire Emblem series chronological order. The penultimate battle is against three Byleths that represent the house leaders in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. In Japanese, the route is named after two Fire Emblem games from the Super Famicom era: Mystery of the Emblem and Genealogy of the Holy War.
Min Min	ARMS at the Ready (ウデ自慢たち 全員集合!, All Those Proud of their Skills/Arms, Gather Round!)	All opponents specialize in punching attacks or use arm mounted weapons. Round 5 is a Horde Battle against a team of R.O.B.s. The boss of this route is Galleom.	Opponents make reference to various ARMS characters, including appearances of the Spring Man and Ribbon Girl Mii Fighter costumes in Round 1. The Round 2 fight against Little Mac references the similarities between ARMS and Punch-Out!!. The R.O.B. Horde Battle references the 1 vs. 100 mode in ARMS. Galleom represents Hedlok after fusing with Max Brass or Dr. Coyle.
Steve	Journey to the Far Lands (世界の果てを求めて, In Search of the World's End)	All opponents fought represent various mobs encountered throughout Minecraft. Most battles except the penultimate round are stamina matches. The final battle is against a giant Ridley and two tiny Endermen.	The English title refers to the eponymous world-generation glitch present in versions of the Java version prior to Beta 1.8 and also the Bedrock version prior to version 1.17.30; the Japanese title may be a reference to the official manga Minecraft: Journey to the End of the World (マインクラフト 世界の果てへの旅). The final battle is a reference to the Ender Dragon boss battle in the End dimension of the game.
Sephiroth	The Chosen Ones (支配する者達, Those Who Rule)	Sephiroth fights all the bosses in the game except for Galeem and Dharkon. The bosses are, in order, Rathalos, Galleom, Marx, Dracula, Ganon, Giga Bowser. The final boss is against Master Hand and Crazy Hand on Northern Cave Ω.	According to Masahiro Sakurai, the "boss rush" nature of Sephiroth's Classic Mode was inspired by his status as the final boss of Final Fantasy VII. The final battle with Master Hand and Crazy Hand refers to the final battle of Final Fantasy VII, where multiple characters team up to defeat Sephiroth. The title of his route references his leitmotif from the original game, "Those Chosen by the Planet".
Pyra/ Mythra	Shared Destinies (コインの裏表, Both Sides of the Coin)	Pyra and Mythra fight characters who comprise pairs, either due to being similar (such as Ryu and Ken) or parts of the same being (such as Sheik and Zelda, or Pit and Dark Pit). Items are limited to the home universe of each round. The final boss is against Master Hand and Crazy Hand, fitting the duo theme.	Many of the characters featured are clones, either in the Smash Bros. sense or the literal sense, referencing how Pyra and Mythra are the same entity, colloquially known as the Aegis. Sheik and Zelda's presence in the route may reference how they were the first transformation characters in the Smash Bros. series. The concept and Japanese name of the route are somewhat similar to Meta Knight's, even including some of the same pairs.
Kazuya	Fighting Fists with Fists (拳をもって拳を制す, Fighting Fists with Fists)	Kazuya's battles are mostly one-on-one Stamina battles against characters who specialise in martial arts or punching attacks. Several of the opponents represent Tekken characters who are not represented as spirits (Captain Falcon references Hwoarang, Little Mac references Steve Fox, and the fight with Donkey Kong and King K. Rool represents Roger and Alex). The final battle is against Kazuya, with Metal Kazuya being summoned upon Kazuya's defeat.	The first match against Ryu references the numerous interactions the Street Fighter and Tekken franchises have had, including the crossover game Street Fighter X Tekken where Ryu is Kazuya’s rival, and Street Fighter villain Akuma's guest appearance in Tekken 7. The penultimate match is a regular battle against several Mii Fighters with armoured suits, referencing Heihachi's Tekken Force soldiers. The boss of this route is another Kazuya followed by a Metal Kazuya, likely referencing Jin Kazama and Heihachi Mishima. The final battle also takes place in the underground section of the Castle Siege stage, referencing the volcano that Heihachi threw Kazuya in at the end of Tekken 2, which Kazuya later threw him into at the end of Tekken 7.
Sora	The Light That Clears the Darkness (闇を晴らす光, A Light that Clears the Darkness)	Sora's battles are mostly solo Stamina battles against teams of characters with dark alternate costumes or which use darkness in their attacks. The penultimate battle is against Metal Sora, and the final boss is against Master Hand and Crazy Hand.	The first battle is a likely reference to Shadows and Neoshadows. The horde of Mr. Game & Watch represents battles against hordes of Heartless, such as the 1000 Heartless battle in Kingdom Hearts II or the Demon Wave in subsequent installments. The battle against Cloud in the Coliseum is a reference to the Kingdom Hearts series, which typically features Final Fantasy characters in prominent plot roles in the Olympus Coliseum world. The battle against three Robins represents Organization XIII, or Nobodies in general. The battle against a giant Ganondorf may either be a reference to the recurring battle with the giant Darkside Heartless (complete with appropriate background music) or to Xehanort, the overarching antagonist of the Kingdom Hearts series, who has white hair like the selected alternate costume for Ganondorf.

Unlocking criteria

All eight of the starter characters in Ultimate have their own character unlock trees, each with eight characters to unlock (except for Pikachu, who has seven). Completing Classic Mode with any character in a given tree will challenge the player to a Challenger Approaching duel for the next available character from the start of their tree down, as indicated in the table-chart below. For example, beating Classic Mode with Donkey Kong will then trigger the fight to unlock Bowser. If Bowser's Challenger Approaching duel has been previously attempted (via a timed encounter or a previous Classic Mode completion) or if he has already been unlocked through World of Light, Pokémon Trainer's duel would be issued next. When playing with two players, Player 1 will participate in the duel, and their fighter is used to determine whose duel will be issued.

When all the characters in a tree are unlocked, completing Classic Mode with those characters will unlock the next available character in Mario's tree, then Donkey Kong's, and so on. Completing Classic Mode with downloadable fighters would also unlock fighters in this order, as these characters are not assigned an unlock tree.

The Challenger Approaching duels are the same as those issued on a timed basis; this is simply another way to trigger them.

Notably, all clones, semi-clones, and pseudo-clones except for Ganondorf, Roy, and Chrom are in the same tree as the character they are based on.

Unlock Order
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th								None

Gallery

The mural that is displayed when selecting the intensity level.

Names in other languages

Language	Name
Japanese	勝ちあがり乱闘
English	Classic Mode
French	Classique
German	Klassisch
Spanish	Smash arcade
Italian	Modalità Classica
Chinese (Simplified)	取胜乱斗
Chinese (Traditional)	取勝亂鬥
Korean	클래식 모드, Classic Mode
Dutch	Klassiek
Russian	Классика

Trivia

• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Classic Mode is the only Classic Mode in which:
  • A Continue does not restart an ongoing match.
  • The difficulty rating can increase during the run depending on the player's performance.
  • Boss fights show a health bar for the bosses instead of percentages or stamina counts.
  • Not every fighter can be selected (due to Mii Fighters being absent from this mode).
• Donkey Kong, Joker, and Sephiroth are the only characters to face Master Hand and Crazy Hand on a stage other than Final Destination.
• Terry faces the highest number of distinct fighters in his Classic Mode route, with a total of 21.
• Link is the most common opponent for Classic Mode routes, appearing in 23 different routes.
  • Conversely, Snake is the least common base game opponent, appearing as an opponent in only three routes.
• Norfair appears in more Classic Mode routes than any other stage (appearing in 14 different routes and being the stage for 15 rounds). However, Boxing Ring is the most common stage to fight opponents on (being the stage for 21 rounds while appearing in 13 different routes).
• On the difficulty selection banner, which features every fighter in the base game, female Corrin is featured instead of male Corrin, despite the latter being the default in Smash.

See also

• 1P Game
• Classic Mode (SSBM)
• Classic Mode (SSBB)
• Classic Mode (SSB4-3DS)
• Classic Mode (SSB4-Wii U)