Super Smash Bros. 4
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Super Smash Bros. 4''}}
{{ArticleIcons|ssb4=y|unofficial=y|featured=y}}
{{cleanup|With the game released, this page needs to provide more generic information, not act as a future changelog.}}
{{Cquote|''SETTLE IT IN SMASH!''|cite=North American commercial}}
{{ArticleIcons|ssb4=y|unofficial=y|protected=preemptive}}
{{Title|''Super Smash Bros. 4''}}
{{Infobox Game
{{Infobox Game
| title       = '''Super Smash Bros. 4''<br><small>(unofficial title)</small>'''
|title = Super Smash Bros. 4<br></i><small>(unofficial title)</small>
| image       = [[Image:SSB4 Logo.png|250px]]
|image = [[File:SSB4 Logo.png|250px]]
| caption     = Collective logo for the game.
|caption = Collective logo for the game.
| developer   = [[Bandai Namco]]<br>[[Sora Ltd.]]
|developer = [[Bandai Namco]]<br>[[Sora Ltd.]]
| publisher   = [[Nintendo]]
|publisher = [[Nintendo]]
| distributor  =  
|platform = [[Wii U]], [[Nintendo 3DS]]
| designer     = [[Masahiro Sakurai]]
|designer = [[Masahiro Sakurai]]
| engine       =
|engine = [[Havok]]
| version      =  
|released = '''Nintendo 3DS'''<br>September 13, 2014 {{flag|Japan}}<br>October 2, 2014 {{flag|Germany}} <br>October 3, 2014 {{flag|North America}} {{flag|Europe}}<br>October 4, 2014 {{flag|Australia}}<br>July 24, 2015 {{flag|Hong Kong}} {{flag|Taiwan}}<br>September 10, 2015 {{flag|South Korea}}
| released = '''Nintendo 3DS'''<br>September 13, 2014 {{flag|Japan}}<br>October 2, 2014 {{flag|Germany}} (stores)<br>October 3, 2014 {{flag|North America}} {{flag|Europe}}<br>October 4, 2014 {{flag|Australia}}<br> ''(unreleased)'' 2015 {{flag|South Korea}}<br>'''Wii U'''<br>November 21, 2014 {{flag|North America}}<br>November 28, 2014 {{flag|Europe}}<br>November 29, 2014 {{flag|Australia}}<br>December 6, 2014 {{flag|Japan}}
'''Wii U'''<br>November 21, 2014 {{flag|North America}}<br>November 28, 2014 {{flag|Europe}}<br>November 28, 2014 {{flag|South Africa}}<br>November 29, 2014 {{flag|Australia}}<br>December 6, 2014 {{flag|Japan}}
| genre       = [[wikipedia:Fighting game|Fighting]]
|genre = [[wikipedia:Fighting game|Fighting]]<br>[[wikipedia:Platform game|Platforming]]
| modes       = Single player, Multiplayer, Online multiplayer
|modes = Single player, Multiplayer, Online multiplayer
| platforms   = [[Nintendo 3DS]], [[Wii U]]
|platforms = [[Nintendo 3DS]], [[Wii U]]
| ratings     = {{vgratings|CERO=A|PEGI=12+ (provisional)|ESRB=E10+<ref>[http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/zC34HnrON-_wV0ZUkSfQFC6ub3Ea8DQ6 Nintendo.com's page for the 3DS version]</ref>|OFLCA=PG (3DS)<ref>http://www.classification.gov.au/Pages/View.aspx?sid=baAYDzOrSLTJS31kqfUnSQ%253d%253d&ncdctx=kY4ZcmxpzFiR75%252faQboRyhefdrcxUukb9ZDwrHw7sGSByd%252fNX2SA4QwXLhHqWtIb</ref>}}
|ratings = {{vgratings|CERO=A|PEGI=12+|ESRB=E10+<ref>[http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/zC34HnrON-_wV0ZUkSfQFC6ub3Ea8DQ6 Nintendo.com's page for the 3DS version]</ref>|OFLCA=PG<ref>http://www.classification.gov.au/Pages/View.aspx?sid=baAYDzOrSLTJS31kqfUnSQ%253d%253d&ncdctx=kY4ZcmxpzFiR75%252faQboRyhefdrcxUukb9ZDwrHw7sGSByd%252fNX2SA4QwXLhHqWtIb</ref>}}
| media        =
| requirements =
| input        =
}}
}}
'''''Super Smash Bros. 4''''' (also referred to by shorthands such as '''''Smash 4''''', '''''SSB4''''', or more informally '''''Sm4sh''''', and officially as '''''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U''''') is a term used to collectively refer to '''{{For3ds}}''' and '''{{Forwiiu}}''', two games in the ''{{b|Super Smash Bros.|series}}'' series created by [[Namco Bandai]]<ref name="ign-namco">[http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/22/namco-bandai-developing-next-smash-bros IGN: "Namco Bandai Developing Next Smash Bros."]</ref> and [[Sora Ltd.]] The games feature mostly identical gameplay, but with several differences in other areas. The 3DS version is the first game of the series to be released on a handheld.
'''''Super Smash Bros. 4''''' (also referred to by shorthands such as '''''Smash 4''''', '''''SSB4''''', '''''for''''' ({{ja|スマブラfor|Sumabura for}}), or more informally '''''Sm4sh''''', and officially as '''''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U''''') is a term used to collectively refer to '''{{For3ds}}''' and '''{{Forwiiu}}''', two games in the ''{{b|Super Smash Bros.|series}}'' series created by [[Bandai Namco]]<ref name="ign-namco">[http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/22/namco-bandai-developing-next-smash-bros IGN: "Namco Bandai Developing Next Smash Bros."]</ref> and [[Sora Ltd.]] [[Masahiro Sakurai]] stated in an interview with Kotaku that he considers the [[3DS]] version the fourth installment and the [[Wii U]] version the fifth installment. The games feature mostly identical gameplay, but with several differences in other areas. The 3DS version is the first game of the series to be released on a handheld console.


The 3DS version launched in Japan on September 13, 2014 and in most other parts of the world on October 3, 2014. The 3DS version was released in stores one day earlier in Germany on October 2, 2014 to avoid coinciding with [[wikipedia:German Unity Day|a national holiday]], and was released one day later in Australia on October 4, 2014 because of time zone differences. The Wii U version was released in North America on November 21, 2014, and was released on November 28, 2014 in Europe, one day later in Australia, and on December 6, 2014 in Japan (coincidentally releasing on [[Nintendo]] president {{S|wikipedia|Satoru Iwata}}'s 55th birthday).
The 3DS version launched in Japan on September 13th, 2014, and in most other parts of the world on October 3rd, 2014. It was released in stores one day earlier in Germany on October 2nd, 2014 to avoid coinciding with {{S|wikipedia|German Unity Day}}, and was released one day later in Australia on October 4th, 2014 because of time zone differences. Hong Kong and Taiwan received a release of the game over ten months later, on July 24th, 2015, while South Korea got its release on September 10th, 2015, nearly a full year after the game's initial launch in Japan. The Wii U version was released in North America on November 21st, 2014, and was released on November 28th, 2014 in Europe, November 29th, 2014 in Australia, and on December 6th, 2014 in Japan.


Both versions have received positive reviews; critics have applauded the fine-tuning of existing Super Smash Bros. gameplay elements but criticized some issues with online play. Both versions have sold quickly, with the 3DS version selling over 6.19 million copies worldwide as of December 2014, and the Wii U version selling over 3.39 million copies during the same time period.
Online support for the [[Nintendo 3DS]] and [[Wii U]] has ended as of April 8th, 2024, making it impossible to officially play ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' online.


==Development==
Both versions have received positive reviews; critics applauded the fine-tuning of existing gameplay elements but criticized some issues with online play.
''SSB4'' was announced in passing at E3 2011; however, the game's development was not slated to begin until sometime after October 2011, after the completion of Sakurai's other project, ''Kid Icarus: Uprising''.<ref>[http://andriasang.com/comw79/ Andriasang.com: "Smash Bros. U & 3DS development appears to be very early"]</ref> He had stated, in response to a fan asking him about whether a "child Link" would appear in the game, that he had not at the time decided on who would appear in the game. However, he had also said that he "can't say that it's entirely out of the realm of possibility that some [[Capcom]] character could appear in the next ''Smash Bros.''"<ref>[http://nintendoeverything.com/67219/sakurai-capcom-character-could-appear-in-next-smash-bros/ Nintendo Everything: "Sakurai: Capcom character could appear in next Smash Bros."]</ref> Indeed, Capcom's [[Mega Man]] was ultimately confirmed as playable. The paired versions of the game were officially revealed at [[E3 2013]] in the form of a trailer on June 11, 2013, with a projected release in 2014.
==Opening movie==
The [[opening movie]] exclusive to ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' is composed of footage from both gameplay and the various [[List of Super Smash Bros. 4 character trailers|character introduction trailers]] shown since the game's reveal, barring the trailer for [[Duck Hunt]].
 
{{#widget:YouTube|id=1W1xiz8EX98}}


Development of the game began in early 2012<ref>[http://www.cubed3.com/news/16506 Cubed<sup>3</sup>: "Sakurai Begins Work on New Smash Bros for Wii U and 3DS"]</ref>, but it went unmentioned during E3 2012, something which many fans were disappointed about despite the known extremely early state of the game; the "first step of the process" was taken shortly after in mid-June. [[Masahiro Sakurai]] expressed disappointment that fans would be waiting for longer than expected for the game to be released due to the earliness of the initial announcement.<ref>[http://nintendoeverything.com/91807/next-smash-bros-in-first-step-of-the-process-sakurai-worried-about-long-wait/ Nintendo Everything: "Next Smash Bros. in “first step of the process”, Sakurai worried about long wait"]</ref> Shortly afterward, it was revealed during a Nintendo Direct that [[Namco Bandai]] was the primary developer alongside [[Sora Ltd.]], and had already completed a working prototype.<ref name="ign-namco" />
==Fighters==
[[File:SSBWiiU Character Select.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The [[character selection screen]] of ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' (with all of the characters unlocked and all DLC characters purchased).]]
[[File:SSB3DS Character Select.jpeg|thumb|250px|The first page of the [[character selection screen]] of ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' (with all non-DLC characters unlocked after purchasing all DLC characters).]]
[[File:SSB3DS Character Select 2.jpeg|thumb|250px|The second page of the [[character selection screen]] of ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' (with all DLC characters purchased).]]
Both games feature identical [[fighter|playable character]] rosters. In total, 51 characters are playable in the base game and 58 characters are playable overall, 34 of which return from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', 3 of which return after being cut in the transition from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'' to ''Brawl'' ([[Dr. Mario]], [[Mewtwo]], and [[Roy]]), and 21 of which are new to the series. Of these 58, 39 are [[starter character]]s in both versions and eight are [[unlockable character]]s in both versions, while four characters are unlockable in the 3DS version but starters in the Wii U version. Additionally, seven characters appear as {{SSB4|downloadable content}}. A further twelve "characters" exist as alternate costumes for other preexisting characters: [[Alph]] as a palette swap of [[Olimar]]; each of the seven [[Koopalings]] as palette swaps of [[Bowser Jr.]], and alternate genders for [[Villager]], [[Wii Fit Trainer]], [[Robin]], and [[Corrin]].


[[Image:SSB4 whiteboard.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The whiteboard drawing posted by Sakurai.]]
Five characters do not return from ''Brawl'': {{uv|Star Fox}}'s [[Wolf]], {{uv|Pokémon}}'s [[Squirtle]] and [[Ivysaur]] (alongside the [[Pokémon Trainer]] himself), two-time veteran {{uv|Ice Climber}}'s [[Ice Climbers]], and {{uv|Metal Gear}}'s [[Snake]]. [[Lucas]] initially did not return in the base roster, but he would later return through DLC. Additionally, {{uv|The Legend of Zelda}}'s [[Young Link]] and {{uv|Pokémon}}'s [[Pichu]] do not return from ''Melee''.
On July 2nd, 2012, Sakurai posted a whiteboard drawing on Twitter which was drawn by the game's staff. It depicts [[Donkey Kong]], [[Fox]], a [[Heart Container]], [[Kirby]], [[Link]], [[Luigi]], [[Mario]], [[Marth]], [[Meta Knight]], [[Mr. Game & Watch]], a [[Mr. Saturn]], [[Pikachu]], a {{b|Pikmin|species}}, [[Pit]], [[Sandbag]], [[Wario]], and [[Zero Suit Samus]]; some argue that the curved lines in the background form the shape of [[Master Hand]]. While it came with no explicit confirmation of any of these characters or elements as reappearing, it did show they were in some sense acknowledged by the staff and everything depicted would turn out to appear in the final game anyway. The image itself was later removed from the original Twitter post.<ref>[http://twitter.com/Sora_Sakurai/status/219759606463864832/photo/1 Jul 2, 2012 Tweet by Sora_Sakurai] ([[Masahiro Sakurai]])</ref> The sketch also has what appears to be large block letters hidden below the visible area.
{{clr}}


Sakurai had revealed that one feature of the 3DS ''Smash Bros.'' title would be that players can improve their character through battles and rewards, then transfer them to the Wii U ''Smash'' title to play against friends; such a function was made possible through [[character customization]]. He said the 3DS title was intended to offer a new experience for veteran ''Smash Bros.'' fans, and that neither the 3DS game nor the Wii U game would simply be sequels like ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'' were, and that they would do more than just add characters and stages. It had also been revealed that they were looking towards co-operative play for the Wii U title. Official Nintendo Magazine said "''there is merit in having skilled and unskilled players play together, so one emphasis will be on elements of players helping one-another''". They also stated that the graphics would be significantly stepped up, as the Wii U can handle high quality graphics, dynamic effects and smooth character movements in HD at 60 frames per second.<ref>[http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/27806/smash-bros-wii-u/3ds-how-theyll-work-together/ Official Nintendo Magazine: "Smash Bros Wii U/3DS: How they'll work together"]</ref> Sakurai was also quoted as claiming that the new game was unlikely to emphasize new playable characters, focusing instead on gameplay balance and distinctiveness of its characters. <ref>[http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/39783/smash-bros-wii-u-may-not-feature-more-characters/ Official Nintendo Magazine: "Smash Bros Wii U may not feature more characters"]</ref>
As for the new characters for already represented franchises, two newcomers come from the {{uv|Mario}} universe being Bowser Jr. and [[Rosalina]] & [[Luma]], [[Greninja]] for the {{uv|Pokémon}} universe, {{uv|Kid Icarus}} introduces [[Palutena]] and [[Dark Pit]] and finally {{uv|Fire Emblem}} introduces [[Lucina]], Robin and, as [[Downloadable content|DLC]], Corrin.


Sakurai had stated that there were no plans to implement downloadable content or touch screen controls of any variety. However, he also stated that once the game was released DLC was something they would take into consideration. <ref>[http://www.gamnesia.com/news/no-plans-for-dlc-or-touch-controls-in-the-new-smash-bros.-tripping-is-remov Gamnesia: "No Plans for DLC or Touch Controls in the New Smash Bros., Tripping is Removed"]</ref> Downloadable content was eventually implemented through [[Mewtwo (SSB4)|two]] [[Lucas (SSB4)|fighters]], a [[Miiverse (stage)|stage]], and costumes for {{SSB4|Mii Fighter}}s.
New characters slots are given to the Villager as {{uv|Animal Crossing}}'s first playable character, the Wii Fit Trainer from the {{uv|Wii Fit}} series, {{uv|Punch-Out}}'s very own [[Little Mac]] who first appeared as an [[Assist Trophy]] from ''Brawl'', [[Shulk]], who introduced the {{uv|Xenoblade Chronicles}} series, and [[Duck Hunt]] consisting of a dog and duck from their [[Duck Hunt (universe)|series]] of the same name. In addition, the [[Mii]]s, the custom avatars from the Nintendo Wii appear as playable characters. They appear in [[Mii Brawler (SSB4)|Brawler]], [[Mii Swordfighter (SSB4)|Swordfighter]], and [[Mii Gunner (SSB4)|Gunner]] variants, and are labelled as ''Smash''-original characters.
==Characters==
The original announcement of the game revealed a number of playable characters. Since then, other characters were announced via [[Miiverse]], [[Nintendo Direct]]s, and other videos until the official release of the game. There are 51 [[character]] slots on the roster (53 counting each Mii Fighter as an individual character). Twelve of them need to be unlocked before they appear in the 3DS version, and 8 are unlockable in the Wii U version. Two characters, {{SSB4|Mewtwo}} and {{SSB4|Lucas}}, appear as downloadable content.


[[Sonic the Hedgehog]] returns as a third-party character, now joined by [[Mega Man]] and [[Pac-Man]], as well as [[Ryu]], [[Cloud Strife]], and [[Bayonetta]] through DLC.
{{clr}}
{{SSB4 character table}}
{{SSB4 character table}}


==Stages==
==Stages==
The two games feature considerably different stage selections, which is one of the biggest differences between the two games. The two versions share only 5 stages. The 3DS version features more stages based on handheld console games, while the Wii U version features more stages based on home console games. Several stages in both games, however, ignore this distinction.
[[File:Stage Select SSB4-3DS Normal.jpg|thumb|left|150px|The normal stage selection screen in {{for3ds}}.]]
[[File:Stage Select SSB4-Wii U Normal.jpg|thumb|250px|The normal stage selection screen in {{forwiiu}}.]]
[[File:Stage Select SSB4-3DS Extra-Update.jpg|thumb|left|150px|The extra stage selection screen in {{for3ds}}.]]
[[File:Stage Select SSB4-Wii U Extra.jpg|thumb|250px|The extra selection screen in {{forwiiu}}.]]
The two games feature considerably different stage selections, which is one of the primary differences between the two games. The 3DS version features a total of 42 stages (34 excluding DLC) with seven unlockable stages and eight DLC stages, 30 of which are new and 12 of which are familiar. The Wii U version features a total of 55 stages (46 excluding DLC) with six unlockable stages and nine DLC stages, consisting of 34 new stages and 21 familiar ones. Only 13 stages are shared between the two versions, seven of which are DLC.


In addition to new stages, several [[Past Stages]], known now as "Familiar Stages", reappear in both versions of the game.
In general, the 3DS version's new stages are based more on handheld console games, while the Wii U version's new stages are based more on home console games, though there are several exceptions to this in both games.


The 3DS version features a total of 34 stages with 7 unlockable, 25 of which are new and 9 are familiar ones. The Wii U version features a total of 46 stages with 6 unlockable, consisting of 29 new stages and 17 familiar ones. Additionally, a stage based on [[Miiverse]] is confirmed to appear in the Wii U version as part of a software update released after the game.
[[Past Stages]] in both games are now known as "Familiar Stages." Only three Familiar Stages are shared between the two games, all of which are DLC.


The Wii U version also has an option to create custom stages with the [[Stage Builder]].
{{clr}}
===3DS version===
===3DS version===
{{SSB4-3DS stage table}}
{{SSB4-3DS stage table}}
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{{SSB4-U stage table}}
{{SSB4-U stage table}}


==Single-player modes==
==Modes==
===Multiplayer===
*[[VS Mode]]
*[[8-Player Smash]] (''for Wii U'' exclusive): In this mode, up to eight players can play in Smash battles, compared to the standard limit of four. Due to technical limitations, some stages have their behavior modified while in this mode, while other stages are not available at all.
*[[Special Smash]] (''for Wii U'' exclusive): The successor to [[Special Brawl]], players in this mode can create custom battles by changing a variety of options, such as making all the fighters [[metal]]. Up to four players can play in this mode. This mode does not affect records and stats.
*[[Smash Run]] (''for Nintendo 3DS'' exclusive): In this mode, up to four players have five minutes to traverse a large dungeon-like environment, collecting various power-ups and facing enemies from multiple games. After the time limit, the players fight in a battle utilizing their boosted powers, and can then do subsequent matches with those power-ups. Sakurai mentioned in the April 2014 Nintendo Direct video that it took inspiration from ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby Air Ride}}''{{'}}s {{s|wikirby|City Trial}} mode, which has a similar premise.
**Players are also able to have items set to their characters via [[character customization]].
*[[Smash Tour]] (''for Wii U'' exclusive): Players take control of Miis moving along a game board, collecting characters and power-ups to win the final match, with each fighter obtained acting as one stock.
*[[Tourney (SSB4-Wii U)|Tournament Mode]] (''for Wii U'' exclusive): A competitive elimination mode returning from ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'', which was released as a downloadable online feature.
 
===Single Player===
*[[Classic Mode]]
*[[Classic Mode]]
*[[All-Star Mode]]
*[[All-Star Mode]]
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*[[Multi-Man Mode]]
*[[Multi-Man Mode]]
*[[Training Mode]]
*[[Training Mode]]
*[[Event match|Event Mode]] (Wii U exclusive)
*[[StreetSmash]] (''for Nintendo 3DS'' exclusive)
*[[Special Orders]] (Wii U exclusive)
*[[Event match|Event Mode]] (''for Wii U'' exclusive)
*[[Movies]] (Wii U exclusive): This mode allows players to watch various movies and trailers pertaining to the game.
*[[Special Orders]] (''for Wii U'' exclusive)
*[[Trophy Box]] (''for Wii U'' exclusive)
 
==Development==
During the official unveiling of the Wii U at [[E3 2011]], then Nintendo president Satoru Iwata remarked that a new game in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series would be made for the system. No further information was provided at this time since the game would not enter production until sometime after October 2011, after the completion of Sakurai's other project, ''Kid Icarus: Uprising''.<ref>[http://andriasang.com/comw79/ Andriasang.com: "Smash Bros. U & 3DS development appears to be very early"]</ref> He had stated, in response to a fan asking him about whether a "child Link" would be in the game, that he had not at the time decided on which characters would appear. However, he had also said that he "can't say that it's entirely out of the realm of possibility that some [[Capcom]] character could appear in the next ''Smash Bros.''"<ref>[http://nintendoeverything.com/67219/sakurai-capcom-character-could-appear-in-next-smash-bros/ Nintendo Everything: "Sakurai: Capcom character could appear in next Smash Bros."]</ref>
 
Development of the game began in early 2012.<ref>[http://www.cubed3.com/news/16506 Cubed<sup>3</sup>: "Sakurai Begins Work on New Smash Bros for Wii U and 3DS"]</ref> Sakurai and his company [[Sora Ltd.]] returned as director, with [[Bandai Namco]] being contracted as lead developer.<ref>[http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/30817/sakurai-and-kobayashi-release-messages-regarding-smash-bros Bandai Namco revealed as lead developer]</ref> The reason for announcing this information so early was to prevent the inevitable shock and scandal of Masahiro Sakurai being spotted at the Bandai Namco offices.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeLrIXCOUw0&t=138s Super Smash Bros. for 3DS / Wii U [Game Concepts]]</ref> The game went unmentioned during E3 2012, something which many fans were disappointed about despite the known extremely early state of the game; the "first step of the process" was taken shortly after in mid-June. Sakurai expressed disappointment that fans would be waiting for longer than expected for the game to be released due to the earliness of the initial announcement.<ref>[http://nintendoeverything.com/91807/next-smash-bros-in-first-step-of-the-process-sakurai-worried-about-long-wait/ Nintendo Everything: "Next Smash Bros. in “first step of the process”, Sakurai worried about long wait"]</ref> Shortly afterward, it was revealed during a Nintendo Direct that Namco Bandai (as Bandai Namco was previously named) was the primary developer alongside [[Sora Ltd.]], and had already completed a working prototype.<ref name="ign-namco" /> This is notably the first game Masahiro Sakurai has directed where the parameters were programmed by anyone other than himself. He has admitted that this development model should have never happened, but he wanted to do everything himself for previous titles in order to create his vision perfectly. He finally relaxed this position with ''Smash 4'', which gave other members more freedom in how the game is built and created a more efficient work culture.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeLrIXCOUw0&t=400s Super Smash Bros. for 3DS / Wii U [Game Concepts]]</ref>
 
[[File:SSB4 whiteboard.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The whiteboard drawing posted by Sakurai.]]
On July 2nd, 2012, Sakurai posted a whiteboard drawing on Twitter which was drawn by the game's staff. It depicts [[Donkey Kong]], [[Fox]], a [[Heart Container]], [[Kirby]], [[Link]], [[Luigi]], [[Mario]], [[Marth]], [[Meta Knight]], [[Mr. Game & Watch]], a [[Mr. Saturn]], [[Pikachu]], a {{b|Pikmin|species}}, [[Pit]], [[Sandbag]], [[Wario]], and [[Zero Suit Samus]]; some argue that the curved lines in the background form the shape of [[Master Hand]]. The sketch also has what appears to be large block letters hidden below the visible area. While the post came with no explicit confirmation of any of these characters or elements as reappearing, it did show that they were in some sense acknowledged by the staff; everything depicted would, in fact, appear in the final game. The image itself was later removed from the original Twitter post.<ref>[http://twitter.com/Sora_Sakurai/status/219759606463864832/photo/1 Jul 2, 2012 Tweet by Sora_Sakurai] ([[Masahiro Sakurai]])</ref>
<br clear=left>
 
Sakurai remarked the 3DS title was intended to offer a new experience for veteran ''Smash Bros.'' fans, and that neither the 3DS game nor the Wii U game would simply be sequels like ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'' were, and that they would do more than just add characters and stages. It had also been revealed that they were looking towards co-operative play for the Wii U title. Official Nintendo Magazine said, "there is merit in having skilled and unskilled players play together, so one emphasis will be on elements of players helping one-another." They also stated that the graphics would be significantly stepped up, as the Wii U can handle high-quality graphics, dynamic effects and smooth character movements in HD at 60 frames per second.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110617082040/http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/27806/smash-bros-wii-u/3ds-how-theyll-work-together/ Official Nintendo Magazine: "Smash Bros Wii U/3DS: How they'll work together"]</ref> Sakurai was also quoted as claiming that the new game was unlikely to emphasize new playable characters, focusing instead on gameplay balance and distinctiveness of its characters.<ref>[http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/39783/smash-bros-wii-u-may-not-feature-more-characters/ Official Nintendo Magazine: "Smash Bros Wii U may not feature more characters"]</ref> Indeed, ''SSB4'' initially introduced fewer newcomers than ''Brawl'' did.
 
The development teams decided to make unique content for each version based on the strengths of each respective console. Only one player can use a Nintendo 3DS at a time and the system can be played anywhere, leading to a focus on single player content and a pick up and play element to game modes that can be completed in a short amount of time. The Wii U can be played with multiple people and is designed to be played in a home, leading to a focus on multiplayer content and more substantial game modes that take a significant amount of time to complete.
 
While both versions could not play cross-platform due to unique content causing logistical issues, Sakurai had remarked that one feature of the 3DS ''Smash Bros.'' title would be that players can improve their character through battles and rewards, then transfer them to the Wii U ''Smash'' title to play against friends; such a function was ultimately made possible through [[character customization]]. The Nintendo 3DS hardware proved difficult to work with for the team, which led to several compromises to both versions. The system's inability to load multiple fighters to the same player meant transformations and multi-character fighters were not possible. Since both versions were required to have the exact same roster, characters had to be greatly altered, like {{SSB4|Sheik}} and {{SSB4|Zelda}} being split into unique characters that could not swap with each other, or cut entirely, like [[Ice Climbers]]. The team also had issues implementing the Circle Pad Pro, which meant all mechanics involving the [[C-stick]] were inaccessible, though still in the game code. The small screen of the Nintendo 3DS also caused issues with readability, so elements like knockback were made even slower than in ''Brawl'', which carried over to the Wii U version.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeLrIXCOUw0&t=125s Super Smash Bros. for 3DS / Wii U [Game Concepts]]</ref>
 
After over a year of silence, the game's first trailer, as well as its first official gameplay, would be shown at E3 2013. The game's two versions were revealed to be unique games and were projected to launch in 2014. The trailer confirmed {{SSB4|Villager}} as the first new fighter for the game, with Capcom's {{SSB4|Mega Man}} also confirmed as playable towards the end of the trailer as Sakurai teased years earlier. Later in the day, a special trailer for {{SSB4|Wii Fit Trainer}} was revealed on the E3 show floor. Shortly after the initial [[E3 2013]] trailers, Sakurai said there would be a single-player story mode included in the new ''Smash Bros.''<ref>[http://mynintendonews.com/2013/06/17/smash-bros-wii-u-and-3ds-story-mode-wont-be-like-brawl/ My Nintendo News: "Smash Bros Wii U And 3DS Story Mode Won’t Be Like Brawl"]</ref>, but that it would be different from ''Brawl''{{'}}s [[Subspace Emissary]] in that there would be no cutscenes, since he did not want them to be uploaded to the Internet. However, he would later recant this and announce that he decided to cut any story mode altogether <ref>http://kotaku.com/the-next-super-smash-bros-wont-have-a-story-mode-or-c-906856304</ref>.  


Shortly after the initial [[E3 2013]] trailers, Sakurai said there would be a single-player story mode included in the new ''Smash Bros.''<ref>[http://mynintendonews.com/2013/06/17/smash-bros-wii-u-and-3ds-story-mode-wont-be-like-brawl/ My Nintendo News: "Smash Bros Wii U And 3DS Story Mode Won’t Be Like Brawl"]</ref>, but that it would be different from ''Brawl'''s [[Subspace Emissary]], and that there would be no cutscenes. However, he would later recant this, and announce that he decided to cut any sort of story mode altogether <ref>http://kotaku.com/the-next-super-smash-bros-wont-have-a-story-mode-or-c-906856304</ref>, while stating the 3DS version would have a different sort of separate mode from standard versus play. He did not provide any other details as to what this, or any other single-player modes will consist of. On 20 January 2014, on a [[List of Director's Room Miiverse posts|Miiverse post]], Sakurai repeated the fact the game would not have a story mode.<ref>[https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAAAYUKlHGgj1Kw Miiverse: "To be clear, the new ''Super Smash Bros.'' games do not feature a story mode like The Subspace Emissary"]</ref> Screenshots that people thought were from a new story mode in the 3DS version were later revealed to be from [[Smash Run]], which also seems to be the new 3DS mode Sakurai implied when he announced the cutting of the story mode.
After the first reveal, new information was regularly released throughout the rest of 2013 and into 2014. Sakurai opened the [[Director's Room]] on {{b|Miiverse|social network}}, where he posted screenshots of the game on a regular basis, as well as periodically reveal several returning characters. New characters were revealed in [[Nintendo Direct]]s and other presentations in the form of high budget trailers with prerendered animation meant to maintain hype and interest in the game leading up to its release. A dedicated {{h1|Nintendo Direct|Super Smash Bros. Direct (April 8, 2014)}} for the game aired on April 8, 2014. Highlights included that both versions would have different stages, with 3DS focusing on handheld console games and Wii U focusing on home console games; that both versions would receive unique single-player content, with the 3DS version receiving [[Smash Run]]; and that there would be a rework of [[online play]] from ''Brawl'', with the mode being split into [[For Fun]], which would be more casual-oriented and focus more on items and stage gimmicks, and [[For Glory]], which would focus more on competition by disabling items, restricting character customization, and limiting the stage selection to [[Final Destination]] and the newly introduced "Ω forms", which give every stage a layout similar to that of Final Destination. [[Global Smash Power]] was also introduced as the game's online ranking system, with 1 being the floor and higher numbers increasing in skill level; this value would be used for the game's random matchmaking. The 3DS version was given a release window of Summer 2014, while the Wii U version was given a window of Winter 2014. The large gap between their releases was to give each version dedicated time for quality assurance and polish.


==Multi-player modes==
Two trailers for the game were shown in the Nintendo Direct at E3 2014. The first featured Satoru Iwata and Reggie Fils-Aimé, then the president of Nintendo of America, engaging in a choreographed and stylized fight, before transitioning into a reveal for {{SSB4|Mii Fighter}}s as playable characters. [[Mii]]s were initially considered to be playable in ''Brawl'' as a way for players to play as any character they wanted, but were excluded due to Sakurai finding Miis out of place in a fighting game. Mii Fighters would not be usable online in an effort to combat bullying and game imbalance. The second trailer revealed {{SSB4|Palutena}}, whilst also hinting at a {{SSB4|Dark Pit}} reveal. {{SSB4|Pac-Man}} would also be revealed at the ''Super Smash Bros.'' roundtable hosted later that day. The Wii U version would also be compatible with Nintendo's new amiibo figure line, introducing [[Figure Players]] that would learn from their opponents and could be saved to amiibo figures. The 3DS version of the game was given a release date of September 13, 2014 in Japan, and would release in October 2014 for most of the world. A demo of the Wii U version of the game featuring 20 characters was featured at booths in E3 2014.
*[[VS Mode]]
 
**[[8-Player Smash]] (Wii U exclusive): In this mode, up to eight players can play in Smash battles.
Sakurai had stated that there were no plans to implement downloadable content or touch screen controls of any variety. However, he also said that once the game was released DLC was something they would take into consideration.<ref>[http://www.gamnesia.com/news/no-plans-for-dlc-or-touch-controls-in-the-new-smash-bros.-tripping-is-remov Gamnesia: "No Plans for DLC or Touch Controls in the New Smash Bros., Tripping is Removed"]</ref>
*[[Smash Run]] (3DS exclusive): In this mode, up to 4 players have 5 minutes to traverse a huge dungeon-like environment, collecting various power-ups and facing many enemies from various games. After the time limit, the players go at it in a battle utilizing their boosted powers, and can then do subsequent matches with those power-ups. Sakurai mentioned in the Smash Bros. Direct video that this mode was inspired by ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby Air Ride}}'''s {{S|wikirby|City Trial}} mode, which has a similar premise.
 
**Players will also be able to have items set to their characters, in a way that may reflect Brawl's Subspace Emissary mode.
In August 2014, a collection of screenshots and videos showcasing what appeared to be the entire base roster, in addition to several details about the game, was leaked onto 4chan. Dubbed the [[ESRB leak]], it was eventually confirmed to be real despite initial skepticism from the community.
*[[Smash Tour]] (Wii U exclusive): Players take control of Miis moving along a game board, collecting characters and power-ups in order to win the final match, with each fighter collected acting as one stock.
 
After {{for3ds}} officially released world wide, marketing pivoted to focus on {{forwiiu}}. This included a special presentation on October 23, 2014 titled the [[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U: 50-Fact Extravaganza]]. Highlights included several stage reveals, the reveal of {{SSB4|Bowser Jr.}}, and Wii U exclusive modes like [[Special Orders]] and [[Smash Tour]]. {{SSB4|Mewtwo}} was also revealed as the first piece of {{SSB4|downloadable content}} for the entire series, scheduled for release in Spring 2015. {{s|nintendowiki|Club Nintendo}} offered a limited-time deal in which Mewtwo could be downloaded for free as long as both versions of the game were registered on the same account before March 31, 2015. Registering both games to Club Nintendo before January 13, 2015 also allowed account owners to receive [[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U: A Smashing Soundtrack]] for free. {{SSB4|Duck Hunt}} was formally revealed in a Nintendo Direct on November 5, thereby formally revealing the entire base roster.
 
For the first time in the series, ''SSB4'' received software updates due to the process now being possible. Generally, these were content adjustment updates, including character balance adjustments, the introduction of amiibo functionality on the 3DS version, C-stick functionality on the New Nintendo 3DS, [[Tourney mode]] and [[YouTube]] integration for the Wii U version, and the [[Share]] function for both versions. Additional content would also often be released alongside these updates, introducing several additional fighters, stages, and costumes for Mii Fighters. The Nintendo Direct on April 1, 2015 gave Mewtwo a formal reveal trailer (albeit one that was lower budget and used very little prerendered animation, a trend that would continue with each ''SSB4'' DLC fighter reveal), as well as a release date of April 15. The Direct also revealed {{SSB4|Lucas}} would be added sometime in June. Nintendo launched the [[Smash Bros. Fighter Ballot]] the same day, allowing players to vote on characters they wanted to see in the series. The ballot ran until October 3 of that year.
 
A ''Super Smash Bros.'' presentation on June 14, 2015 would reveal {{SSB4|Roy}} and {{SSB4|Ryu}} as playable characters, complete with several {{uv|Street Fighter}} music tracks for the latter; [[Miiverse]], [[Dream Land (64)]], and [[Suzaku Castle]] as new paid stages, the formermost exclusive to Wii U; and several Mii costumes and trophies. All content announced during the presentation would release right after the presentation aired, along with Lucas. A Mii Costume based on [[K.K. Slider]] was made available between June 19 and July 11 in Japan as part of a promotion with 7-Eleven. The costume was released worldwide on July 31 alongside [[Peach's Castle (64)]], [[Hyrule Castle (64)]], and a wave of Mii costumes. [[Super Mario Maker]], a stage based on the game of the same name, complete with a remix of its music, was added as paid content to both versions on September 30, alongside another wave of Mii costumes and the release of the ''Brawl'' stage [[Pirate Ship]] exclusively on Wii U. The {{B|Duck Hunt|stage}} stage, which was formerly exclusive to the Wii U version, was made available on the 3DS version for free with this update as well.
 
After {{SSB4|Cloud}} was revealed as a playable character in a Nintendo Direct on November 14, 2015, a special broadcast for the game was announced for December 2015, later revealed to be the game's final video presentation which would air on December 15, 2015. During the presentation, {{SSB4|Corrin}} and {{SSB4|Bayonetta}} were announced as the final two downloadable characters, the latter being the winner the Fighter Ballot among "realizable and negotiable characters" (Sakurai would reveal years later that the actual winner of the ballot was [[Sora]], hence the disclaimer). Cloud released shortly after the presentation aired, alongside [[Midgar]] with two {{uv|Final Fantasy}} music tracks, a [[Chocobo]] hat, a [[Geno]] costume, and several trophies.
 
Corrin and Bayonetta were released on February 3, 2016 alongside the music track ''Lost in Thoughts all Alone'' in both original and remixed form, [[Umbra Clock Tower]] with several {{uv|Bayonetta}} music tracks, a wave of Mii costumes, and several trophies. A number of updates would release afterward, including one dedicated exclusively to Bayonetta nerfs, as well as one that disabled Miiverse support following its shutdown, before the game's development would officially cease.
 
==Version history==
{{main|List of updates (SSB4-3DS)}}
{{main|List of updates (SSB4-Wii U)}}
''Smash 4'' is the first game in the series to receive regular update patches post-launch. {{for3ds}} received several updates before {{forwiiu}} released, a few introduced while the game was still exclusive to Japan with the rest of the world never officially experiencing. After both games released, they received the same updates on the same day, despite occasionally having different changes within those updates. This means that there were no more major gameplay differences between regions; everyone gets the same experience barring languages and minor presentation differences. A unique issue caused by updates is [[replays]] being rendered unusable due to gameplay altering changes affecting the real-time recreation of a match. Nintendo's solution was to make replays created in older updates inaccessible, though uploading replays through [[Share]] mode or uploading them to [[YouTube]] would circumvent this issue. Nintendo often announced an update well before the official rollout and gave a warning about replays, giving players ample time to prepare if they wish to keep what they have.
 
''Super Smash Bros. 4'' adopted a simple incremental versioning system (i.e. version 1.0.0), with every update increasing the third number by one, rolling over the second number every tenth update. This caused some inconsistencies, such as {{forwiiu}} jumping from version 1.0.2 to 1.0.6 to match the version of {{for3ds}}. In this versioning scheme, all updates were treated equally regardless of if they introduced new characters or stages, or simply fixed minor bugs. The last update released for ''Smash 4'' was version 1.1.7, which added amiibo functionality for Cloud, Corrin and Bayonetta.
 
==Changes from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''==
===Gameplay===
{{ImageCaption|Image:Greater Size diversity.png|Image:TheDanceClubSSB4.jpg|width1=x150px|width2=x150px|align=right|caption=The character size comparison in ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4''.}}
*In an attempt to appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers, ''Smash 4''’s gameplay strikes a balance between ''Melee''’s faster, more technical gameplay and ''Brawl''’s slower, more relaxed gameplay.
**This is most easily apparent in ''Smash 4''’s game speed: most veterans from ''Brawl'' have faster [[dash|dashing]], [[falling speed|falling]], and [[air speed]]s, and additionally [[traction]] and [[gravity]] stats were also generally increased, though the game speed is still noticeably slower and floatier than ''Melee.''
*The differences in size across the cast are now more pronounced, with {{SSB4|Bowser}} now standing much taller than {{SSB4|Mario}}, compared to being only slightly taller in previous games. Larger characters like {{SSB4|Donkey Kong}} are thus easier to hit but benefit from longer reach, while smaller characters like {{SSB4|Kirby}} are harder to hit while hindered by shorter range.
*The differences in range across the cast have been overall toned down, with melee-oriented characters like {{SSB4|Diddy Kong}} having more elastic limbs, while sword-wielders have shorter range either through the improvements in range to the rest of the cast (e.g., {{SSB4|Marth}}) or direct nerfs to their range (eg. {{SSB4|Meta Knight}}).
*Random tripping has been removed, making extended [[dash-dancing]] a viable movement option.
*[[Pivot]]ing, a movement technique previously possible in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 64]]'' and ''Melee'' has been reintroduced, generating more flexible mobility than in ''Brawl.''
*Mid-match character transformations have been removed. {{SSB4|Sheik}}, {{SSB4|Zelda}}, {{SSB4|Zero Suit Samus}}, {{SSB4|Samus}}, are all now completely separate characters, while {{SSB4|Charizard}} returns as a standalone fighter in place of the Pokémon Trainer. These changes are partially due to hardware limitations on the 3DS and Sakurai’s own wish for both versions of the game to feature the same roster.
*[[Edge-hogging]] has been removed entirely, as attempting to grab a [[ledge]] that someone else has already grabbed onto will now gently remove them from the ledge and "steal" it, a mechanic known as "ledge trumping".
**Ledge trumping itself can be used as an edgeguard, as it leaves the recovering opponent vulnerable.
*No intangibility at all will be granted if a character grabs the ledge twice without touching the ground or being hit, making them more open to edgeguarding.
*The length of [[intangibility]] given by grabbing the ledge is now affected by air time and current damage, and does not carry over if the character drops from the ledge.
*The difference between fast and slow edge options based on current damage has been removed.
*Characters cannot grab the ledge after going through [[hitstun]] for at least 55 frames.
*[[recovery|Recoveries]] in general have been improved, with many of them traveling farther and having better protection while benefiting from the faster air speeds and new ledge mechanics; these changes weren't entirely consistent across the cast, however, and recoveries are overall more polarized than in previous games.
*Meteor canceling has been removed, making [[meteor smash]]es functionally equivalent to spikes and thus much deadlier edge-guarding moves.
**To compensate, several meteor smashes are now weaker, with a few requiring more specific hitboxes (such as {{SSB4|Ike}}'s down aerial).
*Characters that are meteor smashed onto a floor will now bounce back up at a fraction of their current knockback speed.
*All characters are granted 70 frames of invulnerability to all [[grab]]s and [[command grab]]s after being released from a grab or [[throw]]n, making it impossible to perform [[chain grab]]s.
*[[Stale-move negation]] has been weakened, making it harder for characters to abuse the above mechanic which allows for moves to combo for longer; at the same time, characters do not have to worry about preserving their KO moves as much as they did in ''Brawl'', though still more than in ''Melee.''
*[[Hitstun canceling]], a controversial mechanic introduced in ''Brawl'' that allowed characters to escape combos with ease, has been toned down. Characters can now air dodge or use an aerial attack to cancel hitstun after 40 or 45 frames respectively, compared to ''Brawl''’s 13/25 frames, with the window being pushed back when a character sustains 69 or more frames of hitstun, due to a limit being set on how fast a fighter's current launch speed can be when attempting to cancel hitstun.
**As a result, true [[combos]] at low and mid percents are much more prevalent. However, with the increased knockback growth on many throws, moderate falling speeds, [[gravity]] increasing vertical knockback, the continued lack of advanced techniques such as [[wavedashing]] and [[L-cancelling]], and the retained ability to cancel hitstun, true combos in ''Smash 4'' are generally shorter and less varied compared to the ones in ''Melee'' and ''Smash 64'', especially at high percents.
**Additionally, many of the faster, more combo-oriented fighters, such as {{SSB4|Sheik}}, {{SSB4|Fox}}, Meta Knight, and Diddy Kong have had their damage outputs reduced, likely to compensate for their improved combo abilities or to balance them out with the slow, heavy characters.
**The changes to hitstun prevents characters from immediately performing moves to [[momentum cancelling|slow their momentum]], reducing their ability to survive powerful attacks.
*[[Directional influence]] works differently. The angle deviation is less significant than in previous games, while a submechanic known as [[launch speed influence]] (LSI for short) has been introduced, which increases characters' [[Knockback|launch speed]] the more the [[control stick]] is held upward, and decreases it the more it is held downward. As of update [[1.0.4]], moves with too vertical angles are only affected by DI, not LSI. These changes make it harder to carry out horizontal combos, especially at higher percents since opponents will often be sent too far for followups.
**In turn, this indirectly benefits characters who possess vertical-launching moves, notably Mario, Meta Knight, Zero Suit Samus, and {{SSB4|Ryu}}, as it is now comparatively easier to combo and KO with attacks that deal vertical knockback.
*The effects of [[smash directional influence]] have been drastically weakened, which is most easily visible with multi-hit attacks, making it much harder to escape them than in earlier games.
*Movement speed when carrying heavy items has been increased among the entire cast, but Donkey Kong remains as the only character who can jump and fall with them.
*A new mechanic, unofficially known as "[[rage]]", has been implemented. Characters receive a steady increase to the knockback (and therefore hitstun) of their attacks as their damage rises starting at 35%, with the effect capping out at 150%. Rage becomes more visible when a character reaches 100%, as they begin to flash red and emit steam.
*[[Shield]]s now take 19% more damage from attacks, rather than 30% less. As of update [[1.1.1]], [[shield stun]] has been significantly increased, making [[out of shield]] options less reliable; thus, shields are much more fragile than in ''Brawl''.
*Much like in ''SSB'' and ''Melee'', when having their shields broken, fighters are now intangible until they hit the ground and enter their [[stun]]ned animation. This slightly narrows the window in which a fighter can be attacked when their shield is broken, as well as making it impossible to use windboxes to push opponents offstage while falling to the ground to be stunned. However, it also prevents players from saving teammates who are tumbling to their death due to being forced over the ledge when their shield broke.
*When a fighter's shield is hit when they are right on the ledge, they are no longer guaranteed to be [[Edge slipping|pushed off the ledge]] and put into [[tumble]], and instead the attack must be sufficiently strong enough to push the shielding player with enough force to trigger a ledge slip.
*Attempting to land with an [[air dodge]] now results in high landing lag (21 frames), but air dodges in general are faster, having decreased intangibility durations, but also lower ending lag (roughly 5 frames, down from 10 to 30 in ''Brawl''), making air dodges safer for aerial combat but riskier when done close to the ground.
*[[Sidestep]]s and [[roll]]s have slightly less ending lag but offer fewer intangibility frames, which makes rolls overall safer for quick repositioning.
*[[Careening]] has been removed, meaning that fighters experiencing knockback can no longer hit other victims during hitstun.
*When a character is KO'd over the top [[blast line]], a [[Star KO|Star]] or [[Screen KO|Screen]] KO is no longer guaranteed, as a normal blast KO is now possible at random.
**They no longer occur near the end of a [[time]]d match (unless characters are launched to the upper blast line when [[End of Day]] is active, the only known exception to this) or [[Sudden Death]]; being instead replaced by regular blast KOs. In addition, they also will not occur when a character is launched at a fast enough speed.


==Changes from ''Brawl''==
===Game modes===
===Gameplay changes===
*In a similar appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers, there are now two distinct type of [[With Anyone]] [[Wi-Fi]] modes; one called [[For Fun]] which is similar to the previous game's casual-styled [[Basic Brawl]], and one called [[For Glory]], a mode explicitly catered to competitive-styled play. Additionally, every stage now has an "Ω Form," where the stage's layout is altered into that of Final Destination. These forms cannot be played on in the For Fun mode, while they are the only forms available in the For Glory mode.
[[Image:Greater Size diversity.png|thumb|200px|''Brawl'' character size comparison.]] [[Image:TheDanceClubSSB4.jpg|thumb|200px|''SSB4'' character size comparison.]]
*All stages now have a [[Ω form]], which is a Final Destination-like layout consisting of a single flat platform with all stage hazards removed.
*The size differences between bigger and smaller characters is somewhat more drastic, which can be seen when comparing the pictures on the right, with Sakurai remarking "''A group shot of the big guys. How much bigger are they compared to Mario?''" for the latter image.<ref>https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAADMUKlhFSRn7g</ref>
*In the More Rules section, the player may set how many points a player loses upon self-destructing in a Timed match.
*The movesets and animations of returning characters went through a larger amount of change than the returning characters did from the transition of ''Melee'' to ''Brawl'', with many returning characters having completely new moves, and some moves being significantly altered (such as with {{SSB4|Bowser}}).
*"Multi-Man Brawl" is now referred to as "Multi-Man Smash". Additionally, the Fighting Alloy Team have been replaced by the Fighting Mii Team, consisting on Mii Fighters wearing black jumpsuits with a white "M" letter printed on its anterior and two white "i" letters around their limbs.
**It additionally appears there was a greater emphasis on [[buff]]ing the returning characters, with even characters that were top and high [[tier]] in ''Brawl'', such as {{SSB4|Diddy Kong}} and {{SSB4|Lucario}}, being shown to receive explicit significant buffs. On the other hand, some characters who dominated ''Brawl'' or were buffed from ''Melee'' such as {{SSB4|Meta Knight}}, {{SSB4|Falco}}, and {{SSB4|Marth}} were nerfed to further balance the game.
**An additional game mode has been added known as [[Rival Smash]], replacing 15-Minute Smash from ''Brawl''. It involves the player competing for KOs against a CPU-controlled copy of their character.
*Mid-match character changes, such as Zelda/Sheik's [[Transform]], no longer exist. This means {{SSB4|Zelda}} and {{SSB4|Sheik}}, along with {{SSB4|Samus}} and {{SSB4|Zero Suit Samus}}, are completely separate characters that are no longer able to transform to the other. This also means the [[Pokémon Trainer]] does not return as a playable character, though {{SSB4|Charizard}} returns as its own stand-alone character. This is mainly due to a combination of 3DS hardware limitations and Sakurai's wish for both versions to contain the same roster of characters.<ref>http://www.gameskinny.com/l9ilc/why-zelda-and-sheik-are-separate-characters-in-super-smash-bros-3ds-and-wii-u</ref>
*[[Tips]] has been added, which appear on multiple loading screens and is their own specialized menu in the [[Vault]].
*Random [[tripping]] introduced in ''Brawl'' has been removed. However, forced tripping remains, as shown by the return of the [[banana peel]] item.
*Classic Mode has been reworked depending on the version:
**Similarly, it appears that potential randomness in moves was cut down; for example, {{SSB4|Olimar}} now plucks his [[Pikmin]] in a set order instead of the Pikmin plucked being chosen at random, and {{SSB4|King Dedede}}'s [[Waddle Dee Throw]] has been replaced with a new move that involves throwing only [[Gordo]]s instead of throwing one randomly chosen minion.
**{{GameIcon|ssb4-u}}: In the Wii U version, it's a seven-round tournament-style elimination where the player can choose which opponents they face.  
***However, {{SSB4|Peach}}'s down special is still random, with some turnips doing more damage than others, and there is no set order of which turnips are pulled from the ground; additionally, {{SSB4|Mr. Game & Watch}}'s [[Judge]] is now even more random, being able to get the same number twice in a row. {{SSB4|Villager}}'s up and down aerial moves also have a random element.
**{{GameIcon|ssb4-3ds}}: In the 3DS version, the player is given a choice of a set series of paths to choose from.
*The game's speed is between that of ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'', to appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers.
*All fighters now have a trophy based on one of their {{SSB4|alternate costume}}s (with the exception of {{SSB4|Bowser Jr.}}), similar to the "Smash" fighter trophies from ''Melee'', which can be obtained by {{GameIcon|SSB4-3DS}} clearing All-Star mode (replacing the [[Final Smash]] trophies from ''Brawl''), or {{GameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}} purchased at the Trophy Shop for 1000G after clearing Classic mode; unlike them, each fighter have only one "(Alt.)" trophy as opposed to two. The [[Alph]] and [[Koopaling]] trophies can also be obtained at the Trophy Shop after clearing Classic mode. In the Wii U version, clearing the All-Star mode instead gives the Final Smash trophies like in ''Brawl'', making all fighters once again having three trophies in total (not counting Alph and the Koopalings).
**In a similar appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers, there are now two distinct type of [[With Anyone]] [[Wi-Fi]] modes; one called [[For Fun]], which seems similar to the previous game's casual-styled [[Basic Brawl]], and one called [[For Glory]], a mode explicitly catered to competitive-styled play.
**Additionally, every stage now has an Ω Form, where the stage's layout is altered into that of Final Destination. These forms cannot be played on in the For Fun mode, while they are the only forms available in the For Glory mode.
*The ability to act out of [[hitstun]] has been removed when sent large distances; however, at smaller launch distances, the amount of hitstun appears to be reduced, or character appear to be able to act out of hitstun. This, combined with higher base knockback in general, makes true combos more prevalent, but also more difficult to pull off.
*[[Neutral attack]]s that previously ended in an indefinite number of weak hits (such as Fox's and Kirby's) will now "always transition into a finishing move", making such moves safer to use (as simply ending the move no longer leaves the opponent nearby).<ref>https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAABnUYnly14CnA</ref> Rapid jabs can still be held indefinitely, but the user will be pushed back if they land too many hits on one opponent, making infinite combos against walls impossible.
*Holding the right control stick (C-Stick on GameCube controller) in a direction will now charge smash attacks until the stick is released.
*It appears that pummeling has been sped up dramatically.
*The mechanics of grabbing [[ledge]]s underwent an unprecedented overhaul<ref>https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAABnUYngiZ2EwA</ref>. The difference between fast and slow edge options based on current damage has been removed, the length of [[intangibility]] given by grabbing the ledge is now affected by air time and current damage. Additionally, attempting to grab a ledge that someone else has grabbed onto will gently remove them from it and "steal" the ledge, effectively removing [[edge-hogging]].
*[[Tether recoveries]] have been buffed, with their reach being improved. In addition, multiple tethers can grab onto the same edge at once, making such moves less susceptible to edgehogging, though "who actually grabs hold is determined by the same rules as the standard ledge grab".{{fact}} Any character whose sole recovery move was a tether has received a different recovery move instead, making it so that no character is forced to rely on a tether to recover.
*[[Final Smashes]] have been nerfed significantly in both damage and knockback to balance the game. This difference is most notable with Trapping/Transformation Final Smashes (i.e. Triforce Slash, Super Sonic, Great Aether). Directional Final Smashes, however, still retain most of their strength. (i.e. Light Arrow, Dark Pit Staff, Critical Hit)
*[[Star KO]]s and [[Screen KO]]s now do not always occur when a character is KO'd over the top [[blast line]]; in addition, the Screen KO animation has been lengthened to last the same amount of time as the Star KO animation. Additionally, they no longer occur near the end of a [[time]]d match or [[Sudden Death]]; being instead replaced by regular blast KOs.
*[[Swimming]] has been removed in the ''3DS'' version, but returns in the ''Wii U'' version.
*The special moves for characters can be modified using a new [[moveset customization]] feature. The customization go beyond simple damage and knockback altering, with the moves' functions and aesthetics being able to be completely revamped.
*The ''Wii U'' version is compatible with a set of [[amiibo]] figurines utilizing the Wii U GamePad and [[wikipedia:near field communication|near field communication (NFC)]]. By using their respective figurine, players can give a character custom moves and level them up to level 50. An update on February 10, 2015 added amiibo support on the ''3DS'' version.  
*In the ''3DS version'', paths can be chosen by the player in Classic Mode. Different CPU-opponents appear on different paths, with some paths being marked as easier or harder than others; harder paths grant the player more rewards.
*In All-Star Mode, the order of characters fought is now based upon the character's personal first appearance.
**All-Star Mode is also now available from the start of the game, unlike ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'', where it had to be unlocked by unlocking every character.
*[[Rage]] implemented; this increases the player's [[knockback]] dealt when at high damage percentages, starting from 50% at caps at 150%. The rage effect is made more visible after 100%, as characters begin emitting steam and flashing red.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZPxLLaL4N8 The "Rage Effect"]</ref>
*If a character runs off an edge and takes no action before landing on another platform, they will immediately continue running once they hit the ground. This is accompanied by a new "rolling" animation as they run off edges.
*When a Shooting Type item ([[Ray Gun]], [[Super Scope]], etc.) runs out of ammo, the player can press the attack button again to immediately dispose of the item, as opposed to previous games where they had to press the grab button to let go, and pressing the attack button would result in them replicating the motion of using the weapon though nothing would come out.
*[[Meteor Smash|Meteor cancelling]] has been removed, effectively making every meteor smash into a [[spike]]. This increases the kill potential of meteor smashes when offstage.
*When an airborne character is hit by a meteor smash that sends them down onto the stage, that character will now bounce back up into the air instead of just landing on the stage as in previous games. However if a character [[tech|techs]] before hitting the ground, they will no longer bounce up and will just tech the move.


===Aesthetic and sound changes===
===Aesthetic and sound changes===
{{ImageCaption|File:Sudden death.PNG|File:Sudden Death (Super Smash Bros. for Wii U).jpg|width1=x150px|width2=x150px|align=right|caption=The aesthetic changes between ''Brawl'' and ''Smash Wii U''}}
{{ImageCaption|File:Sudden Death (SSBB).PNG|File:Sudden Death (Super Smash Bros. for Wii U).jpg|width1=x150px|width2=x150px|align=right|caption=The aesthetic changes between ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4'' when [[Sudden Death]] is about to begin.}}
*In general, the game is much more stylized and visually intense than previous entries, with the colors being bolder and brighter, sound effects being more cartoonish (though generally quieter) and many elements having been redone to stand out more.
*In general, the game is much more stylized and visually intense than previous entries, with the colors being bolder and brighter, sound effects being more cartoonish (though generally quieter) and many elements having been redone to stand out more.
*The characters' design styles are more distinct from each other and more in-line with their home series, in contrast to ''Brawl'' which gave the characters a more unified realistic look. For example, characters from cartoony franchises such as the ''{{uv|Mario}}'' and ''{{uv|Kirby}}'' series are much closer to their native styles, while those from more realistic-looking franchises such as ''{{uv|The Legend of Zelda}}'' and ''{{uv|Metroid}}'' series maintain more realistic appearances.
*The characters' design styles are more distinct from each other and more in-line with their home series, in contrast to ''Brawl'' which gave the characters a more unified realistic look. For example, characters from cartoony franchises such as the {{uv|Mario}} and {{uv|Kirby}} series are much closer to their native styles, while those from more realistic-looking franchises such as {{uv|The Legend of Zelda}} (with the exception of Toon Link) and {{uv|Metroid}} series maintain more realistic appearances.
*Some characters will always stand facing the screen regardless of which direction they face, with the intent of having them face the screen more often.
*Some characters will always stand to face the screen regardless of which direction they turn, with the intent of having them face the screen more often.
**This applies to movement and attack animations as well, often involving them mirroring their stance and attacks. Due to this, there is a possibility that some attacks may behave slightly differently when they interact with each other from different directions. For example, if such an "ambidextrous" character and another character that does not use this feature attack each other, the attacks may clang in a different location or even connect with the opponent differently depending on what direction the two characters are facing.
*[[Damage]] percentage numbers now rise through yellow shades before turning red. In the Wii U version, the numbers are also displayed with a metallic gradient.
*[[Damage]] percentage now rises through yellow shades before turning red in both versions, and are now displayed with a metallic gradient on the ''Wii U'' version, with the ''3DS'' version getting flat numbers.
*Several visual effects are significantly bolder and brighter:
*Several visual effects are significantly bolder and brighter:
**Attacks' visual effects (such as motion blurs) are in general more pronounced, with bright saturated blurs replacing the previous game's subtle ones.
**Attacks' visual effects (such as motion blurs) are in general more pronounced, with bright saturated blurs replacing the previous game's subtle ones.
**Smoke trails of hit characters are now thick trails of light, colored according to which player would be credited with a potential [[KO]]. Should the KO occur, the attacker will flash with an aura of their own color.
**Most spherical, energy-based projectiles (such as [[Charge Shot]], [[Aura Sphere]] and [[Shadow Ball]]) now appear less smoothly designed and significantly spikier, alongside being more visually intense.
**The design of KOs themselves closely resembles those in ''Brawl'', but the soundbite sounds much more like an actual explosion now.
**Many attacks have bright motion trails, making their range more obvious.
**Hits that deal enough knockback to KO the character before they can act afterwards produce a red-and-black lightning effect on contact.
***In the case of sword swings, most produce "afterimages" instead of being a solid blur of color, while characters with notable sweetspots (such as {{SSB4|Marth}} and {{SSB4|Roy}}) have trails that glow brightly at their sweetspots to emphasize them.
*Certain items such as the [[Bumper]] and [[Home-Run Bat]] have been given new, more striking designs. The Home-Run Bat, for example, is more ornate and is now colored to match the new high-knockback lightning effect.
**Smoke trails of struck characters are now thick trails of light, which become more prominent with higher amounts of knockback and are colored according to which player would be credited with a potential [[KO]]. Should the KO occur, the attacker will flash with an aura of their own color.
***In the Wii U version, the attacker's damage meter will also show a brief burst of flame when a KO occurs.
*[[Screen KO]]s have a new animation in which a fighter flies towards the screen and hits it face-first, staying in place briefly before sliding down. The overall animation has been lengthened to last a few frames longer than the Star KO animation.
**The victim no longer uses their light knockback voice clip when colliding with the screen, being replaced by a sound effect.
*The echo effect used for [[Final Smash]]es, [[Star KO]]s and the [[announcer]], {{SSB4|Master Hand}} and {{SSB4|Crazy Hand}}'s voice clips are smoother (with the exception of male {{SSB4|Wii Fit Trainer}} when using {{b|Wii Fit|Final Smash}}), in contrast to ''Brawl'' where they had a heavy reverberating effect.  
*A new visual effect is introduced, referred to as '''Deadly Blow''' by the game; hits that deal enough knockback to KO the character before they can act produce a red-and-black lightning effect during hitlag if they are close enough to the blast line. However, the effect is not always consistent, as it does not factor in DI or other obstructions, and does not always appear at an attack's minimum KO threshold. Attacks that cause [[frozen|freezing]] never produce the visual effect, instead, the screen briefly flashes white. Meteor smashes do not produce it until high percentages.
*Certain items such as the [[Bumper]] and [[Home-Run Bat]] have been given new, more striking designs. For example, the Home-Run Bat is more ornate and is now colored to match the new high-knockback lightning effect.
*A successful meteor smash that deals high [[knockback]] will play a distinct sound effect.
*Characters now have team colored outlines in [[Team Battle]]s, and can select a color normally.
*Characters now have team colored outlines in [[Team Battle]]s, and can select a color normally.
*[[Revival platform]]s now have a section that changes color based on the remaining time left before the platform disappears. This section starts out yellow before fading between orange and then turning red before disappearing.
*[[Revival platform]]s now have a section that changes color based on the time remaining before the platform disappears. This section starts out yellow before fading between orange and then turning red before disappearing.
*Characters with over 100% of damage now emit steam, presumably to make their vulnerability more clear. They also flash red, which is not very noticeable at 100%, but intensifies as their damage raises.
*Characters with over 100% of damage now flash red and emit steam, as part of the new [[rage]] game mechanic. The effect intensifies as their damage raises.
*In the ''3DS'' version, players can tap on a character's icon on the bottom screen to place a marker on that character on the top screen, in order to more easily follow their movements.
*In the 3DS version, players can tap on a character's icon on the bottom screen to place a marker on that character on the top screen, in order to more easily follow their movements.
*[[Magic]] and [[PK]] attacks no longer have [[electric]]al properties and produce sparkle sounds if they hit.
*[[Magic]] and [[PK]] attacks no longer have [[electric]]al properties and produce sparkle sounds if they hit.
*Victory scenes seem to be a cross between all of the previous three games. Like in ''Smash 64'', the screen has different animations that transition to the scene, instead of just cutting to it, while only the winner is shown in the main area like in ''Melee'', with the others applauding in small windows on the screen on the Wii U version. However, instead of a featureless black screen, the winner's area is an environment similar to that in ''Brawl''’s [[victory screen]]. Additionally, after the winner has been announced and the [[victory theme]] has finished playing, a remix of the character selection music from ''Smash 64'' is played.
*Victory scenes seem to be a cross between all of the previous three games. Like in ''Smash 64'', the screen has different animations that transition to the scene, instead of just cutting to it, while only the winner is shown in the main area like in ''Melee'', with the others applauding in small windows on the screen on the Wii U version. However, instead of a featureless black screen, the winner's area is an environment similar to that in ''Brawl''’s [[victory screen]]. Additionally, after the winner has been announced and the [[victory theme]] has finished playing, a remix of the character select music from ''Smash 64'' will play (with the exception of {{SSB4|Cloud}}, as his victory theme loops rather than finishing).
*[[Screen KO]]s now feature characters hitting the screen and staying there ("splatting") for a moment before sliding off, whereas in preceding games, they either simply bumped into the screen and kept falling at their initial speed, or tumbled in front of the screen without hitting it.
*The Stock Icons for Stock Matches are now akin to those in ''Melee'', in which they appeared as the character's head, as opposed to ''Brawl'', where they were merely small circles colored depending on the player. Additionally, the stock icons are placed below the HUD that contains the character's damage percentage rather than on it.
*The Stock Icons for Stock Matches are now akin to those in ''Melee'', in which they appeared as the character's head, as opposed to ''Brawl'', where they were merely small circles colored depending on the player. Additionally, the stock icons are placed below the HUD that contains the character's damage percentage rather than on it.
*Assist trophies and Poké Ball Pokémon now come with a marker above them, in order to indicate which player activated them.
*Assist trophies and Poké Ball Pokémon now come with a marker above them, in order to indicate which player summoned them.
**Additionally, certain items come with white triangular markers above them to make them more noticeable, like in ''SSB''.
**Additionally, certain items come with white triangular markers above them to make them more noticeable, like in ''SSB64''.
*Some of the more realistic sound effects from ''Brawl'' have been eschewed in favor of sound effects which are inspired by the characters' home franchises, such as the one that plays when Kirby uses [[Inhale]], or the one that plays when {{SSB4|Mario}} takes a hit.
*Some of the more realistic sound effects from ''Brawl'' have been eschewed in favor of sound effects which are inspired by the characters' home franchises, such as the one that plays when Kirby uses {{b|Inhale|Kirby}}.
*Like in the previous games, each character has a voice clip for whenever they take a fair amount of knockback. Though now, it plays right as they receive the blow, like in ''SSB'' and ''Melee'', rather than during the knockback itself, like in ''Brawl''. In ''Smash 4'', damage noises are no longer based purely on the amount of knockback taken, unlike in ''SSB64'' and ''Melee'', where characters had damage noises for medium damage and hard damage specifically. This means that certain attacks and items that repeatedly launch the character can make them repeat the voice clips constantly, such as the [[Drill (item)|Drill]].
*Like in the previous games, each character has a voice clip for whenever they take a fair amount of knockback. Though now, it plays right as they receive the blow, like in the original ''Super Smash Bros.'' and ''Melee'', and not during the knockback itself, like in ''Brawl''. In ''SSB4'', damage noises are no longer based purely on the amount of knockback taken, unlike in ''SSB64'' and ''Melee'', where characters had damage noises for medium damage and hard damage specifically. This means that certain attacks and items that repeatedly launch the character can make them repeat the voice clips constantly, such as the [[Drill]].
*Most flash/tint effects (such as flashing white while invincible) do not display while the game is paused.
*Most flash/tint effects (such as flashing white while invincible) do not display while the game is paused.
*Formerly a [[Beta elements (SSBB)|beta element]] of ''Brawl'', visual battle damage is in the final release of the ''Wii U'' version. This includes {{SSB4|Meta Knight}}'s mask and shoulder armor becoming cracked and chipped over the course of the battle (similar to some beta images found in ''Brawl''), as well as bandages and bruises appearing on {{SSB4|Little Mac}}'s head like in his appearance in the Wii version of ''{{Iw|wikipedia|Punch-Out!!|Wii}}''.
*On the Wii U version, most stages have constant subtle ambient noise in the background, such as wind (Onett and Mushroom Kingdom U) or animal sounds (Kongo Jungle 64). This is a new addition to most returning stages.
*On the ''Wii U'' version, most stages have constant subtle ambient noise in the background, such as wind (Onett and Mushroom Kingdom U) or animal sounds (Kongo Jungle 64). This is an addition for most returning stages.
*Many characters are much more expressive than in ''Brawl''; for example, Wario now scowls when performing an attack, and in the Wii U version, Wario's mustache and eyebrows now stretch and grow to fit the situation.
*Many characters are much more expressive than in ''Brawl''; for example, Wario now scowls when performing an attack or in the Wii U version, Wario's mustache and eyebrows now stretch and grow to fit the situation.
**Each character's expressions are different between versions, mainly due to processor limitations on the 3DS version. An example can be seen during victory scenes: for example, if Marth were to win a match, he would keep a serious face on ''for Nintendo 3DS'', while he would slightly smile and look at the screen on ''for Wii U''.
 
===Item changes===
*Fighters under the effects of a Timer will be shown with a swirling graphical effect.
*Pressing the attack button on a shooting item with no ammunition now has the fighter throw it instead of firing an empty shot.


==Console differences==
==Console differences==
{{main|Cross-platform comparison of Super Smash Bros. 4}}
{{main|Cross-platform comparison of Super Smash Bros. 4}}
The Wii U and 3DS versions of the game were shown to have distinct art styles from one another in that the 3DS version uses flatter shading and optional black outlines to make characters easier to see at a distance, a graphical style reminiscent of other 3DS games such as ''Fire Emblem: Awakening'' and ''Pokémon X/Y''. These outlines are customizable as Sakurai stated players can change the size of the outlines or get rid of them completely. As stated before, many of the stages are version specific, with the 3DS version having more stages based on handheld console games, and the Wii U having more stages based on home console games.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQD1yJinzeQ Nintendo's YouTube channel: "Wii U & Nintendo 3DS Developer Direct - Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U @E3 2013"]</ref> There is no cross-platform gameplay between the Wii U and 3DS versions due to the exclusive stages to each version<ref>[http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/wii-u-and-3ds-smash-bros-will-not-have-cross-platform-play-wil/ Joystiq: "No cross-platform play for Smash Bros on 3DS and Wii U"]</ref>; however, one can create customised fighters in the 3DS version using the [[character customization]] feature and send them to the Wii U version. In addition to this, by connecting the two games, the 3DS can be used as a controller on the Wii U version; this, however, cannot work vice versa.
The Wii U and 3DS versions of the game were shown to have distinct art styles from one another in that the 3DS version uses flatter shading and optional black outlines to make characters easier to see at a distance, a graphical style reminiscent of other 3DS games such as ''Fire Emblem Awakening'' and ''Pokémon X & Y''. These outlines are customizable as Sakurai stated players can change the size of the outlines or get rid of them completely. As stated before, many of the stages are version specific, with the 3DS version having more stages based on handheld console games, and the Wii U having more stages based on home console games.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQD1yJinzeQ Nintendo's YouTube channel: "Wii U & Nintendo 3DS Developer Direct - Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U @E3 2013"]</ref> There is no cross-platform gameplay between the Wii U and 3DS versions due to the exclusive stages to each version;<ref>[http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/wii-u-and-3ds-smash-bros-will-not-have-cross-platform-play-wil/ Joystiq: "No cross-platform play for Smash Bros on 3DS and Wii U"]</ref> however, one can create customized fighters in the 3DS version using the character customization feature and send them to the Wii U version. In addition to this, by connecting the two games (or using [[Smash Controller|a special downloadable application]]), the 3DS can be used as a controller on the Wii U version. However, this doesn't apply vice-versa, as none of the Wii U's peripherals can act as a controller on 3DS hardware.


In the 3DS version, there is up to the usual amount of fighters on one stage, with four. However, the Wii U version features up to eight players at once, though this is limited to a very small selection of the stages.
As in previous entries in the series, both versions allow for up to four fighters to battle simultaneously on any stage; however, in a series first, the Wii U version also allows for up to eight players at once on a limited selection of stages.


[[Trophies]] are different between the two versions, with the trophies in the 3DS version being mainly from handheld games, while the trophies in the Wii U being primarily from console games.<ref>http://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAADRUqFpGGYsgQ</ref>
[[Trophies]] are different between the two versions, with the trophies in the 3DS version being mainly from handheld games, while the trophies in the Wii U being primarily from console games.<ref>http://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAADRUqFpGGYsgQ</ref>


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


==Reception==
==Reception==
The 3DS version mainly received positive reviews, with a current rating of 85/100 on Metacritic<ref>http://www.metacritic.com/game/3ds/super-smash-bros-for-nintendo-3ds</ref> and 86% on GameRankings<ref>http://www.gamerankings.com/3ds/632937-super-smash-bros-for-nintendo-3ds/index.html</ref>. The game has been praised for its large and diverse character roster, its improvements to game mechanics, and its variety of multiplayer options. Some criticisms include a lack of single player modes and issues concerning the 3DS hardware, such as the size of characters on the smaller screen when zoomed out and latency issues during both local and online multiplayer. There were also reports of players damaging their 3DS Circle Pads while playing the game excessively, and to an extent the circle pad can easily fall off. The 3DS version sold over a million copies in its first weekend on sale in Japan, and had sold more than 3.22 million copies worldwide as of October 2014. The 3DS version was nominated for both [http://thegameawards.com/nominees/ "Best Fighting Game" and "Best Handheld/Mobile Game"] at the 2014 Video Game Awards, but lost to the Wii U version and [http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/en/ Blizzard's ''Hearthstone''], respectively.
The 3DS version received positive reviews, with a current rating of 85/100 on Metacritic<ref>http://www.metacritic.com/game/3ds/super-smash-bros-for-nintendo-3ds</ref> and 86.1% on GameRankings.<ref>http://www.gamerankings.com/3ds/632937-super-smash-bros-for-nintendo-3ds/index.html</ref> The game has been praised for its large and diverse character roster, its improvements to game mechanics, and its variety of multiplayer options. Some criticisms include a lack of single player modes and issues concerning the 3DS hardware, such as the size of characters on the smaller screen when zoomed out and latency issues during both local and online multiplayer. There were also reports of players damaging their 3DS Circle Pads while playing the game excessively, and to an extent, the circle pad can easily fall off. The 3DS version sold over a million copies in its first weekend on sale in Japan and had sold more than 9.65 million copies worldwide as of March 31, 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/3ds.html|title=IR Information:Top Selling Nintendo 3DS Title Sales Unit|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=2023-07-05}}</ref> The 3DS version was nominated for both Best Fighting Game and Best Handheld/Mobile Game at {{s|wikipedia|The Game Awards 2014}}, but lost to the Wii U version and {{s|wikipedia|Blizzard Entertainment}}'s ''[[wikipedia:Hearthstone|Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft]]'', respectively.


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


Among [[competitive play]]ers, ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is widely considered a superior game to ''Brawl''. This in large part due to the removal of unpopular ''Brawl'' mechanics such as [[hitstun]] canceling and random [[tripping]]. Other perceived improvements include the generally faster gameplay and seemingly better balance between characters. As such, ''SSB4'' is popular with competitive ''Brawl'' players as well as newcomers to the tournament scene. However, because ''SSB4'' remains a slower, less [[technical skill|technical]] and less offense-oriented game than ''[[Melee]]'', many competitive players maintain that the latter is the better game. Indeed, the release of ''SSB4'' has had little effect on ''Melee'''s tournament scene, which continues to thrive unabated.
''Super Smash Bros. 4'' won "favorite video game" at the 2016 People's Choice Awards. As of February 2016, the Wii U version is the 5th best selling Wii U game, whereas the 3DS version is the 7th best selling Nintendo 3DS game.


==Trailers==
==Trailers==
{| border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="15" align="center" width="100%"
| valign="top" width="50%"|
===E3 2013===
===E3 2013===
<center><youtube>xvudMu-5kIU</youtube></center>
{{#widget:YouTube|id=xvudMu-5kIU}}
| valign="top" width="50%"|
 
===E3 2014===
===E3 2014===
<center><youtube>oRq5bz6ZNYU</youtube></center>
{{#widget:YouTube|id=oRq5bz6ZNYU}}
|}
 


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
Line 179: Line 257:
CompleteSmashWiiUBoxArt.jpg|Complete Wii U version group artwork.
CompleteSmashWiiUBoxArt.jpg|Complete Wii U version group artwork.
MiiverseSmash.jpg|Miiverse Community image.
MiiverseSmash.jpg|Miiverse Community image.
Smash3DSTitle1.1.7.jpg|3DS version title screen.
SmashWiiUTitle1.1.7.jpg|Wii U version title screen.
DamageMeterSSB4.jpg|A three-way battle.
DamageMeterSSB4.jpg|A three-way battle.
SSB4 daily image 26-07-2013.jpg|New KO ownership trails.
SSB4 daily image 26-07-2013.jpg|New KO ownership trails.
Fox and Toon Link "Strong Blow" Effect.jpeg|An image showing the new visual indication of an especially powerful blow.
Fox and Toon Link "Strong Blow" Effect.jpeg|An image showing the new visual indication of an especially powerful blow.
Smash 4 - Fox's finishing jab.jpeg|The "finishing move" of Fox's consecutive jab.
Smash 4 - Fox's finishing jab.jpeg|The "finishing move" of Fox's consecutive jab.
Smash4 - First Three New Characters.jpg|The first three confirmed newcomers
Smash4 - First Three New Characters.jpg|The first three confirmed newcomers.
SSB4 3DS outline comparison.jpg|The difference between outlines being set off and on in the 3DS version.
SSB4 3DS outline comparison.jpg|The difference between outlines being set off and on in the 3DS version.
SSB4 - Team Outlines.jpg|The new Team Battle outlines.
SSB4 - Team Outlines.jpg|The new Team Battle outlines.
Line 193: Line 273:
Mega Man Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Mega Man.
Mega Man Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Mega Man.
Wii Fit Trainer Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Wii Fit Trainer.
Wii Fit Trainer Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Wii Fit Trainer.
Rosalina Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Rosalina.
Rosalina Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Rosalina & Luma.
Little Mac Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Little Mac.
Little Mac Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Little Mac.
Greninja Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Greninja.
Greninja Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Greninja.
Line 202: Line 282:
Bowser_Jr_Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Bowser Jr.
Bowser_Jr_Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Bowser Jr.
Duck Hunt poster.jpg|Official illustration of Duck Hunt.
Duck Hunt poster.jpg|Official illustration of Duck Hunt.
Ryu Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Ryu.
Cloud poster.jpg|Official illustration of Cloud.
Corrin poster.jpg|Official illustration of Corrin.
Bayonetta poster.jpg|Official illustration of Bayonetta.
Zero Suit Samus Zeroes In.png|Splash art of Zero Suit Samus.
Sheik Appears on the Scene.png|Splash art of Sheik.
Yoshi Rolls into Battle.png|Splash art of Yoshi.
Charizard Fires It Up.png|Splash art of Charizard.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Villager.png|Splash art of Villager.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Villager.png|Splash art of Villager.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Mega Man.png|Splash art of Mega Man.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Mega Man.png|Splash art of Mega Man.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Wii Fit Trainer.png|Splash art of Wii Fit Trainer.
SSB4_WiiFitTrainerNoBoard_SplashArt.png|Splash art of Wii Fit Trainer.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Rosalina.png|Splash art of Rosalina & Luma.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Rosalina.png|Splash art of Rosalina & Luma.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Little Mac.png|Splash art of Little Mac.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Little Mac.png|Splash art of Little Mac.
Line 213: Line 301:
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Robin.png|Splash art of Robin.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Robin.png|Splash art of Robin.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Shulk.png|Splash art of Shulk.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Shulk.png|Splash art of Shulk.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Bowser Jr..PNG|Splash art of Bowser Jr..
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Bowser Jr..PNG|Splash art of Bowser Jr.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Duck Hunt.jpg|Splash art of Duck Hunt.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Duck Hunt.jpg|Splash art of Duck Hunt.
Mewtwoisontheway.png|Mewtwo teaser.
SSB4 Fighter Introduction Mewtwo.png|Splash art of Mewtwo.
SSB4 Lucas SplashArt.jpg|Splash art of Lucas.
SSB4 Roy SplashArt.png|Splash art of Roy.
SSB4 Ryu SplashArt.png|Splash art of Ryu.
SSB4 CloudSplashArt.png|Splash art of Cloud.
SSB4 Corrin SplashArt.png|Splash art of Corrin.
SSB4 Bayonetta SplashArt.png|Splash art of Bayonetta.
Lincoln ssb4.png|Splash art of a Mii Gunner, based on {{Iw|wikipedia|Abraham Lincoln}}.
Lincoln ssb4.png|Splash art of a Mii Gunner, based on {{Iw|wikipedia|Abraham Lincoln}}.
Elijah wood ssb4.png|Splash art of a Mii Swordfighter, based on {{Iw|wikipedia|Elijah Wood}}.
Elijah wood ssb4.png|Splash art of a Mii Swordfighter, based on {{Iw|wikipedia|Elijah Wood}}.
Line 222: Line 318:
SSB4 - AKB48 Intro 02.jpg|Japanese splash art of a Mii Swordfighter, based on {{Iw|wikipedia|Yuki Kashiwagi}} of AKB48.
SSB4 - AKB48 Intro 02.jpg|Japanese splash art of a Mii Swordfighter, based on {{Iw|wikipedia|Yuki Kashiwagi}} of AKB48.
SSB4 - AKB48 Intro 03.jpg|Japanese splash art of a Mii Gunner, based on {{Iw|wikipedia|Minami Takahashi}} of AKB48.
SSB4 - AKB48 Intro 03.jpg|Japanese splash art of a Mii Gunner, based on {{Iw|wikipedia|Minami Takahashi}} of AKB48.
Zero Suit Samus Zeroes In.png|Splash art of Zero Suit Samus.
SSB4 Geno SplashArt.png|Splash art of the [[Geno]] Mii Gunner costume.
Sheik Appears on the Scene.png|Splash art of Sheik.
SSB4 Cast AKB48trailer.png|Characters from the {{Iw|wikipedia|AKB48}} trailer.
Yoshi Rolls into Battle.png|Splash art of Yoshi.
Charizard Fires It Up.png|Splash art of Charizard.
Mewtwoisontheway.png|Mewtwo teaser.
SSB4 Fighter Introduction Mewtwo.png|Splash art of Mewtwo.
SSB4 Lucas SplashArt.jpg|Splash art of Lucas.
SSB4 Cast AKB48trailer.png|Characters from the {{Iw|wikipedia|AKB48}} Trailer.
</gallery>
</gallery>


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is the first ''Smash'' game since [[Super Smash Bros.|the original]] to receive an ESRB rating lower than "T". It is also the first in the series to be called out for "Suggestive Themes".
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' introduces the [[Mii Fighter]]s, making it the first game in the series to have normally playable characters representing the ''Super Smash Bros.'' universe.
*Indirectly, this is the second collaboration between [[Namco Bandai]], [[Capcom]], and [[Sega]], the first being ''{{s|wikipedia|Project X Zone}}''.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is the only game in the series to:
**Coincidentally, one of ''Project X Zone'''s developers, [[Monolith Soft]], was [[Shulk (SSB4)|also involved]] in ''SSB4''.
**Not feature a form of bonus game in the 1P Game/Classic Mode.
**Cut all playable characters within a universe, cutting both the [[Ice Climbers]] and [[Snake]], from ''Ice Climber'' and ''Metal Gear'', respectively.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' introduces 10 new universes with playable characters, tied with [[Super Smash Bros.|the first game]] and [[Ultimate]] for the most of any entry in the ''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' series.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' marks the first time in the series where long-running veterans [[Luigi]] and [[Marth]] are starter characters. [[Jigglypuff]] and [[Ganondorf]] also have this distinction, though only in the Wii U version.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' marks the first ever playable appearance for [[Wii Fit Trainer]], [[Palutena]], and the [[Duck Hunt]] dog.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is the second collaboration between [[Bandai Namco]], [[Capcom]], and [[Sega]], the first being ''{{s|wikipedia|Project X Zone}}'' and the third being its sequel ''{{s|wikipedia|Project X Zone 2}}''. One of ''Project X Zone''{{'}}s co-developers, [[Monolith Soft]], was involved in ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4''.
**{{SSB4|Ryu}} from the ''Street Fighter'' series, [[X (Mega Man)|X]] and [[Zero (Mega Man)|Zero]] from the ''Mega Man'' series, [[Akira Yuki]] from the ''Virtua Fighter'' series, and [[Heihachi Mishima]] from the ''Tekken'' series, all appear in both ''Project X Zone'' and ''Project X Zone 2''.
**[[Lucina]], [[Chrom]] and [[Tiki]] from ''Fire Emblem '' series and [[Fiora]] and [[Metal Face]] from ''Xenoblade Chronicles'', appeared in ''Project X Zone 2''.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is the first game in the series to receive "E10+" ESRB rating and a "Mild Suggestive Themes" content descriptor.
*The 3DS version was released in South Korea while the Wii U version wasn't, as the Wii U console was never officially released in South Korea.


==References==
==References==
Line 241: Line 340:


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.smashbros.com/ Official site], [http://www.smashbros.com/us/dlc/index.html Official DLC site]
*[http://www.smashbros.com/wiiu-3ds/ Official site]
**[https://cp.nintendo.co.jp/us/ Official DLC Character Request Site]
*[https://miiverse.nintendo.net/titles/14866558073037299863/14866558073037300685 The "Director's Room", Sakurai's Miiverse community]
*[https://miiverse.nintendo.net/titles/14866558073037299863/14866558073037300685 The "Director's Room", Sakurai's Miiverse community]


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[[Category:Super Smash Bros. series]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. series]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. universe]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. universe]]
[[es:Super Smash Bros. para Nintendo 3DS y Wii U]]

Latest revision as of 05:58, October 31, 2024

SETTLE IT IN SMASH!
—North American commercial
Super Smash Bros. 4
(unofficial title)
SSB4 Logo.png
Collective logo for the game.
Developer(s) Bandai Namco
Sora Ltd.
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Designer(s) Masahiro Sakurai
Engine Havok
Released Nintendo 3DS
September 13, 2014 Japan
October 2, 2014 Germany
October 3, 2014 North America Europe
October 4, 2014 Australia
July 24, 2015 Hong Kong Taiwan
September 10, 2015 South Korea

Wii U
November 21, 2014 North America
November 28, 2014 Europe
November 28, 2014 South Africa
November 29, 2014 Australia
December 6, 2014 Japan

Genre(s) Fighting
Platforming
Mode(s) Single player, Multiplayer, Online multiplayer
Ratings CERO: A
ESRB: E10+[1]
OFLC: PG[2]
PEGI: 12+
Platform(s) Wii U, Nintendo 3DS

Super Smash Bros. 4 (also referred to by shorthands such as Smash 4, SSB4, for (スマブラfor), or more informally Sm4sh, and officially as Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U) is a term used to collectively refer to Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, two games in the Super Smash Bros. series created by Bandai Namco[3] and Sora Ltd. Masahiro Sakurai stated in an interview with Kotaku that he considers the 3DS version the fourth installment and the Wii U version the fifth installment. The games feature mostly identical gameplay, but with several differences in other areas. The 3DS version is the first game of the series to be released on a handheld console.

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

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

Both versions have received positive reviews; critics applauded the fine-tuning of existing gameplay elements but criticized some issues with online play.

Opening movie[edit]

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

Fighters[edit]

The character selection screen of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (with all of the characters unlocked and all DLC characters purchased).
The first page of the character selection screen of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (with all non-DLC characters unlocked after purchasing all DLC characters).
The second page of the character selection screen of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (with all DLC characters purchased).

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

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

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

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

Sonic the Hedgehog returns as a third-party character, now joined by Mega Man and Pac-Man, as well as Ryu, Cloud Strife, and Bayonetta through DLC.

Veterans (37)
Mario (SSB4)
Mario
Mario (universe)
Luigi (SSB4)
Luigi
Mario (universe)
Peach (SSB4)
Peach
Mario (universe)
Bowser (SSB4)
Bowser
Mario (universe)
Dr. Mario (SSB4)
Dr. Mario
Mario (universe)
Yoshi (SSB4)
Yoshi
Yoshi (universe)
Donkey Kong (SSB4)
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong (universe)
Diddy Kong (SSB4)
Diddy Kong
Donkey Kong (universe)
Link (SSB4)
Link
The Legend of Zelda (universe)
Zelda (SSB4)
Zelda
The Legend of Zelda (universe)
Sheik (SSB4)
Sheik
The Legend of Zelda (universe)
Ganondorf (SSB4)
Ganondorf
The Legend of Zelda (universe)
Toon Link (SSB4)
Toon Link
The Legend of Zelda (universe)
Samus (SSB4)
Samus
Metroid (universe)
Zero Suit Samus (SSB4)
Zero Suit Samus
Metroid (universe)
Kirby (SSB4)
Kirby
Kirby (universe)
Meta Knight (SSB4)
Meta Knight
Kirby (universe)
King Dedede (SSB4)
King Dedede
Kirby (universe)
Fox (SSB4)
Fox
Star Fox (universe)
Falco (SSB4)
Falco
Star Fox (universe)
Pikachu (SSB4)
Pikachu
Pokémon (universe)
Jigglypuff (SSB4)
Jigglypuff
Pokémon (universe)
Mewtwo (SSB4)
Mewtwo (DLC)
Pokémon (universe)
Charizard (SSB4)
Charizard
Pokémon (universe)
Lucario (SSB4)
Lucario
Pokémon (universe)
Captain Falcon (SSB4)
Captain Falcon
F-Zero (universe)
Ness (SSB4)
Ness
EarthBound (universe)
Lucas (SSB4)
Lucas (DLC)
EarthBound (universe)
Marth (SSB4)
Marth
Fire Emblem (universe)
Roy (SSB4)
Roy (DLC)
Fire Emblem (universe)
Ike (SSB4)
Ike
Fire Emblem (universe)
Mr. Game & Watch (SSB4)
Mr. Game & Watch
Game & Watch (universe)
Pit (SSB4)
Pit
Kid Icarus (universe)
Wario (SSB4)
Wario
Wario (universe)
Olimar (SSB4)
Olimar
Pikmin (universe)
R.O.B. (SSB4)
R.O.B.
R.O.B. (universe)
Sonic (SSB4)
Sonic
Sonic the Hedgehog (universe)
Newcomers (21)
Rosalina & Luma (SSB4)
Rosalina & Luma
Mario (universe)
Bowser Jr. (SSB4)
Bowser Jr.
Mario (universe)
Greninja (SSB4)
Greninja
Pokémon (universe)
Robin (SSB4)
Robin
Fire Emblem (universe)
Lucina (SSB4)
Lucina
Fire Emblem (universe)
Corrin (SSB4)
Corrin (DLC)
Fire Emblem (universe)
Palutena (SSB4)
Palutena
Kid Icarus (universe)
Dark Pit (SSB4)
Dark Pit
Kid Icarus (universe)
Villager (SSB4)
Villager
Animal Crossing (universe)
Wii Fit Trainer (SSB4)
Wii Fit Trainer
Wii Fit (universe)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac
Punch-Out!! (universe)
Shulk (SSB4)
Shulk
Xenoblade Chronicles (universe)
Duck Hunt (SSB4)
Duck Hunt
Duck Hunt (universe)
Mega Man (SSB4)
Mega Man
Mega Man (universe)
Pac-Man (SSB4)
Pac-Man
Pac-Man (universe)
Ryu (SSB4)
Ryu (DLC)
Street Fighter (universe)
Cloud (SSB4)
Cloud (DLC)
Final Fantasy (universe)
Bayonetta (SSB4)
Bayonetta (DLC)
Bayonetta (universe)
Mii Brawler (SSB4)
Mii Brawler
Super Smash Bros. (universe)
Mii Swordfighter (SSB4)
Mii Swordfighter
Super Smash Bros. (universe)
Mii Gunner (SSB4)
Mii Gunner
Super Smash Bros. (universe)

Bold denotes unlockable characters in both versions.
Bolded italics denote unlockable characters in the 3DS version only.

Stages[edit]

The normal stage selection screen in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
The normal stage selection screen in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
The extra stage selection screen in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
The extra selection screen in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

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

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

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

The Wii U version also has an option to create custom stages with the Stage Builder.

3DS version[edit]

New stages (30)
Battlefield (SSB4)
Battlefield
Super Smash Bros. (universe)
Final Destination
Final Destination
Super Smash Bros. (universe)
3D Land
3D Land
Mario (universe)
Golden Plains
Golden Plains
Mario (universe)
Rainbow Road
Rainbow Road
Mario (universe)
Paper Mario
Paper Mario
Mario (universe)
Super Mario Maker
Super Mario Maker (DLC)
Mario (universe)
Gerudo Valley
Gerudo Valley
The Legend of Zelda (universe)
Spirit Train
Spirit Train
The Legend of Zelda (universe)
Dream Land GB
Dream Land
Kirby (universe)
Unova Pokémon League
Unova Pokémon League
Pokémon (universe)
Prism Tower
Prism Tower
Pokémon (universe)
Mute City SNES
Mute City
F-Zero (universe)
Magicant
Magicant
EarthBound (universe)
Arena Ferox
Arena Ferox
Fire Emblem (universe)
Reset Bomb Forest
Reset Bomb Forest
Kid Icarus (universe)
Tortimer Island
Tortimer Island
Animal Crossing (universe)
Boxing Ring
Boxing Ring
Punch-Out!! (universe)
Gaur Plain
Gaur Plain
Xenoblade Chronicles (universe)
Duck Hunt (stage)
Duck Hunt (1.1.1)
Duck Hunt (universe)
Wily Castle
Wily Castle
Mega Man (universe)
Pac-Maze
Pac-Maze
Pac-Man (universe)
Suzaku Castle
Suzaku Castle (DLC)
Street Fighter (universe)
Midgar
Midgar (DLC)
Final Fantasy (universe)
Umbra Clock Tower
Umbra Clock Tower (DLC)
Bayonetta (universe)
PictoChat 2
PictoChat 2
Nintendo DS (universe)
Balloon Fight
Balloon Fight
Balloon Fight (universe)
Living Room
Living Room
Nintendogs (universe)
Find Mii
Find Mii
StreetPass Mii Plaza (universe)
Tomodachi Life
Tomodachi Life
Tomodachi (universe)
Familiar stages (12)
Peach's Castle
Super Smash Bros. Peach's Castle (64) (DLC)
Mario (universe)
Mushroomy Kingdom
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Mushroomy Kingdom
Mario (universe)
Yoshi's Island (SSBB)
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Yoshi's Island
Yoshi (universe)
Jungle Japes
Super Smash Bros. Melee Jungle Japes
Donkey Kong (universe)
Hyrule Castle
Super Smash Bros. Hyrule Castle (64) (DLC)
The Legend of Zelda (universe)
Brinstar
Super Smash Bros. Melee Brinstar
Metroid (universe)
Dream Land
Super Smash Bros. Dream Land (64) (DLC)
Kirby (universe)
Corneria
Super Smash Bros. Melee Corneria
Star Fox (universe)
Flat Zone 2
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Flat Zone 2
Game & Watch (universe)
WarioWare, Inc.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl WarioWare, Inc.
Wario (universe)
Distant Planet
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Distant Planet
Pikmin (universe)
Green Hill Zone
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Green Hill Zone
Sonic the Hedgehog (universe)

Bold denotes unlockable stages.

Wii U version[edit]

New stages (34)
Battlefield (SSB4)
Battlefield
Super Smash Bros. (universe)
Final Destination (SSB4)
Final Destination
Super Smash Bros. (universe)
Big Battlefield
Big Battlefield
Super Smash Bros. (universe)
Mushroom Kingdom U
Mushroom Kingdom U
Mario (universe)
Mario Galaxy
Mario Galaxy
Mario (universe)
Mario Circuit
Mario Circuit
Mario (universe)
Super Mario Maker
Super Mario Maker (DLC)
Mario (universe)
Woolly World
Woolly World
Yoshi (universe)
Jungle Hijinxs
Jungle Hijinxs
Donkey Kong (universe)
Skyloft
Skyloft
The Legend of Zelda (universe)
Pyrosphere
Pyrosphere
Metroid (universe)
The Great Cave Offensive
The Great Cave Offensive
Kirby (universe)
Orbital Gate Assault
Orbital Gate Assault
Star Fox (universe)
Kalos Pokémon League
Kalos Pokémon League
Pokémon (universe)
Coliseum
Coliseum
Fire Emblem (universe)
Flat Zone X
Flat Zone X
Game & Watch (universe)
Palutena's Temple
Palutena's Temple
Kid Icarus (universe)
Gamer
Gamer
Wario (universe)
Garden of Hope
Garden of Hope
Pikmin (universe)
Town and City
Town and City
Animal Crossing (universe)
Wii Fit Studio
Wii Fit Studio
Wii Fit (universe)
Boxing Ring
Boxing Ring
Punch-Out!! (universe)
Gaur Plain
Gaur Plain
Xenoblade Chronicles (universe)
Duck Hunt (stage)
Duck Hunt
Duck Hunt (universe)
Windy Hill Zone
Windy Hill Zone
Sonic the Hedgehog (universe)
Wily Castle
Wily Castle
Mega Man (universe)
Pac-Land
Pac-Land
Pac-Man (universe)
Suzaku Castle
Suzaku Castle (DLC)
Street Fighter (universe)
Midgar
Midgar (DLC)
Final Fantasy (universe)
Umbra Clock Tower
Umbra Clock Tower (DLC)
Bayonetta (universe)
Wrecking Crew
Wrecking Crew
Wrecking Crew (universe)
Pilotwings
Pilotwings
Pilotwings (universe)
Wuhu Island
Wuhu Island
Wii Sports (universe)
Miiverse
Miiverse (1.0.8)
Miiverse (universe)
Familiar stages (21)
Peach's Castle
Super Smash Bros. Peach's Castle (64) (DLC)
Mario (universe)
Delfino Plaza
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Delfino Plaza
Mario (universe)
Figure-8 Circuit
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Mario Circuit (Brawl)
Mario (universe)
Luigi's Mansion
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Luigi's Mansion
Mario (universe)
Yoshi's Island (SSBM)
Super Smash Bros. Melee Yoshi's Island
Yoshi (universe)
Kongo Jungle
Super Smash Bros. Kongo Jungle 64
Donkey Kong (universe)
75m
Super Smash Bros. Brawl 75m
Donkey Kong (universe)
Hyrule Castle
Super Smash Bros. Hyrule Castle (64) (DLC)
The Legend of Zelda (universe)
Temple
Super Smash Bros. Melee Temple
The Legend of Zelda (universe)
Bridge of Eldin
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Bridge of Eldin
The Legend of Zelda (universe)
Pirate Ship
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Pirate Ship (DLC)
The Legend of Zelda (universe)
Norfair
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Norfair
Metroid (universe)
Dream Land
Super Smash Bros. Dream Land (64) (DLC)
Kirby (universe)
Halberd
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Halberd
Kirby (universe)
Lylat Cruise
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Lylat Cruise
Star Fox (universe)
Pokémon Stadium 2
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Pokémon Stadium 2
Pokémon (universe)
Port Town Aero Dive
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Port Town Aero Dive
F-Zero (universe)
Onett
Super Smash Bros. Melee Onett
EarthBound (universe)
Castle Siege
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Castle Siege
Fire Emblem (universe)
Skyworld
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Skyworld
Kid Icarus (universe)
Smashville
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Smashville
Animal Crossing (universe)

Bold denotes unlockable stages.

Modes[edit]

Multiplayer[edit]

  • VS Mode
  • 8-Player Smash (for Wii U exclusive): In this mode, up to eight players can play in Smash battles, compared to the standard limit of four. Due to technical limitations, some stages have their behavior modified while in this mode, while other stages are not available at all.
  • Special Smash (for Wii U exclusive): The successor to Special Brawl, players in this mode can create custom battles by changing a variety of options, such as making all the fighters metal. Up to four players can play in this mode. This mode does not affect records and stats.
  • Smash Run (for Nintendo 3DS exclusive): In this mode, up to four players have five minutes to traverse a large dungeon-like environment, collecting various power-ups and facing enemies from multiple games. After the time limit, the players fight in a battle utilizing their boosted powers, and can then do subsequent matches with those power-ups. Sakurai mentioned in the April 2014 Nintendo Direct video that it took inspiration from Kirby Air Ride's City Trial mode, which has a similar premise.
  • Smash Tour (for Wii U exclusive): Players take control of Miis moving along a game board, collecting characters and power-ups to win the final match, with each fighter obtained acting as one stock.
  • Tournament Mode (for Wii U exclusive): A competitive elimination mode returning from Melee and Brawl, which was released as a downloadable online feature.

Single Player[edit]

Development[edit]

During the official unveiling of the Wii U at E3 2011, then Nintendo president Satoru Iwata remarked that a new game in the Super Smash Bros. series would be made for the system. No further information was provided at this time since the game would not enter production until sometime after October 2011, after the completion of Sakurai's other project, Kid Icarus: Uprising.[4] He had stated, in response to a fan asking him about whether a "child Link" would be in the game, that he had not at the time decided on which characters would appear. However, he had also said that he "can't say that it's entirely out of the realm of possibility that some Capcom character could appear in the next Smash Bros."[5]

Development of the game began in early 2012.[6] Sakurai and his company Sora Ltd. returned as director, with Bandai Namco being contracted as lead developer.[7] The reason for announcing this information so early was to prevent the inevitable shock and scandal of Masahiro Sakurai being spotted at the Bandai Namco offices.[8] The game went unmentioned during E3 2012, something which many fans were disappointed about despite the known extremely early state of the game; the "first step of the process" was taken shortly after in mid-June. Sakurai expressed disappointment that fans would be waiting for longer than expected for the game to be released due to the earliness of the initial announcement.[9] Shortly afterward, it was revealed during a Nintendo Direct that Namco Bandai (as Bandai Namco was previously named) was the primary developer alongside Sora Ltd., and had already completed a working prototype.[3] This is notably the first game Masahiro Sakurai has directed where the parameters were programmed by anyone other than himself. He has admitted that this development model should have never happened, but he wanted to do everything himself for previous titles in order to create his vision perfectly. He finally relaxed this position with Smash 4, which gave other members more freedom in how the game is built and created a more efficient work culture.[10]

The whiteboard drawing posted by Sakurai.

On July 2nd, 2012, Sakurai posted a whiteboard drawing on Twitter which was drawn by the game's staff. It depicts Donkey Kong, Fox, a Heart Container, Kirby, Link, Luigi, Mario, Marth, Meta Knight, Mr. Game & Watch, a Mr. Saturn, Pikachu, a Pikmin, Pit, Sandbag, Wario, and Zero Suit Samus; some argue that the curved lines in the background form the shape of Master Hand. The sketch also has what appears to be large block letters hidden below the visible area. While the post came with no explicit confirmation of any of these characters or elements as reappearing, it did show that they were in some sense acknowledged by the staff; everything depicted would, in fact, appear in the final game. The image itself was later removed from the original Twitter post.[11]

Sakurai remarked the 3DS title was intended to offer a new experience for veteran Smash Bros. fans, and that neither the 3DS game nor the Wii U game would simply be sequels like Melee and Brawl were, and that they would do more than just add characters and stages. It had also been revealed that they were looking towards co-operative play for the Wii U title. Official Nintendo Magazine said, "there is merit in having skilled and unskilled players play together, so one emphasis will be on elements of players helping one-another." They also stated that the graphics would be significantly stepped up, as the Wii U can handle high-quality graphics, dynamic effects and smooth character movements in HD at 60 frames per second.[12] Sakurai was also quoted as claiming that the new game was unlikely to emphasize new playable characters, focusing instead on gameplay balance and distinctiveness of its characters.[13] Indeed, SSB4 initially introduced fewer newcomers than Brawl did.

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

While both versions could not play cross-platform due to unique content causing logistical issues, Sakurai had remarked that one feature of the 3DS Smash Bros. title would be that players can improve their character through battles and rewards, then transfer them to the Wii U Smash title to play against friends; such a function was ultimately made possible through character customization. The Nintendo 3DS hardware proved difficult to work with for the team, which led to several compromises to both versions. The system's inability to load multiple fighters to the same player meant transformations and multi-character fighters were not possible. Since both versions were required to have the exact same roster, characters had to be greatly altered, like Sheik and Zelda being split into unique characters that could not swap with each other, or cut entirely, like Ice Climbers. The team also had issues implementing the Circle Pad Pro, which meant all mechanics involving the C-stick were inaccessible, though still in the game code. The small screen of the Nintendo 3DS also caused issues with readability, so elements like knockback were made even slower than in Brawl, which carried over to the Wii U version.[14]

After over a year of silence, the game's first trailer, as well as its first official gameplay, would be shown at E3 2013. The game's two versions were revealed to be unique games and were projected to launch in 2014. The trailer confirmed Villager as the first new fighter for the game, with Capcom's Mega Man also confirmed as playable towards the end of the trailer as Sakurai teased years earlier. Later in the day, a special trailer for Wii Fit Trainer was revealed on the E3 show floor. Shortly after the initial E3 2013 trailers, Sakurai said there would be a single-player story mode included in the new Smash Bros.[15], but that it would be different from Brawl's Subspace Emissary in that there would be no cutscenes, since he did not want them to be uploaded to the Internet. However, he would later recant this and announce that he decided to cut any story mode altogether [16].

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

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

Sakurai had stated that there were no plans to implement downloadable content or touch screen controls of any variety. However, he also said that once the game was released DLC was something they would take into consideration.[17]

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

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

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

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

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

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

Version history[edit]

Smash 4 is the first game in the series to receive regular update patches post-launch. Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS received several updates before Super Smash Bros. for Wii U released, a few introduced while the game was still exclusive to Japan with the rest of the world never officially experiencing. After both games released, they received the same updates on the same day, despite occasionally having different changes within those updates. This means that there were no more major gameplay differences between regions; everyone gets the same experience barring languages and minor presentation differences. A unique issue caused by updates is replays being rendered unusable due to gameplay altering changes affecting the real-time recreation of a match. Nintendo's solution was to make replays created in older updates inaccessible, though uploading replays through Share mode or uploading them to YouTube would circumvent this issue. Nintendo often announced an update well before the official rollout and gave a warning about replays, giving players ample time to prepare if they wish to keep what they have.

Super Smash Bros. 4 adopted a simple incremental versioning system (i.e. version 1.0.0), with every update increasing the third number by one, rolling over the second number every tenth update. This caused some inconsistencies, such as Super Smash Bros. for Wii U jumping from version 1.0.2 to 1.0.6 to match the version of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. In this versioning scheme, all updates were treated equally regardless of if they introduced new characters or stages, or simply fixed minor bugs. The last update released for Smash 4 was version 1.1.7, which added amiibo functionality for Cloud, Corrin and Bayonetta.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]

Gameplay[edit]

Greater Size diversity.pngTheDanceClubSSB4.jpg
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The character size comparison in Brawl and SSB4.
  • In an attempt to appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers, Smash 4’s gameplay strikes a balance between Melee’s faster, more technical gameplay and Brawl’s slower, more relaxed gameplay.
    • This is most easily apparent in Smash 4’s game speed: most veterans from Brawl have faster dashing, falling, and air speeds, and additionally traction and gravity stats were also generally increased, though the game speed is still noticeably slower and floatier than Melee.
  • The differences in size across the cast are now more pronounced, with Bowser now standing much taller than Mario, compared to being only slightly taller in previous games. Larger characters like Donkey Kong are thus easier to hit but benefit from longer reach, while smaller characters like Kirby are harder to hit while hindered by shorter range.
  • The differences in range across the cast have been overall toned down, with melee-oriented characters like Diddy Kong having more elastic limbs, while sword-wielders have shorter range either through the improvements in range to the rest of the cast (e.g., Marth) or direct nerfs to their range (eg. Meta Knight).
  • Random tripping has been removed, making extended dash-dancing a viable movement option.
  • Pivoting, a movement technique previously possible in Super Smash Bros. 64 and Melee has been reintroduced, generating more flexible mobility than in Brawl.
  • Mid-match character transformations have been removed. Sheik, Zelda, Zero Suit Samus, Samus, are all now completely separate characters, while Charizard returns as a standalone fighter in place of the Pokémon Trainer. These changes are partially due to hardware limitations on the 3DS and Sakurai’s own wish for both versions of the game to feature the same roster.
  • Edge-hogging has been removed entirely, as attempting to grab a ledge that someone else has already grabbed onto will now gently remove them from the ledge and "steal" it, a mechanic known as "ledge trumping".
    • Ledge trumping itself can be used as an edgeguard, as it leaves the recovering opponent vulnerable.
  • No intangibility at all will be granted if a character grabs the ledge twice without touching the ground or being hit, making them more open to edgeguarding.
  • The length of intangibility given by grabbing the ledge is now affected by air time and current damage, and does not carry over if the character drops from the ledge.
  • The difference between fast and slow edge options based on current damage has been removed.
  • Characters cannot grab the ledge after going through hitstun for at least 55 frames.
  • Recoveries in general have been improved, with many of them traveling farther and having better protection while benefiting from the faster air speeds and new ledge mechanics; these changes weren't entirely consistent across the cast, however, and recoveries are overall more polarized than in previous games.
  • Meteor canceling has been removed, making meteor smashes functionally equivalent to spikes and thus much deadlier edge-guarding moves.
    • To compensate, several meteor smashes are now weaker, with a few requiring more specific hitboxes (such as Ike's down aerial).
  • Characters that are meteor smashed onto a floor will now bounce back up at a fraction of their current knockback speed.
  • All characters are granted 70 frames of invulnerability to all grabs and command grabs after being released from a grab or thrown, making it impossible to perform chain grabs.
  • Stale-move negation has been weakened, making it harder for characters to abuse the above mechanic which allows for moves to combo for longer; at the same time, characters do not have to worry about preserving their KO moves as much as they did in Brawl, though still more than in Melee.
  • Hitstun canceling, a controversial mechanic introduced in Brawl that allowed characters to escape combos with ease, has been toned down. Characters can now air dodge or use an aerial attack to cancel hitstun after 40 or 45 frames respectively, compared to Brawl’s 13/25 frames, with the window being pushed back when a character sustains 69 or more frames of hitstun, due to a limit being set on how fast a fighter's current launch speed can be when attempting to cancel hitstun.
    • As a result, true combos at low and mid percents are much more prevalent. However, with the increased knockback growth on many throws, moderate falling speeds, gravity increasing vertical knockback, the continued lack of advanced techniques such as wavedashing and L-cancelling, and the retained ability to cancel hitstun, true combos in Smash 4 are generally shorter and less varied compared to the ones in Melee and Smash 64, especially at high percents.
    • Additionally, many of the faster, more combo-oriented fighters, such as Sheik, Fox, Meta Knight, and Diddy Kong have had their damage outputs reduced, likely to compensate for their improved combo abilities or to balance them out with the slow, heavy characters.
    • The changes to hitstun prevents characters from immediately performing moves to slow their momentum, reducing their ability to survive powerful attacks.
  • Directional influence works differently. The angle deviation is less significant than in previous games, while a submechanic known as launch speed influence (LSI for short) has been introduced, which increases characters' launch speed the more the control stick is held upward, and decreases it the more it is held downward. As of update 1.0.4, moves with too vertical angles are only affected by DI, not LSI. These changes make it harder to carry out horizontal combos, especially at higher percents since opponents will often be sent too far for followups.
    • In turn, this indirectly benefits characters who possess vertical-launching moves, notably Mario, Meta Knight, Zero Suit Samus, and Ryu, as it is now comparatively easier to combo and KO with attacks that deal vertical knockback.
  • The effects of smash directional influence have been drastically weakened, which is most easily visible with multi-hit attacks, making it much harder to escape them than in earlier games.
  • Movement speed when carrying heavy items has been increased among the entire cast, but Donkey Kong remains as the only character who can jump and fall with them.
  • A new mechanic, unofficially known as "rage", has been implemented. Characters receive a steady increase to the knockback (and therefore hitstun) of their attacks as their damage rises starting at 35%, with the effect capping out at 150%. Rage becomes more visible when a character reaches 100%, as they begin to flash red and emit steam.
  • Shields now take 19% more damage from attacks, rather than 30% less. As of update 1.1.1, shield stun has been significantly increased, making out of shield options less reliable; thus, shields are much more fragile than in Brawl.
  • Much like in SSB and Melee, when having their shields broken, fighters are now intangible until they hit the ground and enter their stunned animation. This slightly narrows the window in which a fighter can be attacked when their shield is broken, as well as making it impossible to use windboxes to push opponents offstage while falling to the ground to be stunned. However, it also prevents players from saving teammates who are tumbling to their death due to being forced over the ledge when their shield broke.
  • When a fighter's shield is hit when they are right on the ledge, they are no longer guaranteed to be pushed off the ledge and put into tumble, and instead the attack must be sufficiently strong enough to push the shielding player with enough force to trigger a ledge slip.
  • Attempting to land with an air dodge now results in high landing lag (21 frames), but air dodges in general are faster, having decreased intangibility durations, but also lower ending lag (roughly 5 frames, down from 10 to 30 in Brawl), making air dodges safer for aerial combat but riskier when done close to the ground.
  • Sidesteps and rolls have slightly less ending lag but offer fewer intangibility frames, which makes rolls overall safer for quick repositioning.
  • Careening has been removed, meaning that fighters experiencing knockback can no longer hit other victims during hitstun.
  • When a character is KO'd over the top blast line, a Star or Screen KO is no longer guaranteed, as a normal blast KO is now possible at random.
    • They no longer occur near the end of a timed match (unless characters are launched to the upper blast line when End of Day is active, the only known exception to this) or Sudden Death; being instead replaced by regular blast KOs. In addition, they also will not occur when a character is launched at a fast enough speed.

Game modes[edit]

  • In a similar appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers, there are now two distinct type of With Anyone Wi-Fi modes; one called For Fun which is similar to the previous game's casual-styled Basic Brawl, and one called For Glory, a mode explicitly catered to competitive-styled play. Additionally, every stage now has an "Ω Form," where the stage's layout is altered into that of Final Destination. These forms cannot be played on in the For Fun mode, while they are the only forms available in the For Glory mode.
  • All stages now have a Ω form, which is a Final Destination-like layout consisting of a single flat platform with all stage hazards removed.
  • In the More Rules section, the player may set how many points a player loses upon self-destructing in a Timed match.
  • "Multi-Man Brawl" is now referred to as "Multi-Man Smash". Additionally, the Fighting Alloy Team have been replaced by the Fighting Mii Team, consisting on Mii Fighters wearing black jumpsuits with a white "M" letter printed on its anterior and two white "i" letters around their limbs.
    • An additional game mode has been added known as Rival Smash, replacing 15-Minute Smash from Brawl. It involves the player competing for KOs against a CPU-controlled copy of their character.
  • Tips has been added, which appear on multiple loading screens and is their own specialized menu in the Vault.
  • Classic Mode has been reworked depending on the version:
    • Super Smash Bros. for Wii U: In the Wii U version, it's a seven-round tournament-style elimination where the player can choose which opponents they face.
    • Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS: In the 3DS version, the player is given a choice of a set series of paths to choose from.
  • All fighters now have a trophy based on one of their alternate costumes (with the exception of Bowser Jr.), similar to the "Smash" fighter trophies from Melee, which can be obtained by Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS clearing All-Star mode (replacing the Final Smash trophies from Brawl), or Super Smash Bros. for Wii U purchased at the Trophy Shop for 1000G after clearing Classic mode; unlike them, each fighter have only one "(Alt.)" trophy as opposed to two. The Alph and Koopaling trophies can also be obtained at the Trophy Shop after clearing Classic mode. In the Wii U version, clearing the All-Star mode instead gives the Final Smash trophies like in Brawl, making all fighters once again having three trophies in total (not counting Alph and the Koopalings).

Aesthetic and sound changes[edit]

Sudden Death (SSBB).PNGSudden Death (Super Smash Bros. for Wii U).jpg
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The aesthetic changes between Brawl and Smash 4 when Sudden Death is about to begin.
  • In general, the game is much more stylized and visually intense than previous entries, with the colors being bolder and brighter, sound effects being more cartoonish (though generally quieter) and many elements having been redone to stand out more.
  • The characters' design styles are more distinct from each other and more in-line with their home series, in contrast to Brawl which gave the characters a more unified realistic look. For example, characters from cartoony franchises such as the Mario and Kirby series are much closer to their native styles, while those from more realistic-looking franchises such as The Legend of Zelda (with the exception of Toon Link) and Metroid series maintain more realistic appearances.
  • Some characters will always stand to face the screen regardless of which direction they turn, with the intent of having them face the screen more often.
  • Damage percentage numbers now rise through yellow shades before turning red. In the Wii U version, the numbers are also displayed with a metallic gradient.
  • Several visual effects are significantly bolder and brighter:
    • Attacks' visual effects (such as motion blurs) are in general more pronounced, with bright saturated blurs replacing the previous game's subtle ones.
    • Most spherical, energy-based projectiles (such as Charge Shot, Aura Sphere and Shadow Ball) now appear less smoothly designed and significantly spikier, alongside being more visually intense.
    • Many attacks have bright motion trails, making their range more obvious.
      • In the case of sword swings, most produce "afterimages" instead of being a solid blur of color, while characters with notable sweetspots (such as Marth and Roy) have trails that glow brightly at their sweetspots to emphasize them.
    • Smoke trails of struck characters are now thick trails of light, which become more prominent with higher amounts of knockback and are colored according to which player would be credited with a potential KO. Should the KO occur, the attacker will flash with an aura of their own color.
      • In the Wii U version, the attacker's damage meter will also show a brief burst of flame when a KO occurs.
  • Screen KOs have a new animation in which a fighter flies towards the screen and hits it face-first, staying in place briefly before sliding down. The overall animation has been lengthened to last a few frames longer than the Star KO animation.
    • The victim no longer uses their light knockback voice clip when colliding with the screen, being replaced by a sound effect.
  • The echo effect used for Final Smashes, Star KOs and the announcer, Master Hand and Crazy Hand's voice clips are smoother (with the exception of male Wii Fit Trainer when using Wii Fit), in contrast to Brawl where they had a heavy reverberating effect.
  • A new visual effect is introduced, referred to as Deadly Blow by the game; hits that deal enough knockback to KO the character before they can act produce a red-and-black lightning effect during hitlag if they are close enough to the blast line. However, the effect is not always consistent, as it does not factor in DI or other obstructions, and does not always appear at an attack's minimum KO threshold. Attacks that cause freezing never produce the visual effect, instead, the screen briefly flashes white. Meteor smashes do not produce it until high percentages.
  • Certain items such as the Bumper and Home-Run Bat have been given new, more striking designs. For example, the Home-Run Bat is more ornate and is now colored to match the new high-knockback lightning effect.
  • A successful meteor smash that deals high knockback will play a distinct sound effect.
  • Characters now have team colored outlines in Team Battles, and can select a color normally.
  • Revival platforms now have a section that changes color based on the time remaining before the platform disappears. This section starts out yellow before fading between orange and then turning red before disappearing.
  • Characters with over 100% of damage now flash red and emit steam, as part of the new rage game mechanic. The effect intensifies as their damage raises.
  • In the 3DS version, players can tap on a character's icon on the bottom screen to place a marker on that character on the top screen, in order to more easily follow their movements.
  • Magic and PK attacks no longer have electrical properties and produce sparkle sounds if they hit.
  • Victory scenes seem to be a cross between all of the previous three games. Like in Smash 64, the screen has different animations that transition to the scene, instead of just cutting to it, while only the winner is shown in the main area like in Melee, with the others applauding in small windows on the screen on the Wii U version. However, instead of a featureless black screen, the winner's area is an environment similar to that in Brawl’s victory screen. Additionally, after the winner has been announced and the victory theme has finished playing, a remix of the character select music from Smash 64 will play (with the exception of Cloud, as his victory theme loops rather than finishing).
  • The Stock Icons for Stock Matches are now akin to those in Melee, in which they appeared as the character's head, as opposed to Brawl, where they were merely small circles colored depending on the player. Additionally, the stock icons are placed below the HUD that contains the character's damage percentage rather than on it.
  • Assist trophies and Poké Ball Pokémon now come with a marker above them, in order to indicate which player summoned them.
    • Additionally, certain items come with white triangular markers above them to make them more noticeable, like in SSB64.
  • Some of the more realistic sound effects from Brawl have been eschewed in favor of sound effects which are inspired by the characters' home franchises, such as the one that plays when Kirby uses Inhale.
  • Like in the previous games, each character has a voice clip for whenever they take a fair amount of knockback. Though now, it plays right as they receive the blow, like in the original Super Smash Bros. and Melee, and not during the knockback itself, like in Brawl. In SSB4, damage noises are no longer based purely on the amount of knockback taken, unlike in SSB64 and Melee, where characters had damage noises for medium damage and hard damage specifically. This means that certain attacks and items that repeatedly launch the character can make them repeat the voice clips constantly, such as the Drill.
  • Most flash/tint effects (such as flashing white while invincible) do not display while the game is paused.
  • On the Wii U version, most stages have constant subtle ambient noise in the background, such as wind (Onett and Mushroom Kingdom U) or animal sounds (Kongo Jungle 64). This is a new addition to most returning stages.
  • Many characters are much more expressive than in Brawl; for example, Wario now scowls when performing an attack, and in the Wii U version, Wario's mustache and eyebrows now stretch and grow to fit the situation.
    • Each character's expressions are different between versions, mainly due to processor limitations on the 3DS version. An example can be seen during victory scenes: for example, if Marth were to win a match, he would keep a serious face on for Nintendo 3DS, while he would slightly smile and look at the screen on for Wii U.

Item changes[edit]

  • Fighters under the effects of a Timer will be shown with a swirling graphical effect.
  • Pressing the attack button on a shooting item with no ammunition now has the fighter throw it instead of firing an empty shot.

Console differences[edit]

The Wii U and 3DS versions of the game were shown to have distinct art styles from one another in that the 3DS version uses flatter shading and optional black outlines to make characters easier to see at a distance, a graphical style reminiscent of other 3DS games such as Fire Emblem Awakening and Pokémon X & Y. These outlines are customizable as Sakurai stated players can change the size of the outlines or get rid of them completely. As stated before, many of the stages are version specific, with the 3DS version having more stages based on handheld console games, and the Wii U having more stages based on home console games.[18] There is no cross-platform gameplay between the Wii U and 3DS versions due to the exclusive stages to each version;[19] however, one can create customized fighters in the 3DS version using the character customization feature and send them to the Wii U version. In addition to this, by connecting the two games (or using a special downloadable application), the 3DS can be used as a controller on the Wii U version. However, this doesn't apply vice-versa, as none of the Wii U's peripherals can act as a controller on 3DS hardware.

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

Trophies are different between the two versions, with the trophies in the 3DS version being mainly from handheld games, while the trophies in the Wii U being primarily from console games.[20]

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

Reception[edit]

The 3DS version received positive reviews, with a current rating of 85/100 on Metacritic[21] and 86.1% on GameRankings.[22] The game has been praised for its large and diverse character roster, its improvements to game mechanics, and its variety of multiplayer options. Some criticisms include a lack of single player modes and issues concerning the 3DS hardware, such as the size of characters on the smaller screen when zoomed out and latency issues during both local and online multiplayer. There were also reports of players damaging their 3DS Circle Pads while playing the game excessively, and to an extent, the circle pad can easily fall off. The 3DS version sold over a million copies in its first weekend on sale in Japan and had sold more than 9.65 million copies worldwide as of March 31, 2024.[23] The 3DS version was nominated for both Best Fighting Game and Best Handheld/Mobile Game at The Game Awards 2014, but lost to the Wii U version and Blizzard Entertainment's Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft, respectively.

The Wii U version received critical acclaim, with a Metacritic score of 92/100[24] and a GameRankings score of 92.39%,[25] being among the highest rated games of 2014, is also awarded the Metacritic's Game of the Year and the second-highest rated game of the series after Brawl. The 2014 Video Game Awards even awarded the Wii U version with the "Best Fighting Game" award. The game was lauded for improving everything the 3DS version offered and significantly improving the online experience. The game has sold more than 5.38 million units as of September 30th, 2023.[26]

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

Trailers[edit]

E3 2013[edit]

E3 2014[edit]


Gallery[edit]

Miscellaneous[edit]

Characters[edit]

Trivia[edit]

  • Super Smash Bros. 4 introduces the Mii Fighters, making it the first game in the series to have normally playable characters representing the Super Smash Bros. universe.
  • Super Smash Bros. 4 is the only game in the series to:
    • Not feature a form of bonus game in the 1P Game/Classic Mode.
    • Cut all playable characters within a universe, cutting both the Ice Climbers and Snake, from Ice Climber and Metal Gear, respectively.
  • Super Smash Bros. 4 introduces 10 new universes with playable characters, tied with the first game and Ultimate for the most of any entry in the Super Smash Bros. series.
  • Super Smash Bros. 4 marks the first time in the series where long-running veterans Luigi and Marth are starter characters. Jigglypuff and Ganondorf also have this distinction, though only in the Wii U version.
  • Super Smash Bros. 4 marks the first ever playable appearance for Wii Fit Trainer, Palutena, and the Duck Hunt dog.
  • Super Smash Bros. 4 is the second collaboration between Bandai Namco, Capcom, and Sega, the first being Project X Zone and the third being its sequel Project X Zone 2. One of Project X Zone's co-developers, Monolith Soft, was involved in Brawl and SSB4.
    • Ryu from the Street Fighter series, X and Zero from the Mega Man series, Akira Yuki from the Virtua Fighter series, and Heihachi Mishima from the Tekken series, all appear in both Project X Zone and Project X Zone 2.
    • Lucina, Chrom and Tiki from Fire Emblem series and Fiora and Metal Face from Xenoblade Chronicles, appeared in Project X Zone 2.
  • Super Smash Bros. 4 is the first game in the series to receive "E10+" ESRB rating and a "Mild Suggestive Themes" content descriptor.
  • The 3DS version was released in South Korea while the Wii U version wasn't, as the Wii U console was never officially released in South Korea.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Nintendo.com's page for the 3DS version
  2. ^ http://www.classification.gov.au/Pages/View.aspx?sid=baAYDzOrSLTJS31kqfUnSQ%253d%253d&ncdctx=kY4ZcmxpzFiR75%252faQboRyhefdrcxUukb9ZDwrHw7sGSByd%252fNX2SA4QwXLhHqWtIb
  3. ^ a b IGN: "Namco Bandai Developing Next Smash Bros."
  4. ^ Andriasang.com: "Smash Bros. U & 3DS development appears to be very early"
  5. ^ Nintendo Everything: "Sakurai: Capcom character could appear in next Smash Bros."
  6. ^ Cubed3: "Sakurai Begins Work on New Smash Bros for Wii U and 3DS"
  7. ^ Bandai Namco revealed as lead developer
  8. ^ Super Smash Bros. for 3DS / Wii U [Game Concepts]
  9. ^ Nintendo Everything: "Next Smash Bros. in “first step of the process”, Sakurai worried about long wait"
  10. ^ Super Smash Bros. for 3DS / Wii U [Game Concepts]
  11. ^ Jul 2, 2012 Tweet by Sora_Sakurai (Masahiro Sakurai)
  12. ^ Official Nintendo Magazine: "Smash Bros Wii U/3DS: How they'll work together"
  13. ^ Official Nintendo Magazine: "Smash Bros Wii U may not feature more characters"
  14. ^ Super Smash Bros. for 3DS / Wii U [Game Concepts]
  15. ^ My Nintendo News: "Smash Bros Wii U And 3DS Story Mode Won’t Be Like Brawl"
  16. ^ http://kotaku.com/the-next-super-smash-bros-wont-have-a-story-mode-or-c-906856304
  17. ^ Gamnesia: "No Plans for DLC or Touch Controls in the New Smash Bros., Tripping is Removed"
  18. ^ Nintendo's YouTube channel: "Wii U & Nintendo 3DS Developer Direct - Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U @E3 2013"
  19. ^ Joystiq: "No cross-platform play for Smash Bros on 3DS and Wii U"
  20. ^ http://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAADRUqFpGGYsgQ
  21. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/game/3ds/super-smash-bros-for-nintendo-3ds
  22. ^ http://www.gamerankings.com/3ds/632937-super-smash-bros-for-nintendo-3ds/index.html
  23. ^ IR Information:Top Selling Nintendo 3DS Title Sales Unit. Nintendo. Retrieved on 2023-07-05.
  24. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/game/wii-u/super-smash-bros-for-wii-u
  25. ^ http://www.gamerankings.com/wii-u/633202-super-smash-bros-for-wii-u/index.html
  26. ^ IR Information:Top Selling Wii U Title Sales Unit. Nintendo. Retrieved on 2023-07-05.

External links[edit]