Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary

The Subspace Emissary
The official SSE logo.

Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary (sometimes abbreviated as SSE, "Subspace Emissary" or just called Adventure Mode) is a mode in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, similar to Melee's Adventure Mode. It was hinted at with the This world... Dojo update on July 20th, 2007, and fully unveiled on August 3rd of the same year.

Overview

On July 20th, Smash Bros. DOJO!! was updated with a collection of enigmatic images that depicted Mario and Kirby transforming from trophies into fighters (akin to the introduction of Melee). After Kirby's apparent defeat at the hands of Mario, he is changed back into a trophy, but Mario reverses the transformation and Mario and Kirby shake hands. However, the sky darkens soon after, and Meta Knight’s ship, the Halberd, flies over the stadium, soon followed by the appearance of a mysterious character. The screen shots were accompanied with this description:

In this world, trophies fight. They know nothing but fighting. Fighting is the sole reason for their existence. Being turned back into a trophy, being unable to fight, is much like death. Those are the rules of this world. But...When someone...or something...breaks those rules, the world will pay a terrible price...

The post was placed under a mode referred to as "???" until August 3rd, when it was changed to "Adventure Mode". On August 3rd, Smash Bros. DOJO!! was updated again. This time, more information was given. The mode was dubbed "The Subspace Emissary", and a multitude of screenshots were shown, as well as a cutscene related to the "This World…" update. In the cutscene, Mario and Kirby were seen shaking hands, as depicted in the screenshots, and after waving to the crowd, the Halberd appeared as it did in "This World…". The mysterious character from before was shown to be one of apparently many odd, robot-like creatures formed from some sort of shadowy matter. Peach and Zelda were seen watching from the sidelines, but rushed down to the middle of the stadium to assist Mario and Kirby in fighting the mysterious army. After Peach and Zelda reach the stage and help destroy the Primids, an entity from the sky called the Ancient Minister appears on the stage. The Ancient Minister drops a Subspace Bomb on the arena, then flies off. As Mario approaches the bomb, he is hit by a cannonball and is sent flying from the arena. Petey Piranha appears and captures Peach and Zelda in cages.

The various screen shots in the update depicted a multitude of new enemies, as well as a few familiar ones, such as a Hammer Bro, who was previously confirmed as an Assist Trophy, and Bullet Bills. There were also a new series of enemies that were introduced that are part of the Subspace army. Some enemies of the Subspace army appear to be helpful while other ones are dangerous.

Stages

A map of the stages and which characters are available in each one, not counting Wolf, Toon Link, and Jigglypuff.

The Adventure Map, after completion of The Subspace Emissary.

The Subspace Emissary consists of 31 different stages. As some stages share the same name, the earlier stage is denoted with a I while the later-appearing stage is followed by a II.

• Midair Stadium
• Skyworld
• Sea of Clouds
• The Jungle
• The Plain
• The Lake
• The Ruined Zoo
• The Battlefield Fortress
• The Forest
• The Research Facility I
• The Lake Shore
• The Path to the Ruins
• The Cave
• The Ruins
• The Wilds I
• The Ruined Hall
• The Wilds II
• The Swamp
• The Research Facility II
• Outside the Ancient Ruins
• The Glacial Peak
• The Canyon
• Battleship Halberd Interior
• Battleship Halberd Exterior
• Battleship Halberd Bridge
• The Subspace Bomb Factory I
• The Subspace Bomb Factory II
• Entrance to Subspace
• Subspace I
• Subspace II
• The Great Maze

Gameplay

The Subspace Emissary mode is a side-scrolling adventure in the style of a platformer, inspired by the Mario and Kirby games. However, it retains all basic mechanics of the Super Smash Bros. series, such as a damage meter, stocks, and Smash-style attacks. It can also be classified as a beat 'em up; often stages will pause at specific points and force the player to defeat a set of enemies, which prevents one from simply running through everything.

The mode features a world map where stages are selected; once a stage is selected, the difficulty can be chosen, and the character(s) will enter the stage. The selectable characters will change depending on the plot. Stages that have been completed already can be played again with the exception of some stages where the player must wait until the Subspace Emissary is beaten like Midair Stadium.

The mode also has a two-player option. When using two players, the first player will have priority over the screen, making it possible for the second player to get run off the screen if the two players are not coordinated. However, the second player has the option to warp to the first player at any time (except in boss battles) by pressing the button that would normally pause the game. The first player must be present with stock left at all times; if the first player runs out of stock, the game will end and offer a continue, regardless of whether the second player still has stock left. If the second player runs out of stock, the first player can continue alone. In addition, only the first player can navigate through doors (though the second player can still utilize keys) and temporary switches. If the second player goes into a barrel cannon or minecart they will be teleported back to the player seconds later unless the first player goes in right after. The second player can also decide when barrel cannons shoot.

When playing a level for the first time, many cutscenes will pause just before gameplay begins, showing a view of all available characters. A message will display how many stock the level allows, and a cursor will appear that allows choosing which characters to play. The order characters are chosen in is the order they will appear: they will cycle through in that order until all stock is depleted. Playing through a level again, there will be a screen before the level allowing choosing between any available characters instead of cutscenes during the level. This can be both an advantage and a disadvantage: there is a wider character variety to choose from, but one cannot (for example) choose only three characters for a four-stock stage. Additionally, no mid-level cutscenes will play, including ones that would normally allow a re-pick of characters which replenishes stocks. While on many levels this makes little difference, it is very problematic on long stages like the second Subspace Bomb Factory, where a replay provides only a fraction of the stock originally given.

The physics of many (if not all) characters are also tweaked slightly. In general, characters run slower, fall faster, and jump better than in brawls. However, the midair jumps of a character that possesses more than one will be worse than normal. Move mechanics are not altered, although the differing jump heights, jump timing, and gravity will change how effective aerial attacks are. The most significant change is the removal of stamina from Pokémon Trainer's Pokémon, which allows one to use one Pokémon exclusively. Characters are also able to swim for significantly longer. Characters retain their standard physics in boss battles. Because Smash relies on KOs by being knocked off stage, in order for the platforming nature to be retained, the camera's reaction time in following a character decreases in proportion to the player's damage.

Grabbing mechanics are also altered. Normal enemies cannot be held onto for any length of time; they will be thrown immediately after being grabbed, making it impossible to pummel them. This means that choosing which throw to use must be done with the Control Stick during the grab animation; inputting no direction will result in a forward throw (with the exception of Donkey Kong, who cannot carry enemies, and instead will utilize his up-throw). Special moves that involve grabbing will fail to grab like Yoshi and Kirby's standard special moves; such moves have extra Subspace Emissary-only hitboxes (for example, Egg Lay will deal 13% damage, while Pikmin will deal damage when thrown). Bosses and large enemies cannot be grabbed; however, Big Primids can be grabbed effectively. None of these changes apply when facing an opposing Smasher due to playing like an actual Brawl, though Kirby will be unable to copy their abilities.

Difficulty Levels

Like most other single-player modes, one can select different difficulty levels to play The Subspace Emissary. At the creation of a new game file, the player may select a "default" difficulty from Easy, Normal, Hard, Very Hard, and Intense. Stages normally use this default difficulty (which cannot be changed), although the difficulty of a stage can be altered before it is begun. The game keeps track of the hardest difficulty level at which each stage has been cleared, and when a stage is selected, it suggests a difficulty higher than the highest completion level.

As one selects higher difficulties, the game makes these adjustments:

• Enemy health goes up, sometimes considerably with bulky enemies like Greaps.
• Enemies move and attack faster; especially noticeable with the vulnerability period of large enemies and bosses.
• Additional attacks become available to enemies.
• Enemies and obstacles do more damage and have more KO power.
• Some enemy hitboxes are slightly bigger.
• Enemies are harder to flinch.
• Enemies generally get smarter (such as attacking more often, or Bytans duplicating nonstop).
• More (and sometimes deadlier) enemies appear during locked battles.
• Trackballs lose energy faster.
• Auroros can't be thrown as far, making it more difficult to use them as javelins against other enemies.
• Less favorable items appear, although an increased number of stronger healing items appear when enemies are defeated.
• Stock Balls may get rarer (or, in the case of Very Hard and Intense, not exist, being replaced by recovery items instead).
• Certain features travel faster.
  • Barrel Cannons, Slide Launchers, Minecarts, and other vehicles (such as the orange platforms in The Research Facility) move faster, therefore being harder to control.
  • Auto-scrolling areas scroll faster.
  • Moving walls, floors, and ceilings move faster, making characters more easily crushed.
  • Platforms move or fall faster.
  • Bomb block explosion chains move faster.
  • The effects of temporary switches are shorter.
• Wind speeds increase (including the wind from a Borboras), sometimes to nonsensical levels.
• Keys are easier to break.
• More, higher quality, and rarer stickers appear.
• More collectibles (CDs, trophies, stickers) appear.
• More trophy stands appear.
• More coins are given at the end of each level.

Bosses

These battles are fought with the bosses having a specific amount of health; once their health runs out, they are defeated.

• Petey Piranha (fought by Kirby)
• Rayquaza (fought by Fox and Diddy Kong)
• Porky (fought by Ness and Lucas)
• Galleom, Part 1 (fought by Marth, Ike, and Meta Knight)
• Galleom, Part 2 (fought by Lucas and Pokémon Trainer)
• Ridley (fought by Samus/Zero Suit Samus and Pikachu)
• Duon (fought by Fox, Falco, Lucario, Snake, Peach, and Sheik/Zelda in a party of 4)
• Meta Ridley (fought by Samus/Zero Suit Samus, Pikachu, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Captain Falcon, Olimar, and R.O.B. in a party of 4)
• Tabuu (fought by King Dedede, Luigi, Ness, Bowser, Kirby, Sonic and any rescued characters in a party of 6)

Mini-Bosses

Due to these battles being against smashers or slightly modified versions of them, they are fought like regular brawls.

• Kirby/Mario-(fought by Mario/Kirby)
• False Bowser-(fought by Diddy Kong and Fox)
• False Peach/False Zelda-(fought by Link/Mario and Yoshi/Pit)
• Mario/Link and Pit/Yoshi-(fought by Link/Mario and Yoshi/Pit) (ally is CPU controlled unless Co-op Mode)
• Wario-(fought by Lucas and Squirtle)
• Charizard-(fought by Ivysaur, Lucas, and Squirtle)
• Giant False Diddy Kong-(fought by Falco, Diddy Kong, and Fox)
• 2 False Samuses-(fought by Zero Suit Samus and Pikachu)
• Lucario/Meta Knight-(fought by Meta Knight/Lucario)
• False Peach and False Zelda-(fought by Meta Knight, Lucario, and Snake)
• Bowser-(fought by King Dedede)
• All Bosses and Clones of all characters but Sonic and below characters (fought by King Dedede, Luigi, Ness, Bowser, Kirby, and any characters rescued in Subspace in a party of 4)
• Toon Link-(fought by 1 character that entered the Forest) (optional)
• Wolf-(fought by 1 character that entered the Ruins) (optional)
• Jigglypuff-(fought by 1 character that entered the Swamp) (optional)

Note: When only one character is available to fight a boss or mini-boss in Co-op mode, the second player plays as a color change of that character. This is the only way to play as a color change of a character.

Other special enemy battle

• Porky Statue (The Ruined Zoo)

Dialogue

The vast majority of character interaction in The Subspace Emissary takes place through gestures and expressions, augmented by short grunts or exclamations, as a majority of the game's characters either do not speak or rarely speak in their appearances outside of Brawl. The only spoken words besides interjections like "Hey!" or "Yeah!" are those that are a distinctive part of a character's attacks, such as PK Thunder or Falcon Punch. The only character who speaks in more than one scene is Pikachu, who only "speaks" via yelling its own name. In Jigglypuff's only scene, the crowd chants its name, making them the only non-playable characters to say a line.

Only one character in all of The Subspace Emissary ever speaks in a full sentence; in Battleship Halberd Interior, Snake directly says to the player, "Kept you waiting, huh?" after revealing himself, referencing his ability to speak in the Metal Gear Solid games, the frequent breaking of the fourth wall in the series, and the fact that the player had seen him before already in a previous cutscene.

Similarities to Kirby Super Star and other Kirby games

The Subspace Emissary contains gameplay elements similar to the sub-games of Kirby Super Star and other elements from Kirby games. This is likely intentional, given Masahiro Sakurai's work on both games.

• The Halberd plays a very strong role in both games, and in both, it's destroyed and crashes in the ocean.
• The beginning of the Ruined Zoo (more specifically the boss battle against the Pig King Statue and Porky Minch) is similar to the Heavy Lobster battle in "Revenge of Meta Knight": The player is chased by the boss, who remains invincible for this duration and plows through anything in its path. Following the chase, the boss becomes vulnerable and attacks the player head-on.
• Both feature cart rides and special devices that propel characters forwards. The latter's design and function comes directly from KSS. Additionally the slide launchers puts characters in a shield position, just like in KSS.
• The Space Jump is just like how P2 from Super Star comes back to P1.
• The final boss (Tabuu) teleports around the stage repeatedly (a common feature in most final bosses in Kirby games, such as Marx and Nightmare).
• Bosses from the Kirby games, such as Dyna Blade and Marx, have similar moves to bosses in Brawl, such as Ridley and Tabuu.
• The Subspace Emissary has a map that allows the player to re-enter a stage anytime they want, much like Milky Way Wishes.
• Golden boxes are inspired by the treasure chests from Great Cave Offensive; in both games, when the player takes the prizes, it will not appear again.
• Bosses do not flinch.
• Enemies cannot survive underwater; they will be KO'd immediately upon touching it.
• Jyks are similar to Kirby's Gordos; they sit or move in a repeated pattern, are invincible, and have spikes.
• The planet Floria in Milky Way Wishes has a similar concept to the day-changing doors, except that it has four rooms and they are based on seasons instead of day and night.
• King Dedede first appears to be evil but later turns out to have good intentions in most Kirby games.

Gameplay differences from other modes

Despite characters using the same moves and using much of the same engine as in the other modes of Brawl, the overall feel of The Subspace Emissary differs from that of ordinary brawls. For instance:

• The walking speed, running speed, and air speed of most characters has been normalized; slower characters move faster, while faster characters move slower. This is quite noticable with Sonic's dashing.
• All characters jump 2 frames faster, jump 18% higher, have slightly higher gravity, and have a 19% faster falling speed. As a result, vertical movement is in general faster, while some characters' recoveries (such as Jigglypuff and Pit) are indirectly nerfed by the heavier physics.
  • Peach's double jump has 40% more force; no other character has a change of more than 10%.
  • Short hops are no longer possible, as any push if the jump button results in a maximum height jump.
  • Some special moves that grant temporary hovering, such as Diddy's Rocketbarrel Boost, can't keep up with the increased gravity and so are also indirectly nerfed.
• During side-scrolling stages, the player cannot get Star KO'd - the player crashes into the top of the screen, leaving behind the colourful explosion. Players are only Star KO'd or Screen KO'd in ambushes, boss battles, and fights against Subspace clones.
• All characters can swim considerably longer.
• The Stamina mechanic of the Pokémon Trainer's Pokémon is removed.
• Grab-only special moves such as Inhale and Egg Lay deal damage to enemies instead of grabbing.
• In addition to blocking most attacks, Mirror Shield can also now do damage.

Trivia

Mario's trophy coming to life in Melee's opening, compared to in the Midair Stadium of the Subspace Emissary.

• While the mode effectively encourages players to use almost every character in the game, it is possible to complete The Subspace Emissary using as few as thirteen characters, or barely one-third of the roster: Kirby, Pit, Lucas, Marth, Zero Suit Samus, Snake, Meta Knight, King Dedede, Diddy Kong, either Link or Yoshi, either Pikachu or Samus, either Olimar or Captain Falcon, and either Peach or Zelda/Sheik.
• Palutena is the only character in The Subspace Emissary who is neither a villain/enemy nor playable.
• As far as playable characters go, Wario, R.O.B., and Sonic are the only universes that do not have a song played at any time.
• Mario and Kirby are playable in more levels than any other character, with a total of nine.
• The opening battle between Mario and Kirby in The Subspace Emissary may be a reference to the opening movie of Super Smash Bros., where the two face each other near the end of the movie.
  • In addition, Mario's trophy coming to life in the first cutscene could be a reference to the beginning of Melee's opening movie.
• The Subspace Emissary is the only mode in all of Smash Bros that allows players to unlock characters without a challenger approaching battle.
• The Subspace Emissary is mentioned several times in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U in Palutena's Guidance during the conversation of Mario and Mr. Game & Watch and the boxing alias for R.O.B. Also, some enemies from The Subspace Emissary return in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS in the new mode Smash Run.

External links

• Adventure Mode index