Classic Mode (SSBU)
Classic Mode (勝ちあがり乱闘 Survival Smash) is a single-player mode in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Each character now has their own predetermined set of opponents and stages to face in this mode. A unique name is given to each character's path, and there may be special rules or conditions: for example, Ryu's path references Street Fighter II by using only Ω forms and Stamina mode alongside the fighters most closely representing the characters of Street Fighter II. It is different from the Classic Mode versions found in the two versions of SSB4, shown by the return to the style of Classic Mode that was in Melee and Brawl. Just like in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Classic Mode can also be challenged by two players. When playing with two players, the route will always be based on Player 1's character.
Similar to the Classic Modes for the previous entries, players can select an intensity level, indicated by the position of the lengthy mural. The highest allowed starting intensity is 5.0, and it will increase slightly after each victory, with a maximum of 10.0. The layout consists of six stages, a bonus stage, and a boss. Unlike previous entries, the boss in the last stage is neither always Master Hand nor Crazy Hand; each fighter has a different boss encounter at the end. Scores are also present in Classic Mode, which is displayed alongside the player's Global Smash Power.
Types of battles
Regular stage
The first six stages of each route are regular Smash 1v1, 2v2 and Free-For-All battles where all enemy fighters must be defeated to proceed. Some variations include Giant Battles, where at least one opponent is giant, Metal Battles, where at least one opponent is metal, and Multi-Man Battles, where at least eight or less enemies are fought three at a time. When playing with two players, the 1v1 battles are replaced with 2v2 battles against two copies of the same opponent.
Bonus Game
This is a challenge in the style of Race to the Finish, but rather than having a time limit, the player must outrun a void of darkness that consumes the stage behind them. Glowing orbs are scattered throughout the side-scrolling area which increase the player's score, some behind breakable blocks and bomb blocks that encourage the player to go out of their way as the void closes in. Some scattered physics objects impede progress in a similar manner to Trophy Rush. At the end of the stage, a cannon blasts the player into a portal that ends the Bonus Game.
Boss
Each fighter faces a predetermined boss fight at the end of their route. The player must deplete the boss's HP in order to defeat them. In some cases, the boss is not the only challenge in the final stage; for example, Mario's final stage features a regular battle on Final Destination against Bowser, who transforms into Giga Bowser and begins the boss fight upon his defeat. So far, the confirmed bosses are Giga Bowser, Master Hand, Crazy Hand, Dracula, Galleom, Ganon, Marx, and Rathalos.
Classic Mode Titles
Fighter | Classic Mode Title | Description |
---|---|---|
Mario | Let's-a Go! | The title is Mario's famous catchphrase. In a similar fashion to the Classic Modes of past games, Mario's opponents are groups of fighters from various universes fought on a home stage from that universe. The penultimate battle is against Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings, and it is followed by a final battle against Bowser, who transforms into Giga Bowser upon defeat (similar to the end of Melee's Adventure Mode). This is an allusion to the Koopalings' appearances as world bosses before the final boss fight with Bowser in various Super Mario titles. |
Luigi | Luigi's Nightmares | All of Luigi's opponents are creepy or scary characters or a character using a scary alternate costume. The boss of this route is Dracula. |
Peach | No Damsel in Distress | Peach fights against would-be kidnappers such as Bowser's family, Donkey Kong (in his "classic" costume), and Ganondorf. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Bowser | The Red One. Every Red One! (因縁の赤いヤツ, The Fated Red Guy) | Refers to Bowser's longtime rivalry with Mario. Bowser’s opponents in this route are all affiliated with reds, with the penultimate boss battle being against Rathalos. The final battle is against Mario, who transforms into Metal Mario upon defeat. |
Dr. Mario | Colorful Treatment Plan | Dr. Mario's opponents are all trios of the same character in red, blue, and yellow costumes, referencing the three viruses: Fever, Chill, and Weird. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Rosalina & Luma | One Star after Another (星々へ探訪, Searching the Stars) | The opponents are characters from space or other planets. Her penultimate battle is against Bowser, with Mario as her partner, a reference to the final battle against Bowser in both "Super Mario Galaxy" games. The boss of this route is Marx, with Mario as her partner again. |
Bowser Jr. | Mama Peach, Where Are You? | Refers to how Bowser Jr. thinks Peach is his mama in Super Mario Sunshine. All of Bowser Jr.'s opponents are princesses, some of which are teamed up with their love interest (or in Lucina's case, her father). The penultimate battle is against Mario and Peach. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Daisy | Sarasaland Represent! | Refers to Daisy ruling over the kingdom of Sarasaland. Similar to Bowser Jr.'s route, Daisy's opponents are all princesses in their respective franchises. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Yoshi | Jurassic Journey | Yoshi's opponents are all reptilian themed. The boss of this route is Rathalos. |
Donkey Kong | Journey to New Donk City (ドンキーコング ニュードンクへ行く, Donkey Kong Goes to New Donk) | Refers to New Donk City Hall being the final stage. The stages begin in the jungle before taking a plane to more urban locations. The bosses of this route are Master Hand and Crazy Hand. Diddy Kong is on the player's team after the first round, which references the original Donkey Kong Country. |
Diddy Kong | Hey, Little Buddy! | A phrase which originated from the Donkey Kong Country TV series; Diddy Kong is also referred to as Donkey Kong's "little buddy" in games such as Brawl and Donkey Kong Country Returns. His penultimate battle is against King K. Rool, with Donkey Kong as his partner, a reference to the final boss battle against King K. Rool in "Donkey Kong Country". The bosses of this route are Master Hand and Crazy Hand. |
King K. Rool | Super Heavyweight Class (ヘビー級のキケンなヤツら, Dangerous Heavyweight Guys) | The title uses boxing terminology, referencing the final boss battle of Donkey Kong 64. King K. Rool's opponents are the heaviest characters in the game. His penultimate battle is with his rival, Donkey Kong. The boss of this route is Galleom. |
Link | A Quest to Seal the Darkness | The title references the main plot of most games in the Legend of Zelda series, where Link must seal away Ganon. Link's opponents on this route are all affiliated with darkness, with the penultimate battle being against Dark Link. The boss of this route is Ganon. |
Zelda | Wisdom Prevails | Zelda's opponents are largely villains who can perceived as unwise or unintelligent, such as Wario and King K. Rool. The boss of this route is Ganondorf, who transforms into Ganon upon defeat. |
Sheik | Masquerade | Sheik's opponents are characters who wear masks or other forms of headwear to conceal their identity, such as Meta Knight and Captain Falcon. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Ganondorf | Encroaching Darkness (終わりの始まり, The Beginning of the End) | Ganondorf fights characters who are the respective protagonists of their own series, culminating in a penultimate battle with Link and Zelda. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Young Link | Hyrule Smash! (ハイラル乱闘!, Hyrule Battle!) | Young Link's opponents are characters from The Legend of Zelda universe. The boss is Ganon. |
Toon Link | The Teamwork of Courage | All battles involve Toon Link teaming up with two other Toon Links, which may be a reference to The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, a multiplayer title featuring the Wind Waker artstyle. The boss of this route is Ganon. |
Samus | Another Planet, Another Bounty | Each battle is set on a Metroid series stage and involves fighting a monstrous character. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Zero Suit Samus | Grapplers! Whips! Claws! | Zero Suit Samus's opponents are characters who use tether recoveries. Grapplers represent Samus and her dark counterpart, Whips refer to Simon and Richter and possibly Ivysaur as well, and Claws refer to Young Link and Toon Link's Hookshots. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Ridley | It Can't Be! Space Pirates! (銀河の脅威!スペースパイレーツ, Threats of the Galaxy! Space Pirates) | Refers to Ridley's title as the leader of the Space Pirates. |
Dark Samus | The Great Poison Given Form | Refers to Phazon (the essence of Metroid Prime and Dark Samus), which is named "the Great Poison" by the Chozo in Metroid Prime. Dark Samus faces off against protagonist characters while teamed up with dark/evil/corrupted variants of characters from their series (for example, fighting Ryu teamed with Ken in his Violent Ken alternate costume). Ends with a Free-for-All against Samus and Ridley (likely in a reference to Metroid Prime 3) before the boss fight with Master Hand. |
Kirby | Gourmet Clash (激突!グルメバトル, Crash! Gourmet Battle) | Refers to the Gourmet Race mode from Kirby Super Star. Kirby's opponents are characters who, like Kirby, love to eat things, including their enemies. For each battle, Kirby and his opponent each spawn with 35% damage and several food items appear on the stage as the match begins. Additionally, other food-based items (such as Banana Peels and Superspicy Curry) appear more often. The penultimate battle is against King Dedede on Fountain of Dreams, referencing both Kirby's Adventure and Gourmet Race. The boss of this route is Marx. |
Meta Knight | Two Sides of the Same Coin | References how Meta Knight doubles as an antagonist and a hero. Meta Knight's opponents are the dark counterparts of the main hero (Dark Link, Dark Samus, etc.). His penultimate battle is with Galacta Knight and Dark Meta Knight. |
King Dedede | Royal Rumble | The opponents in this route are characters with royal titles such as a king or a princess. The bosses are Master Hand and Crazy Hand. |
Fox | Spaceborne Smash | Fox's opponents in this route are characters associated with space or other planets. His penultimate battle is with Wolf on Venom, referencing their battle in Star Fox 64. The boss is Master Hand (or a team of Master Hand and Crazy hand if conditions are met) likely referencing the battle against Andross which involves shooting his hands. |
Falco | Soar Above the Darkness | Falco's opponents are "dark" characters, such as Dark Samus and Captain Falcon in his Blood Falcon alternate costume. The boss of this route is Crazy Hand. |
Wolf | Reunited Roster | Wolf's opponents are veterans that did not return in Super Smash Bros. 4. The boss of this route is Galleom. Like Wolf, Galleom debuted in Super Smash Bros. Brawl but did not return in Super Smash Bros. 4. |
Pikachu | I Choose You! | Refers to Ash Ketchum's signature catchphrase in the Pokémon anime, which doubles as the title of the first episode and the 20th movie. The opponents are Pokémon characters from all across the Super Smash Bros. series. The final battle is against Mewtwo and then Master Hand upon defeat. |
Jigglypuff | All Original, All 64 (64オールスターズ, 64 All-Stars) | Refers to Jigglypuff being one of the original 12. It fights all of the other original characters on the stages returning from 64, in a similar manner to the 1P Game. The penultimate battle is a free-for-all with the four unlockable characters, while the final battle is against Giant Donkey Kong, referencing the unique battle in the 1P Game. |
Mewtwo | Psychic Control | Refers to Mewtwo's intense psychic powers and its ability to mind control others into doing its bidding, such as with Nurse Joy in the first movie. The battles are a series of Team Battles where the first character defeated will join the player in the following battle. Some opponents are characters who have been possessed in their own games, such as Richter and Palutena. The final battle is against Master Hand and Crazy Hand with Pikachu as a teammate. |
Pichu | Lightweight Fracas | Refers to Pichu fighting lightweight characters. The stage selections are also sky-based, such as Peach's Castle and Skyloft. The boss of this Route is Master Hand. |
Pokémon Trainer | The Future Champion (未来のチャンピオン, Future Champion) | Refers to the player's goal of becoming the Pokémon Champion in the Pokémon games. Like Pikachu, the opponents are all Pokémon with Mewtwo and then Master Hand as the final boss. |
Lucario | Counter Encounters | Possibly refers to Lucario fighting characters with counterattacks. |
Greninja | Your Turn, Greninja! | |
Incineroar | Burning Pro Wrestling Spirit! (こわもてヒールのプロレスリング, The Pro Wrestling of a Hard-faced Heel) | |
Captain Falcon | Up Close and Personal | Captain Falcon fights opponents who specialize in close-range combat, such as Ganondorf and Roy. The boss of this route is Bowser, who transforms into Giga Bowser upon defeat. |
Ness | Home to Onett! (ホームシック! オネットに帰ろう, Homesick! Let's Go Back to Onett) | The title reflects Ness's journey in EarthBound in reverse from Magicant to Onett and refers to Ness's Homesick status effect from EarthBound. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Lucas | Magic, Sacred Powers, and PSI! | Lucas fights characters with potent psychic or magical powers. The penultimate battle is against Mewtwo, possibly in reference to Giygas's original form in EarthBound Beginnings. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Ice Climbers | Duos for Days | The Ice Climbers fight two opponents per stage, all of which are certain iconic duos in their games. The bosses of this route are Master Hand and Crazy Hand. |
Marth | A Kingdom of Dragons | Possibly refers to how Marth fights against Dolhr, a kingdom ruled by the dragon Medeus, in his games. The boss of this route is Rathalos. |
Roy | A Journey of Swords (異界の剣士, Otherworldly Swordfighters) | The title refers to Roy fighting only sword-using opponents. The Japanese title mentions the concept of Outrealms from more recent Fire Emblem games. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Ike | The Black-Clad Warriors (漆黒の武者たち, Pitch-Black Warriors) | Refers to Ike's rival, the Black Knight. All of Ike's opponents are in their black alternate costumes. The bosses of this route are Master Hand and Crazy Hand. |
Robin | Thunder and Flames | Refers to two of Robin's tomes, Thunder and Arcfire. Robin's penultimate battle is against another Robin (depending on their genders), a reference to the final battle in "Fire Emblem Awakening" against Grima. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Lucina | A Path of Heroes | Lucina's opponents are all Fire Emblem characters. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Corrin | Between White and Black (白と黒の狭間で, Between White and Black) | This title originated as an epithet given to Corrin on a Fire Emblem Cipher trading card released in 2018, alluding to Corrin's wish to unite the Hoshido and Nohr families. |
Chrom | Fight as One | Chrom's route begins with a one-on-one match against Lucina on Arena Ferox. Afterwards, the battles become Team Battles where Chrom's teammate alternates between Lucina and Robin. The boss of this route is both Master Hand and Crazy Hand, with female Robin as the player's partner. |
Mr. Game & Watch | A Long Legacy | |
Pit | Fighting for the Goddess | All battles are analogous to fights in Kid Icarus: Uprising (i.e. Ganondorf as Magnus, Bayonetta as Medusa, etc.). Pit's boss fight is against Master Hand and Crazy Hand (likely a reference to the giant form of Hades in the final battle of Uprising) with Dark Pit as his teammate. |
Palutena | A Little Divine Intervention | The title references a line spoken by Palutena in her debut trailer for Super Smash Bros. 4. Palutena primarily battles swordsmen/warriors of respective franchises. Some of her opponents are stand-ins for other characters from Kid Icarus (i.e. Cloud for Magnus). The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Dark Pit | Created Warriors | Refers to Dark Pit's origins as a copy of Pit in Kid Icarus: Uprising. |
Wario | I'm-a Gonna Win! | Refers to Wario's catchphrase in the International version of Mario Kart 64: "I'm-a Wario! I'm-a gonna win!" |
Olimar | Planetary Explorer | |
R.O.B. | Unreadable Expressions | R.O.B.'s opponents all wear masks or lack expressive faces, including Meta Knight and Wii Fit Trainer. The penultimate battle of this route is a Horde Battle of R.O.B.s, likely referencing the R.O.B. Squad, and the boss of this route is Galleom, also likely due to his role in The Subspace Emissary. |
Villager | Mistake to Underestimate | |
Isabelle | Best in Show (紅23点, 23 Red Flowers) | The English name refers to conformation shows. The Japanese name is a pun on the phrase 紅一点, which translates to "one red flower (in a field of green)" but figuratively means "the only woman in a group of men". All Isabelle's opponents are female, though the boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Little Mac | Friendly Sparring (異種格闘戦!!, Not-Your-Average Bout!!) | All of Little Mac's opponents are close-range martial artists. The penultimate opponent is Donkey Kong, referencing his boss fight in Punch Out!! for the Wii. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Wii Fit Trainer | Aerobic Smash (有酸素乱闘, Aerobic Battle) | The opponents are characters filled with air. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Shulk | Witness the Monado's Power | Each of the opponents represent one of Shulk's Monado Arts and are fought in their cycling order in Super Smash Bros. 4. The penultimate opponent is Mega Man who plays the role of Shulk's rival Metal Face. The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Duck Hunt | Dog, Duck, Zapper | Refers to the elements of Duck Hunt's character. Duck Hunt's opponents are all animals or Mii Fighters with animal costumes. The boss of this route is Rathalos, whose home series title of Monster Hunter aligns with the character and series name of Duck Hunt. |
Inkling | An Inkredible Journey (イカした色に染め上げろ, Dye It With Trendy Colors) | The English title makes an ink-related pun, much like the dialogue in Splatoon itself. Similarly, the Japanese title makes a pun with イカした (which means "trendy") and イカ (which means "squid"). Each stage and set of fighters represents a particular color: for example, a pink Greninja on Magicant or a light blue Yoshi on Summit. The boss of this route is Marx, who has multiple rainbow colors on his wings and, in Kirby Super Star Ultra, utilizes attacks that grant Kirby the Paint ability. |
Snake | Weapons and Equipment OSP | "OSP" stands for "On Site Procurement", referencing Snake's need to obtain weapons and gear within the mission area in the Metal Gear series. Snake's opponents are all characters who reference other characters or situations found within the Metal Gear series. The boss of this route is Galleom. |
Sonic | At the Speed of Sound | The term "speed of sound" is commonly used in the Sonic franchise, including the lyrics of "Escape from the City" from Sonic Adventure 2. Sonic's opponents are references to characters in other Sonic titles (Fox as Tails, a giant metal Sonic as Chaos from Sonic Adventure, Sheik as Shahra from Sonic and the Secret Rings, Incineroar as Zavok from Sonic Lost World), as well as references to Sonic games in general (Captain Falcon for Sonic R, three Kirbys for Sonic Heroes). The boss of this route is Master Hand. |
Mega Man | Variable Weapons System: Online! (マリオの謎, The Mystery of Dr. Mario) | Mega Man's Variable Weapons System allows him to duplicate the abilities of his foes. The Japanese title refers to the Japanese subtitle of Mega Man 2: Dr.ワイリーの謎, The Mystery of Dr. Wily. Mega Man’s opponents in this route are all affiliated with some of the Robot Masters, with the penultimate boss battle being against Galleom. The final battle is against Dr. Mario, who represents Dr. Wily, and Mewtwo, a reference to the final battle in “Mega Man 2” against the Alien. |
Pac-Man | Ageless Classic | All of Pac-Man's opponents are characters who starred in arcade and NES games. The boss of the route is Dracula. |
Ryu | Seeking a Challenge (俺より強いファイターに会いに行く, I'm going to meet a fighter stronger than myself) | References the single-player mode of Street Fighter II; all battles are one-on-one stamina fights on Ω form stages. All of Ryu's opponents reference a Street Fighter II character with their costume choice (Zero Suit Samus as Chun-li, Incineroar as Zangief, Donkey Kong as Blanka, Little Mac as Balrog, and Meta Knight as Vega), stage, and music. The bosses of this route are Master Hand and Crazy Hand, with Ken as Ryu's partner. |
Ken | Red-Hot Rivalry (燃えるライバル, Heated Rival) | Refers to Ken's status as Ryu's rival, which is further cemented by Ryu being his penultimate opponent. All opponents are rivals to the main character. The boss of this route is Crazy Hand. |
Cloud | A Ride? Not Interested. (乗り物...? 興味ないね, A vehicle...? Not interested) | References Cloud's motion sickness; all his battles are on vehicle stages. His boss battle is against Master Hand, likely a One Winged Angel reference (as he fights only the one hand, and Safer Sephiroth's wing was on his right arm). This may also be a reference to the white hand that is used as a cursor on the menus in most Final Fantasy games. The title is also a reference to one of Cloud's taunts. |
Bayonetta | The Requiem of Fallen Wings (散りゆく翼の鎮魂歌, Requiem of Scattering Wings) | References the epilogue of Bayonetta: "Requiem". Bayonetta fights winged characters, and the final battle is against a Giant Palutena, a reference to the final battle in Bayonetta against Jubileus. |
Simon | Smash-vania (悪魔城スマブラ, Demon Castle Smash Bros.) | The title is a pun with the names of the Smash and Castlevania series. The Japanese version makes a similar pun with the Japanese title of the Castlevania franchise, 悪魔城ドラキュラ (Demon Castle Dracula). Simon fights monstrous characters that reference the beasts he battles in the Castlevania games. The boss of this route is Dracula. |
Richter | Smash Echoes (ダッシュファイターズ, Dash Fighters) | Both the English and Japanese names refer to Echo Fighters, which make up all of Richter's opponents of this route. The boss of this route is Dracula. |
Gallery
Trivia
- In the Japanese version of Ultimate, Classic Mode is renamed from シンプル (Simple) to 勝ちあがり乱闘 (Survival Smash).
- On Classic Mode, this is the first Super Smash Bros. game to:
- Feature predetermined bosses based on their own universe on the final round.
- Not always have Master Hand and Crazy Hand as the final boss.
- Make the announcer not say anything on the Classic Mode loading screen.
- Have the screen not flashing white when the player defeat the boss on the final round and now displayed as GAME!.
- Grant the Characters different routes.
- Give Master Hand and Crazy Hand their own theme songs.
- Have a boss bar shown for the boss fights instead of percentages.
- Jigglypuff, Bowser, Mega Man, and Bayonetta are the only known characters to fight against another fighter instead of a unique boss at the end.
- Although Bowser and Mega Man do fight against the unique bosses, but as a penultimate battle rather than the final battle.
- Mario, Captain Falcon, and Zelda, however, fight another fighter that turns into a unique boss after the first round.
- Master Hand is the most common unique boss.
- Ryu is the only character to use stamina battles instead of regular battles.
- Like in Super Smash Bros. 64 and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, this Classic Mode does not have Clear Movies for each character.
- The banner represents every playable fighter in their default color scheme / costume, with the exception of Corrin, who is represented by the female variant instead.