The Smash invitation is an envelope stamped in wax with the Super Smash Bros. logo featured in promotional materials and character reveal trailers for Super Smash Bros. 4 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It first appeared in Villager's reveal trailer for Super Smash Bros. 4 and has since appeared in multiple other Super Smash Bros. Ultimate character trailers.
History
Smash 4
The invitation first made an appearance in Villager's trailer. In it, he is seen taking the envelope out of his mailbox before running off. This is the only appearance of the Smash invitation in any Smash 4 character trailer.
Ultimate
The Smash invitation is much more prevalent in promotion for Ultimate characters, especially within the trailers for DLC characters. It first appeared in Isabelle's trailer, in which Pete (a pelican mailman from the Animal Crossing universe) delivers one to her. This and Villager's reveal are the only two fighter reveal trailers in which the character receives the letter by physical post. Additionally, until Pyra and Mythra's trailer, letters in following trailers are shown to not be directed towards a specific character.
In Joker's first trailer, he is seen running through The Game Awards 2018 while his teammates comment on what he may be there for. Shortly, it is revealed that he arrived to steal a Smash invitation. It reappears at the beginning of Joker's second trailer. Following that, it makes an appearance in Terry's reveal trailer, parodying the Bernstein clan's invitations seen throughout The King of Fighters series. In it, multiple characters from The King of Fighters series attempt to grab it as it flies through the air, including Kyo Kusanagi, Ryo Sakazaki, Andy Bogard, Joe Higashi, Geese Howard, Nakoruru via her hawk Mamahaha, and Iori Yagami, before it lands on the ground, allowing Terry to take it. It makes another appearance in Byleth's reveal trailer, in which Sothis summons it to gift to the aforementioned fighter.
It also appears in Min Min's reveal trailer, where multiple ARMS characters, including Spring Man, Ribbon Girl, Ninjara, Twintelle, Master Mummy and Kid Cobra, fight over it until Min Min appears and takes it for herself. In Pyra & Mythra's trailer, Rex searches for Pyra and finds her standing on Final Destination; she apologizes for not telling him about where she'd gone and shows the envelope to him.
Steve is implied to have received an invitation in an article on the official Minecraft website, stating that Mojang Studios employee Per Landin encountered the letter at the front door of the Studio, addressed to Steve and Alex, and then proceeding to state that Steve and Alex have been invited to Super Smash Bros.[1] Nevertheless, this article was written by management of the aforementioned website, and is not necessarily recognized as Super Smash Bros. canon, as far as that may exist.
Aside from character reveal trailers, the Smash invitation was also used as a general motif for the game's downloadable content. This can be seen in the Japanese download card for the Fighters Pass Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, which features an image of a Smash invitation on its front. It is often used in relation to unrevealed downloadable characters, as can be seen in several Super Smash Bros. Ultimate presentations and information on the game's website pertaining to downloadable content. It was also used in the September 4, 2019 Nintendo Direct to represent the confirmation of additional downloadable fighters outside of the Fighters Pass Vol. 1, months later it was confirmed that there would be six more playable characters in the Fighters Pass Vol. 2, and each challenger pack made use of the Smash invitation as a placeholder before the character was revealed.
Additionally, a physical stationery set designed after the Smash invitation is offered for sale on the Japanese My Nintendo website. It costs 400 platinum points and consists of three envelopes, three wax seals, and six sheets of notepaper. The set could be considered the closest "official" look at the contents of the invitation, and is designed such that the notepaper fits within the envelope when folded in half.[2]
This physical stationary later became available for purchase on My Nintendo in the United States on January 14th, 2021.
Origin
The Smash Invitations are likely based on the letters one can receive in the Animal Crossing series, due to their close resemblance to the envelopes with the red stamp in the middle. Since they were introduced in Villager's reveal trailer, these letters have become the basis for the invitations.
Gallery
Reveal Trailers
Villager receiving the very first Smash invitation in the reveal trailer for Super Smash Bros. 4.
Isabelle with the Smash invitation in her reveal trailer.
The Smash invitation in Joker's trailer.
The Smash invitation's appearance in Terry's reveal trailer.
The Smash invitation in Sothis's hand during Byleth's reveal trailer.
Min Min dressed as a waitress catching the Smash invitation in her trailer.
Pyra showing her invitation to a confused Rex in her trailer.
Promotional Material
A placeholder image used for the unannounced DLC fighters in Ultimate's official website's DLC page.
The mobile version of the placeholder image used for the unannounced DLC fighters in Ultimate's official website's DLC page.
The Smash invitation as seen during the announcement of more DLC fighters.
The Smash invitation as seen when Fighters Pass Vol. 2 was officially announced.
The Smash invitation as shown during the announcement that a character from ARMS will become a DLC fighter.
Japan-only DLC card designed for the first Fighters Pass.
Japan-only DLC card designed for the Fighters Pass Vol. 2.
Physical stationery released through the My Nintendo website.
Trivia
- While some invitations are shown to be directed to specific individuals—such as in Villager and Isabelle's trailers—other invitations are not directed towards anyone in particular and are available to anyone who takes them, as is the case in Terry and Min Min's trailers.
- Additionally, the invitation is still valid if it was stolen from its intended recipient, as shown through Joker's reveal trailer (though it is unknown if this invitation was meant for anyone else in particular).[3]
- According to Terry's trailer, it is signed with the letter S. The contents of the letter, however, are exclusively seen in Terry's trailer, and are in reference to the opening of King of Fighters '94, so it is unknown if the contents potentially change per invitation.
- It was assumed that the S stood for "Sakurai", but in Terry's showcase, Sakurai revealed that the addition of the letter S was not his decision, but more of an inside joke with the staff who created the trailer. He then stated the S also stands for Super Smash Bros.
- Prior to its debut in Villager's trailer, an invitation was alluded to in Snake's reveal trailer for Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
- Cuphead's Mii costume reveal trailer also alludes to an invitation, but the physical letter is not seen.
- Pete, Sothis, Spring Man, and Ninjara are the only characters to hold a Smash Invitation in a character trailer without becoming playable in the process.
- Of these, Pete is the only one not to play any other major role in Ultimate, as he only appears as a background character on Smashville and as a spirit. He and Sothis are also the only ones not to claim it for themselves, as Pete is delivering it to Isabelle, and Sothis gives it to Byleth.
- To promote their release, Monolith Soft created an animation where Pyra and Mythra show their excitement in joining Smash, and asking for the viewer's support.[4]