The On-Screen Appearance, also known as an intro or entrance, is a minor feature in both Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. It was not present in Super Smash Bros. Melee. It includes a small animation unique for each character entering the battle field during the three second countdown before battle. It has no effect whatsoever on game play other than visually dramatic and comedic purposes. The one exception to this rule is Zero Suit Samus's entrance, which allows the players to hit their opponents with the fallen pieces of the power suit. Each entrance usually relates to that characters universe, such as Mario entering in through a warp pipe. The animation will randomly have all characters enter at once, or one at a time with a closeup of each.
Super Smash Bros.
- Captain Falcon: Jumps out of Blue Falcon
- Donkey Kong: Breaks out of a DK barrel
- Fox McCloud: Ejects out of an Arwing
- Jigglypuff: Releases from a Poké Ball
- Kirby: Falls from a Warp Star
- Link: Descends from a column of light
- Luigi: Hops out of a Warp Pipe
- Mario: Hops out of a Warp Pipe
- Ness: Crashes through PK Teleport
- Pikachu: Releases from a Poké Ball
- Samus Aran: Exits a Super Metroid save point
- Yoshi: Breaks out of a Yoshi egg
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Unique character based entrances have been removed in Melee. Instead, all characters, with the exception of Giga Bowser, your character in rounds 2-13 of All-Star Mode, your allies and your opponents in Event Matches, appear as trophies that "come to life" at the start of the match. The three-second countdown is also quicker and more streamlined.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Understand that these are for VS matches only. Training Mode and Classic Mode use Melee's quicker appearance method, or the characters are simply already present when the match/mode starts.
- Bowser: Emerges from a wall of flames.
- Captain Falcon: Blue Falcon spins to a stop, Captain Falcon jumps out, and then Blue Falcon speeds off.
- Diddy Kong: Breaks out of a DK barrel.
- Donkey Kong: Breaks out of a DK barrel.
- Fox McCloud: Ejects from an Arwing.
- Falco Lombardi: Ejects from an upside-down Arwing.
- Ganondorf: Emerges from a cloud of dark magic.
- Ice Climbers: Fly in dangling from the condor from Ice Climber.
- Ike: Warps onto the stage using warp magic and then slashes his sword.
- Jigglypuff: Releases from a Poké Ball, then does a short, bouncy dance.
- King Dedede: Carried in on a boxing-ring-like throne by four Waddle Dees then jumps off, sending them scattering.
- Kirby: Crashes in on a Warp Star.
- Link: Appears in a whirlwind and unsheathes his sword; possibly a reference to the warp whistle in the original Legend of Zelda.
- Lucario: Teleports on stage, floats for a second, gathers energy in his hands then lands. This is unusual, because all other Pokémon come in on Poke Balls.
- Lucas: Rides in on the Saturn Rider.
- Luigi: Jumps out of a Warp Pipe while shaking in fear. Also says "Lets-a go..." while doing this.
- Mario: Jumps out of a Warp Pipe while punching his fists in the air while shouting "Lets-a go!"
- Marth: Warps onto the stage using warp magic.
- Meta Knight: Teleports in wrapped in his cape.
- Mr. Game & Watch: Moves along a row of Mr. Game and Watch LCD frames until he reaches the foreground.
- Ness: Teleports in using PK Teleport, then shakes off the soot he gathered after crashing.
- Olimar: Captain Olimar exits his rocket ship and plucks three Pikmin from the ground.
- Pikachu: Released from a Poké Ball and emits sparks from its cheeks.
- Pit: Flies down onto the stage from a beam of light.
- Peach: Appears spinning out of a shower of hearts, then winks and poses with her parasol saying "Hi!".
- Pokémon Trainer: Throws out his first Pokémon.
- R.O.B.: Assembles piece by piece as his parts drop from the sky.
- Samus Aran: Arrives from a Zebesian save point.
- Sheik: Appears in a short burst of magical sparkles.
- Solid Snake: Appears kneeling like after making a freefall jump as his stealth camouflage breaks up. Sometimes says "Kept you waiting, huh?"
- Sonic the Hedgehog: Jumps onto the stage (in ball form) from the foreground and gives the thumbs-up.
- Toon Link: Appears in a stylized Wind Waker explosion and unsheathes his sword.
- Wario: Falls onto the stage with his bike. The bike then explodes and Wario poses.
- Wolf O'Donnell: Ejects from a Wolfen.
- Yoshi: Breaks out of a Yoshi egg.
- Zelda: Teleports in using Farore's Wind with Din's Fire in her hand.
- Zero Suit Samus: Stands up from a kneeling position as her malfunctioning Power Suit falls off. Power Suit Pieces are scattered around Samus, which the player can then throw at their opponents.