Griefing is the act of intentionally ruining other players' experience with a game. Seen in almost all co-operative multiplayer games, it entails a variety of acts aimed at causing one's own team to lose.
Griefing in the Smash Bros. series generally consists of:
- Self-destructing repeatedly and using share stocks to deprive others on the team of their stocks.
- Constant use of self-damaging moves such as many explosives simply to damage teammates.
- With team attack on, trying to KO teammates.
- Simply being useless, e.g. not taking any actions, or doing nothing but taunting.
- Choosing an abnormally large stage such as Temple in combination with a fast moving character such as Sonic or Fox, to constantly and safely run away from the opponent.
- Repeatedly using Pokémon Change with the Pokémon Trainer in online play to lag the game.
- Exclusively teaming up on a player in a free for all, especially if one player specifically uses ineffective moves that serve to annoy the teamed on player (such as Water Gun), and distract them from the other player(s) teaming up on them.
- Causing a taunt match and enforcing it by teaming up on any player trying to have a serious match.
- Utilising a tactic that causes a specific combatant to avoid taking damage, such as the Infinite Dimensional Cape, and shell hopping with Falco.
- Usage of hacks to desynchronize online participants.
Griefing is especially common in Basic Brawl, as the anonymity, complete lack of control over the match rules, free for alls being mandatory, and no restriction over stage and item selection, creates unideal conditions for serious matches that are ripe for griefers to abuse. This is one of the main criticisms players have of Basic Brawl, as many find it unenjoyable, without griefing themselves.