Match timer
Final countdown timer
The final countdown timer is an element that appears at the end of a match. When there are only five seconds remaining, the match timer will disappear (except for Super Smash Bros.), and the announcer will start to count down with each number getting bigger onscreen (the numbers are the same size in Smash Wii U and Ultimate) before calling out "TIME!" ("TIME UP!" in the Japanese version and original game) to signal the end of the match. When that word appears onscreen, a winner will be chosen based on the highest total score each fighter/team has during the match, depending on the game mode. Players who are tied will face off in a Sudden Death match to break the tie.
In competitive play, this event is usually referred to as a "time out"; sometimes it is performed intentionally in order to win by stock or percentage lead alone. In addition to VS. matches, the timer appears in single-player modes like Race to the Finish and Trophy Rush. If Target Blast and the Home-Run Contest is played, then "TIME!" won't be called after the last second appeared. If a timed Multi-Man game is played, then the announcer will call out "GAME!" ("GAME SET" in the Japanese version) when time is up.
Just like the pre-match timer and the "GO!" message, the numbers have a different color. In Melee, the numbers are crimson before it was changed to red in Brawl and SSB4, and then to silver in Ultimate. The 10-second timer on the bomb in Target Blast starts from green and for each second the fuse takes, it changes to yellow, orange, and then to red when the bomb explodes. In SSB4, the final countdown timer's appearance activates the countdown-affected equipment, and prevents Star KOs and Screen KOs from happening for fairness purposes. There is only one known exception to this.
