Unused content (SSBU)

The following unused content is known from the development of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Characters

Considered

Alucard - In a Famitsu interview, Sakurai stated that Alucard was briefly considered as a playable character, due to a lot of players probably being most familiar with him. However, he instead chose Simon and Richter, feeling that fans would probably prefer one of the Belmonts, resulting in his Assist Trophy role and cameo roles.^[1]
Decidueye - In a interview with Nintendo Dream, Sakurai revealed that Decidueye was almost chosen to be the playable Generation VII Pokémon, but he chose Incineroar instead, possibly due to Incineroar having a more unique moveset.^[2]
Representatives from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and ARMS - In an interview with Nintendo Dream, Sakurai confirms that due to bad timing, no fighter representatives from neither Xenoblade Chronicles 2 nor ARMS could be added in, resulting in Rex, Nia, Spring Man, Ribbon Girl becoming Mii Fighter Costumes, and Spirits (with Spring Man also being present as an assist trophy).^[3]

Stages

During the "Everyone is here!" segment of the E3 2018 Direct, the background of Fourside features a skyscraper with the text "Department" going down its facade. In the final release, the skyscraper is still present; however, the text is absent.
In Mr. Game & Watch's character trailer, he is seen climbing up a ladder in 75m. The stage appears to be three-dimensional (like the original and for Wii U version) in this trailer, but in the final release, the stage's platforms is angled differently to make the "3D" effect seem less prominent, and resemble the arcade game's 2D appearance more.
In one screenshot, Knuckles appears as an Assist Trophy on Green Hill Zone. In the final game, this is impossible and he will only appear on the stage as a background character.

Gameplay

In the E3 demo, Bayonetta was able to use After Burner Kick, Downwards After Burner Kick, and then gain another After Burner Kick before landing. [1]
The Classic Mode route files for Pokémon Trainer and Mega Man each contain data specifying a stamina HP value of 120, but have stamina mode disabled. This implies that these fighters' Classic Mode routes may have once been planned to use stamina battles. In the final game, Ryu is the only fighter whose route uses stamina battles, with a HP value of 150.
An unused model for Donkey Kong's bongo drums can be found in the game files. Donkey Kong used bongo drums in Konga Beat, his Final Smash in Brawl and Smash 4, and due to its updated design and textures (despite not being used), it can be assumed that Konga Beat was meant to return for Ultimate. However, Donkey Kong has a new Final Smash in Ultimate, that being Jungle Rush.
In Pac-Man’s character trailer, he is shown able to actually attack the water from his Fire Hydrant, making it completely disappear. However, this is impossible to do in the final game, as the water functions exactly how it did in the previous game.
In an interview, Sakurai stated that he had plans to lower the run speed for a campy playstyle. However, it was eventually scrapped because he believed it was nearly impossible to tell what was campy. ^[4]

Music

The E3 reveal featured a remix of Lifelight that was unused in the final game
In the August 8, 2018 Nintendo Direct, several songs shown in the Sound Test had titles that were later altered prior to release:
- Metroid: "Opening/Menu - Metroid Prime" was originally named "Metroid Prime: Opening/Menu". "Multiplayer - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes" was originally named "Multiplayer (Metroid Prime 2: Echoes)", as it was in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. "Main Theme - Metroid Prime: Federation Force" was originally named "Splash Screen (Metroid Prime: Federation Force)". "Magmoor Caverns - Metroid: Samus Returns" was originally named "Area 1 - 5 Torrid Zone (Metroid: Samus Returns)".
- Star Fox: "Main Theme - Star Fox" was originally named "Star Fox - Main Theme". "Corneria - Star Fox" was originally named "Corneria (Star Fox)". "Main Theme - Star Fox 64 (64)", "Main Theme - Star Fox 64 (Melee)", and "Main Theme - Star Fox 64 (Brawl)" were originally titled "Star Fox 64 - Main Theme (64)", "Star Fox 64 - Main Theme (Melee)", and "Star Fox 64 - Main Theme (Brawl)", respectively.
In Simon and Richter's reveal trailer, the ending features a remixed version of the Stage Clear theme from Castlevania; it differs slightly from the Castlevania victory theme heard in the final game, in that it lacks the electric guitar, implying the remix heard in the trailer is an earlier version of the victory theme.

Spirit Battles

Although every spirit in the game is obtainable, there are many that can never be battled, as they do not appear on the Spirit Board and cannot be battled in any other context (such as World of Light). This is true of every spirit that is an enhanced form, as well as many that can only be obtained by summoning. Most of these spirits have default placeholder battle data, but some of them are modified from the placeholder data to varying degrees. This indicates that it may have been intended for these battles to be accessible before they were cut from the game.

In addition to spirits whose battles cannot be accessed, there is data for "dummy" battles as well. These battles were likely used for testing during development and were not intended to become complete, accessible battles in the game.

For a list of unused Spirit Battles in the game, see Unused content (SSBU)/Spirit Battles.

Aesthetics

Artwork & Alternate Costumes

Palutena, Shulk, and Falco have had their artworks updated over time.
In one of Wario's screenshots on the website, his overalls were depicted as having golden buttons as opposed to their usual white. This was changed back for the final release of the game.
In one of Luigi's screenshots on the website, the "L" on his cap for his 6th alternate costume was depicted as being green as opposed to purple as it was in the last game. This was changed back for the final release of the game.
In all of Wolf screenshots excluding the last one, Wolf's default costume had his jacket and gloves are darker shade purple, the straps behind his right shin guard being colored white, and the soles of his boots being red compared to his color scheme in the final build.
In the E3 demo, Mario, Link, Pikachu, and Villager's portraits used their in-game models instead of their official artwork.
In the E3 demo of the game, Sonic's 4th alternate costume, strangely, used a pale blue shade of fur rather than white fur like in the previous game. This was changed back for the final release of the game.
In the E3 demo, if Nana is chosen as the leader, both Ice Climbers will have all their voice clips swapped; Nana will use Popo's voice clips and vice versa.
In the segment in which Ike uses Great Aether from his character showcase trailer, there is an error in which his portrait displays him in his Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn outfit despite currently being in his Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance outfit.
A Meta Ridley costume for Ridley was featured in his reveal trailer, Dark Samus' reveal trailer, and in a screenshot on the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate website. However, the costume was not in the E3 demo, and in its place was a costume inspired by Meta Ridley (shown below). The costume was later added in a future demo and in the final game.
- Additionally, a costume based on Mecha Ridley was featured in the E3 demo and in the final game. However, in the E3 demo, the costume was placed over Ridley's standard model, but in the final game, the costume uses the Meta Ridley model.

Final Smashes

During the segment of the Nintendo E3 Direct that focused on King Dedede, his eyes are normal colored while he is wearing his mask in Dede-Rush. In the final game, his eyes are yellow.
While End of Day is being used in Olimar's showcase trailer, no Bulborbs can be seen, although the bite marks and sound effects remain. This was later fixed.
Power Star was still a Power Star in Rosalina & Luma's character showcase trailer; in the final version of the game, it is instead a Grand Star, and the move was renamed to match the change.
Wolf's character showcase trailer briefly features his Final Smash, Team Star Wolf. However, the background in the trailer is significantly different than what is featured in the final game; in the final game, the background is more akin to the background in Team Star Fox.
In both the Nintendo E3 Direct and Bowser's showcase trailer, Giga Bowser had a much brighter model than in the final game.
- Conversly, during Piranha Plant's reveal trailer, Petey Piranha had a much darker model compared to the final game.
Zero Suit Samus' Zero Laser used a different appearance in the Nintendo E3 Direct than in the final game.

Movesets

In Luigi's character showcase trailer, Dr. Mario is seen using Mario's updated animation for Cape rather than his own new and unique animation when using Super Sheet, and his sheet is on his right hand, completely unanimated.
In early footage of Ultimate, Lucina has her old idle stance animation from SSB4, but in the final build, her idle stance matches Marth's new one.
During Roy’s character showcase video, he had a different running animation. In the final game, his running animation is instead the old one from Super Smash Bros. 4.
In Pikachu's showcase trailer, Mr. Game & Watch is shown using his former forward smash animation from Super Smash Bros. 4. In the final game, however, he uses his design from the Game & Watch game Fire Attack.
- Perhaps more notoriously, the design for the attack originally used the original depiction of the attackers from Fire Attack, based on stereotypical Native Americans (as could be seen with the feather on Mr. Game & Watch's head); this created backlash from the Native American community, and the design was changed to remove the feather in a day-one patch.
During Wolf's character showcase video in the E3 Direct, Wolf Flash lacked any visual effects.
- Additionally, during his character showcase video, his down smash had a different visual effect along while the bayonet on his blaster lacked any effects.

Other

The E3 demo of the game did not feature the changes to victory themes seen in the final version of the game.
- Ridley had a different victory theme in the E3 demo than the one heard in the final game. The most significant difference is that the E3 version ends with a mysterious harp arpeggio, reminiscent of the Unknown Item acquisition jingle from Metroid: Zero Mission.
- Additionally, on the victory screen, the announcer says "Ice Climbers wins!", where in the final build, he says "Ice Climbers win!" due to their name being plural.
In the E3 demo, Ike did not speak during his victory poses.
In the World of Light trailer, the Fishman from The Legend of Zelda: the Wind Waker was named "Merman"; in the final game, however, it was reverted back to Fishman.
In early footage, the main menu has a few visual differences from the final game. The highlight box when selecting a mode has a white glow instead of a colored outline matching the corresponding mode, the background of the Vault section uses dots instead of diagonal lines, the background of the Games and More section uses thicker circles, the background of the Online section uses a simpler wave effect, and the button to access the Nintendo eShop is not available.
In early footage, the image that appears in the top right when selecting the "Smash" option in the Smash menu is different from the final game. Mario and Bowser have different poses and appear in different corners, Link and Samus are present instead of Kirby and Pit, and the flaming Smash symbol in the background is smaller.
In the segment of the Nintendo E3 Direct that focused on Bowser, Olimar is Screen KO'd by Bowser's Final Smash, Giga Bowser Punch, and is shown with his eyes closed during the Screen KO. In the final game, Olimar's Screen KO animation has his eyes open and exaggerated.
During her segment of the E3 Direct, Zero Suit Samus' portrait in this scene is in an unfinished state.
In the segment of the Nintendo E3 Direct that introduced Daisy, she had less facial expressions compared to the final game.
At the beginning of Simon and Richter's reveal trailer, There's an ESRB icon showing a rated T for Teen symbol apposed to a E10+ rating in the final game.

Gallery

Wario with golden buttons.
Luigi with a green L in his 6th alternate costume.
The two cut Ridley costumes (top) and the final costumes (bottom).
King Dedede using Dede-Rush with white eyes instead of the yellow eyes in the final game.
The Fishman as "Merman" in the World of Light trailer.
The early main menu prior to the November 1st Nintendo Direct, in which Spirits was revealed.
The early image for selecting "Smash" in the Smash menu.
The Sound Test, with early titles for Metroid music
The background for Team Star Wolf in Wolf's showcase (top) and the one in the final game (bottom).
Villager's beta costumes showing him/her in their in-game models.
The two cut villager costumes (top) and the final costumes (bottom).
Mr. Game and Watch's infamous feather removed in the day one patch.
Olimar with shut eyes in his screen KO.
The unused DK bongo drums.