Smash is a straightforward game mode in which up to four players battle for victory. During character selection, the first fighter slot is always occupied. Use additional controllers to add human players to the game, or manually activate the available slots to add CPU fighters to the battle. To add a Figure Player to an empty slot, simply tap the desired amiibo figure on the Wii U GamePad controller.
Once you’ve activated the desired fighter slots, use the available player tokens to select specific characters from your roster. Use the tabs at the top of the screen to make last-minute adjustments to the match rules. You can also use the fighter portraits to cycle through each character’s available looks and to change the difficulty levels of any CPU fighters.
Team Battle
By default, Smash pits players against each other in a free-for-all battle; however, you can use the “Smash” tab at the top of the screen to activate a Team Battle. Once you’ve done this, use the flag displayed on each fighter portrait to assign that character to a specific team.
Timed Smash Battles
The winner of a timed Smash battle is determined by which fighter scores the most points within the time limit. The clock in the upper-right corner of the screen shows the remaining time. Fighter damage percentages are displayed along the bottom of the screen. The more damage a fighter has taken, the easier that fighter is to launch. Launch an opponent clear out of the stage to score a KO!
In a timed Smash battle, your final score is determined by three factors:
- KOs: You gain one point each time you KO an opponent.
- Falls: You lose one point each time you are KO’d by an opponent.
- Self-Destructs: By default, you lose one point each time you KO yourself or are KO’d by the environment. This setting can be adjusted in the “More Rules” option within the “Rules” menu.
Each fighter’s final score is only revealed at the end of the battle, so it’s important keep track of KOs as they occur.
Sudden Death
If a timed Smash battle ends without a clear victor, all fighters tied for the lead enter a Sudden Death round. In Sudden Death, fighters each have one stock life—suffering a single KO will eliminate a fighter from the competition. All fighters start with 300% damage, so the smallest mistake can be very costly.
Stock Smash Battles
Each fighter begins a stock Smash battle with a set number of lives. Every time a fighter is KO’d, his or her stock count is reduced by one. The battle ends when only one fighter remains.
During a stock Smash battle, each fighter’s remaining lives are displayed near the bottom of the screen, near the appropriate fighter portrait.
Coin Smash Battles
During a battle of Coin Smash, attacking players produces currency. Bigger hits result in a better payout, so don’t hold back! Be careful, though: suffering a KO will cost you a portion of any money you’ve managed to collect. Victory goes to the fighter who holds the most coins when time runs out. Check the bottom of the screen to keep track of each fighter’s current coins, and remember to grab whatever you earn before an opponent has a chance to snatch it up!