Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, together called Super Smash Bros. 4, are two fighting games released in 2014. These games were created by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U consoles. They are the fourth game in the Super Smash Bros. series, following Super Smash Bros. Brawl from 2008. The Nintendo 3DS version was released in Japan on September 13, 2014, and in North America and Europe on October 3, 2014, and in Australia on October 4, 2014. The Wii U version was released in North America on November 21, 2014, Europe on November 28, 2014, Australia on November 29, 2014, and Japan on December 6, 2014.
As part of the Super Smash Bros. series, these games are a type of fighting game where players use different attacks to weaken opponents and knock them out of an arena. The games include characters, items, music, and stages from many Nintendo games and some games made by other companies. Development began in 2012, and the games were announced at E3 2013. The gameplay is between the faster, more competitive style of Super Smash Bros. Melee and the slower, more casual style of Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
New features include up to eight players fighting at the same time on the Wii U version, support for Nintendo’s Amiibo figures (one of the first games to use this feature), the ability to use custom Miis as playable fighters, downloadable content added after release, and customizable special moves. Some features from earlier games, like the story mode from Brawl, were removed. Critics praised the improvements to gameplay but noted problems with online play. Both versions sold well, with the 3DS version selling over nine million copies worldwide by September 2022 and the Wii U version selling over five million copies by the same time. The series continued with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch in 2018.
Gameplay
Super Smash Bros. is a multiplayer platform fighting game where players use attacks, techniques, and items to damage opponents and knock them out of the arena. As a character's damage percentage increases, they are launched farther when attacked and may be knocked out of the playing field. Items appear during battles and often represent video games from the series. A Smash Ball allows players to use a powerful, character-specific attack called a "Final Smash." An Assist Trophy summons non-playable characters from other games to help the summoner. The game includes collectible trophies based on characters or items from Nintendo and third-party games. Each stage has an alternate Omega form, which changes the stage layout to a flat surface with ledges and removes hazards, similar to the "Final Destination" stage. Some stages, trophies, and features are exclusive to the Wii U or 3DS versions. The Wii U version includes elements from home console games, while the 3DS version includes elements from handheld games. Both versions include stages from previous games and new stages based on new or recent properties.
Players can now customize existing characters and custom Mii Fighters, changing their attacks and adding unique power-ups. These characters and items can be transferred between the 3DS and Wii U versions. Players can use Amiibo to train computer-controlled opponents and import them into matches. Both versions support local and online multiplayer. Local and online matches with friends have customizable rules, while online matches with strangers have two modes: "For Fun" and "For Glory." "For Fun" uses random stages and items with timed matches, while "For Glory" uses Omega stages with no items and includes standard Smash and 1-on-1 battles. Custom characters, Mii Fighters, and Amiibo cannot be used in online matches against strangers. Solo play includes Classic mode, which is influenced by Masahiro Sakurai's previous project Kid Icarus: Uprising. Players can increase difficulty by spending in-game currency for rewards. The Home-Run Contest from Melee returns with a competitive version for up to four players. Both versions include two new modes: Target Blast, where players hit a bomb to earn points by causing chain reactions, and Trophy Rush, where players clear crates to earn trophies and customization items.
The game includes a moderation system to prevent griefing and an online ranking system called "Global Smash Power," which shows how many players a user has outscored. Online matches do not have a ranking system, but players can now match with others of similar skill levels. Online features include Spectator Mode, where spectators can bet on players to earn gold, and Conquest, where players support characters online and earn rewards if their team wins. Online multiplayer and services ended on April 8, 2024.
The 3DS version uses stereoscopic 3D graphics with optional outlines to make characters more visible. It includes two exclusive modes: Smash Run, inspired by Kirby Air Ride, where players fight enemies to earn power-ups before facing random matches, and StreetSmash, a StreetPass-based game where players control a disc to knock opponents out. The 3DS version supports controls from the New Nintendo 3DS, such as using the C-Stick for Smash Attacks, but is incompatible with the Circle Pad Pro due to hardware limits.
The Wii U version has 1080p graphics and a mode called 8-Player Smash, allowing up to eight players on certain stages. This mode cannot be played online but was expanded with post-release updates. Some modes from the 3DS version, like Classic mode, have changes in the Wii U version, including cooperative or competitive play options. The Wii U version includes three exclusive modes: Smash Tour, a board game-style mode where players build teams and earn power-ups; Special Orders, a challenge mode with rewards that increase with each win; and Event Mode, where players complete themed challenges. The Wii U version supports many controllers, including the Wii U GamePad, Wii Remote, Classic Controller, and others. It includes features like Special Smash, Stage Builder, Photo Mode, and demo versions of classic games in a "Masterpieces" gallery. Updates added content-sharing features, a Miiverse stage, and an online tournament mode.
The game includes 58 playable characters (51 on-disc and 7 as downloadable content) from Nintendo and third-party franchises. The base game includes 17 new characters, such as the Wii Fit Trainer, Animal Crossing’s Villager, Mario’s Rosalina and Bowser Jr., Punch-Out!!’s Little Mac, Pokémon X and Y’s Greninja, Kid Icarus: Uprising’s Palutena and Dark Pit, Fire Emblem Awakening’s Lucina and Robin, Xenoblade Chronicles’s Shulk, Duck Hunt’s dog and duck, Mega Man from Capcom, Pac-Man from Bandai Namco, and the customizable Mii Fighter with three fighting styles: Brawler, Fighter, and Gunner.
Development
In 2011, former Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata announced that a new Super Smash Bros. game would be made for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U during E3 2011. However, development began only after Masahiro Sakurai, the series creator, finished his other project, Kid Icarus: Uprising, in March 2012. The game was created as a collaboration between Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. Members from Bandai Namco’s Soulcalibur and Tekken series helped Sakurai during development. Other companies, like tri-Crescendo, also contributed. Sakurai, who previously handled balance in the game alone, involved more staff to improve the game’s competitive fairness. The game was officially revealed at E3 2013 on June 11, 2013, during a Nintendo Direct presentation. Screenshots were posted daily on the game’s website and Miiverse community, and cinematic trailers were released to introduce new fighters. Sakurai chose to use these trailers instead of including a story mode like the Subspace Emissary from Brawl, as he believed people sharing videos online had already spoiled the experience of seeing the cutscenes for the first time.
At E3 2013, Sakurai mentioned that the tripping mechanic from Brawl was not included. He described the gameplay as a balance between the fast, competitive style of Melee and the slower, more casual style of Brawl. While the game does not allow cross-platform play between the Wii U and 3DS versions due to exclusive stages and modes, players can transfer customized characters and items between the two versions. The game includes third-party characters like Capcom’s Mega Man and Bandai Namco’s Pac-Man, as well as the return of Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog. Other third-party characters, such as Ubisoft’s Rayman, appear as trophies. Mii characters were added to meet fan requests, but Mii Fighters cannot be used in online matches against strangers to prevent bullying and maintain fairness. The Wii U version was released later than the 3DS version to allow each version time for testing. Hardware limits on the 3DS led to changes, such as removing mid-match transformations, not supporting the Circle Pad Pro, and excluding the Ice Climbers from the Ice Climber NES game, who were playable in Melee and Brawl.
In late August 2014, photos and videos of the 3DS version were shared online, revealing unannounced fighters. These were later removed due to a copyright claim by Nintendo of America. The leaks were confirmed on September 11, 2014, when gamers in Japan and Taiwan obtained the 3DS version two days before its release and streamed gameplay on Twitch.
Like earlier games in the series, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U includes original and rearranged music from various gaming franchises. Both versions allow players to select and listen to multiple musical tracks using the "My Music" feature, including songs from previous Super Smash Bros. games. The 3DS version has less music overall than the Wii U version, with only two songs per stage due to size limits. The 3DS version also includes a "Play in Sleep Mode" option, letting players listen to the game’s music while the system is in sleep mode.
Well-known video game composers and musicians, including Masashi Hamauzu, Yuzo Koshiro, Yasunori Mitsuda, Motoi Sakuraba, Yoko Shimomura, Mahito Yokota, Akari Kaida, Michiru Yamane, Koji Kondo, Kazumi Totaka, and Masafumi Takada, contributed arrangements for the game. The original score was created by Bandai Namco’s internal sound team. A two-disc promotional soundtrack, featuring selected music from the game, was available to Club Nintendo members who registered both versions of the game before January 13, 2015.
Release
In an announcement for the Super Smash Bros. Invitational, a tournament held at E3 2014, Nintendo introduced an official GameCube controller adapter for the Wii U. This adapter allows players to use GameCube controllers with the game, as well as a Smash Bros. themed game controller. The adapter and controllers were released with the game and are also sold separately, though availability varies by region. The GameCube controller adapter has four ports and only works with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Up to two adapters can be connected to the Wii U. This adapter was later confirmed to work with the Nintendo Switch in 2017.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS was released in Japan on September 13, 2014, in North America and Europe on October 3, 2014, and in Australia on October 4, 2014. A playable demo was available on the Nintendo eShop in Japan on September 10, 2014, and in North America and Europe on September 19, 2014. Some Club Nintendo Platinum members in North America and Europe received early access to the 3DS demo, which allowed unlimited plays, unlike the public demo. The Wii U version was released in North America on November 21, 2014, in Europe on November 28, 2014, in Australia on November 29, 2014, and in Japan on December 6, 2014. Bundles containing Amiibo figures were available at launch, with the final batch including Bayonetta, Corrin, and Cloud.
On April 15, 2015, a software update added the ability to purchase additional content, such as playable characters, new stages, and Mii Fighter costumes, and fixed some game balance issues. It also allowed players to share photos, Mii fighters, replays, and custom stages online. An update on July 31, 2015, introduced an online tournament mode and the ability to upload replays to YouTube. A Smash Controller app was released on the Nintendo eShop on June 14, 2015, enabling players to use the Nintendo 3DS as a controller for the Wii U version. This feature was later added to the main game. On July 19, 2017, a software update allowed players to scan the final batch of DLC Amiibo.
Reception
The 3DS version of the game received mostly positive reviews, according to Metacritic, a website that collects reviews. Critics praised the game for having a large and varied group of characters, improvements in how the game is played, and many multiplayer options. Some issues were reported, such as the lack of single-player modes and problems with the 3DS hardware, like characters appearing too small on the screen when zoomed out and delays during multiplayer games. There were also reports of players damaging the 3DS Circle Pads from playing the game too much. The 3DS version sold over 1 million copies in its first weekend in Japan and had sold more than 3.22 million copies worldwide by the end of October 2014.
The Wii U version received high praise from critics, who highlighted its variety of gameplay styles and improvements over the 3DS version. Daniel Bischoff from GameRevolution said it was "the biggest leap forward Smashers have seen yet," noting the game's graphics and fast action. Daniel Starkey at GameSpot criticized the uneven performance of online multiplayer but still called the game "incredible," stating that the Wii U version "fully realized its goals." Jose Otero from IGN said the game appealed to longtime Nintendo fans while also being easy for new players to enjoy. Thomas Schulenberg of Joystiq mentioned occasional problems with slow frame rates during online play and said he was not impressed with the Amiibo experience, but he praised the game for having many goals for players to achieve.
By the end of 2014, the 3DS version sold over 2 million copies in the United States. In Japan, nearly 2,190,000 copies had been sold six months after the game's release.
The Wii U version became the fastest-selling Wii U game in the United States, with 490,000 physical and digital copies sold in its first three days, surpassing the previous record held by Mario Kart 8. By the end of March 2015, over 1.6 million copies had been sold. By the end of September 2022, the 3DS version had sold 9.64 million copies worldwide, while the Wii U version had sold 5.38 million copies worldwide.