Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a 2018 crossover fighting game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth game in the Super Smash Bros. series, following Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U (2014). The game uses the same style of gameplay as previous titles, where players control characters and use attacks to weaken opponents and knock them out of an arena. It includes many game modes, such as a single-player story and multiplayer battles. Ultimate has 89 playable fighters, including characters from earlier games and new additions. These fighters include characters from Nintendo and other game companies.
Planning for the game began in December 2015, and full development started after the 3DS/Wii U version’s downloadable content (DLC) was completed. Masahiro Sakurai, the series creator and director, returned with Bandai Namco Studios and Sora, the teams that made the 3DS/Wii U version. Their return helped speed up the development process. Sakurai aimed to include all characters from previous games, even though it was difficult due to licensing challenges. Many well-known musicians contributed to the soundtrack, including Hideki Sakamoto, who composed the main theme, "Lifelight." The game was first shown in a Nintendo Direct in March 2018, and more details were shared in Nintendo’s E3 2018 Direct in June. Additional content, such as new fighters and stages, was released through DLC until October 2021.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was released on December 7, 2018. Critics praised the game for its improved gameplay, variety of content, and large number of characters, but the online mode received negative reviews for technical issues. The game is often considered one of the best titles on the Nintendo Switch and one of the greatest video games ever made. It became a popular competitive fighting game in esports events, similar to earlier games in the series. It is the best-selling fighting game in history and one of the best-selling games on the Switch, having sold over 37 million copies as of December 2025.
Gameplay
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a fighting game where up to eight players can compete. Characters from Nintendo games and other companies fight to knock each other out of an arena. Each player has a meter that shows how much damage they have taken. The higher the meter, the easier it is to launch a character into the air and out of the arena. Standard battles use three victory conditions: Timed, where players earn points by knocking opponents out within a time limit; Stock, where players have a set number of lives and must be the last one standing; and Stamina, where a health meter replaces the damage meter, and players must reduce opponents’ health to zero. Players can change the rules and save them for future matches.
Players can choose to use items that appear randomly during battles. These items can help players gain an advantage. For example, Poké Balls summon Pokémon, and Assist Trophies bring in other characters to help the user. In Timed matches, some Assist Trophies can be attacked to earn points. Each character has a powerful attack called a Final Smash, which can be used by collecting a Smash Ball or filling a special meter. The game includes 103 stages (with one added in a free update), and additional stages come with extra fighters. Many stages have hazards that can be turned on or off, and each stage has alternate versions called Battlefield and Omega forms. A new feature called Stage Morph lets players alternate between two stages during a match. Other changes include new icons and gauges for character abilities, like Cloud’s Limit gauge.
The game includes returning modes such as Classic, Special Smash, and Home-Run Contest. New modes added in Ultimate are Smashdown, where each character can only be used once; Squad Strike, where players fight in teams of three or five characters; and Tourney, a tournament mode for up to 32 players.
Ultimate introduces a new system called Spirits, replacing collectible trophies from earlier games. Spirits, based on characters from various franchises, give fighters special abilities. Players earn Spirits by completing challenges called "Spirit Battles," which are based on specific characters. For example, defeating a large version of Ridley with wind effects earns the Spirit of Rayquaza, a flying Pokémon. Players must choose Spirits that match the challenges they face, such as ones that resist wind or damage large opponents. A mode called the Spirit Board offers rotating Spirit Battles for players to collect Spirits. Spirits can be leveled up, evolved, or converted into Cores to summon new Spirits. Some Spirits become stronger when they reach their maximum level. Nintendo also runs limited-time events to collect special Spirits, which later appear on the Spirit Board. Spirits can be used in local multiplayer matches.
Ultimate brings back Adventure Mode, which was missing in earlier versions. It is now part of the Spirits mode with a new story called World of Light. The story follows an evil character named Galeem destroying the Smash Bros. world and trapping most fighters. Only Kirby escapes using his Warp Star. Players rescue fighters and Spirits by completing Spirit Battles in World of Light. After defeating Galeem, a new enemy named Dharkon appears. To win, players must defeat equal numbers of light and dark Spirits on the final map to free the trapped characters.
The game supports local multiplayer, wireless play with other systems, and online play via Wi-Fi or LAN. Players earn tags by winning online matches, which can be traded for in-game items like Spirits, music, and Mii Fighter costumes. The game works with Joy-Con controllers, the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, and GameCube controllers with a USB adapter. Amiibo figurines can create AI-controlled players that improve with use. A mobile app called "Smash World" lets players track stats and share game clips. The game has over 900 music tracks playable in standby mode. An update in April 2019 added a Stage Builder for creating custom stages and a replay editor for editing and sharing matches. A May 2019 update added limited support for the Nintendo Labo VR Kit, and a September 2019 update reintroduced the Home-Run Contest mode.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate includes fighters from Nintendo and third-party games. The base game has 74 playable fighters, including 63 from previous games and 11 new ones: Inklings from Splatoon, Princess Daisy from Mario, Ridley and Dark Samus from Metroid, Simon and Richter Belmont from Castlevania, Chrom from Fire Emblem, King K. Rool from Donkey Kong, Isabelle from Animal Crossing, Ken Masters from Street Fighter, and Incineroar from Pokémon. Players start with eight original characters and unlock others by completing Classic mode, finishing World of Light, or playing enough battles.
Some characters have moves similar to others and are called "Echo Fighters." These characters look and move like their inspirations but have unique animations and gameplay. On the character selection screen, Echo Fighters are listed separately.
Development
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was created by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd., the same companies that made Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. It was developed for the Nintendo Switch, with Masahiro Sakurai, the series creator, returning as the game director. Unlike earlier Super Smash Bros. games, the team was not formed from scratch, which helped speed up the preparation process. The project plan for the game started in December 2015, during the development of DLC for the 3DS and Wii U versions. After that DLC was completed, team members were brought together. The development time for this game was shorter than for previous games in the series. Hatena helped with some parts of the game, and tri-Crescendo contributed to programming and design.
According to Sakurai, making a Super Smash Bros. game for the Switch was the final request from former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata before his death in 2015. Sakurai wanted to create the best possible game to honor Iwata. He aimed to include every character from previous games to avoid disappointing fans. However, this was a complex challenge for development and licensing, and it would greatly increase the cost. The return of Bandai Namco and Sora made it easier to include all characters. Sakurai also wanted to adjust character abilities to make the game faster without confusing players unfamiliar with the series. He believed that Ultimate was important for Nintendo and its dedicated fans, and completing this goal was necessary to satisfy them. Sakurai had to choose between creating a new game system or building on existing ones. He chose to build on existing systems because only about one-third of the characters he wanted could be included in the final game. All returning characters’ abilities had to be re-balanced to work in Ultimate. Originally, gameplay would differ between the Switch’s docked and handheld modes, but Sakurai removed this idea because the handheld screen was better than expected. Sakurai believed Ultimate would be the only Smash game with the full roster of returning characters, calling the effort to include characters, music, stages, and other elements “unprecedented.” He warned that future games in the series might be smaller in scope. However, he still wanted to add as many fighters as possible through DLC.
Voice lines recorded by David Hayter for Snake were reused in Ultimate. Xander Mobus, who voiced Crazy Hand, Master Hand, and the announcer in the 3DS and Wii U versions, returned with new voice clips. He also reprised his role as Joker from Persona 5 when Joker was added as DLC. The addition of Ridley from Metroid as a playable character had been requested by the Super Smash Bros. community for many years. In 2008, Sakurai said Ridley was a high-demand character but thought it was “impossible” to include unless the character’s size was reduced for balance. To include Ridley, Sakurai studied the character’s design and redesigned him to stand upright. All characters were chosen at the start of development except Incineroar, who had not been created yet. The team left space for a Sun and Moon Pokémon. The Inklings’ ink mechanic was difficult to implement because of how it interacted with environments.
The team built Ultimate from scratch with new assets and content. Localization manager Nate Bihldorff said the game improved lighting effects and texture rendering compared to the Wii U version. The World of Light mode was inspired by Brawl’s (2008) Subspace Emissary, and Sakurai chose to begin it with a cataclysmic event to create a stronger impact on players. The team created the Spirits mechanic to make a fun single-player mode but did not have enough resources to design new character models. While Spirits did not allow for individual fighter stories or new locations, it let the team use various characters and assets. Some team members researched Spirits thoroughly, and Sakurai said the Spirits mode was essential for using different franchises.
Like previous games, Ultimate features music from well-known video game composers and arrangers, with over 1,000 tracks in total. New to Ultimate is tying tracks to franchises instead of individual stages, and the ability to create custom playlists for listening outside the game when the Switch is in handheld mode. Sakurai began contacting composers over a year before release, giving them a database of over 1,000 track ideas. He also allowed composers to submit their personal favorites, which were prioritized for inclusion. While Sakurai oversaw the process and wanted the music to reflect the spirit of the original games, the composers generally directed their own work. The main theme, “Lifelight,” composed by Hideki Sakamoto, forms the basis of most of the game’s original music.
Nintendo planned to add new fighters through DLC, but unlike the 3DS and Wii U versions, where players could request characters, Nintendo chose which characters to add by November 2018. Additional Mii costumes were released as paid DLC, with some costumes also adding new music tracks. Sakurai said characters like Joker, the first announced DLC fighter, were added because they were “emblematic” of the types of characters they wanted in Ultimate. He also said they “bring a whole different level of fun and enjoyment for players.” Piranha Plant was chosen as a DLC character to add diversity to the roster. Nintendo met with Rare studio head Craig Duncan at E3 2018 to discuss including Banjo and Kazooie as DLC. Duncan agreed, and the two teams discussed further details. Sakurai noted that Banjo and Kazooie were the second most requested characters in a 2015 fan vote for the 3DS and Wii U versions, and their addition happened “quite easily” despite the property being owned by Microsoft through its acquisition of Rare. Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, said negotiating their inclusion was “an easy deal to make” due to Microsoft’s strong partnership with Nintendo.
The development of Fighters Pass Volume 2 was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as stay-at-home orders in Japan forced Sakurai and his team to work remotely. Early discussions between Nintendo and Microsoft about including Minecraft content in the Super Smash Bros. series began about five years before Steve’s addition. Adding Steve required reworking every stage in the game to fit his gameplay mechanics. Sakurai wanted to include Sora from Kingdom Hearts because he was the top requested fighter in the 2015 fan vote
Release
Nintendo announced on March 8, 2018 that the next Super Smash Bros. game would come out on the Nintendo Switch in 2018. A preview shown during a Nintendo Direct online event did not show the game's name. It showed characters like Mario, Link, and the Inklings from Splatoon. The Inklings were new to the series.
At E3 2018 in June, Nintendo revealed the game’s name as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and announced it would release on December 7, 2018. The E3 event explained changes to the gameplay of Ultimate compared to earlier games. It also said all playable characters from past Super Smash Bros. games would return, along with new characters like the Inklings and Ridley from the Metroid series. Nintendo held an invitational tournament for competitive players of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Melee.
Demo versions of the game were available at E3 and San Diego Comic-Con the next month. IGN nominated Ultimate for Best Game of E3 2018. The game won Best Nintendo Switch Game from both IGN and Gamescom. In 2018, Nintendo held two Direct presentations on August 8 and November 1. These events showed new characters, stages, and game modes.
Nintendo released Super Smash Bros. Ultimate worldwide on December 7, 2018. Special editions included a themed Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and a Switch with a download code. Another edition had themed Joy-Con, a Switch, a themed dock, and a game code. A GameCube controller with the game’s logo was released on November 2, 2018.
A new feature had Mr. Game & Watch look like a Native American in one attack, referencing a 1982 game where a cowboy defended against indigenous people. Some people found this offensive, so Nintendo apologized and removed the animation. Two weeks before release, a leaked copy of the game was shared online. Nintendo used copyright strikes on videos with leaked content. Fans tried to separate spoilers from those who played the leaked version.
Reception
Critics gave "universal acclaim" to the game, according to Metacritic, a website that collects reviews. Another review site, OpenCritic, said the game received "mighty" approval, with 97% of critics recommending it. Reviewers praised the game's large number of characters and levels, new game modes, and the way it combined the best parts of earlier games in the series. A French gaming website, Jeuxvideo.com, called it the best game in the series, saying it "brilliantly mix[es] large content with nostalgia." Bleacher Report highlighted the game's colorful art style, faster gameplay, and unique stages. IGN praised the decision to include every character from the series, calling it "ambitious and excellent." The Verge complimented the game's large soundtrack and portable music player.
However, the game's online mode faced criticism for technical issues and matchmaking problems. Many players reported significant lag, even when using wired connections instead of wireless. The matchmaking system did not always match players with the rules they wanted, and it was difficult for friends to join the same matches or for multiple local players to play together online. Complaints about these issues were so common on the game's subreddit that moderators moved all complaints to a separate thread. These problems were less severe on the Nintendo Switch 2, which is compatible with older Switch games like Ultimate. The World of Light mode received mixed feedback. Some players found the single-player mode both easy to learn and challenging, while others thought it was too long and boring.
In November 2018, Nintendo announced that Ultimate was the most pre-ordered game for the Switch and in the series. The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment reported that Ultimate was the fastest-selling Switch and Super Smash Bros. game in the United Kingdom. Its physical launch sales were 302% higher than those for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, 233% higher than those for the 3DS version, and 62.5% higher than those for Brawl. In its first three days on sale in Japan, the game sold 1.2 million copies, more than Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in that region.
Within 11 days of its release, Ultimate sold over three million copies in the United States, making it the fastest-selling Switch game in the country. It also became the fastest-selling Switch game and the fastest-selling game for any Nintendo console in Europe during the same period. It was estimated to have sold and shipped over five million copies in its first three days. Within three weeks, Ultimate became the fifth best-selling Switch game in the United Kingdom, surpassing the sales of Splatoon 2. In January 2019, Amazon reported that Ultimate was their highest-selling video game product of 2018. Nintendo confirmed that the game had shipped over 12.08 million copies worldwide. It was Nintendo's fastest-selling game until Pokémon Sword and Shield surpassed it in 2019. By September 2020, the game had sold over 21.10 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling fighting game of all time and surpassing the record held by Street Fighter II. It became the third-best-selling Nintendo Switch game, behind Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. As of March 31, 2025, total sales reached 36.24 million copies.
The game won awards for "Best Nintendo Switch Game," "Best Fighting Game," and "Best Multiplayer Game" in IGN's Best of 2018 Awards. It was also nominated for "Game of the Year" and "Best Video Game Music."
Esports
EVO 2019 took place from August 2 to August 4, 2019, and included Ultimate as one of its main events. It was the largest offline Smash Bros. tournament ever, with 3,534 participants registered. It also set a new record for EVO’s number of viewers watching at the same time, with over 279,000 people watching during the Top 8 competition. On May 8–10, 2020, top Super Smash Bros. Melee player Hungrybox worked with NFL running back Le'Veon Bell and esports team Team Liquid to host The Box, an online tournament offering a $10,000 prize pool.
In February 2020, it was announced that the Smash World Tour would include both Super Smash Bros. Melee and Ultimate players, with a total prize money of $250,000. The tournament planned to have international qualifying events, with the final competition held in the United States. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused many of these qualifying events to be delayed or canceled. The Smash World Tour was restarted in 2021, combining online and offline qualifying rounds, and ended with a final in-person championship. In 2022, an officially licensed circuit called the Panda Cup was introduced, featuring both Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. However, on November 24, 2022, Nintendo stated that the Smash World Tour 2022 could not continue because they did not have a license from Nintendo. Accusations against Panda Cup CEO Alan Bunney led many qualified players to withdraw from the event. This caused the Panda Cup, the Smash World Tour 2022 Championships, and the Smash World Tour 2023 to be canceled.