Classic Mode loading screen inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Classic Mode (勝ちあがり乱闘,Survival Smash) is a single-player (optionally 2 players) mode inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. Each character now has their own predetermined set of opponents and stages to face in this mode. A unique name is given to each character's path, and there may be special rules or conditions: for example,Ryu's path referencesStreet Fighter II by using onlyΩ forms andStamina mode alongside the fighters most closely representing the characters ofStreet Fighter II. It is different from the Classic Mode versions found in the two versions ofSuper Smash Bros. 4, shown by the return to the style of Classic Mode that was inSuper Smash Bros. Melee andSuper Smash Bros. Brawl. Just like inSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U, Classic Mode can also be challenged by two players. When playing with two players, the route will always be based on Player 1's character. 1v1 battles (aside from Terry and Kazuya's Classic Mode) become 2v2 battles with two of the same opponent (if there is originally only one), one in an alternate costume. If P2 chooses the same costume as an opponent, the opponent will not switch to another costume unless they chose the same character as P1.

Similar to the Classic Modes for thepreviousentries, players can select an intensity level, indicated by the position of the lengthy mural. The highest allowed starting intensity is 5.0, and it will increase slightly, depending on how well the player does, after each victory, to a maximum of 9.9. Each successful round moves the intensity up by a minimum of 0.1 depending on performance. Winning in fast times or with great dominance awards a "Nice Play!" label for the stage, and an intensity boost ranging from 0.6 to 1.4, depending also on how far along the player is in the game. Otherwise, the game's default intensity boost goes between 0.2 and 0.6, lowerscores being awarded to long battles with more damage taken. The layout consists of seven stages plus abonus stage. Unlike previous entries, the opponent in the last stage is not alwaysMaster Hand orCrazy Hand; each fighter has a different encounter at the end. Scores are also present in Classic Mode, which is displayed alongside the player'sGlobal Smash Power.

Players only have one stock, unlike previous installments. Tocontinue, the player can either spendGold which lowers the intensity by 0.7 points, or use aClassic Ticket to keep the current intensity. Upon continuing, the match will start from where the player left off. Using a continue at any point during the run will stop the intensity from rising to 9.9, making the maximum possible intensity 9.8 for the rest of the run. However, it will not degrade a run already at intensity 9.9 if a ticket is used then. Continuing causes the player's score to go down. When playing with two players, the round does not fail until both players' stocks are lost.

Classic Tickets can be obtained through clearing Classic Mode or from theshop. They may also be used before starting a Classic Mode game to increase the rewards given out when finishing the mode. On a new save file, the player starts with 5 Classic Tickets.

After clearing Classic Mode the player will be able to play a minigame over theCredits and, at the end of said minigame, see acongratulations screen; the music for the minigame and the image at the end are themed to each character. Clearing Classic Mode with a character grants theirfighter spirit, much liketrophies from previous games.

Types of battles[edit]

Regular stage[edit]

Regular stages include Smash 1v1, 2v2, and Free-For-All battles where all enemy fighters must be defeated to proceed. Some variations includeGiant Battles, where at least one opponent isgiant,Metal Battles, where at least one opponent ismetal, andMulti-Man Battles, where eight or less enemies are fought three at a time. When playing with two players, the 1v1 battles are replaced with 2v1v1 battles against two copies of the same opponent, and any allies granted by the match are overwritten by the co-op player.

Bonus Stage[edit]

Bonus Stage inUltimate.

This is a challenge in the style ofRace to the Finish, but rather than having a standardtime limit, the player must run from a black hole that consumes the stage behind them. Glowing orbs are scattered throughout the side-scrolling area which increases the player'sscore, some behind breakable blocks andbomb blocks that encourage the player to go out of their way as the void closes in. Some scattered physics objects impede progress in a similar manner toTrophy Rush. At the end of the stage, acannon blasts the player into a portal that ends the Bonus Game. Every fighter goes through this bonus game stage at some point during their classic mode. Every fighter goes through the exact same stage with no differences.

Boss[edit]

Most fighters face a predeterminedboss fight at the end of their route. The player must deplete the boss'sHP in order to defeat them. The most common boss isMaster Hand onFinal Destination, withCrazy Hand joining if the fight is entered at intensity 7.0 or above, similarly to previous games. Several characters replace Master Hand and Crazy Hand with eitherRathalos,Dracula,Giga Bowser,Marx,Galleom orGanon, and certain others may feature Crazy Hand with Master Hand regardless of intensity, feature Master Hand only with no possibility of an appearance from Crazy Hand, reverse Crazy Hand and Master Hand's roles, or be on an Ω form of another stage. Additionally, there are a few instances where another fighter is part of the final round:

• BothMario andCaptain Falcon fightBowser in their final rounds before fighting Giga Bowser.
• BothPikachu andPokémon Trainer fightMewtwo in their final rounds before fighting Master Hand (with no possibility of an appearance from Crazy Hand, regardless of the difficulty).
• Jigglypuff fightsGiant Donkey Kong, and does not fight a traditional boss at all in its route.
• Bowser fights Rathalos in his penultimate round, but his final round is against Mario, thenMetal Mario.
• Zelda fightsGanondorf in her final round before fighting Ganon.
• Mega Man fights Galleom in his penultimate round, but his final round is againstDr. Mario, then Mewtwo.
• Bayonetta fights a giantPalutena, and does not fight a traditional boss at all in her route.
• Hero fights Rathalos in his fourth round, but fightsRobin in his blue costume and then a Giant Charizard in its purple costume for his final round.
• Terry fightsRyu,Ken, and another Terry in his final round, and does not fight a traditional boss at all in his route.
• Steve fights a giantRidley and two tiny Endermen, and does not fight a traditional boss at all in his route.
• Sephiroth fights only bosses in his route, culminating with Master Hand and Crazy Hand.
• Kazuya fights another Kazuya followed by a Metal Kazuya in his final round, and does not fight a traditional boss at all in his route.

After defeating Bowser, Ganondorf or Mewtwo in the boss round, the player is given aMaxim Tomato.

Boss	Fighter Routes		Total
Master Hand			37
Crazy Hand			2
Master Hand &Crazy Hand			12
Giga Bowser			2
Galleom			7
Ganon			4
Marx			3
Dracula			4
Rathalos			6
None			5
All			1

Classic Mode routes[edit]

Fighter	Classic Mode title	Description	Inspiration
Mario	Let's-a Go! (世界をまたにかけて,Traveling Around the World)	In a similar fashion to the Classic Modes of past games prior toSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U, Mario's opponents are groups of fighters from variousuniverses fought on ahome stage from that universe. The penultimate battle is againstBowser Jr. and theKoopalings. The boss of this route isBowser, who transforms intoGiga Bowser upon defeat.	The English title is Mario's famous catchphrase. The Japanese title and overall concept may be a reference toSuper Mario Odyssey, where Mario goes around the world and visits different kingdoms. The penultimate and final battles being against the Koopalings and then Bowser alludes to the Koopalings' appearances as world bosses before the final boss fight with his arch-enemy Bowser in variousSuper Mario titles (similar to the end ofMelee'sAdventure), which pays homage to his status as Mario's greatest enemy and final challenge to defeat.
Donkey Kong	Journey to New Donk City (ドンキーコング ニュードンクへ行く,Donkey Kong Goes to New Donk)	Donkey Kong's route depicts a journeyby plane fromthe jungle to more urban locations, including theOnett andMoray Towers stages. From Round 2 onward, the player is teamed up withDiddy Kong. The penultimate battle is againstMario andLuigi. The boss of this route isMaster Hand, set on Ω formNew Donk City Hall.	The route is named after its final stage,New Donk City Hall. The penultimate battle alludes to Donkey Kong's rivalry with Mario throughout theDonkey Kong series.
Link	A Quest to Seal the Darkness (闇を切り裂く対魔剣,The Blade of Evil's Bane that Cuts the Darkness)	Link's opponents on this route are all affiliated with darkness, including Ganondorf, with the penultimate battle being against Dark Link. The boss of this route isGanon.	The title references the main plot of most games in theLegend of Zelda series, where Link must defeat dark entities like Ganon. If the player selects the Dark Link costume, default Link appears as the penultimate enemy instead.
Samus	Another Planet, Another Bounty (異星の深淵,The Abyss of Another Planet)	Each battle is set on aMetroid series stage and involves fighting characters that shares similarities with bosses from the series. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	--
Dark Samus	The Great Poison Given Form (仲間に牙剥く精神汚染,The Mental Pollution that Bares Its Teeth at Companions)	Dark Samus's opponents are protagonist characters, and she is teamed up with dark/evil/corrupted variants of characters from their series (for example, Dark Samus is teamed up with Ken in his Violent Kenalternate costume, and together they fight Ryu, or she is teamed up with Luigi in his Waluigi alternate costume, and together they fight Mario, Peach and Daisy). The penultimate round is a Free-for-All against Samus and Ridley. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The route is named afterPhazon, the essence of Metroid Prime and Dark Samus, which is named "the Great Poison" by the Chozo inMetroid Prime. The penultimate round may be a reference toMetroid Prime 3.
Yoshi	Jurassic Journey (ジュラシックアイランド,Jurassic Island)	Yoshi's opponents all resemble older pop-culture depictions of prehistoric dinosaurs. His penultimate battle is againstGiant Bowser. The boss of this route isRathalos.	The fight against Giant Bowser references the final boss fight in theYoshi's Island sequels, in which Kamek transforms baby Bowser into a giant upon the latter's defeat. As it is a classical draconic wyvern, Rathalos continues the dinosaur theme.
Kirby	Gourmet Clash (激突！グルメバトル,Clash! Gourmet Battle)	Kirby's opponents are characters who, like Kirby, love to eat things, including their enemies, such as Pac-Man, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Wario and King K. Rool. For each battle, Kirby and his opponent each spawn with 35% damage and several food items appear on the stage as the match begins. Additionally, other food-based items (such asBanana Peels andSuperspicy Curry) appear more often. The opponent is giant in even-numbered rounds, and normal size in odd-numbered rounds. The penultimate battle is against King Dedede onFountain of Dreams. The boss of the route isMarx.	The route both is named after, and contains gameplay elements that resemble, theGourmet Race mode fromKirby Super Star. Dedede's appearance as the penultimate opponent can be taken as a reference to both the penultimate battle ofKirby's Adventure and to Gourmet Race. The final battle against Marx alludes to his status as the final boss inKirby Super Star.
Fox	Spaceborne Smash (無限の宇宙,The Infinite Universe)	Fox's opponents in this route are characters associated with space or other planets. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	His penultimate battle with Wolf on Venom can be read as reference to either their battle inStar Fox 64, or to the "No items, Fox only, Final Destination" meme since the battle is fought on anΩ stage against a pseudo clone of Fox withoutitems appearing; Venom is also Team Star Fox's frequent final destination. Master Hand's appearance may be a reference to the battle againstAndross inStar Fox 64, in which his disembodied hands guard his face from attack.
Pikachu	I Choose You! (大乱闘ポケットモンスターズ,Great Fray Pocket Monsters)	The opponents arePokémon characters from all across theSuper Smash Bros. series. All rounds take place onPokémon stages. The final battle is againstMewtwo, immediately followed byMaster Hand.Poké Balls are the only items that appear throughout this route.	In English, the route is named afterAsh Ketchum's signature catchphrase in thePokémon anime, which doubles as thetitle of the first episode andthe 20th movie. The Japanese title is a play on Japanese name of theSuper Smash Bros. series:大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズ,Great Fray Smash Brothers.
Luigi	Luigi's Nightmares (こっちに来ないで、コワい人！,Stay Away, Scary People!)	All of Luigi's opponents are scary characters (such as Ridley), or characters using a scary alternate costume (such as Dark Link). The penultimate battle is againstLittle Mac in his wireframe costume, followed by a giantMr. Game and Watch upon defeat. The boss of this route isDracula.	The route's theme is a reference to theLuigi's Mansion games and Luigi's tendency to be easily frightened. As a paranormal enemy, Dracula continues theLuigi's Mansion theme.
Ness	Home to Onett! (ホームシック！ オネットに帰ろう,Homesick! Let's Go Back to Onett)	Ness's route is themed after the events of most ofEarthBound played in reverse, fromMagicant toOnett, with opponents and stages that represent key enemies and points in the adventure. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	In Japanese, the route is named after Ness'sHomesick status effect fromEarthBound. The concept may also refer to the ending ofEarthBound, where the game doesn't end until Ness returns to Onett after saving the world.
Captain Falcon	Up Close and Personal (戦いの基本は接近戦,Close Combat is the Basis of Battle)	Captain Falcon fights opponents who specialize in close-range combat, such asGanondorf andRoy. The boss of this route isBowser, who transforms intoGiga Bowser upon defeat.	Giga Bowser may have been chosen as the boss because he has the fewest projectiles of all the bosses (one).
Jigglypuff	All Original, All 64 (64オールスターズ,64 All-Stars)	Jigglypuff's route is themed afterSuper Smash Bros. 64, pitting it against all twelve characters who debuted in that game (including itself), on stages that debuted in that game. The final battle is againstGiant Donkey Kong.	Elements of the route resemble the original1P Game mode: namely, Link as the round 1 opponent, Pikachu as the round 5 opponent, and the presence of Giant Donkey Kong. The penultimate battle is against the original four unlockable characters, (itself, Luigi, Ness, and Captain Falcon).
Peach	No Damsel in Distress (さらわれ姫から卒業！,Graduating from a Kidnapped Princess!)	Peach fights against would-be kidnappers such as Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings, Donkey Kong (in his "classic" costume), Ganondorf and King K. Rool, with the penultimate battle against her own captor Bowser. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	If this route is played with two players, Bowser appears with a copy in his eighth costume, referencingSuper Mario Bros: The Lost Levels.
Daisy	Sarasaland Represent! (戦場のプリンセス,Princess of the Battlefield)	Most of Daisy's opponents are princesses in their respective franchises, such as Zelda and female Corrin. The penultimate battle is against Peach. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	In English, the route is named afterSarasaland, Daisy's kingdom.
Bowser	The Red One. Every Red One! (因縁の赤いヤツ,The Red Guys of Destiny)	Bowser’s opponents in this route are all affiliated with the color red such asKen,Samus andDiddy Kong, with the penultimate boss battle being againstRathalos. The final battle is against Mario, withMetal Mario being summoned upon Mario's defeat.	The route is named and themed after Bowser's long-standing rivalry with Mario.
Ice Climbers	Duos for Days (ベストパートナー,Best Partners)	The Ice Climbers fight two opponents per stage, all of which are certain iconic duos in their games. The duos they fight are in this order: Link and Zelda, Ryu and Ken, Villager and Isabelle, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, Palutena and Pit and Mario and Peach. The bosses of this route areMaster Hand andCrazy Hand, continuing the duo theme.	Much like Ice Climbers, Master Hand and Crazy Hand work together as a duo.
Sheik	Masquerade (仮面舞踏会, Masquerade)	Sheik's opponents are characters who wear masks or other forms of headwear to conceal their identity, such as Meta Knight, Roy Koopa and Captain Falcon. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	--
Zelda	Wisdom Prevails (狙われたトライフォース,The Targeted Triforce)	Zelda's opponents are all antagonists on stages fromThe Legend of Zelda universe culminating in a penultimate battle with fourDark Links. The final battle is againstGanondorf, who transforms intoGanon upon defeat.	--
Dr. Mario	Colorful Treatment Plan (いろいろ三色大作戦,Tactics of Three Different Colors)	Dr. Mario's opponents are all trios of the same character in red, blue, and yellow costumes. The penultimate battle is against three Warios. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The concept of the route references the three colored viruses in theDr. Mario games: Fever, Chill, and Weird. The three-Wario fight could reference either Wario's role as a secondary villain inDr. Mario 64's story, or his poor diet and hygiene in theWarioWare series.
Pichu	Lightweight Fracas (ふわっとバトル,Floaty Battle)	Pichu's opponents are lightweight characters fought on stages set in the sky, such asPeach's Castle andSkyloft. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The route is both themed and named after Pichu's status as the lightest character in the game.
Falco	Soar above the Darkness (光あるところに,Where There is Light)	Falco's opponents are "dark" characters, such as Dark Samus and Captain Falcon in his Blood Falcon alternate costume. The penultimate battle is against a giantMr. Game & Watch. The boss of this route isCrazy Hand.	The Giant Mr. Game & Watch fight references his role as a corrupted character inThe Subspace Emissary. Likewise, Crazy Hand's appearance references his status as Master Hand’s chaotic and destructive counterpart.
Marth	A Kingdom of Dragons (竜の王国,A Kingdom of Dragons)	Marth fights draconic characters on fantasy stages hailing fromFire Emblem orThe Legend of Zelda. The boss of this route isRathalos.	The route is themed after the major role that the many antagonistic dragons play in Marth'sFire Emblem games, in which Marth plays the role of a dragon-slayer usingFalchion battling the dragon kingdom ofDolhr. Rathalos can be seen as an analog toMedeus, a primary antagonist, head of the aforementioned Dolhr and the final boss of all of Marth's games. Rathalos may also be a reference toWyverns, enemy dragons in Marth's games.
Lucina	A Path of Heroes (歴代の英雄,Heroes of Many Generations)	All of Lucina's opponents areFire Emblem characters, fought in reverse chronological order of the release of their games. The penultimate battle is against Marth. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The reverse chronological order of the fights likely references her traveling to the past inAwakening. A similar concept of fighting characters in reverse of their debuts appears asAll-Star Mode in the Wii U version ofSuper Smash Bros. 4.
Young Link	Hyrule Smash! (ハイラル乱闘！,Hyrule Fray!)	Young Link's opponents are characters fromThe Legend of Zelda universe. All stages, items and assist trophies are fromThe Legend of Zelda. The boss of this route isGanon.	The fight against the quartet of multicolored Toon Links is a reference toThe Legend of Zelda: Four Swords. It may also allude to the GBA release ofThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, which came with the original release ofFour Swords, in which an optional dungeon, "The Palace of the Four Sword", features four Dark Links as the last boss.
Ganondorf	Encroaching Darkness (終わりの始まり,The Beginning of the End)	Ganondorf's opponents are all heroes and protagonists, culminating in a penultimate battle with Link and Zelda. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	Master Hand's boss appearance may reference Ganondorf's intended coup d'état against him inThe Subspace Emissary fromBrawl.
Mewtwo	Psychic Control (洗脳による支配,Domination Through Brainwashing)	The battles are a series of Team Battles where one of the opponents will join the player in the following battle. The bosses of this route areMaster Hand andCrazy Hand, withPikachu as the player's partner.	The route's concept is derived fromPokemon: The First Movie, in which Mewtwo uses its powerful psychic abilities to mind-control others into doing its bidding, such as Nurse Joy. Some opponents are characters who have been mind-controlled in their own games, such as Richter. Additionally, Master Hand and Crazy Hand being the boss of this route could referenceWorld of Light, where Master Hand and Crazy Hand were mind controlled and cloned themselves byGaleem andDharkon, respectively.
Roy	A Journey of Swords (異界の剣士,Otherworldly Swordfighters)	Roy's opponents are all sword-wielding fighters, such as Meta Knight, Link, Shulk and Cloud. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The Japanese title mentions the concept ofOutrealms from more recentFire Emblem games.
Chrom	Fight as One (運命か、絆か,Destiny or Bonds?)	Round 1 is a one-on-one match against Lucina onArena Ferox. From Round 2 onwards, the battles in this route are Team Battles where Chrom's teammate alternates between Lucina in even-numbered rounds and either male or female Robin in odd-numbered rounds. The opponents are, in order, Fox and Falco, Ness and Lucas, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, Peach and Daisy, Simon and Richter. The bosses of this route areMaster Hand andCrazy Hand, with femaleRobin as the player's partner.	The route is themed after thePair Up mechanic introduced inFire Emblem Awakening, which Chrom describes as "fighting as one". Round 1 is a recreation of Chapter 4 of that game. Peach and Daisy’s appearances in Round 5 could referenceMario Kart: Double Dash!!, where they were partners. In Japanese, the route is named afterChapter 23 ofAwakening (known as "Invisible Ties" in the English localization).
Mr. Game & Watch	A Long Legacy (母川回帰,Return to the Origin)	Mr. Game & Watch fights classic characters on retro stages in reverse chronological order, starting with Kirby on theDream Land GB stage. The penultimate battle is a multi-man of Mr. Game & Watches on theFlat Zone X stage. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The penultimate fight is similar to the finale ofAll-Star Mode inMelee.
Meta Knight	Two Sides of the Same Coin (表裏一体,Two Sides of the Same Coin)	Meta Knight's fights are free-for-alls against fighters and their dark counterparts (such as Link and Dark Link, Pit and Dark Pit, Captain Falcon and Blood Falcon, Lucas and Claus, Samus and Dark Samus). His penultimate battle is with another pair of Meta Knights. The bosses of this route areMaster Hand andCrazy Hand, likewise two sides of the same coin.	References Meta Knight's tendency to act as both ally and adversary in theKirby games. The Meta Knights in the penultimate fight use alternate costumes that represent Galacta Knight, his ultimate opponent inMeta Knightmare Ultra, and Dark Meta Knight, his evil doppelganger inKirby and the Amazing Mirror; if playing as one of these alternate costumes, the second opponent will become Meta Knight in his original costume instead.
Pit	Fighting for the Goddess! (群がる悪を浄化する‼,Purify the Swarming Evil!!)	All battles are analogous to fights inKid Icarus: Uprising (i.e. Ganondorf as Magnus, Bayonetta as Medusa, etc.). The bosses of this route areMaster Hand andCrazy Hand, withDark Pit as the player's partner.	The Master Hand and Crazy Hand battle is likely a reference to the fight with giant form of Hades in the final battle ofUprising, in which Dark Pit assisted Pit.
Dark Pit	Created Warriors (つくられた戦士,Created Warriors)	Dark Pit's opponents are man-made clones or genetically enhanced fighters: Mewtwo, Dark Samus, Dark Link, Cloud, and Blood Falcon. His penultimate battle is against Pit. The boss of this route isGalleom, who as a mechanical foe continues the artificial theme, with Pit as the player's teammate.	The route is both named and themed after Dark Pit's origins as a copy ofPit inKid Icarus: Uprising. Pit's appearance as both the penultimate opponent and an ally in the final fight references their developing relationship inUprising.
Zero Suit Samus	Grapplers! Whips! Claws! (ワイヤーを使いこなせ,Master the Wire)	Zero Suit Samus's opponents are largely characters who usetether recoveries (the exception is Little Mac, who represents the titular theme of "wires" by using his wireframe outfit). The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The English version names this route after the three styles of tether used by the opponents in this route: "grapplers" refers to the Grapple Beam used by Samus and Dark Samus, "Whips" refers to Simon and Richter's Vampire Killer and arguably Ivysaur's vines, and "Claws" refer to Young Link and Toon Link's Hookshot.
Wario	I'm-a Gonna Win! (オレ様怪力ナンバーワン！,My Super Strength is Number One!)	Wario's opponents are those with brute strength, such as King K. Rool and Incineroar. The only two characters missing are Donkey Kong and Bowser. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	In English, the route is named after a catchphrase Wario uses in the international version ofMario Kart 64: "I'm-a Wario! I'm-a gonna win!".
Snake	Weapons and Equipment OSP (装備あれば憂いなし,If You're Equipped, There's No Worries)	Snake's opponents are all characters who all prominently use projectiles and explosives in their attacks, such as the Inklings and Link. Projectile weapons and explosive items make up most of the item spawns on this route. The penultimate battle is a mirror match against another Snake. The boss of this route isGalleom.	The English version names the route after a line in the opening ofMetal Gear Solid ("OSP" stands for "On Site Procurement") which establishes that Snake must obtain weapons and gear within the mission area, as is the norm in almost allMetal Gear games. The Snake mirror match is a reference to Liquid Snake, his cloned twin fromMetal Gear Solid, while the Galleom fight can be taken as both a reference to the Metal Gear machines themselves and, as Galleom uses explosive projectiles, a continuation of the theme.
Ike	The Black-Clad Warriors (漆黒の武者たち,The Jet-Black Warriors)	All of Ike's opponents are in their black alternate costumes. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The route is both themed and named after Ike's rival, theBlack Knight. The second fight against Morton, Greninja and Sonic referencesSonic and the Black Knight, referring to the fact that both Sonic and Ike face a foe known as the Black Knight.
Pokémon Trainer	The Future Champion (未来のチャンピオン,The Future Champion)	LikePikachu, the opponents are all Pokémon. The penultimate battle is against the opposite-gendered Pokémon Trainer, and the final battle is againstMewtwo, immediately followed byMaster Hand. All items are disabled throughout this route.	In both languages, the route is named after the catchphraseみらいのチャンピオン (usually translated as "champ in the making") that is frequently used bygym guides in thePokémon series. They use the phrase to describe the player and their goal of becoming thePokémon Champion. Items being disabled references how they are also disabled in regularPokémon multiplayer modes, although they never are disabled in Gym/Elite Four battles.
Diddy Kong	Hey, Little Buddy! (バディーコング,Buddy Kongs)	In each fight, Diddy is accompanied by a protagonist CPU ally whom he assists against corresponding series antagonists or final bosses (for example, Diddy is teamed up with Mario, and together they fight Bowser and Bowser Jr.). His penultimate battle pairs him with Donkey Kong against King K. Rool onJungle Japes. The bosses of this route areMaster Hand andCrazy Hand, with Donkey Kong as his partner again.	The English title is a phrase which originated from the manual ofDonkey Kong Country and was popularized by theDonkey Kong Country television series; Diddy Kong is also referred to as Donkey Kong's "little buddy" in games such asBrawl andDonkey Kong Country Returns.
Lucas	Magic, Sacred Powers, and PSI! (魔力、神力、超能力,Magic Powers, Sacred Powers, Psychic Powers)	Lucas fights characters with potent psychic or magical powers. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	Mewtwo's status as the penultimate opponent is possibly a reference toGiygas's original form fromEarthBound Beginnings (referred to as "Giegue" in the English version of that game), whom Mewtwo strongly resembles.
Sonic	At the Speed of Sound (疾きこと風の如く,As Fast as the Wind)	Sonic's opponents are either references to characters in his series (for example, Fox resembles Miles "Tails" Prower) or toSonic games in general, such asSonic Heroes. Half of Sonic's opponents are also some of the fastest characters in the game, such as Captain Falcon. The penultimate battle is against a giant Incineroar, resembling Zavok, leader of the Deadly Six, who debuted inSonic Lost World. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	References how fast Sonic is. The term "speed of sound" is commonly used in theSonic franchise, including the lyrics of "Escape from the City" fromSonic Adventure 2.
King Dedede	Royal Rumble (王ってなぁに？,Whaaat's a King?)	King Dedede's opponents are characters with royal titles, positions, or monikers, such as Marth, the Hero-King, Princess Peach, the Princess of Mushroom Kingdom, and Ganondorf, the King of Evil. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	--
Olimar	Planetary Explorer (いろんな惑星航海日誌,Record of Various Planets)	Olimar's opponents are those who are space travelers in their respective series, such as Fox and Zero Suit Samus. The penultimate battle is against Alph, or Olimar if the player is using Alph. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	--
Lucario	Counter Encounters (カウンターアタック,Counterattacks)	Lucario fights characters withcounterattacks, with the penultimate battle being against Greninja. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	--
R.O.B.	Unreadable Expressions (ポーカーフェイスの戦士,Poker-Faced Warriors)	R.O.B.'s opponents all wear masks or lack expressive faces, includingMeta Knight andWii Fit Trainer. The penultimate battle of this route is a Multi-Man Battle of R.O.B.s. The boss of this route isGalleom, who continues the expressionless theme.	The last two battles reference elements ofThe Subspace Emissary inBrawl: the R.O.B Multi-Man Battle references theR.O.B. Squad, and Galleom references his recurring boss appearances.
Toon Link	The Teamwork of Courage (勇気のチームワーク,The Teamwork of Courage)	All battles involve Toon Link teaming up with two other Toon Links. All opponents are groups of fighters from various universes. The penultimate battle of this route is Giant Ganondorf. The boss of this route isGanon.	The route concept is a direct reference toThe Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, a multiplayer title featuring theWind Waker artstyle in which the player controls three multicolored Links.
Wolf	Reunited Roster (参戦ふたたび,Rejoining the Battle)	Wolf's opponents areveterans who were not included inSuper Smash Bros. 4, like Wolf himself, starting with the veterans that debuted inSuper Smash Bros. Melee. The boss of this route isGalleom.	Like Wolf, Galleom debuted inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, but did not return inSuper Smash Bros. 4.
Villager	Mistake to Underestimate (普通のひとは強かった,Ordinary People were Strong)	Villager fights against characters who appear unsuited for battle but are very strong, such as Isabelle, Dr. Mario and Wii Fit Trainer. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The concept may reference Masahiro Sakurai's stated reasons for not including Villager inBrawl.
Mega Man	Variable Weapons System: Online! (Dr.マリオの謎,The Mystery of Dr. Mario)	Mega Man’s opponents in this route are stand-ins for the thematically-armed Robot Masters (such as the Ice Climbers for Ice Man and Captain Falcon for Quick Man) fought on Ω Form stages, with the penultimate boss battle being againstGalleom. The final battle is against Dr. Mario, with Mewtwo appearing after Dr. Mario is defeated.	In English, the route is named afterMega Man X's Variable Weapon System, which allows him to duplicate the abilities of his foes. Mega Man has a similar system, though it was never named as such. In Japanese, it is named after the Japanese subtitle ofMega Man 2:Dr.ワイリーの謎,The Mystery of Dr. Wily. The final battle is a reference to the final battle inMega Man 2, with Dr. Mario representing Dr. Wily, and Mewtwo representing Wily's Alien hologram.
Wii Fit Trainer	Aerobic Smash (有酸素乱闘,Aerobic Fray)	The opponents are round characters, such as King Dedede and Jigglypuff. Dr. Mario appears as a teammate. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	--
Rosalina & Luma	One Star after Another (星々へ探訪,Searching the Stars)	The opponents are characters from space or other planets.Starfy, another star, appears from every Assist Trophy, and all items are space related. Her penultimate battle is against Bowser, with Mario as her partner. The boss of this route isMarx, with Mario joining as her partner again.	The Bowser battle is a reference to the final battle against him inSuper Mario Galaxy. The Marx battle is likely a reference to his final battle inKirby Super Star taking place in space.
Little Mac	Friendly Sparring (異種格闘戦!!,A Different Kind of Melee Combat!!)	All of Little Mac's opponents are close-range martial artists. Every item except theSandbag is disabled. As such, the Sandbag can still be hit, but it will only spawn confetti. The penultimate opponent is Donkey Kong. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	Donkey Kong's presence is a reference to his secret boss fight in the WiiPunch-Out!! game.
Greninja	Your Turn, Greninja! (タイプ攻略リーグ,Type Strategy League)	Greninja fights against characters that each represent aPokémon elemental type: Charizard and Bowser for Fire, Pikachu, Pichu and Zero Suit Samus for Electric, Lucario, Ryu and Ken for Fighting, Ivysaur for Grass and Mewtwo, Ness, and Lucas for Psychic. All battles take place onPokémon Stadium andPokémon Stadium 2, except for the penultimate battle, which takes place onKalos Pokémon League. The penultimate battle is against Squirtle and another Greninja, representing Greninja’s own type, Water. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The stage choices, combined with the elemental theming, likely reference the Gym Battles in thePokémon games and the eventual battle with the Elite Four.
Palutena	A Little Divine Intervention (思いつきだけど、鍛えてあげます,I Think I Should Train You)	Palutena's battles are against characters whose gaming universes have a key emphasis on religion and mythology: Link and Zelda, Cloud, the Belmonts, Shulk, and Bayonetta. The penultimate battle is a multi-man battle of three Pits and three Dark Pits, and the boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The English title references a line spoken by Palutena in her debut trailer forSuper Smash Bros. 4.
Pac-Man	Ageless Classic (ファミコンクラシックス,Famicom Classics)	Pac-Man fights classic characters who originated in the third generation of video game consoles, primarily on the NES, in chronological order of their original release date. The boss of this route isDracula.	The route concept is similar to All-Star Mode in the 3DS version ofSuper Smash Bros. 4. The use of Dracula continues the theme of third-generation game characters (having debuted in 1986, he is the oldest boss in the game), and ties intoPac-Man as a supernatural being similar to theGhosts that Pac-Man is known to fight.
Robin	Thunder and Flames (雷炎闘技,Thunder and Flame Competition)	Robin's opponents are all pairs of fighters who use fire and electric attacks (for example, R.O.B. and Ken). Robin's penultimate battle is against the opposite-gendered Robin, and the boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The route is both named and themed after two of Robin's tomes,Thunder andArcfire. The penultimate battle with Robin is a reference to the final battle against Grima inFire Emblem Awakening.
Shulk	Witness the Monado's Power (「翔」「疾」「盾」「斬」「撃」「機」,Jump, Speed, Shield, Buster, Smash, Machine)	Each opponent represent one of Shulk'sMonado Arts, fought in their cycling order inSuper Smash Bros. 4, Falco represents Jump, Sonic represents Speed, King K. Rool represents Shield, Cloud represents Buster and Little Mac represents Smash. The penultimate opponent isMega Man, representing Shulk's Monado Enchant Art (represented by the "Machine" kanji), which allows his party to damage Mechon armor with normal weapons inXenoblade Chronicles. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	--
Bowser Jr.	Mama Peach, Where Are You? (あなたはピーチママ？,Are you Mama Peach?)	All of Bowser Jr.'s opponents are princesses, some of which are teamed up with their love interest (or in Lucina's case, her father). The penultimate battle is against Mario and Peach. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The route is named after how Bowser Jr. thinks Peach is his mama inSuper Mario Sunshine.
Duck Hunt	Dog, Duck, Zapper (けものブラザーズ,Animal Brothers)	Duck Hunt's opponents are all animals orMii Fighters with animal costumes, such as Donkey Kong, Sonic, Fox and King K. Rool. The boss of this route isRathalos.	In English, the title is named after the three characters who comprise the playable Duck Hunt fighter. The Japanese title may be a reference to the franchiseKemono Friends (けものフレンズ). In addition to continuing the route's concept, the title of Rathalos's native series,Monster Hunter, is similar to that of toDuck Hunt. The title of this route is similar to the title of their trailer inSmash 4, "One Dog, One Bird, One Zapper".
Ryu	Seeking a Challenge (俺より強いファイターに会いに行く,I'm Going to Meet a Fighter Who's Stronger Than Me)	Ryu's route is themed afterStreet Fighter II, meaning that all battles are one-on-onestamina battles on Ω form stages. All items are disabled throughout this route. Each opponent represents aStreet Fighter II character, Zero Suit Samus represents Chun-Li, Incineroar represents Zangief, Donkey Kong in his green costume represents Blanka, Giant Little Mac in his blue and red costume represents Balrog and Meta Knight represents Vega. The bosses of this route areMaster Hand andCrazy Hand, withKen as the player's partner.	The concept references the single-player mode ofStreet Fighter II. All of Ryu's opponents reference aStreet Fighter II character with their costume choice, stage, and music. Master Hand and Crazy Hand may be a stand-in for M. Bison, given the similarity of one of their moves to the Psycho Crusher and the usage of his theme for the fight.
Ken	Red-Hot Rivalry (燃えるライバル,Burning Rivals)	Ken's opponents are rivals to the main character of their native series, to some degree.Ryu, his own rival, appears as the penultimate opponent. The boss of this route isCrazy Hand.	The theme refers to to Ken's status as Ryu's rival. The Ryu fight is set on the Ω form Suzaku Castle stage, mirroring the start of Ryu's Classic Mode. The use of Crazy Hand references him being the "rival" to Master Hand, much like Ken's relationship to Ryu.
Cloud	A Ride? Not Interested. (乗り物...? 興味ないね,A Vehicle...? Not Interested)	All of Cloud's battles are on vehicle stages that travel, such as Meta Knight on Halberd, and Mario, Yoshi and Peach on Rainbow Cruise. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The title is a reference to Cloud's catchphrase, "Not interested" (興味ないね). The moving stages reference Cloud'smotion sickness and the vehicles inFinal Fantasy VII.
Corrin	Between White and Black (白と黒の狭間で,Between White and Black)	Corrin's opponents alternate between black and whitealternate costumes; for instance, Round 5 has a multi-man battle of six Mr. Game & Watches (three of them black and three of them white). The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	This title originated asan epithet given to Corrin on aFire Emblem Cipher trading card released in 2018. The black-and-white theme is based on the rival kingdoms ofNohr andHoshido, both of which Corrin belongs to.
Bayonetta	The Requiem of Fallen Wings (散りゆく翼の鎮魂歌,Requiem of Scattering Wings)	Bayonetta fights winged characters, and the final battle is against a GiantPalutena.	Named after the epilogue ofBayonetta: "Requiem". Each opponent can be construed as a reference to an enemy in theBayonetta games, in order: Loptr, Flaming Affinity, Inspired, Fortitudo, the Masked Lumen, Affinity, and Jubileus, the Creator.
Inkling	An Inkredible Journey (イカした色に染め上げろ,Dye It With Trendy Colors)	Each stage and set of fighters represents a particular color: for example, a pink Greninja onMagicant or a giant light blue Yoshi onSummit. The boss of this route isMarx.	Both titles make puns relating to the Inklings: an "ink" pun in English (commonly seen inSplatoon dialogue), and a pun withいかした (which means "trendy") andイカ (which means "squid") in Japanese. The color theme refers to ink colors, and Marx continues this theme with both the multiple rainbow colors on his wings, and how inKirby Super Star Ultra he utilizes attacks that grant Kirby the Paint ability.
Ridley	It Can't Be! Space Pirates! (銀河の脅威！スペースパイレーツ,The Galactic Menace! Space Pirates)	Ridley fights characters who pilot their own spaceships, such as Samus, Olimar, and Meta Knight. In Fox and Rosalina & Luma’s case, they are teamed up with other fighters from their universe. Fox is teamed up with Falco, and Rosalina & Luma are teamed up with Mario and Peach. The penultimate opponent is Zero Suit Samus, and the boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The route is named after Ridley'sSpace Pirates in all languages, while the English title is also derived from Samus's response to seeing Ridley inMetroid: Other M.
Simon	Smash-vania (悪魔城スマブラ,Demon Castle Smash Bros.)	Most of Simon's opponents are monstrous characters that reference the beasts he battles in theCastlevania games. The penultimate battle is against his descendant, Richter. The boss of this route isDracula.	The title is a portmanteau with the names of theSmash andCastlevania series. The Japanese version makes a similar pun with the Japanese title of theCastlevania franchise,悪魔城ドラキュラ (Demon Castle Dracula). The first five opponents, plus Dracula, each reference a beast that he battles in theCastlevania games, while the fight with Richter references the latter's role as a boss battle inCastlevania: Symphony of the Night.
Richter	Smash Echoes (ダッシュファイターズ,Dash Fighters)	Richter's opponents areEcho Fighters. The boss of this route isDracula.	The route is both themed and named after the use of Echo Fighters in it.
King K. Rool	Super Heavyweight Class (ヘビー級のキケンなヤツら,Dangerous Heavyweight Guys)	King K. Rool's opponents are the heaviest characters in the game, with most of them being antagonists. His penultimate battle is with his nemesis,Donkey Kong. The boss of this route isGalleom.	"Heavyweight" is boxing terminology, referencing the boxing-themed final boss battle ofDonkey Kong 64. Galleom's boss appearance continues the heavy theme, as it is one of the largest bosses in the game and looks very heavy.
Isabelle	Best in Show (紅23点,23 Red Flowers)	All of Isabelle's allies and opponents are female, save for Popo of theIce Climbers in Round 4, for a total of 23 female participants. The boss of this route isMaster Hand.	The English name refers toconformation shows. The Japanese name is a pun on the phrase紅一点, which translates to "one red flower (in a field of green)" but figuratively means "the only woman in a group of men", tweaked to refer to the total of 23 participants in the route (including Isabelle herself).
Incineroar	Burning Pro Wrestling Spirit! (こわもてヒールのプロレスリング,The Pro Wrestling of a Hard-faced Heel)	All battles take place onBoxing Ring in three different forms and feature opponents who use wrestling moves, such as Bowser, Donkey Kong, and King K. Rool. The penultimate battle is a mirror match against another Incineroar, and the bosses of this route areMaster Hand andCrazy Hand, withGreninja as the player's partner.	King K. Rool's presence is a reference to his boss fight inDonkey Kong 64. Greninja's appearance as an ally in round 3 and the final fight references the general wrestling tag-team match.
Piranha Plant	New Bloom (花の新人王,Floral Rookie of the Year)	All of the opponents are the newcomers for the base game. The boss of this route isRathalos.	The concept of the route references Piranha Plant being the last newcomer revealed prior to the game's launch. Each stage is based on the reveal trailer for one particular newcomer, in the order in which they were released. The use of Rathalos references it being a boss from a newly represented universe.
Joker	Shadows (シャドウを追え,Follow the Shadows)	All of the opponents use dark alternate costumes. With the exception of the first and final round, Joker is joined by a character from the previous round using a light alternate costume. All rounds (except Round 2) take place onMementos in three different forms. The boss of this route isMaster Hand on Ω formMementos rather thanFinal Destination.	The title refers to a recurring element in thePersona series,Shadows. The battle with Master Hand references the godYaldabaoth. It also references how Master Hand and Joker have the same English voice actor,Xander Mobus. The concept of allying with former opponents is a reference to a feature in thePersona series where after knocking down an opposing shadow with their weakness or a critical hit, the player can add them to their team through negotiations.
Hero	A History of Heroism (勇者たちの記憶,Memories of the Heroes)	All battles against tiny opponents (except for the last one) are stamina battles. Rathalos appears in the fourth battle. The final battle is against Robin, who is replaced by a Giant Charizard upon defeat.	The first, fourth, and seventh battles represent the progression of a typicalDragon Quest game. The Tiny Kirby team in the first battle represents the common early-game enemies Slimes and She-Slimes. Rathalos's appearance in the fourth battle references mid-bosses. The final battle references Dragonlord: a two-phase final boss and the main antagonist of the originalDragon Quest game. The other four battles are against each of the playableDragon Quest protagonists, with stage choices and companions appropriate to the specific entries in the series they originally come from: The Luminary with a Tiny red Robin, representing the mage Veronica, atYggdrasil's Altar; Solo atTemple, a stand-in for the floating castle Zenithia; Eight with a Tiny Pikachu representing his pet, Munchie; Erdrick in the subterreanean cavern inCastle Siege, referencing the battles against Baramos and Zoma, which both take place in the basements of the villains' respective castles.
Banjo & Kazooie	Perfect Partners (ぼくらでこぼこパートナー,We're Bumpy Partners)	All battles consist of duos of each series either as a two-in-one character, or two characters from a particular series. The bosses of this route areMaster Hand andCrazy Hand.	The music and stage combinations reference the various worlds fromBanjo-Kazooie. Duck Hunt references the similarities between the characters with Duck Hunt using the palette swap most similar to Banjo & Kazooie. The penultimate battle being againstDiddy Kong andDonkey Kong references how both theBanjo-Kazooie andDonkey Kong series being developed byRare Ltd. In addition to them being a duo, Master Hand and Crazy Hand may reference Motzand, the piano-playing ghost hand from the Mad Monster Mansion level.
Terry	The King of Smash (ザ・キング・オブ・大乱闘,The King of the Great Fray)	All battles are stamina battles against a team of three opponents, who each appear when one of their teammates has been defeated. The enemy teams are made up of fighters who hail from the same series, or share a similar theme. The final battle is against a team ofRyu,Ken, andTerry.	The title is a portmanteau ofThe King of Fighters and part of the title of theSuper Smash Bros. series in their respective languages; in the case of Japanese,大乱闘 from大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズ (Great Fray Smash Brothers). The 3-on-3 setup resembles the 3-on-3 battles ofThe King of Fighters games. Ryu and Ken's appearances in the final battle references how they had previously crossed over with Terry in theSNK vs. Capcom games.
Byleth	A Heroic Legacy (紋章の系譜,Genealogy of the Emblem)	All battles are stamina battles againstFire Emblem characters. The player always starts with 100 HP, solo opponents have 100 HP, opponents in team battles have 50 HP, and CPU allies in last round start with 30 HP each. The bosses of this route areMaster Hand andCrazy Hand, andMarth,Roy,Ike,Robin andCorrin appear as partners.	This route is themed aroundFire Emblem games that have a playable character inSmash, with the battles ordered in accordance withFire Emblem's chronology. The penultimate battle is against three Byleths that represent the house leaders inFire Emblem: Three Houses. In Japanese, the route is named after twoFire Emblem games from the Super Famicom era:Mystery of the Emblem andGenealogy of the Holy War.
Min Min	ARMS at the Ready (ウデ自慢たち 全員集合!,All Those Proud of their Skills/Arms, Gather Round!)	All opponents specialize in punching attacks or use arm mounted weapons. Round 5 is a Horde Battle against a team ofR.O.B.s. The boss of this route isGalleom.	Opponents make reference to variousARMS characters, including appearances of theSpring Man andRibbon Girl Mii Fighter costumes in Round 1. The Round 2 fight against Little Mac references the similarities between ARMS and Punch-Out!!. The R.O.B. Horde Battle references the 1 vs. 100 mode inARMS. Galleom represents Hedlok after fusing with Max Brass or Dr. Coyle.
Steve	Journey to the Far Lands (世界の果てを求めて,In Search of the World's End)	All opponents fought represent various mobs encountered throughoutMinecraft. Most battles except the penultimate round are stamina matches. The final battle is against a giantRidley and two tiny Endermen.	The English title refers to the eponymous world-generation glitch present in versions of the Java version prior to Beta 1.8 and also the Bedrock version prior to version 1.17.30; the Japanese title may be a reference to the official mangaMinecraft: Journey to the End of the World (マインクラフト 世界の果てへの旅). The final battle is a reference to the Ender Dragon boss battle in the End dimension of the game.
Sephiroth	The Chosen Ones (支配する者達,Those Who Rule)	Sephiroth fights all the bosses in the game except forGaleem andDharkon. The bosses are, in order,Rathalos,Galleom,Marx,Dracula,Ganon,Giga Bowser. The final boss is againstMaster Hand andCrazy Hand onNorthern Cave Ω.	According to Masahiro Sakurai, the "boss rush" nature of Sephiroth's Classic Mode was inspired by his status as the final boss ofFinal Fantasy VII. The final battle with Master Hand and Crazy Hand refers to the final battle ofFinal Fantasy VII, where multiple characters team up to defeat Sephiroth. The title of his route references his leitmotif from the original game, "Those Chosen by the Planet".
Pyra/Mythra	Shared Destinies (コインの裏表,Both Sides of the Coin)	Pyra and Mythra fight characters who comprise pairs, either due to being similar (such asRyu andKen) or parts of the same being (such asSheik andZelda, orPit andDark Pit). Items are limited to the home universe of each round. The final boss is againstMaster Hand andCrazy Hand, fitting the duo theme.	Many of the characters featured areclones, either in theSmash Bros. sense or the literal sense, referencing how Pyra and Mythra are the same entity, colloquially known as the Aegis. Sheik and Zelda's presence in the route may reference how they were the first transformation characters in theSmash Bros. series. The concept and Japanese name of the route are somewhat similar to Meta Knight's, even including some of the same pairs.
Kazuya	Fighting Fists with Fists (拳をもって拳を制す,Fighting Fists with Fists)	Kazuya's battles are mostly one-on-one Stamina battles against characters who specialise in martial arts or punching attacks. Several of the opponents representTekken characters who are not represented as spirits (Captain Falcon references Hwoarang,Little Mac references Steve Fox, and the fight withDonkey Kong andKing K. Rool represents Roger and Alex). The final battle is against Kazuya, with Metal Kazuya being summoned upon Kazuya's defeat.	The first match against Ryu references the numerous interactions theStreet Fighter andTekken franchises have had, including the crossover gameStreet Fighter X Tekken where Ryu is Kazuya’s rival, andStreet Fighter villain Akuma's guest appearance inTekken 7. The penultimate match is a regular battle against several Mii Fighters with armoured suits, referencing Heihachi's Tekken Force soldiers. The boss of this route is another Kazuya followed by a Metal Kazuya, likely referencing Jin Kazama and Heihachi Mishima. The final battle also takes place in the underground section of theCastle Siege stage, referencing the volcano that Heihachi threw Kazuya in at the end ofTekken 2, which Kazuya later threw him into at the end ofTekken 7.
Sora	The Light That Clears the Darkness (闇を晴らす光,A Light that Clears the Darkness)	Sora's battles are mostly solo Stamina battles against teams of characters with dark alternate costumes or which use darkness in their attacks. The penultimate battle is against Metal Sora, and the final boss is againstMaster Hand andCrazy Hand.	The first battle is a likely reference to Shadows and Neoshadows. The horde ofMr. Game & Watch represents battles against hordes of Heartless, such as the 1000 Heartless battle inKingdom Hearts II or the Demon Wave in subsequent installments. The battle againstCloud in theColiseum is a reference to theKingdom Hearts series, which typically featuresFinal Fantasy characters in prominent plot roles in the Olympus Coliseum world. The battle against threeRobins represents Organization XIII, or Nobodies in general. The battle against a giantGanondorf may either be a reference to the recurring battle with the giant Darkside Heartless (complete with appropriate background music) or to Xehanort, the overarching antagonist of theKingdom Hearts series, who has white hair like the selected alternate costume for Ganondorf.

Unlocking criteria[edit]

All eight of the starter characters inUltimate have their own character unlock trees, each with eight characters to unlock (except for Pikachu, who has seven). Completing Classic Mode with any character in a given tree will challenge the player to a Challenger Approaching duel for the next available character from the start of their tree down, as indicated in the table-chart below. For example, beating Classic Mode withDonkey Kong will then trigger the fight to unlockBowser. If Bowser's Challenger Approaching duel has been previously attempted (via a timed encounter or a previous Classic Mode completion) or if he has already been unlocked through World of Light,Pokémon Trainer's duel would be issued next. When playing with two players, Player 1 will participate in the duel, and their fighter is used to determine whose duel will be issued.

When all the characters in a tree are unlocked, completing Classic Mode again will unlock the next available character in the top four of Mario's tree, then Donkey Kong's, and so on until the top four characters in Pikachu’s tree have been fought, in which case the next character fought starts from Mario’s bottom four. Completing Classic Mode withdownloadable fighters would also unlock fighters in this order, as these characters are not assigned an unlock tree.

The Challenger Approaching duels are the same as those issued on a timed basis; this is simply another way to trigger them.

Notably, allclones of any type except forGanondorf,Roy, andChrom are in the same tree as the character they are based on.

Unlock Order
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th								None

Gallery[edit]

The mural that is displayed when selecting the intensity level.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language	Name
Japanese	勝ちあがり乱闘
English	Classic Mode
French	Classique
German	Klassisch
Spanish	Smash arcade
Italian	Modalità Classica
Chinese (Simplified)	取胜乱斗
Chinese (Traditional)	取勝亂鬥
Korean	클래식 모드,Classic Mode
Dutch	Klassiek
Russian	Классика

Trivia[edit]

• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Classic Mode is the only Classic Mode in which:
  • AContinue does not restart an ongoing match.
  • The difficulty rating can increase during the run depending on the player's performance.
  • Boss fights show a health bar for the bosses instead of percentages or stamina counts.
  • Not every fighter can be selected (due toMii Fighters being absent from this mode).
• Donkey Kong,Joker, andSephiroth are the only characters to faceMaster Hand andCrazy Hand on a stage other thanFinal Destination.
• Terry faces the highest number of distinct fighters in his Classic Mode route, with a total of 21.
• Link is the most common opponent for Classic Mode routes, appearing in 23 different routes.
  • Conversely,Snake is the least common base game opponent, appearing as an opponent in only three routes.
• Norfair appears in more Classic Mode routes than any other stage (appearing in 14 different routes and being the stage for 15 rounds). However,Boxing Ring is the most common stage to fight opponents on (being the stage for 21 rounds while appearing in 13 different routes).
• On the difficulty selection banner, which features every fighter in the base game, femaleCorrin is featured instead of male Corrin, despite the latter being the default inSmash.

See also[edit]

• 1P Game
• Classic Mode (SSBM)
• Classic Mode (SSBB)
• Classic Mode (SSB4-3DS)
• Classic Mode (SSB4-Wii U)

• Modes (SSBU)