Super Smash Bros. (series)

The Super Smash Bros. series is a crossover series of multiplayer games in which many well-known Nintendo characters are pitted against each other to fight, with each character using their unique abilities in battle. The games are among Nintendo's best selling games, not only for being one of Nintendo's few fighting games, but also for being a mass crossover of many Nintendo franchises; they are also known to attract both casual and competitive players, with game modes and official Nintendo events accommodating different types of play. While the Western title for the series is a play on the title of Super Mario Bros., Super Smash Bros. is a standalone crossover franchise and is not explicitly part of any of its constituent series. However, the Super Mario franchise is the most heavily represented franchise in each game, with multiple playable characters and stages, and receives first billing as Nintendo's flagship franchise.

Along with Mario, many different characters from different franchises appear as fighters throughout the series. These include Link from The Legend of Zelda series, Pikachu from the Pokémon series, Kirby from the Kirby series, Ness from the EarthBound series, and many more. Besides the diverse lineup of fighters, Super Smash Bros. has numerous non-playable references to Nintendo history, such as the roster of stages in the series, themed around locations from past Nintendo games. In addition to the Nintendo-related content, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and subsequent installments introduce a number of third-party guest fighters. While these guest fighters include mascot characters that have appeared in prior crossovers with the Mario series, such as Sonic and Pac-Man, they also include characters from more "realistic" and adult-oriented franchises, such as Solid Snake from the Metal Gear franchise and Bayonetta from her self-titled series. With its large, diverse roster of characters that range from the familiar to the obscure, the Super Smash Bros. series serves as a gateway to Nintendo's vast library of franchises, with the games often boosting the popularity and public image of lesser-known series such as Metroid, Kid Icarus, and Fire Emblem.

It has become one of the quickest-selling and most popular series in Nintendo's history, and Super Smash Bros. Melee is the best-selling Nintendo GameCube game. Masahiro Sakurai has directed all games in the series, the latest being Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros. is the first installment in the Super Smash Bros. series, introduced in 1999 for the Nintendo 64. The game features eight characters from the start, with four unlockable characters, all of them created by Nintendo or one of its second-party developers.

Up to four people can play in multiplayer (Versus) mode, with the specific rules of each match being predetermined by the players. There are two different types that can be chosen: Time, where the person with the most KOs at the end of the set time wins; and stock, where each person has a set amount of lives, and when they are gone, the player is eliminated.

This game's one-player mode included one adventure mode that always followed the same series of opponents although the player could change the difficulty. Other single player modes exist such as Training and several mini-games, including "Break the Targets" and "Board the Platforms". All of these were included in the sequel, with the exception of "Board the Platforms".

There are nine playable stages in Versus mode, eight based on each of the starting characters (such as Princess Peach's Castle for Mario, Zebes for Samus, and Sector Z for Fox) and the unlockable Mushroom Kingdom, based around motifs from the original Super Mario Bros. (from which the English-language name of the Super Smash Bros. series comes), even containing original sprites and the original version of the Overworld theme from that game.

Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee is the second installment in the Super Smash Bros. series, released in 2001 for the Nintendo GameCube. It had a larger budget and development team than Super Smash Bros. did and was released to much greater praise and acclaim among critics and consumers. Since its release, Super Smash Bros. Melee has sold more than 7 million copies and was the best-selling game on the GameCube. Super Smash Bros. Melee features 26 characters, of which 15 are available initially, more than doubling the number of characters in its predecessor. There are also 29 stages. It introduced two new single-player modes alongside the Classic mode: Adventure mode, and All-Star mode. Adventure mode has platforming segments similar to the original's "Race to the Finish" mini-game, and All-Star is a fight against every playable character in the game, allows the player only one life in which damage is accumulated over each battle and a limited number of heal items in between battles.

There are also significantly more multiplayer modes and a tournament mode allowing for 64 different competitors whom can all be controlled by a human player, although only up to four players can participate at the same time. Additionally, the game features alternative battle modes, called "Special Melee", which involve some sort of alteration to the battle (e.g. all characters are giant by default, the speed is faster than normal, etc.), along with alternative ways to judge a victory, such as through collecting coins throughout the match.

In place of Super Smash Bros.'s character profiles, Super Smash Bros. Melee introduced trophies (called "figures" in the Japanese version). The 293 trophies include three different profiles for each playable character, one unlocked in each single-player mode. In addition, unlike its predecessor, Super Smash Bros. Melee contains profiles for many Nintendo characters who are either non-playable or do not appear in the game, as well as Nintendo items, stages, enemies, and elements.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series, released in 2008 for the Wii. Super Smash Bros. Brawl is also the first game in the franchise to support online play, via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and offers the ability for players to construct their own original stages. The game features a total of 39 playable characters and 41 stages.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl also features compatibility with four kinds of controllers (the Wii Remote on its side, the Wii Remote and Nunchuk combination, the Classic Controller, and the Nintendo GameCube controller), while its predecessors only used the one controller designed for that system. The player also has the ability to change the configuration of controls and the controller type.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl features a new Adventure Mode titled "The Subspace Emissary". This mode features unique character storylines along with numerous side scrolling levels and multiple bosses to fight, as well as CG cut scenes explaining the storyline. The Subspace Emissary features a new group of antagonists called the Subspace Army, who are led by the Ancient Minister. Some of these enemy characters appeared in previous Nintendo games, such as Petey Piranha from the Mario series and a squadron of R.O.B.s based on classic Nintendo hardware. The Subspace Emissary also boasts a number of original enemies, such as the Roader; a robotic unicycle, the Bytan; a one-eyed ball-like creature which can replicate itself if left alone, and the Primid; enemies that come in many variations. Though primarily a single-player mode, The Subspace Emissary allows for cooperative multiplayer. There are five difficulty levels for each stage, and there is a method of increasing characters' powers during the game. This is done by placing collected stickers onto the bottom of a character's trophy between stages to improve various aspects of a fighter.

Like its predecessor, Super Smash Bros. Brawl introduces several new playable characters. Among them are Sonic the Hedgehog and Solid Snake, the series' first third-party fighters.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U


Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U are the fourth and fifth games in the Super Smash Bros. series (however, they are both commonly thought of as the joint fourth installment). At E3 2011, it was confirmed that new Super Smash Bros. titles were in development for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, with both versions being cross-compatible with each other in some way. The games were shown for the first time at E3 2013.

The 3DS version features cel-shaded 3D graphics and stages based on games for handheld consoles, while the Wii U version features HD graphics and stages based on games from home consoles. Like prior games in the series, this game introduces new characters, including Mega Man and Pac-Man, who are new third-party characters. The character lineup is the same across both versions, and characters can now be customized with a range of equipment and custom special moves. The 3DS version includes an exclusive mode called Smash Run, while the Wii U version includes a mode called Smash Tour, along with an altered stage builder and the Special Orders mode.

The games also introduce downloadable content (DLC) to the series, which was made available after release. Included among the DLC are the seven additional playable characters Mewtwo, Lucas, Ryu, Roy, Cloud Strife, Corrin, and Bayonetta, as well as additional stages and costumes for Mii Fighters.

The 3DS version was released first on September 13, 2014 in Japan, and on October 3rd, 2014 in the rest of the world. The Wii U version was released on November 21, 2014 in North America, November 28, 2014 in Europe, November 29, 2014 in Australia, and December 6th, 2014 in Japan.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the sixth game in the series (fifth if Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U are counted collectively), released on December 7, 2018 for the Nintendo Switch. It features every playable character from the past installments.

During the E3 2018 Nintendo Direct, Inkling from the Splatoon series, Princess Daisy from the Mario series, and Ridley from the Metroid series were confirmed as new playable characters. In the August 2018 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct, Simon Belmont, Richter Belmont (both from the Castlevania series), Chrom (from the Fire Emblem series), Dark Samus (from the Metroid series), and King K. Rool (from the Donkey Kong series) were also confirmed to be playable. Within the September 2018 Nintendo Direct, Isabelle from the Animal Crossing series was additionally confirmed as a new playable fighter. In the November 2018 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct, Ken Masters (from the Street Fighter series), Incineroar (from the Pokémon series), and Piranha Plant (from the Mario series) were announced as playable, with Piranha Plant being DLC. It has also been confirmed that an additional five fighters and stages, as well as some music, are to be released as DLC via a "Fighters Pass". At The Game Awards 2018, Joker, the protagonist of Persona 5, was announced as the first of the fighters included in the Fighters Pass. In the E3 2019 Nintendo Direct, the Dragon Quest Hero, as well as Banjo & Kazooie from the Banjo-Kazooie series, were confirmed as the second and third Fighters Pass fighters respectively.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate introduces Spirits mode, with collectible spirits able to augment fighters' abilities. They replace the collectible trophies of past installments. They visually appear and function very similarly to stickers from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. There is also a new Adventure Mode, titled World of Light, which sees Galeem turning many characters (except for the playable fighters, who were instead imprisoned, except for Kirby who survived) into spirits.

Gameplay
The series has a completely different gameplay compared to fighting games such as Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. Instead of making an opponent lose all of their HP, players have to knock opponents off a stage. When a character gets attacked, their damage meter (represented by percentage) increases by up to 999%, and the higher the percentage is, the easier it is to knock an opponent off the stage.

After being knocked off, a player can use jumping moves to try to return to the stage.

The Super Smash Bros. series has simple controls. Rather than having to memorize buttons like in Street Fighter, Super Smash Bros. games allow the "one attack, one button" style. Also, characters do not have to face their opponent, but can run around freely. Items can be used to help players recover their percentage or to KO opponents.

Major series represented in Super Smash Bros.
{|align=left width=100% cellspacing=0 border=1 cellpadding=3 style="border-collapse:collapse; font-family:Arial;" !style="font-size:15px" width="10%" |Symbol !style="font-size:15px" width="90%"|Series description !colspan="2" style="font-size:10px"|

Animal Crossing

 * AnimalCrossing_Emblem.png‎
 * A fairly big name from Nintendo, a stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl is based on it called Smashville. Regarding playable fighters, it is represented by Villager since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Isabelle in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
 * A fairly big name from Nintendo, a stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl is based on it called Smashville. Regarding playable fighters, it is represented by Villager since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Isabelle in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

The emblem used to represent this series is the icon used to represent furniture in the player's pockets. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Balloon Fight

 * SSB4 Balloon Fight Symbol.png
 * A somewhat minor first-party series by Nintendo. It was represented by the Balloon Fighter trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee, and a sticker in Super Smash Bros. Brawl (also in this game, the music for Balloon Trip could be played on the Summit stage). It is represented by a stage entitled Balloon Fight in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
 * A somewhat minor first-party series by Nintendo. It was represented by the Balloon Fighter trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee, and a sticker in Super Smash Bros. Brawl (also in this game, the music for Balloon Trip could be played on the Summit stage). It is represented by a stage entitled Balloon Fight in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

The emblem representing this series is two balloons, similar to those used by the playable character of Balloon Fight. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Banjo-Kazooie

 * BanjoKazooieEmblem.png
 * Banjo-Kazooie is a series of games by Rare Ltd.; a company that used to be a second-party developer for Nintendo, but was sold to Microsoft in 2002. The titular characters of the series, Banjo & Kazooie, appear as a playable fighter through DLC in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, making them the first characters owned by a console competitor to Nintendo to be playable in the Super Smash Bros. series.
 * Banjo-Kazooie is a series of games by Rare Ltd.; a company that used to be a second-party developer for Nintendo, but was sold to Microsoft in 2002. The titular characters of the series, Banjo & Kazooie, appear as a playable fighter through DLC in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, making them the first characters owned by a console competitor to Nintendo to be playable in the Super Smash Bros. series.

The emblem representing this series is a Jiggy, a type of collectible item in the Banjo-Kazooie series. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Bayonetta
!colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|
 * Bayonetta.png
 * Regarding playable characters, the Bayonetta series is represented by the titular character, who made her Super Smash Bros. debut in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U as a playable character available through DLC. The Bayonetta series is the second M-rated series to be represented in the Super Smash Bros. series.
 * Regarding playable characters, the Bayonetta series is represented by the titular character, who made her Super Smash Bros. debut in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U as a playable character available through DLC. The Bayonetta series is the second M-rated series to be represented in the Super Smash Bros. series.

Castlevania

 * Castlevania Symbol.png
 * Castlevania is a series of games by Konami. In the Super Smash Bros. series, it is represented by the playable characters Simon Belmont and Richter Belmont in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, making it and Street Fighter the first third-party series represented in the Super Smash Bros. series to have multiple playable characters.
 * Castlevania is a series of games by Konami. In the Super Smash Bros. series, it is represented by the playable characters Simon Belmont and Richter Belmont in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, making it and Street Fighter the first third-party series represented in the Super Smash Bros. series to have multiple playable characters.

The emblem representing this series is a representation of Dracula's Castle. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Donkey Kong

 * DK Emblem.png
 * Playable characters from the Donkey Kong series include Donkey Kong since Super Smash Bros., Diddy Kong since Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and King K. Rool in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
 * Playable characters from the Donkey Kong series include Donkey Kong since Super Smash Bros., Diddy Kong since Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and King K. Rool in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

The emblem representing this series is an uppercase "D" and an uppercase "K" (for Donkey Kong), as seen on DK Barrels. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Dragon Quest
!colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|
 * DragonQuestEmblem.png
 * Dragon Quest is a series of RPGs by Square Enix. It has had some history with the Mario franchise, particularly through the games Itadaki Street DS, Mario Sports Mix, and Fortune Street. It is represented by a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as DLC in the form of the Heroes from multiple Dragon Quest games, occupying a single slot and available through alternate costumes.
 * Dragon Quest is a series of RPGs by Square Enix. It has had some history with the Mario franchise, particularly through the games Itadaki Street DS, Mario Sports Mix, and Fortune Street. It is represented by a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as DLC in the form of the Heroes from multiple Dragon Quest games, occupying a single slot and available through alternate costumes.

Duck Hunt

 * DuckHunt Emblem.png
 * The Duck Hunt series is represented by Duck Hunt - a dog and a duck comprising a single character - as playable fighters since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
 * The Duck Hunt series is represented by Duck Hunt - a dog and a duck comprising a single character - as playable fighters since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

The emblem representing this series is a duck from Duck Hunt. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

EarthBound
!colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|
 * EarthBound Emblem.png
 * A small but very succesful series from Nintendo (also developed by Ape Inc., HAL Laboratory, and Brownie Brown). The playable fighters that represent the EarthBound series are Ness (since Super Smash Bros.) and Lucas (since Super Smash Bros. Brawl). Lucas was originally intended to replace Ness in Super Smash Bros. Melee, but because of Mother 3's cancellation at the time, Ness was put in instead. Other EarthBound series characters also appear as items.
 * A small but very succesful series from Nintendo (also developed by Ape Inc., HAL Laboratory, and Brownie Brown). The playable fighters that represent the EarthBound series are Ness (since Super Smash Bros.) and Lucas (since Super Smash Bros. Brawl). Lucas was originally intended to replace Ness in Super Smash Bros. Melee, but because of Mother 3's cancellation at the time, Ness was put in instead. Other EarthBound series characters also appear as items.

Electroplankton
!colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|
 * Electroplankton_Emblem.png
 * Although there are no playable characters in this series, the emblem is used for Super Smash Bros. Brawl's Hanenbow stage.
 * Although there are no playable characters in this series, the emblem is used for Super Smash Bros. Brawl's Hanenbow stage.

Final Fantasy

 * Final Fantasy Symbol.png
 * A massively successful role-playing game series by Square Enix. The series has something of a history with Nintendo's own franchises (the Mario franchise in particular). Cloud Strife appears as a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series starting with his appearance as a DLC character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, making him the first named Final Fantasy character to appear in a Nintendo crossover. Chocobo headgear is also available for the Mii Fighters in the aforementioned games, also as DLC.
 * A massively successful role-playing game series by Square Enix. The series has something of a history with Nintendo's own franchises (the Mario franchise in particular). Cloud Strife appears as a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series starting with his appearance as a DLC character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, making him the first named Final Fantasy character to appear in a Nintendo crossover. Chocobo headgear is also available for the Mii Fighters in the aforementioned games, also as DLC.

The emblem representing this series is two uppercase "F"s in the font used in Final Fantasy game titles. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Find Mii/StreetPass Quest

 * Find Mii Symbol.png
 * A series consisting of two games in StreetPass Mii Plaza (which is featured with the Nintendo 3DS and its variations), this is represented by a stage, named Find Mii, in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
 * A series consisting of two games in StreetPass Mii Plaza (which is featured with the Nintendo 3DS and its variations), this is represented by a stage, named Find Mii, in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

The emblem representing this series is the crown worn by the captive Mii in the aforementioned games. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Fire Emblem
!colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|
 * FireEmblem Emblem.png
 * Fire Emblem is a second-party series, developed by Intelligent Systems. Regarding playable characters, Marth and Roy have appeared in the Super Smash Bros. series starting with Super Smash Bros. Melee (although the latter is absent in Super Smash Bros. Brawl), Ike since Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Lucina and Robin since the launch of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Corrin since their DLC appearance in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Chrom in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
 * Fire Emblem is a second-party series, developed by Intelligent Systems. Regarding playable characters, Marth and Roy have appeared in the Super Smash Bros. series starting with Super Smash Bros. Melee (although the latter is absent in Super Smash Bros. Brawl), Ike since Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Lucina and Robin since the launch of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Corrin since their DLC appearance in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Chrom in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

F-Zero
!colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|
 * F-Zero Emblem.png
 * A Nintendo first-party series (although it has not seen a new installment since 2004) represented by Captain Falcon. He has appeared as a playable character in all Super Smash Bros. games thus far.
 * A Nintendo first-party series (although it has not seen a new installment since 2004) represented by Captain Falcon. He has appeared as a playable character in all Super Smash Bros. games thus far.

Game & Watch
!colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|
 * Game&Watch Emblem.png
 * One of the oldest gaming series, the (previously unnamed) character, Mr. Game & Watch, represents the series as a playable character since Super Smash Bros. Melee.
 * One of the oldest gaming series, the (previously unnamed) character, Mr. Game & Watch, represents the series as a playable character since Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Ice Climber

 * IceClimbers Emblem.png
 * The Ice Climber "series" (technically not a series, due to the fact that there is only one Ice Climber game) is represented by Popo and Nana, otherwise known as the Ice Climbers, as playable characters starting with Super Smash Bros. Melee (although they are absent as playable characters in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U).
 * The Ice Climber "series" (technically not a series, due to the fact that there is only one Ice Climber game) is represented by Popo and Nana, otherwise known as the Ice Climbers, as playable characters starting with Super Smash Bros. Melee (although they are absent as playable characters in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U).

The emblem representing this series is an eggplant, the first vegetable encountered in Ice Climber. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Kid Icarus

 * KidIcarus Emblem.png
 * The Kid Icarus series is a series consisting of only three games, one (Kid Icarus: Uprising) of which came out after Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Regarding playable characters, it is represented by Pit (since Super Smash Bros. Brawl), Palutena, and Dark Pit (both since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS).
 * The Kid Icarus series is a series consisting of only three games, one (Kid Icarus: Uprising) of which came out after Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Regarding playable characters, it is represented by Pit (since Super Smash Bros. Brawl), Palutena, and Dark Pit (both since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS).

The emblem representing this series is the Palutena Bow. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Kirby

 * Kirby Emblem.png
 * The fourth-biggest series, the Kirby series is represented by Kirby (since Super Smash Bros.), Meta Knight, and King Dedede (both since Super Smash Bros. Brawl). Despite being a major series, Kirby was the only fighter in the first two Super Smash Bros. games, although Meta Knight and King Dedede were later added in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. King Dedede was intended to appear in Super Smash Bros., but was removed due to time constraints. He and Meta Knight were later set to appear in Super Smash Bros. Melee, but were also removed.
 * The fourth-biggest series, the Kirby series is represented by Kirby (since Super Smash Bros.), Meta Knight, and King Dedede (both since Super Smash Bros. Brawl). Despite being a major series, Kirby was the only fighter in the first two Super Smash Bros. games, although Meta Knight and King Dedede were later added in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. King Dedede was intended to appear in Super Smash Bros., but was removed due to time constraints. He and Meta Knight were later set to appear in Super Smash Bros. Melee, but were also removed.

The emblem representing this series is a Warp Star. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Mario

 * Mario Emblem.png
 * The first-billed (aside from the Smash franchise itself) and most heavily represented franchise in the Super Smash Bros. series; Mario himself has been loosely depicted as the Smash games' mascot and "main character", a status he began to share with Link in Ultimate. Characters from the Mario series have appeared in all released games. While the series is quite abundant in content from all the sub-series of the Mario franchise, it has, primarily, a strong focus on the platforming Super Mario games, the kart racing Mario Kart games and, to a lesser extent, the Luigi's Mansion games. The Mario characters playable in the Super Smash Bros. series are Mario, Luigi (both since Super Smash Bros.), Princess Peach, Bowser, Dr. Mario (starting with Super Smash Bros. Melee, although Dr. Mario is not playable in Super Smash Bros. Brawl), Rosalina & Luma, Bowser Jr. with seven model swaps that each replace him with one of the Koopalings (since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS), Princess Daisy, and Piranha Plant (both in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the latter as DLC) . Although the Mario series also includes such characters as Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Wario, they are excluded from the list, due to having their own series and logos.
 * The first-billed (aside from the Smash franchise itself) and most heavily represented franchise in the Super Smash Bros. series; Mario himself has been loosely depicted as the Smash games' mascot and "main character", a status he began to share with Link in Ultimate. Characters from the Mario series have appeared in all released games. While the series is quite abundant in content from all the sub-series of the Mario franchise, it has, primarily, a strong focus on the platforming Super Mario games, the kart racing Mario Kart games and, to a lesser extent, the Luigi's Mansion games. The Mario characters playable in the Super Smash Bros. series are Mario, Luigi (both since Super Smash Bros.), Princess Peach, Bowser, Dr. Mario (starting with Super Smash Bros. Melee, although Dr. Mario is not playable in Super Smash Bros. Brawl), Rosalina & Luma, Bowser Jr. with seven model swaps that each replace him with one of the Koopalings (since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS), Princess Daisy, and Piranha Plant (both in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the latter as DLC) . Although the Mario series also includes such characters as Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Wario, they are excluded from the list, due to having their own series and logos.

The emblem representing this series is a mushroom, a recurring type of item. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Mega Man
!colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|
 * MegaMan Emblem.png
 * Mega Man from his series of games of the same name is a playable character in the series starting with Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, and the third third-party character of the Super Smash Bros. series (after Snake and Sonic were introduced in Super Smash Bros. Brawl).
 * Mega Man from his series of games of the same name is a playable character in the series starting with Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, and the third third-party character of the Super Smash Bros. series (after Snake and Sonic were introduced in Super Smash Bros. Brawl).

Metal Gear

 * align=center|MetalGear Emblem.pngMGS Symbol.png
 * A major series, albeit third-party, and the first M-rated series to be represented in the Super Smash Bros. series. Solid Snake represents this series starting with Super Smash Bros. Brawl (although he is absent in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U). Hideo Kojima, the producer of the Metal Gear series, requested Snake to be in Super Smash Bros. Melee, however production of the game was too far for his inclusion.
 * A major series, albeit third-party, and the first M-rated series to be represented in the Super Smash Bros. series. Solid Snake represents this series starting with Super Smash Bros. Brawl (although he is absent in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U). Hideo Kojima, the producer of the Metal Gear series, requested Snake to be in Super Smash Bros. Melee, however production of the game was too far for his inclusion.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the series icon for the Metal Gear series is replaced by an exclamation mark. The icon change is due to Kojima's departure from Konami; the FOX Unit logo is also the former logo for. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Metroid

 * Metroid Emblem.png
 * Another of Nintendo's notable series. The Metroid games are represented by playable characters in the forms of Samus Aran (since Super Smash Bros.), Zero Suit Samus (since Super Smash Bros. Brawl; she is considered a separate character from Samus since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS), Ridley, and Dark Samus (both in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate ).
 * Another of Nintendo's notable series. The Metroid games are represented by playable characters in the forms of Samus Aran (since Super Smash Bros.), Zero Suit Samus (since Super Smash Bros. Brawl; she is considered a separate character from Samus since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS), Ridley, and Dark Samus (both in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate ).

The emblem representing this series is the Screw Attack. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Nintendo DS

 * NintendoDS Emblem.png
 * Not actually a series, but a handheld gaming system, there are no playable characters representing this. However, the emblem is used for Super Smash Bros. Brawl's PictoChat stage; PictoChat being a built-in application in all Nintendo DS models.
 * Not actually a series, but a handheld gaming system, there are no playable characters representing this. However, the emblem is used for Super Smash Bros. Brawl's PictoChat stage; PictoChat being a built-in application in all Nintendo DS models.

The emblem representing this series is a representation of the Nintendo DS. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

nintendogs

 * Nintendogs Symbol.png‎
 * A virtual pet simulator series, the nintendogs series was represented in Super Smash Bros. Brawl through an Assist Trophy, a trophy, and multiple stickers. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, the series is represented by an Assist Trophy again (although this time, the French Bulldog is used instead of the Labrador Retriever from the previous installment), as well as a stage, entitled Living Room, in the Nintendo 3DS version. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, another Assist Trophy represents the series; this time a Toy Poodle.
 * A virtual pet simulator series, the nintendogs series was represented in Super Smash Bros. Brawl through an Assist Trophy, a trophy, and multiple stickers. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, the series is represented by an Assist Trophy again (although this time, the French Bulldog is used instead of the Labrador Retriever from the previous installment), as well as a stage, entitled Living Room, in the Nintendo 3DS version. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, another Assist Trophy represents the series; this time a Toy Poodle.

The emblem representing this series is a dog paw print. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

PAC-MAN

 * Pac-ManEmblem.png
 * Pac-Man, Bandai Namco's most well-known character, represents his series as a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. He is the fourth third-party character to be included in the Super Smash Bros. series.
 * Pac-Man, Bandai Namco's most well-known character, represents his series as a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. He is the fourth third-party character to be included in the Super Smash Bros. series.

The emblem representing this series is Pac-Man's 2D appearance, as initially seen in the original Pac-Man arcade game. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Persona

 * Persona Symbol.png
 * Persona, a series of RPG spin-offs from the Megami Tensei franchise, is represented by Joker (the protagonist of Persona 5) in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a DLC fighter. Although the Persona series is mostly represented by Persona 5 elements in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, music from Persona 4 and Persona 3, as well as Mii Fighter items based on characters from the three aforementioned Persona games, are also available as DLC.
 * Persona, a series of RPG spin-offs from the Megami Tensei franchise, is represented by Joker (the protagonist of Persona 5) in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a DLC fighter. Although the Persona series is mostly represented by Persona 5 elements in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, music from Persona 4 and Persona 3, as well as Mii Fighter items based on characters from the three aforementioned Persona games, are also available as DLC.

The emblem representing this series is the logo of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts from Persona 5. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Pikmin
!colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|
 * Pikmin Emblem.png
 * A well-known (but not as big) series, it is represented by Olimar, and his assistants - the Pikmin - starting with Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Olimar has alternate costumes that change him to Alph.
 * A well-known (but not as big) series, it is represented by Olimar, and his assistants - the Pikmin - starting with Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Olimar has alternate costumes that change him to Alph.

Pilotwings
!colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|
 * Pilotwings Symbol.png
 * The Pilotwings series is represented by a stage, entitled Pilotwings, in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
 * The Pilotwings series is represented by a stage, entitled Pilotwings, in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

Pokémon

 * Pokemon Emblem.png
 * One of Nintendo's most well-known series (also owned by Game Freak and Creatures). Regarding playable fighters, the Pokémon series is represented by Pikachu, Jigglypuff (both since Super Smash Bros.), Pichu, Mewtwo (both starting with Super Smash Bros. Melee, although neither are playable in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Pichu is not playable in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U), Pokémon Trainer (with Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard), Lucario (both starting with Super Smash Bros. Brawl, although Pokémon Trainer, Squirtle, and Ivysaur are not playable in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U), Greninja (starting with Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS), and Incineroar (in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) . The series also had the most unlockable characters in Super Smash Bros. Melee, with Pichu, Jigglypuff, and Mewtwo. In addition, various Pokémon come out of Poké Balls to assist characters. Originally, Mewtwo was going to be playable in Super Smash Bros., but was removed due to time constraints. Until Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, none of the playable characters in this series have more than five alternate colors, a trait shared with the Sonic series. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, every character gets seven different alternate colors, including the Pokémon.
 * One of Nintendo's most well-known series (also owned by Game Freak and Creatures). Regarding playable fighters, the Pokémon series is represented by Pikachu, Jigglypuff (both since Super Smash Bros.), Pichu, Mewtwo (both starting with Super Smash Bros. Melee, although neither are playable in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Pichu is not playable in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U), Pokémon Trainer (with Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard), Lucario (both starting with Super Smash Bros. Brawl, although Pokémon Trainer, Squirtle, and Ivysaur are not playable in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U), Greninja (starting with Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS), and Incineroar (in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) . The series also had the most unlockable characters in Super Smash Bros. Melee, with Pichu, Jigglypuff, and Mewtwo. In addition, various Pokémon come out of Poké Balls to assist characters. Originally, Mewtwo was going to be playable in Super Smash Bros., but was removed due to time constraints. Until Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, none of the playable characters in this series have more than five alternate colors, a trait shared with the Sonic series. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, every character gets seven different alternate colors, including the Pokémon.

The emblem representing this series is a Poké Ball. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Punch-Out!!

 * PunchOutSymbol.png
 * Little Mac from the Punch-Out!! series is an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
 * Little Mac from the Punch-Out!! series is an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series since Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

The emblem representing this series is a boxing glove, as seen on the title screens of the NES games in the series. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

R.O.B.
!colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|
 * ROB Emblem.png
 * A series consisting of the two only games compatible with the peripheral for the NES, R.O.B. is playable in the Super Smash Bros. series since Super Smash Bros. Brawl. His inclusion was likely inspired by his earlier appearances in games such as Mario Kart DS.
 * A series consisting of the two only games compatible with the peripheral for the NES, R.O.B. is playable in the Super Smash Bros. series since Super Smash Bros. Brawl. His inclusion was likely inspired by his earlier appearances in games such as Mario Kart DS.

Splatoon

 * Splatoon Symbol.png
 * A more recently-created series by Nintendo, Splatoon is represented by a trophy and Mii Fighter customization items in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and by Inkling as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
 * A more recently-created series by Nintendo, Splatoon is represented by a trophy and Mii Fighter customization items in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and by Inkling as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

The emblem representing this series is an Inkling Squid. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Super Smash Bros.
!colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|
 * SmashBros Emblem.png
 * A universe consisting of elements original to the Super Smash Bros. series. Representatives are usually non-playable characters, such as Master Hand and Crazy Hand, Fighting Polygons from Super Smash Bros., Wire Frames from Super Smash Bros. Melee, and the Fighting Alloy Team, Subspace Army and Tabuu from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The Mii Fighters make their debut in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS as the first playable representatives of the series. Stages that represent the series are Battlefield and Final Destination.
 * A universe consisting of elements original to the Super Smash Bros. series. Representatives are usually non-playable characters, such as Master Hand and Crazy Hand, Fighting Polygons from Super Smash Bros., Wire Frames from Super Smash Bros. Melee, and the Fighting Alloy Team, Subspace Army and Tabuu from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The Mii Fighters make their debut in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS as the first playable representatives of the series. Stages that represent the series are Battlefield and Final Destination.

Sonic the Hedgehog

 * Sonic Emblem.png
 * Sega's most successful series, the Sonic the Hedgehog series is represented by its titular character, Sonic the Hedgehog, as a playable character since Super Smash Bros. Brawl. There was a large hoax claiming that Sonic and Miles "Tails" Prower could be unlocked as playable characters in Super Smash Bros. Melee (ultimately, the claim was proven to be false).
 * Sega's most successful series, the Sonic the Hedgehog series is represented by its titular character, Sonic the Hedgehog, as a playable character since Super Smash Bros. Brawl. There was a large hoax claiming that Sonic and Miles "Tails" Prower could be unlocked as playable characters in Super Smash Bros. Melee (ultimately, the claim was proven to be false).

The emblem representing this series is a side view of Sonic's head. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Star Fox

 * StarFox Emblem.png
 * A series created by Shigeru Miyamoto and Dylan Cuthbert. It is represented by playable characters Fox McCloud (since Super Smash Bros.), Falco Lombardi (since Super Smash Bros. Melee), and Wolf O'Donnell (starting with Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but Wolf is not playable in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U).
 * A series created by Shigeru Miyamoto and Dylan Cuthbert. It is represented by playable characters Fox McCloud (since Super Smash Bros.), Falco Lombardi (since Super Smash Bros. Melee), and Wolf O'Donnell (starting with Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but Wolf is not playable in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U).

The emblem representing this series is the logo of the Star Fox team. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Street Fighter

 * StreetFighterEmblem.png
 * Capcom's flagship fighting game series. Ryu, the main character, has been playable in the Super Smash Bros. series since his appearance as a DLC character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Ken Masters is playable in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
 * Capcom's flagship fighting game series. Ryu, the main character, has been playable in the Super Smash Bros. series since his appearance as a DLC character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Ken Masters is playable in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

The emblem representing this series is an uppercase "S" and an uppercase "F" in the font used in Street Fighter game titles. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

The Legend of Zelda

 * Zelda Emblem.png
 * Another one of the biggest series, represented by playable characters Link (since Super Smash Bros.), Princess Zelda/Sheik, Ganondorf, Young Link (introduced in Super Smash Bros. Melee, although Sheik is a separate character from Zelda from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS onward, and Young Link is not playable in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U), and Toon Link (introduced in Super Smash Bros. Brawl).
 * Another one of the biggest series, represented by playable characters Link (since Super Smash Bros.), Princess Zelda/Sheik, Ganondorf, Young Link (introduced in Super Smash Bros. Melee, although Sheik is a separate character from Zelda from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS onward, and Young Link is not playable in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U), and Toon Link (introduced in Super Smash Bros. Brawl).

The emblem representing this series is the Triforce. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Tomodachi
!colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|
 * Tomodachi Emblem.png
 * Based off Nintendo's Tomodachi games for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS, this game is represented by a stage, specifically entitled Tomodachi Life, in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
 * Based off Nintendo's Tomodachi games for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS, this game is represented by a stage, specifically entitled Tomodachi Life, in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

Wario
!colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|
 * Wario Emblem.png
 * A minor series, also a spin-off of the Mario series. Heavily focused on the microgame-centric WarioWare series, but also features elements from the Wario Land games. This series has only its titular character, Wario, representing it since Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
 * A minor series, also a spin-off of the Mario series. Heavily focused on the microgame-centric WarioWare series, but also features elements from the Wario Land games. This series has only its titular character, Wario, representing it since Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Wii Fit

 * Wii Fit series icon.png
 * The Wii Fit Trainer from the Wii Fit series is as a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series starting with Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
 * The Wii Fit Trainer from the Wii Fit series is as a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series starting with Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

The emblem representing this series is the female Wii Fit Trainer performing the "Dancer" pose. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Xenoblade

 * XenobladeEmblem.png
 * One of the more recent series, it is represented by Shulk, who is a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series starting with Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
 * One of the more recent series, it is represented by Shulk, who is a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series starting with Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

The emblem representing this series is the Monado from Xenoblade Chronicles. !colspan=5 style="font-size:10px"|

Yoshi

 * Yoshi Emblem.png
 * A minor series, yet a spin-off of the Mario series which primarily takes place in his past; the Yoshi series has only one playable character. Being the only real star of the series, Yoshi has appeared as a playable character in all Super Smash Bros. games.
 * A minor series, yet a spin-off of the Mario series which primarily takes place in his past; the Yoshi series has only one playable character. Being the only real star of the series, Yoshi has appeared as a playable character in all Super Smash Bros. games.

The emblem representing this series is a Yoshi Egg.
 * }

Characters in the series
The series notably features playable characters from across various Nintendo and third-party franchises. Over the entire series, more than 70 characters have been playable. Each series gets its own symbol, which each of the characters from that series use. They all have their own powers and attributes, that allow players to work out strategies against opponents.