Super Smash Bros.

Super Smash Bros. is a fighting game and the first installment in the Super Smash Bros. series. It was released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999 and created by Nintendo and HAL Laboratory. Playing as one of a selection of Nintendo characters, players aim to defeat their opponents by knocking them off the screen. The game also features several Nintendo-themed stages and items.

The Super Mario franchise is among the Nintendo franchises to be represented in the game by characters, stages, and items.

Gameplay
Super Smash Bros. has a considerably different fighting style than other fighting games. Rather than each player having a life gauge that begins full and gradually decreases with each attack taken, Super Smash Bros. has a unique system. Players starts at 0% damage and with each hit they take, the percentage rises depending on how powerful the attack is. As players' percentage gets higher, players are blown further away with each attack. The objective of the game is to knock out opponents from the screen so they cannot return to the stage or knocking out opponents off the top of the screen, so that they turn into a star. Getting defeated by an opponent is called a "KO". In time mode, this results in a loss of one point, while in stock mode, this counts as a loss of one life. Players regenerate on a descending floating platform at the center of the stage, unless they have no lives left. Players can exit by either moving, jumping, or waiting a few seconds. Players are invincible for a short amount of time after they exit the platform.

Items are also an important component of the game. Depending on the settings set in the menu, the frequencies and types of items appearing can be altered. Some items are more powerful than others, while some are used to heal the user rather than attack an opponent.

Compared to later Super Smash Bros. games, the characters can only throw another character forwards, and the only dodge-related technique is rolling.

Below are specific rules and differences between the two fighting modes: Time and Stock.

Time
In Time mode, KOs count as one negative point for players that are knocked out of the screen. Players that caused them to fall receives one positive point and is recorded as a "KO". If a player accidentally or intentionally falls off the stage without being influenced by other players, or if the player hits a wall before being KO'd, the player loses one point while nobody gains a point. At the end of the time period, a player that has the most points is declared the winner.

If there is a tie, then the match goes to Sudden Death. The tied players have a quick stock battle with one life, starting with 300% damage, which usually causes an instant KO when hit. Also, after a certain time, Bob-ombs start falling at random places on the stage, making survival more difficult. The winner of Sudden Death wins the match.

Stock
In stock mode, there is still a point system, but wins are focused on number of lives left. Each player begins with a set amount of lives. Each time a player is defeated, they lose one life. Unlike Time mode, the number of KOs are irrelevant to the results because it is a game of survival unless it is a team match. This also means that matches could theoretically be endless.

If there is a tie, a tiebreaker called a Sudden Death match occurs, where all players begin with 300% damage and one life. The last one standing wins.

Players can fight alone or in teams. Allies cannot be hurt by other teammates unless team attack is turned on. Also, if players manage to defeat an ally, they get a point while the ally loses a point, unlike in the succeeding games where both teammates lose a point. If a team wins, players in the team with the most KOs gets the first place honor.

This is the only game that shows who KO'd whom during a stock match.

Playable characters
Super Smash Bros. features 12 playable characters from various Nintendo franchises, eight being default and four of them are unlockable. Of the roster, there are four characters from the Super Mario franchise; Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, and Yoshi, although Donkey Kong and Yoshi have their own logos due to being the protagonists of their own separate series.

Legend:

Enemies

 * Fighting Polygons
 * Kirbys
 * Yoshis

Bosses

 * Giant Donkey Kong
 * Metal Mario
 * Master Hand

Items
There are many items throughout the game that can be used in battle. Items spawn randomly on the stage, and they disappear after being unused for long enough or being used to a certain extent. The following is a list of the game's items.

Poké Ball Pokémon
A number of Pokémon can be released from the Poké Ball item, each coming from the Pokémon series' first generation. Each has a different effect, using a move from the series.

Stage gimmicks and hazards
Certain characters and objects appear on the various stages in a capacity that affects gameplay.

Stage cameos
Many other characters appear as mere background cameos in stages relevant to their origin series.

1P Game
In single-player mode, before a player starts the game, a character, difficulty level, and number of lives is selected. The difficulty levels range from Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Hard, to Very Hard. The number of lives can be set anywhere from one to five lives. The number of lives carries over from the previous match, which means any lost lives are not restored each level. Once the player loses all lives, they can choose to continue, but has their current score cut in half. Alternatively, they can quit, which results in a Game Over.

All stages work with the stock system and opponents and allies have one life each. There is a time limit of five minutes per match, but players can choose to disable it. If in the case the player runs out of time in a level with the exception of Bonus Stages, they go to the Continue screen (as if they had lost all of their lives), regardless of the number of lives the player had remaining.

Upon completing a main stage, the player may be awarded with special bonuses by completing certain tasks. There are a total of 55 bonuses with some only being obtainable on certain stages due to their unique hazards. Bonuses are not required to achieve and are purely for high-score setting purposes. Earning all bonuses in this game does not earn the player any reward of some sort, and no list is kept in the game when a bonus is achieved.

Training mode
Training mode allows players to practice and simulate battles for improving skills or for beginners to learn controls and moves. There is no time limit or a set number of lives, and whatever happens in Training mode is not recorded.

There are multiple adjustable factors within this mode that are not available in regular VS. mode. Primarily, the computer player's actions can be set to either Stand, Walk, Evade, Jump, or Attack. In any case, if the computer player is about to get knocked off the stage, they make an effort to recover. Another ability available from the pause menu is to be able to make any item spawn. Up to four items can be on the stage at once. The speed of the game is also adjustable. Besides normal speed, it can be set to 2/3, 1/2, or 1/4 speed. Lastly, the camera view can also be changed from normal to close-up; close-up view follows the player at a close angle.

Unlike later Super Smash Bros. games, the computer player cannot be controlled using a controller, and only one computer player can be present at a time. Also, a special backdrop is used, and music unique to the mode plays in place of the usual background music.

Bonus Practice
The final mode in single-player mode is Bonus Practice. There are two games, "Board the Platforms" and "Break the Targets". Both games appear as bonus stages in the One-player mode. Unlike other modes, if the player waits after selecting a character, the game automatically starts.

Board the Platforms!
Each character has a unique stage that has ten platforms of various sizes. The objective is to land on each of the ten platforms in the least amount of time possible. Some platforms move while others must be jumped on with the correct timing or the player gets damaged. If the player falls from the stage, it is a Failure, and the player is sent back to the character selection screen.

Break the Targets!
Similarly to Board the Platforms, Break the Targets has a unique stage for each player. The objective in this game is to break ten targets placed throughout the stage by hitting them with an attack. Like Board the Platforms, some targets move, while others are stationary. There are no extra lives, so once a player falls, the trial is a failure, and the player is brought back to the character selection screen.

Versus mode
In VS. mode, the player can pick up to four fighters to fight in a battle. A fighter selection screen is seen, and the players are able to pick which fighter they want. They can also select the costume color for each character. The player is also able to set rules for this match; in a time match, the player can pick the amount of time that can be played, and in a stock match, the players can pick the amount of the lives they and the computers have. Also, after playing a certain number of VS. matches, players can choose which items appear during matches (not in an order, as they are picked randomly). There's also a handicap setting, which allows human players to adjust their attack power and knockback resistance. The damage setting allows players to adjust how quickly fighters can get KO'd at low damage; ranging from a minimum of 50%, to a maximum of 200%.

The next screen is the stage selection screen, where players pick the stage to play on before the battle starts.

Besides the default Free-for-all mode in which players fight each other, there are also team battles. Players can divide into up to three teams and fight against the other team(s). Also, lives are shared, so if one player is eliminated from a team, given that another team mate has 2 or more lives remaining, the eliminated player can recover by borrowing one ally's life by pressing the. Teams are distinguished by costume color of each player, which is either red, green, or blue.

In Super Smash Bros., VS. mode is notably the only multi-player mode in the game.

Options
In the options mode, players can adjust a few game settings. They can adjust the sound to be mono or stereo. Super Smash Bros. is currently the only game in the series where players cannot adjust the music or sound effects volume. The next option is screen adjusting. Super Smash Bros. is also the only game in the series to have this option. The next option is the backup clear, which removes the game's data, which cannot be restored. The European version has an additional option for changing the game's language to English, French or German.

Data
The last menu, the records, shows the profile of each character (and any unlocked characters), which is very similar to trophies in later games in the Super Smash Bros. series. The next part is the VS. Records, where players can see how many KOs, TKOs, and SD's are recorded. By pressing, the player can see how each character is ranked by KOs, SDs, Win Percentage, etc. By pressing the button again, players can view the character's record in detail, showing how much damage was given or taken and the ratio of KOs to TKOs to a certain character. It also shows the character's share of total playtime by percentage.

The last of the records is the unlockable Sound Test. Players can hear sound effects, voices, and/or music from the game. Players can unlock the Sound Test by completing both Break the Targets and Board the Platforms with all characters.

Reception
Super Smash Bros. received mostly positive reviews, with criticism mostly directed towards the game's single-player mode. GameSpot's former editorial director, Jeff Gerstmann, noted the single-player game "won't exactly last a long time". Instead, he praised the multi-player portion of the game, saying that it is "extremely simple to learn". He also praised the game's music, calling it "amazing". GameCritics.com's Dale Weir described Super Smash Bros. as "the most original fighting game on the market and possibly the best multiplayer game on any system". There were criticisms, however, such as the game's scoring being difficult to follow. In addition, the single-player mode was criticized for its perceived difficulty and lack of features. It was deemed one of the ten best Super Mario games of all time by ScrewAttack from GameTrailers. It was given an Editors' choice award from IGN.

In Nintendo Power's review, they praise the game for its lively graphics and sound design and ease of control, but does criticize the game for having repetitive music. Satisfaction has the lower score of 7.3/10 while play control scored the highest at 8.2/10.

Sales
Super Smash Bros. was commercially successful, and quickly became a Player's Choice title. Super Smash Bros. is the fifth best-selling game for the Nintendo 64, selling 5.55 million copies worldwide; 1.97 million copies were sold in Japan, 2.93 million have been sold in North America, and 650,000 have been sold elsewhere, as of December 31, 2009.

Director

 * Masahiro Sakurai

Chief Programmer

 * Yoshiki Suzuki

Programmers

 * Kouichi Watanabe
 * Yasuyuki Nagashima
 * Yoshimi Takahashi
 * Katsuhiro Sakoda
 * Yoshiya Taniguchi

Development
Super Smash Bros. was developed by HAL Laboratory, a Nintendo second-party developer, during 1998. It began life as a prototype created by Masahiro Sakurai and Satoru Iwata in their spare time entitled 'Kakuto-Gēmu Ryūō' (格闘ゲーム竜王 ?, lit. "Dragon King: The Fighting Game"), and originally featured no Nintendo characters. However, Iwata hit on the idea of including fighters from different Nintendo franchises in order to provide "atmosphere" which he felt was necessary for a home console fighting game, and their idea was approved. The game had a small budget and little promotion, and was originally a Japan-only release, but its huge success saw the game released worldwide.

Promotion
A promotional event known as "Slamfest '99" was held at the on April 24th, 1999, organized by Nintendo of America and public relations agency Golin/Harris International, Inc. It consisted in a staged wrestling match between mascots of Mario, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Pikachu, the same ones used in one of the game's North American commercials. It was also broadcasted live on the event's website and it could be rewatched for several months after its conclusion using the application.

Pre-release and unused content
Bowser, Mewtwo, and King Dedede were planned as playable characters, but they were cut. Peach's Castle initially lacked the sign, bridge and sliding stone block present in the final version.

How to Play
In the Japanese version, the on-screen movements for the "How to Play" tutorial video are less refined than in international versions and are often performed slightly out of sync with the controls shown directly below. International versions made the gameplay sync up more smoothly with the instructions as a result.

Some of the differences in the "How to Play" tutorial video include:
 * Luigi does not fast-fall after jumping in the Japanese version.
 * Luigi fights back more in the Japanese version.
 * Luigi does not taunt after Mario grabs the ledge in the Japanese version.
 * The Fire Flower does not fall off in the Japanese version.
 * Luigi hits Mario by throwing the Fire Flower when they are showing off how to use items in the Japanese version.
 * Mario and Luigi do not face each other when they are showing off how to jump in the Japanese version.
 * Mario and Luigi dash sooner when they are showing off how to move in the Japanese version.
 * Luigi techs while Mario is showing off the power moves in the Japanese version.

Saffron City

 * In the Japanese version, the banner in the stage background which says "Got a Catch 'em All!" is missing the second T and has a space there instead, which was fixed in the international versions. The font also appears to have been rewritten to accommodate this.
 * "Silf" on the main building was changed to "Silph".

Character sizes

 * Mario and Luigi were made a little bigger in the international versions, though Metal Mario remained the same height.
 * Kirby is a little smaller in the international versions.

1P Game

 * In the Japanese version for Stage 1, on any difficulty settings except for Hard, Link would stand and not attack for a few seconds (excluding floor attacks) if his damage was below 21%. This was changed so that he moves and attacks immediately after the match has started.
 * The Japanese version does not have the congratulatory screens shown after completing the mode.

Point yield
The point yield for most of the bonuses were altered between the Japanese and international versions.

3D Glitch
The player must be Mario or Luigi and go to the Hyrule Castle (or any stage with a straight wall) and keep rolling into it. If the player does it correctly, Mario or Luigi should move toward the screen or away from the screen, giving the game a 3D effect.

Black hole glitch
All 4 players must be Link. At Hyrule Castle (or any place with a straight wall), all four Links should walk to the right, fall into the place with the canopy, and run left against the wall so they are inside each other. Then let the game push them all apart. After this, all 4 Links must simultaneously throw bombs upwards weakly, quickly. After just a few throws, the bombs hit each other and continuously stay, trapping the players within.

PK thunder freeze glitch
Only two players are required for this glitch. One should be Ness, and the other should be Fox. Choose a stage with a direct line between Ness and Fox (ideally, Hyrule Castle or Sector Z). PK Thunder against Fox's reflector so that the PK Thunder is in direct line back to Ness, and quickly bat the PK Thunder away. The thunder should have two tails, and if it reaches the edge of the screen, the game cannot handle it and freezes.

References to other games

 * Donkey Kong: One of Mario's alternate costumes is based on his original outfit. Also, one of Donkey Kong's alternate costumes is based on the color scheme of his sprite. In addition, although not in the game itself, the Nintendo Power ad for the game indirectly alludes to Mario and Donkey Kong's origins as rivals by mentioning off-handedly that Mario and Donkey Kong have not "duked it out" for more than a decade.
 * Mario Bros.: One of Mario's alternate costumes is based on the color scheme of Luigi's artwork from this game.
 * Wrecking Crew: One of Mario's alternate costumes is based on Foreman Spike's colors and one of Luigi's alternate costumes is based on the color scheme of his sprite. Also, another of Mario's alternate costumes is based on the outfit from the Spanish box cover.
 * Super Mario Bros.: The Mushroom Kingdom stage refers to the original game with a flagpole and a castle. Also, one of Luigi's alternate costumes is based on the color scheme of his sprite and another is based on the flashing animation colors of his sprite.
 * Super Mario World: Luigi's default costume is based on the color scheme of his sprite. Three of Yoshi's alternate costumes are based on the Red, Blue and Yellow Yoshis.
 * Mario Kart series: Although not in the game itself, the Nintendo Power ad when announcing Super Smash Bros alludes to both Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart 64 when stating that Nintendo's famous cast had previously "raced go-karts" when announcing their new role in the fighting ring.
 * Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins: One of Mario's alternate costumes is based on the color scheme of Wario.
 * Donkey Kong (Game Boy): Two of Donkey Kong's alternate costumes are based on the color scheme of his sprites on both the Game Boy and Game Boy Color screens.
 * Donkey Kong Country: The Kongo Jungle stage is based on this game. His 1P Mode ending also was taken directly from the stock art for Donkey Kong Country.
 * Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island: Two of Yoshi's alternate costumes are based on the Cyan and Pink Yoshis.
 * Super Mario 64: Mario's moves and voice clips were taken from Super Mario 64. Although Luigi was absent in Super Mario 64, his moves and voice clips are identical to Mario's, but sped up. The Peach's Castle stage is based on this game.
 * Yoshi's Story: Yoshi's voice clips were reused in this game. Also, the Yoshi's Island stage is based on this game. Yoshi's 1P Mode ending, where Yoshi is trapped between a book, also was a direct reference to the plot of Yoshi's Story where Baby Bowser cursed Yoshi's Island to become a storybook.
 * Mario Party: Although not in the game itself, the Nintendo Power ad when announcing Super Smash Bros. alludes to Mario Party when stating that Nintendo's famous cast had previously "partied heartily" when announcing their new role in the fighting ring.

Trivia

 * This is the only Wii Virtual Console release related to the Super Mario franchise that has not been re-released on the Wii U's Virtual Console service.
 * Super Smash Bros. is the only game in the Super Smash Bros. series to receive an ESRB rating of E for Everyone. Its successors are both rated T for Teen while the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U versions (alongside Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) are rated E10+ for Everyone 10+.