Cruel mode
Cruel Melee, Cruel Brawl and Cruel Smash are Multi-Man modes in Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. 4, respectively. Like the other modes, this game challenges the player to defeat as many opponents as possible. However, in this mode, the Fighting Wire Frames, Alloy Team, and Mii Team deal extremely high knockback with their attacks while the player has a handicap against them, essentially making this mode a complete reversal of what is normally encountered in other Multi-Man modes where it is much easier to knock out an opponent.
High scores in this mode are recorded by the amount of opponents knocked out. Attaining very high scores is considered one of the toughest accomplishments in the game; due to the relentless difficulty, players often have to resort to exploiting the AI. For example, Cruel Melee, scores in the thousands can be obtained by exploiting an AI standstill bug, performed by standing absolutely still on the rightmost edge of the small right platform. This causes any CPUs, including the Wire Frames, to cease all movement and stand indefinitely unless the player is within attack range. Exploits with the AI in Cruel Brawl, such as by planking, or any other form of stalling under the stage, often cause the Alloys to self destruct when attempting to edge-guard the player. In Super Smash Bros. 4, most possible exploits have been fixed as enemies no longer follow the player if he/she jumps far off the ledge, and will instead wait until the player gets back on stage. Without AI exploitation, getting scores even higher than single-digit numbers is considered extremely difficult.
Rewards
In Super Smash Bros. Melee
- Defeat 5 opponents: Mr. Resetti trophy.
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
- Defeat 5 opponents: Red Alloy trophy.
- Defeat 10 opponents: Liquid Snake sticker.
In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
- Play Cruel Smash once: Spiny Hat headgear.
- Defeat 2 opponents: Shield Exploder Protection Badge equipment.
- Defeat 4 opponents: Lion Hat headgear.
In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
- Defeat 1 opponent (Solo only): Duck Hunt stage.
- This will also challenge the player to defeat Duck Hunt in order to unlock them.
- Defeat 8 opponents: Toadsworth trophy.
- Survive for 1 minute as Luigi (Solo only): Mr. L trophy.
- Defeat 4 opponents as Pit (Solo only): Reaper trophy.
- Defeat 8 opponents as Lucina (Solo only): Vampire Brawn Badge equipment.
Trivia
- The Super Smash Bros. Melee incarnation of this mode is famous for its involvement in the Sonic and Tails Rumor spread by Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine as an April Fool's Joke. The rumor suggested that after defeating 20 Fighting Wire Frames in a single round, the player would be challenged to defeat Sonic and Tails of the Sonic series, where victory would result in unlocking the characters.
- In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the track Cruel Brawl that plays during a Cruel Brawl cannot be played from Brawl's Sound Test, and it cannot be even selected as music for custom stages; it would later become available in Smash 4's sound test.
- In Melee Jigglypuff's Rest is so strong, it can One-hit KO the wireframes in this mode.
Videos
Videos of characters in Cruel Brawl.
