Editing Super Smash Bros. 4

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Super Smash Bros. 4''}}{{ArticleIcons|ssb4=y|unofficial=y|featured=y}}
{{Infobox Game
| title        = '''Super Smash Bros. 4''<br><small>(unofficial title)</small>'''
| image        = [[Image:SSB4 Logo.png|250px]]
| caption      = Collective logo for the game.
| developer    = [[Bandai Namco]]<br>[[Sora Ltd.]]
| publisher    = [[Nintendo]]
| distributor  = 
| designer     = [[Masahiro Sakurai]]
| engine       = [[Havok_(company/engine)|Havok]]
| version      = 
| released  = '''Nintendo 3DS'''<br>September 13, 2014 {{flag|Japan}}<br>October 2, 2014 {{flag|Germany}} <br>October 3, 2014 {{flag|North America}} {{flag|Europe}}<br>October 4, 2014 {{flag|Australia}}<br>July 24, 2015 {{flag|Hong Kong}} {{flag|Taiwan}}<br>September 10, 2015 {{flag|South Korea}}
'''Wii U'''<br>November 21, 2014 {{flag|North America}}<br>November 28, 2014 {{flag|Europe}}<br>November 28, 2014 {{flag|South Africa}}<br>November 29, 2014 {{flag|Australia}}<br>December 6, 2014 {{flag|Japan}}
| genre        = [[wikipedia:Fighting game|Fighting]]
| modes        = Single player, Multiplayer, Online multiplayer
| platforms    = [[Nintendo 3DS]], [[Wii U]]
| ratings      = {{vgratings|CERO=A|PEGI=12+|ESRB=E10+<ref>[http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/zC34HnrON-_wV0ZUkSfQFC6ub3Ea8DQ6 Nintendo.com's page for the 3DS version]</ref>|OFLCA=PG<ref>http://www.classification.gov.au/Pages/View.aspx?sid=baAYDzOrSLTJS31kqfUnSQ%253d%253d&ncdctx=kY4ZcmxpzFiR75%252faQboRyhefdrcxUukb9ZDwrHw7sGSByd%252fNX2SA4QwXLhHqWtIb</ref>}}
| media        = 
| requirements = 
| input        = 
}}
'''''Super Smash Bros. 4''''' (also referred to by shorthands such as '''''Smash 4''''', '''''SSB4''''', or more informally '''''Sm4sh''''', and officially as '''''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U''''') is a term used to collectively refer to '''{{For3ds}}''' and '''{{Forwiiu}}''', two games in the ''{{b|Super Smash Bros.|series}}'' series created by [[Bandai Namco]]<ref name="ign-namco">[http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/22/namco-bandai-developing-next-smash-bros IGN: "Namco Bandai Developing Next Smash Bros."]</ref> and [[Sora Ltd.]] However, in an interview with Kotaku, [[Masahiro Sakurai]] has stated he considers the ''3DS'' version the fourth installment and the ''Wii U'' version the fifth installment. The games feature mostly identical gameplay, but with several differences in other areas. The ''3DS'' version is the first game of the series to be released on a handheld.

The ''3DS'' version launched in Japan on September 13th, 2014, in most other parts of the world on October 3rd, 2014, was released in stores one day earlier in Germany on October 2nd, 2014 to avoid coinciding with {{S|wikipedia|German Unity Day}}, and was released one day later in Australia on October 4th, 2014 because of time zone differences. Hong Kong and Taiwan received a release of the game over 10 months later, on July 24th, 2015, while South Korea got its release on September 10th, 2015, nearly a full year after the game's initial launch in Japan. The ''Wii U'' version was released in North America on November 21st, 2014, and was released on November 28th, 2014 in Europe, November 29th, 2014 in Australia, and on December 6th, 2014 in Japan.

Both versions have received positive reviews; critics applauded the fine-tuning of existing gameplay elements but criticized some issues with online play. Both versions sold quickly, with the ''3DS'' version selling over 8.72 million copies worldwide as of March 2017, and the ''Wii U'' version selling over 5.20 million copies during the same time period.

==Characters==
Both games feature identical [[character]] rosters. The roster contains a total of 58 characters, 34 of which return from ''Brawl'', three of which return after being cut in the transition from ''Melee'' to ''Brawl'' ({{SSB4|Dr. Mario}}, {{SSB4|Mewtwo}}, and {{SSB4|Roy}}), and 21 of which are new to the series. Of these 58, 39 are [[starter character]]s in both versions and eight are [[unlockable character]]s in both versions, while four characters are unlockable in the ''3DS'' version but starters in the ''Wii U'' version. Additionally, seven characters appear as [[downloadable content]]. A further eight "characters" exist as alternate costumes for other preexisting characters, [[Alph]] as a palette swap of {{SSB4|Olimar}}, and each of the seven [[Koopalings]] as palette swaps of {{SSB4|Bowser Jr.}}

{{SSB4 character table}}

==Stages==
The two games feature considerably different stage selections, which is one of the primary differences between the two games. The ''3DS'' version features a total of 42 stages with seven unlockable stages and eight DLC stages, 30 of which are new and 12 of which are familiar. The ''Wii U'' version features a total of 55 stages with six unlockable stages and nine DLC stages, consisting of 34 new stages and 21 familiar ones. Only 13 stages are shared between the two versions.

In general, the ''3DS'' version features more stages based on handheld console games, while the ''Wii U'' version features more stages based on home console games. However, several stages in both games ignore this distinction.

[[Past Stages]] in both games are now known as "Familiar Stages". Three [[DLC]] Familiar Stages are shared between the two games.

===3DS version===
{{SSB4-3DS stage table}}

===Wii U version===
{{SSB4-U stage table}}

==Modes==
===Multiplayer===
*[[VS Mode]]
*[[8-Player Smash]] (''Wii U'' exclusive): In this mode, up to eight players can play in Smash battles, compared to the standard limit of four. Due to system resources, some stages have their behavior modified while in this mode, while other stages cannot be used at all.
*[[Special Smash]] (''Wii U'' exclusive): The successor to [[Special Brawl]], in this mode players can create custom battles by changing a variety of options, such as making all the fighters [[metal]]. Up to four players can play in this mode. This mode does not affect records and stats.
*[[Smash Run]] (''3DS'' exclusive): In this mode, up to four players have five minutes to traverse a large dungeon-like environment, collecting various power-ups and facing enemies from various games. After the time limit, the players fight in a battle utilizing their boosted powers, and can then do subsequent matches with those power-ups. Sakurai mentioned in the April 2014 Nintendo Direct video that this mode was inspired by ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby Air Ride}}'''s {{S|wikirby|City Trial}} mode, which has a similar premise.
**Players are also able to have items set to their characters via [[character customization]].
*[[Smash Tour]] (''Wii U'' exclusive): Players take control of Miis moving along a game board, collecting characters and power-ups in order to win the final match, with each fighter collected acting as one stock.
*[[Tourney (SSB4-Wii U)|Tournament Mode]] (''Wii U'' exclusive): A competitive elimination mode returning from ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'', which was released as a downloadable online feature.

===Single Player===
*[[Classic Mode]]
*[[All-Star Mode]]
*[[Home-Run Contest]]
*[[Trophy Rush]]
*[[Target Blast]]
*[[Multi-Man Mode]]
*[[Training Mode]]
*[[StreetSmash]] (''3DS'' exclusive)
*[[Event match|Event Mode]] (''Wii U'' exclusive)
*[[Special Orders]] (''Wii U'' exclusive)
*[[Trophy Box]] (''Wii U'' exclusive)

==Development==
''SSB4'' was announced in passing at E3 2011; however, the game's development was not slated to begin until sometime after October 2011, after the completion of Sakurai's other project, ''Kid Icarus: Uprising''.<ref>[http://andriasang.com/comw79/ Andriasang.com: "Smash Bros. U & 3DS development appears to be very early"]</ref> He had stated, in response to a fan asking him about whether a "child Link" would appear in the game, that he had not at the time decided on who would appear in the game. However, he had also said that he "can't say that it's entirely out of the realm of possibility that some [[Capcom]] character could appear in the next ''Smash Bros.''"<ref>[http://nintendoeverything.com/67219/sakurai-capcom-character-could-appear-in-next-smash-bros/ Nintendo Everything: "Sakurai: Capcom character could appear in next Smash Bros."]</ref> Indeed, Capcom's [[Mega Man]] was ultimately confirmed as playable, and [[Ryu]] was made available as DLC. The paired versions of the game were officially revealed at [[E3 2013]] in the form of a trailer on June 11, 2013, with a projected release in 2014.

Development of the game began in early 2012<ref>[http://www.cubed3.com/news/16506 Cubed<sup>3</sup>: "Sakurai Begins Work on New Smash Bros for Wii U and 3DS"]</ref>, but it went unmentioned during E3 2012, something which many fans were disappointed about despite the known extremely early state of the game; the "first step of the process" was taken shortly after in mid-June. Sakurai expressed disappointment that fans would be waiting for longer than expected for the game to be released due to the earliness of the initial announcement.<ref>[http://nintendoeverything.com/91807/next-smash-bros-in-first-step-of-the-process-sakurai-worried-about-long-wait/ Nintendo Everything: "Next Smash Bros. in “first step of the process”, Sakurai worried about long wait"]</ref> Shortly afterward, it was revealed during a Nintendo Direct that Namco Bandai (as Bandai Namco was previously named) was the primary developer alongside [[Sora Ltd.]], and had already completed a working prototype.<ref name="ign-namco" /> 

[[Image:SSB4 whiteboard.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The whiteboard drawing posted by Sakurai.]]
On July 2nd, 2012, Sakurai posted a whiteboard drawing on Twitter which was drawn by the game's staff. It depicts [[Donkey Kong]], [[Fox]], a [[Heart Container]], [[Kirby]], [[Link]], [[Luigi]], [[Mario]], [[Marth]], [[Meta Knight]], [[Mr. Game & Watch]], a [[Mr. Saturn]], [[Pikachu]], a {{b|Pikmin|species}}, [[Pit]], [[Sandbag]], [[Wario]], and [[Zero Suit Samus]]; some argue that the curved lines in the background form the shape of {{SSB4|Master Hand}}. The sketch also has what appears to be large block letters hidden below the visible area. While the post came with no explicit confirmation of any of these characters or elements as reappearing, it did show that they were in some sense acknowledged by the staff; everything depicted would in fact turn out to appear in the final game. The image itself was later removed from the original Twitter post.<ref>[http://twitter.com/Sora_Sakurai/status/219759606463864832/photo/1 Jul 2, 2012 Tweet by Sora_Sakurai] ([[Masahiro Sakurai]])</ref>
<br clear=left>
Sakurai had remarked that one feature of the ''3DS'' ''Smash Bros.'' title would be that players can improve their character through battles and rewards, then transfer them to the ''Wii U'' ''Smash'' title to play against friends; such a function was ultimately made possible through [[character customization]]. He also said the ''3DS'' title was intended to offer a new experience for veteran ''Smash Bros.'' fans, and that neither the ''3DS'' game nor the ''Wii U'' game would simply be sequels like ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'' were, and that they would do more than just add characters and stages. It had also been revealed that they were looking towards co-operative play for the ''Wii U'' title. Official Nintendo Magazine said "''there is merit in having skilled and unskilled players play together, so one emphasis will be on elements of players helping one-another''". They also stated that the graphics would be significantly stepped up, as the ''Wii U'' can handle high quality graphics, dynamic effects and smooth character movements in HD at 60 frames per second.<ref>[http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/27806/smash-bros-wii-u/3ds-how-theyll-work-together/ Official Nintendo Magazine: "Smash Bros Wii U/3DS: How they'll work together"]</ref> Sakurai was also quoted as claiming that the new game was unlikely to emphasize new playable characters, focusing instead on gameplay balance and distinctiveness of its characters. <ref>[http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/39783/smash-bros-wii-u-may-not-feature-more-characters/ Official Nintendo Magazine: "Smash Bros Wii U may not feature more characters"]</ref> Indeed, ''SSB4'' initially introduced less newcomers than ''Brawl'' did.

Shortly after the initial [[E3 2013]] trailers, Sakurai said there would be a single-player story mode included in the new ''Smash Bros.''<ref>[http://mynintendonews.com/2013/06/17/smash-bros-wii-u-and-3ds-story-mode-wont-be-like-brawl/ My Nintendo News: "Smash Bros Wii U And 3DS Story Mode Won’t Be Like Brawl"]</ref>, but that it would be different from ''Brawl'''s [[Subspace Emissary]] in that there would be no cutscenes, since he did not want said cutscenes to be uploaded to the Internet. However, he would later recant this, and announce that he decided to cut any sort of story mode altogether <ref>http://kotaku.com/the-next-super-smash-bros-wont-have-a-story-mode-or-c-906856304</ref>. 

Sakurai had stated that there were no plans to implement downloadable content or touch screen controls of any variety. However, he also stated that once the game was released DLC was something they would take into consideration. <ref>[http://www.gamnesia.com/news/no-plans-for-dlc-or-touch-controls-in-the-new-smash-bros.-tripping-is-remov Gamnesia: "No Plans for DLC or Touch Controls in the New Smash Bros., Tripping is Removed"]</ref> Downloadable content was eventually implemented through several additional fighters, stages, and costumes for Mii Fighters.

==Changes from ''Brawl''==
===Gameplay changes===
{{ImageCaption|Image:Greater Size diversity.png|Image:TheDanceClubSSB4.jpg|width1=x150px|width2=x150px|align=right|caption=The character size comparison in ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4''}}
''Smash 4''’s main goal is to strike a balance between ''Melee''’s faster, more technical gameplay and ''Brawl''’s slower, more relaxed gameplay, in an attempt to appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers. 
This is most easily apparent in ''Smash 4''’s game speed: most veterans from ''Brawl'' have faster [[dash|dashing]], [[falling speed|falling]], and [[air speed]]s, though the game speed is still noticeably slower and floatier than ''Melee.'' The removal of random tripping introduced in ''Brawl'' makes extended [[dash-dancing]] a viable movement option, and [[pivot]]ing, a movement technique previously possible in ''Melee'' and ''Smash 64'', has been reintroduced; thus, characters in ''Smash 4'' generally have more flexible mobility than in ''Brawl.'' 

In a similar appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers, there are now two distinct type of [[With Anyone]] [[Wi-Fi]] modes; one called [[For Fun]] which is similar to the previous game's casual-styled [[Basic Brawl]], and one called [[For Glory]], a mode explicitly catered to competitive-styled play. Additionally, every stage now has an "Ω Form", where the stage's layout is altered into that of Final Destination. These forms cannot be played on in the For Fun mode, while they are the only forms available in the For Glory mode.

The differences in size across the cast are now more pronounced, with {{SSB4|Bowser}} now standing much taller than {{SSB4|Mario}}, compared to being only slightly taller in previous games. Larger characters like {{SSB4|Donkey Kong}} are thus easier to hit but benefit from longer reach, while smaller characters like {{SSB4|Kirby}} are harder to hit while hindered by shorter reach. Nevertheless, the differences in range across the cast have been overall toned down, with melee-oriented characters like {{SSB4|Diddy Kong}} having more elastic limbs, while sword-wielders have shorter range either through the improvements in range to the rest of the cast (eg. {{SSB4|Marth}}) or through direct nerfs to their own range (eg. {{SSB4|Meta Knight}}). 

Mid-match character transformations have been removed. {{SSB4|Sheik}} and {{SSB4|Zelda}}, and {{SSB4|Zero Suit Samus}} and {{SSB4|Samus}}, are all now completely separate characters, while {{SSB4|Charizard}} returns as a stand-alone fighter in place of the Pokémon Trainer. These changes are due to hardware limitations on the 3DS and Sakurai’s own wish for both versions of the game to feature the same roster. 

As a possible effort to balance gameplay, ''Smash 4'' has removed a few exploitable techniques that were prevalent in previous entries. The mechanics of grabbing ledges have undergone an unprecedented overhaul, with [[edge-hogging]] having been removed entirely, as attempting to grab a [[ledge]] that someone else has already grabbed onto will now gently remove them from the ledge and "steal" it, a mechanic known as "ledge trumping". This changes the entire edge metagame, with players now having to attack opponents that they have ledge trumped instead of completely stopping their recovery by grabbing the edge, along with making [[edgeguarding]] more reliant on stage spikes and meteor smashes. On the other hand, ledge trumping itself can be used as an edgeguard, as it leaves the recovering opponent vulnerable. 

An additional overhaul is the elimination of most planking [[stall]] strategies, as the length of [[intangibility]] given by grabbing the ledge is now affected by air time and current damage, and does not carry over if the character drops from the ledge. No intangibility at all will be granted if a character grabs the ledge twice without touching the ground or being hit (making them more open to edgeguarding). Finally, the difference between fast and slow edge options based on current damage has been removed. The general [[recovery|recoveries]] of the cast have also been improved, with many of them traveling farther and having better protection while benefiting from the faster air speeds and new ledge mechanics; these changes weren't entirely consistent across the cast however, and recoveries are overall more polarized than in previous games. On the other hand, meteor cancelling has been removed, making [[meteor smash]]es functionally equivalent to spikes and thus much deadlier edge-guarding moves; to compensate, several meteor smashes are now weaker, with a few requiring more specific hitboxes (such as {{SSB4|Ike}}'s down aerial).  

In ''Smash 4'', characters are granted 60 frames of invulnerability to all [[grab]]s after being released from a grab or [[throw]]n (not counting special moves). This change makes it impossible to perform [[chain-grab]]s, which were not only possible but rather common in previous games. Possibly in relation to this, [[stale-move negation]] has been weakened, making it harder for characters to abuse the mechanic by staling moves to allow them to combo for longer; at the same time, characters do not have to worry about preserving their KO moves as much as they did in ''Brawl'', though still more than in ''Melee.'' Characters can also not grab the ledge after going through hitstun for 55 frames.

[[Hitstun]] cancelling, a controversial mechanic introduced in ''Brawl'' that allowed characters to escape combos with ease, has been toned down. Characters can now air dodge or use an aerial attack to cancel hitstun after frame 40 or 45 respectively, compared to ''Brawl''’s 13/25 frames, with the window being pushed back when a character sustains 69 or more frames of hitstun. As a result, true [[combos]] at low- and mid-percents are much more prevalent. However, with the increased knockback growth on many throws, moderate falling speeds, [[gravity]] increasing vertical knockback, the continued lack of advanced techniques such as [[wavedashing]] and [[L-cancelling]], and the retained ability to cancel hitstun, true combos in ''Smash 4'' are generally shorter and less varied compared to the ones in ''Melee'' and ''Smash 64'', especially at high percents. Additionally, many of the faster, more combo-oriented fighters, such as {{SSB4|Sheik}}, {{SSB4|Fox}}, Meta Knight, and Diddy Kong have had their damage outputs reduced, likely to compensate for their improved combo abilities or to balance them out with the slow, heavy characters. The changes to hitstun also prevent characters from immediately performing moves to slow their [[momentum cancelling|momentum]], reducing their ability to survive powerful attacks. 

[[Directional influence]] works differently. Holding a horizontal direction now directly increases or decreases knockback in that direction, while also altering the launch angle as in previous games. As of update [[1.0.4]], holding a vertical direction only alters the launch angle, as it did in ''Melee'' and ''Brawl.'' These changes make it harder to carry out horizontal combos, especially at higher percents since opponents will often be sent too far for follow-ups, and in turn indirectly benefits characters who possess vertical-launching moves, notably Mario, Meta Knight, Zero Suit Samus, and {{SSB4|Ryu}}, as it is now comparatively easier to combo and KO with attacks that deal vertical knockback. The effects of [[Smash DI|smash directional Influence]] have also been drastically weakened, which is most easily visible with multi-hit attacks, making it much harder to escape them than in earlier games.

Movement speed when carrying heavy items has been increased among the entire cast, but [[Donkey Kong]] remains as the only character who can jump and fall with them. 

A new mechanic popularly known as “[[rage]]” has been implemented. Starting at 35%, characters receive a steady increase to the knockback (and therefore hitstun) of their attacks as their damage rises, with the effect capping out at 150%, at which point the overall knockback (base knockback and knockback growth) of a character’s moves will be increased by 1.15x. Rage becomes more clearly visible when a character reaches 100%, as they begin to flash red and emit steam.

Defensive options have been heavily modified. [[Shield]]s now take 19% more damage from attacks, rather than 30% less, and as of update [[1.1.1]], [[shield stun]] has been significantly increased, making [[out of shield]] options less reliable; thus, shields are much more fragile than in ''Brawl''. [[Air dodge]]s now have high landing lag (21 frames), but lower ending lag (roughly 5 frames, down from 10 to 30 in ''Brawl''), making air dodges safer for aerial combat but riskier when done close to the ground. [[Sidestep]]s and [[roll]]s have slightly less ending lag but offer less intangibility frames, which makes rolls overall safer for quick repositioning.

[[Star KO]]s and [[Screen KO]]s now do not always occur when a character is KO'd over the top [[blast line]]; in addition, the Screen KO animation has been lengthened to last a few frames longer than the Star KO animation. They no longer occur near the end of a [[time]]d match (unless characters are launched to the upper blast line when [[End of Day]] is active, the only known exception to this) or [[Sudden Death]]; being instead replaced by regular blast KOs. They also will not occur when a character is launched at a fast enough speed.

===Aesthetic and sound changes===
{{ImageCaption|File:Sudden Death (SSBB).PNG|File:Sudden Death (Super Smash Bros. for Wii U).jpg|width1=x150px|width2=x150px|align=right|caption=The aesthetic changes between ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4''}}
*In general, the game is much more stylized and visually intense than previous entries, with the colors being bolder and brighter, sound effects being more cartoonish (though generally quieter) and many elements having been redone to stand out more.
*The characters' design styles are more distinct from each other and more in-line with their home series, in contrast to ''Brawl'' which gave the characters a more unified realistic look. For example, characters from cartoony franchises such as the ''{{uv|Mario}}'' and ''{{uv|Kirby}}'' series are much closer to their native styles, while those from more realistic-looking franchises such as ''{{uv|The Legend of Zelda}}'' (with the exception of Toon Link) and ''{{uv|Metroid}}'' series maintain more realistic appearances.
*Some characters will always stand facing the screen regardless of which direction they face, with the intent of having them face the screen more often.
*[[Damage]] percentage numbers now rise through yellow shades before turning red. In the ''Wii U'' version, the numbers are also displayed with a metallic gradient.
*Several visual effects are significantly bolder and brighter:
**Attacks' visual effects (such as motion blurs) are in general more pronounced, with bright saturated blurs replacing the previous game's subtle ones.
**Many attacks have bright motion trails, making their range more obvious.
**Smoke trails of hit characters are now thick trails of light, colored according to which player would be credited with a potential [[KO]]. Should the KO occur, the attacker will flash with an aura of their own color.
***In the Wii U version, the attacker's damage meter will also show a brief burst of flame when a KO occurs.
*A new visual effect is introduced, referred to as '''Deadly Blow''' by the game; hits that deal enough knockback to KO the character before they can act afterwards produce a red-and-black lightning effect during hitlag if they are close enough to the blast line. However, the effect is not always consistent, as it does not factor in DI or other obstructions, and does not always appear at an attack's minimum KO threshold. Attacks that cause [[frozen|freezing]] never produce the visual effect, instead the screen briefly flashes white. Meteor smashes do not produce it until high percentages.
*Certain items such as the [[Bumper]] and [[Home-Run Bat]] have been given new, more striking designs. The Home-Run Bat, for example, is more ornate and is now colored to match the new high-knockback lightning effect.
*A successful meteor smash that deals high [[knockback]] will play a distinct sound effect.
*Characters now have team colored outlines in [[Team Battle]]s, and can select a color normally.
*[[Revival platform]]s now have a section that changes color based on the time remaining before the platform disappears. This section starts out yellow before fading between orange and then turning red before disappearing.
*Characters with over 100% of damage now flash red and emit steam, as part of the new [[rage]] game mechanic. The effect intensifies as their damage raises.
*In the ''3DS'' version, players can tap on a character's icon on the bottom screen to place a marker on that character on the top screen, in order to more easily follow their movements.
*[[Magic]] and [[PK]] attacks no longer have [[electric]]al properties and produce sparkle sounds if they hit.
*Victory scenes seem to be a cross between all of the previous three games. Like in ''Smash 64'', the screen has different animations that transition to the scene, instead of just cutting to it, while only the winner is shown in the main area like in ''Melee'', with the others applauding in small windows on the screen on the ''Wii U'' version. However, instead of a featureless black screen, the winner's area is an environment similar to that in ''Brawl''’s [[victory screen]]. Additionally, after the winner has been announced and the [[victory theme]] has finished playing, a remix of the character selection music from ''Smash 64'' will play (with the exception of {{SSB4|Cloud}}, as his victory theme loops rather than finishing).
*The Stock Icons for Stock Matches are now akin to those in ''Melee'', in which they appeared as the character's head, as opposed to ''Brawl'', where they were merely small circles colored depending on the player. Additionally, the stock icons are placed below the HUD that contains the character's damage percentage rather than on it.
*Assist trophies and Poké Ball Pokémon now come with a marker above them, in order to indicate which player summoned them.
**Additionally, certain items come with white triangular markers above them to make them more noticeable, like in ''SSB64''.
*Some of the more realistic sound effects from ''Brawl'' have been eschewed in favor of sound effects which are inspired by the characters' home franchises, such as the one that plays when Kirby uses {{b|Inhale|Kirby}}.
*Like in the previous games, each character has a voice clip for whenever they take a fair amount of knockback. Though now, it plays right as they receive the blow, like in the original ''Super Smash Bros.'' and ''Melee'', and not during the knockback itself, like in ''Brawl''. In ''SSB4'', damage noises are no longer based purely on the amount of knockback taken, unlike in ''SSB64'' and ''Melee'', where characters had damage noises for medium damage and hard damage specifically. This means that certain attacks and items that repeatedly launch the character can make them repeat the voice clips constantly, such as the {{B|Drill|item}}.
*Most flash/tint effects (such as flashing white while invincible) do not display while the game is paused.
*On the ''Wii U'' version, most stages have constant subtle ambient noise in the background, such as wind (Onett and Mushroom Kingdom U) or animal sounds (Kongo Jungle 64). This is an addition for most returning stages.
*Many characters are much more expressive than in ''Brawl''; for example, Wario now scowls when performing an attack or in the Wii U version, Wario's mustache and eyebrows now stretch and grow to fit the situation.
**Each character's expressions are different for each version, mainly due to hardware limitations on the 3DS version. An example can be seen during victory scenes. If Marth, for example, were to win a match, his expression would vary; Marth would keep a serious face on ''for 3DS'', while he would slightly smile and look at the screen on ''for Wii U.''

==Console differences==
{{main|Cross-platform comparison of Super Smash Bros. 4}}
The Wii U and 3DS versions of the game were shown to have distinct art styles from one another in that the 3DS version uses flatter shading and optional black outlines to make characters easier to see at a distance, a graphical style reminiscent of other 3DS games such as ''Fire Emblem Awakening'' and ''Pokémon X & Y''. These outlines are customizable as Sakurai stated players can change the size of the outlines or get rid of them completely. As stated before, many of the stages are version specific, with the 3DS version having more stages based on handheld console games, and the Wii U having more stages based on home console games.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQD1yJinzeQ Nintendo's YouTube channel: "Wii U & Nintendo 3DS Developer Direct - Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U @E3 2013"]</ref> There is no cross-platform gameplay between the Wii U and 3DS versions due to the exclusive stages to each version<ref>[http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/wii-u-and-3ds-smash-bros-will-not-have-cross-platform-play-wil/ Joystiq: "No cross-platform play for Smash Bros on 3DS and Wii U"]</ref>; however, one can create customized fighters in the 3DS version using the character customization feature and send them to the Wii U version. In addition to this, by connecting the two games (or using [[Smash Controller|a special downloadable application]]), the 3DS can be used as a controller on the Wii U version. However, this doesn't apply vice-versa, as none of the Wii U's peripherals can act as a controller on 3DS hardware.

In the 3DS version, there is up to the usual amount of fighters on one stage, with four. The Wii U version features up to eight players at once, though this is only available on a limited selection of the stages.

[[Trophies]] are different between the two versions, with the trophies in the 3DS version being mainly from handheld games, while the trophies in the Wii U being primarily from console games.<ref>http://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAADRUqFpGGYsgQ</ref>

When it comes to music, each stage on the 3DS version has only two music tracks available, as was the case in ''Melee''. On the other hand, the Wii U version sees the return of ''Brawl''’s [[My Music]] option, with a large selection of tracks available for each stage.

==Reception==
The 3DS version mainly received positive reviews, with a current rating of 85/100 on Metacritic<ref>http://www.metacritic.com/game/3ds/super-smash-bros-for-nintendo-3ds</ref> and 86% on GameRankings<ref>http://www.gamerankings.com/3ds/632937-super-smash-bros-for-nintendo-3ds/index.html</ref>. The game has been praised for its large and diverse character roster, its improvements to game mechanics, and its variety of multiplayer options. Some criticisms include a lack of single player modes and issues concerning the 3DS hardware, such as the size of characters on the smaller screen when zoomed out and latency issues during both local and online multiplayer. There were also reports of players damaging their 3DS Circle Pads while playing the game excessively, and to an extent the circle pad can easily fall off. The 3DS version sold over a million copies in its first weekend on sale in Japan, and had sold more than 3.22 million copies worldwide as of October 2014. The 3DS version was nominated for both "Best Fighting Game" and "Best Handheld/Mobile Game" at the 2014 Video Game Awards, but lost to the Wii U version and {{s|wikipedia|Blizzard Entertainment}}'s ''{{s|wikipedia|Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft}}'', respectively.

The Wii U version received critical acclaim, with a Metacritic score of 92/100<ref>http://www.metacritic.com/game/wii-u/super-smash-bros-for-wii-u</ref> and a GameRankings score of 92.39%<ref>http://www.gamerankings.com/wii-u/633202-super-smash-bros-for-wii-u/index.html</ref>, being among the highest rated games of 2014, is also awarded the Metacritic's Game of the Year and the second-highest rated game of the series after ''[[Brawl]]''. The 2014 Video Game Awards even awarded the Wii U version with the "Best Fighting Game" award. The game was lauded for improving everything the 3DS version offered and significantly improving the online experience.

''Super Smash Bros. 4'' won "favorite video game" at the 2016 People's Choice Awards. As of February 2016 the Wii U version of ''Smash 4'' is the 5th best selling Wii U game and the 3DS version is the 7th best selling 3DS game.

==Trailers==
{| border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="15" align="center" width="100%"
| valign="top" width="50%"|
===E3 2013===
<center><youtube>xvudMu-5kIU</youtube></center>
| valign="top" width="50%"|
===E3 2014===
<center><youtube>oRq5bz6ZNYU</youtube></center>
|}

==Gallery==
===Miscellaneous===
<gallery>
SSB 3DS logo.png|3DS version logo.
SSB Wii U logo.png|Wii U version logo.
Boxart-3ds.png|3DS version Boxart.
Boxart-wiiu.png|Wii U version Boxart.
SSB3DS Transparent Group Art.png|Transparent version of the 3DS version's group artwork.
Wii U Boxart No Box.png|The Wii U version's group artwork.
CompleteSmashWiiUBoxArt.jpg|Complete Wii U version group artwork.
MiiverseSmash.jpg|Miiverse Community image.
DamageMeterSSB4.jpg|A three-way battle.
SSB4 daily image 26-07-2013.jpg|New KO ownership trails.
Fox and Toon Link "Strong Blow" Effect.jpeg|An image showing the new visual indication of an especially powerful blow.
Smash 4 - Fox's finishing jab.jpeg|The "finishing move" of Fox's consecutive jab.
Smash4 - First Three New Characters.jpg|The first three confirmed newcomers
SSB4 3DS outline comparison.jpg|The difference between outlines being set off and on in the 3DS version.
SSB4 - Team Outlines.jpg|The new Team Battle outlines.
</gallery>

===Characters===
<gallery>
Villager Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Villager.
Mega Man Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Mega Man.
Wii Fit Trainer Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Wii Fit Trainer.
Rosalina Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Rosalina & Luma.
Little Mac Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Little Mac.
Greninja Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Greninja.
Palutena Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Palutena and Dark Pit.
Pac-Man Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Pac-Man.
Robin and Lucina Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Robin and Lucina.
Shulk Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Shulk.
Bowser_Jr_Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Bowser Jr.
Duck Hunt poster.jpg|Official illustration of Duck Hunt.
Ryu Poster.jpg|Official illustration of Ryu.
Cloud poster.jpg|Official illustration of Cloud.
Corrin poster.jpg|Official illustration of Corrin.
Bayonetta poster.jpg|Official illustration of Bayonetta.
Zero Suit Samus Zeroes In.png|Splash art of Zero Suit Samus.
Sheik Appears on the Scene.png|Splash art of Sheik.
Yoshi Rolls into Battle.png|Splash art of Yoshi.
Charizard Fires It Up.png|Splash art of Charizard.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Villager.png|Splash art of Villager.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Mega Man.png|Splash art of Mega Man.
SSB4_WiiFitTrainerNoBoard_SplashArt.png|Splash art of Wii Fit Trainer.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Rosalina.png|Splash art of Rosalina & Luma.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Little Mac.png|Splash art of Little Mac.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Greninja.png|Splash art of Greninja.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Palutena.png|Splash art of Palutena.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Pac-Man.png|Splash art of Pac-Man.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Lucina.png|Splash art of Lucina.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Robin.png|Splash art of Robin.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Shulk.png|Splash art of Shulk.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Bowser Jr..PNG|Splash art of Bowser Jr.
SSB4 Newcomer Introduction Duck Hunt.jpg|Splash art of Duck Hunt.
Mewtwoisontheway.png|Mewtwo teaser.
SSB4 Fighter Introduction Mewtwo.png|Splash art of Mewtwo.
SSB4 Lucas SplashArt.jpg|Splash art of Lucas.
SSB4 Roy SplashArt.png|Splash art of Roy.
SSB4 Ryu SplashArt.png|Splash art of Ryu.
SSB4 CloudSplashArt.png|Splash art of Cloud.
SSB4 Corrin SplashArt.png|Splash art of Corrin.
SSB4 Bayonetta SplashArt.png|Splash art of Bayonetta.
Lincoln ssb4.png|Splash art of a Mii Gunner, based on {{Iw|wikipedia|Abraham Lincoln}}.
Elijah wood ssb4.png|Splash art of a Mii Swordfighter, based on {{Iw|wikipedia|Elijah Wood}}.
Ice-t ssb4.png|English splash art of a Mii Brawler, based on {{Iw|wikipedia|Ice-T}}.
Shinya Arino ssb4.png|Japanese splash art of a Mii Brawler, based on {{Iw|wikipedia|Shinya Arino}}.
SSB4 - AKB48 Intro 01.jpg|Japanese splash art of a Mii Brawler, based on {{Iw|wikipedia|Mayu Watanabe}} of AKB48.
SSB4 - AKB48 Intro 02.jpg|Japanese splash art of a Mii Swordfighter, based on {{Iw|wikipedia|Yuki Kashiwagi}} of AKB48.
SSB4 - AKB48 Intro 03.jpg|Japanese splash art of a Mii Gunner, based on {{Iw|wikipedia|Minami Takahashi}} of AKB48.
SSB4 Geno SplashArt.png|Splash art of the [[Geno]] Mii Gunner costume.
SSB4 Cast AKB48trailer.png|Characters from the {{Iw|wikipedia|AKB48}} trailer.
</gallery>

==Trivia==
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is the only game in the series not to include a new {{uv|Star Fox}} or {{uv|The Legend of Zelda}} universe character.
**''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is also the only game in the series to not introduce more than one character from the {{uv|Pokémon}} universe or a Pokémon from Generation 1.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' introduces three {{uv|Fire Emblem}} series newcomers, which is more series newcomers than any other universe has in the game.
**However, this is not the most introductions in a single universe in the series, as in ''Melee'', four characters from {{uv|The Legend of Zelda}} series were introduced: Zelda, Sheik, Ganondorf, and Young Link.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' introduces the [[Mii Fighter]]s, making it the first game in the series to have playable characters representing the ''Super Smash Bros.'' universe.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is the only game in the series to cut all playable characters within a universe, cutting both [[Ice Climbers]] and [[Snake]], from ''Ice Climber'' and ''Metal Gear'', respectively.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' introduces 10 new universes with playable characters, tied with [[Super Smash Bros.|the first game]] for the most of any entry in the ''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' series.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' marks the first time in the series where long-running veterans [[Luigi]] and [[Marth]] are starter characters. [[Jigglypuff]] and [[Ganondorf]] also have this distinction, though only in the Wii U version.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' marks the first ever playable appearance for [[Wii Fit Trainer]], [[Palutena]], and the [[Duck Hunt]] dog.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is the second collaboration between [[Bandai Namco]], [[Capcom]], and [[Sega]], the first being ''{{s|wikipedia|Project X Zone}}'' and the third being its sequel ''{{s|wikipedia|Project X Zone 2}}''. One of ''Project X Zone'''s co-developers, [[Monolith Soft]], was involved in ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4''.
**{{SSB4|Ryu}} from the ''Street Fighter'' series, [[X (Mega Man)|X]] and [[Zero (Mega Man)|Zero]] from the ''Mega Man'' series, [[Akira Yuki]] from the ''Virtua Fighter'' series, and [[Heihachi Mishima]] from the ''Tekken'' series, all appear in both ''Project X Zone'' and ''{{s|wikipedia|Project X Zone 2}}''.
**[[Lucina]], [[Chrom]] and [[Tiki]] from ''Fire Emblem '' series and [[Fiora]] and [[Metal Face]] from ''Xenoblade Chronicles'', appeared in ''Project X Zone 2''.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is the first game in the series to receive "E10+" ESRB rating and a "Mild Suggestive Themes" content descriptor.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is the second game in the series with a character debuting from a series containing an "M" ESRB rating, following ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is the only game in the series to not have introduced any new {{uv|Yoshi}} stages named "Yoshi's Island" (in either version).

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.smashbros.com/ Official site], [http://www.smashbros.com/us/dlc/index.html Official DLC site]
**[https://cp.nintendo.co.jp/us/ Official DLC Character Request Site]
*[https://miiverse.nintendo.net/titles/14866558073037299863/14866558073037300685 The "Director's Room", Sakurai's Miiverse community]

{{SSBSeries}}

[[Category:Games]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. 4| ]]
[[Category:Wii U]]
[[Category:Nintendo 3DS]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. series]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. universe]]
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