Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (, Great Fray Smash Brothers for Wii U) is one of two games in the  series released as part of the Super Smash Bros. 4 pair, and the home console counterpart to. Although most gameplay elements are shared between the two versions, there are several elements which distinguish the two.

The game is playable on the Wii U with a variety of controller options, including the Wii U GamePad, the Wii U Pro Controller, the GameCube controller via an adapter, and a Nintendo 3DS that is running the 3DS version or a special app.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U was officially released on November 21, 2014 in the Americas, and was followed by Europe on November 28, 2014, Australia and New Zealand on November 29, 2014, and Japan on December 6, 2014. As of the closure of the Wii U eShop on March 27, 2023, it is no longer possible to officially digitally purchase this game or any of its post-launch. Nintendo announced that online support for the Wii U will be ending in early April 2024, meaning the game will no longer be playable online without hacking after that point.

Opening movie
The opening movie for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is composed of footage from both gameplay and the various character introduction trailers shown since the game's reveal, barring the trailer for Duck Hunt.

Content
The playable roster is the same between both versions of SSB4.

Stages
The two versions of SSB4 have separate sets of available stages; only 12 stages appear in both the Wii U and 3DS versions. The stages from the Wii U version are more heavily based on home console games. The Wii U version features a total of 55 stages (46 excluding DLC), consisting of 34 new stages and 21 familiar ones. The following stages are available in the Wii U version:

Single-player modes

 * All-Star Mode
 * Special Orders:
 * Master Orders
 * Crazy Orders
 * Event Mode
 * Event Mode

Multiplayer modes

 * VS Mode
 * Smash Tour
 * 8-Player Smash

Features exclusive to the Wii U version

 * The Wii U version is compatible with a set of amiibo figurines utilizing the Wii U GamePad and . By using their respective figurine, players can give an AI character custom moves and level them up to level 50. The game is the first to utilize the GamePad's NFC function under the amiibo branding.
 * This was later added to the 3DS version via a post-launch update.
 * Due to its home console nature, the Wii U version lacks the optional dark outlines around playable characters present in the 3DS version, though still has the colored outlines for team battles.
 * The Classic mode is tournament styled, and no longer has three random options, only one.
 * The Wii U version features different collectible trophies than the 3DS version, with a greater focus on elements from home console releases.
 * The Wii U version sees the return of Brawl's My Music option, with a large selection of tracks available for each stage.
 * The Wii U version supports off TV play.
 * Three exclusive new modes: Special Orders, 8-Player Smash, and Smash Tour.
 * The Trophy Box is exclusive to the Wii U version.
 * Additionally, three modes which were in Brawl but not in, Coin Battles, Special Smash and Event Mode, return.
 * Ness, Jigglypuff, Ganondorf and Bowser Jr. are starter characters, unlike in the 3DS version where they are unlockable.

Demo
A demo of the Wii U version was available at retail stores with a Wii U kiosk. It featured the entire starting roster of characters and stages, but like its 3DS counterpart, was locked to two minute time matches with items on for normal stages (but turned off for Ω stages).

In competitive play
The Wii U version effectively replaced Brawl in terms of the competitive scene, with nearly all of the top players migrating over. The game also quickly overtook the 3DS version, making it the definitive version of Smash to play at the time. The divide between Melee and former Brawl players still existed, though the changes made in this game to bridge the gap between previous entries relieved the tension somewhat. Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS has arguably the smallest competitive scene of any game in the series. This is due to the community simply preferring the Wii U version as an avenue to play Smash.

The Wii U version continued the momentum of mainstream success started in Brawl, such as a mainstage presence at EVO for many years and frequent references in other media like television series and internet websites. The game even helped retroactively bolster the popularity of previous entries, especially Smash 64, which is still is increasing in popularity to this day. However, the game quickly fell off after the release of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and now exists as a small niche community just like Brawl before it.

The community has constructed a set of standard tournament rules to regulate tournament play. While rulesets may vary between different tournaments, generally universal gameplay rules include all matches being played via timed stock (2-3 stocks and 6-8 minutes), and restrictions on legal stages. These regulations are enacted to ensure that gameplay at the highest level remains fair and interesting.

Trivia

 * This is the first time where Greninja, Dark Pit, Lucina, Robin, and Corrin appear on a home console.
 * Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is the first game in the series not to be released first in Japan.
 * Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is the Wii U's fastest selling title, surpassing the previous holder of the title, . In North America alone, Nintendo sold over 490,000 digital and physical copies of the game in three days.
 * Sales of the GameCube Bundle and Adapter were so popular in the United States that there was an immediate shortage of the Adapter upon launch of the game, leading to significantly inflated prices from online dealers; at one point, featured prices in excess of $110 USD for the Adapter.
 * This is the only game in the series where all 12 characters from the original Super Smash Bros. are starters, and by extension, the only one where Jigglypuff, Bowser Jr. and Ganondorf are starters.
 * The game's Japanese release date happens to coincide with the birthday of late Nintendo president Satoru Iwata.
 * November 21st, the game's North American release date, was also the release date of Super Smash Bros. Melee in Japan.
 * Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is the first game since the original to lack a new stage from the and  universes.
 * This is the first game in the series where there is only one way to hear a character's Star KO scream (outside the Sound Test).
 * This is the only game in the series that has no unlockable characters.
 * This is also the first game in the series since Smash 64 that has no unlockable characters.
 * This is the only game in the series in which Vs. mode is not required for 100% completion, with no unlockable characters, stages, or even challenges requiring it.
 * This is the only game to lack the appearance of a Fly Guy.
 * This would be the last game in the series to have the announcer speaking between fights during the pre-match loading screens in Classic Mode. Starting in Ultimate, the announcer's voice wouldn't be heard during the pre-match loading screens in Classic Mode.
 * Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is the game with the highest number of starters compared to the full roster, with them making up 84.31% of the base roster and 74.14% of the final post-DLC roster.