Masterpieces

Masterpieces (, Masterpiece Trial) are free time-limited trial versions of classic Nintendo titles in which the characters of Super Smash Bros. Brawl and have appeared. Masterpieces are actually the entire ROM files of the games run on an emulator, almost identical to the same games available on Virtual Console. This means players are allowed to progress as far as they possibly can within the time limit. When said time limit runs out, a message appears to notify the player of the trial's conclusion. In the Wii U version of Smash 4, this message also includes a link to the Nintendo eShop, where the player was able to purchase the full, Virtual Console version of the title they just played. The game then returns to the masterpiece selection menu. To save time, Masterpieces skip games' title and opening sequences. Certain Masterpieces start at specific points of the game that are relevant to the Smash game they appear in, such as the  Masterpiece starting at the 75m level, while games that supported saving have some built-in saves set to various points of the game. The time limit varies from game to game.

List of masterpieces
This is a list of the masterpieces in the Super Smash Bros. series. NES games show up as FC and SNES games show up as SFC in Japan, except for the noted cases where a NES game shows up as FDS instead.

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
A total of 14 Masterpieces are featured in this game (12 outside of Japan). Masterpieces are sorted in-game by their Japanese release date, even in international versions of Brawl. Unlockable Masterpieces are highlighted in grey and Japanese exclusive Masterpieces are highlighted in yellow.

NES games show up as FC and SNES games show up as SFC in the Japanese version of Brawl, except for two cases noted below where a NES game shows up as FDS instead.

Interestingly, while Masterpieces are intended to promote the Virtual Console's version of the game, Mother 2 had no Virtual Console release in any region at the time of Brawl's release. It is the only Masterpiece in any Smash game to have this distinction.

Scrapped Masterpieces

 * A Donkey Kong Country masterpiece was planned, but it was scrapped.

In
Masterpieces return in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. A total of 24 Masterpieces are featured in this game (23 outside of Japan), 15 of which are new. New features include a timer displayed on the right side of the screen, the ability to pause the Masterpiece without using the HOME button, the ability to stop the Masterpiece without the reset button (as the Wii U does not have a reset button), and less lag. NES and SNES Masterpieces feature a prompt to purchase the game from the eShop before and after the demo, while Game Boy Masterpieces tell the player after the demo that they can purchase the game from the 3DS's eShop. All Masterpieces that were carried over from Brawl now have longer time limits, with the exception of EarthBound/Mother 2 whose time limit stayed the same.

Smash Wii U also introduces third-party Masterpieces and Masterpieces that do not represent a character, as Pilotwings represents the stage of the same name and Balloon Fight officially represents Villager's up special move (as Villager using the move appears on the game's portrait instead of a Balloon Fighter).

Masterpieces are now sorted in-game by localized release date, so Japanese, North American, and European versions list them in a different order. For example, non-Japanese versions of the game list the release date of Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels as 1993 (the year the SNES Super Mario All-Stars made the levels first accessible outside of Japan), and European versions of the game list the release date of EarthBound as 2013 (the year it became available on the eShop). In the list below, they are ordered by North American release date (except for Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light).

As above, NES games show up as FC and SNES games show up as SFC in the Japanese version of the game, except for the noted cases where a NES game shows up as FDS instead. Interestingly, in non-Japanese versions Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels is listed as a NES game (and not as an FDS, SNES, or VC game) even though it was never released on the NES. Unlockable Masterpieces are highlighted in grey and Japan-exclusive Masterpieces are highlighted in yellow.

Scrapped Masterpieces

 * Unused text in Smash Bros. for Wii U implies the original Super Smash Bros. was supposed to appear as a Masterpiece. This would have made it the only N64 Masterpiece in Smash Bros. for Wii U.

Trivia

 * is the only universe that debuted in Smash 64 to lack a masterpiece.
 * Since EarthBounds ESRB Teen rating exceeds Smash Wii Us ESRB E10+ rating, the prompt when starting up the EarthBound Masterpiece mentions this fact in all North American regions. (EarthBound has the same (or lower) rating as Smash Wii U in Japan, Europe, and Russia. Although EarthBounds classification rating of M is higher than Smash Wii Us rating of PG in Australia, no prompt is shown when starting up the masterpiece in Australian copies of the game.)
 * Within the time limit, speedrunners have been able to beat  (one loop of all levels, albeit only in Smash Wii U), Kirby's Adventure (using a glitch to warp to the credits), Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream (using a password), and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (using glitches to either beat Ganon or warp to the credits, both of which were first done by ).