Classic Mode (SSBM)



Classic Mode is a 1-player mode in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Following a structure similar to that of the 1P Game mode from the original game, the player chooses a single character, stock, and difficulty level, then battles through 11 different stages, culminating in a final battle with (and, depending on the situation, ). In addition to standard battles, three bonus rounds are also included, allowing for players to further increase their score and potentially gain other rewards from the mode. If the player loses all of their stock, they can potentially continue, assuming their supply of gold allows for it.

While Classic Mode does have a fixed order concerning the themes of battles and the presence of bonus rounds, the characters the player may fight against or fight alongside of are randomized from a pool of characters. Furthermore, the player's selected character will be excluded from inclusion as an opponent or ally, thus making mirror matches impossible.

Completing Classic Mode can yield a variety of rewards for the player, alongside all gold awarded for completing the various stages. The player's score is also recorded, assuming it has surpassed the previous high score for the character.

Stage 1
This stage is a regular 1 vs. 1 battle. There is a 5 minute time limit. On Very Hard difficulty, the opponent will wear the 4th costume.

Stage 2
This stage is a 2 vs. 2 team battle. There is a 5 minute time limit. On Very Hard difficulty, the first opponent will wear the 4th costume.

Stage 3
The first bonus stage is Target Test, where the player is tasked with breaking all ten targets in their character's target test within two minutes. Failing to break all ten targets will not cost the player any stock, though they will lose out on potential end-of-game bonuses.

Stage 4
This stage is a regular 1 vs. 1 battle. There is a 5 minute time limit.

Stage 5
This stage is a 3 vs. 1 battle against a giant opponent. There is a 5 minute time limit.

Stage 6
The second bonus stage is Snag the Trophies, where players are tasked with preventing three trophies from falling off the stage. The player is awarded any trophy they rescue, and getting all three yields an end-of-game bonus. The stage ends in failure if none of the trophies are saved, if players fall of the stage, or if the two minute time limit expires.

Stage 7
This stage is a regular 1 vs. 1 battle. There is a 5 minute time limit.

Stage 8
This stage is a 1 vs. 10 multi-character battle, where all opponents are the same character. There is a 5 minute time limit.

Stage 9
The final bonus stage is, where players have to race through an obstacle course within a varied time limit. The farther the player makes it through Race to the Finish, the more points and coins they receive; getting KO'd at any point or running out of time, however, forfeits both.

Stage 10
This stage is a 1 vs. 1 battle against a metal opponent. There is a 5 minute time limit.

The battle always takes place on Battlefield, and no items appear in this stage. Due to this, the player will always receive receive the "Item-less" bonus.

Stage 11
Classic Mode's final battle takes place on, against.

Unlike all other foes previously fought, the player has to defeat Master Hand by lowering his HP to 0, instead of knocking him off the ledge of the stage.

Master Hand's HP varies on the difficulty selected by the player, with higher difficulties causing him to have higher HP values.

If the player is playing on Normal difficulty or higher and has made it to the final stage within 5 minutes and 50 seconds, then will spawn when half of Master Hand's HP has been depleted. Crazy Hand's starting HP also depends with the difficulty (Normal, Hard, or Very Hard), matching to the HP that Master Hand started with from the beginning.

Beating Master Hand and, if applicable, Crazy Hand, finishes the mode. After the screen fades to white and the final results screen is shown to the player, a small cinematic plays, showing their selected character dropping into the Collection room turning into a trophy and displaying all other character trophies they have attained in the mode. The credits then play, followed by a small cinematic and Congratulations image for the player's selected character.

Regular battle
All characters except, , and are eligible to battle the player throughout the mode's three 1-on-1 battles, with their home stages listed below. In this mode, neither Poké Floats nor any Past Stages are used. In Stage 1 on Very Hard Difficulty, the opponent will wear its third alternative costume. In Stage 7 on Hard or Very Hard, the computer will usually try to avoid the player at all costs, sometimes by walking off the screen.

Some fights have unique music: Mewtwo's battle will play ', Marth's battle will play ', Dr. Mario's battle will play ', and Young Link's battle will play '. The battle with Yoshi has a chance of playing  as its alternate music.

2 vs. 2 teams
Below is the list of all the teams the player can fight in Classic Mode, each of which have a loose theme. For instance, the / team is a likely reference to 's Hammer Ability and the / team is a likely reference to Paula Polestar, a party member and Ness' love interest in . Both the characters for each team and the stage fought on is listed. There are a total of 29 teams. All playable characters aside from / and can fight alongside the player. Allies all use their first alternate costume. On Very Hard Difficulty, the first opponent wears its third alternative costume. When fighting a team of Mario and Bowser on Battlefield,  will play.

Giant battle
Just like the teams, the giant characters the player fights are picked randomly from a group that has already been predetermined by the game. All playable characters aside from Zelda/Sheik and Roy can fight alongside the player. The first ally uses the second alternate costume, while the second uses the first alternate costume. During the battle against Giant Young Link, ' will play, and during battle against Giant Dr. Mario, the track ' will play.

Multi-character battle
Just like the teams, and the giant characters the player fights, the multiple-character fight is picked randomly from a group that has already been predetermined by the game. This level consists of ten multiples of one of nine different characters. During the battle against ten Donkey Kongs at Jungle Japes,  will play.

Metal battle
All characters except Ganondorf, Roy, and Mr. Game & Watch are eligible to appear as a metal character in this 1-on-1 battle against the player. The stage will always be, with the track  playing.

Rewards

 * Clearing as Mario without using any continues will challenge the player to defeat, and beating him will unlock him.
 * Clearing with any character on any difficulty will challenge the player to defeat, and beating it results in unlocking it.
 * Clearing with 10 characters will challenge the player to defeat, and beating him will unlock him.
 * Clearing with all starter characters will challenge the player to defeat, and beating him will unlock him.
 * Clearing with Marth will challenge the player to defeat, and beating him will unlock him.
 * Clearing with all 24 other characters will challenge the player to defeat, and beating him will unlock him.
 * Clearing with Mr. Game & Watch will unlock the Flat Zone stage.
 * Clearing with all characters gives the player the Donkey Kong Junior Trophy.
 * Clearing on Hard or Very Hard without using any continues gives the player a trophy of.
 * Clearing on any difficulty with any character will give the player a trophy of the character used based on their appearance in one of their games. Both Zelda and Sheik's trophies are obtained simultaneously.

Trivia

 * Unusually, some characters do not appear in Classic Mode, despite having the [[Media:BetaAllStarIntro.png|required poses]] in the game's data.
 * can never appear as an enemy fighter, though he can potentially be an ally.
 * can only appear as an enemy in the multi-character fight for stage 8, though he can potentially be an ally.
 * never initially appears, and can only appear if transforms into her.
 * herself cannot appear as an ally.
 * is completely absent and neither spawns as an enemy nor an ally.
 * If the player connects to port 3, then the CPU ally’s series symbol will turn into a grayish-yellow shade for yellow team, despite yellow is not a selectable team color in the game.