A Party Ball breaks open releasing various items in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
For the CPU Mode, see ITEM.

An item is an object that appears during a match which can be picked up and used by characters. Many items can be wielded once picked up, while others apply an effect, and almost all can be thrown at opponents. Items are not to be confused with projectiles, as those cannot be picked up and sometimes can be caused by items. Items are a large part of the gameplay of the Super Smash Bros. series, particularly on a casual level where chaotic fun is prioritized over serious competition. However, items cause problems at a competitive level and, with some exceptions, are universally banned from tournaments.

OverviewEdit

There are several ways for items to appear during a game. The most iconic way is to randomly appear during a game. Items appear from stage-dependent designated locations at various times throughout a match, based on the frequency set in the Item Switch. Certain stages also automatically spawn specific items during stage events. Ultimate introduced the feature to turn stage hazards off, which for the most part included item spawning. Several characters can also summon specific items with their given moveset, most often a special move. These items mostly spawn consistently, though some spawn randomly.

Characters can pick up items by standing near one and pressing the attack button. Aside from heavy items and Grass, they can also be grabbed in midair with the grab button starting in Melee. Brawl onward further ease item grabbing by allowing it during the start of air dodges, dash attacks, and aerial attacks, with a window of 5 frames for each, causing the user to obtain the item while proceeding with their action. In Ultimate, this is further expanded to tilt attacks, though with a shorter window of 2 frames. The player that picked up the item is considered the owner, meaning said player benefits from its positive effects and/or is immune to its negative effects barring a few items that affect all characters indiscriminately. Some items are designated as heavy. These items, when held, put the character in a special state where they appear to struggle to hold the item up. Characters move slower in this state and the throwing animation is longer than normal. The only exception is Donkey Kong who, while unable to dash, uses his cargo throw to walk at his normal speed.

Characters can only hold one item at a time (if Villager's Pocket ability is discounted). If an item is left alone, it will eventually disappear, flashing briefly beforehand (Pitfalls and Green Shells being exceptions). Items picked up by characters can be dropped or thrown with the grab button, and may be dropped if the character takes damage. The damage done by a thrown item depends on how fast it is moving. Most items can also be swallowed starting in Brawl, and starting in Smash 4, can even heal these characters when they do so, unless the item is explosive, which deal minor damage. If another player manages to acquire a thrown or dropped item before it activates, ownership changes to that player. A few items can also change ownership after activating if they are attacked by a player.

In Smash 64, items (except for Super Stars) have a small triangular indicator above them. This feature was dropped in Melee and reintroduced in Smash 4 (except for Food, Smash Balls, and a complete Daybreak). Starting in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Olimar can also use Pikmin Throw to have Pikmin bring most items to him.

Item drop chanceEdit

In all games, the chance of a character with a held item dropping it when hit by an attack depends on the damage dealt by said attack. In Smash 64 and Melee, the formula is base damage / 60, so for example, an attack that deals 6% damage has a 10% chance of causing the target to drop their held item, while Roy's fully charged Flare Blade in Melee (which deals 50% damage) has a 83.333% chance of doing so.

In Brawl, Smash 4, and Ultimate, this probability was decreased; normal items use the formula base damage / 70, with the base damage rounded up. In addition, a few items use non-standard formulas for their drop chance:

  • The chance of a character dropping a Smash Ball is (base damage * 2 + handicap) / 100, with the base damage rounded down. handicap changes depending on the user's stock difference relative to the target (or score in a time battle), being equal to 30 if the user has a stock deficit, -30 if they have a stock lead, and 0 if they are equal in stocks with the target. As a result, players at a disadvantage have a better chance to steal Final Smashes from opponents, while being less prone to dropping their own.
  • The chance of a character dropping a Dragoon or Daybreak part is (base damage * 2 + handicap) / 100 in Brawl, and (base damage + handicap) / 100 in Smash 4 and Ultimate, with the base damage rounded down. handicap works the same way as in the Smash Ball formula, but with a value of 15 instead of 30.
  • In Smash 4 and Ultimate, shooting items (such as the Ray Gun and Super Scope) that have run out of ammo have a nearly guaranteed drop chance, using the formula base damage / 2, in addition to always disappearing upon touching the ground if dropped. This causes them to be removed from play more easily after they have been used up.

Types of itemsEdit

Items can be grouped into several categories based on their attributes and effects. Note that some items behave in ways that can fit into multiple categories.

  • Container items release other items once broken open, which can be done either by attacking them or by picking up and throwing them. In general, container items have a 12.5% (1 in 8) chance of exploding instead of releasing items.
  • Battering items are wielded by characters once picked up, turning their neutral attack, forward tilt, dash attack, and forward smash into an item swipe.
  • Shooting items fire projectiles when used, typically replacing the neutral attack and neutral aerial of the user. They all have limited ammunition and will merely shoot blanks once it runs out. In SSB4 and Ultimate, trying to shoot an empty item will instead simply throw it.
  • Throwing items can only be thrown at opponents. Holding a throwing item means that a character cannot use most of their attacks, as pressing the attack button will simply throw the item.
  • Explosive items cause an explosion when activated, then disappear from the field. Most explosive items are also throwing items, but there are exceptions.
  • Status items apply some sort of effect to the user, often beneficial but not necessarily. Some status items only need contact to be used (instead of needing to be grabbed). The ones that do need to be grabbed can be picked up even if the character is already holding an item; no such items exist in the original Super Smash Bros.
  • Recovery items decrease the damage of the user (or increase their HP in Stamina mode). Starting in Melee, recovery items can be picked up even when the character is already holding an item.
  • Summoning items release an ally that fights alongside whoever activates the item.
  • Collectible items do not affect the match but instead are added to the player's collection once picked up. They can be picked up even if the character is already holding an item. Computer players will not attempt to pick up collectible items, but if they do so accidentally they will not count.
  • Special items do not fit into the above categories.

In addition to the above, certain items are considered heavy, which limits those that pick them up into walking slowly (or not at all in SSB) and throwing. Only Donkey Kong can move quickly or jump while carrying a heavy item.

Regular itemsEdit

These items are available in the item switch menu. Some items like containers are grouped together, but the player can toggle all of these items on or off and set the frequency in which they appear.

Item           Type Heavy Notes Universe
Assist Trophy           Summoning   When picked up, after the character lands on the ground, they will perform a short animation and summon a random character to aid them in the fight.  Super Smash Bros.
Back Shield           Status   Defends the wearer from attacks towards their back.  Kid Icarus
Banana Gun           Shooting   Ejects the banana out of the peel and the player is left with the banana peel after using it.  Super Smash Bros.
Banana Peel           Throwing   Once thrown, trips opponents that touch it. Diddy Kong can summon these by using his down special, Banana Peel, leading into deadly mindgames and combo/KO setups. Players also spawn one after using Banana Gun  Mario
Barrel           Container   Once thrown, struck, or landed on a slope, may roll across the stage and damage what it hits before breaking. Has a one-in-eight chance of exploding.  Super Smash Bros.
Barrel Cannon  **    *  **  ** Throwing   Once thrown or it lands on a hill, grabs and launches the first character it hits. Disappears very quickly.  Donkey Kong
Beam Sword           Battering   Starting in Melee, gets longer when swung depending on character. Peach has a rare chance of plucking one when using Vegetable.  Super Smash Bros.
Beastball           Throwing   Reappears near an opponent after being thrown and targets them, covered in flames.  Super Smash Bros.
Beehive           Throwing   Can be thrown at opponents. If attacked or thrown at a player, it summons bees that attack the player that attacked it or was hit by it.  Animal Crossing
Beetle           Throwing   Can be thrown towards an opponent, and the item will grab the opponent and fly off into the air with them. Can be reversed by hitting it.  The Legend of Zelda
Black Hole           Throwing   Creates a massive black hole, dragging all items and players nearby in. Throws the opposite side of user's orientation.  Super Smash Bros.
Blast Box           Explosive   Very poor throwing distance. Explodes upon taking 30% damage or a flame attack.  Super Smash Bros.
Bob-omb           Explosive/Throwing   Very powerful explosive. If not grabbed within a few seconds of its appearance, it lights its own fuse and begins walking around, exploding on any character it meets. If it doesn't meet a character it will blow itself up after a while. Peach has a rare chance of plucking one when using Vegetable.  Mario
Bombchu           Explosive/Throwing   Can move up walls and across floors and ceilings. Explodes on contact with opponent.  The Legend of Zelda
Bomber           Explosive   Explodes in the player's hand when used. Only affects enemies.  Kirby
Boomerang           Throwing   Can be thrown at and grabbed by opponents. Returns to the thrower unless intercepted. Gains power when caught.  Mario
Boss Galaga           Special   Carries foes upward to the top of the screen. Can be destroyed by attacking it.  Galaxian
Bullet Bill    *  *     Transformation   Transforms the user into a Bullet Bill and launches them in a specified direction, dealing big damage to anyone they hit along the way. After a set distance, the user returns to normal. Can be reflected.  Mario
Bumper           Throwing   Can be placed on the stage or (starting in Brawl) set in midair, where it will knock away characters that touch it. If two or more are present, they can be used to momentarily trap characters by bouncing them back and forth.  Super Smash Bros.
Bunny Hood           Status   Increases the user's movement speed, jump height, and falling speed.  The Legend of Zelda
Capsule           Container   Contains a single item. Has a one-in-eight chance of exploding.  Super Smash Bros.
Cloaking Device           Status   Renders the user mostly invisible and makes them immune to damage (but not knockback).  Perfect Dark
Cracker Launcher           Shooting/Explosive   Shoots explosive fireworks. Limits the user to walking and a single jump, and automatically dropped from any flinch.  Super Smash Bros.
Crate           Container   Contains many items. Has a one-in-eight chance of exploding when thrown, or hit with enough force to break.  Super Smash Bros.
Cucco           Throwing   Can be thrown at opponents. If attacked or thrown at a player, it summons various Cuccos that attack the player that attacked it or was hit by it.  The Legend of Zelda
Daybreak           Special/Shooting   Appears in three pieces that must be collected all at once; characters can lose pieces from their possession when hit or KO'd. Once one character has all the pieces the weapon assembles in their hands, which they can then use at their discretion to fire a giant laser across the stage, almost guaranteed to KO anyone it hits.  Kid Icarus
Death's Scythe           Battering   Instantly KOs opponents at high percentages.  Castlevania
Deku Nut           Throwing   When thrown, damaged, or after a short time (even if held), nearby characters are stunned (if grounded) or launched (if aerial). Used in the Rathalos battle.  The Legend of Zelda
Dragoon           Special   Appears in three pieces that must be collected all at once; characters can lose pieces from their possession when hit or KO'd. Once one character has all the pieces the Dragoon is assembled and flown into the stage for a one-hit KO ram attack.  Kirby
Drill           Shooting   Allows the wearer to fire a large drill.  Super Smash Bros.
Fairy Bottle           Throwing/Recovery   Recovers an excess of 100% damage, but only if the user's damage is 100% or more. Otherwise, can be thrown, but will heal anyone hit who meets the prior requirement.  The Legend of Zelda
Fake Smash Ball           Explosive   Flies around the stage, similar to the Smash Ball. Characters can break it in order to activate. Once broken, it will explode.  Super Smash Bros.
Fan           Battering   Fastest-swinging battering item. High shield damage.  Super Smash Bros.
Fire Bar           Battering   Causes fire damage. Grows shorter with each successful attack.  Mario
Fire Flower           Shooting   Produces a continuous stream of short-range fire.  Mario
Flipper        **  ** Throwing   Once thrown, halts in the air and bops characters that run into it.  Balloon Fight
Food           Recovery   Each type of food recovers a different amount of damage. Can be produced in large numbers by Peach Blossom.  Super Smash Bros.
Franklin Badge           Status   Temporarily makes the wearer immune to projectiles by automatically reflecting them. Can be knocked off.  EarthBound
Freezie           Throwing   Slides across the stage, freezing characters when struck by it. Can be destroyed before being picked up.  Mario
Golden Hammer           Special   Acts the same as the regular Hammer, though faster, more powerful and with the ability to float. May be a dud Squeaky Hammer that deals no damage at all.  Wrecking Crew
Gooey Bomb           Explosive/Throwing   When thrown, attaches to characters and can transfer to other characters that pass by. Explodes after a certain time or if attacked when not on a character.  Super Smash Bros.
Grass           Special   When picked up, another item appears in its place.  Mario
Green Shell           Throwing   When thrown, attacked, or landed on, slides across the stage and damages everything it hits. Can be stopped by jumping on it.  Mario
Gust Bellows           Shooting   Blows gusts of wind at other players to push them away.  The Legend of Zelda
Hammer           Special   One of the most feared items in the game due to its range, damage, and knockback. However, it limits the user to walking and a single jump; the user cannot even choose to drop the item. May randomly lose its head and become useless.  Donkey Kong
Healing Field           Throwing/Recovery   Can be thrown on the ground. Once thrown, it will open up and will heal anyone standing on it.  Super Smash Bros.
Healing Sprout           Throwing/Recovery   Sticks to fighters and gradually heals them. Can be transferred on contact like the Gooey Bomb.  Super Smash Bros.
Heart Container    
Heart 
          Recovery   Strongest recovery item, recovering up to 100% damage (in the original Super Smash Bros., it can reset player health to 0%).  The Legend of Zelda
Hocotate Bomb           Explosive/Throwing   A bomb shaped like the Hocotate Ship that will fly off, and then crash down after a set time.  Pikmin
Home-Run Bat           Battering   An extremely powerful item. Its forward smash is among the most powerful attacks in all games, being a one-hit KO in every one. As a throwing item, it maintains its high knockback and is a semi-spike. In Brawl, forward smash uses a unique animation. It becomes stronger when hit on the tip.  Super Smash Bros.
Hothead           Throwing   Follows the contours of the stage once thrown. Grows in size and damage but lasts for a shorter time when hit by flame or electric attacks.  Mario
Killer Eye           Throwing   When placed, can fire energy beams in the direction it faces. Hitting it flips it around.  Kid Icarus
Killing Edge           Battering   A sword that deals x2 more damage and knockback when glowing.  Fire Emblem
Lightning Bolt           Status   When touched, shrinks all opponents. Can backfire and shrink the user or enlarge all opponents.  Mario
Lip's Stick           Battering   Flowers opponents. Has a limited supply of short-range spore projectiles produced on f-tilt or f-smash.  Panel de Pon
Master Ball           Throwing/Summoning   Just like the Poké Ball, but it is guaranteed to release a rare or Legendary Pokémon.  Pokémon
Maxim Tomato           Recovery   The third most powerful recovery item, healing up to 50% damage (in the original Super Smash Bros., it can heal up to 100% damage).  Kirby
Metal Box           Status   Turns the user metallic, increasing their weight and falling speed, while also reducing the chances of flinching. Can be activated by pickup or by direct attack; indirect attacks will either destroy it (in Melee) or do nothing (other games).  Mario
Motion-Sensor Bomb           Explosive/Throwing   Attaches to the stage once thrown; characters that approach it after a short time cause it to explode.  GoldenEye /  Super Smash Bros.
Mr. Saturn           Throwing   Walks around the stage and can be knocked about by attacks. Deals massive damage to shields when thrown, but only minor damage otherwise.  EarthBound
Ore Club           Battering   An extremely powerful club made of stone that produces tornadoes when swung. Grants super armor when used as a forward smash.  Kid Icarus
Parasol        *   Battering   Reduces the holder's falling speed, allowing them to glide slowly left and right, potentially improving recovery.  Kirby
Party Ball           Container   Once activated by being thrown or damaged, it floats into the air and opens, dropping its items.  Super Smash Bros.
Pitfall           Throwing   Embeds itself into the ground once thrown; characters that approach it after a short time will be buried or Meteor Smashed. Can also be thrown at an opponent directly for the same effect.  Animal Crossing
Poison Mushroom           Status   Slides across the stage. When touched, shrinks the character.  Mario
Poké Ball           Throwing/Summoning   Once thrown and lands on the ground, unleashes a Pokémon to aid the user.  Pokémon
POW Block  **    **     Throwing   When thrown, it causes an earthquake, launching all characters (including the player) straight up if on the ground. Can be used three times.  Mario
Rage Blaster           Shooting   Fires a blast of energy. The higher the percent a user has, the more damage it does.  Super Smash Bros.
Ramblin' Evil Mushroom           Shooting   A mushroom will grow on the opponent's head, reversing the left and right controls.  EarthBound
Ray Gun           Shooting   Fires blasts of energy that have infinite horizontal range.  Super Smash Bros.
Red Shell           Throwing   When thrown, attacked, or landed on, slides across the stage and damages everything it hits. Aims for nearby characters and avoids sliding off edges.  Mario
Rocket Belt           Status   Can be equipped and used to increase upward momentum at will, similar to R.O.B.'s up-special.  Pilotwings
Rolling Crate           Container   When thrown, struck, or landing on a hill, it will roll across the stage and damage what it hits without breaking, though it will break with enough force. Can be stood on.  Super Smash Bros.
Sandbag    *       Special/Container   When attacked, produces items.  Super Smash Bros.
Screw Attack           Throwing/Status   Turns the holder's jumps into Screw Attacks. In Melee, applies for as long as the holder keeps the item, and a forced Screw Attack will be applied to those the item is thrown at. In Brawl, applies until the item wears off and does not need to be held in-hand once picked up.  Metroid
Smart Bomb           Explosive/Throwing   Produces a large explosion when thrown or attacked. Has a chance to be a dud, though it can still explode if hit or thrown again.  Star Fox
Smash Ball           Special   Flies around the stage. Characters must break in order to obtain. Once broken, player presses their neutral special button to use their Final Smash. Will fly off-stage after a short period if not obtained and used.  Super Smash Bros.
Smoke Ball           Throwing   Once thrown, spews smoke around its immediate area. May stick to opponents.  Super Smash Bros.
Soccer Ball           Special   Cannot be picked up. When attacked, it careens in the knockback direction with high damage and knockback.  Mario
Special Flag           Special   Can be held above the user's head for a long period to gain either a KO point in a timed match or a stock in a stock match. Unlike other items, this one will always be dropped if the user is hit while holding it.  Rally-X
Spiny Shell           Explosive/Throwing   Commonly known as the 'Blue Shell'. Hovers above a player before dropping onto them and exploding. Can be dodged, or it can hit someone other than its intended target on descent.  Mario
Spring           Throwing   When idle, repels characters when touched depending on whether it is upright or sideways.  Donkey Kong
Staff           Shooting   Shoots a beam. The farther the opponent is, the more damage it deals.  Kid Icarus
Star Rod           Battering/Shooting   Has a limited supply of long-range star shots produced on f-tilt or f-smash.  Kirby
Steel Diver           Shooting   A smaller gun-like version of the Steel Diver from the self-titled game for the Nintendo 3DS. Fires a torpedo which travels slowly at first. Deals no shield damage whatsoever.  Steel Diver
Super Launch Star           Throwing   Can be set in midair, where it will attract and launch any characters that get too close to it. The launch has the potential to KO fighters.  Mario
Super Leaf           Status   Gives the user raccoon ears and tail. Allows the user to float in mid-air using the jump button.  Mario
Super Mushroom           Status   Slides across the stage. When touched, enlarges the character.  Mario
Super Scope           Shooting   Can shoot a total of 48 small rapid-fire pulses of energy or charge 3 large blobs of energy.  Nintendo
Super Star    
Starman   
Star 
          Status   Bounces across the stage, and makes whoever it touches invulnerable to all damage and knockback for a short time. Users can still be KO'd if they fall off the stage with it.  Mario
Superspicy Curry           Status/Shooting   Causes the user to constantly shoot short-range fireballs and be incapable of walking slowly.  Kirby
Team Healer           Throwing/Recovery   Heals teammates when thrown at them. When thrown at opponents, can heal or damage them at random. Only appears during team battles.  Super Smash Bros.
Timer           Status   Slows down all opponents. Can backfire and slow down the user, or slow down the entire game.  Super Smash Bros.
Unira           Throwing   Attaches to the stage once thrown or attacked and pokes opponents that come near. Can be set or reset with a direct attack; indirect ones do nothing.  Clu Clu Land
Warp Star           Special/Explosive   Once picked up, the user flies into the sky and then crashes down with an explosion. Can be steered slightly, and if there are platforms above, will land there instead of the starting point.  Kirby
X Bomb           Explosive/Throwing   Creates a cross-shaped explosion that spans most of the screen.  Kid Icarus

Produced by other itemsEdit

These items can only be summoned through the use of other items. These items do not appear in the item switch list, and can only appear as frequently as its parent item (with the exception of banana peel, hammer and golden hammer).

Item           Type Heavy Notes Universe
Banana Peel           Throwing   Players are left with a Banana Peel after using the Banana Gun.  Mario
Bonsly           Throwing   Only appears from Poké Balls. Can be thrown to deal heavy damage and knockback.  Pokémon
Electrode  **         Explosive/Throwing   Only appears from Poké Balls and can only be grabbed before it's about to detonate. Explosion deals extremely high knockback. Has a chance to be a dud.  Pokémon
Golden Hammer           Special   One of the Tingle's possible effects by Assist Trophy.  Wrecking Crew
Hammer           Special   One of the Tingle's possible effects by Assist Trophy.  Donkey Kong
Hammer Head           Throwing   The Hammer may sometimes lose its head; the head can be picked up and thrown for massive damage.  Donkey Kong
Pyukumuku           Throwing   Only appears from Poké Balls. When thrown to an opponent, it hits the opponent with its hand-like organ.  Pokémon

Uncontrollable itemsEdit

These items are still available in matches, but never have any feature to turn them on or off. If items are turned on, they all can appear in the games they're in regardless of fighters being used, the stage, or presence of other items. Additionally, they don't have an effect during the battle and/or help the fighter. Notably, these items have an above average chance of being gifted by Mew when summoned.

Item           Type Notes Universe
CD           Collectible Unlocks a random piece of stage music when picked up. Disappears extremely quickly. Will stop appearing in game after all music is unlocked.  Super Smash Bros.
Custom Part           Collectible Adds customizable parts for characters.  Super Smash Bros.
Sticker           Collectible Adds to the player's sticker collection.  Super Smash Bros.
Trophy           Collectible Adds to the player's trophy collection.  Super Smash Bros.

Produced by fightersEdit

These items are only available to fighters as part of their moveset.

Item           Type Heavy Notes Universe
Apple           Recovery   Produced by Villager's down special move (This move has a very rare chance of dropping an edible apple which can be eaten to heal but it can damage opponents when its flying out of the tree).  Animal Crossing
Arrow    *  *  *   Throwing   Produced by Link's neutral special move in Ultimate, Bow and Arrows. After being shot from the bow, arrows can be picked up from the ground and thrown. If Link uses his neutral special again while holding an arrow, he will fire two arrows at once.  The Legend of Zelda
Banana Peel           Throwing   Diddy Kong can summon these by using his down special, Banana Peel.  Mario
Beam Sword           Battering   Has a low probability of being produced by Vegetable.  Super Smash Bros.
Bob-omb           Throwing   Has a low probability of being produced by Vegetable.  Mario
Bomb           Explosive/Throwing   A Bomb that can be thrown at opponents and explodes when hitting one or after a set time. Summoned by Link (except in Ultimate), Young Link, or Toon Link.  The Legend of Zelda
Bonus Fruit           Throwing   Produced by Pac-Man's neutral special move. Damage, knockback, and flight pattern when thrown vary based on the fruit used.  Pac-Man
Burst Grenade           Throwing   Produced by Sheik's side special move. If Sheik is hit before the grenade's vortex is activated, the grenade will drop to the ground and can then be picked up by any character and thrown, although it will not explode.  The Legend of Zelda
Cardboard Box           Throwing   Produced by Snake's taunts. Automatically thrown once picked up, unless the user is Donkey Kong, who can move around and jump with the box.  Metal Gear
Crownerang           Throwing   Produced by King K. Rool's side special move. Other fighters can pick it up and throw it once it touches the ground. King K. Rool can't use his own crown as an item, automatically putting it back up on his head if coming in contact with it.  Donkey Kong
Daisy           Recovery   Produced by Daisy's Final Smash.  Mario
Gyro           Throwing   Produced by R.O.B.'s down special move. Lingers on the ground and damages opponents who touch it while it spins.  R.O.B.
Hand Grenade           Explosive/Throwing   Produced by Snake's neutral special move. Does not explode on contact. If Snake shields, anyone who is holding one of his grenades instantly drops it.  Metal Gear
Holy Water           Explosive/Throwing   Produced by the down special move of Simon and Richter. Normally, it is thrown onto surfaces in a low arc, which causes it to explode and leave a lingering flame. If the bottle is caught from its initial toss before it makes contact with an opponent or the ground, it can be held and thrown like a normal item, and will burst when it does make contact.  Castlevania
Levin Sword and tomes           Throwing   Produced by Robin after consuming all durability points for Levin Sword or a tome. The item will disappear after touching the ground or hitting an opponent, and Robin has to catch it after initially discarding.  Fire Emblem
Mechakoopa           Explosive/Throwing   Produced by Bowser Jr.'s down special move. Walks around briefly before exploding.  Mario
Metal Blade           Throwing   Can be thrown in 8 directions and pierces through enemies. If thrown into the ground it will be able to be grabbed and used by anyone including Mega Man.  Mega Man
Mr. Saturn           Throwing   Low probability of being produced by Vegetable.  EarthBound
Peach           Recovery   Produced by Peach's Final Smash.  Mario
Peanut           Throwing/Recovery (Brawl only)   Produced by Diddy Kong's Peanut Popgun and Rocketbarrel Barrage. Can be caught and re-thrown, or, in Brawl, left to hit the stage and possibly drop a food-like item.  Donkey Kong
Power Suit Piece           Throwing   Produced by the Zero Laser or by starting a match as Zero Suit Samus.  Metroid
Power Pellet           Recovery   Produced by Pac-Man. If Pac-Man's Power Pellet gets hit during the animation of his side special, it falls and can be eaten to recover.  Pac-Man
Rear Egg           Explosive/Throwing   Produced by Banjo & Kazooie's down special move.  Banjo-Kazooie
Remote Bomb           Explosive/Throwing   Produced by Link's down special move in Ultimate. They can be picked up and thrown by any character, but can only be detonated by Link when an opponent is not holding one.  The Legend of Zelda
Vegetable           Throwing   Produced by Peach's and Daisy's down special move. Deals varying damage depending on its facial expression.  Mario
Wario Bike           Throwing   Produced by Wario's side special move when he falls off. Must be destroyed before Wario can use the move without being nearby.  Wario
Wario Bike wheels        *  * Throwing   Produced by destroying the Wario Bike.  Wario
Wood chip           Throwing   Occasionally produced by Villager's down special move, Timber. Disappears as soon as it hits a solid surface, after it's first picked up.  Animal Crossing

Only in particular stages or modesEdit

These items are exculsive to certain stages and game modes, sometimes only under specific rules. Some of them may be impossible to obtain in normal matches without hacking, and require the player to play another gamemode to find them.

Item           Type Heavy Notes Universe
Apple           Throwing/Recovery   Produced by Whispy Woods on Green Greens. Each apple can be either a throwing item or a recovery item, and in rare cases may explode when thrown.  Kirby
Auroros           Throwing   Only appear in the Subspace Emissary. When Auroros dive and miss, they can be picked up and thrown at other enemies.  Super Smash Bros.
Chest          * Special/Container   Opens when attacked; produces items or an enemy.  Super Smash Bros.
Egg           Container   Produced by Chansey, Birdo, and Yoshi series stages. Essentially identical to Capsules.  Super Smash Bros.
Key           Throwing   Only appears in specific Subspace Emissary stages. Unlocks doors when thrown at them or the holding character touches them. Returns to original spot if it remains idle on the ground.  Super Smash Bros.
Pellet           Throwing   Produced by the Pellet Posies on Distant Planet. Can be thrown into stationary Onions to produce other items.  Pikmin
Red Shell           Throwing   A red shell can be obtained in Adventure Mode from a red Koopa Paratroopa but behaves like a green shell while being able to deal flame damage. It also appears in the Subspace Emissary and Smash Run by stomping on a red Koopa, but only functions like a green shell.  Mario
Sandbag           Special   Appears during Home-Run Contest and Online Practice Stage.  Super Smash Bros.
Shellcreeper and Sidestepper           Throwing   Creatures that appear on the Mario Bros. stage. Can only be picked up when on their back. Color determines knockback strength.  Mario
Shooting Spirit gun           Shooting   Only appear after Spirit Board battle.  Super Smash Bros.
Smash Coins and Bills           Collectible   Only appear in coin battles. Adds to player's coin count. Bills first appeared in Brawl, supplementing coins.  Super Smash Bros.
Stat Boost           Status   Boosts the status of the character. Only appears in Smash Run and Smash Tour.  Super Smash Bros.
Stock Ball           Special   Only appears in specific Subspace Emissary stages at lower difficulties. Adds one stock to the player's total.  Super Smash Bros.
Target           Special   Only appear in Target Blast, Target Smash! and Smash Run.  Super Smash Bros.
Target Blast bomb           Explosive/Special   Only appear in Target Blast. Can't be picked up, only launched.  Super Smash Bros.
Tortimer Fruits           Throwing/Recovery   Produced on Tortimer Island, each fruit can be either a throwing item or a recovery item, and in rare cases may explode when thrown, similar to apples from Green Greens.  Animal Crossing
Trophy Stand           Throwing   Only appears in the Subspace Emissary. Causes weak or low-health enemies to turn into trophies; merely damages strong and healthy enemies.  Super Smash Bros.
Yoshi's Egg  *    *  *  * Throwing   Only appears in Event 13: Yoshi's Egg. The event ends in failure if it breaks.  Yoshi

* Appears in Smash games but not as an item.

** Appears in Smash games but as a stage hazard.

  Only appears in Super Smash Bros for Nintendo 3DS.

  Only appears in Super Smash Bros for Wii U.

In competitive playEdit

All items that can be turned off or avoided are banned in most tournament rulesets due to the randomness of spawning and the usually unfair advantage the item user receives. This is done by setting random item spawn to "Off" in the Item Switch menu. All items spawned by fighters are allowed as they are effectively a part of the fighter's moveset and cannot be avoided without banning the fighter outright. All stages that spawn unique items are currently banned, and said items are often a major factor for the ban. While the ability to toggle stage hazards in Ultimate removes most of these items, the stages remain banned due to other factors.

TriviaEdit

  • If all recovery items are turned off in Super Smash Bros. Melee, the chance of naturally occurring items like the apples dropped by Whispy Woods on Green Greens and Chansey's eggs recovering health is eliminated; the apples will all be projectiles and the eggs will either be explosives or drop other items. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl the same is true regarding the apples (since Chansey does not appear). Additionally, the vegetables on Summit will not appear if food is turned off.
  • In Ultimate's Training Mode, if "Fixed Damage" is enabled, characters will never drop items when taking damage.
  • In Ultimate, there is a universal item limit where no more than 64 items can appear on a stage at once. This produces interesting results when the limit is reached:
    • Pac-Man's Bonus Fruit will charge, but without the fruits physically appearing, and the sound effects will be bugged. Additionally, the Power Pellet will not spawn in, but the move will still function as normal, with Pac-Man "eating" the non-existent pellet.
    • R.O.B. will charge up his Gyro as normal, but as soon as he attempts to fire it, its model will disappear, as the Gyro item cannot spawn.
    • Wario's Wario Bike will appear as normal, but when he attempts to dismount the bike, which turns the bike into an item, the game will crash.
    • Snake can hold his grenade holding animation forever due to no grenade spawning that will explode and interrupt the animation.
    • King K. Rool will lose his crown permanently if it touches the ground and he will be unable to perform Crownerang again.
    • Steve cannot place blocks, but will still use resources when attempting to do so.
    • Any move that starts as a projectile will behave normally, then disappear if it transitions into an item.
    • Several other characters will perform the normal animation for the moves that summon items, rather than the special animation when the move is on a cooldown, but no item will appear.
  • Some of the characters’ animations when holding Battering items are references to their home franchises:
    • Kirby swings items in ways that resemble his Sword copy abilities.
    • Sora rests his Keyblade on his shoulder, resembling his Valor form.