Shake Smash

Shake Smash is a function in Super Smash Bros. Brawl that allows the player to shake the Wii remote to do a smash attack as if it were a C-stick. It's an extra option and requires the user to make a name to customize controls in order to activate it (it is deactivated by default). It can be only used with the Wii remote and Nunchuk combo control scheme.

Details

The Shake Smash is essentially using the Wiimote as a C-stick - it's a mapping of the normal attack button plus the direction the remote is swung. Therefore, a sideways shake will result in a forward smash, jerking the Wiimote upwards performs an up smash, and jerking the Wiimote downwards results in a down smash. It works very well most of the time, but sometimes it needs an exact swing of the remote (for forward smashes) from left-right or right-left to do the attack in the correct direction.

As the Shake Smash function is basically a C-stick, it can be used for many things other than smashes, such as throwing after grabbing an opponent, or throwing an item. These actions as well detect the direction the remote is shaken. In the same way, it also works in some Final Smashes that use either the "attack" or "special" (A or B usually) without distinction to attack (for example, Konga Beat, or, in a stranger case, Grenade Launcher, which means that players can shoot grenades by shaking the remote).

Origins

The Wii remote's motion-sensitive functionality, while downplayed in Brawl, is actually one of the main selling points of the console. Many other games feature motion sensitivity in major ways.

Originally, Super Smash Bros. Brawl was not intended to use any motion controls, as Nintendo president Satoru Iwata stated it would get in the way of the game, or otherwise, it would feature very minimal integration.

During development, designers tried to find ways to integrate the Wii remote. One of the ways was using the remote to perform taunts but it was finally decided to use the motion sensitivity to perform smash attacks.