Slow motion
Slow motion is a special condition that decreases the movement of characters and gameplay. When a character is in a state of slow motion, all actions and movements they perform will be proportionally slower. When the slow movement condition is finished, their speed will return back to normal. Each iteration of Special Smash has featured a slow motion mode. There is also an option in training mode that allows the player to reduce the speed of the gameplay to one of several presets.
In Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee, slow motion effects are all global and decrease the frame rate of gameplay. From Super Smash Bros. Brawl onward, the frame rate remains unchanged, while animations and physics calculations instead interpolate sub-frames to account for the slower pace. Also introduced in Brawl are effects which slow just some fighters, as opposed to global slowdown which affects all fighters, stage elements, and other entities such as items. In Brawl, all slow motion effects still proportionally reduce the framerate for accepting inputs and hitbox updates, however as of Smash 4, slow motion induced by items or Witch Time instead apply a frame speed multiplier to the affected character, and as such inputs and hitbox updates still run with the full 60 frames per second, which can affect how hitboxes interpolate.
Causes of slow motion
- Dialga's Roar of Time – When Dialga uses its Roar of Time attack on the Spear Pillar stage, the speed of gameplay will be reduced. Since Dialga affects gameplay speed instead of individual characters, this effect can stack with other slow motion effects.
- Luigi's Negative Zone – Luigi's Final Smash, Negative Zone, will slow opponents inside the Negative Zone area.
- During the activation of some Final Smashes.
- Shadow's Chaos Control – Shadow will cast a dark vortex that slows down the movement of each fighter except the summoner.
- Timer – An item introduced in Brawl. Usually, when a fighter picks up a Timer, all other characters become slowed. However, the Timer has a small chance of backfiring, which can either slow all fighters including the user, or slow only the user.
- KOs in stamina mode – When a fighter is KO'd in stamina mode, slow motion is activated for about a second. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, this only occurs when the fighter's last stock is lost.
- Swirlix – All nearby fighters other than its summoner will be slowed.
- Ashley – One possible effect of Ashley's magic cloud is to slow everyone but the summoner.
- Bayonetta – Witch Time and Infernal Climax both slow opponents without affecting Bayonetta herself.
- Special Zoom – The game speed is greatly reduced while Special Zoom is in effect.
- Dharkon's Temporal Rift – Dharkon slashes a red line across the screen, which characters slow down when in the line.
- Hero's Hocus Pocus – One of its possible negative effects on Hero.
