Skyler Orton
Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. games have been one of the most enduring fighting game series of all time. The games have steadily grown since the series started on the N64 in 1999, and now it is widely loved by both competitive and casual players alike. While all the games are good, they aren’t all created equally so let’s rank them.
6. Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros. made waves when it came out and established the always popular platform fighter genre. While the game was good at the time it, like many games of the era, doesn’t hold up to its successors. The small roster of 12 characters pales in comparison to the larger rosters and the number of stages was even smaller. The content that is in the game is great but the same maps and characters were refined across the series. Right now it sits in the same place as similarly foundational games of the N64 era like Mario Kart 64. Undoubtedly great, but their best parts have been refined over a lengthy period of time.
5. Super Smash Bros. For 3DS
Super Smash Bros. 4 is unique since it was split into two versions across the Wii U and the 3DS. The duo takes the same gameplay systems and rosters but have different maps and modes so they both have their own benefits and drawbacks. The 3DS version has an excellent original mode in Smash Run. Smash Run is a creative multiplayer dungeon crawler that uses enemies from across several Nintendo properties (plus a handful of third party ones). It’s a good experiment and one that fans have begged to return in future titles.
What are the drawbacks then? For one the 3DS title has far fewer stages than the Wii U version. Those stages are also simpler than those on the Wii U version to accommodate the 3DS’s lack of graphical power. The 3DS has other limitations that make it a more uncomfortable experience as well. Most notably the controlset is more limited since you can’t connect other controllers so it’ll never be the best experience. Overall, it’s still a very solid entry in the series that does an admirable job translating the great gameplay of the Smash series to a handheld.
4. Super Smash Bros. For Wii U
The next best game in the series is the Wii U version of Super Smash Bros. 4. It improves on the 3DS version in countless ways since a home console will always be ideal for this series. Detached from the limitations of a handheld the game becomes the classic party game that the series excels as. On top of that, there are several new additions to the game that cement this game as the superior version. For example the game can host up to eight players for the first time in series history and has brand new large scale maps to handle this new addition. This is fantastic but new modes and updated graphics is the biggest advantage the Wii U version has.
While the excellent Smash Run is absent, the replacement mode Smash Tour is arguably superior. While Smash Run is a great dungeon crawler, it’s not as exciting as a multiplayer game. Smash Tour puts a healthy dose of Mario Party on top of the same stat gathering mechanics of Smash Run. This mode is a great time as a party game and is my personal favorite way to play Super Smash Bros. and is something I still return to the Wii U title for. On top of that it has several other modes that are completely absent from the 3DS game such as a stage builder and basic campaign mode. Both versions are great valid takes on the series but the Wii U one narrowly comes out on top.
3. Super Smash Bros. Melee
For a certain generation Super Smash Bros. Melee is irreplaceable as the top title in the series. In some ways this is definitely true. Melee has one of the most exciting competitive communities in the fighting game scene. This is because its gameplay is faster and more combo heavy than any other game in the series. The movement tech is deeply complicated in a way that feels like a minor miracle that it ever got released. In fact it’s well known that some of those complexities were entirely unintentional which makes it all even more impressive. It also has the benefit of being released on the GameCube which features the best controller for the series’ gameplay.
What takes away from it then? Firstly I think that the high skill ceiling of the game is a double edged sword. The mechanical depth encourages hundreds of hours of practice which is great for the most competitive of players. As a more casual experience this can be a detriment since the skill difference in players can make much more of a difference compared to other games in the series. This is a minor detriment however so it ultimately comes down to which game you personally prefer.
2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
In many ways I consider Super Smash Bros. Brawl to be the peak of the series. There’s a strong argument that it has the tightest roster in the series. While other games have more characters, there’s not a single dud in the cast since even the less competitive characters are fun to play. Its movement isn’t as fast as Melee’s but is still a joy to play. It’s also a foundational game for several great features of the series such as being the first game to include guest characters like Sonic and Snake. It’s also the first game to introduce the classic finisher Final Smash moves that have become a mainstay of the series.
This doesn’t mean it’s without flaws; the game has its own quirks just like any game in this series. For example, every character has a 1%-1.25% chance of randomly tripping when dashing or turning. This doesn’t happen often but it does just enough to make it slightly unbalanced. Additionally, the character Meta Knight overtook the game competitively being leagues stronger than the rest of the cast. In fact he was so unbalanced he is now banned in most competitive events. What makes this black sheep title better than other titles like Melee then? On top of the fantastic gameplay the addition of a full story mode is the real highlight.
The Subspace Emissary is a classic platformer beat ’em up with Smash series gameplay. This game is meaty being a seven to ten hour experience depending on how many collectibles you go for. It also has several original characters which is incredibly unique for the series. To me it’s also a prime example of how to tell a story with no dialogue. Almost every cast member has a major part in the story all while being separated across a huge world map. It tells this epic story spanning several groups of characters across different locations almost effortlessly without dialogue. When all of the groups come together at the end it feels like an enormous crossover event that is worthy of the buildup. Overall, Brawl does something different from the rest of the series and is rewarded for it being a game that’s both approachable and unique.
1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is undoubtedly the biggest game in the series. Every single fighter from the previous titles returns and only 15 stages missed the cut for this enormous game. It truly lives up to the “everyone is here” marketing it relied on and it’s seriously big. All of that content is truly for something since none of it feels like fluff. The game truly has it all especially since it smoothly rides the line between approachability and competitive potential. Throw on Ultimate at a party or at EVO and it’s equally as at home.
There are a number of new additions to the series that are different from any other game in the series. Spirits are the most notable addition which are a sort of collectible that can also affect gameplay in certain modes. While they aren’t used by the majority of players, the collectathon nature of it all gives casual players a reason to keep playing. They’re also a great way to honor the characters and art of a wide variety of game series.
If there was one flaw to the game it would be that it relied on DLC for a lot of the brand new fighters. The expansion passes add 11 total fighters and together cost as much as a brand new copy of Ultimate. At the end of the day this is forgivable as there is more content in the base game than most games dream of having. It’s just a minor blip on what is otherwise not only the best game in the Super Smash Bros. franchise but one of the greatest fighting games of all time.
That’s our list but would you change anything? Let us know in the comments below!
