In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, start with Smash for flexible matches, try Squad Strike when you want a team lineup, and choose World of Light for a solo adventure. Spirits and Home-Run Contest offer collection and quick-challenge goals beyond ordinary battles. Which mode fits best depends on who is playing and what kind of session you want.
Choose a mode by the kind of session you want
| Mode | Best for | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Smash | Flexible versus play, from casual parties to focused matches | Set the rules and stage, then battle |
| Squad Strike | Longer head-to-head sets with a lineup of fighters | Pick three or five fighters and face the other team one fighter at a time |
| World of Light | Structured solo play | Play Ultimate’s single-player adventure |
| Spirits | Collecting and customization | Collect spirits and try different combinations in spirit battles |
| Home-Run Contest | A brief change of pace | Take on the Home-Run Contest challenge |
These are all modes in Ultimate. Smash Tour and Special Orders, discussed later, belong to the Wii U game and are not Ultimate features.
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Smash: the flexible starting point
Smash is the game’s adaptable versus mode. You choose the stage and rules, so the same mode can make a match feel chaotic and party-friendly or more controlled and competitive. Items and stage hazards add surprises; turn items down or off and pick a straightforward stage when you want fewer distractions.
Nintendo lists Smash for one-system play with one to eight players, local wireless with two to eight, and online play with two to four. Online features require a Nintendo Switch Online membership. These counts apply to the listed play options, not to every mode or setup.
#1 Best Overall
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. Game
- Challenge others anytime, anywhere, whether you're on the couch or on the go
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
- Face off in 2-4 player battles, or play against the computer
Squad Strike: bring a lineup
In Squad Strike, each player selects a squad of three or five fighters. The squads then face off one fighter at a time. It suits players who want a longer, more varied head-to-head set and enjoy choosing a lineup rather than settling on one character for the whole contest.
World of Light: a solo adventure
For a structured single-player experience, choose World of Light. Nintendo UK describes it as an adventure mode and says, “There’s also a single-player adventure mode to sink your teeth into: World of Light!” It is the clearest choice in Ultimate when you want to play alone rather than set up a multiplayer match.
Spirits: collect and customize
Spirit battles and collecting offer a different goal from winning standard versus matches. Nintendo explains that primary spirits enhance a fighter’s stats, while support spirits add skills. Spirit battles can also represent matchups between characters from many game series. Collect spirits and experiment with combinations to shape this progression-and-customization loop.
Home-Run Contest: a short challenge
Find Home-Run Contest under Games & More for a quick change of pace from ordinary battles. Nintendo’s update history records that it was added in version 5.0.0, released September 4, 2019, and supports up to four players.
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Rank #3
What to play if you own the Wii U game
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U has several options that should not be confused with Ultimate modes. Nintendo described Smash Tour as a fighting party game built around a board-game-style map: players move around, gather fighters and power-ups, then use them in a final battle. It is a useful alternative if you want a party format built around collecting before the fight.
The Wii U announcement also lists Special Orders, Special Smash, Coin Battles, Stamina Matches, Classic Mode, and All-Star Mode. For a more traditional progression, Classic and All-Star are options in that game. The Wii U manual says Classic, Events, and All-Star support up to two players, while Stadium modes support up to four; those counts apply to the Wii U game, not the whole series.
Rank #4
- International Version. ESRB rated. This game is tied to the USA region and any DLC content is available on the USA regional Nintendo eShop. Works on all systems worldwide. (Middle East / Southeast Asia -- Official Nintendo Product).
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. game
- Challenge others anytime, anywhere, whether you're on the couch or on the go
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
What you need to play
The direct game choice is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for Nintendo Switch; Nintendo’s official store page lists a physical edition. If you specifically want to use a wired GameCube Controller, Nintendo Support says you need a GameCube Controller Adapter. Other controller types do not need that adapter.
Quick Recap
Best Value
![Nintendo Super Smash Bros. Ultimate + Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Fighter Pass Bundle - [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/516jRPfTrLL._SL160_.jpg)
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. game
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
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