Boom, history was made. Super Smash Bros. wasn’t just a fighting game, it was an event. A chaotic, friendship-ruining, controller-snapping event.

Let’s take a walk through the major moments in Smash history, from awkward beginnings to tournament glory.

1999, Smash 64, The One That Started It All

The original Super Smash Bros. launched on the Nintendo 64 and immediately turned every living room into a war zone.

With 12 characters including Mario, Pikachu, Link, and that annoying ball of pink joy named Kirby, it was wild, it was weird, and it felt totally fresh. No health bars, just ring-outs. Throw your opponent off the stage and watch them vanish into space. Revolutionary.

2001, Melee, The One That Refused To Die

Super Smash Bros. Melee dropped on the GameCube and instantly became a legend. Faster gameplay, crisp mechanics, and a competitive ceiling so high we still haven’t reached it.

This wasn’t just a sequel, it was a movement. Tournaments exploded. Melee became the game for serious players. Over 20 years later, people are still playing it on old CRT TVs like it’s the Super Bowl.

If 64 was a goofy bar fight, Melee was a kung-fu movie filmed in real time.

2008, Brawl, The “Slippery When Wet” Era

Super Smash Bros. Brawl brought the franchise to the Wii, added online play, and introduced third-party characters like Snake and Sonic, which blew everyone’s minds.

But competitive players weren’t thrilled. It was slower, floatier, and had a mechanic called tripping. Yes, characters could randomly fall over. Unironically.

Still, Brawl had the Subspace Emissary, a full-blown adventure mode with cutscenes, platforming, and plot. Even haters admit, that was awesome.

2014, Smash 4, The Great Comeback on Two Consoles

Released for both 3DS and Wii U, Smash 4 cleaned up a lot of Brawl’s mess. No more tripping, tighter gameplay, and a roster that just kept growing. Mega Man, Pac-Man, Ryu, Cloud, it was a full-on crossover circus.

Competitive play made a comeback. Smash 4 wasn’t Melee, but it earned respect, especially as tournaments grew bigger and more serious.

Fun fact, this was the era where Smash became an esport on a global level. And yes, Bayonetta broke everything.

2018, Ultimate, The Smash of All Smashes

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate launched on the Switch and basically said, “You know what, let’s just put everyone in.”
And they did.

Every past character, plus newcomers like Ridley, Simon Belmont, Banjo-Kazooie, and eventually Sora from Kingdom Hearts. It was called “Everyone is here” and they meant it.

With over 85 characters, 100+ stages, and support that kept going for years, Ultimate is the biggest, most complete Smash ever.

It’s now the main game in tournaments, has the most global players, and somehow feels like both a party game and a serious fighter, depending on how sweaty you’re feeling.

Final Smash, Why It Matters

Smash isn’t just about hitting people with baseball bats and dodging Final Smashes. It’s a love letter to gaming itself.
From its chaotic beginnings in 1999 to its competitive dominance today, Super Smash Bros. has grown from a weird idea to a cultural icon.

It brought Nintendo’s universe together, let us punch Sonic with Pikachu, and taught us all an important lesson, never trust a Jigglypuff main.