Check your edition
Editions & platforms
| Edition | Platform | Differences & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Original | Wii | Released in 2008. The 35 selection entries contain 39 playable fighters/forms: Zelda/Sheik, Samus/Zero Suit Samus and the three Pokémon are grouped. |
| Wii-Wiedergabe | Wii U (Wii-Modus) | The Wii disc can run on Wii U in Wii Mode; this is not a new Brawl. Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection ended on 20 May 2014. Local play and the campaign are separate. |
Controls, damage and safe recovery
Damage is not a health bar
Attacks increase damage percentage. The objective is to launch opponents beyond the blast zone. Build damage, then look for a strong hit near an edge. A high percentage does not end a stock by itself.
Separate normal, smash and special attacks
A with a gentle direction produces a directional normal attack; a fast direction with A performs a smash attack. B plus a direction selects special moves. Practise forward, up and down separately. Physical buttons depend on your controller.
Shield, grab and evade
Shield an expected attack, then act after it ends. Grabs defeat a normal shield. Repeated rolls and uncovered smash attacks make your next action predictable.
Save your jump
After a hit, drift toward the stage first. Spend your midair jump when it is needed, then aim your up special toward the ledge. Test each fighter separately: jump count and recovery moves differ.
Turn practice into a match plan
Practise ten recoveries without an opponent, then play short games with one learning goal. Track stocks lost to your own mistakes separately from enemy KOs. Winning one game does not establish reliable recovery.
Every fighter and a practice focus
This table lists every playable fighter or form in this game. Short plans are original training suggestions, not a tier list or guaranteed combos. German and English names are shown together.
| Fighter / form | Practical starting point |
|---|---|
| Mario | Use a fireball to approach; regain spacing after a safe landing. |
| Donkey Kong | Learn grab range; avoid lingering at the ledge after a miss. |
| Link | Combine projectiles with sword spacing; practise recovery before zoning. |
| Samus | Hold Charge Shot as a threat; avoid firing every projectile immediately. |
| Yoshi | Manage your midair jump carefully; use eggs from a safe distance. |
| Kirby | Use multiple jumps deliberately; avoid landing with Stone every time. |
| Fox | Control your speed; practise sideways and upward recovery separately. |
| Pikachu | Approach behind Thunder Jolt; practise Quick Attack directions deliberately. |
| Luigi | Set up close hits; use big specials after a confirmed opening. |
| Ness | Practise using PK Thunder for recovery without an opponent first. |
| Captain Falcon | Vary your movement; seek powerful hits after an opponent whiffs. |
| Pummeluff / Jigglypuff | Use aerial movement; attempt Rest only with a clear opening. |
| Peach | Use float for spacing and landings; avoid pulling turnips in close combat. |
| Bowser | Start with short punishes; cover slow powerful attacks. |
| Ice Climbers | Keep the partner close; reassess recovery and attacks when separated. |
| Zelda | Separate long and close range; test teleport distance without an opponent. |
| Sheik | Combine movement with quick hits; avoid overextending after every hit. |
| Falco | Use lasers to control space; check recovery distance before chasing. |
| Marth | Space for sword-tip hits; avoid forcing point-blank combat. |
| Ganondorf | Punish mistakes hard; prioritise your vulnerable recovery. |
| Mr. Game & Watch | Start with safe short actions; avoid building plans around risky random attacks. |
| Meta Knight | Control multiple jumps and sword strikes; avoid chaining specials blindly. |
| Pit | Aim arrows and save jumps; defend from a safe ledge position. |
| Zero Suit Samus | Use mobility for spacing; avoid throwing out up special without a plan. |
| Wario | Practise aerial movement; treat Waft as preparation rather than a panic escape. |
| Snake | Track grenade positions; account for your own explosions while landing. |
| Ike | Use large reach patiently; regain spacing after a miss. |
| Schiggy / Squirtle | Use quick close actions; plan a switch when danger increases. |
| Bisaknosp / Ivysaur | Learn leaf and vine range; choose recovery angles deliberately. |
| Glurak / Charizard | Combine power with spacing; avoid forcing follow-ups after large attacks. |
| Diddy Kong | Watch banana position; avoid overextending before a risky recovery. |
| Lucas | Practise PK Thunder and tether range separately; cover projectiles deliberately. |
| Sonic | Use speed to reposition; avoid running over the edge uncontrolled. |
| König Dedede / King Dedede | Prepare slow powerful actions; preserve multiple jumps for recovery. |
| Olimar | Watch your Pikmin lineup; choose attacks for the available team. |
| Lucario | Watch Aura; high personal damage also means a high risk of being KO’d. |
| R.O.B. | Combine gyro and laser; preserve flight resources for recovery. |
| Toon-Link / Toon Link | Set up projectiles and seek safe sword hits; vary aerial routes. |
| Wolf | Alternate blaster and close range; test special-move reach near the ledge. |
Subspace Emissary: preparation and backtracking
Choose a difficulty you can survive consistently. Fighter availability follows the story. Unlocking someone in another mode does not automatically make them available in every story stage.
In co-op, player 1 controls camera progress and doors; player 2 must keep up and can warp back outside boss battles. Coordinate jumps so the camera does not push someone offscreen.
Stickers on trophy bases boost appropriate attack types. A sticker restricted to certain characters does not help every teammate. Save before long stages; revisit for collection rather than forcing a risky first run.
All 31 story stages in order
Story details & possible consequences
| Stage | Goal and hazards |
|---|---|
| 01 · Midair Stadium | Choose Mario/Kirby, clear enemy waves and Petey Piranha’s cage encounter. |
| 02 · Skyworld | Control Pit’s descent and recruit Mario; save jumps for gaps. |
| 03 · Sea of Clouds | Proceed with Kirby and the rescued princess; inspect platforms before jumping. |
| 04 · The Jungle | Play Donkey Kong and Diddy; check the destination before firing barrels. |
| 05 · The Plain | Lead Mario/Pit through groups; establish safe landing space first. |
| 06 · The Lake | Bring Diddy and Fox together; wait through Rayquaza’s attack phases. |
| 07 · The Ruined Zoo | Guide Lucas through pursuit, defeat Porky and meet Pokémon Trainer. |
| 08 · The Battlefield Fortress | Bring Marth, Meta Knight and Ike together; clear waves before advancing. |
| 09 · The Forest | Traverse the forest with Link and Yoshi; return for Toon Link after the story. |
| 10 · The Research Facility I | Use Zero Suit Samus and rescue Pikachu; remember switch routes. |
| 11 · The Lake Shore | Guide the converging groups through fights; story conflicts do not permanently remove a fighter. |
| 12 · The Path to the Ruins | Continue with Pokémon Trainer/Lucas; remove flying enemies before tight jumps. |
| 13 · The Cave | Proceed carefully through confined paths; note routes for later collecting. |
| 14 · The Ruins | Expand Pokémon Trainer’s team and traverse the ruins; Wolf’s extra door appears after the ending. |
| 15 · The Wilds I | Approach enemy groups from one side; avoid forcing close attacks against machinery. |
| 16 · The Ruined Hall | Survive the Galleom encounter; watch large jumps and landings. |
| 17 · The Wilds II | Clear the second wilderness stage; respect the camera limits you have learned. |
| 18 · The Swamp | Advance Diddy/Fox/Falco; Jigglypuff’s hidden door is a post-story goal. |
| 19 · The Research Facility II | Guide Samus and Pikachu through the facility; wait for safe boss openings. |
| 20 · Outside the Ancient Ruins | Use Captain Falcon and Olimar; separate platform travel from enemy waves. |
| 21 · The Glacial Peak | Climb with Ice Climbers and Meta Knight; keep pace with the camera. |
| 22 · The Canyon | Survive the reunited team’s waves; pursue from safe ground. |
| 23 · Battleship Halberd Interior | Guide Snake through the interior; distinguish rooms and side doors for backtracking. |
| 24 · Battleship Halberd Exterior | Guide Peach/Zelda over the ship; distinguish open air from platforms. |
| 25 · Battleship Halberd Bridge | Fight Duon and reunite the group; read weapon colour and attack cues. |
| 26 · The Subspace Bomb Factory I | Continue with Samus/Pikachu; check switches and machinery in sequence. |
| 27 · The Subspace Bomb Factory II | Unite the teams and recruit R.O.B.; prioritise escapes before collecting detours. |
| 28 · Entrance to Subspace | Enter Subspace with the selected team; the following reversal is part of the story. |
| 29 · Subspace I | Recover trophy fighters with Dedede, Ness and Luigi; inspect side paths. |
| 30 · Subspace II | Rescue more fighters with Kirby; do not overlook Link/Zelda, Ganondorf and Wario. |
| 31 · The Great Maze | Clear dark fighters and boss rooms, connect save points, then defeat Tabuu. |
Sources for this section
The Great Maze and Tabuu
Work through rooms systematically
Visit the dark fighter and boss rooms. Track cleared branches from a save point and use the map for remaining enemies. Merely traversing connecting corridors will not open the finale.
Bring a healthy team to the finale
Use saving and recovery opportunities before the final door. Pick fighters whose jumps and dodges you know. Your selection order determines who takes over after a lost stock.
Read Tabuu’s wing cue
When Tabuu positions for the large red waves, stop attacking. Dodge each wave in sequence with correctly timed evasions. High damage is not the only danger during this attack.
Search again after the ending
Jigglypuff, Toon Link and Wolf require extra return visits. Additional rooms and items contribute to the displayed story percentage; defeating Tabuu does not prove complete collection.
Sources for this section
Hidden fighters after the story
Story details & possible consequences
| Fighter | Concrete route |
|---|---|
| Pummeluff / Jigglypuff | After completion, revisit The Swamp, enter the new hidden door and win. Alternatively, 350 Brawls. |
| Toon-Link / Toon Link | After completion, revisit The Forest, enter the hidden door and win. Alternatively clear Classic after the story, or play 400 Brawls. |
| Wolf | After completion, revisit The Ruins, locate the hidden door and win. Alternatively clear Boss Battles with Fox/Falco after the story, or play 450 Brawls. |
| Snake | A shorter non-story route: play 15 Brawls on Shadow Moses Island, then defeat Snake. |
Sources for this section
All twelve hidden stages
| Stage | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Flat Zone 2 | Unlock Mr. Game & Watch. |
| Luigi’s Mansion | Use Luigi in three Brawls. |
| 75m | Use Donkey Kong in 20 Brawls. |
| Pirate Ship | Unlock Toon Link. |
| Spear Pillar | Clear Event 25. |
| Mario Bros. | Clear Event 19. |
| Hanenbow | Clear Event 28. |
| Green Hill Zone | Unlock Sonic. |
| Jungle Japes (Melee) | Play ten Brawls on Melee stages. |
| Green Greens (Melee) | Use Kirby in 20 Brawls. |
| Pokémon Stadium (Melee) | Play ten Brawls on Pokémon Stadium 2. |
| Big Blue (Melee) | Use Captain Falcon in ten Brawls. |
Final Smash, Stadium and version differences
The Smash Ball enables a Final Smash. Obtain it first, then use the special button; pressing B without a powered-up Smash Ball does not trigger a Final Smash. Assist Trophies and Poké Balls introduce additional threats.
Brawl lacks Melee’s manual L-canceling. Tripping and different air-dodge rules change movement plans. Returning Melee players should relearn safe landings and shield responses.
Classic, All-Star, Events, Target Smash, Home-Run and Multi-Man are separate completion goals. Trophies and stickers are collectibles, not new full fighters. A Tabuu trophy does not make him playable in ordinary Brawl.
Sources for this section
No section matches your search.
Unlocks & rewards
Ness
Complete 5 Brawls, then defeat the challenger.
Marth
Complete 10 Brawls, then defeat the challenger.
Luigi
Complete 22 Brawls, then defeat the challenger.
Falco
Complete 50 Brawls, then defeat the challenger.
Captain Falcon
Complete 70 Brawls, then defeat the challenger.
Lucario
Complete 100 Brawls, then defeat the challenger.
Snake
Complete 130 Brawls, then defeat the challenger.
R.O.B.
Complete 160 Brawls, then defeat the challenger.
Ganondorf
Complete 200 Brawls, then defeat the challenger.
Mr. Game & Watch
Complete 250 Brawls, then defeat the challenger.
Sonic
Complete 300 Brawls, then defeat the challenger.
Pummeluff / Jigglypuff
Complete 350 Brawls, then defeat the challenger.
Toon-Link / Toon Link
Complete 400 Brawls, then defeat the challenger.
Wolf
Complete 450 Brawls, then defeat the challenger.
Boss-Kämpfe / Boss Battles
Clear Classic and The Subspace Emissary.
All-Star
Unlock all fighters.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Your checklist
Ticks are saved on this device for each game and carry over when you change language. The counter measures guide tasks and does not alter your game save.
Sources & editorial date
Independently written game guidance. The following sources support quest routes, mechanics and edition notes. Editorial date: 31 October 2026.
- Nintendo: Super Smash Bros. Brawl / Wi-Fi-Status ↗www.nintendo.com
- Nintendo Smash Bros. DOJO: versteckte Elemente ↗www.smashbros.com
- SmashWiki: Subraum-Emissär und 31 Etappen ↗www.ssbwiki.com
- SmashWiki: Tabuh / Tabuu ↗www.ssbwiki.com
- Nintendo Smash Bros. DOJO: Spielmodi ↗www.smashbros.com
In-game names may differ between language versions. Report a correction.
