Classic Mode

Learn how to master Classic Mode in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Understand intensity, scoring, GSP, and how to achieve the highest scores.

Classic Mode is a campaign mode for up to two players where you select a fighter and then face 6 rounds of Smash, a bonus game, and a boss battle. Each fighter has their own route with battles themed around it. You start each round on 0% damage but with only one stock for the entire route. The goal is to set a high score and reach the end with the highest possible intensity.

Intensity

As intensity increases, opponents become harder to defeat. You can choose to start the route with an intensity of 0.0-5.0. The faster you defeat an opponent and the healthier you are, the greater the intensity gain after each round. A "Nice Play!" reward means intensity increased significantly. Starting at intensity 5.0 gives a better high score and a higher chance of reaching the maximum intensity of 9.9. Finishing the route on high intensity offers accomplishments, better rewards, and reveals more of the artwork on the mural. Continuing with gold or classic tickets can impact intensity.

Gold & Classic Tickets

Gold or classic tickets can be exchanged for a stock to continue a fight if defeated. Your health is restored, and damage inflicted on the opponent remains. Using gold drops intensity and score instantly. A classic ticket does not decrease intensity but lowers your score and reduces intensity gained after that round. Using gold or a classic ticket makes achieving 9.9 intensity impossible, with 9.8 being the highest reachable. If you enter a round on 9.8, you won't gain intensity if you've used gold/a ticket. Using a classic ticket on 9.9 intensity retains the 9.9.

High Score

Intensity and score are related but independent. A fighter with a final intensity of 8.0 can have a higher score than one with 9.9. Intensity increases boost your score, but other factors are involved. A "Perfect!" bonus (taking no damage) and doing well in the bonus game (especially finding all orbs) increase your score. Damaging the opponent also increases score, maxing out when the opponent reaches extremely high damage. The mural bonus also increases points, gained by manually choosing intensity at the start or when intensity increases between rounds. Intensity maxing at 9.9 also maxes points at 999,990. To optimize your score, balance defeating opponents quickly (for intensity) while damaging them enough to increase score, but not so slowly that you don't reach 9.9 intensity. Aiming for an optimized high score increases risk and difficulty.

Your fighter's high score is viewable on the fighter select screen. It shows your high score, the costume used, and your GSP. Below that is the "No.1 High score" (highest score with any fighter) and "Total High Score" (combination of all fighters' high scores).

GSP

In the first round, you start with a GSP of 1 and gain GSP during and after each round (or lose it if you continue with gold/a ticket). GSP reflects how your score/high score compares to other users. Global Smash Power (GSP) is an inverted ranking system indicating how many scores you are better than. Each fighter has their own high score and GSP, calculated by comparing your fighter's high score to all other users' scores. GSP can change even if your high score doesn't, as the community improves. For example, a GSP of 7,239,169 means you have a better high score than 7,239,168 other users.

Credits

After the final results screen, a scrolling shooter minigame in the credits allows you to fire at names with a Nintendo Scope/Super Scope to earn bonus rewards and set a high score. Hitting names increases your points and the blue bar.