You’ve played Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. You probably spent dozens of hours in World of Light, grinding for spirits, or maybe you just lived in the online lobbies getting your face kicked in by a Sora main. But there’s a quiet, surprisingly deep corner of the game that a lot of people just treat as a "one and done" checklist item: Classic Mode.
It isn’t just a retread of the old N64 "beat up a bunch of randoms and then hit a hand" formula. Honestly, it’s one of the most clever pieces of fan service Nintendo has ever put together.
Why the Routes Are Actually Genius
In previous Smash games, Classic Mode felt like a carousel. You fought some random fighters, maybe a giant one, a metal one, and then Master Hand. It was fine, but it was generic. In Ultimate, every single character—all 80+ of them—has a bespoke, hand-crafted "Route."
Take Link, for example. His route is called "A Quest to Seal the Darkness." Every opponent he faces is a literal or thematic representation of evil or "dark" characters. You fight Dark Pit, a giant Ridley, and eventually Ganon himself. It’s not just a gauntlet; it’s a miniature Zelda game played through the lens of Smash.
Or look at Kirby’s "Gourmet Clash." Every fighter he faces is known for being a glutton or having a literal eating mechanic, like King Dedede or Wario. Even better? You and your opponent start every match with 35% damage, and the stage is constantly littered with food items. It’s a thematic nod that makes the fights feel different from a standard 3-stock match.
The Intensity Meter: A Risk-Reward Nightmare
The "Fiend’s Scale" returns from Kid Icarus: Uprising, and it’s still one of the most stressful ways to play a fighting game. You start between 0.0 and 5.0. As you win, that number climbs. If you’re playing well—meaning you’re fast and you aren't taking much damage—the intensity jumps significantly.
Getting to 9.9 isn't just about being good at Smash. It’s about being efficient. If you take three minutes to beat a round, your score is going to stagnate. You need to be aggressive.
The real kicker? If you die, you can use a continue, but your intensity drops. If you want that coveted 9.9 gold medal on your character screen, you basically have to have a "deathless" run from 5.0 all the way up. It’s brutal.
Mastering the Super Smash Bros Ultimate Classic Mode Scoring System
If you’re hunting for high scores or that 9.9 rating, you need to understand how the game actually grades you. It isn't just "did you win?" It’s "how hard did you stomp them?"
The game looks at three main factors:
- Clear Time: Speed is king. The faster the KO, the bigger the intensity jump.
- Damage Taken: Every percent of damage you take chips away at your potential score gain.
- Ending Intensity: Your final score is heavily multiplied by where you ended up on the scale.
A weird quirk most people miss is that the bonus game (the side-scrolling "run away from the black hole" level) actually matters for your final point total. Those little gold orbs you’re collecting? They don’t affect your 9.9 intensity, but they do boost your final GSP-style score. If you're competitive about the leaderboards, you can't just jump into the abyss to get it over with.
The Boss Variety is the Real Star
We finally moved past just fighting the "Hands" every single time. While Master Hand and Crazy Hand still show up for plenty of characters (like the Star Fox crew or Samus), Ultimate brought in specialized bosses that make the endings feel earned.
- Marx: Kirby's old rival shows up with all his weird, reality-warping attacks.
- Rathalos: A literal Monster Hunter fight inside Smash. He has a roar that stuns you and fireballs that actually feel like they’re coming from a different genre of game.
- Dracula: If you play as Simon or Richter (or Luigi, because he’s a "scaredy-cat"), you end up in his throne room. You even have to hit him in the head, just like the classic NES games.
- Giga Bowser: Mario’s route brings back the beast from Melee, and it’s a pure nostalgic power trip.
Tips for Hitting 9.9 With Anyone
If you’re struggling to max out your favorite character, you’re probably playing too defensively. The AI in Classic Mode is "imperfect," meaning it has specific holes you can exploit.
Abuse the "Walk-off" Stages
Many routes, like Donkey Kong’s or Captain Falcon’s, feature stages where the blast zone is right at the edge of the floor. You don't need to build up 100% damage. Just grab them and throw them off. It’s cheap, sure, but the game doesn’t care about honor—it cares about the clock.
Use Your Tickets
If you have Classic Medals or "Classic Tickets," use them. If you die at 9.2 intensity and use gold to continue, your score drops. If you use a Ticket, your score stays exactly where it is. It’s the only way to "cheese" a 9.9 run if you mess up at the very end against a boss like Ganon.
The "Zoner" Problem
Characters like Mega Man or Simon Belmont can actually have a harder time getting 9.9 because their playstyle is naturally slower. To offset this, you have to get comfortable with their close-range options. You can't just throw axes from across the stage; you need to find the "sweet spot" kills early.
The Co-op Factor
Most people forget you can play Classic Mode with a friend. It’s local only, but it’s a blast. The game adjusts the difficulty by adding more enemies (turning a 1v1 into a 2v2), but having a human partner makes the boss fights infinitely more manageable. Just remember: only the "Player 1" character’s route is followed. If you want to see Pikachu’s ending, Player 1 has to be Pikachu.
What You Get for Your Trouble
Is it worth doing this for all 80+ characters? Well, depends on what kind of player you are.
You get Spirits. Specifically, completing a route usually nets you the Fighter Spirit for that character (the one with the official character art). You also get a pile of gold, snacks for your spirits, and more importantly, you unlock new fighters. If you’re starting a fresh save, Classic Mode is actually one of the fastest ways to fill out the roster because each character you finish with triggers a specific "New Challenger" encounter.
The real reward, though, is the mural. Every time you finish a run, you see a tiny piece of a massive, gorgeous digital painting. Seeing it fill up as you master different fighters is weirdly satisfying.
Actionable Next Steps for Smash Veterans
If you haven't touched this mode in years, here is how you should jump back in:
- Pick a "Heavy": King K. Rool or Bowser are the easiest characters to get a 9.9 with. They kill early and can take a beating. It’s a great way to warm up.
- Check the Route Name: Before you start, look at the title of the route. It usually gives you a massive hint about what kind of items or enemies to expect.
- Master the Credits: Don’t just sit there during the credits. It’s a literal shoot-'em-up minigame. Use the reticle to blast the names. Every name you hit reveals a piece of an image behind it, which earns you more gold.
- Save Your Tickets: Don't waste your Classic Tickets on runs where you're at 3.0 or 4.0 intensity. Save them for when you're at 8.5 or higher and a stray boss hit ruins your run.