Beyond just choosing a character, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U allows for significant customization through custom special moves and equipment. While equipment is typically banned in competitive play, it can dramatically alter gameplay in casual matches and single-player modes.
Custom Special Moves
As mentioned in the 'Getting Started' section, many characters have unlockable variations of their special moves. These can fundamentally change how a character plays. For example:
- Mario: Can swap his standard Fireball for a 'Fast Fireball' (quicker but weaker) or a 'Bouncing Fireball' (bounces along the ground).
- Link: Can change his Spin Attack to a 'Great Spin Attack' (more powerful but slower) or a 'Gale Spin Attack' (draws opponents in).
Experiment with these custom moves to find combinations that synergize well with your playstyle or counter specific opponents. Some custom moves can turn a character's weakness into a strength or enhance an existing strength.
Equipment
Equipment pieces (Head, Arm, Leg) provide stat boosts or penalties to your character's Attack, Defense, and Speed. They can also grant special effects. Equipment is primarily used for Mii Fighters but can be applied to any character in custom Smash battles where equipment is enabled.
- Stat Boosts: Equipment can add or subtract points from Attack, Defense, and Speed. A character with +30 Attack will deal significantly more damage.
- Special Effects: Some equipment grants unique abilities, such as 'Auto-Heal' (slowly recovers damage), 'First-Strike Advantage' (deal more damage at the start of a match), or 'Critical-Hit Chance'.
- Trade-offs: Often, powerful stat boosts come with a penalty to another stat. For example, an item might give +20 Attack but -10 Speed.
When creating a custom build, consider your character's natural strengths and weaknesses. Do you want to amplify their power, shore up their defenses, or make them incredibly fast? Equipment allows for highly specialized builds, turning even a low-tier character into a formidable force in casual play.