During the Super Smash Bros for Wii U specific Nintendo Direct, Nintendo finally confirmed the long-speculated mode 8-Player Smash was coming to the game, as well as a number of other modes.
Featuring 8 characters on-screen at once, Director Masahiro Sakurai has ensured the game wouldn’t get too crowded by introducing some larger stages – including a variant of series stalwart Battlefield, aptly titled Big Battlefield. While this functionality only works locally, it seems you can have five, six or seven player matches as well.
Up to 8 GameCube Controllers can be used – via two GameCube adapters – while 8 3DS, each with a copy of Super Smash Bros 3DS, can be used also. If neither of these are an option for you, the maximum number of other controllers is either 7 Wii Remote/Wii Remote Plus or 7 Wii U Pro Controllers as only one GamePad can be used per console.
Gameplay can be split up into four teams during the 8-Player Smash mode.
Originally published October 25, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
