Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary (亜空の使者, Emissary of Subspace), sometimes abbreviated as SSE or shortened to Subspace Emissary, is a mode in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and the successor to Melee's Adventure Mode. It was hinted at with the This world... Dojo update on July 20th, 2007, and fully unveiled on August 3rd of the same year. This mode was succeeded by Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's. World of Light.

Gameplay[]

The Subspace Emissary mode is a side-scrolling adventure in the style of a platformer, inspired by the Mario and Kirby games. However, it retains all basic mechanics of the Super Smash Bros. series, such as a damage meter, stocks, and Smash-style attacks. It can also be classified as a beat 'em up; often stages will pause at specific points and force the player to defeat a set of enemies, which prevents one from simply running through everything.

The mode features a world map where stages are selected; once a stage is selected, the difficulty can be chosen, and the character(s) will enter the stage. The selectable characters will change depending on the plot. Stages that have been completed already can be played again, with the one exception being a stage being consumed by a Subspace Bomb; if this happens, the player must complete the Subspace Emissary to be able to access the stage again.

The mode also has a two-player option, using one stock to join in. When using two players, the first player will have priority over the screen, making it possible for the second player to get run off the screen if the two players are not coordinated. However, the second player has the option to warp to the first player at any time (except in boss battles) by pressing the button that would normally pause the game. The first player must be present with stock left at all times; if the first player is defeated with no spare stock remaining, the game will end and offer a continue. If the second player is defeated, the first player can continue alone. In addition, only the first player can navigate through doors (though the second player can still utilize keys) and temporary switches. If the second player goes into a barrel cannon or minecart they will be teleported back to the player seconds later unless the first player goes in right after. The second player can also decide when barrel cannons shoot.

When playing a level for the first time, many cutscenes will pause just before gameplay begins, showing a view of all available characters. A message will display how many stock the level allows, and a cursor will appear that allows choosing which characters to play. The order characters are chosen in is the order they will appear: they will cycle through in that order until all stock is depleted. Playing through a level again, there will be a screen before the level allowing choosing between any available characters instead of cutscenes during the level. This can be both an advantage and a disadvantage: there is a wider character variety to choose from, but one cannot pick less characters than the number of stocks the stage has (meaning if a stage has four stocks, the player must choose four characters). Additionally, no mid-level cutscenes will play, including ones that would normally allow a re-pick of characters that replenishes stocks. While on many levels this makes little difference, it is very problematic on long stages like the second Subspace Bomb Factory, where a replay provides only a fraction of the stock originally given.

The physics of many (if not all) characters are also tweaked slightly. In general, characters run slower, fall faster, and jump better than in brawls. However, the midair jumps of a character that possesses more than one will be worse than normal. Move mechanics are not altered, although the differing jump heights, jump timing, and gravity will change how effective aerial attacks are. The most significant change is the removal of stamina from Pokémon Trainer's Pokémon, which allows one to use one Pokémon exclusively. Characters are also able to swim for significantly longer. Characters retain their standard physics in boss battles. Because Smash relies on KOs by being knocked off stage, in order for the platforming nature to be retained, the camera's reaction time in following a character decreases in proportion to the player's damage.

Grabbing mechanics are also altered. Normal enemies cannot be held onto for any length of time; they will be thrown immediately after being grabbed, making it impossible to pummel them. This means that choosing which throw to use must be done with the Control Stick during the grab animation; inputting no direction will result in a forward throw (with the exception of Donkey Kong, who cannot carry enemies, and instead will utilize his up-throw). Special moves that involve grabbing will fail to grab, like Yoshi and Kirby's standard special moves; such moves have extra Subspace Emissary-only hitboxes (for example, Egg Lay will deal 13% damage, while Pikmin will deal damage when thrown). Bosses and large enemies cannot be grabbed; however, Big Primids can be grabbed effectively. None of these changes apply when facing an opposing Smasher due to playing like an actual Brawl, though Kirby will be unable to copy their abilities.

Difficulty levels[]

Like most other single-player modes, one can select different difficulty levels to play The Subspace Emissary. At the creation of a new game file, the player may select a "default" difficulty from Easy, Normal, Hard, Very Hard, and Intense. Stages normally use this default difficulty (which cannot be changed), although the difficulty of a stage can be altered before it is begun. The game keeps track of the hardest difficulty level at which each stage has been cleared, and when a stage is selected, it suggests a difficulty higher than the highest completion level. As one selects higher difficulties, the game makes these adjustments: Enemy health goes up, sometimes considerably with bulky enemies like Greaps. Enemies move and attack faster; especially noticeable with the vulnerability period of large enemies and bosses. Enemies and obstacles do more damage and have more KO power. Enemies' AI generally get smarter (such as attacking more often, or Bytans duplicating nonstop). More (and sometimes deadlier) enemies appear during locked battles. Less favorable items appear, although an increased number of stronger healing items appear when enemies are defeated. Stock Balls may get rarer (or, in the case of Very Hard and Intense, not exist, being replaced by recovery items instead). Certain features travel faster, giving the player less reaction time. Auto-scrolling areas scroll faster. Moving walls, floors, and ceilings move faster, making characters more easily crushed. Platforms move or fall faster. Bomb block explosion chains move faster. The effects of temporary switches are shorter. Wind speeds increase (including the wind from a Borboras), sometimes to nonsensical levels. More, higher quality, and rarer stickers appear. More collectibles (CDs, trophies, stickers) appear. More trophy stands appear. More coins are given at the end of each level.

Bosses[]

These battles are fought with the bosses having a specific amount of health; once their health runs out, they are defeated.

• Petey Praina
• Rayquaza
• Porky
• Galleom
• Ridley
• Duon
• Meta Ridley
• Tabbu

Mini-Bosses[]

Due to these battles being against Fighters or slightly modified versions of same, they are fought like regular brawls that take place thoughout Smash Bros.

• Boss-(Player)
• Kirby/Mario-(fought by Mario/Kirby)
• False Bowser-(fought by Diddy Kong and Fox)
• False Zelda/False Peach-(fought by Mario and Pit/Link and Yoshi)
• Link/Mario and Yoshi/Pit-(fought by Mario/Link and Pit/Yoshi (1 is CPU controlled unless Co-op Mode))
• Wario-(fought by Lucas and Pokémon Trainer)
• Charizard-(fought by Ivysaur, Lucas, and Squirtle)
• Giant Diddy Kong-(fought by Falco, Diddy Kong, and Fox)
• 2 False Samuse's-(fought by Zero Suit Samus and Pikachu)
• Lucario/Meta Knight-(fought by Meta Knight/Lucario)
• False Peach and False Zelda-(fought by Meta Knight, Lucario, and Snake)
• Bowser-(fought by King Dedede)
• All Bosses and Clones of all characters but Sonic and below characters (fought by any characters rescued in Subspace in a party of 4)
• Toon Link-(fought by 1 character that entered the Forest) (optional)
• Wolf-(fought by 1 character that entered the Ruins) (optional)
• Jigglypuff-(fought by 1 character that entered the Swamp) (optional)

Note: When only one character is available to fight a boss or mini-boss in Co-op mode, the second player plays as a color change of that character.

Sonic the Hedgehog's role[]

Sonic does not appear in The Subspace Emissary until the final battle with Tabuu, but unlike the secret characters (Jigglypuff, Toon Link and Wolf), Sonic can be chosen to fight Tabuu after The Great Maze.

When the fighters reach Tabuu, he prepares his Off Waves, which had already reduced most of them to trophy forms when they first opposed him. Just as he is about to release the attack, a blue blur rams into both of Tabuu's wings, shattering them. As the blue blur jumps up on a peak, it reveals itself to be Sonic. While he taunts, Tabuu's wings break apart as the fighters make their final stand against the villain.

It is commonly believed that Sonic's minor role in the mode is due to the fact that he was added to Brawl's roster so late in development in 2007.