Writing about a video game crossover is one thing. Writing a story where a pink vacuum-blob, a space bounty hunter, and a plumber with a fire-flower fetish have to stop a primordial entity from deleting existence? That's a whole different animal. Honestly, if you grew up on the internet, you know that Super Smash Bros fic isn't just a hobby. It’s a cultural phenomenon that has been propping up sites like FanFiction.net and Archive of Our Own (AO3) for decades. It's weird. It's sprawling. And frankly, it’s responsible for the longest work of literature in the human language.
No, seriously.
For a long time, the Guinness World Record for the longest novel was held by Marcel Proust’s À la recherche du temps perdu. It’s about 1.2 million words. But if you head over to the Super Smash Bros fic archives, you’ll find The Subspace Emissary's Worlds Conquest by AuraChannelerChris. It clocked in at over 4 million words. That’s not a typo. One person wrote more about Captain Falcon and Lucario than Proust wrote about the entirety of French high society. This isn’t just "fan stuff." It’s a massive, obsessive, and deeply complex pillar of gaming culture.
The Subspace Catalyst: Where It All Started
Before Super Smash Bros. Brawl dropped in 2008, fanfiction for the series was mostly "Who would win in a fight?" scenarios. It was basic. It was repetitive. Then Nintendo gave us the Subspace Emissary. Suddenly, we had a canon reason for these characters to interact. We saw Pikachu and Samus Aran teaming up in a high-tech facility. We saw Kirby dodging explosions on a dragoon. It gave writers a blueprint.
The "trope" of the World of Trophies became the standard setting. In this universe, characters aren't "real" in the way we think. They are trophies brought to life by a spark of imagination. This meta-narrative is what makes a Super Smash Bros fic work. You aren't just writing Mario; you're writing a version of Mario who knows he's in a tournament, who has to share a dorm room with Snake, and who probably hates how much hair Link leaves in the shower. It’s that mundane-meets-epic contrast that keeps people clicking "Next Chapter."
The "Found Family" Dynamic
Why do people keep writing these? It's the found family trope on steroids. You’ve got characters from dying worlds, characters who are literal gods, and characters who are just... guys with swords. Putting them all in a mansion (the "Smash Mansion" is the most common setting in the history of the genre) creates instant friction.
Think about the sheer logistical nightmare of Bowser trying to eat breakfast next to Princess Peach. Or the psychological trauma of Mr. Game & Watch being a 2D being in a 3D world. Writers love poking at those edges. They take these cardboard cutouts and give them internal lives. In the best Super Smash Bros fic, the fighting is actually the least interesting part. It’s the conversations in the hallway that matter.
Why Modern Smash Fics Are Getting Darker
If you look at the current trends on AO3, the tone has shifted. We moved away from the "zany tournament adventures" of the 2010s. Now, writers are obsessed with the trauma of Ultimate.
World of Light—the campaign where everyone except Kirby gets vaporized by Galeem—changed the stakes. It introduced a sense of cosmic horror. People started writing about the "spirit" system as a form of existential nightmare. Imagine being a fighter but having the soul of a random Toad forced into your body to give you a power boost. It’s body horror disguised as a Nintendo mechanic.
The Problem of Power Scaling
One of the biggest hurdles in any Super Smash Bros fic is power scaling. How do you write a convincing fight between Kirby (who has killed multiple gods) and Isabelle from Animal Crossing? You can't just do it straight.
Experienced writers usually handle this in one of two ways:
- The "Nerfed" Approach: The Smash invitation itself acts as a cosmic equalizer. Everyone’s power is brought to a baseline level so the tournament stays fair.
- The Narrative Approach: The fight isn't about strength; it's about strategy or emotional stakes. Maybe Isabelle wins because she’s the only one nice enough to make Sephiroth feel guilty.
Breaking Down the "Smash Mansion" Trope
You cannot talk about this genre without mentioning the Mansion. It’s the quintessential setting. It’s basically The Real World but with more fireballs.
The Mansion usually functions as a neutral ground. It’s got a cafeteria, training rooms, and specialized living quarters. It’s a trope because it works. It allows for "bottle episodes." You can have a whole story about the Fire Emblem characters trying to explain the concept of a "waifu" to Mega Man without ever leaving the living room. It’s a vehicle for character study.
However, some modern authors are pushing back against this. We’re seeing more "Adventure Mode" style fics where the characters travel across the Nintendo multiverse. They visit the Mushroom Kingdom, then head to Zebes, then get lost in the Lylat System. This is much harder to write because you have to maintain the "voice" of multiple worlds, but the payoff is huge for readers who want that sense of grand exploration.
The Legal Gray Area and Ethics
We should probably talk about the elephant in the room: Nintendo's reputation. Nintendo is notoriously protective of its IP. They've shut down fan games, tournaments, and music uploads. But fanfiction? They generally leave it alone.
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Why? Because you can’t monetize a 400,000-word story about Fox McCloud’s existential crisis. It exists in a space that doesn't threaten their bottom line. But that doesn't stop the community from being nervous. Every time a major fic gets popular, there’s a small fear that the "Big N" might take notice. Fortunately, the Super Smash Bros fic community is so decentralized that it’s nearly impossible to suppress.
How to Find the Good Stuff
If you’re diving into this for the first time, don't just sort by "Kudos" and hope for the best. You'll get buried in ship-fics (which are fine, if that’s your thing, but they aren't for everyone).
Look for tags like "Worldbuilding," "Case Fic," or "Post-Subspace Emissary."
Specific recommendations often include:
- The Subspace Emissary's Worlds Conquest: Even if you don't read all 4 million words, it’s worth seeing the sheer scale of it.
- Life of Smash: A classic example of the "Mansion" genre that focuses on character interactions.
- The Rebirth of Smash: Often cited for its more serious take on the tournament’s lore.
Common Misconceptions
People think these stories are just for kids. They aren't. While many are "T" rated, the community has a huge adult demographic that uses these characters to explore heavy themes like grief, identity, and the burden of heroism.
Another misconception: "It’s just a crossover."
It’s more than that. A true Super Smash Bros fic creates a cohesive universe out of disparate parts. It’s the ultimate exercise in "Show, Don't Tell." You have to show why Link and Cloud Strife would actually respect each other despite coming from completely different tonal universes.
Actionable Steps for Aspiring Smash Writers
If you're looking to contribute to the archive, don't just repeat what's been done. The "Mansion" is crowded.
- Pick a niche character. Everyone writes about Mario and Link. Write about Duck Hunt Dog. Write about the Ice Climbers trying to survive in a world that forgot them for two games.
- Focus on the "Wait, How?" questions. How does Inkling shower without dying? How does Charizard fit through a standard doorway? These small details make the world feel lived-in.
- Respect the source material but don't be a slave to it. If you need to change a character's move-set to make a fight scene more cinematic, do it. Readers care more about the "feel" of the character than frame-perfect accuracy.
- Check the AO3 "Event" tags. Often, the community runs "Smash Weeks" or "Zines" dedicated to specific themes. These are great ways to get eyes on your work without needing to write a million-word epic.
The world of Super Smash Bros fic is a beautiful, chaotic mess. It’s a testament to how much we love these characters that we aren't satisfied with just playing them—we have to keep their stories alive long after the console is turned off. Whether it’s a short one-shot about Kirby eating a sandwich or a massive epic about the end of the multiverse, there’s a seat at the table for everyone. Just make sure you don't take Captain Falcon's seat. He's very protective of it. Or so I've read.