Smash Powers

Smash Powers are only useable in Smash Run, and are only equippable when customizing a character from the Smash Run menu or character select screen. Smash Powers can't be used in the final batle. When customizing a character, lower speed means you can carry more weight, which means you can equip more Smash Powers. Powers have different levels, with higher levels being more effective or allowing for more uses, but weighing more.

Smash Powers can only be found by playing Smash Run. If you're unfamiliar with a power, you can test it out in the customization menu. Powers are used by touching icons on the lower screen.

There are several categories of Smash Powers, indicated by the background colours of their icons. You can press Y to add a power to your favourites so it will appear at the top of the list the next time you enter the Smash Powers menu.

Direct Attack

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS screenshot - Smash Powers

Direct Attack powers are simply special moves that damage enemies directly.

Power Bomb - Drop a bomb that momentarily explodes and damages enemies caught in the blast, like a smart bomb. Doesn't damage the user.
Heavenly Light - Surrounds you with a pillar of light that very lightly damages enemies. More for protection than attacking.
Meteor Shower - Calls down a rain of meteors that heavily damage enemies directly in front of you.
Horizon Beam - A beam comes from behind and stretches all the way across the screen. This fires at whatever horizontal point the user was when the icon was touched.
Shocking Taunt - Fires a small-but-powerful lightning bolt when you taunt, in the direction you pushed the dpad. This leaves you open to attack, though, since you have to finish your taunt. Doesn't fire down.
Homing Missiles - Two homing missiles pop out and home in on a nearby enemy.
Dual Cyclone - Generates a cyclone on either side of you. These trap and damage enemies, but they don't move if you move. They will remain suspended in the air if used in the air.
Spinning Blades - A circle of swords appears around you and spins to damage enemies.

Ability Boost

These increase your abilities for a short time after the icon is touched.

Devil's Pact - Boosts your damage to 300% and boosts your stats for a short time. The higher the level, the higher your stats will go, and the more stats will be maxed out. Your stats will drop after a while, but the damage will remain....
Smash Extend - Allows you to charge your smash attacks for longer than before, making them more powerful.
Homing Foe - Makes defeated foes more likely to hit and damage other foes.
Payback - Turns damage received into extra power for the next attack you do.
Rage - The higher your damage count, the stronger you'll get.

Attack Boost

These increase the power of attacks that use specific bodyparts. Make sure you think about how your character attacks when equipping these powers.

Strong Punch - Powers up punches and other arm attacks.
Strong Kick - Boosts kicks and whatever other attacks use legs.
Strong Head - Increases the power of headbutts. (Not Mario's up special, that's a punch.)
Strong Body - Do more damage with attacks that use your weight, like tackles.
Strong Throw - Throw enemies farther and do more damage with throws.

Defense

Defense powers have a wider variety of effects than you might think.

Reflector - Deflects projectiles. Basically a temporary Franklin Badge.
Super Armor - Don't flinch when damaged.
Brief Invincibility - Negates all damage and launches for a short time. Like a temporary Star.
Evershield - Your shield won't decrease in size.

Healing

These powers repair damage you've taken in various ways.

Health Recovery - Simple health recovery. Level 1 restores 50% and higher levels restore more. Don't let an enemy hit you while your health is being restored, or the recovery will stop.
Auto-Recovery - Sloooowly recovers health. Recovers a bit more than regular Health Recovery (60% at level 1 instead of 50%), but at a much slower rate and will be not cancelled if you take damage.
Healing Shield - Your shield will heal you when attacked.

Movement

These powers help you get around. These are very handy for characters who aren't typically very mobile.

Warp - Warp to a random spot in the stage. Takes a few moments to kick in, and will be cancelled if you take damage in this time. Still pretty handy for getting out of a tough spot when the game decides to surround you with a thousand strong enemies.
Extra Jump - Allows you to jump more times in the air. The number of jumps and uses depends on the level of the power.
High Jump - Lets you jump super high.
Instant Drop - Lets you drop super fast when pressing down on the circle pad. You can already increase your fall speed this way, but this lets you increase it more.
Shinespark - Increases your running speed. Run through enemies to damage them. Higher levels do more damage and last longer.

Smash Item

These simply spawn an item for you. The level determines the number of times you can spawn the item. Items work exactly the same way as they do in other modes. See the Items section if you'd like more information about what items do.

Effects

These can save your life, if you're lucky. Equip these if you have a gamblers spirit.

Shufle - Reassigns the powers of your stats. Where the new values go is random, though.
Random - Uses a random power. Impossible to be strategic with, but it does weigh less than a lot of the powers it can mimic.

NEXT: Minigames