Celebrating 27 Years of Super Smash Bros.: A Game That Revolutionized Crossovers

Twenty-seven years ago today, Nintendo released a title that would spark an iconic franchise and create a new genre of gaming. The release of Super Smash Bros. on the Nintendo 64 marks a major moment in video game history.

Super Smash Bros. Was Released on the Nintendo 64 on April 26, 1999

After it was released just over three months earlier in Japan, Super Smash Bros. was launched on the Nintendo 64 in North America and Brazil on April 26, 1999. Since then, it has widely been considered one of the best N64 games ever, including by IGN, which named it the eighth best title ever released for the console.

While there is no doubt it shows its age in some ways, due to its graphics and its limited roster of characters and stages, the game still holds up remarkably well.

Super Smash Bros. is the epitome of a game that was designed to be fun, and it remains a party game that is exciting to enjoy with friends, in part because it is so easy to pick up and play. Still, there are strategies that gamers can use to express their skill and dominate, which adds layers to the experience. The two other main reasons why the game has held up are that it features nostalgic stages for Nintendo fans and that it is engaging to experience a title that arguably launched a genre of gaming.

Super Smash Bros.’s Full Roster on the Nintendo 64

• Mario
• Donkey Kong
• Link
• Samus
• Yoshi
• Kirby
• Fox
• Pikachu
• Luigi (unlockable)
• Jigglypuff (unlockable)
• Captain Falcon (unlockable)
• Ness (unlockable)

What Makes Super Smash Bros. One of the Most Influential Games of All Time

When Super Smash Bros. debuted on the Nintendo 64, it launched one of the most beloved game series of all time. There would be no Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, or Super Smash Bros. Ultimate without the original's success, and that would be a major loss for fans. It could be argued that originating a franchise that is so beloved makes the original game highly influential, but it goes far beyond that.

In 2026, people take it for granted that games will have crossovers from other franchises, with Fortnite arguably serving as the gold standard. Additionally, individual games will sometimes add random characters from elsewhere, like when Freddy Krueger appeared in a Mortal Kombat game. Even though video games featuring cameos are common today, that wasn't always the case.

While it wasn't the first game to feature crossovers, as evidenced by earlier titles like X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Super Smash Bros. popularized the large-scale crossover game. Before its release, the idea that a single title would bring together characters from Super Mario Bros., Metroid, Zelda, Pokémon, Star Fox, Kirby, Donkey Kong, and more was unimaginable. Now, a game like that would be met with disappointment about the excluded series. That perfectly shows the impact that Super Smash Bros. had on gaming.

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