The secret society of Super Smash Bros. pacifists

There are people in Super Smash Bros. who choose not to fight. It’s ironic, to be sure. After all, this is a brawler. The whole point of a game is to determine which player is the best by seeing who can beat each other up the most and/or fastest. When my friend told me he regularly goes online in the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. to not fight, I was a bit flummoxed.

It’s a difficult thing to grasp. Especially if you’ve never seen it happen. But he wasn’t trying to lead me astray. He had replays saved to his system as proof. He wasn’t alone. There were others who all felt the same way and would go into matches to just be.

Here’s how one identifies a Super Smash Bros. pacifist. A battle begins. Two of the players don’t rush forward to attack. Perhaps instead, they approach each other. One ducks. The other one ducks.

They have an agreement.

Those taking the pacifistic route will stand off to the side. They may use an attack or two, but take care not to hit anyone. They will throw items off of the edge of stages, rather than use them. If another player approaches, they will taunt rather than attack.

Super Smash Bros. pacifists aren’t pushovers, however. There’s an unwritten code. If they are attacked, then they will retaliate against the person who targeted them. But if they are left to themselves, they will sit and taunt on the battlefield, enjoying the view. But beware, as one that entered one of the aforementioned agreements might come to the aid of a fellow pacifist who was attacked.

There are hazards to giving peace a chance in Super Smash Bros., and I’m not referring to the people who would see someone who wouldn’t fight unless provoked going for easy hits. The game works against them too. If a player goes too long without pressing any attack button, they will be booted under the assumption they are idle.

Those pacifists who do attack after a peace is broken also have a risk of being removed from a match. If they go after the person who went after them, and only that person, they will be booted for focusing on a single player.

Keep all of this in mind the next time you play Super Smash Bros.. If someone is off to the side, you approach and they do their best to bow, consider returning the gesture and going on your way.