Final Smash

A Final Smash is a special attack in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Final Smashes are incredibly powerful in comparison to most other attacks, leave the user invincible for the move's duration, and, if properly executed, usually have the capacity to KO at least one opponent. Final Smashes performed correctly will give you a great advantage, and may help you catch up to others in the game, or vice versa. To perform a Final Smash, a player must either destroy a Smash Ball or acquire a "Pity Final Smash". Upon the destruction of the Smash Ball, the character will be engulfed in a multi-colored aura. If you take too much damage, the Smash Ball will fly out of your character, giving your opponents another opportunity to gain a Final Smash. To perform a Final Smash, you simply press the special move button. Multiple Smash Balls can't appear in a match at the same time but can reappear after the Final Smash is finished.

Pity Final Smash
A Pity Final Smash occurs when a player is KO'd and is 5 points behind compared to the current leader (thereby allowing the player in 2nd place to earn one, provided the gap is large enough.) This player respawns with the ability to perform a Final Smash. This Final Smash cannot be dropped by the player. Pity Final Smashes can be disabled only by turning Final Smashes off completely. Setting overall item frequency to 'None' alone will not be enough.

It was revealed in an interview with Nintendo's president, Satoru Iwata, that Masahiro Sakurai had intended for Final Smashes to be included in the original Super Smash Bros., and claims that he has proof, in that there were recorded voices for when characters used their Final Smash. The idea, however, was held off until Brawl.

Types
While Final Smashes tend to be unique among characters, there are certain categories they can be sorted into.
 * Directional - These Final Smashes launch an attack in a single direction. Depending on the Final Smash, the direction can be controlled, while others are fixed. This kind of Final Smash has a blind spot, usually behind the attacker, where targets can hide.
 * Focused - These Final Smashes affect nearby opponents in any direction. Targets can avoid the move by getting out of range, so they're mostly effective in smaller stages.
 * Trapping - These Final Smashes attack a certain area, grab anyone inside said area (or just a single character), and lay down an inescapable beating. They generally have a small initial range and will fail if there are no targets caught.
 * Stage-Wide - These Final Smashes affect the whole stage, leaving little or no hiding spots. However, they may be less effective on larger stages.
 * Transformation - These Final Smashes only affect the user, who can then rampage around and cause damage. Some transformations buff up the character's existing moveset, while others use a different set of controls. The transformation is unaffected by all status effects except slow time. If the character was slowed before they transform, their speed is still slow.

In competitive play
In tournaments, all items are turned to off and none, including Smash Balls. This means that Final Smashes do not appear in tournaments. While the consensus has been that any randomly appearing factor is detrimental to competitive play, such a decision undoubtably favors certain characters more than others. Some characters, such as Meta Knight, have excellent regular attacks, but have poor Final Smashes; while others (like Link) have poor regular attributes, but have very good Final Smashes. Certain smashers feel that this contributes to the brokenness of certain characters, while removing viable options from others. Despite this complaint, Smash Balls remain disabled at this time along with all other items due to their unpredictability.

Because items are turned to off and none, and tournament rules specify only 3 stock, Pity Final Smashes also do not appear in tournaments. One might argue that allowing Pity Final Smashes would allow a badly beaten player to stage a comeback, as they do not appear at random like Smash Balls do, and any player good enough to push an opponent so far will likely win the match anyway. However, this can only happen in a match of at least 6 stock, which is generally accepted to be too much for tournaments.