Do You View Smash Bros. as a Party Game or a Fighting Game?

[Moonface]

I've had this question on my mind for a while ever since I was playing Smash Ultimate with everyone in the grooms party for the wedding I was a groomsman for at the start of the month, and we got into a discussion about whether we viewed/liked Smash more as a fighting game or a party game.

Personally I like to play Smash more as a party game than strictly a fighting game. I don't really like the flat three platform stage that usually gets picked because it's an even playing field over stages that have varying terrain and hazards. I also like items and find they make things more fun but I can go without them so long as the stage is adding something to the match, but if it's that flat layout then I'd want items on.
Of course I'll still play Smash with everything set to the level playing field best fighter wins scenario and enjoy myself, but I like it more when things can get crazy with items and regular maps.

[ShiraNoMai]

I can play the game as either or, but it has to be clear. I preferably would play the fighting game style but that's just cuz that's how it's been ingrained in me since playing competitively for a short period. I've played Smash since the 64 version and was there for the launch of each subsequent iteration. I'm used to the items on and stage hazards but when it comes down to it, I get the most fun out of the raw fighting power between parties, no bullshit, just plain skill.

[Mr EliteL]

I view as both depending on rulesets. Items on, big stage? Let's party! Small stage, no hazards, no items, stock, fighters only? Fighting. I'll also choose characters based on which, ones I can just freely have fun with although I can sometimes play them seriously (like Ganondorf even if he is seen as the worst character). Then there's the characters I feel I'm best at playing going one-on-one or team play.

Then again I usually do something like 1v1, 2v2, 4v4, 3v5 with AI (me in the 3 of 3v5) because of no online and no friends. Boo. Then again I haven't played a Smash game in...I dunno.

[Moonface]

I'll also choose characters based on which, ones I can just freely have fun with although I can sometimes play them seriously (like Ganondorf even if he is seen as the worst character).

Same, if the match is going to be focused on pure fighting and being competitive, I'll always pick my mains and never venture outside of that. If it's fighting but in a more casual sense I'll try out some of my weaker characters, but I'll only ever start messing about with characters I know nothing about when it's 100% dick around party mode vibes.

Who I'm playing with also has some degree of weight to what way I want to play Smash. If everyone is at an even playing field, then having rounds purely for fighting feels sensible, but if there's a drastic difference in skill I prefer leaning more to the party aspects of the game as I feel it can help level things out a bit or at least give people a chance. If I wanted to just stomp people or get stomped all the time I'd go into single player and set the AI to 1 or 10 respectively and save myself or others from having a bad time.

[Dragon Lord]

Definitely a party game. Even in a "serious" 1v1 situation, I still don't view Smash Bros. as a fighting game. Fighting games usually involve some really technical inputs to pull off combos and special moves, and Smash Bros. just doesn't have that.

I definitely would not put Smash Bros in the same kind of category as actual fighting games like Street Fighter, Tekken, etc..

[ShiraNoMai]

Fighting games usually involve some really technical inputs to pull off combos and special moves, and Smash Bros. just doesn't have that.

I'd argue there's plenty of technical inputs and combo moves that are in place in modern Smash for definite. In fact there's an entire playlist of tutorials on how to best use each character on this channel here that is really in depth in how to do specific set-ups with combos in attacks on opponents.

Of course, that's for the most recent entry. I'd argue the older games are definitely more party games that don't focus on these kinds of set ups.