Which Super Smash Bros. game was the first to feature online multiplayer?

Super Smash Bros. Brawl was the first game in the series to feature online multiplayer.

Released for Wii in 2008, Brawl used Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to let players battle opponents who were not in the same room. Players could connect with registered friends or be matched with randomly selected participants. This was a major addition for a series previously centered on local multiplayer.

Brawl’s online mode included several restrictions. Random matches used preset phrases rather than unrestricted voice or text chat, and the game did not provide the modern matchmaking, rankings, or rollback-style infrastructure players may expect from newer competitive games. Latency could also make precise play difficult, but the feature still marked an important step for the franchise.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U later expanded online options with modes such as For Fun and For Glory. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate continued online play through Nintendo Switch Online. Melee is sometimes associated with online multiplayer because modern fan projects add it, but the original commercial release of Melee had no official online mode.