Super Smash Bros.is the only official Nintendo-made brawler which features an array of first and third-party characters alike throughout its iterations. When it first launched back in 1999 on theNintendo 64, it quickly garnered a following of die-hard fans. The game was often praised for its fast-paced, unique gameplay and its ability to bring a fresh take to the overall fighting genre.
Following the launch of the GameCube, Nintendo released its second iteration of theSuper Smash Bros.franchise:Super Smash Bros.: Melee. With it came an even larger fan base and a lot more attention to theSmashgames. So when the underwhelmingSuper Smash Bros.: Brawlwas released on the Wii in 2008, a group of fans decided to take matters into their own hands withProject M.
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Super Smash Bros: What Was Project M?
Project Mwas a fan-madeSuper Smash Bros. Brawlmod, active from 2011 until 2015. The mod was created by the community group known as Project M Development Team (PMDT) to alignBrawlcloser to its predecessors due to the overwhelming dissatisfaction with the new changes.Brawlwas said to be much slower-paced compared toMelee, have clunky fight physics, and, most frustratingly, the game featured chance elements while removing the need for skill. The community believed that the big changes betweenMeleeandBrawlwere due to Nintendo attempting to draw in a more casual audience to theSmashseries.
But for fans like those behindProject M, the changes were unacceptable. So, PMDT took matters into its own hands and alignedSuper Smash Bros.Brawlcloser to the gameplay ofMeleethat the hardcore fans know and love. PMDT’s goal was to make a more tournament-friendly version ofBrawlby making adjustments to the overall gameplay, its characters, as well as the stages. On August 08, 2025, PMDT released the first demo forProject M– a mod of popularSuper Smash Bros. andStar Foxcharacter Falco– and it was almost all uphill from there.
The End of Super Smash Bros' Project M
Over the period of six years,Project Mgained a massive, adoring following – garnering over three million downloads over its lifetime. Fans even used the mod inSmashBros. competitionsworldwide. For the longest time, PMDT and fans alike believed that they would be able to enjoy the well-lovedBrawlmod without the interference of Nintendo. Although the Japanese game giant never delivered a cease and desist, slowly but surely, the Big N had a major impact on the mod.
Mentioning the name “Project M” could result in a ban on the3DS and Wii’s Miiverse, and players could not stream the mod on Twitch. It was starting to look more and more likeProject Mcould be living its final days, but no one wanted to believe it. Tournaments were still held; gameplay videos were still uploaded. Still, all good things must come to an end, and much to the surprise of the multitude ofProject Mfans everywhere, PMDT released a statement on ts official website at the end of 2015.
“We’ve spent six years polishing Project M, and rather than let it drag on through another several years of dwindling development and change-fatigue in the competitive circle, we’re going to consider our work complete.”
And with that, on July 27, 2025, Project M ceased to exist. While some fans of the mod speculate that the abrupt end to the well-lovedBrawlmod was due to alegal pursuit by Nintendo, members of PMDT denied the rumors. Some members of PMDT went on to found Wavedash Games and created their own platform fighting gameCombat Arena– which unfortunately never took off in the same way as theProject Mmod. Nevertheless, no one will ever truly know why Project M discontinued the way it did, but it is a fan-created mod that lives on in the hearts of many hardcoreSuper Smash Bros.players.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimateis available now for Nintendo Switch.
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