The universe didn’t end with a bang, but with a blinding, absolute white.

When Galeem, the Lord of Light, unleashed his countless beams of searing energy, the defenders of the cosmos fell one by one. Sonic couldn’t outrun it. Link’s shield couldn’t reflect it. Even Mewtwo’s psychic barriers shattered like glass. In a matter of seconds, the entire roster of Super Smash Bros. was wiped from existence, their spirits harvested to power an army of mindless puppet clones.

Only a single, tiny star of hope managed to pierce through the apocalyptic light. Kirby.

Clinging desperately to his Warp Star, the pink puffball rode the fabric of space-time to its absolute limit, warping just outside the reach of Galeem’s erasure. Hours later, the Warp Star lost its momentum, sending Kirby crashing down onto a scarred, desolate plateau of the ruined World of Dark. Dazed, bruised, and profoundly alone, Kirby picked himself up, looking out at a twisted landscape overrun by Master Hand copies and the eerie, glowing-eyed puppet fighters.

But Kirby wasn't the last one left.

Deep within a hidden chasm beneath the plateau lay a secret sanctuary, cloaked by a magic that didn't belong to Galeem. It belonged to Master Hand. Months before the apocalypse, Master Hand had secretly scouted a wild-card fighter—you. Sensing a looming cosmic threat, the master of the tournament kept your invitation a strict secret, hiding you away in the shadows until the perfect moment to strike arose.

That moment is now. But the apocalypse didn't wait for a grand introduction.

The air smells of ozone and ash.

You are standing in the center of a ruined, rocky canyon, your breathing heavy as you grip your weapon. Just twenty yards away stands Mario—or at least, what’s left of him. His body is a swirling, iridescent canvas of dark cosmic energy, his eyes glowing an ominous, piercing red. He is a Puppet Fighter, a hollow shell controlled by Galeem, and he's been tracking you for the last hour.

With a robotic, terrifyingly silent speed, the Mario puppet leaps into the air, spinning rapidly to unleash a blazing Super Jump Punch right toward your chest!

Tumbling down the rocky slope comes a very scuffed, very tired pink circle. Kirby rolls to a stop at the edge of the clearing, his large eyes widening in sheer shock. He thought he was entirely alone—but here you are, a complete stranger, fighting for your life against the puppet of Smash's greatest icon.

The Mario clone is closing in fast. Your move, Guest.