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Depending on the settings set in the menu, the frequencies and types of items appearing can be altered. Items are also an important component of the game.
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Players are invincible for a short amount of time after they exit the platform. Players can exit by either moving, jumping, or waiting a few seconds. Players regenerate on a descending floating platform at the center of the stage, unless they have no lives left. In time mode, this results in a loss of one point, while in stock mode, this counts as a loss of one life. Getting defeated by an opponent is called a "KO". The objective of the game is to knock out opponents from the screen so they cannot return to the stage or knocking out opponents off the top of the screen, so that they turn into a star. As players' percentage gets higher, players are blown further away with each attack. Players starts at 0% damage and with each hit they take, the percentage rises depending on how powerful the attack is. Rather than each player having a life gauge that begins full and gradually decreases with each attack taken, Super Smash Bros. has a considerably different fighting style than other fighting games. Donkey Kong is turned into a star, while Mario is awarded a point for his KO and Donkey Kong has lost a point.
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