The Subspace Emissary (Japanese: 亜空の使者 The Subspace Emissary) is a single-player game that is contained within Super Smash Bros. Brawl. It is a side-scrolling action game with a storyline that is said to emphasize character development. Most of the playable characters are protagonists, including Pokémon universe characters Pikachu, Pokémon Trainer, and Lucario. Jigglypuff also appears, but only after completing the game's plot and has no role in the storyline.
The characters form teams based on the development of the story. All hidden characters can be unlocked by simply playing through The Subspace Emissary, though three of them (including Jigglypuff) only appear through secret doors that appear after the main plot has been completed. A second player can join in at any time, though the camera will focus on player one. Like Classic Mode and All-Star mode, the difficulty level can be changed, but unlike those modes, the difficulty level can be altered after the challenge has begun.
In order to obtain trophies of the enemies in this game, the player must throw a Trophy Stand at them. This acts similarly to a Poké Ball, as it "captures" the opponent only when they are at low health. Trophy Stands also work against bosses, such as Rayquaza.
