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In the tournament mode, players battle against each other in turns. Several options can be chosen for tournaments, including:
-The number of competitors in a tournament (ranging from 4-64 (32 in Brawl), in two or four player tournaments and 6-27 in three player tournaments).
-The number of computers and humans in a tournament.
-How many players fight in each tournament match (In Melee, the number of players only go up when the certain number of controllers is inserted. When there are four controllers inserted, two to four players fight in each match, when there are three controllers inserted, two to three players fight in each match, and when there are one or two controllers inserted, two players fight in each match).
-How stages are selected.
-The CPU level of computer players (Levels 1-9 as well as a random option)
-Individual custom rules for matches.
In Brawl, there are some more options such as:
-Handicap for individual players and computers.
-Set a player to "Drop out" computers that will automatically drop out when their match comes so that people can play with uneven amounts of players.
-One can switch between Samus-Zero Suit Samus, Zelda-Sheik and Pokémon Trainer and his pokémon by using "-" on a Wii remote, Left Control Stick on Classic Controller, C on Wii remote + Nunchuck, and the C Stick on Gamecube Controller.