Gonna drop a question to get a discussion going.
If modes like Break the Targets, Home-Run Contest, Smash Run, Stage Builder and basically all the single-player modes that weren't confirmed didn't come back for Ultimate... how would you react?
I'm pretty sure we aren't getting any of those anyway so...
I don't think HRC, Smash Run and Stage Builder are huge losses, those were modes that were mostly played to unlock stuff and moved on. Especially HRC. Stage Builder was too barebones to be any good and to make it an actual worthwhile mode they'd have to spend an ungodly amount of time on it, time they could spend on actual stages from select franchises. Smash Run was okay, but I personally don't care much for it. It was better than Tour but that's not saying much.
Break The Targets is the biggest loss, but let's face it, they were never gonna make 70+ unique BTT stages and if they're not doing that then I'd rather not have the mode at all. Because Brawl's version was boring as hell and Smash 4 just turned it into Angry Birds. No thanks. Board The Platforms could've been a neat one to bring back, but again, they weren't gonna make 70+ unique stages.
I think them realizing Event Match was the best Single Player mode they've always had and expanding on that concept was the best way to go, including bringing back fully fledged boss fights which were the best part of the SSE. Even if it was at the cost of trimming the fat in a couple areas and modes.