Why do people think that smash isn't a fighting game?

[DipKitsune]

It's the best fighting game series out there.

 

[Knitkap]

Theres a lot of casuals who only play it as a party game
When there told that people play competitively they assume that "what.. no this game isn't made for that its not Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat.. thats Dumb"
Its a "Party game"
if they gave competitive play a try they might reconsider

 

[Nathan Richardson]

Honestly, like a post said earlier it IS a fighting game. However it's a fighting game with party game elements. The fact that you can have eight players on stage at once, not to mention the items, random stage obstacles, etc. Make it seem like a 'party game' but the characters are beating the living daylights out of each other first and foremost, all the party stuff is secondary.