The Ultimate Smash
Nintendo’s presence at E3 was a masterclass in focusing on what’s important. Their massive booth consisted of rows and rows of demo stations for the games fans are most excited for. Pokemon Let’s Go and Fortnite both had a strong presence, but the gigantic display towering over the entire area was utilized for live feed of matches being played on one game only: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The feeling in Nintendo’s corner of the convention was that of a sporting event. Unified gasps and cheers were commonplace, and for good reason. The latest entry in the Smash Brothers series is looking to be the e-sports juggernaut Nintendo fans deserve.
Those who have kept up with the series have likely noticed the change in design that occurred after the release of Super Smash Bros. Melee in 2001. The GameCube launch title was an unforgiving, fast-paced proving ground for the most dexterous of gamers. The game has been accused of being unbalanced, and rightfully so. There’s a reason that the meme “No items, fox only, final destination” exists. Fans had to create their own methods of balancing the game, and the resulting community of competitive players have clung to Melee even as newer titles were released.
Appealing to Competitive Players
The series’ creator, Masahiro Sakurai perfectly illustrated the reason for this divide in the game’s fanbase in a statement he made four years ago: “If you want to enjoy thrilling tactical gameplay, you might be better suited for other 2D fighting games.” However, the newest entry in the series has made changes to bring hardcore and casual fans together again. New additions like perfect shielding, a system which allows perfectly timed blocks to be followed up with a counter attack, are more reminiscent of Melee-era Smash Bros. Additionally, directional air dodging is back. It’s something which fans of wave-dashing in Melee will surely be excited for (although the distances of slides after wave-dashing have been reduced).
Hardcore fans will also be pleased with the addition of score updates after each kill. This feature should increase the drama for players and spectators alike. Stage hazards can be toggled on or off, reducing the need for competitive matches to take place on the final destination map. The game’s gravity has been adjusted to reduce overall air-time, and creating a noticeable speed increase in the game’s pacing.
Every Smash Character…Ever
Nintendo has provided both new and nostalgic reasons to be excited. This even applies to fans who aren’t interested in the competitive side of the game. While the demo on the show floor only contained 20 characters, the final release will include 60. In addition to new characters, like Splatoon’s inklings and Metroid’s Ridley (who plays like an amalgamation of Star Wolf and Ganondorf), every previous Smash Bros. character will be included. The jumbo screen at Nintendo’s booth would occasionally show a panoramic image of the full collection of characters, and it was truly something to behold.
The show floor demo also revealed a pair of new stages. The first was based on Splatoon, while the other centered around a shrine from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Interestingly, the stage selection came before character selection. While this might have been to facilitate the selection of new characters between matches for those playing the demo, it’s a surprisingly jarring change after years of making selections in the opposite order.
Playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was a joy, and even though the game isn’t finished, it’s clear that Nintendo is listening to the community. This isn’t just a graphically upgraded release of the same game. Casual fans will have the opportunity to play as any character from previous releases, as well as some new ones. Hardcore fans can delight in techniques like dash-dancing and wave-dashing to infuriate their opponents. Nintendo has shown that the desires of its fans have not fallen on deaf ears. Casual and hardcore gamers alike should clear their schedules for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on December 7th for the Nintendo Switch.
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