Gamers Beware! A New Challenger Approaches!

“Super Smash Bros.” is Nintendo’s take on a fighting game, but instead of a health system, the player’s objective is to knock their opponent off the stage. The original installment featured eight characters with four unlockable characters from the Nintendo Universe.

Now, the roster consists of 74 characters from Nintendo and other companies like Capcom Co. Ltd, known for creating games such as “Street Fighter”, “Mega Man”, “Resident Evil”, and more. This means a plethora of different combat styles are available to players.

The game also includes 5 downloadable content (DLC) characters, a feature introduced in “Super Smash Bros.” for the Wii U and 3DS. While 74 (79 including DLC) characters may seem overwhelming, players are sure to find one they enjoy using the most.

Along with 11 cut characters from previous games, 11 new characters were also announced during Nintendo Direct, Nintendo’s method for updating players on official news. There are also 103 game stages, with each stage boasting an “omega” and “battlefield” form. Over 300 stages are available to play from day 1.

                  Also announced for the game is a new story mode, The World of Light. The World of Light game mode converts the fighting game into a role-playing type video game, for those that prefer to play alone. The player navigates around a world map, rescuing fallen characters after the events of the opening cutscene. At the end of the mode, players must fight and defeat the main villain of the story.

Also introduced in The World of Light is the new Spirits System, which replaces the rather useless Collector Trophies from previous games. Along with providing background information for different characters throughout Nintendo history, Spirits can be used to power up the fighter during the campaign. Spirits can be collected and equipped to the player, granting them abilities based on the character the spirit resembles.

While the system may seem confusing at first, it is a subtle nod to the lore of Nintendo’s massive library of games. In reference to the game mode itself, fans familiar with the Subspace Emissary story mode from “Super Smash Bros. Brawl” will not be disappointed by The World of Light.

Whether or not “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” is the last for series director Masahiro Sakurai remains to be seen. Sakurai, also the creator of the Kirby franchise, has pondered the idea of retirement since 2015.

Sakurai has stated that “it was very tough this time around…”, referring to the development of “Super Smash Bros.” Wii U and 3DS.  “I doubt I’ll be able to go on making games if it continues like this. But, I consider myself lucky that so many people seem to enjoy [Smash Bros.]”

Whether this is Sakurai’s last game or not, the latest title is the ultimate culmination of all Nintendo history. Controls are as fluid as they’ve ever been, and characters are even more balanced, so players don’t feel as if they are setting themselves up for failure by picking a specific character.

 As a game that almost anyone can have fun with, whether casual or competitive, “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” is, in fact, the ultimate fighting game.