Genre: Fighting
Year: 2014
Developed by: Bandai Namco Studios
Published by: Nintendo
Platforms: Wii U, 3DS
#137
Feeling Like: Ultimate Brawl
It’s tricky to go back and talk about Super Smash Bros for Wii U for a number of reasons. One, yes that’s the official name of the game and it is beyond terrible. I know I blast other game franchises for screwing up their numbering in a series, but at least they have names instead of descriptions.
Secondly, the Smash Bros. series is akin to Mario Kart in that the latest iteration is indisputably the best version. While nostalgia may reign supreme for when I’m reminiscing about playing multiplayer with buddies the amount of options, graphical fidelity and refined gameplay in Smash Bros. Ultimate and Mario Kart 8 cannot be denied. There’s a reason they may both be the last in their respective franchises for a very, very long time. Where do you go from the top?
Instead of going after the fundamentals of the series, or if it counts as a fighting game (I don’t really care if it does), I’ll try hone in on why Smash Bros. U made it this far up on the 500 and to me, there are three main reasons.
Primarily, the move to high definition graphics. The Smash series was always a frequent visual delight, as the mish mash of items, stages and characters from different worlds surprisingly looked like they all belonged in the same universe. Human characters standing next to genetically modified lightning-mice while avoiding a sentient ape wearing a tea is as sensible in the Smash world as it is ridiculous. But in Smash U, everything looks incredible. Every bomb thrown, every health % restored, every fracas on ice, every dodge under a lava tidal wave looks perfect and never has a drop in framerate. That’s the first time a Smash Bros. game can make that distinction. And when you’re playing with this many players simultaneously, you’ll need all the power under the hood you can get.
Secondarily, the sheer amount of choice. Each Smash seems to improve upon its predecessor with more fighters, but here is where it starts to become overwhelming. It’s hard to believe that in Super Smash Bros. for the N64, you started with eight possible choices with the final tally being 12 after unlocking Luigi, Ness, Captain Falcon and Jigglypuff. In Smash U. you can choose among 55.
55.
Each character has their own unique moveset, attack power, recovery ability, jumping prowess, taunts and ultimate attacks. Sure, some were mostly copies of others, but the scale of options is still staggering. You can even choose the frequency at which songs play on which stage and how often items show up in addition to the standard fare of selecting how many lives everybody gets, or how long the match lasts. If you want it, there’s a good chance Bandai/Namco and Nintendo gave it to you here.
Finally, and this is the big one, multiplayer matches could now have up to eight combatants simultaneously.
Eight!
This meant Smash parties, as you can see above.
Becky, Ian, Kyla, Dobbo, Jena, Jer, Matt and Melissa were kind enough to join us at our place we rented near Craigdarroch Castle. We just managed to squeeze everybody in, along with the giant whiteboard – one of my best purchases! Snacks and beer were a given to accompany the mayhem, and I do mean mayhem. I thought I would be comfortable in a setting with double the amount of players I was used to, but I was so wrong.
You can barely see what’s happening. There is just simply too much to focus on anything but yourself. The melee is completely incomprehensible unless you strain your attention to avoid everything thrown your way and hopefully land a punch or two. It’s a completely different experience, one that is both unforgiving and kind to newcomers; because 1 on 1 skill is thrown out the window, anybody can win. And everybody did win.
This led to non stop exclamations from the crowd, silly experimental match options, and overall mirth. It felt exactly like when I first played Super Smash Bros. 15 years prior. I never knew what was coming, I didn’t know every single fighter inside and out and I simply didn’t recognize how much fun we would all have in an evening of bevvies and brawling. What a wonderful surprise.
This Smash ended up being my least played in the series which led to a certain state of sadness. I could only imagine a reunion of all my core Smash Bros: Fuzzy, TD, Randy, Eric, Kasim and Aslam joining the fray alongside Dobbo and I. But those times are gone, and with Smash Ultimate taking center stage, it’s going to be a rare occurrence to take part in something like an 8-player Smash U. game again.
However, that’s what made those few nights so special and why it’s at spot # 137.
The 500 