Is This It for Super Smash Bros

When Nintendo unveiled Super Smash Bros Ultimate at E3 2018, my first reaction was, “Is this it for Smash Bros?” In a game that promises to feature all the fighters from past titles, as well as stages from past titles, should we expect this release to be the swan song for the franchise. While I feel that Super Smash Bros will continue as Nintendo launches more systems, there is plenty of evidence to say that isn’t going to happen.

This launch is the complete package. All the fighters, many of the stages, and much more is all coming together to give gamers the ultimate Smash Bros experience. Hence the title, Super Smash Bros Ultimate. How do you go up from here without drastically changing the course of the franchise. It’s not like Mario Kart, where you could argue that Nintendo could ditch that franchise in favor of a Nintendo Kart. This is already the Nintendo Kart of fighting games, and has been around for decades. So I ask again, where can Nintendo go from here?

Th way I see Nintendo handling this franchise over the next few generation or so of Nintendo consoles is much like how Mario Kart has been handled. Mario Kart 8 was released on the Wii U on May 29th, 2014, 4 years ago just a few weeks back. The game was remastered for the Nintendo Switch in 2017, giving extra legs to that franchise, and to that title. When are we likely to see the next Mario Kart experience? While I want to say 2019, my gut says 2020. That’ll be 6 long years since hte last true Mario Kart release.

And this is where Super Smash is heading. Even if Nintendo develps and launches another console in the next few years, Super Smash likely won’t get a new release. Instead, we will see Super Smash Bros Ultimate Deluxe edition. All the content from the original game, plus any DLC that will inevitably get released.

Do you think Smash Bros is done after this? Or how long till we get a new release? Let’s chat over on Twitter!