Super Smash Brothers 2014 – Preview

Yesterday was the official Super Smash Bros Nintendo Direct. The goal was to lay the final foundations for both the 3DS and Wii U games before their launches in Summer 2014 and Winter 2014 respectively. Below is the full Nintendo Direct. Today we’re going to look at what was announced.

I’ve always enjoyed the Smash Bros franchise, but have never been really excited about one, at least not until now. The direct was loaded with game play video, ranging from a look at the levels, bosses, characters and items that will be available in the game.

Pokemon shone during this direct, and rightfully so. Pokemon has been one of Nintendo’s bestselling franchises of all time, and past Smash Bros games have limited the number of Pokemon related characters and items. Not so in this latest version. Players will see X and Y exclusive Mega-Evolved Charizard and Fennekin, among others. A number of surprises await players when they throw a Pokeball item as well, as any number of Pokemon will come out of it. Perhaps an Eevee will appear to tackle your opponents, or Staryu ready to slice your opponents in half.

A lot of work has been put into this game. There are more relevant, fan favourite characters, more items, and more levels than ever before. And it all looks gorgeous. While the 3DS version understandably lacks the quality that the Wii U edition will have, it still looks great, running at 60 frames per second on 3DS. And the Wii U version will boast the best graphics the Wii U has ever seen. Characters are incredibly detailed with appropriate shadowing, making them feel more real and less dull. Instead of seeing a solid shirt of red on Mario, the colors will vary depending on the movement of Mario, the movement of those around him, and where he is on the map. It is also nice to see Yoshi receive a real pair of legs; in previous games, he seemed to glide across screens rather than actually walk. Like the detailed character shading, this is yet another example of the time and commitment the Smash Bros Team has incorporated into the game to make it shine as one of the consoles best.

This game also boasts a lot of depth, ranging from single player, local couch co-op, and what is being sold as a potentially revolutionary online experience where your ranking is based on your score in relation to others, and not on how much you’ve played. I’m not sure I fully understand how this system will work or how it ranks you, and this information will probably not be explicitly talked about until a test of the system is completed. I wonder how accurately this game will pair you up with players of similar skill online, especially if they are using their new ranking system, which bases your ranking on the number of others player’s scores you have beat. The higher the number the better the player, at least theoretically. Only time will tell how well this system will work.

The Nintendo Direct does leave a few unanswered questions. What does single player look like? Will there potentially be DLC? However, for any worried about this title, or perhaps unsure of where it was heading, I believe that all worry should be abandoned. Nintendo has incorporated characters from across the Nintendo universe, and placed them in themes from Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing, and many more. It’s time to get excited, because Nintendo has done it again. Now to wait these last few months!

This preview has only scratched the surface of what Nintendo has to offer. Watch the direct and form your own opinions. I will be pre-ordering a copy of this game so I can join in the fight on day one. Will this be a must have for you?