Our first glimpse into what we can expect from the upcoming iteration of the Super Smash Bros. franchise occurred at this year’s E3, where Nintendo aired its first Smash-heavy Direct. Since this event, Nintendo has slowly been releasing information on the title, whether it be through their “pic-of -the-day” or the Special Interview series with Game Director Masahiro Sakurai. In the first installment of this series, Mr. Sakurai delved into his philosophy in creating the newest iteration of the Smash series.
In referring to the previous versions of the game, Mr. Sakurai states the following:
I do feel that Melee may have been geared a bit too much towards a core audience. We made Brawl when the Wii came out. At that time, games like Wii Fit became popular, attracting a lot of casual players that have never really touched a video game before, so we lowered the speed a bit so that those players can enjoy the game as well.
In this interview, Mr. Sakurai notes that Smash Ultimate strikes a balance between the franchise’s previous installments. While the game will not be creating a barrier to entry with advanced techniques such as “L-Canceling” – a mainstay in Super Smash Bros. Melee – it will have and increased tempo and more aggressive playstyle. This new game design is described by Mr. Sakurai as follows: “Our core thinking with this game – the best competition happens after everybody can properly control the character.”
Up to this point, we have received a great deal of information on the upcoming title through the two most recent Nintendo Directs. In these Directs, Mr. Sakurai has shown how the philosophy of an approachable yet competitive fighter is possible through the game’s mechanics, features, and game modes.
Game Mechanics
As Mr. Sakurai notes in the Special Interview series, Super Smash Bros. Brawl tried to attract a casual audience through mechanics that were intended to slow down the game’s pace – this could be seen in the notorious “tripping” mechanic, wherein fighters would randomly trip during a match. An eye towards casual gameplay was carried over to Super Smash Bros. Wii U –implemented through decreased rolling-lag and the introduction of Ledge Trumping, wherein players who were currently holding the stage’s ledge would be pushed off by another player.
Through the wealth of information we have received regarding the game, Mr. Sakurai highlights how Smash Ultimate will be curbing a passive and casual playstyle through the game’s new mechanics.
Features
This competitive attention to detail extends beyond the game’s mechanics and into many of the game’s features, which are brand new to the Super Smash Bros. franchise.
Game Modes
New game modes allow players to perfect their competitive craft and show off their skills in ways that were not possible in previous Smash games.
Smash fans old and new can test their skills in this revamped competitive arena when the game is released for Nintendo Switch on December 7th.
After many rumors and leaks, Call of Duty: Vanguard has been officially announced and will…
While Grand Theft Auto 6 is still years away from being released, it appears as…
For anyone who was looking forward to returning to Arcadia Bay next month (or visiting…
For anyone that was looking forward to continuing Aloy's journey this year, it looks like…
If you’re a fan of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you might have been wondering what…
At the end of June, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate got a new fighter in the…