Gaming NEW CHALLENGERS APPROACHING: Super Smash Bros. [Ultimate]

I think it just takes practice- there's a lot of characters and stages to learn how to counter/take advantage of. But then my win rate wouldn't be much better anyways .

 

Someone on FB spoiled the surprise for me ahead of time but it's still an interesting inclusion (at the very least, adds another sword fighter to the roster). Kinda sticks the middle finger to PS All-Stars, hehe.

I'm assuming the big Smash video announcement for Dec will be the ballot winner.

 

Recent Melee tournament match that has been getting a lot of "best match ever!"-type attention. This level of technical skill is beyond me but I was able to follow the gist of it but, of course, it moves really fast. Some nice come from behind moments though.

 

Yes but was there a Wombo Combo?

 

IT IS UPON US ONCE AGAIN!

 

Oh, GCN controllers will almost certainly be an option- Nintendo already unknowingly made GCN controllers functional via the Wii U's GCN USB adapter during a system software update a few months ago. And just for the pro/tourney support I can't see them dropping it on the port of a game that already supported it. That'll continue the GCN controller's domination of now lasting 4 console generations over 17 years (though ultimately it'll be longer since the Switch will obviously be around for at least another 4-5 years).

I actually only just realized a couple months ago how loose the analog stick is on my original black GCN controller- no doubt the victim of Smash 4. It flops around like a Sony controller stick. I need to get around to testing it to see if it harms gameplay. Worst case scenario I'll have to shift to one of my backups, but I'll miss the original black. Maybe I'll invest in one of those black Smash-branded ones if they bring them back again- let the mark be a reminder of the game that finally conquered the king.

As for the game itself- I agree that this is almost certainly a port, just with some extra players and levels (besides Splatoon & the Inklings, I'd expect SMO & BOTW content to be included, even if they're only costume additions). Recall that Smash 4 was on the short list a couple years ago of 4 games said to being looked into getting ported to the Switch. We already got MK8 & Splatoon (albeit the latter as a full sequel), with Smash and Mario Maker being the other half of the list, so it would track and stand to reason that they're spreading the Wii U ports out over the first couple years.

 

Learn the basic (but specific) controls/attacks so you can start getting more technical than just button mashing and power ups. Focusing on that really improved my game between Brawl and 4.

Don’t start off with any of the more advanced characters with more elaborate movesets. Start with the more basic characters while you practice the controls, then start exploring each character to see what those moves do with them.

Eventually you should be able narrow down the roster to the ones that best match your preferred styles of play and you can focus practicing on them.

Alternatively, train an amiibo (preferably one with the same character you like to play as). Eventually they’ll level up to be as good as you or better and make for a good practice session partner.

 

Looks dope. If I had any regrets about never getting a Wii U they've just been annihilated.

 

There are some stages [I think] and certain character looks [TP Ganon vs OOT Ganon] and moves [Landmaster Tank] that are not being carried over, so it doesn't entirely eliminate Smash 4's unique content. But, on the whole, it's certainly close enough.

 

Even though they didn't say it, I'd say Ultimate really is just a port of 4- just with added content and a few tweaks. It's probably more involved than just being a port but it doesn't seem like something built from scratch but rather just modifying 10% of the existing game and adding the extra content.

EDIT- Though Nintendo claims otherwise:

You’re calling this a new Smash. What makes it more than a port?

Trinen: My first answer is – has there ever been a port of a Smash Bros. game?

3DS and Wii U?

Trinen: They were developed in tandem.

Sakurai considers them separate entries, right?

Trinen: Yeah. Every Smash Bros. game is a new game. I think for me personally what really defines it as a new game is just the core change to the core mechanics. When you change the speed like that, that cascades through character motion, through the speed at which the various moves are coming out, the animations and whatnot, and you have to rebalance every character in the game, so then as a player, when you come in to start playing the game, you’re having to re-learn every character in the game. Essentially when those core mechanics are new, then the game becomes new. Then, as you saw, in addition to changing the core mechanics you’ve got characters that have new models, characters that have new moves or dramatically changed moves. Changes to even the final smashes and the speed in which those happen to match the tempo of the game and things like that. To me, overall, once you’ve changed that core mechanic, you really are looking at a new game.​

 

Yeah I remember when Brawl came out and everyone was blown away by how different the combat was; how the characters were weighted especially changed the gameplay dynamics.

 

Probably a combination of it simply looking like Smash 4 play (there's not a noticeable difference in how it looks/plays compared to S4 vs the jumps between Melee to Brawl or Brawl to 4) and it being on that early short list of Wi U games said to be being ported to Switch (Splatoon, Smash, Mario Kart, Mario Maker). In other words, if we were told this was a port (with added features), you'd have no reason to believe otherwise.

However, even though it's not noticeably different, the tweaks to the gameplay will certainly affect things. Being able to KO an assist trophy and have that affect the owner, for example, or the slightly faster speed and air dodge directions, etc.

EDIT- In retrospect, probably the reason so much of today's Direct was dedicated to Smash's mechanics and changes was to make it clear it isn't just a simple port. So that's actually pretty savvy of Nintendo to anticipate that reaction and at least try to address/minimize it.

 

That's pretty fair, lol.

Then again, I never really considered SF2 Turbo, Super SF2, SF2 CE, etc new games and they basically did the same thing.

On a sidenote, it's pretty cool that Zelda's outfit is her ALBW outfit, since that's effectively a variation of her ALTTP form.