Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
North American box art for the Wii U version of the game. The cover of the Nintendo 3DS version (not pictured) features different members of the roster.
Developer(s)	Sora Ltd. Bandai Namco Games
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Director(s)	Masahiro Sakurai
Producer(s)	Shinya Saito Masaya Kobayashi
Composer(s)	Keiki Kobayashi Junichi Nakatsuru Hiroki Hashimoto Hiroyuki Kawada Eriko Sakurai Akihiko Ishikawa Yoshinori Hirai
Series	Super Smash Bros.
Platform(s)	Nintendo 3DS Wii U
Release date(s)	Nintendo 3DS JP September 13, 2014[1] NA October 3, 2014[2] EU October 3, 2014[2] AUS October 4, 2014[3] Wii U NA November 21, 2014 EU November 28, 2014 AUS November 29, 2014[4] JP December 6, 2014[5]
Genre(s)	Fighting
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS^{[Note 1]} and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U^{[Note 2]} are fighting video games developed by Sora Ltd. and Bandai Namco Games, with assistance from tri-Crescendo,^[6] and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U game consoles. Despite being similarly titled games, even with almost similar content, the two titles are officially considered the fourth and fifth installments, respectively, in the Super Smash Bros. series of games by creator and game director Masahiro Sakurai.^[7]

Like the rest of the series, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U are non-traditional fighting games where players use different attacks to weaken their opponents and knock them out of an arena. The games are crossover titles that feature characters, items, music, and stages from various Nintendo franchises, including Mario, Donkey Kong, Pokémon, Fire Emblem, Kirby, Metroid, Star Fox, The Legend of Zelda and Kid Icarus, as well as from several third-party franchises, including Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog, Capcom's Mega Man and Street Fighter, Bandai Namco's Pac-Man, Square-Enix's Final Fantasy, and PlatinumGames'/Sega's Bayonetta. New features include having up to eight players fighting at a time on the Wii U, support for Amiibo, using Miis as fighters, post-release downloadable content including new fighters and stages, and customizable special moves unlockable for every non-DLC character. Some older features were removed, such as the story mode in the predecessor game Brawl.

A sequel to Brawl was announced at E3 2011, but development did not begin until 2012 and the game's official unveiling did not come until E3 2013. The gameplay was designed to be somewhere between that of the faster, more competition-oriented Melee and the slower, more casual-friendly Brawl. The 3DS version was released in Japan in September 2014, and in North America, Europe, and Australia in October 2014. The Wii U version was released in North America, Europe, and Australia in November 2014, and in Japan in December 2014.

Critics applauded the fine-tuning of existing Super Smash Bros. gameplay elements, but criticized some issues with online play. Both versions sold well, with the 3DS version selling over 7.92 million copies worldwide as of December 2015, and the Wii U version selling over 4.61 million copies during the same period of time.

Gameplay

Like in previous games in the series, Super Smash Bros. is a multiplayer fighting game in which the players use various attacks, techniques, and items to deal damage to their opponents and knock their opponents out of the arena. As a character's damage percentage increases, they fly back further when attacked, and may eventually be knocked far enough out of the playing field to be knocked out. To assist players during fights, items sometimes appear on the battlefield, most of which represent the various video games represented in the series. An item called a Smash Ball allows players to use a powerful, character-specific attack, otherwise known as the "Final Smash".^[8] Another item is an Assist Trophy, which summons various non-playable characters from a represented series onto the field to assist the summoner.^[9][10] Both of which were previously introduced in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Like its predecessors, Super Smash Bros. features collectible in-game trophies based on characters or items seen in various Nintendo or third-party games.^[11] Each stage now features an alternate Omega form, which replaces the stage's layout with a flat surface and removes all stage hazards.^[12] Certain stages, collectible trophies, and Assist Trophies are exclusive to each version of game, with the Wii U version primarily featuring elements taken from console titles and the 3DS version taking elements primarily from handheld games. Both games feature revisited stages from past entries in the series.^[8][11][13]

New to the series is the ability to customize both existing characters and custom Mii Fighters, altering their attacks and giving them unique power-ups. These characters can be transferred between the 3DS and Wii U versions of the game, as well as certain items earned in specific modes. Additionally, players can use Amiibo figurines to train computer controlled players and import them into a match.^[14][15] Both versions of the game support local and online multiplayer. Whereas local and online matches with friends have fully customizable rules, online matches with strangers are divided into two modes: "For Fun" and "For Glory." For Fun features random stages and items, with time matches only and Omega stages omitted, while For Glory features stock matches with no items exclusively on Omega stages and features both Smash and 1-on-1 battles. Customized characters, Mii Fighters, and Amiibos cannot be used in online matches against strangers. Additionally, solo play once again features Classic mode, which features an intensity setting similar to Kid Icarus: Uprising, in which players can make the game more difficult in order to earn greater rewards. Both versions share two new modes. Target Blast has players beat up a ticking bomb before launching it into a set of targets, with the goal of earning as many points as possible by causing chain reactions.^[16][17] Trophy Rush has players smash crates to build up a Fever meter and earn new trophies and customization items.

In addition to a moderation system to prevent griefing, the game features an online ranking system called "Global Smash Power" for a player's solo mode score, which shows how many other players someone has outscored, rather than listing their position on a leaderboard. Although the game does not feature a ranking system for online matches, matchmaking between players of similar skill levels was introduced.^[18] Online also features Spectator Mode, where spectators can place bets on other players to win more gold, and Conquest, in which players can support selected characters by playing as them online, earning rewards if their supported team wins, and earning bonus rewards for going on a win streak.^[19]

Platform-specific features

The Nintendo 3DS version features stereoscopic 3D graphics with optional cel-shaded outlines to make the characters more visible.^[20] The game also features two exclusive modes; Smash Run and StreetSmash. Smash Run, based on the City Trial mode from Kirby Air Ride, has players navigate an open environment, fighting computer-controlled enemies to earn stat-increasing power-ups, before facing each other in a randomly selected match,^[21] such as vertical or horizontal races against each other or battles with various special rules. StreetSmash is a StreetPass-based game in which players control a disc and attempt to knock their opponents out of the arena.^[22] The 3DS version supports the additional controls featured on the New Nintendo 3DS, such as using the C-Stick to trigger Smash Attacks, but is not compatible with the Circle Pad Pro peripheral because of hardware limitations.^[23]

The Wii U version features high-definition graphics and a special mode that allows up to eight players simultaneously. This mode is restricted to certain larger stages and cannot be played online.^[24] Various modes from the 3DS version, such as Classic mode, feature various changes in the Wii U version, with some modes allowing two players to play co-operatively, or as a team. The Wii U version also features three exclusive new game modes; Smash Tour, Special Orders, and Event mode. Smash Tour is a board game-type mode in which up to four players assemble a team of fighters that they pick up on the board. Players have the ability to change size of board, number of turns, and choose if they want to have custom characters on the board (not including Miis).You can earn stat increasing power-ups, triggering various battles and events along the way. Special Orders is a series of challenges set by Master Hand and Crazy Hand, which players can attempt to earn rewards.Each time you win a battle, your award will get bigger, but if you lose, you lose all of your prizes, too. In event mode, 1 or two players can play in challenges, moving along by winning. Nothing happens if you lose.. The Wii U version has vast compatibility with controllers; Wii U GamePad, Wii Remote, Wii Remote and Nunchuk, Classic Controller, Classic Controller Pro, Wii U Pro Controller, GameCube controller through GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U, and the Nintendo 3DS systems (using either a copy of the 3DS version, or a Smash Controller app released on June 14, 2015).^[25][26] Returning features unique to this version include Special Smash, allowing for unique rules, Stage Builder and Photo mode, which allow players to create personalized stages and dioramas, and demo versions of classic games. An update on April 15, 2015 added content-sharing features,^[27] with a Miiverse stage added for free on June 14, 2015. An update released on July 31, 2015 added an online tournament mode.^[28]

Playable characters

Wii U gameplay featuring (from left to right) Sonic, Mario, Bowser, and Mega Man.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U features a roster of 58 playable characters (51 on-disc and 7 available as downloadable content) taken from both Nintendo's first-party franchises and some third-party franchises, including returning character Sonic the Hedgehog. The base game includes 19 newcomers to the series: the Wii Fit Trainer, Animal Crossing's Villager, Rosalina and Bowser Jr. from the Mario series, Little Mac from Punch-Out!!, Greninja from Pokémon X and Y, Palutena and Dark Pit from Kid Icarus: Uprising, Lucina and Robin from Fire Emblem Awakening, Shulk from Xenoblade Chronicles, the dog and duck duo from Duck Hunt, Capcom's Mega Man, Bandai Namco's Pac-Man, and the Mii Fighter, which can be customized with one of three play styles: Brawler, Swordfighter, and Gunner.

Some characters such as Wii Fit Trainer and Bowser Jr. have multiple variations, such as different genders and alternate character skins, which are selected in the same manner as alternate colors. Some returning fighters who could change forms during a match in previous titles are now playable solely as individual characters. As such, Zelda, Sheik, Samus, and Zero Suit Samus are now all individual fighters, along with Charizard, who was previously included alongside the now-absent Squirtle and Ivysaur in the Pokémon Trainer's team in Brawl. Dr. Mario, a fighter based on Mario who first appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee, makes his return to the roster after his absence in Brawl. The Ice Climbers were originally planned for inclusion, but were removed due to the technical limitations of the 3DS. Wolf O'Donnell and Solid Snake are also absent following their appearances in the previous game.^[29]

Downloadable characters

In addition to the main roster, seven additional characters, including three returning characters and four newcomers, were released as downloadable content between April 2015 and February 2016. Mewtwo, who last appeared in Melee, was released on April 28, 2015, but was made available on April 15, 2015 for Club Nintendo members who purchased and registered both 3DS and Wii U versions of the game before March 31, 2015.^{[30][31][32][33][34]} Roy from Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade and Lucas from Mother 3, who last appeared in Melee and Brawl respectively, along with Ryu from Capcom's Street Fighter franchise, were released on June 14, 2015.^{[35][36][37][38]} Cloud Strife from Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII was released on December 15, 2015.^[39] Finally, Corrin from Fire Emblem Fates and Bayonetta from Sega's Bayonetta series were released on February 3, 2016 in North America and in Europe and Japan on February 4, 2016. ^[40] Bayonetta was chosen as the overall winner among "realizable" characters in a player-nominated ballot which ran between April 1, 2015 and October 3, 2015, ranking first in Europe and among the top five in North America.^{[41][42][43][44]}

Development

Former Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata first announced that a new Super Smash Bros. game was planned for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U at E3 2011 in June 2011, but development only officially began following the completion of series creator Masahiro Sakurai's other project, Kid Icarus: Uprising, in March 2012.^[45][46] The game was later revealed to be a joint-project between Sora Ltd. and Bandai Namco Games, with various staff members from Bandai Namco's Soulcalibur and Tekken series assisting Sakurai in development.^[47][48][49] Sakurai, who was previously the sole person responsible for balance in the series' multiple fighters, has involved more staff to further improve the game's competitive balance.^[50] The game was officially revealed at E3 2013 on June 11, 2013, during a Nintendo Direct.^[51] Along with screenshots being posted each weekday on the game's official website and Miiverse community,^[52] various cinematic trailers were released, introducing each of the brand new fighters. Sakurai chose to use these trailers, which benefit from Internet sharing, as opposed to including a story campaign similar to the Subspace Emissary mode featured in Brawl, as he believed the impact of seeing the mode's cinematic cutscenes for the first time was ruined by people uploading said scenes to video sharing websites.^[53][54]

At E3 2013, Sakurai stated that the tripping mechanic introduced in Brawl had been omitted, with him also stating that the gameplay was between the fast-paced and competitive style of Melee and the slower and more casual style of Brawl.^[55] While the game does not feature cross-platform play between the Wii U and 3DS, due to each version featuring certain exclusive stages and gamemodes, there is the option to transfer customized characters and items between the two versions.^[56] The game builds upon the previous game's third-party involvement with the addition of third-party characters such as Capcom's Mega Man and Bandai Namco's Pac-Man, as well as the return of Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog. This involvement expands beyond playable characters, as other third-party characters, such as Ubisoft's Rayman, are also included in the game as trophies.^[57] The addition of Mii characters was made in response to the growing number of requests from fans to have their dream characters included in the game. To prevent potential bullying, as well as to maintain game balance online, Mii Fighters cannot be used in online matches against strangers.^[58] The decision to release the Wii U version at a later date from the 3DS version was made to allow each version to receive a dedicated debugging period.^[59] Hardware limitations on the Nintendo 3DS led to various design choices, such as the removal of mid-match transformations, the lack of Circle Pad Pro support,^[60] and the absence of the Ice Climbers, who were previously playable in both Melee and Brawl.^[61]

In late August 2014, a series of allegedly leaked photos and videos of the 3DS version were uploaded to the Internet, revealing at the time several unannounced fighters. The original videos were removed shortly thereafter citing a copyright claim by Nintendo of America.^[62][63][64] These leaks were confirmed on September 11, 2014 when various gamers in Japan and Taiwan obtained the 3DS version two days prior to its release date and streamed footage of the game on Twitch.^[65]

Music

Like previous games in the series, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U features many original and re-arranged tracks from various different gaming franchises. Both versions have multiple musical tracks that can be selected and listened to using the "My Music" feature, including pieces taken directly from earlier Super Smash Bros. titles. The 3DS version features less music altogether than the Wii U version however, and only has two songs per stage because of size limitations.^[66] The 3DS version also has a "Play in Sleep Mode" option, allowing players to listen to the game's music from the sound menu whilst the system is in sleep mode.^[67]

On August 22, 2014, the Super Smash Bros. website revealed the list of composers and arrangers for the game. Various well known video game composers and musicians such as Masashi Hamauzu, Yuzo Koshiro, Yasunori Mitsuda, Motoi Sakuraba, Yoko Shimomura, Mahito Yokota, Akari Kaida, Michiru Yamane, Koji Kondo, Kazumi Totaka, and Hiroshi Okubo, among many others, contributed new arrangements for the game.^[68] The original score was created by Bandai Namco's in-house sound team.^[68]

A two-disc promotional soundtrack, featuring certain selections from the game, was available for Club Nintendo members who registered both versions of the game before January 13, 2015.^[69]

Release

In an announcement for the Super Smash Bros. Invitational, a tournament which was held at E3 2014, Nintendo revealed an official GameCube controller adapter for the Wii U, which allows players to use GameCube controllers with the game,^[70] as well as a Smash Bros. themed game controller. The adapter and controllers were released alongside the game and are also available separately, but vary depending on the region.^[71][72]

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS was released in Japan on September 13, 2014, in North America and Europe on October 3, 2014, and in Australia on October 4, 2014.^[1][2][73] A playable demo was released on the Nintendo eShop on September 10, 2014, in Japan^[74] and on September 19, 2014, in North America and Europe.^[2][75] Select Club Nintendo Platinum members in North America and Europe received early access to the 3DS demo which, unlike the public demo of the game, had an unlimited number of plays.^[76] The Wii U version was released in North America on November 21, 2014, in Europe on November 28, 2014, in Australia on November 29, 2014, and in Japan on December 6, 2014.^[77][78] Bundles containing Amiibo figures were available at launch, with plans to eventually release figures of every fighter, including downloadable ones.^[79][80]

On April 15, 2015, a software update was released, adding the ability to purchase additional content, such as playable characters, new stages and Mii Fighter costumes, and addressing some balancing issues in the game. It also enabled online sharing of photos, Mii fighters, replays and custom stages.^[81] An update released on July 31, 2015, added an online tournament mode and the ability to upload replays to YouTube.^[28] A Smash Controller app released on Nintendo eShop on June 14, 2015, allows players to use the Nintendo 3DS as a controller for the Wii U version without needing a copy of the 3DS version.^[82]

Reception

Reception

Review scores Publication Score 3DS Wii U AllGame [83] [84] Destructoid 9/10[85] 9.5/10[86] Eurogamer 7/10[87] 8/10[88] Famitsu 37 of 40[89] N/A Game Informer 9.25/10[90] 9.75/10[91] Game Revolution [92] [93] GameSpot 8/10[94] 9/10[95] GamesRadar [96] [97] GameTrailers 7.4/10[98] 8.5/10[99] IGN 8.8/10[100] 9.8/10[101] Joystiq [102] [103] Nintendo Life 9/10[104] 9/10[105] Polygon 9/10[106] 9.5/10[107] Hardcore Gamer 4.5/5[108] 4.5/5[109] Aggregate scores GameRankings 86.10%[110] 92.39%[111] Metacritic 85/100[112] 92/100[113]

Reviews for the 3DS version have been positive, with a current rating of 85/100 on Metacritic and 86.10% on GameRankings.^[110][112] The game has been praised for its large and diverse character roster, its improvements to game mechanics, and its variety of multiplayer options. Some criticisms include a lack of single player modes and issues concerning the 3DS hardware, such as the size of characters on the smaller screen when zoomed out and latency issues during both local and online multiplayer.^[96][114] There were also reports of players damaging their 3DS Circle Pads while playing the game excessively.^[115][116] The 3DS version sold over a million copies in its first weekend on sale in Japan,^[117] and had sold more than 3.22 million copies worldwide as of October 2014.^[118]

Meanwhile, the Wii U version has received critical acclaim, with a Metacritic score of 92/100^[113] and a GameRankings score of 92.39%,^[111] being among the highest reviewed games of 2014, and getting higher ratings than the 3DS version on every website that reviewed both games. The game was lauded by improving everything the 3DS version offered, its inclusion of the new 8-player mode, and significantly improving the online experience.

Daniel Bischoff of Game Revolution states that "It's true that Super Smash Bros. evolves every time with regard to new features, items, and characters to choose from. While your favorite character may not return or a few annoying pickups may force you to turn off items altogether, this represents the biggest leap forward Smashers have seen yet."^[93] Daniel Starkey at GameSpot criticized the inconsistent online performance in the game, but still called it an "incredible game", noting "With the Wii U release, Smash Bros. has fully realized its goals."^[95] Jose Otero from IGN, praising the replay value of the game, states "Nearly every aspect of Smash Wii U seems fine-tuned not only to appeal to the nostalgia of long-time Nintendo fans, but also to be accessible to new players."^[101]

Sales

In 2014, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS sold over two million physical and digital copies in the United States.^[119] In Japan, nearly 2,190,000 copies had been sold six months after release.^[120]

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U became the fastest-selling Wii U game in the U.S., with 490,000 physical and digital copies sold during its first three days of availability, beating the record previously held by Mario Kart 8.^[121] By the end of 2014, the number sold had increased to over 1.3 million.^[119] By the end of March 2015, 1.6 million units had been sold.^[122]

As of December 31, 2015, the 3DS version has sold 7.92 million copies worldwide,^[123] while the Wii U version has sold 4.61 million copies worldwide.^[124]

Accolades

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Notes

References

External links

• Official website

Super Smash Bros. series Games Super Smash Bros. Melee Brawl 3DS / Wii U Developers HAL Laboratory Sora Ltd. Masahiro Sakurai Game Arts Bandai Namco Games Fan games Project M Super Smash Flash Super Smash Bros. Crusade Super Smash Land Community Smashboards Evolution Championship Series Apex The Smash Brothers