It's been six LONG years since we've seen our beloved Nintendo all-stars duke it out. And the franchise has garnered SO much popularity that even...Sony came out with their own, though with less success. Well, lets dive into how the 4th entry holds up!
Right as you enter the game, you're greeted with a familiar title screen. [lol] Though unfortunately, no cinematic intro accompanied with an epic orchestral track this time around. But don't let that bother you, cause the moment you enter a match, the visuals are nothing short of crisp and detailed. Adding to that, is the 3D effect. Besides Super Mario 3D Land, this is probably the best I've seen on the 3DS. Characters and stages noticeably pop out from the background. The devs weren't lazy on the small touches either, such as the occasional leaf floating in front of the stage of Battlefield. For players who have a hard time keeping track of their character on the small 3DS screen, during a free-for-all with items flying ALL over the place, rest assured. Cause the devs added outlines on each character to make them stand out. You can even adjust the thickness.
Now lets talk about single player. There are the returning modes, like Home Run Contest, Multi-Man battles, All-Stars, and Classic Mode. Though Classic Mode is a tad different in which you get to choose your next opponent via fork roads. [lol] Aaaaand I hope you like Angry Birds, cause that's what Break the Targets is now...[sad] which I'm quite disappointed with, since it's basically a rehash of the Home Run Contest, just that it's a bomb instead of a sandbag.
Not making a return is the Subspace Emissary from Brawl. In fact, there's a lack of an adventure mode of any kind. According to Sakurai, the culprit was the popularity of video sharing, aaaand I guess I can understand. One of the few joys of being a creator, or in this case a developer, is to give players a sense of surprise with your work. With how widespread walkthroughs and "lets plays" are now a days, developers feel the surprise factor is simply gone. Though there is a mode called Smash Run, which is based on the City Trial mode in Kirby's Air Ride. The goal is to defeat as much enemies as possible, then gather all their power ups, which are then used in a final battle at the end. It's no adventure mode, but it's still plenty of fun!
Each Smash Brothers title released in the past have been vastly different in terms of physics, especially if you compared Melee and Brawl. [lol] In our Smash history video, we hoped for a balance between the two but…did Sakurai grant our wish? Well, after spending the last couple weeks with the game, I’d have to say the gameplay is much MUCH closer to Brawl, than Melee, in terms of physics and speed. Abilities that were unique to a few characters in the past, are now available to many, such as counter and reflect. Though Smash 3DS does introduce some new mechanics. For example, players can no longer hog the edge like in the past. Instead, they get bumped off. This vastly changes the strategies for stage recovery. Besides these tweeks, the game still retains its addictive 4 player mayhem battles.
Well, speaking of mayhem, I think this leads us nicely into…items! A number of classics make their return. New ones as well, such as the tanooki leaf, bullet bill, [lol] and my favorite of all, the chickens from Ocarina of Time: Cuccos! Though of course, we can't leave out the mystery items: Pokeballs, Smash Balls, and Assist Trophies too. You'll summon a range of new things here as well, that could turn the tide of the battle in your favor instantly! With so much going on in one fight, there would need to be suitable stages. So how do they hold up? Well, you'll find an array of awesome stages most of which are based on other Nintendo games, each featuring their own set of transformations players must adapt to. However, if you're a more competitive player, the devs did create what's called Omega forms of each stage...[lol] or what I'd like to call the "Final Destination Transformation". Basically, everything is stripped away leaving only a flat surface for players to duke it out without interruptions. A few default neutral stages do make a return, such as Battlefield, Yoshi's Island, and Final Destination itself.
The game sounds perfect so far...doesn't it? Well, not exactly. There are a couple things that we're not too fond of. The controls, and the Rage Effect. For a handheld, I'm sure this was the best they could do, but if you're planning on playing long sessions...then hand cramps are almost inevitable! And if you have bigger hands, it's even worse on the regular 3DS. If only they'd let you connect a gamecube controller to the 3DS...[lol] but I guess that'd be too much.
In terms of customization, this game's got you covered. From character move sets all the way to creating your own Mii Fighter. The custom moves not only keeps things fresh, but it also adds a whole new layer of strategy to the game, which is a huge plus in the replay value department. Though of course we can't talk about replay value without talking about the online mode. No doubt, it's a huge step up from Brawl's. This time catering to both casual players and competitive players with the two modes: For Fun and For Glory. Spectating makes a return as well, this time with a little gambling twist to it. And of course, if you want to play with your friends with your own custom rules, there's a mode for that too. Unfortunately, it isn't all perfect. In four player random battles, expect lag in almost every match. All it takes is ONE person with a bad connection to ruin it for everyone.
Overall, this game is another strong entry in the Smash line up. You can expect fun filled battles while using some of the most iconic characters in gaming history. Definitely a must have for all 3DS owners.