Every single fighter that’s been playable in the history of the “Super Smash Bros.” franchise will be in the upcoming “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate,” releasing Dec. 7 for the Switch. Ridley, Inkling and Daisy will enter the fray as new characters as well.
Nintendo unveiled the new “Smash” title Tuesday at this year’s E3 video game convention. Masahiro Sakurai — the series’s director — led a 25-minute video showcasing the highly anticipated game.
In an unprecedented move, the new game will allow you to play as everyone you’ve ever been able to play “Smash” with. Rather than leave fans heartbroken when their favorite characters didn’t make it in to the next game — Pichu hasn’t been playable since Melee, Ice Climbers and Snake were cut after Brawl, and no one was sure if downloadable contect characters like Bayonetta would return — Sakurai gave us every single one.
Even though a lot of the hype surrounding new “Smash” titles on the horizon comes from seeing who will make it on the roster, Sakurai still has plenty of tricks up his sleeves to keep fans interested.
The oft-requested Ridley, repeatedly denied playable fighter status for being just too big, will be playable in “Ultimate.” Inklings, the mascots for the Nintendo IP “Splatoon,” will also duke it out in the new game.
Sakurai said including every past character in “Ultimate” meant adding new characters is less of a priority, however, so we may not get many other big reveals. Waluigi and Bomberman, both fan-favorites, were shown as items in the game, suggesting they won’t be added to the new roster as fighters. Daisy, however, will make it into the game as a retooling of fellow princess Peach.
Daisy will be an Echo Fighter, a new term in the “Smash” lexicon. Echo Fighters will be nearly the same as other fighters, but their moves will behave in slightly different ways. The returning Lucina and Dark Pit were also unveiled as Echo Fighters due to their similarities to Marth and Pit.
Dr. Mario will not be an Echo Fighter, despite striking similarities to Mario in the “Smash” games. Alph seems to return as an alternate costume to Olimar, even though he would fit the qualifications as an Echo Fighter. What’s the deal, Sakurai?
In addition to roster changes, gameplay, mechanics and character movesets will be changed in the upcoming title. Nintendo published a playlist where you can see short snippets of every character, and if you’re a devoted member of the “Smash” community, you’ll notice a lot of small tweaks (Pikachu seems to have a new Neutral Air and Peach’s Jab looks different, for example).
It’s too early to tell if changes will be made to appeal to the competitive gaming community; directional air dodging is back in from Melee but wavedashing is not possible, at least on the build playable at E3. Melee is still played as an e-sport more than a decade after its release, but the subsequent “Smash” titles don’t have the same following. Many members of the community wish for the franchise to return to its fast-paced and technical roots from Melee and 64, but others — Sakurai included — prefer more casual gameplay.
Whether you’re a competitive Melee elitist, haven’t played since the Nintendo 64 days or just like being able to turn into a rock with Kirby over and over, “Ultimate” gives you a lot to look forward to.
