It’s back and as frustratingly awesome as ever
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (and for Nintendo 3DS) is the latest version of the vanguard brawler series, and it’s in glorious form. My muscle memory came back like no time had passed as I was facing off against E3’s finest combatants in the Nintendo arena at Los Angeles’ Convention Center. The fighting was blazingly fast, brutal and hilarious.
There were actually Gamecube controllers as the kiosks, which is exciting for a lot of Smash Bros. players. To many of us, this is how the game was meant to be played. Nintendo also announced adapters and new Gamecube controllers, exclusively for Smash, but back to the game itself.
The controls are the same, the movements are the same, the colors and characters are brighter and sharper, but overall the same. And good! Nintendo is known for two things: innovative gameplay and beloved characters. I started playing Smash Bros. in my college days but I’ve been playing Nintendo as long as I’ve been alive. No other game company is as steeped in nostalgia as Nintendo is, and the Super Smash Bros. franchise is a testament to that.
What other game has Pac-Man and Sonic facing off against Mario and Donkey Kong? Where an umbrella is as dangerous as a photon cannon? The importance of Smash Bros. in social gaming, and thus in growing the gaming community, cannot be understated. Friendships were forged (and yes, sometimes tested) in the crucible of Smash. People went back and played classic games thanks to their exposure to Samus or Dr. Mario during a face-off.
In its own sweet way, Nintendo became a haven for the gaming titans of yesteryear, with Sega developing quite a few Nintendo titles after it shuttered its hardware division. So, it’s fitting to have Sonic the Hedgehog and even Pac-Man on the roster.
Super Smash Bros. was always a testament to the joy of gaming, and now that it’s coming back this holiday season, an entire new generation of gamers can enjoy the blisteringly contagious fun.
For NTF’s coverage on Sony’s Project Morpheus, click here.
For my first impressions on Destiny for PS4, click here.
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