Smash Direct: Direct Awesomeness

By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - Doubled our knowledge base of the game in 39 minutes.

I could write a long dissertation detailing my observations of the 39 minutes of Masahiro Sakurai's AMAZING Nintendo Direct for Super Smash Bros. 4, but a lot of those are already covered from our Live Reaction log yesterday. So here's a more-than-short-but-still-not-super-detailed one.

I wasn't going to actually get the 3DS version before the Direct. Now I voted for the top option on this GameFAQs poll today. Smash Run is that compelling. Remember: City Trial is the most amazing multiplayer experience, and it's the reason why I recommend everyone own a copy of Kirby Air Ride. 

However, let's not leave out the Wii U version. That's the one with all the music in it if you're into more than 2 music selections per stage. That's one of the things that Super Smash Bros. Brawl has a clear edge in over Super Smash Bros. Melee. Do you want sexy Rocket Barrel Jazz coming from your 3DS (if it's in there at all) or your television?

Which brings us to online. The Smash Run mode is not confirmed to be online, which is why I was concerned about it on Miiverse. As for "For Glory" and "For Fun", brilliant by Sakurai. However, some competitive Smash players think Sakurai bought too much into the "Fox only, no items, Final Destination" meme. Competitive Smashers actually like platforms, but even normally-platformed-but-fair Battlefield is now flat! Flat is not perfectly fair: Imagine how much more of an advantage Little Mac has on a flat stage than one with platforms. With Anyone (For Glory) will just be good for practice, then, not as a show of competitive strength. Despite the win/loss record being tracked. Regardless, I very much appreciate the specific effort to try to appeal to all sides of the Smash fanbase. Unfortunately, many competitive players don't fully appreciate all sides of the game, like the production values to the variety of stages and music. This should help things, and bring the game closer to the vision of the true Nintendo fandream.

You can tell from the Reaction Log how excited I am at everything related to Punch-Out!! in this game. The fact Sakurai even put in the wireframe costume is just sweetness. I won't even ask for a Trayvon Tyson's Punch-Out!! reference, but you know, if there is some way to implement that...

Yoshi is now forever associated with Artoon's trashy interpretation of the Yoshi's Island franchise. My theory of Sakurai's favour of not associating Yoshi with Yoshi's New Island didn't pan out all the way. That said, this is a lot more covert than what could've happened.

He'd be even more upright if there wasn't a big baby on him. This is Arzest.

He's a lot more hunched over, like he really should be.

As for Ridley, there are still some supporters out there who insist the boss character is really Meta Ridley. ...Nonsense. Unless you want what a Smashboards guy suggested, which is to have Alfonzo with a flamethrower and wings. Which would be pretty cool, actually.

Waluigi is the official mascot for Assist Trophies.

Speaking of cool, Greninja is the newcomer.

He's already crushing the plumber. I approve.

He seems to get into this sort of situation a lot in these trailers, doesn't he?

 

There's still much to know about the games, like the connectivity features between them, and how Assist Trophies relate to All-Star mode. Rest assured, we are now at 29 characters, and I'm pretty sure that 28 of those are starting characters. That's already more than Melee's entire roster! Let's hope that doesn't mean all those characters result in a very grindy experience to complete the game.

On that note, we'll know the entire roster when the 3DS version comes out first in the Summer. Is that a good decision to release it first and so apart? The debate has started and will continue, but the impression people feel is that unless Sakurai and Nintendo know something we don't, the Wii U is in a very perilous situation.

Red Pikmin isn't gonna make it! Hopefully we will. And the Wii U, too.

Ludwig is a huge Smash Brothers fan, as you can tell from many of the articles on KoopaTV. Follow him on Miiverse at NNID PrinceOfKoopas!