I just finished getting my arse handed to me on a plate by an online stranger known to me only as “fat boy”. His Diddy Kong read my every roll, short hop and dash attack until finally, he up-smashed me out of existence. It was fast, brutal and unforgiving. But whether it’s me receiving the punishment or dishing it out, one thing is absolute – I am having ridiculous amounts of fun.
When Masahiro Sakurai created Super Smash Bros 64 in 1999 it changed the landscape of fighting games forever. The idea was a cute and simple one: take all of the favourite characters from Nintendo franchises and have them do battle in memorable locations. It was fun, easy to play and appealed to all generations of gamer. However, nobody was prepared for what happened when Super Smash Bros Melee was released in 2001. It quickly became apparent that this was a game with more potential than even those who developed it could imagine. The engine allowed for incredible levels of frame perfection in combos, and gamers began to create new ways to move faster around the map by utilising the freedom of the mechanics. A competitive scene exploded into existence and went from strength to strength, with players constantly evolving and discovering new methods.
Unfortunately Nintendo had other ideas for the franchise, and loudly voiced their disapproval with the release of Super Smash Bros Brawl, citing it as a family game. The mechanics were suddenly slow and clunky, the play-style incredibly defensive. A giant barricade had been dropped between the players and the fast-paced style they desired. Nintendo games once again sunk out of the competitive scene and Smash Bros was demoted to a party game.
Thankfully though, with the release of the 4th Smash Bros title, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Nintendo seem to have compromised by releasing a game which can be played in any way that you want. The mechanics are easy to grasp, and unlike Melee you don’t find yourself accidentally committing suicide half the time. However, also gone is the boring engine of Brawl which left so many fights feeling underwhelming. Smash 4 feels alive, and each character brings their own distinct flavor to the table.
The game is overflowing with features, each one as rewarding as the last. Classic mode allows the old-school player to traverse a series of battles before facing off with the almighty Master Hand. Smash Run, a mode exclusive to the 3DS version, lets the player run loose in a labyrinth filled with monsters and treasure chests. You and 3 others race around the labyrinth collecting as many power-ups as you can, before a final showdown to decide who is the victor. If you aren’t interested in campaigns then there’s plenty of mini-games such as the Home Run Contest, or the Angry Birds-esque Target Blast. On top of all this is the seemingly endless list of trophies there are to earn – either through the mini-game or via single player modes. Nothing swells the heart with pride as much as gazing upon your hoard of glittering effigies.
On top of all this vastly addictive single player madness there is the glacier cherry that has been missing from every Smash Bros game up until now. Online multiplayer has eluded the franchise for so long, with the Brawl experience being a lagtastic mess. Smash 4 has finally delivered with a multitude of online game modes. When joining the online experience you are given the all-important choice of ‘For Fun’ or ‘For Glory’.
For Fun is an item-filled madhouse with all levels enabled and 4 player battles, play here if you want to annihilate people with bombs, Pokemon and a variety of weapons. No judgements are made, everyone has a laugh and you go away feeling good about yourself. But if you want a real fight, then head over to For Glory, where you will be greeted with teeth-gnashing, foot-stamping, mind-numbingly brilliant players that will teach you to understand your place in the universe better than anyone else. What you will also find is a sense of competition unlikely to be found in any other fighting game. Each person you come across breathes their own breath of life into their character, and you learn so much just from fighting them that after a few days of For Glory, you find that you are the one doling out beatings.
Graphically the game deserves merit, considering it is such a high paced game and it works so effectively on a handheld console. Sometimes it does feel a little like you are fighting with sprites, and the cartoony style doesn’t work well with the 3D function of the handheld console – I found it gave me a headache after about 2 minutes of trying to focus on it – but the core of the game doesn’t lie in the visuals, thankfully. The soundtrack is a delight, bringing old pieces in alongside the latest in Nintendo scores. I am yet to play a Nintendo game where the music doesn’t deliver and Smash 4 can join a long list of fantastic audio experiences. Nothing compliments Yoshi’s Island Athletic Theme quite like the sickening thud of Luigi’s super jump punch connecting.
I feel like I must comment on the negatives so I will do my best. There is a startling lack of messaging system – you cannot ever communicate with either your friends or the random people you meet online, even if you just want to congratulate them on a good fight. Taunting them ruthlessly after each kill is the closest you can get to an opponent. Aside from this my only real qualm is that a few characters feel over-powered and I hope to see some nerfing done soon.
All in all I thoroughly recommend this game to anyone who is a fan of the franchise, and those who would like to pick it up for the first time. Whether it is for fun or for glory, you too can get the stuffing kicked out of you by strangers.
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