super smash bros review

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: The best episode of the series

Our sofas still remember it: the Super Smash Bros. series is an apostle of the marrade between friends, the emissary of uninhibited fun who knew how to brighten up many evenings with packets of crisps and spilled cocas. In early December, The Nintendo Switch is hosting Ultimate, an episode that intends to get everyone to agree.

What about online gaming? (Update 1.2.0)

The online game of Super Smash Bros Ultimate is no less an important part of it. A large part of the competitive dimension goes through online and it was important for Nintendo to offer adequate services. However, our opinion on the subject remains very mixed at the moment. We are in front of an effective content which allows a complete configuration of rules and preferences. Up to four players can compete, two players on the same console can cooperate for online combat and it is even possible to use the Spirits for more fun moments. The Smash Power system, the "ELO" of the game, adapts to the characters in order to better balance the games: you will not meet the same opponents if you play your favorite fighter with whom you are used to crushing everything, and if you try your luck with a character you never take. The arena system allows you to spend a few evenings with friends in microcompetitions, again with the possibility of changing the rules according to the group's preferences.

Truth be told, the catch is not in the online content, but rather in the quality of the service. In Wi-Fi, it is rare to succeed in linking several games without lag or freeze problems. If it was only a short drop in framerate from time to time, we could have overlooked it, although we know the impact of a lack of fluidity on a fighting game. But we are talking about several seconds at less than 10 fps, or even real freezes. Since the connection also depends on your opponent, you are never safe, even wired. Thus, in the current state, online gaming is proving to be chaotic with diverse and varied experiences depending on the players. With a global vision, we cannot be satisfied, hoping for a quick solution from Nintendo. In the meantime, the Super Smash Bros. rating. Ultimate goes to 18, the title remaining exceptional on many points with its pharaonic offline content. We will obviously return to this test if we note significant improvements on a large scale concerning online gaming.

GENERAL CONTENT

Characters...

Internships
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: The best episode of the series
Still in the "Hors Concours" family, the number of courses peaks at 103, not counting the Battlefield and Final Destination variations available for each of them. A figure so mind-boggling that it's self-sufficient. Between the classic arenas, those in motion or the trappers, the pleasure seems endless! Admittedly, unlike the characters, all the stages of the previous opuses did not make the trip, with Pokéfloat de Melee among the absent ones for example. However, we can already recognize an incredible job on the part of the developers, especially when it was necessary to bring up to date and in HD those of episodes 64, Melee or even 3DS. New interesting function in Smash mode (the "versus" of the series): you can choose a morphing option to go from one stage to another during a fight! Perfect for bringing variation without necessarily stopping the game every time.

Smash mode

Since we were talking about Smash mode, know that the rules of combat are even deeper and more complex than before, with the possibility of influencing many points, from the most important to the most anecdotal. Choice of objects that can appear and their cadence, condition of victories, handicap per character, ejection power ... it would be too long to try to list everything here, but nothing is missing. The special Smash even allow transformation variants like metal characters for example, an additional alternative even if we would have liked to have the choice per fighter to allow "scenarios". Finally, the Smash mode allows the organization of offline tournaments as well as matches up to eight, which makes sure not to find your living room in the same state at the end of the evening ...

GAMEPLAY
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: The best episode of the series
We come to talk about gameplay, an oh so important subject in the series. Indeed, unlike most fighting games, Smash Bros. involve physics in many areas. Each character has specific characteristics of weight, speed, jump or even air movements, list far from exhaustive. According to the opus, general variations have been affixed to each of its parameters, with a frighteningly rapid Melee and a very "floating" Brawl to cite known examples. In a game that consists mainly of sending the other characters as far as possible from the stage, each change is of paramount importance. Our verdict for Ultimate? This is for us the best gameplay of the series, without a doubt possible. With exemplary fluidity, it offers lively combat with less floating characters and increased movement speed. We feel much more power in each of our shots, for a result full of peps!

Air dodging over longer distances will make life easier for newbies even if it is easier to punish for veterans. The “perfect guards” are done when you release the shield rather than when it is activated, which changes a lot in terms of timing. Also note that, as a general rule, these same shields seem less resistant than before, which undoubtedly limits a little more the high level defensive play in case the mugs were not enough. But the most impressive point of Ultimate is to succeed in offering gameplay that makes it both fun and competitive, with different learning strata. We are facing a mixture of immediate pleasure (especially with objects, Pokémon and Help Trophies) and high level requirement, obliging players to create their combo on the fly according to the weight of the opponent and the percentage of damage . Note however that it is very strongly recommended to play with a GamePad Pro or a GameCube controller (via adapter) if you want to play at a good level, the Joy-Con showing real weaknesses in terms of stick and layout buttons. Nothing absolutely dramatic, but let's just say that playing in portable mode will not be optimal because of this, the technique is not to be questioned.

Classic Fashion
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: The best episode of the series
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate does not skimp on solo content, like the previous opus. We find the eternal Classic Mode in a form again modified. Each of the characters follows eight tests which are largely specific to them. We can of course see themes: for example, Samus Aran fights a giant King K. Rool who clearly takes on the role of a Mini-Kraid, while Kraid himself appears in the decor of the Brinstar level. After six clashes, then a not very interesting bonus stage, we face a boss in a singular combat of the same style as those of the Submissive Emissary in his time. A classic formula? Not so sure. In fact, all the flavor of this mode comes from the difficulty system. On a slide, we choose the density of the challenge between 2.0 and 5.0. With each victory, depending on the way we play and the damage taken, the difficulty increases, reaching a maximum intensity of 9.9. So, to get the best bonuses and the best scores, you must not only choose the maximum difficulty and not die: you must also make perfects. Losing is obviously punished: not only must you pay Goldus (the game currency) to continue, but the intensity goes down which prevents you from obtaining the maximum score, synonymous with better loot. The tension during the final fight is at its height, with the obligation to learn the boss patterns to get out of it. At high intensity, sometimes two strokes are enough to bite the dust. Much more interesting than its predecessors, this Classic mode is a real success which even allows us to offer a cooperative mode. Appreciable.

Mass Smash Mode

In another style, the Mass Smash mode offers three variants based on the records. There is the Smash against 100 in which we face Mii by increasingly strong half-dozen, the All-Stars which opposes us to all the casting of the game, and finally the Cruel Smash, for the masochists. The idea is to finish these tests as quickly as possible, with techniques that differ depending on your character. If this seems simple at first glance, the affair grows quickly and it is necessary to redouble vigilance to arrive at the end without too much trouble ... A refreshing alternative, which however does not overshadow the real juggernaut.

Adventure Mode: Glow of the World

Because the single mode of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate revolves mainly around two modes: the Adventure mode called The Glow of the World, and the Table of Spirits to which we return below. The pitch of the adventure mode is due to its intro kinematics, already shown during the last Nintendo Direct. A divine-looking entity called Kilaire (Galeem in V.O.) annihilates all life in the galaxy, leaving only the spirits of each. Only one survivor of this cataclysm, the venerable Kirby, who thus starts alone this long task of rescue. But how do you save the world? Here is the principle: on a gigantic map which hides its areas under a persistent fog, you can move freely, confronting the evil liners of the casting in order to unlock them one by one as well as the spirits of many entities. Each of these spirits presents itself as a fight against one or more of the characters in the game, with rules that best represent the spirit. For example, if you fall on the mind of a Bob-Omb, bob-ombs will regularly fall on the stage while you face your opponent in a breathless match! If you win, you recover the spirit and can then equip it on your character to make it more powerful.

There are two types of spirits: the primaries which give attack and defense bonuses essential to face increasingly strong enemies, and the supports, which are placed in the available compartments of the primaries. These supports always offer capacities whose importance depends on the combat. they immunize you against the malus of certain stages (platforms on fire, electrified, etc.), improve your efficiency in certain fields (projection, air, etc.), grant you passive powers (healing for each enemy killed, size giant at the start of the fight, etc.) or even equip you with an object. Could we list the possibilities? Not really. Even though there are duplicates in abilities, we're talking about over 1,100 Spirits to collect in Smash Bros Ultimate here. In terms of personalization, you are served!

To return to our Adventure mode plateau, know that it is not just a straight line, far from it: you are free to go in the desired direction even if you face very powerful spirits right away. In addition, there are mechanisms to activate, blocked roads that only certain spirits can repair and finally and above all dungeons that still house a formidable boss! These dungeons are generally rather short with a minimal dose of reflection and exploration. What we remember above all is the incredible dose of nostalgia they offer, with endless surprises. We don't want to spoil the pleasure of discovery for you, so we'll only talk about the one inspired by Bowser's castles, with Princess Peach to be recovered as a character and Giga Bowser as final boss. If this one was rather expected, be ready to get your jaw dropped in front of certain passages of the adventure mode, with tributes more than sustained to various licenses, including those which do not belong to Nintendo! Moments accompanied by their iconic music, which makes Ultimate an incredible bric-a-brac armored with nostalgia.

But where one could have thought of an adventure without relief, La Lueur du Monde develops its system on several points. We can unlock dojos that allow our primary minds to gain experience even when the console is turned off, or to grant them specific styles that are reflected on our character. These styles are essential as they influence the gameplay: you can make Ganondorf a real grasshopper or transform Bayonetta into a real tank. Of course, each bonus comes with a penalty and it's up to you to find the right balance to create the spirit of your dreams. Note also that it is possible to summon new spirits via fusion, to evolve certain spirits into more powerful forms or even to feed them to help them reach level 99 more quickly. Other features, you will unlock access at stores to buy spirits and bonus items, but you will also have access to a talent tree to boost your general abilities, so much so that at the end of the adventure mode, your character will be able to do amazing things like triple jumps or lightning-charged smash attacks.

Finally, in terms of lifespan, this adventure mode is much longer than one would imagine at first. Count 10 hours to finish it in a straight line, which would be a waste, and a good thirty hours to finish it 100% in normal mode. The Hard mode, available via the day one patch, was not deployed during the test, but know that it is available from your first game and that we will recommend it to veteran players. Although The Glow of the World does not lack challenge in Normal mode, the best victories are those that have resisted us.

Although the Adventure mode is a luxury alternative for a fighting game, note that it is not without flaws, notably because of a somewhat repetitive structure outside the dungeons, largely due to the lack of narration. If the last part offers good surprises in terms of game design, know that it is clearly the nostalgia behind the fights and the sometimes brilliant ideas to transcribe the identity of spirits in each confrontation which will push you to go to the end. So much the better, the final being grand!

Table of Spirits

Damn, we still haven't finished with the solo content. The Spirit Board is the autonomous counterpart of Adventure mode. Here, we face almost all of the spirits in clashes akin to Melee's Event Match. Every five minutes, new fights are available and you can try your luck only once for each of them. Although we have our minds at hand, we do not however benefit from the advantages of the talent tree of the adventure mode, which makes the task more complicated. Since several hundred spirits are exclusive to this mode, including some of the most powerful, that is to say that the most difficult fights will be found here. To help, you can use limited bonuses to improve your chances of victory, or to change the spirits available on the board. We can even play a bonus to retry a match in case of defeat. However, be aware that a victory does not directly win the mind. We must then participate in a mini-game in which we have to shoot through the only open of a protective barrier that revolves around our loot! In case of failure, we will have destroyed only part of the barrier and we must then try again the next time the spirit appears in the table, which therefore requires to beat it again. Even if there again it is possible to win / buy items to help us, this mini-game remains somewhat frustrating since it gives the impression of putting into play a potential memorable and epic victory in combat on a simple dice roll. .

A PHARAONIC CONTENT

If we touched on the main modes of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, note that we have only scratched the surface which makes it so real: fan service. Because in addition to the different ways to play, the fighting game from Nintendo is a true ode to most series, from the best known to the most obscure, who have already set foot on a machine of the firm. There are for example more than fifty Pokémon to use in combat, but also not far from sixty Help Trophies that can summon characters like Skull Kid, Waluigi, Pong Bars or Guile, all with their own attacks and animations ! Each of the stages is filled with mini easter eggs, some mind battles refer to legendary moments in video games, some of which you might not have imagined, and the icing on the cake, the OST includes more than 900 pieces for 28 hours of music, record figures that largely participate in the video game party that is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The only real downside is the notable disappearance of the Home-Run Contest and the Target Test. Admittedly, since Melee, they were less in the odor of holiness, but they remained iconic modes which would have perfectly complemented the work. The trophies are also absent, which leaves an impression of lack for the old of the old while being already more justifiable due to their redundancy with the spirits.

The notes
+ Positive points
A breathtaking casting
The best gameplay in the series: lively, demanding, addictive
Suitable for all types of players
Over 100 different courses without counting variations
Nostalgia in every way, even outside Nintendo licenses
28h OST, unheard of
An ultra-complete Adventure mode
The intoxicating possibilities of the spirit system
The new classic mode, much more exciting

Negative points
A very unstable multiplayer (lags, freezes) for the moment
Significant absence of Home-Run Contest and Target Test modes
No trophies to collect
Classic mode bonus level is repetitive in the long run
The Spirit Board mini-game can be frustrating
Requires a Pro / GameCube controller for optimal conditions

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the best episode in the series. More mastered in its gameplay, more complete in its roster, its stages, its options, its objects / invocations in combat and its breathtaking OST, it is pure happiness under the fingers which mixes dantesque content and nostalgia with brilliance. How could we punish him for his few absences when he already offers much more than all the other games in the genre? Besides, are there really other games "of the genre"? Thanks to addictive solo modes, including an Adventure mode which connects surprises and a system of minds of the most permissive, the game of Masahiro Sakurai does in excess in every moment. Whether alone or with others, for neophytes or for veterans, in relaxation or in tournament, this new Smash Bros is of a formidable efficiency, which makes of it an essential of the Nintendo Switch