Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Review

Genre: Fighting / Party Game
Players: 1-8
Playtime: 70 hours (Includes 100% clearing World of Light "Adventure" mode, unlocking every character, trying out most every mode, playing some local and online multiplayer, and grooving out to the 900+ songs in sound mode)

(Note -- This review is posted as of the Smash 3.0 update)


The Super Smash Bros. series has grown and changed considerably since its humble beginnings on the N64.  What once began as a simple, arcade-like beat em' up between prestigious Nintendo icons has since amassed into a colossal gathering of the unlikeliest of pairings across the whole game industry.  Though the base gameplay remains much the same, the identity of this series continually changes with each new passing game.  This latest entry of Ultimate touts the motto of "Everyone is here", which sees the return of every character and many a stage across the whole series.  It's difficult to say though if this is a celebration of the series or just an unrelenting determination to push the numbers to unprecedented totals.  Will this all-inclusive approach be able to hold this entry as the ultimate smash experience to be remembered?  Choose your fighter and hop onto the battlefield as we prepare to engage the pros and cons of this most esteemed of fighting / party games.

Tons of Content

As alluded to in the foreword, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a game of unfathomable amounts of content, as is its focus and aim.  With over 70 characters, over 100 stages, and over 900 musical scores, it's an undeniably impressive sight to behold.  And with these 70+ characters comes an array of challenges and modes to play through with each, not to mention the lengthy "adventure" mode and myriads of multiplayer modes to enjoy.  Simply put, if that classic Smash gameplay is your thing, this is a game with near endless amounts to play and be enjoyed.

Seeing the multitude of these gaming giants all lined up together is an unequivocal thrill.

Balance / Polish

What's even more surprising with this latest entry is just how balanced every character feels, which is saying something considering its massive roster of such varying play styles.  Any and every character has been tweaked ever so slightly to feel like they have a fighting chance to win a battle.  Heavy characters have gained much needed mobility to actually land hits.  Final smash attacks have been simplified to more quick, powerful blows, keeping a crisp flow to the action at hand.  There is so much more satisfaction to be found now that every character has been given a fair share of potential.

So many varied fighters all putting up an equal and exhilarating fight.

The polish and attention to detail go far beyond just these fighter fixes though.  There is such an incredible amount of care and consideration poured into every facet of this game.  The subtle animations and expressions on characters that pay homage to their respective series.  The brief slowdown when a fighter is hit with potentially lethal force, adding a nice degree of dramatic flair and tension to the battle.  How every character is rendered flat on the likes of the Flat Zone or the Mute City SNES stages.  There are just so many brilliant details to keep noticing the more and more you play this game.

Customization / Accessibility

Be it muscle memory or just being the world's best controller, the GameCube controller has become the go-to controller for the Smash series since its debut on Super Smash Bros. Melee.  And the fact that such is still supported 17 years later with Ultimate now is an amazing testament to the amount of support they're willing to give their fans.  In fact, between the GameCube controllers, Joy-Cons, Pro controllers, and loads of third-party peripherals, there is a tremendous amount of customization and support that will surely allow every player to play the way they want.  Speaking of customization, Ultimate allows for an extensive amount of tweaking in the rule sets to create all sorts of experiences for all kinds of play styles.  From items choice, stage selection, music preference and so on, this game truly gives you the means of crafting your ideal smash experience.

There's no wrong means in how to play and enjoy this game; Its got you covered.

Further aiding the field of constructing the perfect experience, there are many options in which to make the game that much more accessible to all players.  From custom control schemes easily saved to profiles, to handicaps and hazard removals and more, players of all skill levels can feel more at ease in joining in on some chaotic fun.  With local 8-player support, there are very few games that can deliver such accessible and satisfying multiplayer experiences as that of this game.

Music

With over 900 tracks of music spanning the entire medium of gaming, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate delivers a euphoria of groovy gaming listening.  With many a fresh remix and nostalgic originals, there are hours upon hours of goodness to be heard here.  Here are just a few notable samples below:

Updates

As the Smash 3.0 update demonstrated, there is likely plenty more to still look forward to as continued support rolls out for this game.  With the addition of a Stage Builder, the ability to share content, and new characters like Piranha Plant and Joker, there is a thriving energy and excitement kept burning in this game.  And with any luck, many of these additions will add some more welcome variety and keep players invested for a long time to come.

The new Stage Builder update creates infinite potential for so many creative stages, such as this recreation of the desk found in the Smash 64 intro cinematic.  Classic.

Adventure Mode / Lack of Variety

The "Adventure" mode of Ultimate is essentially a series of event matches spread across a vibrant world map to tackle in an open-ended nature.  While it offers plenty of content to be enjoyed, it soon becomes a repetitive affair that does little to differ from your standard Smash gameplay.  It fails to capture that magical spirit that is exploring the essence of other series like Melee managed, or the adventurous wonder that was Brawl's convoluted cinematic narrative.  It fails to establish a memorable identity.  Part of this problem extends past the adventure mode in that the game as a whole is nothing more than that core Smash gameplay.  There is little to no variance to be found.  No trophies to admire and read up on.  No home-run contests or targets to break.  With such an extensive amount of Smash after Smash after Smash, this lack of variance deters extended play sessions and the overall affinity of the experience.  Fingers crossed some of these issues are resolved in the future with some added variety in the form of new updated content.

Too Much Content?

The staggering amount of content on display in Ultimate is surely its most impressive feat.  But it also has a negative side effect of being an intimidating and overwhelming detriment to the game's design.  What once was a focused and manageable selection has now become a confusing cluster to sort and choose through.  And it is unlikely that one would be able to even enjoy all the characters and/or stages for multiple play sessions.  Perhaps it just needs more means in which to filter / sort to the desired content, but this game may have grown too big for its own good.

Who to play as?  Where's that character again?  Who's that??

Unlocking New Challengers

While I enjoy the notion of slowly unlocking fighters, the means in which this game goes about doing so is largely uninspiring.  A little more creativity in how the characters were to be unlocked would go a long way to making these encounters much more memorable.

Online

The online in Ultimate is certainly better than that of its predecessors, but still fails on so many basic and fundamental levels.  There needs to be easier means of matchmaking with friends.  Players should be able to change characters without having to leave the lobby.  And better stability is still needed.  These can hopefully all be addressed in future updates, but considering that we're paying for this service now, it really is inexcusable that basic needs aren't already met.

At the end of the day, if I had to recommend one Smash game to own from the series, you could do little wrong in making Ultimate that title.  With its wide cast of beloved characters and exceptional polish, this is a game that truly delivers the ultimate experience in multiplayer gaming that few others can come even close to replicating.  It may not hold the same awe or wonder as its previous predecessors were able to achieve, but it stands strong in some of the best core Smash gameplay the series has ever seen.  So settle in and get ready to smash.

If you have any questions or thoughts about this game, please feel free to comment and discuss below.  Thanks.  And happy gaming