When it comes to havin?g a cheeky gaming session, the Wii U might not be your first choice in terms of chosen platform. However, just because it’s an older platform, ??that doesn’t mean there aren’t a huge number of absolutely incredible games to play on it. 

I have fond memories of my Wii U, although s??adly, it died a child’s drink spillage-related death a few years ago. It’s been a while since I picked one up, but I can still vividly remember playing on it for hours. Most of those ho?urs were pumped into a select few games, so with that knowledge, here are my 10 favorite titles on the Wii U, in no particular order. 

Bayonetta 2

Nintendo is often considered to be the most family-friendly of all gaming platforms, so the fact that Bayonetta 2 (and the first game) exists on the platform is still something that I can’t quite wrap my head around. It’s filled with expletives right fr?om the very beginning, is filled to t??he brim with fan service animations that do nothing to progress the story, and is as far from family-friendly as you can possibly get. 

However, it does exist, and it’s incredibly fun to play. The hack-and-slash gameplay is weirdly addictive, ?and if you look past the astonishing amount of jiggle physics, you might even enjoy the story. Or, you know, if you’re into that kind of thing, then you might not even need to pay attention to the story. To each their own. 

ZombiU

Look, I know, zombies and games involving them have been done to death (no pun intended, but I’ll take all the puns I can get). However, ZombiU has stood the test of time in terms of anxiety induction, and there’s something it has that can’t be said about many other hum??an-eating-walking-corpse titles â€?permadeath. 

Waking up in a London filled with flesh-chomping undead creepers is bad enough, but progressing through the story only to die and wake up as someone entirely different is definitely a frustration. Not to mention the fact that if you want to get your stuff back from your former self, you’ll probably have to kill them, which i??sn’t ideal if you become attached to who you once were. 

Yoshi’s Woolly World

There has always been something undeniably cute and comforting about Yoshi. He’s a dinosaur with huge eyes and a bright, happy smile.?? Now t??ake that cuteness and convert it into crochet, and everyone’s favorite dino becomes infinitely more adorable. 

Everything in Yoshi’s Woolly World has a touch of arts and crafts to it, with springy tree t??runks, knitted backdrops, and, of course, Yoshi in all his crocheted glory. The aim of the game is to retrieve the stolen yarn pieces from Kamek, who rather handily has dropped a bunch of pieces while making his escape, in order to knit your friends back together.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

I think it would be almost criminal to write up a list of the best Wii U games and not include a Zelda game, and Breath of the Wild is definite??ly the stand-out title that was released for the platform. Some of you might not even know that it wasn’t a Switch exclusive re?lease because I’d forgotten until looking into what to include here. 

Breath of the Wild is often heralded as the best Zelda game to date, and for good reason. It was the first fully open-world title and is filled with beautiful areas to explore, collectibles to discover, and quests to complete. If you’re looking for a Zelda game to play on the Wii?? U, then this? would definitely be my first recommendation. 

Xenoblade Chronicles X

If you’re struggling to wait for the release of Xenoblade Chronicles X on Nintendo Switch next year, then you can fork out for a Wii U (unless you already have your old one; how very forward-thinking of you) and play Xenoblade Chronicles X on it. 

Xenoblade Chronicles X allows you to explore the expansive open world of Mira, consisting of five wildly different continents that are unlocked as you progress and complete quests alongside a party of fellow BLADE members. And, if exploration and quest completion weren’t enough to make you want to play, there’s also a number of Skell ?mechs that can be purchased and upgraded in the latter half of a playthrough. 

Mario Kart 8

Mario Kart 8 is either a fond memory or a frustrating experience that you never?? want to repeat again, depending on your skill level and whether or not you chose to play with the people who claim to love you yet thro?w every power-up possible in your direction. As you can tell, I fall into the “frustrating experience�camp on this one. 

With that said, there’s no denying that Mario Kart 8 is incredibly fun to play solo or with friends who might go a little easier on you than mine did. You can choose your difficulty, pick your driver and vehicle, and then try to come first. It’s not limited to characters from just the Mario universe, either. You can race as characters from other franchises like The Legend of Zelda or Splatoon or even go in as your own Mii. 

Assassin’s Creed III

Assassin’s Creed III was released on multiple platforms back in 2012, including the Wii U. It centered around Ratonhnaké ton (or Connor, if you want to make things easier on yourself), an assassin in Colonial America at around the time of the American Revolution. As a bit of a history nerd, this is the kind of Assassin’s Creed that sparks a huge amount of joy in me. 

Of course, Assassin’s Creed III was filled with freerunning and parkour adventures, but it also introduced something new �naval gameplay. Connor becomes the captain of the Aquila, and it can be upgraded and improved with new weapons, armor, and crew. Admittedly, the ship part of Assassin’s Creed III was my lea??st favorite part of the game, but I’ve come to learn that I might be in the minority on that fr?ont. 

Pikmin 3

As with all Pikmin games, the third in the series is filled with fights, puzzles, and?? an endless grind of resource gathering. The cuteness of the Pikmin is ever-present, and there’s something incredibly addictive about this one, which would explain why I’ve replayed it about five times in the last decade. 

Along with the well-loved Red, Yellow, and Blue Pikmins, Pikmin 3 introduces a couple of?? new colors with their own skills - Grey Pikmin, which can destroy barriers and are immune to crush damage, and pink Winged Pikmin, which can attack from the skies and also soar through them over obstacles that would otherwise be impassable. 

Super Smash Bros. 

There are two types of people when it comes to playing Super Smash Bros. - those who memorize the combinations and inevitably win every battle, and those who button m??ash ?as if their life depends on it and while they may lose the battle, they enjoy the therapeutic process of trying to stay on the platforms. 

One of the best things about Super Smash Bros. is the number of characters from different franchises. There are playable characters from Pokémon, Animal Crossing, Xenoblade Chronicles, Duck Hunt, and even Wii Fit of all things. And these are just in the base game, never mind downloadable characters like Cloud Strife and Sega from Bayonetta. There’s endless fun to be had with Super Smash Bros., and possibly some argu?ments, so try n?ot to take it too seriously. 

Rayman Legends

Rayman Legends is another title that has been released on various platforms, including the Wii U. It’s a local co-op platformer that is capable of inciting?? a huge amount of frustration. However, regardless of how frustrated it might make you, you forgive it because it’s addictive, and getting through each level leaves you feeling accomplished. 

Events in Rayman Legends take place a whole century after those of Rayman Origins, and you’ll need to travel across worlds and defeat world bosses in order to complete the story. Collecting Teensies unlocks new worlds, and there are new playable characters to un??lock along the way, such as Barbara the Barbarian Princess and her various family members.

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Although Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat are seen as the symbols of the fighting game genre, their styles are not guaranteed hits, with many preferring to venture toward other IPs for their daily dose of?? adrena??line.

But diving into a new fighting game is not a trivial matter, after all, no one wants to fall in love with a title only to find either a bare-bones experience or no one else playing it. Here are the best fighting games to play right now that are not part of the Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat franchises.

10. Killer Instinct

• Release date: November 22, 2013
• Available on: PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X
• Developed by: Double Helix Games (At launch) / Iron Galaxy Studios
• Does it have rollback netcode? Yes

To start with a well-placed Wind Kick, we have Killer Instinct. Released in 2013 as a reboot, KI earned? praise for its action-packed gameplay but divided many given its small roster and content approach. Fast forward 10 years and 20 characters later, and the game has grown to be an unquestionable success.

Looking a little more into its combat, Killer Instinct offers an easy-to-pick-up but highly technical approach that revolves around the ability to Combo Break. To put it on as few words as possible, the mechanic allows you to interrupt your opponent's offense through a well-timed input. Get?? the timing wrong, however, and you will be in for one hell of a time.

9. Brawlhalla

• Release date: October 17, 2017
• Available on: Mobile, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch
• Developed by: Blue Mammoth Games
• Does it have rollback netcode? Yes

Brawlhalla is a live-service platform fighter that plays just like you would expect, you pick a character?? and then battle your foes until they either fall or are propelled out of the screen. Given its free-to-play status and cross-play/progression features, the game can be seen as the ideal pick for those looking to play online with friends new to the genre.

Brawhalla is also widely known for its crossover charact?ers. But don't worry, as to avoid turning a F2P game into a pay-to-win experience, all of them (excep??t Rayman) are presented as skins to already existing and free-to-obtain units.

8. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2016)

• Release date: December 16, 2016 (PS4) / March 7, 2017 (PC / Xbox One)
• Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Series S/X
• Developed by: CAPCOM
• Does it have rollback netcode? No

An enhanced version of the title of the same name, now running at 60fps, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 allows players to pick from a roster of 50 signature characters as they take part in 3v3 battles. In true MvC fashion, air combos are ?the norm here, and a well-timed assist can change everything.

If you can, I recommend playing the game's PC?? version, as even if its base roster already packs quite a punch, its communi?ty has done a phenomenal job by producing a wide array of extra characters.

7. UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes

• Release date: January 24, 2024
• Available on: PS5, PS4, PC, and Switch
• Developed by: French Bread
• Does it have rollback netcode? Yes

The latest installment in the series and a direct sequel to Exe:Late[cl-r], UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes takes a natural step forward by smoothing its predecessor's edges and adding new mechanics to the mix. True to the franchise's fame, the title also features ?one of the most diverse rosters in the market.

It's important to point out that, even if visually similar to other sprite-based series like BlazBlue and even its older sibling Melty Blood, UNDER NIGHT is a completely different beast. The reason? The way its Grind Grid system awards control, all while pena??lizing backpedaling and pushing you to be as efficie??nt as possible.

6. Soulcalibur VI

• Release date: October 19, 2018
• Available on: PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X
• Developed by: Bandai Namco
• Does it have rollback netcode? No

After the mixed reception of Soulcalibur V, Project Soul decided to bet all of their remaining chips in Soulcalibur VI, a soft ?reboot of the franchise taking place in a new timeline.

But although the game ended up failing to meet its publisher's expectations, SC6 succeeded in presenting the most polished version of the franchise's signature combat, now featuring improved animations and getting a breath of fresh air through new mechanics. In true Soulcalibur fashion, you will also find a good amount of single-player content here, be it from its in-depth character creatio?n system or its Soul Chronicle and? Libra of Soul modes.

5. Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising

• Release date: December 11, 2023
• Available on: PS5, PS4, and PC
• Developed by: Arc System Works
• Does it have rollback netcode? Yes

An updated version of Granblue Fantasy Versus, now featuring new mechanics, improved visuals, and the more than welcome addition of rollback netcode, GBVS RIsing's ability to blend standard fighting and RPG elements makes it one of Ark System Works's most distinct games.

Apart from its story mode bosses, that can be seen in the game's cooldown mechanic. Also featured in the vanilla version, the mechanic does exactly what you might e?xpect and adds different cooldowns ?to Special Moves/abilities, thus forcing players to plan their every move to maximize their damage and options.

4. Dragon Ball FighterZ

• Release date: January 26, 2018 (PC, PS4, Xbox One) / September 27, 2018 (Nintendo Switch)
• Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Series S/X, and Switch
• Developed by: Arc System Works
• Does it have rollback netcode? Yes

The game responsible for raising the bar when it comes to anime/manga-based titles, Dragon Ball FighterZ takes the already over-the-top approach of most tag fighters and turns it up to 80?00 by allowing players to both fly across the screen and make use of all of the planet-destroying moves they wish to come out on top.

The above is then paired with a roster featuring faces going from the classic Dragon Ball Z anime adaptation (and its many non-canon movies) to Super and even GT. In other words, no matte?r which season is your favorite, you are sure to meet a representative here.

3. The King of Fighters XV

• Release date: February 17, 2022
• Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Series S/X
• Developed by: SNK Corporation
• Does it have rollback netcode? Yes

Even if it hurts not seeing KOF as part of the big three, The King of Fighters XV is considered by many as the franchise's best entry point since XIII. After all, lon??g gone are the days when your ex??ecution needed to be pitch-perfect to land damaging combos.

The game also showcases significant improvements in presentation when compared to XIV, as well as a few new mechanics that premiered both at launch and later in the game's cycle (I'm looking at you, Advance Strike). The roster also doesn't disappoint and features ?a total of 59 characters at the time of writing.

2. Guilty Gear Strive

• Release date: June 11, 2021
• Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X
• Developed by: Arc System Works
• Does it have rollback netcode? Yes

The first Guilty Gear game to go mainstream, Guilty Gear Strive is the s??eemingly final chapter in the Soul Badguy story and the most inviting title in the franchise. Truly, what ArcSys managed to accomplish deserves commendation, as they succeeded in giving the series an overhaul while keeping its soul intact.

But that was not achieved without its losses, as many see the removal of certain moves/mechanics as a tone-down. For me, although I believe GG Strive excelled in adjusting its scope to make sure everything woul??d be up to par, I can't say that I don't miss the wild Dragon Install Sol combos featured in the older entries.

1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

• Release date: December 7, 2018
• Available on: Nintendo Switch
• Developed by: Bandai Namco and Sora Ltd
• Does it have rollback netcode? No

The latest in the series that helped coin the term platform fighter, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate takes the first spot in our list given how its easy-to-pick-up mechanics and welcoming presentation make the game a guaranteed fit for all, no matter if they are ??newcomers looking to have fun or seasoned players.

Another huge difference between the game and pretty much all ??other fighting games in the market lies in its star-filled r?oster of 82, which features both Nintendo staples and wild crossover characters. Have you ever imagined having Bayonetta and Samus fare off against Joker and Sora? Well, wonder no more.

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Super Smash Bros. has cemented itself not just in fighting game history, but the gaming pantheon as a whole. It's not just an all-star fighter; it also has a ton of heart to it, and redefined just how far crossovers could go in the industry. As a result, series boss Masahiro Sakurai feels a justifiable sense of ownership of it, as evidenced by his many talks in recent months via his semi-new YouTube series.

The almight??y question is: what happens next? Not even Sakurai knows for sure if his new video is any indication.

Sakurai talks about the uncertain future of Smash Bros.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=MammcQ3XkpY

In a new video posted to his official YouTube account titled "The Team Behind Super Smash Bros. Brawl [Grab Bag]," Sakurai talks at length about Brawl, and exactly how it came to be behind closed doors. He recalls how then-president Satoru Iwata mentioned that if Sakura was not involved, the scope would be significantly smaller; as there were "uni?que difficulties and challenges" behind developing the game. As a result, Sakurai joined up so it was done right.

At the five-minute mark, Sakurai perks up and gets serious, in an attempt to answer "What happens next time?" As in, how another Smash Bros. entry after Ultimate would pan out.

Here's what he had to say:

"One option would be to separate the series itself from the original creator. But for now, at least, I can't really imagine a Smash Bros. title without me. You might think that's a natural stance for someone in my role, but I say so speaking objectively. I feel the same way President Iwata did when we formed the team for Smash Bros. Brawl. At present, ??we don't have someone who can s?imply take the reins."

Well, that's a pretty comprehensive answer! Sakurai follows up by noting that it's a massively popular series, "so it's fair ??to assume there will be another one at some point." He would "like to keep working with Nintendo however [he is] able."

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A new Sakurai video gives us a quick rundown

The creation of Super Smash Bros is a multifaceted miracle, and Masahiro Sakurai is here to give us a breakdown thanks to his YouTube channel game design series.

Sakurai recalls how he started work on the Nintendo 64 era following his efforts on Kirby Super Star, and moved on to "independent study" for 3D visuals. As usual, Sakurai provides?? a very digestible look at this endeavor, including a brief overview of some of the m??ore technical hurdles required in the generational leap.

At first, Sakurai proposed two games for the N64: a "free for all four player fighting game" (you guessed it), and an "RC robot adventure game where you hack security cameras." The catch? The first title was referred to internally as "Dragon King: The Fighting Game" before any first party mascot business was added. Sakurai gives us a brief look at the Dragon King prototype at 1:30 into the video, which looks an awful lot like Smash Bros: down to the level design, perc??entage ?meter, and general vibe of the character models.

Originally there were no items or special moves (though it did have smash attacks); just raw fighting, which is something that changed after the project got a little more involved. Sakurai recalls how both of his prototypes had "high praise" from Nintendo, but there was a labor shortage due to developers working on other projects: like "Mother 3," and "a snowboarding-like version of Air Ride" for the then-in-development the 64DD.

Feeling as if the RC concept would take too long to develop (two years), the four player free-for-all fighter was chosen. Sakurai injected a lot of his own sensibilities into the game that became Smash, including his conflicted feelings about combos (as well as "extremely complicated commands"), and how he felt there was "less room for strategy." Instead, Sakurai wanted more "interplay and improvisation" to be at the forefront, and thus the core mentality of Smash was born.

From there, Sakurai took his love for the stable of Nintendo characters, and argued for their inclusion. Sakurai said that the "sales team" and other executives disliked the idea of Smash characters fighting each other, but ultimately, thanks to the support of fans and developers alike, Smash came to fruition.

The story of the creation of Super Smash Bros.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3IOWaVDbx0

Early Super Smash Bros. design documents from Sakurai:

[gallery link="file" ids="348021,348022,348023"]

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'I've been thinking about starting something new'

The last Sakurai Smash Ultimate screen has been posted, as the Smash boss warned us this day would eventually come.

Since December of 2019, Masahiro Sakurai has been posting Smash Ultimate screens with a twist. With access to developer tools (Sakurai calls it the debug version), he can bend some scenes to his will, and he's crafted some really funny/dazzling stuff in that engine. But all things must come to? a clos?e, and late on August 22, 2022, the run from December 2019 ended.

There is a bit more to this story though: as one era ends, another begins. Now we have no idea what this means, but Sakurai posted the following in that same message: "However??...I've been thinking about starting something new (this time it won't be daily, though)." He tells his fans to "check back around this time tomorrow for more info." For reference, that's roughly 11PM ET tonight.

We could all use more of Sakurai's infectious love for gaming; so assuming this is a new Twitter posting adventure, this sounds ??perfect. Also not doing it daily should give him more time to rest, which is always a good thing. He needs it!

The end of the daily Sakurai Smash Ultimate screen era:

//twitter.com/Sora_Sakurai/status/15619111102148??60803

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There were two big storylines this year

Super Smash Con 2022 ended late last night with the Smash Ultimate grand finals, and it was Onin (Steve) vs. Maister (Sora/Game & Watch). The former took it, which could be Smash Bros. history in the making as they continue to enter more tournaments and rack up more wins. But there were ?a few good storylines and a lot of good matches this y?ear: let's take a quick look.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTnlulI6J1I

Onin 3-0ing MKLeo out of the winner's bracket, and taking Smash Con 2022

So this is easily the biggest story out of the con, and it involves the main event: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which closed out the con on Sunday night. Onin, a relative newcomer on the scene since the start of 2021, 3-0ed MKLeo out of the winner's bracket, and quietly kept running with their wins to the point of taking the entire tournament. One commenter noted that this is "probably the worst we've seen Leo beaten," which might be true (Leo chimed in as well).

While Leo continued to weather the storm, swapping between a mean Byleth and Pyra/Mythra, it wasn't enough to muster a full comeback. Leo eventually squared off against Gluton??ny ("Gluto"), and Leo went home after giving it up in the loser's bracket top six matchup.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwQHFOZ9QAk

Instead of a rematch, it was Maister that ended up taking on Onin in the grand finals, and there was no reset involved: Onin took it in 3-1 and everyone got to head home (or go to bed!) early before the 11PM ET cutoff. Maister oscillated between a surprise-pick of? Sora as well as his main of Game & Watch, but the mixup wasn't enough to razz Onin. As a caster pointed out right after the win, Onin has won nearly every tournament they've entered?? with Steve as their main (previously, they also had R.O.B. in the mix).

It's started an overall conversation about Steve in Smash Ultimate as a whole, resurrecting some old arguments about th??e character's inclusion, as well as their power level. We'll see how tournaments respond in time, but there was a healthy amount of joking and serious discourse about banning Steve. Expect to see Steve in some form in the near future in loc??al and national tournaments.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6jqWL__f8c

Mango winning the Melee grand finals for the third time, beating Hungrybox

Of course, Melee was another big moment at Super Smash Con, which featured every game in the series (folding the 3DS version of Smash 4 into Wii U).

Melee actually was the second to last main event, ending right before the grand final set began for Ultimate. The core storylines involved Mango and Hungrybox, who were completely on fire, and giving us some of the best games of their career. The favorite for many was Mango, who was already a two-time Melee champion at Super?? Smash Con (in 2016 and 2017), and they took it again in 2022, following a Leffen win in 2019. But Mango wasn't everyone's choice, as they were ranked #11 before heading into Smash Con 2022, which led to all sorts of memes: which Mango rebuked with a clean win.

Hungrybox played their classic Jigglypuff pick throughout the con, and Mango predictable commanded Fox. While Fox and Sheik had a big presence at Smash Con 2022, as per usual, Zain really put up a fight with Marth and nearly crept out of the loser's bracket (ending with Hungrybox), and the same goes for Llod: a Peach main. While both of them put up a fight, eventually Hungrybox took the loser's bracket. Just like Ultimate, no reset was needed, as Mango won it 3-2.

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And it's still going strong

Following a cancellation in 2020 and a pivot to a "Fall Fest" in 2021, Super Smash Con has returned to Chantilly, VA to once again showcase some of the best competitors the Smash community has to offer. While Super Smash Con (or "SSC") is primarily a tournament-based event, there'?s some other activities on offer that people can enjoy separately, or while waiting for the next match to start. Here's a look at Super Smash Con 2022.

So one of my favorite elements of Smash Con (or any con really) is the dealer area, and that hasn't change??d. It's row after? row of merch from a combination of local and national stores and individual artists, with everything from retro video game and board game sales, to drawings and bead art. One station had a little sign that to signify that if you beat the shopkeep at Smash Ultimate BO3 (best of three) you get $5 off your order. People were pondering jumping in and challenging them as I walked by.

Then there's the arcade, which is what I'd call "medium-sized," but has a wide variety of stuff from all over the world. Two Pokken Tournament stations at the front are on-brand for Super Smash Con, and there's even racing (Initial D Arcade Stage 8 Infinity), rhythm, and light gun shooters available. Since I know the arcade gallery is pretty popular with readers over the years, I did a full sweep and you can find photo??s below.

An indie section doubles as an extra arcade of sorts, and the big showings in 2022 are from Rivals of Aether, King of the Hat, and Rushdown Revolt. The latter seems to be the crown jewel, as there was a crowd gathering around the rather large table of demos for it. A side tournament is going on for all three of these too. In another indie section (closer to the entrance), there were demo stations for a game called Check x Mate: a "fantasy visual novel set in the magical world of chess." Quite a few folks were stopping by, thanks to the chess s?et on the table catching ?their interest.

As a tournament, Smash Con is incredibly well organized from a navigational perspective. Each game has a massive area in the event space, from the original Smash 64, to Melee, to Brawl, to the Wii U era, to Ultimate, which has two whole tournament zones. Folks square off in tournaments with TOs (tournament organizers) on hand on the sides of the event, then duke it out in the middle of the con at the main stage for the bigger matches. MkLeo taking on...well...everyone in Ultimate is the major story for Smash Con.

When I entered there was even a live band warming up, and someone was tagging the main sign at the front of the convention center with various gaming icons. So far, Super Smash Con 2022 has had the same open and warm vibe it has in previous years, and?? it's great to see live events returning like this like nothing ever happened (masks are required inside, and they even made cute little Dr. Mario signs for it, which you can see in the gallery below). Tournament organizers have revealed that there are roughly 4,000 registered tournament players, with more foot traffic beyond that.

Super Smash Con kicked off today at 12PM ET, and will be running until 10PM ET on Sunday, August 14. You can watch the main streams here on the VGBootCamp ??Twitch channel. The schedule can be found here: the top eight finals for Ultimate will start at 6PM ET on Sunday.

[gallery link="file" ids="339196,339197,339209,339201,339232,339215,339217,339211,339210,339207,33920?2,339205,339206,339208,339212,339216,339203,339219,339223,339224,339225,339226,339227,339228,339229,339230,339221,339198,339213,339204"]

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A landmark event for the uncertainty of the series

As we move further and further into the era of not knowing what's happening to Smash, Smash Ultimate screenshots have run their course.

The news comes directly from Smash Bros. boss Masahiro Sakurai, who confirmed it on Twitter with the following message:

"Posting daily Smash Ultimate screens has been part of my workday ritual ??for a while now...but it's looking like I'll run out sometime in August. I even took around 200 new ones as we were wrapping up development, so it's hard to believe they're already gone. Time sure does fly!"

Sakurai has been sharing Smash Ultimate screenshots for several years

For reference, Sakurai has been taking and sharing screenshots of Smash Ultimate for some time, typically showcasing oddball scenarios or pushing the engine to its limits/breaking it with development tools. Amazingly, Sak??urai confirmed that he'd have to stop doing it eventually on December 26, 2021, but has kept going since then. The reason for the shift is because he is no longer u?sing development kits/tools.

It's been a fun run! So if ever??ything comes to a close in August, he has less than 30 more to go, ??following the one shared today of Game & Watch and Wii Fit Trainer.

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"My Friends Are My Power!"

When Tetsuya Nomura retires, he'll have one hell of a career to look back on. Not all of it landed for everyone, but his work has had a major impact on so many people: notably, his stewardship of the Kingdom Hearts franchise. Nomura opened up about several facets of the Kingdom Hearts series in an interview with Game Informer: and shared an interesting behind the scenes tidbit about Sora in Smash Ultimate.

We already learned that Sora ended up in the game due to a "chance meeting" with a Disney rep, but now Nomura confirms that he was actually more "picky" than Di??sney was in regards to his appearance. Nomura notes that he was "obviously happy" that Disney would acquiesce a?nd allow the character to appear, and "[couldn't] believe that Disney okayed him to be in [the] game." But once the deal was ready to go, Nomura admits that while Disney was gung-ho, he was the one who had reservations.

Nomura was concerned about his ability to pull it off, "because it might clash with he established lore in Kingdom Hearts and Disney worlds," (it's wacky enough, no worries there!) and had to "consider [it] very carefully." But he doesn't regret it one bit, seeing the positive reaction overall to what ended up being the final [for now] Kingdom Hearts DLC character.

Sora definitely made a splash, and it's safe to say that he and the Smash team made the right ??choice. It's also cute to see Nomura so humbled by the crossover. Through thick and thin, and all the ups and dow??ns the series has had, it's clear he still cares about it.

The post Nomura had more r?eservations about Sora in Smash than Di??sney appeared first on Destructoid.

Guess it's Them's Fightin' Herds' time to shine

After two years of having to settle for online-only gaming tournaments, it looks like 2022 will finally be the year we get to see the best and brightest duking it out in person, _{even though this pandemic isn't anywhere close to over and could flare up again at any moment}. On March 8, the organizers behind Evo are going to announce which titles fans can expect to see at this year's shindig in Las Vegas. While we can speculate and guess on which game will show up *cough*King of Fighters XV*cough*, there is one specific fighter Evo organizers want fans to know in advance won't be appearing at this year's festivities: Super Smash Bros. In ??a statement issue??d today, the organizers confirmed the franchise will not be a part of the event.

//twitter.com/EVO/status/1497662793897721860

If any of this sounds familiar, it should. We've done this song and dance before. Many years ago, Nintendo shut down Evo streaming Super Smash Bros. Melee at the event before reversing course. Since then, it's seemed like Nintendo has had a decent relationship with Evo, allowing Melee and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to appear at the show. In 2019, Ultimate managed to bring in 3,500 participants and was the most-watched competitio?n of the show.

But, things have changed since then. COVID-19 forced organizers to change the in-person event to an all-digital affair in 2020, which Ultimate would not be a part of, before canceling the whole shebang following sexual misconduct allegations that were levied at Evo CEO Joey Cuellar. Then, in March 2021, Evo got bought up by Sony, befo??re holding another all-online version of the tournament that again excluded Nintendo's signature fighter.

It's pretty disappointing that we won't get to see the best-selling fighting game of all time be a part of this year's show, but it does make room for some of those smaller fighters to get a chance in the spotlight. Here's to hoping Persona 4 Arena Ultimax or Phantom Breaker: Omnia can help fill that sizeable gap.

The post Smash Bros. a no-go for Evo appeared first on Destructoid.

Rest!

Masahiro Sakurai has earned his rest. And that's likely what's he's going to be doing for a while: resting. Based on a new interview with 4Gamer (as translated by Twitter user Kody Nokolo), it'll be a while until we hear from him again, as Sakurai is l??aying low.

Here's the news directly from Sakurai:

"Doing anything else?? is going to take som??e time, so it's probably best to forget about me for a while."

He also had the chance to chill out and talk about his favorite things of 2021 as it pertains to gaming (Inscryption), media in general (the MCU), and a specific person (Hidetaka Miyazaki). All interesting picks! With Spider-Man hitting a billion at the box office recently, the MCU seems like a no-brainer pick for someone looking to esc?ape from games.

As far as the news goes, I hope that he's able to reflect on his career and realize that he's brought joy to millions of people. And get some rest! If he does return to gaming at some point, maybe he can do something a little less stressful, like a new Kirby game or a follow-up in the puzzle-based Meteos series.

Maybe something a little less stressful than an ongoing cross-IP fighting game that requires constant attention, DLC??, updates, and tweaks.

The post Sakurai is laying lo??w for a while, and I hop??e he lives his best life appeared first on Destructoid.

I hope this list doesn't start a Brawl

Three years ago, just before the monumental launch of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for Nintendo Switch, I gave myself the thankless task of trying to rank every fighter based ?on the ?game they originated from. It was not easy. In fact, it was a very dumb decision for me to make. Not only were there 59 different games I had to sort through, but I'm pretty sure half of them were just Pokémon and Fire Emblem titles, and w??ho can honestly tell the difference between the games in t??hose franchises?

I was pretty proud of that first list, but looking back at it, there were several placements I knew I got wrong. Thankfully, two season passes of characters are giving me another shot at creating the ultimate ranking for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. With Sora finally out in the wild and Masahiro Sakurai back frozen in carbonite until the next Smash Bros., now is the perfect time to revisit that original list and re-r??ank the games. This time, there are more than 90 characters from 72 different games represented. So strap in, sit tight, and get a notepad out; because you're going to want to make notes on where I totally screwed up this time.

The first time I made this list, I convinced myself to put Ice Climber at the very bottom of it. Don't get me wrong, Ice Climber is not a good game. But, have you ever actually played Ball for the Game & Watch? It's boring. Very, very boring. It's pretty much the video game equivalent of a pinwhe?el: extre??mely basic with a novelty factor that wears off within seconds. On this re-ranked list, it takes its rightful place in the bottom spot.

Now, if Mr. Game & Watch's first game had been Fire...

Three years have passed since the first list and I still haven't played Gyromite. Given the state of early video game preservation?, I probably never will.

Okay, Popo and Nana. Consider this a courtesy placement. Your game sucks, but you're so much fun to play in Smash Bros.

Nice.

Nintendo considers Luigi's first appearance to be in the Mario Bros. arcade game. He actually appeared in the Mario Bros. Game & Watch several weeks before that. The arcade game is not that fun, so this spot on the list is based on the Game & Watch title, which is pretty decent from what I remember of Game and Watch Gallery 4 on the GBA.

Super Mario Land would have been placed lower on the list for being such a strain on the eyes, but its soundtrack is sick.

Right before I sold it on eBay for a nice profit, I tried to play through the original Street Fighter in the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection for Switch. Made it a full two rounds before I switched right back over to 3rd Strike.

So Fatal Fury: King of Fighters was created by Takashi Nishiyama, who a few years earlier gave the world Street Fighter from Capcom. One of the main critiques of the original Street Fighter is that you can only play as either Ryu or Ken with the rest of the cast restricted to the CPU. For some reason, Fatal Fury only ups the number of playable characters by one (Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard, Joe Higashi), keeping the rest of the characters controlled by the CPU. No wonder Street Fighter II, which released several months prior, absolutely ate this game's lunch. Thank God they turned things around for Fatal Fury 2.

There are several games on this list I'm coming to with a fresh perspective having played them since I last ranked these titles. Kirby's Dream Land is one such game, and while it's easily the worst Kirby platformer, it's still a pretty decent Game Boy game t??hanks to the adjustable difficulty.

I still think Kid Icarus is absolutely ripe for a remake. Nintendo should hook up with one of these top-tier indie outlets to reimagine Pit's first outing for modern audiences. Either that or add Eggplant Wizard to Smash. #EggplantWizard4Smash

He takes a couple uppers, he downs a couple downer??s, but nothing compares to his blue and yellow, red pills.

On the last list, I put Sonic the Hedgehog pretty high up because I didn't want any guff from its fanbase. This time, there are much more annoying fans I have to worry about, so I have no qualms about pushing this hedgehog way back.

Do you think Nintendo is actually going to continue the Arms franchise? Like, I know this first one didn't reach the monster success other first-party games in the Switch catalog have seen, but it also wasn't a bust (unless you were looking forward to that comic). I'd hate to see this fun and interesting take on the fightin??g game genre end after just one attempt.

Whar Mega Man 12?

The success of the Switch has proven Sony ain't the only company that can make stupid decisions when it's riding high on huge sales. Case in point: limited-time games. I mean, think about it. Millions of people are going to unwrap a Switch next month, and none of them will be able to play the original Fire Emblem, which was localized for th?e very firs?t time just last year with only a few months of availability on the eShop. What a stupid use of technology.

What are the chances Wii Fit Trainer is getting replaced by the runner from Ring Fit Adventure in the next Smash?

Whip it. Whip it good!

I cannot tell you what a nightmare it was playing through Metroid back in 1992 with a rented copy from the ga??me store that didn't come with a map. Seven-year-old CJ spent that weekend completely lost on Zebes.

Donkey Kong turned 40 this year.?? In Destructoid terms, that makes it exactly one Chris Moyse old.

If the tanooki suit can be brought back for modern Mario games, I?? don't see why the bunny ears ??can't be revived as well.

I love the idea that we got a franchise as good as Pikmin just because Shigeru Miyamoto wanted to see just how many objects the GameCube could animate at once. That's like finding out George Lucas made Star Wars just because? he wanted to see if he could cr?eate a believable robot suit.

I wonder what the world would look like if Super Mario Bros. failed and The Great Giana Sisters became the worldwide phenomenon that Mario is today. Would I be making a list of the best debut games for characters in Super Smash Sisters?

Playing Star Fox on my SNES Classic really highlights how easy it was to impress gamers at the ?daw??n of the 3D era.

Oh shit. I forgot I'm going to have to write about 25 different Pokémon games, aren't I?

Looking at it as objectively as possible, I'd wager Fire Emblem Fates is actually the best game in the series. It's a phenomenal work of art with an engrossing story, outstanding battles, and so many bathhouses. Unfortunately, it was held back from perfection by the asinine decision to break it up into three different versions to try and squeeze the most money out of the Fire Emblem fanbase as possible. Hopefully, Fates' fractured form was a on?e-time experiment for Nintendo.

I'll be honest with you: I'd have no problem putting Wii Sports at #1 on thi??s list. Bowling and boxing alone make it one of the best games ever created and it's just a crying shame Nintendo has opted not to continue or evolve the series on Switch.

Playing Pokémon Sun & Moon is like t??aking a Hawaiian vacation, but without any of that Kill H?aole Day stuff.

This is what's great about Sakurai. He could have easily just put the Hero from Dragon Quest XI in Smash Bros. and called it a day. But no. He had to go that extra step to make the alternate costumes for the fighter three completely different characters from the Dragon Quest franchise, including Solo Hero from Dragon Quest IV.  The game was first released for the NES as Dragon Warrior IV, but I didn't get around to it until Square Enix and ArtePiazza remade it and its two sequels for Nintendo DS. A love affair for the series that started with Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime absolutely blossomed the moment I took control of Ragnar? to go find those missing kids.

What do you think they're going to call the eventual remakes of Pokémon X & Y? Pokémon XX & XY?

I still like Ike!

It's unclear if all those rumors about a Switch port of Metroid Prime Trilogy arriving before the release of Metroid Prime 4 are true, but given the reception of Metroid Dread, Nintendo should find a way to make it happen. And if it doesn't, well, you can always buy my Wii copy from me on eBay. S??tarting bid: $1,000!

Thanks to Xbox Game Pass, I got to play Banjo-Kazooie for the very first time this year. And after getting through it, I now see why so many people were excited for and ultimately let down by Yooka-Laylee.

There was one kid at my high school who played Pokémon on his Game Boy Color. One day, a few weeks before the launch of the Game Boy Advance, I asked him if he was excited about playing the series on a more powerful handheld. He responded that Pokémon wouldn't work on the Game Boy Advance because the GBA didn't have an infrared port. Sadly, he was proven correct. Today, Pokémon only exists as a distant memory and not a series I'm going to have to write about two more times on th?is list.

A few weeks ago I was going through my storage bins when I happened upon a box from my college days. I looked inside and was shocked to see that, after all this time, I still had the GameCube memory card that came with every new copy of Animal Crossing. It still worked too. Sadly, I must have cleared my AC data from it when I t??raded the game into GameStop.

Is Meta Knight just Kirby's Proto Man?

Right now there are four consoles hooked up to my living room television: Switch, PS5, Series S, and Wii U. Because nearly every game I love on the Wii U has been ported to Switch, the only reason I'm keeping it plugged in these days is to revisit all the great Virtual Console games I bought back in the days of the Wii, including Rondo of Blood.

I cannot wait for Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. It'll just be nice to hav?e a really good-looking version of this game on my Switch as opposed to the one that's currently on my console with its abominable character sprites.

Super Smash Bros. Ulitmate has ?sold more than 25 million copies. What percentage of those players do you think only? know Captain Falcon as a fighting game character?

Sora in Smash? is just not the same without the screams of Goo??fy begging you to heal him every five minutes.

This would be way higher on the list, but?? sadly, too much water.

I play Bayonetta for the articles.

Star Fox 64 was the very firs?t Nintendo 64 game to support the Rumble Pack. And 24 years later, the gaming world still has t?o deal with that tired-ass gimmick.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars may have been pretty lackluster as a celebration of Mario's 35th anniversary, but it did give me a chance to replay Super Mario Sunshine for the first time since college and reevaluate what I thought of the game.? Turns out, I've been a lot harder on it than I should have been because it's pretty damn fun.

Dragon Quest XI's weird road to the west proved to be well worth the wait no matter which console you ended up getting the game on. Still, ??it would have been nice for audiences outside of Japan to get their hands on that 3DS version.

Boy, there is a lot of plot in that picture abo??ve.

I don't know what Sakurai is going to do now that he's maybe totally done with Smash Bros., but I can tell you what I'd like for him to do: port Uprising to Switch so everyone who skipped it on the 3DS bec?ause of its control scheme can finally see what? a brilliant game it is.

We're all still waiting for Pikmin 4, but getting Pikmin 3 Deluxe on Switch will ??make the wait a bit mor?e bearable. It's just so damn good.

How thi?s game didn't spawn its own fashion line at H&M or UNIQLO I will never know.

Remember when this game was going to be called Monado: Beginning of the World? It's probably for the best Monolith Soft opted for a name change. That original title sounds like som??e indie game you'd have trouble remembering five minutes after watching a trailer for it.

Now that Animal Crossing: New Horizons is all but complete, I think it's safe to say that New Leaf is still the king of the franchise.

I don't think most Smash players were all that excited to see another character from Fire Emblem added to the game as a paid DLC character. Thankfully, even if you're annoyed by Byleth the fighter, it's pretty hard to hate the game they come from. Three Houses?? is just too damn good and one of these days I'm going to find time to play through the Expansion Pass.

There are a lot of reasons one can hold Donkey Kong Country in high regard. It has great graphics, an amazing score, incredibly tight gameplay, and some of the best boss battles on the SNES. For me, it's the level design that makes it stand out. With its myriad of secrets, Donkey Kong Country was the type of game that beckoned players to explore every nook and cranny of its stages, all for the chance to maybe discover a new bonus area that nobody on the playground knew about yet. Because of that design philosophy, I think I know the levels of Donkey Kong Country better than any other game I've played.

On the first ranking of these games, a couple of people were quick to point out how badly I fucked up the placement of Metal Gear, surmising that I must have based my decision on the NES version rather than the original for the MSX2. And you know what? They were right. Thankfully, I have a copy of that version of the game on my PlayStation Vita thanks to the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, and holy hell, it absolutely holds up today.

Super Mario World, or as it's more commonly known around these parts, "Dinosaur Abuse Simulator." Seriously, you ??spend the whole game smacking Yoshi in the back ??of the head and there's one level where you have to send him to his death just to reach a moon piece. That's effed up.

The recent release of the Nintendo Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda only reconfirms the greatness Miyamoto and company were able to capture with their very first outing in Hy??rule.

(Bernie Sanders voice) I am once agai?n asking for your #LocalizeMother3

What's the absolute lowest I can list Persona 5 without its fans jumping down my throat?

What's the absolute funniest game to rank exactly one spot ahead of Persona 5?

Did anyone else order one of those ocarinas from the back pages of Nintendo Power back in the day? I still have mine, along with the sheet music to play songs by The Beatles. Shame they couldn't do that for the other Zelda instruments. I think that ocarina is lonely, tucked away in that dr??awer without its friends the Goddess Harp and the Spirit Flute.

You know Frasier, Frederick would have enjoyed a nice, pristine copy of EarthBound?? much more than that stupid Living Brain thing you spend the whole episode looking for. Hell, he probably would have enjoyed the kitchen set, dollhouse, and three kinds of Barbies more too.

Now that Nintendo fully owns Next Level Games, surely we can get Punch-Out!! to come back as a regular series, right? I don't think my life i??s complete without?? its lighthearted xenophobia.

There is still no greater feeling in gaming than doing a running jump off a small planetoid in Super Mario Galaxy and watching that chubby little plumber slingshot around and around the rock until gravity pulls ??him back down. So much of this game is? just fun for the sake of being fun, which is why I'll never tire of playing it.

It's crazy that after so many years of fighting tooth and nail to keep Smash Bros. away from the competitive scene, Nintendo is finally giving its blessing to the first officially licensed competitive Smash circuit with partner Panda Global. What's even crazier is that Melee is going to be a part of it. I wonder what changed to make that ha??ppen?

"Saiiiiiiiiiiiiling takes me awayyyyyyyyyyyy to where I've always heard it could be..."

Tekken was one of the very first games my brother and I rented for our PlayStation back in 1995. For years, we'd used fighting games like Street Fighter II and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters to satisfy that bloodlust b??rothers naturally have between them, beating each other up in games rather than in real life where bruises and broken bones would lead to punishment. Once we got the PlayStation in our house, we knew we had to take competitive nature to the third dimension. He would always pick Marshall Law. I'd always go with King. Even thoug??h we kind of hated each other at the time, I cherish those memories of us throwing down on King George Island.

It turns out, I made a slight error on the original list. When putting together the images for it, I used the picture of the female Pokémon Trainer for the Pokémon Red & Blue entry. But you couldn't play as a female in the original Pokémon games. While there were plans to include a female option in Red, Blue, Green, Gold, and Silver, it wasn't until Crystal released that players were actually able to choose the gender of their trainer. Because I'm too exhausted from doing all this to add Crystal as its own entry, I'm shoving it in here with Gold & Silver,?? which ??remain two of the finest games in the entire series.

I don't know what's in store for the next Super Smash Bros. game, but I think there is one thing we all can agree on: fewer Fire Emblem characters. Or, at the very least, just pull them all from the same game so I don't have to write about five frickin' Fire Emblems the next time I do this list. _{Spoiler Alert: I'm never doing a list like this again. I mean, now I know why Brett never updated his buttplug ranking with each new amiibo.}

Following the release of Metroid Dread, I decided to go back through and play the entire Metroid saga before diving into what will be the final chapter in that tale. I always knew Metroid: Zero Mission was a great game, what I didn't realize is just how perfectly designed it is. Its clockwork execution is fl??awless. Easily the best purchase I've made on my Wii U, this game alone is reason enough for me to keep that console around until it dies on me.

I think I'm running out of words at this point, so Final Fantasy VII good.

Sakurai and his team did an amazing job with the introduction videos they created for each combatant in Smash Ultimate and Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS. They absolutely capture the spirit of this fighter, and while they don't totally make up for the loss of all those great story-mode cutscenes we had in Brawl, they're worth rewatching again and again. In fact, I have a compilation of those trailers running on my television anytime I'm cleaning my apartment. They're all wonderful, but the introduction for Bowser Jr., when you slowly realize he's about to be joined by the Koopalings, is my favorite moment in any of those videos. That se??quence is burned into my memory, right alongside all the wonderful moments I spent playing through this absolute masterpiece of a platformer.

I'm just saying if this were Ms. Pac-Man, it wouldn't be settlin??g for the runners-up spot.

Admittedly, there are several games that could easily take the number one position on this list because, as you've hopefully already seen, many Smash competitors got their start in some of the greatest games of the all-time. Pac-Man is still a GOAT, as are Super Mario Bros. 3, Final Fantasy VII, Super Mario Bros., and Wii Sports. But I have to hand it to Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King. This game changed the course of history for the Dragon Quest franchise in the west. It was the first entry in the series to reach a sizeable audience outside of Japan, with its excellent voice acting, wonderful art direction, enjoyable characters, and thrilling sense of adventure. Without the success of Dragon Quest VIII, the landscape for western DQ fans might look very different today. So yeah, it's great. In fact, it's greater than great. It's the greatest debut game of any Smash fighter. Period.

*****

So, there you have it. The definitive ranking of every debut game for each Smash competitor. The last time I made this list, I said it was non-binding, something I made just for fun and also to test out my Photoshop skills. This time though, it's legit. This is an official Smash Bros ranked list??. I mean look, I even got the Nin??tendo Seal of Quality for it:

That still means something, right?

The post The debut game of every Super Smash ?Bros. Ultimate fighter, re-ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Sora was the last character, the last spirit event is this week

I've been covering spirit events that I found interesting since late 2018, but those times have come to an end as of this month. While Nintendo has been keeping the weekly spirit event train alive all this time, the last of Smash Ultimate's spirit events will be held this Friday, Nov??ember 12.

According to a tweet from the game's official accou??nt, starting November 19, 2021, "spirit events and tournament events will be re-held from some of the past events." In other words, they're going to scrape from the last (nearly) three years of content from now on and cycle them through. This is very typical of games with live service elements, especially ones with "cycling modes" like Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm.

With Sora capping off Smash Ultimate as the last major DLC, it was just a matter of time until this news dropped. Nintendo is likely trying to figure out how to chase the success of Ultimate, and moving on to the next thing, with series father Masahiro Sakurai ta?king a much-?needed rest.

While a lot of people likely ignored these, I at least appreciated the effort in terms of grouping characters and themes together; and seeing what they could come up with. Take this "Game Boy celebration??" event for instance from September 2020. Someone actually brought ??together a ton of old Game Boy characters in one image, and gave someone a little history lesson in the process.

That's just a random example: there were many more. They were a fun way to learn more about some obscure characters and the relationships between them, but I totally understand that every game can't live forever. Smash Ultimate lasted a long time, especially in figh?ting game terms.

The post End of an era: Smash Ultimate’s spirit events will repeat starting next week appeared first on Destructoid.

400 Platinum Points for Smash Bros envelopes

[Update: The My Nintendo Smash Bros. envelopes are back in stock. They're still going for 400 Platinum Points.]

My Nintendo is opening the physical product flood gates again: and I think some fans are going to dig what's on offer, even if it's yet another stationary item.

Yep, it's none other than the iconic Smash Bros. envelopes themselves, as you can pick up "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Invitation Greeting Card Sets" for 400 Platinum Points. The set includes three cards (white/green/blue), envelopes, and stickers (seals). The Smash Bros envelopes are about in line with the triple holiday card set (Mario, Peach, Bowser) ??that recently went on sale for 300 Pl?atinum Points.

Nintendo also added in a "Splatoon 2 / Super Mario Splatfest" keychain set, which features two keychains: a mushroom and a star with ink on them. These are in honor of this week's Splatfest, which, by the way, counts as a Mario mission for the upcoming second pin set. The keychain set is 350 Platinum Points.

As a reminder, you c??an f??ind our full Platinum Point guide here: bookmark it for when you need quick points for a reward, like the Metroid Dread poster two-pack here. A handful of points is incredibly easy to get, as that’s basically just 15 minutes with Super Mario Run, or a quick sign-on to the 3DS or Wii U 3Shop. Also remember that any shipments are bundled together, so you can pay a flat rate? for multiple items instead of paying it each time.

Power up with this new?? Super Mario Splatfest keychain set reward from My Nintendo [My Nintendo]

The post You can get an official set of real life Sm??ash Bros. envelopes ?now on My Nintendo appeared first on Destructoid.

I really hope he gets a break first

With the release of Sora as the final DLC character for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the curtain is closing on a titanic crossover fighter. Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai was asked about the future of the series in a new interview, where it seems like the franchise doesn't have a future charted out yet. And honestly, that's probably a good thing??.

In a Famitsu interview grabbed by Ryokutya2089 (translation via Siliconera), the Smash creator was asked about whether he could create a new sequel. He at first said "impossible," and later clarified neither he nor?? Nintendo have solidified any sequel plans.

A few quotes follow, as translated by Siliconera, discussing the potential of a sequel or the future of Smash. In some, Sakurai seems unsure about a path ahead for Super Smash Bros. without him in it. But the one tha?t?? jumps out at me is this:

"If the series were to continue, I have to talk wi??th Nintendo and have a debate on whether it will succee??d or not. I must think about this topic seriously."

Sakurai has spoken previously about how he's been considering what the next steps are for his career. And while I appreciate that the future of both Sakurai and Smash Bros. is of high interest, the las??t DLC just came o?ut. Let the man rest!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-q6Gz_4Yqc

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is, frankly, one of the most impossible-but-real accomplishments I can think of in games. It's a massive crossover with characters ranging from Nintendo's entire pantheon to the likes of Sora, Steve from Minecraft, Joker from Persona 5, and Kazuya Mishima from Tekken.

So really, the future of Super Smash Bros. in my view is Ultimate. This is a game that could feasibly stand the test of time, and hopefully, give Sakurai and his crew some wel??l-earned respite before they start thinking about what'??s next.

The post Sakurai talks ab?out the future of Super Sm??ash Bros. in new interview appeared first on Destructoid.

'We had to jump over incredibly high hurdles'

When Sakurai introduced Sora in Smash Ultimate for the first time, all I could think about is the process that led them to this moment of the reveal. Well, we kind of know what happened now thanks to a recent Famitsu column (as translated by Nintendo Everything).

Sakurai re-iterates that Sora actually won the "Fighter Ballot" contest as the number one choice by fans, and notes that Banj0 & Kazooie were "high up there as well." But he also says, unsurprisingly, that the team had to "jump over incredibly high hurdles" to get Sora in Smash, "obstacles unlike anything [they] had with t?he other DLC characters."

He tells the story of meeting a Disney rep at an award ceremony by chance, and told them that he wanted Sora in Smash. The rep thought it would be a "great idea," ??and Sakurai was stunned. He goes on: " Of course, that wasn’t something that could be ?decided there and then. The higher-ups might have different ideas. What followed was long conversations between Nintendo, Square Enix, and Disney, and in the end we were given the go ahead. We had our sixth fighter for Fighters Pass Vol. 2."

Interestingly, the second DLC pass was "supposed to have five characters like the first pass," but the whole process to actually guarantee that Sora would happen came "later on." Sakurai talks about how both Square Enix and Disney were a part of it: "Everything we did with Sora was under the supervision of both Square Enix and Disney. There were many obstacles to overcome and different rules we had to adhere to during development. The Smash team produced high quality models from the start, and we were so comfort??able with other parts of the project that we faced fewer problems making Sora than we thought we would."

Sadly, the next Famitsu column will be "the last" according to Sakurai. But of course, that doesn't mean he won't be popping up elsewhere.

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More screens and a look at Kirby

Last week Nintendo took the world by storm and announced Sora as the last Smash Ultimate DLC character. Arriving on October 18 as part of the second Fighters Pass (or $5.99 piecemeal), he'll bring along several costumes and lots of flair from the classic Kingdom Hearts series, but now we're getting a better look at what to expect from the Smash Ultimate Sora DLC.

Sakurai took to Twitter to give us more screens, naturally taken from the debug version?? of the game (as he constantly warns us about). In it, we get a cheeky beach picture reminiscent of Destiny Islands (which is not the focus of the new stage; that's Hollow Basti??on), as well as a better look at a few pieces of his moveset, taunts, and of course, Keyblade Kirby.

The Smash Ultimate Sora DLC looks like a pretty?? wonderful capstone on the game, especially when you consider that Sora was the number one DLC request from that semi-secretive poll conducted years ago. As Sakurai revealed during the Sora presentation, the company ended up keeping that on the down low to avoid fan campaigns trying to pressure publishers into collaborating on the game.

That rationale also feels like a nice capstone on Smash Ultimate, which was hailed as one of the most complete fighters of all time. Now even its legacy and its odds and ends are mostly settled up. But while the DLC is coming in just a few days, the amiibo line is incredibly backed up. It might take a year and change to see all of those, and hop?efully in numerous quantities.

The Samus and E.M.M.I. amiibo for Metroid dread were a bit of a hassle to grab as they sold out in minutes, and I suspect Sora is going to b??e an immensely ??popular figure.

[galle?ry ids="289220,?289221,289222,289223,289224,289225,289226,289227,289228,289229"]

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October 15-16 and October 29-30

Super Smash Bros. tournaments used to be my lifeblood, particularly for 64 or Melee. They're so easy to find in pretty much every major region and the combatants are plentiful. In any given year some fighter might fall out of favor, or you might need to train up from square one with something brand new; but Smash is always there. That now includes official Smash Ultimate tournament runs? in recent years, as w?ell as this upcoming NintendoVS event.

As part of Nintendo's official "VS" competitive events, the US Fall Open Smash Ultimate tournament is starting very soon. It'll run from October 15-16, followed by another run on October 29-30. Registrations are still open at the time of publication through the site Battlefy. Here are the full details:

The NintendoVS US Fall Open 2021 tournament features the? popular best-of-3 sets and no items during the ladder r??ound. Players in eight regions will have two opportunities to compete over two weekends: October 15 - 16, 2021 and October 29 - 30, 2021. The Four Grand Prize winners from each tournament weekend will be eligible to receive an epic prize package!

Those "epic prizes" include "a gaming chair, gaming headset, a jacket, and m??ore." Registration is set to end on October 15 at 3:00PM PT for the first event, and it'll end on October 29 at 3:00PM PT for the second event.

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E3 2018 was the big day

We're just days away from the last Masahiro Sakurai reveal for Smash Ultimate, and when that's it, that's it.

While there could be an opportunity for a surprise announcement of another pass, or even another DLC character down the line, Sakurai has made it clear that this is the end of the line for Smash Ultimate. Once the final character is out, we really have no clue what to expect from Smash Bros. as a whole. I mean, Nintendo is going to do something with it eventually, it makes way too much money, but?? the jury is out on what Sakurai will be working on next, or when he'll even retire.

First up Nintendo sh?ares official pictures of the ini?tial reveal, which ha??ppened at E3 2018. They? share that the screen that they showcased the fighter mural on was 6m x 45m:

//??twitter.com/SmashBrosJP/status/10070619762944122?93

While the last Sakurai reveal is looming, they gave us a glimpse at some?? E3 ornaments, including a life-sized? Sandbag character, as well as odds and ends (weapons) from fighters like Bayonetta, Shulk, and Link:

//twitter.com/SmashBrosJP/????status/1007058101697011712

Another key element of Smash Ultimate was the Ridley reveal, which also happened at E3 in 2018. Since then, over three years, 16 reveals have been done, and Nintendo notes tha??t they've gotten a lot of positive feedback on them:

//twitter.com/SmashBrosJP??/status/14426?87865406640138

This last Sakurai reveal is going to be pretty bonkers, and I hope they go all-out on it. The final set of Mii costumes will also be revealed at that time, and I bet ??they have some tricks up their sleeve. That said, I could go for another pass: there's so many people they haven't added yet.

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I hope they play Dr. Mario

In what is one of the most brilliant 14 seconds of viral marketing I've seen this year, Dr. Shah of Zen Family Dental issued a public c??hallenge to all of his patients...on Twitter and YouTube. He's the Smash dentist.

With Super Smash Bros. Ultimate playing in the background, the Zen Family Dental channel uploaded a video this past week offering a deal: if you beat hi?m, you get a free dental cleaning. If you lose, you have "to tell the whole world that you lose to a dentist." Savage.

Dr. Shah notes that "more recently [he has] been maining Pyra/Mythra, who are generally high on a lot of tier lists: the Smash dentist doesn't mess around! Oh, and here's how you'll be battling the Smash dentist, since you were probably curious: "Stock 3 battle with 6 min ??time limit, no items, no final smash, Final Destination Style level, no level damage."

Note that this challenge actually has to take place at the practice in Ashland, Massachusetts, and you need to sign up. Dr. Shah also clarifies that you can do it between normal hours (Fri-Sun 9AM-5PM) when he's not seeing a patient.  You should probab??ly bring proper insurance just in case you lose!

The Smash dentist also says he's held a tournament "a few weeks ago" in his practice, and the main reception area "can ho??ld eight people with social distancing," and there's "five other rooms with TVs."

Folks?, I think we found the coolest dentist of all time. And I thought my childhood dentist that had arcade cabinets in the ??lobby was cool.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw-2lBtPPzw

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It's part of the Harada Bar series

Did you know Tekken boss Katsuhiro Harada has his own bar? W??ell if you were following along with the "Harada's Bar" streams, you'd know that by now!

In all seriousness, developer fireside chats are precious, especially among peers that respect one another. FFXIV lead Yoshi P and Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino have a great rapport and meet up often, and now we're going to be able to see two titans of the fighting genre together in the same place. Over on the Harada's Bar YouTube channel, the Tekken man himself is promoting: "??A special talk with Mas??ahiro Sakurai & Katsuhiro Harada... coming soon."

The chat host has mentioned multiple times that he'd like to get Sakurai on board, but knows that he's exceedingly busy. But with the release of Kazuya recently, the two are now bound by the IP they work on, and it could make for a very interesting discussion: even if Sakurai doesn't go too into the weeds with Smash becaus?e of what he can/can't say on account of N??intendo.

Harada actually started teasing this back in July, when he asked fans "What question would you ask if you had the opportunity to talk to game creator Masahiro Sakurai? (Preferably something other than about Smash Bros.)" His "bar" talk show is a relatively new thing, as it debuted back in March.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zerro9U4Bmw

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Ghirahim should have been a fighter

Ever seen Zelda: Skyward Sword in Smash Ultimate? Well now you have!

Using their ??"Nintendo Versus" fighting game account, the publisher decided to celebrate the launch of Zelda: Skyward Sword this past weekend with a little tribute. Link riding a Falco Loftwing is something I didn't know I needed today, followed by several scenes of Link fighting/protecting Zelda from Ghirahim, and a general breakdown of some of the bigger power-ups from the game?.

As most Smash players know by now, Ghirahim was immortalized in Smash 4 (and Ultimate) as an assist trophy, and was never made a proper fighter to date. More Skyward Sword in Smash Ultimate is a good thing as far as I'm concerned, and frankly, I would have taken more Zelda in Smash as a whole.

You gotta give it to Ninten?do for the framing of a few of these scenes though. ?In the comments, a few people were confused and thought this actually confirmed Ghirahim!

It's crazy, I know, but I wonder if Nintendo will make the next Smash as an All-Star take on a specific franchise, to avoid having to "one-up" Ultimate. They could always bring Ultimate back on whatever the next system is (or upgrade it on a future 4K Switch Pro, if that ever happens), and then create this subseries in tandem with it. There's a few combat-based games that could easily fill the roster, but Zelda feels like one of the easiest sure-things: especially given the popularity of the Hyrule Warriors series.

//twitter.com/NintendoVS/status/1416159678?543941637

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It seems like the end, my friends

If you missed Sakurai's Kazuya presentation for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, we recapped the entire thing. Go watch it! One little tidbit that got tucke??d away in there though is the confirmation that yes, the DLC train is co?ming to an end. The final DLC fighter is imminent.

Amazingly, despite having a gigantic base roster, Smash Ultimate got not only one?, but two "Fighters Pass" runs, the second of which will culminate "by the end of the year," according to Sakurai. So that's our first big confirmation right there: that the last DLC is still on track for 2021.

Oh, and I spoiled the second bit: it's the last DLC. While Sakurai is known for his tricks, it seems like Smash Ultimate is actually done when that last f?ighter is released: which will be rou?ghly three years after launch.

Here's w?hat Sakurai says verbatim about the final DLC fighter:

"But finally, the next DLC fighter will be the last one. There? won't be any more after that. It'll be a whil?e before that announcement, but it'll be available this year as planned."

I mean, there's really no way to please everyone with this last one, unless it's something absolutely insane like Goku. But even then, people will say he's not "game related," so they'll lose from that angle. Drat! I foiled myself and hyped myself up for Goku at the same time. While we're on the subject though, Steve would have been a killer finale.

While Kazuya seems to be mostly accepted right now by the community (his reveal, at least), the last DLC will need to be something with a little more pizazz. Given that this could be the last Smash project with Sakurai involved (when will he retire?!), I think they'r??e plann?ing on it.

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It'll hit the base game eventually

Capcom and Nintendo are no strangers to partnership-building promotions, and this one is once again hyping up Smash Ultimate and a Monster Hunter entry. Monster Hunter Stories 2 is just around the corner, and although the bonus is fairly small, you do get an unlock in the form of a Smash spirit.

As confirmed by the official Smash Twitter account run by Nintendo, the small winged Razewing Rathalos is unlocked via a Stories 2 save file. All you need to do is have a file in the game that's out from July 9 on, and you're? good to go. The on?e in the promotional image shows 3,144 power.

In case you're wondering, this isn't exactly new for Smash  Ultimate. Several other games have done tie-in spirits, and those have/will eventually hit the core game in time. For instance, Arthur was given out as a "special present" for Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection.

//t????witter.com/SmashBrosJP/status/1410065156042752001

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Good job, Sakurai

During today's Kazuya Mishima DLC stream for Smash Ultimate, Sakurai had to sneak in DLC outfit confirmation, too. Mii Fighter costumes are back, and will include crossovers with Tales of Symphonia, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, Devil May Cry, and Shantae.

In respective order, the costumes will represent Lloyd (swordfighter), the Dragonborn (swordfighter), Dante (swordfighter), and Shantae (brawler). Sakurai says they named the character Dragonborn "because it's the English translation of Dovahkiin, which is "dragon child" in the dragon language of the original game." As for Shantae, she'll come with one song in the "other" section of the soundtrack: Burning Town, from Half-Genie Hero (the first stage).

As Mii outfit DLC round 10, they'll be 75 cents each, rel?eased alongside of Kazuya on June 29.

Mysterious as eve?r, Sakurai teases that the last charact?er of the last fighter's pass is still on track to release this year.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTrROtf9zdg

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Sakurai Presents Kazuya

In case you missed it, Masahiro Sakurai and Nintendo announced new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC at E3 this year, and it went over fairly well! Kazuya of Tekken fame is joining t?he cast, and just this morning ?Sakurai gave us a taste of what to expect. Here's a Sakurai Presents Kazuya recap.

Sakurai presented in studio with the staff "watching from a distance" (who laughed at the intro), and as usual, it was extremely wholesome. He gave us a quick recap of the Tekken series, and jokes that he "heard a voice from the heavens," that asked him to add Kazuya into the mix. he explains that Tekken is a game of understanding hit boxes, but requires a "different skillset," and that Smash's fastest move is about "five times faster" than Tekken's equivalent. So they had to convert Tekken sensibilities into Smash without outright copying it.

He confirms that the "devil gene" plot point makes it into Smash, and that the reason they didn't go with Heihachi is because he does not have that gene: and the devil powers make for a cooler character. Kazuya will sport most of his original kit, including a classic 10-hit combo and crumple moves. But he ??also straight up has a projectile (devil blaster) that can pass through multiple opponen?ts (with its power decreasing each time), and you can angle it. It can be reflected and absorbed (and pocketed!).

In fact, all of his specials (B) will utilize his ?devil gene, including the devil fist, which ca??n be heavily punished. Up+B will trigger his devil wings, which sport an extreme vertical, and can even be used in KOs. Down+B, heaven's door, grabs an opponent and slams them into the ground following a launcher uppercut.

??Kazuya can also utilize a rage mode, which does 1.1x damage, and a "once per stock throw called rage drive" (which can work as a grab, a converted heaven's door, or by using a shoryuken input). It has no time limit, but you can leave it if you take too much damage or whiff throws. His fina??l smash is "final blaster," which goes full devil mode and fires multiple beams: you need to hit that initial small beam first though.

Throughout the Sakurai Presents Kazuya stream, the Smash boss notes that his "??attack power is very high," which makes him prone to comebacks. But his attack speed is slow, and you might have issues against ranged or aerial opponents. He is a "heavier" character though, which makes him tougher to launch, and he sports "continuous super armor." Amazingly, he can use his armor to interrupt enemy attacks.

As for his normals, Kazuya has dial-a-combos, as well as delayed hits that can trigger combos. Sakurai warns that the last hit of a combo cannot be shielded. He can use eight input directions, which can cause new combos with directional nuances. One example is an upward diagonal right combo that allows spin kicks and four presses of the A button. Similarly, downward right, A, A will cause a tsunami kick, which can launch an opponent. In one on one bouts?, Kazuya will automatically face his opponent to orient himself.

Smash attacks include glorious demon god fist (a side smash that's extremely powerful, that requires a "bit of distance" to hit at full power, and grants super armor), devil twister (an up?? smash that has a narrow uppercut range, but does a ton of damage), lion slayer (down smash that's a launching attack within a combo, incl?uding setting up the demon god fist - and it can hit enemies on a ledge). By using a shoryuken input you can do a quick crouch dash, which can avoid projectiles and close the gap between you and your opponent: you can also chain this into moves with A (like the dragon uppercut, with "high launching power"). He can still use the demon's wrath taunt (it's a side taunt here) to "throw off people."

His new stage is the Mishima Dojo (which belongs to Heihachi), which has closed ceilings and walls that can be broken with strong attacks. Once everything is broken, it's less safe, Sakurai says. The walls will rebuild themselves over time though, and Heihachi is present in the background and will react to KOs (similar to the King of Fighters arena). Oh, and there's an Easter egg on the ground! Hilariously, Sakurai demonstrated Kazuya in a gauntlet fea??turing all of the fighters the character threw off the ?ledge in the cinematic intro.

As noted by the Sakurai Presents Kazuya stream, the soundtrack for the Kazuya DLC will feature 39 songs in total, and you can read all of them here. There's no victory fanfare, instead, the Tekken announcer will say "Kazuya Mishima wins." He's out on June 29, with new Mii Fighter costumes. O??h, and here's the Min Min amiibo, which is slated for 2022.

If you want to watch the whole thing yours??elf, you can check it out below!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMy8Ah4eQ8g

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Sorry, Ryu

After the announcement that Kazuya was entering Smash Ultimate, I never really stopped to consider how cool his entrance artwork could be. Or that the Tekken team would be the one to do it! Well, I was incredibly happy to see Katsuhiro Harada, resident Tekken boss, share this new piece on Twitter.

Showcasing Kazuya's raw power, he's holding Ryu over a cliff, ready to send him to his death. I love the little details, like the? shocked characters, the ones coming t?o Ryu's aid, and the Min Min arm that's attempting to catch his fall. Just amazing stuff and a ton of attention to detail. Harada notes that this illustration is from the Tekken Project.

This piece of art has a lot of history in it, as Capcom and Banda?i Namco have collaborated on several occasions for crossover projects: so to see two of their most iconic fighting game characters come together in some form is a? treat.

As a reminder, Sakurai's rundown of Kazuya will be held on June 28 at 10AM ET. Generally, DLC characte?rs are released later tha??t day or that same week.

It's easy to see why Nintendo chooses some of these characters. The prospect of smoothing over a relationship (like say, Microsoft with Steve) is incredibly ??enticing, and could open up doors for both parties involved. Harada seems excited!

Oh, and here's where he fits into the official? gigantic mural:

//twitter.com/NintendoVS/status/14048785934??82706945

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End of an era, if so

All good things must come to an end...is the exact phrase I was thinking when reading over Masahiro Sakurai's newest Famitsu column, as reported by ryokutya2089.

In case you've missed it, Sakurai has been contributing to a Famitsu column for nearly 20 years, dishing out inside info and insights into the development process of the Super Smash Bros. series. He's able to get fairly frank in these articles (within reason), and provide a? window into his mind in a fi??reside chat sort of way.

But, they might be ending. Musing in the latest Famitsu column, Sakurai allegedly is thinking about retiring, noting that "everything must come to an end." He also notes that he will not "stop working on games," but is thinking about ending the long-running Famitsu column in general after the last DLC for Ultimate ships this year.

As VGC points out, the full Famitsu column will give us a better picture of the context when it hits. But at this point, with his masterpiece almost done, it would make perfect sense to retire afterward and maintain a sort of "consultation" status in the gaming world. That way he technically doesn't "stop working on games??!"

Sakurai [ryokutya2089 via VGC]

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Oops all Fire Emblem

[Update: Akrenix taketh away, but they also giveth. The inverse of the "no more Fire Emblem" mod is also out, and it's called "no, more Fire Emblem!" which got a hearty chuckle out of me. This one actually only allows Fire Emblem content and ?nothing else, which is actually a cooler idea!]

By the time Byleth hit Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in early 2020, enough was enough for a lot of people. Some people were sick of Fire Emblem characters flooding the game, and even though Nintendo hasn't repeated the cadence since (afterwa?rd we got Min Min, Steve, Sephiroth, and Pyra/Mythra, every single reveal folks are expecting it. Well, now you can just mod them out entirely.

This mod from creator Akrenix takes all of the Fire Emblem stuff out of the game. That includes the characters, stages, and all references. Yes it's a bit extreme, but it's kind of funny, and something I'm going to be thinking about if we ever get another Fire Emblem character. Speaking of!

While this whole conversation has reached meme levels, and it's gotten to the point where Sakurai has ?to say publicl??y every few months that he doesn't have final cut on who makes it in; any character that's fun is going to get playtime out of me, full stop. If we get yet another Fire Emblem character and th??eir desig??n holds their own, so be it.

It also has me thinking: where the hell does Nintendo go from here? Will Sakurai keep working on Smash after Ultimate? Is Nintendo going to release a new "GOTY" edition on a potential future "Switch Pro" system? What about after that? If the Super Switch gets a new Smash without Sakurai at the helm, and without all of the Ultimate content so far: how is ??that going to be received?

No More Fire Emblem [GameBanana]

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Now I just want a TV show

Artist Daniel Cortes (@Dannycortoons) has completed a painstaking project to depict the entire roster of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in an aesthetic reminiscent of 1930s animation, perhaps more commonly known as the "Rubber Hose" style, and recently popularized by Studio MDHR's platformer, Cuphead.

"After many months, ?and over 120 characters drawn, here's every single #SmashBrosUltimate character in a style inspired by #Cuphead #Rubberhose #1930sCartoons! Everyone is Here!" announced Cortes on Twitter. "Thank you guys so much for support throughout this project, can't wait to share more in the future!"

The incredible image features well over 100 characters, representing the entirety of the roster from Nintendo's popular fighting title, including alternate skins and Mii cosplay characters. From Mario to Jigglypuff, Sans to Solid Snake, Joker to Wii Fit Trainer, "Everyon??e is Here" in this colorf?ul and lively banner - a real who's who of gaming.

Cortes has noted that they will update their artwork with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's two remaining DLC characters once they are finally revealed. In the meantime, enjoy picking out your favorite charac??ters in the full image. Everyone looks fantastic, but I think Wendy O. is my favorite h??ere... or Fox McCloud... or Bayonetta... Or...

After many months, and over 120 characters drawn, here's every single #SmashBrosUltimate character in a style inspired by #Cuphead/ #Rubberhose/ #1930sCartoons!! Everyone is Here!! Thank you guys so much for support throughout this project, can't wait to share more in the future! pic.twitter.com/tXErXZ0mpe

— Daniel Cortes (@DannyCortoons) April 16, 2021

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