Often when we talk about Smash, there’s a note of anticipation: “Who will they add next?” “What will they change?” “What will they improve?” But after years of agonizing speculation, I think it’s safe to say we can see most of the big picture at this point. The WiiU version has been out for about a year now, and while DLC surprises are inevitable (and hopefully plentiful!), there's already so much to love. I’d like us to take stock of all the ways Smash has delivered so far, and appreciate what we already have... Consider it an early Thanksgiving, for Sakurai!
A big part of Smash is fan service and wish fulfillment, so I want to know what things have brought YOU the most joy — be it a character or stage, certain details or design choices, or even features and functionality. Anything announced up through this point. Let’s take a moment to stop and smell the roses for what was one of our most hyped games!
I’ll start with four items that appealed to me, off the top of my head:
Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings:
I’ve gushed about this many times before, so I’ll keep it brief. A year has passed, and I still can’t believe they’re all in the game! But first, let’s look at the core concept: Bowser Jr. in the Junior Clown Car, complete with Mecha Koopas and a buttload of cartoon weaponry. Utter genius, and they squeezed so much in there: a cannon, buzzsaw, drills, wrecking balls, hammers, a grappling claw, a go-kart. Then you add in the Koopalings, Shadow Mario as a Final Smash, and… Well, I still can’t believe this is actually a thing. It’s like Sakurai reached into Plato’s Realm of Ideal Forms (the only thing I remember from high school philosophy class) and plucked the most delicious bit of fan service imaginable for a Mario nerd like myself (especially one with a soft spot for World — the Clown Car and Mecha Koopa are such iconic designs).
Lucina:
This is a character I wanted SO BADLY but didn’t expect, since past precedent and the Gematsu leak (remember that?) suggested Chrom would be the FE rep.
Kozaki’s art in Awakening is what drew me into the series, and Lucina is his strongest design, IMO. Every line in the costume guides the eye in a way that feels elegant and dynamic to me, from the stitches in the boots to the gold trim on the jacket and the lines in the bodysuit. I just like looking at her outfit — it feels like some kind of medieval superhero. It was something I wanted to control beyond the turn-based confines of FEA. Those ARE high-tops built into the boots, after all — makes you want to run and jump! And Smash delivered… She even redeemed Marth for me! I never gave him a fair shake in Melee or Brawl since his design didn’t click with me, but Lucina got me past that and opened my eyes to a super-fun play style (even if it’s not entirely the same — Marth being a tipper and all). Also, I like the fact she’s a strong female character humanized by a bit of doubt. I’m just amazed she got into the game.
Mewtwo:
The omission of Mewtwo was my biggest disappointment in Brawl (after Ridley failed to show up — he was in the clouds, dammit!). He was one of my mains in Melee, along with Bowser and Mr. G&W. Imagine my disappointment, then, when it seemed he had slipped through the cracks again in Smash 4… and then my elation when he was announced as DLC. He was free DLC, too, but I would’ve gladly paid money for him… Like, stupid money. Everything about Mewtwo is badass in a way that tickles my inner child, from his menacing laugh to the BEST MOVE EVER (see screenshot). Also, they changed Confusion so reflected projectiles actually hurt people now. Science be praised! On a side note, I succumbed to filthy amiibo addiction and picked up his amiibo (along with Shulk… and ZSS… and Bowser Jr… and Captain Falcon… and…
I highly recommend the amiibo if you’re a Mewtwo fan, and they don’t seem too hard to find!
Cloud:
The man of the hour. Cloud’s reveal last week was HYPE AS HELL. I was clutching the sides of my laptop and stifling a squeal when they showed him. And unlike many of the live reactions, I wasn’t constantly looking away — my eyes and ears were inhaling every detail as my mind struggled to process what was happening. It was borderline transcendent… Glorious madness.
And here’s the thing: I’m not even a FFVII fan! I played a half-hour of it as a kid when my friend brought over his PSX. I’ve watched Advent Children countless times, mainly for the spectacle (certainly not for the story), and I’ve always liked the look and feel of FFVII, but I wouldn’t call myself a proper fan.
Going back to my childhood for a moment, though, I think that’s why I’m thrilled by Cloud in Smash. It’s not me rooting for the character himself; it’s me rooting for the feels he gives me as I think back to simpler times, when I was a kid and the world was no more complicated than the cosmic battle between good and evil: The N64 and the PSX. Yep, back then I was a console warrior — Link and I vs. my heathen friends and their false idol Cloud. It’s a time I associate with FFVII imagery because it was so ubiquitous — I’d see it on TV commercials, in POP displays, in EGM (and secretly, I’d think it looked cool). I’d enroll in Camp Hyrule (anyone remember Camp Hyrule?) and befriend people who would role-play as FFVII characters. So the exposure was constant, and I came to like the game’s characters and world through osmosis. And now I associate it with a more innocent time.
That, along with the gravity of Cloud in a Nintendo game — a feat Sony couldn’t manage with PSABR, and after the bad blood of Yamauchi swearing off Square — makes this whole reveal the stuff of legend. Anyone who was a gamer in the N64 days can appreciate the magnitude of this move. And I imagine I’m not the only one eager to see Cloud throw down with Link, a matchup we feverishly debated on the playground in middle school but never thought we’d see in a game. It’s perfect, and I really hope we hear a release date soon! I’m also stoked about the Midgar stage, since I’ve always loved the summon designs in Final Fantasy. Did they have that painterly Vanillaware look in the original game? I don’t think so, but it’s gorgeous!
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So anyways, those are my first four picks. What elements of Smash 4 really make you happy? What elements impress you with their cleverness or make you feel like a kid again? Remember, they don’t have to be characters. They can be stages, trophies, modes, music — anything!
A big part of Smash is fan service and wish fulfillment, so I want to know what things have brought YOU the most joy — be it a character or stage, certain details or design choices, or even features and functionality. Anything announced up through this point. Let’s take a moment to stop and smell the roses for what was one of our most hyped games!
I’ll start with four items that appealed to me, off the top of my head:
Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings:
I’ve gushed about this many times before, so I’ll keep it brief. A year has passed, and I still can’t believe they’re all in the game! But first, let’s look at the core concept: Bowser Jr. in the Junior Clown Car, complete with Mecha Koopas and a buttload of cartoon weaponry. Utter genius, and they squeezed so much in there: a cannon, buzzsaw, drills, wrecking balls, hammers, a grappling claw, a go-kart. Then you add in the Koopalings, Shadow Mario as a Final Smash, and… Well, I still can’t believe this is actually a thing. It’s like Sakurai reached into Plato’s Realm of Ideal Forms (the only thing I remember from high school philosophy class) and plucked the most delicious bit of fan service imaginable for a Mario nerd like myself (especially one with a soft spot for World — the Clown Car and Mecha Koopa are such iconic designs).
Lucina:
This is a character I wanted SO BADLY but didn’t expect, since past precedent and the Gematsu leak (remember that?) suggested Chrom would be the FE rep.
I still think the Gematsu leak was accurate at some point during development.
Mewtwo:
The omission of Mewtwo was my biggest disappointment in Brawl (after Ridley failed to show up — he was in the clouds, dammit!). He was one of my mains in Melee, along with Bowser and Mr. G&W. Imagine my disappointment, then, when it seemed he had slipped through the cracks again in Smash 4… and then my elation when he was announced as DLC. He was free DLC, too, but I would’ve gladly paid money for him… Like, stupid money. Everything about Mewtwo is badass in a way that tickles my inner child, from his menacing laugh to the BEST MOVE EVER (see screenshot). Also, they changed Confusion so reflected projectiles actually hurt people now. Science be praised! On a side note, I succumbed to filthy amiibo addiction and picked up his amiibo (along with Shulk… and ZSS… and Bowser Jr… and Captain Falcon… and…
I highly recommend the amiibo if you’re a Mewtwo fan, and they don’t seem too hard to find!
Cloud:
The man of the hour. Cloud’s reveal last week was HYPE AS HELL. I was clutching the sides of my laptop and stifling a squeal when they showed him. And unlike many of the live reactions, I wasn’t constantly looking away — my eyes and ears were inhaling every detail as my mind struggled to process what was happening. It was borderline transcendent… Glorious madness.
And here’s the thing: I’m not even a FFVII fan! I played a half-hour of it as a kid when my friend brought over his PSX. I’ve watched Advent Children countless times, mainly for the spectacle (certainly not for the story), and I’ve always liked the look and feel of FFVII, but I wouldn’t call myself a proper fan.
Going back to my childhood for a moment, though, I think that’s why I’m thrilled by Cloud in Smash. It’s not me rooting for the character himself; it’s me rooting for the feels he gives me as I think back to simpler times, when I was a kid and the world was no more complicated than the cosmic battle between good and evil: The N64 and the PSX. Yep, back then I was a console warrior — Link and I vs. my heathen friends and their false idol Cloud. It’s a time I associate with FFVII imagery because it was so ubiquitous — I’d see it on TV commercials, in POP displays, in EGM (and secretly, I’d think it looked cool). I’d enroll in Camp Hyrule (anyone remember Camp Hyrule?) and befriend people who would role-play as FFVII characters. So the exposure was constant, and I came to like the game’s characters and world through osmosis. And now I associate it with a more innocent time.
That, along with the gravity of Cloud in a Nintendo game — a feat Sony couldn’t manage with PSABR, and after the bad blood of Yamauchi swearing off Square — makes this whole reveal the stuff of legend. Anyone who was a gamer in the N64 days can appreciate the magnitude of this move. And I imagine I’m not the only one eager to see Cloud throw down with Link, a matchup we feverishly debated on the playground in middle school but never thought we’d see in a game. It’s perfect, and I really hope we hear a release date soon! I’m also stoked about the Midgar stage, since I’ve always loved the summon designs in Final Fantasy. Did they have that painterly Vanillaware look in the original game? I don’t think so, but it’s gorgeous!
###
So anyways, those are my first four picks. What elements of Smash 4 really make you happy? What elements impress you with their cleverness or make you feel like a kid again? Remember, they don’t have to be characters. They can be stages, trophies, modes, music — anything!
