Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Review

Christopher Ocker, Staff Writer

The Super Smash Brothers franchise is one that has grown tremendously both in popularity and in content. Across only 4 games in the series, there have been dozens of video games series that have appeared and millions of gamers around the world who play regularly. The most recent release on the Switch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, plans to bring every fighter and stage from the series into one incredibly large package. It is no surprise, then, that Ultimate is the best game yet and will likely stay the definitive game in Smash for quite a while.

Smash Bros. Ultimate is by far the best feeling game in terms of controls and mechanics. It feels like a great balance between the fast-paced chaos of Melee and sharp controls and accessibility of Four. There are major changes to the combat like the return of directional air-dodging and more balanced character selection, but it is the small details that make Ultimate feel so satisfying. This is by far the most flashy game in the series which is clearly seen with the pauses after landing a killing blow or how the score takes over the scene after a KO. There are also other balancing issues that do not go unrecognized like how rolling multiple times will result in fewer invincibility frames. A fan will feel right at home and new players will find themselves easily addicted because of these changes.

There is so much content contained within this game that almost anyone can find something they enjoy. The core multi-player mode alone has 74 different characters to play as, most of which have distinct movesets and advantages that can be used in battle. There are also over 100 different stages you can play on along with dozens of other modifiers. The point is that there are thousands of different ways to play the core game alone. There is also the World of Light single player campaign. This adventure mode contains a gigantic world map where you must fight your way through hundreds of levels to progress, unlocking other fighters and spirits along the way. This mode is incredibly ambitious and wildly entertaining because of the battles that are based on references to other video game franchises.