E3 2014: Smashing Impressions

An inviting look at the Smash Bros. invitational.

So after watching the invitational for Super Smash Bros. for Wii-U, I can say that it has potential. The game runs at a decent speed, and is still slow enough to not scare off some of the ‘less experienced’, shall we say, players. The characters shown had a lot to offer, and while a Free-For-All doesn’t exactly showcase individual talent, I was able to pick out a lot of different things.

From a casual standpoint, this new Smash Bros. will most likely bring an amazing amount of excitement for everyone. The items are pretty cool, and the stages are interesting. There’s a lot to look at for spectators and players alike. So far from what we’ve seen, there’s definitely enough variety in characters to quell even the most vehement of casual complainers. It also looks as if the final smashes will be a hit again. Casually, this game has everything you could want, and we haven’t even been shown 1-player mode, yet.

From a competitive standpoint, the new Smash Bros. has some see-saw observations. A lot of the stages are very interactive, which does affect solid game play. It also appears that overall skill does play a factor, which is where solid Smash fundamentals come in to play. There was a bit of running the clock involved, but making a mistake is a factor this time around, it appears. Crs. Hungrybox, a normally patient and passive player, showed that aggressive and smart play can work in this game. The display of the speed shows that it is actually somewhere near the speed of the original Smash Bros. This allows for more than enough solid game play, which can quell some worries. Character variety allows for a good diversity in tournament.

So far, no character looks significantly stronger than the others. In the end, things are subject to change, so we’ll just have to wait until October to get a glimpse of the future of this game competitively.
I’ve mentioned them a few times already, but in terms of the characters, they all seemed fun. Although we only really saw 17 or 18 of the characters get played, it was reassuring. There were crisp, new animations and beautiful varieties. It also doesn’t look like returning characters are suffering in the wake of newer ones. I have some minor concerns about some characters, but nothing is final. Everyone seems fair and legit, however.

To address all of the talk going on: Zero Suit Samus is not OP. CT ZeRo is just a -very- solid player who excels at Brawl, Melee, and Project M. He also seems to understand how to play Free-For-Alls. Not all of the players were approaching it the best way, which is understandable. In regards to the event, it was fine. There’s no need to get salty over anything since it wasn’t run remotely by tournament rules.

As it stands, I’m giving Smash Bros. for the Wii-U, a solid 7.7/10. As it stands, the game is a fine release, but we’ll see what the development team has to offer just yet. If they happen to read this, I hope they understand that as someone who constantly experiences the games from both sides, and a Tournament Organizer, they’ve got my attention.

What did you enjoy? What didn’t you like? Feel free to let me know. Also, if you want to hear some of my insight on certain characters and players, I’ll be more than willing to share.

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