Lucas Reviews: Super Smash Bros. for the WiiU

Super Smash Bros. for the WiiU.

Super Smash Bros., Nintendo’s fighting game, has been around since January of 1999 when it made its debut on the Nintendo 64. The original game had 12 characters (8 starter characters and 4 that needed to be unlocked). Since then, 4 more games have been released, the latest being Super Smash Bros. for the WiiU and for the 3DS (I’ll be focusing on the WiiU version for this review) released in November of 2014. In this game, there are 55 characters, all from Nintendo IP’s ranging from Mario and Metroid to Pokemon, Gyromite, Duck Hunt, and more.

Super Smash Bros. is a crossover fighting game that differs from many fighting games as your goal is to knock your opponent off the stage rather than depleting a lifebar. Instead, as you hit your opponents, their percentage (damage) goes up. The higher this number, the farther they’ll be knocked back when you hit them with a move. Hit them up, to the left, to the right, or under the stage hard enough, and they’ll die. The game can play with stocks (lives) or with a timer that can be set for various time limits. The first to lose their lives loses, or in the case of time, the one with the highest K/D ratio at the end wins.

Along with the Nintendo characters, naturally, you have Nintendo based stages. Some of which have stage hazards that interact with the characters in various ways. The Pokemon stages have Pokemon that can attack you or alter the stage. A Metroid stage has lava that occasionally rises to damage the player and so much more. There are 52 stages to start, with some being occasionally added in as DLC for a price. Alongside this, there is a user friendly stage creator that allows you to build your own stage, add your own hazards (spikes, for example) and play on it. You can also share these stages with your friends and have them play on their own WiiU. Each stage has a normal mode and an “Omega” mode that removes any stage hazards and makes the stage completely flat.

DLC

Now, the DLC. The DLC for this game includes costumes for the Mii fighter characters, new stages, and even new characters. Most of these come at a price ranging from $.75 to $13 depending on what you want to buy. The most expensive things are often a collection of skins or characters that are bundled to save you a little money. 

In my opinion, these prices are actually quite fair, especially as new fighters aren’t blatantly overpowered or underpowered and feel like they fit right into the game. This means you can easily avoid not buying the DLC and feel like you’re still getting a fair experience. Sure, you may not have the newest added characters, but it doesn’t hinder you from playing against them. I personally own all the DLC characters, and I’m glad I did because two of them (Mewtwo and Lucas) are some of my favorite characters from previous games.

Online Play

So, the online play for this game is significantly better than the previous title’s (Super Smash Bros. Brawl). However, the online play is still Peer 2 Peer so it depends on both parties to have a good connection for the game not to lag. If you both have a good connection, then the game is pretty much flawless to play online. There are frame drops here and there, but nothing too noticeable. I’d suggest a 15 Mbps download speed with little interference to play online.

There are two modes online: For Fun and For Glory. For Fun is just that, for fun. It’s casual game modes with items and (normally) time instead of stock. It’s a 4+ player mode, so you’re more likely to experience lag due to this. For Glory is ranked, based on your Win/Loss ratio. You are given 2 lives and play on the “Omega” form of the stages to remove outside influences. There is also a 4 player For Glory mode too.

Stats

• 55 characters (+ Any DLC)
• 52 stages (+Any DLC)
• Winner of the Best Fighting Game --E3 2014 Game Critics Awards
• Replays available, but only for matches 3 minutes or less. Replays can be uploaded to Youtube within the game itself.
• Recommended high speed internet to play online
• DLC ranges from $.75 to ~$13

Final Thoughts

Honestly, this is one of my favorite Smash Bros. game to date. While not as competitive as Smash Bros. Melee on the Gamecube, it balances casual and competitive play while not taking out any of the fun on either side. This is one of the games that I bought my WiiU for originally, and if you’re on the edge, considering  buying a WiiU, buy it for this game. If you’re into fighting games and love Nintendo, then do it. It’s a hell of a good time and the WiiU has some other fantastic titles that either Nicole or I will be reviewing in the future.