Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a 2018 crossover fighting game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd., debuted on the Nintendo Switch platform under the publishing umbrella of Nintendo. As the fifth installment in the Super Smash Bros. series, it succeeds its predecessor, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, released in 2014. The game retains the franchise’s signature gameplay style, wherein players command a diverse array of characters, unleashing attacks to weaken opponents and propel them out of the arena. Boasting a plethora of game modes, Ultimate offers both single-player campaigns and multiplayer versus modes, catering to a broad spectrum of player preferences. Ultimate boasts a roster of 89 playable fighters, encompassing beloved characters from previous Super Smash Bros. iterations alongside fresh additions. This eclectic lineup spans not only Nintendo’s iconic personas but also incorporates figures from third-party franchises, amplifying the game’s crossover appeal. Planning for Ultimate commenced as early as December 2015, with full-scale development kicking off after the conclusion of downloadable content for 3DS/Wii U. The return of series creator and director Masahiro Sakurai, alongside Bandai Namco Studios and Sora, expedited the production process. Sakurai’s ambitious objective with Ultimate was to integrate every character featured in prior franchise entries, notwithstanding the myriad developmental and licensing hurdles.
Nintendo tantalized fans with glimpses of Ultimate in a Nintendo Direct presentation in March 2018, culminating in a comprehensive reveal at E3 2018 the subsequent June. Preceding its launch on December 7, 2018, the game received additional Direct presentations, building anticipation among eager enthusiasts. Universal acclaim greeted Ultimate upon its release, with numerous critics hailing it as the pinnacle of the series, lauding its extensive content offerings and refined gameplay mechanics. While the online mode attracted some criticism, the game’s commercial success speaks volumes, cementing its status as the best-selling fighting game of all time and the third best-selling Nintendo Switch title, with over 34 million copies sold as of March 2024. Beyond its commercial triumphs, Ultimate has emerged as a prominent contender in the competitive fighting game scene, earning widespread acclaim as one of the finest entries in its genre and one of the greatest video games ever crafted. Its accolades include ten Game of the Year awards and thirteen nominations. The game continued to expand its horizons through downloadable content, introducing new fighters, stages, and other enriching content from its inception until October 2021.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate serves as a platform fighter accommodating up to eight players, featuring an eclectic cast of characters hailing from both Nintendo’s extensive repertoire and third-party franchises. Combat revolves around the objective of propelling opponents out of the arena, with each player’s percentage meter escalating as they sustain damage. As this meter increases, so does the knockback inflicted upon them, heightening the likelihood of being launched airborne and ousted from the battleground. Players engage in standard battles under one of three victory conditions: Timed matches task participants with accumulating points by defeating rivals within a designated time frame, Stock matches allocate players a predetermined number of lives, with victory bestowed upon the last standing combatant, and Stamina mode requires reducing opponents’ health to zero for victory. Customizable rulesets enable players to tailor gameplay experiences to their preferences, with options to save presets for future matches.
The gameplay experience is enriched by the inclusion of various items that assail adversaries or confer power-ups, including Poké Balls summoning Pokémon allies and Assist Trophies calling upon non-playable characters for assistance. Notably, in Timed matches, certain Assist Trophies can be targeted and vanquished to accrue points. Each character boasts a formidable Final Smash attack, attainable either through acquiring a Smash Ball or charging a specialized meter, both of which can be toggled on or off to suit players’ preferences. The base game encompasses 104 distinct stages, with additional venues introduced alongside downloadable content (DLC) fighters. Stage variations, including Battlefield and Omega forms, offer diverse playing fields, with the option to eliminate environmental hazards for a streamlined experience. The novel Stage Morph feature facilitates dynamic gameplay by alternating between two selected stages at predetermined intervals throughout a match. Moreover, character-specific abilities are augmented with revamped icons and gauges, exemplified by Cloud’s revamped Limit gauge.
In addition to classic modes like Classic, Special Smash, and Home-Run Contest, Ultimate introduces novel gameplay experiences. Smashdown imposes a restriction wherein each character can only be utilized once per match, fostering strategic diversity. Squad Strike pits players against each other in team-based battles, allowing for the incorporation of multiple characters per team. Finally, a tournament mode enables up to 32 players to compete in playoff brackets, heightening the competitive fervor and offering a platform for showcasing prowess on a grand scale.
