Super Smash Bros. isn’t just dream matches between Wolf and Lucario with Smash Balls. The games thrive on their competitive nature, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has a few reworked features for gamers who love to pit themselves against challenging opponents.
In Smash games past, players were somewhat limited in how they fought online opponents. Matches were divided into one-on-ones, two-on-twos, and free-for-alls; and even those were divided into simple For Glory and For Fun matches with static rule sets. If you wanted a chaotic coin match where Super Mushrooms and Assist Trophies spawned every five seconds, you were out of luck.
This time around, gamers will be able to set their own preferred rules, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will pair up players with others who have similar desires. Want to fight mono e pokemono in a timed match without items on an omega stage? Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will let you do that. What about a stock team battle on hazardless stages with nothing but Pokeballs and Golden Hammers? You bet! Stamina fights with every item on every stage? The sky’s the limit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s new online mode.
Game modes aren’t the only features that will receive a face lift in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Global Smash Power, or GSP, will also be reworked. As with previous games, GSP will show how you stack up against the competition. A GSP of 100,000 demonstrates you’re better than 99,999 other players, and as more players join and you get better or worse, your GSP will change accordingly.
In Ultimate, if you want to improve your GSP, you’re going to have to start using more characters. Sure, maining as one character is always a good idea, but if you want to fight bigger and badder opponents, you’re going to have to improve your skills with characters you wouldn’t otherwise consider using. If you want a better challenge, you’re going to have to challenge yourself first, but it will be worth it for the coveted elite battles that pit you against the cream of the crop.
Smash Bros. Ultimate is sizing up to the the biggest fighting game in Super Smash Bros. history. Each title provides more features, more characters, and more ways to play. Ultimate’s quality of life improvements will no doubt sit well with players of all types, be they competitive or just looking for a relaxing (and smashing) good time.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is set to release December 7th for the Nintendo Switch.
