One of the last things any gamer wants to hear is, “you have to buy two versions of the same game if you want to see everything it has to offer.” The latest Super Smash Bros. information released by Nintendo points at two decidedly different experiences tied to the Wii U and 3DS versions. The development team at Sora Ltd. is creating content for each version that caters to the handheld and console markets. In the 3DS version, some of the stages players fight on are based on The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, Kid Icarus: Uprising, Nintendogs, Mario Kart 7, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, and Find Mii. From what we’ve been told, these stages are exclusive to the 3DS version. Wii U has its own selection of exclusive levels based on Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Fit, Pikmin, Animal Crossing: City Folk, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, and Metroid: Other M. Many of these stages are decked out with fan service and little touches that tie into the games represented. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks’ environment places warring char acters on the train. On this stage, plat forms whiz by overhead, and the caboose detaches and disappears off screen, and is then replaced by an entirely different car.
Players won’t find much stable footing in the level inspired by Super Mario Galaxy, either. Parts of the galaxy are explored, and the smaller spherical worlds that form this challenging battleground look to deliver different gravities. Animal Crossing: New Leaf’s stage is graced by the presence of Kapp’n. We don’t know if he’ll serenade players with a song, but we can’t imagine this boisterous turtle staying quiet in any scenario.
Find Mii’s stage looks to be one of the most terrifying with the Dark Emperor boss descending to the battlefield for a visit. Trophy collecting is returning in this iteration. Again, the collections players can amass are tied directly to the platform they are playing on. Wii U trophies are largely inspired by console games, and 3DS trophies by handheld games.
As of now, it is believed that the announced roster of characters applies to both versions, but Nintendo has said that there are alternate costumes for some characters, which again opens the door for unique offerings on handheld and console. The newest additions to the roster are Rosalina (of Super Mario Galaxy fame), and returning characters Marth, King Dedede, and Princess Zelda.
Long-time Smash Bros. series staples like Yoshi, Jigglypuff, and Ness are still noticeably absent from the character lineup, but we’d be shocked if they aren’t announced by the time this title ships. Solid Snake’s inclusion is a bigger question mark. We’ll have to see if Nintendo inks another deal with Konami to include this popular character, or if Capcom’s Mega Man is taking his spot as a third-party inclusion. Nintendo still hasn’t announced an official release date for this highly anticipated title, other than saying it hits store shelves sometime in 2014.
» Platform
Wii U • 3DS
» Style
1 to 4-Player Fighting
» Publisher
Nintendo
» Developer
Namco Bandai/
Sora Ltd/Nintendo
» Release
2014
