Talking Point: ARMS Turns 3 And Deserves More Love Than Ever

I thought I was the only one who likes this game. I actually prefer it without motion controls. But its fun either way.

I like the fighting In this game

I've only played the demo for this game but it was a blast to play. Can't put my finger on why I never got it... Maybe I was waiting for a sale? Idk, might look into it soon.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOve this game. I was one of the top 200 in the country for a while there. Please just announce Lola Pop for smash nintendo

They should add next time a bit more story, personality, and content to the game. No game can exist without those things anymore.

I have the game but I dropped this game the very moment Splatoon 2 came out. ARMS is certainly a great game but it just wasn't interesting enough to hold my attention for very long unfortunately. Fighters in general have a hard time keeping me invested, with only a handful of exceptions, most notably Super Smash Bros. of course. Soul Calibur II on GameCube also managed to keep me going (admittedly partially due to Link being in it). Other than that, there's also one Japan-only Dragonball game that was on the original Playstation... and maybe one Tekken game somewhere down the line... and I think that was it.

I was hoping ARMS would get to fit into this row as well but unfortunately it just didn't do it for me, although I really do love the characters and the aesthetics and all for this game.

@AlexOlney Also I keep checking here every few minutes waiting for the character announcement for smash, and when I saw this article I had a heart attack at first. (;

It sold 2 million. It's going to be having sequels.

This game couldn't have released at a worse possible time. BOTW and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe were smash hits, and Splatoon 2 straight up KO'd it out of relevance. Add to that being the lack of substantial launch content and the release of other games like Mario Odyssey, Xenoblade 2, and loads of big 3rd party games, ARMS was never going to have a good time.

Here's hoping that a sequel with more interesting things comes out. The game never really caught my interest enough to spend 60 bucks on, but I'll happily use the ARMS character in Smash whenever they're added.

@Yosher - That's not just ARMS, many fighters are inherently small due to the lack of visual sense of progression for players. You're rewarded for higher skill with other higher skilled players.

I love the characters and the idea, but I never got 100% acclimated to the controls, even with the button mapping. So obtuse. It feels like trying to pay your head and rub your stomach. And there's just not much motivation to play it. Fix that stuff and I'll be stoked for the inevitable sequel

It’s a fun game that I need to go back to. Almost forgot that there is a rep from Arms is to appear in Smash.

It needed a story mode. More lore would’ve helpless it tremendously.

I consider it a good game. But it's light years away from Splatoon's politeness, for example.
I think there was a little more variety in gameplay and game modes.
But it's a game that deserves to be in the library of every Nintendo hybrid console owner.

@RareFan I agree, but frankly, this franchise is more absurd (and not in a good way) than Shovel Knight or Yokai Watch. I don't even know if those things would do enough to bring this thing up to the level of Nintendo's other IP's. But, they have their cult followings, I guess. These 3 franchises just offer nothing of interest in their "Elevator Pitch" and are too goofy to enjoy.

How's it done correctly? Rare's stuff was absurd, but coherent. WayForward's franchises are even more absurd, but follow just enough logic while throwing humorous curveballs that one is entertained in suspending their disbelief.

I don't get what people find so great about this game. I felt like a high end mini game to me. I only played the demo but got bored really fast. Hopefully it will encourage Nintendo to keep creating new IPs, even better if it is a genre I like

ARMS as a game, franchise, and concept is super important to me. It came along at a formative time, and has continued to prove formative to my sense of style, art, and other things. I have many, many good memories with it, and the fact that it's finally being properly represented in Smash has me giddy as a schoolgirl on a sugar high.

@Blooper987 Ah, a fellow intellectual Lola Pop fan!

I played the demo and liked it enough to put on the wish list waiting for a sale. Then played it some more when it was available for free for a few days and it just reinforced that, yeah, it’s a fun enough game but it just doesn’t hook me in. I can see myself spending 5-10 hours of fun with it before losing interest and for a full price game, that’s just not good enough.
I really hope Nintendo re-releases a couple such games under a budget label at a price that fits a bit better. I have a feeling they’re not though and are building up their catalog of what they can offer under NSO.

I think Arms is VERY COOL but I just couldn't get into it. I even tried downloading the trial again and giving it another shot but eh. It just doesn't click with me. I just don't find the controls to be reliable for me and even if I use a regular controller it seems to defeat the point of a game that seems to be as much about the action off screen as in the game.

Direct confirmed.

LMAO Alex: “Its got LEGS”

Never got the game but I did play the global testpunch a few times. It was pretty fun for a while, but I guess it didn't quite click with me the same way that, say, Smash Bros. did. Would've been cool if there was a story mode like others mentioned - I kinda wish there was a bit more to it.

Given world events... i'd think they'd want to hype up any "excercise" game they've got

Happy birthday, your an inspiration for innovation.

I couldn’t get away with the motion controls. But really enjoy the game with a pro controller

I must be weird, because I played Splatoon 2 much less than Splatoon 1...and yet my son and I still regularly play Arms to this day. I’d be all in favor of Arms 2.

Definitely deserves a revisit. I thought it was a great concept and worked really well. Somewhat reminded me of playing Powerstone on the Dreamcast.
.. couldn't play it for more than 10 minutes without my motion sickness kicking in, but that's just me and my own issues.
Other than that it was great

Give us a discount to tie in with the Smash Bros update and I’ll bite. Enjoyed the week of free play earlier in the year, but this hasn’t been on sale for 12+ months in the eshop.

Arms is good enough but the next time, they just need to add more meat to it. Story mode, more match options, maybe unlockable costumes or something.

@RareFan
Yes thats what i missed. A story mode! That would make it perfect. Bit more characters, storymode, some fun mini games (doesnt really need it, but would be fun)

My bet is that Sakurai will shadow drop the ARMS Fighter for Smash tomorrow in honor of the anniversary.

I heard it's got very little depth, so I guess some people never thought it was worth the price at launch.

You know what would have been a great way for Nintendo to have celebrated? Through revealing the ARMs fighter who will be in Smash...

I lost interest in this quick. Just the pacing of the battles was too slow for me. For the punches to be as long as they are I just didn't enjoy punching and waiting a few seconds for my fists to return.

I've played the ARMS demo many times over and my daughter and I love it. Only thing holding me back from purchasing is the price, it's too high IMO.

It was awesome, but I wish there were a few more levels between 3-4! Excited for the Smash DLC.

@Rhaoulos I liked the art style and Nintendo's willingness to take a chance withe something new!

I misread it as ‘Arms 3 Coming Soon’ and thought I missed out on Arms 2.

Looked the part but got boring real soon. Was different but the first game I traded in within months

Great game, I bought it upon release. However, Nintendo really should lower the prices of games once they have been out this long. Greatest Hits, or whatever.

I confess that I have owned this since it launched and have yet to play it....

The brutal learning curve is to blame.

By most played, on my Switch, ARMS is above Odyssey, MK8, and Smash on my Switch (though once ARMS characters are in Smash that may change).

In a world of lookalike, playalike games, ARMS is difference I enjoy! Great game!

I love ARMs and have been playing since release. Ever since the first month of the game, I wanted to be able to run along a version of Bob-omb battlefield as an ARMs character (treat enemies like the walking guys with targets in training mode). I hope the sequel gets something like that as a story mode.

Or if they just want to make ARMs X Teleroboxer X Punch Out, I’d be giddy.

@Roam85 I kind of want these guys to make a spinnoff 3d beat em up.

One of my favorites. All around quality and great game.

“When I first got a go at it back at the UK Nintendo Switch premiere event in London it wasn’t high up on my list of interests; it seemed gimmicky and needlessly ‘motioncontroly’ at first glance”. This was exactly my experience at the premiere event too, except I then bought it anyway when it came out months later, still couldn’t get into it, and continue to hold my initial opinion today. Probably my most regrettable purchase on Switch thus far, second only to Yoshi’s Crafted World

No game deserves love. If it was good, it would have had more staying power.

I really enjoyed it but the single player stuff needs a lot of improvement

An interesting concept flaccidly executed

I need ARMS 2.
Nintendo Switch needs more Boxing games.
I have fallen in love with ARMS since first sight from Direct on 12 January 2017.
And Springman is my boy.

Nope Arms is beyond bland

I think some hit it on the head. The game seems to lack personality. It's one thing to merely present wacky and strange characters. It's another to give those characters and their world life. I admit to only playing the game when offered as demos. But it just never grabbed me like a Splatoon.

And while fans could argue ARMS may be a better game technically, it takes more than being technically good to stand out. You look at a Splatoon and along with it's great and fun gameplay, it has tons of character and personality. Mario, Zelda and Pokémon kind of speak for themselves at this point.

Smash Bros is unique in it's construct of being a kind of all-star affair. But again, that could get old really fast. So it presents you with a ton of personality and a bit of story to seal the deal. I can go on and on. Maybe if it had accompanying animated scenes that set up the characters and their stories, that could have possibly helped. Or maybe it does in the full game and it's hard to judge the game based on demos

As a part of the FGC if you gave this game a chance you really notice the intricate design choices and mechanics hidden within the combat that reminds me of other FG's. For ARMS 2 they should make the game faster, singleplayer content too I guess. I dont really play singleplayer in fighting games except training mode.

Also I think its kinda messed up to discredit the positive things this game did and say this game doesnt deserve a anniversary. No matter if you liked it or not.

I wasn't terribly impressed. For one thing, I don't think the motion tracking with the joycons is good enough for a game like this. You really need some sort of camera tracking the player's movement.

Moreover, there's just not enough compelling content. This really needs a Splatoon-esque single-player mode in addition to the multiplayer stuff.

As it exists now, it's way overpriced.

its always sad when it's success is compared to splatoon, for a new IP this did far from failing. i hope it gets a sequel with a chance to give us more modes and features

this really is a fighting game thats more compelling as a casual experience. personality is one thing, but i dont think theres enough gameplay mechanics and modes to make the game interesting long term either

@boxyguy Especially when the games are nothing alike.

@Ardisan tho we would be lying if we said ARMS didnt take some ques from splatoon. colorful wacky character designs, tournament-like matches, similar DLC model, ect. i just dont think the games success should be connected to how well splatoon did. and the sales it got can totally warrant a sequel

@boxyguy I cant say I agree that the character designs are of the same vein, or any visual to be honest, and "tournament-like" matches are a queues they've taken from Splatoon, but I agree about the DLC model.

@RPGamer One predicated on the probability that my standards are higher than yours.

Arms is best played in a local party setting with the motion controls(not its most competitive control scheme). I'll admit its fencing like battles are neat, but when the characters only true differentiation is how they dodge or their movement speed (or their aerial options) the game's options feel cosmetic or shallow.

Man, the first time I played this game, I genuinely had trouble understanding it. I needed to play two sessions of the Testpunch, and after an hour, I finally got the controls and became convinced to pick up the game. Customization and small nuances that could lead to a lot of versatility when you finally managed to practice enough. People harp on Spring Man for being basic, but I've gotten so much fun out of him. Timing the shockwaves, making sure not to just dash around, trying not to be in the air too often, coming back with his rage mode-and he's the beginner character. Ironically, the lack of major differences make ARMS more balanced than most games, and I never felt like I'd have to deal with button combos or ridiculous amounts of data to be good like other fighting games.

For a possible sequel, just integrate lore directly into the game, maybe through updates or a new single player mode. More ARMS, more fighters, and maybe some more nuances in those or the general fighting style, like vertical ARMS movement. The character design, the gameplay, the lore, the art style, and motion controls, there's just so much that makes ARMS a good game on it's own, and it would be a sham if a sequel wasn't made to at least iterate on those.

Happy Birthday ARMS <3 it's not every day I get to watch a game change and grow before my eyes, but you and Splatoon are exceptions. (Also, Spring Man for Smash!)

@RPGamer If you implemented a platformer/beat em up story mode whose mechanics were a departure from the multiplayer modes and whose structure and level design was akin to that of Mario galaxy or 3d world, it would be pretty cool. Ambitious and unlikely but cool.

Arms deserved more money and time than they gave it.
If 5 is the average, like it should be when reviewing games, Arms is probably a 6.5/10

This game looks terrible. No love from me. Give me Punch Out and you’ll see love from me.

kid loves it. so i still play it.

Give me a single player with a story for these characters and in general more content to play by myself and I'll give it some more love. But right now? Just kinda meh.

ARMS had every opportunity to become Nintendo's next smash hit, but I and many others didn't find it engaging enough to keep coming back on the same level as Mario, Zelda, and Splatoon. It's a good game, just not a great one.

@Rhaoulos I think most people don't love this game don't worry! it's very average if we are being honest. i love nintendo but this just didn't hit it for me.

I enjoy this game when playing with friends, but the grand prix story mode is really difficult. Don't think I made it past the third stage lol.

@JediKadabra It still has its own Community of players. Online Events are still held every week to this day.

@LUIGITORNADO “Good” is subjective. It’s a niche Fighting Game, like many other (smaller) Fighting Games. It still has its Community, who host online events every week to this day.