Over the weekend, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai hosted a presentation which explored everything you need to know about the game's newest inclusion, Steve and Alex from Minecraft.
The video showed off the new character's moves, stage and more, and we've gathered up a written account of all these lovely details for you below. If you missed the show, or if you're wanting an easy-to-follow recap, here's a look at Steve's intriguing moveset and the various abilities you'll be able to perform.
Steve and Alex - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Moveset
- The Basics: Like in Minecraft, players can hold down the attack button to walk while repeatedly swinging a sword, axe or pickaxe. These attacks have short range, but wide reach. These tools can also be used for abilities new to the Super Smash Bros. franchise: Mine, Craft and Create Block.
- Mine: While battling, Steve and Alex can use their tools to dig into the ground or walls of each stage to extract materials. The materials found – dirt, wood, stone, iron, gold and diamond – will depend on the type of surface Steve and Alex dig into. Dig into the trees of Kongo Jungle, for example, and players will find an abundance of wood, while iron can be discovered on the Corneria stage.
- Craft: After mining, players can then craft using the materials they collected. Steve and Alex’s tools have limited durability and can break, so crafting new tools is vital to maintaining an advantage on the battlefield. By standing in front of a crafting table, which will appear on the stage, players can use materials to craft these tools – the more valuable the material, the more powerful the tool.
- Create Block: Another move that Steve and Alex can use is Create Block. By activating this ability, players will, well, create a block. These blocks can be stacked and strategically placed as defensive manoeuvres. Blocks also use materials, like crafting, so players will have to continue to mine to maintain their material supply
Steve and Alex's Final Smash
- Final Smash: Steve and Alex’s explosive Final Smash is called House of Boom. After destroying the Smash Ball, players will summon a giant piston, which sends opponents flying into the House of Boom. From there, the iconic Creepers from Minecraft will set off an explosion, dealing massive damage.
Minecraft World - Smash Ultimate's Minecraft Stage
- Minecraft World: The stage included in this Fighters Pass Vol. 2 pack is Minecraft World, which consists of six different areas inspired by the original Minecraft game. The destructible areas randomly change for each match. When battling on this stage, players will experience a day and night cycle, with zombies and skeletons emerging at night to terrify players.
Minecraft Music in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- Music Tracks: Since the music in Minecraft is meant to be soothing and relaxing to inspire creativity and building, the new music tracks selected for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate are from more action-packed games in the Minecraft franchise, like Minecraft Earth and Minecraft Dungeons.
We were also recently treated to a look at Kirby's blocky new form (which is as fantastic as you'd expect), as well as the release date for the new Minecraft content. Steve and Alex's Challenger Pack launches on 13th/14th October depending on your region, and will be available for £5.39/€5.99 or as part of the £26.99/€29.99 Fighter's Pass Vol. 2.
Are you looking forward to playing with these new characters? Do you think they'll be fun new additions to the roster? Let us know with a comment below.
Comments 23
I’m not saying that he IS broken but he LOOKS like he can be broken. His edgeguarding skills look through the roof. Down tilt looking very good. Just need to see other killing moves. But yeah he could be a very nice char.
He still is subjected to changes but as with all other characters the only one who got a visible change was Banjo & Kazooie’s down tilt attack.
It's a shame they couldn't get the rights to remix the old music by C418
For every time Steve is referred to as "Minecraft Steve", a kitten dies.
@Dragwhite they could get the rights actually but sakurai felt like themC418 music was too relaxing for a fighting game so he decided to use music from spin offs that would be more fitting.
Sorry, goomba...
Creeper awww man
@Tommy-and-Timmy
So we back in the mine, got our pick axe swinging from side to side, side, side to side
@darkswabber Nah, I really think its gotta do with C418 himself, Steve's trailer music Halland was originally an incredibly relaxing song, Sakurai if C418 had given him permission would've been able to remix those songs in a similar fashion.
@Dragwhite Sakurai could have used those songs, but as he stated they just didn't fit Smash. This is actually an issue thats brought back from Banjos inclusion in Smash. Sakurai felt much of the Banjo library didn't fit Smash, so only a select few songs made it in. Obviously he could have commissioned some epic remixs of the original music, but it just seemed more fitting to remix the more epic soundtracks from the side games. If music was a rights issue, we'd get a repeat of Cloud Strifes soundtracks...just 2.
I'm amazed at the amount of detail that Sakurai and his team put into this fighter. I can't wait to try out Steve for myself!
One thing I'm concerned about, however, is how the materials gathered by mining depend on which stage you're on. I'm worried that Steve may end up being banned from tournaments, because he may have an advantage on stages made of iron, like Lylat Cruise.
I don't follow competitive play too closely, but I really like the fact that no characters are currently banned, and I hope it can stay that way.
@Dragwhite
No no no, let's get this comment chain straight.
From the top:
Creeper? Aw, man!
I still can't belive we got Steve from MC
Ahem. FORWARD AERIAL
House of Boom is a really stupid name for a really interesting Final Smash. I would've preferred Steve going into Creative Mode and spawning tons of mobs in, but the steak gag is nice.
I'll be honest, I had my doubts about this character at one point. Without the move set explanation, a lot of the moves looked like they would just be reused from other characters (I originally though the fishing hook would be side b and the anvil would be down b like Pac Man's fire hydrant).
But after seeing the presentation, I would have to say that Steve looks like one of the most fun characters to play as! I guess this is why I really don't mind who gets in as a playable character; As long as Sakurai gives him a fun and unique playstyle, I'm all cool with it.
Some of the music discs would've nearly worked already! So I think it's gotta be a licensing issue, not just a matter of it not fitting.
Bummed we couldn't even get Pigstep - you'd think if it was just a C418 issue, we could at least get that.
Wow, the amount of work that's gone into the character and stage really is out of this world!
It's amazing how Sakurai keeps on making characters with the most disparate individual mechanics taken from any genre and makes them work in a fighting game, it just boggles the mind.
I don't even like Minecraft, but this is something you just have to commend.
@AlexSora89 "Minecraft Steve is my father. Please, just call me Steve."
Even if you don't like or care about minecraft, you still have to admit sakurai and his team did an outstanding job. I've never played minecraft, never will but this character is so cool he's worth the purchase.
And better yet he's neither a fire emblem nor a pokemon rep.
While I don't care about Minecraft, and don't intend on using the character, I have to give credit where credit is due. It looks like a lot of time went into programming him to work for this game. Not to mention having to essentially revamp every stage to accommodate for the block creation.
I hope everyone who likes the game is happy to have him. For me, he's just another victim for Byleth's axe lol.
They say steve is to complex thank GOD I played all those complex characters I think i'm going to try to main the ice climbers just so steve is not as hard but I have played pokemon trainer.
Pretty interesting character choice, and he will be a good addition to Smash, though I still have yet to purchase the game!
@Fantasia I think he said if your on a omega stage it will be random.
I don't know why I find the steak gag so funny.
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