Super Smash Bros Features
Talking Point Which Feature From Each Smash Bros. Game Should Make A Return?
Smash Ultimate... Ultimate?
The Super Smash Bros. franchise has come a long way since the original launched 25 years ago in 1999. Yes, you read that right — the original Super Smash Bros. is 25 years old tomorrow, 21st January. If we look at the character roster for a start, we began with a humble offering of 12 playable fighters in Super Smash...
Poll What Is Your Favourite Character Reveal Trailer For Super Smash Bros. Ultimate?
Get hyped
Believe it or not, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is going to be five years old this week - on Thursday 7th December, to be exact! Since its launch, which was already packed to the rafters with content, the game has been updated with free content and paid DLC via the Fighter Pass Volumes 1 and 2, which added a boatload of brand-new characters...
Talking Point Would A Third Wave Of Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC Have Been Too Much?
Riding the waves
The Nintendo Switch was a bonafide hit basically right out of the gate. With the release of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at launch and Super Mario Odyssey not long after, many of Nintendo’s tentpole titles were quickly showing up on their hot new handheld hybrid. It was only a matter of time until we received another...
Talking Point 15 Years On, Should Super Smash Bros. Brawl's Subspace Emissary Return?
In Smash Space, no one can hear you brawl
Well blimey, Super Smash Bros. Brawl is celebrating its 15th anniversary in Japan today! That's right, the third entry in what is one of the most iconic Nintendo franchises launched on 31st January 2008, and for many — even with how huge Melee was — this is what created some of the most iconic Smash...
Gallery Masahiro Sakurai's Best Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Tweets
Our favourite dev shots from the Smash Bros. creator
For a long time, Kirby creator and master of the Smash Bros. series Masahiro Sakurai posted near-daily Super Smash Bros. Ultimate screenshots on Twitter using his special debug build of the game. This developer-only mode let him line up angles and create special in-game shots that regular Smash...
Talking Point #ThankYouSakurai For Smash Ultimate, Now He Should Choose His Own Path
Sakurai-san's creative spark can go even further than Smash Bros.
This week Masahiro Sakurai gave his last character presentation for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, with interest and anticipation for the final broadcast reaching a fever pitch. With over 24 million sales at last count and substantial DLC uptake thanks to the m
Feature So, Who Will Be The Final Fighter In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate?
It is almost time...
It has to be said that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has had an extraordinary run. Masahiro Sakurai and his team have overseen an ongoing and hugely hyped project to expand upon the launch roster, through the Fighters Passes, with the second volume's sixth and final character confirmed to be the end of the road. As you undoubtedly...
"We used to be the only band with a computer on stage"
Almost anyone can hum the original NES theme of Super Mario Bros., but if you asked them what genre of music it fell into, most probably wouldn't know what to say. Sure, one could just describe it as video game music, but it could also be described as chiptune. The word chiptune is used to...
Soapbox If The Smash Community Wants To #SaveSmash, It Needs To Start From Within
The community needs to deal with the abuse scandals of 2020 first
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Alan Lopez discusses the recent online campaign to "save" Super Smash Bros., and why it's papering over a far more...
Talking Point What Do Abuse Scandals Say About The Smash Bros. Community, And Its Future?
Where now for Smash, and esports as a whole?
Before we begin, we'd like to point out that this article discusses sexual coercion, sexual assault, rape, and sexual abuse of minors, and links to stories of these accounts. We appreciate this might be outside of our usual remit but we feel very strongly that this is a topic we simply could not ignore...
Feature One Year In, What do the Pros Think of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate?
"We need developer support. I can’t stress this enough"
Traditionally, a one year anniversary is celebrated with paper. That definitely won’t be a problem for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s own one year anniversary; with a couple of months to spare, Nintendo’s mascot fighting game is already the best selling fighting video game of all time...
Feature How Super Smash Bros. Became The Ultimate Fighter
The path of a champion
What do you do if you’ve been fighting with the same people for 20 years? If you’re Nintendo, you hand out some weapons, get an announcer, and invite your friends over to watch. The Super Smash Bros. series, Nintendo’s perennial Saturday-morning-cartoon take on how fighting video games can work, turns a whopping 20...
Feature Just Who The Heck Is Terry Bogard, Smash Bros. Ultimate's New DLC Fighter?
Update: Terry comes to Smash today - but do you know who he is?
The news that Terry Bogard has joined Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has triggered some rather polarising responses from Nintendo fans. For gamers of a certain vintage, Bogard's name is synonymous with SNK's superb lineage of one-on-one fighting games, stretching all the way back to 1991's
Feature Meet Axe, The Smash Bros. Underdog Who Changed The Competitive Scene Overnight
"I see myself as an underdog every time"
There must be something in the water lately at Super Smash Bros. Melee tournaments. A few weeks ago, Melee player Wizzrobe, real name Justin Hallett, won Smash’N’Splash 5, a major Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament with over 800 entrants. His character of choice was Captain Falcon, a mid-tier staple...
Soapbox I Don't 'Get' Smash Bros. And I Just Don't Know Why
Confessions of an apathetic Smasher
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on various topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, staff writer Gavin looks back on his history with the Smash Bros. series and tells us why he's weary of the latest iteration on Switch...
Feature Predicting Super Bowl LIII with Super Smash. Bros Ultimate
Madden, schmadden
Super Bowl LIII is upon us all! This Sunday, the New England Patriots square off against the LA Rams for NFL supremacy. (As a Seahawks fan, barf.) It’s anyone’s guess who will take it all, but in the meantime, we can read the digital tea leaves with video game simulations. Ain’t the future grand? While, yes, EA Sports’s...
Feature What The Smash Pros Have Done To Prepare For Smash Bros. Ultimate
"You can tell Nintendo's pulling out all the stops"
Look outside. Do you see it? Can you sense it? At this very moment, everybody everywhere has Smash Bros. fever. The next-level anticipation for the sequel to the 3DS/Wii U title of 2014 is about to end. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is days away from (official) release. For some, this may be their...
Hands On What We Learned From Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Near-Final Preview Build
New details on World of Light, Spirit Board and more
At the time of writing, we’re mere weeks away from Nintendo’s most hotly-anticipated game of the year: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. With the game’s final direct having aired a few weeks ago, many were left wanting to know more about the game’s particulars, especially with regard to the...
Guide Spirits in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Explained
Get into the spirit
Spirits are a new feature recently revealed for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the Switch, but they're not exactly the most straightforward of inclusions. As such we've taken it upon ourselves to try and help explain the whole thing for you. If you'd rather just have the information fired directly into your ears and eyes rather...
Guide Super Smash Bros. Ultimate amiibo - Where to Buy Ridley, Wolf, King K. Rool, and More
Toying with the idea?
With a new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate comes with it a raft of new amiibo. Nintendo's pulled no punches here either, with a physical toy version of every single new fighter in the latest version of Smash. That includes epic new fighters in the form of Ridley from Metroid, Wolf from Star Fox and King K. Rool from Donkey Kong...
Poll What Do You Want To See From The Final Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct?
It's the last one, don't forget...
The launch of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate looms ever closer, and yesterday Nintendo announced that the final Direct broadcast relating to the game will go live today at 15:00 CET / 7AM PT / 10AM ET. As is so often the case, we don't actually know what this broadcast will involve - the only solid information is that...
Feature What's Left To Be Announced For Smash Bros. Ultimate On Switch?
Our resident Smash expert Alan Lopez breaks it all down
The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct on August 8th gave gaming fans a healthy amount of previously unannounced information about the upcoming mascot-fighter. (By the way, what is up with Nintendo’s sky-high production on these character reveal videos? Who wouldn’t watch entire episodes of...
Feature 5 Observations From Playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate With Bill Trinen
"I keep thinking I’m Lucas"
As a journalist, sometimes you’re handed what I’ll hesitantly describe as “unfair” deadlines. In those moments, you learn the massive value of a single hour. Ask me where all the spare outlets in the depths of the Los Angeles convention centre are. I’m a borderline cartographer for shortcuts through...
Feature The (Sadly Fictional) Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Switch Fighter Ballot - Results!
Y’all pulled through
Back in May we launched our very own “fighter ballot” to hopefully gain some excitement for the possible E3 announcement of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Switch. Unless you completely missed all-things E3 2017, you'll know that this sadly never happened. Nevertheless, you all voted by the thousands – 13,824 to be exact...
Poll Who Would You Like To See In Super Smash Bros. For Nintendo Switch?
Let the hype train begin…
It’s no secret that this writer is a huge Smash Bros. enthusiast - we’ve already covered what we’d like to see in the dreamed-about enhanced port/Director’s Cut edition of Smash 4 for Nintendo Switch, but what we have here is something arguably more exciting. As E3 looms near, we at Nintendo Life would like...
Talking Point What We'd Like To See In Super Smash Bros. For Nintendo Switch
Assuming it's a port…
With all the hype that the Nintendo Switch is generating, it's only natural to speculate on what titles the system will offer upon its launch. If Nintendo's upcoming console could learn anything from the launch of the Wii U, it's that launch titles do indeed matter. This can also mean ensuring popular titles that consumers...
"We're simply adding another format to help expand the scene competitively"
Throughout May we wrote about 'The Gauntlet', a team-based Super Smash Bros. for Wii U competitive format that utilises the game's 8-player Smash option, allowing two teams of four to duke it out. With matches split into quarters and with opportunities for substitutions and...
We learn about the rules, teams, and early reactions to the concept
Not long ago we ran an extensive feature about The Gauntlet, a team-based format that could potentially become a notable part of the Super Smash Bros. competitive scene. That's the aspiration, in any case, being led by S.O.S. Gamers - a charitable organisation in New York - and...
Feature Team-Based Super Smash Bros. Format, The Gauntlet, Aims to Transform the Competitive Scene
Could "bring Smash to the level of League of Legends" in eSports
Through a mix of determined strategy and the benefit of plenty of open-minded competitors, Nintendo has seen Super Smash Bros. for Wii U establish itself in the competitive scene. Though the franchise as a whole is still lagging behind some huge franchises in eSports, it has a loyal...
Feature The Poor Career Choice of Super Smash Bros. Professionals
"A game like this can't survive forever with no institutional support"
From now until the start of the new year we're going to be republishing some of what we feel are our best features of 2015. Hopefully this will offer the chance for newer readers to catch up on content they might have missed and allow long-time fans to reacquaint themselves with...
Talking Point Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS Set a Standard That'll Be Tough to Follow
What can Sakurai-san do next?
Though some DLC and amiibo are still to arrive, leaving the development team with some work to finish off, it's certainly the end of an era for this generation of Super Smash Bros. The very nature of the Final Video Presentation was always going to be a tad divisive - the Fighter Ballot, in particular, had been a red...
Poll Did The Final Video Presentation for Super Smash Bros. Provide a Memorable Ending?
We also summarise the big announcements
Well, it's over. Though the last pieces of content for Super Smash Bros. on Wii U and 3DS are due in February 2016, the full batch of DLC and the final roster has been announced. That's it, finito, done. That sense of finality, which is probably also Masahiro Sakurai's way of saying "don't bug me about it any...
Feature What We Expect From the Super Smash Bros. Final Video Presentation
A glorious end to an era?
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS have now been out for over a year, and since launch we've seen numerous updates, tweaks and cast additions. Some of the new challengers have been expected arrivals, others have been surprises, and this gen's entries have certainly provided some of the biggest talking points and...
Poll What Do You Think of the Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Tourney Mode?
Playing by Nintendo's rules
This week brought some exciting news for Super Smash Bros. fans, with both current-gen versions getting updated to version 1.1.0. That meant paid DLC in both versions, but on Wii U also delivered YouTube replay uploads and online Tourneys. We know how the Tourneys work and have been
Play Beat Each Other Up in the Nintendo Life Super Smash Bros. Tourneys
Settle it in Smash
Update: As of 11:30am Pacific / 2:30pm Eastern / 7:30pm UK / 8:30pm CET on 1st August, there are still some places available in our NL For Glory 01 and #FANFIGHTER01AUG Tourneys, with details below. Sorry, NLife For Fun 01 is full up! Original Article: The big Super Smash Bros. version 1.1.0 update is here, and in addition to...
Guide How to Get the Most Out of Super Smash Bros. Tourneys
The good, the bad and the fun
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U now has online Tourneys. Ever since the feature was announced during the '50 things' Nintendo Direct prior to the game's release, it's had some fans dreaming of competitive online battles. Now that the feature is here we can see whether it delivers on that promise; as with so many things,...
Editorial Super Smash Bros. Should be Integral to Nintendo's NX Future
Tom Whitehead attended a fighting tournament and had his eyes opened
As I'm somewhat reliant on Nintendo success to put food on the table and amiibo on the shelf - the clue's in the site's name - I sometimes ponder and get genuinely concerned about the company. I think Nintendo will be 'fine', courtesy of its talented staff and billions of dollars...
Talking Point Competitive Gaming With Super Smash Bros. and More Can Be Vital for Nintendo
New audiences and more headlines
It's been Evo weekend in Las Vegas, arguably the most notable fighting game tournament in the world. Super Smash Bros. Melee and the Wii U entry are two of the biggest titles of the event, with recognisable competitors and a lot of press coverage revolving around the series. If Masahiro Sakurai takes personal...
Feature Breaking Down Ryu's Moves and How He'll Shake Up Super Smash Bros.
Gawk at the reveal video and screens, too
Masahiro Sakurai's Special Presentation for Super Smash Bros. lacked many surprises, courtesy of numerous leaks from recent days and, in hindsight, details from hacks earlier in the year. Nevertheless, the volume of content available right now was unexpected, and we also learned how Ryu will shake
Interview Lilian "Milktea" Chen Talks Smash Bros., Sexism and a Brighter Future
"Strides regarding social inclusion in Smash can be seen for themselves"
An inescapable reality within the eSports world, regardless of the game in question, is the stark contrast between male and female participants. Whatever the culprit, the stories of many female professionals are often squashed, missed or, even worse, stunted before they even...
Ninterview Talking Super Smash Bros. With UK Grand Master James Miller
He plays a mean Luigi
James Miller is rather good at Super Smash Bros. He recently won Nintendo UK's Super Smash Bros Invitational event at the MCM Comic Con in Birmingham - a massive achievement for many players but merely another title in Miller's eyes; he's already made his presence felt in the UK's Smash community several times in the pa
Bringing more gaming with less releases
Let's kick off this article with some current-day realities - not negative as such, but perhaps uncomfortable. At the moment, especially with the Wii U, Nintendo is responsible for producing the bulk of high-quality retail releases. There are partners or second-party studios producing some key efforts - like...
Poll Would You Like Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. DLC to Expand for a Whole Generation?
Platforms within platforms
This week Super Smash Bros. on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS had its first DLC in the form of Mii character outfits, while on 23rd April we'll get to enjoy the Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack 2. We know there's more to come in Super Smash Bros. in the form of purchasable characters - Mewtwo (already available to eligible Club Nintendo...
Poll Which Characters Do You Want to Win the Smash Bros. Fighter Ballot?
Realistic and, erm, not so realistic choices
Since it launched the official Smash Bros. Fighter Ballot page last week, Nintendo will have undoubtedly been bombarded with thousands of votes. When it comes to Super Smash Bros. there are always fighters left off the roster that many want to see, so the voting is sure to be diverse. With votes not...
Feature Gawk at Fancy Super Smash Bros. Mewtwo Screens and Full Costume DLC Details
What's the deal with the DLC?
As sanity returns to the world of Nintendo, with many taking some time off for the Easter weekend, we thought we'd take advantage of the fact that the official Smash Bros. website is no longer creaking under excess traffic and grab some details and pretty images. This article's in two parts - there's a gallery of the...
Poll Which is the Best Super Smash Bros. Game?
Five choices, endless debates
Following the announcement of our staff and reader awards results, we decided that the release line-up of 2014 had given us an opportunity to re-assess some of Nintendo's biggest franchises and determine current-day favourites. In our first poll Mario Kart 8 boosted away with over 50% of the vote for that IP. Th
Stock issues have been ongoing since launch
Since late November there have been a few key products that Nintendo has used to drive sales of the Wii U, all related to Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. The main product has been the amiibo range, now into its second wave, while alongside that there's been the GameCube Controller Adapter and a related...
Feature Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS 'Pic of the Day' Screens - Greatest Hits
The end! Finished! Terminado! Fini! 完成した!
Since summer 2013 Masahiro Sakurai — lead designer and overall head honcho of the Super Smash Bros. games — has been dutifully posting new screens for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS titles every working day. His Miiverse Pic of the Day posts were essential viewing for those hyped about the games, as...
Parent Trap amiibo Packs a Hidden Family Payload
More than meets the eye
Toys and video games used to compete for family spending power at supermarket check-outs. The recent trend in toy-video-game crossovers does away with this rivalry, but for families makes purchasing decisions all the more confusing. With amiibo joining the likes Skylanders and Disney Infinity (not to mention more niche...
Guide Getting the Most out of Your amiibo with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Oh, amiibo!
Nintendo’s near-field communication figurines, amiibo, have finally landed in North America; what better way for them to punch and kick their way into our homes (and hearts) than to do so in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Nintendo’s latest home console version of the crossover fighting series offers in-depth support for the figurines,...