Smash 4 VS. Brawl: Graphics Comparisons

[Katy Parry]

Dark Samus is also ripped straight from Wii, and then rendered in HD:

If this game isn't 1080p/60 fps, then these models are not very impressive.

Please try not to double post.

I think you have to consider time probably isn't spent on things that aren't going to be seen often in comparison to actual characters/stages. The game is still in development, and as Mario_And_Sonic_Guy pointed out, the screenshots we have aren't actually the resolution the game is in. These screenshots are jpg, which is lower quality, as well as Miiverse quality.

I haven't even seen half of those, where did you find them?

Anyways, Yoshi is up.

We found them from Europe's facebook page back in December when Zelda was revealed. There's more on smashbros-miiverse.com, so if you could do a better comparison, I'd be very appreciative. I know they take time.

 

[ChikoLad]

Please try not to double post.

I think you have to consider time probably isn't spent on things that aren't going to be seen often in comparison to actual characters/stages. The game is still in development, and as Mario_And_Sonic_Guy pointed out, the screenshots we have aren't actually the resolution the game is in. These screenshots are jpg, which is lower quality, as well as Miiverse quality.



We found them from Europe's facebook page back in December when Zelda was revealed. There's more on smashbros-miiverse.com, so if you could do a better comparison, I'd be very appreciative. I know they take time.

aBBYs didn't double post, the site screwed up one of my posts, posted it three times, and after I edited the duplicates to ask for them to be deleted, my original post disappeared for some reason, and then someone deleted the others. Sorry for that misunderstanding.

Anyway, I'll do another comparison soon.

 

[Katy Parry]

aBBYs didn't double post, the site screwed up one of my posts, posted it three times, and after I edited the duplicates to ask for them to be deleted, my original post disappeared for some reason, and then someone deleted the others. Sorry for that misunderstanding.

Anyway, I'll do another comparison soon.

No problem. And thanks!

 

[BigHairyFart]

I very strongly disagree that the character models are "barely better" than Wii models. The comparisons are right there and I for one definitely see a noticeable, appreciated difference. Several Wii U games look prettier and I won't deny that, but still.

Regardless, that's just my opinion and honestly I doubt the game will look significantly better at launch. If you're not liking it so far, I'd say prepare to be disappointed about that particular aspect.

Agreed, with the 3DS version coming out in about 2-4 months(roughly) I don't expect the models or art direction to take any sharp turns anytime soon. Granted, the Wii U version won't be dropping until much later, but I still feel like all the character models are pretty much as finalized as they're going to get.

But with this game, even the playable characters are barely better than Wii models.

You must have missed these:
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[BigHairyFart]

We found them from Europe's facebook page back in December when Zelda was revealed. There's more on smashbros-miiverse.com, so if you could do a better comparison, I'd be very appreciative. I know they take time.

Well, that would explain it... I live in the States, so I never saw them.

Anyways, it's looking like we're almost finished with all the veterans. Once again I want to thank all of you for supporting this thread and keeping it from derailing(which almost happened at least twice), and a special thanks to @ ChikoLad for his own screens.

 

[Katy Parry]

Agreed, with the 3DS version coming out in about 2-4 months(roughly) I don't expect the models or art direction to take any sharp turns anytime soon. Granted, the Wii U version won't be dropping until much later, but I still feel like all the character models are pretty much as finalized as they're going to get.


You must have missed these:
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Oh my god. Link looks a BILLION times better. His hair and chainmail shame the Wii version.

Well, that would explain it... I live in the States, so I never saw them.

Anyways, it's looking like we're almost finished with all the veterans. Once again I want to thank all of you for supporting this thread and keeping it from derailing(which almost happened at least twice), and a special thanks to @ ChikoLad for his own screens.

So do I (Indiana) I'm just obsessed with Zelda screenshots/info/anything.

 

[BigHairyFart]

Oh my god. Link looks a BILLION times better. His hair and chainmail shame the Wii version.

Yeah, that hair is DEFINITELY Link's best feature in this game. This may be my die-hard fanship of the Zelda series talking, but I think Link looks to be the most improved veteran graphically.

 

[ChikoLad]

I think the Smash 64 veterans besides Fox and DK are among the biggest improvements from Brawl.

My personal favourite models in the game are Rosalina (<3), Mega Man (that metallic sheen and those inside details), Little Mac, Sonic, Samus, Zero Suit Samus, Sheik (Sheik has the best textures for clothing. Seriously, they are crystal clear), Peach, Link and Kirby.

 

[BigHairyFart]

My personal favourite models in the game are... Kirby.

I'm still appalled that they actually managed to make such a drastic improvement to Kirby.

 

[KingBroly]

I still don't like Link's face on the Wii U version. Also DK looks terrible all around, IMO. Pikachu is the best here IMO, he looks very huggable and squishy.

Zero Suit Samus looks good, but her proportions between both versions seem...different. Also, many visual glitches with her and Power Suit Samus.

 

[ChikoLad]

I'm still appalled that they actually managed to make such a drastic improvement to Kirby.

 

[BigHairyFart]

Now, I wasn't really around for the pre-release hype of the other three games, but if nostalgia has taught me anything, it's that we probably thought he was "perfectly round" already, even though now his past iterations look pretty bad in comparison. I wouldn't be surprised if we see him in the next generation of gaming, and then suddenly think that this Kirby looks awful.

 

[Gameboi834]

I think we can all agree that Little Mac's model has made the best improvement.

 

[ChikoLad]

The Brawl model for Mac was just very off model, if I'm not mistaken. He's supposed to be about 17, right? He looked like a dwarf in his late 20's in Brawl!

 

[ProjectAngel]

I just love how Toon Link looks real cartoony in this installment, like he just came fresh out of Wind Waker HD. The look he had in Brawl really didn't suit him.

 

[BigHairyFart]

I just love how Toon Link looks real cartoony in this installment, like he just came fresh out of Wind Waker HD. The look he had in Brawl really didn't suit him.

For a while, I really didn't like Toon Link's new look. Mostly the hair, it made him look kind of... derpy. Either they've touched him up a bit, or he's just grown on me, but I really like how he looks now. I still wish they would put his eyebrows over his hair like in WW.

 

[Curious Villager]

Yeah I thought something was a little odd with Toon Link's hair when he was initially revealed. But I guess it has grown on me now. Now I can't really look back at his Brawl model, guess they where trying to make him more realistic to the point he looked like he got washed out dry from all his bright Wind Waker colours in that game.... At least to me it does....

 

[Bauske]

Yeah, people saying that character models are "Wii quality" must have a visual impairment. The Smash 4 graphics are outstanding. The assist trophies are lower polygon, but that's because they don't need to be high poly. They pop into the arena, do their thing, then leave. Plus, imagine all the other items on screen at the same time: backgrounds, stage hazards, four characters, shells, pokeballs, star rods, assist trophies, etc. If someone turns items on high, then that means more items are shown at the same time. Items are kept at a lower polygon count to account for this.

Besides, you won't be seeing any of those flaws anyway when the game is running at 1080p, 60 fps, and zoomed out with all four players on the screen at the same time.

 

[Priap0s]

I really prefer Yoshis new color and possture. But apart from that, I think his model looks lazy. Alot of clipping, jagged edges and that tounge... The tounge is just plain ugly Let's hope it's an early model wich is still to be worked on.

 

[slicesabre]

I'm liking these models a lot more than some of the Brawl models. Personally I was never the biggest fan of things like Mario's realistic looking denim overalls.

And like some have said I didn't think Kirby was the kind of character you could improve much since I mean there's really not a whole lot to him, but they did it.

 

[aBBYS]

You must have missed these:
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No, but I don't think they look much better than on Wii. I suppose we have different definitions on what is "much better", but also take into consideration the fact that these are close-up PR shots. How much difference will you see during actual gameplay?

If you have to resort to close-ups to point out differences, then the difference is minimal IMO. The difference between Smash 64 and Melee, THAT was a big difference. And I think think we'll ever see that much difference again unless the Smash team learns how to handle advanced shaders.

 

[ChikoLad]

No, but I don't think they look much better than on Wii. I suppose we have different definitions on what is "much better", but also take into consideration the fact that these are close-up PR shots. How much difference will you see during actual gameplay?

If you have to resort to close-ups to point out differences, then the difference is minimal IMO. The difference between Smash 64 and Melee, THAT was a big difference. And I think think we'll ever see that much difference again unless the Smash team learns how to handle advanced shaders.

You don't need close ups to see the difference, they are just the best way of portraying each and every little difference.

 

[BigHairyFart]

No, but I don't think they look much better than on Wii. I suppose we have different definitions on what is "much better", but also take into consideration the fact that these are close-up PR shots. How much difference will you see during actual gameplay?

If you have to resort to close-ups to point out differences, then the difference is minimal IMO. The difference between Smash 64 and Melee, THAT was a big difference. And I think think we'll ever see that much difference again unless the Smash team learns how to handle advanced shaders.

I'm fairly sure that every single one of these pictures are in-game snapshots, not something that Sakurai threw together in debug mode or something.

 

[LightningVance]

No, but I don't think they look much better than on Wii. I suppose we have different definitions on what is "much better", but also take into consideration the fact that these are close-up PR shots. How much difference will you see during actual gameplay?

If you have to resort to close-ups to point out differences, then the difference is minimal IMO. The difference between Smash 64 and Melee, THAT was a big difference. And I think think we'll ever see that much difference again unless the Smash team learns how to handle advanced shaders.

Could you care to show us an example of what real improvement looks like? You can only enhance models so much per console. Of course 64 looks worse than Melee because they could finally make semi-realistic looking characters. Now, how much can you improve on semi realistic? Smash isn't made to look like The Last of Us, Tomb Raider or Uncharted.

Unless you feel like making the next Smash entirely with CGI visuals which seems like the only acceptable level of detail you can comprehend.

 

[aBBYS]

Mario Kart Wii to the far left. The great difference is not in polygon count, but in shaders/lightning/shadows. SSB4's characters almost have completely flat lightning, which make them look noticably worse than the MK8 models, even though I think the polygon count is similar.

Bottom line: much better lightning/shadows on the MK8 models than on the Smash models. If anything is comparable to the MK8 models in Smash, it's that famous little substitute doll Greninja uses.

 

[ChikoLad]

Mario Kart Wii to the far left. The great difference is not in polygon count, but in shaders/lightning/shadows. SSB4's characters almost have completely flat lightning, which make them look noticably worse than the MK8 models, even though I think the polygon count is similar.

Bottom line: much better lightning/shadows on the MK8 models than on the Smash models. If anything is comparable to the MK8 models in Smash, it's that famous little substitute doll Greninja uses.

The polygons are WORLDS better in MK8. MK Wii really doesn't compare. Also, the far left is Double Dash.

Also, lighting isn't dependent on character models, it's dependent on the environment. Smash does have awesome lighting in some stages, it's just inconsistent about it.

 

[TORNADO BUS DRIVER]

You just joined yesterday, and you're sick obsession with *** is pathetic. How old are you?

Round here, we act like adults. Or at least, try to.

Boo, adults are boreing

 

[EmbersToAshes]

The polygons are WORLDS better in MK8. MK Wii really doesn't compare. Also, the far left is Double Dash.

Also, lighting isn't dependent on character models, it's dependent on the environment. Smash does have awesome lighting in some stages, it's just inconsistent about it.

He has no idea what he's talking about. It's quite clear that there's been a significant rise in the polygon count of Smash 4 from Brawl - none of it looks 'ripped from the Wii'.

 

[Superyoshiom]

The polygons are WORLDS better in MK8. MK Wii really doesn't compare. Also, the far left is Double Dash.

Also, lighting isn't dependent on character models, it's dependent on the environment. Smash does have awesome lighting in some stages, it's just inconsistent about it.

Pyrosphere has great lighting, and Mario galaxy makes the characters look cooler too.

 

[ChikoLad]

Yeah, those two are example of where the lighting can be cool.

However, the lighting appears to be completely baked in stages such as Skyworld and Palutena's Temple.

 

[BigHairyFart]

Added King Dedede

 

[MAGMIS]

did anyone notice that substitute graphics doll, its sooo well done.

 

[ChikoLad]

Not gonna lie, I thought it was some photoshopped screenshot when I first saw that after the direct.

It looks even cooler than the real doll Sakurai used.

 

[MAGMIS]

Not gonna lie, I thought it was some photoshopped screenshot when I first saw that after the direct.

It looks even cooler than the real doll Sakurai used.

I can see him being interviewed about that doll already at e3.

 

[Bauske]

Added King Dedede

Other than his face and the fact that his robe actually looks like it has fuzzy ruffles, he doesn't look that much different. I'm kind of surprised given the leap everyone else has taken. xD

 

[TewnLeenk]

I posted this on a different thread, but it may turn out to be useful here too.

 

[BigHairyFart]

Added the last two(confirmed) veterans, Diddy Kong and Olimar!

 

[ChikoLad]

Added the last two(confirmed) veterans, Diddy Kong and Olimar!

Awesome! Apologies for kind of slacking off there for a bit. I just never got around to doing more.

I suppose I'll think about doing some items next.

Another thing I think could be interesting, but I'm not sure whether or not it warrants it's own topic - now that we've got comparisons between Brawl and Smash 4, what about comparisons between the fighters in Smash 4 and their most recent appearances in other games (e.g. Smash 4 DK VS Tropical Freeze DK).
Obviously we cannot expect to always get the same pose or anything in this case, but just some raw comparisons between models. This would be a nice way of giving the newcomers some attention too, I feel.

 

[BigHairyFart]

Awesome! Apologies for kind of slacking off there for a bit. I just never got around to doing more.

I suppose I'll think about doing some items next.

Another thing I think could be interesting, but I'm not sure whether or not it warrants it's own topic - now that we've got comparisons between Brawl and Smash 4, what about comparisons between the fighters in Smash 4 and their most recent appearances in other games (e.g. Smash 4 DK VS Tropical Freeze DK).
Obviously we cannot expect to always get the same pose or anything in this case, but just some raw comparisons between models. This would be a nice way of giving the newcomers some attention too, I feel.

That's actually a great idea. Sadly, as I lack a capture device of any sort, I wouldn't be able to get anything other than a WWHD selfie...

 

[Bauske]

A question: Is Pit on the list or is he coming? I don't see him listed there, but I thought I saw people talking about him.