Week in Review Issue #13: Super Smash Bros. Direct Coverage

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Super Smash Bros Direct 4.08.2014
Authors: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom , @Frostwraith, @ Pazzo. @ --- , @Opossum, @TumblrFamous, @Mario_and_Sonic_Guy
​

The Super Smash Bros. Direct finally debuted to much fanfare. The forums were busy with both members and visitors; waiting to watch the Direct. Moments prior to the Direct, the Super Smash Bros. Direct Thread logged in 244 members and 243 visitors at one point this number obviously fluctuated more than Wario flatulents in a given day. At 3 pm PT, the Direct was under way.

Table of Contents

Spoiler

1.1 Release Date
2.1 Technical Tidbits
3.1 Stages
3.2 Yellow Devil
3.3 Ridley?!
4.1 Online Play
4.2 For Fun and For Glory
4.3 Final Destination
4.4 Temporary Ban
5.1 Global Smash Power
6.1 Items
7.1 Assist Trophies
8.1 Pokeballs
9.1 Returning Fighers
9.2 Zero Suit Samus
9.3 Zelda
9.4 Sheik
9.5 Kirby
9.6 King Dedede
9.7 Lucario
9.8 Olimar
9.9 Pit
9.10 Yoshi
10.1 New Fighters
10.2 Rosalina
10.3 Little Mac
10.4 Mega Man
10.5 Mega Man
10.6 Wii Fit Trainer
11.1 Run Play
12.1 Charizard
13. 1 Gredninja
14.1 Mysterious Special Moves
15.1 Overview

Release Date

Author: @ Pazzo.

Release Dates


During Thursday’s/Wednesday’s Nintendo Direct, Masahiro Sakurai confirmed the release windows of both Super Smash Bros. for the 3DS and Wii U respectively.

The 3DS version will launch in Summer 2014, with the Wii U version following in Winter.

This came as a shock to many, as the Wii U, or “Definitive” version as some might consider, was expected first. Many expressed frustration over the release timing, as many planned on getting the Wii U version only. But through careful examination, the timing of these two releases are actually a smart business plan.

With the 3DS or ‘lesser’ version coming first, many Smash fans will want to buy that one in order to experience the new game, and stay updated with what other discussion. At the same time though, many of the same players will buy the Wii U version, as they originally planned. This almost insures better sales for the 3DS, a system with a higher install base than the Wii U.

This goes beyond mere speculation, anyone reading online reactions may draw the same conclusions. Here are a few from our very own Smashboards.

I did NOT want to buy the 3DS version, but now I probably will just because (the 3DS version will come first)

MechaWave

It tempts me to buy both versions, I know how I am with waiting for releases, and with 3DS being revealed first in the Summer, I'll have to get it. But I really prefer the Wii U version better, so I'll probably get both.

VictoryIsMudkipz

I had originally intended to ignore the 3DS version, but given the recent developments and knowing the fact that it will be released before the Wii U version, I might buy it just to get a leg up on the competition and get a feel for what the movesets are like for characters. That is assuming Sakurai doesn't make any development or balance changes to the cast in between game releases.

Ulevo

So if you plan on getting the Wii U version, the 3DS version, or both, remember that there is no reason to get upset. It is currently unknown if there will be a Global release or if a particular region will get the game first.

Technical Tidbits
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom

It is confirmed that Super Smash Bros. for 3DS will run on 60 FPS. Here is a list of games that was compiled by a user named Kupin on Gamefaqs

Mario Kart 7
- Tekken 3D Prime Edition
- Super Street Fighter IV (60FPS when 3D in-game settings is off.)
- Dead or Alive Dimensions (60FPS on gameplay when 3D is off; using 3D slider)
- Mutant Mudds (2D sprite graphics, but runs smoothly even when 3D is on)
- Naruto Powerful Shippuden (also in 2D graphics)
- Adventure Time
- Crazy Construction (No 3D stereoscopic feature, but runs in 60FPS)
- HarmoKnight
- Final Fantasy Theatrythym
- L.O.Zelda Link To The Past 2 (not yet released, but confirmed to run 60FPS in 3D)

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/997614-nintendo-3ds/66956832

Not surprising to find that the game will run on 60 FPS however, other elements such as Pokemon and Assist Trophies will actually run on 30 FPS. This appears to help not slow down the game in certain areas and to make it less laggy. Sakurai felt this was important enough to include into the Direct.

Stages: Old and New
Author: @Frostwraith and @ Venus of the Desert Bloom

Sakurai confirmed that there will be different stages for both versions; further hammering the fact that stages on each version will reflect the games that appeared on them. While this is not new news to us, it is still good to see some of these stages in motion:

Here is a total list of 3DS Stages that the Direct showed us:

• Battlefield (Super Smash Bros.)
  
• Reset Bomb Forest (Kid Icarus)
  
• Gerudo Valley (Legend of Zelda)
  
• Prism Tower (Pokemon)
  
• 3D Land (Super Mario Bros.)
  
• Rainbow Road (Super Mario Bros.)
  
• Arena Ferox (Fire Emblem)
  
• Spirit Train (Legend of Zelda)
  
• Tortimer Island (Animal Crossing)
  
• Living Room (Nintendogs)
  
• Find Mii (Find Mii)
  
• Balloon Fight (Balloon Fight)
  
• Jungle Japes (Donkey Kong)

Wii U Stages

• Battlefield (Super Smash Bros.)
  
• Final Destination (Super Smash Bros.)
  
• Mario Galaxy (Super Mario Bros.)
  
• Pyrosphere (Metroid)
  
• Town and City (Animal Crossing)
  
• Boxing Ring (Punch-Out!!)
  
• Pilot Wings (Pilot Wings)
  
• Skyloft (Legend of Zelda)
  
• Windy Hill (Sonic)
  
• Garden of Hope (Pikmin)
  
• Wii Fit Studio (Wii Fit)
  
• Palutena's Temple (Kid Icarus)
• Kalos Elite 4 (Pokemon)
  
• Halberd (Kirby)

Bold indicates a Direct-confirmed stage.

Palutena's Temple

It is now confirmed that the lower right hand portion of the stage was the area that was featured in the April 1st PotD.

Garden of Hope

Pyrosphere

Final Destination

Balloon Fight

Balloon Fight is a new stage that is considered Retro. Interesting to note is the Balloon Fight Icon, Could this potentially hint at Balloon Fighter being playable or possibly an Assist Trophy??

Halberd

The following stage was seen during the Greninja reveal trailer at 38:23...

This is confirmed by fans to be the Kalos Pokemon League and it appears to be on the Wii U version; considering the graphics.

For a comparison, here is a screenshot from Pokemon X and Y:

Yellow Devil

Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom

Shown in Mega Man's reveal trailer was the Yellow Devil as well as previous PotD pictures. Sakurai went in depth a little about the Yellow Devil and how it functions in Dr. Wily's stage. It appears by attacking his red eye, it will cause damage to the Yellow Devil. Who ever lands the killing blow onto the Yellow Devil will cause it to explode with a high intensity. This will count as an attack from that person who caused it to explode thus resulting in the other players being damaged. Thus, it becomes a race to destroy the Yellow Devil when it appears. Sakurai hinted there are numerous strategies such as outright attacking the Yellow Devil, avoiding the Yellow Devil, or preventing other players from attacking it. Sakurai also reveled there will be other bosses featured on the stages such as....

Ridley?!
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom

Shortly after Sakurai explained in detail the Yellow Devil, he teased viewers with an image of Pyrosphere and Ridley's shadow hovering above it while chasing Pikachu. Many saw this as a direct deconfirmation for the purple space dragon and the support thread immedaitely changed their title to "Ridley is a Stage Hazard". But then changed it to "Ridley is a Pyrosphere Something". Regardless if you support or don't support Ridley, nothing is confirmed unless Sakurai outright states it. This could be Sakurai trolling Ridley fans and the Smash community; knowing how requested he is. However, it wouldn't be exactly be a stretch to say that his chances have dropped significantly.

Some other potential bosses include:

• Dark Emperor from Find Mii
• Shark from Tortimer Island

Online Play
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom

It has been confirmed that both games will feature online capabilities and will feature many modes. Sakurai showed seemingly lagless footage of a match between Tokyo and Kyoto players. Sakurai advised players to find a reliable internet connection in order to enjoy the online experience to the fullest. He suggested to Wii U players to purchase the Wii LAN Adapter since LAN cables generally are more reliable than Wi Fi.

Also confirmed is the removal of playing against random people. Instead, you can find people to play on a service much like MiiVerse and be able to view their profile.

This ties in with the Code on Conduct that Sakurai was discussing in the Direct and will be featured later in the article.

It appears that Sakurai and his team is really focusing on Online Play and the ability to form connections with other online players in the game. It is possible that Sakurai is trying to make the online experience more personable and realiable and realized the faults that was the Online mode in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

For Fun and For Glory
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom

It is confirmed that Super Smash Bros. for Wii U will contain two types of Online modes:

1. For Fun
2. For Glory

According to the Direct, "For Fun" only records victories, stages are random with Final Destination being omitted, and items are turned on. "For Glory" appears more competitive oriented with Final Destination being the only stage selectable, items are turned off, and both victories and loses are recorded in the players profile.

I believe this is evidence that Sakurai is reconsidering his approach to the competitive crowd and trying to appeal to them. However, the competitive crowd responded rather mildly to this - with some members appreciating the gesture while others viewed it as an insult. Regardless, many competitive players assured that they will play by their own rules; not rules that Sakurai had set up.

Final Destination
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom

Going back to Stages, it was confirmed that for the mode "For Glory", players have the choice to play on pre-existing stages that have a Final Destination treatment to them. Many stages such as Mario Galaxy or Pyrosphere have gimmicks to them. This gets in the way of competitive play and can potentially limit stages legality. Stages like Nofair, Bridge of Eldin, Hannenbow, and Temple are usually banned at tournaments for being too larger, gimmicky, or due to stage hazards. However, stages like Lylat Cruise, Smashville, and Final Destination are typically OK or encouraged at tournaments. Final Destination, in particular, is noted for having a very basic and straightforward level design that causes players to depend on skill and character knowledge to win matches.

Sakuai wants people to enjoy the stages; regardless what group the player falls in so Sakurai and his team made stages so that they have a Final Destination component. It is unknown if this applies to every stage as well as 3DS stages but here are some of the stages that were shown on the Direct:

Battlefield

Mario Galaxy

Pyrosphere

Dr. Wily's Castle

Again, it is unknown if this will be applied to all of the Wii U stages or if it will appear on the 3DS. It does give an interesting option for those wishes to play on stages that are more geared towards competitive matches.

Temporary Ban
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom

According to Sakurai, failing to comply with the rules could result in a temporary ban from online play. This is to combat players dropping out early, taunt parties, and ganging up on other players. The full list is:

• Starting and not playing i.e. Taunt Parties
• Relentless targeting of an individual
• Repeated self-destructs
• Frequent dropping either prematurely or due to technical problems
• Cheating

Sakurai stated that there will be a report function much like on MiiVerse and a user may report another user if they they are breaking any of the rules. Repeated offenders run the risk of being banned for a longer duration.

Global Smash Power

Author: @TumblrFamous

Global Smash Power is a scoring competition. A simple ranking system would be too broad and not very fun. Instead, Sakurai and his team will do something different. Global Smash Power is a fun and creative, innovative ranking system.

The bigger the number is, the stronger the player is, as seen below:

The score indicates how much “stronger” you are against other players around the world.

Sadly, Sakurai confirmed that the power score does not reflect scores based on online but, rather, scores based on solo play. To but it simpler, it is your total score while playing through Super Smash Bros. It could be possible that this is done to encourage players to play the solo modes rather than stick solely to the multiplayer modes. This hints at possible expansive solo modes such as Adventure, Aracde, and/or Events as well as something possibly related to the Smash Run which is featured on the 3DS. While there won’t be any rankings for online multiplayer, there will be some type of matchmaking based on skill.

Items
Authors: @Opossum @Frostwraith

New Items (by @Frostwraith)

A plethora of newly confirmed items were shown in this Nintendo Direct. Some have been seen in daily pictures before, but we got to see them in action for the first time. Said items are the X-Bomb from Kid Icarus: Uprising, the Hocotate Bomb from the Pikmin series, the Steel Diver from the eponymous series, the Beetle from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, the Fairy Bottle from the Zelda series and the Ore Club from Kid Icarus: Uprising. In addition to showing us those items in action, new and previously unseen before items were also shown. This section is dedicated to describing the new items, their origins and how they function in the game.

POW Block

This is the POW Block from the classic Mario Bros. game. You may remember them from the Mario Bros. stage from Brawl as well as several other Mario games.

They can be thrown at the floor to damage all foes standing on it. It seems to have limited uses and the block's size decreases at it is used.

Beetle

Previously teased in a daily picture, we get to see this item in action. Once thrown, this item carries the foe it latches onto upward.

Fire Bar

Inspired by the classic Super Mario Bros. obstacle, this battering item deals fire based damage. Its damage and knockback output appears moderate and it appears to deal a Meteor Smash at midair foes. Something to note too is how its length appears to decrease the more it is used.

Back Shield

Yet another item from Kid Icarus: Uprising. The Back Shield floats behind the user, protecting him/her from attacks from behind. It functions exactly as it did in the original source game.

Bombchu

Don't let its cute appearance fool you. This mouse shaped bomb from the Zelda series can climb walls, much like its debut appearance in Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Given the 2D gameplay of Smash, this actually ends up behaving similarly to the Hothead item from Brawl. Being a bomb, don't come into contact with it as it will blow up.

Fairy Bottle

Another item previously shown on a daily picture. Fairies in the Zelda games act as recovery items. Seen in the Direct was a player picking it up and the Fairy began flying around the character who picked it. It can be assumed its effect will be healing damage, much like in the Zelda series.

Ore Club

There are surely a lot of new items from Kid Icarus: Uprising, which shouldn't be surprising given Sakurai also worked on that game. The Ore Club joins the battering items and its Smash attacks can shoot tornadoes by charging it up. Its bulky shape also gives it significant range and possibly deal heavier damage compared to other battering items.

X Bomb

From Kid Icarus: Uprising, this item originally exploded into four projectiles in an X shape that bounced through walls. In Smash, it fires 4 beams in an X shape. It covers a quite large area, so it can be put to good use in larger stages.

Hocotate Bomb

Olimar's ship from Pikmin 2... or actually, a bomb shaped like it. When activated, it flies upwards, dealing continuous damage to whoever gets in its way and comes crashing down, exploding upon contact with the ground, hitting everyone who gets caught.

Rocket Belt

It's not just a stage the Pilotwings series is getting, this jet-pack item appears to be quite useful for recovery by providing upwards movement to the user.

Steel Diver

This submarine shaped gun inspired by Steel Diver fires torpedoes. The projectiles of this shooting item stand out from the rest of similar items by having increasing speed over time.

Master Ball

The well-known Master Ball is the ultimate Poké Ball thanks to its ability to catch Pokémon without fail. Perhaps inspired by how players would often use this Poké Ball to catch legendary Pokémon, this item guarantees the appearance of a legendary Pokémon. Their power is devastating, so using this item may very well turn the tide of battle.

For those who like playing with items, these new items offer new possibilities and strategies. A lot of creativity was put into implementing these items, while never forgetting to pay homage to their source games. They all bring something new to Smash and they all are faithful to their original game counterparts.





Assist Trophies
Authors: @Opossum @Frostwraith

New Assist Trophies

Ashley

Judging from the Direct, it appears that Ashley castes a hex on the battlefield; possibly poisoning or somehow delibbrating the players. This can be seen from the purple haze affect on the players.

Dark Samus

Dark Samus appears as the third Metroid assist trophy. She poses and begins to shoot players with a seemingly powerful projectile attack that has hitstun. She also performs an attack that causes 10 phazon tentacles to shoot upward. It is unsure as to the nature of this attack.

Elec Man

A surprising choice for a Mega Man assist trophy. Elec Man runs around the stage, delivering powerful electric strikes at the opponents. He seems fast and nimble.

Midna

Midna, the Twilight Princess appears and begins throwing players around with her gigantic hand/hair thing. Her attacks seems to have a lot of reach and knock back as she throws them.

Isabelle

Isabelle was confirmed last Friday as an Assist Trophy though the nature of her attacks was unknown. It appears that she gives fruit to those who attack her. This fruit can replenish players health. When she runs out of fruit, she sighs.

Chain Chomp

A common enemy from the Mario franchise. It is chained to the ground but will bounce about. When a payer comes within reach, it will strike out with its teeth,

Skull Kid

The first Assist Trophies confirmed for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS. It was previously thought to summon the moon and cause it to crash down onto the stage. However, as seen from the Direct, it inverses the stage causing it to flip upside down.

Pong/Color TV-Game 15

An interesting and well received Assist Trophy. Pong is considered one of the most influential games for video gaming and still retains its popularity. This Assist Trophy seems to bounce pongs back and forth much like ping pong. When the attack is over, it display the sides scores.

Returning Assist Trophies

The following Assist Trophies return...

Saki Amamiya

Devil

Dr. Wright

Lyn

Knuckle Joe

Samurai Goroh

Please note this is covering previously unknown Assist Trophies. That is why Starfy, Waluigi, Nintendog, and Andross does not appear on this list.

Pokeballs
@Opossum @Frostwraith

It appears that Legendary or rare Pokemon emerge from the Master Balls. Sakurai demonstrated this by showcasing....

Arceus!

Arceus causes vibrations along the stage. When someone is hit in the air, it is a meteor smash. This spells doom for anyone caught trying to recovery as shown in the Direct.

New Pokemon

Eevee

Eevee appears to tackle the opponent with its side.

Darkrai

While unknown, it is thought that Darkrai causes the opponents to fall asleep. It is speculated to be Dark Void.

Victini

Again unknown but it is possible it will do its signature attack, V-Create Thank you @ ndayday .

Keldeo

Keldeo appears and performs Sacred Sword.
It delivers power sword slashing attacks.

Kyurem

Kyrurem appears and delivers powerful ice attacks. Most likely a Master Ball Pokemon.

Meloetta

Meloette appears and sings.

Meoletta actually releases small orbs with a music sign on it that bounces around and deals damage.

Thank you @ FalKoopa

Chespin

It is unknown what Chespin does.

Fennekin

Fennekin releases a fiery attack. While it is unknown, it is most likely Ember.

Spewpa

It is unknown while Spewpa actually does.

Gogoat

Apparently, players can ride on Gogoat. It is unknown if it is automatic or players can jump on on their own.

Xerneas

Revealed after the Pokemon X and Y releases, Xerneas is fully confirmed as a Pokeball Pokemon. It is unknown what it does but it shows it releases some sort of energy. It is speculated to be Geomancy
Thank you @ spader13 for the Xerneas and Darkrai information.
Thank you @ Aeronite's Kiseki .

Returning Pokemon

Meowth

Meowth performs Pay Day.

Electrode

Electrode performs Explosion.
Much like before, it can be thrown.

Goldeen

Goldeen performs Splash.

Staryu

Staryu performs Swift.
Snorlax

Snorlax jumps up and crashes down much like in previous games.

Mew

Most likely a Master Ball Pokemon, it has the same properties as before.

Bellossom

Bellossum performs Sweet Scent.

Metagross

Metagross performs Earthquake.

Deoxys

Deoxys performs Hyper Beam.

Entei

Entei performs Fire Spin.


List of Confirmed Pokemon via Direct:

Meowth
Arceus
Entei
Keldeo
Meloetta
Electrode
Eevee
Staryu
Metagross
Fennekin
Gogoat
Deoxys
Kyrurem
Victini
Xerneas

Information from Bulbapedia and Serebii.

The article carries over to the next post....​

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Returning Fighters
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom
As expected from the Direct, we saw a lot of new information regarding the veterans. This ranged from new attacks, new visuals, Final Smashes, or entire changes within the character.

Note: I implore you to check @iDOWN's news article on the characters!
Follow this link: http://smashboards.com/threads/super-smash-bros-nintendo-direct-character-updates.352016/page-5

Zero Suit Samus

Zero Suit Samus appears yet again from the Metroid franchise. However, instead of appearing after Samus performs her Final Smash, she is selectable right from the bat. That means she is being treated as an entire character rather than a transformation. Aside visually, what else has changed about the character.

At first, Sakurai stated that he added a booster on her boots to increase her damage without minimizing her speed. Sakurai stated in the Direct that they wanted to make her faster yet not power her done. She now does extra damage with her kicks and extra knock back. This could mean a lot for Zero Suit Samus mains.

To view the rest of her pictures, open the collapse box:

[collapse=Zero Suit Samus screens]

Whip returns as part of her move set

Her stunner returns as a part of her move set

[/collapse]

Go here to discuss more about Zero Suit Samus

Zelda

Zelda receives some spotlight due to her controversial and much talked about the picture with her and the Phantom Knight.Many assumed that it was either part of her move set or was potentially an Assist Trophy. The Direct, however, confirmed that it was in fact not an Assist Trophy but apart of her move set.

It is confirmed by Sakurai to appear as her Down Special, replacing the Transformation move. Upon inputting it, the Phantom Knight runs forward and slashes at the opponent, It works much like a projectile as it can be reflected by Mario's "Cape" move and pocketed by Villager's "Pocket" move. It appears to be fairly powerful and has considerable knock back when connected.

It is also confirmed that Shiek will no longer serve as Zelda's Down Special Transformation but has become his/her own character.

Sheik

Sheik is confirmed to appear as a playable character in SSBWiiU/3DS but not as Zelda's Down Special transformation but, rather, a playable character in his/her own right. Sheik was thought as being cut in favor for another Zelda character - often cited for being irrelevant or old news. However, the Direct confirmed his/her return.

Since Sheik is unable to transform into Zelda; he/she has gained two extra moves. The first is "Burst Grenade" and is his/her new Side Special. Her new Down Special is "Bouncing Fish" and it is an aerial kick move that seems a little like Zero Suit Samus' Down Special.

Here is her Burst Grenade.

To view the rest of his/her pictures, open the collapse box:

[collapse=Sheik's Screens]

[/collapse]

Go here to discuss more about Sheik

Kirby

Kirby is confirmed, via Direct, has had it's Hammer moved changed. It is now called Hammer Flip and is confirmed to cause fire damage. However, the longer you hold, the more it will hurt Kirby.

As well, Kirby was confirmed to have a new Final Smash called Ultra Sword. It appears to be much like Link's Triforce Slash in that it deals heavy damage with a torrent of sword attacks.

King Dedede

King Dedede had a little change in that he no longer throws Waddle Dee's but, rather, throws Gordos. He is able to pick them back up and throw them. They are slower but deal more damage overall.

Lucario

Lucario received some spotlight with Sakurai focusing on his Aura physics and how they are powered up the more damage he takes. Also, while unconfirmed, Mega Lucario will appear in some capacity. Many users believe that this is not a Final Smash but a possible gimmick or alternate costume.
Thank you @ mimgrim and @ lightdasher !

Thank you @ D dimensionsword64 for informing me of the spelling error.

Olimar

Olimar is now confirmed to only have 3 Pikmin at once. It is unsure if this is due to the 3DS but Sakurai has gone onto say that it is not a nerf. When Olimar plucks Pikmin, it is now in an order: Red,Yellow, Blue, White, Purple, and then back to Red. Sakurai has stated it will be easier to see the Pikmin behind Olimar.

Also confirmed is that Olimar will receive a new recovery move "Winged Pikmin". The Winged Pikmin will carry Olimar over some distance before dropping him. However, having three Pikmin will cause the Winged Pikmin to fly lower and less farther. One strategy that Sakurai demonstrated that Olimar got rid of his Pikmin prior to using the Winged Pikmin recovery.

Pit

Pit was confirmed with many changes. First, his gliding mechanic was removed in which Sakurai stated could be seen as a slight nerf. However, he has been buffed up with several new attacks that have been touched on prior. But to be as detailed as possible, these include Upperdash Arm and the Guardian Orbitars. As well, it is confirmed that the Three Sacred Treasures will be apart of his Final Smash instead of Palutena's Army. The Three Sacred Treasures seems very powerful and random in its attacks.

Yoshi

Yoshi makes his triumphant return back into Super Smash Bros. According to Sakurai, he now stands upright so it is more up to date with his recent model. Sakurai feels confident that Yoshi has improved, especially since the character is often plague with faults. However, Yoshi hasn't received any new moves and remains similar to his previous incarnations.

However, there have been a few changes to Yoshi, both cosmetic and statistically:

• Back aerial now has a more accentuated final hit.
• Down aerial's final blow now hits grounded opponents horizontally, which should make the move safer to use on grounded opponents.
• Egg Throw now has a small rainbow added when Yoshi throws the egg.

http://www.ssbwiki.com/Yoshi_(SSB4)
Thank you @ Dairz

To view the rest of his pictures, open the collapse box:

[collapse= Yoshi's Screens]

[/collapse]

Go here to discuss Yoshi.

New Fighters
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom

After Sakurai talked in length about the returning fighters, we began to discuss the new fighters that have been revealed thus far.

Rosalina

Sakurai went in length about Rosalina and Luma and their moves. Rosalina and Luma is able to work separately, each having their own move set. Rosalina's Neutral B is Luma Shot which can send Luma soaring at her opponents. She is able to recall Luma back however. Her side special is Star Bit and can be performed while the two are separated, Her Up Recovery is now Warp Star and Sakurai stated it has excellent range. Her down special is Gravitational Pull and it can reflect many projectiles including Lucario's Aura Sphere or bring items closer to her.
Finally, her Final Smash was confirmed to be Power Star. However, it appears underpowered and it might not be considered a strong Final Smash. However, it has a wide range of attack and seems to be a great juggler.

Little Mac

Little Mac had a little bit said about him. Sakurai kept on pounding in the fact that he is extremely powerful with melee attacks and is best suited on the ground but her terrible aerial recovery and jumping ability. Also his stature when up against Samus.

Sakurai talked about his Neutral Special, "Straight Lunge" is a regular dashing punch but when he gives or take damage, his KO meter increases. When the bar is full, he is capable of delivering a power One Hit KO Uppercut. However, it a one shot attack and cannot be performed again. Also confirmed was his side special "Joly Haymaker", his Up Recovery special "Rising Uppercut", and his Down special "Slip Counter". Also confirmed was his Final Smash, Giga Mac which is extremely powerful.

In addition, there will be a alternative costume for Little Mac that puts him in his wire frame model....a throwback to his arcade days.

Mega Man

Mega Man had a wide range of attacks presented about him as well as detailing which game they are from. However, Sakurai did not talk much about Mega Man and, rather showed footage of the attacks. It was also confirmed that Mega Man's Final Smash utilizes many versions of Mega Man that have appeared throughout the franchise. Here is a list of them:

• D-Tilt: Sliding (MM3)
• Dash: Top Spin (MM3/Top Man)
• U-Tilt: Mega Upper (MvC)
• Side Smash: Charge Shot (MM4)
• Up Smash: Spark Shock (MM3/Spark Man)
• Down Smash: Flame Blast (MM6/Flame Man)
• Fair: Flame Sword (MM8/Sword Man)
• Bair: Slash Claw (MM7/Slash Man)
• Uair: Air Shooter (MM2/Air Man)
• Dair: Hard Knuckle (MM3/Hard Man)
• Grab: Super Arm (MM/Guts Man)
• Neutral Special: Metal Blade (MM2/Metal Man)
• Side Special: Crash Bomber (MM2/Crash Man)
• Down Special: Leaf Shield (MM2/Wood Man)
• Up Special: Rush Coil (MM3)

The name of his Final Smash and it's nature has not been unveiled yet.

Villager

Much like Mega Man, the Villager received little explanation and only footage. It was confirmed that Villager's Neutral special is "Pocket", his side special is "Lloid Rocket", his Up Recovery is "Baloon Trip", and his down special is "Timber". Also confirmed was his Final Smash, "Dream Home" where the Villager builds a home along , Tom Nook, Timmy, and Tommy.

Wii Fit Trainer

Sakurai explained a little bit about the Wii Fit Trainer. First, he explained that Wii Fit Trainer has two costumes: Male and Female. Both play exactly the same, have the same stats, and height thus it doesn't impact the characters overall game. It is confirmed that the Wii Fit Trainers Down B is "Deep Breathing" (thank you @ Artsy Omni ) ...

and it powers up his or her attacks. This can be used in conjunction with his/her other attacks for a surprising combo. In addition is the neutral special "Sun Salutation" which is actually a projectile. This surprised some a bit as some thought she wouldn't have a projectile. Sakurai commented that it is a powerful combination when used together.

Smash Run
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom

"Smash Run" is a new mode available for the Nintendo 3DS version. It features an expansive area where up to four players can explore, battle and fight enemies, and collect items. These items can upgrade characters and make them stronger and faster. The time limit is set to 5 minutes and, once down, the powered up players enter into a Free for All Battle.
Here is a list of upgrades available:

• Speed: Makes fighters run faster.
• Jump: Makes fighters jump higher.
• Attack: Makes normal attacks stronger.
• Special: Makes special attacks stronger.
• Arms: Makes projectiles, item attacks, and throws stronger.
• Defense: Makes fighters harder to launch.

It appears that players can get these upgrades by opening boxes and by defeating enemies. There are also a number of enemies hailing from various universes such as Subspace, Mario Bros., Legend of Zelda, Mega Man, Donkey Kong, Kid Icarus, and Metroid.

Here is a full list made by @ ---

Kremlins
Tiki Buzz
Goombas
Shy Guys
Magikoopas
Bulborbs
Giant Goomba
Mink
Shuttler
Parasol-Dee
Tak
Chandalure
Stalfos
Kihunter
Reaper
Mettaur
Poppant
Roturrat
Mimicutie
Plasma Wisp
Mites
Flame Chomps
Monoeye
Polar Bear (Ice Climbers)
Hammer Bros.
Bullet Bills
Lakitus / Spinys
Shotzos
Gordos

Thank you @ Aeronite's Kiseki for the info

There are also events that can be activated during the Smash Run such as:

• Amped Up!: Max speed and jump.
• Gale: Strong winds that push players.
• Bullet Bill Fest: Swarms of Bullet Bills attack.

As well, various types of battles can occur after the end of the run and during the Free for All. These include;

• Reflect Smash
• Flower Smash
• Easy-Launch Smash
• Climb!

According to Sakurai, he believe this mode will be an interesting way to play Smash and offer some interesting matches as well as fun to play.

And that's not all....
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom

Charizard

Charizard appears again in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS. However, it appears without its trainer apparently and as a stand alone character. Charizard is one of the more popular Pokemon and arguably one of the most popular aside from Mewtwo from the 1st Generation. It appears more aggressive and powerful in this rendition; chomping down on players and performing powerful attacks. Sakurai did not discuss the character as it was apart of a reveal trailer but we are sure to hear more about the character in the near future. Also, Mega Charizard X will appear in some form as a Final Smash, alt costumes, or a new gimmick:

Here are some pictures of Charizard:

[collapse=Charizard's Screens]

[/collapse]

Go here to discuss Charizard.

Greninja
The newest character was revealed after the Direct and adds another Pokemon representative making it an impressive 4 characters.

Greninja is the Ninja Pokemon and is a Water/Dark type. It is the Final evolution of Froakie. It is capable of delivering quick water-based attacks as well as its signature attack, Water Shuriken. It also appears that Greninja is able to form blades from water. It is unsure to exactly what this means. Judging from both the reveal trailer and the website photos, Greninja is able to fire out a water projectile and use it's tongue to attack. As for Greninja's Final Smash, nothing was confirmed but many think his final moments before the Direct ended shows his Final Smash.

His potential Final Smash

The character had an average respond, some really excited to see Greninja to appear like @ Tepig2000 whereas others were extremely disappointed with the character; citing its exclusion severely or outright deconfirms Mewtwo. My message to Mewtwo fans is to not lose hope and Mewtwo chances for returning are quite high,
Regardless if you liked Greninja's reveal or not, it is an interesting and severely underrated candidate for Super Smash Bros. However, within the Pokemon world, he is one of the better Pokemon. Take a read of the Serebii article about Greninja.

Finally, open the collapse box to view the Greninja pictures.

[collapse=Greninja's Screens]

[/collapse]

Go here to discuss Greninja.

Mysterious Special Moves

It was confirmed by the Direct that it will be possible to customize certain moves on the Wii U. Examples include making Mario's Fireballs large and slow or small and fast or making Kirby breathe ice. What does this mean exactly? Sakurai couldn't divulge much information about it during this Direct but promised to discuss it on a later period. This would certainly be an interesting way to customize the characters and could potentially make both casual and competitive play very interesting. It is only available while playing online with friends.

Direct Overview
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom

The Super Smash Bros. Direct delivered exactly what players wanted and more. However, as expected from Sakurai, there were surprises to be had; some good and some bad. Not only did we get a more exact release date for both versions but some technical specifications of them. As well, Sakurai went in length about the Online mode and how it will be implemented. In particular, the "For Fun" and "For Glory" modes and the Smash Power Ranking. Sakurai also unveiled a plethora of items, assist trophies, and Pokeballs. Sakurai then went to discuss the characters and revealed Zero Suit Samus, Sheik, and Yoshi. It was confirmed that transformation mechanics will not return. Sakurai also talked in length about the new characters and unveiled many new Final Smashes. Finally, Sakurai unveiled Smash Run, a game mode strictly for the 3DS and acts much like Subspace Emissary yet a multiplayer experience. Finally, at the end, Sakurai revealed a solo Charizard as a returning veteran and a Pokemon newcomer, Greninja which took everyone by surprise. Overall, it was a well received Direct which renewed the hype in many; especially after such slow March and brought the games a little closer to home. Thank you for reading our coverage on the Direct and I want to thank all of the authors who worked hard on it.

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Press Release Photos
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom
​

After the Direct made its debut, several images were shown of content that weren't featured in the Direct. These few pictures turned into a Flickr account full of new images and photos. While it was unknown what it was at first, it was finally confirmed to be a Press Release Kit with more then 200 promotional pictures for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS. To learn more about press release kits, go here. While unknown to who received these kits, it was most likely given to particular individuals and companies for promotional use.

The Flickr account Endless~AGB uploaded the images from the kit onto his Flickr account. Click the following link to be taken to his page:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/48280274@N02/

Aside from the content that was released during the Direct, there are a large amount of items that has surfaced that was not in the Direct.

Here are a few of these images:

Hi-res image of Final Destination. ​

Chespin as a Pokeball Pokemon​

Super Leaf from Super Mario Bros. confirmed as an item.
Thank you @ FalKoopa for the clarification

Honeycomb from Animal Crossing as an Item​

Galaga from the Namco Galaxian franchise; . It is potentially an Assist Trophy and the first Assist Trophy from a 3rd party company not tied to a particular franchise.​

Mega Man's Final Smash in Hi Res​

Super Scope confirmed to return.

S-Flag (Special Flag) confirmed as an Item. Yet again another Namco item.

Franklin Badge confirmed to return.

Spiked Blue Shell confirmed as a new item.

In addition to new items, there are also Hi-Res images of stages and characters. The Flickr account is a goldmine of new Smash Bros. images. I won't be putting them all up on here as that would be crazy so if you want to see the rest of the images, follow the link to the account. Here is it again

https://www.flickr.com/photos/48280274@N02/

As well, here is a list of content that is confirmed, via Press Kit, to appear in Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS
This list was put together by @ --- .

Urchins (Chu Chu Land)
Soccer Ball

Franklin Badge

Lightning (Mario Kart)

Stopwatch

Some sort of Treasure Chest?

Warp Star

Heart Container (Has a new design?)

Star Rod

Screwattack

Bom-omb

Sandbag

Bullet Bills

Flaming Box (the one that explodes in Brawl)

Golden Hammer

Hammer

Pitfall (Animal Crossing)

Lip's Stick

Spring (Donkey Kong)

Turret (Uprising)

Deku Nut

Gooey Bomb

Sparks (Super Mario World)

Banana Peel

Bees (Animal Crossing)

Team Healer

Drill Arm (Kid Icarus)

Freezie

Boomerang (Super Mario 3D Land)

Tanooki Suit

Galaga

S-Flag

Mr. Saturn

Chespin (Pokeball Pokemon)

To discuss the Press Kit pictures, go to the thread: Press Kit Thread or go to the news article: Promotional Screenshots for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS​

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

--- List of Confirmed Content
Author: @ --- and @ Venus of the Desert Bloom

Music:

Mario:
Good Egg Galaxy - Super Mario Galaxy
Rosalina's Observatory - Super Mario Galaxy (Arrangement)

Zelda:
Ballad of the Goddess - Skyward Sword (Arrangement)
Ballad of the Goddess - Skyward Sword (Original)
Main Theme - The Legend of Zelda (Arrangement)
Ocarina of Time Medley (Arrangement)
Saria's Song - Ocarina of Time (Arrangement)
Zelda's Lullaby - Ocarina of Time (Arrangement)
Gerudo Valley - Ocarina of Time (Arrangement)

Donkey Kong:
Rocket Barrel Theme - Donkey Kong Country Returns
Metroid:
Ridley's Theme - Other M (Original)
Theme of Samus Aran - Super Metroid (Brawl)
Brinstar - Metroid (Melee)

Yoshi:
Make Eggs, Get Eggs - Yoshi's Island: SMW2 (Arrangement)

Kirby:
Green Greens - Kirby's Dream Land (Arrangement)

Kid Icarus:
Dark Pit's Theme - Uprising (Original)
Boss Battle - Uprising (Original)
Chapter 1: The Return of Palutena - Uprising (Original)

Star Fox:
Area 6 - Star Fox 64 (Arrangement)

Pokemon:
Pokemon Stadium - Red/Blue (Melee)
Main Theme - Red/Blue (Brawl)
Pokefloats - Red/Blue (Melee)
Wild Pokemon Battle - X/Y (Arrangement)
Trainer Battle - X/Y (Arrangement)

Pikmin:
World Map - Pikmin 2 (Arrangement)

Fire Emblem:
Id (Purpose) - Awakening (Original)

Animal Crossing:
Daytime Mini-game Theme - New Leaf (Arrangement)
Kapp'n's Song - Animal Crossing (Arrangement)

Wii Fit:
Hula Hoop - Wii Fit (Arrangement)

Punch Out:
Main Theme - Punch Out (Arrangement)
Jogging Theme - Punch Out (Arrangement)
"Get Up Little Mac!" - Punch Out (Arrangement)

Mega Man:
Spark Man's Theme - Mega Man 3 (Arrangement)

Smash Bros:
Menu 2 - Melee
How to Play - Melee
Battlefield Ver. 2 - Brawl
Boss Battle - Brawl
Menu - Brawl
Opening - Melee (Brawl)
Waiting Room - Brawl
Menu 1 - Melee (Brawl)
Credits - 64 (Arrangement)

Assist Trophies:
Samurai Goroh
Lyn
Saki
Knuckle Joe
Chain Chomp
Devil
Dr. Wright
Waluigi - note W symbol
Minda
Dark Samus
Elec Man
Pong/Color TV-Game 15

Pokemon:
Meowth
Arceus
Entei
Keldeo
Meloetta
electrode
Eevee
Staryu
Metagross
Fennekin
Gogoat
Deoxys
Kyrurem
Victini
Xerneas
Goldeen
Mew
Bellossom
Darkrai - Dark Void - Puts characters to sleep
Chespin
Spewpa

Pokemon in Trailer
Snivy
Swirlix
Giratina
Zoroark
Kyogre
Inkay
Suicune
Gardevoir
Oshawott
Lugia
Togepi
Fletchling

Smash Run:
Kremlins
Tiki Buzz
Goombas
Shy Guys
Magikoopas
Bulborbs
Giant Goomba
Mink
Shuttler
Parasol-Dee
Tak
Chandalure
Stalfos
Kihunter
Reaper
Mettaur
Poppant
Roturrat
Mimicutie

Trophies:
Tiki
Pseudo Palutena
King Kihunter
Fi

Stages:
Balloon Fight
Find Mii
Jungle Japes
Halberd
Final Destination
Final Destination like All Stages
Pokemon League - XY

Stage Hazards:
Ridley (?)
Dark Emperor

Items:
Spiny Shell
Bunny Hood
Master Ball
Beam Sword
Smart Bomb
POW Block
Fire Bar
Back Shield
Bombchu
Rocket Belt
Lightning (Mario Kart)
Soccer Ball
Bom-omb
Golden Hammer
Freezie
Boomerang (Super Mario 3D Land)
Bullet Bills - Potential Assist Trophy
Hothead
Banana Peel
Heart Container (Now has it's Skyward Sword design)
Deku Nut
Bunny Hood
Star Rod
Warp Star
Dragoon Pieces - Was sighted during the Direct
Mr. Saturn
Pitfall
Screwattack
Power Bomb (Super Metroid) - Was sighted during the Smash Run Video
Lip's Stick
Urchins

Sandbag
Food
Stopwatch
Smoke Ball
Blast Box
Gooey Bomb
Team Healer
Treasure Chest - ? (Has a Smash Symbol on it)
Spring (Donkey Kong)
Hammer
Killer Eye (Uprising)
Drill Arm (Uprising)

Final Smashes:
Mega Lucario
Mega Charizard X
Unnamed Greninja Final Smash
CoStars - Mega Man X/Exe/Volnut/Geo Steller
Power Star
Ultra Sword
Dream Home

New Moves:
Hammer Flip
Phantom Knight
Gordos not Waddle Dees
Power of Flight
Winged Pikmin

Characters:
ZS Samus
Sheik
Yoshi
Charizard - Stand Alone
Greninja

Character Misc
Wii Fit Trainer is now Wii Fit Trainers
No more transformation characters
Little Mac has a wire-frame costume
Yoshi is now upright

Modes:
For Fun
For Glory
Global Smash Power
Custom Move Sets​

This list of confirmed content as been skillfully put together by @ --- with content from @Frostwraith and organized by @ Venus of the Desert Bloom . If there is anything you would like to add, please send either of us a Private Message.​

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Rosalina Character Analysis - Smash Bros. Direct Edition
Author: Mario & Sonic Guy

Introduction
Welcome to a special edition of my Rosalina article. The unexpected part 3 will be covering the contents that were revealed on the April 8 Super Smash Bros. Direct. The contents will include updates to Rosalina's moveset, Kirby Hat input changes, and even some matchup speculation updates.

If you haven't read the first two parts of my Rosalina article, here are the links to them...

Rosalina Character Analysis - Part 1
Rosalina Character Analysis - Part 2

Moveset
Standard Special: Luma Shot

Previously thought to be her side special, the Luma Shot is actually Rosalina's standard special move. As we all know, the Luma Shot enables Rosalina to use the Luma like a projectile, but there's a lot more to that move than previously thought.

Rosalina can actually charge up the Luma Shot, and the longer she charges up the move, the further away the Luma will travel. When it's separated from Rosalina, the Luma can act independently, but Rosalina can still give it attack commands at any time.

Spoiler

The longer Rosalina holds her charge, the further the Luma will travel.

When acting independently, the Luma may attack nearby opponents, but it'll eventually come back to Rosalina on its own free will; it won't stay in one place for very long if Rosalina isn't giving it any commands. However, Rosalina can perform the Luma Shot again to bring the Luma back almost immediately.

Now, in the Smash Bros. Direct, Rosalina was never seen summoning a new Luma, but it's possible that if Rosalina doesn't have a Luma with her, she'll summon a new Luma with the Luma Shot special first. More information will be needed first though, especially in the dilemma where the Luma gets KO'd.

Neutral Attack / 3-hit Combo

When Rosalina does her 3-hit combo attack, one of her attacks involve delivering multiple hits with her star wand. During that time, the Luma will perform a spin attack.

On an additional note, it seems that what standard attacks that the Luma does could vary, especially when it's acting solo.

Backward Aerial

Rosalina will do a backward kick with both of her feet. A galaxy will be made, which can deal damage to those who touch it.

Down Tilt

Rosalina does a low sweep to damage opponents. The knockback appears to be completely horizontal.

Side Special: Star Bits

Originally thought to be her forward tilt command, the Star Bits are actually Rosalina's side special move, or to be more precise, the Luma's side special move. For this move, only the Luma does the attacking, and as such, it can fire Star Bits at opponents to damage them. The Star Bits aren't exactly strong, however, so they're probably more meant for building up damage, and stopping opponents in their tracks.

The Luma can also fire Star Bits when it's not next to Rosalina, which could prove to be handy when doing edge-guarding maneuvers. Additionally, the Star Bits could even be used to offer pressure on any opponents who don't have a very good reach, or do not have the best approach options.

However, the Star Bits are likely to be treated as projectiles, so certain moves may be able to reflect them right back at the Luma. But because the Star Bits are solid, moves that can only absorb energy-based projectiles (Ex.: PSI Magnet and Oil Panic) likely won't have any effect against them.

On a side note, this move also confirms the commands shown on the images above.

Up Special: Launch Star

As we may have known already, the Launch Star is Rosalina's up special, and third jump. The Smash Bros. Direct has also revealed that Rosalina can still grab hold of ledges while using the move.

At this point, however, we still don't know if the move can be used for offense, nor do we know if Rosalina will gain flinch resistance while using the move.

Down Special: Gravitational Pull

We've gotten a good idea on how Gravitational Pull operated in Rosalina's trailer. It can attract nearby items, disable them, and redirect certain projectiles as well.

On the Smash Bros. Direct, it's been shown that Gravitational Pull is able to affect nearly any projectile attack, rendering them ineffective as a result.

However, it seems that Rosalina can't hold this move like with Fox's Reflector, so knowing when to use it may come down to predicting your opponent's every move.

Final Smash: Power Star

Revealed on the Smash Bros. Direct, Rosalina summons a Power Star, which will fire stars at opponents to deal damage. This seems to be a Final Smash that's designed to build up damage, and even operate as an edge-guarding tactic.

However, it's currently unclear how big this move's impact will be on opponents, as we don't know if its knockback will be greater on opponents with high damage percentages.

Until we know more, this Final Smash may not be all that impressive on offense, but if only one Smash Ball appears at a time, at least Rosalina can try to get hold of it to prevent the other fighters from using their Final Smashes.

Additional Content
Kirby Hat

With the Luma Shot being Rosalina's standard special move, if Kirby copies Rosalina, he'll be able to use that same special move himself. As for the Luma's Star Bits, it could still fire them if Kirby uses his Hammer.

In terms of the Luma's attacks, it could follow Kirby's attack commands at will, but if Kirby loses his Rosalina cap, the Luma will be KO'd instantly.

Action Poses
Reverse Rolling Dodge: Rosalina teleports sideways to avoid incoming attacks.

Spoiler

Fire Flower Usage: Rosalina holds the Fire Flower with her right hand, and keeps her right arm still with her left hand. She'll still hold onto her star wand.

Spoiler

Matchup Speculation: Confirmed Characters

Rosalina's competition has increased even further with the addition of five new competitors. Actually, make that four veterans, and a newcomer who's even more unexpected than Rosalina. Some of the characters that were mentioned in part 2 will be brought up again.

Yoshi

It seems that for the most part, Yoshi has remained unchanged with his moveset. However, it has been hinted that some of his attacks have been buffed up. Despite this though, Yoshi might still run into a disadvantage dilemma against Rosalina's attack options.

Zelda

Zelda received a new down special, which is the Phantom Armor. This special move could help Zelda get past her very poor approach options, especially if it means trying to avoid taking a serious beating from Rosalina and her Luma. Also, Nayru's Love could be used to counter the Luma's Star Bits.

However, outside of the Phantom Armor, Zelda could still suffer from a poor matchup against Rosalina, especially now that she can't transform into Sheik anymore.

Sheik

Sheik is now a separate entity, which may be a problem with her recovery options, especially with Rosalina's edge-guarding options. However, Sheik does make this up in that she has some new attacks, such as the Burst Grenade and Bouncing Fish.

So far, because it's unclear how Sheik's new special moves will operate, it remains to be seen how effective they'll be against Rosalina and the Luma.

Zero Suit Samus

Much like with Sheik, Zero Suit Samus is now a separate entity, and she's even gained some improvements to help her cope with Rosalina better.

First off, Zero Suit Samus received some major buffs to her jumping, helping her recovery out greatly, along with potentially avoiding Rosalina's edge-guarding options altogether. She also gained some new abilities along the way, but what they are hasn't been fully mentioned yet.

At the moment, not much is known about Zero Suit Samus's changes, so unless the changes go far enough as to improve her attack power, her matchup against Rosalina could still be an even one at best.

Fox

With Rosalina not being able to hold Gravitational Pull the same way as Fox's Reflector, she won't be able to render all of Fox's Blaster shots ineffective. Fortunately, the Luma can always take the Blaster shots itself, so that can help reduce the amount of damage that Rosalina may take from the move.

Another note to keep in mind is that the Star Bits are apparently treated as projectiles, and as such, Fox's Reflector may be able to send them right back at the Luma.

Apart from those things, nothing else needs much mentioning for Fox, so his matchup against Rosalina may still be an even one.

Charizard

It seems that Charizard has left the Pokemon Trainer to go solo. With it being a solo character now, Charizard doesn't have to worry about the stamina system, which may help it handle Rosalina better.

At the moment, it's unclear if Charizard received any major changes to its moveset, but what is known is that gliding is no longer possible, and one of its mega evolutions, Mega Charizard X, could be involved in its battle options. Still, Charizard is a big target, so the Luma may be able to mess around with it if its attack speed isn't given any improvements.

Lucario

Following what has been mentioned in part 2, Lucario's matchup against Rosalina may mostly be an evenly matched one, due to the way its aura mechanics operate. However, Lucario can now mega evolve into Mega Lucario, and as such, it could be much more destructive for Rosalina and her Luma.

At the moment, however, it's unclear if Mega Lucario is a Final Smash move or not.

Greninja

If you thought that Rosalina was unexpected, Greninja is probably the most unexpected newcoming fighter in the game, and is the youngest newcomer to date. This Water/Dark-type Pokemon is known for its speed and advanced ninja skills, but because Greninja was only revealed recently, very little is known about its moveset.

What can be brought up is that Rosalina's Gravitational Pull may be used to counter Greninja's signature Water Shuriken move. As for Greninja's Substitute, the Luma could take the bait instead, so that way, Rosalina doesn't fall into a trap, but the range of Greninja's counterattack does need to be taken into account too.

Pit

Pit can no longer glide, which does hinder his recovery options a little. But he does get a new third jump, which could help his recovery against Rosalina's attack onslaughts. Pit could also deal with the Luma's Star Bits by using the Guardian Orbitars to repel them.

Apart from those inputs, and what has been mentioned in part 2, Pit apparently doesn't have any other changes that could alter his matchup against Rosalina.

Olimar

With Olimar's Pikmin army being reduced to only three Pikmin at a time now, that's pretty much a bad sign for him, especially against Rosalina's battle options. If anything, Olimar may find it a lot harder to approach Rosalina than if he was still able to have up to six Pikmin.

Fortunately for Olimar, he does get a new up special, which is the Winged Pikmin. The Winged Pikmin can help Olimar try to get past Rosalina's edge-guarding options, but if the Pikmin are with him as well, his recovery will get hampered. Sadly, Olimar will be helpless after the move is used, giving Rosalina a big opportunity to punish him.

In the end, the nerf to Olimar's Pikmin supply pretty much leaves him at a bad position against Rosalina's long reach and more versatile battle plan.

Villager

The Villager's Pocket special can pick up projectiles, so he may be able to snag one of the Luma's Star Bits. However, because the Star Bits aren't exactly powerful, the Villager may not get anywhere with them.

Apart from the Pocket special move, not much else needs any additional explanations for the Villager. As a result, the Villager may still suffer from a lot of pressure by Rosalina's battle options.

Wii Fit Trainer

The Wii Fit Trainer does possess a move called the Sun Salutation, which is a projectile attack. But because it's a projectile, Rosalina's Gravitational Pull could render it ineffective.

Outside of this new information, not much else needs any further explanation for the Wii Fit Trainer. Therefore, the Wii Fit Trainer could still be dealing with a disadvantage while facing Rosalina.

Little Mac

It's been shown that Little Mac is all about shield pressure, but to avoid being caught in Rosalina's grab game, he'll have to stick to the attacks that can score multiple quick blows. This could mean that Little Mac's best options may focus mostly on standard attacks and his 3-hit combo. Little Mac could also cope with the Luma's Star Bits by using any moves that offer him flinch resistant frames.

Of course, the K.O. Uppercut does need to be kept in mind as well, since it seems that as Little Mac deals and takes damage, his power meter will build up. When it's full, he could send Rosalina flying in an instant, and based on the K.O. Uppercut's power, it could even shatter Rosalina's shield if she tries to block it, leaving her dizzy and vulnerable to additional punishment as a result. How wide-ranging this attack is does remain to be seen though.

In the air, Little Mac is terrible, so if Rosalina is airborne, he needs to stay on the ground to be able to deliver any powerful blows on her. Recovery-wise, much like with his aerial attacks, Little Mac's recovery is also quite bad, which means that Rosalina may not have much issues edge-guarding him.

Overall, the new information could mean that Little Mac's matchup against Rosalina may not be as bad as previously thought, but the main challenge may likely be avoiding Rosalina's counterattacks altogether. If Rosalina does grab Little Mac though, Little Mac might see himself getting juggled to death with hardly any way to retaliate, so it's very vital that he avoids getting grabbed at all costs.

Conclusions

This pretty much concludes my extra article for Rosalina. Some moveset questions may have been answered in the Smash Bros. Direct, but there's still a long ways to go before we know the full story on how Rosalina will fare in battle.

Still, once Smash Bros. 3DS is out, a lot of these questions will likely be answered.

Anyway, until next time, keep on Smashing people.

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Super Smash Bros. Reactions
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom ​

This direct was absolutely amazing. The Greninja part is going to take some getting used to, but I most certainly don't hate the idea. They needed a relevant character from the series and they made the right choice. The only thing that's unsettling is the roster..So far, no second Fire Emblem rep..no Puff...No Earthbound (Ness)..No Captain Falcon..And many more worth mentioning veterans are missing still. I'm getting scared, because this roster can't be big enough to fit all of these things (at least I think). However *Fire Emblem Awakening spoiler alert*,

Since transformation characters have been deconfirmed, Marth will not be changing into Lucina. Thank the gods!

@*Risen*

This iteration of Smash Bros. is looking much better after this Nintendo Direct. I'm happy to see Charizard with his own spot. I hope that he is better than he was in Brawl.

@Alex Night

The online kind of pissed me off. The first thing I thought was "that f***** 4chan meme" when I saw the For Glory mode. Prepare for projectile spam, chain grabs, and similar tactics to unfold.

The few positives: the layout of the FD-stages aren't exactly the same... some stages are notably a little smaller than others, while others have walls that allow for wall jumps in the bases. At the very least, there's only those few differences.

Well, at least it's a baby step towards appreciating the tourney scene. It's an attempt... although a bad one. In the end, we are not forced to play this mode either: the Competitive Smash community has been doing their own rulesets for a while now, and I don't see why that would stop now.

@DavemanCosman

I, for one, applaud the "For Glory" mode.
In general, I love how Sakurai addressed the problems Brawl had with online.

@NameChange

Competitive players are definitely happier with Charizard split from Pokemon Trainer. However, I am probably one of the few who liked switching between Pokemon and having the trainer in the background...so this makes the second time I had a main cut from Smash Bros.

Still, it's nice to see Charizard being able to go into his X Mega form, and I'm excited to try out Greninja.

I also like Mega Man's FS bringing the different versions together.

Is the transformations being limited to Final Smashes due to 3DS limitations or due to people's requests for the characters to be separate?

@MEWTWOMASTER2002

I am appalled that they didn't have Skull Kid cause a giant moon to come crashing down on fighters.
Also, can I just say:
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
THE HYPE IS TOO REAL

@BigHairyFart

Here are something I found from the direct and some theories I have:
- tech get ups are back since we can see mega man using it.
- pit's arrow seem to have some change since in the 3DS footage, it only fly though about half of the stage.
- they purposely show a fake palutina trophy, and there is no assist trophy for her, which means rumors of her in the game may be true,
- why did deedeedee lost his ability to throw waddle dees? Doesn't that hints a possibility for a new character?

@GangsterPuff

So far everything seems to be going in an even direction for everyone. I believe what Sakurai is doing with this Smash is a good step in the right direction. With independent characters to competitive stages, im looking forward to it. (Especially maining Sonic again. )

@HypaSonic

Where is Captain Falcon?! Ranking system is too hard?! What?!

@smashbroskilla

Oh my God

I don't know whether I'm happy or mad right now

@Keybladeguy

Is it just me, or does the dev team seem...misguided with their idea of making a "Final Destination version" of every stage? Its perfectly flat surface and lack of platforms give a major advantage to characters with strong ground games, grab games, or spammable projectiles, and to a lesser extent it helps characters with weaker air games. Hell, even those of us who haven't been very active realize FD is definitely not the series' most balanced stage (in Brawl, that honor went to...Smashville? Yoshi's Island?).

I like how they're trying to appeal to the competitive community, and I appreciate how they're extending an olive branch after some of the things that were said during Brawl's development. But maybe they could do a little more research and realize they'd be much better off making "neutral" versions of the more complicated stages, and not Final Destination clones?

Then again, there was that disclaimer at the beginning that said some things were still subject to change, so maybe they'll catch on?

@Delzethin

I don't understand. Are zero suit & samus, and sheik & zelda still sharing the same slot, but you can pick between them, or different slots? And WHAATT about mewtwo, jiggles and pokemon trainer? (i would mention pichu, but everyone knows he's never returning and no-one wants him) Is there no room 4 them? NUUUU mewtwo! What about zoroark?

@Haydossy

So, the exact worst of what could happen to me, regarding character reveals, happened.

No Saki, no PT.
I still feel violated... But I'll manage. (Didn't see Squirtle or anySaur in the trailer either so some hope remains).

I'm estatic at some stages. Balloon Fight in particular, since I'm a big fan of the game.
Don't really care about Ridley, his fate doesn't concern me.
Love the online split mode.
Love the 3DS Smash Run mode.
Love the buffs I'm seeing on some characters (looking at you Samus)

There's so much content shown so far, although to be honest there's still a little more to go for it to feel like it surpassed Brawl. (Of course I don't need to point out how the QUALITY of the content in this game is so much better than Brawl's).

I guess it's now over until E3. :S

@shinhed-echi

Positives:
-I'm glad Capt. Falcon wasn't announced yet because it gives me hope that he'll be confirmed along with a new F-Zero game :3
-Alternate "Final Destinations" looks sick. The actual FD looks sick.
-Two ninja characters in one day.
-Returning assist trophies
-For fun/glory modes

Negatives:
-I'm still hopeful for Mac to receive his pink tracksuit as an alternate costume. The wireframe is ehh but still coolish.
-Any of the other three Pokemon (Squirtle, Ivysaur) would've been cooler. I think Charizard is in to represent the first gen, and to slightly please the people who wanted their dragon character, Ridley, to be in (who was deconfirmed).
-Ridley deconfirmed
-Skull Kid has no moon? (Maybe a stage hazard, then?)

Neutral:
-At first I thought Lucario's Mega Evolution triggers when he reaches his max % of damage (not 999%, but when he is fully powered up from recieving damage), but Mega Charizard makes me think otherwise.

@Sahfarry

To read the reactions of the posters, go to the following threads:

Super Smash Bros. character news article
Super Smash Bros. Stage/Itmes/PokeBalls/Assist news article
Super Smash Bros Direct Thread

 

[Artsy Omni]

Hmm, seem to be a few minor inaccuracies here and there. e.g.: WFT's deep breathing is labelled in the video (and right there in the screenshot =P ) as down B, not neutral B.

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Hmm, seem to be a few minor inaccuracies here and there. e.g.: WFT's deep breathing is labelled in the video (and right there in the screenshot =P ) as down B, not neutral B.

Thank you, I will be editing that in. My apologies for the mistake.

 

[ndayday]

Just as good as watching the Direct again!

(btw Victini's signature move is V-Create)

 

[FalKoopa]

Meoletta actually releases small orbs with a music sign on it that bounces around and deals damage.

 

[Aeronite's Kiseki]

Xerneas is definitely using Geomancy as it's move. Also I've seen Togepi mentioned, but don't know where.

Also some more Smash Run characters:

Plasma Wisp
Mites
Flame Chomps
Monoeye
Polar Bear (Ice Climbers)
Green and Blue Kremlings
Hammer Bros.
Bullet Bills
Lakitus / Spinys
Shotzos
Gordos

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Thank you everyone! I will be adding that the article in the next day or so.


I want to thank all of my writers
@ --- . @Frostwraith, @Mario_and_Sonic_Guy, @TumblrFamous, @Opossum, and @ Pazzo. for making this a Direct coverage a possibility. It was a mother to write but we stuck through it. Thank you very much

 

[FalKoopa]

A bit more nitpicky, but the item is actually called "Super Leaf", not "Tanooki Suit".

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Gawd!!!!

I'll update it all later. (＞人＜; )

 

[dimensionsword64]

Amazing review!

BTW, you had a minor typo. In the section about Mega Lucario, you wrote Aura as Sura.

 

[Pazzo.]

For those of you with bad internet connections, we give you SMASH DIRECT, THE ARTICLE.

Nice job everyone! We worked hard, but I'm sure everyone is pleased with the result.

 

[spader13]

The moves done by Darkrai and Xerneas look like and most likely are their signature moves, Dark Void http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Dark_Void_(move) and Geomancy http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Geomancy respectively. Darkrai's has the right coloration and seems to put foes to sleep, and the colors/animation look right on Geomancy, and if true to the game, would boost the abilities of the fighter who summoned it temporarily.

 

[Dairz]

Awesome article! However, Yoshi does have significant changes. He has a new jab combo and dash attack, and the last hit of his bair is more powerful. His up special also has a rainbow trail, unknown if it effects the move though.

 

[ToddCam]

Meowth is a returning Pokémon, not a new one.

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Let's see if a drunk Venus can correctly edit this article....

Awesome article! However, Yoshi does have significant changes. He has a new jab combo and dash attack, and the last hit of his bair is more powerful. His up special also has a rainbow trail, unknown if it effects the move though.

Adding that up.

The moves done by Darkrai and Xerneas look like and most likely are their signature moves, Dark Void http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Dark_Void_(move) and Geomancy http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Geomancy respectively. Darkrai's has the right coloration and seems to put foes to sleep, and the colors/animation look right on Geomancy, and if true to the game, would boost the abilities of the fighter who summoned it temporarily.

It isn't confirmed yet so I will add that it is speculation

Meowth is a returning Pokémon, not a new one.

That was an organization error. I originally had all of them in one list until I sparated them by old and new. Fixing it out

 

[---]

Yeah, there's a lot of minor errors. SO MUCH INFO.

 

[mimgrim]

Ermmmmm. Was it confirmed the Mega Lucario, same with Megazard X, is actually a Final Smash. I don't remember it being confirmed to be the case in anyway, at all. Just that Mega forms exist. e_e

 

[Aeronite's Kiseki]

According to GameExplain's video was also got some more interesting info

-Togepi and Fletchling were seen in the intro for Greninja's trailer.
-Despite the Master Ball existing, it showed Palkia coming out of the Pokeball in the trailer (3DS at least)
-There's a black and red electrical bolt when hit with a pretty strong attack (shown with Samus' up smash)
-Camera angled behind your fighter at some points? (could be replays though)
-The extra skins for Final Destination seems like it can be played outside of For Glory mode (because Rosalina uses her final smash on the FD-esque Mario Galaxy stage)
-When Yellow Devil gets beaten by Mario, there's a percentage above Mega Man (dunno what it means yet)
-Also whoever gives the final hit on YD, YD gets the icon of whoever got him

 

[Xigger]

Another small change: Custom Move Sets are available for offline play. It's hard to hear in the trailer.
"You can't use this feature while playing online with strangers: it's only active when playing online with friends.... or playing locally."

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

@ mimgrim : considering that a lot of veterans were being shown with Final Smashes and how it bolsters the character, it is heavily implied that it's his Final Smash. As for X Char, it isn't confirmed but, again, highly probable hence why I didn't say it was confirmed.

@ Aeronite's Kiseki : I will look into that information. Is there any sources that explicitly states this?

@ Xigger : I will add that when I have some time this weekend.

 

[mimgrim]

Honestly. I though it was implied that Mega Lucario was the last form for Aura, after he took a certain amount of damage. Maybe that was just me though.

 

[Aeronite's Kiseki]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dzSeICAwZA This would be where I found the information altogether....about the Smash Run Characters, it's just all from the direct (and the pictures that came out afterwards).

 

[Ryan.]

I love all the info we got during the direct and enjoyed this. Thanks for putting this together guys! I know it must have took a long time, lot of work.

 

[TerraRizerKing]

Great article, Really looking forward to this games release.

 

[PAPCGyE]

Inkay could be confirmed

Zoroark and Giratina too

 

[The Real Gamer]

We need to figure out a way to get these more views. These threads are too well made to not even reach 1,000 clicks.

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

I have sometime today so I'll be adding more information.

@ The Real Gamer : I'm working on a way to get more publicity

 

[lightdasher]

I don't think Mega Lucario is his final smash, Sakurai said that when he is mega, Lucarios attacks always do full damage, imagine being at 100% and getting a smash ball, activating your final smash, oh you're doing the same amount of damage as before, final smash runs out, you're STILL doing the same amount of damage.

Sakurai didn't say it was his final smash, nor did he say mega Lucario would power up his moves, he just said they'd always do full damage.

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

I find myself agreeing now. I personally think it is a new gimmick available to Pokemon with mega forms including Charizard. I will be changing that information shortly.

 

[Tepig2000]

I was mentioned in the Greninja section. I'm famous now.