Jordo
Smash Apprentice
August 3rd, 2 weeks ago, we were all given the great gift of the unvieling of the adventure mode of Brawl. What just dawned upon me is the question of Classic Mode returning or not. If Classic Mode does indeed return, how can it be improved upon? Allow me to outline the evloution of Classic Mode:
Super Smash Bros. (Nintendo 64)-
Before it even had the name Classic Mode, the single player mode was simply a progression of fighting/bonus games through the same, tedious, ladder and order-
Link--Yoshi Team--Fox--Targets--Mario Bros.--Pikachu--Giant DK--Platforms--Kirby Team--Samus--Metal Mario--Race--Polygon Team--Master Hand.
The mode was simple, even in increasing difficulties the behavior of the characters was easy to predict. The only variety worth mentioning in the mode was the possibility that the Kirbys might have a hidden character's ability.
Super Smash Bros. Melee (Nintendo Gamecube)-
Classic Mode was improved upon its predecessor with randomizing the opponents, but the progression remained the same:
Single--Tag Team--Targets--Single--Giant--Trophy--Single--Team--Race--Metal--Master Hand
While the character mix up was nice, there was still a personal sense of repetiton I just couldn't shake. Even with Crazy Hand appearing at higher difficulties and the actual improving, AI, I just had a feeling of..... wanting more...
Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Nintendo Wii)-
Now even at this point the idea of Classic Mode even returning is pure speculation. But if it does return, what would be some ways upon improving it? Here are some of my thoughts:
1. Randomize the bonus games:
While Break the Targets was necessary in unlocking a stage and collecting trophies in the previous Smash Installment, who's to say if the Stadium returns we could just do it there?
Why not mix up the stadium bonus games in Classic mode? One time you could get the exact combination of bonus stages in melee's classic mode, and then another time you could get potentially the home run contest, a cruel brawl, a multiman brawl, the return of board the platform, or anything new and original we have yet to see! The possibilites are endless, and diversifying the bonus games could be a nice cosmetic improvement to classic mode.
2. Randomize the conditions of matches:
Every match has a 5-minute time limit with one stock for your opponent. EVERY MATCH. Every match has all the items turned on. Why not vary the conditions? How would you feel about going from just completing a traditional classic single match against link into a pokeball only stamina match against the pokemon trainer? Or a Super Sudden Death Three Stock match against Mario, with no items to help you. I think drawing from the special vs. mode matches and some of the event battles from melee would be a unique and cool way to spice up the classic mode. I'm not saying every brawl should be different from the traditonal 5-minute/one stock all items on battle, but it would definitely be a cool change of pace.
3. Franchise the team matches.
Team battles. We love em because we can get multikills on opponents with single crushing blows. We hate em because we get swamped by multiple characters of the same avatar. A cool way to spruce up a team match is to include other characters from a franchise. Instead of a match being vs. Team Link (20 to 30 links or so), it would now be vs. Team Hyrule (20 to 30 combinations of Link, Zelda, and whoever else is confirmed). Not only will you still be able to crush the players in traditonal team battle fashion, but the player will have to adjust his fighting to whatever different characters from a franchise appear. Yes, I realize there will still be characters that are only representative to their franchise, but think of it as a possible healthy alternative.
4. Master Hand Improvements =IF HE RETURNS=
Crazy Hand was a start in the last game. However, all players new and old get to the point where fighting the gloves because tidious and predicable, why not change things up, such as giving Master Hand the ability to warp to different smash stages, like Zant did in Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Sure it's not orginal by gaming standards, but its one way I can think of keeping the fight on its toes. Imagine that you're fighting Master hand on a revised Final Destination and then after getting him down to 200 HP. Next thing you know, you're fighting him on the Halberd level. Needless to say, you're going to need to adjust you attacks on the hand due to the changed environment. Heck maybe its attacks will change too.
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So for a start these are some opinions if classic mode does indeed return. Let me know how you feel. Does Classic mode feel like a chore to you and it needs its punch spiked? Or is the mode fine the way it is?
Super Smash Bros. (Nintendo 64)-
Before it even had the name Classic Mode, the single player mode was simply a progression of fighting/bonus games through the same, tedious, ladder and order-
Link--Yoshi Team--Fox--Targets--Mario Bros.--Pikachu--Giant DK--Platforms--Kirby Team--Samus--Metal Mario--Race--Polygon Team--Master Hand.
The mode was simple, even in increasing difficulties the behavior of the characters was easy to predict. The only variety worth mentioning in the mode was the possibility that the Kirbys might have a hidden character's ability.
Super Smash Bros. Melee (Nintendo Gamecube)-
Classic Mode was improved upon its predecessor with randomizing the opponents, but the progression remained the same:
Single--Tag Team--Targets--Single--Giant--Trophy--Single--Team--Race--Metal--Master Hand
While the character mix up was nice, there was still a personal sense of repetiton I just couldn't shake. Even with Crazy Hand appearing at higher difficulties and the actual improving, AI, I just had a feeling of..... wanting more...
Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Nintendo Wii)-
Now even at this point the idea of Classic Mode even returning is pure speculation. But if it does return, what would be some ways upon improving it? Here are some of my thoughts:
1. Randomize the bonus games:
While Break the Targets was necessary in unlocking a stage and collecting trophies in the previous Smash Installment, who's to say if the Stadium returns we could just do it there?
Why not mix up the stadium bonus games in Classic mode? One time you could get the exact combination of bonus stages in melee's classic mode, and then another time you could get potentially the home run contest, a cruel brawl, a multiman brawl, the return of board the platform, or anything new and original we have yet to see! The possibilites are endless, and diversifying the bonus games could be a nice cosmetic improvement to classic mode.
2. Randomize the conditions of matches:
Every match has a 5-minute time limit with one stock for your opponent. EVERY MATCH. Every match has all the items turned on. Why not vary the conditions? How would you feel about going from just completing a traditional classic single match against link into a pokeball only stamina match against the pokemon trainer? Or a Super Sudden Death Three Stock match against Mario, with no items to help you. I think drawing from the special vs. mode matches and some of the event battles from melee would be a unique and cool way to spice up the classic mode. I'm not saying every brawl should be different from the traditonal 5-minute/one stock all items on battle, but it would definitely be a cool change of pace.
3. Franchise the team matches.
Team battles. We love em because we can get multikills on opponents with single crushing blows. We hate em because we get swamped by multiple characters of the same avatar. A cool way to spruce up a team match is to include other characters from a franchise. Instead of a match being vs. Team Link (20 to 30 links or so), it would now be vs. Team Hyrule (20 to 30 combinations of Link, Zelda, and whoever else is confirmed). Not only will you still be able to crush the players in traditonal team battle fashion, but the player will have to adjust his fighting to whatever different characters from a franchise appear. Yes, I realize there will still be characters that are only representative to their franchise, but think of it as a possible healthy alternative.
4. Master Hand Improvements =IF HE RETURNS=
Crazy Hand was a start in the last game. However, all players new and old get to the point where fighting the gloves because tidious and predicable, why not change things up, such as giving Master Hand the ability to warp to different smash stages, like Zant did in Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Sure it's not orginal by gaming standards, but its one way I can think of keeping the fight on its toes. Imagine that you're fighting Master hand on a revised Final Destination and then after getting him down to 200 HP. Next thing you know, you're fighting him on the Halberd level. Needless to say, you're going to need to adjust you attacks on the hand due to the changed environment. Heck maybe its attacks will change too.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So for a start these are some opinions if classic mode does indeed return. Let me know how you feel. Does Classic mode feel like a chore to you and it needs its punch spiked? Or is the mode fine the way it is?
