The Last Great Adventurer
Smash Lord
Hey all, long time no Smash. I got lucky and an internet friend of mine hooked me up with a demo code yesterday. So I've been pretty much playing that over and over and over again any available moment.
I'm probably going to be reiterating what a lot of people have already said. But I'll say them any way.
First of all, on a completely superficial level. This game is GORGEOUS (on my 3DS XL). The 3DS screen shots the developers have been showing, especially put side by side with the Wii U screen shots, have not done this game justice. Its obviously not HD, but it doesn't matter. Detail is astoundingly good. Pausing the game and just zooming the camera all over the place... just looks so great. Speaking of... the 3D effect in this game is some of the best on the system. Characters just pop off the screen, depth of field feels natural. Heck, I got the Nintendogs Assist Trophy (which, like any sane person, I hate. Especially against AI opponents who don't need eyes) and that Dog was right there in my face in a way I honestly haven't seen done as well in any other 3D game. And all at 60 frames per second (at least the actual gameplay. For some reason Assist Trophy characters are noticeably 30 frames. Probably a performance issue). You know this game is seriously pushing the limits of the system because every time you press the home key and close the game, the whole system has to reboot. So its sucking up system resources that aren't normally allowed.
So yeah. Very pretty.
On to the gameplay.
The controls are borked. But hope is not lost.
Here's the thing. Every video game instinct I have screams at me 'B is Jump!' As you can imagine having Special bound to B and not being able to change it... is a problem. Another problem... not being about to turn 'Tap to Jump' off. The Circle Pad isn't the best at registering precise directions as it is, so jumping when I don't want to jump can be frustrating. Also grab being L is a nightmare on the 3DXL (as it was when it was permanently bound to the Dash Boots in Zelda Link Between Worlds).
The GOOD NEWS is, apparently Key rebinding will be in the full game. Its just locked behind locked menus right now. So on Day One I will be binding A = Attack, B = Jump, Y = Special, X = Grab, and R = Shield. And everything will be glorious.
Something I want to talk about briefly though is Normal Stages and 'Omega' Stages. One of the things they're doing for this game is that every stage has a 'final destination' mode where its the stage skin, a flat platform, and no items. And on the surface this is a great feature for competitive Smash, and even casual Smash.
But here's the thing. Smash is what I call a 'Platform Fighting Game'. Unlike your 2D and 3D Fighting Games much of the gameplay of Smash Bros is heavily tied to proper positioning. Not just in the Horizontal. But probably more importantly the Vertical. Being at a higher or lower elevation is critically important to what moves you're throwing, and if you're getting the maximum usage out of your characters.
Final Destination is a TERRIBLE stage for vertical positioning. Because there is no vertical. It is, and always has been my opinion that BATTLEFIELD should be the default competitive stage. Its flat ground and three fixed platforms are ideal for any kind of positioning any character would need. And by making Final Destination the default competitive map stage, and in fact promoting this via the 'For Glory' mode and Omega Stages is only going to make this harder to push. 2D and 3D Fighting Games need flat ground. Platform Fighting Games NEED PLATFORMS. The least they could have done was give us 'Zeta Stage' mode where every stage skin is Battlefield with no items.
End Rant.
So yeah, that gripe aside... if the Demo is anything to go by, Smash 3DS is going to be freaking PHENOMENAL. I've wanted a handheld Smash since the Game Boy Advance days. But always worried that there would be something that would make the experience less then its console counterpart. But its my opinion that only a few keybind changes will make Smashing on the 3DS an optimum experience. DAY ONE PURCHASE!
I'm probably going to be reiterating what a lot of people have already said. But I'll say them any way.
First of all, on a completely superficial level. This game is GORGEOUS (on my 3DS XL). The 3DS screen shots the developers have been showing, especially put side by side with the Wii U screen shots, have not done this game justice. Its obviously not HD, but it doesn't matter. Detail is astoundingly good. Pausing the game and just zooming the camera all over the place... just looks so great. Speaking of... the 3D effect in this game is some of the best on the system. Characters just pop off the screen, depth of field feels natural. Heck, I got the Nintendogs Assist Trophy (which, like any sane person, I hate. Especially against AI opponents who don't need eyes) and that Dog was right there in my face in a way I honestly haven't seen done as well in any other 3D game. And all at 60 frames per second (at least the actual gameplay. For some reason Assist Trophy characters are noticeably 30 frames. Probably a performance issue). You know this game is seriously pushing the limits of the system because every time you press the home key and close the game, the whole system has to reboot. So its sucking up system resources that aren't normally allowed.
So yeah. Very pretty.
On to the gameplay.
The controls are borked. But hope is not lost.
Here's the thing. Every video game instinct I have screams at me 'B is Jump!' As you can imagine having Special bound to B and not being able to change it... is a problem. Another problem... not being about to turn 'Tap to Jump' off. The Circle Pad isn't the best at registering precise directions as it is, so jumping when I don't want to jump can be frustrating. Also grab being L is a nightmare on the 3DXL (as it was when it was permanently bound to the Dash Boots in Zelda Link Between Worlds).
The GOOD NEWS is, apparently Key rebinding will be in the full game. Its just locked behind locked menus right now. So on Day One I will be binding A = Attack, B = Jump, Y = Special, X = Grab, and R = Shield. And everything will be glorious.
Something I want to talk about briefly though is Normal Stages and 'Omega' Stages. One of the things they're doing for this game is that every stage has a 'final destination' mode where its the stage skin, a flat platform, and no items. And on the surface this is a great feature for competitive Smash, and even casual Smash.
But here's the thing. Smash is what I call a 'Platform Fighting Game'. Unlike your 2D and 3D Fighting Games much of the gameplay of Smash Bros is heavily tied to proper positioning. Not just in the Horizontal. But probably more importantly the Vertical. Being at a higher or lower elevation is critically important to what moves you're throwing, and if you're getting the maximum usage out of your characters.
Final Destination is a TERRIBLE stage for vertical positioning. Because there is no vertical. It is, and always has been my opinion that BATTLEFIELD should be the default competitive stage. Its flat ground and three fixed platforms are ideal for any kind of positioning any character would need. And by making Final Destination the default competitive map stage, and in fact promoting this via the 'For Glory' mode and Omega Stages is only going to make this harder to push. 2D and 3D Fighting Games need flat ground. Platform Fighting Games NEED PLATFORMS. The least they could have done was give us 'Zeta Stage' mode where every stage skin is Battlefield with no items.
End Rant.
So yeah, that gripe aside... if the Demo is anything to go by, Smash 3DS is going to be freaking PHENOMENAL. I've wanted a handheld Smash since the Game Boy Advance days. But always worried that there would be something that would make the experience less then its console counterpart. But its my opinion that only a few keybind changes will make Smashing on the 3DS an optimum experience. DAY ONE PURCHASE!
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