TheMisterManGuy
Smash Apprentice
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2015
- Messages
- 138
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, I think has the best visual aesthetics for the series yet. I think it perfectly captures the uniqueness mayhem of Smash, while still not being too dissimilar from other fighters in the genre. Smash 64 had a very comic book-esque style that sounds cool on paper, but wasn't properly delivered by the N64 hardware. Melee had an underground "techno" aesthetic, but otherwise felt a little generic. Brawl took on a much grittier and dark tone because smearing bloom everywhere and drenching everything in brown was the thing to do back in 2008, but it just made the game look generic. Smash 4 was a bit too lighthearted and happy for my tastes, everything was more colorful, and Smash 4 started experimenting with visual effects during gameplay, but I didn't feel it went far enough, and felt pretty conservative aesthetically.
Ultimate however is just right. It's the right amount of flash and style, colorful and stylized, but not too bouncy, edgy and stylish without being too threatening or in-your-face about it. Aesthetically, this is the closest Smash has every come to matching other fighting games. Comparing the main themes, Smash 64 was quirky and zany, Melee's is iconically epic, Brawl's was overly dramatic with it's opera choir, Smash 4's was whimsical and sporty. Ultimate's is quite somber and more dramatic, but not to the extent of Brawl as its still got a little of 4's energy, complete with cheesy vocals. Aesthetically speaking, Ultimate is perfect for Smash IMO, it's distinct from other fighters, but not alien, and doesn't have to try to be cool or edgy like Brawl did, it just is.
Ultimate however is just right. It's the right amount of flash and style, colorful and stylized, but not too bouncy, edgy and stylish without being too threatening or in-your-face about it. Aesthetically, this is the closest Smash has every come to matching other fighting games. Comparing the main themes, Smash 64 was quirky and zany, Melee's is iconically epic, Brawl's was overly dramatic with it's opera choir, Smash 4's was whimsical and sporty. Ultimate's is quite somber and more dramatic, but not to the extent of Brawl as its still got a little of 4's energy, complete with cheesy vocals. Aesthetically speaking, Ultimate is perfect for Smash IMO, it's distinct from other fighters, but not alien, and doesn't have to try to be cool or edgy like Brawl did, it just is.
