TheMisterManGuy
Smash Apprentice
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2015
- Messages
- 138
One more week until Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is unleashed upon the world, and already it feels like the Ultimate culmination of Smash Bros. history. However, many people began to wonder about what comes next afterwards. Sakurai has mentioned that it'd be hard, if not impossible to top Ultimate after this. Once you do "Everyone is Here", you can't go much further than that. Some people suggested they roll with Ultimate forever by just updating and porting it to future consoles, but that's unrealistic TBH. But another idea floated around is a complete reboot of the Smash Bros. series. radically changing what came before it into something completely unique. I think the idea has a lot of potential, so I think it'd be fun to speculate and design what a theoretical Smash reboot could be like.
Aesthetics:
First, let's discuss how the game should look and feel. Recent Smash Bros. games have had the feel of an epic anime battle between gaming worlds with more realistic models and grandiose music. For this new game, let's move away from all that, and bring the series back to the funky, stylized comic-book aesthetic of the original game, polished up and tweaked for modern hardware. It'd feel similar to Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 in terms of sound, visuals, and color-scheme. Let's keep the visual effects of Ultimate as they help add climactic flair to gameplay, but also add new effects for different elements as well which I'll get into later.
Roster:
Next, the character roster. Since we now have every Smash fighter ever in Ultimate, it'd be appropriate for a reboot to downsize in character selection. Let's trim the fat of the current roster meaning, no more fluff characters (Pirana Plant, Villager), little to no echoes (Dark Pit, Lucina), and definitely no more third party characters (Snake, Mega Man). Let's bring Smash back to its roots as a cross-over of Nintendo all-stars, meaning first party characters only. Let's also make sure each IP gets equal representation with no more than 3 reps in the base roster (meaning no more 7 goddamn Fire Emblem characters). So with that in mind, I present to you the rebooted roster
Gameplay:
Here's where things get interesting. If you're going to reboot a series, completely reworking how it plays would be a no-brainier. Let's get this out of the way first, Smash reboot will still be a percentage-based, ring-out fighter with a 2-button control scheme based on directional inputs. That much hasn't changed, it's worked for 20 years now so no point in changing that. It's everything surrounding that premise that's getting an overhaul.
First, let's talk physics. We'll keep the scaling launch speeds from Ultimate as it helps cut-down wait times to allow for more fighting per-match. But instead of behaving like balloons, character's fall speeds will be sped up significantly, bring them more in line with traditional fighters. Sure, characters still get launched further the higher the percentage, but they'll now behave more like Tennis balls rather than balloons or rockets like previous games.
Second, move-sets and controls as you know them have will be done away with. It's still 2 buttons, and you still don't need to do quarter-circle motions or other fighting game movements. But how those two are used will be completely different. First, say goodbye to a dedicated button for special moves. Instead, A and B will now be Weak, and Strong attacks respectively. Pressing either one repeatedly executes each character's built-in smart combo, similar to jab combos in past games, except they're longer and more varied in animation. Alternate pressing A and B for longer, more powerful smart combos, and of course, different directions on the stick let you do different directional attacks. Specials are now preformed similar to Smash Attacks, press B in conjunction with flicking the stick in one of four directions to activate a special move. Combining these with your smart-combos and other attacks can allow you to pull off impressive feats on your foes. Smash Attacks are preformed same way as prior games, press A in conjunction with flicking the stick in a direction simulations, as well as hold to charge it up. There's now also aerial Smashes as well. Lastly, throws are now automatic, and only two directions, so now more down/up throws, or pummeling opponents.
Third, is the way supers work. There's no longer a need to break a Smash Ball for a Final Smash attack. Instead, Supers are divided into 3 levels.
Finally, items. You can now store up to one item in your pocket for later use. This allows for deeper item usage strategy and more intuitive use of items in combos. Press Shield + Down to store and item you acquired (there's no spot dodging in this game, just rolls and air dashes), and Shield + Down again to pull it out.
Stages and Modes:
Not too much will change here, but there are a few things to mention. First, let's keep the selection flow of Ultimate, that is, game mode/rules > stage selection > character selection. Stage layout and design is more important in Smash than other fighters so this is a welcome change. Keep the stage hazard toggle as well. What should also change is limiting the amount of hazards and gimmick stages in the selection, keep it small, and keep it balanced. As for modes, this time Stock should be the default mode in Smash as it suits the gameplay premise better, but KO-fest, Stamina, Coin Battle, and a new mode called Key Holder, where the player must hold on to a key for as long as possible while avoiding getting hit, will also be available.
Instead of a massive adventure mode, let's have the Single Player mode be a mix of Classic Mode and Adventure. Each character has their own short story to follow, with their own path of matches and final boss, complete with cutscenes and for some characters, Full voice acting.
Conclusion:
There's a lot of angles a Smash reboot can take, so it's hard to say where the series will go after Ultimate. Still, I think what I've presented here should be a decent base for what one could look like.
Aesthetics:
First, let's discuss how the game should look and feel. Recent Smash Bros. games have had the feel of an epic anime battle between gaming worlds with more realistic models and grandiose music. For this new game, let's move away from all that, and bring the series back to the funky, stylized comic-book aesthetic of the original game, polished up and tweaked for modern hardware. It'd feel similar to Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 in terms of sound, visuals, and color-scheme. Let's keep the visual effects of Ultimate as they help add climactic flair to gameplay, but also add new effects for different elements as well which I'll get into later.
Roster:
Next, the character roster. Since we now have every Smash fighter ever in Ultimate, it'd be appropriate for a reboot to downsize in character selection. Let's trim the fat of the current roster meaning, no more fluff characters (Pirana Plant, Villager), little to no echoes (Dark Pit, Lucina), and definitely no more third party characters (Snake, Mega Man). Let's bring Smash back to its roots as a cross-over of Nintendo all-stars, meaning first party characters only. Let's also make sure each IP gets equal representation with no more than 3 reps in the base roster (meaning no more 7 goddamn Fire Emblem characters). So with that in mind, I present to you the rebooted roster
- Mario
- Luigi
- Peach
- Link
- Zelda
- Gannon
- Samus
- Zero Suit Samus
- Ridley
- Kirby
- Meta Knight
- Donkey Kong
- Diddy Kong
- King K. Rool
- Fox
- Falco
- Inkling
- Octoling
- Marth
- Edleguard
- Celica
- Pikachu
- Lucario
- Pokemon Trainer
- Spring Man
- Ribbon Girl
- ROB
- Captain Falcon
- Jody Summers
- Pit
- Palutena
- Any New IP Nintendo produces in between that time
Gameplay:
Here's where things get interesting. If you're going to reboot a series, completely reworking how it plays would be a no-brainier. Let's get this out of the way first, Smash reboot will still be a percentage-based, ring-out fighter with a 2-button control scheme based on directional inputs. That much hasn't changed, it's worked for 20 years now so no point in changing that. It's everything surrounding that premise that's getting an overhaul.
First, let's talk physics. We'll keep the scaling launch speeds from Ultimate as it helps cut-down wait times to allow for more fighting per-match. But instead of behaving like balloons, character's fall speeds will be sped up significantly, bring them more in line with traditional fighters. Sure, characters still get launched further the higher the percentage, but they'll now behave more like Tennis balls rather than balloons or rockets like previous games.
Second, move-sets and controls as you know them have will be done away with. It's still 2 buttons, and you still don't need to do quarter-circle motions or other fighting game movements. But how those two are used will be completely different. First, say goodbye to a dedicated button for special moves. Instead, A and B will now be Weak, and Strong attacks respectively. Pressing either one repeatedly executes each character's built-in smart combo, similar to jab combos in past games, except they're longer and more varied in animation. Alternate pressing A and B for longer, more powerful smart combos, and of course, different directions on the stick let you do different directional attacks. Specials are now preformed similar to Smash Attacks, press B in conjunction with flicking the stick in one of four directions to activate a special move. Combining these with your smart-combos and other attacks can allow you to pull off impressive feats on your foes. Smash Attacks are preformed same way as prior games, press A in conjunction with flicking the stick in a direction simulations, as well as hold to charge it up. There's now also aerial Smashes as well. Lastly, throws are now automatic, and only two directions, so now more down/up throws, or pummeling opponents.
Third, is the way supers work. There's no longer a need to break a Smash Ball for a Final Smash attack. Instead, Supers are divided into 3 levels.
- Super Smash - Press A and B simultaneously with no directional input to unleash a Super Smash Attack
- Ultra Smash - Press A and B simultaneously while pressing forward to unleash an Ultra Smash Attack
- Final Smash - Press A and B simultaneously while flicking the stick forward like a Smash Attack to unleash your Final Smash
Finally, items. You can now store up to one item in your pocket for later use. This allows for deeper item usage strategy and more intuitive use of items in combos. Press Shield + Down to store and item you acquired (there's no spot dodging in this game, just rolls and air dashes), and Shield + Down again to pull it out.
Stages and Modes:
Not too much will change here, but there are a few things to mention. First, let's keep the selection flow of Ultimate, that is, game mode/rules > stage selection > character selection. Stage layout and design is more important in Smash than other fighters so this is a welcome change. Keep the stage hazard toggle as well. What should also change is limiting the amount of hazards and gimmick stages in the selection, keep it small, and keep it balanced. As for modes, this time Stock should be the default mode in Smash as it suits the gameplay premise better, but KO-fest, Stamina, Coin Battle, and a new mode called Key Holder, where the player must hold on to a key for as long as possible while avoiding getting hit, will also be available.
Instead of a massive adventure mode, let's have the Single Player mode be a mix of Classic Mode and Adventure. Each character has their own short story to follow, with their own path of matches and final boss, complete with cutscenes and for some characters, Full voice acting.
Conclusion:
There's a lot of angles a Smash reboot can take, so it's hard to say where the series will go after Ultimate. Still, I think what I've presented here should be a decent base for what one could look like.
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would be the only third party to stay for obvious reasons.
