Late to the party on the new SSB games.

Walmart had a deal this week to get SSB3DS for $9 with the purchase of the New 3DSXL, and my store actually only charged me $4.50 for it for some reason (managers not knowing how to price match online properly without a calculator?!) so I ended up with the game.

I loved the N64 game, missed the "GCN" one, and hated the Wii version mostly because of the controls.

I'm trying to figure out if I should open it and try it, trade it for credit towards the Wii U version, or exchange it for something like Majora or Link Between Worlds.

So I'm wondering:

• What are the differences between the 3DS and Wii U versions?
• Whats the deal with the amiibos, are they worth it, are they for the U version only?
• Whats up with the GameCube controllers? Can you play with the Wii remote, classic controller/pro, Wii U Pro controller as well? Is the Wii U tablet pad good enough to play the game competently?
• What about limited collector's editions of both games, retailer specific ones, can I find a list of all the tie in bonus stuff that was made for the series (amiibo, controllers, DLC, pre-order bonuses, etc.)? I've seen many different types of GameCube controllers for sale, but no adapters. Are they rare? I just don't wanna buy the game and find out I need $100 worth of controllers and figures to enjoy it.
• What improvements do these games make over SSB Brawl? Do they do a better job of teaching you how to play? Do they control better?

Thanks for any help.

The WiiU version has better graphics, an 8 player mode, a tweaked single player mode, and different stages. Characters and movesets are the exact same between the two versions. The two versions are very similar, but the WiiU one is honestly the one to get.

Amiibos, when tapped to the gamepad, become an AI in the game that you can play against. This AI will level up, becoming better at the game. Not a major part of the experience.

If a controller is compatible with the WiiU then it works for this game. Pro controllers and gamepad work fine, and the gamecube adapter is mostly there for the competitive scene, but still pretty nifty to have.

There were no preorder bonuses.

They don't really teach you how to play but it's all pretty simple to learn. There's a brief video tutorial in the game, and youtube videos beyond that. I think it plays better than brawl because of a few tweaks (no tripping, less floaty, so on), but it's not significantly different in the control department.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that Smash Bros. has always been best with friends. If you don't have friends who will play with you then you might be better off trading it in for a single player game.

Hope this helped.

What about the controls in Smash Brawl (the Wii game) didn't you like about it because for the most part it's pretty much always been the same. Although now you have button mapping options which is a nice addition.