Super Smash Bros mixes the legacies of its predecessors on the Wii U, while making every other "next-gen" game seem tiny
It's been fifteen years since Nintendo released its experimental crossover fighter for the Nintendo 64. During that time-span, the series has transitioned through four different console generations, and has seemed to have exclusively left fond memories behind. To some, this next iteration of Super Smash Bros. may just seem like the natural progression and development of the series. While that is by all means true, 2014's Wii U edition of the game not only returns with addictive gameplay and competitive fun, but with little complaints along the way. Nintendo has now firmly crafted the definitive multiplayer experience.
Super Smash Bros. has grown a strong following based off nostalgia. The series is abundant with content from various Nintendo-based properties, and the games themselves have developed fond moments for individuals. Personally, I will never forget duking it out with my brothers on a long car trip, with Melee hooked up on an incredibly small TV. Super Smash Bros. in 2014 is bound for the same inevitable sort of praise. Content-wise, there is a similar amount to that which was found in Brawl; albeit be in more in-depth. While an overblown single-player mode like the Subspace Emissary is absent, each of the other modes that have grown accustomed with the series, such as Events and Classic/All-Star, are definitely more fine-tuned. The rewards you gain are more massive and expansive, allowing you to obtain more at once in a given single-player playthrough. There are even more objectives to complete than what was in Brawl, and additional challenge modes such as Master Orders and Crazy Orders are more than welcome. Smash Tour, an odd mash-up between Smash Run (from the 3DS edition) and Mario Party, is very lackluster and perhaps not worth your time. The Amiibo figures seem like a simple cash-grab from Skylanders, and does not seem like a necessary feature here. These may seem major drawbacks, but it doesn't get in the way of the core content and its quality.
Those who may have not been a fan of the 3DS edition's controls: have no fear! With several options to play the game (including all of those available in Brawl), you're bound to find a suitable control-style. As with the 3DS edition, the speed and movement of the gameplay is a happy medium between that of Brawl and Melee. It makes up for the most enjoyable multiplayer the series has yet to offer. The eight-player battles are chaotic yet surprisingly balanced. The online is completely functional, and an absolute improvement from that in Brawl. This iteration may just be the one with the longest lasting appeal.
It's no secret the Wii U is having trouble selling consoles. While I'm sure sales are going to increase in the coming weeks, if only for this one release, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is by all means the best reason to buy the console. Its multiplayer is by all means the best out there, and ideal for any sort of meeting with friends. Despite the system's "old-gen" roots, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U will provide you a better experience than almost every game out there on the market. For $60, you're guaranteed hundreds of hours worth of content that won't be getting old anytime soon. The disc may be running on hardware aging fast, but the game itself is worth the package. It just may be the best mulitplayer experience to date.
