--Text in opening cinematic (World of Light), Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Likely one of the most anticipated video games of the past decade, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate contains even more content than the 3DS/Wii U Smash Bros. game and introduces many new playable characters like Dark Samus, Cloud, Ridley, and Rosalina. There are many options to choose from when playing the game, but this is probably not surprising to anyone who thoroughly played Brawl, a game noteworthy for its wealth of content alone. In addition to the campaign and classic mode, Ultimate allows for bot-based matches, Mob Smash modes, and various multiplayer modes that even casual players could spend dozens of hours trying out.
Production Values
Like many other peak Nintendo games for the Switch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has great graphics that demonstrate the technical advancements of an undocked Switch over the 3DS. I only noticed slowdown during certain online matches, and not even online multiplayer seemed to suffer from any glitches. Though there is no spoken dialogue, the sounds of battle keep up with the frenetic activities onscreen very well and reflect the iconic nature of any franchises they are pulled from. The production values as a whole and in their individual components are excellent.
Gameplay
The combat of Ultimate is, of course, bound to be the main draw for many players, and it is preserved from previous entries in all of its chaotic glory. The final smashes of various characters have been altered, providing a somewhat new side of returning characters, but several of the newcomers have final smash attacks that go far beyond many familiar final smashes present in the series. Unique to the "World of Light" story mode, a skill tree adds RPG elements to combat by reducing vulnerabilities to specific attacks, increasing the power of certain player attacks, and offering other benefits that can make a significant difference in the single player Adventure Mode when skills are purchased with points.
The campaign itself easily lasts more than 20 hours, and all spirits unlocked from a series of revolving, optional challenges found in the Spirit Board can be used to progress in the main story. Spirits can even be used in multiplayer, albeit not online quick matches with random players, only in local Smash mode. They can be used to boost the effectiveness of one's preferred characters, but some playable characters are far easier to control and far more powerful than others. The new customizable Mii characters are actually some of the strongest fighters in the game, and several of the Mii swordfighter's cheapest moves helped me overpower otherwise challenging enemies.
Unfortunately, even the most useful characters can be hindered by an issue with the responsiveness of the left and right controls. Turning left or right mid-combat only works part of the time, leaving players with very hit or miss success when trying to turn before a quick attack. Spirit abilities and skill can help minimize the negative effects of failing to dodge or prevent an incoming attack due to this control difficulty, but these issues still arise from time to time. Thankfully, one can practice with the controls and fighting styles of each character in Smash Mode before jumping into the campaign or online multiplayer, so it is not as if there is no opportunity to adjust to any control problems.
Story
Spoilers are below, but there is at best a bare bones story present.
In the World of Light campaign, a being called Galeem, also referred to as the "lord of light," invades the universe inhabited by Nintendo's pantheon of playable characters. Kirby alone escapes Galeem's attack, and he begins battling mind-altered fighters and restoring them to their normal state. Defeating Galeem proves to only end the first part of the adventure.
Intellectual Content
Other than rewarding the use of potential strategies, none of the Super Smash Bros. games have never showcased thorough intellectual elements. Even so, several mild puzzles do come up far into the story mode. They are unlikely to offer a serious challenge to many players, and one could always solve them by happenstance, but they must be solved in order to complete Adventure Mode.
Conclusion
Super Smash Bros. has enjoyed immense popularity since its introduction, and Ultimate deserves even more praise than its predecessors for its new spirits and expanded character and map rosters, which are now at unprecedented levels. Moreover, it brings back what the previous installment for the 3DS and Wii U left out: a single player campaign with mechanics that tie into features outside of Adventure Mode. Thus far, no Super Smash Bros. game has been more deserving of the title Ultimate.
Content:
1. Violence: Attacks that could be vicious in real life (such as sword attacks) are portrayed without blood or gore.
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