E3 2014 Hands-On: Entering the ring with Super Smash Bros. on 3DS and Wii U

The biggest game playable at Nintendo’s booth has to be Smash Bros. With two versions to check out we headed right in the Wii U version and then to the portable version to see just if the Nintendo 3DS can handle a brawl.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

The first title I played through was Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. I played in competitive multiplayer, and we were given GameCube controllers hooked up to the Wii U via the newly announced accessory. After selecting my players in the menu, which follows the same layout introduced in the original Nintendo 64 title, I played as my personal favorite Marth in the first round, before switching out to Mega Man, and from five minutes of gameplay time, I can say the experience will feel highly familiar for those whole have played either Melee or Brawl; in terms of speed, I want to say it resembled Melee’s fluidity more so than that of Brawl.

With the HD visuals, the stage I played, based on New Super Mario Bros. U, felt vaster and looked considerably more detailed than anything I remember seeing in Brawl. This was most evident in the amount of particle effects from the various items such as bombs, lasers and fireballs, as well as the environmental modifications taking place during the action.

The framerate remained stable throughout gameplay despite the hectic gameplay in which every player was trying to attack each other. Overall, this is looking like a faithful entry in the Smash Bros. series, and should definitely entertain those who play in multiplayer.

However, the initial playthrough did not tell me what made the game vastly different from its predecessors. This is probably not a bad thing, but perhaps the changes are more under the hood and will not be well known until long after release.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

I was shocked because I actually felt more impressed by this version of the game than I was with the Wii U version. I was weary of the 3DS version as I found the screenshots unimpressive and questioned whether a portable could be a appropriate for a wide-scale game such as Smash Bros. Yet, the demo on the E3 2014 show floor quelled my skepticism.

The game looks and runs great in motion, with colorful, detailed graphics. Even the stereoscopic 3D effect has depth and remains stable in spite of the action in the game. The controls resemble Super Smash Bros. Brawl when played with a Classic Controller or Classic Controller Pro, and were very responsive. The 3DS version contains an exclusive Smash Run mode, which resembles Brawl’s The Subspace Emissary, has the player advance similarly to a 2D platformer while beating enemies from various Nintendo series such as Goombas and Pokemon.

There is a five-minute time limit, and after that time period lapses, any items collected are added to the player’s stats. A regular battle then begins, using winner-take-all rules. I was pleasantly surprised with this rendition, and am sure that it will please even the most diehard Smash Bros. fans, who now have a faithful on-the-go option for their favorite series.