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The Spoiled War: Super Smash Bros. Not as Shiny as It Used to Be

Super Smash Bros. comes out for the 3DS October 3, and while I am pumped up for the release, I feel less pumped than usual. I’m all about importing games. I think there’s nothing better than snagging up a game from Japan, usually one that will never be in the English language. I’ve known many a gamer who learned Japanese, just to play some obscure title or a hidden gem in a franchise, but for once, I have a bit of a problem with importing. It’s great that gamers all over the world get to see Super Smash Bros. early, even before the demo arrives; however, the internet has become incredibly saturated with leaked character rosters and popular YouTubers streaming the game.

Search Smash on Twitch right now, I guarantee someone is playing it.

I had to avoid one of my favorite Youtubers for a while. . .
I had to avoid one of my favorite Youtubers for a while. . .

While I love gaming personalities like Jwittz, I feel that these streams have jaded my relationship with the game. I’m incredibly passionate about the franchise, so settle in, because it’s Anecdote Time with Alex.

When I was a kid, my father agreed to buy me one of the newest game consoles for my birthday: the PlayStation or the N64. I was also made aware of how expensive the games were for each system: PlayStation games were about $30 – $40, while every N64 game was $60. Not only that, but the consoles themselves shared a similar price ratio. My dad practically begged me to get the PlayStation, but my Nintendo blood had already chosen for me.

Dramatized re-enactment of that day.
Dramatized re-enactment of that day.

The problem with that day was that we couldn’t afford a game, and this was before the days of trial versions being packed in with the system or before a bundle was released. I was left to stare at it for months. Then, a mystical game appeared and Christmas was steadily rearing its head.

Super Smash Bros. had a few familiar faces for me like Mario, Pikachu, and the hero from Zelda (for I had yet to learn his name). Yet, there was also this cool dude with an arm cannon and there was this fox. Playing that game was seeing parts of Nintendo I had no idea existed before. Note, these were the days when dial-up internet was the norm and in my rural area we couldn’t even get that for another 5-6 years. Turns out, the green guy is named Link and Samus is a girl. Not only that, but there are games like Earthbound out there that I had never heard of before.

His name is Link?! But for years his name was Alex, Zelda, or Fopquarf. . .
His name is Link?! But for years his name was Alex, Zelda, or Fopquarf. . .

For me, and I’m sure many gamers, that was the magic of Smash Bros. Players would initially choose to play as their favorites, but then slowly learn about the strangers. This, of course, led me down a path to find those weird games and play them. Super Smash Bros. Melee had a similar effect on me. I had no idea who Roy was or why he talked in Japanese, but through Melee I learned that there are several other Fire Emblem games out there. This and the chance discovering of Mewtwo was the best for me and my friends. The trophy gallery quickly became an encyclopedia of Nintendo. It was all new, interesting, and a bit overwhelming.

Brawl did an okay job at hiding things, like epic boss battles and cool cutscenes. I did feel that game had way too many clone characters, or characters who fight in a similar fashion to others. I hated Wolf with every fiber of my being, seeing as there were hundreds who could’ve taken his place. Nevertheless, I had tons of fun with Brawl and it was one of the few reasons my household owned a Wii—and for the archery aspect of Wii Sports Resort. My dad is obsessed with bows and is one of the best mechanics in the area for the sport, so we spent many a happy hour trying to beat each others’ scores.

Dad, my step-brother, and I spent a lot of time perfecting our shots.
Dad, my step-brother, and I spent a lot of time perfecting our shots.

My point is that Super Smash Bros. used to be a series about surprises, mysteries, and discoveries. Sure, it’s a great party game and a rather deep fighter, but learning about those obscure characters is where I’ve always thought it shined.

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There is an equal amount of awesome and disturbing in this screenshot.
There is an equal amount of awesome and disturbing in this screenshot.

What’s worse is that Nintendo claims that the Wii-U version will have the same features. So, my hopes of something new on that console have also been dashed against a brick wall.

My culminating questions for the gaming community are thus, what are we losing when we choose to stream games that have yet to come out? Has the internet ruined that childhood-esque discovery and wonder? Do modern children even have those feelings?

Will these thoughts deny Nintendo a sale from me? No, I have big plans for the game; my step-brother and fellow lets player are going to play while on Skype. I expect that October 2nd will be a long, long day with me dragging ass at work on Friday.

Sakurai is enjoying my business a little too much.
Sakurai is enjoying my business a little too much.

In a way, I can’t really blame Nintendo. Its advertisement campaign is great, especially in the past couple years. Can I blame the streamers and YouTubers? No, not really. Everyone wants to have a ton of views and getting stuff early can skyrocket those numbers. I’ve been there and the drive is astounding.

Oooooh
It’s the simple things that are worth slowing down to look at.

What I can do is try to make the community more aware of what it has lost. Maybe this article will help change the minds of an indie developer who could release the coolest game out of nowhere. I can only hope.

I just miss that sense of surprise.

Title image by Marcos-Inu

Forever Classic (my Youtube gaming team) will also be having a little Skype party with the game after its release. More than likely we will be streaming the fun on our Twitch channel. Follow our Facebook Event Page for more details.

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Alex’s Take: Nintendo E3 2014

 With so many safe games being released by Nintendo recently and their company teetering on the Wii U with the 3DS barely keeping them afloat, there must have been a lot of pressure for Nintendo. This was the event I looked forward to the most. I’ve always enjoyed their characters and most of their games, even though I’ll admit that they’ve made some mistakes recently. Nintendo has a chance to make a comeback, but they’ve got to be careful with their games. Super Smash Bros. 4 looks like it will be Nintendo’s saving grace.

Nothing says childhood like putting toys together in a battle arena; that’s exactly what Smash Bros. is all about. Recently, Nintendo leaked that they are releasing toys with chips in their bases to be used in the game, much like Skylanders and Disney Infinity. These toys were shown in a hilarious video as Miyamoto pulls out a sweet-looking Mario figure to help him in his fight. It was also said that four other games would also be compatible with the figures: Mario Kart 8, Mario Party 10, Captain Toad, and Yoshi’s Wooly World. These toys could be the edge Nintendo needs to come out on top, especially during this holiday season.

While I could say just how excited I am to play the new Zelda or Pokemon, I’m choosing to highlight one of the more interesting games coming soon. Because every game company needs a multiplayer shooter, Nintendo stepped up to the plate to reveal Splatoon. Splatoon, at a glance, looks like a child’s Team Fortress 2; however, the more it was discussed, the more unique it revealed itself to be. In the game, players play as squid people who use ink guns to cover a map with their color. The team with the highest percentage of the map covered wins. Things get even more complex as players can transform into squids to move quicker on their color or hide from enemies beneath their ink. The ink can also be used to defend, as members of the opposite team can cut off a route, slowing down enemies tremendously. The sheer strategy and whimsy of Splatoon is staggering. I’ve never been more excited about something brand new from Nintendo. Now if only Nintendo would release a PC client so I can continue yelling obscenities at cartoons on my monitor.

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Overall, Nintendo’s press event was fun and showed off the innovation they’re famous for. Choosing to take a more direct route, they showed off their games in a digital broadcast without an audience. Their videos were expertly designed and showed the attention to detail that Nintendo has. Each game was shown in its best light and was discussed by the people behind them with super relevant backgrounds. Unfortunately, this expert delivery was lost as soon as the Nintendo Treehouse began after the broadcast.

There’s nothing more painful than watching television hosts struggle on a live show. The two people chosen for the event were awkward and seemed really uncomfortable. It was a terrible contrast to the previous video mastery. There were a few funny moments though, especially when they started discussing Mario Party 10. Apparently, the player with the Wii U Gamepad will be able to play as Bowser and be a big jerk to the other players. The male host responded with, “I’m sure I’ll be at the receiving end of your jerkiness.” Honestly, I tuned out when they said that the Treehouse was going to last over 20 hours. I couldn’t take it anymore, but even with that blunder, Nintendo’s event was still exciting and a blast to watch.

Nintendo brought a level of wonder and humor to E3 that other developers didn’t have. Robot Chicken actually helped open the digital event, in which Nintendo made fun of themselves. I thought I was going to die of laughter when the man yelled, “Come on Nintendo! Where’s Mother 3?” Almost every gamer has grown up alongside Mario and his crew, making him special and relatable. The developers of these games have fun and enjoy their jobs. They want to bring that fun and joy to their audience, even if that means making Yoshi out of  yarn or Kirby out of clay. No other video games capture this magic, which is why gamers of all ages love Nintendo.