You know, I had a feeling this would happen.
Don’t misunderstand right off the bat; it’s not as if I’m about to say “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a huge disappointment.” On the contrary. I think it’s a good game, and here’s why: just as I predicted, there have been multiple instances since release day on December 7th (6th if you’re like me and had the digital version pre-loaded alongside geographical advantages) when I had to make a call. Play more Smash, or get more sleep?
I’ve chosen Smash over sleep on more than one occasion. I probably shouldn’t. I mean, as of writing I feel a cold coming on, and it wasn’t long ago that I went to bed early because I felt like throwing up. I didn’t, thankfully -- I need to work on rebuilding my streak of going over a decade without puking -- but the worst part about it wasn’t that I felt like my insides sparked a bloody revolution. It was that I missed out on valuable Smash time.
Right now, all I want to do is play it more. But in the interest of keeping this blog alive, let’s go ahead and have a random collection of thoughts. Then more smashing.
--I’ve never mentioned it before, but man. I LOVE “Bloody Tears”. I should probably do a list of my top 10 favorite video game songs -- which I already did once years ago, but times and tastes have changed. Also, who else will pay tribute to The Wonderful 101, if not me?
--Though now that I think about it? I skimmed a track list for Ultimate recently, and to my utter horror, there are NO songs for Xenoblade Chronicles X. They just skipped over it and leapt straight to XC2. Unforgivable. How dare the devs deny players the right -- no, the privilege to smash to “Black Tar”! Might as well throw every copy of the game in a ditch alongside the E.T. cartridges.
--I just love how, mere hours before the game’s official debut, Reggie shows up at The Game Awards (which I spot-dodged the crap out of) to announce the first DLC character. And it’s Joker from Persona 5! I thought we’d be done with the speculation and guessing games for a while, but now the floodgates have been blown wide open. Incidentally? I’m happy he made it in, but I’m not super-interested in playing him…while my brother is ecstatic over the prospects of giving opponents the shiv. He’s been reunited with his MC, Sloppy Sam, in the best way possible.
--Okay, now to talk about the game for real.
--Before I even started playing the game, I went to the options to make sure my controls were all set. And they were, preemptively; R for grabs, ZR for shields. The last game didn’t grant me such good graces, so even if for whatever reason I forget to set my name before a match (playing as “Volt”, natch), I’ll still be in good shape. However…
--There’s also a sensitivity option for the left stick, which is intriguing. I personally can’t tell the difference for which one is right for me (yeah, I’m such an expert), but I have mine on high and haven’t had too many issues. That I know of, at least; I’m using the Joy-Cons because there won’t be too big of an adjustment needed if/when I play handheld, and thus lay in my bed with the Switch sideways because I’m a lazy shitheel.
--But I’ve found that playing sideways tends to increase the probability of an accidental input. I blame myself most of the time, but in some instances I wonder if it’s because the Joy-Con’s stick isn’t 100% optimal for fighting games. More research is needed, but I wouldn’t fault you or anyone who opts for GameCube support.
--It seems that input lag is the secret fighter that’s slipped into Smash Ultimate, and my heart sank at the prospect. Not because of its potential to mar a much-hyped title; no, it’s because this “discussion” has orbited Street Fighter V for years, tainting it and forcing arguments from both sides. Yes, it does mean that there’s always going to be the question of the whether or not the game prevented you from executing the perfect play (patches notwithstanding), but Smash isn’t 1:1 with conventional fighters. It’s not something that’ll ruin casual play, I bet. Honestly, most people probably won’t even notice until you tell them (and even then…).
--I probably should have mentioned this at the start, but it’s not as if I’m a pro-level player. So what I say from here on (and before now) shouldn’t be taken as the gospel, because I could very easily be wrong. With that in mind? It’s not hard to tell that Ultimate is a markedly different game from Smash 4. The speed boost is real, in expected ways (movement and physics) and unexpected (even the taunts are universally faster, AFAIK). It’s not the drug trip that was Melee, though; I tried playing it with the boys a few years back, and none of us could handle it. Not without risking a seizure. How do the pros do it…?
--Speaking of physics, though? One of the main changes I know of is how you respond to big hits/knockback. It’s been described as hitting a balloon; it flies away with a huge amount of velocity and force, only to slow down shortly afterward. It’s an apt description. It’ll be a while before I can put my knowledge of the engine to work, but given that -- and the training mode that shows the trajectory of your attacks’ launches -- my guess is that creating game-winning combos and other advantageous situations won’t just come down to hammering out lengthy button sequences. You’ll have to know where and when your foe will end up at all times for the big turnarounds.
--I haven’t tried playing with the stage morph option on yet, so I don’t know how well it’ll work out for my purposes…by which I mean, I can’t wait for my brother’s salt to pour down like a waterfall once he gets transported to WarioWare Inc. or Luigi’s Mansion. But having put some time into the Spirit Board, I did get to mess around with the Final Smash meter. And yeah, it does give you weaker Final Smashes, but there’s always a catch.
--If you turn it on, then I’d wager it’s this game’s comeback mechanic -- in a game that’s technically not starved for them. In my experience, it seems like you’re more likely to beat a FS into your opponent than build the meter for your own -- which to be fair is pretty much how it went in SFIV by design. Still, depending on the character you’re facing, it could mean the difference between a mild inconvenience and utter destruction. If Peach or Daisy pop their FS when you’re close enough to them, and you’re at 120% damage, then it’s over. Even if the damage nerf is in place, Palutena’s FS is harder to avoid than ever. Basically, your choices are 1) kill before the FS pop off, 2) play defensively and be ready to dodge on a moment’s notice, or 3) get wrecked.
--The biggest change for me? Short hops into aerials can now be done by pressing jump and attack simultaneously. I probably should have figured out how to do short hops (consistently) a LONG time ago, but I guess Sakurai and crew decided to meet me halfway. That’s an execution barrier that’s been smashed for a lot of people, which is a blessing and a curse. Zelda’s Lightning Kick is extremely dangerous in its own right; imagine having access to that option at any moment, near-instantly, without a hint of telegraphing until you’re suddenly en route to Jupiter.
--Yikesy mikesy, the AI in this game is something else. It’s been a trend for each successive game in the franchise to boost the CPUs’ viciousness, but now? Most of the time -- on the higher difficulties, at least -- they’re fighting like Leffen or ZeRo. Top-level players seem to have a knack for playing games on such a level that it looks like they can move faster than what said game should be able to allow; that same level of prowess has transferred over to the AI, which meant unlocking characters took more steps than one. And more tries than one. Imagine getting your ass served to you like a beef wellington from Pichu. Pichu.
--Well, I say that the AI is something else, buuuuuuuuuuuuuuut there have been instances where I’ve unlocked characters and earned Spirits by the CPUs killing themselves. So if their play is more human than ever, then does that mean they’ve simulated human error as well? I’m starting to get a little nervous about the future we’re trending towards…
--It was a given that the game was going to look good -- four years of graphical developments and new hardware will do that -- but I’ll still appreciate Ultimate regardless. While you’re not going to get a chance to appreciate it mid-match, a lot of work went into making the characters more expressive than ever before. DK constantly looks like he’s pissed over any threats -- real or imaginary -- to his banana horde, while Palutena’s no stranger to giving the camera looks that are serene, regal, and sultry all at once. It’s nuts.
--It’s weird, though. The color palette has been toned down a bit for Ultimate, but the effects are more cartoon-like than before. It’s a weird juxtaposition. Still, it’s one that works out in the end. Even if the colors got a slight nerf, the game still boasts more color than literally dozens of other modern-day releases. And the effects really are spectacular -- like the devs took lessons from Squeenix without the debilitating descent into mediocrity. It would have been easy for them to make Incineroar’s Darkest Lariat a basic spin, but the whirling streaks help sell a sense of motion and power. Sasuga Sakurai.
--With all that said? I’m not so keen on the shmup sequence in the credits. I mean, the sequence itself is fine; it’s just that when you blast those polygons along the way, the bright flash really does a number on my eyes. Good thing you can skip straight to the end.
--It goes without saying, but just to confirm it: yes, of course I’ve unlocked all the characters (barring the Mii Fighter trio, but ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh). I know that there are easier ways to go about it than the endeavor I went through, I.e. a mixture of Classic Mode, Spirit Board battles, and the occasional 1-stock match. My reasoning was that I wanted to get my feet positively soaked in the new gameplay and systems -- to earn each character and make them feel special and weighty, as opposed to RUSHRIGHTHTROUGHANDGETEVERYONENOWNOWNOW MODE. I mean, I still basically did that, but whatever. Don’t worry about it.
--It was my assumption that I’d be able to follow the fast track to getting Palutena back in my hands within 3 or 4 runs of Classic Mode. The plan went well off the rails -- and because of that, I (through no fault of my own, I assure you) ended up getting her as the 56th playable fighter. For sure, it’s good to have her back now that she’s better than ever. Yet…even so…
--The consequence of getting the goddess of light so late was that I had to sub in someone else until I got her. And now that person is closer to being my main than my actual main. Turns out that person is Zelda. I played her a bit in previous games, offhandedly, yet now I’ve given her a more honest try than I ever have before. Part of that is owed to her buffs, no doubt; she’s got some shenanigans with her new Phantom Knight. Part of that is…well, yeah, it’s because of her visual redesign. Like, I know it was a ploy on the devs’ part to make her more kawaii (she even gets an “Iyaaaaaaaaaaa!” in there), but guess what? The ploy fucking worked.
And that’ll do for now, because it’s been too long since I last played Smash and I’m getting withdrawal symptoms. Tune in next week when I talk about the game some more, because…I mean…it’s either this or --
*thumbs through a phone book’s worth of recent video game controversies*
You know what? Let’s…let’s just stick with Smash for now.
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