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Smash Ultimate Direct Recap

by Donald Theriault - November 1, 2018, 7:59 am EDT
Total comments: 10 Source: Nintendo

"I can't believe they replaced the Omega stages with Poké Floats", said the lightest timeline

Nintendo held the final dedicated Super Smash Bros Ultimate Direct prior to the game's launch earlier today, with a whole host of announcements.

Spirits

Spirits were designed to replace the trophies, and will power up fighters when revealed. The primary way to obtain these spirits is in Spirit Battles, in which, for example, Iggy Koopa would fight with small red Bowsers. New Spirits will be unlocked after winning, in a game that gives them a shield with holes to blast through.

There are four spirit classes: Novice, Advanced, Ace, and Legends. Each fighter can have one primary Spirit assigned, and up to 3 support spirits. Spirits have a weapon triangle: Attack -> Grab -> Shield. Primary Spirits level up in combat, and can evolve or be transformed into different spirits by sending home the cores. Spirits can also power up Amiibo.

The main mode for the Spirits is called World of Light, which features a full world map as the Smash Bros characters attempt to fight off a character named Galeem who has captured all of the Spirits.

New and Echo Fighters

The original Echo Fighter Ken, and Pokemon's Incineroar, will be the last charactes to unlock. A DLC pass for five characters will be sold, and players who buy the game on the eShop or register the physical game before January 31 will get Piranha Plant as a character in February.

Assist Trophies

Shadow the Hedgehog, Yuri Kozukata (Fatal Frame), Isaac (Golden Sun), the Black Knight (Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance), Thwomp, Spring Man (ARMS), a Wily Capsule, the flies and a flyswatter from Mario Paint, Tiki (Fire Emblem: Awakening), Vince (Art Academy), Guile (Street Fighter), and Akira (Virtual Fighter) were among the new Assist Trophies.

There are 59 Assist Trophies in all, more than the Pokemon in the game, and the summoner can avoid the loss of a point by KOing the Assist Trophy.

Game Modes

The 100-Man Melee has been renamed "Century Smash", and ALl-Star Mode will be available immediately. Challenges are now presented in the style of a comic book.

Local combat will include a custom balance option to buff or nerf certain characters.

Online

The For Fun and For Glory distinctions have been done away with, instead matchmaking based on optional rules determined by the players.

Global Smash Power will now be based on a full ranking of the game's population: a GSP of 2000000 means you are better than 1999999 players. High GSP will unlock Elite Battles, which will be used for balancing.

Menu

All characters will appear on the menu in the order they joined the series, with the Mii fighters at the end.

Amiibo

Inkling, Ridley, and Wolf were reconfirmed for launch day, K. Rool, Piranha Plants and Ice Climbers for February 15, and Young Link/Ken/Isabelle/Pichu/Daisy will follow in 2019.

Talkback

AdrockNovember 01, 2018

Was that Tabuu?

He was such an edgelord villain in Subspace Emissary. Worst.

Luigi DudeNovember 01, 2018

Quote from: Adrock

Was that Tabuu?

He was such an edgelord villain in Subspace Emissary. Worst.

Looks like the new villain is Galeem.

https://www.smashbros.com/en_US/howtoplay/spirits.html

But yeah he's basically a more powerful version of Tabuu.  Then again with if there's going to be voice acting like the one cutscene, the villain might have some personality this time.  After Kid Icarus Uprising shows, Sakurai is able to provide entertaining villains when they're given a voice.

pokepal148Spencer Johnson, Contributing WriterNovember 01, 2018

Can we just have Hades be the villain? That would be great.

Mop it upNovember 01, 2018

I've never really liked the characters they make up just for Smash.

I'm still a little confused how the Spirits stuff worked. Is this powering up stuff only for that mode, or does it carry over to everything? Are you going to have to make your character stronger before you stand a chance in online play?

AdrockNovember 01, 2018

You and me both. The Super Smash Bros. exclusive enemies are poorly designed, and the antithesis of series. I’m not playing this game for Random Goober Nimber 4. This is a crossover; I want to see enemies from the actual games. I don’t even like Giga Bowser. Bowser becomes big in the game; a Kamek cameo during his Final Smash is a missed opportunity.

I think equipping Spirits is only for the “World of Light” to give the mode light RPG elements.

SorenNovember 01, 2018

Quote:

High GSP will unlock Elite Battles, which will be used for balancing.

Sure, let's base our balance changes on what 1% of the game's population is doing. This is a bad idea.

steveyNovember 01, 2018

I like the seraph-y design Galeem has but he's probably going to transform into a generic wire frame fighter.

EnnerNovember 02, 2018

We're gonna talk about every little thing and teach you about them! As a reader of manuals and tutorials, I sailed through this Direct on fair winds. I feel so bad for those that were only interested in news.

Also, the Gacha Mobage is strong with the Spirits system and affected modes (which seems to be just Spirit Battles and World of Light).

KhushrenadaNovember 02, 2018

Quote from: stevey

I like the seraph-y design Galeem has but he's probably going to transform into a generic wire frame fighter.

I hope it ends up being Sakurai himself!

AdrockNovember 02, 2018

Quote from: Khushrenada

I hope it ends up being Sakurai himself!

I hope it ends up being Geno, and right before defeating him, he says, “I’ll never be playable in Super Smash Bros.” Then, he bursts into flames and disintegrates, never to be seen or heard from again.

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