Nintendo Direct – Super Smash Bros. WiiU / 3DS

The following is the stream video so you can enjoy almost 40 minutes dedicated to Smash Bros. Talk. If you would rather to simply read what was revealed in it, keep scrolling.

For those unfamiliar with Nintendo Direct, they are streams Nintendo make from time to time to give more details on games that are about to launch and as well as announce new ones. Most Nintendo Directs are general, but from time to time Nintendo releases a themed one. In this Direct, Masahiro Sakurai, producer of Super Smash Bros, talked to us about the stages, items and characters in the upcoming Smash Bros game.

Here’s the recapitulation:

• The 3DS version will come out before the Wii U. Not definitive dates were given, just be happy that we might enjoy SSB 3DS around summer and the Wii U version by Winter.
• The game will run on 60 fps, except for the animations of Trophy assistances which will be half.
• The characters rooster is exactly the same in both versions.
• Likewise, it was re-confirmed that the stages will be different in the 3DS and Wii U versions of the game.
• Some stages from previous games will make a return.
• The music will be limited to 2 pieces per stage in the 3DS. The Wii U version will feature a chooser similar to Brawl.
• They commented that there will be some ways the 3DS and Wii U version will connect, however, they decided not to explain further or reveal details about it yet. I feel necessary to remark that Sakurai has said in the past that cross fighting between system was out of the question, thus let’s not misinterpret this statement.
• Even Battlefields will have different designs between the 3DS and Wii U.
• Apparently most of the stages will have a “Final Destination” version. Final Destination is a flat surface stage with no platforms or hazards.

Smash Run (3DS exclusive)

You have five minutes to explore a dungeon-like environment (with enemies) in search of power ups. Each player starts in the same place, but will separate in their own paths trying to get the most speed, jump, attack, arms, defense and special tokens as possible.

Sometimes events will be activated, like Bullet Bills where they will chase the player through the dungeon while they search or “Max Special” where all players have Maxed stats from beginning.

When the time is up all of the players are launched into a Free-For-All fight with the power up applied.

While some elements and enemies from the dungeon remind us of the Sub Emissary, most of the enemies that will appear in this mode are related to a franchise in special like the Zelda: Ocarina of Time Stalfos and the classic Gombas from Mario.
Trophies confirmed:

• Tiki (Fire Emblem)
• Fi (Zelda)
• Pseudo Palutena (Kid Icarus)
• King Kihunter (Metroid)

3DS Stages revealed: 

– Reset Bomb Forest (kid Icarus)
– 3D Land (Mario)
– Rainbow Road, (Mario)
– Spirit Train (Zelda)
– Gerudo valley (Zelda)
– Arena Ferox (Fire Emblem)
– Tortimer Island (Animal Crossing)
– Living Room (Nintendogs)
– Prism Tower (Pokemon)
– Find Mii (Mii Streetpass Quest)
– Ballon Fight (Ballon boy)
– Jungle Japes (DK).

WiiU Stages revealed:
– Mario Galaxy (Mario)
– Pyrosphere (Metroid)
– Town & City (Animal crossing)
– Boxing Ring (Punch Out)
– Pilot Wings, Skyloft (Zelda)
– Windy Hill (Sonic)
– Garden of Hope (Pikmin)
– Wii Fit Studio
– Palutena’s Temple (Kid Icarus)
– Halberd (Kirby) and Wily Castle (Megaman).
Boss characters

Wily Castle features the Yellow Devil, which will form in the stage and attack the players while its weak spot is only his eye. Players can gang up on it to destroy it or take the opportunity to target the distracted players.

Other Boss characters appear in different stages. Ridley shade is shown in the Metroid stage (and Kotake and Koume were confirmed previously through the Miiverse for the 3DS Gerudo Valley stage).

Online Play

You can play with anyone or friends. When you’re not playing with friends, you can access the choice between playing for fun and playing for glory.

• For fun: Stages are dealt in random except Final Destination. It’ll be smash battles with all items allowed and only victories will be recorded.
• For Glory: Won’t have items and will take place in Final Destination only. Your lost will be recorded along your victories and you can do 1 on 1 fights.

Playing with friends:

Like usual, you can set the rules you want.

Changes to Online Mode:

You will be linked to your Nintendo Network account. This means that people can now report other users (for example, troublemakers). A temporary ban can be issued for players who misbehave in matches by :

• Starting a match and not playing it.
• Targeting relentlessly the same individual.
• Repeated Self-Destructs.
• Frequent Dropping.
• Cheats.
• Abusing the reporting service.

Global Smash Power

For the solo modes, you will get scores to form a ranking system. The score indicates how you compare with other players. Basically, the score is how many people are below you with their scores. Multiplayer will not be used to account for your score.

Items

• Beam sword
• Bumper
• Motion Sensor
• Steel Diver
• Back Shield (Kid Icarus)
• Ore Club (Kid Icarus)
• X Bomb (Kid Icarus)
• Smart Bomb (StarFox)
• POW Block (Mario)
• Fire Bar (Mario)
• Hocotate Bomb (Pikmin)
• Rocket Belt (Pilot Wings)
• Beetle (Zelda)
• Bombchu (Zelda)
• Fairy Bottle (Zelda)

Assist Trophies

You can use them in battle. It seems that there will be several available. The ones that were showed in the video are:

• Devil
• Saki Amamiya
• Dr. Wright
• Color TV-Game 15 (Classic Vertical Ping Pong)
• Isabelle (Animal Crossing)
• Lyn (Fire Emblem)
• Knuckle Joe (Kirby)
• Chain Chomp (Mario)
• Elec Man (Megaman)
• Dark Samus (Metroid)
• Mother Brain (Metroid)
• Nintendog (Nintendogs)
• Andross (StarFox)
• Ashley (Wario)
• Waluigi (Wario games)
• Midna (Zelda)
• Skull Kid (Zelda)

Pokémon

Master Ball were introduced to differ from normal ones. They contain Rare and Legendary Pokemon.

Pokemon Confirmed:

• Arceus
• Meowth
• Electrode
• Eevee
• Staryu
• Metagross
• Fennekin
• Meloetta
• Gogoat
• Entei
• Deoxys
• Palkia
• Kyurem
• Victini
• Keldeo
• Xerneas

Returning Fighters

A very important change is that fighters that used transformation will no longer be able to. This is in order to allow the player to focus only on one move-set per battle:

–  Samus no longer transforms into Zero Suit when she uses her Final Smash.
– Zelda cannot become Sheik in the middle of the battle.

• It seems like the Pokemon Trainer has been scrapped in favor of Charizard.
• Charizard appears to be able to get Mega Evolution.
• Sheik and Zero Suit Samus will become their own full selectable characters.
• Zelda can now call a phantom armor for attack or defense.
• Sheik got pin bomb.
• Kirby got “Hammer Flip” (a power up hit ability) and “Ultra Sword” as its Final Smash.
• King Dedede now throws Gordos and is more expressive.
• Lucario’s aura attack gets better the more damage you have received. Lucario can reach mega-evolution and in this stage its Aura is always at its max.
• Olimar can only have 3 Pikmin around at a time and you sprout them in a defined order (red, yellow, blue, white and purple). Olimar recovering move is using Winged Pikmin.
• Pit cannot glide anymore, but got other movements in its place. Final Smash changed to “Three Sacred Treasures”.
• Yoshi’s back with a more straight position.
• Even if not much was highlighted about Mario, Donkey Kong, Pikachu, Marth, Fox, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Diddy Kong, Sonic, Toon Link and Link, they are still around.

New Fighters

• Rosalina and Lumus. She can call him off and control its attack.
• Little Mac. Great on ground, uses mostly punches. On air he’s at a disadvantage and has a poor recovery ability. He has a power meter for a one KO opportunity. His final smash is the transformation into “Giga Mac”.
• Villager has Dream House as the Final Smash.
• Megaman.
• Wii Fit Trainers.
• Surprise Newcomer: Greninja!

Custom Movesets

You can customize your characters move-set with Mysterious Special Moves, but you cannot use this while playing online with strangers. More to be revealed in the future.