Board 8 > your guys thoughts on Smash Ultimate

(+) Yeah! (+)

I only played it for about 10 minutes (All on the tiny portable screen with a friend)
It felt very different from other games.
Players really get pounded hard and still stay in bounds.
Really good fun though.
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ExThaNemesis posted...

It only ever happens on the last stock on would-be killing blows. IDK what the issue is with em

Oh, that explains it.

I've played 100% solo so far, and obviously in Classic/WoL most matches are single stock, so I'm seeing them constantly lmao
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I'm thinking this is my third favorite in the series, after 4 and Melee. I feel like there are distinct strengths and weaknesses with Ultimate, but the strengths outweigh the weaknesses overall.

-The Spirits system really isn't fun at all, and World of Light suffers immensely for it despite some good ideas. But, Ultimate's take on Classic Mode is great, and the new bosses are FUEGO!!

-The newcomers have always been the most exciting part of any Smash game for me, so the decision to minimize the number of newcomers still hangs over the game like a storm cloud. But, the non-Echo newcomers we got feel uniformly great to play as, and "Everyone is Here".

-By all accounts, online sounds... rough, even by Nintendo standards. But, local multiplayer works like a charm and I love that load times are virtually non-existent.

Like WarioWare Gold earlier this year, it feels like a well-curated Greatest Hits set, with extra polish and new content to sweeten the pot just enough that everyone's happy. For newcomers to the series, it's a no-brainer to just start here. As someone who's been following the series since the N64, it doesn't come close to thrilling me as much as Melee and 4 did, but I'm still glad I bought it and there's plenty to appreciate.
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TheCodeisBosco posted...

and I love that load times are virtually non-existent.

What game are you playing
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SantaRPidgey posted...

TheCodeisBosco posted...

and I love that load times are virtually non-existent.

What game are you playing

Have you run into any load times with local multiplayer? My experience has been seamless, pretty much. Feels quicker to jump into the action versus previous titles.
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fun game
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I think it was Brawl with the long-ass load times in Versus. Other than that they've always been fine.
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Idk how anyone could prefer 4 to this one.
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paperwarior posted...

I think it was Brawl with the long-ass load times in Versus

Yeah, Brawl was absolutely far and away the worst with loading times. Wii U only had loading problems when initially starting up the game, but Brawl took forever to load anything. Classic mode levels took upwards of 20 seconds to load up at times. The game had to load transformations in the middle of matches. Inexcusable stuff.
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TheCodeisBosco posted...

SantaRPidgey posted...

TheCodeisBosco posted...

and I love that load times are virtually non-existent.

What game are you playing

Have you run into any load times with local multiplayer? My experience has been seamless, pretty much. Feels quicker to jump into the action versus previous titles.

Maybe because I played so much 4 before I played ultimate so I'm suoer sensitive about all the ways ultimate is more sluggish
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Waluigi1 posted...

Idk how anyone could prefer 4 to this one.

The newcomer lineup was godly and Smash Run was a ton of fun despite its flaws. I really hope an expanded version of that mode comes out as DLC eventually.
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looks like a well-crafted game but it's still Smash so I could not care any less
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"newcomer lineup" means jack against Ultimate -- Ultimate has it all and much more. It's no reason to "prefer" 4 as a game. Like if you're given a choice between the two games games, the fact that Villager & Co were "newcomers" in 4 is completely meaningless.

Smash Run is hampered by being stuck on the 3DS which is just a garbage platform to play Smash on. I agree Smash Run is cool (because City Trial is), but the 3DS is unplayable for it. Biggest problem about Smash 4 is how the Wii U didn't have any of the good stuff (Smash Run & the actual fun stages)

which is exactly why I wanted a "Smash 4 port" originally, because 4 was great but fragmented. I was concerned about a new game potentially cutting characters but instead I got an ultimate package of Smash
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All the returners feel like newcomers to me
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Master Orders and Crazy orders were really fun IMO. If customizations and spirits coexisted it could feasibly be a great mode for ultimate.

Smash tour was also really fun in concept, I think if people actually played more of it and gave feedback for it to be fine tuned it could be a really beloved mode. I think we are going to see more love for that mode over the years now that the disappointment of not having an adventure mode has subsided.
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I actually did get back to playing Smash Tour recently in prep for Ultimate's release. While it's no Smash Run it's still a neat way to set up quick random variable matches with interesting stats like jump / item modifiers.

I'm still focused on solo stuff on Ultimate though and I've yet to get around to Squad Smash & Smash Down which I absolutely love the idea of, and especially the Stage Morph feature is just awesome for everything.
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CelesMyUserName posted...

While it's no Smash Run it's still a neat way to set up quick random variable matches with interesting stats like jump / item modifiers

It also has random customizations on characters, so you can get your favorite character and have no idea how to play them.

Man I miss customization. I would trade in 30 characters for the next smash to have that.
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the real reason to use it is to get use out of the Custom Movesets feature thanks to the randomized characters which can also randomize their movesets by settings

I enjoyed the character customization in 4 but the stats stuff was a major accessibility flaw, so I just wanted to customize movesets and then get my stats randomized through Smash Run or Smash Tour

I'm hoping Ultimate just gets more DLC packages beyond the Fighters Pass, although my next expectation is an Echoes Pass
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I know I'm going to be in the minority on this, but I don't like how mainstream the game is. How family-friendly, feel-good, and safe it is. How there's "awwww that's cool" stories like this about the game:

https://variety.com/2018/gaming/news/police-play-super-smash-bros-ultimate-1203086902/

"Police Responding To Noise Complaint End Up Playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate"

You'll say I'm anti-fun, but to me a good game needs some edge. That's what is missing to me in the new Smash game. It's a very tolerable, acceptable game that seemed to make every possible effort not to offend fans or any particular group.(besides no Waluigi).

Or maybe I'm just jaded about video games. Little kids love the game.
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God you're so fucking weird
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what is wrong with you
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So what's your favorite game?
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Cybat posted...

So what's your favorite game?

Mine? I think World of Warcraft.
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The game is very in-offensive. I wish they had taken more risks.
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Spirit mode was a risk and a lot of people hate it.
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SuperNiceDog posted...

I don't like how mainstream the game is. How family-friendly, feel-good, and safe it is. How there's "awwww that's cool" stories like this about the game

you've got some issues
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SuperNiceDog posted...

I know I'm going to be in the minority on this, but I don't like how mainstream the game is.

Do you normally form your own opinions based on other people?
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GuessMyUserName posted...

"newcomer lineup" means jack against Ultimate -- Ultimate has it all and much more. It's no reason to "prefer" 4 as a game. Like if you're given a choice between the two games games, the fact that Villager & Co were "newcomers" in 4 is completely meaningless.

This is something I find really interesting when it comes to evaluating games and picking favorites. I get what you're saying, and from an objective standpoint, you are 100% correct. More > less, right?

In (subjective) practice, things can be trickier when someone is a fan of a game series over time, and is going from sequel to sequel as they release. Things like diminishing returns and the impact of new content come into play.

To paraphrase a point in my first post - if someone just wants a Smash game, and money/console isn't an issue, they should get Ultimate. No question. But when it comes to my subjective favorites, I flat-out enjoyed Melee and 4 far more than Ultimate, with the godly new content/characters being a major factor for my enjoyment of the latter. So putting Ultimate above them on my list just feels wrong.
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TheCodeisBosco posted...

GuessMyUserName posted...

"newcomer lineup" means jack against Ultimate -- Ultimate has it all and much more. It's no reason to "prefer" 4 as a game. Like if you're given a choice between the two games games, the fact that Villager & Co were "newcomers" in 4 is completely meaningless.

This is something I find really interesting when it comes to evaluating games and picking favorites. I get what you're saying, and from an objective standpoint, you are 100% correct. More > less, right?

In (subjective) practice, things can be trickier when someone is a fan of a game series over time, and is going from sequel to sequel as they release. Things like diminishing returns and the impact of new content come into play.

To paraphrase a point in my first post - if someone just wants a Smash game, and money/console isn't an issue, they should get Ultimate. No question. But when it comes to my subjective favorites, I flat-out enjoyed Melee and 4 far more than Ultimate, with the godly new content/characters being a major factor for my enjoyment of the latter. So putting Ultimate above them on my list just feels wrong.

So you're basically moreso doing a ranking of feels instead of an actual ranking of the games?

Not saying there's anything wrong with that. Just trying to get it right.
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do I make a killing edge joke or a stage edge joke or just point out that this is coming from a user named SuperNiceDog
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To take it the extreme, if this game was almost exactly like 4 but slightly better it probably wouldn't seem like much of a sequel. I mean, we are paying $60 for it. Some people even bought the system for it.
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StealThisSheen posted...

So you're basically moreso doing a ranking of feels instead of an actual ranking of the games?

Eh all rankings are rankings of feels.

I think the games have been doing less for casuals then ever too besides the roster.
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pjbasis posted...

Eh all rankings are rankings of feels.

Maybe, but not necessarily in the same way

Like, giving 4 points for having Cloud and Bayonetta and whoever and counting it as a reason it's better than Ultimate is a different kind of feels, because both games have those characters, so it's moreso giving 4 an edge because of how hyped it made you at the time.
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StealThisSheen posted...

So you're basically moreso doing a ranking of feels instead of an actual ranking of the games?

Not saying there's anything wrong with that. Just trying to get it right.

You could say that. I try not to pick my favorite games solely based on nostalgia, how great they were for their given era, etc. But, the subjective factors inevitably affect my taste to some extent. I'm not gonna BS anybody and act like they don't.
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Also, I think games that truly push the envelope and surprise with their creativity/wealth of new content are commendable, relatively rare, and deserve particular praise for it even as the years pass and sequels follow.

I think the Splatoon games are a really good example. Splatoon 2 pretty much has everything the original did in a sleeker package. But Splatoon 1 knocked me square on my ass. I don't think a Nintendo game impressed and surprised me to that extent since, like... Pikmin? Super Mario 64?

From a practical standpoint, Splatoon 2 is the one you'd play in December 2018, but to claim that it's 100% better sells Splatoon 1 short of the sheer magic it made out of thin air. I can't not love it more, I'm only human.
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The custom moves was an ok idea that was implemented extremely poorly.
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Spirits were fun at first but eventually felt like a shallow and random distraction from the game I'm actually trying to play. Obviously the roster beats every other iteration's but I still have issues with character choices and franchise representation...can't get a second F-Zero character but I can choose a different blue-haired FE swordfighter for every day of the week. At least they finally put Ridley and K. Rool in, and I appreciate the balance/moveset tweaks to old standards (is it just me or is Ganondorf actually good now?)

Smash bros has a god-tier concept so it's still an amazing game but I can't help feeling the franchise won't achieve it's full potential as long as Sakurai is in charge

I try not topjbasis posted...

SuperNiceDog posted...

I know I'm going to be in the minority on this, but I don't like how mainstream the game is.

Do you normally form your own opinions based on other people?

I try not to. But it does happen.
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TheCodeisBosco posted...

Also, I think games that truly push the envelope and surprise with their creativity/wealth of new content are commendable, relatively rare, and deserve particular praise for it even as the years pass and sequels follow.

I think the Splatoon games are a really good example. Splatoon 2 pretty much has everything the original did in a sleeker package. But Splatoon 1 knocked me square on my ass. I don't think a Nintendo game impressed and surprised me to that extent since, like... Pikmin? Super Mario 64?

From a practical standpoint, Splatoon 2 is the one you'd play in December 2018, but to claim that it's 100% better sells Splatoon 1 short of the sheer magic it made out of thin air. I can't not love it more, I'm only human.

Right, Splatoon was an original, innovative game that started in this decade. So it is possible.
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