With this year’s E3 wrapping up along with the hype of multiple new titles on their way (Fallout 76 and Elder Scrolls VI baby!), I can safely say that my body is ready. Well, sort of. Due to the sad fact that I am an adult who must produce a service in order to receive compensation so that I may sustain my very existence I was unable to watch Nintendo’s presentation. However, I was able to read through on Super Mario Party, and of course, Super Smash Brothers. From what was shown for Mario Party it really seems like Nintendo is utilizing every capability of the Nintendo Switch and then some. The best news for me was the removal of the dreaded cart system that was used in Mario Party 9 and 10. Mario Party is for destroying relationships and betraying those you love, not getting all buddy buddy and singing Kumbaya! To play a game for fun is ridiculous if you ask me! Ahem, anyways, what’s incredibly interesting about Super Mario Party is that if multiple Switches are together, players can pair into teams and the content is displayed on their respective consoles. This is a creative way for eliminating the traditional divided TV screen, but I don’t believe for a moment that Nintendo is going to pull a Halo 5 and do away with split screen all together. If Nintendo is concerned, couch co-op is here to stay.
I am still looking forward to Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee with a call back to the classic versions of Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow while “capturing” (Ha! See what I did there?) the younger generations with Pokémon Go which will basically serve as a companion app alongside the Let’s Go versions. A few details I am not fully clear on are the conditions for capturing Pokémon. Of course for us seasoned trainers, we know in order to successfully capture one, we must weaken it first with our own Pokémon. However, this was done away with in Pokémon Go, so I am unsure if Let’s Go will follow in step with the mobile app or carry on with the traditional methods. A bit of an eerie piece of commentary ain’t it? What we worked hard to earn then is just handed to us now while we run into the cushioned walls of our safe space. But I digress. Another cool feature to be included in the games is our very own Pokéball! The Pokéball Plus is, well, a Pokéball that works in tandem with Let’s Go on the Nintendo Switch and Pokémon Go on mobile. It acts as a Joy Con on the Switch that you can use to battle and capture Pokémon. You can take it on the Go as well and can even hear the cry of the Pokémon inside when you shake it. The ball functions similarly for the mobile app. When out and about, you can use it to capture a nearby Pokémon and the ball will emit an LED pattern that signifies that you caught it. So long as it is connected to your phone, the ball will count the steps you take, hatch eggs, and get candy for your Poképal (trademark, it’s mine. Ha! Come at me, Nintendo!) All in all, Nintendo creates some very cool accessories to enhance our gaming experience, and this is something I most certainly will pick up. It seems logical, but I am hoping we will be able to transfer the Pokémon we caught on Go and transfer them to our Switch, or vice versa.
As if my wallet won’t take enough beatings, it’s time to talk about the one thing that’ll have me up at night, contemplating to the stars in a philosophic, metaphysical state of mind until December: Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. My Lord does this game look like every single Smash Bros collided, collapsed into one another, and exploded into a supernova of epic proportions. The tagline says it all: Everyone is here. When I say everyone, I mean everyone. Snake, Ice Climbers, Young Link, and OoT Ganondorf are making their glorious return to the Battlefield alongside the veterans we know and love… to Smash (phrasing!). Without going into pages about how massive this installment will be, the roster will have over 60 fighters throughout the Smash Bros universe along with maps both new and classic. Super Smash Bros has garnished a wide audience of players, both casual and competitive, and as such, the balance and technique of our fighters are paramount. Ultimate has added in new features like directional air-dodging, which will allow you a safe landing while avoiding enemy attack rather than being suspended in the air for a brief moment and leaving yourself open. Other changes include the reduction of intangibility with excessive dodging, which will force players to be more on the offensive and spend less time and effort on the defensive. I appreciate this greatly, because I have had a bad habit of dodging way too much without penalty. So, it’ll keep me on my toes and focused more on my opponent instead of constantly dodging their attacks.
It’s no question that some Smash battles last longer than they should, so Nintendo fixed the amount of damage one takes depending on the number of players. Fighters will take on more damage in a duel, but much less in a three or four person battle. Nintendo adds that this will be a way to ensure the action is well paced. At this point, it really seems that Ultimate does not reward fighters who play it safe. The less time you spend defending and dodging, is more time learning from your opponent and refining the strategies you create to be victorious. Now, there are a LOT of fighters on the roster, but I want to place a few thoughts on a few characters. For instance, I am thrilled to see Link (my main) return in his BotW apparel, as that is my favorite reincarnation of the character. Even though not much was explained on how he was tweaked, it seems that he moves much more fluidly than in previous Smash games, as my one grip in Brawl and SSB4 was that his recovery time was much to slow after performing a side smash or sword plant. Even his basic attack had him wind back with his sword, leaving him open for a good second. While I loved his Final Smash in the previous installments, Link’s new Ancient Bow and Arrow finisher looks incredibly punishing and satisfying. Though reminiscent of Zelda’s Final Smash, it seems more fitting with Link, as the bow and arrow are one of his signature weapons. Speaking of the Princess, she returns as her Link Between Worlds persona. At first, I was hoping for the BotW version, but this one quickly grew on me with her magical Triforce of Wisdom Final Smash and the fact that it adds more variety on the many incarnations of Link and Zelda. I am thrilled to see Young Link make his comeback after making an appearance in Hyrule Warriors! One can only guess if his Final Smash will be something along the lines of a Fierce Deity. Now onto the two new challengers! The Inkling from Splatoon and Ridley from Metroid seem like fresh additions to the roster. I’ve never played Splatoon so I can’t comment much on the Inklings’ fighting style, but their attacks are versatile if not creative. Ridley has no shortage of being as brutal as he can be. His speed looks quite baffling considering his size, so it’ll be a delight to see how he stacks up against other heavy hitters like Ganondorf, Bowser, and King Dedede.
At this point, I am spent with what I have to say. All that is left to say is that I was pleased with how E3 turned out. Words cannot describe how excited I am for Super Smash Bros Ultimate. It really looks like Sakurai gave it everything he got to deliver a gem so special to so many. What games are you looking forward to from E3 2018? What character(s) would you like to make it on the Ultimate roster? I look forward to hearing what you all have to say and get a discussion going! Thank you all for taking your time to read my thoughts, and I am excited to know your opinions!
