Today's Smash update is all about Smash Run, but before we dive into the finer details, perhaps we should quickly review what we know of this 3DS-exclusive mode. In Smash Run, four players spend five minutes exploring a massive map and beating down enemies from both the characters' source games as well as Brawl's Subspace Emissary. The enemies will drop items that can be used to boost various stats like strength and speed, which come in handy once the five minutes are up and you have to test your powered-up fighter against your three opponents in a final showdown.
Many people assume that this showdown is just a typical free-for-all melee, but that isn't always the case. Sometimes you'll engage in a different event, like the aptly titled "Run!" which is the focus of today's update. As the name suggests, it's a foot race through an obstacle course, which puts naturally slow characters at a disadvantage. Still, speed isn't everything — there are red danger zones that when touched will cause you to respawn at an earlier point of the level, and there are speed boosts scattered about to give anyone an extra push.
A variation of this event is "Climb!" — obviously, it's a bit more vertical that "Run!" Same rules apply, so speedsters better mind their footing and slowpokes better use their brains to snatch the lead. Since you don't know what the final event in a Smash Run game is going to be, it's important to work towards building all your stats during those initial five minutes.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS will arrive on October 3. The Smash Run-less Wii U version will drop in winter.
