We missed the Super Smash Bros weekly roundup last week, and now there’s a lot more to catch up on thanks to the recent Nintendo Direct, which we covered here. As it is now, it’s become clear that Sakurai and his team have packed massive content into Super Smash Bros for Wii U, so much so that the 3DS version just does not compare.
We will go through Sakurai’s most important Miiverse posts over the past two weeks, but first, here are some more details from the Direct.
To give you an idea of the scale of the Wii U version, it will have a considerably bigger tracklist compared to the 3DS version. The songs are based on home console and arcade games, most of which have appeared in Nintendo’s platforms.
All the reveal trailers we have seen for the characters thus far will also be in the Wii U version, In a section labeled cutscenes.
There are several more modes revealed in the Direct. Coin Battles are more relaxed than other modes, allowing you to accumulate coins by attacking enemies and throwing them off the ring. You lose points if you fall off.
There is also a Stamina Mode, which gives everyone conventional fighting game health bars. No need to KO enemies out of the ring; just take out all their health and you win.
You can choose Stamina Mode, or set other rules, in Special Smash Mode, where you can set every rule in the book for the match. You can even handpick which items are allowed to appear and not.
You may want to buy both the Wii U and 3DS versions. Aside from getting Mewtwo, registering both games via Club Nitnendo will get you the game’s official soundtrack as a Club Nintendo reward.
Sakurai revealed trophies for Bass and Treble, and revealed there would also be trophies for Zero (Mega Man X version), Roll, and Proto Man.
Sakurai also shared a screenshot from the Photo Studio mode, which showed Zael from The Last Story, and Mio and Mayu Amakura from Fatal Frame 2. You can use Photo Studio mode to create pictures of unlocked characters in cool, funny, and entertaining situations.
Here’s another screenshot showing off Melia, Reyn, and Metal Face, all trophies originating from Xenoblade Chronicles.
This screenshot shows off the marquee in the Punch-Out!! Stage. The Wii U will simulate the top and bottom screens from the arcade game, and as you can see, it’s all in high definition.
Finally, here’s one big secret that has not yet been revealed, not even in the Direct. Sakurai claims this screenshot showing off the NES Zapper is from a secret fighter’s reveal video. If you saw the Direct, you know that the Zapper did not figure in the reveals for either Bowser Jr and the Koopalings, or for Mewtwo. Some fans were convinced that this was for Duck Hunt Dog, but technically, that character has already been leaked by people playing the 3DS version.
The list of games that use the NES Zapper is small, but there are more than people think. Aside from Duck Hunt, Hogan’s Alley, and Wild Gunman, Nintendo also made Barker Bill’s Trick Shooting and Gumshoe. It may be coincidental, but another Zapper game, Shooting Range, was developed by Bandai.
Of course, some fans have also gone forward with the theory that this is Kevin Keene from ‘80s NBC Saturday morning cartoon Captain N: The Game Master.
Do you think this could just be the Duck Hunt reveal, or could it be a new Zapper-related character? Why do you think Nintendo left it out of the massive Direct? Share your thoughts with us in the comments. Super Smash Bros for Wii U will be released on November 21.
