VIDEO GAME: Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (2014)

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
Year: 2014
Rating: E10+
Time Played: 1,288 minutes / 21.47 hours

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS was the system seller for me. I held out and didn’t buy any version of the Nintendo DS or 3DS until this game (and the New Nintendo 3DS XL) came out. I bought the bundle that included this game and couldn’t have picked a better one to start my experience on the 3DS. Since the start of this fighting game series, I’ve enjoyed playing each iteration of Super Smash Bros. and now I could play on the go.

This was a fun game to play by myself, but this was also one of its weaknesses. I’m the type of gamer who likes to play through the different individual characters in story mode and unlock all the little trophies and trinkets. Unfortunately, I also like the couch multiplayer that previous iterations of this series thrived on. The concept of online play never appealed to me, even if I could choose to play “for fun” instead of facing off against try-hards in the “for glory” mode. If I had another person in the room and we were playing against each other, then that might have satisfied my multiplayer need, but those conditions were rare, if not almost nonexistent.

One reason I wanted to pick up this game was the roster of playable characters. I loved how they included retro icons like Mega Man, Pac-Man, and Duck Hunt made their debut, along with newcomers like Villager, Greninja, and Rosalina. I debated getting the DLC characters but decided against it. The 3D effects were neat, even if the small screen made it hard to see where the players were on the stage when it was zoomed out. In the end, I enjoyed playing this Smash Bros. game, but it felt like it was missing some of the core elements that made the others successful.

A great solo Smash Bros. experience that misses the mark on multiplayer, I give Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS 3.5 stars out of 5.

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