From Melee to Ultimate, the Smash Bros series has always willing to experiment with its character choices. You’ve got characters who didn’t seem fit for a fighting game appearing, like Wii Fit Trainer and Villager. You’ve got characters that seemed like they were forgotten forever coming back, such as Mr Game & Watch, Ice Climbers and Duck Hunt Duo.
And with Piranha Plant making it into the game as a DLC fighter, even generic mooks seem to be in with a chance. Generic mooks who previously didn’t even move around!
But even compared to those, the latest fighter reveal for the game is something else entirely. Why?
Because against all odds, it’s Joker from Persona 5. Yep, Persona is now going to be getting Super Smash Bros representation. Here’s the trailer announcing the whole deal:
It’s all pretty unusual really given that Persona hasn’t ever had a presence on Nintendo systems. Sure, we got one spinoff game for 3DS a while back (Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth), but for the most part it’s stayed PlayStation exclusive throughout its entire history.
This is the only Persona game to have ever previously appeared on a Nintendo system
So it makes you wonder exactly why a character from it is in Smash. Why Nintendo would bother getting this guy in when others like Banjo-Kazooie, Crash Bandicoot and even Steve from Minecraft have a bit more relevance to Nintendo.
It makes no sense at all. Unless of course a Persona game is heading to Nintendo systems sometime soon.
And that… actually seems kinda likely now. Every major third party title seems to be getting ported to Switch at some point, and the chances of Nintendo not wanting a series like Persona on their system seem rather slim given its status beforehand.
So it’s likely something more is on the horizon for Persona on Nintendo platforms, and the Smash Bros Ultimate DLC is merely a teaser towards that.
Still, what do you think of it? Are you happy to see Persona get a fighter in Smash Bros Ultimate?
Or do you feel other choices would have made a bit more sense about now?
Have your say on the matter (and more) at the Gaming Latest forums today!
Launched in June 2017, Xbox One Game Pass is a digital subscription service that allows users access to a catalog of games for a single monthly fee. It’s an interesting enough service, with a decent selection of games and the ability to play them across both Xbox One and Windows 10.
But it seems Microsoft’s plans for the service don’t end there. No, they don’t just want the service available on Xbox One and Windows, but also across all consoles.
And that’s literal too. According to Phil Spencer, the company may seek to bring the service to PlayStation and Nintendo systems too. Here’s his comments about the whole idea in whole:
When you think about reaching a customer with this content where their only compute device could be an Android phone, you think about,‘What are all the ways that person pays for content today’?” Spencer said. “So we need to make sure that we’re world-class at free-to-play content, but we also look at subscription as a much lower barrier way for a customer to build a library of content.
So we built Xbox Game Pass — it started on console, it will come to PC, and eventually it will come to every device — we use the flywheel that we have with customers on an Xbox to start the growth in Xbox Game Pass. But as somebody sitting back and taking a longer-term view of where our business is going, you should look at that as a business model that we think scales to billions of people not hundreds of millions of people like retail does. ”However, the most interesting implication is that Microsoft might seek to bring its Game Pass service to PlayStation and Nintendo devices. Spencer’s comments weren’t limited to “console, then PC, then mobile” — he instead said “every device.
As you can see, it’s not exactly a confirmation, more of a ‘nice to have’ idea for the future.
Yet it’s still interesting none the less. I mean, can youimagine playing Xbox games on a Switch? That’s something you’d never expected to see happen, yet it may well become a reality in the next decade or so if Microsoft plays their cards right.
And that’s not the only interesting side effect either. No, you know what other company releases their games via Games Pass?
Rare
Yep, Nintendo’s old second party buddy uses the service too, with their latest title (Sea of Thieves) being a heavily promoted game for said service.
This means that if Game Pass does in fact become availablein the Nintendo Switch, we could in future end up seeing the next Banjo-Kazooie title end up on the Switch or its successor too. Same with any potential Conker’sBad Fur Day sequel, a new Perfect Dark game or hell, even the company’s entire library.
It’s not just their new games either. No, Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie are available on the service right now.
So if it did come to a Nintendo system, we could in essence get the Banjo-Kazooie series on ‘Virtual Console’ by way of Microsoft. Pretty neat given all the classics lost in the buyout, and a real nostalgia trip for anyone who grew up in the N64 era too.
For now though, all we can do is wait and see. Maybe it’ll come to Switch and PS4, maybe it won’t. only time can tell.
However, what do you think? Could you see Game Pass on a Nintendo system?
If so, what great Xbox One or PC games would you want to play there and why?
Tell us your thoughts in a comment or over on social media today!
Super Mario Odyssey’s been seeing quite a few great custom levels recently. From the difficult Kaizo challenges seen on Twitch to the kingdom mashups released recently (never mind the amazing Bob-omb Battlefield remake), the game’s gone having nothing to a decent modding scene in no time at all.
But now another fantastic kingdom joins the list. And this one… well it’s got a bit of a Hyrulean twist to it.
That’s because this time, today’s Super Mario Odyssey custom kingdom is Dragon Roost Isle from the Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker. It’s a location that works surprisingly well in Odyssey’s engine, and one of the most Mario like ported levels we’ve seen so far.
A very picturesque location isn’t it?
And it’s one that’s only been made better by the Zelda touches added by the level’s creator. For instance, you know how Goombas have different hats in the ‘real’ game? Like construction hats in New Donk City or Sombreros in Tostarena?
Well, that’s the case here too! This time, all the Goombas wear Link’s famous green hat too, which adds a lovely extra touch to an already fantastically well designed kingdom.
Goombas with Link caps… very Hyrule like!
What’s more, it’s not the only one either. Oh no, Power Moons are now Triforces too, with Rupees replacing coins and missions taking inspiration from the original game as well. Only minor details sure, but they’re ones that are nice to see none the less, and they go that little further into making it more than a mere model import.
Ganon would LOVE this place!
So if you’re interested in an Odyssey kingdom with a Zelda twist, check it out in this video by BeardBear:
Then maybe consider downloading the mod itself over on Game Banana. well worth it, and it’s one custom kingdom that’s well worth playing.
As any long time gamer knows, instruction manuals used to be integral part of the gaming experience. In a time where games couldn’t handle cutscenes well and space for information in game was limited, they were more than a set of instructions.
They were a look into the minds of the game’s designers. A glimpse at what those vague levels and 8-bit sprites actually represented.
Or not, if you’re Nintendo with Super Mario Bros 1…
A way to build up hype for a new title on the way back from the shop.
However, those days are coming to an end. Thanks in part to the rise of the internet (and another in part because of in game tutorials and cutscenes), manuals have gotten rarer and rarer in recent titles, with physical ones being the rarest of all. Hell, even Nintendo doesn’t bother with them anymore, what with Switch games not even providing digital versions like their 3DS and Wii U predecessors.
Fortunately for Smash Bros fans who need a physical instruction manual though, help is at. That’s because while Nintendo didn’t make an official one for Ultimate, at least one fan over on Reddit actually did, with a user called OharaLibrarianArtur actually providing a fan made version over on Reddit. Here’s the link to his thread about it:
It’s a really well done manual too. Seriously, go and look at it. The amount of detail provided here is just immense, with everything from character movesets to stages, items and basic game mechanics getting fully illustrated descriptions showcasing how they work and what’s special about them.
And it doesn’t end there either. No, the manual actually goes further than merely talking about Smash Bros Ultimate itself too, with every playable fighter getting a background description too. So if you wanted to know what game they appeared in (as well as how they looked in their first appearance, this booklet has you covered there too.
Though it seems some are based on where this version of the character first appeared (see Link)
It really is an amazing piece of work, and looks exactly like something Nintendo may have printed themselves. Or heck, probably better to be honest. There’s more detail in this one than any manual Nintendo’s put out in the last few decades, or perhaps even in their entire history of making games!
So if you’re an old school gamer who can’t resist an instruction manual, check it out. It’s free to download, contains a ton of useful information about Super Smash Bros Ultimate and works brilliantly as a printed out booklet to include in the game case (or pass around to friends before they try it for themselves).
As every Super Smash Bros Ultimate fan knows, a while back Nintendo announced their plans for Super Smash Bros Ultimate’s DLC. Consisting of five completely new characters and associated stages and music packs, these are being sold for $5.99 each, or $24.99 as a set as part of the so called Fighter’s Pass.
But it seems they’re not the only bits of DLC being added to Ultimate. No, free updates and DLC are coming to the game too.
With the first example being two new Spirits based on Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu and Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee. These Spirits are based on Pikachu and Eevee respectively, which makes sense given their roles as starter Pokémon in the games.
And they’ll be available to unlock in the game on December 14th. Here’s the tweet from the official Japanese Pokémon account about the deal:
What’s more, the way these Spirits are unlocked is quite unique too. Basically, you get them immediately if you have Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee save data on your Switch.
In Super #SmashBros. Ultimate, those with save data for Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! will unlock the Partner Pikachu Spirit, and those with save data for #PokemonLetsGo, Eevee! will unlock the Partner Eevee Spirit! They can be unlocked by completing challenges too! pic.twitter.com/Sx4xIpCXwn
While non players will be able to get them by completing challenges in game. That’s pretty interesting, and brings us right back to the days of Smash Bros Melee and Mario Kart Wii, where trophies and characters were unlocked by save data there too.
Its timing is interesting too. After all, how often do you see updates announced before a game’s release date?
Not often, we’ll say that much.
But Smash Bros Ultimate is not a normal game with a normal history. We’ve already gotten mods based on the leaked game and official DLC announcements in a pre-release Direct, so an update like this isn’t outside the realm of possibility.
More interestingly though, they also prove something keen eyed fans have known for weeks. Namely, that Spirits do not rule out a character from being playable.
Seriously. We’re not sure where this misconception came from (maybe confusion with Assist Trophies or Poke Balls), but it’s been already proven wrong by K Rool’s presence as a Spirit in Kaptain and Baron form in the same game. Or how ‘Fighter Spirits’ are now a thing over on the wiki:
Every series has these too
However, now Pikachu has put another nail in that coffin, since he’s obviously also playable in Ultimate and now has another Spirit to represent him too.
It also proves that new Spirits are going to be part of the game’s DLC line up as well. Seems like another quick update type that Nintendo can keep pumping out to advertise their latest titles.
Like the Salvager set in Breath of the Wild
So yeah, now we know. We’re getting extra Spirits as free DLC, said spirits could be based on characters who are already playable in Ultimate, and that DLC plans are already being laid out before the game’s release date.
