Five Things I’d Like to see from this Week’s Super Smash Bros. Direct

I’ll be honest, I don’t need revelations. I don’t need gameplay gimmicks,.I don’t even need surprises. My desire for Super Smash Bros for 3DS and Super Smash Bros for Wii U info, right now, is in a state of ‘clamouring for confirmation’. How does it really play? What does it really look like? When will I be able to play the dang thing? I already know that Super Smash Bros for Wii U/3DS will be a fine game (right?), but there are a lot of uncertainties, questions, and general itches that I’m hoping this Direct will satisfy. Which brings me, nicely, to my first big hope.

1. Some Gameplay

Super Smash Bros for Wii U/3DS’ lovely lead designer, Masahiro Sakurai, has been using the daily images for a whole host of things over the past 10 months but do you know the one thing we’ve not really seen? Gameplay!

There have been HUD-less snippets in the character trailers, and the Little Mac reveal gave us a tantalising glimpse of an actual match when it revealed the boxer’s power meter, but the only full, unedited, un-fancified match of Super Smash Bros. 4 we’ve seen was the Mega Man versus Mario stage demo at E3 last June.

This wouldn’t be so bad but with Sakurai touting gameplay changes in the daily images (edge ‘trumping’, no more infinite standard attacks etc.) and continually promising a game somewhere in between Melee and Brawl, I’m desperate to see some raw gameplay to back up these claims. And I’m talking both 3DS and Wii U footage here, I want to be comparing and contrasting into the early hours of Wednesday morning.

2. Music

I remember when Brawl was announced, its theme song got top billing. ‘Look! We got the Final Fantasy chap to throw some Latin words around about a plumber punching a mouse!’ It was great news, but it makes the comparative silence in regards to Super Smash Bros for Wii U/3DS’ soundscape somewhat worrying.

Super Smash Bros. is a celebration of all things Nintendo and the music is a massive part of this. I want to hear some snippets. I think confirming composers might be delving into slightly geeky domain, even for a Nintendo Direct, but my ears are hungry! As long as it sounds nothing like Yoshi’s New Island, I will be content.

3. 3DS vs. Wii U Facts

If there’s one question that has been asked constantly since the announcement of Super Smash Bros for 3DS and Super Smash Bros for Wii U it’s been, ‘are they the same game?’ This Super Smash Bros Direct should be the stage to finally give the titles some distance.

What makes each game unique (aside from stages and trophies)? Will they have individual single player elements? Is the 3DS version releasing before the Wii U version (speaking of which, gimme a release date)? Will the 3DS version connect to the Wii U version in some way (perhaps to share player data, or a custom character)? This direct needs to put to rest this most irritating question that continues to loom over this pair of titles.

4. Veterans

Did you know that it’s been over six weeks since we had our last character reveal for Super Smash Bros for Wii U/3DS? Well it has been. In that time Yoshi’s New Island came out, and we had no Yoshi reveal. Almost every previous reveal has been to coincide with a new title, where appropriate. Sonic Lost World? Here’s Sonic in Smash. A Link Between Worlds? Have Zelda and a mysterious Spirit Tracks Guardian image (where’s Sheik!). Donkey Kong is out? Diddy is back and he’ll fly real high with his jetpack on.

Yoshi’s New Island release? Nadda. Zip. Zilch. Mario’s steed is still mysteriously missing, so it’s about time we see him, right? And that’s the thing: he’s obvious. Yoshi is one of those veterans that I just want to see confirmed so we can stop wondering where he is. They aren’t a surprise, really, just irritating itches that Sakurai refuses to scratch. So with that in mind I’m hoping we get two, or even three Veterans, as there are many classic, expected Smash faces awaiting confirmation.

If the Direct begins with a black screen and an yelp of ‘FALCON!’ Then I’ll be a cheery chappy.

5. One Fancy Newcomer

The Newcomers in Super Smash Bros for Wii U/Super Smash Bros for 3DS have been excellent so far, particularly the more recent pair. Both Rosalina and Little Mac show creative flair that’s actively flexing the Super Smash Bros template. I did say I don’t need surprises, but newcomers are an expected surprise, y’know? A surprise that’s expected and expected to surprise me. You get what I mean. Maybe.

But yes, Rosalina was announced recently and she uses a Luma separately to herself, giving her a ‘puppet’ gameplay style similar to the likes of Carl Clover in BlazBlue. Little Mac, meanwhile, has a unique mechanic in his KO gauge. Even Lucario, one of Brawl’s more interesting concepts, has had his unique element (he’s more powerful as he takes more damage) played up in Super Smash Bros 4. I want to see this bolder creative streak continue with another newcomer.

Would I be fine with Takumaru as a straight swordsman? I suppose. Would I rather see Chibi Robo with an energy meter concept? Or Professor Layton with some puzzle solving quirk similar to Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Phoenix Wright? Or a Mii with a fully customisable moveset based on their appearances in Wii Sports, Music, Party, Pilotwings etc? Yes. Adding Mii’s would be an easy way to effectively include Reggie, after all.

Those are my key desires from this Super Smash Bros Direct. Details, details, details! But what do you want to see? Let us know in the comments below!