Is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Good for Beginners?
Yes, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is surprisingly beginner-friendly, despite its reputation for complex competitive play. While the game has a deep and nuanced fighting system that can be mastered over time, its core mechanics are accessible and easy to pick up. This makes it a fantastic entry point for newcomers to the fighting game genre and for players of all ages and skill levels. The game’s design prioritizes fun and accessibility, allowing players to quickly jump in and enjoy themselves even without a deep understanding of complex fighting game techniques. However, it’s crucial to understand that while approachable, mastering Smash Ultimate requires time, practice, and strategy.
Why is Smash Ultimate Beginner-Friendly?
The accessibility of Smash Ultimate stems from several key design choices:
Simple Controls
Unlike traditional fighting games that rely on intricate command inputs, Smash Ultimate uses relatively simple controls. Instead of complex directional inputs and button combinations, the game focuses on directional movement combined with a single attack button, a special button, a jump button, and a shield/dodge button. This allows newcomers to easily grasp the basic mechanics of moving and attacking. Even simple button mashing can lead to fun interactions and victories, allowing for immediate enjoyment.
Emphasis on Movement and Stage Interaction
Smash Ultimate is as much about navigating the stage as it is about landing hits. The game features a wide variety of unique stages with dynamic hazards, platforms, and layouts. This emphasis on movement and stage interaction allows beginners to experiment and explore the environment, discovering new ways to outmaneuver their opponents. The recovery system, which allows players to recover from being knocked off stage, is also relatively forgiving for beginners.
Diverse Character Roster
The game boasts a massive roster of 82 unique characters, each with their own playstyle, strengths, and weaknesses. This variety allows beginners to find a character that suits their personal preferences and allows for continuous experimentation. While some characters are more complex than others, many are very beginner-friendly. Characters like Mario, Captain Falcon, and Ganondorf are often recommended as starting points due to their balanced gameplay mechanics and easy-to-learn movesets. This prevents beginners from feeling overwhelmed by the sheer complexity that other fighting games can initially pose.
Abundance of Single-Player Content
Smash Ultimate offers a wealth of single-player content, including Classic Mode, Adventure Mode: World of Light, the Spirit Board, and various challenge modes. These modes provide a valuable training ground for new players to familiarize themselves with different characters, mechanics, and strategies. Furthermore, these modes offer a fun way to play the game solo while also improving skills for multiplayer matches. The training mode is especially useful, offering a way to practice movement and combat against training dummies.
Relaxed Difficulty Curve
The game’s difficulty curve is gentle, with the AI in single-player modes adjusting to the player’s level. This means that beginners are not thrown into overly challenging situations right away. Instead, they can progress at their own pace, gradually learning the nuances of the game. The opportunity to adjust the difficulty is also valuable and gives beginners a chance to hone their skills in a lower-pressure environment.
Overcoming Beginner Challenges
While the game is accessible, some challenges exist for beginners:
- Choosing a Starting Character: The sheer number of characters can be overwhelming for newcomers. Experimenting with different characters is important to see what fits your playstyle, but starting with one of the recommended beginner characters is a good approach.
- Learning Advanced Techniques: While basic mechanics are simple, mastering advanced techniques like short hops, aerial attacks, and edge guarding takes time and effort. However, beginners don’t need to master these techniques to enjoy the game.
- Strategy and Mind Games: Smash Ultimate is not just about mashing buttons. It requires strategic thinking and the ability to predict your opponent’s moves. This is a skill that develops over time and with practice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate a good fighting game for someone who doesn’t normally play fighting games?
Absolutely! Smash Ultimate is designed to be accessible to everyone, regardless of their experience with fighting games. Its simple controls and fun mechanics make it easy to pick up and enjoy.
2. What age is appropriate for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate?
The game is rated ESRB EVERYONE 10+ for Cartoon Violence, Comic Mischief, and Suggestive Themes. While it contains some cartoon violence, there is no blood or gore. It’s generally considered appropriate for children 10 and older, although younger kids may also enjoy it with parental guidance.
3. Can a 6-year-old play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate?
While it’s rated E10+, some younger children, around the age of 6, can still enjoy the game with supervision due to the mild cartoon violence. It depends on the individual child and their sensitivity to cartoon violence.
4. Which characters are the easiest to start with in Smash Ultimate?
Mario, Captain Falcon, and Ganondorf are often recommended as beginner-friendly characters. They have balanced stats and easy-to-learn move sets.
5. What skills does Super Smash Bros. Ultimate require?
Smash Ultimate requires mechanical skills, strategic thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to adapt to different opponents. It’s not just about memorizing combos; you need to be quick-thinking.
6. Is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate worth it in 2023?
Absolutely! It remains a critically acclaimed and highly enjoyable game. Its vast content, large roster, and dynamic gameplay make it a worthwhile purchase even years after its initial release.
7. Can you play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate alone?
Yes! The game has extensive single-player content, including Spirit Board challenges, Classic Mode, and Adventure Mode. These modes offer hours of fun and provide opportunities to improve your skills.
8. How difficult is it to learn Super Smash Bros. Ultimate?
The basic mechanics are easy to grasp, far simpler than traditional fighting games. However, mastering advanced techniques requires time and practice. It’s easy to start, but difficult to master.
9. Which characters are considered the hardest to play in Smash Ultimate?
Characters like Pichu, Zero Suit Samus, Zelda, Ness, Luigi, Samus, Olimar (and Alph), and Sheik are often considered harder to play due to their more complex mechanics and specific limitations.
10. How can you practice and improve your skills in Smash Ultimate?
The game includes a training mode where you can practice movement and attacks. The single-player modes also help hone your skills against AI opponents. There are also many online resources to help improve.
11. Why was the first Smash Bros. rated T?
The early Smash Bros. games included some more explicit cartoon violence and depictions of guns that earned them a Teen rating. However, later games and Smash Ultimate have been rated E10+ due to the absence of bloodshed and more cartoonish approach.
12. What happens if you lose to a character challenge?
If you lose to a character who challenges you, you can re-challenge them in “Challenger’s Approach”, a hidden area in the game.
13. What is the most overpowered character in the history of the Smash Bros. franchise?
The most overpowered characters have varied between games. Pikachu was considered OP in Smash 64, Fox in Melee, Meta Knight in Brawl, and Bayonetta in Smash 4.
14. Which characters do you start with when you first begin playing Smash Ultimate?
You begin with Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Samus, Yoshi, Kirby, Fox, and Pikachu.
15. What are some stages that are often banned in competitive Smash Ultimate?
Stages like Big Blue, Brinstar, Corneria, Green Greens, and other stages with hazards or unbalanced layouts are often banned in competitive play.
Conclusion
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is an excellent choice for beginners thanks to its accessible controls, emphasis on fun, and a wide variety of content. While it offers a rich system of strategy and deep gameplay that can be mastered over time, the game allows newcomers to jump in and enjoy themselves right away. Its blend of simplicity and depth makes it a worthwhile experience for players of all ages and skill levels. If you’re looking for a fun, engaging fighting game that doesn’t require expert-level inputs, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a perfect place to start.