News: Could Smash Bros. be an NX Launch Title? Page 1

Could Smash Bros. be an NX Launch Title?

28.01.2016

Could Smash Bros. be an NX Launch Title? on Nintendo gaming news, videos and discussion

Will a new Super Smash Bros. be a launch title for the Nintendo NX?

Rumour mills have been churning out a heap of reports today, suggesting that Bandai Namco is deep in development for various NX-related projects. One of the suggested titles from the Japanese studio is said to be Super Smash Bros. for NX.

Beyond the name-drop, it's uncertain whether - if true - it would be an upgrade port of the Wii U/3DS versions with added content, or whether it's a completely new entry for the fan-favourite brawler. Dr. Serkan Toto, who has been proven right in the past, has suggested that there are several NX titles in the works, including the Smash Bros. game, from a "solid" source.

Bandai Namco is currently developing several NX titles. Smash Bros is planned to be a launch title. I am not sure about the date - yet ;).
— Dr. Serkan Toto (@serkantoto) January 28, 2016

Would an upgraded Super Smash Bros. for Wii U be a good launch title for NX if the rumour is true?

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jb 28.01.2016#1

If true - Upgraded visuals, few extra characters and classic maps methinks. Also more solo options and Mii Fighter types, I reckon. Don't think they'd go all out with a new numbered edition, unless it's been in the works for some time.

Cubed3 Admin/Founder & Designer

Azuardo 28.01.2016#2

Would make sense to port Smash U over. Some games like this are wasted on Wii U. They should try to keep a steady stream of content, like one or two characters yearly to keep people coming back, rather than just saying "Right, that's it." Fighting games need spread out characters/maps over the course of a few years to keep the scene going. Smash shouldn't be any different really.

jb 29.01.2016#3

Azuardo said:Fighting games need spread out characters/maps over the course of a few years to keep the scene going. Smash shouldn't be any different really.

Defo - they always make it out to be like team of 3 in a shack somewhere working on Smash, how it's super exhausting and whatnot. I know Sakurai has a lot of influence on the project, but they have a huge team working on it that they can definitely continually add characters. Balancing would be the biggest issue, but other fighting titles do it with ease as you say

Cubed3 Admin/Founder & Designer

crackedthesky 29.01.2016#4

The fact that he specifies Bandai Namco suggests to me it's not a port. I would imagine they'd be working on a new game, and put porting in the hands of a smaller studio (which Nintendo does with almost all of their ports, I think Wind Waker is the only exception I know of lately). Then again, Nintendo was using Wind Waker as an opportunity to get familiar with their new hardware; the same could be said of Bamco and a Smash port (though he says they're working on "multiple" games so that could go either way).

What might also be likely is a port of an older Smash game (Melee, for example); NX will probably be backwards-compatible with Wii U games, so there's not a whole lot of incentive to buy a Smash for Wii U port; combining the 3DS and Wii U versions, sales are at almost 12 million units, while Melee had lifetime totals just over 7, so a port of that makes sense the same way porting Wind Waker did.

That said, I've never heard of this guy, and every source I can find just says "he's been right before" without giving a single example, so I'm taking it with a grain of salt.

NNID: crackedthesky
My blog, mostly about writing: http://www.davidjlovato.com

Azuardo 29.01.2016#5

Hmm, fair points. If Wii U games run on NX, not really a need to port. For some reason, BC with Wii U games never entered my mind, so assumed port would be on the cards.

I can't really see a brand new Smash being released so quickly, given that they release so far apart from each other and how much work goes into each one. It would be out of sorts with the series and how they approach developing new Smash games to release one at NX launch only a couple of years after Smash 4.

So a port of Melee? It's not impossible, but it seems odd to me to release and upgrade an old fighting game. Alright, it does happen (Street Fighter 2 HD Remix, Soulcalibur 2 HD), but rarely. I feel like a "Melee HD" would have to be really updated in terms of characters and modes to be in line with what Smash 4 offers for it to really be sensible, otherwise, you're basically releasing a Smash game that's "worse" than what just came before it (content-wise). If it's advertised as a quick 'n' dirty Melee HD, fair enough, but still seems out of place as an NX launch title to me.

crackedthesky 29.01.2016#6

Well, as I understand it, one of the reasons the Smash Bros. games take so long and have fewer returning characters is that Sakurai refuses to re-use assets and builds everything from scratch every game. An HD port (or even full remake) would likely not be headed by Sakurai, and would by definition re-use assets, so I imagine it would be a quick job to do an HD port of an older game but include characters, items, stages, and mechanics from all four. I don't see them doing a simple port of 64, Melee, or Brawl because how do you market that? "Smash Wii U but with fewer characters and stages" isn't going to fly off the shelves, especially if NX is indeed backward compatible and people could just play Smash for Wii U on it.

This reminds me of that Bandai Namco job listing that leaked a while back. IIR it was for a new Smash game to be released 2015; I wonder if these are related and it was just delayed to launch on NX? If that's the case, it's almost certainly not a port of Wii U.

NNID: crackedthesky
My blog, mostly about writing: http://www.davidjlovato.com

Guest 29.01.2016#7

Add 12 characters, add 12 stages. Add extra costumes, Improve the online, and have each character have a basic intro and ending for single player. If Smash NX isn't a launch title i'd be surprised. If they started again from scratch nintendo really don't have much business sense

Marzeee 29.01.2016#8

I know people love backwards compatibility, but it shouldn't be prioritized in the NX. I want the NX to be brand new hardware stepping away from all the old technology and have architecture more like a PC, like PS4. When you start focusing on backwards compatibility, you can bet the hardware will have to take a hit in areas and it makes it harder for developers to work with.

NX needs to just get away from Wii completely, in my opinion. A complete fresh start. I want them to make the best console they can. If they can do backwards compatibly, then sure definitely add it in. Of course I'd want it if they can make it work. If not, no worries. I'm not expecting it, personally.

( Edited 29.01.2016 10:22 by Marzy )

crackedthesky 29.01.2016#9

I'm just assuming it will because every disc-based Nintendo console has (as have all of their handhelds). Also if the rumors ring true and the NX is basically a next-gen Wii U where the GamePad is a next-gen 3DS, it sounds like BC would be pretty easily implemented as far as having the dual screen hardware in place goes. Even if it's just a rudimentary emulator like the Wii U does for Wii games, I think it's probably something they're keeping in mind.

Another thing to keep in mind are the rumors that NX is going to launch Holiday 2016; that means any Wii U games coming out this year are going to have a pretty short shelf life if it's not backward compatible.

NNID: crackedthesky
My blog, mostly about writing: http://www.davidjlovato.com

Flynnie 31.01.2016#10

If those patented plans come to fruition then the NX won't have a disc drive to play WiiU games anyway.

I agree with Marzy, I want them to start anew, one fricking control scheme this time. I can't keep investing in hundreds of controllers. Get away from the Wii moniker and just make the easiest platform to develop for. I'm no tech expert but Nintendo consoles seemed to get a lot of stick from developers because it's so vastly different to develop for than the competition.

I'd love to see what they'd do with Smash, I struggle to see where they'd go with the next one. Nintendo historically don't like releasing a new game in a series unless they have a hook. New characters, stages and trophies won't be enough.

However a a top Nintendo franchise or two needs to launch with the NX, whether that be a mainline Zelda, 3D Mario, Metroid, Mario Kart, Or Smash Bros. They really need to hit the ground running, the PS4 will most likely be at 50-60million units sold and the the XB1 at around 25-30million by the end of the year. If 3rd parties are shunning the Wii U at 10 million units then I dread to think what will happen with the NX , especially as XB1 is only At around 19 million now!

crackedthesky 02.02.2016#11

Flynnie said:
If those patented plans come to fruition then the NX won't have a disc drive to play WiiU games anyway.
I agree with Marzy, I want them to start anew, one fricking control scheme this time. I can't keep investing in hundreds of controllers. Get away from the Wii moniker and just make the easiest platform to develop for. I'm no tech expert but Nintendo consoles seemed to get a lot of stick from developers because it's so vastly different to develop for than the competition.
I'd love to see what they'd do with Smash, I struggle to see where they'd go with the next one. Nintendo historically don't like releasing a new game in a series unless they have a hook. New characters, stages and trophies won't be enough.
However a a top Nintendo franchise or two needs to launch with the NX, whether that be a mainline Zelda, 3D Mario, Metroid, Mario Kart, Or Smash Bros. They really need to hit the ground running, the PS4 will most likely be at 50-60million units sold and the the XB1 at around 25-30million by the end of the year. If 3rd parties are shunning the Wii U at 10 million units then I dread to think what will happen with the NX , especially as XB1 is only At around 19 million now!

Not talking about patents, but industry rumors that have been going around. Should always be taken with a grain of salt, but IIR many come from the same sources that got a lot right about Wii U, like NFC, the system coming with some type of screen, compatibility with Wii stuff etc.

Wouldn't surprise me if they pulled a Twilight Princess and launched Zelda U simultaneously on both systems.

I think your last sentence is exactly why NX needs to be easy as hell to develop for. If devs have to work basically at all to get a game running on NX, then that game probably just won't get ported at all.

NNID: crackedthesky
My blog, mostly about writing: http://www.davidjlovato.com

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