With the game having only been announced just a few months ago, Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo Switch was arguably going to be one of the marquee titles for the system later this year, and at E3 2018 we got our best look yet at the anticipated fighting game by confirming its name, its roster, and its release date.
During the latest Nintendo Direct for E3 2018, we got a massive new trailer filled with more info on the upcoming fighting game for the Switch and giving fans a deep dive into the characters, maps, and other features we can expect to see in the series' fifth installment.
Alongside the action-packed trailer shown from Nintendo, we got the confirmation that the game will be including every single character ever released in previous Super Smash Bros. titles, which now puts the roster at over 60+ characters, including the return of characters like Pichu, Ice Climbers, and Young Link that missed out on the past few installments. You can check out the full list below, which includes all of the veteran characters from the previous and three new fighters -- Inkling, Daisy, and Ridley:
- Bayonetta
- Bowser
- Bowser Jr.
- Captain Falcon
- Cloud
- Corrin
- Daisy
- Dark Pit
- Diddy Kong
- Donkey Kong
- Dr. Mario
- Duck Hunt
- Falco
- Fox
- Ganondorf
- Greninja
- Ice Climbers
- Ike
- Inkling
- Jigglypuff
- King Dedede
- Kirby
- Link
- Little Mac
- Lucario
- Lucas
- Lucina
- Luigi
- Mario
- Marth
- Mega Man
- Meta Knight
- Mewtwo
- Mii Brawler
- Mii Gunner
- Mii Swordfighter
- Mr. Game & Watch
- Ness
- Olimar
- Pac-Man
- Palutena
- Peach
- Pichu
- Pikachu
- Pit
- Pokemon Trainer (Charizard/Ivysaur/Squirtle)
- Ridley
- R.O.B.
- Robin
- Rosalina & Luna
- Roy
- Ryu
- Samus
- Sheik
- Shulk
- Snake
- Sonic
- Toon Link
- Villager
- Wario
- Wii Fit Trainer
- Wolf
- Yoshi
- Young Link
- Zelda
- Zero Suit Samus
Alongside the character reveals, Nintendo also confirmed that features such as 8-player battles will be returning, while various characters will be getting a few cosmetic and move changes, such as Mario incorporating some help from Super Mario Odyssey's Cappy, Link will don his appearance from Breath of the Wild, and Zelda will take on her appearance from The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.
The reveal also detailed that "clone characters" with similar movesets to other characters -- such as Dark Pit and Lucina -- will now be known as "Echo Fighters," and the trailer revealed that Daisy will be added as a new Echo Fighter on the roster.
Nintendo also gave us an in-depth look at the gameplay for the Inklings, the new characters that were previously confirmed with the game's announcement earlier this year. The Inklings, like in Splatoon, will rely on ink to fuel their combat powers, and the Inkling will have eight different costume colors and inks.
Nintendo also confirmed that Assist Trophies and items will also be getting some changes, as certain Assist Trophies can now be KOed. We'll also see the introduction of a few new faces in Ultimate, such as Bomberman, being added to the lineup of Assist Trophies, with over 50 to be incorporated into the game.
Stages were also addressed during the Direct, and in Ultimate we will see a variety of maps from the previous games return, such as Green Hill Zone, Princess Peach's Castle, Tortimer Island, and many more. A few new maps were confirmed however, such as a Splatoon-inspired map and the Great Plateau Tower from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. As with the Wii U and 3DS titles, all maps will also have standard and Omega variants for those wanting a more competitive playing field, a la Final Destination.
New gameplay features were also shown during the Direct, and Ultimate specifically will be implementing some revised gameplay techniques such as a directional air dodge (a la Super Smash Bros. Melee), light jump attacks, increased damage between 1v1 players, and more. All Super Smash Bros. series amiibo will be supported with the upcoming game, as well as all of the other amiibo that Nintendo has released so far, which is sure to give some added value to players with an extensive collection of the figurines.
On a final note from its extensive debut during the Direct, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will also be including a brand new fighter in the form of Ridley, the iconic villain from the Metroid series, as shown at the tail end of the trailer. Finally, we got a confirmation of the game's release date, and the title will be available on December 7th, 2018 for the Switch, making it surely one of the Switch's big holiday sellers for this year.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will officially come to the Switch in December 2018; for a closer look at the game's debut, you can check out the new trailer from E3 2018 below.
For more news coming from Nintendo at E3 2018 as it breaks, you can head over here to watch the Nintendo Direct and catch all the latest news and announcements.