Super Smash Brothers Ultimate

Bibliographic Information:

• Title: Super Smash Brothers Ultimate
• Developer: Bandai Namco Studios
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Platform: Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: December 7, 2018

Genre: Fighting Game

Format: Video Game

Awards (Wikipedia, 2021):

• Best Nintendo Switch Game, Best Fighting Game, and Best Multiplayer Game- IGN Best of 2018 Awards
• Best Fighting Game- Game Critics Awrd 2018
• Fighting Game of the Year-22nd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards 2019
• Excellence in Game Play- SXSW Gaming Awards 2019
• Grand Prize, Best Sales Award, Global Award (Japanese Product), Excellence Award, and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Award-Japan Game Awards 2019
• Nintendo Game of the Year- Golden Joystick Awards 2019
• Best Fighting Game-The Game Awards 2019

Rating/Interest Level: E- Everyone 10+

Game Description: Super Smash Brothers Ultimate is a fighting game that features over 80 playable characters and 100 stages. It is the fifth installment in the Super Smash Brothers series. Players can use different attacks to weaken their opponents and throw them out of the arena. There are many game modes, including single and multi-player versus modes. All of the characters from the previous Super Smash Brothers game are included, plus a few new ones. Favorites include Mario, Pikachu, Link, and Donkey Kong. Each character has a unique set of moves. Up to eight players can play at one time.

Reaction/Interest: Super Smash Brothers Ultimate is very popular with all ages. Teen reviews on Common Sense Media (2020) give it 4 and 5 stars out of a possible 5. It is described as being “awesome, one of the best games on Switch, not gory or oversexualized, and addicting.” The only negative seems to be “hard to learn” and “can be frustrating at the beginning.”

Critical Evaluation: Super Smash Brothers Ultimate is a fun, engaging game. The selection of characters is amazing! This can be overwhelming to some players since each character has different special moves. All of the old favorites are back. The game can be played in a single user mode or up to eight players. This makes it perfect for teens who like to play socially. Characters need to be unlocked, which can be frustrating at first. The different worlds and stages are colorful and creatively done. The background music is not as annoying as in some other video games. Super Smash Brothers Ultimate is a little confusing to learn at first. There are different sets of rules and a lot of charcaters and worlds, but once you get the hang of it, it is addicting and fun! Teens love this game, and I can see why.

Creative Use for a Library Program: Since Super Smash Brothers Ultimate is a fighting game and up to eight players can play at a time, it is perfect for a video game tournaments. I hold Super Smash Brothers tournaments at my library several times a year. They are very well attended and a lot of fun.

Speed-Round Game Talk: Pikachu, Zelda, Donkey Kong, Mario? The choice is yours! Select your favorite character and get ready to fight! Play alone or with your friends. Super Smash Brothers Ultimate is sure to hook you in and keep you playing!

Potential Challenge Issues and Defenses: Super Smash Bros is a fighting game which some parents might object to. The characters are cartoons so it is not as violent as other fighting games that have more realistic characters.

Reason for Inclusion: I included Super Smash Brothers Ultimate because it is very popular with teens at my library. We have a video game day once a week and this is the only game they want to play. Their parents literally have to drag them out of the library when they are playing. On days when we do not set up the video games, the teens are constantly playing this on their Nintendo Switches, and begging me to let them use the big screen. I did not understand what all the hype was about until I played it for this assignment.

References:

Common Sense Media. (2021). Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. Retrieved from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/super-smash-bros-ultimate/user-reviews/child

Nintendo. (2018, November 20). Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – Overview Trailer feat. The Announcer – Nintendo Switch. [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLu7e8RZoYc&ab_channel=SuperSmashBros.SuperSmashBros.

Wikipedia. (2021, May 7). Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Smash_Bros._Ultimate