My thoughts on Super Smash Bros. 3DS! (Plus free bonuses for EU/US)

[FamicomRetroGamer]

So I've gotten the Nintendo Special demo of Super Smash Bros. on 3DS and I have to say that graphically the game looks gorgeous and the music is as you already know, brilliant but unfortunately controlling the character means you've gotta use the Analogue Stick instead of the D-PAD (and this has been confirmed to be final on the Japanese edition too which came out this week). Aside from this minor issue, the gameplay (it's smooth and fast) and thus far the game is awesome!

Also, if you're in Europe/US you can get the Smash Bros. 3DS/Wii U Soundtrack CD by buying both and registering them at Nintendo Club, plus if you're in Europe then you can get a free game with it (the list's below).

-    Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
-    The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
-    Yoshi's New Island
-    Kirby: Triple Deluxe
-    Mario Golf: World Tour
-    Mario Party: Island Tour
-    Pokémon Art Academy

It expires on Janurary, 2014 but once I've gotten ahold of my Smash Bros. 3DS I'm registering it right away and grabbing Kirby Triple Deluxe!

[L___E___T]

I got an e-mail saying I could get the demo - but in all honesty I'd rather just wait for the WiiU version, it's later this year I think.

[zmaster18]

Wow, I wish I was in Europe to get one of those free games! I'd probably scoop up Mario Golf!

[tappybot]

Would you guys be willing to share a demo code with me if available?

I meet the demo recipient selection requirements, but didn't get the e-mail for whatever reason. 

you've gotta use the Analogue Stick instead of the D-PAD (and this has been confirmed to be final on the Japanese edition too which came out this week).

You've got to be kidding.  Smash has always been known to have extensive control customization.  You can use a sideways Wiimote D-Pad in brawl.. Why wouldn't you be able to use the D-pad for Smash on 3DS?

I was really hoping, and expecting, that you could set the controls to the D-pad.  Shoot..

[FamicomRetroGamer]

The Japanese version of Smash Bros. is out and while the controls are customisable changing the Stick to D-PAD and vice-versa isn't possible, it's been confirmed already. :-/

I feel like moving the character with the D-PAD would be so much quicker for me than to use the Stick. I really liked using the D-PAD for Brawl, so it's a little lacking not having it here.

[L___E___T]

Tappy are you in EU?  The code won't work in the US...

[tappybot]

Ah, Yeah I'd be after a North American code then.

That's a big shame that the D-pad is allowed.
I'd really like to hear a clear response to why it was deliberately decided that the D-pad won't be available for customization.

Disappointing.. and makes me feel like I won't be able to go all out.

Not a fan of the circle slider in most cases, and certainly not in a game like smash, which is fast and frantic.

[Shumi Nagaremono]

Picked up the JP version yesterday afternoon.  I'd have gone earlier, but I didn't want to deal with longer lines than necessary. 

Not sure how much there is to say.  It's a hell of a lot of fun.  The platforming in Field Smash mode takes a bit of getting used to, but that's just about the only down side. 

Also, is there no strategy guide?  Or even a Famitsu mini-guide?  Or were they just sold out? 

I haven't played a Smash Bros game since the original.  But with Pac Man and the combination 3-D (love 3D!) and rumors of Mr. Game and Watch and the Famicom Robot... I had to give it a shot.

[FamicomRetroGamer]

Ah, Yeah I'd be after a North American code then.

That's a big shame that the D-pad is not allowed.
I'd really like to hear a clear response to why it was deliberately decided that the D-pad won't be available for customization.

Disappointing.. and makes me feel like I won't be able to go all out.

Not a fan of the circle slider in most cases, and certainly not in a game like smash, which is fast and frantic.

I've seen reports of people who broke their 3DS Sticks and I certainly don't want that to happen to mine but whenever I try to use the Stick it feels uncomfortable for this type of game.

For Mario 3D Land it was fantastic but here.. just no.

I loved using the Wiimote for Brawl and the D-PAD there felt so fluid and fast that when I used a GameCube controller I just couldn't get used to it, sure I'm not a pro at Smash but I'm not trying to be anyhow.

[P]

Started downloading the demo.


I don't get what's the problem with the slide pad? Smash Bros has always used the 3D stick for controlling the strength of the attacks. The Wii version is the only exception of having a digital d-pad option, but that didn't work very well IMHO. I always used the Gamecube controller.

[tappybot]

Started downloading the demo.


I don't get what's the problem with the slide pad? Smash Bros has always used the 3D stick for controlling the strength of the attacks. The Wii version is the only exception of having a digital d-pad option, but that didn't work very well IMHO. I always used the Gamecube controller.

The problem is that the 3DS Circle Slider feels nothing like an analogue stick.  It works, but I prefer to use Dpad whenever possible, and it's clear my worries of it being fragile are justified.

[L___E___T]

I tried the demo and didn't like it - circle pad doesn't feel responsive enough basically and there's no feedback from it, I was surprised.

More surprised about the layout of the AB XY buttons though, everything from jumping to UP+B moves just felt weird, so in short I didn't like it, I was put off, but wasn't planning to buy the 3DS version anyway.

I have 4 EU codes left to share - EU friends here can feel free to send me a PM, if I recognise your name, it's yours (lurkers please post moar! )

[FamicomRetroGamer]

I've got Smash 3DS and will keep it, but if I end up disliking even the full game I'll just sell it though without the Club Nintendo card that grants access to receiving the CD (plus I'll need to register Smash U too).

I'll probably get a lot of downvotes on Amazon if I criticize the game a bit (it happened with Mario Kart .

[tappybot]

Played the demo for a bit today, as the public demo is now available.

First impression:

- Even though I knew there was no D-pad support, I naturally used it in the menus and forgot repeatedly while my thumb was on it, that it can't be used in battle.
- The resolution on the 3DS is too low for this game, particularly when the camera pans back when players aren't all together.
- The circle slider sucks and I'm having trouble coming to grips with it in trying to duck throw platforms and facing certain directions.  I don't like it, and I'm grumpy it's forced on us.
- Nintendo does it again and screws up the button layout. As they've been doing lately in all their games, they're mapping the buttons incorrectly.. at least counter intuitively to what it was on the SNES, for the same of Letter consistency.   Example:  NES had B and A. SNES had Y and B for the same functions... the primary buttons..   Now, in a game like Yoshi's Island, where the controls are the same in the New 3DS game as they were in the SNES game, Nintendo swaps the functions of the buttons.  Instead of B being Jump, they switch it to A.  What the hell Nintendo?  Luckily you can change that back in the options..  Unfortunately with the new Kirby game, there's no option for changing it back to how it would play on the SNES version. It irritates the hell out of me.

But anyway, I believe the face buttons are customizable in the final 3DS Smash game..  though I'm going to be sour about no Dpad option for a long time to come.  Very sour.

After playing a bit more. I can see the game seems good and everything, but I can't help but feel I'm viewing the game through a tiny window on an obtuse controller.

[P]

I also got to play the demo so here are my thoughts.

I still don't buy your critics towards the slide pad. I agree that it's not the same thing as an analogue joystick, it's an attempt to make an analogue directional controller device that's flat enough for a portable console. It felt awkward when playing Super Mario 3D Land with it in the beginning but I have since got used to it (not wholly though, it still feels a bit awkward but it's getting better and better). The use in this game isn't much different from any other game that requires analogue control so you just have to get used to it. It was the same thing when the N64 came out and almost every game used the 3D Stick. It took some time before I could play games like I used to again.

I don't understand how a Smash Bros game can possibly be played with a digital d-pad to be honest. To make a smash attack you need to "tap" the stick/slide, and that means moving it in one direction in a certain speed. A d-pad however only has two types of uses: Tapping and holding. Tapping a d-pad is not the same as what Smash Bros refers to tapping the stick/slide. It just means pressing and releasing the button fast. So how are you supposed to for example charge up a smash attack with a d-pad?

I fully agree with Tappybot's critics of Nintendo changing the A/B button layout. The SFC/DS face buttons are slanted much more than the GB/GBA A and B buttons are, so you can't just hold the thumb over them and press B with the tip of your thumb and A with the inner part of the thumb as easily as on a Famicom or Gameboy which is why many action games used B/Y instead (although most RPGs and other menu based games used A and B buttons).

This is especially irritating when playing GBA games on a DS since GBA A/B → DS A/B and there's no way (to my knowledge) to change it! The Super Game Boy had a swap option to B/Y!

Still Smash Bros just uses A for normal attacks and B for special moves and doesn't use A and B in conjunction with each other, so I didn't think it was really a problem in this game. Also the buttons are smaller on a 3DS than on a SFC controller so it's not entirely impossible to press both buttons at the same time. However I agree that using B/Y would probably make more sense as they are slanted like A/B on the N64 controller.


OK now some criticizing:
On the Gamecube controller you grabbed with Z button (right index finger) and shielded with either L and R. On 3DS there are no Z button so Nintendo had to pick one of the L/R for grabbing and use the other one for shielding. And they picked L (left index finger)!! I had some serious trouble blocking and grabbing because of this change!! Also I think jumping feels a bit hard.


Thankfully Rockman was playable in the demo, and coming from one of my absolute favourite game series of all time, I'm very happy to say that he wasn't disappointing to play as at all. He could easily be one of my favourite Smash Bros characters in the future. Murabito was interesting but I need to experiment more with his moves before I can see how they can be useful.