Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

 3DS
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 922 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 756 out of 922
  2. Mixed: 116 out of 922
  3. Negative: 50 out of 922
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  1. flametail23
    Oct 18, 2014
    8
    Super Smash Bros for the 3DS is on eof this years best titles. There are a lot of characters to play as, some of them are clones but most of them are unique and cool to play as. It's not the deepest fighter but it is a very fun one worth playing. Playing with friends is also fun.
    8/10
  2. Ernste
    Oct 18, 2014
    7
    4 people battle was the best part of this series , but now -_- 3ds power limitation really mess up with the 4p battle , things 99% will get better on new3ds as i believe? There is mostly no framerate issues on this game but luigi do has a glitch on animal crossing map (another patch coming soon?)

    OVERALL: Buy it -/_- 4p **** but 2p so far has no noticeable problem been found yet
  3. KNDNumbuh2008
    Oct 17, 2014
    10
    I really like the Wii U and the 3DS versions of that game. It is definitely awesome. Rosalina is my favorite video game character. I wish I will get it.
  4. Kazek7
    Oct 17, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Super smash brothers 4 doesn't live up to my expectations. This game doesn't have enough content on it, And the controls with the circle pad suck. First off, When I try to do a smash attack with the circle pad, It doesn't do it 60% of the time. And with the B attacks, When I try do the recover move, It sometimes registers as the side B attack, making me fall off the F@#%ing stage! Fighting games require precise control, and the 3DS just cannot do that with the circle pad.
    The content on this game is bear minimum. All star mode and classic mode are the only modes you will WANT to play, And of both of them All star mode is the only enjoyable one if you play at a higher difficulty. Classic mode has this stupid roulette wheel for prizes, And most of the time you're going to want costumes and hats for the Mii fighters. Except THE WHEEL NEVER GIVES YOU S%^T! I don't care about trophies, and I don't care about an extra 200 coins. But that's not the worst part of Classic mode. The master hand battle is bulls@#t!. I played all the way through White hot difficulty (9), I went all the way through without being KO'd, And The master hand whoops your ass. First you fight Crazy hand AND master hand, Then some stupid shadow thing, Then a shadow dog, Then 4 swords, then Yourself, Then you have to do a lot damage to a smash ball, then you win. And EACH time you lose, The difficulty drops, Your money is taken away, and it takes away prizes you got from the f@$^ing roulette wheel. And makes you want to smash your 3DS with a sledge hammer in frustration. Don't even mention the new Smash run mode, Just do a normal brawl.
    Then we have the Characters, A large roster, with a small amount being unlockable. Remember when Clone characters were not going to be in the game? Yea- no. Dark Pit and Pit, Toon link and Link, Dr Mario and Mario. Yep. Certainly don't see any clone characters here. Ice climbers have got to go though, Don't want any duplicates.
    This games multiplayer is slow as s@$t.. Every battle runs at like 3 fps. And if you get disconnected, receive a 15 min ban. Sounds like fun doesn't it?
    This game is pretty bad. The controls don't work well, The modes are boring, Multiplayer runs too slow, and there aren't enough stages. Its not a game I would pulverize with my sledge hammer, But its certainly not even close to being good, And I expect the Wii U version to contain more content then this version.    … Expand
  5. Schizoidmouse
    Oct 17, 2014
    6
    Who hasn't heard of Super Smash Bros? This is every fanboy/girl's dream! You get to settle rivalries never thought to ever be settled in their respective franchises. You even learn about Nintendo's more beloved non-mainstream titles as even their characters are given life on this stage. Everyone was stoked for the next installment in this series on the Wii U. Come to find out there is aWho hasn't heard of Super Smash Bros? This is every fanboy/girl's dream! You get to settle rivalries never thought to ever be settled in their respective franchises. You even learn about Nintendo's more beloved non-mainstream titles as even their characters are given life on this stage. Everyone was stoked for the next installment in this series on the Wii U. Come to find out there is a 3DS version of the game that comes out prior. That being said, does it stand up to the standard set by the others?

    With the evolution of this non-conventional 2D fighter, Smash Bros blew up with its amazing feel and unique play from other games like Tekken, Soulcalibur, and Street Fighter. With the evolution of the game came a more unique thing never thought about for Smash Bros, a story. We never cared about a story before the Wii edition and were perfectly content on mashing away that A button. Now that you gave the fans a piece of what you are capable of with a surprisingly fun story-mode, they had to deliver it again on the newer version right? Wrong. There is no story mode in this one, not even an adventure mode to emulate a different solo playing mode other than classic. It just decided to skip it which the fanbase is half and half on and I agree its not really needed. It's just a little peeve that knocks this one down a bit.

    That being said, they took away that peeve with the amazing new mode, Smash Run. This was the innovation we were looking for! This is a mode designed with a large overworld where you battle against some of Nintendo's devilish enemies from all over. This all culminates into a battle at the end via Kirby Air Ride style. For each enemy you defeat, you gain something to increase a stat and in the end you face off against your opponents in a randomized game. This wowed us, this excited us, this...wait its not for online? The biggest gimmick for this version was shafted to only solo or local play making it completely underused and undervalued unless you have friends with a 3DS and a copy of the game.

    The online play has a good concept with poor connection. They divided it into the "for fun" and the ranked playlists both with which sounds like fun! That is if you can connect well. Most of the games have a bunch of lag in them unless you are playing with a friend. This ruins the feel of the online play at times for you can die unnecessarily because of some bad lag.

    With all the bad aside, when Nintendo got it right, they got it right. The customization aspect is incredible and by far the best addition to the series. You can either create your own Mii fighter, which is heavily customizable for what it is and for its first time being added into the series. That being said its not as extensive as ones like Soulcalibur but you can't argue that this one is a great stepping stone. You even get to add onto the characters unlocked, changing the way their specials are and their stats. Want a tanky Mario that can use huge but slow fireballs? It can happen now.

    The games fighting style is the same, but just on another platform. This being said, it is a little small at times. The platform really limits the ability of the game as well which is angering since the visuals are some of the best in the series. The colouring is fresh, the stages are amazing and that black outlining actually is not a bad design choice. It allows the focus to be on the smaller details and easily allows you to discern what is on the screen. Though they wouldn't need to do it if the screen was too small, I digress it was smart nonetheless. I'm going to be short and sweet on the music, masterful. It honestly remakes some of the most memorable Nintendo songs and sometimes even revamps them with either a new feel or orchestrated. Need I say more?

    Classic mode is still there and offers a great challenge for those who go for a higher difficulty. It even allows a choice in who you battle at points, and for those wanting a true challenge tempts you to go straight at the end for one of the best challenges ever offered in Classic mode. That being said...that's about it. The roster is huge, the biggest its been but has quiet a few obvious clones still despite Nintendo saying they are trying to remove clones. This feels like the most solid roster to date. Trophies are back, the 100 man challenges are back, Homerun....is back. Really there is not much other than I previously stated making this the shortest Smash Bros with the least amount of replayability cause a lot of people will be switching to the Wii U version.

    Nintendo screwed the pooch on this attempt at getting more money. It is shameless taking away beloved elements and having limitations due to the platform. While being an awesome game with great gameplay, design, customization, stages, and concept, it doesn't deliver like the games previous and ultimately will be washed away by the Wii U version.

    Story: 5
    Gameplay: 6
    Visuals: 6.7
    Music: 7.5
    Overall: 6.3    … Expand
  6. Bdernus
    Oct 16, 2014
    10
    By far my favorite experience on a 3DS. Looks good with the 3d on or off. Once I start playing I must force myself to stop. This is a great way to release Smash Bros. excitement before the Wii U version comes out!
  7. Failatlife
    Oct 16, 2014
    2
    Let's start with the positives. The game looks great. Probably the best-looking on the 3DS.

    And.. that's about it. Early on, Nintendo should have realized that the 3DS layout was less than ideal, especially for a fanbase like the Smash Bros. Community, who are picky enough about controls as it is. At first, the fans were ecstatic at the prospect of Smash Bros. on a handheld, but    Let's start with the positives. The game looks great. Probably the best-looking on the 3DS.

    And.. that's about it.

    Early on, Nintendo should have realized that the 3DS layout was less than ideal, especially for a fanbase like the Smash Bros. Community, who are picky enough about controls as it is. At first, the fans were ecstatic at the prospect of Smash Bros. on a handheld, but seriously, they're Nintendo. They should know better.

    The stages are too small. There are two reasonable excuses for this: 1) The screen is too small, so a huge, fun stage would make it impossible to see your characters. 2) The hardware just can't handle that many polygons on the screen at once.

    The solution: my very first complaint.

    The biggest problem is simple. The cast is just unbalanced. I can see at least five characters getting banned in tournaments as is, that is, if they even consider a handheld game eligible for tournament play.

    For clarity, Little Mac is not OP. Just stick to the edges and try not to get launched. If you're at the edge, you've cut his moveset in half because otherwise he'll just launch himself over the edge like Wil E. Coyote.

    However, Rosalina, Zero Suit Samus, Sheik, Captain Falcon, and Yoshi (Yeah, that's right. Yoshi.) are all disgusting. If I ever see one in a match I just jump off the edge and kill myself out of pure principle. If they don't want to play fair, they don't get to play at all. I don't care if my ranking takes a gigantic "an hero." I refuse to play with legitimized cheaters.

    What's worse is that you could easily fix three out of these five characters.

    Make Rosalina more like Ice Climbers, in that she's practically helpless without a Luma. Make her normal attacks weaker and make her recovery less effective whenever the opponent manages to kill Luma. That's a distinct weakness that would balance out her ridiculous range, power, and knockback.

    Slow Yoshi down. His new character model automatically makes it easier for him to connect with hits, and he has a solid range-game too. It's all he needs.

    You can make Captain Falcon fair by automatically knocking off one of his lives whenever a match starts. He just sucks.

    Zero Suit Samus and Sheik just need to be scrapped. Sorry. It's true. They are just too fast, too strong, and too hard to hit.

    For a character to be balanced, they should probably have two big strengths and one big weakness. Fox (My former main. "Former" because he got NEUTERED) is fast, can dish out damage, but has horrible knockback. He needs to get his enemies up to 200 before he can reasonable KO them.

    Shulk (My new main) has cool Monado arts, meaning he can alter his stats at will and keep the enemy guessing. In a way, that's FIVE STRENGTHS if you know how to use them all. His weakness is that it's a tad difficult to pick the art you want and you've vulnerable at the time. Also, he's about as slow with his attacks as Ike.

    Balance isn't hard, so why did Nintendo butcher the old cast to make the newcomers seem better?

    Wait. I think I just answered my own question.    … Expand
  8. Rosewind
    Oct 16, 2014
    9
    As I charged forward as Link, I immediately noticed just how well the game was presented on the 3DS. Initially, I had been worried that the 3DS could not handle the intensity of a standard Smash match, but the game ran at the series’ staple of sixty frames per second and the character models, although downgraded from the high-definition models they would be using in the Wii U version ofAs I charged forward as Link, I immediately noticed just how well the game was presented on the 3DS. Initially, I had been worried that the 3DS could not handle the intensity of a standard Smash match, but the game ran at the series’ staple of sixty frames per second and the character models, although downgraded from the high-definition models they would be using in the Wii U version of Super Smash Bros. 4, looked crisp and detailed despite the 3DS’s hardware limitations. When Link’s sword struck at Mario’s unguarded back, a new addition surprised me; a vibrant streak of red and black lightning that signified an attack a fighter would not be able to recover from accompanied the unfortunate plumber’s trip past the edge of the screen. Then, as Mario jumped from his recovery platform at the top of the stage, I finally heard the mariachi-style rendition of the Gerudo Valley theme twanging away in the background. With the sort of hot-blooded music one would hear during a classic Western showdown blaring in my ears and pumping up my hype factor, I once again charged forward, sword and shield in hand. This would be the first of my many showdowns. But I digress.

    Not only does SSB3DS look, sound and run great, the gameplay feels smooth as silk. Its pacing lies somewhere between Melee’s incredibly fast pace and Brawl’s slower, more casual pace, which, along with its frustrating tripping mechanic, severely hindered many players’ ability to enjoy the game both competitively and casually. Thankfully, SSB3DS’s fluid intermediary speed combined with the removal of tripping and a more focused approach on stronger fighting mechanics (i.e. character/moveset buffs, edge-grabbing overhaul) makes it much more viable for both types of players. SSB3DS also introduces character customization in the form of interchangeable special moves, allowing players to switch their favorite characters movesets to suit their own playstyle. This, along with the wide variety of characters on the roster, lets players further personalize their Smash experience.

    The single-player elements of SSB3DS are as varied as always, with the returning Classic and All-Star modes receiving a number of changes, such as branching paths and a new, much more challenging final boss that appears only on higher difficulties at the end of Classic Mode’s Master Hand and Crazy Hand path. Both the Multi-Man Smash and Home-Run Contest modes return, but Target Smash is replaced with Target Blast, an indirectly-based target breaking minigame. Also, Subspace Emissary, the story-driven single-player mode included in Brawl does not return or receive a continuation, however. It is instead replaced with Smash Run, where four players traverse a labyrinth rife with enemies from various Nintendo series and aim to collect the most stat-boosts for the upper hand in the final Smash match that follows. Although I do enjoy the new single-player modes, I am disappointed with the lack of a story-based adventure, as Subspace Emissary was one of my favorite parts of Brawl.

    Multiplayer, the crux of all Smash games, unfortunately suffers from an issue many modern games face: lag, the much despised byproduct of online multiplayer. Although lag is to be expected from online Wi-Fi matches, it also manages to sneak its devilish way into local multiplayer, tarnishing a handful of the many matches my friends and I played during our frantic release week Smash binges. The effects of lag in SSB3DS matches are also rather extreme; out of nowhere, a high-intensity match may be stricken with an unbelievably sluggish framerate as Wi-Fi connections struggle to keep up with one another. However, despite these problems, I am no stranger to lag and still find multiplayer to be just as enjoyable as the rest of the game. That is, unless the three other players are all using Little Mac. In that case, maybe the temporary ban for leaving a match early is worth it.

    All in all, SSB3DS has most of what I was looking for in a portable Smash experience. Though it lacks a few familiar elements its predecessors had, I still find it to be well-rounded both competitively and casually and also easy for both Smash veterans and newcomers to play. I would whole-heartedly recommend SSB3DS to anyone looking to return to the series or begin playing it, due to its rather low price of forty dollars and its console appeal (because honestly, who even cares about the Wii U version of Smash 4, right?)

    (I’m totally joking though guys someone buy me a Wii U please you’ll make me the happiest girl at the prom)    … Expand
  9. StarmanDX
    Oct 15, 2014
    5
    Pros: Portable.

    Cons: Bad Controls (Smash just wasn't meant for the 3DS circle pad). Laggy Online. Disappointing Roster. This game basically feels like Smash Bros. Brawl 0.5; a downgrade in some ways, and not much of an improvement in most others. They cut some of Brawl's interesting characters and features, and failed to replace them with anything exciting. There's a lot of reuse of    Pros: Portable.

    Cons: Bad Controls (Smash just wasn't meant for the 3DS circle pad). Laggy Online. Disappointing Roster.

    This game basically feels like Smash Bros. Brawl 0.5; a downgrade in some ways, and not much of an improvement in most others. They cut some of Brawl's interesting characters and features, and failed to replace them with anything exciting. There's a lot of reuse of existing moves and mechanics for the "new" characters.

    For example, 6 of the game's newcomers have the same B-Down Counter that 4 of the game's veterans already have. So, roughly 20% of all characters in the game share that same move. That's just lazy.    … Expand
  10. zeroshazad
    Oct 14, 2014
    9
    super smash brothers 4 3ds is a really great game. the starting roster is huge, it was about the same size as all the characters in brawl and there is more with characters like villager and your miis, the game feels better to play. even thought there are a few clone characters in the game, the characters have different damages for instance lucina and marth, where marths damage is on thesuper smash brothers 4 3ds is a really great game. the starting roster is huge, it was about the same size as all the characters in brawl and there is more with characters like villager and your miis, the game feels better to play. even thought there are a few clone characters in the game, the characters have different damages for instance lucina and marth, where marths damage is on the tip of his blade, while lucina has the damage well rounded on her sword. the only downside really are some of the items like the gustbellows because many people get free kills from it. also the online is much better than brawl even though there is lag mainly when there is 4 player online it still doesnt lag as much as brawl. overall super smash bros for 3ds is worth a try… Expand
  11. dbzeenx
    Oct 14, 2014
    9
    It's Smash Bros. - That makes it good by default! Seriously, stupid people complain about characters but there are 40 of them!! Why would you ever complain? Oh what, did your Roy or Cloud from Final Fantasy not make it in? Stop whining. It's a great game. I'd consider it the best game of the year tied with the Wii U version and Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire. There are a few flaws: NoIt's Smash Bros. - That makes it good by default! Seriously, stupid people complain about characters but there are 40 of them!! Why would you ever complain? Oh what, did your Roy or Cloud from Final Fantasy not make it in? Stop whining. It's a great game. I'd consider it the best game of the year tied with the Wii U version and Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire. There are a few flaws: No special smash, sometimes connection is laggy and you have to play it on a 3DS XL to get the best experience out of it.… Expand
  12. lahjaunelmia
    Oct 14, 2014
    9
    This game is just so much fun playing online 1 vs. 1. for glory. So much fun. I haven't had this much fun with a video game for months. Definitely a must buy game for every 3DS owner. Sadly I have to give one minus point because the online does not work all the time and sometimes the online is a little laggy. When the online works though, it is a blast! As for the single player game. MehThis game is just so much fun playing online 1 vs. 1. for glory. So much fun. I haven't had this much fun with a video game for months. Definitely a must buy game for every 3DS owner. Sadly I have to give one minus point because the online does not work all the time and sometimes the online is a little laggy. When the online works though, it is a blast! As for the single player game. Meh it's ok I guess but the online is where it's at.… Expand
  13. ChoBroooo
    Oct 13, 2014
    9
    Super Smash Bros for 3DS is out and it is a good game. If you own a 3DS, it is worth buying. If you don't own a 3DS, it is still worth getting it. There are a few Complaints I have though.
    1. Remember when Brawl came out and had a game vault where you could play NES, SNES, and N64 games for a little time? I might be the only one who remembers it, but I liked it. Why didn't they bring it    Super Smash Bros for 3DS is out and it is a good game. If you own a 3DS, it is worth buying. If you don't own a 3DS, it is still worth getting it. There are a few Complaints I have though.
    1. Remember when Brawl came out and had a game vault where you could play NES, SNES, and N64 games for a little time? I might be the only one who remembers it, but I liked it. Why didn't they bring it back, but It doesn't matter that much.
    2. Characters. This is a huge annoyance. 51 characters! Awesome right? How many will you actually use. Maybe 20. They didn't bring the awesome characters back from Melee. Where is MewTwo? Where is Pichu? No, instead let's bring back Dr. Mario. What? I love Greninja, but I want to play as Mewtwo. You know, the most powerful weapon that Team Rocket had in the First Season! Pichu was terrible, but was adorable.
    3. This I can't blame for, because it doesn't matter, but the onlin multiplayer. It is laggy. It can go at like 2 frames per second, which is very very slow compared to the individual player 60 frames per seconds. You can't take points off for this because remember when there wasn't online play at all.

    I love this game and it's addicting. Don't let the bad reviews fool you. This is an awesome game.    … Expand
  14. Cycopather
    Oct 13, 2014
    9
    Everything I could have hoped for and everything I expected. It's everything a Super Smash Bros game should be!

    Only complaint:
    Smash Run is not so great. Expectations were slightly high, but it's just not nearly as fun as I would have hoped.
  15. Dub0011
    Oct 13, 2014
    10
    Smash bros on 3DS it's amazing, fun and the multiplayer is great and it is definitely worth to buy on a handheld it is great to be able to play whenever
  16. mattysurvive
    Oct 12, 2014
    9
    This game was everything I wanted, so most of my complaints can be summed up to the fact that I wish I had even more characters. I've been playing Smash Brothers since the first game on the N64 (I don't play competitively, but I've played some incredibly intense matches with friends at parties), and even with the hype before the release, I can soundly say that this game holds up as aThis game was everything I wanted, so most of my complaints can be summed up to the fact that I wish I had even more characters. I've been playing Smash Brothers since the first game on the N64 (I don't play competitively, but I've played some incredibly intense matches with friends at parties), and even with the hype before the release, I can soundly say that this game holds up as a beautiful entry to the franchise, especially for it's first handheld release.

    I play on a 3DS XL, and the controls do take some getting used to, but for me, coming from the gamecube controllers, this only took 5-10 minutes before I was correctly using smash attacks separately from my B attacks, and rolling and dodging like I have in every game before. The screen is perfect for me (this clearly varies from person to person), but I can always maintain what's going on and where all the characters are, even in 4 player matches. The game is beautiful. It runs at 60fps as you've undoubtedly heard, and it looks glorious. The 3D is cool, sometimes, it certainly doesn't subtract from the experience. The online is my only legitimate gripe. I have a solid 60+ Mb/s internet connection, so I generally have great online matches, even 4 player matches, but every other game, someone will have a terrible connection and it will make the gameplay lag considerably. However, while it certainly does take away from the experience, I did win a lot of those matches just because I was consistent with my gameplay, with and without the lag. Basically, it doesn't break the game, but it turns a 2 minute match into a stuttering 3 minute nightmare. But again, this didn't happen the majority of the time, and my online multiplayer experience has been solid. Also, my girlfriend has gotten really into the Spectate mode, where you can watch and actively bet your gold on who you think the winner will be. She loves it.

    If you enjoyed collecting in the previous games, then you're kind of in luck. There are over 600 trophies to collect, and the game is pretty generous about handing them out. Music isn't something you collect anymore (with the exception of a handful of songs you unlock off the challenges panels). Stickers have been replaced by equipment for your Mii characters, which I honestly don't care too much for. I haven't played any custom matches with custom stats, I just don't see the point, maybe other people will. Oh, and the Mii characters are awesome. All of the characters are awesome as a matter of fact. I found all of the new entries, and even some of the veterans who have been changed up, to be very fun and effective in combat in their own way (I would say "balanced" here, but I don't want to piss off any competitive players who might disagree with that). The cloned characters are kind of bummer, but at the end of the day, it's 3 more characters the we could have possibly not had altogether. Some people might say that would still be preferable, but I like playing as them, even if they are clones, so whatever. The Mii Characters, which allow you to make custom brawlers using three different fighting styles and even let you customize their move-set's by choosing your favorite out of 3 for each B-Special attack. You can also dress your Mii's up with that equipment I mentioned earlier, but I was nearly horrified to discover I couldn't dress up my Mii's in overalls and gloves (I was trying to create a Waluigi Mii). This broke my heart. The alternative costumes for the non-mii characters are sick, with some missed opportunities nonetheless (Zelda should have had a Hilda costume, and it would have been crazy to see a Ms. PacMan costume), but this is a complaint that I feel like stems from me just wanting even more than I deserve from this game at this point. The stages are great, I enjoy all of them, especially now that you can choose to play on a "Final Destination" version of any of the selectable stages. It's a dream to me, I've probably played 75% of my matches throughout the last two games on that stage. It's flat, it's perfect. The Items are great, but it's definitely appreciated that I can turn them off. As far as single player goes, only Classic mode and All-Star mode make a return. I'm fine with that, but some people might miss the adventure modes of games past. Oh, I forgot to talk about Smash Run. It's okay. I haven't played it with anyone else, but it's a lacking single player experience in my opinion, especially when half of these matches are Races to the Finish. It's something I haven't spent much time with, simply because I don't think it's that fun of a mode.
    All in all, though, this is my favorite 3DS game now. It's currently my favorite Smash Brothers game, and I will go as far as saying that it even convinced me to finally get a Wii U, just in time for the console version of this game. It's a beautifully crafted game that is The-Must-Have game for the 3DS, like every Smash Brothers game normally is for it's respective console.    … Expand
  17. DarthSidious63
    Oct 10, 2014
    8
    First off this is a portable version of Super Smash Bros so to compare it to the console versions is unfair so you have to give Nintendo a few breaks. The characters has to be small so they can fit on the 3DS XL. To all who have the original 3DS Smash will be hard to play. Hopefully the new 3DS XL with the second stick and faster processing speed will address the problems. With that saidFirst off this is a portable version of Super Smash Bros so to compare it to the console versions is unfair so you have to give Nintendo a few breaks. The characters has to be small so they can fit on the 3DS XL. To all who have the original 3DS Smash will be hard to play. Hopefully the new 3DS XL with the second stick and faster processing speed will address the problems. With that said it is a fun game.… Expand
  18. famouspeople
    Oct 10, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is good! So many characters to choose from, and to unlock. Cool new modes like smash run, good challenge and the controls are PERFECT. But the game does have flaws. The online is absolutely awful. Some modes like smash run can only played alone, with friends, or on local wireless. It's a shame we can't play smash run online. And target blast isn't al that fun. Overall, I would recommend this game to any newcomer or casual. But immune are a competetive player that wants to play online, I'd wait to see if the wii u version is less laggy. Like I said before, it is a good game… Expand
  19. Ibanez89
    Oct 9, 2014
    9
    Everything about this game just feels right.
    First off, I am just going to point out that the performance of the game is very consistent. It has the occasional lag (usually with Pac-Man's sprite spam on the screen.)
    The combat..my god! so fluent and fast paced. The game types are also great. Everything is well balanced without taking it to the extreme. For example : Smash - Choose a    Everything about this game just feels right.
    First off, I am just going to point out that the performance of the game is very consistent. It has the occasional lag (usually with Pac-Man's sprite spam on the screen.)
    The combat..my god! so fluent and fast paced.

    The game types are also great. Everything is well balanced without taking it to the extreme.
    For example :
    Smash - Choose a Character, set CPU's, beat the **** out of them. Nothing more to it.
    Classic Mode - short, but rewarding and nothing that makes it boring or tedious.
    Smash Run - "oh no not another Brawl adventure" false alarm. Its a timed gauntlet which too, is rewarding and feels good to end it with a random battle with 3 CPU's afterwards. Once completed, you claim the rewards that you gathered during the game.
    Home Run Contest - Still the same as the previous games
    Target Blast - A new approach to break the targets, but instead hit a bomb into a cluster of them.
    Multi Man Smash - (forgot exactly what it was called) but again, like Melee and Brawl. Has the exact same sub game types within. Just no more 15 minute melee lol.

    Its tough to explain everything that I like about this game because there is so much. but I'll add the pro's and con's here.

    + fluent combat
    + fast paced combat
    + extremely rewarding for every game type
    + every character has an attribute to make you want to play them.
    + challenges. Yes they're back!
    + wide range of characters
    + lots of unlockables
    + customization. Unlock gear/move sets for each character, then you can equip them.
    + Graphics look unreal for 3DS standard.

    - laggy online play. It usually doesnt connect at all. (at this point anyway)
    - menu navigation can be confusing. I seem to notice myself frantically looking for certain game types because there are quite a few sub menu's
    - character/stage unlocks are quite easy, but I guess it was with the previous games aswell.

    Overall, Great game. I've found it hard to put it down and I'm sure everyone who has this game would be happy that Smash Bro's is back in business! Highly recommend!    … Expand
  20. jlol13
    Oct 9, 2014
    9
    Nintendo's decision to bring Smash Bros. to the 3DS family is, in part, smart business. 3DS market saturation is perfectly situated to take advantage of the game's 'easy to play, impossible to master' nature. Many were worried about the handheld port's ability to carry the legacy of fun, fast, and competitive gameplay. In my own opinion, Smash 3DS is a huge success; the handheldNintendo's decision to bring Smash Bros. to the 3DS family is, in part, smart business. 3DS market saturation is perfectly situated to take advantage of the game's 'easy to play, impossible to master' nature. Many were worried about the handheld port's ability to carry the legacy of fun, fast, and competitive gameplay. In my own opinion, Smash 3DS is a huge success; the handheld experience doesn't feel like it has lost any of its home console predecessor's fluidity and charm. The only component of Smash's 3DS sibling that feels inferior is, understandably, the control scheme. The transition from a full sized controller to the handheld could be a disappointment for Smash's competitive, tournament players. But, for the general population of the games' fanbase; the handheld's control scheme will be of little importance compared to the enjoyment of the core gameplay that if faithfully represented. This isn't a handheld Smash Bros. spin-off, it's the real thing; and I couldn't be happier with it.

    The game itself is a faithful upgrade from Brawl. New and returning characters, modes, stages, and items combine to make this version feel like the biggest upgrade in the franchise to date. New characters and optional special customization will keep some people arguing over tier lists for a while. I'll just be practicing and having fun with, I think, the best game this year (so far).

    The Wii U version will give us a more accurate idea of what the 3DS version is really missing out on in a 1:1 comparison of the newest version of Smash. My guess is that the Wii U Smash's visuals will be a new high point for Nintendo, and that the home version will have a more compelling exclusive mode. The two will probably end up being identical complements to me; at home for pretty graphics and tighter controls, and on the go for convenient practice and killing time on the train.    … Expand
  21. VAFranky
    Oct 9, 2014
    10
    First off I would not recommend playing this game on a regular 3DS. Even on the XL the characters can be a bit small at times when the camera shifts for larger stages. That aside this game is awesome. The game is very fast and the audio and graphics are both excellent.

    The roster is enormous and you can feel the oomph in every character's attacks, something I felt is lacking in other    First off I would not recommend playing this game on a regular 3DS. Even on the XL the characters can be a bit small at times when the camera shifts for larger stages. That aside this game is awesome. The game is very fast and the audio and graphics are both excellent.

    The roster is enormous and you can feel the oomph in every character's attacks, something I felt is lacking in other similar games. Like earlier iterations there are great mini games including an Angry Birds knock off and good ol' home-run contest which I sunk an hour into before even touching the main game.

    The biggest new feature in this version of smash is the customizable Mii fighters and move sets for the traditional characters. You can re-create some 3rd party or real life homage characters with some imagination. This can be a lot of fun in and of itself.

    For anyone that owns a 3ds and not a Wii U that is even remotely interested in fighting games I would highly suggest this game. Wii U owners that aren't big Smash/Nintendo fans I would definitely wait for the Wii U version.    … Expand
  22. ShadowofZexa
    Oct 9, 2014
    7
    Super Smash Bros is a very good game there is alot of game modes to keep you playing and the game modes are fun however when you have the controls holding back a excellent game you can't hope to wait for the wii u version
  23. kdkade
    Oct 8, 2014
    10
    So I bought the game, even though I am not the biggest Nintendo fan, nor fighting games enthusiast. I gotta say: WOW. So much content, so deep gameplay, so much to do... I'm amazed. This is truly one of the most polished games on Nintendo 3DS, and it's extremely fun. Just taking time to explore the possibilities gives me chills. This is easily 10/10, though I have to admit that the lack ofSo I bought the game, even though I am not the biggest Nintendo fan, nor fighting games enthusiast. I gotta say: WOW. So much content, so deep gameplay, so much to do... I'm amazed. This is truly one of the most polished games on Nintendo 3DS, and it's extremely fun. Just taking time to explore the possibilities gives me chills. This is easily 10/10, though I have to admit that the lack of some kind of story mode separate for every character is a downside for me, though given all the alternatives it's really easy to forgive. Especially that you can just fire a simple offline or online smash and have a blast, since there's a lot of fun, unpredictable situations that the game can spawn for you... especially when you're a beginner and choose to randomize everything. Again, WOW. Go buy it.… Expand
  24. nofeet
    Oct 8, 2014
    7
    Super Smash Bros. 3DS is a great game and a must have for any 3DS owner. However it falls short in Classic Smash Mode, notably Master Hand and Crazy Hand.
  25. Thebluehydra
    Oct 8, 2014
    4
    Everything that was done right in previous installments Melee and Brawl has been either unnecessarily changed or removed, and the new features are lackluster. Smash Run is boring, customizable loadouts have been done by plenty of other fighting games, the online is still a joke, and interesting characters like Snake, the Ice Climbers, Lucas and Wolf have been removed for characters nobodyEverything that was done right in previous installments Melee and Brawl has been either unnecessarily changed or removed, and the new features are lackluster. Smash Run is boring, customizable loadouts have been done by plenty of other fighting games, the online is still a joke, and interesting characters like Snake, the Ice Climbers, Lucas and Wolf have been removed for characters nobody asked for (because I'd hate to imagine having to share the same planet as someone who wanted Dr. Mario back).… Expand
  26. JuniorFear
    Oct 8, 2014
    9
    A few rules for this review.
    I am taking into the consideration this is the first installment on a handheld system and i am not one of those OMG EVERY SMASH BUT MELEE SUX DUDES, and i am not giving - for cut characters and clones. Don't go OMG but why?! If you do and you're a melee best roster forever dude it had 9 clones so yeah.
    To the review. This is the first smash ever on a    A few rules for this review.
    I am taking into the consideration this is the first installment on a handheld system and i am not one of those OMG EVERY SMASH BUT MELEE SUX DUDES, and i am not giving - for cut characters and clones. Don't go OMG but why?! If you do and you're a melee best roster forever dude it had 9 clones so yeah.
    To the review.

    This is the first smash ever on a handheld system. And it works pretty well for being one.
    You got a solid starting field of characters reaching up to an astonishing 37 characters! (OH EM GEE)
    There is 12 unlockables i wont spoil for ya.
    Classic mode is better than ever and streetsmash is a fun little addition.
    All star, Home run contest and the all new target blast is some of the other fun modes!
    Then there is smash run. Smash run is a mode similiar to subspace emesary(Emisary?) with a few expections. It borrows the power up system from some mode in Kirby's Air Ride and at the end you go to a final battle of epic proportions! That is if you get the mode you want as it is completly random.
    That is my biggest gripe with smash run as you can't decide what you will do in the end.
    Then there is customization and damn it will be hell for completionists. They thought it was a good idea to enable REPEATS! Oh and you will get repeats, ALL THE FRICKIN' TIME!
    Customising your characters is also fun. Oh and customising mii's is also fun. Maybe too fun because it's the only character i played over 20 times with. (WHOOPS)
    The controls are a good for the first smash on a handheld. It takes a while to get used too but when you are it will be easy as beating a level 9 in the DEMO. While on the subject of the AI it has been greatly improved this game in comparision to the old installments. And i mean really hard. It's practically impossible too beat classic on 9. It might even be a miracle if you reach master hand without getting game over once. And when you do you will need to fight crazy hand too! And after about 100 hp is taken from them Master hand transforms into master core and if you survive that battle at 9 congratulations. You did what i never could and probably will never do.
    A thing i dislike about the game though is the fear of my circle stick breaking. It worries me a lot but eh, Stupid minor complaint.
    This game is great and you should get it. And if you don't have a 3DS wait untill the 21st November/5th/6th December for the Wii U version. While this is great the wii u version will be superior in all ways.    … Expand
  27. BDarius213
    Oct 7, 2014
    9
    Just an unbelievable game on a portable console. How they managed to fit all this content with the exception of a few cut characters is beyond me. The lag while playing online is still there, and that is the only big complaint I have with the game. But playing so much of it makes me that more excited for the Wii U version.
  28. British_Gamer
    Oct 7, 2014
    9
    A really fun games for 3ds, i would definitely recommend it, loads of fun modes to play and it has multiplayer!, if you are a fan of the wii version, You will love it :)
  29. Sir_Rage
    Oct 6, 2014
    3
    I expect better from Nintendo. Multiplayer is a 2fps lag fest, With Terrible controls. 3DS is not meant to play fighting games like this, Circle pad inputs the wrong control 40% of the time. If your playing by yourself which you do 90% of the time, you have little to do other then battle bots on the same maps, because this game has barely any modes. Don't buy this pile of crap. Wait forI expect better from Nintendo. Multiplayer is a 2fps lag fest, With Terrible controls. 3DS is not meant to play fighting games like this, Circle pad inputs the wrong control 40% of the time. If your playing by yourself which you do 90% of the time, you have little to do other then battle bots on the same maps, because this game has barely any modes. Don't buy this pile of crap. Wait for the proper WII U version.… Expand
  30. TrevThe22nd
    Oct 6, 2014
    9
    Smash Bros. for 3DS is easily my favorite Smash Bros game and game of the year. Assuming you know how to play Smash Bros, I will talk about the new mechanics. Smash Bros adds a few new mechanics and returns some. Teching and DI have returned. While a new mechanic, Vectoring has been added, the more interesting mechanic is ledge grabbing. Now, even if someone is on a ledge, you can grab theSmash Bros. for 3DS is easily my favorite Smash Bros game and game of the year. Assuming you know how to play Smash Bros, I will talk about the new mechanics. Smash Bros adds a few new mechanics and returns some. Teching and DI have returned. While a new mechanic, Vectoring has been added, the more interesting mechanic is ledge grabbing. Now, even if someone is on a ledge, you can grab the ledge but throw the other person off. This marks the end of ledge guarding, which leads to more possibilities in-game. All of these mechanics make one of the best Smash Bros game.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best 3DS Game of 2014
1
#1 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2014
6
#6 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 76 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 71 out of 76
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 76
  3. Negative: 0 out of 76
  1. CD-Action
    Jan 9, 2015
    80
    If you’re a fan of Nintendo, you will be delighted with Super Smash Bros. [13/2014, p.69]
  2. Hyper Magazine
    Dec 2, 2014
    80
    On its own merits, it's an utter joy...but it's also pretty clearly a primer for the Wii U version. [Issue#255, p.68]
  3. Pelit (Finland)
    Nov 15, 2014
    85
    The new Smash overcomes its biggest challenge by actually being very playable on the portable 3DS. The online side is mediocre at best, but there is nevertheless a lot of fun to be had here. [Nov 2014]
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