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. EFYevan
    Oct 4, 2014
    10
    This truly is the most "FUN" you will have with a video game this year! I highly recommend this game for all ages! A great game with options that will last for months! 10/10 - bring on the Wii U version!
  2. 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
  3. jsbdog7
    Oct 5, 2014
    2
    As a religious smash player I was very disappointed in this new chapter of the series. Nintendo took the competitive feel out of it and the game has lost its luster. What really lost me was the horrible controls and internet speed. The online play has the one of the slowest servers a game has ever had and one person can drag everyone down in a multi battle. You cannot move the charactersAs a religious smash player I was very disappointed in this new chapter of the series. Nintendo took the competitive feel out of it and the game has lost its luster. What really lost me was the horrible controls and internet speed. The online play has the one of the slowest servers a game has ever had and one person can drag everyone down in a multi battle. You cannot move the characters fast and moves are harder to perform and chain for quick damage. Overall, this game is not worth it unless you want to buy the game just for playing level 3 computers for 2 hours.… Expand
  4. 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
  5. Mariofan
    Mar 17, 2015
    8
    Not as good as the Wii U version but still a great game. The graphics are okay. The character selection is awesome. The Smash Run mode is fun but Smash Tour is better. The gameplay is great. Super Smash Bros for 3DS is good but if you had to choose one, I would say Wii U. If both, it's worth buying.
  6. Beastprogamer
    Feb 19, 2015
    10
    Certaintly, the Wii U Version is quite a bit better, The Nintendo 3DS Version is flawless too. I play this every single time I have a chance like in a car, great for trips or on-the-go. If you have a Nintendo 3DS or 2DS, this is a MUST OWN game. Like if you don't have this game, what's the point of having a 3DS? Unless you don't like Smash but I mean this is one of those games I love toCertaintly, the Wii U Version is quite a bit better, The Nintendo 3DS Version is flawless too. I play this every single time I have a chance like in a car, great for trips or on-the-go. If you have a Nintendo 3DS or 2DS, this is a MUST OWN game. Like if you don't have this game, what's the point of having a 3DS? Unless you don't like Smash but I mean this is one of those games I love to play on the go. Heck I even got it on the realease date 3, Oct. 2014 because that's how excited I was.… Expand
  7. TFFANBOYYY
    Feb 15, 2015
    9
    I have had so much fun with this game. The only cons are the small screen and the extremely laggy multiplayer. Other then that, this game is perfect.
  8. Zyromkiru
    Feb 21, 2015
    6
    It's fun and has new things but the key bindings aren't great with little customization. The singleplayer feels solid but the multiplayer is horrid which is why i bought the game in the first place is to fight other people. We are talking about lag that makes it feel like you are running the game in 8 FPS even on the new 3DS just released in 2015.

    Great game but falls short on multiplayer.
  9. Vyrotix
    Jan 12, 2015
    7
    While the Wii-U version might be slightly better in terms of stages, and more replay value, this is a great game for the 3DS.

    If you don't own a Wii-U on the other hand, this is a must have for the 3DS.

    7.9/10
  10. Hierolax
    Oct 28, 2014
    6
    Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS is the 4th installment of the Smash. series. Having waited 6 whole years I feverishly downloaded this title from the eShop after enjoying the Demo for a week or two. After playing 50~ hours and being a veteran of the series from the N64 days, I felt it was high-time I reviewed this game. If I could summarize in advance for those who don't want to read aSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS is the 4th installment of the Smash. series. Having waited 6 whole years I feverishly downloaded this title from the eShop after enjoying the Demo for a week or two. After playing 50~ hours and being a veteran of the series from the N64 days, I felt it was high-time I reviewed this game. If I could summarize in advance for those who don't want to read a lengthy review, it would be this:

    Super Smash Bros. has taken a step forward only to take a drastic step back. While it's an improvement from previous title, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, it also removed a lot of features both fundamental and superficial to the point it negates the improvements' efforts. Slap an overly sterile and rather surgical presentation over it and you have this title. Sm4sh as it has been dubbed.

    Now I'd like to articulate as to what it is I'm getting at. Right off the bat it's important to understand that the Smash. bros community is split between two types of enthusiast: The casual player and the tournament player. Something Nintendo alludes to with their 'For fun' and 'For glory' mode(s). This contrast of player-base has been with the series right from the start.

    However, a defining tension has been drawn since the days of Brawl when the changing and removing of integral mechanics occurred.
    To save the reader with a separate issue entirely, I'll put it bluntly. Casual players are happy no matter the title. Tournament players are more responsive to change. Sm4sh has made further removal of key features enjoyed by this demographic, disenfranchising this part of the audience which Nintendo aimed to appease with the inclusion of 'For glory'.

    The inclusion of infinite air-dodges, the removal of wave-dashing and edge-guarding, and of course, the higher/further kill-zones and floatier launch making for a lengthy match that makes opponents harder to kill. These are all fundamental changes that have been made that has contributed to the taking of a step back. As said above, casual players by their nature are impartial to either removal or inclusion, and therefore there is no benefit, only an alienation of one half of the audience. As I touched upon before, the fundamental mechanics did not only take a blow. The content has too. One might argue that as it is a 3DS title, it is inherently limited. And you would be right. But this only adds to the reasoning that the series has taken a step back and not forward.

    This title is unique in the sense that it's the first Smash. game to be a multi-platform title. Normally this implies minor difference in any other game, but in this case it is severe. It is a console game (Wii U) that is optimized to deliver a similar experience with the handheld (3DS). The margin of difference is massive, and it's seen in what I'm talking about. The removal of content. From the gross lack of cut-scenes, to the rather simplicity of stages, all the way to the changes of characters (Diddy Kong's banana limit, Olimar's Pikimin limit) and ultimately, the removal of characters entirely. (Ice Climbers). All of the mentioned were removed/changed to suit the multi-platforming approach.

    Most importantly, the netcode leaves a lot to be desired. Whether or not Nintendo will refine their connection quality in the future via patching remains to be seen. But in closing, I'd like to drive home the point that Sm4sh is prettier and boasts a larger roster than it's contemporary titles - yes - but it commits to the sin of clone-characters more than it's previous iterations. As far as fundamental and content changing goes, it's a step back.

    The stand-alone game is good, but as a Smash. title it certainly does not live up to the legacy. to quote my previous summary, it is lack-luster, surgical, and sterile. Giving the illusion that it's a breath of fresh-air and 'new' only to the consumer's dismay that it has removed more than what it's added. And although the Wii U version will offer the Smash veteran more, the fact will always haunt us that whatever it is we get on the console COULD have been better if it had not been multi-platform.

    I give it a 6/10. It's a good game, but a poor Smash game.    … Expand
  11. Tobi_Whatever
    Nov 13, 2014
    7
    This is Smash Bros so I'm going to make this short.

    Balancing is great. Character variety is great, aside from some **** clones. Content is a bit lacking. Controls are bad. Online lags sometimes and the 3DS connection is easily negatively influenced by phones, to many 3DSes and other Wifi sources. The game is fun and it's nice to have a portable Smash but the Wii U version will heavily    This is Smash Bros so I'm going to make this short.

    Balancing is great. Character variety is great, aside from some **** clones.
    Content is a bit lacking. Controls are bad. Online lags sometimes and the 3DS connection is easily negatively influenced by phones, to many 3DSes and other Wifi sources. The game is fun and it's nice to have a portable Smash but the Wii U version will heavily improve on basically everything.    … Expand
  12. ELBOWSELBOWSKNE
    Nov 13, 2014
    6
    First, the bad.

    As of writing, there are ~5 characters played in for glory mode - 90% of the characters are useless for online play. Unplayable lag in all online 4v4 modes means that if you want to play online you're pigeonholed into these terribly unfun 1v1 matchups (you'll be matched up against the same 3 or 4 wildly overbalanced characters every game). There is no place to use your    First, the bad.

    As of writing, there are ~5 characters played in for glory mode - 90% of the characters are useless for online play. Unplayable lag in all online 4v4 modes means that if you want to play online you're pigeonholed into these terribly unfun 1v1 matchups (you'll be matched up against the same 3 or 4 wildly overbalanced characters every game). There is no place to use your custom characters/mii's online (not even a "custom arena"?) so that feature might as well not be included.

    Onto the good stuff!
    The wide array of characters, fun stages, and the single player modes are excellent, not much to say.

    Summary: Terrible character balance ruins what might have otherwise been a fun game. Lag in 4v4 matches is out of Nintendo's hands, as I'm sure there are people trying to play on public wifi ruining the connection, so I'll give that one a pass. I don't intend to play the game any more unless the balancing is addressed.

    6/10    … Expand
  13. FrannyFantastic
    Nov 15, 2014
    7
    As polished as this new instalment of Super Smash Bros. is, I don't feel there is enough variation in the single-player modes to warrant a higher score. Without any challenge or story modes there is only classic and all-star campaigns, and these are both very repetitive fare.

    The Smash Run mode is a great addition, and despite being a breeze to clock through on your own it's still a    As polished as this new instalment of Super Smash Bros. is, I don't feel there is enough variation in the single-player modes to warrant a higher score. Without any challenge or story modes there is only classic and all-star campaigns, and these are both very repetitive fare.

    The Smash Run mode is a great addition, and despite being a breeze to clock through on your own it's still a load of fun. A huge roster of characters also gives the player an array of fighting styles to experiment with, but for me, the dearth of any solid, single-player modes really puts a black mark on this.    … Expand
  14. Frankazar
    Dec 19, 2014
    9
    All 3ds owners need this game. It is really fun and it is really nice that the Smash bros fun has finally come to a handheld. My only little problem is that Nintendo didn't put enough effort into making the 3ds version a bit on par with the Wii u version.
  15. SpazzyGoose
    Jan 15, 2015
    9
    best combat game ever. its got easy controls , the best video game mascots (sonic , link , Kirby , pikachu , mario ect.) , great maps and music. its just realy good
  16. EvilstuffGaming
    Feb 7, 2015
    7
    It's a nice game with good graphics, especially considering we're talking about the 3ds. However, with no adventure or event mode like Brawl, the game does lack a bit of content. Still a nice game to play when you're bored.
  17. Westord
    Mar 18, 2015
    9
    really the only reason its not a ten is because of all unbalanced characters. for example: Wii fit trainer has no actual powerful attack that you can land, and even dealing basic damage is hard because the header has too narrow a hit range. and then there's Link, who has massive launch and reach with his sword, the power bow alternate also has massive launch power and range, and finallyreally the only reason its not a ten is because of all unbalanced characters. for example: Wii fit trainer has no actual powerful attack that you can land, and even dealing basic damage is hard because the header has too narrow a hit range. and then there's Link, who has massive launch and reach with his sword, the power bow alternate also has massive launch power and range, and finally the meteor bomb alternate insta KOs anyone off the edge. on the PLUS side the character variety is (usually) able to find a way to suit just about any player. the smash run provides a good way to battle it out against about a thousand weak enemies and a boss level enemy or two just to mix it up a little. its too bad that you can't modify the difficulty like classic, but it still kind of balances out somehow in the end. its true some maps like Jungle Japes are just impractical for a good fight, but they're in general pretty good. the all star mode should have some more rewards for the difficulty it presents. but wait there's more! and more! and more trophies than ever before! I'm around 560 with all the fighters and a small handful of alternates. STILL MORE. of course the trophies are useful sometimes. they basically give away all the strengths and weaknesses of the fighters and enemies.… Expand
  18. Wkffl
    Apr 6, 2015
    8
    its fun and controllable, Has a lot of stuff to do in it and playing with friends is fun , Graphics great for a 3DS game but if you have a Wii U i would recommend Smash Bros on Wii U more
  19. loricritic845
    Apr 1, 2018
    10
    Smash still rocks ! Even on such a small handheld as the 3DS it still brings back everything that made the original ones great. And don't forget the SMB 1 World 1-1 remake. No negative for this one either.
  20. ErrorProxy
    Nov 2, 2014
    10
    Waited 15 years for this series to come to a handheld.

    Bought a 3DS just for this.

    Will buy a Wii U just for that.

    Goodness, what a divine game.
  21. ClamTime
    Nov 6, 2014
    9
    IF I CAOULD I WOOD RAITE THE A 11/5 CAUSE THIS IS HAM GOOD THIS GAM IS I PLAY thise al the tim with my frieands thay lave this game toow AND SO SHULD YU i arn;t a bgi marlio fane but I love this garm caus ei ca play as my favoite carachters like Marga Men Shelf Booser and Lank the so fun to play as I can stop playing the gam$
  22. Bananadog
    Oct 3, 2014
    10
    Super Smash Bros. for the 3DS is a perfect game.
    First off: I've been a Smash Bros Fan since the N64 Version. I've played and still play Melee and Brawl and I love the 3DS version. Its everything you expect. It delivers the perfect Smash Bros experience for a handheld.
    I've noticed that some people criticize the size of the characters. I don't get their point. I have the normal sized    Super Smash Bros. for the 3DS is a perfect game.
    First off: I've been a Smash Bros Fan since the N64 Version. I've played and still play Melee and Brawl and I love the 3DS version. Its everything you expect. It delivers the perfect Smash Bros experience for a handheld.

    I've noticed that some people criticize the size of the characters. I don't get their point. I have the normal sized 3DS (Not the XL) and I never get confused (Not in 1v1 and not in FreeForAll). This might just be a me but the size is no problem on the normal sized 3DS, and it won't be on the XL.

    The new All-Star Mode lets you play through the history of Nintendo. Its super fun. After every fight you get teleported to a hub where you have 3 items to heal yourself(Just like in the boss mode in brawl)

    The "Classic" mode is very awesome. You will be dropped in a map, where the paths that branch off each represent a different difficulty. You will fight giant enemies for trophies and customization options. At the end you will fight Master Hand or a harder boss (I wont spoil it).

    The other things people like to criticize is the "Smash Run" mode. I can understand why they do that. The balance in the last battle can be unfair but Smash Run still has its fun moments.

    A thing I really like is the Mii Fighter. You can customize his full moveset and give him different clothes/outfits.

    In the online mode you can play "For Fun"(with items) which is a bit more casual.
    Or you can play "For Glory"(No items) which is kind of competitive.It works really well. I can play with my american friends without any lag.

    Of course you can still play your Stadium games like "The Home Run contest" and "Multi Man Smash". There is a new Stadium gamemode called "Target Blast" which let's you attack a bomb (Like the home run sandbag) and then smash it out of the arena. The bomb will land on a construction that will explode after the bomb has hit it. You will get more points for more destruction.

    This game is amazing. If you like fighting games/Nintendo you should get this game.    … Expand
  23. tdunster
    Oct 5, 2014
    7
    I honestly don't understand all the hype. It's a fighting game but a very basic one compared to other offerings such as Street Fighter or dare I say it WWE Wrestling.

    On the 3DS the characters while moving freely and looking sharp they are also incredibly small making it difficult to spot your character or indeed determine which way they are facing. But it's not all bad news. There    I honestly don't understand all the hype. It's a fighting game but a very basic one compared to other offerings such as Street Fighter or dare I say it WWE Wrestling.

    On the 3DS the characters while moving freely and looking sharp they are also incredibly small making it difficult to spot your character or indeed determine which way they are facing.

    But it's not all bad news. There are a plethora of options for this game and I have no doubt for the fans its a big release.

    For though, I think it's a game best played on-line on a big screen TV.    … 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. 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
  26. APaperbackHero
    Oct 5, 2014
    6
    The core of the game is good, lots of iconic Nintendo action. However some issues make this game less than stellar. No d-pad for more precise movement inputs forcing the use of circle pad which is by no means as good as analog stick controller. The circle pad makes difficult twitch moments in a battle a complete toss up. The multiplayer is P2P instead of dedicated servers and matchmakingThe core of the game is good, lots of iconic Nintendo action. However some issues make this game less than stellar. No d-pad for more precise movement inputs forcing the use of circle pad which is by no means as good as analog stick controller. The circle pad makes difficult twitch moments in a battle a complete toss up. The multiplayer is P2P instead of dedicated servers and matchmaking is not filtered very well so if you live in an out of the way area expect to lag, and lag often. Even in an urban metropolitan area, lag is still an issue every couple of matches***. The screen size gives some characters who have hard to see or follow attacks very difficult to deal with when the battle area becomes heavily zoomed out.

    ***Odds of having a laggy match can be reduced by playing For Glory - 1 vs 1 matches. However this completely diminished the game as the pull of Smash is the fun frantic fighting of 4 vs 4 or 2 vs 2.    … Expand
  27. cndman
    Oct 6, 2014
    5
    This game is honestly mediocre as far as smash goes.

    Problems include Huge blast zones that make it extremely difficult to get a kill unless your opponent is at 150 percent. Almost no comboability due to high knockback and low hitstun. Items that are extremely overpowered. Also there is no option to change the frequency of items, only on or off. Pretty much no neutral stages.    This game is honestly mediocre as far as smash goes.

    Problems include
    Huge blast zones that make it extremely difficult to get a kill unless your opponent is at 150 percent.

    Almost no comboability due to high knockback and low hitstun.

    Items that are extremely overpowered. Also there is no option to change the frequency of items, only on or off.

    Pretty much no neutral stages. All of them are extremely gimmicky.

    The floaty feel of brawl.

    A lack of returning favorites (Ice climbers, Wolf, Lucas).

    An online mode that is extremely laggy and nearly unplayable. No option to only play people from your region so you get matched up with Japanese dudes with LITERALLY 1-2 seconds of lag.

    The screen is too small sometimes (at least on a regular 3ds).

    Pros:

    60fps looks great.

    Good graphics.

    Some fun new characters.

    Custom moves are kinda fun, even though you cant use them online.    … Expand
  28. Coy47
    Oct 5, 2014
    5
    The lack of a c-stick is frustrating and is only emphasized by the lacklustre analogue stick the 3DS has making controls clunky and uncomfortable to use and means in some cases you're character doesn't face the right direction to attack when you've input them. Smashing is also made difficult because of this and I've spoken to people put off the game by it's controls in the demo. It's alsoThe lack of a c-stick is frustrating and is only emphasized by the lacklustre analogue stick the 3DS has making controls clunky and uncomfortable to use and means in some cases you're character doesn't face the right direction to attack when you've input them. Smashing is also made difficult because of this and I've spoken to people put off the game by it's controls in the demo. It's also extremely bare bones, some modes and features have been stripped away for some reason including any kind of story mode. Classic mode was reduced to 6 stages not ten, coin battles are gone, and Sakurai has put some of his own pointless characters in like Dark Pit while Dark Link remains a skin. Overall it's a very frustrating experience from a game I expected a lot more.… Expand
  29. mausfiles
    Oct 4, 2014
    8
    It's a fun game for 3DS. The single player modes are fun and rewarding, and you can get some good local multiplayer matches going if you haven't grown out of friends with 3DSs. If you like Smash, this lives up to everything you'd want out of it. Save for, the bad:

    1. Most of the online modes are unstable. The only mode you can get a reasonably non-laggy match is 1v1 For Glory mode. For    It's a fun game for 3DS. The single player modes are fun and rewarding, and you can get some good local multiplayer matches going if you haven't grown out of friends with 3DSs. If you like Smash, this lives up to everything you'd want out of it. Save for, the bad:

    1. Most of the online modes are unstable. The only mode you can get a reasonably non-laggy match is 1v1 For Glory mode. For Fun will mess up your day with its lag.

    2. The Circlepad is just not as satisfying or precise as a console joystick. Without that snap you get when you ram down the joystick in the console games, Smash attacks aren't very fun to pull off. And you'll find yourself doing tilt attacks in directions you didn't plan on.

    So it's a frustrating game if you want to get competitive with it, I'd imagine. I would just recommend playing this game casually; don't take it too seriously and just enjoy the silly-fun modes like Smash Run to tie you over until the Wii U version comes out. They are cool and the ridiculous amounts of gold and collectables you get from them make them worth playing more than once.

    The game is robust, the graphic design is great, but the design and power (mainly the online) of the 3DS hold it back from being truly awesome.    … Expand
  30. Trev87
    Oct 5, 2014
    7
    Ok so I just bought this game and i have some good and some bad things to say about it. First the good points. Right off the bat I think the 3D looks good with this game. Ive read reviews where players stating that the screen was too small or characters were too tiny. I play on the 3DSXL and in my opinion the detail and size of everything was well balanced. The new levels look amazing withOk so I just bought this game and i have some good and some bad things to say about it. First the good points. Right off the bat I think the 3D looks good with this game. Ive read reviews where players stating that the screen was too small or characters were too tiny. I play on the 3DSXL and in my opinion the detail and size of everything was well balanced. The new levels look amazing with great detail and flavorful backgrounds. The controls are well done and have a natural feel to them, making combos easy to pull off. I have not played a SSB game since the Gamecube, and the gameplay felt like it hasnt lost anything. I really like the powerups that come into play during fights. They are fun and visually stunning. Next is the custom characters. This I LOVE! You are able to assign new abilities and stats to any character you chose to give them that custom feeling, this is a huge plus.

    Now for the Cons for this game. My biggest complaint about this game is the roster. It's 95% completed for you. My favorite part of SSB was unlocking all the new characters. There are characters to unlock, but not near the amount as its predecessors. Next is, Where is the target challenge mode!!!!!! I loved that in SSB. There are a lot of new game modes, but the one that was always the best, imo, was the timed target challenge. The game seems lacking in the replay value. It feels more like a SSB game that was designed as an iphone app where corners were cut.

    Overall the game is very fun and worth buying just to have a SSB game on handheld. I feel like they could have improved on some of the game modes and allowed players to get that excited feeling every time they defeat master hand and knowing "A new challenger has approached!!!!!"    … 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

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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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