Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has become one of Nintendo’s most popular games of all time. Already selling more than any fighting game up to this point, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate sells itself on the premise that every previous character in the series is here, plus a whole array of new ones including some incredible DLC characters. Its massive roster makes it feel like a museum of gaming history, with plenty of options and gameplay modes at its disposal.
One notable mode is that of the Stage Builder, which was added to the game after its release. A greatly revamped version of a feature from previous games, the Stage Builder offers players the opportunity to create their own arenas to fight on, with a bevy of tools at their disposal. Unfortunately, though, the Stage Builder in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate missed out in one major way and could’ve benefited from an even greater expansion.
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Smash Ultimate's Stage Builder Could've Used More
Smash Ultimate Only Offers A Few Terrains
Compared to previous entries in the series, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate offers universal terrain textures. In the previous entry, Super Smash Bros. For Wii U, players were only offered textures based on the backgrounds they chose for specific stages (with three options per background). Now, though, players have a greater sense of freedom in the terrain they choose for stages and are not tethered by what is offered from certain backgrounds.
However, this leads to one of the Stage Builder’s biggest missed opportunities: the overall lack of diversity and options for terrains. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Stage Builder offers 15 unique options for terrain, which is the same number offered in Super Smash Bros. For Wii U, though for a much smaller number of backgrounds. Given that Ultimate offers 12 backgrounds to Wii U’s five, it seems reasonable to expect a few more universal texture options.
Smash Ultimate's Terrain Options Are Too Generic
Perhaps the biggest kicker to all of this is that most of the terrain options offered to players don’t affect the overall gameplay. Naturally, there are some textures that offer unique Super Smash Bros. Gameplay styles, like Ice, Lava, and Bouncy Rubber, but many of them share very similar properties with only minuscule differences. Even if players are to ignore the fairly small number of options, the lack of diversity in said options only creates greater frustration.
On the topic of genericness, though, all of the terrain options are very basic choices, such as Grass, Wood, and Marble. None of the textures are based on already-existing stages, which feels like a major missed opportunity. Offering terrain options based on stages affords players far greater versatility than what is currently there, and allows players to make even more unique stages than they currently can.
Perhaps the biggest kicker to all of this is that most of the terrain options offered to players don’t affect the overall gameplay.
Players Could Create Stages Inspired By Smash Bros. Franchises
To that end, the backgrounds that the Stage Builder offers are all based on stages offered in the base game. Unlike the previous entries, which only offered very surface-level backgrounds, the game features backgrounds that are far more representative of the history, lore, and franchises represented in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Adding similar textures from pre-existing stages would do a greater job of allowing players to build stages that pay homage to the great franchises available in Super Smash Bros. Today.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Stage Builder takes some excellent steps forward from previous games but does feel like it falls a little bit short in a few areas. While seemingly offering more options compared to Super Smash Bros. For Wii U, it feels like the options could’ve taken greater advantage of Super Smash Bros.’ wealth of franchises. The foundation is there, but a little more depth would go a long way in making the Stage Builder a must-use option for fans.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- December 7, 2018
- ESRB
- E for Everyone: Cartoon Violence, Comic Mischief, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
WHERE TO PLAY
Gaming icons clash in the ultimate brawl you can play anytime, anywhere! Smash rivals off the stage as new characters Simon Belmont and King K. Rool join Inkling, Ridley, and every fighter in Super Smash Bros. History. Enjoy enhanced speed and combat at new stages based on the Castlevania series, Super Mario Odyssey, and more!
Having trouble choosing a stage? Then select the Stage Morph option to transform one stage into another while battling—a series first! Plus, new echo fighters Dark Samus, Richter Belmont, and Chrom join the battle. Whether you play locally or online, savor the faster combat, new attacks, and new defensive options, like a perfect shield. Jam out to 900 different music compositions and go 1-on-1 with a friend, hold a 4-player free-for-all, kick it up to 8-player battles and more!
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- n/a
- Cross Save
- no
- Franchise
- Super Smash Bros.
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- no
- Platform(s)
- Switch
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
- X|S Optimized
- no
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
