Super Smash Bros. : a beloved franchise that remains popular!
Mixing elements from fighting games and platform mechanics, Super Smash Bros. was born in 1999 on the Nintendo 64. It started with only 12 fighters, including Mario, Link, Kirby, Pikachu, Donkey Kong, Fox, Samus Yoshi, as well as Jigglypuff, Luigi, Captain Falcon, and Ness. The success was immediate, and the franchise continued on the Gamecube with the highly acclaimed Super Smash Bros. Melee.
Super Smash Bros. Melee, which features 26 fighters, is still played today, indicating its enduring qualities. It was followed by Super Smash Bros. Brawl on the Wii and Super Smash Bros. For 3DS / WiiU. The failure of the WiiU severely impacted its commercial lifespan, and there was little enthusiasm from players to compete. However, in December 2018, almost two years after the release of the Nintendo Switch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate arrived.
As the name suggests, it brings together a huge number of characters, items, stages, and modes from previous installments. It is now difficult to imagine how Nintendo will be able to create a new installment without it being somewhat disappointing. With 82 fighters, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate serves as a true best-of, and one wonders what the developers have in store for the future, especially after selling over 31 million copies.
Super Smash Bros. without Masahiro Sakurai? Unthinkable!
The franchise is deeply connected to its creator, Masahiro Sakurai, who has become legendary and known by all players of the game thanks to his character presentations. These presentations were comprehensive and filled with humor, becoming a true event. Exhausted by the intensity of development, Sakurai took a step back and took the opportunity to open up in 2022, sharing the reflections and creative process behind game development. If you enjoy these topics, go check it out.
In a recent video dedicated to the development of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Sakurai made a statement that echoes the thoughts of many fans: it is difficult to imagine Super Smash Bros. without him.
At the moment, we don’t know what to expect regarding the franchise. There are already many rumors surrounding the next console, but it is still too early to think about games. Nintendo is surely already considering it, and it is easy to imagine that Smash Bros. is a topic of numerous discussions. There is no guarantee that Masahiro Sakurai will be in charge of a future game, but currently, Nintendo seems to be banking on him, and he intends to be present. However, the day will come when someone else will have to take care of Smash Bros., unless the franchise is too closely tied to its creator to survive after his retirement.
