It’s amazing how Super Smash Bros. Ultimate still continues to be a topic of discussion, even after development for extra characters has ended. It goes to show how much Sakurai and the rest of the team behind the game’s efforts really paid off. One of the talking points, from Sakurai himself, involves the future of Smash going forward.
With all that Smash Ultimate has accomplished, it’s hard to think of the next installment topping it. Sakurai also said that, if there were to be a new Smash game, he’d have to cut some of the characters from the final roster…so there’s not much hope of it doing so in that department. While I have complete faith in Sakurai’s ability to make a great Smash game regardless of how small the roster is, I personally wouldn’t want any of the characters to be removed. So what other options are there?
One option that I personally think is the right call is that the franchise ends here, but we all know that’s not happening. Another idea I’ve seen floating around is if Smash Ultimate got the same treatment as Mario Kart 8. Basically, they could make an enhanced port of the game that comes with all the DLC content from the previous game (with some new content added of course) as well as some changes and improvements. It would essentially be Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Deluxe. This isn’t a completely bad idea, but there are some downsides or points against it. So let’s talk about them both.
The Good Side of Smash Ultimate Deluxe
Well, the first good thing is, of course, more fighters joining through Challenger Packs. A deluxe version of the game brings the possibility of more characters, stages, music and spirits getting added to the game through DLC, like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is currently doing with old maps for the Booster Course Pass. And the best part about that is no characters have to get removed from the game to make that happen.
This also means more balance patches and changes could be brought to the game. Despite development for Smash Ultimate coming to a close, there are still problems with the game in some areas, including some characters’ moves not functioning properly, or some characters’ functioning TOO properly. I’m sure nothing needs to be said about the online state of the game as well. With all those issues, a deluxe version will give the development team an opportunity to iron out these problems.
The Bad Side of Smash Ultimate Deluxe
Now, a point against it, and one I consider to be the main issue, is that that’s way too much money going to waste. Each Challenger Pack costs $5.99 individually. Since there are 11 in all, that’s $65.89 worth of extra content, totalling up to $125.88 worth of content in all, being given away at base price. Even if you include the one-character discount that comes with purchasing each Fighters Pass as a whole, that’s $54.98, totalling $114.97. We haven’t even touched on the Mii Costumes that come with each wave of DLC, which also cost money.
Another negative to that idea is that this decision would further delay the next potential Smash game…much like the Booster Course Pass is doing for a potential Mario Kart 9. Before the base game was finished, Smash Ultimate was in development for two and a half years. Even if there were less characters in the next installment, it’s a safe bet that it will take even longer to develop, especially if that next game would be on the next-gen Nintendo console. If that is the case, we definitely don’t need Smash Ultimate getting the “Deluxe” treatment adding even more wait time on our hands.
So would it be a good or bad thing?
This part’s probably gonna give some of you déjà vu, but I’ll say it anyway: there are good points made both for and against Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Deluxe. With time, even more points can be made for both sides, so it’s hard to say for sure whether this is something they should or shouldn’t do. But that’s not gonna stop me from giving a clear answer anyway. And I say… they shouldn’t do it.
I do still think the game needs more improvements and changes in some areas. However, we don’t need a deluxe version of the game for that. In terms of new characters… we don’t really need that either, at least for this game. 89 is a massive amount of characters, and while I wouldn’t want any characters to be removed from this game to the next, I don’t think any more needs to be added to this current one either. It would also undermine the impact of Sora being the last DLC character for the game since… he wouldn’t be the last one anymore.
The Smash Ultimate Deluxe route would also just be a temporary fix to the problem concerning the future of Smash. While you don’t have to worry about characters getting removed, this decision doesn’t exactly have the potential of being better than Smash Ultimate since… it’s still Smash Ultimate, just with a few changes, more characters and additions sprinkled on top. A whole new Smash game, even with characters removed, still at least has the potential of being better than the last with new mechanics and ideas being implemented and making the series feel fresh.
Whatever happens, if they do decide to do that, let’s hope they come up with a better name than Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Deluxe. Sora may be in the game, but we don’t need the titles becoming like Kingdom Hearts too. What do you make of all this? Should they continue the game through a “Deluxe” edition or should they make a new game? Why do you feel that way? I’d love to hear your thoughts.