3/27/08: Character Role Call
In typical Super Smash Bros. tradition, once you beat Classic mode, you’re allowed to take a laser gun and shoot at the credits; this time, however, it’s a bit different. The official credits are reserved for when you complete the Subspace Emissary, so when you beat Classic, you’ll instead be shooting at the lists of character, assist trophies, Pokémon, and regular trophies. The more characters you’ve unlocked, or trophies you’ve collected, the more targets you’ll have. Targets are good this time, as well, since you actually get coins based on how well you shoot. With each name you hit, you get one coin; for each picture, two coins. Your total is then divided, depending on the difficulty, and the remainder of the coins are yours to keep, for use in the Coin Launcher.
3/27/08: Sheik’s Special Moves
These moves are mostly unchanged from the previous game, and still not incredibly powerful; Sheik’s strength lies mostly in her speed and smash attacks. Her regular special throws needles, her up special makes her vanish and reappear elsewhere, and her side special whips out a chain, which you can control with the Control Stick. Her down special has her transform into Zelda, and in this game the transformation takes much longer. However, during the part of the transformation wherein you are glowing, you are invulnerable to attack – even Final Smashes such as Cook Kirby.
I definitely like how the shooting game has use outside of itself this time around.
Spoiler updates ahead.
3/24/08: Stadium: Boss Battles
This option opens up after you beat Subspace Emissary for the first time; this mode challenges you to defeat all the game’s ten bosses one after the other, with only three chances to recover your health a la All-Star Mode. As you progress through this mode, the bosses will get more difficult, despite the bosses being randomized; hopefully, you’ll encounter the easier bosses later on. This mode allows for you to play co-op with a second player, but since it’s part of the Stadium, there are zero continues, even on the incredibly difficult Intense mode. The very end of the update challenges players to beat Intense without ever restoring health.
The puffball Pokémon returns from the original game, largely unchanged from Melee; unlock it by playing 350 Brawls, or you could complete Subspace Emissary and then beat Classic again, or else find the hidden door in the Swamp after completing it. This update urges Jigglypuff users to utilize the midair capabilities, as its top speed and acceleration in midair are tops. Jigglypuff’s side special, Rollout, has you rolling across the ground at top speed, provided you charge it up first; this move can be great for recovery. Rest, the down special, can knock enemies away very powerfully, though its power has been a bit reduced from Melee. The Final Smash, Puff Up, sees Jigglypuff expanding to an enormous size, then letting off one powerful hit against any enemies touching it; this move is more effective on smaller stages.
After you clear event 28, you’ll unlock the stage Hanenbow, inspired by the DS game Electroplankton. This level features a couple trees, with numerous leaves for you to stand on. Regularly, little creatures known as Hanenbow will fly about the stage hitting leaves, changing their colors and making music; attacking the leaves directly has the same effect. If all the leaves on the right turn red, a flower will appear; it doesn’t do much, it’s just for decoration.
Young Link from Melee is out, and is replaced by Toon Link, the Wind Waker incarnation of Hyrule’s hero; unlock him by playing 400 Brawls, or completing the Subspace Emissary and completing Classic as Link, or else finding the hidden door in the Forst. He’s not as strong as adult Link, but he is faster, and floatier in the air. All his moves are the same, right down to the Final Smash, but with a few differences. Toon Link’s Boomerang has no tornado, and won’t bring enemies to you; his bombs are weaker, but have a larger blast radius. One of his significant midair moves, the downward stab, is also different; unlike Link, Toon Link will stop in midair for a moment, then rocket downward with his sword, for a quick and powerful strike. The update recommends this for bosses.
Boss Battles on Intense is seriously…intense. Also I sort of like Toon Link; he feels like a speed character, which is my forte.
