Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Smash sets the standard for DLC fighters

The final character for "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate," Sora from the "Kingdom Hearts" franchise, was unveiled last week. I'm not sure how much money Nintendo spent to make this happen, but it was certainly a lot. Masahiro Sakurai's decades-long leadership of the Smash brand comes to a close with this release; a presentation aired earlier this month to highlight the character and praise Sakurai for everything he has done for the franchise.

Since the game's debut in December 2018, Nintendo has released a new DLC fighter every three months for a total of 11 more characters. Each release has been surrounded by a lot of hype, and despite some reaction against a number of characters, Nintendo's final output should be viewed as the celebration of gaming that it is.

Although Nintendo has done some heinous things in the name of "Super Smash Bros.," such as DMCAing one of the most popular Smash tournaments of all time (named after the Big House), the amount of effort and creativity put into each DLC release should be the gold standard for video game extra content. To begin with, each character is distinct in their own right, with unique mechanics and move sets that are authentic to their game.

Steve from "Minecraft" is the best illustration of this.

If you're unfamiliar with "Minecraft," the game revolves around gathering materials and constructing structures in order to live. Smash's designers expertly designed a resource collecting and usage mechanic, as well as a building mechanic, which had never been done before in the franchise. They were also able to incorporate "Minecraft" elements such as the fishing rod, flint, and steel. The amount of work that went into this is mind-boggling, given that Steve's move set is perhaps more balanced and fair than that of the original cast members. This isn't even mentioning the legal wrangling Nintendo had to go through with Microsoft in order to obtain such a significant character in the game.

Not only were they able to perfectly reflect the stylistic choices from the original games, but they were also able to properly insert third-party characters. Joker, from "Persona 5," was the second character to be revealed. With his dagger, rifle, and grappling hook, his move set and mechanics properly depict his original character in his game. His character's win screen, Final Smash, and soundtrack selection are what make him stand out. Joker's victory screen features a large portion of the characters from "Persona 5," which was a wonderful touch in a game that highlighted the importance of friendship. Similarly, Joker's last smash is an all-out assault in which every member of his team is employed to assault anyone who is unfortunate enough to get hit. On top of all of that, “Persona 5” boasts some of the best music ever heard in a video game, with many of the best tracks from the original game not only being included but also being rearranged in Smash.

I know a lot of folks were disappointed when Sora was announced as the final DLC character. This was primarily owing to the fact that the ensemble already included a high number of characters who fit the sword archetype. Regardless of how upset you were, Sora seemed inescapable. In a poll from 2015, he was the most requested character from a hugely successful third-party series. Is it possible for a major corporation to genuinely listen to its customers? These days, that's nearly unheard of. I haven't had much experience with him, but based on what I've seen so far, his moveset and in-game personality seem spot-right for "Kingdom Hearts."

No corporation can ever please all of its customers, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't try. In terms of Smash, Nintendo has done an incredible job with each release, and while some characters have received a lot more love than others, the amount of devotion put into each character is evident. Maybe consumers wouldn't grumble as much if every firm put this much attention and work into its extra content.