So we've finally made it.
I may have partaken in a lot of pre-release speculation back in the old place for the last game, but despite the shorter turnout for Ultimate, none quite as much as this one. Maybe that's why, in a way, it almost felt like the most tantalizing wait. It somehow felt longer than usual. We laughed, we cried, we got angry at each other, I know I made some predictions back earlier in the year that probably look dumber by the day, and yet I can't say I had any less fun because of it. That's the wild thing about Smash. It's all just a part of the experience.
I still remember that March teaser like it was yesterday, the way it followed up on my excitement from the Octo Expansion's announcement. I remember the threads and social media feeds were groaning at the idea of it being another "Splatoon announcement" or whatever, even though to me at the time the Direct felt like the biggest indicator of Splatoon finally solidifying itself as a true all-star deserving to stand among the likes of Mario and Zelda. Nothing could make me happier about the prospect, and it's fitting that the next trailer would be... exactly that. I already knew it in my bones that the footage we were seeing in that CG sequence wasn't your average Splatoon announcement. I'd seen too many trailers and sequences in my obsession of the series to tell that, something about the way it animated, the way it flowed, the sound direction, was just all too familiar. I didn't want to jump the gun, but I knew in my heart what it already was. This was Smash, and Splatoon had the honor of springboarding this announcement.
Fade to black, anticipation swelling, boom. That iconic shot you see above, which to this day still feels like it sends a definitive statement. Smash is back. It's coming out this year. And this time, it wasn't about to hold any punches.
As much as one can look back in retrospect thinking that the sudden announcement may indicate it just being an enhanced port, I dunno. I instantly felt there was more to this story. Just like nothing but the looming teaser of the burning Smash logo, calling back to that original burning Smash 64 emblem, something about it felt like the series was about to go through a paradigm shift. A lot of circumstances about this title was just shrouded in mystery - it was clear that Ultimate would end up having one of the longest development cycles of a Smash game based on what we knew. It was the first title since Melee that was kind of just announced on the spot, with no previous hints or indication that it was in development. For the most of the part, Sakurai managed to keep the title under wraps. Even after announcement, he went completely quiet, saying he'd "worked on the title in secrecy". How you manage to do that is kind of awe-inspiring.
Another thing I couldn't stop thinking about was that this would be the first Smash title developed without Iwata overseeing it, who was always a guardian angel for this series. Hell, one could argue that if it weren't for Iwata, Smash as a series wouldn't have existed the way we know it post-64. I feel like it's often understated how Sakurai continuously returning to this series may be thanks to the dedication he has towards their working relationship, and Smash as a series often feels like a testament to this friendship they'd cultivated. Maybe this is why the mission statement became the way it was, as what better way would there be to honor that history than to include just about everything they'd built together? But of course, the title also means a lot of things for different people. 20 years worth of it in fact, it's a title that continues to create friendships like theirs.
Honestly, when taken at it's own, this trailer probably doesn't mean much - it's just a clipshow. And yet, this trailer fills me with some kind of unreal emotional euphoria, every single time I watch it. The way it perfectly frames the characters they brought in; starting with the obvious ones, but then it slowly creeps up on you - some characters have brand new designs or moves. Then; bam. Ice Climbers is back. Inkling is a fighter. Pokémon Trainer returns.
Cloud returns. And then the god damn coup de grâce. Snake. That short pause just to emphasize that yes; he's back.
Everyone Is Here. And yes, just to show you're not dreaming, they even brought back
Pichu.
It's an emotional rollercoaster. It's one of the most genuine emotional reactions I've had at a trailer, and it kind of makes me realize how much this shit's meant to me through all these years. I can't help but get teary eyed revisiting that, because in as much as all of this stuff is just lines of code with characters who were already in the series at some point, there's just something so poignant to draw a line in the sand and say; we've done the impossible. All those 20 years of memories are here - and you're only about to make even more memories.
To use a cheesy reference; it feels more clear with Ultimate that we're not looking at the greatest game in the world -
but a tribute.
I can't wait to play the game with everyone and I look forward to speculating yet again with everyone for the encore that's the DLC train. If you know me across all of the last 13 threads we've had, you already know who I'm rooting for.