Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U and 3DS is, to say the least, a highly-anticipated title. Most of us were aware of that much.
But I don’t think any of us expected Smash Bros. to command enough hype to win an award for it.
At Gamescom 2014, one of the world’s largest gaming expos held this year in Cologne, Germany, multiple awards for the games on display are given out based on in-person and online votes, somewhat similar to E3. All three major companies came armed with their “Destiny”s, their “Evolve”s, and yeas, their Smash Bros. While Smash Bros. didn’t do a massive sweep of the awards like some games are known to do at E3, its important to understand what this specific award means.
This award is not given out based on graphical finesse, budget, flashy trailers, or the most explosions; it’s given to the game that people have made clear they want to see more than any other game at the convention. With Nintendo’s console, the Wii U, exhibiting such poor sales compared to their competition and the Wii U’s predecessor the Wii, this kind of excitement over Smash Bros. can only be music to Iwata’s ears.
Smash Bros., with its widespread appeal, largely untainted reputation, guaranteed Nostaligia trip status, and now prevalent widespread interest (at least across the pond), might just be exactly what the fledgling console needs to pick itself up. In any case, Smash Bros. looks extremely promising this year (as it tends to every year), with new characters like Pac-Man from Pac-Man, Palutena from Kid Icarus/Kid Icarus: Uprising, and my personal favorite, Mega Man.
Here’s to hoping that Smash Bros., releasing on the Wii U and 3DS platforms during 2014’s Holiday season, is able to help pull the Wii U up from the depths of obscurity.
