Between the near-instant global success of MultiVersus and the almost institutional rule of Super Smash Bros. ultimate, only one can really be considered the ultimate platform fighting game. As for the overall development and delivery of each individual game, the two games couldn’t be more different. multiversus, Developed by Player First Games and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, is completely free to play and accessible on Xbox, PlayStation and PC, while Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (like everything Super Smash Bros. games for it) is exclusive to Nintendo. However, as platform fighting games, the two have many similarities, and which game offers the best platform fighting experience remains to be seen.
Warner Bros. caused a stir in the gaming community when it was confirmed Multiverse‘ character selection and free-to-play model in November 2021. The hype for the game has only grown since then, and the open beta has seen an influx of millions of new users in its first month. Featuring a colorful array of characters from Looney Toons, Adventure Time, even Game of Thrones, MultiVersus seemed to take full advantage of Warner Bros.’ available IPs in the character list. MultiVersus also praised a focus on 2v2 gameplay, a surprising new element that emphasizes teamwork and character synergy.
The big changes in MultiVersus seemed the long lineage of the Super Smash Bros. spell; in particular its latest iteration, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Nintendo has pulled out all the stops in development Super Smash Bros. ultimate, literally cram any playable character from the past Super Smash Bros. games in one, while adding a handful of newcomers to the already staggering character list. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has some of the hardest fighters to master, but has kept its signature charm by including fighters from the original Super Smash Bros. released in 1999, as well as enhancing gameplay features that have become the industry standard for platform fighting games.
That Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has scaled back when releasing new characters, and MultiVersus just starting to build on its current roster, many speculating which of the two will be worth playing (competitively or not) as 2022 progresses. It happens that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate‘s momentum is arguably waning, while MultiVersus is rapidly increasing in game competitions and general popularity. In the open beta phase, MultiVersus seems more approachable than Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, while SSBU is a fully realized game with hours of playable content to experience. Two will come in. One will leave as the Ultimate Platform Brawler.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has a whopping 89 playable fighters
When it comes to character lists, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the clear winner. Featuring 89 playable characters from 43 different video game series, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate No expense has been spared in recording and fully realizing every fighter from the past, present and future of the series. MultiVersus certainly charmed the gaming community when it pitched its humble, focused roster that pitted Bugs Bunny against Arya Stark; but with a meager 17 playable fighters, the numbers are just right Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Player First Games is imminent announcing upcoming fighter releases, but it still has a long way to go as MultiVersus will rock for 90 characters.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has 103 stages to play
Any platform fighting game is only as good as the platforms you fight on. And while Super Smash Bros. Ultimate lacks some stages from its previous games, but it still manages to cram in 103 different stages for players to battle on. MultiVersus doesn’t even come close to that number; given the early stage of development, the game only has 10 stages to play in the different gameplay modes. Not only that, but Super Smash Bros. Ultimate also includes dozens of gameplay variations on the stages, giving players hundreds of different experiences in the game. MultiVersus never had a chance.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has perfected the controls of Platform Brawler
An important factor in platform fighting games is how the feels to play with different characters, and the Super Smash Bros. series has been writing the book on character style since 1999. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate developer Bandai Namco Studios captured and refined what it meant to translate Super Smash Bros. characters to the Nintendo Switch controllers, in a way that: MultiVersus could only imitate. Recently, four years after its release, a new combo discovery has the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate meta, demonstrating the subtle complexity in the game’s movement and combat design that continues to grow and evolve with its player base. MultiVersus is still a relatively new environment and will need to grow and adapt to remain relevant.
MultiVersus is more accessible for new (and experienced) players
MultiVersus is a clear star when it comes to general accessibility. Since it is a completely free to play video game, anyone with a compatible console or PC can download the game for free and start playing right away. The game’s input controls are simple and easy to pick up, and online matchmaking is generally a smooth experience. Cost may not always be a barrier to entry, but Super Smash Bros. Ultimate can cost over $115 if players purchase the base game and its DLC fighter packs. Plus, MultiVersus has received more league support from Player First Games than Super Smash Bros. ultimate, which could not be seen at the EVO competition this year. New or experienced, young or old, rich or poor, MultiVersus is fun and easy to pick up.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has more variety in gameplay content
As compared to MultiVersus, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is huge. While the two games share local and online multiplayer features, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate also includes an expanded single-player adventure mode called World of Light. The single-player campaign offers hundreds of Spirits to collect, dozens of fighters to unlock, and hours of variable gameplay to experience. MultiVersus players can hone in on in-game currency to unlock new characters and skins, but eventually the game’s new content ends up with repetitive multiplayer battles.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the ultimate platform brawler
although MultiVersus solves something Super Smash Bros. issues, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is clearly the Ultimate Platform Brawler. Taking advantage of decades of tradition and a fully realized set of gameplay, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is just too big for MultiVersus to conquer in its open beta phase. Promised, MultiVersus can’t go anywhere but from here, as Player First Games has announced big long-term plans for the game. Still, MultiVersus continues to be a fun diversion for new and seasoned platform brawler players while fans of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate waiting for the next iteration in the series.
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