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At this stage, the underlying game is almost one of the least interesting things about Super Smash Bros for Wii U. Smash (as it shall henceforth be known, for brevity's sake) is a party game in the sense that it is a game that is also a party. It's a celebration of Nintendo; a get-together for stars of past and present to beat seven bells out of one another. Perhaps more significantly, it's a shindig at which we can be assured of having a good time: we know the guest list is strong, we know we'll get to hear some killer tunes. What we're interested in is the finer details. What surprises will our host Masahiro Sakurai have in store for us this time?And let's spare a thought for Sakurai, because organising this party must be a logistical nightmare by now. What began as a fun little leisure time experiment is now a phenomenally successful series, and expectations are raised accordingly. We all want more, and so that's what he delivers. More fighters, more stages, more songs, more moves, more modes, more options. More pixels.
It's well worth spending a little time on Smash's presentation. Some will say this is the best-looking game on Wii U. It isn't, but let's not dismiss its visual achievements. It might not be the technological miracle that Smash 3DS was (seriously, compare it to Pokémon, which can't even manage a smooth frame-rate for turn-based combat) but it's sharp, its fighters are nicely rendered and well-animated, and the stage backgrounds are often stunning - sometimes distractingly so. Xenoblade Chronicles' Gaur Plain is a sumptuous sprawl; Orbital Gate Assault is a space opera in miniature; Kalos Pokémon League takes you on a tour of the elemental halls of X and Y's Elite Four; Wuhu Island makes you wonder whether Nintendo's working on Wii U Sports Resort. The pick, perhaps, is Game and Wario's Gamer stage, as the illuminating gaze of 9-Volt's terrifying mother damages any fighter who doesn't retreat into the shadows in time.
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