Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS Reviews

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS is ranked in the 93rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
95 / 100
Dec 1, 2014

In the end, Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 3DS is phenomenal. Let any doubts about a handheld version of this game be put to rest- Super Smash Bros. 3DS pulls no punches and stands proud with its console predecessors.

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Guardian
Top Critic
Oct 2, 2014

The classic Nintendo brawling game returns with a huge cast of characters, refreshed modes and a fist full of charm

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Sep 26, 2014

Is it as good as playing with friends fighting around a TV? No, but it is Smash Bros as we've come to know and love and, at least until the Wii U version arrives, that's more than good enough. hardcore and causal players rejoice.

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Sep 26, 2014

While designed for your pocket, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS does not skimp on the features. A full-fledged Smash game, packed with stuff to discover, and boasting a roster of familiar and thoroughly inventive new characters, this is a beautiful fighting game than everyone can enjoy. Just a shame that the online isn't that hot.

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Buy
Sep 26, 2014

Nintendo's asking for $39.99 for the 3DS version of Smash. Quite honestly, this game meets and exceeds that value, no doubt about it.

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9.5 / 10.0
Sep 26, 2014

Smash Bros for 3DS is a solid polish of everything that made Brawl great, but faster, tighter and with even more content. The new fighters and levels are excellent, the online play is smoother and more stable, and best of all, you can take the experience anywhere. Get ready to start the addiction all over again, because now you can carry it around in your pocket.

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Oct 7, 2014

With a fantastic roster of characters, strong graphics and gameplay and a grab-bag of bonus modes, this is as good a Smash Bros. as you could hope for on the 3DS. All the same, you're left wondering if this combination of game and platform is a good enough fit. Play it with friends online or through local co-op and you're guaranteed to have a good time, but this 3DS version can't reach the heights of console Smash Bros, even when it bends over backwards to try.

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8 / 10.0
Oct 15, 2014

Super Smash Bros. makes the leap to 3DS with aplomb. Its deep, addictive combat makes it the best fighting game on the system.

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EGM
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Sep 26, 2014

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS manages to feel like a complete and worthwhile step forward for the franchise, even though you might occasionally wish for the precision of a real controller.

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9 / 10.0
Sep 26, 2014

Super Smash Bros. is a must-buy for anyone who owns a 3DS and who has ever cared about anything Nintendo ever.

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Sep 26, 2014

Super Smash Bros. for 3DS isn't perfect, but it comes very close.

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Will Greenwald
Top Critic
Sep 26, 2014

Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 3DS takes the video game all-star fighting game to handhelds, and will satisfy gamers who pine for the days of Melee.

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Nintendo Enthusiast
Menashe Kestenbaum
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Oct 7, 2014

All in all, Super Smash Bros. for 3DS feels great, and anything left to be desired will be automatically fixed once the Wii U version strolls along.

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Oct 6, 2014

Smash Bros. on 3DS isn't perfect, but it's about as close a match to console-quality Smash as anybody could reasonably expect on the go. The addition of a C-stick via the New 3DS next year will make a huge difference, but in the meantime, this is still a worthy means of passing the time until the Wii U version releases.

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8.8 / 10.0
Oct 7, 2014

What's mind blowing is that Nintendo have somehow put Super Smash Bros into pockets without cutting corners. The game has a wealth of content to keep players busy for many, many hours. Fans will be well pleased and newcomers will be set down the path to Smash Bros addiction.

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4.5 / 5.0
Sep 26, 2014

Still, those are minor gripes for a game that honestly turned out a lot better than I expected. It's nice to play a fighting game on the 3DS where I'm actually concentrating on my strategy instead of ways to make up for non-optimized controls. If you're looking for portable fighting game fix that's highly replayable and enjoyable for young and old alike, I highly recommended Super Smash Bros. for the 3DS. It's arguably the best fighting game on Nintendo's portable console to date and one of the best on any console for that matter.

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Oct 2, 2014

For the time being, though, this is a smashing return to form for one of Nintendo's most popular franchises, endlessly energetic and electrifying. Not unlike Pikachu's farts.

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Daily Dot
Top Critic
Oct 3, 2014

Smash Bros. for 3DS is fast and fun—but won't satisfy hardcore fans

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9 / 10
Sep 26, 2014

Remarkable production values combined with a staggering amount of content and fan service make Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS an entertaining, rewarding and downright addictive title that's immensely hard to put down. It's a hugely successful transition from the big screen, which retains everything — the in-depth gameplay, the seamlessly merged crossover universe and that unrivalled Nintendo charm — that has made each home console instalment to date an instant classic. It feels familiar, further defining the mould of the series instead of reshaping it, but it does so to impeccably high standards.That said, it's not perfect: the online multiplayer can be very hit-or-miss in terms of connection quality, and the customisation features are pretty lacking, although these aren't considerable enough to damage the overall experience. As the wealth of modes, stages, characters and other features prove, this isn't a quick release intended to tide over players until the Wii U version comes along. Rather, it delivers more than a 3DS game should feasibly be able to do, so much so that it'll be enjoyed alongside its HD counterpart and in its own right for years to come.

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9 / 10.0
Sep 26, 2014

Though it may lack some of the heftier features of previous titles with no long-form Classic or Adventure Modes, Super Smash Bros. for 3DS instead opts for truly-refined and lean gameplay that not only works well for the portable platform on 3DS, but proves to bring some exciting new additions like Smash Run just as engaging and fun as the regular bouts of brawling in the ring. As a love letter to Nintendo fans, Super Smash Bros. for 3DS brings together the best of gaming into one of the best 3DS games available, and although the portable title may be a warm-up for this holiday's Wii U version, it will be hard not jumping back in for a few more practice rounds on the 3DS.

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