Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS Reviews

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS is ranked in the 93rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Sep 26, 2014

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

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8 / 10
Sep 26, 2014

If anything, Super Smash Bros. For 3DS is a precursor to the main event – the Wii U version – which is arriving later this year. It's a handheld game at heart, so it can be excused where it falls short in certain modes, and it brings a wealth of new functionality to the series, including character customisations in an already expansive roster.

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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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9 / 10
Sep 26, 2014

The best Smash Bros. in the series to date, giving the Wii U version a lot to live up to.

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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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9.8 / 10.0
Sep 26, 2014

Super Smash Bros. 3DS is a wonderful addition to the series featuring great cameos, a return to strong fighting mechanics, and best of all, a viable, portable Smash Bros. experience. Though the game will soon be released on the Wii U, the 3DS version is the way to go for the various single player modes and unlockable content (though the multiplayer mode is great here as well). Fans of the series should pick this game up as waiting for the Wii U version may be a difficult task.

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Sep 26, 2014

Even if you're likely to move onto the console version or you don't play your 3DS much, this edition of the venerable brawling series offers everything you could want and will likely become a standard bearer for the platform.

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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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USgamer
Top Critic
Sep 27, 2014

Given the technical limitations of the Nintendo 3DS, Sora Ltd. and Bandai Namco have done an admirable job with this port. At its core, Super Smash Bros. is both a loving tribute to Nintendo and a surprisingly deep fighter, and though it hasn't changed much over the years, its appeal is strong as ever on the Nintendo 3DS. The solo experience is admittedly lacking, but as a multiplayer game, it remains a delight.

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Sep 30, 2014

A highly polished iteration of Smash Bros. that plays great on its own. But if you're afflicted by latency problems in local multiplayer, you'll suddenly become painfully aware of the 3DS version's critical shortcomings.

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8 / 10
Oct 2, 2014

There are some inherent limitations with playing a four-player fighting game on a 3DS but this overcomes almost all of them, to become one of the portable's definitive multiplayer games.

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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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9 / 10.0
Oct 2, 2014

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS delivered just about everything I wanted out of it, and then some. I've grown attached to a number of newcomers, I've played more online matches than I ever did with Brawl, and I'll be tackling all of the single-player content for weeks on end. I'm all in again thanks to Smash 3DS, and it's made me even more excited for the Wii U version later this year.

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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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Unscored
Oct 2, 2014

Nintendo overcomes Super Smash Bros.' identity crisis on the 3DS

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7 / 10.0
Oct 3, 2014

The 3DS version of Smash Bros. is the broadest yet … but it lacks the social aspects of gathering round a TV

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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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Yes
Oct 3, 2014

Portable Smash Bros. blizz.

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8 / 10.0
Oct 3, 2014

I can't argue with the logic behind a handheld Smash Bros—people will buy it, people will love it, Nintendo will make money and everybody will be happy—but I might have to wait for the upcoming Wii U version, where even the secondary screen that I hold in my hands will be significantly bigger than the one on the 3DS. It's not the game's fault, of course. The game is big. It's the picture that got small.

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Cubed3
Top Critic
9 / 10
Oct 4, 2014

The handheld debut of Super Smash Bros. is a successful one that stands proud alongside its predecessors on home consoles and is a must-have for Nintendo 3DS owners, with combat that feels more refined than Super Smash Bros. Brawl and can be enjoyed by casual and dedicated players alike. The roster is also the biggest and best one yet, and the production values are outstanding. While it's still unclear what the upcoming Wii U version will have and how the two versions will interact with each other, those who really value much better graphics and more control options - such as the Nintendo GameCube controller that can be used with a special adapter - might want to wait for it instead. Anyone else, though, definitely shouldn't hesitate to get a copy of this game to settle it in Smash.

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