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

Despite the system's limitations, Super Smash Bros. for 3DS successfully brings the frenzied fighting series to a portable platform.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 26, 2014

It's not feature rich, and it's not the perfect way to play Super Smash Bros. 4, but Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS does mean you can see if attacks link in training while in the queue for coffee. It means you can set a new high score in a home run contest while on the loo and save the replay to prove how you did it later. It means you can play Super Smash Bros. online without crippling lag, while waiting for pasta to boil, and then watch some replays of online Luigi players while you eat. It would be easy to sit and reel off a list of things Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS doesn't have, but it's better to focus on what it is. And what it is, is a functionally excellent, portable version of Super Smash Bros.

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8.5 / 10.0
Sep 26, 2014

Another smashing good time.

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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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8 / 10
Sep 26, 2014

Smash Bros. is a cavalcade of cartoonish violence and chaos, and it's never been better.

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9 / 10.0
Sep 26, 2014

Smash Bros hasn't been compressed for 3DS — it's been tailored to it

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4 / 5.0
Sep 26, 2014

Super Smash Bros. for 3DS is absolutely a great game. It retains all the action, polish, and fun factor that makes the series wildly popular with a wide range of gamers. However, the game gains little and loses much on the small screen. As much fun as it is to play, it's going to be more fun, more attractive, easier to control, and hopefully more online-capable on the Wii U. I won't say that you shouldn't buy the game on the 3DS, but I will suggest that the Wii U version is probably the game that you really want to play. The excellent roster and various other improvements found on the 3DS only make me more excited for the big-screen version of the game that is to come.

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9.3 / 10.0
Sep 26, 2014

Don't let the screen size fool you – Super Smash Bros. on 3DS is a riot, and it's worthy of the name

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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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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 / 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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Unscored
Sep 26, 2014

It's been an agonizing wait, but it was worth it. When Nintendo announced a new Super Smash Bros. for not only the Wii U, but also the 3DS, it was almost inconceivable that the handheld version would be anything but a mere gap filler until its older and prettier sibling would release later that year. Rest easy knowing that's not the case at all. Super Smash Bros. for the 3DS packs a punch with the full character roster, diverse stages and various modes to keep you smashing all day.

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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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No Recommendation / Blank
Sep 26, 2014

Pocket fighter.

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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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97 / 100
Sep 26, 2014

You can never tell how great a fighting game will really be until the public has time to master it, but Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS has everything it needs to finally get the competitive community to move on from Melee. The new characters are excellent, and the gameplay is smooth, fast, and exciting.

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IGN
Top Critic
8.8 / 10.0
Sep 26, 2014

Smash 3DS is impressive and, for the most part, feels right at home on 3DS. The multitude of ways to play and awesome customization gave me many reasons to keep fighting - and I've been at it for more than 45 hours already. It all produces a fun feedback loop of engaging in matches to unlock custom moves and trophies, then jumping into another match to try out the new stuff. Even the online modes feel carefully considered and focused on what the series does best, and what the 3DS can reasonably do. It's a little disappointing that the four-player antics that are the best part of the console games don't really work on a small screen, but there's still more than enough that does work to make Smash a great 3DS game.

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Sep 26, 2014

For the first time in the franchise's 15-year history, you can pummel your friends on the go. It comes with some drawbacks, but not enough to get in the way of another chaotic, fun experience.

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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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8 / 10
Sep 26, 2014

Super Smash Bros. brings everything good about the series, including its rich roster of beloved characters, stages that honor Nintendo's handheld heritage, tens of hours of unlockable content, and condenses it all into a fine portable package. It goes a long way towards catering to both long-time fans of the series and casual newcomers with mechanics that are simple to grasp, while also adding some welcome new degrees of complexity.

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