Latest news with #SuperSmashBros
Gizmodo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
‘MultiVersus' Shows the Limits of IP Crossover Bonanzas
If every property is crossing over with each other these days, do "new" attempts like 'MultiVersus' truly stand a chance? This weekend marks the end of a short, but strange era: MultiVersus, a platform fighter featuring a bunch of Warner Bros. characters, has shut down. The game was intended as a hopeful rival to Super Smash Bros., and after a promising start, WB has cut bait about a year after its full relaunch. That MultiVersus died isn't really a surprise these days; the mid-2020s have featured a wave of multiplayer games being shut down or losing support not long after they launch. Babylon's Fall, Crossfire X, Gundam Evolution, and WB's own Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League are just a handful of examples. But depending on who you ask, Player First's platform fighter had plenty of fingers to blame for its end. Some attribute it to the full game's monetization, others the difference in how it played between its year-long open beta and its 1.0 release in 2024. Some think it all boiled down to the roster; WB owns a lot of IP, and clearly the aim was to get a selection of characters that would appeal to everyone. But that broadness means for every general A-lister like Batman or LeBron James (seriously), you've got what could generously be considered B or C-listers in Gremlins and supporting Adventure Time characters. To those who've grown up with fighting games, Player First did the game a disservice without any other DC heavy hitters (your Flashes, Robins, etc.) or Cartoon Network kings like Ben 10, Gumball, and Dexter. There's a certain degree of truth there—no doubt people would've paid to become teenage Ben 10, shift to Rath and subsequently pummel Superman into the pavement—but the bigger problem is the core concept of Multiversus is no longer special. When crossovers first happened between IP, it tended to feel like a genuine surprise to see characters from different worlds hang out. Those born in the 90s probably have a special place in their heart for the likes of Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour, Kim Possible teaming with Lilo & Stitch and Billy and Mandy getting mixed up with the Kids Next Door. The best thing working in their favor was how rare they felt: Jimmy/Timmy was an annualized trilogy, but these otherwise came and went before the shows got back to what they normally did. In the 2020s, that's not really the case, as studios like WB and Disney want these meetings of the media to always feel big, attention-grabbing events that the surprise is lost. Of course WB wants to bring the IP it owns together, it spent about half of Space Jam: A New Legacy stating as such with the subtlety of a Rick & Morty episode piledriving a bit into the ground. Before and during MultiVersus' life, we've seen Batman and Marvel cross over with Fortnite, horror movie characters enter Mortal Kombat, hunt monsters as Aloy and Geralt of Rivia, and gotten into street fights as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Overwatch heroes. The last two Call of Duty games have added the Turtles, Squid Game soldiers, WWE stars, and Paul Atreides are post-launch DLC for players to pay money for. Many have, but there's an equal amount of players who think the increasing array of IP skins borders on excessive and at worse, worsens the game. Activision's reportedly taking a more restrained approach going forward, but suffice to say, players aren't exactly hard up to see their favorite characters kill one another. Like Suicide Squad before it, MultiVersus was ultimately a victim of WB chasing and trying to force its way into a space in the hopes of making money. It's a shame Player First took the biggest hit of all—following the game's full launch, WB subsequently bought the studio, and it's now closed alongside its game. Meanwhile, crossovers still persist: DC is about to let some of its characters hang out with Marvel for the first time in 20 years, and Netherrealm will likely get some IP characters for its next project, which many are certain will be Injustice 3. In the same way the number must go up, the crossovers will persist until there's no more worlds to collide.
Tokyo Weekender
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tokyo Weekender
What Super Smash Bros Character Are You Based on Your Zodiac Sign?
Minds were blown in 1999 when Nintendo released Super Smash Bros. , the ultimate crossover episode of some of the most popular franchises of all time. Anyone who ever posed the question, 'Who would win in a fight, Donkey Kong or Link?' could now duke it out and find out the answer for themselves. The 25-year-old game has now expanded to 89 playable characters, but the first game in the series had a modest cast of 12 – the exact number of zodiac signs. Just as you were born under a certain constellation, there's a Nintendo Superstar just for you. List of Contents: Aries: Donkey Kong Taurus: Ness Gemini: Kirby Cancer: Jigglypuff Leo: Mario Virgo: Samus Libra: Link Scorpio: Captain Falcon Sagittarius: Yoshi Capricorn: Fox McCloud Aquarius: Pikachu Pisces: Luigi Related Posts Aries: Donkey Kong Donkey Kong, created by Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, is a long-adored, powerful gorilla who dons a red tie inscribed with his initials. Despite the fact that he was originally designed to be a villain, Donkey Kong's narrative shifts in Donkey Kong Country , where he is the protagonist tasked with retrieving stolen bananas from the crocodile King K. Rool. In his franchise, Donkey Kong is characterized as brave, stubborn, friendly and fiercely protective of his crew. Just like the fiery Aries, DK can be often misunderstood and perceived as aggressive, but it's just his passion (and love for bananas) getting him a bit riled up. Taurus: Ness Ness is the 13-year-old protagonist in the videogame classic Earthbound (known as Mother in Japan), tasked with saving the world from evil alien doom. Despite the large task at hand, Ness and his merry band of teenagers always have smiles on their faces and appear pretty laid-back, just like the chill and grounded Taurus. Ness's dependable nature and willingness to help out his friends (and all of humanity) is reflective of Taurean practicality and generosity. Gemini: Kirby Kirby is an iconic pink spherical creature hailing from Planet Popstar, flying around on his star to save his homeland and the universe time and time again. Kirby is generally cheerful, positive and always willing to give a helping hand, much like Gemini, the social butterfly of the zodiac. Kirby can also inhale his enemies and copy their abilities, adorably donning their look in the process. It's so Gemini to not only take on any nemesis' skill, but also look fantastic while doing it. Cancer: Jigglypuff Jigglypuff is an adorable, pink Pokémon known for being sweet, caring — and pretty sensitive. Jigglypuff loves serenading others with its enchanting voice, but unfortunately, it causes them to fall asleep. This usually causes Jigglypuff to start crying and even go into a tantrum, which is definitely how Cancer, the softie of the zodiac, would react. Leo: Mario If there's any singular animated character that exudes MCE (Main Character Energy), it has to be Mario. And of course, the dramatic main character of the zodiac is our fiery lion. Besides their shared love for the spotlight (don't deny it), Mario and Leo are both known for their headstrong bravery and cheerful nature that lights up a room. Virgo: Samus Samus is a warrior-turned-bounty hunter from the Metroid series, and is probably the most badass character in the entire Super Smash Bros. lineup, having destroyed the base of the Space Pirates responsible for killing her parents. In the debut 1986 Metroid game, many users were under the impression that Samus was male, until she removed her Power Suit helmet at the end. Samus is a warrior of few words, who's independent, highly-skilled and secretly deeply sentimental — traits that the perfectionistic, analytical Virgo can relate to. Libra: Link Link is the iconic protagonist from the Legend of Zelda series, tasked with fighting evil and leading the world to peace and justice. Highly skilled in weaponry and deeply compassionate, Link is a character of few words, an intentional choice by series creator Shigeru Miyamoto to make the game more immersive and Link more relatable to the player. Link is undeniably Libra-like, being adaptable, kind-hearted and guided by a strong sense of justice. By Mar22 via Scorpio: Captain Falcon Captain Falcon is a pilot from the 1990 racing game F-Zero , donning a racing suit and helmet that are distinctly the American red, white and blue. Captain Falcon is outwardly very confident, capable and collected, but much of his past is unknown. Scorpio, too, would love to keep their identity shrouded in mystery. Falcon is also an accomplished bounty hunter but has a heroic and sentimental streak, similar to Scorpio, who likes to appear calm and indifferent but actually is secretly sensitive. Sagittarius: Yoshi Yoshi is a beloved green dinosaur hailing from Yoshi's Island with the rest of his species. He first appeared as Mario's helpful bestie in the platform game Super Mario World in 1990, and has become a staple character in the Mario universe since. Yoshi is carefree and playful, but also courageous, standing up against powerful villains, much like the fun-loving and adventurous Sag. By unbecomingname via DeviantArt Capricorn: Fox McCloud Fox McCloud is the protagonist of the Star Fox series, the gold standard of the rail shooter genre. Fox is, like his name suggests, an orange-brown furred fox; designer Shigeru Miyamoto apparently got his inspiration during a visit to Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine in Kyoto. Fox McCloud is a determined pilot and honorable leader who always protects his team, something the ambitious and loyal Cap can relate to. Fox is also highly-skilled and quick on his feet, just like the practical Capricorn, who naturally just gets it. Aquarius: Pikachu Pikachu, as the face of the Pokémon franchise, needs no introduction. The bright yellow character is known for being friendly and adorable, but what fewer people talk about is how brave and intelligent he is as well — he often outsmarts opponents in battle. Pikachu can befriend just about anyone, and arguably has an emotional depth that isn't always understood, like the free-spirited and selectively social Aquarius, who has an intellectual, humanitarian streak. Pisces: Luigi Luigi is Mario's younger twin brother and the secondary main character in the Super Mario Bros. franchise. Compared to his blindly positive big brother, he's more timid and scares easily (especially when it comes to ghosts). Just like the sensitive and conflict-avoidant Pisces, Luigi is gentle, and heading head-first into battle isn't his first instinct. It's also what makes him arguably the most selfless character out of the entire Super Smash Bros. cast, as he's willing to put himself into dangerous scenarios to protect his loved ones. Related Posts What Generation I Pokémon Are You Based on Your Zodiac Sign? How to Find Tokyo's Secret Nintendo Bar: 84 Hashi Cafe Super Nintendo World's Donkey Kong Country Area Swings Into Action
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Super Smash Bros' Dating App Gets Bad Legal News
Saying 'I smashed' is, in one writer's humble opinion, sort of the least refined way to communicate your loins' good fortune. It seems very antiquated, very early-aughts comedy, very American Pie. But, saying it in the context of using a Super Smash Bros dating app is at least a little funnier. Unfortunately for gamers and would-be lovers, the unofficial Super Smash Bros dating app, SmashTogether, has been hit with a cease and desist before it ever really got a chance to thrive. On May 12, 2025, the app creators announced on X that SmashTogehter was entering open beta, and would be public on May 15. Exciting! A matchmaking algorithm rooted in all participants' love of Mario, Luigi, and the whole gang. But, on May 14, a post on X simply said 'We got cease and desisted.' For right now, that's all we know about the situation. Based on the graphic design alone, it doesn't seem like the fledgling dating app really has the money to fund a major fight against a cease and desist. It was likely filed by the owner of Super Smash Bros, Nintendo, a company notorious for aggressive protection of its copyrights. So for those of you looking for love online, it's probably not going to be happening on Smash Together. But you can always put 'looking for my Doubles partner' in your bio on literally any other app.
Calgary Herald
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Esports competitors descend on Calgary for Alberta Championship
Children aged between 10 and 18 years pile into two rooms on the second floor of Bow Valley College's south campus building, darkened lighting with rows of tables piled with computers. The screens flash, displaying unique colourful worlds with characters bouncing back and forth, attempting to land a kick or punch on the opponents. Article content Article content The real opponents, the children, sit in front of the screens, headphones on, fully engaged in battle and to survive for the top spots at Super Smash Bros. Article content Article content Elsewhere, in the official esports arena, kids compete at Rocket League, an arcade-style vehicular soccer game. Later in the day, teams will come together to compete in Valorant, a tactical hero-shooter video game. Article content Article content The Alberta Esports Championship has begun its second year at Calgary's new esports arena in the south campus of Bow Valley College and the mood is infectious. Article content Starting Saturday, the championship will continue through the weekend and has drawn more than 200 competitors, a mix of junior high and high school students from 25 schools across the province to battle it out for the top prizes, but also to get a chance to play their favourite video game on a provincial stage. Article content 'It's lively,' said Shadi Hanna, academic development lead with the Alberta Esports Association. 'The kids are are cheering when they're winning. They're giving each other fist-bumps when they score a goal, or whatever it is. It's that community camaraderie feel that sport brings. For us to be able to do that with video games is just such an awesome thing.' Article content Article content The tournament marks the final event for the association's calendar year, as well as the biggest. 'We ran a total of 10 events throughout the year, the idea being, is that we wanted to give kids several opportunities to compete, to practise, to train,' he said. Article content The concept for a provincial tournament came to fruition last year when the tournament was held for the first time in Lethbridge. 'Gaming is not a new or foreign thing,' Hanna said, and yet for years it had been thought of as a hobby played in the basement at home. Article content Tournaments like these offer kids the opportunity to 'express themselves freely,' with the support of parents and administration, 'to excel in something they care deeply about, to be able to make friends, gain skills from competition and be exposed to career opportunities,' Hanna said.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
4 NM high schools rank top 25 nationally in esports
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – As high school esports teams in New Mexico gear up for the state tournament, four schools across the state rank among the nation's best. USA Today and PlayVS, NMAA's official esports provider, published a list of the top 25 high school teams in the country. Los Alamos (3), La Cueva (5), West Las Vegas (13) and Bosque (22) all made the list. Advertisement The rankings were determined by the PlayVS database. Schools were analyze on their average match-win percentage of their top preforming teams for each separate title game. In total, the NMAA offers 10 different title games for teams to play — League of Legends, Rocket League, Splatoon 3, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros, Hearthstone, NBA 2k 24, Madden NFL 24, Rocket League and Street Fighter 6. In order to receive a ranking, a school must participate in at least five separate titles. The NMAA does not currently offer Rocket League to class 5A. Los Alamos – 7 total esports leagues, 83.93% match-win, 74.9% game-win La Cueva – 9 total esports leagues, 82.56% match-win, 69.58 game-win Advertisement West Las Vegas – 8 total esports leagues, 79.69% match-win, 73.15% game-win Bosque – 7 total esports leagues, 76.79% match-win, 77.3% game-win The opening rounds of the 2025 New Mexico state tournament are currently underway. Championship weekend will take place April 10-12 at the Berna Facio Complex in Albuquerque. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
