It’s getting pretty hard to predict Super Smash Bros. Ultimate announcements these days. Usually, fans can count on Nintendo to announce the forthcoming reveal of the next DLC fighter at least a few days in advance of any given event. December 10 was not one of those days. Less than 24 hours after Nintendo revealed there would be a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fighter announced at The Game Awards 2020, that fighter made their grand entrance. Before the end of the month, Final Fantasy fans can rejoice as Smash gets its second representative from the RPG series: Sephiroth, the infamous antagonist of Final Fantasy 7.
The one-winged angel is certainly a worthy candidate for Nintendo’s all-star fighting game as one of the stars of an RPG classic. However, Sephiroth does play into a larger problem that Smash fans have been complaining about for a long time. Some players are of the opinion that Smash Bros. has far too many sword fighters. Over the years, the game has certainly accumulated a lot of them from all kinds of franchises, including in the DLCs for Smash Ultimate. Sephiroth is only the latest in a well established Smash archetype, yet his inclusion sets a precedent for future DLC fighters that might worry some players and certainly makes everyone wonder what else Nintendo has in store.
It’s impossible to deny that swordfighters make up a majority of Smash‘s roster in just about any entry in the franchise, as it really just shows how much of a variety of sword fighters Nintendo has access to. Among others, there’s three different versions of Link from The Legend of Zelda, there’s eight distinct Fire Emblem representatives that all use swords, and of course, Cloud Strife himself. For anyone who’s getting into Smash and interested in playing a sword fighter, there’s definitely no shortage of options in terms of playstyle, weight, and so on.
The problem is that this isn’t always a strength for the game because players have been upset about the quantity of swordfighters for years. Fire Emblem‘s representatives are often the subject of mockery since many of them are very similar in both appearance and playstyle, while Link’s variations are also considered very similar despite nuanced differences. Even though fans say they’ve had enough of sword fighters, though, Nintendo has added quite a few more in Ultimate. Both Fire Emblem‘s Byleth and Dragon Quest‘s Hero meant DLC sword fighters. Even Persona 5‘s Joker plays rather like a swordfighter with his dagger, and Minecraft‘s Steve has some swordplay built in.
The list still goes on from there. Both versions of Pit qualify as sword fighters, Xenoblade‘s Shulk wields his signature Monado, and even Castlevania‘s Belmonts are at least cousins of sword fighters with their whips. Even though the archetype is still only one portion of Smash Ultimate‘s titanic roster, the sheer number of sharp edges in the game is impossible to ignore, yet apparently, the dev believes there’s room for a few more swords.
It’s worth noting that Sephiroth isn’t just another sword fighter. One could argue that he’s about to become the definitive sword fighter in Smash, considering his weapon of choice: the Masamune, a tremendous odachi style sword, often as tall or taller than Sephiroth himself. That means Sephiroth is bound to have unbelievable reach with his attacks. While the details of Sephiroth’s kit have yet to be revealed, his reveal trailer does indicate that he has some vast sweeping attacks bound to have very intimidating hitboxes. One of a sword fighter’s best advantages in Smash is their ability to reach out and hit enemies at a distance, and Sephiroth might do it better than anyone else. Those not keen on sword fighters would probably find that frustrating, but sword lovers will likely adore his Masamune.
By opting to add Sephiroth in spite of potential controversy, Nintendo has made a serious statement. Invitations to Smash Bros. are not easy to come by, but it’s clear that Nintendo is not anxious about whether or not a chosen guest uses a sword. If the pattern Sephiroth establishes means anything, there’s a good chance that at least one of the remaining DLCs in the second Fighters Pass will include some form of sword fighter. On the one hand, it’s hard to blame Nintendo for that, since swords are really ubiquitous weapons. On the other hand, fans have longed for someone with an axe, a hammer, or some other very different style of weapon. Byleth offered a taste of that, but swords still dominate; Smash is still waiting for something truly new.
Even if fans weren’t exactly holding their breath for another fighter with a sword, Sephiroth is certainly bound to be a really unique fighter in Smash Bros. Ultimate. Masahiro Sakurai and his dev studio have constantly managed to come up with unique, surprising designs for the DLC fighters, so Sephiroth is still liable to carve out his own niche within his archetype. Sephiroth’s striking sword might also be a good bit of experience for the Smash developers in preparing a character with a different weapon. Its reach could teach Nintendo some tricks for a spear wielding character like Horizon Zero Dawn‘s Aloy, or its raw power might be helpful in designing a heavy duty axe wielder like Kratos.
Alternatively, Nintendo might decide that it’s had its fill of melee weapons with Sephiroth and turn to something completely different. That could be the gateway to a projectile based character like Doom Marine or Master Chief. As mentioned, though, it’s become a real challenge to predict when Smash fighters will be announced and just who they’ll be. There were many games at The Game Awards 2020 that were good contestants for a new affiliation with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but instead Nintendo revisited Final Fantasy. In a way, that return to what’s familiar is reflective of Nintendo’s return to swordfighters. It’s certainly comfortable making this type of fighter. Comfortable or not, though, mastery of the category alone won’t please players. Sephiroth is a very exciting pick, but hopefully, the next DLC’s fighting style is a little more surprising.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is available now for Nintendo Switch.
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