Chapter 867: First Game Experience

As the Direct presentation concluded, many players who watched it felt a dreamlike sensation.

No one had expected that this game, named Super Smash Bros., would be such a colossal entity, to the point where its content almost exceeded what a fighting game should have.

If it weren't for Chen Xu's introduction during the Direct and the leaked promotional CGI animations,

based solely on this content, no player would have thought it was a fighting game.

Because the content was simply too rich.

And even as a fighting game, this was an unprecedented one.

Multiplayer brawls, along with items and knockbacks – revolutionary settings compared to traditional fighting games – were just the beginning.

Dozens of selectable fighter heroes, hundreds of stage maps with different forms, and thousands of original BGM tracks.

As well as a massive single-player mode, with nearly ten thousand Spirits to collect.

All this content set new historical records.

What excited players even more was the sight of various intricate details within the game.

This was an IP-driven game, primarily offering the joy of 'Guan Gong fighting Qin Qiong' – characters from different IPs clashing.

But having an IP didn't guarantee massive sales.

In fact, before Chen Xu announced Super Smash Bros., the market wasn't lacking IP-driven games; it was just that their scale wasn't as grand.

For those IP games, it was purely about cashing in on fan nostalgia.

But Super Smash Bros. was different. Even before its release, players could clearly feel that this was the game they had always wanted.

As long as a favorite IP appeared in Super Smash Bros., players familiar with that IP could instantly spot small easter eggs and details known only to them, based on the content revealed during the Direct.

This immediately gave them a sense of identification. Nebula Games wasn't just haphazardly throwing IPs into the game; it genuinely understood the games and IPs that players loved.

This was content that only true players could discover.

And this was precisely the game's characteristic.

Integrating diverse characters from various games into a unified game universe wasn't just about adding a 'skin'; more importantly, it was about embodying the game culture and unique characteristics behind each game. This was what truly captivated most players.

Simply putting a character's 'skin' into a game would make it no different from ordinary IP-driven games.

It was precisely because this game showcased the content and game culture behind each character that it could become a legend.

Similarly, major game developers were well aware that there might never be a second game like this one.

It was a unique existence.

The massive IP lineup, the countless accumulated details, and the showcased game content culture almost guaranteed that future game developers would find it nearly impossible to surpass it.

Coupled with Nebula Games' consistent ability to produce high-quality titles, it was foreseeable that the quality of Super Smash Bros. would be nothing short of excellent. To say it was 'born a legend' would be no exaggeration.

The only remaining unknown was whether this game would be widely popular among players.

After all, the gaming industry is quite unreasonable. Sometimes a game can be an outstanding work of art in every aspect, but players simply won't buy it.

A simple 'It's not fun' could sum up everything.

In his previous life, such situations were common. Fumito Ueda, renowned as a game artist, whose game ICO led Hidetaka Miyazaki into the gaming industry, developed titles like Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian, both of which could be called works of art.

Elements like the weak guidance and fragmented narrative of Souls-like games and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild were evident in Shadow of the Colossus and ICO. In every respect, these games were excellent.

However, their sales after launch were not satisfactory.

There were many similar examples. Conversely, some games that didn't receive very good player or media ratings still managed to achieve excellent sales.

Therefore, even though Nebula All-Star Smash Bros. had already demonstrated extraordinary quality, and even though Nebula Games was the developer, as a fighting game, no one could say how successful it would truly be until its launch.

……………………

December 8th was a special day, one that countless players had eagerly awaited.

Because today was the release day for Super Smash Bros. Over three months had passed since the Direct presentation, and this game, which had kept everyone on tenterhooks, was finally launched.

During this period, the main topic of conversation had basically revolved around 'Nebula All-Star Smash Bros.'.

After all, the 'Wrath of the Lich King' version had already been online for some time.

Furthermore, Super Smash Bros. itself was incredibly topical.

It boasted the most luxurious IP lineup in history.

It could be said that almost every character included had left a significant mark in gaming history.

Aside from Nebula Games' own properties, many classic IPs previously acquired by Nebula Games were carefully selected, and their most influential IP characters were added.

From every perspective, Super Smash Bros. was undoubtedly a highly appealing game.

If there was anything that made players a bit hesitant, it was probably the fighting gameplay itself.

Song Ren was one of these players.

He had been following this game ever since the news was first revealed.

Previously, he would blindly buy any game released by Nebula Games, never having any concerns.

Even with horror games, he would grit his teeth and experience them.

But this game, Super Smash Bros., he was genuinely a bit scared of.

Because it was a fighting game. Although Nebula Games had consistently denied it, stating it was a 'joyful knockback game,' as a veteran player, how could he not see the gameplay?

As for himself, as a true noob player, whether it was Rainbow Six or DOTA, he was the kind of player who only added to the depth of the 'fish pond' (a colloquial term for low-ranked players).

Souls-like games, on the other hand, were actually a special case. Many BOSSes in Souls-like games could be overcome through memorization; it was simply a matter of familiarity.

But fighting games were entirely different.

In fighting games, even AI opponents wouldn't follow fixed patterns like BOSSes in Souls games.

What if he couldn't even beat the computer?

He was quite confident in his own skills.

The only thing he was looking forward to was that Old Zhang would probably also get into the game.

He couldn't beat other players, but at least he should be able to beat Old Zhang, right?

This was his motivation for playing this game.

Watching Old Zhang's sorrowful message in the group chat, stating he was busy and couldn't play Super Smash Bros. immediately, Song Ren couldn't help but smile faintly as he opened the newly unlocked Super Smash Bros. game icon.

He would use this time to practice more, and by evening, he could go on a rampage!

As he began fantasizing about which fighter to use to trounce Old Zhang that evening, Song Ren's vision gradually darkened.

Then, his vision slowly returned, and the first thing that caught his eye was a group of familiar characters.

Mario, Luigi, Link, Zelda, Pyra and Mythra, Cloud...

In the distance was Galeem, shrouded in light, and the countless Master Hands it had summoned.

(End of Chapter) <>