Chapter 875: Game Museum

Of course, apart from the multiplayer Versus Mode, it was the single-player mode of Smash Bros. that truly surprised them.

Many players even joked: “This Smash Bros. game is a total scam! How is this an action-versus game? It's clearly a massive progression-based RPG!”

Some players, filled with anguish, suggested: “We strongly demand that the Spirits in the game be reduced. I've already got liver cirrhosis! Old Geezer Chen Xu doesn't want my money anymore; he wants my life!”

Of course, this 'taking money and life' business wasn't Nebula Games' first time doing it anyway. The point that truly made players so emotional was still how incredibly fun the single-player content was.

For most fighting games, the so-called single-player story content within them was mostly just telling a story or serving as a tutorial level for the fighting game.

In terms of actual gameplay elements, there wasn't much.

But with the emergence of World of Light, this conventional understanding was broken.

Because it was simply too unique.

If one were to talk about this game's multiplayer mode, it could be said that it allowed countless players to immerse themselves in the chaos.

Combining the three major characteristics of multiplayer, items, and randomly generated maps, it created an extremely low barrier to entry, allowing both players skilled in fighting games and those unfamiliar with them to play with great enjoyment.

Then, the single-player content within Smash Bros. could completely stand alone as a massive progression-based RPG.

Nebula All-Star Smash Bros. – the 'Smash Bros.' part of it referred to the game's multiplayer mode gameplay.

But the preceding two characters, 'All-Star,' if players hadn't played World of Light yet, many would naturally assume they referred to the famous IP characters participating in the game.

However, once these players truly got their hands on it and experienced the single-player story, World of Light, their perspectives would instantly change.

Because this was not just a game, but also a game museum.

All IPs that appeared in Smash Bros. were meticulously crafted.

The game included over 1000 music tracks from relevant game series, from ancient 8-bit electronic sounds to modern high-fidelity music, all crammed into the game, providing each battlefield with its most fitting exclusive soundtrack.

Numerous classic characters, scenes, music, and stories, spanning almost the entire history of gaming, were all carefully collected by Nebula Games within Smash Bros., making it, beyond just being a game, also possessing the commemorative significance of a game museum.

When seeing ancient characters who had long faded away, once again radiating new vitality, especially with the more immersive visual experience in VR mode, it made countless players exclaim in admiration—'Video games are truly effing great!'

As for this portion of the single-player content, if we were to talk about the plot, Smash Bros.'s plot was actually very simple.

Just like The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Odyssey.

The world within Smash Bros. was a story of a real world and a Sub-Space World.

As the real world was torn apart, dimension rifts were created, mixing spaces from different dimensions and bringing heroes from various worlds together into one common world.

At the same time, due to the influence of the Saiyan's mysterious power, portions of the fighters' worlds also merged with the world of Smash Bros.

Thus, players could witness sights like these: Midgar and Yharnam were connected to each other, and the world outside the Great Plateau was no longer Hyrule, but had become the New World.

The fighters controlled by the Saiyan were all imprisoned in various locations, using power drawn from the real world to produce clone armies for the Sub-Space Army, thereby achieving the goal of integrating the real world into Sub-Space.

And as Kirby rescued each hero fighter character, a dedicated CG animation would be shown to players, narrating the stories of these hero fighters.

After all, for Smash Bros., a game that launched with nearly 80 different characters, not every player would know the origins of every fighter hero from its various IP games.

Spirits, fighters, and exploring new stages—all this content perfectly integrated with the game.

The feeling this brought simply thrilled countless players.

This was also what made Smash Bros. unique.

This was a carnival for players, and equally a carnival for gaming industry professionals, because the industry, which understood game development better, and many veteran gaming media outlets, could even more deeply feel the charm brought by Smash Bros.

So, after the scores for Smash Bros. were released, players unanimously declared they felt no emotional stir, as they had already grown accustomed to it.

All perfect scores.

Especially in GameSpot's review, which had already become utterly loyal to Nebula Games, it was, as always, showering it with immense praise, sparing no exaggerated words of commendation.

“This is a sudden surprise. No one ever imagined that these classic IP characters, spanning decades, would one day appear in a single world and fight together.”

“At this moment, Nebula Games has delivered an incredible gift to all players, to all who love games.”

“Some people will consider this a hardcore game, some will see it as a casual party game, and some will treat it as a collection-focused progression-based RPG.”

“But GameSpot's reviewer has always believed that the five words 'Game Museum' might better summarize this game. We can observe the changes brought by the evolution of different IP characters, from the pixel era to the VR era.”

“The evolution of games has never been so clearly displayed before us. Steve from Minecraft and Mario battling Cloud and Sephiroth, with vastly different styles and immense fun, also carried an ineffable sense of nostalgia for veteran players.”

“A game worthy of the 'All-Star' name.”

After these mainstream media scores were released, it got players even more hyped up.

‘Smash Bros. is eternally divine! Nowadays, most games are like marriage: you have to deeply understand them for a while to know if they're your cup of tea. But sometimes, this 'dish' might not bring joy or emotion. Smash Bros. is different; playing it feels like rescuing fallen women: simple yet full of joy. You can rescue whenever you want. Each time feels different, and you can even rescue with friends. With nearly a hundred fighters, the target of rescue can be different every time. I can't think of any game that can surpass Smash Bros.!’

‘The bro upstairs is divine! Weird knowledge increased again!’

‘Honestly speaking, if you don't treat it as a hardcore game, it's truly very joyful!’

………………

The media's perfect scores and the players' high praise.

The popularity of Smash Bros. could be said to be at its zenith.

No other game could ever be as influential as Smash Bros.

Similarly, no other game could, like Smash Bros., bring together so many unique IPs and their popular characters.

And thanks to Smash Bros.'s outstanding quality, many game developers and designers even sought out Nebula Games, hoping to add their classic IP characters to Smash Bros.

However, for Nebula Games and Smash Bros. now, the relationship had changed.

Didn't cooperate before, and now they want to?

The bar is higher now, buddy!

If a third-party IP wanted to be selected, it had to meet three strict conditions.

First, the IP must have a long history and a certain level of influence.

Second, it must not have any serious negative history.

Third, it needs to cooperate with Nebula Games in faithfully recreating the IP's content.

Character development in a fighting game is far more difficult than what ordinary players imagine.

In some fighting games, a single hero can sell for 6 USD, or even more.

Mainly because it's worth that price.

And in Smash Bros., it was even more so.

Aside from just character creation.

Music, stages, Spirits, and the corresponding blending of worlds.

All of these needed to be produced.

The workload was also much greater.

(End of Chapter) <>