TheSuper Smash Bros. series is often considered one of the best platformer fighter franchises ever conceived, withUltimateconsidered the peak in quality among the different iterations. While the 2018 game is one of the most successful titles on the Nintendo Switch, it is already 6 years old, meaning it risks being replaced with the next installment set for the future console generation. However, that may not be the case, considering Nintendo announced theSwitch sequel’s backward compatibility. With the confirmation of the next generation console’s ability to play titles from its predecessor,Super Smash Bros. Ultimatemay find itself with another role to play.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimateis a well-known and popular entry in the series, selling over 35.14 million as of September 2024. Its gameplay mechanics, features, music, and characters are all produced with the highest quality, making it no surprise that fans hold the game in such high regard. With Nintendo’s next-generation console confirmed to have backward compatibility,Ultimatewill have a chance to thrive yet again, despite its age. While there’s no telling how being on Switch 2 will affect the game in any way, it still grants the game another opportunity to gain even more success than it already did.

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How the Switch 2 Offers New Life for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

The Switch 2’s backward compatibility likely means it won’t face an issueregarding what can be played on it at launch, especially with a title as big asSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. Though the game benefits the next-generation console, it also gains a lot by being on Nintendo’s next-gen hardware, as there are a few key opportunities for it.

The sudden October update forSuper Smash Bros. Ultimateshows that it’s still being maintained, which might mean Nintendo is considering giving the game a fresh coat of paint on the Switch sequel. If the company actually is prepping it, then the next-generation console could help the title achieve new heights it wasn’t able to with its predecessor, bringing about exciting possibilities that fans can look forward to.

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Why Players Will Likely Continue Playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the Next-Generation Console

AlthoughSuper Smash Bros. Ultimateis 6 years old, the quality of its gameplay and what it offers is enough for it to extend itself even onto Nintendo’s next-generation console. People will likely continue playing it because of how well it’s made as a platformer fighter, but another big reason it will still be played could bethe Switch 2’s NSO compatibility. With two different consoles having access to Nintendo’s online functions and both being able to playSmash Ultimate,it presents the opportunity to allow both systems to connect. This means there will potentially be even more people to play with, making the online multiplayer feature one of the biggest reasons why the game will still be played even on the Switch sequel.

Having and being able to play one ofNintendo’s best multiplayer gameswill undoubtedly benefit the Switch 2, but the same can be said for the title itself.Super Smash Bros. Ultimatehas another chance to provide more fun and exciting experiences for a new generation of players, and it may even be given more improvements or surprises to help it become even more successful.

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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

WHERE TO PLAY

Gaming icons clash in the ultimate brawl you can play anytime, anywhere! Smash rivals off the stage as new characters Simon Belmont and King K. Rool join Inkling, Ridley, and every fighter in Super Smash Bros. history. Enjoy enhanced speed and combat at new stages based on the Castlevania series, Super Mario Odyssey, and more!Having trouble choosing a stage? Then select the Stage Morph option to transform one stage into another while battling—a series first! Plus, new echo fighters Dark Samus, Richter Belmont, and Chrom join the battle. Whether you play locally or online, savor the faster combat, new attacks, and new defensive options, like a perfect shield. Jam out to 900 different music compositions and go 1-on-1 with a friend, hold a 4-player free-for-all, kick it up to 8-player battles and more!

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Female Inkling rolling orange ink over Mario and Samus on a Mario Kart track.

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