What‘s the difference between Super Smash Bros and Ultimate? A fighter-by-fighter breakdown

As a competitive Smash player since the N64 days and content creator specializing in platform fighters, I get asked this question a lot: what‘s the difference between the previous Super Smash Bros games and the newest entry, Super Smash Bros Ultimate?

While the core gameplay remains the same delightfully chaotic mascot brawler action, Ultimate stands out as the biggest and most comprehensive Smash ever. But the sheer breadth of the game can mask more subtle evolutions in mechanics and character balance.

So as a Super Smash aficionado, let me clearly break down…

The History and Evolution Behind Ultimate‘s Fighter Roster

With a staggering 89 playable fighters, Ultimate boasts over 20 more characters than previous franchise highpoint Super Smash Bros Brawl. Let‘s analyze how the roster has grown across titles:

As you can see, the roster size has grown enormously with each release. However, Ultimate‘s 89 fighters don‘t just represent quantity over quality. Creator Masahiro Sakurai specifically refined and rebalanced EVERY fighter from past entries while introducing some smart newcomers like Splatoon‘s Inkling. Plus certain characters who missed previous installments like Metal Gear‘s Snake make their triumphant return.

For fans like me who religiously lab out their mains between sequels, it‘s incredibly satisfying to see the roster not just grow gargantuan, but evolve in subtle ways to improve balance, modernize dated movesets, and recall fondly-remembered veterans long overdue for a comeback.

Reimagined Franchise Locales and Creative Arenas

In terms of stages, Ultimate offers over 100 locations to brawl across themes both classic and new. Every past franchise and their iconic locales return, from Hyrule Temple to Saffron City, only reimagined in beautiful HD. Plus fresh arenas represent modern franchises like Splatoon and Castlevania with creative flair. Stage morphing also dynamically transitions stages mid-match to refresh the backdrop.

As a hardcore Melee tournament veteran, I love seeing the dev team refine familiar tournaments stages like Final Destination and Battlefield with tweaked geometry and visual overhauls while preserving their competitiveness. And expressive new locales like New Donk City and Dracula‘s Castle add spectacle without distracting over-the-top hazards and gimmicks. It‘s a smart expansion catering to both casual crowds and eSports players.

Meaningful Mechanical Evolutions

While Smash‘s trademark gameplay lives on, Ultimate also introduces some smart new mechanics that meaningfully evolve core combat:

Short Hop Attacks – These quick aerial strikes add offensive flexibility without raising the skill floor too drastically

Directional Air Dodges – Precise dodges replace Brawl‘s overpowered rolls, restoring movement mindgames without enabling excessive defensive play

Perfect Shield Reflects – Successfully shielding attacks at the last second now bounces projectiles back, amping up the risk-reward mindgames

As a top-level Fox main across multiple titles, I love these changes. Not only do they provide new options for elite players to leverage, but the way they organically layer on top of existing systems retains that pure Smash feel. Plus subtle fighter rebalancing, customizable rulesets, adjustable stage hazards, and more give Ultimate incredible mechanical depth with accessible on-ramps for newcomers.

An Embarrassment of Solo, Co-Op & Competitive Riches

Previous Smash games always offered hearty solo content and multiplayer versatility. But once again, Ultimate takes things to the extreme with modes catering to EVERY imaginable play style:

World of Light (Solo) – An 30+ hour adventure with deep RPG upgrade systems in a sprawling overworld

Classic / All-Star Smash (Solo/Co-op) – Iconic gauntlets letting you tackle various challenges and bosses

Century Smash (Co-op) – Survive 100 ruthless enemies with a friend on ever-increasing damage!

Squad Strike (Competitive) – Draft teams and face off in 3v3 or 5v5 elimination battles

Tournament Mode (Competitive) – Easily run brackets for up to 32 players with custom rulesets and more

Whether you have 30 seconds or 30 hours, friends on the couch or a tournament hall to fill, Ultimate has unprecedented options to play your way. And robust online play with lobbies, voice chat and ranked modes offers great connectivity too.

As both a solo completionist AND die-hard competitor, I‘m floored by the range of flexible, well-crafted content enabling any gaming session imaginable.

Conclusion: Ultimate by Name, Ultimate by Nature

So in summary, yes the core spirit of Smash Bros remains wonderfully intact and familiar. But Ultimate earns its name by expanding on past greatness in so many ways:

• Over 20 more balanced, refined fighters than any previous entry

• Beautifully reimagined classic stages with new creative locales

• Smart new mechanics that organically evolve established combat

• Unparalleled solo, co-op, competitive and online modes

Simply put, Ultimate is one of the most feature-rich, content-packed, mechanically polished and carefully balanced titles I‘ve ever played in over 20 years of gaming. Any type of Smash fan is sure to find their personal golden age represented here. So whether you‘ve played every title like me or are a curious newcomer, do yourself a favor and dive into the definitive platform fighter package. I‘ll see you online!