Tag: Super Smash Bros

I just need to gush about Luigi’s Classic Mode in Ultimate.

Spoilers under the cut–

OK, so, most of you know by now that each fighter’s classic mode has a theme now; Mario faces off against other protagonists and has a boss battle against Bowser/Giga Bowser, Bayonetta takes on winged fighters and has a boss battle against Palutena, etc, etc.

Luigi’s theme for his classic mode are the things he’s afraid of–Dark Links, Ridley (nice call-back to the E3 trailer since, yeah, naturally, he’d be afraid of the monster that ambushed his brother), Bayonetta, monsters represented by Mii fighters, wire-frame Litte Mac and Game & Watch (I guess the uncanny valley aspect?), and, a boss fight against Dracula.

The Dracula boss fight is catharsis in and of itself given what happened to poor Luigi in the 8/8 Direct trailer for the Belmonts–the creatures of the night got the better of him then, but now, he faces his fears and takes out their master.

But what’s also important is who and what isn’t in this classic mode–no sign of Luigi’s fear and resentment of being in his brother’s shadow.  This was such a big deal in Brawl that his Final Smash then, the Negative Zone, was literally described as “dark magic he embraced while in Mario’s shadow.”

Now, there’s none of that–he’s switched to the Poltergust for his Final Smash for good, and he no longer fears being in his brother’s shadow.  Instead, he faces his fears, avenges both his brother and himself by taking out Ridley and Dracula, and conquers the darkness.

That, right there?  That’s character development.