Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Is Getting a Small Content Update

Highlights

• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is getting a small update this month with new characters from The Legend of Zelda, Splatoon, and other Nintendo properties.
• The update will include new Spirits, which are power-ups and collectibles that enhance a character’s stats or provide buffs, bringing the total number of Spirits to over 1,500.
• Players can expect the new content to appear on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate‘s Spirit Board for five days starting January 11.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is set to receive some new content this January, the game’s publisher, Nintendo, has revealed. The small update will feature characters from other Nintendo properties like The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon, among others.

Developed by Bandai Namco Studios and legendary game designer Masahiro Sakurai’s Sora Ltd., 2018’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is often considered to be the best entry in the Super Smash Bros. series of fighting games. The Nintendo Switch exclusive has been praised for combining the best elements of its predecessors and having the largest cast of characters in the franchise. It also introduced new mechanics like the Spirits, which are power-ups and collectibles in the game that enhance a character’s stats or provide them with other buffs. There are currently more than 1,500 Spirits in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but that number is expected to go up very soon as Nintendo has announced that new ones will be added to the game this month.

In a Twitter post, Nintendo revealed that new Spirits based on characters from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, and Splatoon 3 will appear on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate‘s Spirit Board for five days starting January 11. While it was not explicitly stated, there should also be Spirits based on characters from Pikmin 4 as art for the game was included in Nintendo’s post. All the games mentioned are their respective series’ latest titles, with the hit Pikmin 4 that was released in July 2023 being the newest game.

Due to its nature as a crossover title, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has a diverse pool of Spirits, some of them not being based on Nintendo characters. For instance, Sophia from Persona 5 Strikers was turned into a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Spirit, along with other characters from Atlus’ popular RPG series. The main protagonist of Persona 5, Joker, is even among Super Smash Bros. Ultimate‘s playable fighters.

With its impressive roster of characters, unique levels, and fun game modes, it is no surprise that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has been lauded by some as one of the best fighting games on the Nintendo Switch. The game, however, is not perfect, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate‘s online mode in particular has received flak for sometimes exhibiting poor technical performance.

Sakurai, who is the creator of the Super Smash Bros. series, revealed in 2021 that the future of the franchise was uncertain and that there were no plans at the time for a sequel to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Should a sequel ever arrive, it will most likely have a hard time matching or surpassing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.