We are Smash Bros; Understanding Player Types and Ideals Through Worldwide Game Design Bradley James Staffordshire University Faculty of Arts and Creative Technologies Beaconside Stafford, UK 07835001175 [email protected]

DR. Bobbie Fletcher Staffordshire University Faculty of Arts and Creative Technologies Beaconside Stafford, UK 01785 353204 [email protected] ABSTRACT When trying to understand consumers who play video games there is a struggle to comprehend who exactly plays your product and why they play it the way they do. This data has obviously many uses; it can show exploitable player patterns, product flaws/strengths and, perhaps the most interestingly, showcase the mind-set of entire continents of players. This information can then be utilised for marketing and within development cycles to potentially target and encourage new player bases. This paper seeks to examine the popular Nintendo title Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo Wii U and 3DS, its passionate player base and their treatment of a highly controversial character; Sonic the Hedgehog. By exploring this character’s treatment, playstyle, impact on players and his changes inside and outside of the game, we can accurately see how large player bases evolve and change across a worldwide market. KEYWORDS Super Smash Bros, Nintendo, Game Design, Global Ludo Polychotomy, Player Types, Wii U, Marketing, Fanbase INTRODUCTION TO SMASH BROS Nintendo has always been a company in the game industry that always tried to do something different; the Super Smash Bros. series is a prime example of this. Developed by HAL Laboratory, Super Smash Bros. (Nintendo, 1998) (SSB64) was a fighting game with a twist; instead of winning by depleting an opponent's life bar, players would instead try to knock opposing characters off a stage. Each player has a damage total, represented by a percentage, which rises as damage is taken and can exceed 100%, with maximum damage totaling 999%. As this percentage increases, characters can be knocked

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progressively further by other player’s attacks. To knock out an opponent, players must send that character flying off the edge of the stage and past the blast lines (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: An example of an Omega Stages blast lines. SSB64 was initially only planned to be available in Japan, however, due to its huge success it was eventually released worldwide. Again, it was well received and was praised for its new take on fighting games. This also continued, and improved, through all subsequent sequels, Smash Bros. Melee (SSBM), Super Smash Bros. Brawl (SSBB) and the most recent iterations; Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS (SSB4). While each title has its ups and downs with the fans and gaming community, the core themes of the series stayed true and popular to this day. It is here that the true beauty of the Smash Bros series can be seen, especially with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. The games, since SSBM, have always been created with a purpose of being distributed to a global audience with a deliberate focus on all viable player types ranging from hard-core to casual. Because of this, the Smash series; SSB4 in particular, is in a unique place in the industry currently. While it is true that other games in the industry today naturally try to get a large a spread as possible, few, if any, can be designed like this for reasons including marketing goals, targeted releases and the developers own cultural influences which inevitably make products more appealing to specific audiences. SSB4 mitigates this problem in a special way; since the titles includes so many cultural icons from the gaming industry, such as Mario, Kirby, Link etc including characters from outside Nintendo franchises such as Pac-man, Ryu and Mega Man, it would be hard for the average consumer not to feel some connection in some way to the title via its intermedia gameplay (Jakobsson, M, 2007). This also helps further the player-game association and makes the study of such a phenomenon even more valuable; no other game can presently repeat this to the degree that Smash does.

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Worldwide appeal is a difficult thing to develop towards; the upsides of which have huge benefits not only to the publishers, but the players as well. Since the beginning of the SSBM scene becoming more predominate as an eSport, the Smash Bros series has always had a passionate presence around the world. Even forums dedicated to English speaking players from the USA, such as r/smashbros, a sub forum of reddit.com, finds themselves diverse in players. A study headed by reddit user Pinuzzo featuring 358 individuals from the forum reveals that despite a majority of views being in the US, a fair amount came from other countries outside of these areas. The data also showed that the 76% of the US respondents played SSB4, while 62% played SSBM/SSBB while out of the European respondents, 82% played SSB4 while only 55% played SSBM/SSBB; showing that even, despite the popularity of the newest instalment SSB4, the Smash titles over 10 years old are beloved enough to still played to an extensive amount today.

Figure 2: A world map showcasing the locations of all respondents to the study; r/smashbros has, as of 2016, nearly 200,000 players subscribed to the subreddit with an average of 1000-2000 users on at any time. This makes the sample size of 358 an acceptable size for this user group (17.9%). Based on this, we can assert the Smash community is as varied as it is large. As discussed by Taelman, J (2015) regarding Smash, “even though the developer creates the game, the players of the game also make the rules. Interaction between developers and gamers affect the continuum of a game series or franchise”. This is mirrored by James, B et.al (2015), all players who play these titles can evolve and progress the game thanks to the passion behind them. Therefore, in order to fully examine this phenomenon, it would be appropriate to undertake a case study of a character in-game which can accurately showcase the variance in player types and ideal. YOU’RE TOO SLOW; SONIC THE HEDGEHOG IN SMASH BROS Certain parameters should be set for focusing on a specific character in the case of this paper. Sonic the Hedgehog, from the game with the same name (SEGA, 1991) fits all of these specifications. Sonic is well known in the gaming industry due to the rivalry to –3–

Mario from the Nintendo Entertainment System and SEGA Genesis era, plays visually and mechanically different from all other characters in SSB4 because of his fast “Spin Dash”-based gameplay, is considered top tier in the game and has placed high in multiple tournaments since SSB4’s release and is hated by the community due to a lack of understanding his move set and a “spamming” playstyle in casual play. Sonic was first included in the Smash series in SSBB as an unlockable character. When SSBB was announced the demand for Sonic hit an all-time high. However, SEGA initially refused to let Sonic be included in the title. Later though, SEGA eventually relented and allowed Sonic to be put into the game. However, due to Sonic’s late inclusion, SSBB was delayed for a few months and Sonic’s move set was hastily added to the game meaning that a lot if his moves were either copies of other characters or he was in a ball (see figure 3) due to its ease to animate.

Figure 3: Examples of Sonic in a ball from Youtuber Relax Alax’s Sonic analysis video. 8 of Sonic’s moves (7 in SSB4) are in a ball. Sonic ended up being a mid-tier character throughout SSBB’s competitive life and was enjoyed by fans so his return to SSB4 obvious. However, from the start of game’s competitive and casual play, Sonic was an extremely good character with simple moves such as his Spin Dash, which was able to do a lot of damage quickly, and his Back Throw, which was able to KO other characters earlier than most. Because of this and lack on matchup understanding from such an early time in the game’s life, Sonic gained notoriety as being seen as an irritating character to play against, generating a lot of hate. This hatred has stayed with the character ever since. Naturally, Sonic’s strength was noted and addressed by the developers and he received some changes in the patches that SSB4 got. Notable changes include his Back Throw having its Knockback reduced, Spin Dash having an all-round damage reduction and his Forward- and Up Smash Knockback scaling decreased. Despite these “nerfs”, Sonic is

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still considered a good character in competitive play and sees top positions in large events. By examining Sonic and his place throughout SSB4’s history, we can gain an understanding of the player types surrounding him and, thanks to his notoriety, we can easily gain and understanding of consumer ideals and attitude changes on a global scale. THE STUDY; THE PLAYER’S PERSPECTIVE The most appropriate away to determine Sonic’s player reception would be to discuss the character with the top players of said character. Therefore, interviews were conducted with the top three Sonic players (at the time of writing) from around the world via Skype, social media and ten more top players from Smashboard.com (considered the largest and most respected site for top quality Smash Bros information from the fanbase). The following specific questions were asked: 1) Why do you play Sonic? 2) What do you think of this playstyle? 3) Do you agree with his Nerfs/Buffs? 4) Where is he in the tier list? 5) What is your opinion about his reception from the fanbase? 6) How do you see Sonic’s future in Smash? 7) Anything you would like to add? These questions were chosen as they would allow the professional players to be able to fully explore the character and his nuances, discern why a large majority of players chose this character and how its player base treats the character on a global scale. Furthermore, various comments and discussions from these forums (Such as Reddit, the Smashboards etc) were also considered and included in the results if they held relevance to the topic at hand. To start, all the players interviewed started to use Sonic based on a previous admiration for the character. 6WX, the top Sonic player in America, mentioned that he had played the character in SSBB so using him in SSB4 was a “Natural transition” claiming that “…now [Sonic] could do everything I wanted him to do and more”. This pattern of familiarity with the character seems to be a consistent factor, especially with players who played SSBB. What also stands out is the players mentioning that they enjoyed Sonic’s other game titles with Ixis, the top Sonic player in Europe, noting that he had played them since childhood. This character attachment seems to be an important factor with the Smash franchise. This is in line with the titles’ design strength of being able to include iconic characters to great effect. The differences start to show when referring to Sonic’s playstyle; 6WX, along with other American players, agree that Sonic is versatile character who excels and getting in, doing some damage and getting out. 6WX refers to this by saying that “Sonic has such a free style, you can run where you want and do what you want”. Other Sonic players feel the –5–

same way, however, Ixis and players from other regions have some concerns, “Sonic’s style depends heavily on what your opponent does… what they can and can’t do dictates where you go and what you do”. While America seems to favor somewhat aggressive play, it would seem that Europe and Japan utilise Sonic’s ability to punish the other player’s mistakes with optimal combos. On the subject of Sonic’s changes the players all generally agreed that Sonic’s initial back throw, which had its knockback reduced in patch 1.0.4, was a sad but necessary change; 6WX explains that “Back throw needed a nerf, Sonic’s pressure and ease of getting the grab was a problem” he did however continue by mentioning that he “would not have done it [the change] to the degree it is now but I’ve gotten over it”. This shows a level of respect for Smash which is rarely seen in games. When video games are changed in some form, either by patches or design overhauls, players will normally be resistant to the alterations, even more so in fighting games. This being said, the players had varying issues with Sonic’s other changes, one player claiming that “The community's voice had too much of a say, but eh, what can you do?”. In this case, every other modification to the character has been met with heavy criticism from the players who know him best, “They're not compensating. They're merely just nerfing his KO power to make him less potent without taking into account his core playstyle or what long term effects it has on the metagame. It's not solving what makes him ‘annoying’ and only further hinders the players who choose to main this character”. The diversity comes when asked to discuss Sonic’s play within the games ranks. Over the years players have created “tier lists” to showcase the ranking of characters from best to worst in competitive games. These lists can be based on personal preference, results or ingame data for justification. In SSB4, American players see Sonic as a top character placing him within the top 5 characters in the game. As 6WX puts it, “Official tier list as in results? Sonic is around 5th-6th… he has the Yoshi factor; he is really good but doesn’t have enough results to back him so I can’t put him higher than 5th right now”. Conversely, European players place the character lower; “I think Sonic is top 7-15 on the tier list. His speed, combos, and mix-up game allow him to deal with a good amount of the cast, however what keeps him from going further is his nerfed KO power”. This is likely due to less notable players using Sonic in European regions compared to the Americas, this is showcased by Japanese players. Sonic is considered roughly the 2nd best character in the game due to notable users such as Komorikiri who have had great success with the character. Only recently did this change after the Japanese players came to more events across the world and were influenced by the players and proceedings that transpired. This change is supported by Komorikiri, who claims, despite his success with Sonic, that he is “Somewhere between 6-10th (on the tier list)”.

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Figure 4: A SSB4 tier list. This list was generated from using the average rating of characters since the latest patch (1.1.3) from American, European and Japanese players via various social media. In this case, Sonic is considered on average a top 5 character. More differences arise when talking about Sonic’s treatment from the SSB4 fans; American players on average are not fazed by the issue, 6WX outright shutting the question down, “If they hate him they hate him, doesn’t matter to me”. This apathy however is not shared by European players; as put by Ixis, “Sonic is not easy to understand from an outsider perspective, his moves looking similar means that games end up looking samey and I can understand how this lack of knowledge will turn players off from the character and see him has dull and repetitious”. He goes on to offer a solution to this, “…if people tried to understand the character, they would have a lot more appreciation for Sonic’s design and perhaps be more accepting of his playstyle, try playing him for yourself to understand him more!”. Curiously though, Sonic’s reception in Japan is that of an average character. This again is likely due to a mixture of the cultural differences and since Sonic was considered “good” from the start his presence has become more expected in high level play and therefore, normal. When asked about Sonic’s future in Smash two predominate answers were touched upon. American players believe that the amount of players who use Sonic will drop, however, he should then rise in the tiers, with 6WX claiming, “I think he is going to be that crazy good character that people are all going to fear. He is going to move away from being an easy pick that a lot thought he was and become an advanced level character”. Ixis, and other European players were less optimistic, “To be honest, don’t see it changing drastically in the short term” says Ixis, “Not much should change on how people view him, competitive views as well. His competitive play shouldn’t change too much either, results shouldn’t get much better or worse short term”. While surprising, all the players did agree on one prominent point in some way; Sonic still has not been mastered as a character, “…every top Sonic player has mastered one part of Sonic to the fullest. If we –7–

all manage to step it up and combine all these aspects together, the ultimate optimal Sonic will emerge”. This unyielding support for the character comes into play again with the players adding various titbits about Sonic as part of the final question. While some, in keeping with the character, made amusing quips or referenced his other games, the general message was clear; Sonic is a loved character. CONCLUSIONS AND FURTHER WORK It should be noted that the sample size for this study, which may seem small at 13 players in total, is an adequate representation for Sonic as a character and the players who play him since all participants utilise the character at the higher levels of gameplay and came from serious forums, such as the previously mentioned Smashboards. There are some key points to take away from this study. Firstly, it is undeniable that the Smash Bros. series has become a big part of global gaming culture with its huge appeal, iconic characters and clever design. This worldwide appeal has created an audience with such a drive and passion behind them that they actively and notably change the state of the game in which they play, as shown with Elmezeny, A et.al (2015) who showcased the revival of SSBM by the simple act of a Youtube documentary and a dedication from players unseen in a competitive gaming community before then. This player base has only strengthened this ideology through every iteration of the series. It also shows that even behind a united front there are still some noticeable fragmentations within the fanbase between regions and continents as also displayed by Mills, J (2013). On preliminary examination for example, American players seem to be more focused on the players improving themselves and ignoring the negativity while elsewhere, players want to improve Sonic as a character and educate others about him. This shows that even against a large amount of negativity, the Sonic player type can progress past it without the normal crutches and justifications that would be used; they “own the hate”, recognise the negative comments, and then move forward. The idea of tier lists also grants a special insight into players; since SSB4 has an increased amount of viable characters every choice and placement can reveal a different aspect of a player group’s mentality and culture. This is supported by a control in the shape of more solid characters to give tier lists a framework top follow, for example, Sheik (from The Legend of Zelda, 1986, series) as of patch 1.1.3, is the dominant character and should be placed at the top while Zelda (from the same series as Sheik) should be placed at the very bottom. Overall however, the Smash Bros. series, especially SSB4, are special games in every regard within the game industry and are worth being researched and analysed more so than before. The games are in such a unique place, the knowledge gained from exploring the series further should have benefits not just for fighting games, but games in a variation of game genres in different ways we cannot anticipate yet.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY Ansari, N (2002) Nintendo’s Legacy of Sequel Supremacy: A Case Study of Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee; Science, Technology, & Society 145: History of Computer Game Design. Elmezeny, A and Wimmer, J (2015) How Gaming Achieves Popularity: The Case of The Smash Brothers; Proceedings of DiGRA 2015: Diversity of play. James, B and Fletcher, B.D (2015) Understanding the Fanboy Culture; Their Place and Role within the Games Industry; Inter-Disciplinary.net, The Videogame Cultures Project: 7th Global Meeting Jakobsson, M (2007) Playing with the Rules: Social and Cultural Aspects of Game Rules in a Console Game Club; Situated Play, Proceedings of DiGRA 2007 Conference. Mills, J (2013) It's a Brawl out There: Notes on Political Argument and a Super Smash Bros Dialogue; Division of Humanities, New College of Florida. Nintendo (2007) Iwata Asks: Super Smash Bros; Volume 7: Once in a Lifetime Experience, Available online: http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/ssbb/6/0 Taelman, J (2015) Playing with the Script: Super Smash Bros. Melee From a Casual Game to a Competitive Game; Universiteit Utrecht.

LUDOGRAPHY Capcom (1987) Mega Man. [Nintendo Entertainment System, PlayStation, mobile phones, Android, PlayStation Portable], Capcom, Japan. HAL Laboratory (1992) Kirby’s Dream Land. [GameBoy, 3DS Virtual Console], Nintendo, Japan. HAL Laboratory (1998) Super Smash Bros. [Nintendo 64], Nintendo, Japan. HAL Laboratory (2001) Super Smash Bros. Melee [GameCube], Nintendo, Japan. Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (1998) Metal Gear Solid. [PlayStation, Microsoft Windows], Konami, Japan. Namco (1980) Pac-Man. [Arcade, Atari 2600, Atari 80, Commodore VIC-20, Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit, Apple II, Commodore 64, Intellivision, Nintendo Entertainment System, MSX, Game Boy, Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket Color, Game Boy Color, Mobile, Xbox Live Arcade, iPod Classic, Virtual Console, Windows Phone 7], Namco, Japan. Capcom (1987) Street Fighter. [Arcade, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, DOS, PC Engine/TurboGrafx CD, Wii Virtual Console, Xbox, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, ZX Spectrum], Capcom, Japan. Nintendo, Game Arts, Sora Ltd (2008) Super Smash Bros. Brawl [Nintendo Wii], Nintendo, Japan.

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Nintendo Research & Development 4 (1986) The Legend of Zelda. [Nintendo Entertainment System, GameBoy Advance], Nintendo, Japan Sonic Team (1991) Sonic the Hedgehog. [Sega Genesis, MegaDrive, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 3DS, iOS, Android], SEGA, Japan. Sora Ltd, Bandai Namco Games (2014) Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. [Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo 3DS], Nintendo, Japan. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Special thanks to Wesley “6WX” Alexander, Tychicus “Ixis” Walker and R. “Komorikiri” Furukawa for their interviews and professional insight into Sonic in Smash Bros. Thanks to smashboards users TonicTheSqurriel, BlackPhantom, peligodhunter, JamesUK7, AT_Ion, Sytal, Julesimanerd, soniczx123, Camalange and Rucent for their assistance and feedback. Thanks to reddit user Pinuzzo for allowing use of his data in this project.

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