You needn't look further than Super Smash Bros Ultimate's sprawling cast of characters to see it easily earns its title. Sporting 70-plus fighters, from Nintendo's massive stable of stars to cult-favorites from third-party franchises, its roster is bursting at the seams with fan-service.
But its moniker isn't merely justified by the fact the dog from Duck Hunt can duke it out with a Rathalos from Monster Hunter. Beyond its brimming cast of popular pugilists, the game's packed with polished, absorbing content for both seasoned brawlers and new recruits alike. The former will appreciate the faster, refined mechanics, nuanced systems, challenging modes, and dizzying amount of customization options, while the latter will love getting a bunch of buddies together and button-mashing each other into oblivion.
Smash Bros has something for Switch owners of all stripes.
If you're not a fighter with professional esports aspirations or can't gather enough friends to play Super Smash Bros Ultimate as a party game though, there's still plenty of fun to be had within its single-player offerings. Specifically, its World of Light mode puts a clever, addictive spin on the traditional story-driven campaign. A beefy adventure for solo brawlers, it sees them traversing a massive over-world map, encountering possessed clones of roster fighters as they progress. Besting these evil twins unlocks spirits, which are based on friends and foes that aren't otherwise playable. An early bout against R.O.B., for example, grants you the spirit of a Guardian, the spidery mech baddies from Breath Of The Wild.
More than just fan-pleasing collectibles, however, these spirits – which come in primary and support varieties – work as offensive and defensive buffs you can assign to your avatars. Unlocking them, leveling them up, and strategically assigning them before battles is a surprisingly deep and engaging affair. Toss in the mode's massive skill tree, and the ability to unlock some of the roster's fighters during your play-through, and World of Light alone makes this brawler worth the price of admission.
Whether you've been playing the series since doing so meant being tethered to a Nintendo 64, or you're a newcomer craving a crash course on a franchise that's been blistering thumbs for nearly twenty years, Super Smash Bros Ultimate has something for Switch owners of all stripes.