During today’s Smash Bros.-focused Nintendo Direct, game director Masahiro Sakurai announced an all new competitive multiplayer mode exclusive to Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. The mode is called Smash Run, and is heavily based on Kirby Air Ride’s City Trial.
In this mode, players will run around in a giant, dungeon-like stage battling enemies and collecting power-ups in preparation for a battle against the other human players. The AI battles are reminiscent of Brawl’s Subspace Emissary mode, but this time around the enemies come from a variety of Nintendo series. Once defeated, enemies drop power-ups for things like attack and defense that make your character stronger. Players have five minutes to get their fighter as strong as possible before they have to face off in a random competition. To make things more interesting, this mode features random events, such as a strong gust that blows players around while they fight for power-ups, as well as pre-battle load outs you can use to give yourself an advantage.
City Trial was the best part of Kirby Air Ride, and I think more games should create a game mode in this style. Smash Run will be perfect for when I’m in the mood for a more random party-style multiplayer mode, and I’m sure that playing it with four people will be a blast. It sounds like this mode is packed full of content, and I can’t wait to give it a shot when Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS launches this summer.
Source: Smash Bros. Direct