Super Smash Bros. for 3DS gets balance patch, community organizes notes

Nintendo has released the first balance patch for Super Smash Bros. for 3DS today. Unfortunately, they forgot to include any patch notes, so the Smash community is stepping up to do their work for them.

Ozzie Mejia

November 18, 2014 12:30 PM

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Nintendo deployed a new patch for Super Smash Bros. for 3DS, issuing some new bug fixes and balance tweaks to various characters. Yes, it's a sign of Nintendo stepping into the elusive realm of modernity, actually issuing patches for their games. Of course, Nintendo being who they are, they didn't have any patch notes available.

Fortunately, the community has stepped forward. The folks at Smash Boards have come together to construct their own patch notes based on their personal observations. They include:

Bowser

• Using Flying Slam (side special) to commit suicide with an opponent (a.k.a. Bowsercide) will now kill Bowser first.
• Forward smash does less damage when fully charged.

Falco

• Faster lasers. Reduced recovery on ending animation.

Ganondorf

• Decreased landing lag on neutral air.

Greninja

• Shadow Sneak no longer cancels landing lag on aerial attacks.
• Up smash recovery time increased.

Ike

• Forward air now autocancels due to faster startup and shorter recovery time.
• Other tests in progress, according to Smash Boards, including faster running speed.

King Dedede

• Down throw launches opponents slightly more vertically.
• Up air does not spike when the last hit doesn't connect.
• Forward air damage decreased by 1%.

Link

• Second hit for forward smash is easier to land.
• Bomb canceling lag removed.

Little Mac

• Second and third hit of jab combo deal 1% less damage.

Mega Man

• Reduced recovery time on Leaf Shield.

Meta Knight

• Neutral air buffed from 7% to 10%.
• Dimensional Cape (down special) buffed. Sends target at more horizontal angle.
• Forward throw adjusted and now has two hitboxes.
• Back throw buffed to slightly increase knockback.
• Back air attack knockback buffed significantly to KO around 30% earlier.
• Forward air attack can no longer spike.

Ness

• Down throw damage decreased to 7% from 9%.

Pac-Man

• Back air no longer sends fire hydrant flying.

Peach

• Aerial attacks used while floating are now subject to become stale, reducing damage if overused.

Pikachu

• Knockback increased on Thunder (down special), Skull Bash (side special), and parts of forward smash.

Rosalina & Luma

• Neutral air damage reduced by 3%.
• Luma respawn time now 13 seconds, up from previous 8 seconds.
• Luma recall speed greatly increased.
• Up smash knockback decreased.
• Down tilt hitbox reduced.
• Neutral air damage slightly nerfed.
• Grab recovery increased.
• Down smash recovery increased.
• Forward smash startup time increased.
• Neutral air knockback decreased.

Sheik

• Bouncing Fish (down special) knockback decreased.
• Up+A air attack knockback decreased.

Shulk

• Jab combo decreased by 2%.
• Up smash damage increased by 1%.
• Down smash damage increased by 1%.
• Down tilt damage increased by 1%.
• Forward tilt damage increased by 1%.
• Forward smash damage increased by 1%.
• Up air damage increased by 2-3%.

Toon Link

• Bomb canceling lag removed.

Wii Fit Trainer

• Air dodge into ground lag standardized to 22 frames from 12 frames.

Zelda

• Up tilt damage increased by 1%.

Zero Suit Samus

• Plasma Whip (side special) connects properly and recovers faster due to more interruptable frames.
• Forward Smash connects better.
• Neutral air has a different knockback angle, creating different combo possibilities.
• Flip Jump (down special) is safer on block.
• Boost Kick (up special) connects better off a throw.
• Down throw knockback is different.
• Platform recovery distance reduced from above and below.
• Air dodge landing lag increased to 22 frames from 15 frames.
• Paralyzer (neutral special) uncharged shot has a few more frames of recovery. Full charge is unaffected.
• Blast Shot and Spreading Shot (custom neutral specials) can now be released before being charged fully.
• Spreading Shot (custom neutral special) now lasts long enough for ZSS to get a follow-up.
• Whip Lash (custom side special) received same adjustments as Plasma Whip.
• Impact Kick (custom up special) now properly absorbs the target. Final hit now connects properly.
• Lateral Kick (custom up special) now allows full aerial movement during special fall.
• Low Flip (custom down special) travels faster across the field.

Once again, full credit goes to Smash Boards for compiling this data and continuing to update changes. The community is still evaluating tweaks, buffs, nerfs, and adjustments to various characters, so stay tuned for more.

Meanwhile, those that were particularly fond of their previous replays will have to move forward without them. The new patch means those replays will no longer be supported.

Ozzie Mejia

Senior Editor

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?