Everyone knew that Super Smash Bros. 3DS was going to be a hit. It's one of Nintendo's biggest franchises, and while the series does have its detractors, the fans vastly outnumber them. Aside from a few character balance issues, the overwhelming majority of fans absolutely love the game so far. That being said, as November approaches, glances begin to shift towards the impending Wii U version. While the two games are reported to be mostly identical, many have wondered what Nintendo will do to set the console version apart from its handheld cousin.
It seems that series creator Masahiro Sakurai may know something fans don't: in a post on the Miiverse boards earlier today, the director posted a single picture with the tagline "Now, what mode is this...?!"
Assuming that Sakurai isn't pulling anyone's chains, it looks as if the post is confirming a Wii U-exclusive mode for the console version of Super Smash Bros. There's not much in the picture itself, but there are a couple hints: the menus in the picture are similar to difficulty menus in the 3DS version of the game, and seeing as how Master Hand and Crazy Hand have been used as separate difficulty indicators in the past, it's safe to assume that one of the options is an easier version of the other.
Speaking of the glove-based bosses, the Hands are typically associated with the long-running Classic mode. An updated version of the Classic Mode was featured in Super Smash Bros. 3DS, so while the new mode teased here is probably not the same, the two could be linked. It's also important to note that, while the specific mode in the picture is listed as 'Solo,' there are plenty of gametypes in Super Smash Bros. 3DS that can be played alone or in multiplayer.
In terms of exclusives, the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. features Smash Run, a randomized adventure mode followed by a randomized final event. It's definitely not the main attraction of the 3DS port, but it remains a fun (if flawed) diversion. Considering that the Wii U port currently has no counterpart to Smash Run, it's more than likely that Sakurai is teasing a Wii U-only feature.
This new mode may not be the only Wii U exclusive, either. Sakurai has gone on record to say that the Ice Climbers, long-time characters in the series, were only omitted because of hardware restrictions on the 3DS. While Sakurai previously stated that the 3DS and Wii U versions of Super Smash Bros. would have the exact same roster, recent comments have hinted at the director's desire to bring the fan-favorite characters back for the console version.
In all honesty, it's hard to make much of anything from such a cryptic hint; it seems that fans may just have to wait until the game's Nov. 21 release date to find out exactly what is in Super Smash Bros. Wii U.
