Adding new characters in Smash Bros. Ultimate is always an interesting look at how a fighting game evolves with new battle balance and skill sets. But it’s also really fun to see characters from different games get added to the ever-expanding rotation of the game’s fighters. And, with apologies to Mr. Game and Watch, the latest additions come right from one of the most low-fi games imaginable: Minecraft.
Nintendo announced on Thursday that Steve and Alex will be playable characters in the latest DLC pack for Smash Bros. Ultimate. The Fighter Pass Vol. 2, which will cost $29.99 and features six fighters — four of which are yet to be announced — will include the Minecraft stars squaring off against the slew of already-weaponized Nintendo nostalgia on the Nintendo Switch.
The news came in a short presentation that showed Steve in a Minecraft-themed stage, revealing that Enderman and Zombie versions of the two characters will be available as well. A trailer that followed the reveal shows Mario and others doing battle, with Sonic blasting him right out of the level and through a wall. He’s shrouded in darkness until Steve breaks down some blocks to check out what happened. It’s actually a pretty funny silent short: Steve walks in, says nothing, eats some meat and then blocks things back up while a Creeper sneaks up behind Mario and blows him up.
We then see a bit of Steve in action, rigidly swinging a sword to do damage on Link, using an axe to hit StarFox and creating block obstacles and using traps to blast other fighters away. It’s a visually jarring thing to see simplistic Minecraft elements in Smash Bros., but it looks like it will be a fascinating addition to combat. It was genuinely satisfying to see a down attack involving Steve with an anvil, blasting a Pipe Plant off screen.
Most people, however, were just concerned about what Kirby will look like when he absorbs Steve’s powers.
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As explained in Thursday’s presentation, making a Minecraft character into a brawler was quite a challenge for the team, but judging by the reaction online it will certainly give new juice to Nintendo’s most nostalgic brawler.