Nintendo Finally Reveals 'Super Smash Bros. for Wii U' Release Date

Given the late hour, many assumed that when all was said and done, Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. for Wii U wouldn't be able to squeeze into its long-promised 2014 release window. The lack of a release date for the Wii U's Super Smash Bros. has become almost a running joke in the industry, but today it's Nintendo who has the last laugh.

They've delivered on their promise, revealing today that Super Smash Bros. for Wii U will be out November 21st in North America, and in Europe December 5th. The date is only a month and a half away, and given Nintendo's history of delays another one for Smash Bros. seemed inevitable, but Nintendo recognized the importance of getting Smash Bros. out for the holiday, and it's fantastic they're able to release it as promised.

The news also comes with a more than a few bonus items. First, the also previously-not-date Captain Toad will be out December 5th in North America with a January release in Europe. Next , Nintendo says its first Amibo figures will debut November 21st alongside Smash Bros. for $12 each, with a second wave coming in December. Also on November 21st will be the debut of the adapter for the Wii U to be able to use old Gamecube controllers, but Nintendo is also releasing a new Smash Bros-branded Gamecube controller for $30. $99 gets you the adapter, controller, and the game itself.

Lastly, Nintendo revealed sales numbers for the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. which has been out for a bit already. That version of the game has sold 2.8M copies worldwide, and yes, that means consumers, not retailers, as we've often mislead that way lately these days.

All in all, it's a pretty huge news morning for Nintendo who has scored a win by delivering on their Smash Bros. promise. That may seem like kind of a low bar for achievement, but given their history of days and it nearly being one minute to midnight, it is something of a miracle Smash Bros. will be ready in time for 2014.

What remains to be seen is if Super Smash Bros. for Wii U will be as popular for NIntendo as Mario Kart 8 was earlier this year. Given the infinite replay value of Smash, many would assume it attracts a larger audience than Mario Kart. But at its core it's still a fighting game, and Mario Kart has usually proven to be a bit more accessible to a larger crowd. Still, whatever the case, it's clear that Smash will be a huge game for Nintendo, limited only by the Wii U's install base (an issue which cropped up during the Mario Kart debut as well).

Given that Nintendo's Wii U is almost entirely supported by its big first-party hits, Smash Bros. is a defining moment for the system, as there's always one Smash installment per console the past four generations. Now that's expanded to the 3DS as well, and judging by the quality of that game, the Wii U version seems as if it won't be a disappointment. Nintendo has gone out of their way to cater to the hardcore Smash crowd this time with features like stripped down arena dueling and Gamecube controller support. Yet they're Nintendo, so the game will obviously be accessible to any type of player.

In a fall full of huge releases, Super Smash Bros. is Nintendo's best chance to shine. Hopefully they deliver on more than just a promised release date.

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