Nintendo drops surprise stage in new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate update

The latest Smash Ultimate update has surprisingly added Small Battlefield to the brawler's impressive roster of stages - definitely a pleasant surprise for all.

05th Aug 2020 08:13

Images via Nintendo

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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate players are in for a treat as Nintendo's latest update has also dropped a surprise stage to proceedings. Sadly, this still doesn't bring Waluigi into the game as a playable character, but hey, you can't win 'em all!

The August 5 Smash Ultimate update not only allowed more fighters to participate in Elite Smash Online, but the 8.1.0 patch also unveiled Small Battlefield. It doesn't take a Dr Mario to figure out this is a pint-sized version of the classic Battlefield stage.

Given the design of Small Battlefield, it's clear Smash Ultimate has introduced it as an arena for small one-on-one battles. Let's be honest, there's not much room for manoeuvre here, and you'll have to be careful to make sure you don't tumble off the edge into the abyss below.

In the grand scheme of things, Small Battlefield isn't that different than your standard arena. Although it's (unsurprisingly) a little smaller in size, the main difference is the middle platform is MIA. Does this make things harder or easier for close-quarters combat? You decide.

Better yet, you can now select Small Battlefield as a Preferred Rule for online matches. Finally, Nintendo confirmed players choose stage-specific music for all the Battlefields and Final Destination, meaning you're in charge of the jukebox.

The Small Battlefield stage in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

One eagle-eyed fan noticed there were still some blank spaces at the bottom of the stage selection screen, asking if there would more surprise stage drops in the near future.

Even if Small Battlefield isn't the most imaginative addition to Smash Ultimate's impressive array of weird and wacky arenas, it's unexpected arrival is a welcome addition to the latest Smash Ultimate update.

Nintendo promised it will continue to look into online mode and fans should keep their ears close to the ground for more updates soon.

Tom Chapman

About The Author

Tom Chapman

Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.

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