Super Smash Bros. Ultimatehas announced its final character, bringing its total roster to a very impressive 82 total fighters. The completed roster brings together the largest collaboration in the games industry, with dozens of series and companies represented. One of the companies with the most representation isSquare Enix. While there are many different publishers and game series that are represented inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate,Square Enixis one of the few non-Nintendo companies with multiple series represented.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimatehas been particularly varied in its new additions thanks to its two fighter passes of DLC characters. Fans have hoped forSuper Smash Bros. Ultimateto receive a third Fighters Passdespite Nintendo claiming that the game will be done after receiving its newest character. Regardless, the DLC characters have been a big plus to the game, with some long-called-for additions like Banjo & Kazooie and some unexpected ones like Steve. However, the fighter passes have also featured a few Square Enix characters, illustrating just how impactful and important the game studio is to the industry.
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Square Enix’s History
Square Enix came to fruition through a merger in 2003 of the video game developer Square and its frequent publishing partner Enix. The company released its first title outside of Japan in 2003 with the launch ofFinal Fantasy Crystal Chronicleson the GameCube. This was quickly followed in the same year by the classic titlesSword of Mana,Drakengard, andFinal Fantasy X-2. The next year saw therelease ofDragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King, cementing the company as a juggernaut of the JRPG genre. That legacy has lasted to this day, with Square Enix being widely beloved for series likeFinal Fantasy,Dragon Quest,Kingdom Hearts, andStar Ocean.
Lately, however, the studio has expanded its portfolio with other RPGs like theNieRseries,Dungeon Siege 3, andBravely Default. Square Enix also acquired the British developer Eidos Interactive in 2009, expanding its reach to include very different titles likeDeus Ex,Hitman: Blood Money,Just Cause, and theTomb Raiderseries. Most recently, Square Enix fans have been able to enjoy massive games likeFinal Fantasy 14,Dragon Quest 11, andOctopath Travelerwhile looking forward to thestudio’s upcomingFinal Fantasy 16,Forspoken, andTriangle Strategy. With how long and storied Square Enix’s line of game releases is, it is no wonder that the studio has become so influential.
Square Enix’s Impact on the Games Industry
Perhaps the largest impact Square Enix has had on the games industry is how its earliest titles define the JRPG genre for so many fans. Square Enix’s earliest titles before and after its merger laid the foundation that the genre was built on. While other JRPGs had been released prior,Square Enix’s biggest early titleshelped kick off what is known as the genre’s golden age, with the studio’s scrolling text, epic scores, turn-based combat, and cast of characters becoming widely recognized throughout the medium. Square Enix has also managed to constantly iterate and experiment with its approach to the genre, with titles likeFinal Fantasy 7: Remakemanaging to capture the turn-based style of the originals in a more action-packed and visually exciting fashion.
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Square Enix’s portfolio also includes a number of classic titles that are very fondly remembered amongst JRPG fans. Perhaps thebiggest of its titles isFinal Fantasy 7, which is widely regarded as having one of the best stories in all of gaming. The combination of Disney andFinal Fantasyin theKingdom Heartsseries has also left its mark on a fair number of players who have patiently but anxiously endured the long stretches between mainline entries. The studio also enjoys cult followings for its titles likeNieR: Automata,NEO: The World Ends With You, andRomancing SaGa.
Square Enix in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
BeforeSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatestarted receiving DLC, Square Enix already hadFinal Fantasy 7represented in its roster in the form of Cloud. Cloud is a very capable sword fighter that is preferred by some players for his speed combined with hard-hitting attacks, and solid control on the ground and in the air. Cloud was first added to the series withSuper Smash Bros. 4, and he still sees plenty of high-level play in theSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatecommunity. Cloud was then joined by Hero as part ofSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate’s first fighter pass. Hero represents the nameless protagonists from theDragon Questseries, with a number of skins taken from the series' history. Hero is a very unique and powerful character inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, with the ability to call in various spells as well as being proficient with his sword.
With the release of the second fighters pass, Square Enix saw even more representation in the game through the addition ofFinal Fantasy 7’s antagonist, Sephiroth. Sephiroth is a very light fighter that focuses on zoning and spacing thanks to his ranged attacks and extremely long blade. Very few non-Nintendo titles have multiple characters present inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, showing just how impactfulFinal Fantasy 7is on the industry. Then, Square Enix fans also recently got the announcement thatKingdom Hearts' protagonist Sora will be the final DLC characterforSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. While the announcement presentation gave fans an idea of what the character will play like, which looks very unique and interesting, only time will tell what sort of impact he ultimately has on the fighting game’s meta.
According to the reveal stream, Sora was one of the most highly requested characters to be added toSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, so it is great for all the fans who were hoping for his inclusion. It is a bit sad to see the roster forSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatefinally come to a close, but the game’s directorMasahiro Sakurai has more than earned his planned retirement. It will be very interesting to see what sort of impact Sora has onSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, and where the series will go in the future. What is very clear, though, is thatSquare Enixhas been shown a lot of love withinSmash Bros.- and rightfully so.
