Super Smash Bros.dominates the platform fighting scene to a sometimes overwhelming degree, but a new game on Steam might actually be able to carve out a niche. The frenetic brawling of platform fighters has the potential to appeal to both casual audiences and hardcore fighting game fans, and striking that balance has always been a key component ofSmash Bros.' success. It’s a difficult tightrope to walk, though, and plenty of other games have tried and failed to get it right.
Attempts at meeting Nintendo on the grounds of scale have generally struggled, from the lukewarm reception ofPlayStation All-Stars Battle Royaleto theshort lifespan ofMultiversus.With a more limited scope, things look a lot more feasible.A Few Quick Matchesignores grand ambitionin favor of nailing the fundamentals, and it might already be one of the best competitorsSmash Bros.has ever seen.
A Few Quick Matches Is An Excellent Smash Competitor
Everything You Need In A Platform Fighter
TheSteampage forA Few Quick Matchesdoesn’t attempt to over-promise, focusing instead on the basic things that everyone wants to hear. While it’s “easy to play,” it features arobust combo system with air dash cancellations. Rollback netcode — whichSmash Bros.still doesn’t have — assists in asmooth online experience. Right now, connection issues are locking a small percentage of players out, but developer Studio Bidou is promising prioritized fixes.
There isn’t a ton of content here, but that’s probably a big part of why everything is so polished.A Few Quick Matchescurrently featuresthree characters and three stages, with more of both on the way. A ninja is first in line, set to release sometime in August.
For $6.99, You Shouldn’t Miss A Few Quick Matches
The Price Is Hard To Ignore
The biggest win forA Few Quick Matchesmight be the price. While the $4.96 introductory offer has ended,the MSRP is just $6.99, making it about 88% cheaper thanSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.Based on Nintendo’s recent price trends, the nextSmashgame will probably be $80, so that gap is only going to widen.
Multiplayer indie games have been shooting up the Steam chartsrecently. AlthoughA Few Quick Matcheshasn’t taken the world by storm in the way thatLethal Companyand therecent hitPeakdid, it’s off to a strong start.
As AAA game budgets and development cycles continue to balloon, it’s nice to see how far simple graphics and strong gameplay can get you.A Few Quick Matcheslacks the “everyone is here” factor ofSuper Smash Bros.Ultimate, but with strong fundamentals, jumping in-game for some bouts with friends could be just as fun.
