Joystiq Top 10 of 2014: Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

It's been a long time coming, but the Wii U finally came into its own this year, thanks in no small part to Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. The game sold nearly half a million units stateside during its weekend launch, earning the title of fastest-selling Wii U game in the United States.

We'd call that a surprise, but here's the thing about Smash Bros.: everyone – young, old, casual, hardcore, and every label inbetween – wants to get in on the action. That's what makes the series special, and Smash Bros. for Wii U proved that Nintendo and developer Sora Ltd haven't lost sight of that universal appeal. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is a casual party game for anyone to jump in and enjoy, thanks to simple controls and lack of mandatory combos to memorize. At the same time, it's an intense measure of fighting game skill as expressed through character movesets and a unique damage system that focuses on control and utilization of the environment.

However, these are compliments we could give to any Super Smash Bros. game. What Super Smash Bros. for Wii U brings to the table is refinement. Final Smashes have been toned down, stages are by and large less hectic, no more tripping, and a new cast of fighters brings fresh faces to the melee. (Whoever thought we'd see the dog from Duck Hunt get in on the fighting?)

What's more, these tweaks reflect thoughts gathered from the Smash Bros. community, and thus also showcase a company dedicated to its customers. Nintendo knows you long for the days of Super Smash Bros. Melee, and the company has gone so far as to re-release GameCube controllers along with an adapter to capitalize on it. Think about that for a second: Nintendo is now remaking controllers from two console generations ago just for this game (or at least, it's the only game that currently supports them). That's the kind of fever that Smash Bros. inspires.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U isn't stuck in the past, though; there are wholly new features too. Fighter moves can now be customized, which leads to greater experimentation and a wealth of possibilities for experienced players; the Smash Tour mode merges bouts with a board game overworld; and eight-player brawls are a chaotic delight. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U also gave us amiibo, Nintendo's take on the "toys to life" category of collectibles popularized by games like Skylanders and Disney Infinity.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is balanced, if not in roster (which we'll leave to the internet masses to argue), then in how it expertly welcomes newcomers, honors longtime fans, and challenges everyone to let loose and have fun.