SmashRadar: All four control schemes reviewed and rated

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If you take your Smash seriously, you'll need the right controller. Let us tell you which one that is.

On the face of it, the idea of successfully using what amounts to a NES pad for Smash Bros. (Yes, a total lack of gestural commands here too

The B trigger is even more of a hinderance than it is when using the Wiimote with a nunchuck. Its awkward horizontal positioning underneath the controller makes pressing it with a fingertip to use your shield screamingly haphazard, and the time delay is an even bigger issue as there’s nowhere on the button that you can position your finger to get the right amount of leverage for quick and efficient play. Factor in the way the trigger’s curved surface leads to a lot of slippage and you’ve got a control system unattractively decorated in all shades of wrong.

That said, the standalone Wiimote isn’t that bad at all in the Subspace Emissary missions. The combat in the side-scroller tends to be less frantic than in the core Smash battles, and opponents go down a lot easier so the controller’s failings are less apparent. Enemies are more predictable and easier to manage, and they won’t read your command errors the way a human player will. Still though, if you have either of the next two options at your disposal, please use them. The health of both your mind and your TV will be much better as a result.

Verdict: Just like the pleasant but smelly kid at school. Okay to hang out with if there’s really no-one else about, but you don’t want to be its friend.

David Houghton
David Houghton
Long-time GR+ writer Dave has been gaming with immense dedication ever since he failed dismally at some '80s arcade racer on a childhood day at the seaside (due to being too small to reach the controls without help). These days he's an enigmatic blend of beard-stroking narrative discussion and hard-hitting Psycho Crushers.