A simple question. In light that these testpunches are over, are you picking up Nintendo's ARMS at or around launch?

Pre-TestPunch, where did you stand?

For me the TestPunch made the difference. I couldn't see myself having fun with this, but then I literally had fun with this, so I'm going to buy it.

How about you?

For those who did play the Global TestPunch, your options are in 1, 2, 4, or 5. For those who didn't play the test punch, your options are 3 and 6.

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@Guillaume
Yeah, Splatoon 2 being around the corner is a good point; I'm not going to be able to put a lot of hours into one online multi game, let alone two of them.

I very much approve of Nintendo's desire to create a game that is accessible enough for anyone to understand, yet deep enough for more ambitious players to delve into, but I'm not yet convinced that ARMS actually pulls that off, though. Smash is easy to understand, but has a lot of depth thanks to how different the various characters' moves and movements feel, and Splatoon's arsenal makes for a lot of potential strategies and playstyles, but in ARMS case it all feels like variations on a single theme.

There certainly are differences to the characters and arms, but all the matches felt like they played out in a somewhat similar fashion. Maybe there will be tons of content in the final game, and maybe all the stats and elemental attributes to the equipment will make for a really deep experience in the end, but right now I'd rather wait and see if that's the case than jump straight in.

@Secret_Tunnel
Volleyball was probably my least favorite. Hoops is pretty fun. Again, though, there needs to be some way to change characters in Party Mode.

I didn't try the test, so I'm still not sure if the game is for me. It looks like the kind of game I'd pick up on the cheap.

Review embargo lifted

Scoring about what I expected.

@Zero

Gamexplain says the single player is pretty much just a sequence of matches without any story or anything. Such a missed opportunity when the game's got such cool characters and potential for world lore filled shenanigans.

EDIT: The review is a very positive one, though.

At first, I couldn't envision a single-player campaign, but, upon reflection, ARMS might lend itself to Smash-esque character- and arm-specific platforming and targeting challenges.

@Anand
Personally I was hoping for something more along the lines of Street Fighter with challenges like that spliced in. It would have been awesome to see all the different characters have different relationships, and react differently to winning/losing to each other after the game, and then a big payoff in the form of a short cinematic at the end of the tournament.

@r_hjort
Hmm, maybe. It didn't even occur to me that this motley group would even have any connections. I'd enjoy ending movies which expanded the characters and some pairing-specific dialogue, but I can't say that any kind of overarching story in a fighting game has ever felt worthwhile to me. Unless it was amusingly stupid.

Anyway, why no local Tournament Mode? Even Smash 4 dropped it. Whyyyyy.

I also hope there are handicapping options.

@Anand
They have hinted at minor connections, like Mechanica being a fan of Ribbon Girl and stuff like that, so I was kind of hoping there would be more to that than Twitter flavour text.

Looks like the game's Metacritic score is two points lower than Splatoon's, which was also criticized for a lack of content. Seems safe to say that if that wasn't a problem for you with Splatoon, it won't be a problem for you here.

@Secret_Tunnel
Not necessarily. There are more variables to the two games' respective scores than that, and the gameplay of the two games is quite different, so any given player's desire for more content might depend on what type of game we're talking about as well. Also, I seem to remember (but I might be misremembering here) Nintendo being a bit more open about their plans for the continued support of Splatoon than they have been so far when it comes to ARMS.

EDIT: Maybe I sound overly negative, and I don't mean to be. I think ARMS seems to be a good game, I'm sure it will get tons of fans, and I had fun with the test punch in the end myself, but I don't know how long it will stay interesting for me. I might even end up getting it, I'm not sure yet.

I've already been seeing lots of complaints about the "small" roster. People just don't appreciate the amount of work that goes into creating ten characters from scratch. This is why it's getting tougher to do something new in this day and age of endless sequels.

@Mop it up

To me that 10 character set seemed great. All were very unique and with the arms (more or less the true variety) there's a ton of combinations.

In general though, I think I'm actually considering backing out of my pre-order on this.

I like the game. I had a lot of fun in the TestFires. However with Splatoon not far away, other games in my backlog, and the money I just don't need to spend on yet another full-priced game… I'm skeptical of the Fun/Cost ratio now.

However I expect the next month to be one of the most prolific for online play and such so I feel like if I don't play it now, I won't have the best experience possible. Anyone else feel the same?

@DrFinkelstein I think that'll all depend on how popular is the game and if it continues to sell well. Take Splatoon for example, I was worried about the same thing, but the online community had a bunch of players for at least a year, because the game continued to sell and gain new players. Even today, there are a fair number still playing.

But if this game only does well for a month or two and then drops, so will the community.

@r_hjort
I think that Nintendo has indicated that they will support ARMS in Splatoon fashion. New characters, arms, and stages were confirmed. Hopefully, they'll add features and modes, as well. (Maybe voice acting for Biff?)

@Mop it up
Yeah, it's a pretty crappy metric. It's not just that they created the characters from scratch. They actually tried to innovate and reconstruct the fighting game genre. Again! Of course it won't be as packed as an iterative sequel or genre clone.

Too little importance is placed on delivering fresh new experiences, by both gamers and critics (not that it matters). Extending and aiming your punches really does feel, for lack of a better term, fresh. I can't wait to take my time with the full version.

@Anand
That does sound promising. I suppose my main issue has to do with the way the basic gameplay feels. Like, will matches really differ all that much from each other, even with new characters, stages and equipment? In Splatoon two matches set in the exact same stage with the exact same weapons and players can feel drastically different depending on how everything plays out, but ARMS didn't give me the impression that would be the case there.

The core gameplay feels fresh and interesting, and I love that it's a fighting game that doesn't reward button mashing, but I wonder for how long it will stay fresh and interesting, basically.

@Mop it up
I didn't take this as a dig at me or anything, but for the record I just want to say that I think the roster size is fine.

Plus they could always introduce new characters in future updates. Not that I'm counting on it but I think that update schedule will keep things interesting to check out when new stuff comes out, especially if new modes are part of that deal.

I think I'm back on the ARMS train… I think I'll just get it.

@DrFinkelstein
I might actually get it too, despite my worrying. Even if I do get tired of it, or if it starts gathering dust once Splatoon 2 hits, I think I'd rather be part of the initial hype and collective sense of discovery that comes with a new game, than pick it up for cheap later when nothing will feel as fresh or surprising, and everyone and their mum will kick my ass as soon as I dare go online.

Not only that, but physical Nintendo games hold their value really well. If you don't like it, consider it a rental!