The Joker of Ultimate Smash is a tightrope act true to form

The highly anticipated Joker Persona 5 was finally added to the list of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a platform hunter who quickly reaches Wrestlemania levels of "everyone is here yourself, somehow, this guy." Fortunately, with Joker, Ultimate Smash continues to hit the park with newly designed hunters who remain true to their roots and full of surprises.

In Persona 5, Joker is a high school student who was expelled from his old school after trying to stop an assault and who was held responsible. Dealing with the trauma that ensues, he becomes a little excluded from his new school. There, he acquired supernatural powers as part of an alter ego called "Joker" with the help of Arsene, manifestation of the internal malice of Joker. When he uses these powers, he passes from a shy and somewhat ambivalent schoolboy to the "ghost thief", a fiery and passionate crook. Persona 5The sexy soundtrack and vibrant, sexy aesthetics contribute to Joker's vibrant character, but when he becomes a high school student, life can be rather dull.

Ultimate SmashThe incarnation of Joker completely reflects this double life. After filling his "Rebellion Gauge", he calls Arsene, who modifies his ensemble and strengthens the strength of his attacks. This counter fills when Joker suffers damage or has fewer stocks than his opponent. It also fills up when Joker uses his special down, the Rebel Guard. It works a bit like a counter, absorbing most of the damage done to it.

Alone, Joker is a joke. Although he can move quickly, his tools include a small pistol, a small knife, a low-energy projectile and a grapple that can grab opponents but is difficult to target. His smash attacks are going well and, luckily, his antennas have good range. But overall, it is not a threat. With the help of Arsene, Joker is dramatically transformed into a powerful monster, perhaps too powerful. His "guard of rebellion" is transformed into a clever counter capable of reflecting projectiles and countering melee attacks. His pitiful little grappling hook becomes the Wings of Rebellion, which propels Joker far up and makes him briefly invincible. His energy ball receives a huge lash. The rebellion gauge diminishes over time and as Joker suffers damage and once exhausted, Arsene goes away.

Playing Joker requires a lot of quick thinking about how to minimize the time spent without Arsene. Because taking damage is the Joker's Rebellion Gauge and it can be difficult to time his rebel guard properly, players will need to find good strategies to transform quickly without putting too much risk. The loss of a stock also resets the meter to a set point. This extra tactical layer makes Joker play, up to now, extremely satisfying and a bit cerebral. The expectation of a powerful transformation at the end of a long meter adds a level of hype recognizable to traditional fighting games.

Even when he's just a worried high school student, Ultimate SmashThe Joker feels as faithful as possible. His movement and his animations are impeccable reproductions of his Persona 5 incarnation. The bright, recognizable roleplaying colors appear alongside Joker when certain attacks occur. His victory poses in smash is the same as his post-fight animation of Persona 5, complete with her friend Catlike Morgana. Joker's latest smash attack calls his ghost robbery friends, who coordinate a "total attack": another feature of Persona 5. All this gives the impression that Nintendo has rolled out a big red carpet for the arrival of Joker in the game.