Super Smash Bros. Ultimate made a surprising appearance at E3, opening up Nintendo’s highly anticipated direct showcase. What was even more surprising was the character chosen to be the 81st character in SSBU’s Fighters Pass Vol. 2.
I don’t think anyone suspected that Tekken’s Kazuya Mishima would take the spotlight. But in a roster filled with the poster boys from classic titles it only makes sense that he be included.
Kazuya’s inclusion and Masahiro Sakurai’s declaration that there won’t be another fighter pass after the final character is announced, has certainly trampled some fans' dreams to see their favourite characters appear in SSBU.
If you haven’t played Tekken or heard of the infamous Kazuya Mishima, then you’re really missing out, as it’s one of the best fighting games ever.
Tekken was one of the first 3D fighting games that had a major impact on the genre with its exciting controls and strategic gameplay. Being one of the early release titles on the Playstation, made it a household name worldwide.
It's still regarded as one of the best in the genre today after an amazing seven games
Kazuya Mishima was the original protagonist of the Tekken series but his turbulent story has seen him become one of its biggest villains.
Even though his time in the spotlight has gradually lessened with characters like Jin taking up the mantle, it wouldn’t feel right if the first winner of the Iron Fist tournament didn’t take centre stage.
Kazuya is surprisingly a heavy character and has one of the lowest jumps in the game. Thankfully this also means he is harder to knock out and makes up for his jumps with his up special Devil Wing.
He is relatively slow, however, his attacks cause a lot of damage when they land, which can turn around fights very easily.
Kazuya is special because he has the most directional moves out of everyone in the game. Unlike the rest of the characters, he utilises eight directions on the joystick, with an attack assigned to each command giving him the most depth in the game in this regard.
If that wasn’t enough he has a ten hit combo, which can be executed by pressing or holding the attack button.
It’s great to see this variation in his attacks, making him feel a lot more like he does in the Tekken series.
His Smash attacks are glorious as he always enters Devil mode when they are performed. His side smash "Glorious Demon God Fist", is a heavy punch that is comparable to Captain Falcon's Falcon Punch. It may leave players open for attacks but if timed correctly, it is devastating.
His up smash Devil Twister is a great attack that launches enemies in the air. Being one of his faster smash attacks it's a nice move to perform after a combo.
His down smash is called Lion Slayer, which is the opposite of Devil Twister as it allows players to follow with a combo after being performed. Another great attack that has a good amount of power to it and combines so well with so many other attacks.
A really cool feature is that he comes with his grabs and throws from the original games. Some of them require players to input commands to perform them.
Kazuya's neutral special is Devil Blaster, an energy beam that pierces enemies. As the blaster shoots at a certain height, players will be able to aim the attack up or down allowing them to hit more enemies.
It can hit multiple enemies in a row but loses power the more it hits. Devil Blaster is a powerful attack that really puts close-range combat fighters like Little Mac at a disadvantage.
Kazuya’s side special Devil Fist, differs in how effective it is, depending on the distance it's used in. It's an attack that sees Kazuya dash forward, and in some circumstances pass through the enemy, stunning them allowing for a follow-up combo. This attack can also be used for recoveries.
His up special, Devil Wing is essentially his recovery attack that will let players float back to the stage.
If players time the Devil Wing right it can be used as a devastating attack. His down special, Heaven’s Door is a grapple move that lets Kazuya grab his opponents and slam them down on the ground.
Like other attacks such as Bowser's Flying Slam, players will be able to throw themselves and the enemy from the stage. However Kazuya will fall out first, so it's a risky move.
Players will be able to input commands like the original games to access some of Kazuya's signature attacks. This will please Tekken fans because it can feel like one of the original games.
Playstyle will change depending on how many opponents you are facing. Players will be able to create their own combos by linking different attacks together, this works especially well in 1v1 battles.
Kazuya also has a special ability called Rage Mode which is activated once he reaches 100% damage. This will increase his attack power and grants Kazuya a unique Rage Drive attack, which will end the rage mode.
This mode can only be initiated once per stock and even though there isn’t a time limit for this attack it will end if Kazuya takes too much damage.
His Final Smash Final Blaster will barrage enemies with multiple lasers. It’s a powerful attack that can take out multiple enemies at once, with the only downside being that if the initial Devil Blaster misses, the whole attack fails.
Kazuya also comes with a new stage called Mishima Dojo. This stage is similar to Terry Bogard’s stage King of Fighters stadium, where players will have to break down the walls and ceilings to knock enemies out of the stage.
However, the lack of floating stages and other obstacles make it the perfect place to have an epic 1v1 match.
Verdict
Kazuya is an intriguing addition to the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster, due to the fact that his lacklustre movement makes him somewhat limited. He may have the biggest move list in the game but players will have to be creative in getting them to land.
His depth will create some very interesting strategies and having the ability to combine several attacks adds to his close-combat ferocity. He’s not an instant pick-up-and-play character, but players who master his combos will cause some serious damage.
Challenger Pack 10: Kazuya is out now, both as part of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Fighters Pass Vol. 2, or as an individual set.
