The gaming world was shocked during the February 17 Nintendo Direct when Pyra from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was revealed as the next Super Smash Bros Ultimate DLC fighter.
Xenoblade previously only had one Smash fighter in the form of Shulk, but now, all that has changed. In addition to Pyra, the fighter also has the ability to change into Mythra, making this a bit of a two-in-one fighter.
This concept isn’t exactly new, and dates back to Melee, when Zelda and Shiek were the same character with a transformation before being split into two. The only current fighter with multiple forms is Pokemon Trainer, and Mythra will now be joining him.
As seen from the glimpses of gameplay, Pyra’s kit will focus on flame attacks with her sword, while Mythra is more standard in the melee combat.
The addition of Mythra does match up with the previously reported “voice theory,” where users discovered an extra fighter sound file that suggested one of the DLC fighters would have an additional form.
Judging by the trailer footage, the transformation animation is quick, which should lead to some cool combos for anyone who masters the latest fighter.
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The fighter is expected to release sometime in March, so be on the lookout for more information and a potential Sakurai Presents in the near future.
With Pyra now the ninth DLC fighter for Smash Ultimate, this means that just two character spots remain – unless a third Fighters Pass is announced.
Thus far, the reaction to the new fighter has been lukewarm, with just a 3/1 like-to-dislike ratio on YouTube at the time of posting. Nintendo has also turned off comments on the trailer.
Part of the negative reaction seems to stem from the fact that this is yet another anime-style sword fighter, of which the game does have many already.
In any case, we’ll have to see what the reaction is once more of the fighter is showcased in a future presentation and Pyra’s full abilities are revealed.
