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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 3.0 debuts Joker DLC tomorrow

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is getting its first Challenger Pack DLC fighter tomorrow, with Persona 5's Joker set to arrive on Wednesday.

Ozzie Mejia

April 16, 2019 6:43 PM

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Nintendo has been teasing Version 3.0 for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for some time. And with April more than halfway over, that time has arrived. Nintendo has revealed that the fighting game's latest update is set to arrive this Wednesday. And more importantly, that means that the game's first character from the DLC Challenger Pack is about to make his debut. Persona 5's Joker is set to arrive on Wednesday, as well.

Joker will bring along an arsenal that includes his signature knife and gun. But that won't be enough to help him through this fight, so he'll also bring along his Persona. Players will notice that Joker carries a Persona meter that fills up as he takes damage. When the meter is full, Joker will unleash his Persona, Arsene. Persona 5 players will recognize Arsene as the Persona from the start of the game. Arsene will enhance Joker's attacks, giving them extra power and reach. His recovery will also be enhanced, as Joker can use Arsene's wings to fly back to the stage. On top of that, Arsene grants Joker a powerful Counter that can send opposing moves back at his foes. Here's Joker's move list:

• Gun (Neutral B): Joker fires off his signature pistol, which can be fired continuously. Joker can dodge while he's shooting.
• Grappling Hook (Up B): Joker can reach out and grab out-of-reach platforms and pull himself back up, making this an invaluable recovery tool. He can also pull in opponents.
• Eiha (Side B): Joker shoots off his Eiha blast, which causes recurring damage over time.
• Rebel's Guard (Down B): Joker fills his Rebellion Meter, at which point this move can summon Arsene. If Joker gets hit while using this move, his damage received will be halved and he can deliver some knockback.

As noted, all of Joker's moves can be enhanced with Arsene. His moves get upgraded to Gun Special, Wings of Rebellion, and Eigaon. His Counters can not only respond to physical hits, but they can also reflect projectiles. This all sets up All-Out Attack, Joker's Final Smash in which he joins forces with the rest of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts to deliver the pain to Joker's opponents.

Joker's debut will also include an all-new Persona-themed stage called Mementos. This is a stage designed in the art style of Persona 5, featuring a slight slope along the center of the stage's base and platforms along the left and center. A third platform along the right side side will fly up and down. The stage's color will change based on the song used, a first for the Smash Bros. series. The Phantom Thieves can show up in the background to lend their support throughout the game.

If that was it, that would be more than enough for a single announcement. But there's much more that Nintendo revealed in Tuesday's 15-minute (!) video. There's much more to say here, so stay tuned. We'll be back shortly with more information.

Ozzie Mejia

Senior Editor

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?