Games

[icycalm]

From Discord:

CULT|gus
Well, all four of the Smash games are completely different from each other
The first is a relatively simple game built around combos, Melee, is the fast paced and complex masterpiece loved by tournament goers, Brawl is dumbed down shit, and 4 tries to find a balance between Melee and Brawl to appeal to both hardcores and casuals
I think it's a great point that arcade fighters are dragged down by the arcade stick controls
It adds execution difficulty and makes the learning curve a little steeper to force the player to a ton of weird stick movements just to throw a fireball, but it doesn't add much to the actual strategy of the game
And that is also true for the overall emphasis arcade fighters place on difficult to execute combos.
The Smash games are built from the ground up around analog sticks, which allow you to do more moves more easily, and that frees up the devs to explore a variety of other techniques that do add to the game
In Melee you've got wavedashing, shffling, and dash dancing just as entry level techniques basically
All that stuff adds a ton of complexity to the game beyond just taking time to learn to do it
The execution difficulty is there, but it doesn't consume the game
Melee has to be the fastest, most complex, and most technically demanding fighter I've ever seen

CULT|icycalm
Never heard these games broken down like that before. It sound interesting. (edited)
Worth pointing out that I never said arcade fighters are "dragged down by arcade stick controls". I said 3D arcade fighters are.
And even then, not because of complexity of execution, but for the reasons I explained.
But I have to try Smash Bros. and see what I think of your theory.

[icycalm]

CULT|icycalm
For Honor supports your thesis though
There is no complexity of execution there at all, and it's my favorite fighting game ever

[icycalm]

CULT|gus
You can try Melee on Dolphin
Even got netplay on that

CULT|icycalm
I'll start from the beginning, but will quickly move to Melee I am sure