His point on League always being updated is interesting. Smash 4 got its first patch for the 3DS yesterday. I wonder how often it'll happen. I wonder if people will end up being upset that it's happening over time. The wonder about Melee is that a meta-game was created. There was no intent for that to happen. Sakurai wanted Smash to be a party game, not a fighting game.

That's what makes Smash so fascinating to me.

To digress a bit - that's part of the reason I love Smash. It's been a part of my life since I was, like, five years old. I remember playing Smash 64 with my brother in our cramped apartment. When we played a 99 minute match against Donkey Kong and Captain Falcon. We were a team - me Link, him Pikachu.

Fast-forward two years later to Melee. I'm only 7 years old. Wasn't allowed to have a GameCube till my birthday. Which meant I had to make, gasp, friends. I did, with a ridiculous amount of luck, and a common love for Mario. We would go to David's house as a group of four, all playing Melee till our parents would pick us up.

We did that for 7 years, and became the closest of friends in the process. Brawl came out when I was 14 years old. My high-school (and half of College) experience is capitalized by the game. The midnight launch when I won our local tournament as Link, the filthy low-tier scrub. Playing well into the night, unlocking all but two characters the first day we had the game. Skipping prom to throw a party at my place that had Brawl as the corner-piece.

When we all went our separate ways after-graduating, one thing kept us united - Smash. Three times a year - Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring Break - when we're all in Colorado at the same time, the group comes by my place. Chips are poured into bowls, drinks are poured into cups, controllers are readied, and Smash is played. For two years now, that beat hasn't been missed.

This Friday, that tradition will continue with Smash 4.

I guess I'm just saying I'm freaking out about this launch for a reason. Smash is a celebration of my closest friendships. It's saved me from wanting to jump off of the nearest mountain in Boulder because of Smash Club - meaning it continues to be the reason I'm making friends. It's amazing to me that a game about an electric mouse headbutting a pink blob with red shoes can inspire such a visceral reaction in me. I'm excited to see the meta-game continue to be built in this Friday's release.

And if any of ya'll got a Wii U, let me know.

Let's settle it in Smash.