This article is a translation of the following Japanese article:
Original: 【スマブラSP】なぜ日本と海外で評価キャラが違うのか｜地域別メタの違いとプレイスタイル・Tier差の背景
“Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” is a globally popular fighting game, and the competitive scene is thriving in many regions including Japan, North America, Europe, and Central and South America.
On the other hand, the opinion that “Characters that are rated in Japan are different from those that are rated overseas” is often talked about among competitive players and fans. This is not just a rumor, but an actual phenomenon caused by multiple factors such as cultural backgrounds, tournament customs, and differences in play styles.
In this article,
- Why are character evaluations different depending on the region
- Differences in play styles between Japan and overseas
- What is the difference as a result?
in an easy-to-understand manner based on the latest information.
Author: “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a title that is loved on a global scale, but we can see that the differences in competitive culture and values in each region are influencing trends in tier evaluation and character selection.”
1. Why Japan’s unique tier evaluation exists
When creating character tiers for Super Smash Bros. SP, overseas, evaluations that reflect top players’ tournament results and global data are often used.
On the other hand, in Japan there is a culture in which top players come together to create a tier list from a regionally unique perspective. In fact, there was an example where top players (Abadango, Raito, Tsu, etc.) participated and created a Japanese version of the tier list, and the rankings were different from the general tiers overseas, such as Zero Suit Samus being ranked at the top. This is because it reflects the Japanese scene’s unique view of actual battles and evaluations of maneuvers.
Author: “Japan’s tier can be said to be an evaluation that is strongly influenced by play trends in Japan.” Because the conditions are different from overseas tournament data, differences in ranking are likely to occur.”
2. Trends in play styles being different between Japan and overseas
There are also regional differences in actual play styles.
Japanese Smash Bros. players are often described as being characterized by **“safety-first/defense-oriented play,” and they tend not only to attack in a straight line, but also to move around while inviting the opponent to make mistakes. On the other hand, overseas (particularly in North America), it is said that there are many playstyles that are “aggressive reading and emphasis on big attacks”**, and evaluations can vary even for the same character.
In this way, differences in play direction and values may also affect character evaluations and tier rankings.
Author: “It is natural that the evaluation characters will differ depending on the region because the “value of winning” and “emphasis on the situation” differ even with the same operation.”
3. Differences in number of games and data affect tier
Overseas, in regions with a large number of players, a large number of online and offline match results tend to be used for tier evaluation. As an example,statistics from approximately 2.9 million games compiled from Japanese online data show that Diddy Kong has a high winning rate, while some overseas top-tier characters (Joker, Sephiroth, etc.) have lower results. This difference indicates the possibility ofbiased evaluations due to online-only results.
However, it is important to note that this data cannot necessarily be called an “absolute evaluation” as the conditions differ from overseas evaluations in that it does not include offline tournament results.
Author: “The difference in ‘evaluation standard data’ between Japan and overseas is also a major reason why the rated characters look different.”
4. Differences in actual tournament trends
In Japan, tournaments are very actively held in various regions, and data shows that in 2024 alone, there will be more tournaments held in Japan than in other regions. Japan hosted 26 major tournaments, compared to 18 in North America and around 4 in Europe. This leads todifferences in experience values and meta-formationby region.
It is believed that such experience in many tournaments has contributed to the depth of the Japanese meta and the formation of “unique character evaluations”.
Author: “The more opportunities you have to compete, the more your tactics and character interpretations will be adapted to the environment.The liveliness of the Japanese scene also influences the trends in the characters you evaluate.”
5. Specific examples showing the influence of regional differences
- Differences in selection rates for the same character: In Japan, it is said that there is a strong tendency to use zoning characters (mainly checking) and safety-oriented characters, while in other countries there is an opinion that there are many examples of aggressive combo characters being used.
Differences in tier rankings: It has been confirmed that there are cases where Japan’s unique tier list has a different ranking than overseas tiers.
Differences in fighting styles: It has been said that Japanese players tend to emphasize defense and waiting tactics, while overseas players tend to emphasize continuous attack.
These are just general trends, but trends can be seen by comparing tournaments and data from multiple regions.
6. Why does this difference occur?
Cultural and competitive factors behind it
Regional differences are thought to be the result of a combination of several factors:
● Player population and tournament structure
It has been pointed out that the number of competitive players and the frequency of tournaments are different in Europe, America, and Japan, and as a result, the ways in which the meta converges and spreads are different.
● Cultural background of play style
It has been said that Japanese players tend to place emphasis on “playing without making mistakes” and “strategies that put safety first.” This also affects character evaluation and selection.
● Differences in evaluation criteria
One of the reasons for the difference in evaluation is that overseas players focus on offline tournament results while in Japan they place more emphasis on local scenes and competitive styles.
Author: “Differences between regions cannot be explained simply by preferences or results. Competitive culture, data collection methods, and play styles are intricately intertwined to create evaluation differences.”
Summary | What are the regional evaluation differences in Smash Bros. SP
The reason why characters in “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” are evaluated differently in Japan and overseas is due to the following factors:
- Differences in tier evaluation criteria by region (Evaluations led by domestic players and evaluations centered on overseas tournaments are different)
Cultural and competitive differences in play styles (Japan emphasizes safety, overseas tends to be aggressive)
Differences in data collection, tournament frequency, and results (Tendency for more events to be held in Japan) Author: “In order to understand the global evaluation of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, it is important to understand “what data is used as the standard.” By knowing the differences between regions, you can understand tier and character evaluation more deeply.”
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