The highly requested Final Fantasy VII character, Cloud, is now available to download in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS! He comes complete with all the moves and sound effects that fans know and love from the original PlayStation title.
One feature that distinguishes Cloud from the other fighters is his Limit Breaker ability. In battle he has a limit gauge that fills up as he both takes and deals damage, although the gauge isn’t normally visible until the player uses Cloud’s down special attack. When activated, a meter will appear above his head, displaying how full the gauge is. Once it reaches its limit, the aptly named Limit Break will be activated and Cloud will be covered in a blue and mystical aura that increases his power.
Some of Cloud’s specials include iconic Final Fantasy VII moves such as Blade Beam, Cross Slash, Climhazzard, Finishing Touch, and last but not least, his Final Smash, Omnislash.
Blade Beam, is a side special that shoots out a green wave across the arena, and while the attack can be used in air, it is much more powerful on the ground. Cross Slash, is a side special that, when used three times in a row, spells out the japanese word “KYO”, and sends opponents flying.
Climhazzard, which is similar to Ike’s recovery, strikes the opponent into the air, and, if activated again, viciously strikes them back to the ground. Finishing Touch is unleashed when you use the down special with the Limit Gauge filled, and while it only causes 1% damage to your opponent it has a very good launch potential. This can be especially useful on fighters who have taken a lot of damage. The most iconic attack is the Final Smash, Omnislash, that can be used on multiple combatants, leaving them all devastated after a flurry of sword swipes.
Like all Smash Bros. characters Cloud has a few different costumes to choose from, with his in particular being selected from both Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. The Advent Children costume will also come complete with two different versions. One will have a sleeve that covers the Geostigma on his arm, while the other version shows off the ribbon he and his party use to memorialize a fallen party member.
Cloud is also bundled with a new map, Midgar, the iconic starting area of Final Fantasy VII, where players can see the Mako Reactors and the Shinra Building in the background. On the stage, various Summon Materia will appear, which allow fighters to summon various monsters. These five Summons act as stage hazards and drastically affect the stage, and include Ifrit, Odin, Ramuh, Leviathan, and Bahamut ZERO.
Ifrit creates flames that move the stage around and hurt players that get burned. Odin, on the other hand, slashes the stage in half and does major damage if fighters are hit by the initial cleave.
Ramuh creates electrical barriers on floating platforms, which players take damage from if touched. The water dragon Leviathan causes a torrential downpour and creates a vicious current below the stage, and if anyone is swept away by it their KO goes to the summoner. Finally, the immensely powerful Bahamut ZERO uses an area-of-effect beam that damages all of your opponents.
Cloud and the new stage, Midgar, are available for purchase today, on both the 3DS and Wii U versions of the game.
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Written by Frank Costagliola
Frank is a journalism student at the College of Staten Island and knew he wanted to write and talk about video games since high school. If Frank isn't on campus, he's probably gaming, spending time with his friends, at the gym, or trying to hunt down a rare amiibo out in the wild.
