Smash Ultimate Patch 8.1.0 adds Small Battlefield stage

Nintendo dropped a big surprise with the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Patch 8.1.0. Between the new player cap in Elite Smash and a new stage, Small Battlefield, players will have new things to try. There are no balance changes for characters, indicating that Nintendo is keeping those for a future update.

Players can check the full patch notes on the official Nintendo website.

Smash Ultimate Patch 8.1.0

New Stage Small Battlefield

Battlefield is one of the most popular stages of the Super Smash Bros. franchise. Given that, it is no surprise Nintendo added Small Battlefield as a new version. Furthermore, with a game like Smash Ultimate focusing on technique, a small battlefield prevents players from escaping the fight and playing long-range.

Image credits to Nintendo.

Small Battlefield is a small platform with two edges, accompanied by two smaller platforms floating in the air. As a result, this arena is very simple, which adds to the tension. Without other distractions, the goal of this map is to bring players in the mindset of fighting.

This stage comes with a special music soundtrack too in the Smash Ultimate Patch 8.1.0. All the music is now available for Small Battlefield, Battlefield, Big Battlefield, and Final Destination.

Elite Smash Online

This update changes the number of players eligible to participate in Elite Smash.  Even though Nintendo made a promise that more adjustments will come in the near future, small changes still appear in the patch notes for Global Smash Power.

Some changes to the online user experience appeared with tweaks to matchmaking with preferred rules. With every update comes a round of bug fixes to improve Smash Ultimate’s overall experience.

The new Smash Ultimate stage will be a welcome addition because of how popular the original Battlefield is. The next few weeks will tell if it will be used in a competitive environment.

Written by Charles FUSTER