Arms, stylized as ARMS, (アームズ) is a fighting game and sports game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch, which released worldwide on June 16th, 2017. The game differentiates itself from standard fighting games as up to four players can choose a fighter and battle using a variety of extendable arms to knock out opponents in a three-dimensional arena. By July 2018, the game had sold over two million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling games on the Switch.
ARMS is a 3D fighting sports game in which up to four players can control one of a variety of fighters, with the player able to perform basic fighting actions using extendable arms such as punching, throwing, blocking, and dodging. ARMS features fifteen playable fighters, with some of them being released as downloadable content. Each fighter starts with three unique ARMS that can be selected in battle, but the use of all other fighters' ARMS can be unlocked in the Get Arms mode. All fighters also have unique attributes in combat. When the attack meter is fully charged, players are able to unleash a high-damage "rush attack" against their opponents. Players can also charge their attacks to temporarily increase damage and utilize elemental effects.[5] Each character has a different set of abilities and unique Arms for different strategies. Players are able to use the system's Joy-Con motion controls or standard button inputs with controllers such as the Pro Controller to operate each Arm individually. Players are also able to customize their ARM load outs, with each ARM being able to be selected independently. Every ARM is different with elemental attributes and varying weights that affect gameplay. Up to four players are able to play in a single match, either in a three or four-way free-for-all, or in a two-on-two mode in which teammates are tethered together.
Besides the standard fighting mode, ARMS features multiple other modes: Versus, Grand Prix, and a variety of Battle modes. In Grand Prix, players take on a set of 10 matches against computer-controlled fighters to win the championship belt. Battle mode consists of volleyball and basketball modes, a target breaking mode, and a survival mode.[6] Players can also play online in a party match lobby with up to 20 players, or in one-on-one ranked matches.
Arms featured ten playable fighters at its launch: Spring Man, a boxer; Ribbon Girl, a pop star; Ninjara, a student ninja; Master Mummy, a resurrected mummy; Min Min, the poster child for her family's ramen restaurant; Mechanica, a girl fighting in a mech suit; Twintelle, a movie star; Byte & Barq, a robotic police officer and his robotic canine companion; Kid Cobra, a professional snakeboarder; and Helix, a lab experiment. Five more characters were added: Max Brass, a wrestler; Lola Pop, a clown; Misango, a warrior; Springtron, a robotic version of Spring Man; and Dr. Coyle, a scientist.
List of games in the ARMS series[]
- Arms (2017, Nintendo Switch)
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[]
Characters from both Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and ARMS were going to appear but were cut due to bad timing, resulting in them being turned into costumes and spirits, with Spring Man becoming an Assist Trophy)
Assist Trophy
- Spring Man: When Spring Man is summoned, he’ll start attacking fighters with his Toaster Arms, with said punches being able to outrange Simon’s and Richter’s whip attacks. His Attacks consists of a left and right punch and a Flurry of Punches (called a Rush in game, assuming he can survive the damage needed time activate it without getting ko'd.)
Spring Man and Ribbon Girl were considered for new ARMS representation, but due to bad timing, they were turned into Spirits and Mii Costumes instead, along with Spring Man being an Assist Trophy. However, it was announced in a Nintendo Direct Mini on March 26th, 2020 that the 6th DLC Fighters Pass character will be from ARMS, which, on June 22nd, 2020, was revealed to be Min Min.
Character[]
- #76: Min Min: Also known by her alias, The Ramen Bomber, Min Min debuts as the first fighter to debut in Fighter Pass 2 and the 6th DLC character(7th is Piranha Plant is counted)in Ultimate.
She attacks with her extendable arms and compliments it with her kicks. Using her Down Special, she can cycle through 3 attachments that alter the properties of her basic attacks. Her Final Smash involves summoning most of the playable cast to barrage the caught foe. She was released on June 29th, 2020.
Stage[]
- Spring Stadium:The home stage of Spring Man from Arms, bundled alongside Min Min in Challenger Pack 6. It is a floating suspended stadium(similar to Battlefield) above a crowded stadium. Being Spring Man’s home stage, the ledges and top platform are spring loaded- they are trampolines that can send anyone standing in them airborne(which may lead to them losing a stock in the upper blast zone). If items are turned on, a drone may occasionally fly in to drop them onto the battlefield.
Mii Costumes[]
As mentioned above, prior to Min Min’s debut, the Mii Costumes and Spirits were meant as consolation for the franchise lacking a playable character. When Min Min was revealed, several more Mii Costumes were added.
Outfits[]
Spring Man Outfit Ribbon Girl Outfit Ninjara Outfit (DLC)
Headgear[]
Spring Man Mask Ribbon Girl Mask Ninjara Mask (DLC)
Music[]
Original Tracks[]
Arrangements and remixes unique to Ultimate. Much like the Bayonetta and Banjo-Kazooie universes before it, the original composers deakt with the music;both of these tracks were arranged by Atsuko Asahi, who originally co-composed the music for ARMS. ARMS Grand Prix Official Theme Song: A new arrangement of the title screen and main menu theme from ARMS. Also incorporates excerpted arrangements of the background tracks for "[NAME REDACTED]" and "Sky Arena". Ramen Bowl: A new arrangement of Min Min's stage theme from ARMS. Also incorporates an excerpted arrangement of the background track for "Spring Stadium".
Source Tracks[]
Tracks taken directly from ARMS.
Spring Stadium: The background track for Spring Man's stage, sourced directly from ARMS. Ribbon Ring: The background track for Ribbon Girl's stage, sourced directly from ARMS. Ninja College: The background track for Ninjara's stage, sourced directly from ARMS. Mausoleum: The background track for Master Mummy's stage, sourced directly from ARMS. Scrapyard: The background track for Mechanica's stage, sourced directly from ARMS. Cinema Deux: The background track for Twintelle's stage, sourced directly from ARMS. Buster Beach': The background track for Byte & Barq's stage, sourced directly from ARMS. Snake Park': The background track for Kid Cobra's stage, sourced directly from ARMS. "DNA Lab": The background track for Helix's stage, sourced directly from ARMS. "Sky Arena": The background track for Max Brass's stage, sourced directly from ARMS. "Via Dolce": The background track for Lola Pop's stage, sourced directly from ARMS. "Temple Grounds": The background track for Misango's stage, sourced directly from ARMS. "Sparring Ring": The background track for Springtron's stage, sourced directly from ARMS. "[NAME REDACTED]": The background track for Dr. Coyle's stage, sourced directly from ARMS. (Note:the actual song name, there is no name removed) "Vs. Hedlok": The background track that plays when fighting an opponent controlled by Hedlok, sourced directly from ARMS. "ARMS Grand Prix Final Battle": The background track that plays while fighting Max Brass controlled by Hedlok, sourced directly from ARMS.
Victory Fanfare[]
"Victory! ARMS": An abridged cover of the ARMS theme song, notably incorporating vocals from the version performed by Ribbon Girl.
Other[]
The original unaltered main theme was used in the ARMS fighter teaser announcement during the Nintendo Direct Mini on March 26th, 2020, and again in the Mr. Sakurai Presents broadcast prior to Min Min's formal reveal trailer on June 22nd, 2020.
Trivia[]
ARMS is the only universe to debut in Super Smash Bros. initially as a minor universe, and become a major universe in the same game.