“Smash Bros. 3DS” is perhaps the only reason I kept my Nintendo 3DS since the last “Zelda” game released last year.

The newest edition of the Nintendo’s fighting-game franchise made the leap to the handheld market without losing the appeal and fun of the console versions that came before. I’ve spent far too much time playing it and have no intention of stopping anytime soon.

The only substantial complaint I have against the game is its lacking single-player component. While classic and “All-Star” mode make a comeback, the lack of an adventure mode leaves me somewhat unsatisfied.

Still, the reality of the game is that you buy it with the intention of playing multiplayer; the single player is an afterthought.

“Smash Bros” controls quite well, which surprised me given the complexity of the console versions before. It didn’t take me very long to adapt, and within an hour I was playing as comfortably as I would if I had a standard controller in my hands.

There is a certain degree of uncomfortableness in the fingers that comes along with playing mobile games; nonetheless, it’s still not particularly difficult to use.

The 3D aspect of the game doesn’t really bring anything new, as none of the actual combat footage seems to really benefit from it. The menus and the victory screens certainly use the effect with great enthusiasm, and it’s pretty snappy and fun to maneuver around.

Musically, the soundtrack spans through all the usual themes like Zelda, Mario and Metroid, while expanding to include some from the franchises of the newer characters like Mega Man and Little Mac from Punch-Out.

Speaking of new characters, Nintendo really brought out some awesome folks this time  around. The obvious big names like Mega Man and Pac Man are met with obscure newcomers like the Duck Hunt Dog, all of whom have unique and iconic move sets that fit in like they’ve been there the whole time.

Easily one of the best games on the system, “Smash Bros. 3DS” is a must have for anyone with the handheld console.