Super Smash Flash Demo

This article is about the demo of the original SSF. For demo of the reboot SSF2, see Super Smash Flash 2 Demo.

The start screen of the Super Smash Flash Demo.

The Original Super Smash Flash Demo — a name appointed for its 2015 retrieval — or simply the Super Smash Flash Demo, is an early build of the then-nameless fighting game (formerly referred to as a flash "Smash" engine) that would eventually become the original Super Smash Flash. It was originally released in April 2006 by Gregory Cleod9 McLeod to incorporate new content and fix several glitches.

According to Cleod9, about one or two demo versions were done. Indeed, posts in the old, McLeodGaming Forums from 2005 suggested the existence of at least two versions that were released in just a couple of weeks before the game reached completion, noting that SSF's development lasted about two months. Following the release of SSF on August 21, 2006, the demos were removed from the website.

In December 2014, requests to recover the original demos were posted on the recent McLeodGaming Forums from 2008. After digging the files, Cleod9 was able to retrieve one of the demos, which he openly made public on the McLeodGaming website until its redesign in March 2016, after which the page was removed.

Characteristics of the demo

A screenshot of the demo, showing Blade against Samus on the primitive Emerald Hill Zone.

The recovered demo only features two playable characters: Blade and Samus, the first characters programmed into the game. Most of their movesets remain the same from the ones they have in the final release, except for Samus's projectiles for her up attack and down aerial, which are much faster and invisible. Both characters are unable to midair jump. The only selectable stage is an early version of Emerald Hill Zone that has one large platform with four smaller platforms above it and a completely sky blue background, and the music track Emerald Hill Zone plays without properly looping.

Players can set a timer and stocks for the match, along with the respawn % and damage ratio. However, all matches last indefinitely and are not affected by the time or stock counts, and the game must be restated to start a new match. There are also several indicators on the screen during gameplay such and Blade's and Samus's speed while running, their height after jumping, the direction Blade is facing, and whether Samus is being KO'd.

Trivia

• The demo still has traces from when the game was meant to be a combat-oriented action-platformer game starring Blade. This is seen with Emerald Hill Zone being the only selectable stage and Samus being referred to as "Enemy" on the match indicators. Also, the demo's filename is "blade.swf".
• In the final release of SSF, the image for Emerald Hill Zone in the stage selection screen depicts its beta form from this demo.

External link

• Play the original SSF Demo (Internet Archive).