New Smash Bros. overhauls edge-grabbing--how will it affect gameplay?

The "edge-grabbing" or "edge-hogging" technique from past Super Smash Bros. titles has been overhauled for the upcoming Super Smash Bros. game for Wii U and 3DS, director Masahiro Sakurai announced today on Miiverse.

This more advanced technique, featured in games like Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, allows players to hold onto a ledge in an effort to thwart the return move of another player. But this is changing for the upcoming game, Sakurai said.

"There are many changes being made to attack and defense options for grabbing edges. In this picture (at left), Link is actually trumping Mario's grab," he said.

Other changes include:

• Air time and accumulated damage will determine your period of invincibility while hanging on an edge.
• Grab controls will no longer be affected by whether you have above or below 100% damage.

It sounds like edge-grabbing, considered by some to be a cheap move, will be more difficult to pull off in the new Super Smash Bros. game for Wii U and 3DS. It remains to be seen how the changes might affect competitive play.

The new Super Smash Bros. game for Wii U and 3DS launches sometime in 2014. Cross-platform play between the two systems is not supported. For more, check out GameSpot's previous coverage of the fighting game.