Arms has been out for a few weeks now, so players have had a chance to become comfortable with all 10 characters. July 12 will bring the first major content update, which will introduce Max Brass as a playable character.
Each character in Arms has a unique ability and default glove loadout. Max Brass, or “The Commish,” is a heavy fighter who grows larger when his arms are charged up. Just like Master Mummy, this allows Max Brass to take punches without flinching. He also becomes permanently charged up when his health falls below 20 percent.
Along with Max Brass himself, his default arms all seem to be new as well. The first pair, called Nade, appear to be standard gloves that gain fire elemental when charged. His next pair, called Roaster, look like a set of grenades. They work as standard gloves, except they explode on impact when charged. This increased damage comes with reduced accuracy. His final set of Arms, Kablammer, is a variation of the Whammer. Instead of stunning when charged, this heavy alternative gains an explosive ability.
With every fighter comes a personalized stage. Max Brass joins the league along with Sky Arena, the final stage of the Grand Prix. This outdoor fighting arena sits at the top of a tall skyscraper. In case people weren’t aware of whose stage it was, there is a giant statue of the champ looming over the ring.
Since launch, Max Brass has existed as the title fight of the Grand Prix. He created the Arms League and has acted as reigning champ for years.
Max Brass, his three arms, and his new stage will all be added to Arms via a free update. But that’s not all.
Speaking with Eurogamer, Arms producer Kosuke Yabuki detailed an added surprise for fans — a brand-new versus game mode featuring Hedlok, the most challenging opponent in the game. In the mode, two to three players can battle over a Hedlok mask. The player who secures the mask will transform into Hedlok, while the other player or players will be forced to defeat the player who now has Hedlok’s powerful abilities (and six devastatingly strong arms). Yabuki didn’t reveal the name of the game mode, but it will be available in both online and offline game modes.
More fighters, stages, and arms will be added in the future. These updates will continue to be free.
In our review, we said Arms had surprising depth, nuance, and strategy, with a good variety of modes to keep things busy. For anyone who is just getting into Arms, or is having difficulty improving, check out our Arms Beginner’s Guide for some helpful tips and tricks.
Updated on 07-11-2017 by Steven Petite: Added details about the new game mode.
