Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Is Getting New Simplified Controls

Granblue Fantasy Versus caused a bit of a controversy back when it came out in 2020. It was one of the first fighting games out there to fully embrace a simplified control scheme. Unlike other titles of that era, you didn't need to toggle between different input methods, everyone always had access to simple inputs that allows for one button specials and supers. It did carry a slight downside of increasing special move cooldowns, but it was so negligible that it didn't impact the viability of simple controls, which further encouraged players to jump between the two depending on the situation.

The conversation returned when the game received a sequel – Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising. The developers chose to take a step further and create parity between the two schemes, eliminating the downsides entirely. The conversation died down once the game came out, and it became clear that eliminating an already tiny downside doesn't lead to much of a difference.

However, it seems like the never-ending debates surrounding the simplified controls might soon return, as Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising just announced the inclusion of two new modes: Smart and Super Ultimate.

These new control schemes seem to resemble a combination between "stylish mode" in Arc System Works games, and Dynamic controls in Street Fighter 6. Presumably, choosing Smart controls will primarily provide access to auto-combos that you can pull off by simply mashing buttons after you land a hit. Meanwhile, Super Ultimate "responsive" controls will be simplified to one button and adjust what that button does according to the situation.

Following the same pattern, Smart should be available for online play, while Super Ultimate should be limited to offline modes and local versus matches. There is already a bit of doom and gloom surrounding this topic, but the likely outcome will likely resemble what happened around the release of Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising. There are some valid concerns here, like how auto-combos might provide a noticeable advantage at lower skill levels, where many players still struggle to do proper combos or cash out their resources. Outside of that, it's unlikely that these additions will have any noticeable negative impact on the game. Even if Smart mode doesn't incur penalties to cooldowns or damage, the limited nature of auto-combos will end up being a downside even at intermediate, and let alone advanced levels.