In what can only be assumed as a daring attempt to reach out to the fabled “hardcore gamer”, Nintendo has disrupted their usual family friendly image by adding a sub machine gun to the upcoming Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Wii U and Nintendo 3DS.

The screenshot (seen below) came about as the latest update on the official Super Smash Bros. website, one of many meticulously chosen images posted on the web feed each weekday by real-life Benjamin Button and Super Smash Bros. director/creator Masahiro Sakurai. In it the newly added item is showcased, much to the shock and surprise of onlookers Marth, from the Fire Emblem series of games, and some other metal suited character who we don’t recognise and certainly wasn’t part of a series Nintendo totally neglected to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of while they were busy with The Legend of Zelda.

Our belief is that pursuing this category of weaponry for Super Smash Bros. is a direct response to the disappointing revelation of Cranky Kong in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze at the recently passed VGX 2013 event, one where many Nintendo faithfuls held on to the realistic and believable expectation that Satoru Iwata, Shigeru Miyamoto, and Eiji Aonuma would bestow Nintendo of America COO Reggie Fils-Aime with the prestigious duty of revealing The Legend of Zelda Wii U for the first time to the same crowd excited for Titanfall and Destiny.

Attempts to make up lost ground now are admirable, but is it too little too late from the Big N? We’d reach out to Nintendo for a comment, but as a company perpetually trapped in the 80’s, we fear we’d be told to take a dive.

Credit for the header image goes to Jeff ‘CHAMBA’ Cruz, the artist behind the comic RandomVeus.