‘Smash’ enthusiast developing app

Chris Hardin’s love for “Smash Bros.” has invaded his lunch hour.

“I pack my lunch,” Hardin said this week. “Then I go around looking for data.”

The fruits of his labor is a mobile application he’s designing with both casual and competitive “Smash Bros.” gamers in mind. “Smashpad,” which Hardin has billed as “The Ultimate Super Smash Bros Mobile App,” has already earned more than $3,000 in Kickstarter contributions.

Hardin is sharing the app with his friends in the local “Smash Bros.” scene, looking for input on what features hardcore players will want. He’s also designing “Smashpad” to be the place to go if your buddy keeps picking Meta-Knight and you have no way to beat him.

“One of the difficult things in learning a competitive game like ‘Smash Bros.’ is there’s so much intricacy,” Hardin said.

A hacked version of “Smash Bros. Melee” for the Gamecube – which remains the gold standard in the competitive world of Smash – has enabled Hardin to include in the app animated diagrams of move sets for each character. Want to know the movement and damage of Star Fox’s dash attack? Hardin’s app has a guide for you.

Hardin is hard at work compiling data from the latest release, “Super Smash Bros.” for the WiiU, which released last month and holds a stellar 92 rating on Metacritic. But “Melee” remains his preferred title.

“It’s not a bad competitive game,” Hardin said of the latest game. “It definitely has a growing scene.”

The biggest draws to the new title are an enhanced roster list, including newcomers like the “Duck Hunt” dog and Little Mac from the “Punch-Out!!” franchise – and the ability to play with up to seven opponents online.

Hardin has already met his first goal in the Kickstarter campaign. Like other Kickstarter campaigns, the more you contribute, the greater creative control you’ll have over the project.

Ten bucks will get your name in the contributor list on the app. If you toss in $80, you’ll be a part of the app’s long-term beta session. For $200, your Twitch stream will be prioritized in the app’s streaming feature.

That’s right, “Smashpad” automatically populates a stream playlist of tournaments. It also provides a listing of upcoming events, including the Jan. 25 installment of Spokane’s monthly tournaments at Black Wolf Gaming Center in Spokane Valley.

“It used to be a pretty big commitment,” Hardin said of streaming games. “You’d have to go on Twitch or Reddit and search around. Now, I just pull my phone out.”

Hardin has plans for the future, including a new graphical interface and potential Android support. But he needs more cash to make it happen, and he believes the audience is out there.

“I think ‘Smash Bros.’ is something that will grow,” he said. “It’s something that’s entrenched for most kids.”