SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 27 ― The 3DS version of upcoming party pummler “Super Smash Bros” will be the subject of an August 29 Nintendo Direct webcast, seemingly in response to a barrel-load of details leaked over the past week.

The timely broadcast will provide an opportunity for Nintendo to confirm or deny the presence of several surprise characters for the quirky fighting game, including Bowser Jr. from the “Mario” franchise, robotic 1980s console accessory R.O.B., mighty “Legend of Zelda” antagonist Ganondorf, Shulk from Wii cult hit “Xenoblade Chronicles” and the dog from “Duck Hunt.”

Images and videos were said to originate from a source associated with the game's North American ESRB content rating submission, though Nintendo of America was swift to ensure YouTube videos were soon removed.

A core franchise on Nintendo platforms since making its 1999 debut on Nintendo 64, “Super Smash Bros” is

known for mixing recognisable characters and accessibility with sophisticated mechanics hidden not far below the surface ― epitomising the ideal of “easy to learn, hard to master.”

The series' profile was significantly raised by free 2013 fan documentary “The Smash Brothers,” which chronicled the unlikely rise of a competitive scene around 2001 GameCube release “Super Smash Bros. Melee.”

This year brings two releases, “Super Smash Bros for Nintendo 3DS” the week of October 3 (September 13 in Japan), and “Super Smash Bros” for Nintendo Wii U, undated but due before the end of the year, negotiating space between the likes of “Hyrule Warriors,” “Bayonetta 2” and “Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.”

The “Super Smash Bros” Nintendo Direct will go live at 8pm PST on August 29 (11pm New York, midnight August 30 in Rio, 4am UK, 5am Central Europe, 11am Singapore/Malaysia/Beijing, China, and 1pm Sydney, Australia) via nintendo.com/nintendo-direct. ― AFP-Relaxnews