Nintendo just surprised the gaming community by dropping a brand-new update for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Bumping the game up to Version 13.0.5, this marks the first patch the platform fighter has received since June of last year.
While the update is small, its timing has sparked massive curiosity among players. Here is everything included in the latest patch and what you need to do before updating.
What the 13.0.5 Patch Fixes
While fans always hold out hope for surprise fighter balance adjustments, this update is highly targeted. According to Nintendo’s official support page, Version 13.0.5 addresses a specific technical bug:
- Online Stability: The update fixes a critical issue tied to "invalid data" appearing during online battles.
By resolving this data mismatch, Nintendo aims to ensure matchmaking remains stable and secure for the active multiplayer community.
Warning: Save Your Replays Now
Before you hit the download button, you need to protect your saved match replays. As with past updates, Version 13.0.5 introduces compatibility issues that can corrupt or delete your recorded games.
- Ver. 9.0.0 to 13.0.4: Replays created on these versions may suffer from compatibility issues and fail to play.
- Ver. 8.1.0 and earlier: Replays from these older versions are completely incompatible and will be lost.
To preserve your favorite matches, you must convert them to video format before installing the update.
How to save your replays:
- Open the game and go to the Vault.
- Select Replays, then Replay Data.
- Choose your desired replay and select Convert to Video.
Why This Sparked Switch 2 Speculation
The sudden arrival of a Smash Ultimate patch has fueled intense speculation online. The update arrived alongside performance patches for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Pikmin 3 Deluxe—both of which received upgrades to leverage Nintendo's upcoming "Switch 2" hardware.
While this specific Smash patch only targets an online bug, the coordinated wave of legacy game updates has players wondering if a native "Switch 2 Edition" of Smash Ultimate is on the horizon. Some players using early backward-compatibility features have already noted that loading times are incredibly fast, making pre-battle Spirit tips fly by almost instantly.
Whether this is simple maintenance or the groundwork for a larger announcement, Nintendo is keeping its premier fighting game finely tuned.
