Rollback netcode mod for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate shown running on a Nintendo

And cross-platform to boot

Super Smash Bros. has one of the largest and most dedicated competitive scenes in all of fighting games, but every title has been cursed with subpar online play for more than a decade now.

Late last year, we covered a software engineer going by the handle of DShad, who was working on a rollback netcode mod for Nintendo Switch emulators, and now he’s shown off rollback playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the actual console itself.

In his new development update, DShad explains that he’s moved from trying to make rollback function in the Yuzu Switch emulator to crafting a mod that’ll work on anything running Smash Ultimate.

This is apparently being achieved using the Skyline plugin system that allows users to load their own code in games without having to hard break them open.

DShad showcased footage of an online match of Smash Ultimate being played between his Switch and emulator on PC, which is pretty wild to see.

As promised, more details on the current improvement on the Rollback mod for smash Ultimate.
Watch the video first (sorry in advance for my english ?) and read below for a summarized info. pic.twitter.com/CIxCSsrBL7

— DShad (@DShad66) March 12, 2022

Just because the mod is technically running does not mean that it’s anywhere near ready for the public to use, however, as DShad explains this implementation is still in the proof of concept phase though is looking promising thus far.

The video shows one of the roughest issues to overcome yet with the Switch becoming desynchronized from the emulator and not correcting itself.

DShad says that he can’t promise right now this dream will work out in the end and took keep expectations moderate though still thinks that it should be feasible with more work and knowledge.

The previously shown mod would have worked with any fighting game running on Yuzu with footage of Dragon Ball FighterZ and Samurai Shodown being shown, but the current work in progress is focused just on Smash Ultimate right now.

As for now, if you want my thought, i think it still feasible as long as i fix the bug i already have + finish restoring state (stock,time,staleness ,…)

— DShad (@DShad66) March 12, 2022

The modder believes this method will be easier to maintain once fully achieved, but getting to that point is the difficult part.

Rollback has been shown to work fine on the Switch in fighters like Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid although pickings are still pretty slim, as the incoming netcode updates for BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle and Persona 4 Arena Ultimax won’t be coming to Nintendo’s system either.

To get something like this running on the Switch itself, users would need to mod their own consoles, which is difficult to recommend without the proper knowhow and understanding of potential consequences (like being banned from official Nintendo servers).

Still, it’s quite impressive to see rollback not only running in Smash Ultimate, but doing so cross-platform between an actual Switch and emulator.

DShad appears to have made great progress in just a few months time, and it’ll be quite nutty if this ends up coming to fruition.

Since there is no timetable for the mod’s development of course, Smash fans will need to wait and see if this’ll one day become reality through the dedication of other fans.