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If The Winning Formula Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It If you are looking for one of the best Wii games ever, look no further than Super Smash Bros Brawl. If you’re already familiar with the nine-year-old Smash Bros. franchise, you’ll no doubt have high expectations. If you’ve never played a Super Smash Bros game before then you’re in for one action-packed, fast-paced treat. Both the original Super Smash Bros on Nintendo 64 (released 1999) and its GameCube sequel, Super Smash Bros Melee (2001), are still a hands-down favorite with many gamers, even after all these years. For Smash Bros newbies, Brawl is a multiplayer series of fast-paced fighting games set in 2D worlds. It features an impressive cast of 35 characters (including 14 hidden characters to unlock), pulled from some of Nintendo’s most popular titles. Choose from such well-known Nintendo icons as Mario, Kirby, Link (Legend of Zelda), Pikachu (Pokemon) and Samus Aran (Metroid), as well as special cross-over appearances by Sonic the Hedgehog and Solid Snake. Each character has its own fighting style and abilities, with customizable signature moves to learn and explore. |
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So Many Features…And Thankfully, So Much Time!
As is expected with a game of this nature each character has his or her (or its) own strengths and weaknesses, and players get to strategize how to best protect themselves while taking advantage of their opponents’ flaws. Also, throughout the many and varied fast-paced battles, special items will spontaneously appear on the battlefield, up for grabs for whoever can reach them first. Some of these are weapons you can use against your opponents while others will repair your sustained damage.
Combat can include up to four players at a time. Each brawl takes place on a stage with a different theme taken from somewhere in the Nintendo Universe, a favorite being the classic layout from the original Donkey Kong arcade game, complete with flaming barrels. Each battle takes place at a frenetic pace, keeping even the most serious and battle-hardened players glued to the screen. Brawl also makes a perfect party game because everyone can join in and tournaments are easily set up by team or individual. The built-in tournament mode can keep track of up to 32 players on a single Wii, and it features a rotation mode for up to 16.
Brawl also makes new ground by providing online multiplayer battles. Play your friends or complete strangers halfway across the world. While you do have to tolerate those pesky friend codes, the otherwise unavailable options that open up on account of using them will make it all worthwhile. Usually a major problem with online fighting games, any lag that occurs in Brawl is infrequent and short-lived at best.
Brawl also offers the single player a challenging day of gaming by choosing Classic mode. Pitted against the sinister Master Hand, you must complete specific challenges to move on. Each time you play this mode, the rounds will change in minor ways so you never really play the same game twice. Single player mode also offers you an adventure that combines all the characters as they battle against a mysterious enemy. Hilarious cut scenes blend the challenges together into a fluid story line.
Come Get Some!
One of the best aspects of this game is that it is so engaging and frantically-paced and challenging that seasoned veterans can enjoy it for months or years as they learn all the strategies, while complete newbies can win a battle out of the blue and build their way up to being part of the Smash Bros hall of fame. Brawl is one of those rarities that appeals across the board to everyone. You’ll be impressed with the animation and design of the characters, as well as the magnificent soundtrack that contains over 100 songs. This is, without a doubt, one of the best Wii games of 2008, and will continue to be a well-loved and well-played addition to any Nintendo gamers’ arsenal for years to come.