If there is one thing to be said about Super Smash Bros. Brawl it is this, Brawl is the one Wii game that you need to purchase in 2008. With that out of the way let’s get right down to why Brawl is the best version of the series to date. Smash Bros. Brawl is Nintendo’s celebration of its own history, with a few guest stars throw into the mix this time around. If you are a person filled with anger and hate, specifically towards Nintendo and its many franchises, then maybe you this isn’t the game for you.
That being said, if you are that type of person, then the subspace emissary portion of the single player will more than likely cause you to vomit. This new version of the single player adventure mode is a Nintendo fanboy’s dream. The emissary allows you to play through a ridiculous storyline that puts characters from far and wide together to fight with or against each other. Besides the traditional Smash Bros. fights, you’ll be forced to go through some 2D side scrolling platforming levels. These feel more like filler for your 6-8 hour adventure, and just don’t work very well with fighting controls, with a fairly straight forward and boring design to boot. Where the emissary really shines is the cut scenes between the levels that are the best Nintendo has to offer, and are quite amusing as well. The subspace emissary is a decent way to take a break from the regular matches, and if you have a friend you can play through the whole adventure with two players. The emissary is also the easiest and fastest way to unlock all 35 characters.
At lot of Wii titles out there suffer from forcing you to use a controller or control layout that just doesn’t feel right. Brawl allows you to use anything you choose, and you are also able to change the control layout to your liking. For Melee vets it is more than likely best to go with the Gamecube controller. Personally I’ve been sticking with the Wii remote & nunchuk combo, and find it to be a good substitute. I would recommend shying away from the classic controller, and just staying away from the Wii remote all together. Then again who knows, you could find some way to master the game with just the Wii remote and a certain custom control layout and put me in my place, that’s the beauty of it all.
This brings us to what Smash Bros. is all about, the multiplayer. The formula is pretty much the same, launch your opponents off the screen once you’ve given them a pretty good beating. Where Brawl is unmatched is its variety in its characters, stages, and ability to customize items and status effects. With 35 characters, 41 stages (10 Melee stages return), and more items and assist trophies to bother to count, each match is truly different from the last.
It’s widely thought that Smash Bros. is a fighting game for those that can’t handle hardcore fighting games, while this is true it is only to a point. Every character has the same controls, but of course they have their own move set. This makes Smash Bros. a very easy game to pick up and play for anyone, but there is plenty to master. Timing is everything with countering, dodging, and shielding. There are more moves in Smash Bros. than you originally think when first playing through the game, this makes mastering each character rewarding and a lot of fun.
A new addition to the action is the Smash Ball that allows your character to perform a massive attack (or waste of time for some), that usually causes the bodies to fly. These are character specific, although there are a few that share, such as the Star Fox characters all have the landmaster final smash. We could go on and on for hours about who is the best and who has the best final smash, but that’s why we play the game.
Yes it has its issues, mostly with the emissary not playing as well as you really want, and the online is really lacking. Overall Super Smash Bros. Brawl is a reason in itself to own a Wii, and will satisfy for months and years to come. I am happy to give Brawl our first five out of five.
