-[RM Review]-
Super Smash Brothers ----Kambei
[Opening] Click Images to Enlarge
To be perfectly honest with you, when I first sat down to play this game, I really was not expecting much. Sure the premise was cool, classic Nintendo characters duking it out, but shouldn't Nintendo be concentrating on the likes of Metroid 64 instead of a game like Super Smash Brothers? Anyways, I approached this game with a bit of skepticism and half heartedly entered a four player free-for-all against three of my friends. Now let's jump into my head to see what was going through my mind at the time: Hmm...only eight characters to choose from...strike one(I was searching for early flaws in the game)...let's see..who should I be...I guess I'll go with good old Samus Aran...haven't seen her in a game in quite a while(ahem..Nintendo)...the arena for battle was chosen-Link's Hyrule Castle...after getting a quick rundown of the controls from my friends(funny how they never tell you ALL the controls: "Why didn't you double jump and save yourself? Double jump? How do you double jump?! You never told me there was a double jump!")...sorry about that..went off on a tangent there...
anyways, our characters all enter the battlefield in different ways...Yoshi hatches out of an egg...StarFox pilots himself in...etc. etc...ok maybe, this game does have some attention to detail...the match begins and I find myself hopping all over the place trying to knock my opponents off of the stage without getting hit myself(the object is to knock them off the platform, not to drain all their energy like in other fighting games)...I am blasted off the platform by my friend, and I immediately do the only thing I can-I punch him since he is sitting right next to me and let loose with multiple expletives =)...anyways, back to the game...the action is insanely fast, and I can't wait to go another round...finally, after quite a few hours of incredibly fast-paced, multiplayer action, we put the game down and grab ourselves some food. All while we were eating, I could not wait to get back to playing this game. This is truly multiplayer gaming at its finest, folks.
[Graphics] 8/10
The graphics in Smash Brothers are not exactly spectacular, but they fit the mood and feel of the game perfectly. All of the classic Nintendo characters are instantly recognizable, and the stages in the game are colorful and varied. You battle in multiple arenas including on top of StarFox's ship, outside a Hyrulean castle, or even in a Pokemon city. The only complaints that I have are minor. It can become rather easy to lose track of your character on screen, especially when the battle spreads out across the entire level, and the camera has to zoom out to get all the action. Graphically, Smash Brothers is a typical title from Nintendo. At first glance, it seems catered to the eight year old, but after many extended periods of play, you learn to appreciate the intricacies in the gameplay and the childish eye candy that goes along with it.
[Sound] 9/10
All I can say here is "Wow!". Although you probably will not have the time to properly appreciate the sound effects and music during battle, the developers really put extra effort into providing appropriate background music and sound effects for the game. For example, in a free-for-all at Link's Castle, you battle to the tune of the original overworld theme from The Legend of Zelda on NES! But you won't have time to waste reminiscing while fighting your friends because anything that can distract you is potentially hazardous when playing this game. Trust me. As far as sound effects go, all the necessities are here. Power punches really sound like they some "oomph" behind them, and hitting someone with the hammer sounds very similar to knocking down bowling pins. Great music and sound effects often go overlooked in a game such as this, but Smash Brothers is a shining example of the extra attention to detail inherent in most of Nintendo's games. They even have the original "invincible music" from the first Super Mario Brothers on NES. Ah the memories...
[Control] 9/10
The control in Super Smash Brothers is nothing short of perfect. There is a small learning curve for each character, but it takes quite a while to master all of their moves. The control scheme is rather simplistic, but it is designed so that basically anyone can jump in the game and compete. I liken it to Bomberman but slightly more complicated. The analog stick is used for movement, and all four C-buttons make you jump so you don't have to worry about pushing the wrong one. Tapping the R button throws your opponent, and holding the Z-button makes your character "block". Lastly, the A and B buttons are your normal "attacking" buttons. Much like other fighting games, the most powerful moves are performed when you string together button combinations. Then you can dish out some serious punishment. To sum it all up, if you die in Smash Brothers, don't blame the controls.
[Gameplay] 9/10
Gameplay is the bread and butter of super Smash Brothers. What HAL Labs has created is a game that is instantly playable and offers some of the most fast-paced, insane multiplayer action this side of Goldeneye. The levels are not all that huge, and thus there is no "camping" or "hiding out" like in many other multiplayer games. If you're still alive and kicking, ninety percent of the time you're in the midst of the fight trying to stay alive and rack up some kills in the process. The game features eight selectable characters at the start including Mario, Donkey Kong, Samus Aran, Link, Pikachu, Kirby, Yoshi, and StarFox. The four hidden characters are as follows: (highlight you want to see them. If you want to be surprised when you get them, don't look) Captain Falcon of F-Zero fame, Jigglypuff, Luigi, and Ness from Earthbound. Of course, the single player won't keep you occupied for too long, but the game does have bonus levels and hidden battlefields that add to its replay value. Still, after obtaining all the hidden options and characters, there is little incentive to play the single player mode anymore. Naturally, the main draw is the four player battles where you can fight in free-for-alls or teams, and you can even turn off the appearance of certain items after unlocking that particular option. The developers have even included certain "obstacles" in each level to spicen up the gameplay. For example, in Link's Hyrule Castle, a tornado randomly appears and tries to suck in any character that comes close, and in Sector Z, StarFox's level, a plane flies across the screen shooting lasers at the players while they are fighting. It is little details like these that greatly add to the replay value and enjoyment of this game.
[Overall] 9/10
The bottom line is that Super Smash Brothers offers the most insane four player action since Diddy Kong Racing, and it is a game no N64 owner who frequently plays his or her friends should be without. Sure the single player game will probably only keep you occupied until you unlock the hidden characters, but what can I say? I'm a sucker for killer multiplayer games. There is no greater feeling than knocking your friend off the platform with two seconds left in the match and being able to wave your butt right in his face. =) In my book, definitely one of the top five or six console multiplayer games of all time.
