About Super Smash Bros Brawl (2008)
The third installment in Nintendo’s popular Super Smash Bros. fighter franchise debuts on the Wii in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Loaded with all the characters and features players have loved from the two previous versions, plus much more, it is a worthy addition to the series and yet another must-have title for the Nintendo Wii. Engage the rage with Super Smash Bros. Brawl! The third installment of the incredibly successful Super Smash Bros. series is now on the Wii, The roster islonger than ever, but that just means more butt to kick across over a dozen different, graphic-rich stages with original moves, new modified moves, and a brand-new super attack called Final Smash! Old favourites like Mario, Link, Peach and Kirby are now joined by such exciting newcomers as Wario, Solid Snake and Sonic the Hedgehog. With a variety of new modes, an absolutely epic soundtrack and the ability to play with distant friends through online multiplayer, this is a game you’ll have to break your own fingers to put down. Original soundtrack from 36 different artists Online Multiplayer. See your favorite Smash Bros. character, redesigned from their most recent games, brawl onto your screen once again! A host of new characters to fight with, including Sonic, Pit from Kid Icarus, Wario and Diddy Kong. More than a dozen gorgeously-rendered stages. New special moves and attacks, including the groundbreaking Final Smash. New items and assist trophies.
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Review: Super Smash Bros Brawl (Wii)
Mario and Bowser lock horns in a fierce battle but unfortunately it looks like evil is going to prevail. Suddenly, a handy light saber falls from the sky, Mario grabs it and unleashes a series of strikes Luke Skywalker would have been proud of before sending Bowser hurtling off the screen and sealing victory for the forces of good. Released in 2008 to universal acclaim, Super Smash Bros Brawl has fought its way into the office at Tweedling HQ and thankfully it hasn’t lost any of its appeal.
The concept behind Super Smash Bros Brawl is delightfully simple. Enclosed in the tight space of a solitary screen, rival characters exchange punches, kicks, special moves and assaults with weapons, before launching their opponents off the screen. An added difficulty is that battles are often fought on floating platforms where one slip could see you fall off the screen and bring a premature end to the battle if you are unable to work your way back to safety in time. When battles begin, each character starts with a damage gauge of 0% which increases with every hit that they take. The higher the percentage, the farther a character is launched when struck, increasing the chances of being thrown off the edge of the screen. Each character has a series of moves that are easy to execute on the Wii Remote but there are also enough additional items to support your cause – the fabled light saber, a baseball bat, a Super Mushroom to increase a character’s size and power, a blast box to create devastating explosions, and a plethora of food to reduce your damage levels.
Super Smash Bros Brawl offers a rich assortment of characters including Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Zelda, Pikachu, Sonic the Hedgehog and Solid Snake. Combining characters from other games and formats does not hinder the experience, but makes it all the more enjoyable. In fact, embracing such a variety can only bode well for any future titles in this series. The locations in Super Smash Bros Brawl more than match the welcome array of characters. Battles are fought in stadiums, jungles, cities, ruins and in notable settings such as Yoshi’s Island, a circuit from Mario Kart with the karts unwilling to swerve around your battling characters, and even Shadow Moses Island from Metal Gear Solid. Though battles are restricted to one screen, that doesn’t mean you can rest easy. Melee stages offer the added headache of the screen shifting up, down, left or right, forcing you to keep moving if you want to stay in the battle.
Super Smash Bros Brawl boasts two main playing options – Group and Solo. In Group you can indulge in a series of multiplayer games against friends and family or online. With up to 4 players being able to take part in a customisable battle royale there is fantastic scope for longevity here. In Solo mode there are five options to explore with most being open to one or two players. “Classic” allows you to pick a single character and face off against rival foes in a series of levels that become progressively more challenging. In some of the levels you will be joined by a CPU-controlled ally who will assist your efforts in battle and I found they were always valuable support if I was struggling. “Events” offers a multitude of mini-games to complete including racing contests or defeating large groups of foes. “Stadium” is all about breaking records be it in mass brawls or smashing targets and offers another string to Super Smash Bros Brawl’s already extensive bow. If you find yourself struggling with the game why not try “Training” where you can choose from a variety of characters and locations and pit yourself against a foe that doesn’t defend themselves – it’s a great way to brush up on your skills.
The other option available in Solo is the Adventure Mode entitled “The Subspace Emissary,” an engaging story-driven platform game combining exploration of a myriad of settings fused with constant brawls against minor enemies and testing bosses. The story pitches the likes of Mario, Link and Donkey Kong against the Subspace Army that harness the power of their enemies by turning them into trophies. The likes of Bowser and Wario, fighting for the forces of evil, are amongst the many foes your group of heroes will have to face in order to save the world. The story mode is divided into brief levels beginning with Mario and Kirby slugging it out in a stadium when the Subspace Army gatecrashes their contest. As you advance through the levels, different characters are introduced in their own unique environments and come up against the widespread Subspace Army. You play one character at a time, deciding the fighting order at the start of each level. If your first character loses a life, the second then steps in and continues exploring the level, fighting enemies, gathering items and bonuses before finding the elusive exit – a red door, lined with an incandescent light. Between the levels you are treated to some delightful cut scenes as the allies gradually join together for the final battle. It’s a welcome distraction from the brief but engaging battles in the other modes and makes Super Smash Bros Brawl more than just a fighting game.
For those concerned about Super Smash Bros Brawl losing its appeal after completing the Story mode, there are still plenty of options to enjoy. In the “Vault” you can view the trophies and stickers you have collected throughout your many battles, look back at photos you’ve taken in the midst of those exciting brawls and even relive your greatest moments with a replay option. If that’s not enough there is even a Stage Builder where you can create your own settings for characters to engage in brawls. Finally, there are further characters and locations to unlock which should keep gamers busy for many months.
In the Gamer’s Edition of Guinness World Records 2010, Super Smash Bros Brawl held the prestigious title of the most played Wii game with the average gamer clocking up an impressive 66 hours and 32 minutes. The extensive options for solo and multi-player gaming fully justify such a proud record. Super Smash Bros Brawl is easy to pick up, boasts some delightful cut scenes, action-packed settings and an accessible group of characters. This is great fun for friends, family and online gamers and will surely be a mainstay on the Wii…at least until the next installment.
Verdict: 4/5
Game Review: Super Smash Bros Brawl | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
