Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Review

Click HERE for the official, published review, or below is the VG Freedom special edition official review:


9.5 out of 10

Three months after its originally scheduled release date, the Nintendo Wii’s biggest release of winter is here – “Super Smash Bros. Brawl.”

The third installment of the hugely popular fighting series returns with a plethora of new characters, stages, mini games, and overall content.

Just like its predecessors “Brawl” takes classic Nintendo characters such as Mario, Link, and Samus and pit them against each other in a frenzy of swords, spins, and smashes. Players attack their opponents my either using a standard attack or specialized moves that vary from character to character. Every time you land a punch or swipe of a weapon the player’s parentage increases so that they are easier to be smashed off the screen and defeated.

Fans of the series will be happy to find all of their favorite characters from the pervious installments of the game have returned with the addition of several newcomers including Solid Snake from the “Metal Gear Solid” series and everyone’s favorite blue hedgehog – Sonic.

“Brawl” also includes many new stages in which to battle opponents with old favorites still returning. Simply put, fans of the series will feel right at home and newcomers will find their first venture into the game to be an easy transition.

An incredibly simple control scheme has been one of the series’ strengths since the Nintendo 64 release and nothing’s changed here. Players simply use either a general attack button or a special move button to attack and some there general controls to navigate, grab, and use a shield and that’s about it. This simple control scheme is perfected for all users with the choice of the Wii remote with Nunchuk attachment, the Wii remote standalone, the Wii classic controller, or the Gamecube controller as their weapon of choice. Fans rejoice, the Gamecube control scheme is exactly the same as “Super Smash Bros. Melee.” This variety of controller choice is unparalleled in any other game in the genre.

One major addition to gameplay in the series is the option to unleash a devastating “final smash” after a player breaks a glowing sphere in the shape of the series logo. Once the sphere is broken and the glow encompasses your character you a free to conduct your “final smash” which is unique to each character and usually results in a fanfare of color and splendor that sends everyone on the screen flying. A welcome and fantastic addition in gameplay that adds new depth and strategy to the series.

On its surface “Brawl” appears to be more-of-the-same from the series, but further exploration will present much more. Aside from a fully customizable multiplayer “Brawl” mode, players can take on various mini games with one or more players, play through a classic single player mode, test their skills in a lengthy adventure mode, or take the mayhem online via the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection.

Mini games include classic challenges by defeating foes under special circumstances, smashing your heart out in a home-run contest, breaking targets within the time limit, and a multi-man brawl mode that challenges your endurance against numerous enemies. As in the pervious installment, you may also try your luck in a tournament mode with up to 32 players. These modes can be played with the help of one or more friends.

The classic mode takes you through a series of a dozen challenges against various combinations of opponents culminating in a final showdown with the Master Hand. This mode will be familiar to fans of the series as it is the class single player mode found in both pervious installments.

The all-new “The Subspace Emissary” adventure mode takes players through a surprisingly lengthy one or two player story featuring dramatic and entertaining cinematics, 2D side-scrolling action, and class “Brawl” matches. You enter in and out of the story between Nintendo’s most famous heroes as they are taken under siege by Nintendo villains. Each environment reflects the character’s original surrounds based on their respective game. This is exemplified with a fantastic soundtrack and truly creates a feeling that you are immersed in an organic and collective Nintendo universe.

The adventure mode takes on some slightly of role playing-esque qualities with the additions of “stickers” that can be added to each character in your party. These “stickers” give your character added attribution points in certain areas such as spin attacks and attacks with weapons. Nice addition, but unnecessarily time consuming. Thankfully there is a random sticker assignment that allows the computer to just place them anywhere and everywhere.

However, the side-scrolling missions are too frequent and sometimes poorly thought out. One level simply has your walk across the screen before another cinematic. In addition to that, if you play with two players the camera will focus on player one which leads to a world of awkward difficult with player two as second banana. Also, would it kill Nintendo to give one of their characters a voice? Each cinematic shows the character miming out their expressions in a quasi-silent movie sort of feel.

Finally, players now have their long awaited chance to take the fight online. Players can “Brawl,” play mini games, or share their own stage creations on the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection.

“Super Smash Bros. Brawl” feels like a giant ode to Nintendo and everyone is welcome in on the fun. A plethora of chances to customize gameplay and delve into new gameplay modes make this one title that is well worth a fight to get your hands on.