Once in a long while, a multiplayer phenomenon comes along that consumes the lives of countless gamers far into the foreseeable future. True classics such as "Street Fighter II," "StarCraft" and "Counter-Strike" are still played competitively today, many years after their initial releases. Though throngs of rip-offs and cash-ins inevitably follow their success, these titles ultimately stand apart as some of the best games ever created.
Nintendo's ubiquitous "Super Smash Bros. Melee," which throws beloved characters into chaotic four-player struggles, has proven itself worthy of this distinction. Finally, seven years after its debut, the title has a sequel in "Super Smash Bros. Brawl," and the series' legions of devoted fans will not be disappointed. Under director Sakurai Masahiro, the development team has added mountains of content to "Melee's" already massive framework to create one of the best values found on a game disc.
The playable roster contains more than 35 heroes and villains from Nintendo's history, including old favorites like Mario and Link as well as more obscure fighters such as Lucas (of the Japan-only "Mother 3") or the NES peripheral Robotic Operating Buddy known as ROB. This level of fan service pervades the entire experience, from fighting arenas and music to collectible trophies and stickers. All told, "Brawl" contains literally thousands of references to the company's legacy, endlessly delighting admirers and frustrating detractors.
The mechanics and rules remain largely unchanged from the franchise's previous incarnations. Players still attempt to bash each other silly, inflicting enough damage to knock their opponents out of the ring. This is not to say that there is no new gameplay; longtime fans will have fun learning to deal with the powerful Final Smashes and exploring the revamped air-dodge and shield systems.
Speaking of which, "Smash" veterans will probably need some time to adjust to the updated physics. "Brawl" feels noticeably slower and floatier compared with its predecessor, which may initially put off experienced "Melee" players. This change, however, yields more time to formulate strategy and allows for greater precision in attacks and evasions.
One of the reasons "SSB" has endured is the level of customization offered, and "Brawl" is no exception. Players are given a huge degree of control over the conditions of a match: They can change how frequently items appear, add special statuses to the fighters and rearrange controller layouts, to name just a few options. This flexibility ensures gamers can tailor the fights to their tastes or experiment to create an entirely new experience.
On the other hand, single-player content has never been Smash's strong suit, but "Brawl" offers more diversions than previous titles. There are several different arcade-style progressions, as well as a variety of sub-challenges that fall outside of normal gameplay, such as breaking strategically placed targets or the infamous home run contest. Nearly all of these modes have multiple difficulty settings and a cooperative option.
The largest addition to the solo experience is "The Subspace Emissary," essentially a six- to eight-hour fan fiction told with irresistibly charming cut-scenes. Through the course of the adventure every playable character joins forces to battle a mysterious alien threat, thereby giving gamers a chance to unlock and try out the entire roster. Smash's mechanics, however, were not explicitly designed for the action-platforming present here, and some may find the whole mode tedious and poorly implemented.
Easily the most requested feature, and the biggest change to the series, is the ability to play online. Unfortunately, this is one of the weaker areas of the title; Nintendo's inexperience with Internet gaming shows through in frequent connection issues and varying amounts of lag. Though these may simply be post-launch, high-traffic issues, the best "Brawl" moments still occur when competitors are in the same room.
"Brawl" is visually impressive, with the animation deserving particular attention. Not only is the quantity and quality impressive, but it lends distinct personality and style to each character.
The soundtrack is a monumental achievement unto itself. In addition to a bevy of music taken directly from old Nintendo titles, over 30 top game composers remixed their favorite songs from the company's audio history for "SSB Brawl." The resulting score contains over 250 pieces of nostalgia-fueled greatness, perfectly suiting the action.
"Brawl" is an enormous package, to the point where this review glosses over or completely ignores many significant aspects of the game in the interest of length. Simply put, despite myriad flaws and missed opportunities, this is "Smash." Sakurai's unparalleled attention to detail and ability to craft accessible yet deep gameplay ensure that "Brawl" will be played for years to come.
