It's hard to describe the satisfaction that gamers get out of taking a baseball bat to the cute, cuddly Pikachu and bashing the electric rat into oblivion. Actually, it's not hard at all because hitting a home run with any Pok?(c)mon is just plain fun.
This is the kind of senseless button-mashing-craziness that Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. franchise has become famous for. The latest installment for the Nintendo Wii, entitled Super Smash Bros. Brawl, is no exception to this exciting and addicting formula.
Brawl is the greatest Smash Bros. outing to date and by far one of the most amazing and appealing games of any next-generation console.
Fans of the series will be pleased to know the core game play that has survived over the years is still intact. Along with the classic style are enough additions to keep the game from feeling too much like an updated version of its GameCube predecessor, Super Smash Bros. Melee.
While it may be a widely accepted notion that Smash Bros. games are made for multiplayer, Brawl offers an extremely in-depth and rewarding single player mode that the previous versions lacked.
The plot-driven Adventure Mode makes a return, but this time around it has been given a complete overhaul. The single player mode may take some gamers nearly 10 hours to finish, not including all the extra features.
Along with Adventure Mode, Brawl offers the familiar Events, Stadium and Classic modes. Events are small matches that are already set up with pre-determined conditions for up to two players. Stadium offers familiar mini-games such as target smash, home run contest and multi-man brawl.
The Classic mode gives gamers the chance to play a series of consecutive matches against opponents, just like the single player mode from the original Nintendo 64 version.
While most of this may sound familiar to Smash Bros. veterans, they will be floored by the ultimate attack moves called Final Smash. During a match, a Smash Ball will randomly float around the screen and the player who breaks the ball first, becomes empowered with a Final Smash move.
The madness that ensues includes massive amounts of damage, awesome visuals and no mercy for opponents. It is the unpredictability of these attacks that makes them so irresistible and fun. Once that ball enters the screen, friendship goes out the window.
These Final Smash moves continue to add to the Smash Bros. legendary multiplayer action. Brawl can be played with up to four people on one television or, for the first time in the series, gamers can go online and battle it out with other Wii owners.
While the inclusion of WiFi play was a big decision for Nintendo, it doesn't work as well as other next-generation online gaming. Considering matches have a noticeable lag and Nintendo's lack of voice chat, the Internet experience isn't as sharp as it could have been.
Even with Final Smashes and online multiplayer, there are still other aspects that make Brawl an elite experience. The inclusion of new characters such as non-Nintendo favorites Sonic the Hedgehog and Snake from Metal Gear Solid make a unique and well-rounded game.
Alongside a great lineup of fighters is one of the greatest soundtracks in video game history, in addition to some of the most entertaining cut scenes to date. While the in-game graphics may resemble those found in Melee, the movies look amazing and they will be keepsakes for die-hard Nintendo fans.
With an epic video game experience like Super Smash Bros. Brawl, it's hard to find anything wrong with the final product. It truly is a gem in the world of gaming and will be played for many years to come, at least until the release of the next installment in this treasured series.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is now available for the Nintendo Wii.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
