By Michael Sokolowski
February 15, 2008 - 08:30
There’s really only one word that can describe playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl at an exclusive Nintendo event, especially after all the hype and anticipation that’s been building up about it these past few months.
Absolutely phenomenal.
You may wonder why I used two words instead of one. That’s because Brawl delivered so highly above expectations that it only seemed fair.
In the past the single player campaign mode of Super Smash Bros. was a simple interactive adventure that pitted you against predefined battles and missions through certain stages, leading up to a final boss at the end. That mode still exists, now renamed “Classic” in the menu. Brawl’s new storyline campaign – called The Subspace Emissary – follows the characters of the game around as they battle a new group of enemies from subspace in an enthralling series of events complete with unique battles and beautiful cutscenes.
Of course it just wouldn’t be Super Smash Bros. without a bunch of new characters introduced into the game. This time Nintendo boasts an extremely impressive array of characters, featuring at least 20 playable Nintendo characters alone. Other then those 20, some special notable characters include Sonic the Hedgehog, Solid Snake from the Metal Gear franchise, Pit from Kid Icarus , Zero Suit Samus, Meta Knight, Wario, and many, many more. Many of the regulars from the last games have also returned for their chance to shine in Brawl. Some have even hinted there are even more characters to unlock later on as you play through the game. You’ll just have to play to find out!
Grabbing those Smash Balls is a tricky thing, and you might be wondering how to control and maneuver your character well enough to be able to do it. Luckily Nintendo has another feature up their sleeves, and this time it’s in the controller. Or should I say, controllers. That’s because Brawl can be played with any one of FOUR different controllers. You can use any of the following: The Wii Remote (turned sideways), the Wii Remote connected to the Nunchuk, the Classic Controller, or even a Gamecube controller. You’re not even limited to just one; you could use just the Wii Remote while a friend sitting next to you uses a Gamecube controller. It’s all in personal preference. If you can, I recommend playing a bit with all of the different styles to see what you feel most comfortable with.
All in all, playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl was extremely enjoyable. It’s a different experience reading about it on a website then playing it in person. All I can say in closing is to try and pick up a copy when it finally hits release date. You won’t be disappointed.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is scheduled to release for Wii in North America on March 9 th and is rated T for Teen.