|
|
March 15th, 2008 by Keato
Graphics and music
The graphics have been improved. The textures are better and some details have been enhanced. The fur on the Ice Climbers jackets is much more refined and natural looking. The backgrounds have also been improved, with cycles going on from day to night in certain stages. The most aesthetically pleasing moments of the game, however, might be the points where levels occur in 2D games like Donkey Kong and Mario Bros, where the 3D characters mesh very well with the 2D game going on around them. The game continues to provide some excellent stages for all play styles; from those who prefer a more straight and narrow affair or those who like a more chaotic experience.
The music in this game is possibly its strongest point and is honestly one of the best soundtracks I’ve ever heard. With too many songs to count, all done by the greatest names in videogame music, the soundtrack enthralls and refuses to disappoint. Songs are included everywhere from the Nintendo universe, from Fire Emblem to Brain Age, Wii Sports to Metroid Prime. This game provides a great selection of remixes and original copies. Not only can you listen to it all in a sound test mode which is unlocked from the start, but you can pick up extra CD’s of music over the course of the game. You can even select which songs show up on which stages!
A bit of the old and a lot of new
As usual, the classic characters from Nintendo’s franchises are back. Mario, Link, Pikachu, and many more return to brawl it out. But what kind of sequel would this be without new characters? As luck would have it, this is easily the best class of newcomers yet.
The Kirby franchise gets a lot more love with heavyweight King Dedede and Meta-Knight, the Pokemon Trainer brings a fresh style into the mix by allowing a 3-in-1 approach with his three Pokemon that can be changed at will, and the powerhouse Ike who can knock opponents off the stage at only 60% damage, to only mention a few. If that wasn’t enough, Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog and Konami’s Solid Snake become the first third party characters to appear in the series. Every character has their unique strengths and weaknesses, and even some of the “clones” are different enough that it makes it hard to continue to use that label.
Many items return from previous games, like Sledgehammers, Home-Run Bats and Pokeballs. Pokeballs release Pokemon that help your character and attack enemies, which is the same basic principle for a new item, the assist trophy. This item unleashes a character from another game series that helps your character, from a Nintendog that blocks everyone’s view of the screen to Grey Fox from Metal Gear Solid who slashes enemies up with his sword.
Smash ball
There are many other new items this time as well, including Lightning from the Mario Kart games that shrink all opponents, and a sticky bomb. The most important item, however, is the Smash Ball. When a Smash Ball appears on the screen, the match changes pace as players all turn their attention towards it. The Smash Ball floats around the screen, and in order to be used it must be hit several times by a character. When this happens, the character is given access to a Final Smash that is specific to their chosen character. This Final Smash is not unlike a finishing move and usually results in someone getting knocked out. Some moves transform characters into more powerful forms, like Bowser into Giga Bowser or Sonic into Super Sonic. These moves usually result in an increase in power or speed, and even the slightest touch can send an opponent flying. Smash Balls add a unique mix to each and every match, and the flow/outcome of an entire match can change depending on who gets the Smash Ball and how they use it.
|
|
|
|
Graphics
|
|
9 |
How hooked?
9
(not an average)
|
|
Sound
|
|
10 |
|
Interface
|
|
9 |
|
Replay
|
|
10 |
|
Gameplay
|
|
9 |
|
Stability
|
|
9 |
Total votes: 8 - give us yours!
|
|
|
Developer:
|
Game Arts |
|
Publisher:
|
Nintendo |
|
Release:
|
March 9th, 2008 |
|
Genre:
|
Fighting |
|
 
 
 
 
 
|
|
A must have for all Nintendo fans. More unlockable content than ever imagined, unique new characters and stages make Super Smash Bros Brawl one of the games to beat for Game of the Year. |
|
