Nintendo Character Vs. Nintendo character (Super Smash Brothers (N64))

Member Name: mad_max

Product:	Super Smash Brothers (N64)
Date:	10/08/01 (203 review reads)
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OK, I know this game is over a year old, but I finally got a chance to play it recently (I don't get to play many N64 games anymore; no one seems to want to play N64 these days) and just had to review it. Hopefully I can still give you all the information possible, especially considering .


You gotta give Nintendo credit for one thing: they have an incredible knack for giving us the unexpected. Like in Metroid on the NES when we learned that Samus Aran was a woman. Like when we were introduced to StarFox, the first 16-bit game to sport 3D polygons. And let's not forget the unforgettable transition from 2D to 3D that Mario underwent with the advent of Nintendo 64. Well, there's a new entry to the list: Super Smash Bros. Why is this so unexpected? A couple reasons. One, this is a fighting game. A fighting game from Nintendo, quite possibly the most family-oriented game maker in the world. This is the company that is partially responsible for the ESRB Rating system in 1993; how could they possibly make a fighting game? Well, they did. Second, this isn't your simple one-on-one fighting game (a la Street Fighter, Tekken); this is a one-on-one-on-one-on-one free-for-all featuring all of Nintendo's classic characters. Quite an innovative title, Super Smash Bros. proves quite fun, especially when played with three other people.




Perhaps the most ambitious N64 title ever (some would give this award to Hey You, Pikachu!, but that's about as blatant a ripoff of Sega's Seaman as I've ever seen), Smash Bros. has a simple enough premise: choose your favorite classic Nintendo character, engage three others in combat for five minutes, and whoever dies the least number of times wins the match (BTW, you make others die by forcing them off of the fighting platform). Mario's here, as are Link, Donkey Kong, Kirby, Fox McCloud and Captain Falcon from StarFox, Yoshi, Samus Aran from Metroid, and even Jigglypuff and P
ikachu from the beloved (and utterly disgusting) Pokemon. The ability to engage in a four-way free-for-all with your favorite Nintendo characters is among the best things you can do on your N64, and simply being able to beat up on Pikachu is almost worth the game's price tag.




Seriously though, this is a very solid game. The innovative premise seems to allow for unlimited gameplay experiences, even though there are only two modes of play: free-for-all and team battle. Free-for-all speaks for itself; four characters are pitted against each other and it's every fighter for himself. This is arguably the better of the two modes, providing great fun for hours. Team battle requires a little more strategy, as players one and two team up to battle players three and four. The same rules apply; you have five minutes to try and kill the enemy more times than they kill you.

Controls, despite the ineffectiveness of the N64 controller when it comes to fighting games, are actually well done. The analog stick moves the characters almost seamlessly, and the action buttons serve their functions well. The action in Smash Bros. is so intense that chances are you won't even bother to think about the effectiveness of the controls, as you'll be too busy trying to beat the living daylights out of the other characters. Adding to the virtual melee is the addition of power-ups. Yoshi eggs, Poke-balls, fire flowers, Zelda hearts, and even Star Wars lightsabers will drop in every so often, and your Nintendo brawler can pick these up and use them accordingly. Sure, this isn't the world's deepest game (there are few secrets to unlock), but Smash Bros. is indeed a blast to play, especially with three other players. Yes, this is a fun single-player game and the two-player game is even a blast, but four-player Smash Bros. action is not to be missed.




In terms of graphics, Smash Bros. isn't exactly groundbreaking, but
it gets the job done. Each fighter is rendered in full polygonal glory, and while the detail and the textures may not be the best in the world, they're decent enough. Each character has a level that corresponds with their respective game, and they look nice with their vibrant colors and signature styles. Animation is pretty smooth most of the time, with slowdown rearing its ugly head only on the rarest of occasions. Sound is decent enough; each arena features classic music that suits it. For instance, Mario's arena features the classic Super Mario Bros. music, while Link's level sports the classic tune from Legend of Zelda. A nice plus for fans, even if it's not CD-quality.

In the final analysis, Super Smash Bros. is perhaps the most innovative N64 title ever. Not only is it innovative (something N64 seriously lacks), but it's a Hell of a lot of fun to play. Ranking up there with Goldeneye 007 and Mario Kart 64 as N64's best multiplayer game, Smash Bros. is best suited for when you have a big group of friends over. But even then, if you wanted to beat up on Pikachu all by yourself (come on, you know you want to), you'd still have some fun. This is one of few N64 titles that I can highly recommend.

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