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[Fancy Wario]

I'm surprised we haven't had one of these yet.

All right...here we go.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is almost inarguably the most anticipated game for the Wii. Since its revelation two years ago, it has been the subject of countless debates and arguments all across the gaming community. And now, it's finally here (okay, actually it was here several months ago, but we can overlook that).

Despite my personal disappointment with it, I will not be taking points off because of the roster, because that comes down to opinion even moreso than an individual review.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is, at its core, a fighting game. However, unlike most fighters, it does not include lengthy and convoluted button combos; almost every move in the game can be executed with just a tilt of the control stick and a button press. In my personal opinion, this makes the game less of a button masher; however, people who actually can memorize the button combinations in more traditional fighters may disagree with me. It all comes down to personal preference.

There are a number of other characteristics that distinguish Brawl from a majority of fighting games, as well. There are a plethora of items to shake battles up, some of which (such as the Smash Ball) can completely change the tide of battle. Others will just give you minor advantages. In addition to this, each of the 42 stages has their own unique attributes to make things more interesting. For example, the WarioWare stage pits you against various minigames, while the Final Destination stage has no distractions, allowing you to focus on the battle.

Each character has their own relatively unique moveset. Almost everyone can find a character that suits them perfectly. Whether you'd prefer the brute force of characters such as Ike and Ganondorf, the swiftness of Sonic and Fox, or anywhere in between, you're guaranteed to find someone who suits your playing style. However, there is one minor complaint: certain characters share a number of moves with one another. It isn't as bad as it was in Melee, but it still is somewhat disappointing that we still don't have completely unique movesets yet. On the bright side, these moves frequently have different attributes, which softens the blow a bit.

All of these features combined make for one hell of a multiplayer experience. Grab a group of three friends, boot up the game, and just let loose for an immensely enjoyable few hours.

This isn't to say that Brawl doesn't have its single-player moments, though; quite the contrary. However, the single-player isn't quite as enjoyable. There are a number of modes to it, but there's one in particular that I'd like to focus on: the Adventure Mode, otherwise known as the Subspace Emissary.

The Adventure Mode isn't bad, by any means. It's clear that a lot of effort went into it, as well; the levels are well-designed, for the most part, and there are some genuinely fun experiences to be had. However, while it isn't bad, it isn't particularly great, either. The game keeps the same engine that it does in multiplayer mode, and as enjoyable as it is there, it doesn't lend itself well to a single-player game. I once heard someone describe it as "a Kirby game, but without what makes Kirby fun." I believe this description pretty much hits the nail on the head.

On the other hand, the story is extremely well-thought out. For example, at the very beginning of the game, you are forced to make a decision about whether you want to save Princess Peach or Princess Zelda. Whichever one you choose will have an effect on various cutscenes later in the game, and it's exceptionally clever how they got that to work. The story keeps you guessing all the way through, and you even begin to feel sympathy for a certain character as it progresses.

Even after Adventure Mode, there's still no dearth of things to do - mainly because of the immense number of collectibles in the game! There are 544 trophies, each depicting a famous (or obscure) Nintendo character, in addition to an overwhelming 700 stickers of Nintendo artwork. ...But that's not entirely correct, since Sonic and Metal Gear have a presence in the game, as well...

This brings me to one of the game's main draws: nostalgia. Someone who didn't grow up with Nintendo might look at this game and say "What's the big deal?" Indeed, non-Nintendo fans will find nothing more than a mildly amusing multiplayer experience in here. But for those of us who grew up with these characters, seeing them go face to face with one another is a dream come true. Even if your favorite character didn't get in as a playable character, they might still be in as a trophy, or sticker, or boss...and it's still enjoyable to see them in a game, no matter what form they're in.

But as much nostalgia you may feel for the characters themselves, there's nothing better than hearing an old favorite song of yours, having found a place in this game.

If there is one reason to buy Super Smash Bros. Brawl, it is the soundtrack.

Brawl features what is quite possibly the greatest assembly of music that ever has been - and, perhaps, ever will be - in a single game. Consisting of over 250 individual songs from games Nintendo made and non-Nintendo made alike, the soundtrack is easily of the highest possible caliber. Sure, a few songs here and there may have been omitted, but who cares? The soundtrack is so amazing that it's easy to excuse these minor oversights.

The graphics are some of the best on the Wii. It runs at a fluid 60 frames per second, and rarely - if ever - suffers from framerate drops. The appearances are amazing, as well. Nintendo's mantra is gameplay over graphics. I call BS on that. Super Smash Bros. Brawl proves that it's easily possible to have both.

When you've beaten the Subspace Emissary, gotten all the songs, and are trying to get all the stickers and trophies, though, the game's enjoyability level begins to wind down, and it becomes a chore to play. The method of obtaining new stickers and trophies contributes to this. Replacing the Lottery of Melee is the new Coin Launcher, a basic shoot 'em up game that has you shooting at enemies, missiles, and trophies to obtain them. While it is novel at first, it quickly becomes tedious - especially when you waste thousands of coins for almost nothing. There are frequently intervals where NOTHING happens for a period of around ten seconds, which can be extremely frustrating. This happens when the unbreakable purple spheres float s l o w l y across the screen, without anything else appearing. The Lottery may have required no skill whatsoever, but at least it didn't waste your time.

I'll end this review with on a bittersweet note: the online mode. Almost everyone was clamoring for one, and we got what we wanted...although it's a bit limited. In With Anyone matches, you're limited to two-minute timed matches only. I would've preferred the option for Stock or Timed, but I can deal with it. At the very least, disconnecting isn't a problem - when a player disconnects, they are simply replaced by a computer. This doesn't happen on With Friends, though. In exchange, the With Friends mode allows you to do almost anything you could do with someone in person.

The main problem with the online mode is the awful, AWFUL lag. My connection is perfect with every other game in my collection, so it's not that. I have not had a single match where either there have been five-second or more intervals where the game was just frozen, or my button inputs took a second or more to register. It just gets to the point that it isn't fun anymore.

Overall, SSBB is a highly enjoyable experience with a number of flaws. Playing alone, you won't have the time of your life, but you'll still have some fun. It's with friends that this game truly shines. Either way, it's worth your money - even if only for the amazing soundtrack!

FINAL SCORE: 94/100 (A)

[Pure-???]

[Fancy Wario]