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There's No Doubt About It: Brawl Is A Smash Hit! (Page 3 of 7)

• By Todd Melick
• April 14, 2008 11:41 AM PST
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Between a rock and a hard place: Mario better move fast or he's in trouble

So Many Ways To Play

Gameplay wise, Brawl manages to avoid feeling repetitive and stale thanks to its multiple game modes, all of which bring something unique to the playing field. Classic mode and multi-player return and you can customize your battles as you want; you can tweak things like which items are available to how fast your characters move. Adventure mode also makes a return, but is longer and more dynamic than before- playing though the story mode almost feels like playing through an action/ platform game. Of course, the big incentive to play through all of Brawl's modes lies in the unlockable content but thankfully, the included game modes offer up unique experiences that are fun to play through even on their own.

Outside of the main game modes, there are an amazing amount of options and extra content that adds more depth and player choice. And of course, there is the level editor which allows players to create their own custom stages. At the beginning of the game only a few basic building blocks are available but as you progress through the game, you unlock more pieces to play with. Though it's a nice addition and a welcome diversion from fighting, the editor is just not robust enough to spend too much time in. I had more fun pausing the game during Brawls and positioning an in-game camera to take snapshots no one else will see. Hopefully, once the game releases, intrepid users will find ways to maximize the editor's potential.

Mario and Lucas square off in a fiery lava filled stage. Don't fall off the edge!

A Balancing act

From a presentation standpoint, Brawl looks amazing. When I played past SSB games, I often found my head spinning because of the sheer amount of action taking place on the screen. Brawl didn't feel that way, at least in part, due to the fact that it runs in 480p. All of the action and animations are smooth and it's easy to follow the mayhem.

Controlling fighters on screen is easy and follows the same control set up of past SSB games. Players can choose to use any controller that's compatible with the Wii, whether it's the Wii Remote, the Classic Controller, or the Nunchuck. All of these work well, but ultimately don't offer the quickest response time. Hardcore players will want to dust off their Gamecube controllers, not just because it feels familiar, but because it works the best.

From the fighting mechanics to roster of players Brawl is a well-rounded game that I just couldn't put down. The only downside to Brawl is that it doesn't do anything to reinvent the series. It takes elements of past SSB games and refines them, which is great, but players expecting an entirely new experience won't find it here. Still, it is a well rounded game that doesn't disappoint and it's a must buy for every Wii owner.

He may be little but Lucas can cause some tremendous damage when he wants to

Seconds after this image was taken, all hell broke loose

Some levels feature rather tricky terrain that makes it hard to keep track of your character

Ever the gentleman, Mario doffs his cap as he celebrates another victory

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