2nd Op By

Chi Kong Lui 6.0 RATING

The over-the-top multiplayer mode in Super Smash Brothers was good enough to outweigh the games major flaws for Dale, but that wasn't the case for me. I simply couldn't get past how shallow this game played in single or multiplayer modes. For me, it boiled down to the near-MIA of attack moves. Fighting games usually boast extensive techniques where basic moves are easy to pick up, but advance techniques are more difficult to master. Super Smash Brothers on the other hand ditches that philosophy in favor of limited attacks and pure simplicity in execution. Sure that makes the game easier to get into, but once you've waded through the game a bit, this lack of depth becomes glaringly apparent.

Plus, of the small arsenal of attacks that you are given, there aren't any varying degrees of power and all of them are borderline extreme (like in Capcom's Marvel Superheroes). Excessive moves of this sort are a bad idea because characters often feel out of control once a move is performed. It ended up being a rather debilitating experience for me and discouraged any personal fighting style I might have developed. So beyond being what seemed like a neat idea, Super Smash Brothers didn't really surprise me (despite having a few hilarious moments). It delivers exactly what you'd expect from the package: no less, no more.

Public Opinion

John Isles, IV 4.0 Rating

Smash Bros.' popularity should be considered as great a mystery as Stonehenge. It has one ingredient of a good fighting game, being Nintendo's all-star roster. Playing proves Super Smash Brothers as little more than an advertisement disguised as a game. A very poor game.

For a fighting game, I like the idea of hitting home runs with your opponents portraying the ball. Gameplay, or the substantial lack thereof, is just too random and too cheap. Restricting combat to physical attacks might have made the game moderately enjoyable, but the inclusion of weapons ruins the game. Simply throwing a weapon does ten times the damage than using it the recommended way. Just exactly WHEN could you jump with the hammer in the original Donkey Kong? Really, when?

Resident critic Brad Gallaway, whom I am quoting, perfectly describes Super Smash Brothers: "Spazzy engine, absolutely dull as a single-player experience and a waste of world-class franchise characters". Without Mario & company, but exact same gameplay, no one would have bought it. Super Smash Brothers is the clear opposite of "quality over quantity". Certainly not Nintendo's worst game, it's still humiliating. Show some respect for Nintendo: Leave Super Smash Brothers on the shelf.

Reader Second Opinions