Super Smash Bros. Review

The battle between Nintendo's two most powerful mascots is about to commence. Pika! Pika!

When you play games on Nintendo’s Virtual Console, you have to accept that some haven’t aged well.  Although they’re great for a quick fix, you still find yourself yearning for a sequel or improved release.  That’s the case with Super Smash Bros. 

In the game, you’ll fight with 12 characters from the Nintendo universe, including Mario, Link and Kirby, across nine different stages.  These backdrops were cleverly yanked from classic Nintendo games, including Kirby’s Dream Land and Yoshi’s happy tree (complete with a smiling heart that bops back and forth). 

The graphics are noticeably rough around the edges, especially when the camera scales all the way back.  Fuzzy and devoid of detail, these stages look horrid compared to the newer games in the series.

As for the gameplay, it’s vintage Smash Bros.  You have various attack methods during each bout, including combos, grab moves and “smash” uppercuts that eliminates opponents.  (The winner of each match is the one with the most points.)  Several power-ups are also available, including lightsabers, guns and the classic Donkey Kong hammer, which knocks enemies off the playfield upon contact.  It’s fun, and for the ten-dollar price tag, there’s multiplayer fun galore, as the game still supports four players at once. 

Still, it’s hard to look at this game as a viable choice if you already own Melee or Brawl.  There’s an Adventure and multiplayer mode, but that’s it.  No unlockable trophies, extra boss fights (you still face the same old gloved hand) or mini-games, save for the ones in single-player mode.  There’s also no online multiplayer, just like the original.  Had Nintendo considered it for this re-release, it could’ve been a whole lot better.

Super Smash Bros. is unchanged from the original Nintendo 64 game.  That could be both a positive and a negative, depending on your viewpoint.  The gameplay is still enjoyable, and if you don’t mind multiplayer sessions on the couch, you’ll get your monies worth.  On the flip side, if you already have Brawl or Melee, you’re not missing anything, save for a bit of Smash-able nostalgia.