The text is really getting on my nerves...
Position: 7
Name: Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Platform: Wii
Developer: ??
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Fighting
Release Date: 2007
One of the best franchises to come out of Nintendo over the past couple of years is the Super Smash Bros. franchise. Making appearances on both the N64 and the Gamecube it has quickly established itself as a fan-favourite and rightly so. Who couldn't like a game in which you throw together all of your favourite Nintendo characters where they fight one another in full 3D?
Although the single player campaign was excellent, in my view, SSB's best feature is the multiplayer. Endless fun can be had here playing against your friends with a whole selection of different games to participate in. My personal favourite feature about Smash Bros.' multiplayer is that it is extremely customisable. The player will be able to initiate handicaps, tweak AI, damage ratio and how often items appear. A game like this screams out to be let online. And sure enough, Brawl will support network features and Wi-Fi play. Multiplayer just got more...multi.
So what's been added to the gameplay this time? Well from the trailers that we've seen (2), we can deduce that there will be unique special abilities for characters rumoured to be called "Super Smash" moves. For instance, Link uses the tri-force to his advantage is his Super Smash while Kirby boils his enemy in a pot. Super Smash moves are initiated by collecting symbols around the area.
One of the most important elements of Smash Bros. is the characters and in this upcoming entry to the series, Nintendo have introduced the first third-party character to the game. It's none other than the Metal Gear star, Solid Snake. Adding to the impressive roster comes Meta-Knight from the Kirby series and Pit from cult series, Kid Icarus. More characters are yet to be revealed.
What Nintendo need to do with this entry is improve the control scheme. In previous games, the control of your characters has been very simple indeed. Every character has had the same button combination for their moves. While this is actually an excellent way to play fighting games (as the challenge comes from the player him/herself, not from control mastery) as we're moving into a new era of gaming, with such an impressive controller to utilise in the Wii, Nintendo have to think of something impressive to use. While I would hardly be complaining if they kept the control scheme the same, there's no doubt that the game would not truly feel like an evolution for the series.
It's very hard to judge the game at this point from how little we've seen. As you can see, I'm basically basing my expectations on previous entries. But Nintendo and Smash Bros. don't usually disappoint and I'd be wouldn't be surprised if Brawl turns out to be one of the best games on the Wii.
Good Points: One of the best multiplayer experiences around, even more so with online play. New, exciting characters added to the roster.
Bad Points: Control scheme could be as simplistic as previous entries in the series. At present, doesn't look like there's any major new additions to the gameplay.