Smash Brothers doesn’t even pretend to have a plot; the final boss in first player mode is a giant hand, which may or may not be a reference to Wham Bam Rock, a boss from Kirby Super Star. More likely, it is a representation of what the whole game is about: the player. This is not a game about winning a tournament so we can watch a two minute movie about a man with a metallic helicopter hand saving a scientist or whatever. It is about kicking ass. Hopefully, someone else’s ass.
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The moon is clearly disappointed. |
The first player mode is fun, and in SSB Melee, the list of “event matches” is more than capable of keeping one’s attention. But I have always felt that the first player game play, from the classic arcade mode to the target practice, is just a big warm up to what the game was built for – multi-player mayhem.
There is a reason why SSBMelee is the best selling game for the Gamecube, with over six million units sold. Other than the addictive game play, incredibly beautiful stages, and plenty unlockable goodies (the day Ganondorff was unlocked, my life become whole), the game absolutely excels at creating an environment where multiplayer fun is enhanced. From the chanting of character‘s names when they are doing to particularly well, to the event matches, to the ridiculously detailed after game reports where tons of titles and awards are dished out (half of which I don’t really understand), every game feels as if it is a great sporting event. Tensions rises and fall, rivalries are created, and epic battles ensue in front of a whole host of real people in the same room. The game does not specially create this, it does not spray chemicals into the which make players love the game, although the PS3 will. What Smash does do well is create a frantic environment that is designed for an audience. It briefly turns a simple gaming experience, albeit a well done gaming experience, into the social event of the century that happens every night. If the Wii is to have a fighting chance in hell, Nintendo has to produce more games like this.
As the resident 2D fighting fan at Videolamer, I’m actually going to agree with you on Capcom’s VS series. They’re broken games meant for the eye candy, and Smash is a much better game for a party. However, I do think you’re being a little too harsh on the genre in general. Take a look at a game like Third Strike or Mark of the Wolves and its hard not to appreciate the depth and strategy that good 2d fighters can bring.
Anyway, Smash is an interesting game. I used to hate it when I was really deep into 2d fighters, then I started to play it daily with my roomates and it grew on me again. While it might not have the same balance and depth of, say, Street Fighter 3, to say Smash is nothing more than button mashing and luck is a lie. You do have to play smart if you want to win.
That being said, I do think the game plays best in a party atmosphere. It certainly isn’t a “party game” in the sense of Mario Party; that has a lot of luck and a bit of rudimentary skill (though its still fun!). What I mean is its best to just play for kicks to pass the time and enjoy playing something with your buddies. Where Smash starts to go sour is when people who are so adamant about its brilliance start to play it like a traditional 2d fighter, using a small tier of top fighters and play on only three stages with no items, exploiting glitches and ridiculous moves that you’d never dream of using in normal play. At that point all the fun has been sucked out, and the combat engine’s cracks start to show.
For me, the best way to play Smash is my three usual friends, a few beers, our typical characters, very high item drops, and five minute time battles. The results are almost always the same, but we don’t play to win. In this kind of environment, its hard not to enjoy the game.
The majority of VS. Series do annoy me…. with the exceptions of the Snk ones. My major sticking point of this game was how it was played. This game I never feel in love with nor had it grow on me. I played it for quite sometime to give it a chance…. my friends love the hell out of this game. But I have to give credit where credit is due. SSB seems to be the spring board of a game like Naruto: Gekitou Ninja Taisen.
Nothing about the games are really similar except for the fact that both games rely on timing, skill and knowing your character. You can say that about any fighting game really but here is the difference, in most 2d fighters if you learn some moves you actually might have a chance at winning a bout every once and a while. In SSB if you take out the items, it becomes really tough for you to go up against someone experienced. Same thing with Naruto. I can show you all the moves and how to do them but still may eek out a perfect on a newcomer and even many moderate players.
Even as that is said…. nothing beats the insanity of a 4 way SSB match with items on. Nothing.
I would like to see if on the the SSB version for the wii, Snake can eat his opponents…… That alone will make the game and the system an irresistable must buy.