This is a
console game for the
Nintendo Gamecube that was released in
2001. It is the sequel to the
popular N64 fighting game
Super Smash Brothers and is very similar to the original, containing most of the same characters and similar gameplay with revamped graphics. The characters include:
- Link, Zelda, and Ganon from The Legend of Zelda series
- Mario and Luigi (the Super Mario Brothers)
- Yoshi, Bowser/Koopa, and Peach, also from the Mario games
- Kirby, the pink puff who hails from his own series
- Fox McCloud and Falco from Starfox
- Donkey Kong
- Samus Aran, the star of Metroid
- Captain Falcon, the main racer in F-Zero
- Ness from Earthbound, a great SNES RPG
- Pikachu, Jigglypuff, and numerous other annoying Pokemon
- Nana and Popo from the vintage NES game Ice Climber
Each series or game represented in Super Smash Bros. Melee has its own special arena. Some arenas from the game are:
There are plenty of secret arenas that can be unlocked by reaching certain parameters (I haven't gotten any yet, don't ask me how to find them (-: )
Gameplay is exactly the same as in the first Super Smash Bros., but several new modes have been included. There is a classic match mode, where players fight computer opponents one by one until they defeat a final boss and a side-scrolling adventure mode reminiscent of
Double Dragon. A group of special scenarios have been added in an "Event Match" mode, where certain conditions must be met for a player to complete the scenario (e.g., Mario has to defeat 25 enemies in five minutes to win). A
plethora of minigames (a home-run contest and obstacle course, to name a few) can also be played separately at any time. A "Trophy Gallery" feature in which one can collect items from a
gum ball machine is also new. Each time a tournament is won, the player gains coins. These can be used to buy trophies. However, the trophies are of no use in actual gameplay, so it's
pointless to collect them.
Multiplayer is the same as in the first game, with a few new options and a
tournament mode.
I would've liked to see more
innovation in
Super Smash Bros. Melee, as it's basically just an
expansion of the first. I was able to know every character's
attacks when I first played, as they're almost all the same from the last game. However, the multiplayer is still great to play against
friends, and the single player adventure mode is refreshingly new. If you're going to
lay down the cash for Gamecube, make sure to
pick this up.