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Game review: 'Super Smash Bros. Brawl'

08:38 AM CDT on Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Images from Nintendo
Images from Nintendo
Your character choices in Super Smash Bros. Brawl include guys, gals and the cute, puffy creature that is Kirby.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is a lot of fun in very particular circumstances. This absurd jumble of nearly every Nintendo-created character in history results in a chaotic, fun fighting game for hardcore Nintendo fans playing together. Everyone else will wonder what all the fuss is about.

SSBB is not a subtle game. As soon as a fight starts – with up to four participants – your only goal is to be the last man, woman or fuzzy, asexual creature standing. Controlling the action with a regular Wii remote is clumsy and frustrating, but the game also supports standard GameCube controllers, and a lot of gamers will probably prefer that setup.

You can play multiplayer either in-person or online, although Nintendo's dogged loyalty to its clumsy Friend Code system hinders the online mode somewhat. There is a single-player mode, but it's not recommended. If you are a lonely gamer, you can fight through a simple tournament by yourself or trudge through a tedious story mode with lackluster platformer elements.

BOTTOM LINE: Super Smash Bros. Brawl is pedestrian in a lot of ways. The graphics are GameCube-quality at best, and the singleplayer mode is dull. But the multiplayer mode and the rainbow of Nintendo characters – ever wanted to see Mario punch Link in the face? – will be worth the price of admission alone for many gamers.

Victor Godinez

Super Smash

Bros. Brawl

BFor Nintendo Wii. Rated for ages 13 and up. $49.

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