Super Smash Bros. Melee (GameCube)

Reviewed by

Miguel Lopez

on 11/30/2001

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Page 2

A couple of evasive moves were added to the system, though overall, their effects don't have too much of an effect on the actual proceedings. Inputting a block command while in the air now lets you evade attacks while jumping, and you can sidestep an opponent's attack by hitting A in tandem with one of the block buttons and a directional input. Granted, these moves can be useful to those who master them, but they don't drastically change the pacing of the game--it's rare that one thinks defensively when playing Smash Bros., so working these techniques into your strategy could very well take a while.

If there's one serious flaw in Melee, it's the hyper-responsiveness of the controls. You'll likely only notice it when you have to make very precise movements--like when moving over an item to pick it up, for instance. Characters seem to dash more often than they should, and in some of the more precarious environments, this can be quite deadly. You'll also likely have trouble switching directions, especially when you've just finished attacking. Again, this isn't such a serious kink, but it's likely to earn you some underserved blows. The game's spastic nature helps hide these little warts, but they'll surface on occasion, and you'll likely be irked.

So it's been established that the gameplay wasn't drastically messed with. The graphics, on the other hand, have been lovingly retouched, and the effects are immediately noticeable. The character models are pleasantly full-bodied, and the quality of their textures is amazing. The denim on Mario's overalls looks like the denim on your jeans, and the grit on Bowser's shell is almost tangible. The animations are similarly untouchable, and the fact that everything moves at 60fps makes the wonderful level of detail sink in even deeper. One look at Sheik's ninja-like grace, and you'll be immediately sold. Executing special moves bathes entire stages in gorgeous particle effects, and the stages often boast a fair number of effects themselves. The end result is as amazing, though it's also impressively subtle. The sheer pace of the game keeps you from noticing everything outright, though a quick press of the pause button will allow you to zoom in and enjoy the sights.

As you'd expect, all the characters have been faithfully rendered. It's safe to say that most of them have never, ever looked better. There are 14 playable characters available at the outset, and 11 more are hidden throughout the game. Sometimes you'll be challenged by a new character during a multiplayer match, while other times, you'll get to fight one at the end of a single-player game. In most cases, there are numerous ways to unlock the hidden characters, so you'll likely end up with all of them if you play often enough. While all 14 original characters enjoy sufficient distinction from one another, a disappointing percentage of the hidden characters are merely "clones" of certain original characters. Granted, the identities of the hidden characters themselves somewhat makes up for this--you'll be nicely amused, most of the time--but the cosmetically altered move sets and minor tweaks on damage outputs and attack priorities are quite disappointing. Still, with a final roster of 25 characters, you'll likely find several that you like. The faces that make up the roster are drawn from many of Nintendo's classics: Mario, Peach, and Bowser represent the Super Mario Bros. series, while Zelda/Sheik and Link uphold the name of their similarly classic franchise. Metroid's Samus is also in attendance, as is Ness from the Earthbound/Mother series, along with a whole gang of Pokémon. Some of the lesser knowns include Popo and Nana, Ice Climbers' titular characters, as well as some faces from Nintendo's Japan-only RPG series Fire Emblem. Finally, there's also a certain character who more-than-aptly represents Nintendo's early excursions into the realm of handheld gaming. Needless to say, the roster is extensive and clever, and the act of filling it in its entirety will be something that few Nintendo fans will want to miss.

Same with the stages--they all hearken back to a specific Nintendo game, and fans will immediately recognize them. The Super Mario stages, for instance, include variations on several Mario games. One features the breakable blocks of the original Super Mario Bros, as well as the weight-sensitive platforms. The Super Mario 2 stage features a flying-carpet-riding Pidgit and an assaulting 8-bit Birdo, and the one based on Super Mario World is built around the game's revolving blocks and steep inclines. As you've probably gathered, each of the stages is dynamically interactive in its own particular way, and learning the ways that each one behaves is almost as important as learning your chosen character's move set. Certain stages have built-in environmental hazards, while others are populated by pseudo-characters who assail you at every given chance. Some stages will remain fairly static throughout the length of matches, while others will change dramatically--the hidden Metroid stage counts among this group, and it's safe to say that fans of the classic series will almost shed a tear once they see it in action. Each of these worlds, in any event, is brought to life by brilliant music that's based on the actual game soundtrack it was inspired by. Some are fairly faithful adaptations of the games' music, while others are remixed entirely. It all sounds brilliant, for the most part, and fans of the respective games will no doubt eat it all up.

Though it's hard to imagine how HAL could have included more fan fodder in Melee, the developer has indeed done so in the game's trophy mode. As you play the game, you'll have the chance to acquire bonus trophies, which are essentially mounted 3D portraits of famous (and not so famous) Nintendo characters, game items, and settings. This is obviously where HAL went nuts--among trophies of Mario, Link, and Samus, you'll find characters from such obscure games as Clu-Clu Land, Balloon Fight, and Duck Hunt. Nintendo was sure to throw in some fan favorites as well--soon enough, you'll be gazing at a 3D-rendered Pit from Kid Icarus, as well as marvelous renditions of some aliens from Metroid. For the most part, you'll gamble for the trophies--every time you play the main game, you'll gain coins that you can use in the game's lottery mode. Your chances of netting a new trophy decreases every time you gain one, though. Lucky for you, trophies start to pop up more and more within the adventure stages as you progress through the game, and certain bonus rounds allow you to snatch some up as well. In all, there are roughly 300 trophies to collect, so you should expect to be at it for a good while.

Super Smash Bros. Melee has clearly been designed to appeal, foremost, to Nintendo's die-hard fans. Those who are familiar with the company's long and illustrious history will no doubt enjoy the game much more than the casual passerby. Judged on its own merits, though, Nintendo's spastic tribute to itself stands quite strong as one of the most engaging multiplayer games available for any console platform. Nintendo's last console was especially strong in the multiplayer department, and, if games like Melee are any indication, the GameCube seems like it will be too. Super Smash Bros. Melee is simply a huge game that, while best enjoyed in the company of others, will also keep the lone, die-hard fan busy for a good, long while.