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Super Smash Bros. Brawl

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8.8 User Score:

Universal acclaim

Based on 81 critic reviews
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Game Info

Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: HAL Laboratory

Genre(s): Fighting, Action

Players: 4

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: March 9, 2008

Summary

[Metacritic's 2008 Wii Game of the Year] Super Smash Bros. Brawl is the next installment in the Smash Bros. series for the company's Wii console. Among the new characters playable in the game are Meta Knight, the sword-wielding nemesis of Kirby; Pit, the angelic archer from Kid Icarus; Zero Suit Samus, the powerful Metroid series heroine minus her versatile armor; and Wario, who demonstrates a noxious attack of gastronomic proportions. Also Snake, the gritty soldier from Konami's hugely popular Metal Gear series. [Nintendo]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Super Smash Bros. Super Smash Bros. Melee

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central GameSpot Hints & Cheats

Also On The Web: Official Website Predict this Metascore Super Smash Bros. Retrospective

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Thunderbolt

Brawl is easily the most fun I’ve had on a Wii, and could be the most fun I’ve had with a game in ages. It’s just that good. There is just so much to do, and so many different and refreshing things added that it would be a crime not to at least take a look.

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100

Nintendo Power

Rarely has any title delivered so much amazing action, such a wide variety of modes, and so many hours of value. It doesn't get any better than this. [Mar 2008, p.82]

100

Gameplayer

It’s obvious that developer Game Arts have put a painstaking amount of effort into creating this game and every time we play it we’re discovering new Nintendo references which bring back a rush of nostalgia. Brawl’s chaotic multiplayer sessions are some of the best to be had on the system, plus there are plenty of challenges and modes to amuse those ‘friend-impaired’ individuals out there as well. It’s a no-brainer, every serious Nintendo fan out there should score themselves a copy of this game, invite some friends/victims around, and have a smashing good time.

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100

GamerNode

I have never seen more effort put into a video game than what has been shown in Brawl. With unbelievable multiplayer fighting, an enormous single player mode, and collectibles that will last for years, there's no reason why you shouldn't buy it.

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100

GamePro

From the fighting mechanics to roster of players Brawl is a well-rounded game that I just couldn't put down. The only downside to Brawl is that it doesn't do anything to reinvent the series. It takes elements of past SSB games and refines them, which is great, but players expecting an entirely new experience won't find it here.

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100

Games Radar (in-house)

From the digital-crack gameplay to the ocean-deep customization to the enjoyable Subspace Emissary, it's completely jam-packed with Nintendo love. The sights, the sounds, everything is an unfiltered pat on the back and incessant in-joke for longtime fans. For everyone else, it's a dependably solid fighter that destroys its predecessor in every way.

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100

1UP

Brawl is a good game, with solid controls, a lot of options, and not-much-better-than-the-last-one-graphics. For the uninterested gamer, it's a curious diversion. For the Nintendo fanatic, Super Smash Bros. Brawl is like manna from heaven.

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100

Gamervision

Never before has there been a game with more replayability then Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

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100

G4 TV

Super Smash Bros. Brawl has lived up to the promise that has been dangled in front of us for so many years and should be snapped up by just about anyone willing to hold a controller.

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100

Play Magazine

The character models and animation are absolutely superb, the backgrounds seamless works of art and the gameplay easily the most diverse and enduring of any “fighting” game to date. I wouldn’t even classify it as a fighter. This is an action masterpiece.

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100

The Wiire

The graphics are beautiful, the audio is clear, the online system is one of the best on the Wii in over a year and a half, the stages are varied, the mini-game experiences are time-consuming, the trophies are endless, the game is much more balanced and the new items are a blast.

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100

Zentendo

Take into account the deep customization, barrage of unlockables and game modes, online components, and the polish and balance of it all, and Brawl is quite a force to be reckoned with, expanding those hours of value into months, if not years of good times.

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100

Gaming Age

In a game where the amount of content is similar to the overwhelming amount of stuff in Japan on one's first visit, and that already managed to waste away hours on end before online play was included, it's safe to say that Super Smash Bros. Brawl has one heck of a lifespan.

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100

Deeko

Everything about this game is beautifully orchestrated and flawless in presentation.

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100

Nintendojo

But at the end of the day, no other game offers the wealth of content for a mere $50; and if early indications live up to their potential, we'll all be playing Brawl for another six-and-a-half years.

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100

Armchair Empire

Otherwise, it’s the absolute pinnacle of the Smash Bros. series and a fun game to boot.

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100

Yahoo! Games

Considering how much content you get before you ever even go online, this is easily one of the most generous, gratifying, and fun games you can get for the Nintendo Wii. Super Smash Brothers Brawl is nothing short of a smashing success.

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100

AceGamez

Super Smash Bros. Brawl offers incredible value for money - there are masses of characters, levels and game modes to explore, the music is fantastic, the gameplay is superb and the production values are through the roof.

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100

N-Europe

Smashtacular. Buy it, or regret it forever.

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100

Gamer.nl

Although Super Smash Bros. Brawl will feel familiar to people who have played the game before, it's a lot harder to play this time.

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100

DarkZero

Four different control options as well as an as-deep-as-you-want-it combat style mean that whether you’re a parent looking forward to seeing Mario and Sonic have a punch-up, or a Nintendo fan wanting the Nintendo Chronicle (of love), Brawl can offer you an outstanding game.

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Console Gameworld

What else can I say other than you simply owe it to yourself to buy this game and treat yourself to one of the greatest multiplayer gaming experiences of all time. The only thing that stops me from giving it a perfect score is the not so perfect online mode.

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AtomicGamer

Every aspect of the Smash Bros. series has been expanded. From the many interesting new characters to the tons of new items and stages to master, I don't see how any diehard fan can't be happy.

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Gamers' Temple

Brawl is fun, both alone and with friends, and if you’re a completist like me (completist: a gamer who refuses to stop playing a game until they have unlocked all the secrets and done everything there is to do), you’ll be looking at literally hundreds of hours of fun before you get even close to finishing.

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Gaming Target

While Super Smash Bros. Brawl does not offer very much in the way of innovation, it is one of those games that is so polished and so full of value that it is bound to sell well for quite some time.

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n-Revolution Magazine UK

As a game, it's brilliant; as an all-encompassing experience for Nintendo fans, it's quite possibly unsurpassed. [Issue#20, p.70]

NintendoWorldReport

The core gameplay has remained largely unchanged since the N64 days, meaning we've essentially been playing the same game for nine years, and we'll be playing the same game for another five or six years, at least. Get it, appreciate it, and enjoy it.

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ZTGameDomain

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is the type of game that actually delivers on every promise as well as exceeding every expectation.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

The astonishing array of imaginative and well implemented characters, along with the hundreds of unlockable items to discover, ensure that SSB Brawl is easily the most definitive Smash Bros yet, and the best game you can buy for the Wii. But forcing you to unlock half of the characters and stages, not to mention the unbelievably botched online options, only serves to frustrate everyone who foresaw the greatness that could have been.

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Official Nintendo Magazine UK

Even looking at it with a cynical eye, it's incredibly hard to fault Brawl. You're going to adore this game. [July 2008, p.62]

IGN UK

It’s impeccably presented, lovingly crafted and absolutely incredible value for money.

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Game Informer

With extremely tight controls and finely tuned balance, the core fighting mechanics and local multiplayer are spot on. There’s still nothing like learning the intricacies of every character, discovering possibly the most unlockables in any game yet, and using all of that to beat the crap out of your friends late into the night.

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GameZone

This is a game that reaches a fun factor which few games dare even dream of. It is absolutely packed to the gills with content, and features enough improvements over its predecessor to make it the best installment in the series by far.

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Da Gameboyz

From the solid graphics, great sound to the nearly perfect gameplay, you really can’t find anything wrong with this game.

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Worth Playing

The Subspace Emissary mode is a bit weak, the loading times are a bit hefty, and the online gameplay suffers from some lag and the usual Nintendo online awkwardness. However, those issues are far overshadowed by the excellence that permeates the rest of the game.

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GameSpot

With a bigger roster than ever, online multiplayer, and the ability to share screenshots, custom levels, and game replays with friends, Super Smash Bros. has never been better.

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Destructoid

In Brawl, Nintendo has handily produced one of the most compelling, rich and densely-packed experiences available on any console.

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Kombo

Bottom line: Super Smash Bros. Brawl is a must-purchase for every single Wii owner. If you own a Wii, you have to own this game.

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IGN

The title's robust and balanced multiplayer offerings are completely engrossing and wholly entertaining from beginning to end, and this time around you can take those bouts to the online arena for similarly satisfying results.

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Maxi Consolas (Portugal)

It’s not Melee 2...it’s something even better. Hundreds of extras, dozens of characters and an incredible multiplayer makes for the strongest candidate to game of the year for the Wii. Even if it doesn’t appeal to all of the casual audience, it’s a mandatory title for the console. We strongly recommend it. What else can we say? [Aug 2008]

PTGamers

More than a simple fighting game, it's fun to play and boasts high production values, capable of pleasing a vast audience of gamers.

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Cheat Code Central

The amazing amount of features and characters included in the game plus the online gameplay make Brawl one of Nintendo's best titles to date. Even those Nintendo fans who are not interested in fighting titles will find this one appealing.

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Gamer 2.0

In the simplest terms, Brawl makes Melee look like a demo sampler.

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GameTrailers

Brawl is average if you intend to play it by yourself. As a multiplayer game, it nears perfection. Though the subspace emissary is a disappointment, the fast-paced fighting, bountiful modes and customization options, and a deep set of hidden content to be unearthed give it staying power that few other games possess.

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Pelit (Finland)

No more frustrating fiddling with vague motion sensing remote. Controls are accurate and Brawl supports almost any pad you can plug it in. It's fast and furious and on the bonus side, Super Smash Bros. Brawl suits perfectly for the beginners and advanced gamers. [June 2008]

Gamers.at

Everything about his game - just about every little detail there is - fits. Super Smash Bros. Brawl is here to stay – if you’ve waited for a reason to get yourself a Wii, here it is. Easy, fun and rewarding!

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Electronic Gaming Monthly

That said, Brawl still shines as the go-to party game for a houseful of friends. [May 2008, p.70]

IGN AU

With simple to use but tricky to master controls, a useful handicap feature and a staggering variety of great characters, Brawl is the perfect competitive party game.

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NGamer UK

Nintendo love spills from every pore and the multiplayer can't be beat, but Smash Bros risks growing too familiar. It never breeds contempt, but it doesn't quite muster that Galaxy magic.

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Game Almighty

The combat is all very smooth and familiar, and feels like a return to an old friend. But, when placing this combat into the intensely long Subspace Emissary mode, it doesn’t quite mesh.

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Games Master UK

Controlling Brawl with the remote's D-pad feels like the devil's work and even the remote/nunchuck pairing suffers from the lack of a second analog stick - you need it for quick smash attacks. It's playable with the Wii's controllers, but seasoned smashers should grab a Classic Controller or dust off their old GC gear. [Apr 2008, p.58]

Game Positive

In the end, Super Smash Bros. Brawl is just a superb game. While the single player alone will not last gamers forever, the size and amount of unlockable content make it a viable option when there is nobody around to play with.

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GameShark

It’s hard to find a game out there for the Wii that provides more value for the money, or has more to see and do. The huge roster of well done, interesting characters combined with the wackiness of the in game items and the interactivity and challenges of the various stages packs the game full of memorable moments regardless of which portion of the game you decide to spend time with.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Matches play like a Destroy All Monsters mêlée, with up to four players duking it out until the last man, or Pokémon, stands.

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netjak

Overall, Super Smash Bros. Melee is still a frantic fighting game that's easy to pick up, has tons for you to do even in single-player mode, and it's still one of the best fighting games to pull out with company – with four players and intuitive controls, anyone can pick it up easily.

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Console Monster

It truly is a unique game because it’s simple, and yet the concept will last you not only for hours or days, but weeks and months. If you can’t enjoy this game, stop playing video games.

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Edge Magazine

Super Smash Bros is a series that has often been unfairly derided as button-mashing, largely thanks to its surface sheen of cutesy characters, but it has one of the most enduringly innovative and deep systems of any fighter. [Apr 2008, p.84]

GameTap

You might find that mastering some of controls can be a bear because Brawl's fighting game controls are being mapped over to a side-scrolling action platform game.

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GameSpy

Super Smash Bros. Brawl isn't a giant leap forward from "Super Smash Bros. Melee," but it didn't have to be. This is going to be the game that Wii owners will be playing for the life of the system, and they're going to love every minute of it.

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GameDaily

Yeah, the graphics don't really go too far forward, the online options could've been less strenuous, and the load time could've been cut back. Regardless, there's still far greater good here than we could've ever expected from the game.

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DailyGame

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is one of the most fun multiplayer experiences you will have on any console. Period.

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Eurogamer

It's consistently satisfying over long periods, fulfilling its usual role of dominating a willing crowd's evening into the early hours, and now allowing you to sustain that after everyone's gone home using the Internet.

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Cubed3

Epic, beautiful and quite wonderfully Nintendo in its almost sexual brilliance. Arousing stuff.

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VideoGamer

With an epic online mode, dozens of unlockable characters and stages and hundreds of collectible trophies, Brawl deserves its place in every Wii-owner's collection.

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games(TM)

It’s not the best Nintendo game of all time, but thanks to the sheer amount of polished content packed within the disc, it is definitely the ultimate one. [May 2008, p.98]

Wired

Brawl isn't perfect. The single-player mode isn't nearly as polished and fun as the multiplayer. The disc is crammed so full of content that the loading times can get annoying. But it's still without equal -- can you even think of another four-player fighting game?

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Boomtown

If you can grin and bear your predictably initial lacklustre performance, you'll soon realise you're within the grasp of one of the greatest Wii games to date.

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NTSC-uk

Brawl has the most characters, is the best balanced, delivers the most and generally trumps both the other games so far.

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Gameplanet

This game is huge in entertainment value and a tour de force for the Nintendo stable of characters. Its many game options and the full-on combat make it a game you will come back to again and again. Highly recommended for any Wii owner.

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Cynamite

Although the singleplayer mode has been improved, the game is most fun if played together with friends.

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Eurogamer Portugal

Whoever's heart skipped a beat at the simple thought of seeing all these characters together should eye this game as an instant purchase. If you have no special connection to the characters, the game still offers a competent battle system and a slew of modes, that amount to hundreds of hours of gameplay.

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Extreme Gamer

Nintendo has done it again, creating another “must-have” Wii game built on an old franchise.

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The New York Times

Arenas are wonderfully bizarre...I was especially taken by an arena based on the Wario Ware games, where combatants periodically take breaks from battle to dodge objects or chisel statues.

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Play.tm

Despite its absolutely luminal reception, there is a strong argument that Brawl will appeal to the two polar opposites of the gaming community but fall flat to the majority of 'middle class' gamers in between. The very casual gamer will enjoy the chaos and the pyrotechnics, the hardcore gamer will love the bizarre mojo they can discover to gain their edge, but the middle of the road party player will probably soon tire of the impetus of play without being able to access the deeper mysteries.

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Gaming Nexus

Despite having an online mode that disappoints in nearly every respect, Smash Bros Brawl gets everything else right.

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Game Revolution

So, yes—the online functionality is a little on the shallow, blunted side compared to that of its next-gen console peers, and there are some offputting load times…but these are minor complaints. There’s so much here in the way of cool details, nifty items and ubiquitous, understated fan service that it’s a little difficult to grade Brawl’s raw gameplay without factoring in the Nintendo-culture saturation factor.

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Giant Bomb

The questions you need to ask yourself before deciding to invest in Super Smash Bros. Brawl concern your own personal level of love for Nintendo’s rich history and your ability to rustle up enough enthusiastic locals to get into the multiplayer. If both of those are in your favor, then this is definitely a game you’ll want to add to your collection. But if you aren’t big in either department, you probably won’t understand what all the fuss is about in the first place.

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PALGN

Perhaps by being willing to limit itself, Brawl could have been a great game. As it stands, it is simply the strongest iteration of a great series.

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Level7.nu

Nintendo's third entry in the Smash Bros series isn't just a trip down nostalgia lane - it's also a heck of a fun experience. With an insane amount of content and a gameplay begging for sessions with a bunch of friends this is a perfect addition to the series. A somewhat dodgy online mode and random events during fights mar this otherwise fantastic and frantic experience.

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GamingExcellence

If you've got a few like minded friends to play with you, this is some of the best fun you can have with your Wii yet. Single players will be left scratching their heads wondering what the hubbub is really all about.

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Kikizo

It's certainly a game that can kill a bit of time between a group of friends, and it's not like there'll be many negative memories associated with the game afterwards, but I just don't feel it's that good.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.8 (out of 10) based on 794 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Hugo Z gave it a9:
SSBB is just a great game. It's especially fun if you can get the wii's weird connection to work, and play online with friends or even total strangers. But the single player experience is definitely good too. But some of the requirements for new types to play take a bit too long. 200 special brawls to get new special settings for special brawl? However, this game is a game i'll remember, and if it had a good and clear tutorial, and not just a controls list, it would have made a score of 10. But I feel that it doesn't deserve a 10 rating because of a few flaws. But overall, it's the best game for the wii you can have, and it's a must for anyone who played the previous Super Smash Bros. games.

Requiem 1160 gave it a5:
Overated. The SSE was crap, the character roster was a desperate failure - Sonic really enrages me for that freaking 'B' move, the Classic mode didn't have what SSBM had - for some strange reason, Stage Editor sucked - harshly, the mini-game concerning Coins and Trophies was a total failure, then there's the fact that whenever you sign-in to Wi-Fi, you get those annoying failures of screenshots and maps and that it takes a good 5-10 minutes to find someone to play with, and when they're losing they quit. All the time. The only real good thing was the Music.

Emily J gave it a9:
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is one of the best games on the Wii of all time. The only reason this is a 9 and not a 10 is because it is somewhat repetitive. I have no idea why it is rated Teen, it should be rated E. Each character has original moves, but some characters are very similar such as Fox, Falco, and Wolf. A truly great game.

Matt C gave it a10:
This game repolishes and remasters the smash bros. series. For people that say nothing has changed or the game is horrible, you either haven't given it a chance or have no friends to play it with. Levels are 10x more interactive than in brawl, each character has a smash attack (not in any other games) Of COURSE it's going to be similiar to melee, its a SEQUEL. Halo 3 isn't a completely different game than Halo 2. It's just improved. Yes the online sucks and the stat screens are unorganized, but the playability of this game is incredible. I have played the game over 150 hours since it's come out and still play it with my friends to this day. A game that you can still play after almost 2 years, is WELL worth the money.

Clif C gave it a9:
After one year, I'm still playing with this amazing game. And I'm not an addicted to video games at all, really. But this one is really good. The only thing that is missing is the possibility to do other attacks. There a lot, but they should have added combinations with the buttons (you only have to click in the directional cross and 1 or 2, or 1 and 2 alone, or a+b and directional cross). I remember games for Nintendo where you could do combinations and do a large amount of attacks, like Street Fighter. But for the rest, it's perfect.

Christina M gave it a10:
I've played the original on the N64, the Melee on the Gamecube. By far out of all of those, Brawl has given me the best experience of all. The wide variety of characters and stages are well done, and will always give a fresh fight to any who play. The soundtrack is awesome, with music from many of the Nintendo games to date, remixed and, to my suprise, originals from the 8bit era of the NES. Multiplayer is edge-of-your-seat fun, and will give laughs and action for as long as you own it. As a new-gen game, Brawl may not have the graphics of the other two systems, and may use a "remote" as a controller; but this truely is one of the best games on the Wii system, and I know as a lifelong gamer this is one of my favoretes. I highly recommend this to anyone with a Wii and a few friends iching for a good time. 99.9/100 because no game is perfection, but this is pretty damn close.

Jose C gave it a10:
Sorry Ray A, but i need to say that you are an idiot, this is the best WII game released until now, you are an idiot if you dont know Marth, if you wanna know hwo Marth is, just get his Trophy in the game and you will get an Info, at least i know that you are the only guy in your school that thinks that the brawl sucks, it makes you sad and an emo kid and you blame brawl for that.

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Super Smash Bros. Brawl

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