Super Smash Bros. Melee [GC]

Released in the United States in 1999, Super Smash Bros. went on to sell over five million copies worldwide. It should be no surprise that Nintendo has zealously readied its sequel Super Smash Bros. Melee for release just shortly after GameCube launch. Originally thought to be a minor upgrade to the original, SSB Melee returns chock full of so many options and features it will make you dizzy. It is easily in an entirely different league than the N64 version and is equally one of the most impressive GameCube titles to date. Unlike the launch titles before it, SSB Melee is polished and nearly perfect for what it is.

Features

• The ultimate sequel to the top-selling Nintendo 64 fighter
• A cast of 14 famous Nintendo characters and 11 hidden fighters for a total of 25 franchise fighters
• All-new single-player mode provides an old-school side-scrolling adventure
• Classic arena-by-arena single-player mode
• Hidden single-player mode for Smash fanatics
• Unique new Event Match mode lets players fight in objective-based situations
• Stadium mode includes Target Test, Home-Run Contest, and Multi-man Melee
• Practice combos and explore the items list in Training mode
• Fighting engine allows for all-out four-player mayhem on the same screen
• Versus mode features is filled to the brim with options and special features
• Fight in 18 available arenas and unlock a plethora of secret arenas
• Special Melee mode allows for Giant-size Melees, Slo-motion melees, and much more
• Slick graphics engine displays high-polygon characters at 60 frames per second
• Stunning audio includes orchestrated tracks of your favorite Nintendo classics and other high-quality beats
• New tournament mode lets you custom create your own SSB playoffs with friends
• Enter your name and keep track of how many times you've KO'ed friends and foes
• An uncountable amount of statistics tracks Vs. records, bonus records, and many more
• Buy trophies of classic Nintendo characters and items including The Ocarina of Time, Pit, and Excitebike for a total of nearly 300 trophies
• Take snapshots of matches in Camera Mode and save your favorites to memory card
• Records archive keeps track of exactly what time and date you unlocked secrets
• Progressive scan mode for HDTV users
• Deflicker switch lets you choose the more crisp aliased look or a softer anti-aliased display
• One to four players

Gameplay
It's very rare that a developer outdoes itself, but HAL has done just that with Super Smash Bros. Melee. Upon booting it up you will see basic options including a single-player mode and versus mode. At first glance it appears to be very similar to the N64 version with a larger selection of characters and more levels, but as you peel back the surface you will find an overwhelming amount of features and options. There is so much that deserves recognition it's hard to sum up in our review, but that's not going to keep us from trying.

On the Nintendo 64, Smash Bros. was primarily a multiplayer game. If you could gather four friends together there were hours and hours of entertainment awaiting to be had. The single-player wasn't bad, but it was fairly straightforward and lacked depth and variety. HAL immediately recognized this and has given Smash Bros. fans everything they could ever want and more with the single-player mode in the sequel. The main modes are Adventure and Classic. Classic mode is a more fleshed out version of the original single-player mode. You move from arena to arena fighting a semi-random set of characters until you reach the final boss. Interleaved between the fights are bonus stages such as Break the Targets, Race to the Finish, and the all-new challenge that has players attempting to knock falling trophies into a container in the center of the ring. Indeed it feels very classic and true to the N64 version.

In an attempt to give lone players more to chew on Nintendo has created the Adventure mode, which is definitely a retro gamer's dream come true. Basically this mode combines side-scrolling exploration with arena fights. Everything falls under a specific theme, so you'll pounce on Goomba's heads and perform lots of platform jumping to reach Princess Peach's Castle (taken from Super Mario 64), where you will have to duel with Mario and Princess Peach to advance forward. As you progress you'll explore a dungeon from Zelda, race out of the self-destructing Planet Zebes, and fight over the Green Greens of Kirby's Dreamland. It still has plenty of arena based fighting, but the exploration and platforming aspects are a refreshing departure from the more limited Classic mode. There are not unique adventures for each playable character, however. Every character advances through the same set of areas and faces the same final boss (different from Classic mode).

Taking a closer look at these modes you'll notice that HAL has a bonus points system that gives you awards for everything imaginable. Didn't fall the entire match? Rock Steady: 3000 points. Accidentally let go of a level edge and fell? Cliff Diver: 500 points. Finished with 3:33 minutes on the clock? Lucky Threes: 3330 points. You name it and you can get bonus points for it. There are hundreds of these bonuses and you'll constantly be seeing new ones as you replay the adventure mode.