Super Smash Bros. Brawl

 Wii
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2230 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,944 out of 2230
  2. Mixed: 161 out of 2230
  3. Negative: 125 out of 2230
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  1. MarkC.
    Mar 13, 2008
    7
    Typical Nintendo Rehash of an older game. It is however a fun game. Yes, i had fun with all the other Smash Brothers and I did with this one but in no way did it deserve all these 10/10's. Nostalgia isnt a reason to give a perfect score to a game thats been duplicated 2 times before. If people actually reviewed this game without saying "wow theres Mario and other childhood characters Typical Nintendo Rehash of an older game. It is however a fun game. Yes, i had fun with all the other Smash Brothers and I did with this one but in no way did it deserve all these 10/10's. Nostalgia isnt a reason to give a perfect score to a game thats been duplicated 2 times before. If people actually reviewed this game without saying "wow theres Mario and other childhood characters fighting" and see it for what it is, they'll see its a good party brawler but not perfect.… Expand
  2. BobC.
    Apr 7, 2008
    7
    A fun game, but doesn't make use of the Wii the way I was hoping. Still a lot of button mashing, and many have found the older controllers to be superior to the Wii-mote and nunchuck during play. If you're using the Wii-mote only, you don't have as many weapons or control. I enjoy this game, but there are other games I enjoy more (Mario Party 8, MLB Power Pros, Smarty A fun game, but doesn't make use of the Wii the way I was hoping. Still a lot of button mashing, and many have found the older controllers to be superior to the Wii-mote and nunchuck during play. If you're using the Wii-mote only, you don't have as many weapons or control. I enjoy this game, but there are other games I enjoy more (Mario Party 8, MLB Power Pros, Smarty Pants, to name a few).… Expand
  3. OwenM
    May 6, 2008
    7
    Brawl is a good game, but it doesn't bring anything really new to the table. While it has a vastly superior single player mode, the story itself is empty and really isn't worth the 7 hours or so to play through it. The speed of gameplay has been brought down. I don't think anyone is a fan of the random tripping either. It's a great game to buy if you don't already Brawl is a good game, but it doesn't bring anything really new to the table. While it has a vastly superior single player mode, the story itself is empty and really isn't worth the 7 hours or so to play through it. The speed of gameplay has been brought down. I don't think anyone is a fan of the random tripping either. It's a great game to buy if you don't already have Smash Bros Melee.… Expand
  4. TimothyF.
    Mar 14, 2008
    7
    Brawl doesn't impress the way Mario Galaxy and Zelda: Twilight do. SSE's bland level design makes the mode really tedious to go through, and the story seems thrown together. Coin Launcher is gimmicky and repetitive. The rest of the modes are largely the same old as in previous installments. I haven't gone online yet, but having played probably around 1000 Smash matches in Brawl doesn't impress the way Mario Galaxy and Zelda: Twilight do. SSE's bland level design makes the mode really tedious to go through, and the story seems thrown together. Coin Launcher is gimmicky and repetitive. The rest of the modes are largely the same old as in previous installments. I haven't gone online yet, but having played probably around 1000 Smash matches in Melee and 64, the concept just doesn't excite me that much any more.… Expand
  5. StrikeC.
    Apr 3, 2008
    7
    "This is a poor game. It was built 8 years ago, and is meant for 8 years ago. Nowadays there are lots of better games available, with much more realistic graphics, gameplay, and whatever you can imagine. In this game you can not only headshot someone without aiming with AWP, you can also shoot trough 99% of the walls. So if you want to win, just shoot against all walls. Graphics quality "This is a poor game. It was built 8 years ago, and is meant for 8 years ago. Nowadays there are lots of better games available, with much more realistic graphics, gameplay, and whatever you can imagine. In this game you can not only headshot someone without aiming with AWP, you can also shoot trough 99% of the walls. So if you want to win, just shoot against all walls. Graphics quality is as low as it can be, and gameplay sucks as much."… Expand
  6. DougL
    May 23, 2008
    7
    This game does not do anything very well the four player action is some what random. The one player mode is kinda cheesy and it doens't use the motion controls to heighten the experience, maybe i'm getting old but this game did not impress me.
  7. MartinW.
    Aug 22, 2008
    7
    A good game but fundamentally flawed in many areas. Online play and interface are absolutely awful and it's amazing that Nintendo actually released this game knowing full well that it would work so poorly online. Lots of options and if you like the Smash Bros series like myself, then you should enjoy this. Just don't expect anything new and innovative, this is a very good A good game but fundamentally flawed in many areas. Online play and interface are absolutely awful and it's amazing that Nintendo actually released this game knowing full well that it would work so poorly online. Lots of options and if you like the Smash Bros series like myself, then you should enjoy this. Just don't expect anything new and innovative, this is a very good expansion pack at best, as the characters, stages and game modes are more inventive and numerous. Music is absolutely excellent. Graphics are also very good but not as great as say Super Mario Galaxy, although the game is very fast and the frame rate very rarely dips. Cooperative play brings a refreshing change to some of the repetitive solo game modes. Great game nonetheless but as some people have said, you may feel that you probably bought this very game 5/6 years ago. A patch (if possible) by Nintendo could resolve many of the game's flaws.… Expand
  8. William
    Jul 27, 2008
    7
    This game was not as well polished as Super Smash Bros. Melee. The stage backgrounds and flashy and distracting. The game mechanics are sometimes a bit unintuitive; it can be hard for a non-expert player to keep track of where their own character is, let alone everyone else's. The menu interface leaves a lot to be desired. There are also a couple of minor features that I miss from This game was not as well polished as Super Smash Bros. Melee. The stage backgrounds and flashy and distracting. The game mechanics are sometimes a bit unintuitive; it can be hard for a non-expert player to keep track of where their own character is, let alone everyone else's. The menu interface leaves a lot to be desired. There are also a couple of minor features that I miss from Melee. In its favour, Brawl has an strong cast of characters and an excellent two player co-op campaign. But all in all, I don't feel that this is a worthy successor to SSB:Melee.… Expand
  9. StephenS.
    Jul 31, 2008
    7
    I have logged over 3000 hours in Melee. This game has taken away from the series in my opinion with the unbalanced nature of the game. I have been beaten in the game with someone using a single move that hits above to both sides lasts for 3/4 sec does massive damage and is a kill move. That is not a move that should be in the game. Every character should have there advantage and I have logged over 3000 hours in Melee. This game has taken away from the series in my opinion with the unbalanced nature of the game. I have been beaten in the game with someone using a single move that hits above to both sides lasts for 3/4 sec does massive damage and is a kill move. That is not a move that should be in the game. Every character should have there advantage and disadvantage. But some have the best of everything and others can hardly get a single kill. Overall if you love the series buy it but if your on the fence make sure you rent it first and understand it is purely a party game.… Expand
  10. AngryEddy
    Sep 22, 2010
    7
    I reviewed this game for gaminghunks.biz and I like the charac ters most but some of the levels are ok. I think there should be more competitibe online competitions so that players can win prizes like towels and dishwashers maybe then this game will really take off? I dont know how you feel about the inclusion of Solid Snake but I never like Devil May Cry anyway the game had too manyI reviewed this game for gaminghunks.biz and I like the charac ters most but some of the levels are ok. I think there should be more competitibe online competitions so that players can win prizes like towels and dishwashers maybe then this game will really take off? I dont know how you feel about the inclusion of Solid Snake but I never like Devil May Cry anyway the game had too many enemies and was difficult to win against. The worst bit on Devil May Cry was when you had to defeat the big spider, I never find his week spot. Oh well I guess they will remove him from the next game.

    Also the music is bad.    … Expand
  11. oblivion2011
    Jul 3, 2011
    7
    What killed this game was the Wi-Fi. It was the number one reason why I decided to buy the game (aside from what already made this game a great hit). And it just TOTALLY killed the score. Sorry SSB fans, but this one factor leaves me disappointed.
  12. Cazssbguy
    Jul 11, 2011
    7
    As an SSB Melee fanatic, Brawl was disappointing. At the same time, I can appreciate that Brawl was aimed at an audience who desired less complexity and more balance. However, character balance is arguably worse than it was in Melee. I've never seen such effort put into making characters either suck, or be overpowered. The gameplay itself is rather slow but does have its fun moments.As an SSB Melee fanatic, Brawl was disappointing. At the same time, I can appreciate that Brawl was aimed at an audience who desired less complexity and more balance. However, character balance is arguably worse than it was in Melee. I've never seen such effort put into making characters either suck, or be overpowered. The gameplay itself is rather slow but does have its fun moments. However, Brawl is only fun with items and with around 3 to 4 people. Overall, Brawl is indeed a decent game, but needed more effort put into different places.… Expand
  13. noob_saibot
    May 3, 2013
    7
    Brawl or Melee?
    I pick this too some many people say that is a lot of CLONES on this game that I can understand like Fox, Falco, Wolf, Captain Falcon, Ganondorf, Lucas, Ness but the truth is they was clones on Melee too Brawl is just smooth to a crisp movement Melee was slow in this way.
    Ok the good parts: nice list of people I love it I use Wolf or random nice list of levels some    Brawl or Melee?
    I pick this too some many people say that is a lot of CLONES on this game that I can understand like Fox, Falco, Wolf, Captain Falcon, Ganondorf, Lucas, Ness but the truth is they was clones on Melee too Brawl is just smooth to a crisp movement Melee was slow in this way.

    Ok the good parts:
    nice list of people I love it I use Wolf or random
    nice list of levels some new some old ones from Melee game
    good controls for a gamecube one I never tired the will mote and stuff
    good story mode too I guess it's not perfect but it's a start
    great for muli-player sessions I take this to my friend's and we have a blast on it for hours

    Cons:
    is the online is crap at times I know many people say it so I SAY IT AGAIN, when on online playing with random people I was hoping it would find them quick, well it don't half the time due to possible of the LAG the lag in this game kills the game so badly that it is unplayable you have found people but then you lose connection at the last second then gonna need to get more players to join again this is tedius at times I had the problem a lot mostly when you find two people it will not search anymore or it will take a long time to do so and when you waiting I used to like the music in the background but now it drives me crazy it just repeats the same sounds over and over
    you can't change anything in Brawl too in online game with anyone only 2 minutes well I think that is really to short, you can't even add them too on friends list too

    Well I hoped you liked the review remember not all games is bad and if so it can improve every problem has a solution but to Brawl online they is non you can't stolve it simple a matter of waiting    … Expand
  14. PringleDringus
    Dec 16, 2013
    7
    As a stand-alone game, Brawl is great. But as a sequel to Melee, the gameplay isn't nearly as fast or fun. Can be a fun party game with the right crowd. Worth buying, but not for 50 bucks.
  15. yennachan
    Mar 21, 2014
    7
    I'll keep it short and simple. I love the Single player mode and the new characters but, the mechanics in the game is kind of bad and feels rushed. Has flaws but not too bad.
  16. camperuno
    Sep 8, 2014
    7
    the game has a pretty good rooster besides the op Meta knight and Ike. Subspace is really good especially when played in coop mode. The game is considerably slower than Melee and it can be painful to watch slow 1 v 1 matches. Overall this game will not disappoint if you are a hardcore fan you should already have this game but if you aren't it is a pretty solid game
  17. FireRedRuby
    Sep 12, 2015
    7
    As the game that came after Melee, Brawl is an insult to the series *trips*
    -No directional air-dodging is by far the worst change from Melee in my opinion because not only does it take away wave-dashing, but even worse, it makes air-dodging spammable and it becomes way too easy to survive bad situations (especially with some characters having over-powered recoveries), which only further    As the game that came after Melee, Brawl is an insult to the series *trips*
    -No directional air-dodging is by far the worst change from Melee in my opinion because not only does it take away wave-dashing, but even worse, it makes air-dodging spammable and it becomes way too easy to survive bad situations (especially with some characters having over-powered recoveries), which only further drags out the shallow gameplay.
    -The characters are NOT balanced btw, the movesets on newer characters feel uninspired and boring.
    -I believe that the true geniuses behind the Smash Bros. series were the guys from HAL Laboratories and certainly NOT Sakurai. As just a generic fighter however, and NOT as a Smash Bros. game, this game is pretty fun.    … Expand
  18. Jollyjoe1000
    Nov 22, 2015
    7
    I will be honest, this game was great and enjoyable when I got it for my birthday, but looking back on it,the graphics are not good, and the character roster is not good in variety.
  19. GaryFaulkDoesIt
    Jul 31, 2016
    7
    This game was kind of up in the air compared to Melee, but it was still a very solid game overall. The new engine does wreak havoc on the usefulness of some characters and there are many ways in which this is the game where the series started losing its old "arcade charm", it is still an enjoyable game.

    The best part of the game, however, is the single player mode. The Subspace Emissary    This game was kind of up in the air compared to Melee, but it was still a very solid game overall. The new engine does wreak havoc on the usefulness of some characters and there are many ways in which this is the game where the series started losing its old "arcade charm", it is still an enjoyable game.

    The best part of the game, however, is the single player mode. The Subspace Emissary is an extremely ambitious and interesting concept and practically a fantasy of anyone who grew up with Nintendo games. There were some issues with the writing of the mode's story, however it still remained very fun and cool.    … Expand
  20. ashketchum
    Feb 25, 2018
    7
    Brawl is a good game, but too often feels like some extra content added to melee. This should be played as a multiplayer game whenever possible. The single player, though it isn't bad, is a pain to trudge through at times, due to generic enemies, slow movement of characters, and a control scheme that doesn't feel right in the Subspace Emissary. However, it has updated graphics over melee,Brawl is a good game, but too often feels like some extra content added to melee. This should be played as a multiplayer game whenever possible. The single player, though it isn't bad, is a pain to trudge through at times, due to generic enemies, slow movement of characters, and a control scheme that doesn't feel right in the Subspace Emissary. However, it has updated graphics over melee, with some interesting character additions, like Pokemon Trainer and Sonic. A well-designed game, but it feels like it some areas could have been better.… Expand
  21. BeboFett
    Dec 19, 2018
    7
    A game that alone isn't so recommended, since its adventure mode is unattractive. The MultiPlayers will always be fun, it's a Smash, but it doesn't reach the quality of Melee.
  22. CalebTV
    Dec 21, 2018
    7
    This game has the worst gameplay of smash bros, other than the first one. But for that game it at least makes sense since it is the first in the franchise. It is slow and many mechanics in this game suck like tripping. Subspace emmisary is a boring slog, people only like it because of the cutscenes. The reason this has a 7 is because it, as always has great multiplayer. There is no pointThis game has the worst gameplay of smash bros, other than the first one. But for that game it at least makes sense since it is the first in the franchise. It is slow and many mechanics in this game suck like tripping. Subspace emmisary is a boring slog, people only like it because of the cutscenes. The reason this has a 7 is because it, as always has great multiplayer. There is no point in revisiting this game, although I would recommend it for younger kids. The roster was also great at the time.… Expand
  23. TheCraftingZomb
    Jun 22, 2019
    7
    To say it short, this is my least liked Smash Bros. game. It had an amazing graphic enhancement compared to melee and introduced characters that were unthinkable to join the smash roster such as Solid Snake and Sonic. A mechanic was added to only this game which was tripping. Tripping made the game less fun because you might be winning but then you trip and the other person gets a goodTo say it short, this is my least liked Smash Bros. game. It had an amazing graphic enhancement compared to melee and introduced characters that were unthinkable to join the smash roster such as Solid Snake and Sonic. A mechanic was added to only this game which was tripping. Tripping made the game less fun because you might be winning but then you trip and the other person gets a good combo making him/her take the lead. Overall Brawl felt slower than melee making competitive smash mostly still take place on Melee.… Expand
  24. VSLazer360
    Feb 15, 2023
    7
    Super Smash Bros Brawl was the first Smash game I played. it marked the beginning of my love for the Super Smash Bros series and piqued my interest into the competitive scene of which I am now a part of. It's nostalgic as all get out and I have fond memories of intense 1v1 fights between my brother to see who was better or blasting through the Subspace Emissary on a snow day when I wasSuper Smash Bros Brawl was the first Smash game I played. it marked the beginning of my love for the Super Smash Bros series and piqued my interest into the competitive scene of which I am now a part of. It's nostalgic as all get out and I have fond memories of intense 1v1 fights between my brother to see who was better or blasting through the Subspace Emissary on a snow day when I was home from school. I truly cannot thank this game enough for all the childhood memories I have with it and how it impacted my life, but man is this game flawed. Nintendo intentionally sabotaging the game's movement speed to discourage true competitive play also hurts casual play severely, I can never go back to the molasses slow gameplay of Brawl after playing games as smooth as Melee or Ultimate. Furthermore, while the story mode is really cool I think it's heavily carried by the cutscenes and the story it tells and not the actual gameplay of it. If I wanted to play a side scroller where every enemy that hits you does an insane amount of knockback and just are incredibly annoying to fight, I'd play a Mega-Man game. While Brawl was certainly revolutionary and a big part of my childhood, I can still see a lot of its flaws through my rose-tinted glasses.… Expand
  25. StavrosGR12
    May 15, 2023
    7
    The story mode is perfect but the game is an 7 because of Meta Knight and tripping
  26. turbo_dweeb
    Aug 24, 2023
    7
    this game is great for the soul purpouse of the extras like the coin shooting game, the giant roster of trophies, and the subspace emmisary. the only issue is that the balancing is off in numerous ways while also failing to follow up on the tight and swift combat of melee... i just think that this game gets worse with time while melee ages like gold.
  27. JoeL.
    Apr 30, 2008
    6
    Not very fun. The game does not have the same feel as the older smash bros. I tried playing it for a while but lost interest.
  28. RoyM.
    May 22, 2008
    6
    SO overrated. Most new features aren't good. Online is awful.
  29. StanleyW
    Dec 25, 2008
    6
    Fun until you realize that many characters are imbalanced. I've had the game for a year now, and there are ridiculous moves that cannot be countered. I hoped that they'd fix these, but there have been no changes to the game. The SSB series are dead, they are trying to add too many characters and there isn't enough balance.
  30. guhh
    Dec 26, 2008
    6
    The game basically felt like an expansion to melee with a worst fighting engine. I felt they downgraded the competitive nature of melee for the casuals. Melee had great technical aspects that were lacking from Brawl. The game is basically unplayable online too due to massive lag which is a huge disappointment being the first in the series to go online. The subspace emmisionary was very The game basically felt like an expansion to melee with a worst fighting engine. I felt they downgraded the competitive nature of melee for the casuals. Melee had great technical aspects that were lacking from Brawl. The game is basically unplayable online too due to massive lag which is a huge disappointment being the first in the series to go online. The subspace emmisionary was very shallow to the point where it was a chore to finish. The game does boast impressive CGI animation though. All in all, the game was alright but could have been so much more. The only reason to pick this up is to play with friends on one console.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best Wii Game of 2008
1
#1 Most Discussed Wii Game of 2008
1
#1 Most Shared Wii Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
93

Universal acclaim - based on 81 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 80 out of 81
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 81
  3. Negative: 0 out of 81
  1. Thunderbolt
    100
    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.
    Read full review
  2. Nintendo Power
    100
    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]
  3. Gameplayer
    100
    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.
    Read full review
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