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. NegativePro
    Apr 25, 2013
    8
    While this is the best fighting game series out on the nintendo consoles, brawl was probably one of my least favorites. While I admit that the graphics and the map/character quality is just amazing. The game has some mechanics that bring it down.

    To start off, the controls will be a problem for you unless you play with either a gamecube or a classic controller, so those who have never    While this is the best fighting game series out on the nintendo consoles, brawl was probably one of my least favorites. While I admit that the graphics and the map/character quality is just amazing. The game has some mechanics that bring it down.

    To start off, the controls will be a problem for you unless you play with either a gamecube or a classic controller, so those who have never played the previous SSB games are gonna have a hard time to get used to this one. And a few characters moves can be cheap and broken. (Meta Knight) And while nintendo did try to nerf some in a few updates, it still didn't even it out, some of my favorite characters are once again, banned from competitive play. Replay value can be low after a little while, but I still stuck with it to where I unlocked every character's trophies in classic mode. And now their are stickers you can collect along with trophies, and the story mode titled "Subspace Emissary" uses stickers to increase character stats and other features, giving the story mode more of an RPG element, but it's not necessary to do this. I was able to beat the story without using any stickers at all.

    Online play..... Well unless your playing with Friends, don't bother, the random opponent servers are cruddy, their are major drops in frames for certain seconds, especially when performing a final smash.

    And some minor elements ruin the fighting elements, such tripping when sprinting at certain points. And only the experts at the games platforming are able to obtain the smash ball, but at least it's not as bad as having a meter requiring to build up to perform your final smash.

    But over all, Brawl still keeps it's best elements and still fun with friends. And I'm excited for the next one on the Wii U and 3DS.    … Expand
  2. AtomicLugia
    Aug 29, 2013
    8
    By far the best selling fighting game ever! It ha soo many contents! Lots of stages, characters, music and more! One of the best features is the Stage Builder. Yes, you can create your own stages! And there's much, much more! You can play it online, too! But 2 things of SSBB sucks: First, the annoying AI that are always going after YOU. Even if they aren't teamed up! And they're usingBy far the best selling fighting game ever! It ha soo many contents! Lots of stages, characters, music and more! One of the best features is the Stage Builder. Yes, you can create your own stages! And there's much, much more! You can play it online, too! But 2 things of SSBB sucks: First, the annoying AI that are always going after YOU. Even if they aren't teamed up! And they're using their final smashs always on you, too! The other but smaller bad thing is the online mode, because this might by laggy.… Expand
  3. Kazek7
    Feb 11, 2015
    8
    Brawl Is a very strong Title for Super smash brothers, It added A LOT of content, Such as stage builder, Many new characters, and an adventure/story with very good cutscenes, Although I find the enemies dumb and I don't like the platforming aspect of it. Multiplayer was alright while it was still up, a bit of lag here and there. The smash ball is an awesome new addition as well. If youBrawl Is a very strong Title for Super smash brothers, It added A LOT of content, Such as stage builder, Many new characters, and an adventure/story with very good cutscenes, Although I find the enemies dumb and I don't like the platforming aspect of it. Multiplayer was alright while it was still up, a bit of lag here and there. The smash ball is an awesome new addition as well. If you don't own this game, and you have a Wii, You should take the walk of shame to a Game store and buy it already!

    Once you have played this game, You will also have played Smash Bros for the Wii U. If you plan on buying the sequel, be prepared for disappointment should you go down this path.    … Expand
  4. ThatRetroGamer
    Mar 16, 2014
    8
    Pretty fun, but the previous games are (in my opinion) better. It's probably my nostalgia blindness, though. I also didn't like this game's online multiplayer or story. Third party characters are a good idea, but were OP. I have (or had) my own requests for third party characters in the next one, but it aint happenin'
  5. TaraDarveaux
    Jun 5, 2014
    8
    A great game with friends and siblings. Especially because it's a button mash game, and all ages can have fun with it. There are a wide selection of characters and it makes for interesting matches. Story mode was also surprisingly fun.
  6. EremitaJ
    Aug 4, 2014
    8
    How to say all that's already been said? By repeating it. SMBB is an awesome game, a great fighter with some of the most interesting characters ever put on a game where you beat the hell out of your friends. It's a great game and it's better enjoyed with some good company.
  7. Beastprogamer
    Aug 30, 2015
    8
    The third SSB game: Super Smash Bros. Brawl is one of THE BEST games I have ever played in my life. The loading speed is slow at times but the features make up for it. The SSE is awesome. The character selection is okay. Wolf and Ice Climbers (Nana and Popo) are awesome. The graphics are really great for the Wii. Solo mode is okay. The stages are very cool and well designed. The MeleeThe third SSB game: Super Smash Bros. Brawl is one of THE BEST games I have ever played in my life. The loading speed is slow at times but the features make up for it. The SSE is awesome. The character selection is okay. Wolf and Ice Climbers (Nana and Popo) are awesome. The graphics are really great for the Wii. Solo mode is okay. The stages are very cool and well designed. The Melee stages are cool, my favourite is either Jungle Japes or Temple. This game also has THE best music selection in any SSB game in my opinion along with SSB4. The controls are okay except it is sometimes I mess up. Super Smash Bros. Brawl is one of the best games of All-Time in my opinion and is my second favourite in the series, and if you hate Super Smash Bros. Brawl, you are way BEYOND silly as JB. I highly recommend it because it is fantastic.… Expand
  8. Termin8ter
    Feb 1, 2016
    8
    Super Smash Bros: Brawl is a very fun game, tying up classic Nintendo and even GameCube characters, like Mario, Link, and even Solid Snake. The gameplay of Brawl is all about knocking your opponent(s) off the stage. The fighting is fast and fun, never gets old, and always leaves you wanting more. The campaign is very mediocre, and that is the main reason this game doesn't get a 9. AnotherSuper Smash Bros: Brawl is a very fun game, tying up classic Nintendo and even GameCube characters, like Mario, Link, and even Solid Snake. The gameplay of Brawl is all about knocking your opponent(s) off the stage. The fighting is fast and fun, never gets old, and always leaves you wanting more. The campaign is very mediocre, and that is the main reason this game doesn't get a 9. Another reason is that its very easy to get caught in an unblockable overpowered combo, leaving you very frustrated, making you yell and scream so loud that your big brother will always remind you for the rest of your life. Anyway, Super Smash Bros is a must- buy if you own a Wii. If you don't, there are other fighting games for your PS3 and XBOX 360, like Tekken and Street fighter.… Expand
  9. PeterAlexander
    Jan 6, 2016
    8
    With the addition of great characters, better maps, improved gameplay and graphics, Super Smash Bros Brawl was an improvement on the already awesome last instalment.
  10. JWMG
    Jan 8, 2016
    8
    this game is not as good as the previous one ill admit that but this is still a great game cool new characters real easy to unlock everything (characters and stages) and final smashs are a cool thing to look at but don't play competitive with them
  11. Shadow1
    May 15, 2016
    8
    Best Fighting on Super Smash Bros series . In this game has got not only Nintendo characters , but and Sega characters , Solid Snake . Super Smash Bros Brawl and MK VS DC Universe are the best fighting games of 2008 . SSBB has got good graphics and in this game isnt a shame to spend a lot of hours . Good Fighting . 8/10 .
  12. Phantomias
    May 3, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A good game that makes much fun. The story mode is interesting but in the end to long. The big line-up off different character's is good, but the balance between the fighter's and the game-play is not as good as the one from melee… Expand
  13. FilemonBR
    Aug 22, 2016
    8
    É um bom jogo, mas achei o modo historia chato e cansativo, e comprando com o melee, vimos como ele é infererior, porem ainda é um otimo jogo, tambem a falhas no online
  14. reviewfrom19842
    Mar 18, 2017
    8
    Fun .
  15. dislexicpotato
    Dec 18, 2018
    8
    A great fighting game with tons of ideas and really fun gameplay overall. Subspace Emissary is the highlight of this game with incredible cutscenes.
  16. DarwinMC99
    Jul 5, 2017
    8
    Super Smash Bros Brawl, es esa tercera entrega que no daña la franquicia, a diferencia de las películas como ha pasado con spiderman, xmen e incluso star wars, brawl te ofrece la mejor experiencia smash bros hasta la fecha incluso supera las entregas de 3DS y Wii U, que aunque ofrecen nuevos personajes y escenarios, las mecánicas no presentan gran mejora con respecto al anterior, esteSuper Smash Bros Brawl, es esa tercera entrega que no daña la franquicia, a diferencia de las películas como ha pasado con spiderman, xmen e incluso star wars, brawl te ofrece la mejor experiencia smash bros hasta la fecha incluso supera las entregas de 3DS y Wii U, que aunque ofrecen nuevos personajes y escenarios, las mecánicas no presentan gran mejora con respecto al anterior, este juego es una obra maestra entre los juegos de peleas de plataformas, esta a la altura de los grandes títulos del genero, y esta tan pulido que no puedes aburrirte de jugarlo nunca, te ofrece una experiencia en solitario única en su clase, con un modo historia que te envuelve hasta el final, una gran variedad de personajes a elegir, opciones de personalización de combates en los que tu pones las reglas del juego, y la experiencia multiplayer enriquece mas todo lo que este smash tiene para darte, ya sea local o jugando online, es una experiencia única en su clase, sin embargo fallos de conexión online y no aprovechar las características de control de movimiento de wii le resta puntos para calificarlo como un juego perfecto, pero aun así es uno de los juegos top que tiene la wii y es una de las franquicias vende consolas que tiene nintendo para hacerse lugar en el mercado.… Expand
  17. TaipeiJoey
    Jul 20, 2017
    8
    Cons? It's the worst smash bros (not counting 64). However, being a not so good smash game still means it's quite a solid game. Final score: 8 smash balls/10
  18. Sausage22
    Nov 7, 2017
    8
    My favourite game as a kid, but only with Project M mod it becomes good Smash game. Without it it's way worse gameplay ways, but still have subspace emissary and a lot of content and things to do. Wouldn't play it today, but back in the day that was my favourite game of all time.
  19. Ernest_Figueroa
    Nov 11, 2019
    8
    Excelente modo historia, visualmente extraordinario. A mi parecer la lentitud de los golpes está mal llevada, se volvió extremadamente técnico, la esquivada infinita en el aire es desastrosa para el juego, básicamente el que está en la plataforma tiene ventaja por sobre el que está en el aire, el combate aéreo está encajonado para algunos personajes, redujeron la fuerza de variosExcelente modo historia, visualmente extraordinario. A mi parecer la lentitud de los golpes está mal llevada, se volvió extremadamente técnico, la esquivada infinita en el aire es desastrosa para el juego, básicamente el que está en la plataforma tiene ventaja por sobre el que está en el aire, el combate aéreo está encajonado para algunos personajes, redujeron la fuerza de varios personajes, peach fue la más afectada y mi personaje favorito, ahora solo es un bonito adorno.… Expand
  20. Bitbat
    Apr 28, 2019
    8
    I did not own Super Smash Bros Melee so when I was young I got this game, I absolutely love it and will keep on playing. The stage builder, in my opinion is slightly better than the one on wii u because you can out backgrounds and parts that allow your stage to look really cool.
    My favourite mode in this game would probably be the Adventure mode, they brought it back in Ultimate however    I did not own Super Smash Bros Melee so when I was young I got this game, I absolutely love it and will keep on playing. The stage builder, in my opinion is slightly better than the one on wii u because you can out backgrounds and parts that allow your stage to look really cool.
    My favourite mode in this game would probably be the Adventure mode, they brought it back in Ultimate however this one I played hours and hours of using overpowered characters. Sadly I never got to finish it.
    The modes like Brawl, Home run contest are great as usual, however with the tripping part and the new mechanics that they introduced this is probably the worst if you were to do a competitive tournament on it.    … Expand
  21. kzaccaro
    Jan 14, 2019
    8
    I think this is still a strong game but doesn't hold up as well as the other games. Some problems I have with it include the physics being too floaty and some features like the stage builder and story mode being a bit lacking. However, it still overcomes this by virtue of it being a Smash Bros. game.
  22. clem666
    May 5, 2021
    8
    Controls, animations and graphics are terrific. It is a real pleasure to manipulate all these varied characters without effort even if 'Super Smah Bros. Brawl' definitely is part of that 'easy to learn - hard to master' category of games. The soundtrack is iconic (and thank you so much Internet for bringing it back to life as a meme - "Smash Bros Meme joins the battle!"). As if it weren'tControls, animations and graphics are terrific. It is a real pleasure to manipulate all these varied characters without effort even if 'Super Smah Bros. Brawl' definitely is part of that 'easy to learn - hard to master' category of games. The soundtrack is iconic (and thank you so much Internet for bringing it back to life as a meme - "Smash Bros Meme joins the battle!"). As if it weren't not enough easter eggs in the game itself! It sometimes looks as a perfect Nintendo museum!

    Story mode is astonishing and punctuated by amazingly epic cinematics. It is perfect to begin the game with it so it forces you to play different characters. They are really interesting to play but yeah, they also are not well-balanced unfortunately. Bosses are more than memorable, collectibles are fun to get even if there are way too many of them. Objects also are great to use. Multiplayer mode could have been way better. Maps are varied and truly fun to discover.    … Expand
  23. DarCbrGr
    Jun 26, 2021
    8
    This was one of the first Wii games I ever played. I played it for the first time at my best friend Jack's house. I played as Snake and was the first one to lose all my stock. It was only up from there lol.
  24. Cless
    Aug 2, 2020
    8
    Brawl is a very flawed Smash game, but still really fun. It is probably the least entry I played (not counting 64) but I love the roster of characters and is still a blast to play with friends.
  25. NintendoFan9501
    Jul 19, 2020
    8
    It has the best story out of any smash bros. game by far, with a great chaacter slection, and lots of great side things, like stage builder, and versing 100 cpu's!
  26. BowLL
    Nov 23, 2020
    8
    this game isn't that bad, it's quality is good and it's pretty fun with friends. i had fun playing this game as a kid, and i will likely never forget that after replaying it months ago. it was amazing playing it again after a long time.
  27. weeb122
    Dec 30, 2020
    8
    Absolutely underrated nowadays. Sure, the competitive side of it isn't that balanced, but since its gone it doesn't matter and the new characters make it even better.

    My Main: Ness
  28. junkykunky
    Feb 8, 2021
    8
    This is a really good game a great game enfact. The reason this game is so good is because of the story mode the story really feels like a massive cross over and the addition of sonic and snake in the game this is a pretty good game. This game gets a lot of slack from the melee community for being completely different to its predecessor with all the tripping and slowness and i get it'sThis is a really good game a great game enfact. The reason this game is so good is because of the story mode the story really feels like a massive cross over and the addition of sonic and snake in the game this is a pretty good game. This game gets a lot of slack from the melee community for being completely different to its predecessor with all the tripping and slowness and i get it's annoying but if you look past that it can be a great game especially with it's campaign i suggest picking it up if you have a wii.… Expand
  29. PeteyPirahna
    Feb 17, 2022
    8
    8/10
    The game that is once hated. I'm surprised that the user score isn't 2.0.
  30. RandowGuy
    May 16, 2022
    8
    Vou descrever esse jogo em poucas palavras: Muito conteúdo, Muita Diversão e Péssimo jogo competitivo.
  31. DolphinReviews
    Jul 20, 2022
    8
    Brawl's roster is amazing. Newcomer's Sonic and Snake are some great additions. Compared to Ultimate, Brawl's gameplay is far weaker. The Subspace Emissary really carries this to an 8. The amount of cutscenes and unique never seen before interactions that happen is simply awesome.
  32. Cakiws
    Apr 30, 2023
    8
    This game has a pretty cool story mode, graphics, the music are very great, the nerfed of the characters is one of these issues, meta knight is very broken, easily the best character of the game. but overall is a great game.
  33. ilovegamedemos8
    May 12, 2023
    8
    the funnest smash game, the jank makes this game hilarious, i have never had more fun laughing at my wii ever... i would like to leave you with one word which i believe makes this game so fun and funny... warioman
  34. 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
  35. 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
  36. 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
  37. 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
  38. 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
  39. 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.
  40. 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
  41. 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
  42. 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
  43. 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
  44. 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.
  45. 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
  46. 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
  47. 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.
  48. 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.
  49. 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
  50. 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
  51. 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.
  52. 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
  53. 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
  54. 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.
  55. 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
  56. 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
  57. 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
  58. StavrosGR12
    May 15, 2023
    7
    The story mode is perfect but the game is an 7 because of Meta Knight and tripping
  59. 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.
  60. 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.
  61. RoyM.
    May 22, 2008
    6
    SO overrated. Most new features aren't good. Online is awful.
  62. 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.
  63. 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
  64. JRcade
    Nov 15, 2010
    6
    I believe the game is getting forgiven too easily. Fun game? Yes. Re-playability? Long. But how much of that time will you actually enjoy it? The addition of a story mode extends gameplay and is primary to anything else. However once completing the story your playtime will soon degrade into random matches, and challenges that can all be completed as well. This is TRULY a multiplayer title;I believe the game is getting forgiven too easily. Fun game? Yes. Re-playability? Long. But how much of that time will you actually enjoy it? The addition of a story mode extends gameplay and is primary to anything else. However once completing the story your playtime will soon degrade into random matches, and challenges that can all be completed as well. This is TRULY a multiplayer title; I cannot find myself playing this game unless friends are with me, so being a loner will cost you. If your one for repetition to a slight change, then by all means this is your game. Otherwise you'll eventually tire of singular like experience and choose something else.… Expand
  65. Ztride
    Jan 20, 2012
    6
    Apart from the fact that the game features lots of great nintendo & co characters, maps and music, there isn't really much that this game has to offer. Mediocre gameplay and combat, below average visuals (as with the majority of wii games) and a terrible singleplayer campaign.
  66. Zero2k
    Dec 25, 2011
    6
    The multi-player experience is undeniably one of the best you'll ever battle online opponents or friends with. The rest of the game, although challenging, does not prove to have the same level of enjoyment
  67. rubin
    Apr 5, 2012
    6
    This was my first Smash Bros. game and... I wasn't impressed. If you don't own a classic controller you're pretty much screwed, as the controls on Wiimote are some of the worst I have ever seen. The graphics and music are very nice, but the constant flashes and explosions HURT the eyes so much that I had to take a break every 1 hour of gameplay. Nevertheless, I played through the entireThis was my first Smash Bros. game and... I wasn't impressed. If you don't own a classic controller you're pretty much screwed, as the controls on Wiimote are some of the worst I have ever seen. The graphics and music are very nice, but the constant flashes and explosions HURT the eyes so much that I had to take a break every 1 hour of gameplay. Nevertheless, I played through the entire single player mode and it was rather average. It is a sort-off platformer game where you unlock different characters and collect stuff like stickers. Multiplayer *might* be better, but I personally didn't manage to get out much of it. Online has been completely empty every time I went on, while playing locally with my brother got old very fast (mostly due to the fact that one of us had to use the dreaded Wii Remote). Simply not worth the money, sorry.… Expand
  68. bellonman
    Mar 12, 2017
    6
    This game was a huge disappointment and a huge step down from it's predecessors. The game is slow and the controls are clunky. Character selection is vast, but lacks balance between the characters. Still fun with a group, but just doesn't give me the same feeling i got from melee and smash 64.
  69. aditya1101
    Jan 26, 2018
    6
    I know it’s hip to hate on brawl, but the more I get into the other smash games, the more I realize how boring it is to play or watch brawl. It’s a game that rewards really formulaic and uninteresting play, and no matter how many subspace emissaries you add, that just really holds this game back.
  70. SteveR.
    Jun 27, 2008
    5
    I was looking forward to this, and was sucked in the hype. Its essentially a platform game, where you run back, forth and jump. It doesn't really utilize the Wii's #D, 360 degree play capability. There are better games out there.
  71. ChrisM.
    Mar 8, 2008
    5
    More casual pick-up-n-play trash from Ninty. They've abandoned the hardcore gamers who made them famous.
  72. RichG.
    Mar 9, 2008
    5
    Big upset for me, the controls for the Wii controller were average at best. Its just like melee just that it has some new characters and new stages. Even the players that were here before had the exact same moves, it wasn't what it sounded like in all the advertisements. Don't get the game until its price goes down or if you must get it get it used.
  73. EricBollinger
    Aug 23, 2009
    5
    This is a good game. I liked it when I rented it, but when I finally bought it, I just got bored too quickly. The story mode is nice and long, but the actual story is just to ridiculous to follow, and the maze level is plain stupid. I like the variety of characters, but some just seem to be complete fan service (I mean, seriously, Wolf?) The fighting is very fun, but if you aren'tThis is a good game. I liked it when I rented it, but when I finally bought it, I just got bored too quickly. The story mode is nice and long, but the actual story is just to ridiculous to follow, and the maze level is plain stupid. I like the variety of characters, but some just seem to be complete fan service (I mean, seriously, Wolf?) The fighting is very fun, but if you aren't playing local multiplayer, it just gets monotonous. Don't get me wrong, this is NOT a bad game, it's just I can't really recommend it.… Expand
  74. FedorE.
    Mar 18, 2008
    5
    i'll preface by saying smash bros melee is still my favortive game on the cube. but I'm not impressed w/ brawl. the graphics look more aliased than the gc version, but now there's load screens. i haven't yet found a lag free online game, and no wifi stats bothers me. the wiimote controls are terrible. you basically need to attach a gc controller to play properly. i'll preface by saying smash bros melee is still my favortive game on the cube. but I'm not impressed w/ brawl. the graphics look more aliased than the gc version, but now there's load screens. i haven't yet found a lag free online game, and no wifi stats bothers me. the wiimote controls are terrible. you basically need to attach a gc controller to play properly. i'm disappointed with all additions except for the new characters.… Expand
  75. DylanR.
    Mar 22, 2008
    5
    An allright game, fun multiplayer, lame one player. But the problem is this is the EXACT same game I bought 7 years ago for the gamecube. Sure there are a few very minor improvements but these are truly just minor additions that could have neem added in a mod. For all the delays and hype I was expecting something amazing and new but received something mediocore and old
  76. SpartianGamer1342
    Mar 25, 2008
    5
    This game sucks. Halo has better fps controls, better graphics, better online, a larger selection of guns.
  77. Requiem1160
    Sep 22, 2009
    5
    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 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.… Expand
  78. DylanM.
    Mar 11, 2008
    5
    Not even close to Melee in terms of fun, but production values are through the roof.
  79. INTERWEBUSER
    Mar 13, 2008
    5
    Super Smash Bros. Brawl, also known as Dairantou Smash Brothers X in Japan (which this review is based off of) is one of the most anticipated titles ever in the history of video games. It is often glorified to be Nintendo's representative game, the one masterpiece where all of its flagship characters and rich history all come together in one ultimate package. Unfortunately, beyond Super Smash Bros. Brawl, also known as Dairantou Smash Brothers X in Japan (which this review is based off of) is one of the most anticipated titles ever in the history of video games. It is often glorified to be Nintendo's representative game, the one masterpiece where all of its flagship characters and rich history all come together in one ultimate package. Unfortunately, beyond the shiny cover and massive hype, Brawl is a title that has evolved minimally in the past seven years, stripped away many good features, and taken several steps backwards from its predecessors. The core of the game is what you've come to expect: a four-player brawl featuring your favorite Nintendo characters, as well as two third-party newcomers, Snake and Sonic. Each character has an array of regular attacks, B-button Smashes, and a special move known as a Final Smash. The Final Smash is, essentially, almost an assured one-hit K.O. to one's opponents. The only catch is that in order to use it, one must break a rainbow-colored item called the Smash Ball. The Smash Ball flies around the arena, is hard to capture, and takes quite a few beatings before its effects can be applied to a character. In most cases, the Final Smash is a cheap, extremely overpowered item, except it takes even less skill to use than, for example, the Hammer in the original Smash. It's almost impossible to dodge a Pokemon Trainer's Triple Finish on a flat stage, whereas with a hammer, one actually has to chase after his opponents and make contact with them to take advantage of it. Final Smashes aside, the game plays largely identically to its two predecessors, with minor differences due to the new physics engine. While some E for All game show attendees have expressed concerns about the game feeling slower-paced than Melee, players will get used to it, and this should not be a major issue to non-competitive players. The Brawl character lineup features a total of 35 fighters, 21 of which are available from the start and 14 which need to be unlocked. The 20 veteran fighters have largely retained their original movesets, and clones still have not been done away with. While the lineup (which will not be spoiled here) has drawn massive criticism for its character selection, I will not dwell on that. My obsession over the lineup is actually quite limited, as I care more about what they have to bring to the table in terms of gameplay. Of these 35 fighters, only three have actually added any new strategic elements to the franchise: Zero Suit Samus, whose transformation adds a speed vs. power, long-range vs. short-range tradeoff; Pokemon Trainer, whose three rotating Pokemon, each with their own limited stamina, require thinking ahead to use effectively; and Captain Olimar, whose multicolored Pikmin all have their individual strengths and weaknesses. The rest, especially ones such as Sonic, were included in Brawl largely for fanservice and add little to the gameplay. There are 41 arenas to fight on, ten of which were taken directly from Melee. Disappointingly, they are nothing you wouldn't have come to expect: there are vertically-scrolling stages; there are horizontally-scrolling stages; there are stages with environmental hazards; and there are stages that move around various spots in a larger area. All of these ideas have been done before. Rumble Falls feels like Icicle Mountain redux. There's Norfair with its rising and falling lava, similar to Brinstar in Melee. The Mute City stage in Melee that takes you on around a giant F-Zero racetrack with several stops is now back again in the form of Port City. While there is a stage editor, it is quite restrictive and does not allow you to make elaborate arenas like the official ones: you're limited to a static 10x12 grid with limited interactive elements. The Wi-Fi battle options are far from flawless: searching for players can take up to minutes (though there is a Sandbag you can perform your moves on to alleviate the waiting time); tedious friend code-entering is required to battle your friends (though this is a global complaint for Nintendo's Wi-Fi titles, not just Brawl); and there is sometimes a bit of lag during battle. Subspace Emissary, the highlight of Brawl's single-player modes, is little more than a glorified, extended Adventure Mode. The gameplay still consists of long, sidescrolling sections interleaved with occasional brawls and, at the end of each world, a boss battle. These boss battles are taken directly from the characters' representative franchises and include favorites such as Petey Piranha from Mario and Rayquaza from Pokemon. These boss battles are the high point of SSE, but outside of these battles, the gameplay is still very limited and similar to that of its predecessors. You defeat enemies in your way, jump over obstacles, and collect fallen items along your path. The plot, written by Nojima Kazushige of Final Fantasy fame, relies on cutscenes instead of dialogue and is often times confusing and ambiguous, especially the resolution (which, again, won't be spoiled here.) Subspace can take up to 6-10 hours for a first playthrough, depending on the difficulty level, and doing so unlocks most of the hidden characters. After beating it once to 100% completion, there is little incentive to play through it again, unless you want maximize your high score or fight against CPUs with more hit points. Classic Mode may as well have been ported over directly from Melee. Once again, you have about 12 stages with bonus levels scattered once every few matches and culminating with the Master Hand's showdown. As you'd have come to expect, the stages are nothing new, consisting of the same old objectives: 1 vs. 1, 2 vs. 2, 1 vs. multiple, 1 vs. metal, and multiple vs. 1 giant character. Master Hand uses the exact same attacks as in Melee and even has the same hit points for each difficulty setting. This time, the only bonus level is Target Smash. Snag the Trophies, Race to the Finish, and Board the Platforms are nowhere to be seen, and the few Target Smash stages are now shared amongst all characters, instead of each character having his/her own unique stage as in 64 and Melee. The varied, sometimes wacky bonuses that appear upon clearing each stage in Melee (and whose collection led to unlocking the most prized trophy, the Diskun) have also been removed: one's score is now entirely dependent on the time remaining and damage dealt. Events are still largely the same old, with two notable changes. First, there are now 60 or so events, a third of which are designated as multiplayer "coop" events, which you complete with the assistance of your friend. Second, the events now have difficulty settings. Objectives include simply defeating one or more CPUs, defeating CPU(s) within a certain time, and racing to the end of a side-scrolling stage: in other words, nothing we haven't seen before. The coop seems tacked-on and unnecessary, and many of these 2P events could have easily been 1P events if you didn't care to do more fighting on your own. Similarly, the Home Run Contest and Multi-Man Brawl options are the same as in Melee, except now with coop. While coop in Home Run Contest has allowed for strategic combos and even greater records, the coop in Multi-Man does not really add much to the gameplay for similar reasons as with Events. Multi-Man consists of the same modes: 10-man and 100-man, speed tests in which the player tries to defeat a set number of CPUs in the fastest time possible; 3-minute, 15-minute, and Endless Brawl, endurance tests in which the player tries to defeat as many CPUs as possible in the allotted time limit; and Cruel Brawl, a mode that features CPUs at the highest difficulty. The rest of the Vault's features feel extremely tacked on. If you recall the weird trophy-unlocking requirements in Melee that no one would ever have thought of, they're now in their own Challenges section. The game now outlines the exact objectives you need to complete to unlock a certain trophy or collectible. Masterpieces, which are time-limited demos of Nintendo classics like Super Mario Bros. and Star Fox 64, serve little purpose except to advertise the Wii's Virtual Console. Chronicle is little more than a laundry list of titles Nintendo has released in its almost 30 year game-making history; you may as well head directly to Nintendo.com's game list for the most up-to-date and comprehensive database. The quality of Brawl's soundtrack is quite varied. There is the main theme, complete with vocals, which truly gives the game an epic feel. It appears on the menu and at least a dozen remixes of it exist, including a dark, sinister version of it on Final Destination. While there are a lot of selections in My Music to choose from, about half are just taken directly from old games, while the other half consists of remixes of dubious quality. Simply put, many of the remixes, while arranged by famed composers, do not really do their originals justice. The fast-paced, cheery-sounding Ocarina of Time medley would have sounded out of place in the original game. The Song of Time in the medley lacks the ethereal, somewhat sorrowful mood within the Temple of Time. Saria's Song, which should evoke a melancholy feeling of a lost friend, is strikingly unfitting when played at such a fast tempo. In addition, the transitions between the various ocarina songs seem forced and do not flow well. The slow, sinister castle theme from Super Mario World was converted into an upbeat techno track. Nearly all of the music appears to be synthesized, not recorded by a live orchestra, as was the case in Super Mario Galaxy. Brawl's soundtrack is a prime example where nostalgia or quantity does not imply quality. At the end of the day, it all boils down to one verdict: too much rehashing, and too little "new" content, filler aside. Of course, there's the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," but personally, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment. Franchises are meant to evolve, especially a 10-year-old one like Smash Bros. For those who wanted a Melee 1.1, that's great, but I'd rather have stuck to the original instead of shelling out another $50 for a limited upgrade.… Expand
  80. Review9
    Aug 23, 2010
    5
    Brawl to be me is just a crappy version of melee, i traded in brawl and i still have a crap load of fun playing the game cube classic. I give brawl a 5.8.
  81. GamerLucario101
    Jul 9, 2011
    5
    I have to say it's an astonishingly magnificent work of art, but I got bored almost as soon as I finished everything in about a month or less. I just don't feel it's any better than most other games released on the wii. Unless you have some friends over, this game is a total disappointment (and don't even try to compete online).
  82. RuneScapian
    Jan 29, 2012
    5
    Although this game is great for both casual and hardcore gamers, don't expect great things from this game. One of the major drawbacks is the incredibly inbalanced character roster. I'd take a balanced roster over a large roster anyday. The replay value is "meh". The music can be boring, and the stage creator isn't worth trying. Although there is some replay value, this game is not reallyAlthough this game is great for both casual and hardcore gamers, don't expect great things from this game. One of the major drawbacks is the incredibly inbalanced character roster. I'd take a balanced roster over a large roster anyday. The replay value is "meh". The music can be boring, and the stage creator isn't worth trying. Although there is some replay value, this game is not really worth your money at all unless you're a Nintendo/Smash Bros. fan.… Expand
  83. PillowChew
    Jul 2, 2012
    5
    Ill give this game a meh, the game is fun, I'd admit that, but there are too many characters that outclass others, Plus, there are final smashes that are useful, while other are useless as crap. Nintendo needs to do some huge balance changes.
  84. Sonic12403
    Mar 29, 2021
    5
    It is the weakest in the Super Smash Bros. series, but Brawl has a ton of effort and fan service for not only Nintendo fans, but video game fans as a whole.
  85. KentL.
    Jun 30, 2008
    4
    It's not a bad game, but it's not a Wii game either. It could work equally on any platform. It takes no advantage of the controls glory that makes the Wii the Wii. In fact, although you could play it with with both the regular controller and the nunchuck, my family finds it easier to play with just the regular controller horizontally as if it was a 1980s through early 00s It's not a bad game, but it's not a Wii game either. It could work equally on any platform. It takes no advantage of the controls glory that makes the Wii the Wii. In fact, although you could play it with with both the regular controller and the nunchuck, my family finds it easier to play with just the regular controller horizontally as if it was a 1980s through early 00s controller! The game is either just a player version player on one screen (ala Rampage) or a solo player side to side w/ slight vertical scrolling platform game. The graphics are good and some of the character animations are attractive. Playing as chars from various games is mildly pleasant but the game does little to deepen them as characters. The sound is average as is the game play for a scroller. I hate the controls. Nothing is more frustrating when I go to shoot left but instead and shooting right, completely missing the target. And don't get me started on trying to jump and not actually jumping. I think the game is fine although I wouldn't have purchased it knowing that's what it is.… Expand
  86. AndreB.
    May 13, 2008
    4
    They managed to create a button masher for the system that was supposed to end button mashing. The game is fun for about 5 minutes, until you realize it never actually gets any deeper than doing the same moves over and over and over.
  87. PeterC
    Jul 22, 2008
    4
    Can't remember when I've been more disspointed with a game. The single player is entertaining for about 4 hours, but becomes a chore pretty quick. But of course, this game is all about the multiplayer, but guess what? ONLINE WITH STRANGERS IS COMPLETELY UNPLAYABLE. Even with friends you'll find there's often one person who will lag the game so much it is unplayable. So Can't remember when I've been more disspointed with a game. The single player is entertaining for about 4 hours, but becomes a chore pretty quick. But of course, this game is all about the multiplayer, but guess what? ONLINE WITH STRANGERS IS COMPLETELY UNPLAYABLE. Even with friends you'll find there's often one person who will lag the game so much it is unplayable. So unless you know a bunch of people who will come round to play regularly, or you know people who own wiis and the game and can organize to play then it's a waste of money. But even then, as I mentioned it often lags like hell, (and then controls are so unresponsive so the game is simply no fun) My internet connection runs a stead 5-6MB/sec, but I literally cannot get a game against strangers. If I try random games it just searches and searches. Maybe 10 minutes later it might set a game up, but it lags so bad it's just ludicrous. It's not my router or anything else like that- just a problem with nintendo servers I guess. Not only that but when playing against random people, you're not allowed to change options. Its a 2 minute brawl every time. Fortunately I was able to swap this game at the shop a week later. I pity the suckers who got screwed by this. Just google search SSBB and lag and you'll find zillions of people with the problem. So if you expect Brawl to be LIKE EVERY OTHER COMEPTITVE ONLINE GAME IN EXISTENCE where you can just pick it up and play with people whenever you like, prepare for a shock... Graphics sound and gameplay are all amazing. Pity that the thing that makes an online game like this worth buying and playing doesn't actually work. for 90% of the people who buy this game.… Expand
  88. PresenT.
    Mar 18, 2008
    4
    This game was fantastic 5 years ago, but I don't accept a recycled game with a few new characters. Online isn't customizable, character list is now very unbalanced, and the new modes leave so much to be desired. Sorry Nintendo, you've seemed to fool everyone else, but not me. Shallow, a failure at best.
  89. Brent
    Mar 19, 2008
    4
    Wow, I do not see what is so great about this game. I played it for a few hours the other day and it feels and looks the same as the gamecube version a few years ago. It's so repetative and simple it gets boring after a short time. It doesn't even make use of the motion sensors. In my opinion this has got to be one of the most over rated games of all time.
  90. BenP.
    Mar 24, 2008
    4
    SSBB really didn't do it for me - it's a bit of fun for a while, but I really don't see why everyone rates it so well? It just seems like another random button-masher fighting game that I got sick of 10 years ago. And it doesn't seem to be very well adapted to the Wii. why are there no motion sensitive controls? Why can't I choose options on the screen with the SSBB really didn't do it for me - it's a bit of fun for a while, but I really don't see why everyone rates it so well? It just seems like another random button-masher fighting game that I got sick of 10 years ago. And it doesn't seem to be very well adapted to the Wii. why are there no motion sensitive controls? Why can't I choose options on the screen with the wii-mote, like all the other games? This is not even half the game that Mario Galaxy is.… Expand
  91. RuncanD.
    Jul 13, 2008
    4
    I honestly don't get it... The controls are really sluggish, it almost never connects online, the poor story mode is needlessly frustrating because of poor controls and sparse save points. Perhaps it's a fun party game, but Mario Kart wins hands down with my friends. I really don't know what all the fuss is about!
  92. Darksamus
    Jul 1, 2013
    4
    The sheer amount of time we had already invested in Melee was definitely partly to blame for our lack of interest. After all, Brawl didn’t showcase the same jump in features and spectacle that Melee had over the original game on the N64. It was, by and large, pretty similar to Melee, and lacked the novelty of its predecessor. However, after mulling it over in my head over the course of aThe sheer amount of time we had already invested in Melee was definitely partly to blame for our lack of interest. After all, Brawl didn’t showcase the same jump in features and spectacle that Melee had over the original game on the N64. It was, by and large, pretty similar to Melee, and lacked the novelty of its predecessor. However, after mulling it over in my head over the course of a couple of months, I decided that Brawl was, in my mind at least, a worse game than Melee. Still, my reasoning behind this opinion often differed from the reasoning of forum-goers and commenters across the internet (it is largely regarded that Melee is the superior game, at least as far as depth of gameplay goes). Many users complained about the dumbing-down of competitive play through the removal of certain advanced techniques, such as wave dashing, or L-canceling. However, this didn’t really apply to my friends and me: none of us had ever even attempted to wave dash, nor was the lowering of a skill-ceiling something which would effect our play with one another. Indeed, to be fair, some of the techniques that were removed appeared to depend on the exploitation of unintended design flaws.

    Now, by no means was Brawl a bad game in fact, it’s very good, and well worth checking out at the very least. However, it’s by no means perfect, and in some respects, worse than its prequel. For the sake of clarity and convenience, my contentions with the game will be presented in list form.

    1. The Subspace Emissary sucked. The Subspace Emissary was made out to be the Story mode option of Brawl, as well as a replacement for the Adventure mode of Melee. It boasts gorgeous CG cutscenes featuring the Brawl cast, as well as boss battles against well-known franchise villains, such as Petey Piranha and Ridley. Unfortunately, that’s about all it has going for it. The story was threadbare, the level design was repetitive and bland, the gameplay was monotonous, and it ultimately felt like a chore that had to be slogged through in order to unlock content for other modes. Embarrassingly, Melee’s Adventure mode remains a much more enjoyable and interesting experience overall, despite only lasting the guts of about 20 minutes on each run, whereas Subspace Emissary gives a play time of about 10 hours, give or take. Disc space and development time that could have been given over to other game modes was instead used up by this lackluster option. I’d like to see either a return to a short Adventure-style game mode in the sequel, or go the full hog and give each character their own short story mode la every fighting game ever interspersed with a little dialogue, the odd boss fight and bookended by some mini-cutscenes. Trying to fit the entirety of the 30-strong cast into a single story appears to be a futile and messy task, filled with compromise.

    2. Cloned characters. Wolf, Falco, and Fox. Ganondorf and Captain Falcon. Toon Link and Adult Link. I have no problem with characters sharing certain elements of their playstyle with one another, but Brawl had seven characters that were practically model swaps of one another. I’m adamant in my belief that characters absolutely must have their own individual special moves. Now, I know adding cloned characters takes less effort/time/money than developing a whole new addition to the cast, but I’d happily sacrifice three clones or a game mode for an extra “true” character or two. Imagine replacing Toon/Young Link with Fierce Deity Link instead: give him a slower, stronger set of moves and movements to suit his huge, double-helix sword, maybe the ability to fire projectile discs from it somewhat similar to Link’s regular ol’ Bow n’ Arrow combo, but perhaps faster and with a shorter range. Drop the clones, and instead incorporate fresh characters with their own mechanics and tactics to be mastered.

    3. Level design
    Brawl was plagued with simplistic, symmetrical levels. So many of the levels featured in the game were made up of little more than a few small platforms hovering over one larger one. “But that’s all any Smash Bros. game has ever done,” I hear you cry! Nonsense my good fellows, nonsense. Let’s take Onett from Melee for want of an example. Here, there are platforms, but they’re grounded within the universe they’re supposed to be depicting you jump across shop facades, rooftops, tree branches and clotheslines. Compare this with Spear Pillar, Lylat Cruise or Shadow Moses, which lack the organic asymmetry of Onett, and seem content to instead provide some random floating platforms placed in front of a themed background. As a result they feel sterile, shallow and artificial.

    4. Smash Balls
    Some of the characters had completely overpowered Final Smash attacks like Sonic's, Fox's.

    And there you have it, pretty much all of my niggles with Brawl laid out in a somewhat concise manner. If Nintendo wishes to better Melee and Brawl (at least in my eyes), they’d do well to keep some of these points in mind    … Expand
  93. clawshot2
    Oct 1, 2013
    4
    okay i guess. the story is horrible, and it takes no skill. your just pressing buttons randomly. it just leads to boring gameplay. the 2 best games on the wii are skyward sword and twilight princess
  94. Todokete4870
    May 29, 2017
    4
    I'm not sure why everyone likes this game, but I think it's something to do with them being casual players with items on every match. If you are a true smash bros player, you will despise this game. Meta knight is broken, the ice climbers have a ridiculous chain grab (along with some more characters), there are barely any tournament legal stages, and of course, random tripping. If you wantI'm not sure why everyone likes this game, but I think it's something to do with them being casual players with items on every match. If you are a true smash bros player, you will despise this game. Meta knight is broken, the ice climbers have a ridiculous chain grab (along with some more characters), there are barely any tournament legal stages, and of course, random tripping. If you want a better fighting game, play street fighter, or any other smash game (I personally recommend melee and wii u/3ds version). Apart from that, the adventure mode, all star mode and classic mode are great, and I recommend this if you are a casual player.… Expand
  95. Centurionn
    Sep 28, 2019
    4
    The game is really amazing !
    ................
    Until the part in adventure mode in which, after around 60%-65% completion, the game "tells you" to redo every level. The game design was really cool for every map.... but to repeat everything ? do all of them... all over again ? Sorry.. garbage mentality. One of the best with the worst of the worst gameplay plot twist in my entire gaming    The game is really amazing !
    ................
    Until the part in adventure mode in which, after around 60%-65% completion, the game "tells you" to redo every level.
    The game design was really cool for every map.... but to repeat everything ? do all of them... all over again ? Sorry.. garbage mentality. One of the best with the worst of the worst gameplay plot twist in my entire gaming experience....    … Expand
  96. DudeR.
    Mar 15, 2008
    3
    Only brainwashed Nintendo kids love smashing their buttons for stupid Mario characters. The roster is so boring and rehashed from their entire game lineup and if you really need to play this over over decent games than I feel sorry for you.
  97. JayB.
    Mar 30, 2008
    3
    Nintendo really understands the meaning of "cash cow, because they are really milking this concept dry of all of its novelty and flavor. Brawl is more of the same thing we've been waiting and expecting for almost a decade and I'm not impressed at all. Yes it is fun because Smash bros. in general is fun, but that's not the point. The point is to utilize the full power of new Nintendo really understands the meaning of "cash cow, because they are really milking this concept dry of all of its novelty and flavor. Brawl is more of the same thing we've been waiting and expecting for almost a decade and I'm not impressed at all. Yes it is fun because Smash bros. in general is fun, but that's not the point. The point is to utilize the full power of new technology and create something different and meaningful rather than clone the previous game with "sweeter graphix and soundz!!!1!1". Yes Smash bros is fun, but gimmicky plastic add ons are not. I have just as much fun playing the original Smash bros, if not more. It's so sad that developers are getting more and more lazy the better the technology becomes… Expand
  98. KalP.
    Mar 15, 2008
    3
    I didn't get it. This game is so overrated. The gameplay is so chaotic and out of control...you can't even focus, see where you are on the screen cause there's so much going on! The controls are bland and especially awkward being able to pick 4 different types of controllers to use from. If you want a great fighting game, I'd go back to Street Fighter. This was not I didn't get it. This game is so overrated. The gameplay is so chaotic and out of control...you can't even focus, see where you are on the screen cause there's so much going on! The controls are bland and especially awkward being able to pick 4 different types of controllers to use from. If you want a great fighting game, I'd go back to Street Fighter. This was not worth my time. Good graphics and presentation though.… Expand
  99. NathanL.
    Mar 23, 2008
    3
    Very little difference from Melee. Poor utilization of the wii's capabilities, in fact I can't stand playing it on the wiimote and have to use the GC controller. It's just the same game with a few new characters.
  100. MikeG.
    Apr 27, 2008
    3
    Sorry but this game is for people who don't like depth in thier fighting games. many matches will be lost because someone fell off a platform, and three buttons dedicated to jumping?!? Too much random action, not enough combos per charicter. I want to like the Wii, but if mariokart is another last-gen retread like this game(i hope the leave computer assisted catch-up off, but...), Sorry but this game is for people who don't like depth in thier fighting games. many matches will be lost because someone fell off a platform, and three buttons dedicated to jumping?!? Too much random action, not enough combos per charicter. I want to like the Wii, but if mariokart is another last-gen retread like this game(i hope the leave computer assisted catch-up off, but...), 'k*** m* a**' to all you fanboys that gave this game a 10 and got tired of it the next day.… Expand
Page:

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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