Super Smash Bros.

"So happy together..."

Let's flash back to 1999. The Nintendo 64 was quietly being phased out existence as its competitors easily dominated the video game market. The console was on its last leg, all of its quality games already out and played through. But when all hope seemed lost, there was one glimmer of hope left for the doomed system. In a bold attempt to save face and give something to their loyal fans, Nintendo created a game that would one day spark one of the greatest games of the next generation of games. And thus Super Smash Bros. Was thrust into the hands of its weathered fans, the last stand of the Nintendo 64. And while it was never the savior of the system, its sheer quality and fun cannot be forgotten.

In a time when options were limited, Nintendo opted to rely on their most trusted assets: their mascots. Instead of creating a new epic for one of the beloved characters, Nintendo decided to take eight of their most popular heroes and combine them into one game. But this doesn't involve Mario's platforming style or Link's epic quest to save Hyrule time and again. Instead of sticking with the individual tried and true gameplay formulas for the respective characters, Nintendo decided to create a fighting game using the characters and their signature moves. And although it seemed like a long shot at first, this game still managed to become appealing. I mean, who wouldn't want to see Pikachu get clobbered after all of those Pokemon rehashes, or see Samus blasting something other than Metroids or Space Pirates? It's that novelty that still makes this game stand out at the end of the Nintendo 64's run.

Instead of the traditional fighting game setup of health bars, the game designers implemented a unique combat system based of damage ratios and percentages. You still get to smack around your favorite mascot, but they don't just run out of health. When you hit your foe, a damage counter tallies the percent of damage they've taken. The more percentage is racked up, the further your adversary will fly. Your objective is to keep hitting them until they go sailing headlong out of the ring. The trick is learning enough strategy and technique to truly dish out the punishment, lest your enemy have a trick or two up their sleeve.

This game isn't about fancy button combos or superior technical handling. It's all about using your character's short list of abilities and combining them into the most devastating attack strategy ever conceived. You'll just love the way that Link's Hookshot can grab enemies from afar, or Samus' arsenal of Metroid-busting weaponry, not to mention Yoshi's ability to eat everything that moves. But the brutal violence doesn't just end with the characters. Each character has their own level with hazards. If you're not careful, Fox's team of Arwings can swoop in and blast you into pieces. If you fall on the Planet Zebes, you'll be charred to death by the boiling lava running under the stage. You've also got a huge selection of blunt objects to inflict even more delicious pain upon your hapless foes. Who doesn't want to see Mario roasted by a Fire Flower, or Fox to get zapped by his own laser pistols? For some reason, I take great satisfaction in practicing my batting skills by smacking Pikachu with a baseball bat…What? This game has something for the sadist in us all, the fun just waiting to jump out and take us by our blistered hands.

But what makes this game so appealing isn't just about novelty. Super Smash Bros. Is equipped with one of the best multiplayers on the Nintendo 64. You've got Stock and Time matches to choose from, along with a few unlockable characters, levels, and features to tweak your gaming experience. Want to have the most epic endurance match of your life? Set the match for 99 stock with no time limit. Chances are, you'll run out of patience before all of your lives run out. Also, you can mix and match the various items, customizing the weapons that will appear in battle. Also, there are a few challenging mini games for you and your friends to try out and beat. And while this game doesn't have nearly the same amount of customization options and extra features of its Gamecube sequel, it still has enough of it to make for a varied gameplay experience.

Sadly, what this game has in gameplay and replay value, it lacks in the presentation. I mean, we've all grown accustomed to seeing our favorite Nintendo heroes fleshed out into three-dimensional space. The problem is that the characters lack the detail and smoothness that most of the other games seemed to have enjoyed. Donkey Kong looks likes he's made out of Legos, and Link looks like he's covered in green and tan triangles. The real beauty lies with the stages. Not only are all of the characters present and accounted for, but all of their stages are as well. You've got everything from the windy roof of Hyrule Castle to the deepest and darkest depths of Planet Zebes to conduct your bloody battles of death. All of these levels show much more dedication to detail than anything else in the game. You can see the sunlit floorboards and the floating barrels of the Donkey Kong Jungle, or the tiny puffs of clouds surrounding Yoshi's arena. While these details are by no means the best that the Nintendo 64 was capable of, they still serve their purpose and make for a fun gaming experience for the fans.

Also, the sound effects are dramatically emphasized throughout the battles. Most of the hardest hits sound like loud banging and clanging, but all of the characters have their signature sound effects, like Mario's Fireball or Samus' charge beam. It's all those little sound effects that you've grown up with and have taken for granted after all these years. Also, all of the character themes songs have been remixed with better sound and instrumentals, sending wave after wave of nostalgia for us older gamers. If the Nintendo team did anything right with this game, it's the attention to the specific sound effects and music that many fans will appreciate.

When I think back to the Nintendo 64, I remember the hours I spent during the summers, doing nothing but playing match after match with my friends. This game's novelty and longevity are a testament of Nintendo's ability to stay with the times. Even though they are scrutinized heavily these days, every now and then a gem like this game makes its way to the surface and reminds of just why we enjoy gaming. And even though this game will always be overshadowed by its successor, Super Smash Bros. Was still one of the finest games of that under-appreciated console of old. Despite its graphical limitations, this game is still stands solid with excellent gameplay value. Sometimes, it's not all about the flash and flair that makes a game worthwhile.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/08/04