Super Smash Bros. Melee

SUPER SMASH BROS. MELEE

Original Release: Nintendo, 2001, Gamecube

The second mascot fighter from Nintendo is arguably the most beloved retro entry in the genre, expanding the roster, trophies and game modes

Super Smash Bros. Melee (Gamecube, Nintendo, 2001)

Where to Buy: Amazon

How to Emulate: Coming soon!

Review by: C. M0use

One of the most interesting things about the Smash Brothers series is the transition from a slippery, superficial party game to a long-lasting and highly competitive esport. This second entry is where that all really began. I never got into that world in any capacity and I can't comment on it, but I think it's enough of an endorsement to say that the scene is still strong after 20 years and is actually outliving the supply of controllers to play it with.

Fortunately, I don't have to try to delve into the esport aspect because there's plenty to enjoy here without ever getting into that world. It manages to be a fun "casual" experience that's still ideal for party gaming, but also has enough depth and substance for a solo flyer to enjoy for a long time.

One of the key things that makes it work is that it's a loving and polished tribute to Nintendo's history, but one that's built by many of those same people that were key parts of that history. The detailed backgrounds, the well-done remixes and grade-ups of the music from the various games, and the massive collection of trophies are all pretty substantial reasons to play on their own. Unlike many games that have these sorts of collectibles, the trophies are actually worth unlocking due to the level of detail and the nice little background information profiles that come with them. Yeah, it's a company creating a monument to itself, but when it's done so well and the source material is so good I think it can get a pass.

Of course, it needs to be more than just a virtual museum. SSBM is packed with modes of play to explore as you unlock all those characters, levels and trophies. All of this is centered around the gameplay introduced in the original game, which has been refined and given quite a bit of depth here. The game moves notably faster, levels are bigger and have more stuff going on, there's a slew of new weapon and item types, new play modes like giant and tiny characters, each character gets one added special attack, there are now charge moves and air dodges, and in spite of the twitchy gameplay there's a better sense of momentum to every type of movement.

The core of SSBM is still a party game, something that's meant to incorporate just as much in the way of luck and random elements as skill to keep a crowd of players hooting and hollering at the mayhem. That's what you'll get if you jump in with the default options. The brilliance with this installment is that you can refine the settings to tilt it much more toward skill and experience as you prefer, as the game's longstanding competitive scene demonstrates.

Of all the game's modes I felt the lone big whiff was "adventure mode," which is a mix of sloppy platformer levels and shitty gimmick levels. Arguably the worst offender is the Underground Maze, which you have to bumble around on a short timer and fight lame Link clones that just try to run away from you and run the clock out. And it's the same thing with every character.

The game gets the big 5/5 as it's one of those rare cases where I legitimately feel there's something for everyone to substantially enjoy. But even if you don't dig on the slippery Smash style, you can at least appreciate the cross-pollination work the game did among the Nintendo fanbase. You can probably thank SSBM for expanding awareness of Mother/Earthbound, as well as finally getting Fire Emblem outside of Japan.