Developer: HAL Laboratory Publisher: Nintendo Released: April 26, 1999 Genre: Fighting
There are a number of genres that Nintendo does not usually touch. First person shooters would be one. Fighting games is another. But whenever they do tackle a genre they are not normally comfortable with they do so in a unique way. When they rumors of a fighting game spinoff starring all of their most popular characters began to surface fans flipped. I’m sure I’m not alone in assuming it would be traditional round based fisticuffs. Instead we got one of the most unique takes on the genre to date in Super Smash Bros.
How do you bring so many stars together under one banner? By making them toys come to life. I’m sure the game’s premise was a slick means of assuring parents that Nintendo did not go Mortal Kombat on its characters. It is silly but it works at creating one Nintendo universe they could draw from forever. Super Smash Bros. almost did not come to the west if you can believe it but thanks to its intuitive gameplay and brilliant marketing it sold gangbusters.
As the first game in the series the roster is pretty small at twelve characters, with 8 to start. Wisely they chose they absolute biggest fan favorites. The Mario Brothers, Link and Samus rub shoulders with Fox McCloud, Kirby and Pikachu. They’ve even used this as a means to throw in some lesser knowns like Ness from Earthbound and Captain Falcon. What is most important is that the lineup, while small, still offers enough diversity in terms of mechanics and play styles.
Calling Smash Bros a fighting game almost does not feel right. It does away with nearly every convention of the genre. The goal of each match is to knock your opponents out of the ring. There are no rounds or even life bars. Instead Smash Bros. has a percentage meter. As your damage percentage gets higher you are flung further around the ring with each hit. At low levels it makes no difference but by 200% even the simplest punch will result in an instant KO. Technically there is no limit but I doubt any one can survive long at 300%. Character weight plays a role in how fast the meter builds. As Donkey Kong is the heaviest his climbs slowest. Poor Pikachu is an easy target and will probably be sent flying the quickest like Kirby.
Special moves are not really a factor here. Technically everyone has the same basic move set. You have a temp shield, double jump, a grapple, and a multi-hit juggle attack. What differs are the individual quirks of each character. Donkey Kong, with his wide wing span can make shocking last minute recoveries using his spin attack. Yoshi jumps high and can capture opponents with his tongue and spit them off the platform as an egg. Link is versatile with many weapons. The limited move set helps and hinders the game. It allows anyone to pick up and play within seconds. But there is little depth on offer. Items spice up combat but I would still have preferred more.
Due to the game’s focus on ring outs the backgrounds are an active part of every match. Dream Land has random wind that threatens to blow players away at a moment’s notice. On planet Zebes rising lava is an active threat. Saffron City consists of smaller gaps among large platforms. It makes losing items and enemies really easy compared to the other maps.
As accomplished as the play mechanics are the single player mode is lacking. They do a good job of varying the fights , such as the battle against a giant Donkey Kong or Metal Mario however these gimmick fights are few and exactly the same every time. The Bonus stages are excellent but once again there aren’t too many. There are few unlockables to keep you coming back so it’s a good thing the multiplayer saves the game. Plug in 4 controllers and watch the hours fly by. The multiplayer is what this game was made for and it shows. The sequels would go into fan overload with a ton of trophies and extras but at the very least this was a good start.
In Closing
Super Smash Bros is one of the most unique takes on the fighting game ever. It makes for a great party game but is lacking for solo players. Most importantly however it establishes a foundation that each subsequent game builds, making them some of the most beloved titles on their respective platforms.
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