The WhatsNext verdict
If you want a four-player party fighter packed with recognizable characters, surprises, and memorable music, Brawl delivers. Competitive players seeking fast, precise fighting should look elsewhere.
What it does best
A vast video-game soundtrack worth returning for
Chaotic four-player battles that welcome the whole room
What might put you off
Floaty, slower combat with random tripping
Subspace Emissary's ambitious but repetitive adventure
The setup
What you are walking into
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series and the follow-up to Super Smash Bros. Melee. This edition introduces super attacks referred to as final smashes, as well as a brand-new adventure mode in The Subspace Emissary which is a side-scrolling adventure in the style of a platformer. It retains all basic mechanics of the Super Smash Bros. series, such as a damage meter, stocks, and Smash-style attacks.
Where it lives
Genre
Vibe
Up next
