2008 Woodie Awards
Confirmed for Brawl
Third time hopefully a charm for long-delayed, long-anticipated addition to key Nintendo franchise
AJ Anton
Issue date: 3/11/08 Section: Arts & Leisure
Items
Another integral part of the "Smash Bros." experience, items, return with more variety as well. Some new additions include things like gooey bombs, round explosives incased in goo that stick to opponents. But take heed, as they can be passed off to other combatants before they go off, like an explosive game of hot potato.
"Animal Crossing" throws in the pitfall, which when hidden on the ground causes anyone who walks on it to fall through and get stuck in the dirt. Smart bombs cover the entire field in a massive explosion, but sometimes don't go off. You know how you're not supposed to touch fireworks that don't explode? The same principle applies here.
Golden Hammers don't replace the ones from previous games, instead they allow you to float while swinging madly. But be wary, they are sometimes rubber squeaky hammers which can leave you extremely vulnerable.
However, the most unique of the new items is the assist trophy. They appear on the stage and, when obtained, bring a character from a long line of Nintendo games (some even seen only in Japan) to 'assist' the player who summoned them. Of course, some of these trophies affect all players so it's not always a handicap.
Gameplay
"Smash Bros." gameplay, at its core, remains the same as ever. The goal is to beat on your opponents, increasing their damage, until you can knock them out of the arena. However, for "Brawl," Nintendo has thrown us a curveball. Each character has their own extremely powerful finishing move, their own "final smash."
The effects of these attacks differ greatly. Bowser transforms into Giga Bowser for a short time while Sonic can turn into to Super Sonic. On the more obscure side, Kirby cooks his opponents in a soup and Princess Peach simply puts everyone to sleep in a rain of peaches.
To unleash this attack, you have to break one of the elusive smash balls. Once broken, you have only a limited time to perform your attack, as other players can steal the item from you. With this kind of game-changing ability, you can expect a major fight every time a smash ball appears, providing an interesting and fun addition to already excellent gameplay.
Another integral part of the "Smash Bros." experience, items, return with more variety as well. Some new additions include things like gooey bombs, round explosives incased in goo that stick to opponents. But take heed, as they can be passed off to other combatants before they go off, like an explosive game of hot potato.
"Animal Crossing" throws in the pitfall, which when hidden on the ground causes anyone who walks on it to fall through and get stuck in the dirt. Smart bombs cover the entire field in a massive explosion, but sometimes don't go off. You know how you're not supposed to touch fireworks that don't explode? The same principle applies here.
Golden Hammers don't replace the ones from previous games, instead they allow you to float while swinging madly. But be wary, they are sometimes rubber squeaky hammers which can leave you extremely vulnerable.
However, the most unique of the new items is the assist trophy. They appear on the stage and, when obtained, bring a character from a long line of Nintendo games (some even seen only in Japan) to 'assist' the player who summoned them. Of course, some of these trophies affect all players so it's not always a handicap.
Gameplay
"Smash Bros." gameplay, at its core, remains the same as ever. The goal is to beat on your opponents, increasing their damage, until you can knock them out of the arena. However, for "Brawl," Nintendo has thrown us a curveball. Each character has their own extremely powerful finishing move, their own "final smash."
The effects of these attacks differ greatly. Bowser transforms into Giga Bowser for a short time while Sonic can turn into to Super Sonic. On the more obscure side, Kirby cooks his opponents in a soup and Princess Peach simply puts everyone to sleep in a rain of peaches.
To unleash this attack, you have to break one of the elusive smash balls. Once broken, you have only a limited time to perform your attack, as other players can steal the item from you. With this kind of game-changing ability, you can expect a major fight every time a smash ball appears, providing an interesting and fun addition to already excellent gameplay.
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