Try again
My wife suggested I take the day off and have a "Smash Day" with the kids (we have 4) and, like any reasonable person, I did. This review is dedicated to her.
The Roster:
Most characters are unlocked right from the beginning, which is a relief when you have kids who want to play as X but don't want to wait. Overall, the roster is much better than Brawl, with fewer clones and some of my favorites from new Nintendo games, like Shulk, Lucina, Palutena, and Robin. Wii Fit Trainer and Villager are hilarious and awesome. There are so many characters, I played all day and only made it through roughly half of them.
The depth:
There is so much to do and unlock, it's enough to make a grown father with responsibilities cry.
Amiibos:
This feature is not for everyone, but if you're a life-long Nintendo fan or you have kids, they're fantastic. They're a little confusing and I had a hard time explaining the differences between Disney Infinity and Amiibo to my six year-old, but using them cleared things up. They're great figures (with some exceptions - Link is disappointing) and great for playing with kids. We bought four (Mario, Peach, Link, Samus) and I had one figure player team up with each of my kids so they can compete with me. Now the figures are so high level I'm having a hard time ever winning. Plus, they're toys. They love playing with them, as long as they're careful.
8 Player Smash:
I have a family of six. This mode is a godsend. It works surprisingly well and we always fill the remaining slots with amiibos. Gameplay remains buttery smooth and the chaos is just delicious. Only bummer is your options for stages are limited in this mode.
The "Everything Else":
The graphics are beautiful and smooth and it's amazing how Nintendo is able to mesh all of these characters into a game and it somehow make visual sense.
The music is endless, amazing, and will rain nostalgia. You can plug the GamePad into a good sound system and just shuffle the playlist. Nirvana.
The stage builder is simple and intuitive. My kids loved drawing their own stages. The elegant simplicity of it kind of blew me away, but I do hope they add more to this mode. The palettes and platforms seem limited.
The new stages are great, with a few exceptions.
There are many solo modes, including a remixed Classic mode that I preferred over the old one.
You can use any Wii U or Wii controller you have. Any of them. Well, except for the balance board. We used the GamePad, Wii U Pro controller, Wii remote + Wii Classic Controller Pro, and Wii remote for the little one. They are even selling GameCube controllers, which I love, but deem unnecessary to buy unless you're married to Melee. I'm not, and prefer not to have cables. I would get the GameCube adapter though, it I still had a Wavebird lying around.
Conclusion:
This is a game for everyone. Even my wife who doesn't game much and 2 year-old got kicks out of it (I teamed up with him along with the Link amiibo he picked out). The true beauty is reliving the fun and magic of Nintendo with those around you. And all of it is built on a fantastic game that I can't stop thinking about.
I haven't even touched online yet, because I'm too busy punching my daughter's Jigglypuff in the face with Pac-man while we giggle maniacally every time a Nintendog licks the screen, and my son growls like Bowser as he throws my wife's King Dedede off a cliff. That's Smash Bros.
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WARNING:
CHOKING HAZARD -- Small parts. Not for children under 3 yrs. |
