It’s the day after, and I can honestly say that the withdrawal has begun. Yes, it’s true, Super Smash Bros. Brawl can be classified as an addictive substance. Since yesterday’s event, I have dug my GameCube out from my box labelled “Old Classic Games” as well as my Wavebirds and have started to practice on what is the gaming methadone for Brawl, Smash Bros. Melee.

The event was pretty interesting. It was held in a small gym/boxing training facility, and had about 20 screens with Smash Bros. hooked up and four controllers per screen. Two screens were actually set-up inside a boxing ring, which did end up being where UGTV camped to watch the game unfold. We were forced, however, to use the Wii remote as the primary controller, with no classic controllers, or nunchucks to add-on. This meant that our control scheme preview will be limited to the remote style of play, but we can say enough that even given the bare minimum the game is playable.

I will be posting a Podcast version in the coming days, but here is a break-down of my impressions of the game so far.

Graphics
It’s a bit of an odd starting point for me to begin with the visual appeal of any game, but I was definitely impressed with how the game looks. Given the fact they were using Sharp Aquos HDTV screens and component hook-up (pretty much the ideal for the system) it looked great. Very sharp, all the levels have exceptional detail and the characters move fluidly and at a consistent frame-rate. Even with significantly busy environments and character motions, the game goes steady and doesn’t give any signs of stutters. All the character models are put together exceptionally, and have definitely moved towards that more realistic edge that the original game notably lacked. Even cartoony characters like Kirby and Mario still fit in well with the more gritty characters of Snake and Marth.

Menus
The menu system is much brighter and simpler this time around. Instead of the complex, wired, black background that we got with Melee, we’re given a white background, more stylized system with bigger icons that makes it a bit easier to maneuver. All of the options seem to be along the same vein for Brawl (VS) mode as they were with Melee. What I found particularly interesting was the way the Tournament mode was done. Made it very easy for people to start, choose their characters and you didn’t need to worry about switching around controllers. Whoever was playing pressed a button when their character came up and it was there turn. Name entering system is still there, too, for help in identifying your character, and allows a lot more names.

The games can be saved to the system or to an SD card, which is good if you want to bring the Brawl or your information over to a friend’s house. Didn’t get to play around with that, obviously, as the systems weren’t exactly meant to be played with.

Any readers of IGN’s Wii Channel may be aware of Matt Casamassina’s preview of the game where he said the game was not quite perfect. One of the criticisms he had was the loading times, and I can say that this is definitely something that caught my attention throughout the day. Loading times for the game (once the characters and levels are selected, going into the Brawl) can be a bit brutal. It’s no where near the painful disc loading of some mainstream titles, but it can last upwards of 20 seconds at some times and it’s definitely noticeable. Many people around, a few times, had thought the game froze.

Character selection screen has a random button this time around, as well, which is a bit of a nice addition. It’s also scarily misleading. Although I have been avoiding finding out all the characters that are in the game, I know there are quite a few that aren’t unlocked from the beginning. You’d think, looking at the menu, that only a few characters would be scattered in the game, but there are quite a few to go and I’ll talk a bit more about that later.

The Subspace Emissary
Before I get into the Brawl, it’s good to note the Adventure mode update for this game, which is the Subspace Emissary. It’s a side-scrolling beat-em-up along the same lines as the Adventure mode from Melee, but with a lot more depth and fun. In an interview with Nintendo’s President Satori Iwata, the creator of the game, Masahiro Sakurai, stated that it was an opportunity to mix characters and story lines that one person may never get to do again. And it is exactly that. It’s a light story of good VS evil, with dramatic cutscenes and random encounters. All the characters that you battle have a bit more meat to them than in Melee, in that they have life bars and are unique in their design (not from any specific Nintendo universe).

That being said, I did watch a group play the game for 5 hours+ and it got to a point where there was so much to do, so many characters interleaving, but you were basically doing the same thing. Grinding out baddies. It almost had that Contra type of feel to it where the stream of bad-guys never stopped. A lot of the levels can become a bit repetitious, but that’s being a bit nitpicky.

Remember, this is just a portion of the game. I don’t think it’s fair to assess the Subspace Emissary as a game all it’s own, but I’ll do some more in depth when I get a chance to do my proper review.

Controls
This is the part of the preview that I wish I could elaborate more on. I’m sure those already playing the Japanese version of the game can have some input on what the alternate control styles would be, but I was tagged with a simple Wii remote, and actually was able to fare not too badly.

You are given the controller to hold in the VC-NES style, where the D-pad side of the controller is in your left hand, and the 1 and 2 buttons on your right. The 1 button acts as your Special attack button, and your normal attack is the 2. D-pad obviously controls your motion. Those are pretty much all you’ll really need for most Brawl bouts, but of course, you do need your throw/dodge, and that comes in the form of the B button on the other side of the controller. Anyone who can now hold onto a Wii remote will see that this is a bit of an awkward spot for the shield, so it makes it a bit of a task to use, and a bit hard to get used to. A lot of the players who had been playing the Japanese version were up to task with it, but most others had to focus their hands separately to get the B button to be comfortable, which usually meant thinking about dodging more than attacking.

I believe that given the Classic Controller or the Nunchuck or even a GameCube controller (WaveBird preferred) it would be absolutely no problem to control.

Brawl
Given all the other things, the game itself is absolutely fantastic. At the core, it’s Smash Bros. It’s the same game we’ve been playing since the Nintendo 64 (maybe GameCube for you kids) with a whole lot more to it. Improved graphics, varying levels and a character roster that spans what seems forever. The game has a more slowed down pace, a bit of a middle road between the fast-paced Melee and the slow pace of the original. The fights in general play pretty much the same. You pick your character, you adjust your style of play and at least 3/10 people always use Link.

The levels are what give the game it’s most fresh breath of life. They are dynamic, most of them changing constantly, and all have their own unique personality just like the characters themselves. Some return from previous games, but still have a new coat of paint and really blends well into the whole game. The music in each level is apparently excellent. That’s another aspect of the game I won’t be able to get any depth is, as I was listening to a constant stream of shouting, laughing, angry Brawlers and about every sound from the game imaginable from 20 different screens.

One aspect of the Brawl itself that’s really changed is the inclusion of Final Smashes. It’s a bit different from other items, almost more balanced than many you’d see in any game. The Smash Ball appears (if you have it turned on) and floats gingerly across the screen, waiting for anyone to grab it. But you don’t just grab it, you have to smack it around until it breaks, which takes a little bit of work. Then, once you’ve gotten this power, you still have to be able to use it, which means you have to be in the correct range and location (depending on the character’s smash) and not have it beaten out of you before you can launch your attack. Even then, it’s not always a guaranteed win. Not all Final Smashes are created equal, so to say.

However, the Small Ball and Final Smash aspect make the game very interesting. I can say from a spectator point of view, it’s intense when they appear, and watching the Brawlers duke it out for the item is always amusing, and a deftly placed blow that finishes off your enemy always results in an eruption of cheers and whoops from the crowd. As a Brawler, there is nothing quite as satisfying as finishing off your enemy in that way.

There’s too much to really write about for this preview if I was to go into all the characters in-depth, and I didn’t play the game enough with any of them to really scratch more than the surface. I will give a few little overviews based on my initial findings.

Mario: The Italian Battalion is back and with one real notable change. If you’ve reviewed his move list, you’ll know this, but it always comes as a shock to me. Mario’s down Special is no longer his spinning attack, and is now replaced with F.L.U.D.D. from Super Mario Sunshine. While not as useful for basic attacks or combos, it is a great edge-guard tool and repellent for eager enemies. His down attack from mid-air now does the spin attack, but only a fraction of how it used to be used. Luigi now has his spin attack as his down special, no longer the spin attack that results in only a single hit.

Kirby: As a long-time Kirby fan, I am happy with the bit of work he’s gotten in this game. Most people would put him in the upper echelon of Smashers in the original game, but he would fall much lower in the Melee version. I would say that he moves up at least one “tier” in this game, just due to a few little tweaks. His running attack is no longer than fireball attack, which usually ended up missing due to its slow speed, or going over the edge. It’s now replaced with a spinning, almost break-dance styled juggle move, which is a bit better for combos, doesn’t move as far, and is easier to recover from. His forward smash is in the air and on the ground also provides better range, and overall a bit more power.

Samus: The biggest change here comes from the character herself. When she performs her final smash it unleashes Zero Suit Samus, and it’s like apples and oranges. Formerly a heavy, slow, projectile powerhouse, now a light, agile, close range Brawler. A whole new strategy is needed here.

This is a warning. I will reveal new characters here. Please turn your eyes if you do not wish to know any of this.

Ike: With Roy out of the game, and Marth still as daunting as ever, we now have another member of the Fire Emblem team to do battle with. Ike is a stark contrast to Marth, although considered a clone. He’s heavy, slow and all his attacks, while devastating, require time and precise execution to land and recover from. That being said, he is probably my favourite character from the experience. He has the same excellent range as Marth, and a devastating Final Smash that is as powerful as it is dramatic. I look forward to getting more practice with this character in the next week or so.

Meta Knight: Now that I’ve officially jumped off the Meta Knight bandwagon and onto the Ike Express, let it be known that I still very much enjoyed using him. He’s a mix of Kirby and Marth, floating and swords with a little bit of punch. Basically my ideal (in theory) character, given that my favourites from the previous titles were Roy/Marth and Kirby. He doesn’t deliver the same punishing blows of either of those characters, though, but is versatile and a bit more daunting than his pink, puffy enemy. A definite favourite and a solid addition.

I didn’t get a lot of time with other characters in order to deliver any specific information. There are a few things about everyone that has changed. I’ve seen full reviews of characters like Princess Peace on SmashBoards.com with a high amount of detail on how much she’s changed, where most people wouldn’t capture that same sense at all.

All in all, this game is worth the wait. It’s everything it said it was going to be, and is a NEED for any Wii owner, and especially any fan of the series. It may even see me return to the same obsession level and play time that I once had with my Nintendo 64. The online play will probably ensure that, as well.