Super Smash Bros. Melee

Released December 2, 2001

Developed by HAL Laboratory

Published by Nintendo

NWR Reviews: 10 - 9.5

Retrospective by Stan Ferguson

As both a single and multiplayer experience, Super Smash Bros Melee provided enjoyment that went beyond nearly anything else provided on the GameCube. As far as multiplayer games go, arguments could be made for Mario Kart: Double Dash as well as the myriad of Mario Parties, but none of them had the lasting power or popularity of this singular fighting game. Melee hit the gaming sweet spot by rewarding you for playing, regardless of how you chose to play.

With Adventure, Tournament, Event, and many other game modes available, SSBM provided a vast amount of options to enjoy. Tournament and other multi-fighter modes had a variety that allowed for many different styles of play and teamwork when friends were around, and the Adventure and Event modes allowed for entertaining ways to hone your skills as a fighter. The reward system alone was reason enough to keep playing by providing an inordinate number of unlockable features, characters, and trophies through meeting a set number of matches or completing certain challenges.

That it succeeds not only as a multiplayer party game, but as a fighter as well, is a testament to the depth of its deceptively simple control scheme. SSBM was easy enough for a newcomer to quickly learn, but the battlefields and fighters—each with his or her individual strengths and weaknesses—allowed for a great level of mastery. The child-like exterior was simply a veil for the truly serious game that awaited the unsuspecting player.

It's fortunate for the GameCube that SSBM was released within its launch window, as the game was built with incredibly long legs. The game remained a GCN top ten best seller years into its life span, hitting the sixth spot as recently as December 2005 (possibly due to its re-release as a Players' Choice title). This longevity is due to the game's universal appeal from the casual player to the calloused gamer. And quality of this caliber is why we all wait with bated breath until the arrival of Super Smash Bros Brawl on Nintendo's Wii.

Steven Rodriguez: "Not only did Smash Bros. have infinite replayablity, but more importantly to Nintendo, it demonstrated that it had infinite viability at retail. It has remained as one of the GameCube's top-selling games during the almost five years since its release. Five years! At $50 a pop (and later, $30 as a high-end Players' Choice title), Nintendo made some serious cash off of their all-star brawler. The only thing that will end Melee's titanic run will be its sequel, but then Brawl will start its own never-ending retail blitz. Melee was definitely the brightest star in terms of a game's success on the GameCube."

Daniel Bloodworth: "It's still hard to believe that SSBM came out so soon after the GameCube launch with such unmatched polish and depth. Even with many imitators five years later, it stands head and shoulders above the crowd."

David Trammell: "I'll never forget playing SSBM for the first time at E3 2001. Nintendo had a few copies of each game set up inside curtained booths with giant projection screens (about 6 feet across) and surround sound. Myself and three other staff members squeezed in and played the game. Eventually the F-Zero level was unleashed. If you ever get a chance to stand 5 feet away from a very large projection of SSBM playing this level in a dark room, try it some time. It makes every other level seem tame by comparison. With very few GameCube games to play, we found ourselves playing Smash Bros. time and time again. At every successive E3, Super Smash Bros. Melee would remain a fixture of hotel gaming sessions. For me, SSBM is inextricably linked with E3."

Jonathan Metts: "I have played Melee more than any other video game in my life."

Michael Cole: "Smash Bros. is a universal language among Nintendo fans."

Aaron Kaluszka: "There's so much I could say here, but I'll be brief. I bought a Nintendo 64 for Super Smash Bros. I bought a GameCube for Super Smash Bros. Melee. SSBM was the game in my dorm, and even resulted in several others purchasing GameCubes. Next-gen isn't truly here until Super Smash Bros. Brawl arrives."

Mike Gamin: "Has anyone said 'greatest game evAr!' yet? Ok, at least I just did."

Jon Lindemann: "What amazed me about SSBM was how it incorporated characters from so many different franchises without screwing things up. Everything about it is exactly how it should be. It's every Nintendo fan's dream, and I can't wait for the Wii version."

Evan Burchfield: "The only fighting game worth playing is probably not a fighting game at all - rather it is a secret language that only gamers understand. Playing Super Smash Bros is about as primal as it gets while never wearing itself out; the diversity of options, characters, stages, and items create too many possibilities for the game to be experienced fully even after many multiplayer sessions. Super Smash Bros. reveals itself slowly over time - gamers who bought the game in 2001 and play it today can testify to its lasting power. Nintendo need not release a sequel more than once every 6 years, for they've created a game that truly outlives the word "game". If Nintendo were to leave only one of their titles in a time capsule to represent the power of video games, I argue that this should be the one."

A few games have attempted to emulate SSBM's success, and while many have failed there are those that have succeeded at least in providing a great time and an interesting cast. For example, the Japanese game DreamMix TV World Fighters brought together a stellar cast that included Bomberman, Solid Snake, and Optimus Prime. While entertaining as a multiplayer game, DreamMix unfortunately failed as a single-player experience.

In the other hand, Naruto: Gekitou Ninja Taisen! 4 may be what our own Ty Shughart considers, "the best game on GameCube." Naruto Taisen 4, in fact, shares all the best qualities of Melee, including the veritable cornucopia of play options, pick up and play control scheme, and even one-upping Melee with tag-mode as well as having a significantly larger character roster (however esoteric).

Unfortunately, neither game has hit the US. However, both are still available for import if you have a GameCube capable of playing Japanese games.