Despite what the fanboys say, SSBM isn't two things - a curse, nor a godsend. It's just a great game. And actually, to tell the truth, the only thing saving it from the horrible wrath of an 8/10 is its multiplayer mode, which has been described as the coolest thing under the lukewarm lakes of the sun probably more than once. The rest surely isn't polished, and I can tell that with time it could've been near perfect. Though you might not agree with me, just remember through and through that I love this game immensely, I just can't sit back and pretend like it's perfect. Don't worry, though, I won't go all "IGN" on it. ^_^ Jesus.
Gameplay
Gameplay is vast and varied, and in many ways this is better than the straight-forward fighting style of the original. But with additions there are flaws, some more unpleasant than others. And because of this blurry line of how cool things really are in the game, it makes it just that much harder to appreciate. Here's the lowdown...
1P modes are fun in all, and definately add to that "I have no friends" side of the game that many fighters are missing. But as with a lot of things, they just don't cut it (like those crazy scissors they had in second grade...).
Classic Mode is a remake of the original Smash Bros.' 1P adventure, even complete with Master Hand at the end. This is done well, and I'm pleased with the new random list of battles.
Adventure Mode, while it IS a neat idea (to relive the characters' home games in GCN beauty), isn't executed properly at all. Only a few characters (we're talking 3 or 4 out of 25) have actual remakes. The rest are just cheap stage-specific battles. For example, Ness' level consists of a battle with 3 Nesses in Onett, and for some reason I'm not reminded of EarthBound in any way with this. Hmm. And it's not just the less-popular characters; Ice Climbers get a neat level of their own, while games like Donkey Kong and Kirby don't get anything like a remake at all. Why not? I'd guess it's because of time constraints; wanting the game to come out around launch. But hell, this is enough of a hole for me to be willing to wait at least a few months or even a season for the release. Jesus, what a loss.
A Trophy Mode has been added in, as well, where you go around other sections of the game, doing weird tasks and completing strange goals that either get you a trophy or enough coins to use in the slot machine for a random trophy. Each trophy represents a character or item from Nintendo's past, ranging from anything like Waluigi to Starman, or from Andross to the Redead; it's awesome. There's even highly obscure stuff like Ayumi Tachibana from the NES Detectives Club, and highly modern stuff like Captain Olimar from Pikmin. It's quite enjoyable, and one of the greatest additions to Melee.
Overall, I'm pleased with the way SSBM is done, but I think it lacks that "smalltime" charm that the original had that made it such an enjoyable game. Though things like Trophy Mode and all the crazy secret characters are cool, it's just overwhelming, and at times unenjoyable. But, what the heck, Vs. Mode still rocks more than anything existing.
9/10
Control
While the control scheme is simple and does make the best out of the GCN's "ABXY" layout, it gets EXTREMELY confusing with the main analog stick. Firstly, having different functions depending on how far you move it. For instance, "soft left and A" does a completely different move than "tap left and A". Imagine trying to send your opponent flying and accidentally ending up juggling him right in-front of your face; oh, the frustration. Secondly is how moving up makes you jump; why can't you just use X and Y? I understand that some players are just used to it from SSB, but... jeez, get used to change! For instance, if I wanna' do my "up and B" move, I find myself accidentally jumping entirely too much. Oh, what a flaw.
And the Z trigger; it should just grab; who cares about that silly shield it gives you anyway? Shields should just stick to R and L; duh!
In all, I really have to say that while it remains playable, the game's control scheme can just be crappy and frustrating at times. What went wrong?
7/10
Graphics
Christ. The one thing that desperately needed help in the N64 SSB, and believe me, they knew it when they made this game. The details are astounding. Sure it's not the most visually stunning game around, but with the option to check out the characters' in-game models in Trophy Mode, you'll definately notice the meticulous details crammed into relatively simple character designs. I mean, who knew the Ice Climbers had tiny white spikes on the bottom of their fully-textured snowshoes? I don't think you could direct-rip that from the NES. Jeez. It's great, on some characters, if you zoom in a weird way, you can even get into their mouths and see their sprite-mapped dental work. God, what a thrill. ^_^
Sure, when you're moving past the speed of sound, attempting to dodge level 9 sims and their barrels of Bob-Bombs, you won't notice any of this, and that can be seen as a bit of a flaw in some respects. Especially when you consider that a lot of the levels just don't look that good, namely Rainbow Cruise, Yoshi's Story, and the Infinite Peaks. But even so, you can see that they tried very very hard to get the most detail in as possible. It's at least a pretty game; I gotta' give it that.
8/10
Sound
The music is INCREDIBLE. They fully-orchestrated some of the best Nintendo themes, and it really moves you in the game; makes it seem like you're really reliving your favorites of the past. But then there's a large number of tracks that are just little remakes, and some that are even directly ripped from their system of origin (usually NES). I don't understand, but I guess I can't complain; the funky electronic beats of Super Mario Bros. will always keep MY party groovin'.
As far as effects go, there isn't much to say. Character speech is still as good as on the 64 (which is VERY VERY good, if you remember).
9/10
Replay Value
In 1P modes, there're those crazy trophies to collect that'll keep you up half the night. And in multiplayer, well... it's a party game. What else is there to say? There's as much replay value here as there is in Perfect Dark, Mario Party, Gauntlet Legends, and even the original Super Smash Bros. Invite some friends and just... go nuts! YOW!!!
9/10
Overall
To this day, this is THE game to get if you own a GameCube. That is, if you can't afford Pikmin as well. If you've ever wanted to see the games of your childhood come alive, this is your time to smile. It's almost unfathomable how much is honored on just this one disc; I'm sure you won't believe it either. And while it doesn't guarantee more appearances of lost characters like Ness and the Ice Climbers, it at least proves that Nintendo hasn't forgotten about them completely; that's hope in itself. Nintendo's really outdone themselves this time, and even with its flaws, SSBM proves to be one of the most highly-entertaining games around these days.
