Super Smash Bros: Brawl – Review

Smash Brothers is a renowned game that mixes all of Nintendo’s beloved characters and throws them together into a battle arena where only the best will come out alive! Forgetting that you know how to burn wii games, this is one for the classic originals library… The likes of Samus, Mario, Link and Pikachu can be found fighting for survival in one of the Nintendo’s greatest games ever. However, Smash Brothers Brawl features the likes of even Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog and Sony’s Solid Snake! In fact there are 35 characters to choose from and over 40 stages for you to unleash your brawling skills in.

Story

Throughout the world of Smash Brothers people are being transformed into trophies and places are being sucked into a sub-space dimension. This is all the work of the evil Tabuu and it is up to the heroes of the smash brothers to stop this terrible tyrant before their world as they know it is destroyed forever. Perhaps not the greatest story in the world, but it’s an excuse to brawl and heaps of fun all the same! It’s hard to care about the plot of the game when the actual game play is this much fun.

Gameplay

Much like its predecessors, Smash Brothers Brawl utilizes the same formula and mechanics. You will fight in 2D battlefields and your goal is to raise each others percentage meters to essentially win the fight. The game can be played by using your good old Wiimote, your nunchuks, the Wii classic controller or even your Gamecube controller! My personal preference is the Gamecube controller as the set-up is pretty much the same as it was back in Melee, but the nunchuks are quite a fun option too!

There is a huge amount of playable content in Smash Brothers Brawl which is the main thing that separates it from its predecessors. From being able to set up mini tournaments with your friends to playing through the exciting single player adventure mode, there really is plenty to do on top of classic mode and you’ll find it difficult to tire of the game. You can even play through a boss battle mode or create your own stages which you can fight and even share with your friends.

Graphics

In terms of Wii standards, the graphics are fantastic! Sure, they don’t match up to the awesomeness we’ve seen in the likes of Mario Galaxy or Metroid Prime 3, nevertheless they’re pleasing to the eye and make playing the game much more fun.

Sound

With over 250 different songs in the game which include remixed old school Nintendo themes and original classics like Green Hill Zone, the soundtrack is easily one of the best on the Nintendo Wii.

The voice acting in Brawl is vast improvement from what was witnessed back in Melee, in particular Luigi and Link who are no way near as annoying as before!

Downsides

Control delay and random freezing is just a few of the reasons why the Wifi online multi-player was frustrating. Aside from the rage experienced on the online multi-player, the game is pretty much perfect in every aspect

Overall

Without a shadow of a doubt Smash Brothers Brawl is the best in the series. The huge collection of extra features, 35 playable characters and awesome music are just a few of the reasons why you’ll love this game. My advice is to just avoid online multi-player like the plague and rejoice in the games fantastic stadium and classic modes!

Metroid Prime Trilogy – Loved By All

As the title suggests, it is one of the greatest gaming compilations ever to grace this Earth! Metroid games have always managed to wow us, even way back on the good old SNES. So a Wii compilation of Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is sure to go down a treat for Nintendo fans new and old!

Metroid Prime

Metroid Prime isn’t just the first game in this magnificent trilogy, but it is also the best! Its story centers around Samus tracking down Meta Ridley and taking out any space pirates in her way to ultimately discover the mystery behind Phazon.

It goes without saying that the gameplay is a wonderful experience, made better with the beautiful environments and each well designed room that you explore. Of course moving such a masterpiece to the Nintendo Wii was sure to bring along a few enhancements, the most notable of which is the brand spanking new control system. Adopting Metroid Prime 3’s controls gives the game a much more enjoyable playing experience and adds to the comfort of the game.

Also introduced into the game is an achievement system which lets you collect medals from each boss you beat and then exchange them in the Metroid Prime Trilogy extras section.

All in all Metroid Prime has been made fantastic with the Wii controls and is by far the greatest in the trilogy. Sure, there are a small number of Gamecube visual effects which seem to have been left out of this version, but the gorgeous graphical updates soon make up for that!

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Not just the 2^nd in the trilogy but also the second best! The story follows our beloved hero Samus as she travels to the planet Aether in search of lost group of space marines. Along the way she encounters the planets inhabitants known as the Luminoth who are struggling for survival against the evil Ing race. It’s a gripping story that manages to captivate you throughout the games entirety.

So just why is Metroid Prime 2 the second best? Aside from the incredible story you can travel between light and dark dimensions using portals which can be found throughout the planet. This ultimately adds more of a puzzle element to the game and definitely gives you more of a challenge! Once again the game adopts Corruption’s amazing control system whilst maintaining traditional Metroid gameplay, ultimately making it a fantastic game. The only real gripe with the game is the fact that sometimes puzzle solving can become quite tedious, especially towards the end of the game – but aside from that, this game is absolutely brilliant!

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Metroid Prime 3 was the very first in the series to be released on the Wii and sees the conclusion of the Phazon story. The game involves Samus travelling between planets to restore an infected network of organic super computers. During her travels, Samus finds out that Dark Samus is still alive and intent on revenge. As if that wasn’t enough to contend with, Samus is also infected with the phazon virus which she caught from dark Samus and is slowly corrupting her mind and body.

Using the spectacular motion sensing controls which I relentlessly keep singing the praises of, you’ll be able to easily become absorbed in the game and fight explosive battles like never before. Metroid Prime 3 will also allow you to use Samus’ ship to bomb certain areas or grapple onto heavy objects. The best thing about the game is the fact you can use the Phazon infection to your advantage and although it will deplete your health, you will be given a burst of offensive and defensive power!

It may not be the best in the series, but Metroid Prime 3 is a superb game and easily one of the best on the Nintendo Wii.

Top 10 Mario Kart Wii Tracks

If you own a Nintendo Wii and you haven’t yet played Mario Kart Wii then seriously, what planet have you been on? It’s a must-have game for any Wii owning Nintendo devotee with a thirst for speed and the beloved Italian plumber. Much like its predecessors, it’s a simple game of cross the finish line without being hurled off the course by the many obstacles your opponents lay out for you. Fun, fast and sometimes hard, the race tracks are of course what make the Mario Karts games – which is precisely why I have decided to count down the top ten race tracks in Mario Kart Wii;

#10 – Dry Dry Ruins

Sure, it’s a little on the simple side, but the vast amount of bumps and slopes that allow you to perform a number of tricks soon makes up for it. The pesky bridge in the middle of the course and the pain in the butt bats aren’t something to worry about either when you have such gorgeous layouts and nice little shortcuts to spice things up!

#9 – Toad’s Factory

Yes, it’s dangerous and yes it’s hard, but by Jove it’s fun! Oil spills, machines that pulverize you into the ground and the dreaded end of the track make it one tough cookie to get through in one piece. We all love a challenge though right?

#8 – Mushroom Gorge

Original and fun, it’s easy to see why Mushroom Gorge lands eighth position. A large portion of the track is spent bouncing from mushroom to mushroom in order to pull off tricks and boost your speed. The abundance of sharp curves are perfect for power-sliding your way through the track and dodging those bothersome goombas which can be quite annoying. Make sure you take the short cut at the start of the race to put yourself in lead position!

#7 – Coconut Mall

Who can’t possibly love the insanity of this race track? Zooming through the escalators and dodging the cars in the parking lot make this course extremely fun! However, it scores a 7 and not a 6 simply because it’s an absolute pain on Grand Prix Mode.

#6 – Bowser’s Castle

Much like Rainbow Road, Bowser’s Castle is a staple track that appears in all Mario games. The race starts off on a wobbly road which is perfect for performing stunts. Once that’s over with, you’re then faced with deadly fireballs being flung at you from a giant robotic Bowser. As if that isn’t enough, you’re then faced with more fireballs, deadly thomps and lava. The reason this course scores so high is simply because it keeps you on your toes the entire time – and it has awesome music!

#5 – Wario’s Gold Mine

This track is a world away from your usual Wario race course and that’s mainly why it’s so good! The rollercoaster dip at the beginning and the crazy sharp turns really get the adrenaline flowing to persevere with the pesky flying bats in the cave area. The inner section is what makes this track as it is full of dips and mine carts that you have to dodge. There is also a handy little shortcut which leads you right to the finish line.

#4 – Maple Treeway

This track is definitely nowhere near as hellish as Grumble Volcano or Rainbow Road, though it does have its nuisances like the giant wigglers that stupidly walk into you. The level starts with you being shot out of a giant canon and from there it’s a fairly easy ride with catchy music to see you through.

#3 – Koopa Cave

If you’ve ever raced through Koopa Cave then you’ll understand why it ranks so high in this list! The current of the water accelerates your driving before you eventually plummet down a waterfall and drive through an underwater tunnel. There are a few dangers to look out for, such as the spinning lasers that shrink you and water that slows you down, but aside from that, the track is fantastic and makes for a very fun experience!

#2 – Grumble Volcano

It’s one of the hardest tracks in the game, but it’s also one of the most entertaining – especially on multiplayer. With lava surrounding you and the course ablaze, it’s a track which definitely requires a fine measure of skill. The track also gradually crumbles away with each completed lap and fiery boulders are constantly being rained down on top of you. Challenging and fun – you can’t ask for more than that!

#1- DK’s Snowboard Cross

It’s the best of the best, it is DK’s Snowboard Cross! Not surprising really as you can always guarantee the DK stages will be the best out of all Mario Kart stages! Stunning visuals, fun gimmicks and plenty of drifting areas make this an easy number 1 track.