Super Smash Bros.: Melee

The Good
Super Smash Bros.: Melee sports some of the most astounding graphics ever. After 2.5 years, the crisp and vibrant graphics still leave you in awe. The gameplay is simplistic enough that beginners can have great fun with it, while at the same time the level of depth which you can play with can keeps it fresh for veterans. The variety of characters spanning over the entire Nintendo dynasty also makes for very fun and wacky matches (there's nothing like seeing Donkey Kong smashing Samus Aran off of a floating tree-island from Kirby's Dreamland). The replay value of this game is tremendous with its incomparably addictive four-player smash-fest.

The Bad
While there are plenty of well-designed stages that are perfect for 1-on-1 matches which can, theoretically, be played with 4 players, the only flawless level for 4 player mode is the Hyrule level. More larger levels would have been nice. Also, some characters are too similar to each other for my taste. For example, Ganondorf is really just a heavier version of Captain Falcon, with different colored attacks and sounds. This is not terrible, but it just seems like a cheap way to throw in an extra character.

The Bottom Line
SSB:M is an insanely addictive game which pits Nintendo characters in a deathmatch. It's great controls/fight mechanics coupled with its great graphics, sounds, design, and replay value, makes this an almost obligatory title for any Gamecube owner. The pro's of this title outweigh the con's without contest warranting this title with a spot as one of the greatest games ever released.

The Good
First off, the graphics are top-notch. Not the best the GameCube will ever see, but definately top-notch. Special effects, like fire and such, look especially nice. And most characters have very detailed textures. So, graphics. Good.

The sound: Well, although the sound effects aren't something you really notice while taking part in a clash of video game characters, it has all the sounds you'd want including Mario's high-pitched shouting to Mewtwo's demonic grunts. The music, however, is something you'll notice. It's all your favorite music pulled straight out of Nintendo classics, like Metroid, Mario, Zelda, you-name-it, remixed and pumped into one game. It's every Nintendo fan's dream.

The single-player, while being a bit on the short side, still has a lot to do after a month of constant playing. There's the normal modes, Classic mode(Where you compete against every character in random battles, ranging from three characters against one giant character to just normal one on one), Adventure Mode(Which takes you through classic side-scrolling levels, with little fights inbetween) and All-Star Mode(A mode that's only enabled when you've unlocked all the characters, where you have to fight one on one, one on two and one on three matches with all the characters in the game). Then there's unlockable characters, bonus stages(like Sandbag Run and Target Practice) and Event Mode. Event Mode has you do specific missions, of sort, where you, for example, have to kill 128 tiny Marios. And if that's not enough, there's roughly 300 trophies of classic Nintendo characters and objects scattered around all of the modes, so get ready to do some collecting. As you can see there's enough to do in the single-player alone.

But that's not what'll keep you coming back to the game in a year. That'll be the multi-player portion of the game. Two to Four-player battles against your mates which almost always end up in heated discussions over how good a judge the computer was on that KO, and the throwing of controllers at opponents. Be ready to take a pause on your friend-ship, cause once you pick up the controller, you'll be pulling all the dirty tricks in the book in order to win. When it really heats up, opponents will start pulling your controller out of its plug, rendering you immobile, making you the perfect pray. Don't worry, not every game you'll be having will have this level of sportmanship. In time you, and your mates, will grow up and start fighting like men(or women.)

The Bad
For one, there could be more extras. It's nothing to complaing about, really. But the single-player portion of the game will be done in two months.

If I have to find any other flaw with the game, it's that most of the unlockable characters are pretty similar to the default characters. Mario is almost identical to Dr. Mario, and although Luigi can jump higher, there's not much different between them, except for strength. Still, I'd rather see my favorite characters in there, and have them be copies, than not see them at all. Put Wario in and have him identical to even Kirby, and I wouldn't care. (Well, having Wario identical to Kirby, as far as moves go, would be ridiculous, so scratch that idea.)

The Bottom Line
Trust me, this is the best multi-player game you'll get on the GameCube. We tried TimeSplitters 2, Mario Party 4, Super Monkey Ball. But it all ended at the same station. Super Smash Bros. Melee.

The Good
Super Smash Bros. Melee is a game that I MUST add to my list of favorite games! Just about everything from the characters (as well as the secret ones but I don't wish to spoil them to you) to the stages to the 1P Mode to the VS Mode, the trophies, the music, the amazing graphics, the sound effects, to the gameplay. It's great having loads of moves and attacks, as well as the fact that you can send your foes flying to oblivion. My favorite things about SSBM are some of the levels (including Brinstar, Mushroom Kingdom [from Super Mario Bros. 1], and a lot of the secret stages, but again, I don't want to spoil them to you), and some of my favorite characters to use are Mario, Captain Falcon, Link and Fox. And the multi-player battles, YOU GOTTA LOVE THEM!!!

The Bad
Very few things about SSBM annoy me. It would have been cool if they added some more levels and characters (which includes but is not limited to, Wario, and a stage from Luigi's Mansion). I also thought unlocking some of the secrets and passing some event matches was obscenely difficult. I love challenges, yes, but some of these were sooooooo frustrating.

The Bottom Line
NO Nintendo fan can say their collection of Nintendo games is complete WITHOUT this game! I was not the least bit disappointed when I bought this and neither will you. GO FOR IT!!!