Yo! As Brawl approaches us (slowly, but surely), we are continually updated on small aspects of the game. This thread will be my analysis and review of each part that is revealed to us. I'd also like others to join in and review each revealed aspect of Brawl with me.
I'll be starting, of course, with the Daily Updates that we've been receiving. However, this thread is not to review just the Updates in Brawl, so I'm posting it in the General Discussion forum as opposed to the Dojo Update forum. I've already written my review for each of the updates, and will continue every week day. As more information unfolds from other sources, I will post and analyze that, as well. I hope you all will enjoy my opinions on all the information we're given so far, and if anyone wants to help me review aspects of Brawl, I'll be happy to paste them in this first post. I spent a sh*tload of time working on this, so I hope you all enjoy it!
Just so you don't have to scroll to the bottom for each update, I'll start putting the most recent ones on top. I'll take care of the rest later, though.
The Setup:
Name ________ Category _______ Date
Petey Piranha - Game Modes - Aug 24
Today is Hideo Kojima's birthday, so I have to admit, I'm pretty disappointed that ol' Sakurai didn't give him the birthday present he deserved. It would have been cool to see Snake on the updates for once.
So, we're blessed with Petey Piranha, and he's listed in Game Modes. Wait, Game Modes? I can't wait for the wave of DECONFIRM'd about to be plastered on the boards. Sakurai's really been giving us a lot of recent information about Adventure Mode, so he must think pretty highly of it, so far. I have to admit, though, using Petey as a boss is a bit of a Nintendo cliché. Still, no one can deny that he looks fscking PIMP. (Check out the two ladies on either side of him. Oh yeah, what a player.)
Really, though, we didn't get much with this update. And for a Friday (of one of the best weeks ever), it's certainly disappointing. All we learned is that we'll be facing off with the classic *ss-biter, while be beats the sh*t out of both princesses. And we have to pick just one to save? Well d*mn, I guess at first thought, I'm going to save Zelda. I think she's hotter. (And yes, if this was real life, I'm pretty sure I'd base the lives of both on simply who was hotter. Fun to be a guy, huh?) The only interesting thing I see about this update, is it sort of lends me the idea that Ridley is going to be a boss character, and not a playable one. Time will tell.
Bah, screw this update. I'm going to go listen to K.K. on Youtube.
5.7/10
Yoshi: Final Smash - Characters - Aug 23
It's absolutely unbelievable. No matter what we, as outsiders, guess the update will be, we'll be completely wrong and shocked every time. You'd think by now we'd figure out to expect the unexpected, yet somehow sh*t like this keeps catching us off-guard.
Every night before the update, I spend my time in the Brawl chat room (irc.rizon.net, #ssbb, go there!) and we always have long discussions about what we think the update will be. Never once did someone say either Yoshi's Final Smash or Animal Crossing music, let alone both in the same night. Ladies and gentlemen, a true two-fer.
Anyway, onto Yoshi's new sick moves. I suppose Sakurai felt bad for Yoshi in Brawl, and giving him extra air with his new Up-B just wasn't payment enough. Obviously, if Pit and Yoshi boinked and had some mutated child together, this Final Smash would be it. (Wait, that didn't sound right...) For real, though, this FS is absolute gold. Yoshi mains will rejoice as they can finally have full aerial control with the little dino-lizard-dragon guy.
I mean, I'd love to know exactly how long this Final Smash will last, but even if it's for 10 seconds, that's going to be pretty epic. Now, I'd like to direct everyone's attention to the second to last screen shot. Holy piss, when did Brawl get ported to the 360!? Is it just me, or are the special effects in this game absolutely stunning? That fireball just devastating, but in a beautiful sort of way. Must... go towards... the light....
8.9/10
Animal Crossing: Go K.K. Rider! - Music - Aug 23
Are you kidding me!? First off, we already got Yoshi's FS tonight, but you're telling me we get the Animal Crossing stage music as well? And it's Go K.K. Rider, no less! For those of you who have never played an Animal Crossing game before, (go f*cking play it) every Saturday at 8pm, a little guitar-wielding dog, named K.K., will play you a song at your request. After he finishes playing for you, you have the option of bumming the cassette recording off of him to listen to at your pad. (F*ck the RIAA.)
In Animal Crossing, there were easily over 40 songs, and I'll have to say that my most memorable, and personal favorite, was always Go K.K. Rider! This song was bomb in the game, and it's bomb in it's Brawl form. Now, the composition sort of confused me at first. It's obviously Go K.K. Rider, but it just didn't seem as epic as the other Brawl music we've been given. Of course, then I pictured myself playing on the Animal Crossing stage with K.K. just doing his thing in the background. Wow, it totally clicked at that point. D*mn, this song rocks.
I'm such a nice guy, I'll even link you guys to the original song. Click Here!
Pretty awesome, huh? I think they did a great job with the new composition. And to top it all off, it ends with our favorite singing K-9 with his classic gibberish, yet beautiful voice.* Just stunning.
9.1/10
*For those of you who would like to hear the lyrics to the song, I'll paste them below:
Pwey me ohhhhh!! Oh me mee pweeyy mee, me oh meee me ohhh me pweee!!!
Diddy Kong - Characters - Aug 22
D*mn! I mean, we all knew he'd make it into Brawl, but his update was so sudden! And right after a good update, too! Who would have guessed it? I'm starting to think that Sakurai actually does pull all of his updates out of a hat.
Either way, holy crap, it's Diddy Kong! He definitely looks awesome in the screens, and I can't wait to see what it's like in some video. Personally, I think Sakurai should include a video snippet with each new character update, but that's just me.
So now we have crazed fanboys who'll be making movesets for Diddy until the Moves update, and we can only hope that we get a Donkey Kong-themed music update soon. All I know is that his 3D model looks totally awesome, and he gets mad pimp points for sporting the classic Nintendo cap.
Diddy Kong confirmed. F*ck yes.
9.4/10
The Subspace Army - Game Modes - Aug 21
I'm not sure if you guys are aware, but typically the Japanese site updates a minute or two before the American site. So, when it's F5 time, I'm usually suffering through Kanji before I understand what the update is. Either way, when this update started to load, I immediatelly noticed the Orange color, meaning it was going to be a Game Mode! Then, a few seconds later, I saw that there was a new video, as well!
Too bad the video really turned out to be a dog turd wrapped up in shiny CG. Don't get me wrong, I love the Single-Player updates, but this one didn't really shed any new light as to how we'll be playing, and after that bombshell of a single-player update we got last time, this one feels just a bit dry. Still, any video of Brawl is pretty kick *ss.
So now we're apparently going to fight against The Ancient Minister, who looks like like a cross between Tingle and Dr. Robotnik. I wonder if we'll actually have to fight him, Brawl-style. Is he going to be our new Master Hand?
Just about the best part of this update was the mention of The Robotic Operating Buddies. On one hand, that's a pretty funny tie-in, but on the other, this totally DECONFIRMs R.O.B. as a playable character. Although, I can't say I'm disappointed; Ever since Mario Kart DS, I've had a general hatred towards R.O.B., and for a while I feared that when I played Brawl online, I'd only end up losing to R.O.B.'s Final Smash: Snaking Son of a B*tch.
Overall, we got a pretty good update tonight. Even though it was fairly lacking in total information, any video of Brawl is a good video of Brawl. I can only hope that the next single-player update describes exactly HOW we'll be fighting the Primid, and if we'll be forced to use different characters throughout.
8.1/10
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All of the older updates are below this line.
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The Basic Rules - How to Play / Smash 101 - May 22
This marks the first time we see percentages on screen. Even though the rules of Smash haven't changed, it's still refreshing to see some new screens, the character pictures, and someone dying.
8/10
Battlefield - Stages - May 22
We all figured that the first stage shown was, in fact, Battlefield, and this confirmed it. Sakurai was nice enough to add a thick ledge this time (go Tether recovery, go!) and we get to see the background change from night to day.
7.1/10
The Musicians - Music - May 22
This update definitely was insane news for fans of the Melee soundtrack. With 36 different musicians listed, Brawl is destined to have quite the epic list of songs. I can't help but feel a bit disheartened, seeing as Nobuo Uemetsu or Masato Nakamura (who is responsible for the Sonic the Hedgehog classic soundtrack) weren't listed. Still, we got an updated version of our beloved Melee theme song to throw on our iPods.
9/10
Mario - Characters - May 23
An appropriate first character update, our pudgy plumbing hero, Mario, shows up to tease us with a few screens and a small bio. While there's nothing spectacular about this update, his little-legged Nair never looked so good.
5/10
Link - Characters - May 23
Two of our favorites updated in one day? My friends, this is what I like to call a two-fer. Unfortunately, same as Mario, we didn't get a whole lot of information here. The info does mention that this Link is officially from Twilight Princess, which leads to all sorts of speculation, but other than that, it's pretty dry. (Props to Sakurai for using the word "ebb", though.)
5.5/10
Gooey Bomb - Items - May 24
Alright, before I begin, these are my reviews, so if you hate items, tough sh*t. While I don't personally play with items, I respect a good Bob- Omb to the face now and again.
The Gooey Bomb certainly raised a few eyebrows when it debuted. Remember, "When you hit some with it..." .... "It sticks to them! Get... GET IT OFF!
" What's interesting is that you may be able to transfer it to another player before it 'splodes. Of course, I think we all know where Sakurai got the idea for this gooey guy. (And now I can't get the image of Sakurai shouting obscenities into a headset as he stickies a 14-year-old operating the Warthog out of my head.)
7.1/10
Pit - Characters - May 25
Holy Jesus, who cares if we already saw him in a trailer, it's Pit!! We finally get a couple screens of the Kid, and d*mn he looks good. Not a whole lot to this update, but at least it gives us a good weekend to think up special moves for him.
6.3/10
Pit: Special Moves - Characters - May 28
...that is until the following Monday. Palutena Arrow and the Wings of Icarus - These specials certainly suit this winged dude. Of course, I'm still wondering what "allow Pit to fly freely through the sky!" exactly means.
6.7/10
What is a Final Smash? - How to Play / Smash 101 - May 29
More like "What is the quickest way get Smashers to not use Super Moves?" Answer: Make them grab an item, first. Personally, I'm a fan of the Street Fighter-style Super Moves, where you charge up a Special Bar and unleash. Now, I realize that's not very feasible for Smash, but a ball? At that point, the game might as well pick a random player to kick complete *ss for the next few seconds. Final Smashes are a great idea, and I understand the importance of items in Smash, but I just have a hard time dealing with grabbing public balls in order to experience everyone's glowing personality, as Sakurai put it. Still, an informative update.
7.8/10
Mario: Final Smash - Characters - May 29
Just like we saw in the trailers, here comes Mario's Final Smash! Check out that first screenshot... Boy does he look PISSED. The Mario Finale certainly looks intense, and the final screen says it all. Of course, if you had to put it into words, I'd go with "Bam! Bam! BambambambamBAM!"
6.9/10
Moving and Shooting - How to Play / Advanced Techniques - May 30
Item users rejoice! You can now run and gun, 2D FPS Style! (Is that even possible?) And Sakurai, you sly devil, you snuck in the Super Scope, too! Of course, this update does raise the question... Will Fox and Falco be blessed with this ability using their standard laser pistols?
7.5/10
Cracker Launcher - Items - May 31
The night this was revealed, as I was hammering my F5 key, I remember reading "Cracker Launcher" before the image loaded, and I couldn't help but get the image of Mario getting catapulted into the air as Bill Cosby and Donkey Kong stood behind laughing. Anyway, this big-*ss cannon certainly was a well-recieved projectile-firing item when it was revealed. And judging by one of the more recent videos we've recieved, it packs a d*mn punch! This update also revealed that certain weapons will now be able to be angled up and down. Cool.
8.1/10
Delfino Plaza - Stages - Jun 1
What!? Are you serious!? Dude! Who DIDN'T get excited when this baby was revealed? And the screenshots of this stage were absolutely beautiful! The moving platform gives us all that Mute City feel, but this stage certainly seems tournament legal. Delfino seems to have even gotten a graphical boost since it's GameCube debut. Totally love this stage.
9.2/10
Yoshi's Story: Ending - Music - Jun 4
Now, personally, my favorite types of updates are Music. I'm a very musical person, and Melee had one of the greatest soundtracks of all time, so I'm really looking forward to all of Brawl's tunes. That being said, YOSHI MUSIC FTW. The first time I heard this song can be categorized in my Top Ten Best 52 Seconds In My Life (right along with beating the final castle in Super Mario Bros., skiing next to a completely random naked chick on a Black Diamond). ADD aside, this music made me truly believe in those 35+ musicians involved in Brawl (and provided me with a sweet ringtone!) So far, this is my favorite song from Brawl. I can only pray that the unreleased tracks sound this effing good.
9.4/10
What Are Poké Balls? - Items - Jun 5
"When you throw a Poké Ball in Smash, a Pokémon of some sort will appear and come to your aid." ...FAIL.
2.5/10
Groudon - Items / Poké Balls - Jun 5
Eh, big frick, it's a Pokémon. It grows large? So does Apache Chief. Gonna make him an Assist Trophy? (Oh wait, we don't know what those are at this point! =X) Still, it's cool to see a few new screens, and I'm sure the Pokémon enthusiasts enjoyed this one.
4.7/10
You must recover! - How to Play / Smash 101 - Jun 6
Well, that's a relief!! The only thing interesting about this update was seeing Mario recover from 12 miles away. Seriously, I hope that was exagerated for effect.
4.2/10
Kirby - Characters - Jun 7
Yay! Kirby! I can't wait to see his moonwalking abilities in Brawl. Either way, all we got in this update was a confirmed hammer, curvey sword, possible punch, and kick in the nuts.
5/10
Pikachu - Characters - Jun 7
Another two-fer! w00t! Does Pikachu look a little fatter in this game, or is that just me? We got a couple nice screen shots, and Wario apparently has perfect teeth.
4.8/10
Four Kinds of Control - Game Modes - Jun 8
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....w..wow.
Sakurai dropped a f*cking HUGE bomb on June 8th, 2007. Basically, he said "no matter who is going to be playing this game, I'm going to make it catered specifically for them." And you know what guys? Remember that. When you're worried that Brawl is going to be for item noobs, or you're scared that if you can't shffl you're screwed online, just remember that Sakurai has your back.
Thank you for this most holy update, oh developer god.
10/10
Fox - Characters - Jun 11
D*mn, Fox never looked so good! Let's hope someone steals this character model and starts working on a new Star Fox Wii game! The four new screens are definitely some of the coolest we've seen so far. Fox, we're glad to have you back.
6/10
Yoshi's Island - Stages - Jun 12
Every time I look at this stage, I'm simply amazed at how Brawl's style can change in an instant. The pastel art form looks fantastic, and the stage design is simple, yet fresh. This is going to be a fun one to play on. (Hit up that platform on the left!)
8.4/10
Metroid: Boss Battle Music (Ridley Fight) - Music - Jun 13
This music definitely has that badass feel that we'd expect to get when launching rockets at Ridley's face. (Here's to hoping we'll be able to do that in Brawl.) Still, the music itself seems slightly bland, and the ending certainly hints that it'll be repetitive. That being said, it's definitely a cool, hard take on past Metroid music.
8.2/10
Crates and Barrels - Items - Jun 14
The classic item containers with a few new twists. Cool. Really, there's not a whole lot here, but if you look a bit deeper, if sheds some light on Brawl. These simple items are recieving a face-lift depending on what stage they're on, and that right there shows how Sakurai is working on the aesthetics of the game. Brawl is going to look good. Very good. Oh, and sliding boxes? Lame.
6.5/10
Samus - Characters - Jun 15
This is the first time we got an unconfirmed character as an update, and boy what a good one! Samus looks HOT in Brawl, and I'm talking in-suit, baby! Take a look at that first screenshot. Seriously, when I look at that, my eyes start watering. Subconsciously I get pissed because I start thinking Brawl is going to be an Xbox 360 exclusive, because the Wii certainly can't look THAT good. Samus's updated flames look pretty sick, as well, and that Delfino screen just screams "epic".
8.1/10
Link: Final Smash - Characters - Jun 18
The Triforce Slash is definitely a sweet Final Smash. Even though we've already seen it in a trailer, it was exciting getting it as an update. Still, I felt like there should have been a bit more. For those of you who still think it's going to only attack one person at a time, you're wrong. Does Samus's Screw Attack only attack one person? Just Mario's Down-B only hit one guy? Relax, Link will be able to multiple foes, just like everyone else.
7/10
Pikachu: Final Smash - Characters - Jun 19
Volt Tackle? That sounds painful! This is definitely a freaking sweet Final Smash, and certainly is one of my favorites. The fact that you can control where it goes is going to make things pretty hectic for those running from Pikachu. And Sakurai, thanks for updating us with something we actually didn't know yet.
7.9/10
Wario - Characters - Jun 20
The only thing interesting about this update are a few of the screenshots. For a while, I was convinced he was copying other characters, but I then quickly realized I was ********.
5.3/10
Fox: Special Moves - Characters - Jun 21
Looks like it's bad news for Luigi players once again, as the Reflector is making a full comeback! It's good to know that his blaster has no flinch, either, although I'm still kind of confused as to how it's "the perfect weapon for stealing KOs." I enjoyed this update, and being a Falco player, this is the closest thing I get to news about him. Still, not a huge amount of information given.
6.8/10
Lylat Cruise - Stages - Jun 22
The Lylat System looks BOMB in these screens. This stage looks fun as hell, too. Re-entry? Asteroid belt? An epic space battle!? I might be too busy looking at my surrounding than actually fighting! Even though we've seen this stage before, it was definitely cool to get fresh screens of it.
8.5/10
Zelda - Characters - Jun 25
I did not see this update coming, at all. But d*mn, Zelda looks HOT. And Brown hair? Work it, girl. Even though we didn't get a lot of info about her, it was still nice to see all of the new screens. Of course, it was pretty interesting how they did not mention Sheik. At the same time, they didn't blatantly state that this was Twilight Princess Zelda. I still maintain that there's hope.
8.3/10
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Medly - Music - Jun 26
Wow, a minute and a half of all new Brawl music! And it's from OoT, no less! This is one of my favorite medleys for Zelda I've ever heard, and it was only just a snippet! The familiar sounds of Epona's song brought back great memories, and the epic ending reminded me of the new memories I'll be making with Brawl. Koji Kondo is a music legend.
9/10
Banana Peel - Items - Jun 27
I rarely guess what the update will be, but I was spot-on for this one. Well, sort of. I knew it was going to be an item, and I had stated a few days before that there would be a Banana Peel in Brawl. (I even photoshopped one into a previous screenshot.) Of course, it's still a pretty lame item. I mean, I can only see this item being bad for Jigglypuff when she Rolls Out, or maybe Sonic (if he rolls in...).
6.4/10
Names - Game Modes - Jun 28
This is the first time we got to see any sort of menu for Brawl, and d*mn it feels good. It almost makes me feel like I've seen something behind-the- scenes. And as Sakurai so boldy stated, Brawl will be equipped with personalized button configurations! Finally, I'll be allowed to disable Up as Jump! If all goes well, we'll be able to transfer our settings from Wii to Wii via the Wiimote's internal memory, as well! What an informative update. But if I've learned anything, it's that Tom, John, Bill, Mick, and Mike are some lucky SOBs.
8.9/10
Wario: Special Moves - Characters - Jun 29
Today we learned that at least one vehicle will appear in Brawl; Wario will zoom in on his Chopper. I'm still wondering if anyone else will be able to board it, because that would be sweet. Also, we see that the Wario Waft, shown in the first trailer, will actually be his Down-B. I can't wait to charge that sh*t up. (No pun intended.)
7.5/10
What are Assist Trophies? - Items - Jul 2
If there ever was an item I was totally stoked about, it's gotta be Assist Trophies. I don't care if you're Ken, at some point in Melee, you played a match with only Pokéballs, turned on high, and you know what? You loved it. I absolutely can't wait to see what random-*ss Nintendo character will make his appearance in the middle of the stage. I hope they don't reveal too many of the Assist Trophies, because I'm looking forward to being surprised.
9.4/10
Samurai Goroh - Items / Assist Trophies - Jul 2
This is forever known as the day when "DECONFIRMED" started to be plastered all over the Smash Boards. I was pretty disappointed that he wasn't going to end up being a main, but at the same time, I'm glad he has a chance to be in Brawl at all. Thank you, ATs.
7.1/10
Bowser - Characters - Jul 3
Oh man, every time I see a new character in their updated Brawl format, I just start to drool. Bowser looks so sick, and I actually can't wait to use him. His fire, in screen 1, looks so much more badass than in Melee. Really, I'm starting to wonder if Brawl will really run in 60 frames per second.
8.3/10
Bowser: Final Smash - Characters - Jul 4
Happy Fourth of July! Giga Bowser time! So Bowser's Final Smash is going to be a Giga Bowser Transformation. It's kind of cool that, while he does take percentage hits, he doesn't flinch while he's in GIGA MODE. I wonder if this means Giga Bowser won't be a final enemy, like in Melee. Either way, I feel 1337 because I've been controlling Giga Bowser since 2003, thanks to my trusty Action Replay.
7.7/10
Smash Attacks - How to Play / Smash 101 - Jul 5
Another bunch of information we already knew. We got some new screens and the explanation on how to perform basic attacks using all the controller types, but nothing crazy.
5.9/10
Bridge of Eldin - Stages - Jul 6
Twilight Princess certainly seems to be impacting Brawl a great deal, and the Bridge of Eldin definitely shows it. I love this stage, or at least the look of this stage. The background is beautiful, the stage is simple, and it really has the Twilight Princess feel. Of course, the whole "random attacks" and "stage blowing up" thing turns me off to actually playing this stage, not to mention there are no edges on the left and right. Either way, it's great to see new stages.
8.6/10
Standard Combos - How to Play / Advanced Techniques - Jun 9
I'm not sure how a Standard Combo is justified as "Advanced", but whatever. Nothing new at all here, except for the fact that you'll no longer have to button-mash A in order to continue attacking. Just hold it in for a rapid-fire effect. I can't see how this would change the gameplay too much, so it seems pretty pointless.
6/10
Dr. Wright - Items / Assist Trophies - Jul 10
Hey, it's the little green-haired guy from Sim City! His AT effect certainly seems pretty fitting. I wonder if the buildings will continually cause damage, or if you'll actually be able to jump / walljump / tech off them, as well. We'll see how long they last, too.
6.9/10
Bumper - Items - Jul 11
As soon as I saw this update I sat down and played a few rounds of Super Smash Bros. 64, with all items on. Man, that bumper looked like a dog turd in that game. You know what, though? I'm pretty excited to have it back. I know, I don't even play with items... But still, it's good to see that an idea that was rejected by Melee will make a return in Brawl. I can only hope that this hints to SSB64 past stages, and maybe Board the Platforms!
7/10
US Release Date & Mini Trailer - E3 2007 - Jul 11
DECEMBER 3rd!!!! DECEMBER 3rd!!!! DECEMBER 3rd!!!! We finally have a date! How exciting! And I don't know if you all remember but back in 2001, that's the exact day that Melee launched, too! And along with a date, we got a new 15 second video! I know, it's short, but us Smash junkies gotta get our fix, and we'll take what we can get! Of course, those 15 seconds were filled with total madness. Gah, I can't wait for Brawl!!!
9.8/10
15-Second Movie Presentation - Notices - Jul 12
The news of Brawl's release date and the 15-second trailer are both officially released on The Dojo! Sure, we didn't get any news we didn't already know, but watching the trailer from a direct feed certainly beat watching it from IGN's sh*tty cameras. Not as epic as yesterday, but still totally rocking.
8.6/10
Donkey Kong - Characters - Jul 12
D. K. *siren* DONKEY.. KONG!!! D. K. ... DONKEY KONG IS HERE!!! Oh baby, the leader of the bunch looks awesome with his Brawl update. Is that hair I see? Are you serious? It's great to see that this guy is still bringing the funk to Brawl.
8.4/10
Smashville - Stages - Jul 13
Animal Crossing. This game single-handedly stole an entire 11 months of my life. This stage looks amazing, and it definitely my favorite so far. First off, it's a simple design, so it'll definitely be tournament friendly. But the background changes depending on what time it is? I guess I'll be seeing a lot of the 3am sky. I can't help but wonder what kind of music will accompany this stage, seeing as how it's bloody ANIMAL CROSSING. Of course, we know exactly what music to expect every Saturday at 8PM. Coolest. Feature. Ever.
9.5/10
Star Fox: Space Armada - Music - Jul 16
Even though I love the music updates so much, I couldn't help but feel a bit let down with this one. I mean, it really seems bland, especially for Star Fox, and especially comparing it to Melee's Fox-themed tunes. But I guess it was only 48 seconds, even though it only started getting good during the last 3 seconds as it was fading out. Sakurai, why do you tease us so? Just give us the whole d*mn song.
7.9/10
Deoxys - Items / Poké Ball - Jul 17
Like I stated before, I don't give two flips about Pokémon, and I'm getting tired of hitting Alt+0233 to type this é. I guess some people thought this guy might have been a main character. Well, DECONFIRMED.
6.1/10
Samus: Final Smash - Characters - Jul 18
This is definitely one of the more insane updates. All of our worst fears came true, as it was discovered that in order to transform into Zero Suit Samus, you must perform the Final Smash. Sakurai... Why?? Essentially, this makes Zamus unplayable as anyone's true main character. That is unless Zamus is selectable without the use of a Final Smash, which is very possible. Really, though, it means us Samus players who might play with the Smash Ball on need to learn a new character. What a crazy update. Based on the information it provided, alone, I give it an angry...
8.8/10
Zero Suit Samus - Characters - Jul 19
Boy, this update would have tasted so much sweeter just a day earlier. Of course, Sakurai put a stench on Zamus due to the way you will "transform" into her. Even so, she's looking fine in her Zero Suit, and the new screens show she's agile as ever. Girl, you can whip me all night with that thing.
7.2/10
This World... - Game Modes - Jul 20
Finally, something about the single player mode! Personally, I love the single player modes, I just can't play them because of the lack of the C-Stick. (I have faith they'll fix that for Brawl.) I'm really looking forward to what This World has to offer, and that emo black background is really making me feel like I need to start kicking some virtual *ss. Also, fourth pic from the bottom = gay.
8.7/10
Rumble Falls - Stages - Jul 23
Didn't we have enough with the Ice Climber's stage? Seriously, I only played that, like, twice in my whole life. Just terrible. Either way, this stage seems a lot more spaced out, and apparently it'll be at a constant pace, as well. Still, any new stage is a good stage as far as I'm concerned. Keep 'em comin'!
8.1/10
Yoshi - Characters - Jul 24
Alright, Yoshi! And wow, his character model looks nifty. (Although I can't help but with he has an alternate costume: Yoshi from the Super Mario Bros. Movie.) Like most character bios, there's not a whole lot of information. We get a couple screens, and that's it. What is interesting about Yoshi, though, is Sakurai makes it a point to mention that Yoshi's Up-B, the Egg Toss, will now increase the distance of his jump. Alright!
8/10
Skyworld - Stages - Jul 25
This place looked great from the moment I saw it in the trailers. It's pretty simple, it has a fantastic background, and it's Kid Icarus. The one thing I can't figure out is whether or not you'll be able to stand on the clouds! Judging from the screenshots, I'd guess that you'll be able to spike characters through the clouds. I'm not sure how well that will play out, but we'll certainly see.
8/10
Footstool Jump - How to Play / Advanced Technique - Jul 26
This is certainly an odd manuever added to Brawl. Apparently, if you time your jump just right, you'll be able to hop on your opponent's head, and send them straight down, while gaining upward momentum. Seems simple enough, but I wonder how it'll play off in Brawl. For that matter, it doesn't seem like the easiest of moves to pull off. I mean, literally any attack is enough to stop it, seeing as how you'd just be floating down.
7.6/10
Knuckle Joe - Items / Assist Trophies - Jul 27
I remember this guy from the Kirby series. I knew he wouldn't be a main, so I was pleased to see he'd be an Assist Trophy. It's pretty cool that he has two different special moves he can finish with. It's like adding a touch of random to a big plate of random. I hope to see more ATs that do that.
7.2/10
Donkey Kong: Final Smash - characters - Jul 30
I'll admit it... I played Donkey Konga. I even have the bongos, and they're less than 10 feet away from me. Hey, I digged that game, and Jungle Beat as well. I think it's pretty fitting that ol' DK busts out the bongos to tear it up on the screen. I'm still wondering how the whole "timing the buttons to the beat" will work, but it definitely seems interesting.
7.4/10
Pitfall - Items - Jul 31
Wow, I never expected to see this thing make it into Brawl. I'm kinda happy, though. This reminds me a lot of the mine in Melee, only you won't be able to tell where it lands. Of course, apparently your opponent will zip through the floors if he's directly hit with this thing. Doesn't that make it an instant kill?
7.4/10
Ike - Characters - Aug 1
Oh my God! A newcomer!! Finally, we get a brand new character confirmed! And who better than the Fire Emblem emblem, Ike! Personally I had never played Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, but I've been borrowing it from a friend for the last few months. The night he was released, I popped that sucker in my Wii and started finding out exactly who Ike was. (And who would have guessed it... It's a d*mn good game.) The character model for Ike is heavily borrowed from the GameCube game, and even though I haven't gotten that sword yet, I'm willing to bet it's one of the final swords he recieves. This update is very win.
9.6/10
Castle Siege - Stages - Aug 2
The day after we get Ike, we get his stage! Castle Siege, which we saw short clips of in the trailers, looks innocent enough at first. Of course, it reveals itself to be a multi-staged environment, and only the first two parts have been shown! I'm willing to bet that the first time we play this stage and fall down the pit, there's going to be a brief pause where we're reminded of this update and completely filled with anticipation.
8.8/10
What is the Subspace Emissary? - Game Modes - Aug 3
This is, by far, one of the best updates we've recieved. Finally, we understand what "This World..." is all about. We fill in the giant blanks as to what the Adventure Mode is like, and we understand how freaking huge the single player experience is going to be. Just for kicks, there's a new video (which is the first we see of Peach). And best of all... Sakurai assures us that it'll all be on ONE GAME DISC. WHEW!!!
9.3/10
Smoke Ball - Items - Aug 6
This has to be one of the more useless items I've ever seen. I mean, didn't we get something like this in Melee, where Togepi made the entire screen black? This seems to be a downgrade from that. Still, I have to admit, I really freaking love this item. I can't help but think of playing Gears of War and smoke tagging people just for kicks. This is one of those items that says "Brawl is going to be for chill motherf*ckers, too."
7.9/10
Ike: Special Moves - Characters - Aug 7
Man, Aether looks sweet. I'm pretty sure he has that move in Path of Radiance, and it's a critical hit or something. (I may be wrong. I turn off all animations when I play.) But doesn't that remind you of Kirby's Up-B? Only, you know, less pink. This update reveals some very important information, too. When he's in the middle of coming down with his sword, he's immune to all send that would result from enemy attacks. I wonder how many other characters have moves that disable flinching for them. Can you imagine getting SMASHED by a baseball bat right as you fly down with your sword, only to not move in the slightest? Crazy stuff.
8.1/10
Kid Icarus: The Underworld - Music - Aug 8
Ah, my current ringtone. Seriously, the music is awesome. However, I can't get over the fact that they used midis to compose this. I mean, I thought Brawl was going to be fully orchestrated. Even though it is midi-based, at least they're using d*mn good sound samples. I approve of this song and can't wait to hear the rest of it.
8.7/10
Pit: Final Smash - Characters - Aug 9
Immediately after this update was posted, it was just "PALUTENA DECONFIRMED" all over the place. Still, Pit's Final Smash is definitely pretty sweet. I'm digging the little kamikaze angel dudes, too. It reminds me of getting Unown from a Pokéball, only much more epic.
8/10
Franklin Badge - Items - Aug 10
Oh man, ever want to turn your whole body into Fox's reflector? This item is sweet! Can you imagine picking it up without your opponent Samus noticing, then just blanantly charging towards her as she fires her huge beam in your face, only to have it reflected right back at her! Also, props to Sakurai for keeping it "Mother" and not making it "Earthbound".
7.8/10
Pokémon Trainer - Characters - Aug 13
NO ONE saw this one coming. I absolutely could not believe my eyes when I read this update. I mean, three characters in one? For goodness sake, one of the characters was an NPC in the first two games! I can't wait to see how each one controls. There's just too much to discuss about this update, so I'll let you imagine your own scenarios. I do have one question, though... What's going to happen to the Trainer when the platforms start moving? Better learn to fly, my friend!
9.5/10
Pokémon change! - Characters - Aug 13
This explains exactly how you'll be controlling each Pokémon in battle. I'm still interested in seeing how the whole stamina thing works. Either way, go Squirtle, go!
7/10
Devil - Items / Assist Trophies - Aug 14
I don't know much about this guy, seeing as how I've never played Devil World, but I like his power. He'll start shifting the stage over, so you're forced off the edge. I wonder exactly how it'll work, especially for stages like Eldin Bridge. This is going to be a crazy AT.
6.7/10
Stickers - Game Modes - Aug 15
I don't have a lot to say about these. Basically, if these are going to replace collectable trophies, that's completely lame. If they're in addition to trophies, then that's freaking awesome.
9/10 if they don't replace trophies
4/10 if they do replace trophies
Tether Recovery - How to Play / Advanced Techniques - Aug 16
What can I say? I've been doing this since '01 with Samus. It's really nothing new. I guess it's good that it's confirmed for Brawl, but I never had my doubts. Hopefully a few new characters will be able to perform a Tether Recovery. Either way, at least we have a name for it, now.
6/10
Peach - Characters - Aug 17
After Peach's debut in the short 42 second trailer movie clip, everyone's been waiting until she'd get an update. Well, finally, we get to see her in high-res goodness. And wow, no wonder Mario keeps rescuing her *ss. Peach definitely got a very noticable visual upgrade for Brawl, and looks absolutely amazing. Of course, that second screenshot definitely broke a few hearts. I'm talking about Toad, who is currently being b*tch- gripped by Peach. DECONFIRMed? Seems likely. Sorry Toad-lovers.
8.3/10
Link: Special Moves - Characters - Aug 20
Wow, we got all of Link's B moves and grab in one swift update! It's great to see all of his moves visually upgraded for Brawl. That bomb looks so much more deadly now. But, perhaps the most interesting aspect is that his boomerang now pulls the opponent closer to him. Can you say "GET OVER HERE!!!"?
7/10
Leave your comments in the thread. I'll be continually updating the first post. If you have any suggestions, let me know.
~Dac
I'll be starting, of course, with the Daily Updates that we've been receiving. However, this thread is not to review just the Updates in Brawl, so I'm posting it in the General Discussion forum as opposed to the Dojo Update forum. I've already written my review for each of the updates, and will continue every week day. As more information unfolds from other sources, I will post and analyze that, as well. I hope you all will enjoy my opinions on all the information we're given so far, and if anyone wants to help me review aspects of Brawl, I'll be happy to paste them in this first post. I spent a sh*tload of time working on this, so I hope you all enjoy it!
Just so you don't have to scroll to the bottom for each update, I'll start putting the most recent ones on top. I'll take care of the rest later, though.
The Setup:
Name ________ Category _______ Date
Petey Piranha - Game Modes - Aug 24
Today is Hideo Kojima's birthday, so I have to admit, I'm pretty disappointed that ol' Sakurai didn't give him the birthday present he deserved. It would have been cool to see Snake on the updates for once.
So, we're blessed with Petey Piranha, and he's listed in Game Modes. Wait, Game Modes? I can't wait for the wave of DECONFIRM'd about to be plastered on the boards. Sakurai's really been giving us a lot of recent information about Adventure Mode, so he must think pretty highly of it, so far. I have to admit, though, using Petey as a boss is a bit of a Nintendo cliché. Still, no one can deny that he looks fscking PIMP. (Check out the two ladies on either side of him. Oh yeah, what a player.)
Really, though, we didn't get much with this update. And for a Friday (of one of the best weeks ever), it's certainly disappointing. All we learned is that we'll be facing off with the classic *ss-biter, while be beats the sh*t out of both princesses. And we have to pick just one to save? Well d*mn, I guess at first thought, I'm going to save Zelda. I think she's hotter. (And yes, if this was real life, I'm pretty sure I'd base the lives of both on simply who was hotter. Fun to be a guy, huh?) The only interesting thing I see about this update, is it sort of lends me the idea that Ridley is going to be a boss character, and not a playable one. Time will tell.
Bah, screw this update. I'm going to go listen to K.K. on Youtube.
5.7/10
Yoshi: Final Smash - Characters - Aug 23
It's absolutely unbelievable. No matter what we, as outsiders, guess the update will be, we'll be completely wrong and shocked every time. You'd think by now we'd figure out to expect the unexpected, yet somehow sh*t like this keeps catching us off-guard.
Every night before the update, I spend my time in the Brawl chat room (irc.rizon.net, #ssbb, go there!) and we always have long discussions about what we think the update will be. Never once did someone say either Yoshi's Final Smash or Animal Crossing music, let alone both in the same night. Ladies and gentlemen, a true two-fer.
Anyway, onto Yoshi's new sick moves. I suppose Sakurai felt bad for Yoshi in Brawl, and giving him extra air with his new Up-B just wasn't payment enough. Obviously, if Pit and Yoshi boinked and had some mutated child together, this Final Smash would be it. (Wait, that didn't sound right...) For real, though, this FS is absolute gold. Yoshi mains will rejoice as they can finally have full aerial control with the little dino-lizard-dragon guy.
I mean, I'd love to know exactly how long this Final Smash will last, but even if it's for 10 seconds, that's going to be pretty epic. Now, I'd like to direct everyone's attention to the second to last screen shot. Holy piss, when did Brawl get ported to the 360!? Is it just me, or are the special effects in this game absolutely stunning? That fireball just devastating, but in a beautiful sort of way. Must... go towards... the light....
8.9/10
Animal Crossing: Go K.K. Rider! - Music - Aug 23
Are you kidding me!? First off, we already got Yoshi's FS tonight, but you're telling me we get the Animal Crossing stage music as well? And it's Go K.K. Rider, no less! For those of you who have never played an Animal Crossing game before, (go f*cking play it) every Saturday at 8pm, a little guitar-wielding dog, named K.K., will play you a song at your request. After he finishes playing for you, you have the option of bumming the cassette recording off of him to listen to at your pad. (F*ck the RIAA.)
In Animal Crossing, there were easily over 40 songs, and I'll have to say that my most memorable, and personal favorite, was always Go K.K. Rider! This song was bomb in the game, and it's bomb in it's Brawl form. Now, the composition sort of confused me at first. It's obviously Go K.K. Rider, but it just didn't seem as epic as the other Brawl music we've been given. Of course, then I pictured myself playing on the Animal Crossing stage with K.K. just doing his thing in the background. Wow, it totally clicked at that point. D*mn, this song rocks.
I'm such a nice guy, I'll even link you guys to the original song. Click Here!
Pretty awesome, huh? I think they did a great job with the new composition. And to top it all off, it ends with our favorite singing K-9 with his classic gibberish, yet beautiful voice.* Just stunning.
9.1/10
*For those of you who would like to hear the lyrics to the song, I'll paste them below:
Pwey me ohhhhh!! Oh me mee pweeyy mee, me oh meee me ohhh me pweee!!!
Diddy Kong - Characters - Aug 22
D*mn! I mean, we all knew he'd make it into Brawl, but his update was so sudden! And right after a good update, too! Who would have guessed it? I'm starting to think that Sakurai actually does pull all of his updates out of a hat.
Either way, holy crap, it's Diddy Kong! He definitely looks awesome in the screens, and I can't wait to see what it's like in some video. Personally, I think Sakurai should include a video snippet with each new character update, but that's just me.
So now we have crazed fanboys who'll be making movesets for Diddy until the Moves update, and we can only hope that we get a Donkey Kong-themed music update soon. All I know is that his 3D model looks totally awesome, and he gets mad pimp points for sporting the classic Nintendo cap.
Diddy Kong confirmed. F*ck yes.
9.4/10
The Subspace Army - Game Modes - Aug 21
I'm not sure if you guys are aware, but typically the Japanese site updates a minute or two before the American site. So, when it's F5 time, I'm usually suffering through Kanji before I understand what the update is. Either way, when this update started to load, I immediatelly noticed the Orange color, meaning it was going to be a Game Mode! Then, a few seconds later, I saw that there was a new video, as well!
Too bad the video really turned out to be a dog turd wrapped up in shiny CG. Don't get me wrong, I love the Single-Player updates, but this one didn't really shed any new light as to how we'll be playing, and after that bombshell of a single-player update we got last time, this one feels just a bit dry. Still, any video of Brawl is pretty kick *ss.
So now we're apparently going to fight against The Ancient Minister, who looks like like a cross between Tingle and Dr. Robotnik. I wonder if we'll actually have to fight him, Brawl-style. Is he going to be our new Master Hand?
Just about the best part of this update was the mention of The Robotic Operating Buddies. On one hand, that's a pretty funny tie-in, but on the other, this totally DECONFIRMs R.O.B. as a playable character. Although, I can't say I'm disappointed; Ever since Mario Kart DS, I've had a general hatred towards R.O.B., and for a while I feared that when I played Brawl online, I'd only end up losing to R.O.B.'s Final Smash: Snaking Son of a B*tch.
Overall, we got a pretty good update tonight. Even though it was fairly lacking in total information, any video of Brawl is a good video of Brawl. I can only hope that the next single-player update describes exactly HOW we'll be fighting the Primid, and if we'll be forced to use different characters throughout.
8.1/10
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All of the older updates are below this line.
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The Basic Rules - How to Play / Smash 101 - May 22
This marks the first time we see percentages on screen. Even though the rules of Smash haven't changed, it's still refreshing to see some new screens, the character pictures, and someone dying.
8/10
Battlefield - Stages - May 22
We all figured that the first stage shown was, in fact, Battlefield, and this confirmed it. Sakurai was nice enough to add a thick ledge this time (go Tether recovery, go!) and we get to see the background change from night to day.
7.1/10
The Musicians - Music - May 22
This update definitely was insane news for fans of the Melee soundtrack. With 36 different musicians listed, Brawl is destined to have quite the epic list of songs. I can't help but feel a bit disheartened, seeing as Nobuo Uemetsu or Masato Nakamura (who is responsible for the Sonic the Hedgehog classic soundtrack) weren't listed. Still, we got an updated version of our beloved Melee theme song to throw on our iPods.
9/10
Mario - Characters - May 23
An appropriate first character update, our pudgy plumbing hero, Mario, shows up to tease us with a few screens and a small bio. While there's nothing spectacular about this update, his little-legged Nair never looked so good.
5/10
Link - Characters - May 23
Two of our favorites updated in one day? My friends, this is what I like to call a two-fer. Unfortunately, same as Mario, we didn't get a whole lot of information here. The info does mention that this Link is officially from Twilight Princess, which leads to all sorts of speculation, but other than that, it's pretty dry. (Props to Sakurai for using the word "ebb", though.)
5.5/10
Gooey Bomb - Items - May 24
Alright, before I begin, these are my reviews, so if you hate items, tough sh*t. While I don't personally play with items, I respect a good Bob- Omb to the face now and again.
The Gooey Bomb certainly raised a few eyebrows when it debuted. Remember, "When you hit some with it..." .... "It sticks to them! Get... GET IT OFF!
" What's interesting is that you may be able to transfer it to another player before it 'splodes. Of course, I think we all know where Sakurai got the idea for this gooey guy. (And now I can't get the image of Sakurai shouting obscenities into a headset as he stickies a 14-year-old operating the Warthog out of my head.)7.1/10
Pit - Characters - May 25
Holy Jesus, who cares if we already saw him in a trailer, it's Pit!! We finally get a couple screens of the Kid, and d*mn he looks good. Not a whole lot to this update, but at least it gives us a good weekend to think up special moves for him.
6.3/10
Pit: Special Moves - Characters - May 28
...that is until the following Monday. Palutena Arrow and the Wings of Icarus - These specials certainly suit this winged dude. Of course, I'm still wondering what "allow
6.7/10
What is a Final Smash? - How to Play / Smash 101 - May 29
More like "What is the quickest way get Smashers to not use Super Moves?" Answer: Make them grab an item, first. Personally, I'm a fan of the Street Fighter-style Super Moves, where you charge up a Special Bar and unleash. Now, I realize that's not very feasible for Smash, but a ball? At that point, the game might as well pick a random player to kick complete *ss for the next few seconds. Final Smashes are a great idea, and I understand the importance of items in Smash, but I just have a hard time dealing with grabbing public balls in order to experience everyone's glowing personality, as Sakurai put it. Still, an informative update.
7.8/10
Mario: Final Smash - Characters - May 29
Just like we saw in the trailers, here comes Mario's Final Smash! Check out that first screenshot... Boy does he look PISSED. The Mario Finale certainly looks intense, and the final screen says it all. Of course, if you had to put it into words, I'd go with "Bam! Bam! BambambambamBAM!"
6.9/10
Moving and Shooting - How to Play / Advanced Techniques - May 30
Item users rejoice! You can now run and gun, 2D FPS Style! (Is that even possible?) And Sakurai, you sly devil, you snuck in the Super Scope, too! Of course, this update does raise the question... Will Fox and Falco be blessed with this ability using their standard laser pistols?
7.5/10
Cracker Launcher - Items - May 31
The night this was revealed, as I was hammering my F5 key, I remember reading "Cracker Launcher" before the image loaded, and I couldn't help but get the image of Mario getting catapulted into the air as Bill Cosby and Donkey Kong stood behind laughing. Anyway, this big-*ss cannon certainly was a well-recieved projectile-firing item when it was revealed. And judging by one of the more recent videos we've recieved, it packs a d*mn punch! This update also revealed that certain weapons will now be able to be angled up and down. Cool.
8.1/10
Delfino Plaza - Stages - Jun 1
What!? Are you serious!? Dude! Who DIDN'T get excited when this baby was revealed? And the screenshots of this stage were absolutely beautiful! The moving platform gives us all that Mute City feel, but this stage certainly seems tournament legal. Delfino seems to have even gotten a graphical boost since it's GameCube debut. Totally love this stage.
9.2/10
Yoshi's Story: Ending - Music - Jun 4
Now, personally, my favorite types of updates are Music. I'm a very musical person, and Melee had one of the greatest soundtracks of all time, so I'm really looking forward to all of Brawl's tunes. That being said, YOSHI MUSIC FTW. The first time I heard this song can be categorized in my Top Ten Best 52 Seconds In My Life (right along with beating the final castle in Super Mario Bros., skiing next to a completely random naked chick on a Black Diamond). ADD aside, this music made me truly believe in those 35+ musicians involved in Brawl (and provided me with a sweet ringtone!) So far, this is my favorite song from Brawl. I can only pray that the unreleased tracks sound this effing good.
9.4/10
What Are Poké Balls? - Items - Jun 5
"When you throw a Poké Ball in Smash, a Pokémon of some sort will appear and come to your aid." ...FAIL.
2.5/10
Groudon - Items / Poké Balls - Jun 5
Eh, big frick, it's a Pokémon. It grows large? So does Apache Chief. Gonna make him an Assist Trophy? (Oh wait, we don't know what those are at this point! =X) Still, it's cool to see a few new screens, and I'm sure the Pokémon enthusiasts enjoyed this one.
4.7/10
You must recover! - How to Play / Smash 101 - Jun 6
Well, that's a relief!! The only thing interesting about this update was seeing Mario recover from 12 miles away. Seriously, I hope that was exagerated for effect.
4.2/10
Kirby - Characters - Jun 7
Yay! Kirby! I can't wait to see his moonwalking abilities in Brawl. Either way, all we got in this update was a confirmed hammer, curvey sword, possible punch, and kick in the nuts.
5/10
Pikachu - Characters - Jun 7
Another two-fer! w00t! Does Pikachu look a little fatter in this game, or is that just me? We got a couple nice screen shots, and Wario apparently has perfect teeth.
4.8/10
Four Kinds of Control - Game Modes - Jun 8
................................................
................................................
................................................
....w..wow.
Sakurai dropped a f*cking HUGE bomb on June 8th, 2007. Basically, he said "no matter who is going to be playing this game, I'm going to make it catered specifically for them." And you know what guys? Remember that. When you're worried that Brawl is going to be for item noobs, or you're scared that if you can't shffl you're screwed online, just remember that Sakurai has your back.
Thank you for this most holy update, oh developer god.
10/10
Fox - Characters - Jun 11
D*mn, Fox never looked so good! Let's hope someone steals this character model and starts working on a new Star Fox Wii game! The four new screens are definitely some of the coolest we've seen so far. Fox, we're glad to have you back.
6/10
Yoshi's Island - Stages - Jun 12
Every time I look at this stage, I'm simply amazed at how Brawl's style can change in an instant. The pastel art form looks fantastic, and the stage design is simple, yet fresh. This is going to be a fun one to play on. (Hit up that platform on the left!)
8.4/10
Metroid: Boss Battle Music (Ridley Fight) - Music - Jun 13
This music definitely has that badass feel that we'd expect to get when launching rockets at Ridley's face. (Here's to hoping we'll be able to do that in Brawl.) Still, the music itself seems slightly bland, and the ending certainly hints that it'll be repetitive. That being said, it's definitely a cool, hard take on past Metroid music.
8.2/10
Crates and Barrels - Items - Jun 14
The classic item containers with a few new twists. Cool. Really, there's not a whole lot here, but if you look a bit deeper, if sheds some light on Brawl. These simple items are recieving a face-lift depending on what stage they're on, and that right there shows how Sakurai is working on the aesthetics of the game. Brawl is going to look good. Very good. Oh, and sliding boxes? Lame.
6.5/10
Samus - Characters - Jun 15
This is the first time we got an unconfirmed character as an update, and boy what a good one! Samus looks HOT in Brawl, and I'm talking in-suit, baby! Take a look at that first screenshot. Seriously, when I look at that, my eyes start watering. Subconsciously I get pissed because I start thinking Brawl is going to be an Xbox 360 exclusive, because the Wii certainly can't look THAT good. Samus's updated flames look pretty sick, as well, and that Delfino screen just screams "epic".
8.1/10
Link: Final Smash - Characters - Jun 18
The Triforce Slash is definitely a sweet Final Smash. Even though we've already seen it in a trailer, it was exciting getting it as an update. Still, I felt like there should have been a bit more. For those of you who still think it's going to only attack one person at a time, you're wrong. Does Samus's Screw Attack only attack one person? Just Mario's Down-B only hit one guy? Relax, Link will be able to multiple foes, just like everyone else.
7/10
Pikachu: Final Smash - Characters - Jun 19
Volt Tackle? That sounds painful! This is definitely a freaking sweet Final Smash, and certainly is one of my favorites. The fact that you can control where it goes is going to make things pretty hectic for those running from Pikachu. And Sakurai, thanks for updating us with something we actually didn't know yet.
7.9/10
Wario - Characters - Jun 20
The only thing interesting about this update are a few of the screenshots. For a while, I was convinced he was copying other characters, but I then quickly realized I was ********.
5.3/10
Fox: Special Moves - Characters - Jun 21
Looks like it's bad news for Luigi players once again, as the Reflector is making a full comeback! It's good to know that his blaster has no flinch, either, although I'm still kind of confused as to how it's "the perfect weapon for stealing KOs." I enjoyed this update, and being a Falco player, this is the closest thing I get to news about him. Still, not a huge amount of information given.
6.8/10
Lylat Cruise - Stages - Jun 22
The Lylat System looks BOMB in these screens. This stage looks fun as hell, too. Re-entry? Asteroid belt? An epic space battle!? I might be too busy looking at my surrounding than actually fighting! Even though we've seen this stage before, it was definitely cool to get fresh screens of it.
8.5/10
Zelda - Characters - Jun 25
I did not see this update coming, at all. But d*mn, Zelda looks HOT. And Brown hair? Work it, girl. Even though we didn't get a lot of info about her, it was still nice to see all of the new screens. Of course, it was pretty interesting how they did not mention Sheik. At the same time, they didn't blatantly state that this was Twilight Princess Zelda. I still maintain that there's hope.
8.3/10
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Medly - Music - Jun 26
Wow, a minute and a half of all new Brawl music! And it's from OoT, no less! This is one of my favorite medleys for Zelda I've ever heard, and it was only just a snippet! The familiar sounds of Epona's song brought back great memories, and the epic ending reminded me of the new memories I'll be making with Brawl. Koji Kondo is a music legend.
9/10
Banana Peel - Items - Jun 27
I rarely guess what the update will be, but I was spot-on for this one. Well, sort of. I knew it was going to be an item, and I had stated a few days before that there would be a Banana Peel in Brawl. (I even photoshopped one into a previous screenshot.) Of course, it's still a pretty lame item. I mean, I can only see this item being bad for Jigglypuff when she Rolls Out, or maybe Sonic (if he rolls in...).
6.4/10
Names - Game Modes - Jun 28
This is the first time we got to see any sort of menu for Brawl, and d*mn it feels good. It almost makes me feel like I've seen something behind-the- scenes. And as Sakurai so boldy stated, Brawl will be equipped with personalized button configurations! Finally, I'll be allowed to disable Up as Jump! If all goes well, we'll be able to transfer our settings from Wii to Wii via the Wiimote's internal memory, as well! What an informative update. But if I've learned anything, it's that Tom, John, Bill, Mick, and Mike are some lucky SOBs.
8.9/10
Wario: Special Moves - Characters - Jun 29
Today we learned that at least one vehicle will appear in Brawl; Wario will zoom in on his Chopper. I'm still wondering if anyone else will be able to board it, because that would be sweet. Also, we see that the Wario Waft, shown in the first trailer, will actually be his Down-B. I can't wait to charge that sh*t up. (No pun intended.)
7.5/10
What are Assist Trophies? - Items - Jul 2
If there ever was an item I was totally stoked about, it's gotta be Assist Trophies. I don't care if you're Ken, at some point in Melee, you played a match with only Pokéballs, turned on high, and you know what? You loved it. I absolutely can't wait to see what random-*ss Nintendo character will make his appearance in the middle of the stage. I hope they don't reveal too many of the Assist Trophies, because I'm looking forward to being surprised.
9.4/10
Samurai Goroh - Items / Assist Trophies - Jul 2
This is forever known as the day when "DECONFIRMED" started to be plastered all over the Smash Boards. I was pretty disappointed that he wasn't going to end up being a main, but at the same time, I'm glad he has a chance to be in Brawl at all. Thank you, ATs.
7.1/10
Bowser - Characters - Jul 3
Oh man, every time I see a new character in their updated Brawl format, I just start to drool. Bowser looks so sick, and I actually can't wait to use him. His fire, in screen 1, looks so much more badass than in Melee. Really, I'm starting to wonder if Brawl will really run in 60 frames per second.
8.3/10
Bowser: Final Smash - Characters - Jul 4
Happy Fourth of July! Giga Bowser time! So Bowser's Final Smash is going to be a Giga Bowser Transformation. It's kind of cool that, while he does take percentage hits, he doesn't flinch while he's in GIGA MODE. I wonder if this means Giga Bowser won't be a final enemy, like in Melee. Either way, I feel 1337 because I've been controlling Giga Bowser since 2003, thanks to my trusty Action Replay.
7.7/10
Smash Attacks - How to Play / Smash 101 - Jul 5
Another bunch of information we already knew. We got some new screens and the explanation on how to perform basic attacks using all the controller types, but nothing crazy.
5.9/10
Bridge of Eldin - Stages - Jul 6
Twilight Princess certainly seems to be impacting Brawl a great deal, and the Bridge of Eldin definitely shows it. I love this stage, or at least the look of this stage. The background is beautiful, the stage is simple, and it really has the Twilight Princess feel. Of course, the whole "random attacks" and "stage blowing up" thing turns me off to actually playing this stage, not to mention there are no edges on the left and right. Either way, it's great to see new stages.
8.6/10
Standard Combos - How to Play / Advanced Techniques - Jun 9
I'm not sure how a Standard Combo is justified as "Advanced", but whatever. Nothing new at all here, except for the fact that you'll no longer have to button-mash A in order to continue attacking. Just hold it in for a rapid-fire effect. I can't see how this would change the gameplay too much, so it seems pretty pointless.
6/10
Dr. Wright - Items / Assist Trophies - Jul 10
Hey, it's the little green-haired guy from Sim City! His AT effect certainly seems pretty fitting. I wonder if the buildings will continually cause damage, or if you'll actually be able to jump / walljump / tech off them, as well. We'll see how long they last, too.
6.9/10
Bumper - Items - Jul 11
As soon as I saw this update I sat down and played a few rounds of Super Smash Bros. 64, with all items on. Man, that bumper looked like a dog turd in that game. You know what, though? I'm pretty excited to have it back. I know, I don't even play with items... But still, it's good to see that an idea that was rejected by Melee will make a return in Brawl. I can only hope that this hints to SSB64 past stages, and maybe Board the Platforms!
7/10
US Release Date & Mini Trailer - E3 2007 - Jul 11
DECEMBER 3rd!!!! DECEMBER 3rd!!!! DECEMBER 3rd!!!! We finally have a date! How exciting! And I don't know if you all remember but back in 2001, that's the exact day that Melee launched, too! And along with a date, we got a new 15 second video! I know, it's short, but us Smash junkies gotta get our fix, and we'll take what we can get! Of course, those 15 seconds were filled with total madness. Gah, I can't wait for Brawl!!!
9.8/10
15-Second Movie Presentation - Notices - Jul 12
The news of Brawl's release date and the 15-second trailer are both officially released on The Dojo! Sure, we didn't get any news we didn't already know, but watching the trailer from a direct feed certainly beat watching it from IGN's sh*tty cameras. Not as epic as yesterday, but still totally rocking.
8.6/10
Donkey Kong - Characters - Jul 12
D. K. *siren* DONKEY.. KONG!!! D. K. ... DONKEY KONG IS HERE!!! Oh baby, the leader of the bunch looks awesome with his Brawl update. Is that hair I see? Are you serious? It's great to see that this guy is still bringing the funk to Brawl.
8.4/10
Smashville - Stages - Jul 13
Animal Crossing. This game single-handedly stole an entire 11 months of my life. This stage looks amazing, and it definitely my favorite so far. First off, it's a simple design, so it'll definitely be tournament friendly. But the background changes depending on what time it is? I guess I'll be seeing a lot of the 3am sky. I can't help but wonder what kind of music will accompany this stage, seeing as how it's bloody ANIMAL CROSSING. Of course, we know exactly what music to expect every Saturday at 8PM. Coolest. Feature. Ever.
9.5/10
Star Fox: Space Armada - Music - Jul 16
Even though I love the music updates so much, I couldn't help but feel a bit let down with this one. I mean, it really seems bland, especially for Star Fox, and especially comparing it to Melee's Fox-themed tunes. But I guess it was only 48 seconds, even though it only started getting good during the last 3 seconds as it was fading out. Sakurai, why do you tease us so? Just give us the whole d*mn song.
7.9/10
Deoxys - Items / Poké Ball - Jul 17
Like I stated before, I don't give two flips about Pokémon, and I'm getting tired of hitting Alt+0233 to type this é. I guess some people thought this guy might have been a main character. Well, DECONFIRMED.
6.1/10
Samus: Final Smash - Characters - Jul 18
This is definitely one of the more insane updates. All of our worst fears came true, as it was discovered that in order to transform into Zero Suit Samus, you must perform the Final Smash. Sakurai... Why?? Essentially, this makes Zamus unplayable as anyone's true main character. That is unless Zamus is selectable without the use of a Final Smash, which is very possible. Really, though, it means us Samus players who might play with the Smash Ball on need to learn a new character. What a crazy update. Based on the information it provided, alone, I give it an angry...
8.8/10
Zero Suit Samus - Characters - Jul 19
Boy, this update would have tasted so much sweeter just a day earlier. Of course, Sakurai put a stench on Zamus due to the way you will "transform" into her. Even so, she's looking fine in her Zero Suit, and the new screens show she's agile as ever. Girl, you can whip me all night with that thing.
7.2/10
This World... - Game Modes - Jul 20
Finally, something about the single player mode! Personally, I love the single player modes, I just can't play them because of the lack of the C-Stick. (I have faith they'll fix that for Brawl.) I'm really looking forward to what This World has to offer, and that emo black background is really making me feel like I need to start kicking some virtual *ss. Also, fourth pic from the bottom = gay.
8.7/10
Rumble Falls - Stages - Jul 23
Didn't we have enough with the Ice Climber's stage? Seriously, I only played that, like, twice in my whole life. Just terrible. Either way, this stage seems a lot more spaced out, and apparently it'll be at a constant pace, as well. Still, any new stage is a good stage as far as I'm concerned. Keep 'em comin'!
8.1/10
Yoshi - Characters - Jul 24
Alright, Yoshi! And wow, his character model looks nifty. (Although I can't help but with he has an alternate costume: Yoshi from the Super Mario Bros. Movie.) Like most character bios, there's not a whole lot of information. We get a couple screens, and that's it. What is interesting about Yoshi, though, is Sakurai makes it a point to mention that Yoshi's Up-B, the Egg Toss, will now increase the distance of his jump. Alright!
8/10
Skyworld - Stages - Jul 25
This place looked great from the moment I saw it in the trailers. It's pretty simple, it has a fantastic background, and it's Kid Icarus. The one thing I can't figure out is whether or not you'll be able to stand on the clouds! Judging from the screenshots, I'd guess that you'll be able to spike characters through the clouds. I'm not sure how well that will play out, but we'll certainly see.
8/10
Footstool Jump - How to Play / Advanced Technique - Jul 26
This is certainly an odd manuever added to Brawl. Apparently, if you time your jump just right, you'll be able to hop on your opponent's head, and send them straight down, while gaining upward momentum. Seems simple enough, but I wonder how it'll play off in Brawl. For that matter, it doesn't seem like the easiest of moves to pull off. I mean, literally any attack is enough to stop it, seeing as how you'd just be floating down.
7.6/10
Knuckle Joe - Items / Assist Trophies - Jul 27
I remember this guy from the Kirby series. I knew he wouldn't be a main, so I was pleased to see he'd be an Assist Trophy. It's pretty cool that he has two different special moves he can finish with. It's like adding a touch of random to a big plate of random. I hope to see more ATs that do that.
7.2/10
Donkey Kong: Final Smash - characters - Jul 30
I'll admit it... I played Donkey Konga. I even have the bongos, and they're less than 10 feet away from me. Hey, I digged that game, and Jungle Beat as well. I think it's pretty fitting that ol' DK busts out the bongos to tear it up on the screen. I'm still wondering how the whole "timing the buttons to the beat" will work, but it definitely seems interesting.
7.4/10
Pitfall - Items - Jul 31
Wow, I never expected to see this thing make it into Brawl. I'm kinda happy, though. This reminds me a lot of the mine in Melee, only you won't be able to tell where it lands. Of course, apparently your opponent will zip through the floors if he's directly hit with this thing. Doesn't that make it an instant kill?
7.4/10
Ike - Characters - Aug 1
Oh my God! A newcomer!! Finally, we get a brand new character confirmed! And who better than the Fire Emblem emblem, Ike! Personally I had never played Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, but I've been borrowing it from a friend for the last few months. The night he was released, I popped that sucker in my Wii and started finding out exactly who Ike was. (And who would have guessed it... It's a d*mn good game.) The character model for Ike is heavily borrowed from the GameCube game, and even though I haven't gotten that sword yet, I'm willing to bet it's one of the final swords he recieves. This update is very win.
9.6/10
Castle Siege - Stages - Aug 2
The day after we get Ike, we get his stage! Castle Siege, which we saw short clips of in the trailers, looks innocent enough at first. Of course, it reveals itself to be a multi-staged environment, and only the first two parts have been shown! I'm willing to bet that the first time we play this stage and fall down the pit, there's going to be a brief pause where we're reminded of this update and completely filled with anticipation.
8.8/10
What is the Subspace Emissary? - Game Modes - Aug 3
This is, by far, one of the best updates we've recieved. Finally, we understand what "This World..." is all about. We fill in the giant blanks as to what the Adventure Mode is like, and we understand how freaking huge the single player experience is going to be. Just for kicks, there's a new video (which is the first we see of Peach). And best of all... Sakurai assures us that it'll all be on ONE GAME DISC. WHEW!!!
9.3/10
Smoke Ball - Items - Aug 6
This has to be one of the more useless items I've ever seen. I mean, didn't we get something like this in Melee, where Togepi made the entire screen black? This seems to be a downgrade from that. Still, I have to admit, I really freaking love this item. I can't help but think of playing Gears of War and smoke tagging people just for kicks. This is one of those items that says "Brawl is going to be for chill motherf*ckers, too."
7.9/10
Ike: Special Moves - Characters - Aug 7
Man, Aether looks sweet. I'm pretty sure he has that move in Path of Radiance, and it's a critical hit or something. (I may be wrong. I turn off all animations when I play.) But doesn't that remind you of Kirby's Up-B? Only, you know, less pink. This update reveals some very important information, too. When he's in the middle of coming down with his sword, he's immune to all send that would result from enemy attacks. I wonder how many other characters have moves that disable flinching for them. Can you imagine getting SMASHED by a baseball bat right as you fly down with your sword, only to not move in the slightest? Crazy stuff.
8.1/10
Kid Icarus: The Underworld - Music - Aug 8
Ah, my current ringtone. Seriously, the music is awesome. However, I can't get over the fact that they used midis to compose this. I mean, I thought Brawl was going to be fully orchestrated. Even though it is midi-based, at least they're using d*mn good sound samples. I approve of this song and can't wait to hear the rest of it.
8.7/10
Pit: Final Smash - Characters - Aug 9
Immediately after this update was posted, it was just "PALUTENA DECONFIRMED" all over the place. Still, Pit's Final Smash is definitely pretty sweet. I'm digging the little kamikaze angel dudes, too. It reminds me of getting Unown from a Pokéball, only much more epic.
8/10
Franklin Badge - Items - Aug 10
Oh man, ever want to turn your whole body into Fox's reflector? This item is sweet! Can you imagine picking it up without your opponent Samus noticing, then just blanantly charging towards her as she fires her huge beam in your face, only to have it reflected right back at her! Also, props to Sakurai for keeping it "Mother" and not making it "Earthbound".
7.8/10
Pokémon Trainer - Characters - Aug 13
NO ONE saw this one coming. I absolutely could not believe my eyes when I read this update. I mean, three characters in one? For goodness sake, one of the characters was an NPC in the first two games! I can't wait to see how each one controls. There's just too much to discuss about this update, so I'll let you imagine your own scenarios. I do have one question, though... What's going to happen to the Trainer when the platforms start moving? Better learn to fly, my friend!
9.5/10
Pokémon change! - Characters - Aug 13
This explains exactly how you'll be controlling each Pokémon in battle. I'm still interested in seeing how the whole stamina thing works. Either way, go Squirtle, go!
7/10
Devil - Items / Assist Trophies - Aug 14
I don't know much about this guy, seeing as how I've never played Devil World, but I like his power. He'll start shifting the stage over, so you're forced off the edge. I wonder exactly how it'll work, especially for stages like Eldin Bridge. This is going to be a crazy AT.
6.7/10
Stickers - Game Modes - Aug 15
I don't have a lot to say about these. Basically, if these are going to replace collectable trophies, that's completely lame. If they're in addition to trophies, then that's freaking awesome.
9/10 if they don't replace trophies
4/10 if they do replace trophies
Tether Recovery - How to Play / Advanced Techniques - Aug 16
What can I say? I've been doing this since '01 with Samus. It's really nothing new. I guess it's good that it's confirmed for Brawl, but I never had my doubts. Hopefully a few new characters will be able to perform a Tether Recovery. Either way, at least we have a name for it, now.
6/10
Peach - Characters - Aug 17
After Peach's debut in the short 42 second trailer movie clip, everyone's been waiting until she'd get an update. Well, finally, we get to see her in high-res goodness. And wow, no wonder Mario keeps rescuing her *ss. Peach definitely got a very noticable visual upgrade for Brawl, and looks absolutely amazing. Of course, that second screenshot definitely broke a few hearts. I'm talking about Toad, who is currently being b*tch- gripped by Peach. DECONFIRMed? Seems likely. Sorry Toad-lovers.
8.3/10
Link: Special Moves - Characters - Aug 20
Wow, we got all of Link's B moves and grab in one swift update! It's great to see all of his moves visually upgraded for Brawl. That bomb looks so much more deadly now. But, perhaps the most interesting aspect is that his boomerang now pulls the opponent closer to him. Can you say "GET OVER HERE!!!"?
7/10
Leave your comments in the thread. I'll be continually updating the first post. If you have any suggestions, let me know.
~Dac
