I'll repost what I have said before.
This will specifically talk about the storyline mode of it, and... how it could make us care. For those of us who are dedicated to the Nintendo series of Starfox, Mario, and all the other games, then read this post... because this concerns the storyline of it.
For those of you who had played Final Fantasy 7, we all know it sucked when that one special girl died. We all know that really touched us. For those who played Tales of Symphonia, when everyone seemed to have sacrificed themselves for our hero, that really touched us too. We all know in the great RPG genres that some games had storylines that really made us care and want to find out more. Each RPG had its own special moment that was pretty memorable. Can Super Smash Bros. Brawl do that?
Now, this is what I want you to do: imagine each scene I describe in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. And tell me that won't make you care. But first, let me make some speculations...
Picture if Super Smash Bros. Brawl had multiple storylines that revolved around the same general plot. It would be like when you choose your character from the beginning, you would take the perspective of that character. If you chose Mario, you chose Mario's storyline. If you chose Kirby, you chose his perspective.
Would Brawl have such a heavy storyline that, if there were multiple perspectives, would you play the storyline at least once for every character? Would the Brawl storyline want to make you do that?
Now comes for the "imagination" part...
If Brawl could really make us care, there would have to be suspense, drama, and sorrow within the storyline. We would have to have every element an RPG could have--even the humorous parts, as dark as the storyline may seem now. Imagine...
... a fight between Fox and Krystal (if she's in the game). Though they love each other, because of the "rules of the world," they are forced to fight. Imagine Krystal or Fox becoming a trophy in front of each other... dead...
... now imagine the same thing except between: Mario and Peach, Link and Zelda, and any other "related" characters you could think of.
... imagine dialogue in the game. Actual characters talking and interacting with each other, talking about how they're being treated as gladiators/slaves. Imagine Metaknight making a large speech of how they could escape to freedom from the wretched arena--about having a free life.
... imagine a grand finale, where every single character joins up to fight the one force--the "rules." Imagine how they all team up, despite their differences and past rivalries, against this one force.
... imagine, if the Ice Climbers were in the game, the two being seperated from each other--and possibly forced to fight each other. The duo we once knew now against each other.
... imagine if there were more enemies than imagined. Maybe the classic enemies of Goombas, Koopas, and those annoying plant things from Zelda. Maybe the Heartless from Kingdom Hearts (if that's possible). Maybe some of those Android things from Starfox--maybe Andross himself.
... imagine the torture these characters face when their sole purpose is to fight and be slave-driven gladiators.
... imagine if Brawl made us care enough to shed a tear, or laugh aloud, or stomp our feet in anger at the game (due to the storyline). Imagine if Brawl could do all these things and create the next legendary storyline.
... imagine that, if we did escape to Kirby's homeland of Dream World, it being invaded by bounty hunters because "Kirby broke the rule" or it being corrupted by nightmares during Kirby's absence.
... imagine a trophy with a potential of wrecking mass destruction upon the world, awaiting to be awoken...
... a trophy hidden deep within the darkest corners of the world...
Now comes the concern: what if "The World" update was actually some sort of boring Classic-mode game? Where all you do is fight random enemy opponents? What if "The World" was just a more spiced-up version of Classic mode? What if there really is no storyline mode?
But the main topic here is if Brawl does or does not have an actual storyline mode--but more importantly, would this story make us want to care?
If people are concerned about "characters won't be able to talk," then here is a list of proof:
I have seen many characters from the Melee game talk; I'll list them.
Mario: He said simple phrases like "I'm tired" in N64, and did have his own kids' cartoon.
Luigi: He talked a lot to Mario in Paper Mario and the cartoon.
Peach: She has said a lot before--nearly in every Nintendo game she was in.
Bowser: Said plenty before, such as in N64 and Sunshine, along with Paper Mario.
Yoshi: Yoshis spoke the normal language of people in Paper Mario--but otherwise they didn't... but still.
Donkey Kong: I specifically remember him having his own CG-cartoon before. But otherwise, no.
C. Falcon: He's talked enough already--****ed taunt...
Ganondorf: Zelda series.
Falco: Starfox series.
Fox: Starfox series.
Ness: Someone clarify me on this; I do reckon he had his own RPG but never knew if he talked in it.
Kirby: He doesn't actually speak advanced but I'm sure he could say simple phrases like "Hi" or "Huh?"
Samus: She's voiced by Jennifer Hale in the Prime games, and in Zero Mission near the end where you infiltrate the pirates ship, she talks ( but with no voice over, just text).
Zelda: Zelda series. I would include Link and Y. Link but they don't say anything coherent.
Poke'mon: They say their name--Poke'mon like Mewtwo however do talk.
Roy/Marth: Fire Emblem series.
So nearly every character in Melee talked at one point in time.
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Also, the idea of having one super-powerful trophy that has yet to be awoken is pretty awesome to me. What is the rules created were meant for safety, and when these rules are broken, "a terrible price must be paid" and the great trophy comes? These rules aren't necessarily bad things.
It would be pretty awesome that you can take on the perspective of a specific character when you first begin and from that point onward. It would increase replay value much and for those who are hardcore to the storyline then it would satisfy players. It also gives you something to do in your spare time when there aren't friends to play with in Smash.
Another note that should be concerned, as I vageuly mentioned before, what if Storyline mode is just a beefed-up Classic mode that's pretty lame on plotline? I'd be pretty disappointed, but meh. We can't assume much yet until we are supplied with more hints as to what the story would be.
For those who are concerned about how "Brawl can't have a storyline! It's a fighting game to the pure! It's not an RPG!"
A game doesn't need to be an RPG to have a thriving, deep storyline that's dramatic and intruiging. A fighting game like SCII maintained a firm (although pretty boring) storyline in it's single-player "Weapon Master" mode, and I've heard hints as to Mortal Kombat also doing this in one of their games. They are both not RPGs, but they both have storylines. So why not Brawl? Why can't Brawl be the "movement" of fighting games and step up to be a change?
With the unique, intensive battle system of Brawl combined with Nintendo's cast of characters, a handful of third-party figures, and a possibly epic and legendary storyline, I don't see why Brawl would be the game of all time in the up-coming future.