Super Smash Bros. (1999)

Game #45/200 This is a really hard game to rate in 2023. Unlike comparing something like say, Super Mario Sunshine to Super Mario World, two games from the same series that came out in completely different eras but that both offer something unique. Super Smash Bros. is almost impossible to play without comparing to its sequel(s), and it is in no way a unique experience from them, serving merely as their prototype. It doesn't mean OG Smash is bad, in fact I found it a bit fun, but it's eclipsed in every way by Melee. There's really no reason to return to this title other than to feel nostalgic or compare it to a later title. With that being said, I was impressed by how much Sakurai did get right on his first try. The frenetic brawling subgenre works quite well considering there was really no precedent for it to my knowledge. It's not the most balanced experience in the world, but as most party games aren't, I don't view that as much of a problem. The stages are decently designed, with lots of little hazards or interactable elements, and quite varied, with at least one appearing from every represented series. I loved the chunky 64-bit artwork and callbacks to games like Star Fox 64, Mario 64, Yoshi's Story (this game sucks though), etc. Very cool playing as Gen 1 Pikachu , Link from OOT, or Mario from Super Mario 64. Great music selections of course from the best Nintendo titles. It was fun seeing items appear from various series as well, with the Pokeball being the most fun to use (fucking Koffin, again?!). I remember fondly playing this game as a young boy (with Melee appearing in far many more memories, but still), and it was satisfying to pick up and run through classic a few times unlocking all 4 secret characters. The roster is pretty solid! 12 fun characters who all play a rather differently (besides Mario and Luigi). I gotta say, Mario plays really smoothly in this game, even though I had never mained him as a kid. Lastly, you gotta love the Target challenges. They really require you to use all of the characters' mechanics, even if they are all a bit easy. The platform challenges sucked though. Classic mode is also a bit too same-y and easy. I am glad they introduced far many more single player options in future titles, even if those were a mixed bag.

Final thoughts: If you never played this as a kid or have no interest in playing retro titles for the sake of seeing what they were all about, picking this one up is probably a waste of time. Otherwise, this is a cool way to kill some time. I feel like co-op would be a waste of time though...go play Melee or Ultimate.

This game is just cute. Looking at what Smash has become only in these 2 decades, it’s insane what has happened. I am a "Melee" fan, and I will always be, but it’s weird how I’d never actually played he original Smash until it was on the Wii Virtual Console, considering how much love I have for the N64 as a kid, and it was even weirder because I was familiar with (and even loved) most of these characters.

But, ok, the first Super Smash Bros....it’s fine. In my humble opinion, it’s the worst Smash, mostly because it’s the most simple, which is kind of guaranteed considering this is the first entry in the franchise.

It really is strange going back to this combat, so many of the core gameplay mechanics that always felt like mainstays of the series were introduced in Melee.

It also feels tremendously slow, for me you don’t get that same "hype factor” that you get with the other games because though you can set up combos, they aren’t as cool as they would be as in, again, Melee (sorry if I sound like one of those toxic Smash fans).

It’s the first game, and you can’t deny it’s legacy for creating this super unique sub-genre of fighting games, but they don’t feel like the "true" start of the platform-fighter.

I really like the stage selection, though some of the stages, look kind of, I don’t know, gross? It’s honestly a problem most Nintendo 64 games have, the color is just sort of drained, and I don’t know why. It doesn’t look as bad in the Wii version for the most part but it still bothers me.

I think the character selection is on-point. All of them are like Nintendo staples, and even the oddballs are good picks and plus it helps that they’re unlockable characters so it doesn’t distract too much.

Ness was unrecognisable at the time, but gave much spotlight to a deserving game. Captain Falcon was strange since he was barely seen except for in a silhouette and a comic but it added a nice variety to what type of games the characters came from. And Jigglypuff, though not the most popular or marketable Pokémon is still definitely one of the most iconic.

That intro is iconic, just the belting of "Super Smash Bros." makes me want to clench my fist and punch it in the air. It’s the perfect setup, even though you really don’t need one.

I love the bonus stages, and I really wish they would return to their former glory again, they’re just fun and addictive and also infinitely replayable with the amount of unique ones there are for each character.

I think it’s just fun to revisit this game, even though if I were given the option between all the Smash games to play forever and was held at gunpoint, I would most certainly pick another game. It’s just this nostalgic trip and with the insane burst of resurgence of the modding community, I would love to try some of those as well.

7/10.

Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 64 isn't anything special compared to the later games. However, it still deserves a playthrough for the novelty of Smash starting out.

The development of this game is very interesting. In 1998, second-party developer, Masahiro Sakurai, creator of Kirby wanted to make a 4 player fighting game that was easy to understand but hard to master. He showed his mentor, Satoru Iwata a prototype known as Dragon King: The Fighting Game which only featured 4 nameless polygon fighters. Realizing that the game would likely sell horribly, Sakurai wanted to make the game more unique. He then had the idea of featuring popular Nintendo characters fighting. After pitching this idea to Nintendo, they refused. He then, without their permission, developed a demo of Mario, Samus, Fox, and Donkey Kong fighting, showed it to Nintendo. And then the game got greenlit and Super Smash Bros. was born

The game released in 1999 and was immensely successful.

Super Smash Bros. is very small in comparison to its sequels, but it still holds up pretty well.

The game features 12 characters. Mario, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Fox, Samus, Kirby, Link, and Pikachu. Jigglypuff, Captain Falcon, Luigi, and Ness were the unlockable characters. It includes 8 stages and one unlockable stage.

The gameplay is pretty much the same as every other Smash with a few minor things such as the lack of a 4th special, and other specific moves such as dodging.

The game is pretty small and once you've played an hour of it, you've basically played all it can offer.

Super Smash Bros. is a fun novelty to look back on, while it doesn't compare to the sheer scale of the sequels. It's responsible for the biggest gaming crossover in history. And it's great to look back at what started it all.

3/5

Would Recommend

For many gamers I know, the Nintendo 64 was their gateway into the digital world. It was their introduction to 3D gaming. It was their childhood system. The N64 was Nintendo a little aged, a little daring, but still in its prime. Nintendo was still doing their bestest to dominate home gaming. A nonsensical controller and some horrific camera work aside, the console’s capacity for multiplayer games made it a popular piece of hardware with big families and the N64 had many gems now touted as classics. Nowhere is that clearer than with the game under consideration today.

In honor of the Nintendo 64 recently celebrating its twentieth birthday, let’s take a look back at one of the best titles of the system and one of the most unique fighters to come out of the 90’s: the original Super Smash Bros.

Known in Japan as “Nintendo All Star! Great Melee Smash Brothers”, this fighting game was developed by HAL Laboratory (creators of Kirby). The original game has spawned several sequels, none of which have been truly poor. It’s a franchise of franchises.

Smash Bros. opens to the scene of a young child’s bedroom, toys scattered about. A disembodied, Mickey Mouse-gloved hand flitters about, pulling dolls out of cabinets and straightening items on a desk. Then with all the power of imagination, the dolls come to life. They are the famous Nintendo characters, all of them playable as fighters in this world of make-believe.

The game features twelve fighters, four of which have to be unlocked by meeting certain requirements. They are Captain Falcon, Donkey Kong, Fox, Jigglypuff, Kirby, Link, Luigi, Mario, Ness, Pikachu, Samus, and Yoshi.

Their combat moves draw from the wealth of history associated with each character, such as Link being able to throw bombs, Yoshi swallowing opponents and turning them into eggs, Ness using his PSI powers, and Kirby stealing the abilities of his enemies.

During matches, random items can appear across the stages. These can be helpful in turning the tide of any fight and make the game seem more dynamic whenever a Poké Ball, Super Star, or Hammer appear. As a source of references to games like Super Mario 64, Super Metroid, and EarthBound, Smash Bros. is a treasure trove for veteran Nintendo fans.

Check out the full review at: https://thewellredmage.wordpress.com/2016/10/03/su...