Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii) Review

The core concept hasn't changed since its conception almost a decade ago. Like its processors Smash Bros is all about the frantic, fun beat-em-up action nicely blended with side-on platforming elements. Up to four fighters make their way into the arena to duke it out, throwing punches, slashing swords and sometimes popping the odd fart or two; it's an all out war to inflict damage and send foes a-flying! Once high enough you can knock 'em off the stage and earn a much deserved point, the winner being the last chap alive or those who scored highest if going for time.

One of the more outstanding features is the cast of characters. If you placed an ad in the local classifieds for a for an all-star Nintendo game, along would come Mario bopping along with his quirky brother Luigi, his lady-on-the-side Peach, old-rival Donkey Kong, portable-taxi Yoshi and the hero-for-hire, Link. You've also got some less-known and some downright bizarre faces this time round. The muscle bound bad-boy of Fire Emblem, Ike, dons a mammoth sword for some devastating, if a little slow, attacks. Metal Gear's Solid Snake springs from his card-board hideout for some explosive combat and even Mario's greatest rival, Sonic the Hedgehog, whizzes into action like a squirrel on crack. Unfortunately for most, you've also got some less useful and more gimmicky options, but the majority are action packed and ready to go: there's definitely enough to throw into the arena!

What use is having so many old and new franchises bound together without a whopping great adventure to throw them into? Brawl aims to really take single-player forward with a story dubbed the "Subspace Emissary". Here we see an unknown chap who wanders about setting off bombs and generally wreaking havoc. In the midst of all the chaos Mario and Kirby shake their booty to impress Nintendo princesses: Zelda and Peach. Unfortunately for them a different explosion's about to happen as yet another bomb detonates, a giant piranha plant appears and Mario is hurtled off into space, all before tea-time!

As more bombs detonate and characters become captured by evil forces, we gradually find the good folk working together to find out what on earth's going on in the world of Subspace. Some amusing alliances form, and some down-right random ones too, from hero Link wandering through a forest and sneaking past Yoshi snoozing on a tree-stump to space's top pilot Fox McCloud making an unwilling alliance with the banana-craving maniac Diddy Kong. To tell the tale are a series of gorgeous cut-sequences that can send any Nintendo fan into an orgasmic frenzy

Stat balancing is a relieving aspect of Brawl that sees the spotlight shine over some of those considered a little weaker than others, and toning down some of the previously overpowering beasts. Little tyke Ness packs a wallop with better speed and strength, Zelda

Once friends pack up, forget to clean up and make their way home after a day of non-stop Smash action or the Internet breaks down, there are a handful of stadium and gallery modes that make a return. You've got the chance to beat the living daylights out of a heavy punching bag and just before the counter runs out deal a final blow to send the poor sod flying into the distance