Gameplay: 9
Graphics: 8
Sound: 8
Replay: 10
Multiplayer: Yes (4)

Let's face it, if you haven't heard of Super Smash Bros then you either weren't playing video games back when the N64 came out or you have been living with a pack of wolves (and wouldn't be reading this review anyway most likely, poor you). Super Smash Bros is up there on my list as being in the top 10 for the greatest multiplayer games of all time. It was the best game to pop in when you had 2-3 other people at your house. Now Nintendo has released the follow up to that incredible game, Super Smash Bros Melee. But can the sequel live up to the original? Can Nintendo, the company that has been losing a lot of ground the past two years, make a game worthy to bear the name?

Yes. Yes. And yes again. This game lives up to the original and surpasses it in every aspect of the game. It has the incredible gameplay of the original, the unique but very good graphics (improved of course), solid sound, and most importantly, it is one of the best multiplayer games available for any of the consoles, hands down. If I were to dream of a perfect sequel for Super Smash Bros, this would be it. I had a lot of skepticism about this game when it was announced but it lived up to my expectations.

The gameplay in this game is the exact same as the original. Same setup for everything, just slightly different buttons because of the "unique" (or rather, dumb) setup for the gamecube controller. The buttons take a while to get used to but once you get used to it you will be button mashing just as much as you used to playing the original and having a ton of fun doing it. There are a variety of different moves. Mixing the different attack buttons with a different directional movement produces a different kind of attack. This setup is good because it requires some degree of skill but it is still easy to pick up and play.

There are a lot of characters and levels in this version, much more than in the original. All of the popular character from the original (such as Pikachu, Link, Samus, and Kirby) are all back and some new fighters such as the Ice Climbers (yes, Climbers, there are two of them, strangely) join the mayhem. The best part of this game is the multiplayer of course. If you have friends who like to fight it out then you will be pumping more hours than you can count into this game. The single player in the game isn't overly impressive but it is fun and most importantly it is rewarding. If you want to fully appreciate the game you must unlock the extras by playing the single player (some stuff can be unlocked in multiplayer as well though).

The graphics in this game look just like the original, although with many improvements. In the original the items you picked up looked like paper machete when the game was paused (the pace of the game is so fast it is practically impossible to notice it without pausing), but now the items are in 3D just like the characters. The 2D environments are still here. The objects and characters are 3D of course but the arena is 2D just like the original. However, some levels are special and they move, rotate, change, etc. That is pretty cool.

The characters look good enough. The graphics aren't mind blowing but it doesn't matter when you are pounding your best friend into the ground with Kirby's smash attack. But the characters are well modeled and decently detailed and look like the real character (of course, these are all officially licensed Nintendo characters so since Nintendo made it they should look just right). The backgrounds in most levels are pretty plain but in some they have some cool effects. Like in the Pokemon Stadium level there is a big screen in the background that shows the fight live.

The sound in this game is solid. The music matches the game well. The grunts and cries from the characters are the best part of the game though. When you hear a "Pika!" you know you better clear out because a lightning is about to fry you. When you hear "Falcon PUNCH!" you better make sure you get the hell away or you'll be seeing stars. That is what is cool about this game is the way characters announce their attacks. All the overlapping noises adds to the craziness and the mayhem of the game.

The replay in this game is incredible. Round up a couple of friends and pull an all nighter constantly pounding each other, it just doesn't get old. The best part of course is all the unlockables in this game. There are TON of characters, levels, and modes to unlock in this game. Trust me, if you really want to have fun the extra characters and levels are AWESOME and NEED to be unlocked.
This game is amazing. It is just what I expected a sequel to be. The same fun game in a whole new package with updated graphics, new characters, new moves, new levels, and a whole lotta game. This is well worth the money. I just can't wait for the next game in this awesome series.