Wii - Smash Bros. Brawl

[TwinBahamut]

Doesn't that just beg the question of why the previous game was popular?

Why? You asked, "Why are a lot of people looking forward to the game?" and the answer is "Because a lot of people really enjoyed the previous game in the series." People found the previous game fun, and thus the sequel is anticipated (mostly because the general trend in videogames is that sequels are better than their predecessors). I am willing to bet that 99% of the people hyped about Brawl happen to have played Melee, and have found it to be a fun game. "People getting excited over other people being excited" has nothing to do with it.

Now, the question "Why do people like the Smash Bros. series in the first place" is an entirely different question, but since that seems to be what you are actually asking, I guess I might as well answer.

The Super Smash Bros. series has reached a pretty high level of popularity because it is a very simple, easy-to-learn fighting game that combines a number of unique features. First, it is a crossover game where you get to control some of the most popular and beloved characters in videogame history. Second, it is one of those rare fighting games that allows 4-player multiplayer matches. Third, the basic game mechanics (built around knocking people out of the arena, rather than depleting a life meter) are unique and fun. Fourth, the rules are extremely customizable, and there are many different stages and items, so the game experience is flexible and varied enough to suit a variety of tastes.

Brawl takes that popular formula, adds a few game modes, adds several characters, makes the rules even more flexible, includes the option to play matches over the internet, and basically reinvigorates the game.

 

[LightPhoenix]

I just want to say that I can't stand Lucas. Ugh, what an awful character.

 

[Asmor]

Can't stand playing as him or against him?

He seems pretty popular.

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

I just want to say that I can't stand Lucas. Ugh, what an awful character.

One thing I've noticed about the game, even this early in the running, is that every character is viable in some fashion.

In an effort to really crack the series, I've taken to playing Random characters in Brawl, and sticking with that character until I win 2 or 3 matches. It just so happens that I got stuck playing Lucas last night. I think he's a very good character and, in the right hands, an absolute terror. He has a lots of options, strong attacks, and a bit of AOE on each of his smashes. I'd say he's lacking a decent recovery move, but his double jump is sufficient and if you can get the hang of smacking yourself with a pk thunder, that works well too. Obviously, he's light and not terribly fast so those can be issues. But make good use of his shields and dodges and you'll be all right.

 

[Felon]

So, the differences in control scheme are entirely based on preference, and a lot of the preference can come down to what you play the most, obviously.

Other than that, we got storyline, most of the time quite lacking in a fighter...

So, characters. I think this is how most of the games now-adays differentiate themselves. I'd hazard a guess that Smash Bro's popularity started simply based on having Mario beat up Luigi, and it kept going from there. If it was the same game with unknown characters, I doubt it would ever have taken off like it did.

Felon, Super Smash Bros. Melee was so popular because it took the concept of the original Smash Bros. and expanded upon it. The game was easy to learn but difficult to master, had tons of characters to choose from to match various preferences and playstyles, and provided 4-player fighting that was chaotic and challenging. Oh, and it was fun.

The Super Smash Bros. series has reached a pretty high level of popularity because it is a very simple, easy-to-learn fighting game that combines a number of unique features. First, it is a crossover game where you get to control some of the most popular and beloved characters in videogame history. Second, it is one of those rare fighting games that allows 4-player multiplayer matches. Third, the basic game mechanics (built around knocking people out of the arena, rather than depleting a life meter) are unique and fun. Fourth, the rules are extremely customizable, and there are many different stages and items, so the game experience is flexible and varied enough to suit a variety of tastes.

Brawl takes that popular formula, adds a few game modes, adds several characters, makes the rules even more flexible, includes the option to play matches over the internet, and basically reinvigorates the game.

Thanks for the exposition, one and all.

How? GTA4 isn't out yet, so unless you have played it, I'm not clear on how you could list those qualities. By my reckoning, the hype created around GTA4 comes from the same place that all hype comes from. Even if you have played the game, the vast majority of the GTA3 fanbase have not and only have their own expectations and pre-release tidbits to form an opinion.

For those following it closely, there's a lot more info out now about GTA4 than just tidbits--certainly enough details there to drum up some well-informed excitement. Beyond that, the GTA series is virtually a genre unto itself, because there are so few games out there like it (after Saints Row, I'm pretty out of comparisons).

 

[Asmor]

Beyond that, the GTA series is virtually a genre unto itself, because there are so few games out there like it (after Saints Row, I'm pretty out of comparisons).

You're kidding, right? I mean, sure, you'd totally have a point several years ago. GTA 3 pretty much single-handedly invented the "sandbox" genre. However, since then, it's become the new genre de jour, perhaps only waning slightly in popularity in recent times. The last several Spider-Man games, Saint's Row, Crackdown, Simpsons Hit & Run... Honestly, considering I don't like the genre much myself, and I suck at coming up with lists off the top of my head, that's pretty impressive. If given time to research I'm sure I could come up with a list of several dozen games which are like GTA 3+ (granted, many are blatant rip offs, and all owe their existence to GTA, but they are games like GTA nonetheless).

 

[Felon]

You're kidding, right? I mean, sure, you'd totally have a point several years ago. GTA 3 pretty much single-handedly invented the "sandbox" genre. However, since then, it's become the new genre de jour, perhaps only waning slightly in popularity in recent times. The last several Spider-Man games, Saint's Row, Crackdown, Simpsons Hit & Run... Honestly, considering I don't like the genre much myself, and I suck at coming up with lists off the top of my head, that's pretty impressive. If given time to research I'm sure I could come up with a list of several dozen games which are like GTA 3+ (granted, many are blatant rip offs, and all owe their existence to GTA, but they are games like GTA nonetheless).

So let me see if I've got this straight: you're offering a small list that includes highly specious examples of GTA-style games like Spider-Man and the Simpsons, and then deeming it to actually be much more impressive than it seems in light of the fact that you suck at coming up with lists "off the top of your head". Furthermore, you are sure that you could come up with "several dozen" examples given time., but we can just save you that time by going ahead and accepting it as fait accompli.

It seems like you felt like taking the time to be contradictory, but you didn't feel like taking the time to try to provide support.

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

Thanks for the exposition, one and all.

For those following it closely, there's a lot more info out now about GTA4 than just tidbits--certainly enough details there to drum up some well-informed excitement. Beyond that, the GTA series is virtually a genre unto itself, because there are so few games out there like it (after Saints Row, I'm pretty out of comparisons).

I haven't been following GTA4, other than the occasional report from 1Up or whatever, but I suspect the amount of information being released for that game compared to Brawl's prerelease is similar. By the home stretch (the last month before release) we knew about 75% of the characters, different play types, online play, the Subspace Emissary game mode (Story Mode, new to Smash), the new custom stage builder. And that's just the official channels; it was not difficult to find leaked info about everything else.

So again, I think people's excitement about the game stemmed from the same places, and without playing the game, was just as well informed (if not moreso) than the prerelease of any other game.

 

[Arnwyn]

So let me see if I've got this straight: you're offering a small list that includes highly specious examples of GTA-style games like Spider-Man and the Simpsons,

No, he's actually right with those examples. Those are all 'open sandbox'/'free roaming' games. Heck, do a Google search for "GTA-style", and you get bombarded.

It seems like you felt like taking the time to be contradictory

Irony alert!

 

[Asmor]

A couple notes... I define "gta-style" games here to be games in which one can do missions, or just explore the game world and futz around, as the mood strikes them.

Games functionally identical to GTA (i.e. third person action games fitting that paradigm):
GTA series from GTA 3 on
Simpsons: Hit & Run
Saint's Row
True Crime: Streets of LA
Crackdown
Spider-man Series
Transformers

Games which fit that paradigm, but change the formula somehow
Midtown Madness (whichever was on the Xbox... Never played any of the others, so can't comment on them)
Burnout Paradise
Tokyo Extreme Racer series
Elder Scrolls series
Pretty much any MMORPG (World of Warcraft, Everquest, City of Heroes, Guild Wars, etc, etc, etc)

However, now I'm bored. As has been said already, a simple search reveals lots of others. Here's a link to GameSpot for 106 games tagged as Sandbox, although to be fair a lot of those games I would not say are very reminiscent of the GTA-style of a sandbox game.

I look forward to your reply explaining to me why I'm wrong.