ESRB Rating: E For Everyone
“My favorite game is Super Smash Bros. because it gives you the chance to make Pikachu or Jigglypuff 1st Place!”
—Tim
If you want to be really, really strict about it, this is not really a Pokémon game. Super Smash Bros. is really a Nintendo game with some Pokémon characters in it—Pikachu, for instance. But there are also a lot of other characters in it from a lot of other video games. The idea, I suppose, was to get fans from a lot of video games to play because it included many of their favorite characters.
Super Smash Bros. is made for the Nintendo 64 system and is a little more difficult to play than your typical Pokémon game.
It’s also a fighting game, so you have to be careful about asking your parents to buy or rent it. If your parents say “no,” then you’re not really missing an actual Pokémon game. If they say “yes,” then it can be a fun game. Even though it is a “fighting game,” there really isn’t much violence. For one thing, the characters are all cartoon characters, and for another thing, nobody really gets hurt or seems to get hurt in the game.
Super Smash Bros. can have as many as four people playing at once, each one picking a famous Nintendo video game character. So, yes, you can play as Pikachu. There are eight different characters to choose from when you start playing, then another four hidden characters that you can choose later on for a total of twelve characters.
Experienced Nintendo game players will recognize many of the locations. For instance, the game takes place on Hyrule from the famous Zelda games to Pokémon’s own Saffron City. In all, there are nine different locations, each one based on a famous video game. The real video game fan will enjoy the music borrowed from other games, like Pokémon and Mario, that is included in this game. It’s kind of weird to hear other video game theme music in this game, but it’s kind of fun, too.
Even though this is “officially” a fighting game, the idea isn’t to actually beat up the other guy. The idea of the game is to force or throw your opponent off a platform. It’s true, you can kick and punch, but the main thing is to get him off that platform.
Now, there’s a lot of pressing of buttons that has to be done very quickly and in the right order. There aren’t a lot of “combos,” like in other fighting games, where you have to press a bunch of buttons all at once or very quickly, one after another, but you do have to be pretty fast on the buttons in Super Smash Bros. and this will take a while to learn. That’s the major difference in playing a role-playing game or RPG like Pokémon, and a fighting game. In Pokémon you have to learn where everything is—explore. In Super Smash Bros., you have to learn to work the characters by pushing buttons on the controller. And, believe me, it can take just as long.
The Buttons
Fighting buttons are the A and B buttons.
The Jump button is the C button.
L makes you pose at the end of a match for extra points.
Z is a defensive button.
Mostly you will be using the A, B, and C buttons, so unlike other fighting games, Super Smash Bros. is not very hard to control, but it will still take practice.
As I said before, this game contains a lot of characters from other video games. That’s really the most interesting thing about it, that all of these different characters have gotten together from other games. And while what they do in Super Smash Bros. isn’t much like what they do in the original games, they still have a lot of the same personalities and features.
The Main Characters
Mario from Super Mario and a bunch of other games
Donkey Kong the gorilla from Donkey Kong
Link from Zelda
Yoshi from the Mario games
Pikachu from Pokémon (other Pokémon, like Snorlax, also make special appearances, but you can’t play as them)
Samus from the Metroid games like Metroid II: Return of Samus
Kirby from the Kirby games, like Kirby’s Dreamland 64
Fox McCloud from Star Fox 64
The Hidden Characters
There are also four “hidden” characters that you can only play when you have scored enough points or defeated an opponent.
Luigi from the Mario games
Jigglypuff from Pokémon
Captain Falcon from F Zero X
Ness from Earthbound
Now, the good thing about the game is that every character has their own special moves. That’s pretty cool because the moves are a lot like their personalities when they appear in other games. So, when you play as Mario or Pikachu, it really is like playing as Mario or Pikachu. And since all the characters have different moves, then there’s a lot to learn and you won’t get bored with the game easily. Hey, it takes a long time to get good at controlling all 12 characters!
The Main Locations
A) PEACH’S CASTLE: Mario and Luigi
B) PLANET ZEBES: Samus
C) SAFFRON CITY: Pikachu
D) DREAM LAND: Kirby
E) CONGO JUNGLE: Donkey Kong
F) YOSHI’S ISLAND: Yoshi
G) SECTOR Z: Fox
H) HYRULE CASTLE: Link
I) MUSHROOM KINGDOM: Original Mario games
Secrets (Some of them Silly)
Change Costumes: It’s possible to change a character’s outfit. All you have to do is tap all the C buttons at the Character Select screen.
To Play as Luigi: It’s easy, all you have to do is beat all eight original characters in the Bonus Practice 1. Then you fight Luigi. If you beat him, too, then you’ll be able to play as him.
To Play as Jigglypuff: You just have to beat the game with any character. At the end, you’ll have to fight Jiggly; if you beat Jiggly, then you can select her as a character.
To Play as Ness: First set the game to “Normal” difficulty and the number of lives to three. Then beat the game without hitting any continues. This will put you up against Ness. If you beat him, you can then choose to fight as Ness.
To Play as Capt. Falcon: Set the game to “Normal” difficulty as fast as you can. At the very end of the game you’ll fight Falcon. If you beat him, then you can use him as a selection.
Sound Test: This is a classic video game secret and kind of a treat for experienced gamers. To unlock the sound test of this game you have to win both bonus games in the single player mode. And you have to do it with all 12 characters. It’s not easy.
Classic Super Mario Bros. Mode: To access this classic scene for the Versus mode you have to beat the game with all eight original characters on Normal difficulty using only three lives.
Surprise Visits: Once you get out of the “training mode” be sure to study the backgrounds carefully, some surprise characters from other video games can often be seen.
Tips and Strategy
This is a difficult game, there can be no doubt about that. What you have to remember is that the game gets more difficult as you go along. So take advantage of the practice modes and get all of your moves down. And remember, each opponent is different. What doesn’t work on one opponent may work on another, and what works on one may not work on the next.
The first couple of opponents are pretty easy, but believe me, it gets a lot more difficult as you progress.
The Shield: The shield works best when guarding against long-range attacks. And remember, even when it is not being hit, it still is draining energy.
Edges and Ledges: If you get knocked off the platform, try to come back and grab on to the edge. You can hold on there awhile. As you climb back up, your best strategy is to attack by pressing the A button.
Finding Items: Some items appear like magic and other items you have to find by breaking open barrels or eggs. These containers may contain valuable items such as weapons you can grab and use or things to restore health. If given a choice between a weapon and something to make you strong again, always go for the thing that restores your health.
Long Range: A good long-range attack is throwing an item, especially when you have somebody coming after you.
“A trick I learned in Super Smash Bros. was when you go to Free-for-All with the console, look at the top left corner of the screen and press Free-for-All, then Free-for-All will change to Team Battle. When you go into Team Battle, use Pikachu and Yoshi. Pikachu and Yoshi are the best team together, I think. I beat the other players when I played as Pikachu and Yoshi on my team. I tried using Pikachu with Kirby, but it didn’t work. That’s because, like I said, Pikachu and Yoshi go best together.”
—Tim
Poké Balls: The Poké Balls in Super Smash Bros. aren’t really like a “power up” or bonus, they are more like an “instant teammate.” There are thirteen Poké Balls in all. The way that they work is that whoever throws the ball gets the Pokémon as a teammate. That’s fair.
However, you never know what Pokémon you are going to get. So that can be a big surprise. Does it make a difference what Pokémon you get? Heck, yes! Because each Pokémon fights a different way.
The 13 Pokémon in the Super Smash Bros. Poké Balls are:
Beedrill
Blastoise
Chansey
Charizard
Clefairy/Clefable
Goldeen
Hitmonlee
Koffing
Meowth
Mew
Onix
Snorlax
Staryu/Starmie
ITEMS: Just when the action gets going in this game, a new item comes into the picture. How well you do in the game will depend on how well you use these items.
First off, there are Containers. These are the Crate, the Capsule, the Eggs, and the Barrel.
The Crate: Break it open as soon as you can. It will contain some goodies that can help you.
The Capsule: Break it open, it will contain an item that can help you.
The Egg: Chansey throws them and they contain items that can help you.
The Barrel: These are tough to break open and often explode. You can still throw them at opponents and roll them.
Warning!
Be careful when breaking open Containers. Just because you broke it open doesn’t mean you get to automatically use whatever is inside. If you are playing against a clever opponent, he can run up and steal the item or items from you.
Items You Might Find
Fan: Use it to whack your opponents.
Baseball Bat: Hit your opponent with it. More heavy duty than the fan.
Light Sword: Swing it and it says, “Luke, I am your second cousin on your mother’s side from Cleveland…” Okay, just kidding. It doesn’t really say that. You use the light sword as you would the bat.
Hammer: Swat your opponent with it. Actually it is more powerful than the Bat or Light Sword.
Motion Bomb: Plant it and wait for opponents to get too close.
Bob-omb: From Mario, of course, a tiny guy with a big boom!
Bumper: Works like a bumper in a pinball game. Plant it close to the edge and knock opponents into it.
Shells: They come in red and green and you throw them.
Fire Flower: It shoots flame.
Ray Gun: It’s a fun weapon while it lasts, but then your only choice is to throw it.
Star Rod: You can smack someone with it and you can also shoot stars out of it.
There has been some confusion out there as to just what Pokémon is released in some cases. For instance, one kid I know said Staryu and another said Starmie. Okay, okay, Starmie is the evolved version of Staryu, so it really doesn’t matter that much. Trust me on this. It doesn’t. You will not find the question: “What Pokémon was released with a Poké Ball in Super Smash Bros? Was it Clefairy or Clefable?” on your college entrance examination. As a matter of fact, if you find that your knowledge of Pokémon helps you in your college studies in any way, consider changing schools.
Playing As Pikachu
As a true Pokémon fan you probably want to play as Pikachu, right? But what chance does a little tiny furball like Pika have against a big giant furball like Donkey Kong?
Well, Donkey may be huge and strong, but he’s also slow. Pikachu is the quickest character in the game. That means you have to use Pikachu’s speed as an advantage over other larger characters like Donkey Kong. You also have to take advantage of his ability to shock with his electric powers.
Some (but not all) of Pika’s Moves:
Taunt: Hold Left.
Electric Strike from Above: Push Down and B at the same time.
Quick Escape: Push Up and B at the same time.
Head Butt: Push A.
Super Tail Flip: Up and A at the same time.
Flip Kick: Hold Up and A.
Tail Attack: Hold Up and A at the same time.
Tail Spin: Hold Down and A at the same time.
Remember!
Also, remember, the Z button lets you block and the R button lets you grab stuff.