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You knew it was coming: Smash Bros. Brawl hits eBay
Japan may not have had the Brawl room blitz riots we were expecting due to game shortages, but that doesn't mean demand for the Nintendo fighter isn't extremely high. Then there's also the rest of the world to think of. While most of us probably don't own Japanese Wiis or modded systems, those who do probably can't wait to get their grubby little hands on the most coveted game of this year. If you live in Japan, selling your copy of Brawl on eBay seems like the smart thing to do (if you can part with it, that is). The high bid for this auction is currently $242.50, which means it's almost as expensive as a Wii, and the bidding doesn't even end for another two days. That's madness.If the Wii wasn't region locked, how much would playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl early be worth to you?[Thanks, TheFireStorm!]
Nintendo teases PAL regions with Brawl release date
While Wii owners in Japan are feverishly playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and everyone in the States is biting their fingernails in anticipation of the March release, we forget our friends in the PAL region, who thus far haven't even been given a firm release date for Nintendo's franchise fighter. Wii Fanboy helps us catch up with all the drama.A few days ago, Nintendo updated the Brawl page of their UK site, posting a release date of June 1st for the game. Once word had gotten out of the posted date, Nintendo quietly removed it, replacing it with the super-helpful time frame of "2008."What's even weirder is Nintendo's denial of the slipped release, claiming the update is likely a mistake as June 1st is a Sunday. Keep in mind that the official Brawl release date in the US is March 9th: a Sunday. So either it's a flimsy excuse for an unannounced release date, or the date really doesn't mean anything. Either way, we'll keep you updated on whether Nintendo ever decides to "set a date" with our PAL pals.
These people are playing Super Smash Bros. right now
This was the scene yesterday outside the Yodobashi Camera in Shinjuku, as over 300 people suddenly decided to all go to the electronics retailer at the same time for ... some reason. It was a good day for Yodobashi (in terms of business, not of employee sanity) as a PS2 Haruhi game, Devil May Cry 4 and various other things also hit. But the true "event" game was Brawl, which led to many Wii system sales and probably the most GameCube controller sales in the last five years.With ownership of the game, of course, comes detailed writeups. Justin Epperson is writing about every aspect of the game for 1UP as he experiences it. He says of the Subspace Emissary single-player adventure that "At the rate we were playing, one hour of play time is around 10% completion." That's ... much bigger than the Melee adventure mode! In sadder news, he says that rule sets can only be edited when playing online with friends, and not with strangers. If you're hooked on the (Smash) Brothers, go read the article for lots of talk about stages, unlocks, stickers, and all the stuff that just seems cruel until we can play it.
Iwata Asks Sakurai: Volume 7
We've been told that all good things must come to an end, and this unfortunately applies to Iwata's informative interview segments with Sakurai (no one ever expects a Sakurai inquisition!). So, what better way is there to end things than to talk about the beginning?In this installment, Iwata questions Sakurai about the roots of the Smash Bros. legacy. While the original idea (Dragon King: The Fighting Game) sounds like it'd be a good time, we're really glad that Smash Bros. became what it did. To think, the game almost didn't have Nintendo characters in it (gasp, shock, sound of horror)! As we always say, you can't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been -- so, head on over to the interview and read about the beginnings of Nintendo's beloved fighter in the final segment of "Iwata Asks."%Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%
Smash Bros. Brawl shortages imminent
Japan is poised to suffer significant Super Smash Bros. Brawl shortages when the game is officially released on Thursday, reports Game|Life. Nintendo has failed to supply as much as 75% of pre-order units to retailers; likely due to production delays and oversights. Though the shortage would seem to pale in comparison to Wii hardware scarcity, a meager Brawl launch would underscore Nintendo's continued struggle to operate a functional supply chain.Game|Life theorizes that Japan's expected shortages explain Brawl's delay in North America, as it will take until March for Nintendo to manufacture an ample shipment of units for the territory – not to mention, fulfill the rest of Japan's demand. Others speculate that Nintendo is intentionally withholding supply to give its WiFi Connection service a chance to adapt to the inescapable surge of online Brawl players. This isn't the first time Nintendo has been accused of such tactics, and – if someone don't fix that damn supply chain – it won't be the last.
Super Smash SPOILERS [update 2]
We know that some of you get awfully touchy when it comes to spoilers, so we're going to warn you: If you don't want to know anything about Brawl that wasn't meant to be revealed, make sure you stop reading now. We're so nice that we're not even going to tell you what the spoilers are about. But, you should have stopped reading by now anyway if you don't want to know. We mean it!Continue after the break for spoilers galore, and consider yourself warned!
Japanese Brawl intro hints at unannounced characters, looks sweet
With the Japanese release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl only two days away, the deluge of video content has really only just begun. Today, it's the full introductory cinematic to the Japanese version, showing off a mixture of pre-rendered cut-scenes and gameplay footage designed to make us bite our fingernails with anticipation.Surprisingly, the game's intro sequence even reveals a couple of unannounced old favorites returning to the fray. We won't give away any names here, but suffice it to say that a lot of you will be happy. Check out the full intro after the break.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Will Brawl fall to the Wii's casual focus?
An interesting opinion piece by JC Barnett popped up on GameSetWatch yesterday, which covered the familiar area of the general lack of success of "hardcore" games on the Wii, specifically in Japan. Barnett's prime example is No More Heroes, which, despite being hyped like crazy (and also despite being really awesome) totally bombed. A "punk rock game" from Suda 51 isn't really prime hit material, being somewhat niche by design, but Barnett uses this as an example of a game that doesn't fit with the Wii audience.He then wonders out loud if Super Smash Bros. Brawl will actually sell as well as we all think it will. "It is hardcore, but it is popular hardcore. But is it a fit for the Wii audience? My guess is: not so much." He expects a fairly strong first month with a large drop-off, much like Super Mario Galaxy. In other words, it'll sell well, but not as well as a DS game about petting a dog.We've heard a lot of talk about the Wii's casual-focused audience, but this is the first time somebody has questioned the sales potential of Smash Bros. It should be pretty interesting to see how the first month plays out in Japan.
Smash Bros. Brawl footage reveals story mode details
We're (supposedly) nearing the release of what could arguably be considered the Wii's most anticipated title ever, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and we're all drowning in a deluge of information about the game. However, as much as we hate to add to the noise, you simply must watch the above video, which shows a few short, but sweet, gameplay clips from the Subspace Emissary story mode.It looks like Nintendo has improved the side-scrolling gameplay featured in Melee, and has crafted personalized single-player (or co-op) stages for a number of characters in the game. With videos like this dropping regularly, and with only a month and some change until the game drops, we're going to need to invest in a fairly sizable drool guard to preserve our poor, saliva-covered computer monitors.
Wii Warm Up: Memorable delays
We've done some delay speculating, but we were wondering -- are delays really all that bad? Hear us out, for a second.There's no question that delays are disappointing. It's not fun to look forward to something, only to find out that it's being pushed back. In the end, though, the frustration goes away. Once you get your hands on the game, all is forgiven and forgotten.Or is it? Are there any game delays that you really remember? What we mean is, do you still get angry when thinking about any delays in the past? Five years from now, will you still be venting about the time that Super Smash Bros. Brawl got pushed back twice? Essentially, how memorable are delays to you?
Iwata Asks Sakurai: Volume 4
Another day, another portion of the discussion between Satoru Iwata and Masahiro Sakurai. And today's focus is on the single-player experience in Brawl, which has gotten a lot more love from Sakurai than from those who've worked on previous installments in the franchise.Essentially, he describes the single-player campaign as a completely different experience than that of the tried-and-true multiplayer game, citing differences in both character movement and the "basic game system." On top of that, it will offer players a more fleshed-out and digestible storyline, instead of just tossing the player into a scenario and asking them to complete it.
Smash shortage threatens Japan
In what must be the biggest threat to Japan since Godzilla, reports are coming in that retailers might not be able to meet demand for Super Smash Bros. Brawl come January 31st. According to Canned Dogs, Lepton (a games retailer in Japan) bemoans that the store is only getting 154 copies of the game from Nintendo. That's not even close to meeting the 800 preorders that the retailer has received, let alone walk-ins. Lepton is even paying over retail price to get Brawl from other sources (meaning they'll lose money by selling the game), so that the store can honor more of its preorders. Because the entire country seems to be facing shortages, though, Lepton has only been able to come by 100 extra units, even at inflated prices. The initial Brawl shipment for Japan is reputed to be only 300,000-400,000 copies, which is not much for a popular title in a country with 5 million Wii gamers. Import retailer NCSX is also reporting a small supply, and has stopped taking preorders as a result.Does this mean we'll see riots in Japan on the eve of February, incited by frustrated gamers longing to get their hands on the Wii's most anticipated game to date? And, is it possible that North American gamers will face similar shortages when Brawl releases here in March? We can only hope the answer to both of these questions is, "no."[Via Japanator]
So much Brawl to watch
Even though the actual release date for Super Smash Bros. Brawl continues to slip, we know that it will get here soon. Until then, we're perfectly content to watch a video like this and practice our sighs. With five minutes of gameplay in this video, we're able to get a lot of practice-losing in.We already know that we have no chance against the legions of Smash-obsessed teens who will be online day and night, so we're going to try to be the best at being totally dejected about our losses. We plan to mix it up with a little bit of upbeat winner-congratulating, and maybe some angry tantrums, but as far as strategy goes, our bread and butter will be the good old sigh of resignation.
Nintendo accidentally confirms Lucario, Ness, Jigglypuff for Brawl
A small slip-up on the Nintendo of Japan website has revealed three previously unannounced characters in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Fan favorites Ness and Jigglypuff will be returning from the previous Smash Bros. titles, while the pokémon Lucario will also be joining the ever-growing ranks.Nintendo of Japan recently posted a 5-minute video explaining the many features of Brawl. In one section of the video, the sticker-collecting feature is shown off. A small set of icons along the bottom shows which character can equip each sticker, and originally showed small icons depicting Ness, Jigglypuff, and Lucario.Nintendo of Japan has since updated the video, conspicuously whiting out these icons and effectively assuring us that this is "for real." More than simply confirming new characters, this news also confirms that the Brawl roster will exceed those characters announced on the official blog, which is just good news for everybody. Check out the original, unedited footage after the break. The icons appear very briefly around 4:20.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Japan to run plenty of ads for Smash Bros. Brawl
With Super Smash Bros. Brawl releasing upon the Japanese public at the end of the month, it's no surprise that Nintendo has prepared a plethora of TV spots to be run. And, thanks to the intertron, one doesn't need to live in Japan to see them. So, sit back, relax and catch an eye full of Brawl goodness in one of the spots above, then head past the break for some more.
Sheik returns in Smash Bros. Brawl
Gamers concerned that their favorite gender-confused Zelda alter-ego would be absent from Brawl have absolutely nothing to worry about. The Hyrulian princess's down-special move will still transform her into Sheik, now re-imagined to match the visual style of Twilight Princess.According to the official Smash Bros. Brawl blog, Sheik's look is based on an early design drafted during development of Twilight Princess, meaning that at one point Sheik was a shoe-in for Link's grittiest adventure to date. Sheik appears to retain the needle storm, chain, and vanishing moves from Melee, and shares the "Light Arrow" Final Smash with Zelda.
It's worth the wait: Smash Bros. Brawl scores 40/40 from Famitsu
The good citizens over at NeoGAF have picked up the latest issue of Famitsu, and revealed that Super Smash Bros. Brawl has garnered a perfect score from the Japanese magazine. Well, at least we now know it'll be worth all the delays.Brawl is only the seventh game in Famitsu history to receive a 40/40. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was the first back in 1998, followed by Soul Calibur, Vagrant Story, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Nintendogs, and Final Fantasy XII. Of course, Famitsu's score just represents the opinions of four reviewers, so we'll have to wait for more reviews to come out before we decide whether or not this is worth the purchase (yeah right).[Via Game|Life]
Awkward Brawl postmortem, Wii Fit panel announced for GDC
Nintendo has announced that they will hold three panel discussions at this year's Game Developers' Conference. Two of the three focus on the biggest, and most ephemeral, Wii releases of the year: Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Wii Fit. In "Building Characters: The Super Smash Bros. Brawl Postmortem," Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai will discuss the challenges of throwing so many distinct Nintendo characters into a game together, staying true to both the game design and the integrity of the original characters. This postmortem will be extremely uncomfortable if the game isn't actually, you know, mortem yet, a possibility that seems ever more likely. In fact, Brawl will not be out by the time GDC opens on February 18th, but it could still be finished if they meet their January 31st release date for Japan. "Wii Fit: Creating a Brand New Interface for the Home Console," led by EAD general manager Takao Sawano will discuss the development of both Wii Fit and the weird controller that goes with it. And Takashi Aoyama's "Planning the Wii Menu: From Pre-Launch to WiiWare" is about ... the Wii Menu. Well, and also the development of the Wii's internal programming.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl delayed until March 9th
Super Smash Bros. Brawl just wasn't done breaking hearts. After the crushing disappointment of having our $19.98 preorders canceled, Nintendo's latest news is a kick while we're down. And not a fun in-game kick, from Yoshi or something. The regular kind.The rumors were true. Nintendo of America has announced that Brawl is delayed until March 9th. The official reason? "Development is taking slightly longer than expected." We're just going to assume that the real reason is that Nintendo's taking the time to add (character you want). The Japanese release has been delayed, as well, until the 31st of this month. Masahiro Sakurai has apologized for the delay on the Dojo site.For those of you who are counting, this is the second delay for this game. Once upon a time, we thought we were going to be Brawling online as soon as December 3rd. It's now ... considerably later than that, is what it is.[Via Joystiq]
CoroCoro magazine reveals Sheik, other obvious additions to Brawl [update]
Some super-blurry pictures of Japanese magazine CoroCoro seem to confirm that Zelda will be able to transform into Sheik via what's being called a "Twilight Change." No doubt this is exactly like her transformation before, but, you know, with the Twilight Princess version of Zelda. It should at least be moderately interesting to see what the edgier Twilight Princess Sheik will look like. Even if we hadn't heard from Aonuma that Sheik would show up, this shouldn't really be a surprise to anyone. Pictured above is the card on which this information was found, which also shows what appears to be Zelda's Final Smash move: Light Arrows. Sadly, the CoroCoro issue also mentions that Snake and Sonic the Hedgehog will be unlockable "secret" characters, even though both characters were revealed on the Dojo and in trailers and everything. All this means is that we have to spend agonizing hours playing as not-Snake. [Update: Reader Sensai brings news that the card actually doesn't specify a down-B move at all for Zelda, leaving Sheik, and the identity of that special move, unconfirmed. What a "mystery!"][Via NeoGAF]
