smash-bros-brawl
Latest
Dojo update: And ... Inhale
There's a bumper Kirby update over at the dojo today, dealing entirely with the pink blob's "Inhale" move, a maneuver that allows Kirby to assume the identity and abilities of his foes by swallowing them whole.The gelatinous one already has one of our favorite Final Smashes, and his patented special move looks every bit as excellent as that. Don't believe us? Just check out Solid Kirby! Or Samus Kirby! Or Bowser Kirby! Or heck, just check 'em all out.%Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%
Dojo update: Team Healer
Today's dojo update is all about helping out friends; or, to be more specific, teammates. While the "Team Healer" may not boast the most devastatingly imaginative name, its ability to patch up your buddies in the heat of Brawl's Team Battles will no doubt prove colossally useful. Especially if you're a bit rubbish. Which we're not.Lobbing this at your teammate will trigger its healing qualities and replenish their health meter, but be careful -- should your Team Healer go astray and hit an opponent first, they'll benefit instead. Finally, because Brawl is a Nintendo game, and Nintendo loves giving everybody a chance (see: Mario Kart and its habit of handing out lightning bolts willy-nilly to the less gifted racers), those with a higher damage meter will recover more health.%Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%
.jpg.cf.jpg)
Dojo update: Flipping out
Today's dojo update introduces yet another Metroid stage. This time, though, instead of having Ridley terrify you in the background, that pleasure is given to (dun dun dunnnnnn) the Parasite Queen. You may find the Frigate Orpheon stage to be vaguely familiar, as it's one of the spaceships that Samus infiltrates in Metroid Prime. Of course, something is bound to go wrong, like, say, the stage flipping over on you. After a siren sounds (well, at least there's a warning), you'd best prepare to have everything invert on you, since the stage will flip a full 180 degrees. With some caution and good strategy, the flip can be a nice way to pick off a scrambling enemy.Also added today was Porky's theme from Mother 3. We think that this militaristic tune is a nice fit when it comes to beating up some folk, but maybe that's just us.%Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%Read: Frigate OrpheonRead: Porky's theme
Nintendo: no plans for a Kirby Wii title
Despite Kirby's prominent appearance in the Wii's megaton title Smash Smash Bros. Brawl, Nintendo has no plans of giving the little pink vacuum cleaner his own game on the console, according to the UK's Official Nintendo Magazine.In the magazine's Q&A section, Nintendo's official response is: "There are no plans right now for a Kirby game on Wii but there are plenty of Kirby fans out there, so in the meantime look out for Kirby in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Brawl which will be released in 2008."Though Kirby has always been best suited to 2D side-scrolling adventures, we're still a bit disappointed that Nintendo isn't considering any Wii love for the squishy mascot. We can't think of any clever waggle functionality, but wouldn't it just be fun to turn the Wii-mote on its side and let Kirby run free in a 2.5D adventure?[Via Wii Fanboy]
Dojo update: Co-op Events
The Event matches in Super Smash Bros. Melee proved to be a fairly absorbing distraction from the main game for this blogger, so their return in Brawl is pleasing news for yours truly. Better still, Brawl lets you tackle Events with a friend, and comes with a number of Event stages designed expressly for co-op play. Sounds good!Elsewhere on the dojo today, we got confirmation of two more modes, because Brawl is really lacking in that department, right? Coin Battle sees players thumping currency out of one another, with the richest player at the end of each round being declared the winner, while golden oldie Target Smash makes a return.%Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%
Dojo update: A double dose of assist trophies
Today's dojo update features a duo of assist trophies in Stafy and Waluigi. Each emerges into the fray of battle and puts the beat down on suckers that would oppose the summoner. Actually, only Waluigi does, as his attacks look pretty fierce. It would appear that Stafy is more for show and fan service than practicality, as he can be attacked by your opponents once he's brought into the fight.%Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%Read - StafyRead - Waluigi
Dojo update: Going to the races
There's been a few less-than-stellar updates on the dojo recently, but today's unveiling of the Mario Circuit stage has atoned for that somewhat. Not that the stage is entirely new, of course; those with strong memories may recall this stage being part of a trailer first shown back in November 2006. Nevertheless, Mario Kart totally rocks our socks, so we'll forgive it.Based on the figure-eight Mario Circuit course that has appeared in every Mario Kart game to date (battles take place at where the track joins in the middle), this stage features a field of eight Shy Guys zipping about in karts as you scrap. Being hit by a kart deals out damage, and they approach from all directions as well: from the sides, back, and front. Luckily for brawlers, the giant screen at the back of the track keeps tabs on their location. And if that fails, you can even wipe out the karts yourself with one well-timed swing of a weapon.%Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%
Dojo update: Rotation
If, like us, you're amazingly popular, then today's dojo update will be of particular interest to you. That's because it's all about Brawl's "Rotation" mode, a mode designed for those with more players than controllers, as well as friends who aren't patient enough to wait their turn.The idea is straightforward enough: you all enter your names and controller preferences in one list (upto sixteen of you can join), choose whether or not you want losers or winners to drop out, and then get on with the brawling. Is this a case of mode overkill? We suspect so. Surely it's not too difficult to simply establish your own rules of rotation, and stick to them without sulking/hair-pulling/biting?%Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%
Dojo update: Bonsly assists
Oh no, another Pokemon in Smash Bros. Brawl. No biggy, right? Wrong. We're happy to say that this particular Pokemon has a special ability: it messes Fox up nice and good, as his Reflect does nothing against its power.Why the hate for Fox, you ask? Hey, we've said it time and time again: the guy is cheap. Like, ridiculous cheap. Cheap to the point where we toss controllers out of windows and possibly cause car accidents, as our controller shatters the windshield of a passing driver. So, in a way, this Pokemon saves lives.%Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%
Brawl delayed in Europe, get out your pitchforks and lynching gear
Let's rip the Band-Aid off quickly, it might hurt less that way: Super Smash Bros. Brawl is delayed in Europe until after June 2008. A Nintendo spokesperson confirmed the bad news with VideoGamer.com, we're sad to say.Oh, Nintendo. You burn European gamers over and over again, and yet, every time it happens, we're surprised. Perhaps it's because we're filled with the naive hope that you'll get your act together. Then you go and do something like delay the Wii's most anticipated game for an entire continent of people (and let's face it, probably Australia too, although that's not yet confirmed). We can grumble all we want about you, Nintendo of Europe, but you don't seem to mind at all.Our only consolation is that if you live in England, you have the chance to use an A-Team limo service. Even when NOE fails, the A-Team will never let you down.[Via Kotaku]
Dojo update: Dedede sends out the troops
Some of the Final Smash maneuvers showcased so far on the dojo have looked devastating -- maybe too devastating in some cases -- but how about sending an entire army to do your bidding? How about sending the Waddle Dee Army? Scared yet, punk?Well, get used to it, because that's essentially the Final Smash of Kirby nemesis King Dedede, who peppers the level with Waddle Dees (in Kirby games, these are the equivalent of Goombas). Not just the bog-standard Waddle Dees that he chucks about most of the time, either -- these are faster than your common or garden Waddle Dee, and can easily sweep you clean off the stage. And just for good measure, there's also the odd Gordos hidden in there.%Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%
Dojo update: Smash Ball 101
Smash Balls are going to be a white-hot commodity when we all finally start brawling next year, and little wonder: getting your hands on one will allow you to pull off your respective character's Final Smash, a number of which we've already covered.But it's not just a matter of walking over the Ball to trigger its powers. First, you all have to beat the absolute snot out of it, with the player who lands the blow that breaks the Smash Ball getting to keep it. Once it's in your hands, a simple press of the B button will unleash your devastating Final Smash, though as Sakurai-san points out in today's update, it's all a matter of timing if you want to create the most destruction possible.You're advised not to hang around too much, though. In the period between picking up the Smash Ball and launching a Final Smash (when the player enters "Final Smash standby mode"), opponents can still swipe the Ball from your dastardly clutches, meaning some strategic thinking is required.We're also told about the Pity Final Smash, where a player who is losing badly respawns from a KO in the aforementioned standby mode. Lastly, if you'd rather not use Final Smash moves at all (though goodness knows why you wouldn't want to), you can simply turn Smash Balls off in the options.%Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%
Animated spoof of Brawl invokes the spirit of Robot Chicken, only with Flash
Before you go clicking on any links, we want to warn you that the following flash is NSFW in many ways. Now that we're clear, we thought you might enjoy this (again, NSFW) jumble of short flash skits available at Newgrounds, based on the upcoming (and highly anticipated) Super Smash Bros. Brawl. These skits are meant to spoof many of the daily updates that we've gotten from the official Smash Bros. site. While some are completely unfunny, on the whole the Flash is pretty entertaining (specifically any scene with Snake in it). Keep in mind that although the scenes themselves are short, the compilation of them all leads to a pretty long video. On the chance that we've cause you to waste five or so minutes of your life that you'll never get back, know that we'll cry inside every day just thinking about it.[Thanks, hvnlysoldr!]
Dojo update: Returning Pokemon
We've already been told about the odd newcomer from the Pokémon universe, but today's dojo update is all about those who are returning from previous Smash Bros. titles.Lugia, Entei, Suicune (hurray!), Staryu, Bellossom, Ho-Oh, Wobbuffet, Togepi, and Snorlax are amongst that number, while the likelihood of a Celebi or Mew sighting is, as ever, low. They're worth the wait however, particularly as they like to drop presents your way. Like mysterious gold CDs.%Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%
Smash Bros blog teaches us how to make friends
"Simple is best." (Ah, but only if it was as simple as 1-2-3-4-5...). On the day when we were supposed to be playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Dojo blog drops a downer, reconfirming the use of unique friend codes. Forget that 16-digit Wii number you've committed to memory, it need not apply. No, Brawl is still going to employ a proprietary code for each user, a 12-digit combination that you'll have to exchange with friends before you can build a buddy list (both parties must register the other's code). "Yep. Simple," declares Dojo.
Classic Melee stages returning in Smash Bros. Brawl
Players intimidated by the chaotic, hazard-heavy stages of Super Smash Bros. Brawl will be delighted to hear that several classic stages will be returning from Smash Bros. Melee. Pictured above, the Temple stage is the only one officially announced, though director Masahiro Sakurai promises "a number" of stages from the Gamecube title (a few of the original N64 states couldn't hurt either, but there's no word on whether or not that's even a possibility).In other news, next Monday is December 3, otherwise known as the former release date of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. As this date has been slowly approaching, we here at Joystiq have noticed that the daily Brawl updates have lacked any startling new information. The last character announced was back in October, meaning that Brawl's blog is definitely overdue for some earth-shattering information. Perhaps Nintendo is holding off to make an announcement on the day we all expected to get our Brawl on? Maybe, maybe not. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.
Dojo update: Events
Today's dojo update shows the return of Events. These unique scenarios present the player with accomplishing certain goals, such as using Link to defeat Dark Link, as you can see above. Others include playing as Mario to defeat two evil Kings (Bowser and King Dedede) and using Pit to destroy the Skyworld level while trying to not get the crap kicked out of you by Wario. %Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%
Dojo update: Wario-Man
Not all of Brawl's Final Smash moves will be spectacular, screen-filling affairs. Take Wario's, for example. When the yellow and purple one scarfs down some garlic, he turns into (trumpet and clarion calls, please) ... Wario-Man! And even when the transformation is complete, you'll still control him as you normally would.However, by using this particular Smash, you do gain a whole bunch of neat new maneuvers, including a handy sideways-sliding shoulder tackle, and an assortment of midair moves that see the mighty Wario-Man take to the skies. Okay, it's not quite an iceberg that crushes all before it, or the highly destructive flatulence attack we had our fingers crossed for, but we'll still look forward to taking Wario's superhero alter ego out for a spin.%Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%
Dojo update: Talking display preferences
Today's dojo update focuses on the display options for Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The game will support both standard, 4:3 display and widescreen, 16:9 display. And, should you not be all up to snuff on your knowledge of widescreen vs. normal display options, the game will let you know which display option is best for you based on the TV your Wii is playing the game on. Oh, and there's also a nice musical track you can give a listen to.%Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%
Dojo update: Controls
Today's dojo update isn't a huge megaton or anything, but for those who didn't know about all of the various control options, it's something new. Also, you can transport your control settings to a friend's house by uploading your settings to your Wiimote and hitting the road. Screens of the various set-ups can be found in the gallery below.%Gallery-10206%%Gallery-6869%
