Graphics

Undoubtedly one of the aspects that made me utterly amazed upon seeing them for the first time in August of 2001 (due to a general lack of internet), not much has changed in 2009. The graphics still look way above average, and have stood the test of time quite well. When you compare them to the original Super Smash Bros. the generational leap in graphics from the N64 to the Gamecube is simply astounding, even by today's standards.

9

Sound

I'm incredibly fond of the soundtrack in this game. Save for the DK Rap (which was supposed to be a joke, according to Rare; the impression that I get upon hearing the version in Melee besides one of stabbing my ears with an icepick is that they took it seriously), every tune really feels like it deserves to be in the game. Sure, most of the songs are from other games (for obvious reasons), but the way Melee updated them while not going to the point of unnecessary remixing gives the majority of the sound a nostalgic charm. My only small complaint is that the best music in the game (personally speaking) that plays in the Battlefield stage when you're fighting a Metal character is nowhere to be accessed in Melee's multiplayer mode. Where was the love?

10

Play Control

The more I played Melee over the years, the more I was convinced that the Gamecube controller was made just for this game. Seriously, I can't find anything to complain about. The controls were such an improvement over Super Smash Bros.' control scheme with the X and Y buttons replacing the C buttons on the N64 controller as well as the Gamecube's C-stick adding the convenience of quick Smash attacks. Even the Gamecube's control stick was better to use than the N64's in this game. It's not surprising to know that the controls for this game are still favored over others in Super Smash Bros. Brawl; they nailed the controls for this game.

10

Originality

Despite the fact that Melee is essentially a celebration and combination of all most things Nintendo, there are still semblances of originality compared to the first. The obvious semblance of originality, of course, is the aspect of a four-player mascot fighting game that allows you, among other things, to swing a very heavy hammer on Mr. Game and Watch in space. Adventure Mode and All-Star mode do more to expand on its originality compared to the first game, as well as the bunch of multiplayer modes such as Slow-Mo, Camera, and Tiny Melee.

9

Final Word

Melee was, and is, without a doubt, a massive improvement on what Super Smash Bros. established. Yet it wasn't without its fair (and small) share of issues here and there. For starters, most of the moves from the original were drastically neutered to retain fair play. An example of this would be the throwing effect; in the original, throwing not only did a significant amount of damage, but you could see the effect. In this game, you'd be lucky to throw your opponent more than a foot with the default damage ratio. Another issue that may be more personal than anything is the lack of original Super Smash Bros. levels. Sure, looking back, it was definitely a treat to get DK's original stage from the first game again, but it would've been nice to get more than three of the original levels back. In spite of this, Melee not only stands the test of time, but can still provide good entertainment as it did eight years ago. If you're a Wii owner that never experienced Melee, you really need to. Right now.

8

Overall Score: 9/10