Summary
Super Smash Bros. Brawlwas a landmark entry for Nintendos' premier fighting series, and the time may have come for a remake. TheSuper Smash Bros.series is one of Nintendo’s biggest sellers and has been since its inception on the Nintendo 64. Every installment has found some way to grow exponentially, withSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatebeing the best example by far. However, despite its great success, pastSuper Smash Bros.games have never been revisited aside from a Wii Virtual Console rerelease of the original.Brawlcould finally break that trend with a remake.
The existence of so manySuper Smash Bros.clonesshould explain the impact that the series has had. While it launched as a fighting game with a unique gimmick and cast of Nintendo starts, it has grown into one of the biggest IPs in Nintendo’s catalog. While the gameplay, where the goal is to knock the opponent off a platform rather than deplete their health, was the game’s initial twist, the fact that it has become the home of Nintendo’s best and brightest has made it far more famous. In fact, theSuper Smash Bros.games may invoke more hype and speculation than any other Nintendo property.
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Super Smash Bros. Brawl Helped Set the Series on its Current Path
There is already speculation onwhat the nextSuper Smash Bros.could do, but a look back to the past may be the best path forward. One cannot forget how massiveSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatewas, with a roster of 89 playable characters with different movesets and properties. The pressure to go bigger is likely present, but a revival of a previous game may be a better option for the time being. Of these titles, eitherMeleeorBrawlwould be the best options, since the original can return on Nintendo Switch Online, andSuper Smash Bros. 4was not as well-received as the others.
WhileMeleestill has an impressive competitive scene, themore casualSuper Smash Bros. Brawlhas a strong case for a remake of its own. Part of this is due to the incredible amount of historically significant changes that came withBrawl. Of particular note are:
These additions make it easy to see what a turning pointBrawlwas for the series.
Super Smash Bros. Meleealso had an Adventure mode, but The Subspace Emissary was the first mode inSuper Smash Bros.with an actual story.
ASuper Smash Bros. Brawlremake could be one of thebest fighting games on the Switchor its successor console, depending on what the developers decide to do with it. In addition to a possible graphical update, a remake could address some issues from the original. Some rebalancing of characters could be in order, especially in the sense of the notoriously overpowered Meta Knight. A few riskier ideas could include changing the mechanics or even adding someMeleecharacters that were left behind like Mewtwo or Roy. For the firstSuper Smash Bros.remake, it’s worth wondering the extent of what could be done.
The next step for theSuper Smash Bros.series has yet to be made clear. While thenextSuper Smash Bros.sequelseems like a safe bet, a remake ofSuper Smash Bros. Brawlwould not be a bad choice in the meantime. With it being such a consequential game in the series' history, it seems appropriate to give it its due, especially since it often gets overlooked in favor ofSuper Smash Bros. MeleeandUltimate. A remake ofSuper Smash Bros. Brawlwould be an excellent throwback to the game that changed the series forever.
