Super Smash Bros. Brawl Sunday's nearly upon us.  Are you hyped? :)  Got the title preordered?  Will you be attending a midnight launch/tourney?

I don't claim to be a big fan of the Smash series, but even I'm getting fairly amped by the hype.  Got my copy preordered at my local Gamestop, so I just may swing on by that night after work to check out the festivities.  It's been a while since I've attended a gaming event of sorts, so I'm pretty excited.

Who should I play as first?  Wario-Man or Snake? ;)

I didn't get into the last two at all but mostly I think that's because I had nobody to play them with (Jay no-mates). With online this time, I'm definitely interested. The roster is just amazing and it would be a hard game to resist. I haven't got it ordered and may wait a short while as I finish Apollo Justice, which I've been taking my time with, and Cooking Mama 2 (how come nobody told me this was fantastic?).

Looking forward to Smash Bros. I guess, not being a fan of the last ones, I'm slightly worried that even playing it against real people may not make the difference but I'll be giving it a go.

Pikachu, I choose you!

Not at all, no, and definitely not. If anything, all the hype has completely turned me off to the title. I didn't enjoy any of the previous Smash Bros. games (solo or with friends) and I'm not a fan of the fighting mechanics of the series, so I'm going to pass on this. I wouldn't mind seeing some sort of OST release, though. That would be intense!

I should add that I have a friend or two getting the game, so I'm not adverse to trying it out (and getting my ass handed to me online moreso than usual).

My friends and I have put more time into Melee than any single other game, ever.  We play it whenever we get the chance, and Smash Bros. is something we'll always have in common even if there's nothing else (fat chance).  So yeah, we're all pretty pumped over here for the game, and I have mine ordered.  I ordered online from Circuit City since I'll actually be out of the country for the 9th (so angry about the delay placing the game's launch then).  It should be waiting for me when I return.  The only thing I'm kind of nervous about is that I had to cancel my old order last week because of the credit card number theft and place a new order.  Hopefully I'll still get it right away.

Oh, yeah. Took a while for the hype to set it, but it has finally fermented in me like a sweet ice wine or something.

Oh, lord. Checked through Zeller's Electronics area, and Melee is still being sold at full price. I can't believe that.

As for character firsts? My girl, Samus, all the way! Don't know who's fighting style (between Zero Suit, and normal suited fits my particular tastes yet) I haven't been keeping up with updates on the title, so I don't know who's a hidden character or not but it looks like my man Marth is an unlockable, as is Snake, with whom I cannot wait to kick Link's ass.

I get all misty eyed thinking about my favorite dudes who didn't make it in the game. Alex and Ryan (River City Ransom), or Phoenix and Edgeworth (Ace Attorney), or the Elite Beat Agents.

And when the day hits? Goin' over to my boy Aaron's house, gonna get my dudes all up in that crib, we're goin' to order some pizza, grab a few drinks (no alcohol for me, hate the stuff), and just throw down all night. Probably segue nicely into some Rock Band to end the night (or morning, as the case might be ), and who knows what'll happen next?

I haven't preordered it yet, though I guess I probably should. I'm not concerned with getting it on launch day, I just want the gift card Circuit City offers.

For me the main draw is the Subspace Emissary mode. Between the classic platformer gameplay and the nostalgiabomb that is Smash, it's like a dream come true.

I've never really mained anybody, since I don't play competitively, so I don't have a favorite to immediately gravitate toward. Although I'm a little wary about his play style, I can't help but give Pokemon Trainer my first go.

I don't think I could be more hyped if I wanted to be.  That being said, I have yet to preorder the game but there should be no shortage of titles anywhere.  I'll hit up my local Best Buy or Target, or wherever it's stocked - luckily church is only an hour this Sunday!

I'm anxious to see if Jigglypuff still rules, if Samus is just as devastating without her suit, and if Ness still reigns the Mother scene.

My hope is to invite a few friends over for a couple of friendly matches just to test the game out between all of us.  I'm assuming we're all getting it on Sunday...  Soundtrack Central tourney anyone?

Oh, and Sonic FTW. 

It's coming out Sunday? I'll be up at Toys "R" Us as they've always pulled through for us non pre-orderers like myself in the past.

I'm going with Link first, of course!

That sounds like an awesome idea. Any takers?

I'm down.  But what are the chances that the servers AREN'T going to be hammered on the first day?

I wouldn't be surprised if they were hammered for the first *month*!  I'm up for some online multiplayer, but I'll have to wait for my mother to mail me my copy.  The wait is torture!

Doesn't WFC use the host's console as the server? If so, I don't see how Nintendo's servers really factor into anything. (Though the host would probably have a major advantage if I'm not mistaken, 'cause of the lack of latency)

I'm gonna be not-alive on Sunday for obvious reasons, but I'll totally participate in the ensuing Friend Code exchange 'round here on Monday.

Pre-ordered at Gamestop, but my brother-in-law is headed to Nintendo World for the Sunday launch party.

Let's see: No.  Yes.  Possibly.

I've never understood why people love the Smash series so much, obvious fan service stuff aside.  I've always felt that the gameplay was too stiff, the multiplayer action was too crazy to follow what was going on, and the jumping aspects were just annoying.  That said, I've got my copy of Brawl pre-ordered for the fan service alone (I am a Nintendo fan, after all).  I may end up going to one of the midnight launches, but not for my copy.  I'm helping a friend move into his new house on Saturday, and he wants to get the game at midnight and have an immediate house party.  As long as there's booze, I'm game.

I've had Smash Bros. pre-ordered back in August.  What sucks is that I'm leaving for Toronto this Saturday, so I won't even be able to pick it up until the following Monday (3/17).

Smash Bros. Melee is the only game my friends and I have logged more hours into than Goldeneye 007.  That's saying a lot.  All of my Melee friends moved away, so the online mode and healthy friends list is a MUST for me.  So that means XLord007 and Zane have to get this game... you guys should give it another chance - it's such a great series.

I'm wit' it.  I'll have friend code posted two Monday's from now.

We know you want Snake first, don't even know why you ask!

My characters:

My default characters -- Link & Captain Falcon (they took my Roy out , so I may replace him with Ike).
My big brawler ---------- Donkey Kong
My cute character ------  Yoshi

Can't wait to rocks some STC heads on this thing.  Who wants to team up for co-op Sub-Space Emissary?

I'd be up for some Brawl once I get back from Japan.  Let's friend coding!

In Melee my most played were Link, Bowser, and Peach.  I also dabbled in Samus and Pikachu.  Characters I liked to play as but did terribly with were Roy and Mewtwo.  I never liked Fox or Falco in Melee because they felt cheap.

In Brawl I'm looking forward to Pit and Captain Olimar.

Can't wait!

You just reminded me that I haven't checked out Engrish.com in forever.

http://www.engrish-store.com/engrishtshirts.html I am SO ordering some of these shirts.

Hadn't played, anticipated, or thought about Smash in years, then when the music hit the internet, I inexplicably caught THE FEVER. Damnedest thing. Also happened with KH2, even though KH1 had a bunch of things I hated about it.

So yeah, I'll likely pre-order tomorrow, probably attend a midnight launch (my first ever), and probably stay the HELL away from any tournaments. If they saw my alleged 'skillz' they'd probably refuse the sale.

Anyway, reaching back, I randomed my player a lot, but insofar as I was decent with anybody, Roy was my boy. Thanks for cutting him, Nintendo! Appreciate it. So I'd like to work at getting the hang of Metaknight, but in reality I'll probably be pigeonholed into Diddy. Alas.

Fantastic!  Sounds like everyone will be up for some online matches on Sunday, even though the server will probably be overloaded.  While it might be too early for an official tournament, getting to actually interact with one another is something I'm really looking forward to. 

Say, did anyone catch Nintendo's announcement for that "pay and play" service?  Future titles will come with some sort of label indicating that you have to pay for online play.  Kind of convenient that they announced it right before the launching of SSBB.  Suspicious anyone?

http://kotaku.com/359754/nintendo-annou … -pay--play

Forgot to mention...  I hope you guys like playing with items turned off (except for Final Smash balls).

Brawls should be based on skill.  Not luck!

And games should be based on fun, not OMG LIFE OR DEATH IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD bull that permeates most Smash message boards.  The only items we ever shut off around here are hearts and stars... everything else is fair game.  Also see: we use all the characters and believe there are stages that aren't Final Destination.

So your sayin' that NO ITEMS = "OMG LIFE OR DEATH IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD"!?  That's a silly dichotomy, I think; suggesting that games with no items are not fun or are reduced to some nonsense like that.  Come on, man... these are just preferences.

The general sentiment around here is that items make the game a bit cheesy.  But to each his own.  We can vote on it.

Sorry, Kenology, that was a bit knee-jerk.  I just see so many people on the internet who consider Smash Bros. not to be a real game unless you reduce it to 1-on-1 matches with no items and no stages that actually do ANYTHING and they tend to be quite militant about it.  I'm cool playing without items, but I've always seen them as part of the amazing over-the-top chaos of the series.

Some people have problems with those who don't fit into their definition of fun, so they thrust their ePenis around.

-Joshua

The people who tend to advocate a 1-on-1 with no items (or free for all with no items) are probably heavily used to the traditional Street Fighter/King of Fighters/Virtual Fighter gameplay style.  However, the Super Smash Bros. has never been about that kind of gameplay.  It's a party game with fighting elements, so it's designed to be chaotic.  Mario sports game do the same thing.

It's cool.

You shouldn't put everyone who doesn't like using items into a box like that.

Check this out:  One day me and a few friends were all having a four player Melee session with all items turned on.  At the "end" of one of our bouts, two of my friends found themselves in sudden death.  They were both trying to maneuver and get that one last smash, when suddenly, a bob-omb dropped from the sky and blew one of my friends out of the ring on contact.  This is exactly why we don't play with items... people go out on technicalities and random occurances.  I can understand stage hazards (like getting hit by F-Zero machines on Mute City or getting blasted Arwing fire on Corneria), but the player has no control over that, so we can deal with it.  For items, we have a choice.  So we turn them off... and doing so doesn't make the game any less fun or chaotic.

Is it really so hard to fathom that lot'sa people play with items OFF because they genuinely feel the game is more fun that way? 

Anyways, if you STC folks want to play with items... I'm down.  The game's fun either way.  We just all have our preferences.

Please note that I used "tend" and "probably."  I don't expect everybody to behave like this. 

Also, your reasoning about why you would like to turn off items helps my point.  Street Fighter/King of Fighters/Virtua Fighter games are reliant on player skill.  There are no items, or people getting knocked out "by technicalities or random occurrences in those games."  So playing Smash Bros. with items off is a call back to skill-based games.  Maybe you don't like Street Fighter/King of Fighters/Virtua Fighter, but your desire for winning a Smash Bros. game on skill reminds me of those that play the other 3 fighting games.

Cheers everyone!  Sam's Club is having a midnight launch and with a price of $43.77, who could argue?  I'm setting up camp at 10:00 and hopefully be playing a little after midnight.  Hope to see you all then!

-allyourbaseare
(Dustin)

I just glanced over Destructoid's review and saw that the game has over 300 tracks---so I'm guessing it's all midi?

Is there any way to rip Wii discs (how are they called btw?)? I like what I heard so far. Now here's hoping BestBuy ships my copy asap.

Dang, I missed the tournament, which was actually held at 2pm Saturday afternoon.  Really wanted to try and participate in that.  The Gamestop people told me it was a pretty good turn-out -- a gal named Natalie won, using Metaknight.  Wicked.   

Pretty beat right now, so the game will have to wait till the sunny morn for playing.  And with that, I leave you with another contribution from Master Amend.  Oh Foxtrot, how I miss thee:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/p … foxt_1.jpg

Regarding a rip, there's one out already. I think shadowhaxor.net has it in full Rars, direct download.

Also back from launch myself. Through savvy positioning and iron knees, I got the second copy. Good thing too, since there were considerably more than 2 dozen buyers in line behind me. Combined with my purchases of Legaia Duel Saga, Street Fighter Anniversary, Taito Legends 2, Megaman Zero 2 and Keio Yugekitai 2 online (import Saturn collection is GO), I'm all set with games for the foreseeable future.
The tourney in my area was Melee-based, and Zelda/Sheik triiumphed over Fox even though the last round was NO ITEMS, blah blah, FINAL DESTINATION. The mind reels. First prize turned out to be a pink Wiimote slipcover, or as the winner called it, a flesh condom.

Like Angela, I too will be holding off 'til the morrow. Standing in one spot for two hours is also exhausting, in a way.

Was it you who brought it to our collective attention that Megaman X made an appearance in the strip, where Marcus dressed up as him for a Halloween party? Must've been at least two years ago.

I have a vague recollection of that, but I actually think it was somebody else..... just can't quite remember who.  Was it SonicPanda?  Or maybe shdwrlm?

Okay, so I've dabbled a bit in the game, basically getting all of my personal customizations down.  Will have further opinion on the game later, but thought I'd at least put my registered Brawl Friends Code out there for you guys:

Profile Name: Angie
1075-0394-0286