Common Sense Media Review
Easy-to-play fighting game is hard to master.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 10 parent reviews
Based on 49 kid reviews
Kids say this game is a fun and engaging party game that offers an entertaining experience with a variety of Nintendo characters. Although some reviewers noted issues with character cloning and difficulty levels, most praised its accessibility, multiplayer fun, and the fact that its violence is cartoonish rather than graphic, leading many to believe it should be rated for younger audiences instead of teens.
- fun party game
- easy to play
- cartoonish violence
- character variety
- multiplayer experience
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's It About?
SUPER SMASH BROS. MELEE accommodates from one to four players, providing plenty of gaming options. Choosing from Nintendo characters like Mario or Pichaku, you fight head-to-head in colorful Nintendo-game-themed arenas for prizes and advancement, or just go wild in no-holds-barred melee mode. In stadium mode, players partake in a home run contest (hitting a sandbag character as far as possible), take target practice, and fight in varied melee fighting scenarios against the CPU. This is probably the best mode for single players because there are actual tasks and goals -- not just a one-on-one face-off against the computer.
Is It Any Good?
Even adults will have to spend time mastering complicated moves like Luigi's airplane spin or Zelda's midair flame attack. Luckily, skill and luck go hand in hand, making it fun for kids of all ages and experience levels. You never know when a spaceship may come out of the background to interfere with your fight, or an object with the power to heal -- like a heart container -- may appear for your use, affecting the outcome. Also, games can be tweaked to give certain players an advantage.
The game has had a fantastic graphic facelift since the Nintendo 64 version. Samus' and Bowser's fire attacks look like they are popping out of the screen and Mute City is so incredibly saturated in colors that players can't help to stop fighting and admire when playing for the first time. All in all, Super Smash Bros Melee will certainly raise the volume of the room as players scream at the TV in elation, frustration, and shock.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the characters featured in this game, from Mario to Fox from the Star Fox series. Ask them: Did you realize these are Nintendo characters? How does including these characters help promote other Nintendo products?
Game Details
- Platform : Nintendo GameCube
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Nintendo
- Release date : December 3, 2001
- Genre : Fighting
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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