Super Smash Bros. Brawl

This game has way too goddamn many play modes, but that's not going to stop me from explaining most of them.

Brawl is the game you know and love, with new characters, items and stages. You can even do a Special Brawl to configure weird options like Tiny/Giant, Metal, the gravity and game speed, and more. There are even Rotation and Tourney options for more than four players.

Solo players can play Classic, the several-fights-in-a-row mode from both of Smash's previous outings. They can also play the Subspace Emissary Adventure Mode; an unlockable All-Star mode (just like the last one); Event matches; and Stadium challenges with Targets, the Home-Run Contest, Multi-Man Brawl, and an unlockable Boss Battles boss-rush mode. With the exception of Classic, every one of these play modes can also be done cooperatively with a second player (there are actually unique events for co-op play).

Online, not only can you download new custom stages and replays from NWFC automatically, but you can also play with your friends in Brawl, Multi-Man, and Home-Run Contest; or do a Brawl with anyone (automatic matchmaking based on rule selection), or just Spectate an online match, and bet coins on who you think will take home the gold.

The game's Vault doesn't just store up your collection of trophies and stickers (and snapshots and replays), but is also how you access the Stage Builder, a simple-but-competent custom stage editor; play Masterpieces, time-limited demo games from Virtual Console; and play the Coin Launcher game, where you shoot your coins at invading alien trophies and stickers to collect even more of them. You can also see what Challenges you have left, and view a Chronicle of Nintendo history, if you're into that sort of thing.

A game's Options screen may ordinarily be pretty bland, but this time around you can, among other things, set custom Control schemes for each of the game's four supported controllers. I've actually gotten pretty used to the 'mote and 'chuk configuration by now.

Finally, the game's Data section holds your in-game records, promotional videos for the game, all the Subspace Emissary cutscenes, and one of the largest and most impressive Sound Tests in game history.

Melee veterans can attest to the fun of returning modes like Events and the Home-Run Contest already, but the new Coin Launcher mode is surprisingly fun as well, and the Challenges screen provides a handy barometer for what you've yet to unlock in the game. As far as 'extras' go, Brawl has raised the bar quite high.

Progress: 100% in Subspace Emissary