System: Nintendo GameCube Genre: Fighting Developer: HAL Laboratories Publisher: Nintendo Release date: December 3, 2001 ESRB rating: T Players: 1 - 4 simultaneous Memory size: ? Save: ?

Overview

me·lee, also mê·lée, /'mA-"lA, mA-'/, noun, circa 1648: a confused struggle; especially : a hand-to-hand fight among several people.
-- Merriam-Webster

Your favorite Nintendo characters are back, and ready to brawl all over again for the Nintendo GameCube! This highly-anticipated sequel to Super Smash Bros. sounds (and looks) nothing short of spectacular. Not surprisingly, HAL Labs won't be messing with the gameplay that much ("if it ain't broke, don't fix it"), with the most drastic changes being improved items and more defensive maneuvers for the fighters.

The one-player mode will be a bit deeper than before, with a clever mix of side-scrolling aspects and classic Smash Bros. fighting. Other modes include a Tournament mode, Coin mode, and "Trophy mode," where you can buy statues of various old-school Nintendo characters.

Character list:

• Mario
• Luigi
• Yoshi
• Bowser
• Peach
• Donkey Kong (DK)
• Ness
• Samus
• Kirby
• Link
• Pikachu
• Captain Falcon
• Sheik
• Fox
• Ice Climber
• Jigglypuff

All the Mario characters return from the first Smash Bros., along with Bowser and Peach! Including the hidden characters, the roster is about 33% Mario. Luigi, Jigglypuff, and Sheik appear to be hidden characters, which leaves at least two more still-unknown hidden characters... I guess we'll find out along with everyone else when Super Smash Bros. Melee is released on December 3.

Screenshots

• Peach's castle
• Mario serves Kirby a knuckle sandwich
• One more for Yoshi
• DK butts heads with Ness
• It slices! It dices...!
• Peach floats just like in SMB2
• Yoshi
• Hammer time
• DK gets nailed
• Bowser smashes Sheik
• Four-player fun
• Bowser and Mr. Saturn
• Bowser's spin attack
• Bowser's smash attack
• Bowser's fire breath
• Bowser's belly
• Bowser's lunch
• Peach, a 'shroom, and Mario
• Mario balances on an Arwing
• "Mario tornado" move
• Mario's super jump punch
• Mario's fireball
• Cape slap
• Mario's smash technique: "Fire palm!"
• Coin Battle mode
• More of Coin Battle mode
• Mario, Peach, and Samus in Coin Battle mode
• Captain Falcon vs. Mario
• Bowser vs. Yoshi
• Mario shot from the intro movie
• Spinning Kong
• Peach and Mr. Saturn on Arwing
• Yoshi stops to smell the Fire Flowers
• Mario shoots a Super Scope
• Mario and Peach's castle
• Crouching plumber, hidden Dino
• The pink puffball packs a punch
• DK grabs a whole lotta nothing
• Ouch.
• Item capsule
• Tournament mode: "First round"
• Tournament mode: "Please decide on a player name and character"
• Tournament mode
• Luigi from the Figure List
• Bowser, Peach, and Mario
• Peach floating again
• Peach's "hip attack"
• Peach and racket
• Peach and veggie
• Peach's "Toad guard" defense