Highlights
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl was a groundbreaking game in the series, and a remake could be a great option to give it the recognition it deserves.
- The Super Smash Bros. series has become one of Nintendo's most successful IPs and generates a lot of hype and speculation.
- A potential remake of Brawl could address issues from the original, like character balancing, and even introduce new mechanics or characters from previous games like Melee.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl was a landmark entry for Nintendos' premier fighting series, and the time may have come for a remake. The Super 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, with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate being the best example by far. However, despite its great success, past Super Smash Bros. games have never been revisited aside from a Wii Virtual Console rerelease of the original. Brawl could finally break that trend with a remake.
The existence of so many Super Smash Bros. clones should 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, the Super Smash Bros. games may invoke more hype and speculation than any other Nintendo property.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Helped Set the Series on its Current Path
There is already speculation on what the next Super Smash Bros. could do, but a look back to the past may be the best path forward. One cannot forget how massive Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was, 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, either Melee or Brawl would be the best options, since the original can return on Nintendo Switch Online, and Super Smash Bros. 4 was not as well-received as the others.
While Melee still has an impressive competitive scene, the more casual Super Smash Bros. Brawl has a strong case for a remake of its own. Part of this is due to the incredible amount of historically significant changes that came with Brawl. Of particular note are:
- The introduction of Final Smashes, giving every fighter a unique and flashy finishing technique
- Sonic and Snake becoming the first third-party roster members, greatly expanding the reach for future Smash newcomers
- The Subspace Emissary, an adventure mode that laid the groundwork for SSB Ultimate's World of Light
These additions make it easy to see what a turning point Brawl was for the series.
Super Smash Bros. Melee also had an Adventure mode, but The Subspace Emissary was the first mode in Super Smash Bros. with an actual story.
A Super Smash Bros. Brawl remake could be one of the best fighting games on the Switch or 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 some Melee characters that were left behind like Mewtwo or Roy. For the first Super Smash Bros. remake, it's worth wondering the extent of what could be done.
The next step for the Super Smash Bros. series has yet to be made clear. While the next Super Smash Bros. sequel seems like a safe bet, a remake of Super Smash Bros. Brawl would 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 of Super Smash Bros. Melee and Ultimate. A remake of Super Smash Bros. Brawl would be an excellent throwback to the game that changed the series forever.
