Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Systems:

• Nintendo Wii
• Releases:
  • Nintendo Wii: 2008

Publisher:

• Nintendo

Developer:

• Nintendo

ESRB Rating:

• T
• Reasoning:
  • Animated Violence
  • Crude Humor

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is the third installment of Ninendo's 2D fighting game series, Super Smash Bros. The game features an expansive roster of fighters, a great variety of arenas, and a plethora of varied items. The game has a number of pick up and play modes and online play. The game features a large story mode, called The Subspace Emissary, playable by one or two players. In this story, Nintendo's heroes must put an end to the machinations of the Ancient Minister and various Nintendo villains as they attempt to destroy the world.

General Comments

The game's art style is detailed but cartoonish. While as a fighting game, violence is omnipresent, the violence is not graphically rendered, and the worst that can happen to a character is going out of bounds.

Animal Abuse

Several playable characters are or resemble animals. Fights between playable characters are portrayed as willing contests of skill, while most battles in the Subspace Emissary mode are fought for self-defense against malicious enemies.

In Subspace Emissary, Pikachu is being used to generate electricity; this is painful for the creature. Samus quickly puts a stop to this.</div>

Animal Death

Several playable characters are or resemble animals. Game overs in some single-player modes, as well as many Subspace Emissary cutscenes, depict playable characters being transformed into unmoving figurines or trophies. This is portrayed as a sort of temporary and easily reversible death.

Aquatic Violence

The Summit stage has a giant fish that will automatically KO any character that stays in the water for too long. Jungle Japes includes both strong water currents and crocodile-like creatures that pose threats to players.

Avians

The character Falco has avian features. Other trophies may contain or depict birds.

Bones

Some collectible trophies and stickers may include imagery of bones, including multiple characters that appear to be living skeletons.

Canines

The playable characters Fox, Lucario, and Wolf resemble canines. Other canines may appear in the background, as assist characters, or as enemies.

Claustrophobia

The player is often required to guide their character through small spaces in the Subspace Emissary mode.

Clowns

Some collectible trophies and stickers may include imagery of clowns.

Darkness

A thrown Poké Ball may occasionally release a Togepi, which causes a random effect. Togepi may rarely cause the screen to fade to black and remain that way for several seconds, completely obscuring the events taking place on-screen.

Meta Knight’s final smash, likewise darkens the screen temporarily.

Death of Family/Friends

Lucas, in the Subspa22ce Emissary mode, watches Ness get turned into a statue, equivalent in the game to a temporary death, and this event mentally scars him.

In the Subspace Emissary mode, the playable R.O.B. is forced to watch all other members of his species sacrifice themselves under Ganondorf's orders. He tries to save them, but is unsuccessful, and becomes the last surviving R.O.B. in the world.

Depiction of Disaster

The plot of the Subspace Emissary mode involves the use of Subspace Bombs, which create a black-hole like structure, pulling a sphere of reality into another dimension.

The Ruined Zoo level of Subspace Emissary takes place in an abandoned facility, where the glass has been shattered, weeds choke at the scenery, and there is not a soul to be seen. It resembles the aftermath of a sudden but unexplained disaster.

Depiction of War

The Castle Siege stage, as its name suggests, partially depicts a castle under attack by an unseen army. Catapults in the distance rain fire onto the castle.

In the Subspace Emissary the characters must journey through an abandoned and ruined battlefield.

Dolls

In Subspace Emmisary, an enemy called a Puppit is encountered, and it resembles a wooden marionette with bladed fingers and glowing red eyes.

Several trophies may contain elements evocative of dolls. Technically speaking, every character is an animate trophy, and thus technically qualifies as a doll.

Electrocution

Several playable characters, enemies, and background characters can attack with electricity.

In the Subspace Emissary mode, Pikachu is electrically tortured during a cutscene, but is quickly rescued.

Explosions

Explosions are one of the main ways of inflicting and receiving damage in this game; they can be caused by items, playable characters, assist characters, enemies, and stage hazards.

The sounds that accompany explosions are usually loud and disruptive. Loud sounds may also result from other types of attacks.

Felines

Some trophies may resemble felines.

Fire

Several playable characters, assist characters, enemies, and background characters can use fire in their attacks.

Lava and fire are stage hazards in a few locations, including Castle Siege and Norfair as well as during several stages in the Subspace Emissary mode. Uncontrolled fires may appear in the background of some areas without the capability of damaging player characters.

Gender Dysphoria

The female character Zelda can willingly transform into Sheik, who is still female but presents herself as male.

Ghosts

Luigi's Mansion, much like the game it was inspired by, contains many ghosts as background characters.

In the Subspace Emissary mode, Floows and Shaydas are ghost enemies.

Several collectible trophies and stickers may contain imagery of ghosts.

Guns

The Ray Gun, Super Scope, and arguably the Cracker Launcher are guns. The Cracker Launcher shoots fireworks, while the other two shoot lasers or blasts of energy. All of these items can be disabled.

Some playable characters, assist trophies, and enemies use guns.

None of the guns in this game use realistic bullets as ammunition. Guns may instead shoot lasers, energy, or food.

Heights

Falling or being knocked off of the battlefield is one of the main game mechanics, though it is sometimes possible for characters to jump to safety if they have not fallen too far.

Several stages are shown to be high up in the air, with the ground below sometimes visible. In Subspace Emissary, characters often fall from very high heights.

Insects

Shellpods are enormous beetles that appear as enemies in the Subspace Emissary.

Insectoid creatures called Bulborbs appear as stage hazards on the Distant Planet stage, and can be seen at certain camera angles during Olimar's Final Smash.

Insects may be depicted in collectible stickers and trophies.

Jump Scares

Enemies often pop up without warning in the Subspace Emissary.

Unscripted jump scares are possible if certain random items spawn in front of a character before they attack, resulting in an explosion

Kidnapping

The Subspace Army sometimes abducts characters that have been forcefully turned into trophies.

At the beginning of the Subspace Emissary story, Peach and Zelda are trapped in cages by Petey Piranha. The ensuing boss battle involves the player choosing which princess they immediately rescue, though the other is also saved much later on.

Mind Control

In the Subspace Emissary mode, Master Hand is placed under mind control by Tabuu.

Murder

Game overs in some single-player modes, as well as many Subspace Emissary cutscenes, depict playable characters being transformed into unmoving figurines or trophies. This is portrayed as a sort of temporary and easily reversible death.

The Subspace Army often inflicts this transformation onto the playable characters, with the intention of keeping them in that state indefinitely.

Needles

Several stage hazards in the Subspace Emissary mode are long sharp structures reminiscent of needles.

Psychological Trauma

Lucas is traumatized by what happens to Ness in Subspace Emissary, having frequent flashbacks to the event coupled with visible fear.

Rats/Rodents

The playable character Pikachu is a rodent. Other rodents may appear in the background, as assist characters, or as enemies.

Rodents may be depicted in collectible stickers and trophies.

Reptiles

The playable characters Yoshi, Bowser, Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard are reptiles. Other reptiles may appear in the background, as assist characters, or as enemies.

A boss, Rayquaza resembles a serpentine dragon.

Reptiles may be depicted in collectible stickers and trophies.

Sexualization/Objectification

Zero Suit Samus is a female character in a form-fitting suit. Some poses she makes during battle, as well as Snake's dialogue during an Easter egg can be seen as sexualized.

Slavery

The R.O.B.s living on the Isle of Ancients were enslaved by the Subspace Army some time prior to the events of the Subspace Emissary.

Snakes

Rayquaza, a gigantic serpentine dragon, appears as a Subspace Emissary boss.

Snakes may be depicted in collectible stickers and trophies.

Spiders

During the events of the Subspace Emissary, a boss named Porky Minch appears inside a vehicle that resembles a spider.

Spiders may be depicted in collectible stickers and trophies.

Stalking

The first part of the Subspace Emissary's Ruined Zoo level is an extended chase scene in which the player character is pursued by an enormous statue. Since the statue cannot be damaged, the only option is to run.

Supernatural Evil

A cartoonish devil appears as an assist trophy.

Evil supernatural enemies of all kinds, including demons and shadowy beings, may be depicted in collectible stickers and trophies.

Torture

Pikachu is electrically tortured during a Subspace Emissary cutscene, with the intent of using its natural electric abilities to power the facility.

Transphobia

One trophy depicts Birdo, a transgender character from the Mario series. The trophy description calls attention to Birdo's gender, and repeatedly calls her an "it".

Undead/Zombies

Undead creatures may be depicted in collectible stickers and trophies.

Vehicular Trauma

In the Subsbace Emissary mode, Fox's Arwing (spaceship-plane) is repeatedly attacked and crashes. The Halberd, Meta Knight's ship, also crashes.

Violence Against Children

The playable characters Ness, Lucas, the Ice Climbers, and Toon Link are or resemble children. Fights between playable characters are portrayed as willing contests of skill, while most battles in the Subspace Emissary mode are fought for self-defense against malicious enemies.

Weapons

Weapons of all kinds are one of the main ways of inflicting and receiving damage in this game; they are used by the majority of player characters, assist characters, and enemies. Weapons often appear as equippable items, which can be disabled.

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