Design Journal #7: Super Smash Bros.

Super Smash Bros.

Introduction

  

Actions: 

The controls used in Super Smash Bros. on the Nintendo 64 can be seen as being the following:

Analog Stick        = Controls Movement of Character

D-Pad                  = Unused

C-Pad                  = Jump

A                         = Standard Attack

B                         = Special Moves

Z                         = Shield

Start                    = Pause

Right Shoulder     = Grab

Left Shoulder       = Taunt

Rules:

The rules aligned with Super Smash Bros. are simple, to achieve victory on each level of a tournament between familiar contesters. This victory can be achieved by pushing your opponent of the stage a certain number of times.

Game play:

To start with you select your character out of a multitude of popular Nintendo titled characters such as Mario, Kirby, Fox, Link etc. All these characters have differing ability's and advantages/weaknesses compared to the other characters. After you have chosen a character the tournament begins with the game pitting you against a random enemy upon a randomly selected stage. Upon this stage you are to defeat your enemy with the aid of a varying amount of power ups and items that drop/appear randomly. These items include items from the characters original game titles such as pokeballs, blasters, barrels, flame flowers etc. Once a player has played through a number of levels and reaches the end of the tournament one must defeat the final boss, Master Hand.

Experience:
Many underlying  experiences are felt whilst playing Super Mario Bros. which can be sub categorized into emotions and instincts such as the following:

Emotions:

                Anger:

• Anger can be felt as your character is constantly knocked off the battle stage unable to complete or achieve victory against your opponent, resulting in having to restart the whole tournament.

                Joy/ Happiness:

• Joy and happiness can easily come from achievement of victory against an opponent and being able to proceed further through the game.

                Pride:

• Pride can be gathered Winning against another player in multiplayer mode as you assert dominance over your opponent.

                Excitement:

• Excitement much like happiness and joy can be derived from the fast paced action and simplistic gripping controls.

Instincts:

                Competition:

• Competition in the game is easily recognizable as you can verse your friends and family in duels fighting to beat one another off the chosen stages.

                Aggressiveness:

• The game plays on a players aggressive Instinct greatly as you are tasked to bash and beat opponents down to a point your able to smack them off the battlefield.

                Survival(Fight or Flight):

• The game is primarily based on the need to survive, as you must out last your opponent and achieve victory by eliminating them.

-Jade Mills-Brewster