GDC08: Super Smash Bros. Brawl after hours tournament

by Christopher Grant { Feb 22nd 2008 at 4:15PM }

Turns out that – while technically volunteers – the Conference Associates (or CAs as they're known) at this year's GDC didn't go uncompensated. In addition to getting a free pass to the not inexpensive conference (a great opportunity to network and learn a great deal about making video games!) they also earned something many of you may be far more appreciate of: A chance to play the highly-anticipated Super Smash Bros. Brawl two-and-a-half weeks before its tardy North American release. We sent Mahalo Daily's Veronica Belmont to the tournament's secret location to see what happens when the volunteers get the place to themselves.

[Note: There may be some spoilers in the above video, if you're paranoid about that sort of thing. But really, c'mon.]

Tags: GDC08, SSBB

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

makishima @ Feb 22nd 2008 4:18PM

...Ok my roommate gets to die when she comes back from GDC :P

giantenemycrab @ Feb 22nd 2008 4:27PM

Wow, how did you guys get Veronica Belmont to do your dirty work for you?

JangoGod @ Feb 22nd 2008 4:29PM

SSBB...*sigh*

Gehodra @ Feb 22nd 2008 4:30PM

That 'arsenal' pun was sooooo bad. I laughed my arse off.

The Artist formally known as Jesus @ Feb 22nd 2008 4:34PM

"Peach's killer ass"

yea it is

samfish @ Feb 22nd 2008 5:37PM

Damn straight. Just look at it.

Curtis the Claw Game Master @ Feb 22nd 2008 4:35PM

*worse
*Belmont

mr mobius @ Feb 22nd 2008 4:47PM

She's very cute but that arsenal joke was just so off target.

Zertoss @ Feb 22nd 2008 4:51PM

She's nowhere near as good at pulling those puns off as Ludwig is.

wait in the car @ Feb 22nd 2008 4:48PM

*Daily's
*than

Dan CiTi @ Feb 22nd 2008 4:53PM

Aren't Toon Link, Meta Knight, Sonic, Pokemon Trainer fantastic(minus Charizard)?

Kael @ Feb 22nd 2008 6:57PM

Toon Link is great, yeah. Better downstab than normal Link, for sure. Metaknight is just way to stubby, and his reach is terrible. His tele-backstab is his best move. Sonic's smashes aren't punchy enough for my tastes (except his forward, admittedly), and it's Squirtle that sucks, not Charizard, even though Ivysaur is my favorite for his aerial up and down A.

idiot @ Feb 22nd 2008 5:09PM

someone please get flat-head some volumizer

idiot @ Feb 22nd 2008 5:09PM

Link is cheap

fur shurr

GoldenS1104 @ Feb 22nd 2008 6:19PM

Your name suits you. I can't speak for Brawl as I haven't played it yet, but Link is by no means overpowered in the first two smash games. In the first one he had a terrible recovery and wasn't the fastest character, but being the only sword character evened that out cause he had plenty of range. In melee, he is pretty slow and has a lot of lag after most of his moves (especially his up B). His power makes up for this, but he didn't have very good priority either (priority means if two moves hit at the same time the one with more priority wins). Overall he was probably the middle of the bunch in both smash games. He was never the best, but never the worst. Maybe you only think he's overpowered cause you play with people who spam his Up B (which is only good if you don't realize that it can be easily avoided and the person doing it is left vunerable once the attack has ended). The real overpowered characters are Fox, Sheik, Marth, etc. Marth is the most overpowered IMO, but that's neither here nor there.

End Smash Fanboy Rant Here.
Super Smash Bros. is pretty much my life and I main Link so I couldn't help myself with that one. :)

idiot @ Feb 23rd 2008 4:15AM

Yeah I don't deny he doesn't have his share of strengths and weaknesses, I was more making fun of people who use him a ridiculous amount and spam the up-b. Odds are they do that. You have to make a strong argument and display proof that you are handy with Link before I write you off as a noob bc you link, since they seem pretty much mutually exclusive.

However, I really have no room to call someone cheap since I use *oh noes* falco a ton. He just can hurt you in so many ways.

joeyg @ Feb 22nd 2008 5:10PM

this is the game that everyone has been beating off to? go head, vote me down, but i'll pass on this game. Didn't like it on GC, not gonna like it on here.

SGT Grumbles @ Feb 22nd 2008 5:22PM

Thanks for sharing that with us.

Nyroska @ Feb 22nd 2008 5:45PM

You totally stole my avatar, SGT Grumbles.

SGT Grumbles @ Feb 22nd 2008 7:27PM

Nyroska,
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/09/today-in-joystiq-august-9-2007/
Third row, second from the left. (August 9th) :v:

Keits @ Feb 22nd 2008 5:25PM

Ms. Belmont is a cutie. More vids featuring her, please.

Mr Khan @ Feb 22nd 2008 5:30PM

Yep, Link, Fox, C. Falcon, Samus, and Ganondorf, the cheap-o five (although i am good with Ganondorf and passable with C. Falcon)

I liked Kirby, Game and Watch, and Marth as well

ThornedVenom (Ludwig Defense Force) @ Feb 22nd 2008 5:59PM

"Despite the errors, Veronica Belmont still sucks."

That's exactly the reason why people like her.

Curtis the Claw Game Master @ Feb 22nd 2008 6:00PM

HAHAHA that's got to be it.

Ranus Studios @ Feb 22nd 2008 6:08PM

One of my best friends is one of those CAs. For all I know she was one of the people watching the projector screen. I'm waiting for her to show up in one of these videos.

Ranus Studios @ Feb 22nd 2008 6:08PM

One of my best friends is one of those CAs. For all I know she was one of the people watching the projector screen. I'm waiting for her to show up in one of these videos.

Yan @ Feb 22nd 2008 6:33PM

:/

This is what happens (or DOESN'T, for that matter) when you get busy and can't attend GDCs anymore. Bah.

cold school @ Feb 22nd 2008 6:36PM

Analyzed more?
The Zapruder film by the Warren Commission or SSBB by nintendorks

ronald.raygun @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:53AM

and here you see link's head go back...and to the left
back...and to the left, back...and to the left

Tiger of PTS @ Feb 22nd 2008 8:42PM

lol.. they had final smashes on..?

At a tournament..?

hahahahah

ArashiUzumaki @ Feb 23rd 2008 2:48PM

'so why did you bring this game?'
it's SMASH BROS.
ugh. doesn't need an explanation.

and as for link, people just usually go him when they're nintendo fans and don't know how to play.. noobs basically. he's nothing special i'd say.

soooo gutted that it's gonna take forever for this game to release in the UK :(

AusfroT @ Feb 24th 2008 2:29PM

I was in that tournament 3 nights in a row, amazing atmosphere in that room, im sitting right behind where belmont is. It felt a lil weird playing with items and all levels for sure but it was all around good fun.

Marcy @ Feb 24th 2008 3:47PM

Wow. Well I have to say, I was there playing, and Brawl is SIGNIFICANTLY more balanced than the first two games.

You can't really say anyone is cheap because everyones strengths and weaknesses not only balance out, but if you spam a move repeatedly, it becomes weaker and has a lower throw back radius.

There were people playing a variety of characters, every character was used. Link was popular, because many people just love him. He is a good character with both strong melee and range. Nobody was spamming up+B in the tourney at all, because they knew it would get weaker the more you use it anyway.

And as for the Final Smash in a tourney, yes of course there was. It makes sense, and its a fight trying to get for it. It was fun, and without it, the game wouldn't have been as good.

So stop whining and complaining about how bad somebody or something is before you've even had the chance to play it. I'm sure all of you SS fans will love Brawl, it is 10x better than the first two. EVERYONE at GDC who played it agreed.