GNC Updates + Brawl Tips!

First of all, thanks to all of you gamers out there, we hit a record number of people at our Monday Game Night this week... I know we don't say it enough, but you guys rock out loud! Keep coming and we'll keep providing your weekly source of video entertainment. Just a heads-up, but we've also got four new pictures in Game Night Chronicles, so check 'em out and leave a comment if you want.

Next, we've had some people asking us to order in certain games for Monday Game Nights... We've gotten a lot of suggestions, though, but we can't get all of 'em! If you have an idea for a game we should play on Mondays, leave a comment at this post (click on the link that says "0 Comments") and we'll put it to a vote.

Lastly, I don't know about you guys, but I can't stop talking about gaming. Super Smash Bros. Brawl in particular is one of my favorite titles, and apparently SETH's going to review it pretty soon. So in the meantime, I'll leave some of you newer players with just a few tips and tricks...


Super Smash Bros. Brawl Tips and Tricks: Smash Attacks


Okay, today I'm going to cover one-on-one smash attack strategies in SSBB. As you all know, the best way for most characters to score a knockout is to use a smash attack (A + a direction). That's common knowledge, sure, but which one you use (down smash, up smash, or forward smash) is something you've got to think about... If you really pay close attention, a lot of smash attacks leave you completely open if you miss with them, or don't knock the enemy far away. Beyond that, a lot of smash attacks have really small hitboxes or require precise accuracy...



Take Marth's up smash, for instance. It's a fast and powerful move, sure, but the hitbox is tiny! He lifts his sword straight up, so unless your target is right above you, you're pretty likely to miss...



On the other hand, Donkey Kong's up smash has massive range and very little ending lag. It's even a really fast move to execute, too, so most newer players never see it coming and can't dodge fast enough once it starts!

A lot of players neglect their down smashes, too, but don't forget that most of them actually hit to the left AND the right of your character, so it's a great alternative to turning around and forward smashing. The knockback is usually vertical, too, so it sets up people perfectly for air-juggling. Meta Knight can really take advantage of this... Also note that a lot of these down smashes hit one side first, pause, then hit the other side, so memorize which direction they strike first, so you can dodge it and hit them when they're finishing up the move!

In summary, find your character's most balanced smashes. You want speed, reach, and very little delay if you miss. What's the point of a powerful move if you can't hit with it?

If there's something you want tips and tricks for, just let me know! More coming soon...

--Chris.