Starting off with 14 characters (an additional 11 are waiting to be unlocked), the game has a pretty standard premise--let Nintendo's stars beat on each other until the timer runs out. However, a lot of emphasis is put on knocking opponents off ledges while avoiding the same fate. In typical Nintendo manner, there are quite a few power-ups to assist you in the melee. The actual combat isn't as intricate as in other fighting games; however, the ultra-cartoony layout of the many, many arenas sometimes adds a strategic element not usually found in similar titles.

Super Smash Bros. Melee's strength lays in the mayhem created in four-player fights. The camera does an excellent job of positioning itself so all combatants are constantly visible. Also,Meleesports some of the best visuals seen in a Nintendo product. All the characters are highly detailed, and the movements of each are smoothly infused with personality. Donkey Kong lumbers and Princess Peach fights with grace.

As the multiplayer mode is the key reason for this game's existence, the single-player mode is decidedly weak. The game features an adventure mode that plays somewhat like an old-school, side-scrolling Mario game. Sadly, despite its good looks, its gameplay is rather uninspired. This game is clearly at its best when there are two or more players with controllers in their hands.--Mark Brooks

Pros:

• Fantastic graphics and sound keep the action upbeat
• Many new characters and other goodies to unlock

• Single-player experience is comparatively weak
• Too cute for a few folks
• Adventure mode is boring

The premise of the game is that Mario’s tropical holiday is ruined when he’s stitched up by an evil look-alike for daubing graffiti all over the island. Rather conveniently, there’s a water pump waiting for him to use, which not only washes away the mess but also doubles as a handy jet pack. The jet pack aspect means that whenever you fall off something you have the chance to immediately recover. This built-in safety net means the game can afford to be far more ambitious in its level design than ever before, with massive levels filled with trampolines, tightropes, water-powered windmills, huge coral reefs, and mountains andmountains of platforms.

The whole thing looks amazing, too, with the most realistic water ever seen in a video game, and a near-infinite draw distance. On top of all this are rideable, fruit-juice-spewing Yoshis, extra water nozzles, super-hardcore platform levels where Shadow Mario nicks your jet pack, and goop-generating bosses who seem to live to make Princess Peach’s laundry a nightmare.

The first thing you'll notice aboutThe Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Wakeris that it looks completely different from any previous title in the franchise. Nintendo has opted to use cel-shading technology onWind Waker; the result is that the game looks like a cartoon. Die-hard Zelda purists initially howled at this change, arguing that the game skews too young. I think it's fantastic. The cartoon animation style allows for better expression of the characters, and several of the animations--like Link trying to pick up an object that's too heavy--are so cute that you can't help but laugh a little.

The second thing you’ll notice is a focus on wind. Instead of trotting around on foot, Link travels from island to island on a talking boat, but he doesn't get far without the wind blowing in right direction. Luckily, you'll learn how to change the direction of the wind early in the game, and you'll do so frequently--not only to power your boat but also to solve puzzles. Clever use of wind makesWind Wakerstand out from more conventional adventure games.

The third thing you’ll notice is that the game is just plain fun. Puzzles are innovative and refreshing, and despite some tricky puzzles, I never felt too frustrated to keep playing. The locales you'll visit are invariably exotic and fun to explore, and the host of bizarre creatures you'll encounter (friendly and otherwise) are always a kick in the pants. Moreover, though the look is radically different,Wind Wakerfeels like a classic Zelda game. Veterans of the early games in the franchise will experience more than a bit of nostalgia while playing it.

The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Wakeris everything you've come to expect from a Zelda game, and it's one of the best adventure games to date. This is a must-have title for any GameCube owner.--Jon "Safety Monkey" Grover

Pros:

• New cel-shaded animation looks great
• Puzzles and characters are a lot of fun
• There's a special place in the heart of any gamer who's ever owned a Nintendo console, and that place is shaped like a Triforce

Cons:

• Some Zelda purists may be turned off by the cartoon look

Right out of the gate, players have the option of choosing Hero (Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles) or Dark (Dr. Eggman, Shadow, and Rouge) quests, which are completely different. Sonic and his dark counterpart Shadow traverse levels at warp speed colleting coins and power-ups while fighting enemies in the game's most exhilarating moments. Unfortunately, the other characters are nowhere near as fun to play. Dr. Eggman and Tails fight through levels that require little more than constant button-mashing to shoot an endless procession of enemies, and Knuckles and Rouge participate in seemingly endless levels that require searching for a variety of objects.

Graphically, the game is a bit of a letdown considering the processing muscle of GameCube. Models are fairly simplistic, and level textures are sometimes bland. Game Boy Advance owners can use a link cable to download Chao from the game and train them on the go, but the rewards for doing so are minor considering the time investment involved. The main feature this game offers over its Dreamcast predecessor is the variety of multiplayer modes, which are fun but offer none of the depth or replayability of standalone multiplayer games likeSuper Smash Bros. Melee. Still, they are nice additions--especially the racing games--and round out a flawed single-player component. Sonic addicts who missed this game the first time around on the Dreamcast will definitely want to check it out, but the finicky camera, tedious non-Sonic/Shadow levels in single-player mode, and surprisingly shallow multiplayer components (especially the Chao games) turn what could have been a great game into a mere good one.--T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Plenty of variety
• Sonic/Shadow levels are pure, unadulterated fun

• Knuckles/Rouge levels are tedious
• Multiplayer aspects could use some more depth