My copy arrived about 2 hours ago and I've been playing this game ever since. Primarily been going through its Classic mode; unlocked a few characters, though they're all kinda predictable thus far. I already knew what I was getting into with the demo so I'm happy to find I've been enjoying myself a fair bit. I've tried some online as well, however connection errors, input lag, major bouts of hitching and even slowdown have unfortunately been rather common. Hopefully that'll improve as time goes on.

Otherwise... yeah, it's more Smash Brothers! I can see why some may consider this something of a stopgap until its Wii U version, though. For while I find it controls splendidly, it can be a little difficult at times to make out what the Hell is even going on when you've got a 4-character brawl on such a small screen. I relish the chaos mind, but sometimes I'd at least like to know where I am before I'm inexplicably knocked away into death.

So many crazy items and the like, most of which I still don't even know what they do! It's still early goings of course and there's a lot to dig into. I morphed my Mii into a sword character, and the amount of customisation potential is very welcome.

I'm not even close to trying 'em all out, but here be my favourite characters thus far are:

Mario -- A classic standby; not especially complicated and his middle-of-the-road approach to everything makes him accessible as ever.

Luigi -- I always preferred Mario in the past, but now I think I'm leaning a little closer to Luigi in this 'un. I love his uppercut in particular, and while it's a risky to move to make because it's largely ineffective, if you can nail someone with it while they're close enough then the damage is well worth it. Plus, Luigi's down+B attack retains the classic spin thing, which I much prefer to Mario's watergun attack.

Ike -- I'm to believe this a new character? From Fire Emblem I would gather. Anywhoo, he looks pretty cool so I naturally gravitated towards him. But not only that he is exceptionally powerful; every attack of his has a good chance to knock a character away pretty significantly. Though he's also slow of course to balance him a little, but given that Ganondorf was my favourite character in Melee I've already had plenty of practice with the slower but powerful characters. His counter is awfully handy, if maybe a little too forgiving for how easy it is to score a counter with it, and overall he may very well be my favourite thus far. His one primary weakness I've found is how his up+B doesn't carry much distance and primarily just tends to go straight up; can make trying to reach the edge of a stage after being knocked away a little difficult.

Captain Falcon -- Another classic, but one I admittedly never played very much of during Melee or OG Smash. Though since Ganodorf isn't yet unlocked, I decided to head straight to CF first given their similarities -- though I'm to believe Ganondorf was altered in Brawl to make him more distinctive? While his properties are different, he still has that awesome explosion-grapple tied to up+B thing that I've always loved playing with anywhoo! That, and his Falcon Punch is an iconic Smash attack which is always satisfying to score a hit with. He looks pretty cool in his fully-orange palette at that. His regular attacks are both crazy fast and powerful, and like Mario I'd say CF is a good starting character as such.

I've played a few others, but they're the four I'm most gravitating towards. The game itself is a lot of fun, if a known quantity at this point. It's a real shame about the connectivity issues, though, and I really hope that won't be indicative of this game's online future.

Also, Unlockable characters:

• Nes.
• Falco
• Wario
• R.O.B
• Lucina
• Dark Pit
• Dr. Mario
• Jigglypuff
• Ganandorf
• Bowser Jr.
• Duck Hunt Duo
• Mr. Game & Watch

I want the Wii U version more now that I've spent a few hours with it. Hand cramps and resolution are my main problems but it's to be expected I guess.

Greninja is my favourite of the new characters so far.

Ike's been in since Melee I think? his charged special has always been bananas, Robin seems to have an even more insane charged special (although its limited).

@spacekangaroo: I think you might be thinking of Roy. I wanna say he and Marth were Melee's two Fire Emblem characters. Ike may have been introduced in Brawl for all I know, though, as I never played that one. Regardless, he's new to me anywhoo :P Sucks to hear about the hand cramps, as I've found it to be perfectly comfortable. My only one major gripe with the game is the online issues.

@yummylee: Ike was introduced in Brawl. The 2 new Fire Emblem characters are Robin and Lucina.

I'm waiting to buy this digitally since I have a terrible habit of losing DS carts.

@yummylee: Ah, you're right. I've not tried online yet, hopefully turns out OK tomorrow when more people have it.

Did the coins from the demo transfer for you btw?

@corevi: Ah, OK. That answers that then,

Nooo idea. I haven't been paying much attention to the coins or anything like that, nor was I tracking any that I acquired in the demo =X

Unlockable character spoiler:

I can't wait for 9 pm pdt to roll around. Going to grab the game digitally.

It will show up from Amazon at some point tomorrow, hopefully before I go to my parents' house for the weekend.

So Holy Crap, the Mii fighting styles are actually pretty damn good, least the brawler and sword types anywhoo. A surprising amount of effort went into those guys with regards to the amount unlockable stat boosts and cosmetics stuff, and not to mention the amount of unique animations they all have. Certain attacks are rather reminiscent of other characters', but they feel unique enough to stand out all the same.

Hm, I'm assuming all the stages that appear on the Wii U one have a static background on the 3DS. They don't look so great, whilst the ones with fully rendered 3D backgrounds look really good (guessing these are 3DS exclusive ones).

@spacekangaroo: So, since you appear to be the only other person on here who has the game.... what do I do with the coins? All I can seem to use them for is increasing the difficulty slider for the Classic mode.

Also, Charizard is a beast <3

@yummylee: Purchase trophies/play trophy rush mode.

Played a bunch of online with a friend just now. Didn't run in to any lag issues. Noticed a fair bit of input lag at times though.

The new assist trophies are great, especially Namco themed ones :D

A day early? I wonder if I'll find mine waiting for me at home too...!

Thanks for the impressions! Glad you're enjoying it!

I tried out the demo and it's not really clicking with me. I think it mostly has to do with the controls not feeling quite as satisfying on the 3DS, which is a shame because I really like everything else about the game.

I also got it today. You can buy trophies with them, too.

I got challenged by Duck Hunt Duo and lost, dammit.

I recommend continuing to give it a shot. My initial impression was mixed as well, but once I got the hang of the controls, it transitioned into the thing that has taken over my lunch breaks. I just wish there was a second, larger level available in the demo (the Battlefield map has always felt a bit too claustrophobic for my liking).

I won't be picking my copy up until after work tomorrow, but I do appreciate Nintendo allowing me to download the 1.02 patch ahead of time. That's something that should be allowed more often.

i do a mean sean connery.

HAHAHAHA

Is there an option to play with the D-Pad? I'm not liking the Circle Pad for this game.

@vextroid: Nope

Wii U version for me it is!

I've been enjoying getting back into Smash (been playing the series since the N64 days, but haven't played Brawl since probably 2011 or so). I've only tried a handful of characters so far, a mix of new and old. Here's some thoughts:

-Mario: Tried him for a baseline. Seems to control pretty closely to previous iterations. Not a huge fan of the FLUDD ability. Maybe it'll grow on me.

-Link: Also seems pretty similar to old versions. I really like the new dashing A slash though.

-Samus: She was far and away my favorite in Melee, but I didn't like the changes Brawl made at all. This game seems to be a split between the two. Super Missile is still a pale shadow of what it was in Melee, but I really like how impactful the shoulder dash feels now.

-Robin: Still having a tough time wrapping my head around this one. I think I'm missing some of the mechanics on how the spells work. Thunder seems great, but Elfire seems super weak.

-Bowser: Still don't like playing Bowser.

-Villager: Feels pretty fun. Pocket is really neat and sheer variety of the A button abilities is cool.

-Megaman: Really wanted to like him, but I've had a tough time getting used to his moveset. Definitely going to have to put some more time in with him.

-Marth: Still Marth. L/R + B combo is still super fun.

-Shulk: Another character I wanted to like, but I currently have a really bad grasp on how the buffs from his neutral B work. I like the range on the Monado's slashes, though.

I really like the layout of the new Classic mode (constant rewards hitting those pleasure centers in the brain). Haven't tried Smash Run yet (trying to get all the new characters unlocked ASAP) and I'm really interested to dig into ability customization. Overall, I'm really glad I decided not to wait for the Wii U version. Feels really good to be playing Smash again.

I've already mentioned this in the thread, but I feel I need to again reiterate on how complete and utter garbageplaying this online has been. At its best you're left with input lag--which is annoying enough as it is--but there have been times where a match literally runs at like 10fps or suffers enough hitching where it's basically unplayable.

@yummylee: Now that I've played some games with randomers, I agree. I hope it's just due to it being the 3DS, I don't remember Brawl being this bad (hopefully all is OK with Wii U version).

@spacekangaroo: Playing against the AI is at least all well and good, but still... I do hope this'll improve as time goes on =/ Plus, it'd be nice if there were options. Far as I can tell there's no way to edit settings, so every match (least against randoms) is always a timed match for like 5 minutes (?).

Still, the idea of getting to play this on a big screen (with what'll theoretically be better online) with the Wii U version... I've never felt so strongly towards buying one of those things than I do now :P I'm not going to, though, as I've only just purchased a PS4. But I definitely do want to get around to one eventually, complete with a cozy handful of games at its side much like how my GameCube was.

So they have a system in place that prevents you from playing with a bunch of annoying people online. What a feature. Though, honestly, it sounds like they've just made it a more annoying experience.

I'll probably buy this, since I can live without online, the alternative is probably selling my 3ds, since I'm pretty sure I wouldn't buy another thing for a long long ass time.

Though since a upgraded 3ds is coming out... maybe that is the correct decision.

Since nobody has mentioned Little Mac yet, I must.

He's a goddamn beast! His hits seem to do a ton of damage and you can wreck the house with him, but it's also extremely easy to fall off the stage with his forward-B.

If you can get used to staying on the platforms and using that move only when safe, you can just destroy everything.

While I played the 3DS version and thought it was quite good, I can never imagine myself purchasing that version. Screen is way too small and you can't share it with friends on one television, how I think SSB is meant to be played.

I'm digging it so far. For Glory online is more fun then I thought it was. Still need Lucina, Jigglypuff, and ROB.

Beaten Classic with all the FE characters, and still no Lucina.

It took me awhile to get the control settings to my liking. I'd really like to be playing on a wavebird, but its not so bad once you get used to it.

Robin is a range beast, and his weapon breaking system isn't as complex as it initially sounded. It will be interesting to see how he performs against other ranged characters. I played a bit against Pit and found that quite often he'd cancel out my base projectile with his arrow quite easily. Since mine are limited and his aren't I can see that maybe being a problem. I'm also a bit leery of his recovery since it seems really easy to guard against, but everyone needs a weakness I suppose. His melee isn't the strongest either, but its been doing well filling the time between getting my spells back. At this point I'm pretty on board with the idea of maining him right now.

I gave Villager a try in the demo and it seemed interesting. I was having a pretty hard time with the tree since it requires more setup. I found myself mostly just growing the tree to block and to give myself access to the axe. I kinda like his slingshot aerial move. It's different than what I'm used to with other characters. I really like his down tilt, but I'm not sure how I feel about the rest of his attacks.

Also gave Sheik a run since she was my main in Melee. I like the changes made, but still need to toy around with it some more. Not sure how I feel about the down B. Might be good for a surprise or to cover ground, but I'm a little concerned at how easily it can be punished.

Pits on my list of characters to try since I kind of liked his brawl form, but it never really fully clicked with me. Really want to see his differences now.

@mentaldisruption: If you liked Brawl Pit you probably want Dark Pit since they are basically the same.

Yup, he's so much fun! I'm not even that good with him really, but I enjoy playing as him (them?) so much regardless.

Been playing this during the GBeast live stream and I must say I've been having a blast with Little Mac from Punch Out. For some reason his move sets are so simple it makes his character the easiest for me to play as cause it isn't all that hard to remember compared to maybe a character with some weird movesets. When it comes to SSB I usually tend to stay with the Brawler types and Little Mac seems like the perfect fit for me so far.

@i_stay_puft: If you like playing as punchy-punchy characters then you really need to try out a Brawler Mii! Don't count those guys out, they're just as fun as any other character if not more so!

@corevi: I'll give that a shot too then!

While I've gotten use to the analog stick for the 3ds I'd be totally cool for a patch that allowed players the option between switching between analog or d-pad. I'm finding it difficult to land smash attacks consistently using the analog.

Anyone else find themselves doing side-specials a lot when trying to do up-specials? Can't count the number of times I've died because of that. Particularly frustrating when fighting against Master Core with only 20% damage.

I don't know, it feels kind of lacking in content to me. There are only 3 real things to do - fight these guys, spend 5 minutes hitting stuff and then fight these guys, or play classic mode where you occasionally fight a larger guy. It all feels the same. Combined with the fairly awkward controls it isn't doing much for me. Haven't tried online yet but hopefully that is more enjoyable.

Wish I liked SSB enough--at all, really--to get in on this, as it seems like the next zeitgeist for the near future. I just can't bring myself to care about Smash Bros. anymore, though.

I have to wonder if the reason for the very spotty multiplayer is due to not everyone being on the same version. Dan mentioned on the bombcast that there was an update patch that could effect how the game ran locally when playing multiplayer. I wonder if that might be the reasoning to some really terrible lag matches. I noticed when I downloaded the game last night the patch wasn't released or informed with the games release. I actually had to go to the settings menu of the eShop store in order to get the update patch. Nintendo should of probably done a better job at informing people of the update patch too similar to when there was one for mario kart 7.

The challenge of destroy 300 blocks in trophy rush is called Giant Bomb :D

Edit: oh wait its a move? Ah well!

It was actually yesterday that the patch would be available before the game's launch. I downloaded it from the eShop after I got home from work last night, and then picked up the game today, ready to go.

Anyway, I finally was able to spend some proper time with it. I'm on a regular, non-XL 3DS and don't really have a problem with the screen size or the controls. I haven't tried the online or the local multiplayer at all, but I spent time running through the main single-player with a few characters, played the mini-games, tried my hand at All-Star Mode, and got in a round of Trophy Rush. Presentation-wise, it's not as bombastic as previous Smash games (I imagine that the Wii U version will more than make up for that), but I'm enjoying it. I've already manged to unlock Falco, Ness, Dark Pit and Lucina, but I really want to unlock the Duck Hunt pair.

I'm really enjoying the game so far, but it definitely feels like a companion game to the coming Wii U version. (Not a surprise, as that was what it was always billed as.) I'll be getting that version as well, but this is a great taste of what's to come. Also, Zero Suit Samus is awesome in this game.

I'm hopelessly addicted to it. Already unlocked every character (I kinda cheated by mostly playing 1 stock matches... shut up. :/ ) and now I'm just unlocking trophies and trying out the other modes. As much as I love the game, I can't see myself going back to it very much when the Wii U version comes out.

Some newcomer character impressions:

• Honestly, I'm kind of disappointed with how Greninja plays. He's not bad, but definitely isn't the type of character I can use effectively. I think I'd have better luck with him on the Wii U version.
• Little Mac rocks socks. Knew I would like him since his reveal. Total offensive powerhouse, just make sure you're playing on a flat map when you're using him, as in the air he's next to worthless.
• Robin is pretty cool. He/She has a fun moveset and I've been doing pretty well with him/her.
• I'm still kinda meh on Mega Man. Love him to death but he's kinda complicated as far as Smash goes. His Final Smash is still the best, though.
• Bowser Jr or the Koopalings: I can't tell you how much it hurts to hear the announcer say Roy when you pick Roy Koopa. Bowser JR/Koopalings are really fun to play as, though, and now I can get my ass kicked as Lemmy on something other than Mario Kart!
• Shulk is weird. I don't think I like him.
• Lucina is literally Marth, and Marth sucks.
• Villager is cool. Love his moveset and his Final Smash still cracks me up.
• Pac Man is fucking awesome.
• I'm not a fan of Dark Pit's inclusion but at least he's a little different than regular Pit. (He's basically Brawl Pit)
• Not a fan of Palutena.
• Have not tried Rosalina. Don't think I'd like her.
• And last but definitely not least is Duck Hunt. Now I want to sincerely apologize to this character, as I was not saying nice things about him when the roster leaked. Turns out he's my favorite new character in this game, and possibly one of my favorite Smash characters ever. He's really good.

But yeah, loving the shit outta the game. Just hope I'm not burnt out on Smash when the Wii U version comes out. My only complaint is, like many others have stated, the online is fucking trash. One on One For Glory matches have worked fairly well for me, with only occasional input lag that's pretty minor. Four player smashes though? Unfuckingplayable. It's literally a slideshow 90% of the time. I really hope a patch could remedy this, but I'm not getting my hopes up. Wii U version better work.

• I don't like the way Shulk's Monado arts work nearly as much as I was hoping I would. They're kind of a hassle to activate, and the way they only last for a little while is pretty lame, too.
• Ike still has his soulless-ass voice. Not sure if I'm happy or sad about that.
• Unlocking characters by playing a ton of matches is still my least favorite unlock requirement.
• Ganondorf is still total garbage and he deserves better. He's the villain of one of the biggest video game series' out there. Come on.
• I like pretty much everything else, these are just some of my " bigger " complaints so far.

It seems like the voiced characters mostly use pre-existing voice clips. I haven't tried Ike, but Zero Suit Samus's voice is pulled straight from Brawl, unless I'm mistaken.

So, the patch is actually reported in the game. If you have SpotPass notfications turned on, you'll see a "!" in the touch screen when you start the game up. The message alerts the player on the patch's existence and where to get it.