A whole roster of Nintendo heroes throwing hands between friends on the couch.

On gut feeling, Super Smash Bros. Brawl lands right in the middle, ahead of half the games. But criterion by criterion, it stumbles. Rediscovery puts it right at the bottom, ahead of just 1% of titles. The soundtrack barely above, ahead of 3%. Fun disappoints too, ahead of just 9%, and it is the most tested criterion here, so the read holds. Attachment and desert island stay low, around 18%. Only controller feel climbs back toward the middle, but on a single vote so take it lightly. There is the tension: on instinct people like it fine, but the moment you dig in, this entry pales.

In the Smash series, Brawl is often judged the slower entry, stuck between the Melee myth and the Switch installments. The community seems to prefer its neighbors, especially when it comes to the urge to play it again.

So, who is it for? You, if you love festive Nintendo brawling, couch multiplayer, the messy party vibe. Much less if you are after the Smash entry that leaves a lasting mark or that you fire up endlessly.