Super Smash Bros. Melee is a crossover fighting video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It was first released in Japan on November 21, 2001, in North America on December 3, 2001, in Europe on May 24, 2002, and in Australia on May 31, 2002. The second installment in the Super Smash Bros. series, it features characters from Nintendo video game franchises such as Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, and Pokémon. The stages and gameplay modes reference or take designs from these franchises as well.
Melee includes all playable characters from the first game, and also adds characters from franchises such as Fire Emblem, of which no games had been released outside Japan at the time. Melee's gameplay system offers an unorthodox approach to the fighting game genre, with a counter that measures damage with increasing percentages, representing the knockback the character will experience, rather than a depleting health bar seen in most fighting games. It builds on the first game by adding new gameplay features and playable characters. Following the popularity of its multiplayer gameplay, Melee has been featured in many competitive gaming tournaments, and is one of the most popular competitive fighting games.
Super Smash Bros. Melee received critical acclaim, as well as several awards and acknowledgements from various publications; it is now considered one of the greatest video games ever made. It achieved strong sales upon its release, becoming the GameCube's best-selling title with over seven million copies sold by 2008. Super Smash Bros. Melee was followed by Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii in 2008.
Cast[]
| Image | Character | Jap | USA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Mario | Charles Martinet | |
|
Donkey Kong | N/A | |
|
Link | Nobuyuki Hiyama | |
|
Samus | N/A | |
|
Yoshi | Kazumi Totaka | |
|
Kirby | Makiko Omoto | |
|
Fox | Shinobu Satouchi | Steve Malpass |
|
Pikachu | Ikue Otani | |
|
Luigi | Charles Martinet | |
|
Ness | Makiko Omoto | |
|
Captain Falcon | Ryo Horikawa | |
|
Jigglypuff | Mika Kanai | Rachael Lillis |
|
Peach | Jen Taylor | |
|
Bowser | N/A | |
 
|
Ice Climbers | Sanae Kobayashi | |
|
Sheik | Jun Mizusawa | |
|
Zelda | Jun Mizusawa | |
|
Dr. Mario | Charles Martinet | |
|
Pichu | Satomi Kōrogi | |
|
Falco | Hisao Egawa | Ben Cullum |
|
Marth | Hikaru Midorikawa | |
|
Young Link | Fujiko Takimoto | |
|
Ganondorf | Takashi Nagasako | |
|
Mewtwo | Masachika Ichimura | |
|
Roy | Jun Fukuyama | |
|
Mr. Game & Watch | N/A | |
|
Togepi | Satomi Kōrogi | |
|
Weezing | Unsho Ishizuka | Eric Stuart |
|
Scizor | Shin'ichirō Miki | Eric Stuart |
|
Peppy Hare | Tomohisa Asô | Chris Seavor |
|
Slippy Toad | Kyôko Tongû | Chris Seavor |
|
Giga Bowser | N/A | |
|
Master Hand | Dean Harrington | |
|
Crazy Hand | Dean Harrington | |
|
Narrator | Dean Harrington | |