Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Strategy Guide)

Full strategies for every character: Each of the characters are given a full treatment. Complete move lists, yes, and strategies, sure. But there's a depth of tactical breakdowns for each character that will guide a player of any skill level. You can find the same elements in each character spread, but check out pages 184-185, R.O.B. You'll see the character ratings, full move list, Special Move Breakdown, General Strategies, Advanced Strategies, KO Potential and Weight Class, One-vs.-One Strategies, Free-for-All Strategies, and info on Fighting Against R.O.B. Almost every situation is covered and in a straightforward way that is accessible to players of any level.

General fighter strategies: Along with character specific strategies, the guide gives very in-depth coverage of winning tactics that apply to the game as a whole. Again these are broken down between general (pg. 49) and advanced strategies (pg. 52). So, for example, the advanced tactic Edge Guarding (pg. 54) describes a counter-intuitive tactic of actually hanging off the ledge of an aerial arena to help you defeat an opponent. We won't blow it here, but the strategy is sound no matter how crazy it may seem. Insights like that will stretch players' thinking about how to play the game.

Sticker database: There are 700+ stickers in the game. They act as buffs for characters but only a few can be applied at any one time. So it'll be important for a player to understand what stickers are out there and what each of them does. They can check out our exhaustive Sticker tables (starting on pg. 23) to figure out which ones they'll want to combine for the best combination of buffs.

Secrets and unlocks: We reveal how to get all the unlockables and secrets in a precise, one-stop shopping section beginning on page 207. The various secrets and unlockable characters are one of the biggest draws for the Super Smash games so for the impatient player we've placed them all in an easily accessible format.

Expert author: Seriously. The author, Bryan Dawson, is well known throughout the competitive fighter community. He is the coach for the number one female Dead or Alive player in the nation. Bryan understands fighter games at the highest level but knows how to talk to even the most basic player. With his hand at the helm, a novice can get up to speed and an expert can sharpen their game.