3/17/08: Boss Strategies

Monday’s update was a list of strategies to use when battling the bosses in the Subspace Emissary, as well as a general list of bosses that appear (except the final boss). The update is too large and detailed to reproduce here, so just follow this link to check it out.

3/19/08: Pokémon Encyclopedia

Wednesday brought another list update, akin to the summary of all items from a while back. To see all the Pokémon and their various effects, click here.

3/20/08: Smash Taunt

Solid Snake and the Star Fox characters have special relationships to their stages - if you do a down taunt for just a fraction of a second on their respective stages, they’ll start communicating with their allies! Snake will call up Colonel or Otacon on his codec, asking about some of his opponents, if you do it on Shadow Moses Island. Fox or Falco can do the same on Lylat Cruise, and they’ll start talking to their wingmates as soon as the stage exits the next warp. If you pull that move off on Melee Corneria, you’ll see the communications from the last game.

3/21/08: Peach’s Special Moves

Peach’s specials are pretty much the same as they were in the last game. This update showed off Toad, which will repel enemy attacks and counter with some of his own, and Vegetable, wherein Peach pulls a turnip out of the ground to throw. On occasion, she’ll pull out an old-looking turnip, which can do up to 30% damage in one attack; sometimes she’ll pull out something else, like a Bob-omb.

Wouldn’t Pokédex have been a better name for Wednesday’s update? Also, finally I know how to get Snake to talk to Colonel.

Spoiler updates begin here.

3/18/08: Ganondorf

The Great King of Evil returns, in his Twilight Princess style; unlock him by playing 200 Brawls, beating Classic on Hard with Link or Zelda, or by saving both Link and Zelda in the Subspace stage near the end of Adventure mode. The update pointed out that Ganondorf feels very heavy in Brawl, on the ground and in the air. His side+B special, Flame Choke, has him rush forward and grab the nearest enemy, then slam him into the ground; if you do this in the air, Ganondorf immediately hurls his foe toward the earth. His Dark Dive attack flings him upward to either grab and electrify an opponent, or throw some Darkness at him.

His Final Smash has him turn into Ganon, in its Twilight Princess form; upon appearing, he paralyzes nearby opponents on the ground, then runs forward, trampling them. If you are in the air when Ganon roars, you won’t be paralyzed. The update also noted that Ganondorf’s special attacks are of the style "Darkness", and so Darkness stickers will augment these attacks in the Subspace Emissary.

3/21/08: The Great Maze

The Great Maze is the final level of the Subspace Emissary - a giant maze created by the final boss, out of all of the space he stole and turned into Subspace. As you progress through this level, you’ll fight all the old bosses again, as well as shadow versions of each character. Interspersed through this giant level are save spots, where you can save your progress, restore your health, and change your team of characters; at the pink save spots, you can also warp to other pink spots, or head back to the map. The map of the Great Maze, visible from the pause screen, shows you all the areas you’ve explored, as well as any unopened doors (shown as white dots). After you get far enough in the Great Maze, all the unfought bosses will appear as well, so you can track them down easier. Once you’ve defeated every last foe, you’ll be able to challenge the game’s final boss.

The Great Maze is the bane of my existence. So long, and so many battles...but fighting a truly difficult end boss is satisfying.