Super Smash Bros. Brawl is the problem child of the Smash franchise -- at least when it comes to its esports scene. Not as quaint as Smash 64, as technically rich as Melee, or as polished as Smash 4, Brawl is considered a fun but flawed game exclusively for casual players. So, while other competitive Smash scenes have blossomed over the years, Brawl's has mostly festered.

Nine years post-release, Super Smash Bros. Brawl is remembered as the problem child of the Smash franchise. Nintendo took some risks with it, some of which worked, and most of which did not. Famously, the tripping mechanic did not work. Neither did its near-Martian gravity. On the other hand, Zero Suit Samus, a fighter with a totally new play template, debuted to acclaim, along with Brawl's Final Smash attacks.

Junkenstein's Revenge marks the first co-op brawl in Overwatch. Fighting against waves of zombie robots and holding off the horde is some of the most fun I've ever had playing the game.

Nintendo released Super Smash Bros. Melee 15 years ago on a console that sold less than its competitors, the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox. In 2001, and even in 2005, I would not have believed God if he told me that Melee will draw 2372 entrants to this weekend's Evolution Championship Series (EVO) 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Because why not. It's a tiny modification for Brawl by modder Sir Kirby, and even though it's a miniature version, it still looks silly enough.

Wow. This is pretty incredible.

Controversies over Smash Bros. characters like Diddy Kong and Little Mac illustrate a larger concern that people have with Nintendo's famous fighting game: Is it properly balanced? One of the most compelling arguments I've read says no. But then it asks a compelling follow-up: So what?

An endless number of words have probably been dedicated to arguments about two of the biggest gaming mascots of '90s, Mario and Sonic. Normally this feud is old enough to be boring, but with the help of tools, the battle between Mario and Sonic can once again feel epic.