But that's not to say the game lacks depth - far from it. The ease with which you can master a character means you'll never be left fumbling for a button combination at a crucial moment. You're always in complete control of the action as you leap around the screen and aim mid-air blows at your opponents in scenes reminiscent of a cartoon version of Big Trouble in Little China. A scrap between two Smash Bros masters is every bit as tense and tactical as a traditional beat 'em up battle, and a free-for-all with four players is as close as a fighting game is ever likely to get to replicating the multiplayer brilliance of Mario Kart 64.

It's an excellent one-player game too. A campaign pits you against each of the eight standard characters, with a few bonus rounds along the way, followed by encounters with bosses such as a giant Donkey Kong, metal Mario, a horde of 30 crystal dummies and a final face-off against a giant disembodied hand. There are four bonus characters to win (including one that only veteran Nintendo buffs will remember) and a special hidden arena based on the classic Mario Bros games, complete with piranha plants and warp pipes.

Smash Bros is not to be missed. The N64 isn't exactly blessed with a huge range of beat 'em ups, but this game will no doubt have other developers locking themselves away, trying to create a similar title using their own characters. Crash Team Fighting, anyone? It just wouldn't be the same.