Switch 2: 10 GameCube Classics That MUST Be Added

In the years following Melee's debut, a meme developed among the Smash Bros community: No items, Fox only, Final Destination. It was meant to gently mock the competitive Melee scene, as the above ruleset eschews the chaos with which Smash Bros made its name. Final Destination is the game's most traditional arena, Fox is the game's most technical fighter, and "no items" - as the name suggests - does away with the battlefield-littering bric-a-brac that causes most of Smash Bros' signature messiness.

Here's the thing, though - the fact that Smash Bros even has a competitive scene is thanks to Melee's timelessly brilliant brawling.

Much like the legendary Street Fighter II, Smash Bros Melee took the foundations laid by its predecessor and used them to construct a masterpiece. Melee's higher pace, enlarged roster and adventurous arena designs evolved the formula of the N64 original into an experience that's just as joyful to dip into today as it was when it debuted fresh-faced and ready to take on the world in 2001 (Yes, Melee is 25 years old. And yes, that is time’s wingèd chariot hurrying near).

The fact that Melee's fans are still fighting to keep community events alive, despite Nintendo's best efforts, speaks volumes as to the ageless appeal of the GameCube's greatest fighting game (sorry, Soul Calibur II - you were an extremely worthy rival).