Each player has a number that gets higher with each hit they take.   The higher their number is, the farther they will fly when they really get walloped.  After beating on an opponent for a while and getting them well into the hundreds or two hundreds (starting from zero), you must use a power move to send them flying out of the arena.  Doing this usually results in seeing the opponent fly off into the background while their voice fades out.  Only the most humorless people in the world can avoid laughing at that one.  Personally, I found the best part of the game to be when you send Pikachu flying and you hear it yell, "PIKAAA Piiiiikaaaa.....". 

When you are feeling a bit outmatched, there are weapons and items laying all over the place for you to use.  Everything from Pokeballs -- that unleash a temporary Pokemon ally -- to the giant hammer from Donkey Kong is at your disposal.  Most of these weapons can knock an opponent out of a fight when used correctly.  Juggle combos are possible with some weapons, like the blaster.   Heck, there is even a light saber-like energy sword that pops up now and then.   These weapons give the fights a faster pace and really add depth to the fighting.   They're also a lot of fun to use.  The only thing more fun than getting the hammer is trying to get to it before your friends do.
 
Super Smash Bros. packs a visual punch with crisp characters and detailed environments.  Everything looks exactly like you'd expect it to.  Link looks exactly like he does in Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Mario looks just like he does in all his other N64 games, and Fox looks just like he does in Starfox 64.   The settings are all recognizable as well.  You can easily tell that Hyrule Castle is Link's stage just as you can tell that the top of the X-Wing is Fox's stage.  

Along with the graphics, the sounds and music are outstanding.  The music for each stage is the theme of whichever character lives there.  For example, at Hyrule Castle, you will hear an excellent version of the Zelda theme that was strangely absent from Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.  In Mario's stage, you will hear the classic Mario Bros. theme that any Nintendo fan can hum.   It doesn't end there, however.  The sound effects are just as good.  Everything is spot-on.  Lasers sound like lasers, bombs sound like bombs, and swords sound like swords.  Not only that, but most characters have voices as well.  The only thing that tops the quality of the voices is the music.  Like I mentioned before, hearing a character's voice get quieter as they fade into the background is hysterical.   Definitely a top-notch production.  This is easily one of the best sounding Nintendo games ever.

While the multiplayer mode definitely outshines the single player mode, one thing is for certain; this game is easy to learn.   All the moves for each character are pulled off the same way.  There are no combinations to enter.  Pulling off a move is as simple as pushing the analog stick in a direction and hitting one of the two attack buttons.  This is great for teaching friends how to play in a short period of time.  People can pick this game up and learn it within 10 minutes.  That prevents headaches and encourages others to join in. 

As a package, Super Smash Bros. is definitely a worthy purchase for any N64 owner.  I'll even go so far as to say it warrants the purchase of an N64 for its multiplayer mode alone.  With lots of ways to play and a good number of powerups and weapons to keep battles fresh and exciting each time, Super Smash Bros. places itself in the upper echelon of fighting and multiplayer games.  A must have for anyone who enjoys fighting games and playing with friends.

This is the best party game since GoldenEye.  Hours will fly by as you and your pals have endless battles of Link vs. Link vs. Link vs. Link.