Those that have been awaiting the return of Super Smash Bros. can be rest assured the wait is almost over.

A much-loved game on the Gamecube and Nintendo 64, many have been waiting to see how the old classic fares on the Wii.

And Super Smash Bros. Brawl is certainly trying its hardest not to disappoint. It's packed with a whole host of new characters, multiple battle modes and a separate single-player storyline. There's even the option, for the first time, to take battles online and brawl with players around the world.

Those who've played Super Smash Bros. before will know it's always been about pitching Nintendo's most iconic characters against each other. Keeping this concept at its heart, Nintendo has upped the challenge by introducing 16 new characters into the fray - bringing the total playable to 35.

This includes favourites such as Wario, Diddy Kong and Sega-mascot Sonic the Hedgehog.

As with previous instalments, the goal of Super Smash Bros. Brawl is simple: be victorious by inflicting as much damage as possible and finally propelling opponents off the screen to score points.

You have the option of being able to play with Nunchuk and Wii Remote, Wii Remote, Classic Controller and Nintendo GameCube Controller, so whether you're old school or new school, you can play in the method you prefer.

Another new aspect of Super Smash Bros. Brawl is that you can design your own levels and environments within the game using the "Stage Builder".

By using a 2D-grid for the layout plan, custom stages can be of one to three default sizes, contain an in-game background and musical theme, and have a building-block layout unique to the creators own tastes.

When you're finished you can share them with friends via a memory pack, or even submit it to Nintendo for the chance to be chosen as "stage of the day", which is sent to all other players in the Wi-Fi network.

The game is released in Europe on 27 June and will cost £39.99.