Smash Bros. Wi-Fi detailed

Nintendo has thumped a fistful of details for Super Smash Bros. Brawl into our news face this afternoon, covering the various options for battling online.

According to the game's official website you'll be able to go at it in two ways: with your friends or with anyone. Even strangers with sweets.

So, if it's chums you want to punch, then you'll need their codes to enter so you can register them and build up a little list of pals. Once that's done you'll be able to see what they're up to online, and send them invites to join your brawl.

These friendly dust-ups will have the outcome recorded so you know who is the best, and will also let you use a custom icon for your health bar and display little captioned messages above your head by presetting various quips to the four directions of the d-pad. Jerk.

But, if you don't have any friends or are looking for a quick fix, then you can just hop into a fight with any old person from around the world. But you won't be able to see their names, display your custom health bar, or send jeering jibes their way. Apparently it's easier this way.

We should also put our obvious hat on and point out that if you live in the UK and want to thump your friend in Australia, then expect it to generate much more lag than tussling with someone much closer to home.

Taunts, then; we'll start you with "boys go to Jupiter to get even stupider". Oh, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl is due out in Europe next year.