Super Smash Bros. TNG - The Final Destination

The Princess on High! And a Pokemon!

  This is it, the end of my standard Smash Bros. blog. I have some more ideas on the back burner. You might see a 'bonus round' shortly, so keep an eye out for that. Something with 3rd party characters, I'm thinking...

Peach

   I think Super Princess Peach was a damn great platformer, and I think it's a shame that there was nothing borrowed from it for Smash Bros. Granted, Melee gave Peach a great arsenal as it is, but I think her Final Smash was incredibly weak in Brawl. It would have been the perfect chance to feature some of Peach's hilariously sexist "emotion powers." Perhaps she blasts into twin torrents of tears, forcing anyone hit by them to be pushed back by physics, making her a mobile pushing platform.

   And for alternate outfits, we could scrounge up one of those sporty outfits from Mario Tennis or Super Mario Strikers?


Zoroark

  If any of the new Pokemon has a chance at being entered in by themselves as a Smash contender, I think it's this fellow right here. Easily identifiable, and actually the first Pokemon of the fifth generation to be revealed, Zoroark has kind of a neat little design. That could translate into some very stealthy and predatory combat style. A master of illusions, there could be a lot in the way of maneuverability for this character. For example, there could be a defensive move where Zoroark clones herself to make a mirror image, both of which move in opposite directions of the same way, but only the player knows which one is the real her by way of a left or right direction when triggered. Alternatively, she could turn into another player's character (including nameplate) to try and confuse opponents.

  Zoroark also has a host of dark type moves for specials, including Night Daze, which could be her Final Smash. In Pokemon, Night Daze does damage and can cause a chance of lower accuracy. To translate this to Smash, it could be an area of effect that's dimmed out, causing it to be more difficult to see, but also does damage to foes over time who enter it.

  I think you'll see this character in whatever future Smash we have, even if it's just as an Pokeball.

Skytown

  Easily one of my absolute favorite locations in the entire Metroid series, Skytown was an absolutely breathtaking place to behold. From it's retro-future steam punk structures and robots to it's hauntingly gorgeous music, to the exciting zip-line transport system... it was just incredibly memorable. a stage set in this local could be a few floating platforms along the bottom in a downwards parabola, with two platforms towards the top joined by a zip-line. This zip-line could be triggered by hitting it with a regular attack, sending the player zipping to the other side of the stage.

Music of Skytown

Metroid Prime 3 - Skytown

  Not the traditional battle theme you're used to from a Smash game, but it's.. it's just so stunning when combined with the rolling cloud vistas. How could you want anything else?

Metroid Prime 3 - Gandreya Battle

  A great battle theme that combines the gorgeous, sweeping vocals with the chaotic beat and dissonance of the Prime series' two different music core music elements. Appropriate for Skytown.

Metroid Prime 3 - Dark Samus Battle

  The great thing about the last Smash Bros. was "My Music." If you didn't like a particular song or remix, or just REALLY liked any one song, you could adjust how often it shows up while playing. In this case, if you don't like the slower, more elegant tunes, then something more combative like the "Dark Samus Battle" might be for you.

OC Remix - Kindred (Super Metroid - Maridia)

  I don't think I've posted enough songs with lyrics, and this is a great OCRemix. The haunting tune may have been designed for underwater, but the loneliness of Skytown fits it just as well, I think.

Super Metroid - Orchestral Piece # 4

  I stumbled upon this gem and decided that I'd use it because it's pretty boss. The Brinstar part is my favorite.

Mass Effect - Uncharted Worlds

  Filed under "Because I was listening to it while I wrote this and thought 'fuck yeah,'" and not because I think it will ever actually happen, "Uncharted Worlds" is everything I love about science fiction music. Here's an 8-bit version because [flimsy excuse not found]. And here's a metal version I found while looking for the 8-bit version.

  And that's it. The official end of my Smash Bros. coverage. I want to thank everyone who stuck around and anybody who visited for letting me vent my thoughts and wishes. I hope we enjoyed, if nothing else, this hopeful celebration of all things Nintendo (and then some!)

-Make it a nice day.

Super Smash Bros. The Next Generation - Day 32

New Super Wario Bros! Attack on the Twilight Realm!

  Apparently I wasn't paying enough attention when I reached the end of my list, and totally stacked Wario and Waluigi together. So what the heck, I'm just going with it. On a quick side note, I'm kind of bummed that New Super Mario Bros. 2 on 3DS isn't actually "New Super Wario Bros." since it's all about gold-nabbing... but that's just how I would have done it.

Wario

  Another one of my favorite Brawl characters, Wario had a lot of uniquely bizarre moves to show off. He moved almost as frame-less as Mr. Game and Watch, and his unusual fighting style was just about everything I could have hoped for it to be. So there's not really anything more to do in the next Smash for him. One thing to note though: Wario was the only character in Brawl who got an alternate costume, so this time, because I'm a jerk, I think we should add one more. His more recent WarioWare outfits, featuring a yellow suit and top hat. Because top hats, dog. Top hats.

Waluigi

  Waluigi would be a little difficult to base anything off of. He's never been in a proper game, so anything he does would have to be based off his multitude of sports games. Even his Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl was him attacking with a tennis racket. Well for Waluigi, I would like to sample some of that and bring the unique sort of power base that he was given in Super Mario Strikers: Charged for the Wii.

  In that game, a lot of his super powers were based off these thorny, purple vines. He made a whip of them, he summoned walls of them to back off defenders. Using this thematically, I think a really cool power structure could be built for Waluigi. Per the usual, his Alternate Costume will be a unique outfit somewhat similar to Wario's WarioWare outfit, and his Final Smash could be something thorny-viney, or just dropping a bunch of bob-ombs.

The Palace of Twilight

  So I've done the bright and cheerful Skyloft and I've done the terrifically 'toony Spirit Tracks Train, so I figured I'd give Zelda fans that level with a darker edge. Taking a look at the Palace of Twilight from The Twilight Realm, it looks like it was practically built to be a stage in Smash Bros. You have a main platform in the center, with a smaller platform off to the right and a gap in between. Thrown a few hovering pass-through platforms overhead and I think you've got yourself a stew going.

Twilight Realm's Haunting Melodies

Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - Dungeon (Sound and Drama)

  This rendition is much more chilling, so I hope you enjoy it.

Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - Face Shrine

  I'm not just in love with this song because it's good, but this moment was just a haunting realization that turned the my world view of this game around.

Pictobits - Legend of Zelda 2

  A great NES arrangement.

Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - Boss Theme

  A high-tension theme, great for any battle.

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - Zant

  I think part of what makes this theme work so well for Smash is how it evolves and grows as it time progresses, just like the battle does!

Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - Demon Lord Ghirahim (Final battle)

  Brilliantly flamboyant, menacing, and dramatic all at the same time, Ghirahim and his theme go together wonderfully. Dem vocals!

And tomorrow will be my last one of these Smash pieces, at least for a while. Thanks all for letting me just sort of get it out of my system. I suspect in a year or so, at next years E3, we'll finally get some new Smash details and I can compare notes. Until then, I'll be back writing about the industry at large.

-Make it a nice day.

Super Smash Bros. The Next Generation - Day 31

Life is But a Play! The Demon and the Knight!

  Sooo much E3... but first, I gotta talk Smash.

The Veteran - Meta Knight

  Meta Knight was came onto the scene, and immediately everything was "Oh, well of course that's his special. Oh, and of course he does that." Aside from some potential balance tweaking, I don't really see what else they could add to him in a new Smash. A great alternate costume would be the Galacta Knight from more recent Kirby titles.

The Newcomer - Skull Kid

  Perhaps it would be more accurate to say "Majora's Mask," but regardless, we have yet another great villain from the Zelda series. Now, conventionally, there's probably not a lot for the Kid to do to directly reference the game, but there's a lot in spirit. Skull Kid is mischievous with a side of god-like powers, so his fighting style would probably be best represented as a trickster and a trap layer. Lots of unconventional movement and dodges, laying surprises around the field, maybe even summoning AI pests for indirect assaults. All the while he floats around none to dissimilar to Mewtwo, that giant mask twitching about. Perhaps his specials could be twists on the Link abilities... throwing bombs and direction altering gusts of wind.

  His Final Smash has two great sources of potential. For starters, he could summon down the evil Moon onto the stage, nuking a portion of it. There's also going berserk and turning into Majora's Wrath , flying around the stage and whipping fools about.

The Stage (Literally) - Grassland

  Another nostalgia-laden stage, it's time to hit up Mario 3 for some classic goodness. In case time has gone by and you've forgotten how it works, Super Mario Bros 3 is essentially a stage. Hence why things have shadows on what appears to be a wall in the back, and why many things are suspended from the air by ropes. This type of level just screams with stylistic possibilities that range from leaving it retro looking to making it more stage-like. Also, there needs to be a white box that you can hold down on and drop through for no real reason other than to go "JUST LIKE IN THE GAAAAAME!"

The Grassland Music

Super Mario Bros. 3 - Athletic

  Those were the days.

Dr. Mario RX Online - Sneeze

  Now, we could just remix one of the original Dr. Mario tunes once again, and I"m totally okay with that. But I thought it would be neat to give this rather peppy tune a shot.

Super Mario 3D Land - Theme

  Catchier than a zombie plague, and certainly more pleasant, the theme to Super Mario 3D Land just never gets old.

Paper Mario - The Koopa Bros.

  A great representation of the Paper Mario series and a reference to a song that came from Super Mario Bros. 3. Sounds like a perfect fit to me.

Mario Paint - Creative Exercise

  Your childhood was hollow if you don't know this song by heart. As a fellow tip to Wario Ware: DIY fans, if you title your game "Mario Paint" at creation, you'll unlock the soundtrack to it while you're slaving away at your meticulous sprite-work.

  Here's to hoping for a Smash announcement of any sort tomorrow. I'm hopeful, but I don't find it likely that we'll see anything.

-Make it a nice day.

Super Smash Bros. The Next Generation - Day 29

Out of Their Element! The Boy Prodigy and The Red Flash!

  Hey, do you like awesome music? Of course you do. Well this has nothing to do with anything really, but I hope you enjoy. There's awesome Phoenix Wright animations to go with it.

The Veteran - Lucas

  The kid from the game we'll never see localized, Lucas is somebody you're possibly more familiar with than me. I've finally decided to jump into all of the Earthbound games here shortly, but I don't have the time right this moment. As it stands, Lucas was one of my absolute favorite characters to play in Brawl. I loved the way he animated, I loved the way his PSi powers looked, and I loved the way they operated. What little I do know of Lucas paints him as one of the most tragic video game characters out there, and I think with that I'd rather take this time to just say he's awesome and move on.

The Rollin' Newcomer - Dillon

  Hero of the eShop title Dillon's Rolling Western, this armardillo of few words may not be much in terms of noteriety, but he just looks cool. Rolling Western could very easily be the start of a big franchise for Nintendo, if they wanted to push it, and I think the titular hero is 'cool' enough to be a bit more mainstream.

  Yeah, so his primary thing is rolling around, and we have characters that do that. Well if Sonic is out for whatever 3rd party licensing agreement causes him to shoo, then Dillon can easily take his place. Even still, check them claws, son. This desert dweller is going to cut down anyone who stands in his way.

  His Final Smash could involve constructing a tower that just starts shooting at any and everyone on the field, while an alternate costume could dress him up like a Sandslash, because fuck yeah.

Balloon Fight

  Originally I had planned to do an Ice Climber stage, but you know what, no. I love those guys, but I gave Yoshi the ice stage, and poor Balloon Fighter never got to be a playable character (despite being a prototyped in Smash Bros. Melee). So here's his. Balloon Fight: The Stage. Look at that screenshot. It's a stone's throw from a Smash stage as it is. You've got the stage hazards in the clouds and psycho death fish monster living in the water. We can even keep this as a retro stage for some of that 8-bit nostalgia. So there you go: Balloon Fighter. For the music I'll be doing a selection of remixes I find on youtube for various NES era games that are otherwise unrepresented in Smash thus far.

Music to (Balloon) Fight By

Pictobits - Balloon Fighter

  How in the hell have I gone -this- long without referencing Pictobits' soundtrack? I love that game! This is also a great way to get my 'remix' on without sacrificing the fact that I just love the glorious 8-bit tune. Honestly, it's going to be hard not to just make everything for this level Pictobits. (Listen to the whole thing, it builds as it goes)

Pictobits - Excite Bike

  See, you guys, now I'm all excited for this Pictobits stuff again. Well get ready, because there's still more.

Pictobits - Devil World Part 1

  So Devil World is a Japan-only title, so you've.. Sorry, hang on. *Pushes up glasses* So you've probably never heard of it. Well the Devil from this game was in the previous Smash, as an assist trophy, so I figured I'd bring this sweet Pictobits remix in.

OC Remix - Ice Climbers "Snow Cone Heaven"

  This awesome remix comes to you compliments of the brilliant musical minds of OC Remix. It has a lot in common with some previous remixes, I'm aware, but I actually enjoy the ragtime sounds layered on top of the simply satisfying beat.

OC Remix - Mach Rider "Mach Schnell"

  Another great OC Remix of one of my favorite NES tunes.

Punch-Out! Wii - Minor Circuit

  I don't think the team at Next Level Games, who did Punch-Out! Wii and Super Mario Strikers: Charged get enough credit for the amazing work they do, especially in the musical department.

DDR: Mario Mix - Destruction Dance

  I've posted a few songs from this collection before, but "Destruction Dance" is easily my favorite. The rapid fire pianos atop a swanky dance beat just get me right in my chewy center.

  E3 is coming up soon. I'm ever so hopeful, yet completely doubtful, that we'll see any solid Smash news this year. I'm sure we'll get a "And yes, it's still happening, and maybe here's a title for it with a nameplate!" but that's about it. Hope for the most, expect the least.

-Make it a nice day!

Super Smash Bros. The Next Generation - Day 27

The Prince Goes on Vacation! An Original Idea!

  I'm still a little behind so why not toss out another post today, hm?

The Fabulous Veteran - 

Marth!

  Marth's not my favorite character. I still have no attachment to him or the Fire Emblem series, so he doesn't mean much to me. That said, I know he's got his fans, and he's a unique fighter so I have no issues with him. The real question is, what do we do for an alternate costume? Well I may be boring but I think we could use his Brawl attire for the alt costume, and make the above his default costume. Or vice-versa.

Newcomer - A Brand New Character...

  My original idea went bust, so now I'm going to drag up an old topic I had in mind and eventually shelved. I think it's time that the Smash Bros. series have it's own playable character. Masahiro Sakurai has a knack for creating truly original characters, and yet he has never created anything truly original for Smash. That's not to say he hasn't been immensely creative, and yes he did create the Subspace Army and Tabuu, all of whom were original, but none of them were actually Smash Bros. characters who played by Smash Bros. rules. In this idea, it would be a totally original fighter that would be playable in multiplayer, carrying the banner of the window-frame circle Smash emblem.

  This character could be any number of things. It could be something a little more generic, but totally appropriate for a fighting game, where it's some amorphous blue human who can form their arms and legs into different weapons or sprout wings in order to mimic the main Nintendo characters. It's a little boiler-plate, but still kind of cool. What I would prefer to see, however, is some generic hero whose world is being affected by the events that brings the Smash realm together. Something akin to a Sora character from Kingdom Hearts, but without being from Final Fantasy and without being obnoxious. In the vain of the original Smash concept, it could be an original, handmade toy the player has that he starts playing with the rest of his Nintendo toys. It could be inspired off of a toy Sakurai had or just a general toy like a Teddy bear. Now, keep in mind, this wouldn't just be some lame stuffed bear, but represented as a powerful bear warrior or adorable bear creature, whichever direction he wanted to go.

The Stage - Sunset Shore

  This stage is probably the most evocative visual image in Donkey Kong Country: Returns. It's striking beauty hits you immediately, and it's impossible to stop looking at it. What would be incredibly awesome is if each character had a special model that silhouetted them in the level (that could maybe come into play on a couple of other stages just for the sake of getting something out of the work for this.) Each character would have a few brightly colored features that would cause them to stand out, like Samus' glowing green parts in her armor or Mario's hat. Mr. Game and Watch would be, hilariously, the same.

Music for Sunset Shore

Donkey Kong Country Returns - Sunset Shore

  Potentially the best version of this song ever constructed, this jazzed up version of "Jungle Hijinx" just has it going on. Perhaps they could use the version that was performed at the Nintendo World 2011 event.

Donkey Kong Country Returns - Fear Factory

  Even though it's designed for a factory stage and is more electronic, I still find the beat and ambient background fit the smooth visuals of Sunset Shore.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong - Donkey Kong Plus Battle

  A little more battle-heavy, which is why it's a good fit for Smash Bros.


Donkey Kong '94 - Final Battle

  I especially love this song for it's revisit of the original Donkey Kong music.

Donkey Kong '94 - Jungle Level

  An awesome, catchy theme that could be spruced up with the right remix to be a perfect tune for this stage.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Bramble Blast

  A superb arrangement, this song is easily one of the best in Brawl. I've never even played Donkey Kong Country 2 to have the nostalgia here... it's just a damn fine song.

  What all jungle beats would you like to hear in a new Smash? Any cool ideas for an original character? What in the world is Marth wearing? Discuss in the comments downwards.


-Make it a nice day.

Super Smash Bros. The Next Generation - Day 24

The Monk and the Prince! Battle Atop a High Mountain!

  I just finished watching one of the most balls out awesome trailers for Anarchy Reigns. Stay to the end for a special Newcomer announcement to this insane title.

The Veteran - Lucario

  If I were a betting man, I would bet that we lose Lucario to a Generation 5 Pokemon, rather than cutting out Pikachu, Jigglypuff, or the Pokemon Trainer. I can't say I'd necessarily disagree with the decision to do so, but I would be bummed. I already lost Mewtwo, and I rather like Lucario's gameplay. Still, let's focus on what the blue fox thing that is mysteriously also part metal would do in a new Smash.

  Well, honestly, aside from a slightly less terrible recovery-dash, I'd say Lucario is pretty much fine the way he is. Project M disagrees with me, having completely redesigned the character, but I'm rather happy with his monk style of combat the way it is. It makes more sense given his characteristics. Oh but I do need a costume swap. Uhm. How about Blaziken, another fighting type, whose "aura" could be red fire instead. Works for me! Actually.. I quite like that... Hm...

The (Fabulous) Newcomer - Ghirahim

  Does anybody else feel like this guy has a Labyrinth to run?

  Ghirahim was actually an incredibly enjoyable character just to watch in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. He animated gorgeously, but then so did everybody else in that game. His true nature revealed at the end was also an awesome twist, which makes for a great Costume Swap.

  Obviously Ghirahim is going to be a finesseful sword fighter, wielding a rapier, maybe even two. One of his specials can involve summoning his little magic darts. His Down+B can be the "sword catch" as a counter. His Up+B can be that sweet looking diamond teleport of his. For a big finish, Ghirahim can summon The Imprisoned to stomp around the stage until enough damage is dealt to his little column on his forehead, turning this Final Smash into more of a mini-boss.

The Stage - King DeDeDe's Castle

  Inside DeDeDe's castle is a stage for combat; a giant wrestling ring. In Kirby: Super Star Ultra, when you do the Return of the King scenario, the ring becomes electrified and far more dangerous. Either way, this stage would make a hazard-filled, bouncy-walled place for a great Smash stage.

Music Fit for a King

Kirby's Epic Yarn - King DeDeDe's Theme

  (Sorry for the low quality) Obviously we're going to use King DeDeDe's theme, and this is probably the best version that exists.

Kirby's Adventure - Forest Theme

  Sure, it's a slower tune, but it's still a more mysterious, shadier tone, perfect for DeDeDe.

Kirby 64 - Dark Matter's Castle

  Don't tell the King I said this, but Dark Matter's castle has a way sweeter soundtrack.

Kirby 64 - Battle with Miracle Matter

  This theme is begging for a good remix. Maybe something with a Drum and Bass fix, or (dare I say it) a little dubstep?

Kirby's Epic Yarn - Lava Landing

  Featuring one of the best piano solo's I've ever heard, it's Lava Landing! I will put this song everywhere I have to for it to be in a new Smash Bros. title.

Kirby's Adventure - Nightmare

  To this day, this remains one of my alll-time favorite chip tunes. I can't decide if it needs to be left this way or spruced up for a stage. Maybe both.

And so ends my work today. I'll be back with another stack of blogs tomorrow as I continue catching up! Thanks for your patience.


-Make it a nice day.

Super Smash Bros. The Next Generation - Day 23

Flying Through Space! Bound to Earth!

  More speculative thought and wishful thinking ahead.

Captain Olimar

  The unlikely Olimar was a surprise, and welcome addition to the Brawl roster. Although he did highlight the problem with Nintendo's lack of new IP's in recent history. The fact that Pikmin was Nintendo's most recent IP, and as of Brawl's release was already 7 years old, was a disheartening scratch at the back of my mind. Sure, Lucario was a newer character, but we just need new IP's. Hopefully through some of these articles you've seen my attempts to pull at newer content, even if it doesn't all necessary earn a place at the front of the roster.

  Olimar is somewhat underwhelming in my opinion. For the most part he does exactly what I expected, but nothing more. I found managing my Pikmin to try and maximize their effectiveness in combat to be difficult, which lead to my attacks being more of a random chance than I wanted. His Special attacks were particularly underwhelming, I thought. I think next time, the Pikmin need to be better about returning to Olimar on their own rather than having to recollect them with the Whistle, freeing up a special slot for something else like a Pikmin Scramble attack where you sick all 5 of them on an opponent at once.

  His alternate costume should be his brother Louie, and the End of Day should remain his final smash.. although it always felt kind of overpowered the way the camera loses focus on the stage. Perhaps pulling back in a better angle would alleviate that?

Saki Amamiya

  I was originally planning on Isa Jo from Sin and Punishment: Star Successor, but I just like Saki's design so much more. So Isa can be an Assist Trophy that does what Saki did in Brawl, and Saki can become a fully playable character.

  Saki's roll in Smash Bros. would be a great mixture of close range laser sword slashes and long range beam shots. His Up+B could be a booster-propelled vertical slice, while his Forward+B could be a charging series of rapid strikes. Holding B would charge up a small shot that could be held for as long as B is, and fired when released, allowing Saki to still move around the platform he's on (or jump if you're really handy).

  His Final Smash might entail turning him into a quick round of Sin and Punishment: Star Successor, where he moves to the foreground and can hover around while shooting energy bullets into the background. This special might focus on racking up large damage, allowing Saki to finish off opponents when he comes back rather than just blowing them up at once. And if you didn't like the Isa Jo assist trophy, perhaps Saki's son could be the Costume Swap.

The Stage - Dalaam

  A floating island over Eagleland sounds just right for a Smash Bros. stage in my mind, but what do you think? Do you have any favored Earthbound stages that you'd like to see show up? Personally, I'd love to see Fourside return from Melee, but that's just one of my personal favorite stages.

The Music of Dalaam

Earthbound - The Floating City of Dalaam

  Earthbound has an incredibly varied soundtrack, yet it always seems to be the same few songs you hear. I say we mix it up just a bit with this theme.

Earthbound - Hippie Battle

  As I understand it, a large problem we'll have with Earthbound music is the potential law suit for using it because it sounds like other music. I get the initial fear, but I don't think that's the case for Hippie Battle. AAt least, not enough of a case. Regardless, I think it's a sweet ditty.

OC Remix (Earthbound) - Dreaming on Distant Shores

  Just a gorgeous piece of electronica here. Don't mind me.

OC Remix (Earthbound) - Bus!

  High-energy guitars come together to form an awesome track, fit for a Smash.

OC Remix (Earthbound) - Twoson Hits the Road!

  DJ Pretzel said when he created this that it was based on the sorts of music he would hear when travelling cross country with his parents. Imagine this song playing while crossing the Rocky Mountains or across America's Heartland during the summer with it's vibrant fields. You can feel the emotion that went into this remix, which is exactly what Earthbound music specifically deserves.

  What sayeth the Internet? Do we have other Earthbound tracks or stages we would like to see? Please, use this as an open forum to let your heart speaketh true and your heart soar like an Eagle upon yonder skies!

-Make it a nice day.

Super Smash Bros. The Next Generation - Day 22

The Plumber Journeys West! OF Mice and Wolfmen!

  Plenty more to come right after this, so stay tuned!

The Veteran - Mario

  The most malleable character in video games, Mario's done it all. He's been a doctor, saved the galaxy, been an environmentalist, been a sports icon, and this one time he was a plumber. In the most recent Smash they tried mixing him up by granting him the F.L.U.D.D. as a power, and while I respect them trying to switch up Mario and bring in some new mechanics, I just wasn't a fan of it. With that in mind I'm thinking of Down+B charging up a hammer that he brings down on his foes, reminiscent of his Paper Mario and Mario and Luigi series abilities. I'm also on the fence about replacing his cape with the Galaxy Spin (shown above) which still has the ability to direct projectiles, but also catches people up for damage. What do you think?

  His alternate costume needs to be a return to his Dr. Mario clone from Smash Bros. Melee.

The Newcomer - Volug

  My entire reason for picking this fellow is because he looks cool, and he might be able to bring a different fighting style then another sword user. Honestly, I don't think he's a strong enough 'main character' to be worthy of a roster spot. Maybe an assist trophy, at best. I just wanted to push somebody different for the roster.

The Stage - Dillon's Rolling Western

  I think Dillon's Rolling Western is one of Nintendo's better new IP's, and it would be a shame if it didn't make it into Brawl in some degree or another. As a stage, we could either fight atop the village wall (shown above) while it's under siege from some giant rock monsters, or we could just do a western-styled set of floating platforms that overlooks the field below as the monsters march on.

  Because we don't have a lot of music to go on for Dillon's alone, I'm going to be mixing it up again, this time with western themed music from other games.

Music of the West

Dillon's Rolling Western - Main Theme

  This, with a little sprucing up, could be a -great- battle theme for a new Smash.

F-Zero Arranged - Sand Ocean

  Sure, I could have just linked you the F-Zero GX version, or the original SNES version, but what fun is that? Besides, this is clearly the superior version, so why bother with that other stuff?

Zelda: Skyward Sword - Lanayru Desert (Past)

  Rather perfect, and a bit more spruced up then the regular Lanayru Desert theme. I was also thinking about Gerudo Desert, but this was more recent and Gerudo Desert was in Brawl, so this won out, but only barely.

Kirby's Epic Yarn - Dusk Dunes

  One of the best tracks in Epic Yarn, Dusk Dunes has a perfect style that I think would go along swimmingly in a Rolling Western stage. 

Animal Crossing - K.K. Western

  Give this the "Go K.K. Rider!" treatment with a live person doing the whistling and guitar, and you've got a deal. It would be hard for this to NOT be the only tune I have on the stage.

Super Paper Mario - Mount Lineland and Yold Desert

  A little different, but still has a very ragtimey, old west feel. I think we're good with it.

  What's your rootin' tootinist favorite Old West style theme? Leave a comment below, and then come on back now, y'hear? I got plentya more where this came from, pardner.

-Ya'll make it a nice day, now.

Super Smash Bros. The Next Generation - Day 21

Blazing Fast! It's Always Darkest Before Dawn!

  I don't know about you, but I still love my stupid, Anime-themed titles.

The Super Veteran - Sonic

  Captain Falcon finally got overshadowed with The Fastest Hedgehog Alive showed up. Probably for the best, that guy really needed to be brought down a peg. You blow up a galactic arm ONE TIME and suddenly you think you're the world's mightiest champion. Anyhow, Sonic was the sort of "needed to happen" guest star once it was revealed that Solid Snake had broken the 3rd party barrier. And since Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games had already happened, it was pretty much a given thing that it was going to. And then it did! And he was pretty alright. They did his stage well, great music selection, and he wasn't half bad. He wasn't half great either, though. Really, for me, what it came down to was his signature moves. I loved his fighting style, and I loved his Up+B spring-jump. But the homing attack felt off, and the Jigglypuff style rolling dash felt weak.. and it was two moves? But not really? I dunno, just wasn't a fan. However, one Wii/DS exclusive title could change that: Sonic Colors.

  Suddenly you have a whole arsenal of wicked special moves to pull out. A short-range laser dash, a crazy drilling move, turning into a rolling spike trap, and just all sorts of neon-colored powers to make him a bit more versatile and impressive on the field. And for an alternate costume, we have options. I know Shadow's popular but.. well I don't much care for him, and he's just a palette swap. no, I think the right idea is to go with Metal Sonic or Classic Sonic. Give him a bit of paunch, or robotisize him. Gives a bit more of a nostalgia spread, I think.

The Newcomer - Dark Samus

  The knee-jerk reaction to Dark Samus is to make a Samus clone, and in some areas, that probably wouldn't be inaccurate to do. She could even have a (kind of creepy) Zero Suit Samus form. But I think there's a lot more that you could do. Sure we might have to make a few things up, but Dark Samus hardly acts like her (it's?) counterpart in any conventional ways. Sure they both have an arm cannon, but that's just for shooting. Samus isn't the only person who gets a charged-up power blast, anyhow. If anything I see Dark Samus being more of a Mewtwo clone, at least animation wise. It would always be hovering around the stage, rarely actually touching down, and it would be a much more floaty counterpart to our favorite bounty huntress. And fire on the Grapple Beam, our menacing duplicate would extend it's ethereal Phazon tentacles for grappling and recovery.

  An alternate costume is kind of hard, since Dark Samus is kind of already an alternate costume. The only thing I can think to do is an SA-X costume that consists of us putting Dark Samus' moves and animations over regular Samus' model. Which I think is kind of neat, but aside from the scary all-white eyes, wouldn't be terribly differentiating. Maybe keep the mask visor that more Y-shaped to help tell them apart? Oh, and the Final Smash is an easy one. In fact, there's a lot of options. Basically we can go full Metroid Prime (the titular monster) and become a rampaging tank or an energy-draining tentacle monster. Alternatively, we can go the Corruption route and summon a giant Aurora Unit to wreak havoc.

Stage - Passaj

  Golden Sun is, unfortunately, another one of my weak areas, so I don't terribly know much about the series. Please feel free to illuminate me on some great stage ideas, but just looking around, this place really caught my eye. I love the mountainous location, the old architecture, and the breathtaking background. That allow is reason enough for me to want Passaj made into a stage, but it's mountainous structure with numerous peaks makes it a pretty Smash styled local with places to fall off each side.

  Don't get me wrong, I know enough about the series to know that Mt. Aleph is the most important local, but I can't really see much of a stage there. It's just kind of a mountain peak. Unless there's something about it I don't know from way later in the games, I'm just going to have to write that one off.

The Music of Passaj

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn - Theme of Golden Sun

  I'm not going to pretend like I know these songs or have any real significant meaning behind them. I just think they sound neat.

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn - Boss Battle

  Those folks at Camelot sure know how to make a wicked soundtrack.

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn - Saturos Theme

  It occurs to me that the kind folks of YouTube who put up these videos might not have the right themes, so if I listed something incorrectly, I apologize and please let me know so I can fix it.

Golden Sun - Colosso Battle Theme

  I don't know what a Colosso is; I just wanted to make sure I wasn't leaving out awesome music from the original game.

Golden Sun - Isaac Battle Theme

  So that's pretty much one of the best RPG themes ever.

Golden Sun: The Dark Ages - The Golden Sun Rises

  This song just sounded... important, so I went with it.

  So that's it for today. Be prepared for this weekend - I'm going to be catching up on a -lot- of articles. By my math I'm roughly 7 or 8 behind, so I"m going to be posting over-time. Yay content! Let me know if I hit anything with this Golden Sun stuff, or if I missed anything dramatically obvious. One of these days I might have the time to catch up on the series.

-Make it a nice day.

Super Smash Bros. The Next Generation - Day 20

A Boy and His Ape! The Hunt for Treasure!

Writing, writing; so exciting, 'citing.

The Old Ape - Donkey Kong

  Another of the original Smash gang, Donkey Kong has been a great heavy-hitter. He's always had a decent range to help back up his muscle, which has kept him fairly effective, but I think a little more brute force and un-flinchable resolve might help make him a much more fearsome opponent.

  His alternate costume should be a hammer-less Bonkers from the Kirby series. That might be a bit too self-referential for Sakurai-san, but that's alright with me.

The New Kid - Animal Crossing Kid

  When you first look at the Animal Crossing Kid (shown above), you don't really think of anything for a fighting game. Look at him. He's just a kid, what can he do? To be fair to him, he wouldn't be the first kid to enter the Smash, nor the least assuming. I mean, if this guy can make it, AC Kid is golden. He's packing an arsenal of weapons disguised as harmless tools. That unassuming fishing hook is now his Up+B recovery/grapple. His Down+B throws a spherical hunk of dirt towards his enemies, much like the Diggin' Chargin' Chucks of Super Mario World. His held B can power up a sling shot that scatters and pings damage in a wide range in front of him. With Forward+B the Animal Crossing Kid will AX you a question, while chopping your soul in twain. Needless to say, there's stuff to work with, here.

  His Final Smash is a bit tricky to figure out. Mr. Resetti is already an Assist Trophy, so how about we light things up instead with a Fireworks Show! It keeps the fun, festive nature that is evocative of the cover of Animal Crossing: Wild World, but can also set your opponents ablaze! Now that sounds like fun, doesn't it? Oh, and if you haven't noticed a running theme here, Animal Crossing Kid's alternate costume should be a female, and both of them should have an army of different shirts for their alternate colors (or maybe even HATS?!)

Stage - The Shake Dimension

  WarioWare may definitely be the place for Wario these days, but we've already had a stage for that. Plus, this game has come out since the last Smash, so it's chronologically efficient. Plus, it's another excuse to put the puzzle-platforming geniuses of Good Feel back in the spotlight, so I'm all for that as well.

  There's a lot of breathtaking locals in The Shake Dimension, the setting for Wario Land: Shake It. I think the vibrant jungle up above would be more than suitable enough; a Latin American flavor that hasn't yet been seen in the mascot fighter. Traps like falling blocks, rolling rocks, or even the entire stage shaking out of control could make this jungle trek far from relaxing.

Shake Your Groove Thang - The Music of The Shake Dimension

Wario Land: Shake It - Stonecarving City

  This fancy little ditty is sort of 'The Wario Land" song to me.

Wario Land: Shake It - Gurgle Gulch

  That "Good Feel" piano makes me feel oh-so good. Listening to the soundtrack to this game makes me want to play Kirby's Epic Yarn, and vice-versa.

WarioWare: DIY - Jimmy's Aerobics

 

  We can't forget to include a WarioWare track, and honestly this is probably the best one they've ever made. Hands down, this is the one track that needs to be in whatever's next for Smash and given the "Ashley's Theme" treatment.

Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix - Starring Wario

  A delightful remix of the first stage of the otherwise doldrum Wario World for Gamecube, this tune is a must have for any Wario level.

Wario Land 4 - Hall of Hieroglyphics

  For as much as Sakurai-san tried to capture games at every point in the franchise with the music, Wario was pretty much overlooked on everything that wasn't WarioWare. Hopefully this time around we get a bit more celebration into all things Wario.

  And I'm going to bed.


-Make it a good one.