#ARLE FOR SMASH

[homuraakumaakemi]

STILL ALIVE!!!

[its-so-ouverture]

Arle for Smash!

[starozoa]

i drew this hoping for the long awaited smash reveal this morning, but arle will get her chance to be in smash bros another day 😔

[paperclm]

Arle is getting ready to final smash you all into lil’ bits !! Puyo Power !!

[yopalonso]

Arle Nadja for Smash Bros. 4: We’re going for Spiritual Classics

Behold. Even when there’s chaos and disorder, we’re near the spooky day, and so, it’s time to talk about the Spirit Battles that I plan to bring into Smash Bros. Ultimate!

I did warn you last time we had this kerkuffle, that long texts awaited thee for this instance. You have been warned tremendously. Let us begin the last part!

Número 3: Spirit Battles!

Spirits are these jolly-good .png files that, when equipped, give you power, make you stronger, give you buffs, etc., etc. Puyo Puyo-based Spirits will consist of 11 of those little fellas, with 9 of those having a battle via the (hypothetical) DLC Spirit Board.

1. Carbuncle

Class: Advanced ☆☆

Type: (Support) Neutral

Power: 4200

Team Stock Battle

Vs. Bunny Kirby (Yellow) & Arle

Stage: Windy Hill Zone (Ω)

Music: Area A

Item: Superspicy Curry

Conditions:

Defeat the main fighter to win.

The enemy is easily distracted by items.

Acquired Spirit Stats:

Ability: Mouthful of Curry

Cost: 2

He’s round, hard to hit, and loves curry! Carbuncle, obviously represented by a Bunny Hood-wearing Yellow Kirby. If you get him, you get the Mouthful of Curry ability, which grants you the effects of a Superspicy Curry at the beginning of the match.

2. Amitie

Class: Novice ☆

Type: (Primary) Attack

Power: 1700

Team Stock Battle

Vs. Zelda (Red) & Corrin (Male Light Blue) & Villager (Female Pink)

Stage: Peach’s Castle (Battlefield Form)

Music: Puyo Puyo FUNderworld!

Conditions:

The enemy's side special has increased power.

The enemy favors up specials.

Acquired Spirit Stats:

Power: 960 [ATK 529 DEF 431]

Slots: 2

Can Be Enhanced at Lv. 99.

3. Red Amitie

Class: Ace ☆☆☆

Spirit Stats:

Power: 3158 [ATK 1928 DEF 1230]

Slots: 2

Fire Attack ↑

Amitie’s Spirit Battle has to take place at a magical place! Taking her spot is Zelda, who’s known for having Fire and Wind-based magic, much like our lovely protagonist herself. And joining her are Corrin and Villager mimicking Sig and Raffina! By leveling up, she turns into Red Amitie, but how exactly is a thing we don’t exactly know.

4. Ringo Ando

Class: Ace ☆☆☆

Type: (Support) Grab

Power: 9000

Team Stock Battle

Vs. Robin (Female Red) & Richter (Purple) & Banjo & Kazooie (Dark Brown / Purple) & Dark Samus

Stage: New Donk City

Music: The Puyo Puyo Song - In-Game Version

Conditions:

The enemy’s electric attacks have increased power.

The enemy favors neutral specials.

Reinforcements will appear during the battle.

Acquired Spirit Stats:

Ability: Zap-Floor Immunity

Cost: 2

The red-haired student who’s in this to win. She comes packed with a powerful team in a battle taking place in the only city that resembles the “real world” where Ringo lives. Joining Robin with her thunder attacks is Richter, jumping in as Maguro, the bear himself, Banjo, as Risukuma, and a surprise guest: Ecolo, as Dark Samus! As a reward for such a scientific match, she’ll grant you Zap-Floor Immunity, to fight against electric floors and the like!

5. Ally

Class: Novice ☆

Type: (Support) Grab

Power: 1600

Team Stock Battle

Vs. Daisy (Green) & Arle & Zelda (Red) & Robin (Female Red)

Stage: Yoshi’s Island (Melee) (Battlefield Form)

Music: Ready for Fever Mode!

Conditions:

The enemy can heal by shielding attacks.

Reinforcements will appear during the battle.

Acquired Spirit Stats:

Ability: Critical-Health Defense

Cost: 1

Ally! The lass in green from the mysterious lands brings a whole party of 4 to the fray. Although her battle isn’t that hard, it’s her skill that makes the difference: Critical-Health Defense, which will get you buffed in time when things get hectic!

6. Schezo Wegey

Class: Advanced ☆☆

Type: (Primary) Grab

Power: 4100

Stamina Battle

Vs. Robin (Male Blue)

Stage: Yggdrasil’s Altar

Music: Request from Puyo Puyo

Conditions:

The enemy starts the battle with a Black Hole.

The enemy’s melee weapons and electric attacks have increased power.

The enemy favors neutral specials.

Acquired Spirit Stats:

Power: 1532 [ATK 998 DEF 534]

Slots: 3

Can Be Enhanced at Lv. 99.

7. Cool Schezo

Class: Ace ☆☆☆

Spirit Stats:

Power: 3041 [ATK 1761 DEF 1280]

Slots: 3

Sword Attack ↑

It’s the one who commands the dark magic, Schezo! Seemed kind of obvious for him to be portrayed by Robin himself, in a magical, distant land. His fight makes it seem like he’s hella powerful, so getting him AND getting his Spirit to become Cool Schezo feels even more rewarding. Just look at that pristine white cape of power, so cool!

8. Rulue

Class: Advanced ☆☆

Type: (Support) Grab

Power: 4300

Stamina Battle

Vs. Wii Fit Trainer

Stage: Tortimer Island (hazards off)

Music: NORMAL MODE

Conditions:

The enemy's physical attacks have increased power.

The enemy has increased defense.

The enemy favors grabs and throws.

Acquired Spirit Stats:

Ability: Energy Shot Attack/Resistance ↑

Cost: 2

The lady who kicks into scene takes form into a Puyo SUN-inspired battle! At the shores of the beautiful Tortimer Island, Wii Fit Trainer posing as Rulue will take you on with powerful kicks and twists. The skill you get, which is Energy Shot Attack/Resistance, is a testament to her strength and training against magical arts.

9. Dark Prince

Class: Ace ☆☆☆

Type: (Primary) Shield

Power: 9300

Team Stock Battle

Vs. Ganondorf (Brown) & Bunny Kirby (Yellow)

Stage: Dark Prince Castle (hazards off)

Music: Final of Puyo Puyo

Hazard: Screen Flip

Conditions:

The screen will suddenly flip.

Defeat the main fighter to win.

The enemy starts the fight with a Black Hole.

The enemy favors special attacks.

Acquired Spirit Stats:

Power: 3148 [ATK 1882 DEF 1266]

Slots: 3

The Dark Prince himself, mwah ha ha! To be quite fair, the only character who was able to fit this awesome robe was Ganondorf himself. I know there’s a joke there trying to have Joker take his place but, well, Voice Actor jokes only work when they’re, well... global? For this fight, it’s all about manipulation and trying to outdo your rival to get your hands on that powerhouse of his Spirit.

10. Puyo Puyo

Class: Novice ☆

Type: (Support) Neutral

Power: 1600

Team Stamina Battle

Vs. Team Kirby (Red ×4, Green ×4, Yellow ×4, Blue ×4, Purple ×4)

Stage: Distant Planet (Ω)

Music: Theme of Puyo Puyo

Conditions:

Reinforcements will appear after an enemy is KO'd.

The enemy falls slowly.

Acquired Spirit Stats:

Ability: Instadrop

Cost: 2

Before we move onto the last Spirit, we have to do this... fun Puyo hell! It’s the Puyos, in their... most interesting form. Represented by colored Kirby fighters, these fall slowly into the field and have low energy. When you beat them, you earn the Instadrop ability, kinda like if they gave you the ability to Hard Drop.

11. Doppelganger Arle

Class: Legend ☆☆☆☆

Type: (Primary) Attack

Power: 13500

Stamina Battle

Vs. Arle (Dark Red)

Stage: Dracula’s Castle (Ω)

Music: Dark Arle’s Insanity

Conditions:

Take your strongest team into this no-frills battle.

Acquired Spirit Stats:

Power: 4842 [ATK 2659 DEF 2183]

Slots: 2

Magic Attack ↑

The final battle for all of us is supposed to be against ourselves. Same goes for Arle, who you get to battle into these Spirit Battles as her doppelganger! Or is it the other way around? Defeating this incredibly powerful Spirit will grant you a Spirit that’s either too powerful, or that’s way too powerful.

Número 4: Classic Mode!

Lastly! We journey through her Classic Mode run and all that implies! Discounting the Bonus Stage, this would be her journey through Classic Mode (as envisioned by yours truly)!

Puzzling Magic Fun!

Puzzling Magic Fun! ( パズルの楽しみ旅 , lit. “Puzzle Fun Trip”) is all about exploring the history of puzzle games that are currently represented in Smash Bros. in one way or another, and Arle having some crazy stock battles against all of their protagonists! All stages have music from the Puyo game closest to that release.

STAGE 1

Vs. Yoshi

Stage: Yoshi’s Island (Melee)

Music: Theme of Puyo Puyo

The first fight is against the least alike of the puzzle games: Yoshi’s Cookie, from 1992! Yoshi’s Cookie is a fun title with an interesting sliding mechanic, but it’s far from being similar to Puyo Puyo, yes.

STAGE 2

Vs. Mii Swordfighter

Stage: Super Happy Tree

Music: Area A

Our second fight is against Panel de Pon, from 1995, with Mii Swordfighter cosplaying as Lip! Panel de Pon, localized as Puzzle League, is an interesting match-3 puzzle game where you have all your pieces on the board at all times, and you line up your strategy to let gravity take its course and do crazy chains!

STAGE 3

Vs. Ryu & Ken

Stage: Suzaku Castle

Music: Request from Puyo Puyo

Wait, Ryu and Ken!? Well, wouldn’t you know, they starred in their own puzzle game, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo. This 1996 puzzle game mimicked Puyo Puyo in that pieces fall in pairs and you line them up on your board, but you can’t erase your blocks without using colored Power Gems, which shakes things up plenty. This frantic puzzle game saw a soft re-release in 2017 for mobile devices, too, although it had a short run.

STAGE 4

Vs. Kirby & King Dedede

Stage: Dream Land GB (Ω)

Music: NORMAL MODE

KIRBY’S AVALANCHE WASN’T REAL AND IT NEVER EXISTED. Now that THAT is out of the way, Kirby and the Dream Land 2 crew starred in their own puzzle game in 1997 with Kirby’s Star Stacker. In this game, pieces fell in pairs, and you lined them up on your board to get Star Blocks in-between the same Animal Buddies to start a combo, which would make stars fall on the board and fill in the empty spaces. If you knew how to line stuff up on the board, you could rack up some insanely crazy combos!

STAGE 5

Vs. Pikachu & Jigglypuff & Pokémon Trainer

Stage: Pokémon Stadium

Music: Puyo Puyo FUNderworld!

Pokémon’s first original incursion in the puzzle game world was with 2005′s Pokémon Trozei! (or Pokémon Link! for the Eurobuddies) This game followed through with gameplay similar to that of Yoshi’s Cookie, but taking the advantage of both screens for some really fast gameplay. You also had to line them up in a straight line, but how you did it was up to you.

... wait a minute, don’t you think we’re forgetting something important?

STAGE 6

Vs. Dr. Mario & Peach (White)

Stage: 75m (Ω)

Music: The Puyo Puyo Song - In-Game Version

The original, colored reference for Puyo Puyo lies within Dr. Mario, of course! The NES 1990 classic which slowly evolved through time, and the one puzzle game that’s almost too similar to Puyo Puyo. You line up colors to form a straight line of four between viruses and pills, to erase those critters from your bottle. In VS mode, this actually means trouble for your foe, as randomly colored balls will fall on their field!

And, finally...

BOSS STAGE

Vs. Dracula

Music: Final of Puyo Puyo / Double Trouble Finale!

And for the last stage we beat Satan himself! Well, the one that was the closest, to be honest. We’re still fighting the final battle in a castle, against a devilish character with one cool cape with strong connections to Satan himself. And while Castlevania did have a puzzle game in the form of Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night in 2010 for mobile devices, I still believe that playing make-believe with Dracula portraying as the Dark Prince is a better way to go.

Número 5: Anything else I forgot across all entries?

Entrance animation: appearing from a light portal, similar to how she gets transported into Grimp in Puyo Puyo Chronicle.

Taunts:

Up Taunt: her victory pose from Madou: Saturn.

Side Taunt: a half-flip, ending with a V-sign, with Carbuncle bouncing.

Down Taunt: Carbuncle running around Arle with her following him as she spins.

Victory screen:

Theme: Final Results! (Story Clear) [Remix]

Carbuncle hops on Arle’s back as she does a V-sign, saying “We’re number one!”, recreating their victory pose from 15th Anniversary. This one also doubles as her Team Battle victory pose when she’s a team member.

Carbuncle bounces around Arle, up until she catches him mid-air as she says “We did it, Carby!”, mimicking their art from Puyo Puyo Quest’s Arle & Carbuncle card.

A dramatic zoom-in, as she enthusiastically raises her arm, vigorously, recreating her pose in the final screen of the original Puyo Puyo. Here, she can say either “Yes!” or “Big victory!”.

Mii Costumes:

Rulue’s Hat & Rulue’s Cape (Mii Brawler)

Schezo’s Hat & Schezo’s Outfit (Mii Swordfighter)

Puyo Hat

Sig’s Hat & Sig’s Outfit (Mii Gunner): The gun would be the red arm.

AND THUS I HAVE COMPLETED THE GLORY OF ARLE IN SMASH, how I think her content would be, which Spirits would be featured, which music would be included, and just how much content would be packed with her inclusion. I have to say, it feels incredible to finally have it all out of my chest, it feels hella relieving. If anyone wants to use this whole series as a basis for their own character requests, feel free to do so.

As of this post, this marks the last time, for real, that I’ll write about Arle in Smash Bros., because it has been a fun ride playing make-believe. But the truth is, she’s not in the game, thus the only thing we can do, is dream. And dream, I did. This is a testament of my love to the character herself, to the franchise, and to everyone who also wanted her in the game. If anyone involved in Smash Bros. reads this, know that while this is my utmost wish, I’d be happy with any representation of the Puyo series proper in Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Special thanks, once again, to everyone from the Puyo for Smash Discord, to my friends at the Edge of Forever, to everyone who read and shared this nonsense, and to everyone who helped with this massive creation by adding their own inputs from time to time.

And of course, to Masahiro Sakurai and Satoru Iwata, creators of Super Smash Bros., and to Mizuki Hosoyamada, current director of the Puyo Puyo franchise.

Making a little reference to SEGA themselves, if you count her, the Carby cameo in her taunts and victory screens, her stage, the tracks, and the Spirits from the Spirit Board, all of that adds up to 24! Don’t ask how, really.

©SEGA. 2019.

[yopalonso]

Arle Nadja for Smash Bros. 3: Now it’s about content!

General reminder that I did two parts of this already.

Hey! It’s been a minute or two! That last Direct and Smash showcase was wild, wasn’t it! Banjo releasing that same day? Terry Bogard joining the roster? Nintendo confirming that there are more DLC characters on their way? A Sans Mii costume from Undertale AND Megalovania in Smash Bros.? WELL. I know I’m one month late to the celebration, but, hear me out: just before that Direct, I was legitimately giving up hope on the Arle dream. In my mind, I was “well, we only have two more slots, this ride was fun while it lasted, but this is as far as I go with this”, only to have Sakurai himself stretch out his hand of hope to me while I was deep into my desperation hole. It was insane.

Which got my idea noggin working back again! I wasn’t ready to talk about what I thought in terms of content for Arle’s bundle, but here we are! This will be all about what content she brings into Smash Bros.!

This last post is a two-part, since talking about the Spirits alone would require even more work, so that’ll be in part 4.

Número 1: Stage!

Over at the Arle for Smash Discord server, we’ve discussed which stage should fit Arle’s inclusion the best, and I’ve railed it down to three options: Primp Town, Pwurp Island, and the Dark Prince Castle.

And it was a no-brainer for me: it had to be this one.

The Dark Prince Castle! Out of all the locations in the Puyo world, I cannot say there’s a place that’s just as iconic as this one. Appearing ever since Puyo Puyo 2, and making appearances in different forms throughout the series, the Dark Prince Castle makes for a perfect stage!

Its main shape would be that of a centered tower, much like Kalos Pokémon League’s center platform. The main gimmick of this stage would be “rising floors”: the center of the stage would take you higher into the tower’s different floors for plenty of possible cameos! Lower floors could contain minor characters, middle levels could make some more recognizable faces pop up, and finally, the last floor, could be a reference to Puyo SUN’s last stage, with the Dark Prince himself waiting for you at the highest floor. Sometimes, even, with tropical clothing! The possibilities are endless!

Each floor would also have different platform layouts, to make them differentiate from the lower levels. The central platform itself could also gradually become smaller the higher the stage rises. But the risk of this stage itself is the characters in the background! Y’see, there’s this thing called Puyo Battles, that end up releasing Garbage Puyo that falls on the opponent’s field. Or in this case, the stage itself! From the top, Garbage Puyo could drop at any minute, so you’d have to be on your toes!

While playing this stage in Hazardless, you’d only fight on the lowest floor, and no Garbage Puyo would drop during a match. Character cameos could still pop up here and there, though. As for which would those be, well, you’ll have to wait for that.

Número 2: The music!

Can you quote yourself? ‘Cause I’m about to quote myself. Back in June, the #ArleForSmash Twitter account asked about which music tracks we would include in the game, had we the chance to do so. My answer shall now be complemented to coincide with the amount of music tracks the other Fighters Pass characters have received with their inclusions.

Originally, I only went with five (since that’s what the challenge was about), but now, I’ll go as far as listing 10 tracks, and that’s me doing some good ol’ wishful thinking! All listed tracks can be heard through the provided YouTube links over each of its names.

NORMAL MODE (Puyo Puyo Sun) [see description]

I like to think this is Arle’s character theme, and not so, well, that other song with the giant name. Puyo Hell, even Chronicle included a pretty darn good remix of this song that also used Pocket SUN’s higher pitch in one section. It’s that good. For this version, though? We could maybe ask for some sick instrumentalization by the mad lad Jun Senoue, maybe the rock masters of ACE+, or have someone new deliver a fresh tune into this song, like Tee Lopes, Toby Fox, or maybe even Grant Kirkhope! The sky is green, there are no rules anymore!

This is also the song I thought of first when I wondered which theme would play in her reveal trailer. And I’ll stick to that until the end.

Theme of Puyo Puyo (Puyo Puyo series) [see description]

What, you really thought I’d forget about Arle’s titular theme from her first game on purpose? Why, the nerve! ”A Long-awaited Spacetime Journey!”, aka.: “Theme of Puyo Puyo”! Of course it should be included in the game! Now, as for which version, well, I referenced the one that’s been in the game since Puyo Puyo! 15th Anniversary since it sounds fantastic, but here I was thinking that it could maybe be remixed into something more! Who knows?

Request from Puyo Puyo (Puyo Puyo) [ver. Fever☆Two]

Keeping on with themes from the original Puyo Puyo, we have this one, also known as Sticker of Puyo Puyo. This version, specifically, hails from Puyo Puyo Fever☆Two, and it’s so good of a remix, it’s pretty darn iconic! Included ever since, even! So, why not, let’s just include it as well!

Final of Puyo Puyo (Puyo Puyo) [ver. 15th Anniversary]

Whoever tells me there’s a better, more epic version of this song can head into my Twitter DMs for a healthy discussion, because I think otherwise: “Advent of Primp! Dark Prince”, or more commonly known as “Final of Puyo Puyo”. For me, this version is the ultimate one, one that deserves to be completely untouched in Smash Bros. for sure.

Area A (Puyo Puyo 2) [Original]

BUT IF WE WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT ICONIC, THEN AREA A, OF COURSE! This song would go terribly with Smash Bros., and that’s in itself what makes it so hecking great! Imagine connecting one sick KO to this track, this is how true fighting games should sound like.

Puyo Puyo FUNderworld! (Puyo Puyo Fever) [Original]

Hoo-wee, I love Puyo Puyo Fever’s aesthetic and music. But its first battle theme is quite mellow, and the Area A remix is so loud. But, this one? This one is fantastic, it’s frantic, it’s perfect for Smash Bros.! Puyo Chronicle also had fun with this song and remixed it to make it the standard boss battle theme, too!

Ready for Fever Mode! (Puyo Puyo Fever series) [see description]

I’m that kind of person who prefers the Fever Mode songs from all games. Since I can’t pick a favorite, why not compile them all into one track for one seizure-inducing mashup!

Dark Arle’s Insanity (Puyo Puyo 7) [Original]

I don’t think I could’ve included another theme that had “Arle” in the title that wasn’t this one, honestly. It’s one of the best, most iconic tracks in Puyo Puyo 7, and it uses cues from Last Decisive Battle from Puyo Puyo~n, too, so it’s a double win for me!

The Puyo Puyo Song - In-Game Version (Puyo Puyo!!) [Original]

Of course, I couldn’t just forget about Ringo! The Puyo Puyo Song is such a catchy tune from Puyo Puyo 7, and her theme in 20th Anniversary, a rendition to this track, is honestly fantastic. Hectic, frantic, but also epic and memorable! Uki uki, waku waku! Doki doki, hara hara~!

Double Trouble Finale! (Puyo Puyo!!) [Original]

I had to narrow down the epic final boss-like themes of Puyo Puyo as a series down to this one because I think something like this, playing in Smash Bros., fits the setting completely. Even more than Puyo 7′s final boss theme.

Songs that I would consider but are maybe too obscure only include Zako Battle from Madou Monogatari Saturn, because it’s just that good, but unfortunately way too short.

Lastly, since I’ll never hear the end of it if I don’t explain the following: why I didn’t go for songs like Last from Puyo Puyo 2, Ultimate Legend of the Untrained Demon King, Crimson Wave!, Dimension Stage ~ Decisive Battle, or Domination, to name a few. While I do know that most Puyo Puyo fans know these songs by heart, that’s exactly the deal. I wanted to go for the most iconic tracks of the series, while also choosing the most recognizable, ones that people could quickly associate with Puyo Puyo, even if they only played a couple minutes of it. Filling the list up with only final boss themes would be sick, but alas, I decided against it.

Número 3: Spirit Battles... for next part!

... Yeah, this is where our little oddysey ends for today. I’ll come back to it with the finale when I have the chance.

Major thanks once again to the #ArleForSmash Twitter account, and to the people of the #ArleForSmash Discord server.

And, completely unexpected thanks to Apple, of all things, for having the names of the songs translated into proper phrases. Seriously, “It’s been a long time since we passed through space time!”, who approved this. “A Long-awaited Spacetime Journey!”, now that’s one hecking title.

Did you know? Of course I know his original name is Satan. But Dark Prince is so iconic, I just can’t call him any other way. It’s as simple as that. Did you also know that the Dark Prince was voiced in English by Smash Ultimate’s announcer, Xander Mobus, who also voices Joker from Persona 5? You can no longer unhear Dark Prince saying “Ravage them!” now. You’re welcome.

©SEGA. 2019.

[arleforssb]

Greetings!

Coming to you from Discord and Twitter, I’ve decided to move the base of operations to here as well! Let’s get the mage in blue into the great fray!

[yopalonso]

Arle Nadja for Smash Bros. 2: An addendum!

GO READ THE FIRST PART IF YOU DIDN’T YET

So! We’re back! With yet another Arle in Smash post. Didn’t I say that I wasn’t a believer of Arle in Smash, then why am I back at it again with another post? Well, to not only share more info on the topic, but to also emphasize on the details I left vague on my first post, without having to reconstruct the entirety of it from scratch. Or without having to add on top of it and then tell you to go read it again, hoping you’ll find the new details on that post.

Número 1: More ideas equal more fun!

Let’s get things started then with my first addendum: more moveset ideas! Ever since posting mine, I’ve stumbled upon plenty of other moveset ideas that I think deserve more attention. All of these which were shared in the #ArleForSmash Discord server, so if you’re still not there, go do it.

My highlight from the ones shared goes to the moveset concept by Celerity910. I took a read to it way after I finished up mine (considering that the Tumblr post went live almost three months after I finished up writing it down), and I noticed the subtle nuances and similarities later on as I kept on reading it. Celerity inspired it fully on the SEGA side of Puyo Puyo, referencing stuff from Puyo Puyo Fever onwards and basing the whole moveset under the rules of Puyo Puyo itself, and under the assumption that Arle would be included as a base fighter in Ultimate. It even includes a mention on Amitie as an Echo Fighter! It’s a fantastic read, honestly.

But upon reading it I was left with an impending question on my mind, that I had to write down after my original post...

Número 2: What does No COMPILE mean for my moveset plan?

Shocker. This is what struck me like lightning. What would happen to my moveset if I had to remove all of the COMPILE-era references? What would become of it? I then found out that nothing on that matter, well, mattered. SEGA isn’t too afraid to reference the COMPILE-era Puyo Puyo games specifically, so the moveset wouldn’t fall apart if moves taken from games like SUN or Puyo Yon are considered. The only two I could think of that could give me trouble, would be the ones from Madou Monogatari: the proposed Down Tilt and Forward Smash attacks, since those reference Madou in its fullest (and, c’mon, a tackle attack isn’t truly a reference, the body does like, what, 70% of the work there?). If these had to be cut, they could perfectly well be replaced by similar moves in motion: a Nuisance Puyo pop as her new Down Tilt (from the Puyo series), that could work exactly like the proposed one, and a four-Puyo pop for her Forward Smash, keeping the motion and replacing the fire with the popping Puyos. Everything else could very well be kept without sacrificing anything that was established before. Other things such as animations and the like would need to be changed, but that’s par for the course, and the animations would most likely be similar.

Now that those two are said, it’s time for...

Número 3: Her playstyle.

Now that we have a moveset, and since we have a notion on how she behaves on the battlefield, it’s time we addressed how she would play. This is something I omitted in the last part, already due to how insanely big that post ended up as, so it’s time to address it now.

Even though her main gimmick is Chaining through her Down-B move, that doesn’t mean that her neutral should be ignored. Her whole kit, when looked at separated from Diacute, is perfectly capable of putting enemies at a disadvantage. Her Up-Smash is perfect for catching landings or a missed air dodge, her Down-Smash is a good shield-pressuring tool that could very well lead to some crazy shield breaks, and her projectile game should keep opponents on their toes when trying to approach, mostly considering Fireball’s explosiveness on contact. I couldn’t say more about Ice Storm, her Side-B move, but this could lead to some crazy 2-frames, ledge traps or stage spikes if placed accordingly. Her stage control would be insane if the players learned how to properly lead their foes into some traps, such as anticipating a recovery with Fireball, only to then trap them with Ice Storm and sending them off with an Up-Smash. And her aerial game, while mostly situational due to how three of those moves have some anticipation, would be useful when attempting to stop some landings or when trying some follow-ups. Like, I’m just creating scenarios, imagine a Fireball into a spike combo. How crazy would that be, eh? Her off-stage game would be very balanced, too. Given how she could chase down her foes for an off-stage aerial or set up traps with her Neutral-B and Side-B would be ideal for her, too.

So, her regular plan seems really interesting and enticing. And the Chaining mechanic makes things even better. Most of these moves don’t necessarily have kill power or follow-up potential. So, the regular increases in knockback and damage from Arle’s chains could get things from regular to interesting to downright insane in a couple of minutes. Things like chaining together some aerials to then finish it off with a special would be sick. Or connecting some attacks at first and gaining the necessary buffs by keeping your distance with some Fireballs, then catch up a landing with a buffed Up-Smash. Sounds crazy. I mentioned it in the first part, that her grabs do not get affected by the buffs of Diacute, and that they do not increase the chain counter. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be used to extend or start a chain. So imagine the follow-ups you could do from starting up a grab after the first Diacute!

Her prevalent problem, however, lies within her archetype. Magical characters aren’t speedsters when it comes down to their attacks, so Arle players would have to be mindful on that at every minute. Her fastest attacks to get out of certain situations, would be her Side and Up-Tilts, her Jabs, Up-B and her N-Air. Every other attack could be interrupted from other angles, or before the attack even comes out. And in some cases, the endlag from a move could be catastrophic for Arle. Not to mention, if the player depends way too much on Chains, this could lead up to several, terrible mistakes that could potentially mean disaster for Arle, more so if you consider how chains work and your attacks don’t land. Her Up-Air move has a small shield that could stop attacks from above, but that still leaves her unprotected from the sides and from below. Another important thing to mention is the endlag on Mind Blast, both her Down-Smash and Up-B variants: it’s huge. So if you miss it, you’re left in a terrible situation that could lead to a hard punish, or even, an early KO. Not to mention counters and reflectors, Arle would have to handle extremely carefully against reflector-type characters, considering how Fireball and Ice Storm would be treated as projectiles. And there’s nothing worse than meeting your end by your own medicine. Not to mention how feeble certain characters are against rushdown or fastfallers, and Arle wouldn’t be an exception to that.

But if you learn the playstyle, then knowing when to push and when to retreat will be second nature to you.

Número 4: What if... she had an Echo?

I’ll say this short: I was not prepared for this type of scenario. Her moveset does come with a strong variety of attacks that could very well suit up a character like Amitie to take her role as an Echo Fighter. However, I’d have to rethink what to do on spells that Amitie logically doesn’t know or that have no equal on her. The ones that do have an equal would be easy to pass over: Flame over Fireball, Blizzard over Ice Storm, Lightning Bolt over Thunder, Fairy Fire over Heaven’s Ray, Explosion over Judgement, Reflection over Counter, and Accel over Diacute. Stuff like Mind Blast would have to be reworked to be compatible with Cyclone or Tempest, and maybe have Wind properties instead of shield-pressuring. Most of her other moves would also be changed to better fit Amitie’s happy-go-lucky personality. And as for her colors, well, I was not prepared for them, but they’d have to be inspired on her classmates, as well as on other characters of the series, or on obscure Puyo colors, like the Chu Puyo or the Block Puyo. Maybe give her that sweet Puyo Quest Fever alt? Who knows.

Número 5: More flair!

I didn’t mention on topics like a Guidance (mostly because DLC Guidances are out of the question), or her Boxing Ring title. I’ll get the second out first: The Apprentice Sorcerer (魔導師の卵 [Madō-shi no tamago] [”Magician’s Egg”, in context, this refers to a magician still growing, thanks, Celerity <3])

This title isn’t really seen in Puyo games at all, the Japanese one is used as a passive skill in Chronicle. So where does this translation come from? Surprise surprise, it’s from Hatsune Miku: Project mirai Deluxe, Stamp #110, the hint reads “Put on your best impress of the apprentice sorcerer”. The Japanese one reads similarly:「魔導師の卵になりきってみた。」(loosely translates to ”become like the apprentice mage” [thanks for the translation, Kei <3]) thus tying the titles together.

As for her victory theme, I was thinking maybe a shortened version of her titular theme could work.

And as for Carbuncle... Well, I wasn’t too keen on sharing this idea before, but I wouldn’t feature him as an important element of her moveset. Much like Morgana or the Slime, Carbuncle would be more visible on her Down-Throw, her taunts, and her victory screens, but outside of those cases, it’s Arle, all by her lonesome.

Número 6: Special thanks and additional notes.

Ok, I swear, this is the last time I’ll address this topic. I have a hunch feeling that Arle won’t be in the game, but... it’d be really cool if she was. She’s a character as important to SEGA as Sonic and Joker. It’d be horrible if by any reason SEGA decided it was better to go with a Sakura Wars character instead. C’mon, let Arle have this one, SEGA.

By the way, I’m not sure on what Hosoyamada-san thinks in regards to Arle in Smash Bros. or anything the like. It would be really cool if someone could ask him what he thinks, maybe, just maybe, he’s silently wishing for that as much as we do, like Phil Spencer with Banjo. We just have to wait and see.

If you made it this far, then congratulations, you’ve made it yet again through a wall of text, and I couldn’t thank you enough. I also have to thank Kaite20, Celerity910 and Schezoroark for their small, yet incredible contributions. I promise I won’t touch on the subject ever again. I had my fun, I had my time in the sun. Now I need to sleep.

Did you know? Arle Nadja knows more spells than the ones she shows in the Puyo Puyo games, including one called Contia. I wonder if she ever used Contia to pull off an all-nighter...

©SEGA. 2019.

[yopalonso]

Arle Nadja for Smash Bros.!

THERE’S A PART TWO NOW!

Ever since the introduction of the concept of a Smash Bros. Ballot, I’ve always been an advocate of three choices for Smash DLC: Bandana Waddle Dee from the Kirby series, Sora from Kingdom Hearts, and Arle Nadja from the Puyo Puyo games. Today, I’ll use every effort to make a moveset for the one and only Arle Nadja. Now, allow me to daydream a little bit and think of how my favorite female protagonist ever could be included in my favorite crossover fighting series of all time.

This will encompass mostly her whole moveset, and we will draw inspiration from the whole series. Yes, the whole series. Whenever the “Works like” part details another move, that’s only so that the motion of the attack can make sense in your head. Buckle up, because this will be a long read. Hope you’ll stick ‘till the end...! But before that, we need to address something else.

いっきまーす ！

Número 0: Archetype, movement, and... To Puyo, or not to Puyo?

People are quick to say that Zelda fits the Magical Girl archetype in Smash Bros., I assure you that. I don’t think so. Despite her using magic on her moves, she’s not quite representative of the more happy type of magical girl that Arle fits in best.

In terms of how she would move on the field, well, she would be average. To put it simply, she would be below Mario in terms of movement speed and jump height. Having her as a floaty type wouldn’t suit her that much, considering she’s pretty quick and snarky. But she can’t be a fastfaller either, c’mon, she’s not that fast. Besides, having her this way works greatly to introduce her as a not-so-complicated fighter, well-balanced and all that.

Arle, in terms of raw power is quite capable. But her base level cannot be overpowered. In fact, she could be a character type that depends fully on comboing to unleash her full strength, because at base level, she could work like base Joker: capable, yet feeble and not too powerful. #foreshadowing

Now, whenever people think of Arle, most will be quick to draw a link to the puzzle series Puyo Puyo, which is absolutely normal. So, when people try to come up with a moveset for her, more often than not they come up with a mechanic that involves either chaining or pelting Puyos into the field. I’m gonna do without. Not because I couldn’t come up with one, but because it wouldn’t feel natural. It would come up as a nuisance to include a gimmick like this one in her moveset. Plus, I think we can do better by creating a mix of her appearances in both Puyo AND Madou without having to sacrifice one for the other. WITH THAT OUT OF THE WAY:

Número 1: Her Neutrals, Tilts, Smash Attacks and Aerials.

Jab: Fighter Arle’s Punch and Kick (Puyo Puyo Quest).

Works like: Mario / Luigi / Dr. Mario (jab 2 & 3)

First a punch, then a flipkick. A swift movement, fit for her.

Side Tilt: Finger-pointing (Puyo Puyo Fever era).

Works like: Original

You know this pose. A trademark of her appearances in the modern Puyo Puyo games. Not fast on motion, but could pack a punch.

Up Tilt: Thunder [サンダー] (Puyo Puyo Fever).

Works like: Ness (up tilt)

Some lightning! Inspired by the way she uses Heaven’s Ray in Fever 2, she would raise her arms, unleashing small lightning bolts on the way up.

Down Tilt: Judgement (bomb) (Madou Monogatari I Mega Drive).

Works like: Villager (down tilt)

A small bomb item that explodes in a spark instantly in front of her. No way we’re letting her use such explosives in the game, oh no.

Dash Attack: Escape dash (Madou Monogatari: Saturn).

Works like: Wario (dash attack)

Make way! A straightforward tackle attack. No one will know you were running away.

Forward Smash: Fireball (Blast) (Madou Monogatari: Final Exam).

Works like: Mario / Dr. Mario (forward Smash, attack), Zelda (forward Smash, motion)

Wind up, then unleash one explosive blast!

Up Smash: Judgement [ジュゲム] (Puyo Puyo!! 20th Anniversary).

Works like: Original

Charge up, then unleash a barrage of ascending shocks that end up in one big explosion. The bursts come from the sides, something that hasn’t been seen yet in Smash.

Down Smash: Mind Blast [ブレインダムド] (Puyo Puyo! 15th Anniversary).

Works like: Original

Low on damage, good for shield damage. A wavy spell that wouldn’t deal much knockback. A confusing Smash attack that’s bound to leave some puzzled.

Neutral Air: Counter [リバイア] (Puyo Puyo Chronicles)

Works like: King K. Rool (N-Air)

A quick aerial hit with a special barrier-like effect. Don’t worry, this is not a counter. It’s only to push your foes away.

Forward Air: Fireball (downwards motion) (Puyo Puyo Fever Chuu!)

Works like: Peach / Daisy (F-Air)

A quick fling of her hand forward in mid-air. Could also have a burning effect, who knows!

Back Air: Ice Storm (wave motion) (Puyo Puyo Tetris)

Works like: Corrin (B-Air, no impulse)

A wide motion, unleashing a light wave of ice. Not strong and can’t freeze, but could be a multi-hit.

Up Air: Ruipanko [るいぱんこ] (Puyo Puyo~n)

Works like: King K. Rool (U-Air, no impulse)

A motion up, then a small, quick barrier that hits opponents from below. The barrier can protect you from incoming attacks from above. Could be used as a juggling tool!

Down Air: Guest move: Tempest [アクティーナ] (Puyo Puyo!! 20th Anniversary)

Works like: Zelda (D-Air)

Borrowing a move from one of her friends, it’s Amitie’s Tempest attack. A big spark at the bottom that spikes opponents.

Número 2: Throws, Special Attacks and Final Smash.

Forward Throw: Y E E T (Madou Monogatari: Saturn)

Works like: Mario / Dr. Mario / Luigi (forward throw)

Imagine that you’re that spell that’s flying across the screen. Yep, a heavy throw forwards.

Back Throw: Bayoen (motion) (Puyo Puyo! 15th Anniversary)

Works like: Donkey Kong (back throw)

With a smile and a gleamy face, she flings her foe backwards. The attack could also feature Carbuncle attacking with a laser beam, who knows.

Up Throw: Heaven’s Ray [ヘブンレイ] (Puyo Puyo! 15th Anniversary)

Works like: Original

A toss up with a blast of light that could potentially damage others in the vicinity or above the blast.

Down Throw: Guest move: Algorithm [インテグラル] (Puyo Puyo!! 20th Anniversary)

Works like: Original

Borrowing another move, this time, from Ringo: She would use Carbuncle as a book to slam her foe down! Eh? Nah, don’t worry about the little guy, I’m sure he’s OK.

Neutral Special: Fireball [ファイヤー] (Madou Monogatari: Saturn)

Works like: Plasma Breath (Ridley, wavy motion), Bomb (Young Link, explosive effect, knockback)

This one is the real deal, her trademark spell, Fireball! Pelt one good fireball that explodes on contact. Enemies that get hit by it won’t fly too far, but no one will ever be able to remove the burn. Plus, its wavy pattern makes it hard to avoid.

Side Special: Ice Storm [アイスストーム] (Puyo Puyo!! 20th Anniversary)

Works like: Poison Breath (Piranha Plant, chargeable side-B), Blizzard (Ice Climbers, freezing effect)

Charge up, store, then on command, unleash a wave of icicle sparks that, when fully charged, can freeze you up! Low charges will disappear right away, while a full charge will take longer to dither. A nice tool for edgeguarding when fully charged (I’m getting way ahead of myself, ain’t I).

Up Special: Mind Blast Yo~n [ブレインダムド] (Puyo Puyo~n)

Works like: Thrust Uppercut (Mii Brawler, multihit), Air Slash (Shulk, second, wider hit)

A move that ascends, hits multiple times, then finishes off with a wide attack. That’s another way to use Mind Blast, wouldn’t you know! And, just like the down Smash variation, the first hit will deal big shield damage to shielding opponents.

Down Special: Diacute [ダイアキュート] (Madou Monogatari series)

Works like: Original

Her to-go mechanic and a power-up move, now that’s interesting. Most of them need you to get hit, but not this one. When used, it boosts up your next attack and ONLY your next attack (throws not included). Diacute acts as a chain starter. If your attack lands, you’ll start a chain!

Every succeeding attack you connect (throws not included) increases your chain. You start with a 1.1x increase with the first charge, and with every successfully connected attack, Arle’s power will raise by 0.05 more, to a max. of 1.5x in damage and knockback by chain 7 onwards. But with every connected attack, the time you have to connect the next hit decreases. And if you miss your attack, time runs out, or you get hit during your chain, it’s back to zero. If you need more time, you can use Diacute for a slight time refill, but its effect will be less effective the more you use it.

Final Smash: Bayoen [ばよえ～ん]

Truly, it can’t be any other move, and this one needs no introduction. A wave of H A P P Y that hits around Arle, transporting the unlucky into a field where they’re pelted with all sorts of things, from flowers, to toys, to Nuisance Puyo, even, blasting them away once all is over. Diacute charges do not power up Bayoen though.

Número 3: Aesthetic, colors and other nifty stuff.

Not covered earlier, her defense stances! Most of these are borrowed from Madou: Saturn. From top to bottom, left to right: spot dodge, roll (a sliding dodge), shield, parry, shield-break and air dodge. All taken from animations in her games.

How about, one good UI mockup now? Well, check it out! Her Chain (or Rensa) counter would appear whenever you’d connect combos with Diacute, as displayed before.

EDITOR’S NOTE MAJOR, MAJOR THANKS TO KAITE AGAIN BECAUSE IT’S THANKS TO KAITE THAT I CAN SAY Here’s her alternate colors! Inspired by Olimar and Lucina, every color references another Puyo Puyo character. Some well known, some obscure, and some that are definitely for the fans. Also, I wouldn’t go out and just make colors out of the colors of the Puyo, that’s ridiculous. (by the way I would totally play as green Ally Arle because would you just look at her)

Her design? It could be her Puyo Puyo Champions look, given the fact that it’s the one with the better proportions and the more standard design. However, I was suggested that her appearance could borrow elements from her Puyo Puyo!! Quest design, as it feels like a fusion of almost every Arle design ever. In my opinion, both would work just fine, but one of them has more flair than the other, you know?

And, yes, of course she would wear modesty shorts.

Her voice? The talented Mie Sonozaki for her Japanese version, and the awesome Erica Mendez for the overseas one.

Número 4: Reasons, special thanks and resources used.

If you made it this far, congratulations! I did this to not only release a weight from my soul, but to also partake in the creation of potential movesets. Every time I heard people say Arle wasn’t worthy of joining the fray, I knew I could find a way to include her vast story into a moveset that worked. Is this moveset perfect? Hell, no. It does reference plenty of Arle’s history, yes. But I think that with some good tweaks here and there, it could become something incredible, yes yes.

If this potential moveset sparked your interest, Celerity910 (on Discord) hooked up a pretty nice server to show support for Arle for Smash Bros., and I highly suggest you all to join in if you liked the concept I crafted! I’m pretty sure others have come up with other movesets, so it would be nice to see and compare.

Special thanks to my good Discord friend Kaite20 for helping me crank up this moveset. I couldn’t have done it without you checking and suggesting ideas for it (and also answering back when I needed help the most, you rock). Also, thanks to Marigio300X and TheSpatialWeeg for taking a look at the script before I eventually decided to just slap this here instead. You all were a tremendous help. Special thanks also to the people of Discord at Puyo Meet ‘N Greet, the English Puyo Puyo Community, and the lovely folks at The Edge of Forever for their support.

As for the resources I used for this post:

Puyo Puyo! 15th Anniversary (2007, PSP) - 02 of 22: Arle / アルル [720p60]

Puyo Puyo Tetris English Dub - All Spells (Normal + Alternate Voice)

Puyo Puyo!! 20th Anniversary - All Characters' Spells ( With Subtitles)

Puyo Puyo Fever 2 - Arle Heaven Ray

Madou Monogatari Saturn: Arle Techniques

Madou Monogatari: Final Exam - Part 1 - Floors 1, 2 and 3

Sega Genesis / Mega Drive-Longplay-Madou Monogatari I (J)

Puyo Puyo Chronicle - Animation Montage (Main 24 Characters)

All Default Character Spells - Puyo Puyo 4 (ぷよぷよ〜ん) (Dreamcast)

Puyo Puyo Fever 2 Amitie VS Arle

Arle stock icon by Rafael Mauna (link to his Twitter profile)

Puyo Music, Voice, and Texture Rips on Puyo Nexus

And, of course, FreeGifMaker

Random tip of the day: try not to pop 4 Puyos, who knows what’ll happen. You could get warped to another dimension, or to your bathroom. No one is certain.

©SEGA. 2019.