#link having a new moveset would make him unique from toon Link!

[fourspiceblend]

Y'know maybe it's too early to think about this but if we do get another smash game I really want Link to be wearing the archaic tunic with his hair down and have a completely new moveset based on the arm. And for this Zelda to also be wearing the archaic clothes and fight with her light/time powers like she deserves. And this Ganondorf to also have a new moveset that isn't Cap'n Falcon 2 Electric Boogaloo. And for the love of god add Impa to the game already.

[smashmusicideas]

November 29: My Philosophy

On the night of November 1st, I spent hours into the night chatting with some of my closest online friends about Smash. We geeked out over Piranha Plant and Incineroar, discussed the potential of World of Light, and for a bit talked about the general Smash community. For one part of the latter, we mulled over the odd culture of character-specific campaigns and support groups. And while we were talking about it and possible future characters who might be potentially more or less interesting or valuable, one of them described me as (and I’m paraphrasing what she said a bit) “one of the most open people towards new characters I know.” It was really nice of a thing to hear, and I’ve thought about it every so often for a lot of this month. This post is going to be one big ego trip, but I would like to think a bit about why I approach newcomers in the way I do.

I’ve talked about this before, but Smash 64 and Melee had a profound effect on me as a kid. So when I really came back to Nintendo (and video games in general) in late 2005, the prospect of a third game, one even greater in size and scope than the last, was immensely exciting. The first Smash game made me love Kirby, but before my departure I only played Kirby 64; coming back, I jumped into Kirby & the Amazing Mirror - and from it, met Meta Knight. His cool style, plus my general enthusiasm for Kirby, made him pretty much immediately my most wanted character. He wasn’t the only one: Dedede, Lucario, Toon Wind Waker Link, Paper Mario, and Ridley were all exciting, especially as I started lurking on the hellscape that is Smashboards. But it was Meta Knight above everyone else, without question.

And wouldn’t you know it, but he was the very first newcomer. There were, of course, other characters and stages and music I wanted, some of which happened and some of which didn’t, but I was left now with an odd sensation of kind of full-on satisfaction. It was like I was being catered to directly, so my excitement then came just as much from unexpected things as they did from what I wanted. Lucario was cool, but a wild moveset from Olimar was almost better. I hoped for a Yoshi’s Island stage, but one based on the original Donkey Kong was so exciting in a way that couldn’t match. And the music! I started to get just as (if not more) interested in exploring the new tracks as characters, and those helped get me into some of Nintendo’s games with which I was less familiar. I wonder if, without a huge desire driving me more, all the new content made felt more...exciting, almost like a bonus? Then again, I suspect my attitude is actually matched by the vast majority of Smash players; they see a game that looks fun with some characters they love, and that’s it. And it’s something that’s not really changed since Brawl. My most wanted newcomer for Smash For was “come what may;” my three for Ultimate ended up being “a female fighter who wasn’t an Echo, a Pokémon, and “something surprising,” and I only landed on those after the August Direct. There haven’t really been characters who frustrated or upset me, and even thinking of fighters I explicitly do not want is hard. The real chase I get is from excitement and surprise, and that needn’t be limited to characters. Because of that, each incoming Smash game feels like a holiday, constantly doling out expected and surprising gifts. Each game deserves to be challenged, criticized, and interrogated, but none exist to provide solely only one new idea or element.

I do think that while it’s neither unique to me nor something that needs to be emulated, the philosophy I’ve been subconsciously developing over the past decade has made my relationship with Smash more positive and enjoyable. Few things are “make or break” for me, and while there are at least dozens of characters I’d especially love to have, each new one is exciting - especially ones I’d never consider. The most negative I’ve been about a newcomer was when Corrin’s trailer started, and their gameplay mostly won me over by the time it ended. I think that there’s a value in taking just a bit of distance, and especially in not putting all your hopes on one new (or returning) fighter. It also makes me feel as though Smash isn’t made for me, or at least not specifically or exclusively so. And honestly, that feeling is deeply freeing. I’ve talked before about how some fans view this series as almost needing to be about them, but one corollary to that is that giving up a bit of that intensity cuts out a great deal of weight. I guess what I’m saying - and this is deeply hypocritical coming from someone who’s written over two hundred posts this year (and over four hundred overall) about Smash on this blog alone - is that putting just a bit of distance, giving up just a bit of your hopes can be really helpful. And it can make new things feel more like a bonus and less like a potential threat. There really is a state of transcendence you can get after a point, I can promise you that.

(Link to my writings on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)

[sp0okysableye]

My list of the newcomer characters I’d love to see in Smash, whether it’s realistic or not, and my reasons. 1. Kommo-o While I doubt Greninja will be replaced due to his popularity, I feel that they would be open to more Pokémon in the roster. Kommo-o would be a great Gen 7 rep. While not the most popular, I don’t think that matters considering we’ve had Pichu in Melee. He’s a dragon/fighting type with a good movepool to make him unique, from Focus Blast projectiles to punching quick. Decidueye would be cool, but it would be unique seeing Kommo-o, as Decidueye is already in Pokken.  2. Revali Zelda is a big series to Nintendo. We haven’t had new Zelda characters since Melee, being Zelda/Sheik, Ganondorf and Young Link. Yes, we did get Toon Link in Brawl, but he’s exactly like Young Link, just having items that matches Wind Waker. Smash 4 did split Zelda and Sheik, but that’s it. A brand new Zelda rep with a unique moveset would be cool, the Zelda characters all differ from one another minus both versions of Link, so Revali would be a neat fit. A lighter character who uses a bow + having good jump height would be so much fun. His gale and build gives potential for wind based attack, as well. Any Champion would be cool, but Revali sounds like the most fun to me, and he is my favorite, so a little bias.  3. Tingle Same as I said for Revali, we have room for more unique Zelda characters. Honestly, I pick Tingle over Linkle and Impa, I really like him as a character. He would have an incredibly fun moveset seeing how he works both in Smash as an assist and Hyrule Warriors, and with him just being a fun character he could spawn a completely unique moveset for Smash. Him being so lovable in Japan, I wouldn’t be surprised if he were promoted to a playable character. 

4. King K. Rool The Donkey Kong series deserves more love, there’s a lot of fans who would enjoy a new rep, and just a new villain character for Smash in general. It felt like a kick in the stomach when he was announced as a costume, he deserves better treatment. King K. Rool got a lot of votes in the ballot, and Nintendo has the rights to him, he would be so harmless. I wouldn’t see him as a high tier, but he would be genuinely fun in the same way Bowser is.  5. Shovel Knight The least likely character being indie, and I know I shouldn’t expect Shovel Knight in Smash, but it’s a personal dream of mine. He’s featured in so much media (all indie, though), and even got an amiibo, it’s safe to say he and his game are very popular, and his moveset wouldn’t be hard to figure out. I know it will never happen, but it’s fun to dream.