Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - DADDY SAKURAI'S WILD RIDE HAS CONCLUDED

[Sonicka]

Having come hot off the heels of completing both Xenoblade DE + FC then Xenoblade 2 + Torna over the last 9 months... Pyra/Mythra were the excuse for me to finally dip my toes in and buy a fighters pass.

Despite the completionism bug in me wanting the whole roster, to this day I have avoided the first pass simply because I am only interested in Banjo... but also won't pay out £5.39 individually for him.  

This duo sweetened the deal for round two, and I was kinda invested slightly in Sephiroth, but surprisingly I actually really like MinMin and Steve certainly brings something new to the table. So it was worth it in the end thankfully (and there's still two more to go)! 

All in all though... the blade girls - they'll be my MVP from now on and they are totally worth the inclusion to bolster a 1st party Ninty series that's lacking in representation bar Shulk. For those disappointed in Rex being shunted, I'd say he less interesting a protagonist anyway (and the blades make more sense in context of the game world of XC2).

A sort of argument I'd make here is that it be like having Pokemon Trainer as the fighter and not the Pokemon (except Rex does also use the sword). But what helps make Shulks character Unique is his Weapon (the Monado). And whilst the most interesting thing about Rex is also his weapon... this literally is Pyra/Mythra. 

Now... if Sakuri could now just do a Fire Emblem with this series and include Fiora (XC1), Elma (XCX), Nia (XC2), Poppi a/QT/QTπ (XC2) and Brighid (XC2) all of whom are not all "Swordfighter" characters - then I could die happy. I mean, with the diverse cast and range of abilities available to adapt, one could argue to the inclusion of a lot of the other non-specific-to-the-plot characters as well (especially of 'Blades' from XC2). 

[KHCast]

So with 2 characters left, do you think we’ll get one more Deluxe Mii outfit, and if we do, who do you want to see get that treatment?

[Radiant Hero Ike]

On 3/6/2021 at 8:53 AM, Detective Kaito said:

If Falcom had to pick a character, it would either be Adol or the new protag of Kuro no Kiseki. As popular as Rean and Estelle are, their time is kinda over. They would be great as mii costumes tho. Hell, I would be ecstatic if Adol got a mii costume.

That's true. Although the West still has one more game with Rean coming, and Cold Steel is getting an anime, Adol still seems the most likely.

PLUS we'd get Bryce Papenbrook in Smash

[Tracker_TD]

My pick for a Falcom rep is uh

Parin. Because hey, a drill isn't a sword! And she was on 3DS that one time! I guess! 

[Perkilator]

I thought this was an interesting topic. As for my ideas:

Routes
• Daisy: In Search of a Super Star (fights every Mario character, ending with Bowser/Giga Bowser)
• Falco: Personally, I prefer the air! (fights characters who have more than two jumps, ending with Rathalos)
• Mr. Game & Watch: A Long Legacy (fights characters in reverse chronological order from the Switch era to the NES era, ending with Dracula)
• Pokémon Trainer: When Eyes Meet (fights characters who join the player after starting as an enemy)
• Sonic: Just a Bit Too Slow (fights characters who played a role in the Subspace Emissary, with a fight against Galleom midway)
• Olimar: Size Matters (fights big characters, ending with Bowser/Giga Bowser)
• Robin: Master of My Element (fights characters associated with Robin's tomes)
• Cloud: In It for the Money (fights characters who were DLC in Smash 4, fighting Master Hand and Crazy Hand midway through)
• Hero: A History of Heroism (fights characters from JRPG's in general)
• Banjo-Kazooie: Class of '64 (fights characters from N64 games, ending with Ganon)
• Byleth: Let the Lesson Begin! (fights characters mirroring FE gameplay mechanics)
• Min Min: At ARMS' Length (fights characters with slowly increasing range, ending with Master Hand)
• Steve: An Unlikely Icon (fights characters from Nintendo and other 3rd party companies)
• Sephiroth: Fatal Fantasy (fights characters referencing the first 7 Final Fantasy games, fighting Marx in Round 6)

Bosses
• Samus: Fights Rathalos in the Final Round
• Fox: Fights Marx in the Final Round
• Jigglypuff: Fights Master Hand after sorting out Giant Donkey Kong in the Final Round
• Peach: Fights Giga Bowser in the Final Round
• Sheik: Fights Galleom in the Final Round
• Dr. Mario: Fights Marx in the Final Round
• Roy: Fights Ganon in the Final Round
• Meta Knight: Fights Marx in the Final Round
• Pit: Fights Dracula in the Final Round
• Wario: Fights Dracula in the Final Round
• Ike: Fights Dracula in the Final Round
• Lucas: Fights Dracula in the Final Round
• King Dedede: Fights Ganon in the Final Round
• Wii Fit Trainer: Fights Bowser/Giga Bowser in the Final Round
• Little Mac: Fights Bowser/Giga Bowser in the Final Round
• Palutena: Fights Ganon in the Final Round
• Shulk: Fights Galleom in Round 6, moving Mega Man to the Final Round
• Bayonetta: Fights Rathalos in Round 6, moving the Pits to Round 1
• Ridley: Fights Marx in the Final Round
• Simon: Fights Dracula in a Team Battle with Richter in the Final Round
• Richter: Fights Crazy Hand in the Final Round
• Incineroar: Fights Giga Bowser in the Final Round with the help of Greninja

[JezMM]

Generally speaking, my favourite Classic Mode routes were like those of Sonic (representing key games from the franchise's history and making me smile when I "figured out" what each stage referenced) or Pit (representing various levels/battles from a single game).

Like basically I adore the concept of Spirit Battles where Smash fights are set up to make imaginary versions of content from other games, but the general Spirit Gameplay and Adventure mode was bogged down for me by the rock-paper-scissors gameplay of beefing yourself up with Spirits.  I want the uhh... excuse the pun, spirit of that, but with less utterly wild modifications of the gameplay.

So ideally I'd have more of that sort of thing and less stuff like Banjo-Kazooie's "fight all the characters who are also duos in some way" stuff.  Using them as an example since I'm intimately familiar with the original game, their route I would have preferred something like (if we go by the music choices available as a starting point for speed, though these aren't necessarily the stages I'd represent when narrowing it all down, Click Clock Wood is way too important to me to not represent for example lol);

• Fight against a character representing Bottles on Spiral Mountain
• Fight against Donkey Kong (Conga) on a stage representing Mumbo's Mountain
• Fight against a character representing Nipper on a stage representing Treasure Trove Cove
• Fight against a character representing Boggy on a stage representing Freezeezy Peak
• Fight against Master Hand (Grabba) on an Omega Form stage representing Gobi's Valley
• Fight against a character representing Napper on a stage representingMad Monster Mansion
• Bonus Stage
• Fight against a boss or powered-up character resembling Grunty on Spiral Mountain BF/Omega Form

I'd way prefer something like that than kind of generic fights that just all fall under a basic "theme".

 

Having said all that though... I really wish they had included a "Classic Classic Mode" with randomly generated stages for the sake of just enjoying a quick round of single player gameplay with a sense of structure to it.  In addition, I wish Boss Rush had been an actual mode playable with any character rather than just limiting it to Sephiroth's route who I don't really enjoy playing as.

Oh... and use all those unused bonus stage layouts people datamined, lol.

[Perkilator]

Kirby-themed tournament.

[Perkilator]

 

MH Rise Spirit Event.

[KHCast]

So we might actually be getting one extra character outside the fighters pass lol

[Perkilator]

So I guess we'll likely see the next fighter this year. Who are you hoping for? I'm hoping for Cash Banooca.

BTW:

Now we have a Spirit Event for Bowser’s Fury.

[dbzfan7]

Surprised the Bowsers fury event took this long.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

On Sakurai's Pic of the Day.

Holy cow. I never noticed that detail of King K Rool's final smash before today!

[Perkilator]

Here's an interesting little tidbit:

"Sora" (sky) Limited, so I guess that means "the sky's the limit" according to Sakurai. I dunno if that was intentional, but that's still kinda cool.

But whatever the case, think he'd be over the moon if he was told Sora was A-OK for Smash?

[Wraith]

I don't think that has anything to do with Sora in Smash

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

That really has nothing to do with Sora from Kingdom Hearts. By that logic, Sakurai was over the moon to have Cloud on board because he's voiced by some guy named Sakurai.

[Perkilator]

10 minutes ago, Wraith said:

I don't think that has anything to do with Sora in Smash

 

5 minutes ago, Jovahexeon The Undyne said:

That really has nothing to do with Sora from Kingdom Hearts. By that logic, Sakurai was over the moon to have Cloud on board because he's voiced by some guy named Sakurai.

I'm not implying this has anything to do with Kingdom Hearts. I was just wondering if he Sakurai would be exicted to have a character named Sora since the kanji is one of his favorites.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

3 minutes ago, Jingilator said:

 

I'm not implying this has anything to do with Kingdom Hearts. I was just wondering if he Sakurai would be exicted to have a character named Sora since the kanji is one of his favorites.

Eh, I don't even really see it as a guarantee that he'd be stoked just because a character goes by a certain name. It's a funny coincidence. Nothing more.

[KHCast]

I think it was just a harmless question guys. Lol

But I certainly think Sakurai would make it a thing to point out or make a joke about in like a Sakurai Presents if Sora were announced. He’s all about pointing out/acknowledging small things like that.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

1 minute ago, KHCast said:

But I certainly think Sakurai would make it a thing to point out or make a joke about if Sora were announced.

Definitely could see him doing that given the chance in a direct.

[KHCast]

You know, I was just thinking, since people were discussing Infinite and the Deadly Six in the statuses. I find it weird but funny, how despite Lost World having a stage and music, Infinite has a spirit and not the D6. Was really expecting someone like Zazz or Zavok would have gotten spirit treatment. 
 

on a similar related note, surprised classic sonic didn’t get repped spirit wise, either as a regular spirit, or Sonic’s fighter spirit. It’s just the Colors sonic model. (Which is the only colors representation in this game iirc

 

edit: oh wait, reach for the stars is in the game)

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

Huh, I suppose on that note, they are potential spirits that could accompany someone like say, Dr. Eggman if he gets in as DLC.

[JezMM]

Deadly Six would've probably been a spirit if Lost World had still been the most recent game, but, well, Forces was, so yeah.

[Perkilator]

3 hours ago, JezMM said:

Deadly Six would've probably been a spirit if Lost World had still been the most recent game, but, well, Forces was, so yeah.

....You mean the same game that had Zavok (as the first boss, no less) and pushed him as a major villain?

[JezMM]

7 hours ago, Jingilator said:

....You mean the same game that had Zavok (as the first boss, no less) and pushed him as a major villain?

Pushed in the marketing maybe, but not the game itself. If you're going to include a single spirit from Forces, is there really a question about whether to include the villian who has a few scenes near the start or the villian who is around for the entire game?  (Naturally, Avatar was probably also a contender for Spirit, but I can see them choosing Infinite as he was the same character for every player, unlike Avatar).

Heck, it's entirely possible that it was SEGA's request for them to include a spirit from the most recent release rather than just cover the franchise's history of main characters.  Had Smash Ultimate come out later we might've ended up with a "Sonic (Team Sonic Racing)" spirit instead of Infinite, lol.

[Zaysho]

I could have sworn the D6 had a group spirit like the Chaotix did but now that I'm looking at the list I'm kind of surprised that isn't the case. Especially since Zavok is represented by a giant Incineroar in Sonic's classic mode.