There’s a part of me that’s still amazed Bayonetta made it into Smash Bros. Not because she’s not amazing, she clearly is, but just because she’s such an out there character. Few on the roster mix sexy, dangerous and insane so effortlessly. But after playing the games when they re-released on Switch, I really grew to love the character, and she’s just as powerful and over the top in this series. Sure, she’s no princess, but she’s nothing to sneeze at either.

While I would love for Tiki to be playable, I’m still glad she made the cut as an Assist Trophy. The powerful Manakete usually looks like a cute little green-haired girl, but in reality she’s a 1000 year old dragon. Let’s just say you don’t want to make her mad (or comment about her age). I’m sure she’ll make a stalwart ally in Smash Bros.

Roy may be your boy, but he isn’t mine. That said, the fiery Fire Emblem combatant is a little more fun for me to play than Marth. I love his explosive power, even though he can be cumbersome to play. But at this point we’ve all become accustomed to slashy Fire Emblem reps, so I suppose I shouldn’t complain too much.

There’s some 800 songs in Ultimate including the How to Play music originally from Melee. Composed by Motoi Sakuraba, it is surprisingly dynamic and stirring. To take a listen, just click here.

Run, Isabelle!

Midgar is a crazy stage, with constant Summons of monstrous beasts. I’d say my personal favorites are Ifrit and Ramuh, but they’re all pretty entertaining. The only complaint I have for this level is that I want even more from the Final Fantasy series to join it. Other than that, it’s golden.

For being one of the most powerful Legendary Pokémon, Mewtwo is sure a crappy fighter. Or at least the most recent iteration was, but hopefully that has changed in Ultimate. I don’t mind how technical his moves are, but he’s way too easy to launch. Maybe a powered up Shadow Ball and some unavoidable attacks would make this Pokémon live up to his legendary status.

I still am blown away by the first revealed DLC for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. I’ve guessed a lot of possible DLC characters, but Joker from Persona 5? A game that’s not even (yet) on a Nintendo console? Color me intrigued. As a fan of the Persona series, I’m very excited with this announcement, though I hope it reveals that Persona 5 might be coming to Switch soon. Regardless, Sakurai and company have guaranteed that I’ll be getting the Season Pass.

Okay, we have one more thing before you get back to playing Smash Ultimate. Join me for our final Most Wanted Brawler!

Most Wanted Brawler

Marx

I’ve had a lot of crazy guesses for who could be Most Wanted Brawler, but Marx may be the most well grounded. Why, you ask? Well, for two simple reasons. First of all, Sakurai is the Kirby guy, and we’ve gotten lots of characters from that series. Second, Ultimate has gotten a lot more villains than usual, so why not an adorable death jester? I knew you’d agree. Let’s move onto my speculation for how he might handle.

Marx was made iconic as the final boss in the Milky Way Wishes segment of Kirby Super Star and Super Star Ultra. He’s a ridiculously powerful final boss, though his form in Ultimate would be more like it is in Star Allies. I think a lot of Marx’s attacks in Ultimate should be based off his unique moveset from Kirby Star Allies. Granted, he couldn’t have all of those crazy attacks, but the core ones should be fair game. As such, his Neutral B would summon his Jester Ball and plop Marx on top of it. This would provide better range for his attacks, as well as letting him roll around causing trouble. By pressing B again, Marx would kick the ball at an angle at foes. For his Down B, Marx would drop an explosive Time-Bomb Jester Ball, which would look identical but would explode instead. For his Side B, Marx would don his rainbow wings and rush forward. And finally, for his Up B, Marx would also don wings, but would instead fly up in an arc before opening a black hole, drawing items and nearby foes towards him. For his Final Smash, Marx would draw foes into an interdimensional tear, unleashing an array of attacks on prone foes, including thorny vines, crescents and culminating in a fusillade of glowing arrows.

Well guys, it’s been a lot of fun bringing Smashing Saturdays back. But now that Ultimate is here, it’s time once more to retire it. I might bring it back with some future unnamed sequel, but other than that probably not. So thanks for sticking with us, and if you still need your fix of Nintendo related news, be sure to keep reading my weekly installments of Nintendo Download!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 77: December 3-8, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

It’s kind of fitting we start this week with Diddy Kong, since I literally was dreaming about a possible DLC reveal for Dixie Kong yesterday morning. No, I don’t need to be committed, I just need Smash Ultimate in my hot little hands. Diddy has always been second banana (I’m so sorry) to Donkey Kong, except for the brief moment in time where he was uber, right before he got the shit nerfed out of him with updates. But even now, the little guy is a distinct and crazy brawler. What he lacks in brute strength he makes up for with maneuverability and range. Sure, half his attacks are liable to kill him, but that’s just part of his charm. One nice change is that his Final Smash looks much more powerful than it used to be. Don’t discount Diddy, or you’ll regret it.

You can easily make the argument that Lucas is the better brawler than Ness. Hell, technically speaking it might be true. But that doesn’t change the love I have for Ness, deep in my soul. Having said that, I’m more than accustomed to getting the crap kicked out of me when facing Lucas while playing Ness, but that’s okay. This Echo fighter may be physically fiercer than Ness, but Ness is still better at PK juggling. So snake or no snake, I prefer the original psychic schoolboy.

They’re always adding more music to Smash Bros., but the latest song is a really fantastic one. It’s also a wordy one, since it’s called Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017 Trailer BGM from The Legend of Zelda series. That’s a mouthful. It’s composed by Ryo Nagamatsu, and it features orchestral sequences that are stunning and overall sounds like it could be from a live action movie. Just take a listen here.

Suzaku Castle is an interesting stage. It feels both wide open and cramped at the same time. It’s far from my favorite, but I’m not sure what stage I would prefer from the Street Fighter series. One nice touch is it features songs from 16 different iconic characters from the Street Fighter series. So if you love Ryu and Ken, you’re sure to appreciate this stage.

Poor Ridley…

You never know what’s gonna make it into the series as an Assist Trophy, but even knowing that, I didn’t see this one coming. None other than the Flies & Hand have come from Mario Paint to Smash Ultimate. The bugs will buzz around and the hand will swat them. Just be careful you don’t get swatted along with them! Cause that is sure to hurt…

I’ve loved Yoshi since Yoshi’s Island, and that goes double for how he plays in Smash Bros. Inexperienced players complain about his lack of a real recovery move, but they don’t know how much airtime Mario’s valiant steed can get with his Flutter Jump. And he can do a ton of damage with his shoes and tail! If you paid close attention to this trailer, you might have noticed another upgrade to Yoshi. His eggs bounce off the ground! That could be a game changer for my favorite dinosaur.

But that’s not all! Stick around for the next Most Wanted Brawler, straight from Fire Emblem Awakening!

Most Wanted Brawler

Walhart

Originally I was going to do today’s Most Wanted Brawler as a different Fire Emblem representative. I wanted to do Nowi, since I love the dragon characters in the series. But then I realized dragons are mostly covered by the inclusion of Corrin. Then I thought to myself, what do I most want more of in Smash Bros.? The answer was easy, I love villains! So how about the crimson crustacean himself, Emperor Walhart! Not only would he help round out the roster by being a villain, but he could also represent two of the unused weapons from the Weapon Triangle – Axes and Lances! Play-wise he would be somewhat slow moving, powerful and able to shrug off minor attacks with his epic defense.

In Fire Emblem Awakening, Walhart is a beast of a character. He’s relatively fast, he’s strong, and most of his attacks have a very good chance to KO your favorite characters with ease. Even worse, he can shrug off most attacks with skills like Aegis and Prescience. While that might be a bit unfair in Smash Ultimate, I think he could still show off his brutal nature with his attacks. They would have to show off his skill with lances and axes as well, especially his signature Axe, Wolf Berg. His Neutral B would be Wolf Berg, and serve as a projectile attack, since it’s a ranged axe. I could see him tossing it forwards or, by holding B, would alternate to a brutal rising axe attack instead. His Side B would involve a Brave Lance, and would be a brutal multi-hit stabbing attack, launching Walhart forwards. His Up B would be a powerful uppercut with his gauntleted fist. And for his Down B, it would have to be Conquest. It would be a counter that would reduce incoming damage by half, having Walhart reciprocate with his hidden sword, Sol. Half of the damage done by Conquest would be turned into healing for the emperor, making it a unique and dangerous counter. As for his Final Smash, it would start with Walhart rushing forward on his mounted horse. Upon connecting with a foe, the screen would change, showing Walhart signaling for his Valmese army to rush forward, hacking and slashing all foes to pieces, resulting in a devastating blow.

I think Walhart is one of the most intimidating villains from Fire Emblem, with an iconic look and powerful attacks. I think he would make an incredible addition to Smash Bros., and hope against hope to see him announced as DLC. Be sure to join us next week for the final Smashing Saturdays, with one last Most Wanted Brawler!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 76: November 26-December 1, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

Much as I love Fire Emblem, I wish there was more diversity of representatives in Smash. Thankfully, Robin takes us away from the Slashy McSlashersons, and brings some much needed magical variety. Sure, Robin still has a sword, but it’s a magical Levin Sword. Combined with the various Tomes at their disposal, Robin can be a powerful fighter. You just need to keep track of how often you use the magical attacks, since they will wear out, but even then Robin can hold their own. Now if only we could get an axe and lance wielder playable in Smash, I’d be even happier…

A battle I never thought I’d see, Mohawk vs. Rat…

One of the things I love most about the Smash Bros. series is how it opens a wide umbrella, bringing in characters and items from a wide range of game series. Initially I wasn’t sure about Ryu’s inclusion, but since he opens the door to Ken and Assist Trophy Guile, I think I’ll be okay. Fun fact, I grew up only playing as Guile in Street Fighter, since the button combinations for Hadoken and such were too much for my young self. I quickly grew much better at using all sorts of moves, and have the callused thumbs to prove it. Guile will fight in Smash Bros. much like in Street Fighter, crouching patiently only to deliver a furious Flash Kick! Also, according to this image, he’ll also throw out his iconic Sonic Booms once in a while.

There’s a lot of music in Ultimate, but I welcome all the new songs. Especially when they are as epic and hard rocking as King Bowser, from Super Mario Bros. 3. It’s composed by Koji Kondo, and I can’t express enough how great it is. To take a listen, just click here.

Zelda may be a princess, but she’s rarely a damsel in distress. Sure, she gets kidnapped on occasion, but she also gets herself out of many tricky binds. It helps she’s armed with devastating magical powers, able to snipe foes and deflect projectiles. She’s also gotten a bit of a makeover in Ultimate, taking the form of herself from A Link Between Worlds. It certainly looks more old school than previously, but I’m sure she’ll still kick ass and take names like usual. There’s a reason the series is named after her and not Link…

I’m just gonna go ahead and say I don’t like the scrolling stages in Smash Bros. There’s too many variables that can screw things up, and they tend to penalize the slower characters. I liked the idea of scrolling stages at first, but after playing for hundreds of hours in the last game, I think I’m ready to play them solely in Omega Form. That said, Pac-Land is back, and it’s just as incredibly weird as usual. You never know what’s gonna kill you in this throwback level.

Speaking of throwbacks, there’s few I love as much as this next one. Chef Kawasaki is now an Assist Trophy! This iconic frenemy from the Kirby series does what he’s best at, gathering everybody for the ultimate hot pot. You’ll take burn damage while in his pot, and when he’s done with you he’ll cook up healing items for whoever summons him. Iron Chef has got nothing on Kawasaki.

Next up, stick around for the latest Most Wanted Brawler!

Most Wanted Brawler

Serperior

I know what you’re all thinking – this isn’t the Grass type you want in Smash Bros. But bear with me, there’s a reason I felt Serperior should make the cut instead of Decidueye. Sure, Decidueye has a bow and arrow and Serperior has a tail. But the pattern thus far for recent Pokémon inclusions has been they’re starters from different generations. Greninja hailed from X / Y, while the newly announced Incineroar is from Sun / Moon. So since we have a Water and Fire type from two different gens, why not a Grass type from yet another gen? Which led me to the serpentine Serperior.

While Serperior may lack arms and legs, he could make up for it with slithering speed and superior reach. I could see that tail serving as a multipurpose weapon, and perhaps he could even use it to ledge grab. As for Serperior’s attacks, I can see some interesting possibilities. His Neutral B would of course be a Leaf Blade, bringing his tail down in a slashing motion against foes. By pressing it repeatedly upon hitting a foe, it would create a whirlwind of slashing mayhem. His Side B would give him some long distance with Leech Seed. Though easily stopped by guarding or dodging, when successful it would drain HP from the victim back to Serperior for a few seconds. His Up B would be a Leaf Tornado. Using his tail, Serperior would whip upwards in a leafy gale, but by holding the attack instead, it would hit land borne foes in a wide arc instead. Finally with Down B, he would grab any nearby foes with Wrap, preventing them from moving while putting some hurt on them. Best of all, he would be able to transition from Wrap into a throw with a simple directional input. Lastly, for his Final Smash he would use Z-Move Bloom Doom, draining energy from surrounding plant life and using it to devastating effect.

Sure, Serperior is strange, and perhaps not the most obvious choice for a Grass starter. But there’s no reason he couldn’t be a potential brawler. To see the next crazy Most Wanted Brawler, be sure to join us at oprainfall next week for Smashing Saturdays!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 75: November 19-24, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

Oh Little Mac. You are such a strange yet somehow perfect addition to an already crazy roster of fighters. While I’m not amazing with him, he can be fast and furious in the right hands. I just wish he had a better recovery move. Still, with his KO attacks and terrifying Final Smash, he has just as much reason to be here as anybody else.

Next up, Hirokazu Tanaka has arranged a new musical addition to the game from Splatoon. None other than Seaskape has made the cut. Though it has much of the same weird vibe that permeates the quirky series, it’s also pretty dynamic and energetic. To take a listen, just click here.

I’m quite pleased one of my favorite stages is returning for Ultimate. I always adored Pokémon Stadium, with the constantly changing battlefield and elemental attributes. While it can occasionally get irritating when the stage prevents you from smashing foes off the screen, that’s part of its charm. And with all the old and new Pokémon in the game, they might as well have lots of arenas to fight in.

Though I can vaguely recall playing some Virtua Fighter in arcades, I was never truly a fan of the series. That said, the distinct polygonal aesthetic was memorable, so of course they had to bring it to Smash Bros. with Akira as an Assist Trophy. This polygonal pummeler will use his signature Tetsuzankou attack against foes. Just remember, the fact he’s old school doesn’t mean he can’t put the hurt on you…

Of course Sakurai had to spend a little time this week talking about his new Spirit mechanic. This week he discussed how he ‘borrowed’ the weapon triangle from Fire Emblem to utilize here.

Primary spirits come in different types: Attack, Shield, and Grab. Attack has an advantage over Grab, Grab has an advantage over Shield, and Shield has an advantage over Attack. Try to equip spirits that are strong against your opponent’s spirit team!

I can still clearly remember when Meta Knight was one of the most overpowered fighters in Smash Bros., all cause of his ridiculous recovery options. Since then he’s been nerfed quite a bit, but the feisty doppleganger is still a force to be reckoned with. His blistering fast sword attacks can make mincemeat of foes, and his slippery nature makes him a real threat. I just wish I was a lot better using him, but I’m still very glad Kirby’s main rival is playable.

Next up, stick around for this week’s beautiful Most Wanted Brawler!

Most Wanted Brawler

Maria Renard

Before they revealed Simon and Richter were coming to Ultimate, I never would have believed we could have Castlevania representatives in Smash Bros. But the Belmonts opened the door, so why can’t distant cousin Maria saunter right on in? After all, having one rep tends to mean we get more, and I bet there’s plenty of Castlevania fans who would love her as DLC. After all, she’s been an important character in the series since Rondo of Blood. While it’s true I haven’t had the pleasure of playing that particular game (bring it to the Switch, Konami), I was introduced to Maria in Symphony of the Night, and ever since have loved her character in any incarnation. Yes, even the silly one from Castlevania Judgment.

Spunky pigtails FTW!

But for the purpose of today’s article, let’s assume the Maria that would be playable in Smash is primarily the one from SOTN. I say primarily cause I want to cheat a little and incorporate moves from both Rondo of Blood and other games she’s been in, while still having the mature, grown woman version of Maria. For her Neutral B attack, of course Maria would throw doves in front of her, keeping foes at bay. For her Side B, I thought it made sense to use her Guardian Knuckle, producing a shadow clone in front of her that pummels foes. Her Up B is me cheating some more and using her Dragon other than the way it was originally utilized. In Rondo, she throws it in front of her, but in Ultimate perhaps she could grab it by the neck and ride it upwards, slashing foes with its wings while ascending. For her Down B, it has to be an Item Crash, but perhaps not in the way you might expect. Instead of being a full power super move she can use at anytime, it would be a counter that would respond with a powered up version of one of her many animal friends. I think it would be cool to have one be her Byakko (a giant white tiger) and have it slash foes; the other possibility would be her summoning Genbu, and having the giant tortoise spin into anything around her. Her Final Smash was a bit trickier to think up, so I decided to lean into the fact that there’s been multiple Marias and steal a page from Mega Man’s moveset. Maria’s Final Smash would have young Maria, grown Maria and Judgment Maria all appear and summon a veritable zoo of animal fury to attack their foes, assailing them with owls, cardinals, cats, dragons and more.

If nothing else, I want more diversity in Smash Bros. That means more villains and more women, and Maria certainly has the chops to be a powerful fighter. Might not be the most likely option, but until Sakurai reveals the DLC, I’ll keep coming up with crazy ideas. Be sure to join us next week for the next Smashing Saturdays, and get excited for the last 3 Most Wanted Brawlers!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 74: November 12-17, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

I suppose it wouldn’t be right to have Ryu in a game without his rival, Ken. The vainglorious blonde loves to steal the spotlight, after all. In Ultimate, he plays very much like Ryu (huge surprise, I know) though he also has some unique characteristics. He’s faster than Ryu, his Hadoken has a different shape and his Shoryuken is laced with flames. He even has different Final Smashes than Ryu – Shinryuken and Shippu Jinraikyaku. Now if only it was easier to use classic Street Fighter button inputs in Smash, I might be more excited…

Though I’m happy Spring Man is making his Smash debut as an Assist Trophy, I still wish he was a playable character. The ARMS game had some wonderfully diverse and creative fighters, and it’d be a shame if none of them makes the cut as playable. I’m still holding out some hope that one of them might get revealed as DLC for Ultimate. In the meantime, he will punch the living daylights out of brawlers, and even rush them for a furious pummeling.

There’s more this week from Street Fighter than just Ken. Yuzo Koshiro has composed a version of the classic Guile Stage music from Street Fighter II. It’s incredibly upbeat and catchy, and I’m excited it makes its way to Smash. To take a listen, just click here.

Now while it’s true we glossed over Spirits after the Direct, bear with me once more, since Sakurai made several posts about them again this week. This post is just talking about Spirits conceptually. Below is Sakurai’s direct quote:

Spirits are characters that have lost their physical forms. Equipping your fighter with spirits will power them up with all sorts of new abilities. Wondering how many kinds of spirits there are? You’ll have to see for yourself!

What better Spirit than a Robot Master!

Next up, Sakurai is talking about Spirit battles:

Spirit battles have various conditions that may remind you of the character you’re battling. If you manage to win one of these matches, you’ll get a chance to capture the spirit for yourself!

Despite my excitement for Pikmin 3, I still haven’t gotten into the Pikmin series yet. But that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the antics of Captain Olimar in Smash Bros. He’s just such a weird little dude, and really fights like nobody else in the game. I once made the mistake of dismissing him as a horrible brawler, but he’s quite devastating in the hands of a master. I just hope Sakurai and co have tweaked him to make him a bit more powerful for those new to using the dictator astronaut.

Speaking of games I haven’t played…

While I’m fine with Yuri Kozukata being an Assist Trophy in Smash, I’m still upset over the whole Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water fiasco. It wouldn’t have been a problem if they had just released a physical form in all regions, but sadly that didn’t happen. I am still holding out small hope that we might see the Wii U exclusive make its way to the Switch in physical form, but I probably shouldn’t hold out too much hope. That said, Yuri looks to use her Camera Obscura in Ultimate to freeze brawlers after photographing them. While she doesn’t summon ghosts afterwards, I’m sure sneaky players will find many ways to take advantage of that paralysis.

Lastly, we’ll close out the weekly updates with another Spirit post from Sakurai:

There are two kinds of spirits. Primary spirits boost the physical abilities of the fighter you equip them to, while support spirits provide special skills. Try out different combinations to power up your fighters!

But that’s not all! Join me for the first of the last 5 Most Wanted Brawler writeups!

Most Wanted Brawler

Tingle

With all the different characters from Zelda in Smash, it seems like a logical choice for Tingle to become involved. Sure, he was an Assist Trophy in previous games, but other characters have made the switch from Trophy to playable, just look at Isabelle. Glancing at the Spirit image above, it does look like Tingle is going to be a Spirit, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t also be a DLC character later on. But I know some of you still think he doesn’t deserve such a prestigious spot. After all, Tingle is essentially a 35 year old cosplayer that is obsessed with Forest Fairies and Rupees. But far stranger characters have made the cut. Just look at Wario, Duck Hunt and Mr. Game & Watch. And while this supporting character might not immediately make sense as a fighter, here’s how I see him working.

Much like in Hyrule Warriors, I think Tingle could work as an eccentric fighter with a bag full of tricks. Of course his Up B would involve him floating away with balloons. But unlike Villager, I could see Tingle’s balloons exploding when they make contact with a surface or player, sending Tingle hurtling to the ground. For his neutral B, I could see Tingle picking up a bomb and then throwing it at foes. Unlike Link, he would roll them gently, and his Bombs might have various effects. Some would simply explode, while others would be full of a love potion that would make foes fight for Tingle temporarily. Since Tingle needs Rupees to survive, I could see his Down B holding out a wallet full of Rupees. The longer you hold it out, the more Rupees you’ll accumulate, and once you have enough, Tingle would get a temporary attack or defense boost. Finally for his Side B, Tingle would rush forth riding the King of Red Lions, leaving a pool of slippery water in his wake. For his Final Smash, Tingle would do a strange dance, summoning the Great Fairy to curse his foes with various status effects and power Tingle up dramatically. Sure, he’s not the likeliest of brawlers, but since he made the cut already in Hyrule Warriors, I don’t see why they couldn’t find a way to include him in Ultimate.

Be sure to check back next week for the next Smashing Saturdays, and stay tuned for my next crazy Most Wanted Brawler!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 73: November 5-10, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

While I’m not great playing as either Samus, I’m quite glad Zero Suit Samus is allowed to share the spotlight with her usual armored self. She’s as deadly as she is sexy, and in the right hands she is a devastating force of nature. Few brawlers are as acrobatic, fast or cruel as ZSS, and though it was cool watching Samus alternate between both versions, I’m glad they’re separate entities now. It was a bit too powerful to have strength and speed in the same package. Having said that, I’m more than ready to get my ass kicked by her in Ultimate.

I know, I know, they told us every stage was in Ultimate, but I’m still a little surprised Living Room made the cut. Not cause I hate it. It’s an adorable little stage, with the puppies and kittens frolicking about. What’s less cute is when I get beaned by falling blocks. Those selfsame objects can make it hard to smash foes off the screen, but I guess it’s not the worst stage. That would be a tie between Pac-Man’s stage and Balloon Fight. I can take adorable animals and blocks over those chaotic stages any day.

I like to make fun of Rosalina on a pretty regular basis. I call her things like Emo Peach and mock her as being a crappy divine entity in the Mario universe. But that’s mostly cover for my respect for how overwhelming of a force she can be in Smash Bros. She plays very distinctly from Peach, and definitely requires a lot of practice to master. But once you get a handle on using the Luma, she’s actually pretty fun. Though I didn’t play her much on my 3DS, lately I’ve had some decent luck using her. So maybe I will actually enjoy using Rosalina and Luma in Ultimate.

HOLY KRAPTRAP!!!

We all learned to respect the Klaptrap in the Jungle Japes stage. There’s few things as irritating as being dragged to a watery grave by the big mouthed Kremling. And now, he’s an Assist Trophy. Though this version won’t drag you to your death, he will chomp the crap out of anyone unlucky enough to get gobbled. Now, let’s move onto a quick recap of the fun stuff from the Direct!

The Direct started with the reveal that Ken is coming to the game as an Echo of Ryu. Not surprising, also not that exciting. But then they revealed a new playable pokémon in Incineroar. I’m quite excited for the fiery cat luchador. He looks to play completely differently from Greninja, whom I detest playing, and looks utterly fierce. The fact he confidently poses when he damages foes is just beautiful. That wasn’t all, though, as they also confirmed that the roster of the game will be 75, and that we’re getting 5 DLC sets into 2020 with a new character, stage and music. The key thing to remember is that the 75th addition to the roster won’t be available until after Ultimate releases, and that’s a pretty strange character…

I’ve been saying for a while that I expected one more weirdo character in Smash Bros. Ultimate. And frankly, neither Ken nor Incineroar qualifies. But Piranha Plant certainly does! I was initially very confused by the reveal, but I wasn’t upset after seeing PP’s moveset. It looks to be a very tricky and unique fighter, spitting poison, shooting spike balls, lunging out of his pot and even using his leaves to helicopter around. Best of all is watching it crawl around inside his pot like a goofball. It shouldn’t work, but Sakurai is great at turning strange ideas into fascinating and playable concepts. The only downside is that Piranha Plant won’t be available until a couple months after the launch of Ultimate. But, if you register your game, you’ll get Bowser’s minion for absolutely free. Not a bad offer, considering the last time Sakurai tried something similar, we only got Mewtwo. Here’s hoping PP is much more functional and fun to play as.

Less significant, but still cool, was that the Direct showed off some new Assist Trophies. The likes of Spring Man, one of the heroines from Maiden of Black Water, and even the devious Dr. Wily made the cut. Best of all, they confirmed that there will be 59 Assist Trophies in the game. I haven’t done a count of how many were revealed yet, but that’s still a great diversity of characters.

Lastly, the Direct touched on the hidden mode that was previously glossed over by Sakurai. It’s none other than the Adventure mode, which is apparently called World of Light. It’s less story driven than Subspace Emissary, but it still looks quite cool. Some (angelic?) force has turned all the characters in the game back into statues, and morphed the other characters from their respective series into Spirits. These Spirits then possess the captured heroes, with one exception. Kirby escapes, and sets out to free his friends and defeat the force that caused so much chaos. As for how the mode plays out, it’s much more combat oriented than what we got in the 3DS and Wii U versions, which I’m happy about. The Spirits seem to replace the Trophies from the other games, though they also have a combat utility. You can equip Primary and Secondary Spirits to your character to empower them and give them various bonuses. When you fight your friends, you’ll need to satisfy special requirements to defeat them, and then try to capture their malevolent Spirit puppeteer. It all sounds fantastic to me, and I feel I’ll spend much more time in this Adventure mode than in previous ones.

A couple more updates before we move onto our Most Wanted Brawler this week. Both are Pokémon related. First, we have a new song from the series coming to Ultimate. It’s none other than Battle! (Wild Pokémon) from Pokémon Sun and Moon. It’s composed by Hiroyuki Kawada. The song is incredibly upbeat and cheerful, so it should make for interesting background noise.

Though I already touched upon Incineroar earlier, I felt we might as well post his awesome trailer! The feline champion hits hard, and uses his iconic moves Darkest Lariat, Cross Chop and Revenge, as well as another unnamed move where he tosses foes into the ropes and pile drives them. For his Final Smash, he activates his Z-Power and takes his foes into the ring with a devastating Max Malicious Moonsault. Though I haven’t had much success with other Pokémon brawlers, I’m going to enjoy learning to master Incineroar.

Now, don’t leave yet! I still have more for you in the form of a new Most Wanted Brawler this week.

Most Wanted Brawler

Dixie Kong

I’m sure some thought I would no longer do the Most Wanted Brawler segment now that the 75 player roster has been revealed. But you know what? There’s still 5 unknown DLC characters on the horizon, so hopefully I’ll manage to speculate who one of those will end up being! After all, I kind of predicted K. Rool and Ridley, so anything is possible. And since King K. Rool just made it onto the roster, why not another character from the Donkey Kong series? Though I enjoy both Donkey and Diddy Kong, Dixie is just as important to the series. After all, she headlined a couple of her own games on the SNES.

Dixie is known for her golden locks, so it stands to reason her moveset would be based around them. For her Up B Special, she would hover upwards like a simian helicopter, slashing anybody in her path, then be able to gently hover towards the ground. For her Side B, I could see her grabbing items or characters with her ponytail, then hurl them to shatter on the ground. For her Neutral B, I could see her using her own Popgun to shoot bubblegum, like in Tropical Freeze. And for her Down B, perhaps she could twirl her locks in front of her face, deflecting projectiles. As for her Final Smash, I see it taking a page from Donkey Kong Country 3, and having Dixie team up with Kiddy Kong to put the hurt on foes. He could hurl her like a cannonball, then jump up and smash down on foes’ heads, and finally both Kongs would tag team their opponent into submission. I really think Dixie Kong could make the cut as a DLC character for Ultimate, and hope I’m right. We need more a bit more gender diversity in Smash Bros., and she provides the perfect opportunity.

Thanks as always for joining us today for Smashing Saturdays! We still have a few weeks left before the release of Ultimate, and will probably conclude that week. However there’s still a chance we’ll return to cover the upcoming DLC characters, so stay tuned to oprainfall!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 72: October 29-November 3, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

As much as I don’t typically enjoy clone characters, Luigi is a special case. After all, he’s always been the odd man out in the dynamic duo of plumbing brothers. While he was pretty much exactly the same as Mario in the original game, he thankfully got a lot more personality in Super Mario Bros. 2. Suddenly the lanky sibling could jump higher, but at the cost of having slippery movement. Then several years later he got even weirder when he inherited a mansion and a cool vacuum cleaner. Which brings us to today’s reveal. Apparently, now Luigi will utilize the Poltergust when he throws players. While that sadly isn’t illustrated in the trailer, it does make me excited to see if the green guy got any other significant changes in Ultimate.

Fun fact – Ditto is TERRIFYING in 3D!

While it’s not exactly news that Ditto is coming to Ultimate, this picture is too priceless not to share. The way he’ll work is the shapeshifting blob will transform into whoever throws his Pokéball, and will have access to the same moves. So he’ll be a real wild card when he shows up to battle, perhaps more so than any other Pokémon. Just as it should be for such a classic and weird creature.

Next up, thanks to the inclusion of Simon and Richter to Smash Bros., we’re getting a bunch of music from the Castlevania series. This week, we are getting Lost Painting, straight from my favorite game in the series, Symphony of the Night! However, this version is remixed by Tetsuya Shibata to sound a bit more modern rock and less gothic. So it’s not exactly the same, but it still is pretty catchy. You can listen by clicking here.

Although I’m terrible at the Sonic games, I’ve appreciated the levels he got in Smash Bros. Perhaps none so much as Green Hill Zone, a throwback to an iconic area from that series. It’s always fun to play, since the shattering landscape and Point Marker smacking players in the face makes for a tense battle every time. Here’s hoping Sonic gets some more stages in Ultimate to mix things up even more.

I’m still a bit shocked that Pac-Man made it into Smash Bros. Not cause he’s unworthy, but just cause I am amazed they could make a cohesive moveset out of his games. But as has been proven to me multiple times, he’s a very powerful character in the right hands. I’m far from amazing as him, but I still enjoy playing the yellow maw from time to time. I might end up playing him more in Ultimate, since it looks like his Final Smash got an extra dose of caffeine. Now he can chomp foes as fast as Sonic can run in circles!

They saved the best for last this week, with a strange new Assist Trophy. Remember Swapnote? Remember that annoying character who told you how to use its features? Yea, she’s in Ultimate now. Nikki will draw things on the screen (what else?) to cause mayhem for everybody that didn’t summon her. Nothing quite like getting blown away by a windmill! But don’t leave yet, as I have another odd Character of the Week for you below!

Character of the Week

Wario

I’ve been a fan of Wario ever since he got his own series of platformers, and kept on playing when WarioWare became a beloved series. In Smash he’s a weird mixture of different versions of his character, but I’d say he incorporates more from WarioWare than anything. He’s a lot of fun to play as, blasting into foes with his motorcycle, twirling around, passing gas and chomping things with his cruel chompers. And as far as Final Smashes go, there are few as creepy and weird as him transforming into Wario-Man and dashing about. My only complaint is that his Final Smash made him hard to control, but it looks as though that’s been fixed in Ultimate.

While he’s far from one of my mains, I do like trying my hand at other characters just to keep my reflexes fresh. I’m sure many are still upset about Wailuigi not making the cut in Ultimate, but honestly I think it’s enough to have Wario. After all, he’s headlined multiple games, whereas Wailuigi only exists to be another playable character in Mario Tennis and occasionally Mario Kart. I might change my tune if he gets his own game in the near future, but until then I’ll stick with the treasure hunting, garlic eating, scheming bad boy, Wario.

Thanks as always for joining us. Hope you all enjoy the rest of your Halloween season, whether you actively celebrate it or not. I’ll be carving some pumpkins for the occasion and counting the days til December!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 71: October 22-27, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

Let’s get something out of the way real quick. I love the original Xenoblade Chronicles, but I hate Shulk in Smash Bros. Not cause he’s a horrible character, but because he murders all of my mains. I made the mistake playing against a really talented Shulk player years ago when I was regularly playing Smash Bros. every week, at the height of my abilities, and he cut through me like a buzzsaw through a feather. I just couldn’t keep up with Shulk’s ridiculous range and hard hitting sword attacks. Worse, I was unable to replicate such success whenever I played as Shulk, mostly cause I had a hard time switching modes on the fly. Thankfully, the updated mode swap looks much more intuitive, so maybe I’ll spend some time learning to love Shulk in Ultimate.

Generally when they introduce a new Pokémon I instantly recognize it, but that wasn’t the case here. After giving it some thought, I realized it must have been because Marshadow was an event specific Pokémon in Sun / Moon. Thankfully, I don’t have to be familiar with the ghostly gent to appreciate him. He’ll hide in shadows and burst out to punch foes, even alternating who he attacks. Sounds like a good way to keep the anxiety dialed up to 11. I definitely approve!

It’s fitting that the music to one of the most harrowing levels in Mega Man 2 is making its way to Ultimate. Flash Man Stage is a relentless and musical masterpiece, and does a great job conveying how challenging that stage truly was. Composed by Keiichi Okabe, it has a persistent rhythm that does a good job representing how you have to keep rushing forward. To take a listen, just click here.

Speaking of classic stages, I’m very pleased Green Greens is coming to Ultimate. Kirby has a lot of iconic bosses, but few as well known as Whispy Woods. The fact he gets his own stage to harass brawlers is great, blowing them off the screen and dropping apples onto their heads. The fact you can eat them or use them as weapons is even better.

Final Fantasy VII is a landmark entry in a storied series, so it’s fitting Cloud made his way to Smash Bros. At first I felt he didn’t quite fit in, but I grew to like how he played, unlike Shulk. He’s hard hitting, has good range and can play keep away with his projectiles. The fact he can use Limit Break to do even more damage is just icing on the cake. The cherry on top? His Advent Children costume swap.

I really enjoyed Palutena’s personality in Kid Icarus Uprising, which of course means I hate how she plays in Smash Bros. More than anything, I just don’t love characters who rely on counters, and 75% of her specials involve countering things! That said, I can’t deny she’s a powerful fighter, and more than capable of putting the smack down on foes. My favorite aspect of her is that this demure goddess pole dances to taunt her foes. Well played, Palutena.

Next up is a Character of the Week that I should have done weeks ago!

Character of the Week

Ness

I grew to love Earthbound after briefly playing it back in the day, despite the fact that I still haven’t beaten it (for many reasons). But that doesn’t mean I don’t love Ness in Smash Bros. For whatever reason, I love the odd characters, mostly proving they are worth playing despite the opinions of other players. See my other mains such as Peach and Yoshi for proof. But Ness was a special case. People may think Peach was harder to master, but that’s not the case. Ness took forever to master. The reason being, his recovery is one of the most complicated and versatile moves in the game. I spent hours on hours mastering PK Thunder, learning how to curve it just so to poke and juggle my foes. Then I spent even more time learning to use it in mid air to catapult Ness into unsuspecting brawlers. In fact, I may have spent too much time, since when I play as Ness, I mostly rely on PK Thunder. Sure, I use PK Fire to play keep away, but barely use PSI Magnet or PK Flash. But even then, Ness is still an amazing character. His yo-yo Smash is great, and his bat is devastating. So even though I only regularly use half of his special attacks, Ness is still a great glass cannon. I’m just hoping he’s even better in Ultimate.

Thanks again for joining us for another Smashing Saturdays! The countdown to the release of Ultimate is getting closer, so stay tuned in the coming weeks for more installments.

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 70: October 15-20, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

On the bus to destruction…

When they first showed off Isabelle, I seriously thought her Final Smash involved getting kidnapped in a bus. But they have since clarified that she has the exact same Final Smash as Villager (you know, just like an Echo). Now we have total clarity about what that bus madness was about, and it’s none other than a new Assist Trophy – Kapp’n! This adorable fellow from Animal Crossing will ride around the stage, and if he hits you, he’ll push you into his bus and drive off the screen! Pretty horrifying way to go, but I’m glad to see that sort of crazy in Ultimate.

I still remember how mysterious and captivating Sheik was in Ocarina of Time. It’s not often a character from Zelda sticks with me after so long, which is of course why I’m absolutely horrible playing the character in Smash Bros. Just the universe’s twisted sense of humor. That said, I’m glad Zelda’s more physical half is still in Ultimate, now wearing a Breath of the Wild inspired outfit.

This week we have two songs to cover, one from Tomodachi Life and the other from Fire Emblem. You can probably guess which I prefer, but that doesn’t mean either is bad. From Tomodachi Life, and composed by Masafumi Takada, we have Afternoon on the Island. It’s a jubilant and upbeat song utterly lacking in drama. From Fire Emblem, and composed by Takeshi Kuramochi, we have Id (Purpose). This one is climactic and exciting, with some nice vocals. But both are certainly worthy, and you can listen to them here.

I really enjoyed Saffron City back in the day, and I’m especially glad it’s coming back in Ultimate. Better yet, I got to play test it at E3 when I was trying out Ridley, and I can say it’s just as fun and hectic as you might remember. Nothing quite like having Pokémon pop out unexpectedly to assault you. Plus it still has that delicious retro visual flair I love. Which is good, cause I utterly hate the next brawler.

I think I hate Fox so much cause his play style goes so utterly counter to my own. He’s all about control and power, whereas I like chaos and unpredictability. It probably doesn’t help he’s a favorite on the competitive scene, cause that instantly turns me off to almost anything. But, I will say he looks pretty with his new duds from Star Fox Zero. Hopefully he got a new voice actor as well, cause I still cringe every time I hear “FIRE”.

Looks like Dr. Mario will need a doctor soon…

Say what you will about Pokémon Sun and Moon, but they had some wonderful new Pokémon. One standout for me was the Fairy/Ghost Mimikyu. He’s just so derpy and terrifying in equal measure. Didn’t hurt that dual typing meant he could learn some crazy moves, and I always love me a Swiss Army Knife style Pokémon. In Smash Bros., Mimikyu will drag you under his rags and beat on you. If you get to 100% while trapped, you’ll instantly be KOed. In other words, Mimikyu is still awesome.

Wii Fit Trainer is still one of the strangest characters in a series known for weirdos. That said, I enjoy watching masters of the character play, since I have literally zero skill with Wii Fit Trainer. Which is unfortunate, since I do like mastering weird and unpopular characters. Oh well, in a game with a roster this huge, I suppose I can’t be good with everyone…

Even though I’m not a fan of all the clone characters in Smash, I do like the good doctor. Dr. Mario is a lot of fun to play, and just different enough from plumber Mario to be entertaining. Or it could just be nostalgia from playing the game he’s originally from has warped my brain. Either way, a pill a day keeps the virus away. Or something.

I may not be a huge fan of the Boxing Ring stage, but that’s just cause it can be a bastard to smash someone off the screen there. Other than that, it’s a fun area, especially when there’s lots of items to keep things hectic. Also fun is you can select the Punch-Out!! version of the ring by holding L when selecting the stage. Which proves once again that Sakurai and company think of EVERYTHING.

He’s so beautiful! Why can’t he be playable?

As a fan of all things Mega Man, I also enjoyed the X series. What’s funny about it was that, much as I enjoyed Mega Man X, Zero was the character that really took the spotlight. He just had so much more drama and personality than X. Plus he has a freaking lightsaber, so that’s cool. Sure, he may have been built by evil, but that only makes his struggle to be a good bot that much more compelling. In Ultimate, Zero will use a variety of iconic moves, proving once more he should have been a playable character. Oh well, can’t have everybody in the game, I suppose.

Conceptually, there’s nothing I dislike about Greninja. He’s a frog ninja with a tongue scarf. Just writing that description made me happy! But as a character in Smash, I am not a fan. Mostly cause I can’t seem to master the shadowy amphibian. But, that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be in the game. I’ve seen lots of other players master the froggy fellow, and it is cool watching him hurl shuriken and disappear into shadows. Which is completely at odds with our next Most Wanted Brawler!

Most Wanted Brawler

Professor E. Gadd

Sure, TWEWY: Final Remix released yesterday, but so did Luigi’s Mansion on the 3DS! After getting into a lengthy discussion with my cousin about the upcoming Luigi’s Mansion 3 while in NYC, I decided that the good professor who builds ghost hunting technology would make a great fit for Smash Bros. Ultimate. Professor Elvin Gadd is a strange little fellow, always speaking in gibberish. But his mind is quite sound, and he’s invented some amazing tools for others to use. Some of the more noteworthy ones are the Poltergust 3000, a freaking Time Machine, delicious caffinated drinks (no, seriously) and even the F.L.U.D.D. So even though he is far from the burliest of men, Professor E. Gadd could certainly hold his own in Ultimate using a bunch of crazy devices.

For his standard B Special, I see Prof using the Poltergust to shoot ghosts at foes, giving him a keep away style. For his recovery Special, he could use one of his handy E-Gates from Dark Moon, tossing it and lunging through, teleporting him to safety. For his side B, I can see E. Gadd using the Magic Paintbrush stolen by Bowser Jr. to dash across the screen, doing his best Inkling impression. Finally, for his Down B, he would use his Vacuum Orb to suck up any nearby items, allowing him to nab them faster than other brawlers. For his Final Smash, it would have to involve the things that made him memorable. In other words, vacuums and ghosts. So I can see E. Gadd transporting his foes into the mansion itself, where they would be attacked by ghosts and finished off by E. Gadd ramming them while riding the Poltergust 3001. Though he may not be that likely of a brawler, it would be great to see Luigi’s Mansion get some more love with his inclusion.

Thanks as always for tuning in, and check back with oprainfall next Saturday for the latest Smashing Saturdays! Hopefully without any more interruptions before the release of Smash Bros. Ultimate.

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 69: October 8-13, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

QUICK! SOMEBODY PLAY THE SONG OF TIME!!!

Even though I never really got into Majora’s Mask, I love the nihilistic cursed face of the Moon. In Ultimate, it makes a cameo as an Assist Trophy. The character who grabs it is of course safe, while everybody else is subjected to the terror of a planetary meteor strike. Nothing says KO quite like getting hit by a celestial body…

Though I rather enjoyed Lucina in Fire Emblem Awakening, I’m less of a fan of her in Smash Bros. Only because I wish she was a bit more different than Marth. I mean hell, Isabelle is essentially an Echo character and still plays differently from Villager. I just want that for this time tossed swordswoman. On the plus side, her attacks are easier to do more damage with if you’re less precise, since they don’t rely on the tip of the sword. Still not unique enough for my tastes, but such is life.

There’s been a lot of great new music coming to Ultimate, but few songs quite so riveting as the theme for the fight against Steven from Pokémon. Composed by Soshi Abe, it features lots of hard rocking tunes and a great rhythm. To listen to it, just click here.

For a relatively simple stage, Brinstar is also the source of a lot of mayhem. That’s in large part due to the fluctuating acid pools and the interactive stage elements. While it may not be the sexiest of areas, it is a good representation of the menace and mystery of the Metroid series.

You’re too…dead?

Sure, the Death’s Scythe isn’t exactly news, but this lovely screenshot is. Sonic isn’t a master of getting KOs, but that’s probably helped a bunch by pretending he’s a Grim Reaper. As a fun extra, a black aura will surround unlucky foes right before getting annihilated by the Scythe. Because murdering everybody with a Home-run Bat just wasn’t satisfying enough.

As much as I’ve been complaining about Echo characters lately, you’d think I love a unique one like Lucario. Sadly, just cause you’re unique doesn’t mean you’re good. I just can’t get behind his moves, despite being fascinated by his unique “more pain = more damage” ability. Still, I do appreciate the variety of Pokémon fighters in Smash Bros. Hell, I halfway expect a new one in Ultimate, but we’ll just have to wait and see.

Now, before we move to the Most Wanted Brawler, one quick note. Next week I’ll be traveling in New York for a few days, so there won’t be a Smashing Saturdays then. Instead, the following week will have a jam packed installment, much like after PAX West. With that out of the way, let’s see today’s crazy Most Wanted Brawler!

Most Wanted Brawler

Travis Touchdown

We’ve had a lot of crazy ideas for Most Wanted Brawler since I rebooted Smashing Saturdays, but this one is actually a bit more grounded than you might expect. There’s a definite correlation between a character getting a new game but showing up first in Smash Bros. Hell, that’s how we were all introduced to Marth back in the day (yay…). So with No More Heroes: Travis Strikes Again slated to release on Switch, it’s not much of a stretch that Travis might finally get the spotlight in Smash Bros. Hell, it’s even more likely now that a character as risque and crazy as Bayonetta made the cut.

As for how he would battle in Ultimate, I can see some of his iconic moves making the transition quite easily. Of course his beam katana would be his primary weapon, able to slash foes from a moderate distance. To make it fair, he would have to use down B to Charge his beam katana when it runs out of juice, not unlike Wii Fit Trainer. Though I hate counters, I can see Travis doing them justice with a standard B. Unlike most counters, this one would pit both players against each other in a Weapon Clash, button mashing to see which brawler is victorious, though perhaps it would be more effective for Travis depending on his current charge level. His recovery up B attack would be a Slash Attack that could combo into a series of hits if it connects. And lastly, for his side B, Travis would unleash a powerful Beat Attack, which would be unblockable when fully charged. For his Final Smash, I could see it incorporating Travis’ special skill, wrestling! He would grab a foe and toss them about like a rag doll using powerful suplexes, full nelsons and power slams, culminating in a deadly piledriver. I think Travis would make a fine addition to Ultimate, and hope that Sakurai agrees.

That’s it for this week of Smashing Saturdays. Thanks again for joining us, and remember that we’re on break next week. Be sure to tune back in to oprainfall on October 13th for the next installment!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 68: September 24-29, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

Sure, we knew about Isabelle last time, but since that reveal Sakurai has posted a new trailer. This one focuses in a bit more detail on her attacks. For instance, we now know that her Side B is the Fishing Pole seen in the reveal. By paying close attention, we can also see that, unlike Villager, Isabelle plants her Lloid Rocket in the ground before it fires vertically. My question of her Final Smash has also been clarified as the same one Villager uses. Which, in my book, makes her an Echo character, even if Sakurai and company don’t acknowledge it outright. But that’s fine with me, since she looks different enough to be a unique new brawler. Plus she’s ridiculously adorable, which is always a bonus.

Sure, we already knew about Shovel Knight being an Assist Trophy as well. But we didn’t know all the details (or if we did, I forgot). Now it’s clear that Shovel Knight can bury foes in the ground, toss up rocks as he digs, and even dig up an occasional tasty treat! Truly, his shovelry skills know no limits.

Since Isabelle is a new addition to the roster, it fits they are adding more music from the Animal Crossing series. The latest song is the title theme from Happy Home Designer. Composed by Kazumi Totaka, it’s surprisingly catchy with just a hint of hard rock. It’s actually quite enjoyable. You can listen to it here.

Oh Onett. You’re as peaceful and idyllic as you are shockingly dangerous! I’m happy to have the chance to play once more on this classic Earthbound stage. It’s fun fighting on awnings and leaping to avoid incoming traffic. Getting hit for 30% damage is no joke, especially for the lighter characters I tend to prefer.

I’ve always been a fan of Ganondorf in theory. I just wished he wasn’t a mere Echo of Captain Falcon. While that really hasn’t changed, it’s nice to see him return to his iconic duds from Ocarina of Time. That means he’s slimmer and perhaps a bit faster than recently. But best of all is now he actually uses his sword for a few attacks! I’ve been begging for that a while now, and it’s nice to see the devil get his due. So to speak.

Speaking of devils, how about the Yellow Dev…er, I mean Pikachu? Yes, the electric rat is here and as painfully chaotic as ever. He’s still a bastard in the right hands, though in the wrong hands he’ll just spam Thunderbolt. One thing I’m very happy about is now Pikachu has an alternate costume dressed up as the mighty Pikachu Libre! Not as great as Libre being a whole new character, but I’ll take it.

Now, stick around for another segment of Character of the Week!

Character of the Week

Bowser

I’ve talked about the King of Koopas at length in some small detail previously, but I wanted to give the big guy the spotlight this week. As I have said, I didn’t always love Bowser, but once he got some speed to match his mighty strength, I quickly grew to appreciate him. He can soak up a ton of damage with his turtle shell, and he can retaliate with the best of them. Plus, he’s one of the most iconic villains represented in the game. As a longtime fan of the Mario series, I’ve enjoyed Bowser for much longer. In Smash Bros., he’s the only heavyweight character I main (DK is more of a medium weight IMO). And there’s a reason for that. Much as I love light, annoying brawlers like Ness and Peach, sometimes you just have to give in to the urge to light things on fire and smash them underneath you. I honestly can’t wait for the chance to put the hurt on my friends again with this not so regal reptile!

Thanks as always for joining us! Tune in next week, and keep counting the days until the December release date!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 67: September 17-22, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

Gotta love that funky music in Bowser’s character video. I didn’t always love the Koopa King in Smash, but I have since his massive upgrade in the more recent entries. He may not be the fastest, but he can really put the hurt on foes, and he’s much more maneuverable than one would expect. Best of all, Bowser’s new Final Smash looks really fun, like Giga Bowser x Rock’em Sock’em Robots. Can’t wait to play him again in Ultimate.

I’m gonna go ahead and say something unpopular again – I don’t think we need Toon Link and Young Link in the same game. They’re just so similar. That said, if we were gonna lose one, I would rather lose Young Link. But that’s only because I really love the visual style of Toon Link, one that only became popular years after the release of Wind Waker. Nowadays it’s very well recognized, though. Either way, I hope everybody is ready for getting hacked and slashed by tons of elfin heroes clad in green…

It wouldn’t make sense to have Ice Climbers back without their iconic level, the Summit. And while it’s not necessarily my favorite, I do like how hectic and tense it can get. What I don’t like? Getting eaten by that nasty fish. Rest in peace, Captain Olimar…

Speaking of the good captain, the Pikmin Main Theme is getting used in Ultimate. Composed by Hideki Sakamoto, it’s surprisingly edgy and energetic for a game about a goofy little astronaut. To hear it for yourself, just click here.

As an old hand at Street Fighter (I used to be good, honest), you’d think I love Ryu in Smash. And while I do like his inclusion, I find him very difficult to master. The controls I spent so many years perfecting for his hadoken and shoryuken are much harder to do the old way in such a fast paced game as Smash Bros. That said, I am glad he’s here to represent the iconic fighting series, but I don’t really want any other reps from other well known fighting games. Smash is best when it’s crazy and unpredictable, not trying to appease the fans from another series. Speaking of unpredictable, let’s move onto the surprise reveal from this week’s Nintendo Direct.

I suppose we all should have suspected some Ultimate reveals from the Direct, but Isabelle was still a hell of a curveball. I don’t think I’m alone in expecting Tom Nook to be announced first. That said, it’s always nice to have more gender diversity in Smash Bros., and Isabelle looks just different enough to be interesting. Her moves range the gamut from hurling pots to tossing water out of a bucket, blasting foes with fireworks or grabbing them with a fishing pole (my personal favorite), a pom-pom twirl and even a vertically oriented Lloid Rocket. We don’t yet know what her Final Smash is going to be, unless it involves her getting kidnapped in a bus, as seen later in the reveal trailer. What I’m still unclear about is whether Isabelle is a “new” character or a weird Echo variant of Villager. She’s definitely a bit different, but there are still some similarities. Either way, it’s nice to have another representative from Animal Crossing, even if I don’t follow the series. The more strange characters in Smash, the better.

Now, don’t run away, as it’s time for another Character of the Week!

Character of the Week

Yoshi!

Since I was very pleased with the Direct footage of Yoshi’s Crafted World, I figured this was a good week to talk about my love for Mario’s trusty dino steed. Unlike Bowser, I have liked Yoshi in Smash from the very beginning, and even though his recovery is tricky at first, I grew to really love his fighting style. His lack of a real recovery move is overshadowed by how great his flutter kick is, and his eggs are great for playing keep away. I also love pounding foes with his feet and rolling into an egg to disrupt attacks. Honestly, the only move I don’t regularly use for Yoshi is eating my foes. Which seems odd, in retrospect. Regardless, Yoshi is a joy to play, and he’s one of my regulars. Barring him getting significantly nerfed in Ultimate, I’m planning on spending a lot of time playing as Yoshi in the new game.

Thanks again for joining us this week for another Smashing Saturdays! Join us in counting the days til the December release next week, and keep your eyes peeled for the next character reveal after Isabelle!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 66: September 10-15, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

At PAX West, all media get access to one special time slot the very first day, called the Press Hour (though it’s actually more like 45 minutes). This is time we can use to play games with practically zero line, other than fellow media. Well, this year it was less than even that allotted time, since instead of letting us in to play at 9AM, they instead kept us for some inexplicable reason til about 9:20AM. That was frustrating, leaving less time than I expected, but me and Chris still managed to jet over to the Nintendo booth. To nobody’s surprise, there was a line, but I was willing to wait as long as it took to play some Ultimate.

After our wait, we were ushered to the front of the line and asked if we wanted to play Smash or Mario Party. I tried very hard to not scoff at the latter, and clarified that, yes, I was only there for Smash. Then me, Chris and two other folks in line were taken to a terminal to play timed free for all. Though both me and Chris prefer Stock battles, complaining wouldn’t have accomplished anything, so we eagerly grabbed a Joy-Con and picked our characters. I suspect this is the same demo that I missed at E3, since there were none of the newly revealed Belmonts or King K. Rool. But that was fine with me, since I was there to play as Ridley.

First let me dissuade you from thinking this was some epic story of me destroying everybody with a character I hadn’t ever played. No, I didn’t dominate with Ridley, and the first match I ended up with 3rd or 4th place. However, I did pick up on his moves relatively quickly, and by the final match, I got 2nd place. Though I feel I will need to practice with him more to master him, Ridley was a lot more intuitive the first time than Mega Man was a few years back. It was thoroughly enjoyable rushing foes and tossing them off the stage, and unleashing a barrage of flames in their faces. His stabbing tail attack was a bit tricky, but overall I’m still quite glad I got to play as the dread Space Pirate.

What better segue from my new favorite character to my favorite old character? I love Ness, and spent way too much time mastering him back in Melee. Specifically, I got really good at harassing my foes from a distance with PK Thunder, though I have a deft hand with his yo-yo’s as well. His bat is hit or miss, but overall I really love Ness. He’s not the easiest to play, but there’s nobody else really like this brawler, other than his echo Lucas, of course.

I may not be a fan of Monster Hunter, but I do like giant monsters. And Rathalos certainly qualifies. This Assist Trophy will attack with its massive wings and rain fiery death, as well as stunning brawlers with a devastating roar. Sounds like fun for whoever unleashes this nasty critter.

Yoshi is one of my favorite series, specifically Yoshi’s Island, so I love getting more music from Mario’s favorite steed. Now we’re getting his Main Theme from Yoshi’s New Island in Ultimate. Composed by Shota Kageyama, it’s very light and upbeat, full of energy. Also new this week is the Fortress Boss music from Super Mario Bros. 3. By contrast, this is dire and dramatic music, befitting the challenging battles in that game. This one is composed by Akihiro Honda, and it’s sure to be a hit for fans. To listen to both songs, just click here.

If you also loved Super Mario Odyssey, you’ll be happy to see this new stage in Ultimate. This one is none other than New Donk City Hall. By touching a musician, they’ll play some music in the background. Additionally, Mayor Pauline will make a cameo. Not sure if there’s any hazards in the stage, but it still looks fun.

While the more chauvinistic gamer might think a pretty, pink princess is a lame fighter, they couldn’t be farther from the truth with Peach. Sure, she’s delicate, but she also swings a mighty golf club. Her aerial combat is incredible as well, rivaling even that of Ness. Plus it never hurts having a veggie projectile handy to keep foes at bay or a Toad to deflect attacks. And don’t even get me started on how dangerous her bodacious booty is! Peach is a fantastic brawler, and one of my mains. I can’t wait to play the princess once more in Ultimate.

I don’t like Fox and Falco is an ass. So you might think I hate Wolf as well, but you couldn’t be more wrong. Wolf is the only Star Fox character I enjoy, mostly because he’s a bit heftier and hits a little harder. I always felt like I was walking on marbles controlling the other two, and Wolf has the added distinction of being more interesting cause he’s a bad boy. I’m quite glad Wolf is back after 10 years, and hope he’s still a blast to play.

Though I do feel there’s too many reps from Fire Emblem, that doesn’t mean I don’t like Ike. He’s a bit tougher than Marth, and I like how hard hitting his attacks are. Plus all the magical fire and muscles don’t hurt.

You can’t not love King Dedede. He’s just so jolly and silly, though he does swing a nasty hammer. Being a heavy character with amazing recovery certainly doesn’t hurt. Best of all, I love how his Final Smash has been completely redone, as his grudge match smash looks a lot better than his previous one.

Final Destination is nothing new, but I have to admit I really love the new visual design. It looks a lot more dynamic than it used to, which is great since this stage is so popular competitively. You don’t really need hazards here, though I’m glad other stages have them. I’ll be curious to see if there’s a story reason Final Destination has this new sexy design in Ultimate.

I really loved the Alolan variants in Sun and Moon, so I’m happy to see another make their way to Smash! Alolan Exeggutor does his level best to be a pain in the butt, and separates the stage into two halves. You can still climb his giant neck though, in case you’re eager to get another KO.

Next up, keep reading for a new Most Wanted Brawler!

Most Wanted Brawler

Shantae

If you know me, you’ve probably known this was coming for a while now. I absolutely adore the spunky genie girl Shantae, and have been a fan since I played Risky’s Revenge on my DS. I feel this series has been getting better with almost every iteration, improving on details big and large. Having said that, my favorite Shantae game isn’t Half-Genie Hero, but rather Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse. Which is why I would hope that iteration of Shantae is the one that potentially makes it to Smash Bros. Ultimate.

There’s another reason I feel this would be the best Shantae in a fighting game. Much as I love her genie magic and transformations, Sakurai has made it clear he doesn’t like characters that transform into another one. He split up Samus as well as Zelda for that reason. The only real exception is Pokémon Trainer, but that is a bit different. But that doesn’t mean this genie girl would be helpless. She would have access to Risky’s purloined pirate gear! She could use her enormous hat to hover, dash forward with a scimitar, use a cannon for a double jump, fire pistol shots and even use Pike Balls to deflect attacks. On top of that, she could whip foes with her powerful ponytail.

For a Final Smash, I could see Shantae calling in a favor from her frenemy Risky Boots. She would summon her mighty battalion and fire cannonballs all over the stage, devastating any foolish enough to be caught in its radius. I honestly think Shantae would make an amazing brawler, and hope Sakurai and company feel the same. Be sure to tune in next time for another brand new Smashing Saturdays, and count the days until Ultimate releases in December!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 65: September 3-8, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

While it’s true the majority of last week’s posts were just Direct rehash, there was one nugget that was new, and that was the reveal of Abra. This Psychic pokémon was shown off in previous trailers, but we got some concrete details this time. In the Pokémon games, everybody knows Abra doesn’t attack, all he does is teleport away from harm. Well, in Ultimate he’ll instead teleport you INTO harm! He might even teleport you off the stage. Sounds like fun to me!

To recap the rest of last week, I’ll just be showing off a series of character videos.

More proof that Richter is the best of the Belmonts!

Chrom may be a mere echo, but he still has style and swagger to spare.

Dark Samus is an echo, but she’s a really sexy and dangerous one. Definitely my favorite of these new clone characters. Now that we’re all caught up, let’s move onto this week’s posts.

This week started with everybody’s favorite serial killer, Villager! This highly technical fighter is one I don’t personally play that often, since excelling with him requires tilts that I’m just not good at. However, his eclectic range of special moves makes him an interesting brawler, and one I’m happy to have back.

Sure, Dark Pit is the bad version, but he’s still the one I prefer. And it’s not just cause he’s a rebel, it’s cause his attacks hit harder, and his decreased speed makes him easier to control than regular Pit. Plus, there’s just something endearing about fallen angels.

There’s a lot of great music from Fire Emblem, but this next song is the first one to show up in Smash from Fire Emblem Heroes. Which is perhaps why I’m not super enthusiastic about it. Sure, not every song from Fire Emblem can be a sweeping dramatic melody, but this one just feels particularly bland. To see what I mean, just click here.

Togedemaru may be just another Pikachu clone, but in Smash Bros he looks to pack quite a punch. Granted, he’s not exactly new, since he was in the Wii U and 3DS versions of the game, but he looks even more powerful this time around. Electroshock therapy is good for the soul, right?

Every generation of Smash has one weirdo character, and Duck Hunt was most assuredly the one from the last generation. It’s one of those characters that makes you scratch your head, but which somehow just works. Or at least it does for a few of my friends, who can absolutely devastate me as Duck Hunt. This dynamic duo is even more packed with dangerous explosives than Snake, and that’s saying something…

Sure, you can make fun of his name, or the way he dresses, or his haughty demeanor, but I still love Alucard. Symphony of the Night made a dramatic impact on me as a young gamer, and I’m glad he managed to show up in Smash Bros, even if it’s just as an Assist Trophy. That said, he looks to really put the hurt on foes with his sword, and I love that he will transform into a bat to charge at far off foes. Sure I’d prefer if he was playable, but I’m not complaining.

Character of the Week

Donkey Kong

Though King K. Rool recently revitalized my interest in the Donkey Kong Country series, I’ve been a fan of the big banana for a while now. That wasn’t always the case, though. DK is tricky to play, since he’s slow and has no projectiles. But despite being a big brute, he’s surprisingly nimble. Once I learned to roll and punch, he became a lot more fun. When you factor in his devastating grabs and punches, he goes into a category all his own. I learned to start enjoying DK in Brawl, and really grew to like him on the Wii U / 3DS version (which still needed a subtitle, but I digress). It’s my fervent hope that he’s even more fun in Ultimate, and the fact he has a new Final Smash doesn’t hurt at all. I wasn’t a fan of his musical Final Smash, and the way he unloads with punch after punch now looks amazing. Sure, he still doesn’t have any ranged attacks, but that doesn’t mean he’s not worth playing.

Thanks again for your patience, and please be sure to return for the latest Smashing Saturdays the first Saturday after PAX West is all over. I’ll be sure to have an extra special installment for everybody!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 64: August 20-25, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

I admit that when I saw Samus earlier this week, I did half expect some exciting Metroid news in Smash Bros. And while I was technically right, I was missing the forest for the trees. That said, Samus looks to continue being a bad ass bounty hunter that I am completely ill equipped to main. Her devastating tilts and explosive weaponry makes her a force to be reckoned with.

Speaking of explosives, the Bomber item was the last regular reveal before the floodgates opened on Wednesday. This new item is held up by players and within a few seconds a massive explosion shatters the field. The farther away you are from the center of the explosion, the less damage you’ll take, so speedy brawlers should have an advantage. Now let’s begin parsing through all the crazy reveals that happened during the Nintendo Direct!

Any Direct that starts with this is already wonderful

The Direct started with a fantastic trailer showing a terrified Luigi wandering through a mysterious castle. Turns out it had some familiar monsters in it, and it quickly became apparent that Luigi wasn’t in any old castle, he was in Dracula’s Castle itself! Yes, the one from Castlevania, much to my utter shock. The castle itself looked amazing in both the trailer and as a new stage in Smash Bros. Ultimate.

In this iconic stage, which is the darkest of any in the Smash series, you’ll be assaulted by famous foes from the Castlevania franchise, such as Medusa, Death, Werewolf and much more. Oh and did I mention some 30+ songs from the franchise will play while you’re fighting in the stage? There’s even certain conditions under which the dark lord himself, Dracula, will make an appearance. But it wouldn’t be Castlevania without a Belmont, and now two are gracing Ultimate!

We not only get the mighty Simon Belmont, we also are getting his Echo variant, Richter! While Castlevania purists will no doubt go with the whip wielding macho man, I grew up loving Symphony of the Night, so I’ll be picking Richter. Both Belmonts wield the mighty Vampire Killer, as well as the boomeranging Cross, Holy Water and Axe. The reveal of these two amazing characters would have been enough to cement this as an incredible Direct, but they weren’t done there.

Fans of Fire Emblem Awakening have been clamoring for Chrom for a while now, just as fans of Metroid Prime have been clamoring for Dark Samus. The good news is, both are now coming to Ultimate. The bad news? They’re only Echo characters. That said, they both look pretty great, and it sounds like they may have slight differences from their source material. I personally am more disappointed Chrom is a clone, since he could have easily been the first Fire Emblem rep to wield a lance instead of a sword. But I really can’t complain about such awesome additions to a game already bursting with cool content. But there’s one more great character reveal that had me jumping for joy!

Large and in charge!

Much as I am a Castlevania fanboy and love Simon and Richter, and much as I appreciate Chrom and Dark Samus coming to Ultimate, I was honestly most excited for the reveal of King K. Rool. Why, you ask? Well, for one thing, I loved the Donkey Kong Country series back in the SNES days. For another, I always like more villains in Smash Bros. And finally, if we can’t get another Kong in Smash like Dixie, I’ll gladly take the filthy lizard king. Oh, and did I mention I actually voted for the King back when Bayonetta won the vote for the Wii U / 3DS Smash Bros?

Proof of my dedication to King K. Rool

Not only does K. Rool use his trademark Blunderbuss and toss his regal Crown, he also has a counter move, making him a diverse character. Best of all, his Final Smash involves his mechanical weapon of mass destruction, the Blast-O-Matic! I was already beyond happy that Ridley was playable, but now that I have two of my favorite diabolical lizards? I’m ecstatic. But wait, there’s more to cover from the Direct!

On top of all the great new characters, we also got some new Assist Tropies. Alucard is here from Symphony of the Night, and uses his trademark tricks such as turning into Mist and slashing foes with his mighty Crissagrim. There is also the devastating Moon from the Zelda series as as new Assist Trophy, along with my stalwart ally Shovel Knight! (Guess he’s not gonna be playable after all.) They even announced two new pokémon, the amorphous Ditto and the delightfully creepy Mimikyu!

With regard to new items, they focused on a couple, Death’s Scythe and the Ramblin’ Evil Mushroom. The Scythe will instantly KO foes who have taken significant damage, while the Mushroom will reverse the controls of the characters unlucky enough to be afflicted by it.

They also announced some new modes, such as Smashdown, where the characters you pick one round can’t be played during the following rounds, as well as the Stage Morph feature, which randomly changes between two stages you select during battle. Best of all, they fixed Tournament Mode from the last Smash Bros. game, as now you can play against humans or CPU, so you’re not forced to just play online. And one last curious reveal was the Rathalos from Monster Hunter. Curiously, they revealed he can be an ally as well as a boss, but the Direct didn’t specify where. And usually, if there’s a stage, there’s a playable character it belongs to. Which leads me to my next installment of Most Wanted Brawler!

Most Wanted Brawler

Monster Hunter Edition

Since this was such an unusual week for Smash Bros. Ultimate, it’s only fitting this Smashing Saturdays has a somewhat different Most Wanted Brawler. Normally I would focus on one specific character, but this week has two possibilities. Because I felt Sakurai was playing so coy with the Rathalos during the Direct, I am strongly speculating that one of the next new representatives to Ultimate will be from the popular Monster Hunter series. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the really popular game series that show up on Nintendo systems have a very good chance of getting playable characters in Smash. But the tricky thing with Monster Hunter is that in general there is no real main character. As such, I’ll offer a couple quirky possibilities, since I know Sakurai loves crazy characters.

First, let’s get the stranger option out of the way. While there aren’t truly any iconic characters in Monster Hunter, the Felyne race comes pretty close. I mean, bipedal cat creatures have a way of catching your attention. Armed with weapons and armor and equipped with feline grace, I can see a lot of possible ways that a Felyne could make a splash as a brawler. But the next option is a bit more likely, in my book.

Monster Hunter Stories was one game in the franchise that actually had a plot and a main character, Lute. This chipper young Rider had a thirst for adventure and many loyal beasts at his disposal. He could even potentially ride one into battle in Smash, or perhaps utilize them for special attacks or his Final Smash. Lute also is a warrior at heart, and could likely make use of varied weapons to attack his foes. Either way, if Monster Hunter was to get a rep in Ultimate, I’d love to see either of these happen.

Thanks again for joining us for such a crazy week of Smashing Saturdays! Be sure to tune into oprainfall next week for the next edition, and you can click here to see our previous entries.

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 63: August 6-11, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

There are few things in Smash Bros. more adorable than Jigglypuff. There are also fewer deaths more infuriating than getting instantly KOed by the pink puffball’s Rest attack. The rotund pokémon looks as fiercely cute as ever, though sadly her Final Smash is still the lackluster one we’ve come to know and loathe. That said, there’s a certain glory in being able to hop 5 times in a row and bitch slap your foes.

Somebody smashed the wrong ball…

One brand spanking new item to Smash Bros. Ultimate is the aptly named Fake Smash Ball. Keen eyes will be able to note that it has an exaggerated horizontal line and avoid setting it off. Of course, that’s all academic since in the heat of battle, it’s much easier for someone to make an oopsie and set everybody on fire. Then again, it’s not like people come to play Smash Bros. cause it’s boring and predictable! The more mayhem, the better.

The latest song to make its way into the game is the Galaga Medley, composed by Yusuke Takahama. It’s a great compilation of beeps, boops and a frantic rhythm. I quite like it myself, and encourage you all to give it a listen here.

Speaking of spaceships, who else is happy to see the return of Lylat Cruise? While some of the Star Fox stages are dynamic and frankly quite stressful, I like the more mellow approach found here. Sure, there’s ships flying about blasting each other, but for the most part Lylat Cruise plays like Final Destination. So long as you don’t mind a bit of shaking and shifting, it’s a lot of fun.

It’s quite fitting that Wario is shown off this week, since his latest game, WarioWare Gold, just released for 3DS the other day. The deranged doppleganger looks to be just as crazed as usual, with his strange and diverse array of attacks and his diabolically twisted grimaces. I admit I’m glad they tweaked his Final Smash, since I could never get many kills when transformed into Wario-Man. Him splitting into multiple copies for a massive attack sounds much more interesting.

Given Bayo’s new permanent place in the Smash Bros. roster, it’s only fitting Rodin make his way to the game in some form. While I wouldn’t mind a playable version, his Assist Trophy looks pretty cool. Not only does he smash foes with his giant fists, he sometimes will provide a powerful weapon as he leaves. Fitting for his role in the Bayonetta series. But that’s not all! Keep on reading for the latest Character of the Week.

Character of the Week

Peach

I started playing Peach merely to prove my friends wrong when they said she was a useless character. And I admit, it took me a while to get used to how she plays. But once I grasped her floaty nature was more of a benefit than a hindrance, I really took a shine to the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. Combined with her neverending cache of vegetable projectiles and her powerful assortment of blunt instruments, I quickly went from slightly impressed to maining Peach and haven’t looked back since. The mighty pink powerhouse is an absolute joy to play, holding her own with the mightiest of warriors. It’s all about dodging when you need to, avoiding when you can and harassing foes when they least expect it. And never forget, a tennis racket is just as mighty a weapon as a sword when used properly!

Thanks again for joining us on this Smashing Saturdays installment! Be sure to tune in next week for the latest, and just click here to see previous episodes.

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 62: July 30-August 4, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

I have to admit, I’m a little surprised that Mii Fighter is making it to Ultimate. Yes, I know that Sakurai said everybody is back, but bear with me for a second. Mii Fighter is very much a relic of the Wii U and 3DS Mii functionality. Much as I loved the possibilities for creating fun characters they represent, I’m not entirely sure how they will play out in Ultimate. I truly hope we will still be able to make custom Mii avatars to pair with Brawler/Swordfighter/Gunner (in the 3DS Smash I had such Mii Fighters as Cee Lo Green and Ron Perlman, for example), but I’m not sure if that will happen. That said, I have high hopes for Mii Fighter in Smash Bros. Ultimate, especially since they will have 12 different voice options.

Okay unpopular opinion time – I’m not a huge fan of Breath of the Wild. Don’t get me wrong, it does a lot of tremendous things and it was a great early showpiece for the power of the Switch, but I don’t want an open ended experience in my Zelda. That’s a lesson I learned in Link Between Worlds, which was easily my most disappointing Zelda game in quite some time. However, I also learned a while ago that the Zelda stages which show up in Smash are pretty great, and here’s another in Great Plateau Tower. The stage will fall apart as you battle, which is sure to provide some opportunities for mischief. And you can’t really argue with that scenic backdrop, which makes this a good addition to Ultimate.

Are you ready for more unpopular opinions? Here’s one! I don’t like F-Zero. At all. The reason is simply that I’m horrible at racing games, and I prefer them to have weapons to help mix things up, such as in Mario Kart. That said, even I can acknowledge that the F-Zero series is iconic. So it’s nice to get another song from it in F-ZERO Medley. Composed by Takenobu Mitsuyoshi, it is a truly dynamic and energetic song, and it even has some unexpected singing. To listen to the song, just click here.

I’m really glad to see the return of Princess Peach’s Castle. Not just cause the pink powerhouse is one of my mains (though she is), but because it was a fun and unique stage. I loved using Banzai Bill to my advantage and hitting the switches to make make block spewing items appear. Plus it just brings back good memories from Melee. Here’s hoping they even found a way to add a couple more twists to this iconic stage.

Oh R.O.B., you’re such a naughty robot. He does a great job of representing the “any character can appear in Smash Bros.” ethos. While he’s not my best character by a long stretch, I do like his various projectiles, such as the Gryo, and his devastating Robo Beam. When you factor in his amazing flight skills and his twirling deflection Arm Rotor, he’s a robot with potential. But that’s not all for this week’s character bios. I now invite you all to…

…SHOW ME YOUR MOVES! Yea, I know, I said I hated F-Zero, but there’s still something oddly charming about the good Captain. Captain Falcon is just such a strange character, with his flamboyant tight suit and fiery punches and kicks. That said, I still hate him, but not cause he’s horrible. I hate Captain Falcon because he usually decimates me with his fiery hug of death. Here’s hoping I can even the score in Smash Bros. Ultimate.

But that’s not all! Please join me below for a very special Most Wanted Brawler!

Most Wanted Brawler

Dun dun dun!

I warned you that this was coming! And I make good on my threats… er, my promises. All jokes aside though, I really think Slippy Toad deserves a spot in Smash Bros. Ultimate. Sure, Falco is cooler, Fox is faster and Wolf is meaner, but Slippy still has a lot going for himself. Unlike Lombardi, he’s a childhood friend of Fox. He’s a master inventor, having created things you may have heard of such as the Landmaster tank, the Arwing, the Blue Marine and even the selfsame Reflector used by Fox and Falco. Sure he’s not the most aggressive of the Star Fox crew, and he’s a bit of a klutz, but that shouldn’t make him ineligible. Frankly, I can see Slippy’s quirks making him a more interesting character, not less. Take his goofy antics, for instance. I can imagine turning those into an asset. Given his name, how amazing would it be if Slippy was the only brawler who actually could trip? Now imagine if that trip was beneficial, causing Slippy to crash head first into foes, dealing damage to any unfortunate brawler in his way? As for his technical expertise, while he could certainly use the same tools as Fox, Falco and Wolf, imagine if he could put his engineering skills to good use and amplify them? Much like Cloud, perhaps Slippy could spend time tinkering, and depending on his current level, his attacks would gain new attributes, such as his blaster shots becoming wider or Fire Fox leaving a blazing trail of flames, or even his Deflector randomly deflecting enemy blasts to enemies distant from Slippy. As for his Final Smash, I could see that going a couple different ways. They could take a page from Star Fox Guard and change the screen to a first person view, transforming all the other characters into tiny bipedal robots. Then Slippy could aim the targeting reticle and blast them away. The other possibility I could see for his Final Smash would be Slippy attacking all foes with some gargantuan mecha he specially invented for Ultimate, laying waste to them and making the Landmaster Smash look tame by comparison. Either way, I really hope Slippy makes his way into Ultimate, even if it’s as a DLC character.

So that’s it for this week’s Smashing Saturdays! Thanks again for joining us. Chime in below and let us know what you think about my vision of Slippy as a playable brawler, and tune in next Saturday for the next installment.

To see more of the most recent Smashing Saturdays, you can click here!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 61: July 23-28, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

With the announcement of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate at E3 2018, our very own Editor-In-Chief Josh Speer has restarted his Smashing Saturdays! column that will run on Saturdays (when else?) up until (and possibly after!) the game is released in December 7, 2018.

In each Smashing Saturdays! article, Josh will be covering the latest characters, trophies, music, items, and any other sort of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate announcements that Nintendo delivers! There will also be reoccurring segments, such as Josh’s Most Wanted Brawler, where he will explain who he thinks should be joining the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster, and why.

So be sure to bookmark this page (we will be updating it weekly) to keep up with all the news!

You can preorder Super Smash Bros. Ultimate NOW for the Nintendo Switch here!

THE LATEST SMASHING SATURDAYS!

Smashing Saturdays! (Week of October 22-27, 2018)

In this week’s installment, Josh looks at the new character videos for Luigi and Pac-Man, the strangeness of Ditto as a Pokéball spawn, the remix of Lost Painting from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night as a game soundtrack, a new assist trophy from Swapnote (remember that?), and Josh reveals his Character of the Week!

Smashing Saturdays! Archive (In Reverse Order)

Smashing Saturdays! (Week of October 15-20, 2018)

Josh goes in deep on the new videos for Shulk, Cloud, and Palutena, Marshadow’s Pokéball item appearance, the introduction of music from the NES-classic Mega Man 2, the return of the Green Greens stage from the Kirby franchise, and Josh reveals a Character of the Week that has been a long-time fan favorite!

Smashing Saturdays! (Week of October 8-13, 2018)

Fresh back from covering a convention in New York City, Josh takes a fresh look at the new character videos for Sheik, Greninja, Fox, Wii Fit Trainer, and Dr. Mario, the new assist trophy for Cap’n (Animal Crossing) and Zero (Mega Man), new music from Tomodachi Life and Fire Emblem, the Saffron City battle stage’s return from the very first Smash title and the Boxing Ring (and its alternative version) stage, the Pokéball item weirdness of Mimikyu, and Josh reveals a most unexpected Most Wanted Brawler.

Smashing Saturdays! (Week of September 24-29, 2018)

Josh goes over the two new character videos for Lucina and Lucario, the new Death Scythe weapon, the Moon from The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask as an assist trophy, new music and a returning classic stage, and yet another Most Water Fighter from a classic third-party Wii franchise.

Smashing Saturdays! (Week of September 17-22, 2018)

Josh looks at the latest character videos for Isabelle, Ganondorf, and Pikachu, how Shovel Knight functions as an assist trophy, music from Animal Crossing and the classic Onett stage coming into the game, and announcing a very LARGE Fighter of the Week.

Smashing Saturdays! (Week of September 10-15, 2018)

Josh discusses the latest videos for Bowser, Toon Link, and Ryu, the return of the Pikmin Main Theme and the Ice Climber’s stage ‘Summit’, about how Isabelle is the newest announced fighter…and how Yoshi is the latest Fighter of the Week!

Smashing Saturdays! (Week of September 3-September 8, 2018)

Josh gives his experiences playing as Ridley during the Super Smash Ultimate demo presented at PAX West, goes over the new character videos for Ness, Peach, Wolf, Ike, and King Dedede, talks about the Main Theme from Yoshi’s Story being included alongside two new stages, and presents his new Most Wanted Brawler.

Smashing Saturdays! (Week of August 20-August 25, 2018)

After a week-long hiatus, Josh is back to talk about the new character videos for Richter, Chrom, Dark Samus, Villager, Dark Pit, and Duck Hunt, a new song from Fire Emblem Heroes, and Josh spotlights a new Character of the Week

Smashing Saturdays! (Week of August 6-August 11, 2018)

With the Nintendo Direct this week that focused exclusively on Super Mash Bros. Ultimate, Josh discusses the character video for Samus, the character additions from the Castlevania franchise, the surprise announcements of King K. Rool, Chrom, and Dark Samus, new assist trophies and game modes…and Josh recommends a new Most Wanted Brawler to join the fight. 

Smashing Saturdays! (Week of July 30-August 4, 2018)

In the midst of Evolution 2018, Josh looks at the character videos for Jigglypuff and Wario, the brand-new Fake Smash Ball item, a new song, the return of the classic Lylat Cruise stage, Rodin’s assist trophy…and a classic character takes center stage as the Character of the Week.

Smashing Saturdays! (Week of July 23-28, 2018)

Josh examines the latest character videos for Mii Fighters, R.O.B., and Captain Falcon; a new F-Zero soundtrack piece; two new stages…and recommends a very unexpected new addition for the Smash roster.

Smashing Saturdays! (Week of July 16-21, 2018)

Josh explores the latest character videos for Pichu, Bowser Jr., Bewear’s addition as a new Pokémon to the game, and restarts his featured Smash Character of the Week.

Smashing Saturdays! (Week of July 9-14, 2018)

Josh takes a look at the latest character videos released for Marth, Mega Man, Kirby and Pit, reveals the latest Pokémon and music announcements, and continues his Most Wanted Brawler segment with yet another surprise indie character.

Smashing Saturdays! (Week of July 2-7, 2018)

Josh explores the new character videos for Sonic the Hedgehog, Falco, Young Link, Pokémon Trainer, a couple new assist trophies, and restarts his Most Wanted Brawler segment with an indie character that has been incredibly popular since his debut.

Smashing Saturdays! (Week of June 25-30, 2018)

Josh goes over the new character videos for Corrin, Snake, and Donkey Kong, a soundtrack addition from Snipperclips, and a few new assist trophies (including one from a Famicon-exclusive game, Joy Mecha Fight).

Smashing Saturdays! Returns (Post-E3 2018 Edition)

In this special Post-E3 Edition of Smashing Saturdays!, the series returns with a look at the character videos for Mario, Link, and Ice Climbers, a Splatoon soundtrack addition, the Bomberman Assist Trophy…and of course, the surprise announcement of Ridley.

Keep sticking with this page, as we will keep updating it weekly through the release of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on December 7, 2018!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Master List (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) appeared first on oprainfall.

The one downside to bringing back every brawler is that we get the odd ducks like Pichu. Don’t get me wrong, I love how adorable the little pre-evolved pokémon is, but god was he difficult to play as. What with his own attacks damaging him and all. But it’s still kind of nice to have the little weirdo back after 17 years. Here’s hoping they’ve buffed him a little as well as giving him a snazzy Final Smash.

While the next stage has previously been revealed, it’s still good to cover a level from both Splatoon games. Yes, Moray Towers is finally in Smash Bros. Ultimate. I wasn’t sure how such a huge stage would translate to the game, but they smartly turned it into a vertical slice of an otherwise sprawling stage. Best of all? Judd and Li’l Judd will raise a flag to indicate who is currently dominating the match. Sounds like crazy fun to me!

One nice thing about all the returning fighters from past Smash Bros. games is they bring with them their stages and music! There’s not many franchises represented much like Metal Gear Solid, after all. So it’s great that Snake Eater from Metal Gear Solid 3 is making the cut for Ultimate. It’s been arranged by Nobuko Toda, and it’s a good mix of suspense and drama. You can listen to it by clicking here.

One of the most iconic stages from Mega Man history is back, none other than Wily Castle! Better yet, this new and improved version features hazards from both the Wii U and 3DS versions of Smash Bros. Which means it’s gonna be an absolutely brutal and madcap stage to play in. Here’s hoping Yellow Devil isn’t too much of a hard ass this time around…

I’m so glad that Bowser Jr. made it to Smash Bros. Yes, he was in the last one too, but he’s just such a great and unique character. The fact they incorporated the Clown Car into his entire moveset is just icing on a delicious cake. Granted I’m not very adept at playing as him, but I am still glad Bowser’s devious toddler can join the Smash Bros. fun.

There’s a new pokémon in Smash Bros. Ultimate, and he’s equal parts adorable and terrifying. Yes, none other than the death hug demanding Bewear is here, and this pink and cuddly monster has a mean uppercut for brawlers. I love the huge variety of pokémon available in the game already, and with new additions constantly coming in, Ultimate is gonna be a blast.

But that’s not all this week! Join me below with the return of Character of the Week!

Character of the Week

I loved Fire Emblem Awakening, as did many gamers. Part of that was because of how it breathed new life into the then struggling Fire Emblem series, but I also liked it because of how you got the opportunity to make your own avatar hero. Robin may not have been the most well defined hero in the long running series for obvious reasons, but he / she brought a decidedly unique playstyle to the Smash Bros. series. While most representatives from FE are sword wielding bad asses, Robin relies on magic primarily. Sure, Robin has a sword, but it’s a magical lightning sword. Key difference. Plus, managing all of Robin’s temporary attacks smartly and being able to survive til they recharge is part of the fun. I can easily say Robin is my favorite Fire Emblem character in Smash, even though I do like how strange Corrin is. While I wouldn’t consider Robin one of my 1st tier mains, there is definitely a place for him / her on my 2nd tier main stable (yes, I play way too many characters in Smash). I really hope they’re not the last characters to grace Ultimate from the storied tactical RPG series, though. Given how there is this thing called the Weapon Triangle, it would be lovely to get some axe or spear wielding brawlers into the game, or even something crazy like a Pegasus Knight. But we’ll just have to wait and see if that actually happens.

Thanks again for joining us on your Saturday! Be sure to tune in next time for a brand spanking new edition of Smashing Saturdays!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 60: July 16-21, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.

Of course they would start with my most loathed swordsman, the blue bastard named Marth. Don’t get me wrong, I love Fire Emblem, but in Smash he just happens to be a counter to my favorite types of brawlers. The ones that have a great distance / keep away game but aren’t great up close and personal, such as Ness and Peach. When you add his devastating reach (despite having no ranged attacks) and his counter, you have one mean customer. Thankfully I think we all can agree the next brawler is much better.

You can’t hate Kirby. He’s just so cuddly, wholesome and adorable! At least on the surface. In reality, he’s a soul devouring, planet gobbling pink machine of pain, which is perhaps why I love him so much. He’s more than he appears on the surface, and his fighting style is very much a one of a kind. How many other fighters can turn into a fireball or a stone statue, as well as wielding a hammer and sword? Plus, in Smash Bros. Ultimate, it looks like his Stone ability has at least one new transformation! It’s good to be Kirby.

Next up this week they unveiled more music in the form of the Mega Man 4 Medley. Arranged by Jun Senoue, it is distinctly not what one would expect from the classic series. It’s still a great song to listen to, and you can do so by clicking here.

Surf that sweet wave!

I’m not a big fan of Electric type Pokémon, but they made me a believer in Sun / Moon with the Alolan variant of Raichu. This sweet guy was not only incredibly fast but also cute as a button, and fierce as a thunderstorm. Now he’s making his way to Smash, where he rides his tail and rushes the enemy! Nothing like bringing fantastic Pokémon from all generations to the latest and greatest Smash Bros. game!

Excited as I am now for Ridley in Ultimate, I was equally excited last time when they unveiled the Blue Bomber himself, Mega Man! While that fervor has dimmed somewhat, I still enjoy this classic hero being a brawler, even if I’m admittedly not amazing playing as him. I even hoped his special attacks might get switched out for new ones from his games, but alas that doesn’t look to be the case. On the plus side, now Bass and Proto Man join his Final Smash, making it even more entertaining.

I barely knew who Pit was until Kid Icarus Uprising, and then I became a pretty big fan, only for that game to never get a sequel. Regardless, he lives on in Smash, and this well rounded angel is a pretty tough character. He has range, counters and he can fly. Even if you don’t love the Kid Icarus series, he’s an easy character to get used to playing. Plus his new Final Smash looks pretty darn sweet.

But that’s not all this Saturday! Join me for another edition of Most Wanted Brawler!

Most Wanted Brawler

Weren’t expecting this, were you?

I know, you all thought this would be Shantae or Slippy, didn’t you? Well, I love to surprise people, and I also love coming up with representatives from beloved indies that would do a great job representing Smash Bros.! I think Dot from Steamworld Dig 2 would be a fitting new character for a few reasons. For one, I love robots, so the more the merrier. For another, we could always use more female brawlers to even things out. Sure, we have divas like Peach, Samus, Zelda and Rosalina, but that’s pretty much it (unless you only play Wii Fit Trainer, Robin and Corrin as a woman). Another thing that would be great about Dot is that she’s armed with a pickaxe. Potentially this could be a really fun weapon, especially if it could be used to dig underground and pop up to surprise opponents. But that’s not all she has at her disposal. She could place Pressure Bombs to surprise foes, or whip out her Jackhammer to wail on them or even get around with her handy Hook Shot (it’s not just for Link anymore!). While I’m not sure what her Final Smash would be, I still maintain Dot would be a great addition to Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Thanks again for joining us, and tune in next Saturday for the latest Smashing Saturdays!

The post Smashing Saturdays! Week 59: July 9-14, 2018 appeared first on oprainfall.