3rd Party "Legendaries" Thread

[Raetah]

yeah theres a serious drop off when it comes to Legendary characters and iconic

characters like say Pac-Man or Lara Croft i would consider legendary characters. but others like Cloud, Banjo Kazooie or Bomberman i'd say fall more into the iconic category. but this can all be debated heavily.

So you are saying that Cloud, one of the most popular characters in one of longest best-selling franchises is not legendary, but Lara Croft is. sigh...

What everyone seems to forget about Smash is that it isn't just "Famous Video Game Character Fighting Game", it is about NINTENDO'S history. It doesn't matter how important a character is to gaming overall, it is about how they are important to NINTENDO'S history, a reason I don't find Snake especially deserving; and, before whoever it is says "BUT WARIO, DERE ARE LIKE THREE WHOLE GAMES ON NINTENDO CONSOLES, AND TWO OF THOSE ARE ONES THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY REMEMBER", having games does not equal importance. Snake is an icon, sure, I can get on board with that, I guess. But what does he have to do with Nintendo? Besides Brawl, two recent games. Two. One for the GameCube, and another for the 3DS. Both were remakes. Whoopee.

But I digress. A character being legendary to video gaming in general does not make them a "fit" for Smash. Sonic is a fit because he and Mario were huge rivals back in the day, but now he's doing his best work on Nintendo consoles and moving ****ing product. Sonic sells the best on Nintendo's consoles, and Sonic Colors, despite only being on the Wii, outsold Sonic Generations, a game that was, not only hyped through the roof, but also across several consoles (not including the Wii), to drive the point home.

Megaman "fits" because pretty much the only Megaman games that anyone cares about anymore were back on the NES. That's the Megaman everyone remembers; the one that fought through Wily's Castle to that badass song back when all we had were A, B, Start, Select, and a D-Pad. Megaman's formula on the NES was so good that it basically sold the same game with different levels and abilities SIX TIMES, then allowed the Blue Bomber to branch out into other, much less successful paths.

It absolutely pains me to see people suggest garbage like Mickey Mouse. Mickey Mouse is an icon, but not one of video gaming, nor one even remotely relevant to Nintendo. Really, you could say the same thing about Pac-Man. He's important to video gaming as a whole, I suppose, but he has next-to-nothing to do with Nintendo. Remember; having games on a Nintendo console does not make you important to Nintendo's history. If we're using that, then we might as well have Ezio from Assassin's Creed because there was a game on the DS, or Batman because of that ****ty 3DS port.

Smash Bros., at its heart of hearts, is a Nintendo game. It celebrates Nintendo's history, not video games in general. I think we'd all do plenty well to remember that.

Exactly, sometimes people forget this.

 

[Rasumii]

Oh no, it's definitely not as legendary as Sonic and Mega Man, they've been around and have had good relations with Nintendo more than Layton did. I just think he definitely deserves more credit then some people are giving him.

I'm also a hardcore Layton fan (Doesn't sound right...), so I'm also probably just over-selling Layton.

 

[Erotic&Heretic]

I'm also a hardcore Layton fan (Doesn't sound right...), so I'm also probably just over-selling Layton.

Well, are you a hardcore "Layton Fan" or a "Hardcore Layton" fan?

By the way, i'm not a Layton fan (only played the first game recently, and it's good!) but I really think he can add something to the game.

 

[Curious Villager]

Well personally I'm a bit more of a fan of the original Layton trilogy than the prequels so I guess I wouldn't really consider myself a "hardcore Layton fan". But I do really support Layton as my most wanted newcomer, however if he doesn't make it in (which is pretty likely I must admit) then that's okay I guess, I want him, but I'm not expecting him knowing the hurdles he must overcome first as a third party character.

At least the creator of the series is interested in having him in Smash Bros, and according to some people here, he apparently seems to be good friends with Sakurai. (Which was partly what encouraged Snake to make it into Brawl)

Also happy to hear you found the first game good, Erotic&Heretic, Curious Village was my first Layton game too. I hope you enjoy the newer games too if you decide to try them out. ^^

 

[Cheezey Bites]

Layton is borderline legendary for the DS (being alot of people's only real interest on the system), but BL tier is still not likely to get used.

I personally wouldn't call Rayman legendary, the rabbids are almost more legendary than him to be fair. He was overcast by Spyro and Crash on PS1 where he made his home, and though he's continued on, he's done so as a B-List game franchise, which is still good, but not enough for a third party to be Legendary.


Ultimately the only characters that are legendary enough in my opinion (with significant video-game appearances):

Pac-Man: SS-list at the start of video-gaming, and still a well remembered A-lister, atleast in his traditional maze-game style..
Slime: Never dropping below an S-list in Japan. Even the subseries. And the mascot to the series. Possibly even SS-List in Japan.
Chocobo: The only consistent FF element. FF hit S-list after Black Mage was phased out for the spiky haired one though.
Simon Belmont: S-list on the NES. It's rarely gone below C-list, and makes up half a genre definition [Metroidvania].
Bomberman: Never hit the S-list in my eyes, but has close enough connections to Nintendo.

Then there's a drop off but still legendary in some right:
Arle Nadja: Puyo Puyo is S-list among puzzle games, but really only puzzle games, and they're not the most popular of genre. Not gonna make it sadly.
Lara Croft: S-list again, sex symbol probably blocks her, plus PS association.
Space Invader: SS-list shoot 'em up, no move set potential though.
Jill Valentine: S-List horror games, PS association though.
Guybrush Threepwood: S-List adventure game, PC association.#
Snake: Stealth S-List, PS Association.

Ineligable:
Zerg Hydralisk: RTS S-list, no Nintendo.
Master Chief: Shooter S-list, no Nintendo.
Ryu: Fighting S-List, fighting games ineigable.
Arthas: MMO S-List, No Nintendo
Chell: Another Puzzle S-List, No Nintendo, and GLaDOS is more popular.
Mickey Mouse: SS-List, Cartoon (non-video) game origins.
Goku: Same for Anime.
Hatsune Miku: Same for audio software.
Darth Vader: Same for Movies.
Harry Potter: Same for Books.
[Insert other medium SS-List here if they happened to get a video game]
Various Sports Stars

There are a few borderlines who could potentially surprise us but really I only see the top 5 -Chocobo having a real shot. There are other games with the cultural significance, but no other characters come to mind... maybe I'm missing someone.

 

[Scoliosis Jones]

What everyone seems to forget about Smash is that it isn't just "Famous Video Game Character Fighting Game", it is about NINTENDO'S history. It doesn't matter how important a character is to gaming overall, it is about how they are important to NINTENDO'S history, a reason I don't find Snake especially deserving; and, before whoever it is says "BUT WARIO, DERE ARE LIKE THREE WHOLE GAMES ON NINTENDO CONSOLES, AND TWO OF THOSE ARE ONES THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY REMEMBER", having games does not equal importance. Snake is an icon, sure, I can get on board with that, I guess. But what does he have to do with Nintendo? Besides Brawl, two recent games. Two. One for the GameCube, and another for the 3DS. Both were remakes. Whoopee.

But I digress. A character being legendary to video gaming in general does not make them a "fit" for Smash. Sonic is a fit because he and Mario were huge rivals back in the day, but now he's doing his best work on Nintendo consoles and moving ****ing product. Sonic sells the best on Nintendo's consoles, and Sonic Colors, despite only being on the Wii, outsold Sonic Generations, a game that was, not only hyped through the roof, but also across several consoles (not including the Wii), to drive the point home.

Megaman "fits" because pretty much the only Megaman games that anyone cares about anymore were back on the NES. That's the Megaman everyone remembers; the one that fought through Wily's Castle to that badass song back when all we had were A, B, Start, Select, and a D-Pad. Megaman's formula on the NES was so good that it basically sold the same game with different levels and abilities SIX TIMES, then allowed the Blue Bomber to branch out into other, much less successful paths.

It absolutely pains me to see people suggest garbage like Mickey Mouse. Mickey Mouse is an icon, but not one of video gaming, nor one even remotely relevant to Nintendo. Really, you could say the same thing about Pac-Man. He's important to video gaming as a whole, I suppose, but he has next-to-nothing to do with Nintendo. Remember; having games on a Nintendo console does not make you important to Nintendo's history. If we're using that, then we might as well have Ezio from Assassin's Creed because there was a game on the DS, or Batman because of that ****ty 3DS port.

Smash Bros., at its heart of hearts, is a Nintendo game. It celebrates Nintendo's history, not video games in general. I think we'd all do plenty well to remember that.

Snake isn't big to Nintendo. At least I get that (I'm assuming this was partially directed at me for my Snake rant).

Certainly, Snake is more of a gaming icon than a Nintendo icon. However, let's face the facts. If Sakurai took that as seriously as some people think, then he would have flat out told Kojima "No. Sorry Hideo, Snake is just not important enough." The only requirement of a 3rd party in regards to their history with Nintendo, is that they have at least 1 game.

Sakurai is a smart man, but he enjoys having fun with his games. He probably laughed at the idea of Snake and actually liked it, to the point of doing it for kicks. It turned out fine I think. Plus, Hideo Kojima was reasonable in his request. He didn't want to do it necessarily for the money. He did because:

1) He wanted his son to be able to play as one of his creations
2) He wanted to have younger players become familiar with MGS to expand their horizons

I think Kojima has his heart in the right place, and if those really ARE the reasons, then I think we should be expecting Snake back at this point. Snake can still fulfill that purpose even now.

Basically, all my point is, is that whether or not we think he deserves it now is moot. He already got in, and if Sakurai thinks it was a good fit, it's a good fit, and he's probably going to stay.

@ Cheezey Bites Snake is certainly more legendary than say, Bomberman. By Nintendo standards yes it's Bomberman, but by overall standards, not even close.

 

[Rasumii]

He didn't want to do it necessarily for the money. He did because:

1) He wanted his son to be able to play as one of his creations
2) He wanted to have younger players become familiar with MGS to expand their horizons

I think Kojima has his heart in the right place, and if those really ARE the reasons, then I think we should be expecting Snake back at this point. Snake can still fulfill that purpose even now.

If those are actually the reasons, I want Snake back more than ever.

 

[Cheezey Bites]

@ Cheezey Bites Snake is certainly more legendary than say, Bomberman. By Nintendo standards yes it's Bomberman, but by overall standards, not even close.

Yes, he's more legendary in some right (general gaming, and playstation obviously), but not in terms of Nintendo, I guess I didn't make my post clear, but the drop off is not in overall legndary status because then the entire top list would be Mario, Pikachu, Pac-Man and Slime, no-one else would get a look in.. not even the characters already in the game.

Those legendary enough to potentially deserve a spot smash are in the top 5, those that are legendary and have the requirements are below. There are obviously other factors, such as Kojima, that can push a character who doesn't really deserve the spot into the game, but we can't predict those properly.



That said reading my list I needed to add a WoW character [Arthas has been added to the list]. And maybe make a Hydralisk Support thread .

 

[Megadoomer]

If those are actually the reasons, I want Snake back more than ever.

Yep! He's quoted as saying that in an interview done in 2012.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/19/thank-kojimas-son-for-getting-snake-into-smash-bros-brawl/

 

[Pacack]

I've yet to see the sources that says they must be legendary. I'm taking it on face here.

It was in one of Sakurai's interviews from right after E3. I can find it if you'd like. But I have never seen any evidence that a character must have originated on a video game console, and, whenever I ask for a source, I never get one. If you would be willing to find me a source, I'll drop it.

Disney won't want their main mascot getting his *** whooped by Nintendo fighters. He isn't going to get in. Probably ever.

I think it's fair to say that after Sonic, Megaman, Snake, and Pac-Man, there is a pretty reasonable drop off for "legendary" video game characters. I mean...Bomberman, Rayman and other are surely iconic...but legendary? They're not even close to any of the previous 4.

Before you say, "Snake isn't legendary", I'm going to tell you right now, that yes he is. MGS revolutionized the stealth genre blah blah i've been over this 24,863 times.

The arguments against Snake coming back are irrelevant. If his affiliation with Sony was a big enough problem, that would have stopped him in Brawl. If Sakurai didn't think he would fit, he wouldn't have gotten in Brawl. Not to mention whether or not the fans think he fits or not doesn't matter, because Sakurai did, and what he says goes. So that's that in this point.

MGS V is coming out for other systems, but not a Nintendo platform. Clearly the only option is to cut Snake. It's not like MGS IV being on PS3 stopped him from getting in Brawl or even get content from a game that never appeared on a Nintendo console in their flagship crossover fighter...oh wait.

I just don't understand. Get your Nintendo purist crap outta here. Snake has Nintendo history. 3DS remake, GCN remake...games on the NES. He may not have it as good as Sonic or Megaman, but he has something.

In Smash, he was the first 3rd party, and one of the most unique characters in Smash ever. Sure, he got in because of a favor, but that doesn't discount the previous points at all.

Whatever. I'm hungry. Come at me

For the record, my putting him in "Borderline" for this list was simply due to him not being recognizable to people outside of video gaming. He still probably fits the definition of a video game legend just fine, but I'm sorting because I find this interesting. I want to figure out where Sakurai's cut off is.

It absolutely pains me to see people suggest garbage like Mickey Mouse. Mickey Mouse is an icon, but not one of video gaming, nor one even remotely relevant to Nintendo. Really, you could say the same thing about Pac-Man. He's important to video gaming as a whole, I suppose, but he has next-to-nothing to do with Nintendo. Remember; having games on a Nintendo console does not make you important to Nintendo's history. If we're using that, then we might as well have Ezio from Assassin's Creed because there was a game on the DS, or Batman because of that ****ty 3DS port.

Smash Bros., at its heart of hearts, is a Nintendo game. It celebrates Nintendo's history, not video games in general. I think we'd all do plenty well to remember that.

My suggesting and arguing Mickey Mouse is in order to get the most complete list of "legendary" characters. I'm sorry if I'm offending you at all by doing this, but it's necessary in order to get full information. Also, I'd like to thank you for mentioning Ezio. If we're being technical with this, as I am being, then he technically fits the criteria.

I'm not even going to bother with a list anymore, so there's no need to suggest characters, as I feel some are just suggesting a 3rd party for the sake of suggesting it. You may still debate on whether a character would be "legendary" it's just that I'm not going to update the OP to add or remove a character for a potential list. I'm just going to keep the ones I added as an example of possible legendaries. So that concludes my notice.

In that case, would it be possible for me to take control of this thread? I'm interested in being more thorough in my analysis; sorting characters into tiers and having people criticize and vote for my tiers before I add them to the thread in order to get the most accurate understanding possible of this. If not, I'll go ahead and create my own thread where we can do this the way I'm imagining it so we can get a fuller understanding.

I'd definitely put Layton on there. He is important enough to the DS to make it past the "Legendary border" I believe.

Well if we consider revolutionizing a genre they came from and being very close to Nintendo, then I wouldn't really exclude the Layton franchise as Curious Village was a pretty big deal when it first came out as there was no other puzzler adventure game like it at the time, even selling out all the copies quickly which Level-5 weren't even expecting it to do so and the main games have generally been really close with Nintendo. Unwound/Lost Future was also a game that really boosted its popularity and was practically a pretty big deal due to it's strong story elements when it first came out (The series overall is pretty famous for its plot as well as the creative puzzles it offers). Overall it's a very popular franchise that did really well on the DS and 3DS consoles, especially in Europe and Japan. Miracle Mask was practically even the killer app that gave the 3DS a boost in sales during the Japanese launch. Even Nintendo themselves seem to be pretty fond of the series.

However, with that said, I'm not sure if I would call the franchise "legendary" just yet, but it's definitely one of the bigger franchises that came out in more recent years. Despite it's popularity, I don't think the Layton franchise really falls anywhere near the likes of Sonic and Megaman though. :/

I'd put him at either Iconic or Borderline. What do you guys think?

 

[UltimateWario]

It was in one of Sakurai's interviews from right after E3. I can find it if you'd like. But I have never seen any
My suggesting and arguing Mickey Mouse is in order to get the most complete list of "legendary" characters. I'm sorry if I'm offending you at all by doing this, but it's necessary in order to get full information. Also, I'd like to thank you for mentioning Ezio. If we're being technical with this, as I am being, then he technically fits the criteria.

You didn't offend me. It was an exaggeration.

 

[Fire Emblemier]

In that case, would it be possible for me to take control of this thread? I'm interested in being more thorough in my analysis; sorting characters into tiers and having people criticize and vote for my tiers before I add them to the thread in order to get the most accurate understanding possible of this. If not, I'll go ahead and create my own thread where we can do this the way I'm imagining it so we can get a fuller understanding.

You can do the idea if you want, but I'd prefer it either as just a post in this thread, or you could make your own thread just for it, I really just made this just for the discussion of the legendary status and etc. rather than a compendium of possible 3rd parties, honestly. So, I'm good with being owner of the thread.

 

[Curious Villager]

I'd put him at either Iconic or Borderline. What do you guys think?

Hmm... I guess I'd put him as Iconic, I think it's popular enough that a lot of people know the series or have at least heard of it, though I doubt that every gamer knows the series well. Especially those "Hardcore gamer" types.

 

[Pacack]

You can do the idea if you want, but I'd prefer it either as just a post in this thread, or you could make your own thread just for it, I really just made this just for the discussion of the legendary status and etc. rather than a compendium of possible 3rd parties, honestly. So, I'm good with being owner of the thread.

Okay, I think I'll go ahead and create my own thread with an entirely different way of operating. It will be excessively thorough and will include as many third parties as possible.

 

[TempahRelapse]

I'd add Lara Croft as a legendary third party. She; holds a Guiness book record (not sure what), had her own theme park ride, had movie spin-offs, came from quite a unique game for its time and is considered to be if not the most successful heroine in video games (others including ms Pacman)

 

[TCT~Phantom]

Likely Third Party Characters Based on Legendariness besidesd Snake Sonic and Megaman

Pac Man: We all know who Pac Man is. Everyone does. He has been a massive video game icon since the near beginning, and has strong Nintendo ties as Namco seems to be a consistent ally of Nintendo. The TKO is that Namco is helping with the game, and Pac Man might be an added bonus on that front. The only problem with Pac Man is he is more expected then wanted, and many people oppose Pac Man for, while having moveset potential, is not to the extent of several other possible reps. Overall, I will be fine if Pac Man is in, but if he does not have a Giant 8 bit Pac Man eating power pellet based Final Smash, some skulls may be cracked.

Simon Belmont/Alucard: No, not together. Much like Megaman, Castlevania has been this large franchise that has been firmly rooted into Nintendo history. Konami, being the first Third Party to support Smash Bros, may get a second character as a reward. While Bomberman is a possibility, I feel Castlevania has permeated Nintendo and Gaming Culture more. The decision between Alucard and Simon stems from which segment of Castlevania do you wish to represent; Metroidvania, or Old School. Both have tons of moveset potential, could fit into Smash's style well, and are gaming icons. Personally, I see Simon as more likely due to his more NES roots that Alucard, who got to become a big name on the Saturn and Playstation, while being important in games like Castlevania 3 and Aria of Sorrow.

Slime: Dragon Quest is a Monster. It has a near stranglehold over RPGs in Japan and is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, games in their culture. Square Enix has been a legendary developer, and I see them getting a character as a possibility. While Final Fantasy does have difficulty pinpointing a rep, Dragon Quest has Slime as an obvious mascot and rep. The only real arguement against him I can even see is his lack of knowledge in America, but that did not stop Marth, Roy, or Lucas.

Rayman is a bit too borderline imo, though I would LOVE him in Smash...

 

[3Bismyname]

So you are saying that Cloud, one of the most popular characters in one of longest best-selling franchises is not legendary, but Lara Croft is. sigh....

nope. id call him iconic. his franchise is legendary and he's easily the most overexposed character within said franchise. but iconic is a better word for the character imo

 

[ToothiestAura]

It was in one of Sakurai's interviews from right after E3. I can find it if you'd like. But I have never seen any evidence that a character must have originated on a video game console, and, whenever I ask for a source, I never get one. If you would be willing to find me a source, I'll drop it.

I actually would like the source, because taking it on face seems stupid now. I assumed the whole "must have originated in a video game" thing came from the same article with the rest of the criteria. I've never seen any of it.

 

[StupendousMike]

Also, did Scrooge McDuck appear as a video game character or on television first, let me google this real quick.

Scrooge first appeared in comics, actually, in the 1947 story "Christmas on Bear Mountain."

His first appearance in animation was the 1967 short "Scrooge McDuck and Money."

"DuckTales" made it's debut in 1987. It's NES adaptation came two years later in 1989. Scrooge has been around for a much longer time than people only familiar with DuckTales tend to realize.

 

[StupendousMike]

Disney won't want their main mascot getting his *** whooped by Nintendo fighters. He isn't going to get in. Probably ever.

I heard somewhere that the original concept for "Dissidia" was that it was Kingdom Hearts themed, as opposed to Final Fantasy, but Disney nixed the idea of their good guys acting violent towards each other. If there's any truth to that, good luck getting Disney characters into any fighting game ever, let alone Smash.

 

[volbound1700]

Scrooge first appeared in comics, actually, in the 1947 story "Christmas on Bear Mountain."

His first appearance in animation was the 1967 short "Scrooge McDuck and Money."

"DuckTales" made it's debut in 1987. It's NES adaptation came two years later in 1989. Scrooge has been around for a much longer time than people only familiar with DuckTales tend to realize.

Don't forget his opinion in Mickey Mouse's Christmas Carol which was sin the 70s I believe. He also made some cameo in Donald Duck Cartoons.

 

[JamesDNaux]

I see some people trying to talk down Rayman, true, he isn't a legendary character like Snake, but he's certainly legendary in his own rights. He never pioneered a genre, but his games are amazing at what they do, as few of them as there are. I'd assume Smash Bros itself must be legendary right? The Rayman series as a whole, and not including the Rabbids games, has sold more than Smash Bros, Rayman is actually just under Mega Man in sales. He's also the mascot of Ubisoft, one of the biggest players in the industry, and one of the only ones supporting the Wii U at all. Now I'm not saying Rayman would get into Smash, that's something I could only dream of, but he's certainly earned the right to be called legendary in his time with us. If Mega Man is legendary, then Rayman isn't far behind.

I wish I could say the same for Banjo, RareWare was certainly legendary in it's time, and Banjo is one of their best known series, but they're dead now thanks to M$.

 

[D-idara]

Professor Layton's pretty legendary...not only because he's a Nintendo-only character, but because he has managed to build up an enormous fanbase over the short lifespan of his game series with charming stories and endearing characters :3

And god, Rayman with his Legends design and personality would be a dream come true.

 

[StupendousMike]

Don't forget his opinion in Mickey Mouse's Christmas Carol which was sin the 70s I believe. He also made some cameo in Donald Duck Cartoons.

Oh, I know. There are few things I know more about than the Disney Duck family. I was just pointing out that his first appearances in both comics and animation predate "DuckTales."

 

[JediLink]

Honestly, the only really important ones are Mega Man and Sonic and we already have both of them. I'd say the only one other than them who has a reasonable shot is Simon Belmont, because of how iconic Castlevania was for the NES (much like Mega Man), and how he's the only main character from Captain N who's not in Smash yet.

 

[Superyoshiom]

Bomber man before any of those guys

 

[Megadoomer]

Bomber man before any of those guys

The issue there is that Bomberman is now owned by Konami, so for him to get in, Konami would have to decide that he takes priority over characters like Snake (who's already been in Smash) and Simon Belmont (or Alucard, or some other Castlevania character). If Hudson was still its own company, I'd feel a lot better about his chances (especially since they were pretty close to Nintendo - they made the first 8 Mario Party games, right?).

 

[Banjodorf]

Aside from Banjo, my dream want for Smash is Simon Belmont. But I can never have nice things.

 

[volbound1700]

Pac-Man and Snake are the only other third parties that have a shot IMO. I have a feeling Snake is in it because it is quite unusual that PSABR had Raiden instead of Snake for MGS.

 

[Freduardo]

Let me tell a gaming legend:

Sonic was the mascot for a rival to Nintendo during the 16 bit era that now has stopped making systems. But there was a third system beyond the Sega Genesis and the SNES.

There was the TurboGrafx 16. It had a different Japanese game.

Does Nintendo respect this system? Enough it got virtual consol-ized.

And like Sonic to Sega and Mario to Nintendo, they had their own mascot.

Bonk.

A caveman named Bonk. He head butted dinosaurs, became an invincible rage beast who's headbutts turned dinosaurs to stone by eating meat, and climbed rock faces with his teeth.

And he also travelled into the future and became a superhero known as Airzonk, but that's a different legend.

The last planned new Bonk game was supposed to be on 3ds. Sadly this was cancelled. A tale similar to another legend known as Bomberman.

I'd love to see him.

 

[Capybara Gaming]

You know who else is truly "legendary" - Earthworm Jim. He's still popular and he started the trend of awkward humor in gaming. He revolutionized platforming - his game was about HUMOR. It contained and created the trend of cameo/parody - The toilet transporters in Level 1: New Junk City are an obvious jab at the pipes in the Mario universe.

 

[Cheezey Bites]

Started the trend? I'm pretty sure Monkey Island made that popular, and there were plenty of other adventure games with awkward humor beforehand...

 

[Thirdkoopa]

I see some people trying to talk down Rayman, true, he isn't a legendary character like Snake, but he's certainly legendary in his own rights. He never pioneered a genre, but his games are amazing at what they do, as few of them as there are. I'd assume Smash Bros itself must be legendary right? The Rayman series as a whole, and not including the Rabbids games, has sold more than Smash Bros, Rayman is actually just under Mega Man in sales. He's also the mascot of Ubisoft, one of the biggest players in the industry, and one of the only ones supporting the Wii U at all. Now I'm not saying Rayman would get into Smash, that's something I could only dream of, but he's certainly earned the right to be called legendary in his time with us. If Mega Man is legendary, then Rayman isn't far behind.

I wish I could say the same for Banjo, RareWare was certainly legendary in it's time, and Banjo is one of their best known series, but they're dead now thanks to M$.

^ this. Also the rabbid's games at least pioneered some sort of uniqueness (even though I don't like them), and the Rayman Legends/Origins games certainly helped with 4-player 2D Platforming. Ubisoft does also have an E3 showing as well. I mean, I really doubt Rayman unless Ubisoft asks or he gets a sudden amount of request for Smash 5, but it's saddening to see people who haven't played Legends/Origins.

 

[Capybara Gaming]

^ this. Also the rabbid's games at least pioneered some sort of uniqueness (even though I don't like them), and the Rayman Legends/Origins games certainly helped with 4-player 2D Platforming. Ubisoft does also have an E3 showing as well. I mean, I really doubt Rayman unless Ubisoft asks or he gets a sudden amount of request for Smash 5, but it's saddening to see people who haven't played Legends/Origins.

Rayman is a character I really love - and I'd be more than happy to see him in Smash. I honestly wish Sakurai would be a little more open to Third Parties. I'd like to see Sora/a FF rep/Slime, PacMan, Rayman, Prof. Layton, Simon, Sonic, and MM all in one smash game with Mario - that would complete my day.

 

[Freduardo]

Who owns the rights to Earthworm Jim these days? The guys behind clay fighter and boogeyman right?

 

[Megadoomer]

Who owns the rights to Earthworm Jim these days? The guys behind clay fighter and boogeyman right?

I think Interplay owns the rights to the franchise, though Gameloft (a subsidiary of Ubisoft) currently has the rights to develop, publish, and distribute Earthworm Jim games, if Wikipedia's article on the HD remake is accurate. I don't know much about rights, but I'm pretty sure that means that Interplay owns them.

 

[dimensionsword64]

The only third party I really want is Rayman, but unfortunately, I don't think he counts as legendary.

 

[Zhadgon]

Legendary status, probably only a few are left.

Ubisoft:
-) Rayman (Rayman).
-) Prince (Prince of Persia).
-) Sam Fisher (Splinter Cell).

Tecmo Koei:
-) Ryu Hayabusa (Ninja Gaiden).

Square Enix:
-) Crono (Chrono Trigger).
-) Slime (Dragon Quest).
-) Chocobo, Moogle and Black Mage(Final Fantasy).
-) Lara Croft (Tomb Raider).

Capcom:
-) Ryu and Chun-Li (Street Fighter).
-) Jill and Leon (Resident Evil).

Konami:
-) Simon Belmont (Castlevania).
-) Bomberman (Bomberman).

Activision:
-) Spyro (Spyro).
-) Crash (Crash Bandicoot).

EA:
-) Sim (The Sims).

Level-5:
-) Professor Layton (Professor Layton).

I think those are all maybe if you include characters like Cloud and Sephirot to that list, but they are not as important as the characters above for Nintendo because they only appear as cameos in Kingdom Hearts.

Rare
-) Banjo and Kazooie. (Banjo and Kazooie, if only they were not owned by Microsoft, they would appear in the list above).

.n_n.

 

[Metal_Sonic]

If they were to include a Disney character in Super Smash Bros I would pick Wreck-It Ralph.

 

[Aurora Jenny]

I think Ubisoft, Square Enix, and Level-5 are the only real candidates to be even asked..