Hippopotasauce
Smash Lord
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2013
- Messages
- 1,659
- NNID
- Hippopotasauce
Yes, Karate Joe!
...Who is he? He's a character from the Rhythm Heaven series, just like the Chorus Kids. However, unlike the Chorus Kids, he's appeared in all three Rhythm Heaven games and is one of very few mainstays to the series. He shows up in the very first minigame of the first game, along with the last minigames of the main set of the other two games. He may not be the most recognizable character to the majority of people, but to fans of Rhythm Heaven he's an icon of the series.
MOVESET + POSSIBILITIES
Yes, Karate Joe doesn't do much in his games, but that's never prevented a character from getting in before. In fact, a good amount of the newcomers this game have had movesets invented for them. Rosalina, Palutena, Villager, and Miis are all examples of this.
What I theorize is that Karate Joe can go in one two ways.
1. The entire moveset is Karate-inspired.
Some Rhythm Heaven fans have scorn for this because of how it doesn't really well-represent the entirety of the Rhythm Heaven games. This is something I understand, but with over a year of thought, I think a more traditional fighter would work better and just have more appeal than another fighter who attacks with "things" like Villager and G&W. Karate has a wide range of move to pull inspiration from, and I think it would probably end up looking aesthetically better than him fighting with a bunch of objects. However-
2. The moveset takes inspiration and objects from the different minigames in Rhythm Heaven.
This was the first idea that came to me and the one I stuck to the most. Really, it is probably the best way you could represent Rhythm Heaven as a single character and fans would love all the easter eggs they could cram into him. However, I don't believe in characters as "reps" and instead as fighters, and I just think the idea is too weird to work, and it doesn't exactly cover any new ground like a Karate moveset would. Some people may prefer this way of doing things, but I've gravitated away from it over time.
What I theorize is that Karate Joe can go in one two ways.
1. The entire moveset is Karate-inspired.
Some Rhythm Heaven fans have scorn for this because of how it doesn't really well-represent the entirety of the Rhythm Heaven games. This is something I understand, but with over a year of thought, I think a more traditional fighter would work better and just have more appeal than another fighter who attacks with "things" like Villager and G&W. Karate has a wide range of move to pull inspiration from, and I think it would probably end up looking aesthetically better than him fighting with a bunch of objects. However-
2. The moveset takes inspiration and objects from the different minigames in Rhythm Heaven.
This was the first idea that came to me and the one I stuck to the most. Really, it is probably the best way you could represent Rhythm Heaven as a single character and fans would love all the easter eggs they could cram into him. However, I don't believe in characters as "reps" and instead as fighters, and I just think the idea is too weird to work, and it doesn't exactly cover any new ground like a Karate moveset would. Some people may prefer this way of doing things, but I've gravitated away from it over time.
SPECIAL MOVES
While the standards, smashes, grabs, etc. could work whatever they decide on, there are a couple moves that I think should be in his moveset. So whether they go with the karate or the rhythm heaven-based moveset, these are the special moves I think he should have.
Standard B - Hit 3: Karate Joe punches in front of him, which sends projectiles to the opponent in a high but short arc. Holding the B button causes him to hit up to 3 total, taking about 1.5 seconds for him to hit all of them. These projectiles can also fall of the stage and hit people offstage. A pot does standard hit damage and isn't particularly special. They can also be picked up if they land on the ground, but will disappear when another pot is spawn. The second punch results in a lightbulb, which does less damage than a pot, but leaves opponents stunned. The third punch is a rock, which does the most damage and also meteor smashes opponents in the air.
Down B - Combo: If you're within range of the opponent, trap them in a combo that would work similar to Marth's dancing blade. The final hit can knock them back in any direction you choose. However, if you miss, you go completely helpless, so be careful.
Side B - Bomb: Another projectile, but while the the standard B is more vertical with a small arc, the Bomb is more horizontal with a larger arc. Karate Joe crouches down and kicks a bomb forward. Opponents are hit with very much knockback and damage. However, it has a decent amount of start-up lag, so use it when you know you can get a hit.
Up B - Barrel Explosion: Now this is a move I've just invented on my own, he doesn't have a lot of choices for recoveries. A Barrel appears around Karate Joe and then explodes, blasting him upwards. Shrapnel from the explosion can also damage enemies. It has a lot of vertical range, but very little horizontal range, so know when to use it.
One more thing...
Along with all of these potential move, there's the possibility - like every other Rhythm Heaven character - that his moveset is rhythm-based. What this means exactly? I don't know, I have no idea how it would work. However, it would be one more thing to separate him even more from the rest of the cast.
Alt Costumes
Courtesy of Thelimomon
Extras and Tidbits
Victory Theme - Karate Man Prologue
Taunts - 1. Karate Joe faces the screen, puts one hand on his hip, and gives a thumbs up.2. Karate Joe looks at his belt, reties it and then tightens it.
3. Karate Joe underhands a pot right in front of him and then punches it, smashing it to pieces.
Arguments Against
1. He's not iconic or recognizable like the rest of the characters in Smash.
2. He does not represent Rhythm Heaven as well as other character.
It's true that he's not really as music-based or themed as other characters like the Chorus Kids or Rhythm Girl, but he holds an entirely different part of Rhythm Heaven on his back. He's one of a handful of characters that's been in every game, has two full minigames in each game, and being the first character you encounter in the first game and the last one in the other two, he sort of book ends the series.3. Rhythm Heaven, as a noncharacter-centric and minigame-based series, doesn't deserve a character.
Now this is a tough one to argue against because it's entirely down to opinion. There are other series that aren't character-centric that still manage to have characters, like Animal Crossing or the Game & Watch games.
Also, seeing how the Sneaky Spirit is in the game Sakurai's obviously at least looked at the series before, so it's definitely in his field of view for potential newcomers.
Also, seeing how the Sneaky Spirit is in the game Sakurai's obviously at least looked at the series before, so it's definitely in his field of view for potential newcomers.
KARATEKAS
Hippopotasauce, SmashKirby, DonkaFjord, LucaSmash, BluePikmin11, PSIGuy, Dustiletto, Aguki90, Luugyhero2, Tillie-152, HyperSlash, StaffofSmashing, AgentHX, Pacack, Smashoperatingbuddy123, Iko MattOrr, Zzuxon, Souldin, GM_3826, Groose, Keybladeguy, Themagnificentmoldy, Craxian, God Robert's Cousin, Thelimomon, JoeKarta, Louie G.
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