Week in Review Issue #13

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

The Week in Review Edition #13
4/07 - 4/11​

Banner by @ Venus of the Desert Bloom​

Staff
Writers:
@ Venus of the Desert Bloom ​

@TumblrFamous​

@---​

@Opossum ​

@Mario_and_Sonic_Guy​

@Frostwraith​

@ Pazzo.

Editor:
@Aerodrome

Last Week in Review​

Last week yadayadayada


I would like to say a big and huge thank you to:

• @ThatWasPeachy for the Wii Fit Trainer Analysis Part 2
• @IsmaR for agreeing to an interview
• All of the above mentioned writers and editors.
• Lastly, to all of the Smashboards users who posts really make up what the WiR is. Without your insightful (and crazy) posts, this thread would not exist so thank you very much!

Previous Issues

[collapse=Previous Issues]
To view the previous issues
Issue #1
Issue #2
Issue #3
Issue #4
Issue #5
Issue #6
Issue #7
Issue #8
Issue #9
Issue #10
Issue #11
Issue #12
[/collapse]

Want to help or contribute?

[collapse=Rules and Other Infos]This is the first edition of "The Week in Review". The Week in Review will be a series of articles I have made throughout the week concerning the Pic of Day through using posts, threads, and MiiVerse to pool information and opinions about Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS . However, the articles are not only limited to my own observation but to those of the larger Smash 4 community. Users are encouraged to submit articles and observations as well as opinions concerning the pictures that were updated throughout the week. I will explain how you can contribute later.

So what can you expect from this thread? On Friday, I will update the thread with a new article which will contain the Pic of the Day, other relevant images, information, I will also be pulling out interesting and thought provoking posts that have popped up throughout the week on the various threads such as the Wii U Discussion thread, 3DS Discussion Thread, MiiVerse Photo Thread, Roster Discussion Thread, character support threads as well as the Super Smash Bros, Wii U/3DS Backroom thus linking them altogether. In addition, I will also be adding up any information that Sakurai has revealed outside of the website/MiiVerse such as interviews and news articles.

I will open the thread on the weekend for people to talk about how the week went and comment on the articles. However, I will be closing the thread on Monday in order to prevent premature discussion about the weeks updates. I will be operating on Japanese Standard Time since both myself and Sakurai (OMG both of us in the same sentence?!?!?!) live on JST. View the JST Page in order to fully understand how time works.

Additionally, while this thread will focus on solely the Pic of the Day, I will sometimes allow pieces to be written about Smashboards, the Smash Community, MiiVerse, or Sakurai information. Additionally, once we have more information regarding the nature of the character, I will allow a user to write up an in-depth analysis of a character, veteran or newcomer. So come show your stuff!

Why is this thread needed?
We do have various discussion threads pertaining to various aspects of Smash. However, this is less of a discussion thread and more like a newsletter. I intend to present the facts and portray an unbiased review of the week. It will also serve as a hub to collect information, pictures, and articles that have been released in a weekly format thus allowing users to review the past weeks for better understanding how to predict future updates or to comb through information in an effective manner. It will also serve as a place to users to present their information, opinions, and observations in a semi-academical format. More information is listed below. If you see an interesting, funny, thought-provoking, or ridiculous post either on the SWF or on MiiVerse, PM me about it and I will include it! If you want me to remove you from a certain Tag, PM me and I will take you off.

Also, I wanted to use this space to allow users to be creative and constructive in speculating Smash in a more journalistic manner. I will not edit any posts except if they are inappropriate, bypass the censor, hateful in nature, or irrelevant.

How can I help?

You can contribute to this thread in many ways.
1) You can serve as a guest writer. This is done by contacting me via PM and apply to be a guest writer for the current week. I am able to allow or refuse the guest writer based on past credentials and reputation within the Smash 4 community so please keep that in mind.

After approval, I can either give you a piece to write OR you can choose one yourself. It should be focused on a particular Pic of the Day. Please promptly let me know which one you intend to. If I do not hear from you within a day, I will not accept an article. The article itself should be professionally written with little to no grammar or spelling mistakes. Any sources should be cited with a link to direct readers. While I understand some updates may be hard to write for, please write at least two paragraphs for each update. Unless it is an update of Luigi's nose but I am sure someone can find some Freudian psycho-analysis about that update. Please refer to the first edition post about how to write an article (though I am pretty sure many journalist/lit majors can do a much better job than I can lol).

2) You can help me gather posts that are excellent or at least interesting in nature. PM me any posts concerning a particular update and I will then add it to the articles. I frequent the above mentioned threads on a daily basis but I obviously miss things so I am heavily dependent on everyone getting me those great and thought-provoking posts. I want this thread to showcase what the brilliant minds in the Smash 4 community can do!

3) While you can discuss past and future weeks, please refrain from dissecting or analyzing the previous/future weeks and save that for the current week.

4) Could someone be a dear and make a banner for this thread. It's not urgent but a banner would be grand.[/collapse]

Table of Contents​

Spoiler

1.1 Day #1: Metroid captured....again
2.1 Day #2: What's in the Boxes
3.1 Day #3: Super Smash Bros. Direct Debuts
4.1 Day #4: Who can Jump the Highest?
5.1 Day #5: Smash RUUUUUN!
6.1 Week Overview
7.1 Week in Review Interview: @IsmaR
8.1 Character Analysis:Wii Fit Trainer Part 2 by @ThatWasPeachy
9.1 Veteran Abalysis: Bowser by @ Pazzo.
10.1 We Want YOU to Vote! Results
11.1 Sakurai's Diary

Metroid captured....again.
04/07/2014
Day#1: Monday
Writer: Venus of the Desert Bloom

​

The Metroid was confirmed to appear again as a returning Assist Trophy. While the specifics about Metroid is unsure, it will most likely do much of what it did back in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

When a Metroid is released, it will attempt to latch onto a character's head, slightly immobilize them, and sap their health. It can be shaken off by moving about rapidly (or with a simple air dodge), upon which it may seek another victim. It moves in a rather inertial way (like Super Sonic and Volt Tackle), floating about the stage lazily. It can also pass through walls. The Metroid does damage much like a faster version of the flower effect, except that it makes characters flinch - this makes it very difficult to accomplish anything while being sucked, and it causes CPU opponents to use their up special move repeatedly while attempting to recover. However, recovery moves like Spin Attack if used repeatedly while a Metroid is latched, the player is able to go very high, and possibly get past the upper blast line.

http://www.ssbwiki.com/Metroid_(creature)

The Metroid was well received back prior to Brawl as it gave both the Metroid franchise its Assist Trophy and played an interesting role during a fight when released. The Metroid offered many different types of setups. While Sakurai didn't explain fully that the Metroid is a returning veteran...

An insatiable, unidentified extraterrestrial is targeting a certain peaceful town...!

Many believe the Metroid to be a returning veteran; especially considering that it appears on the new Animal Crossing stage thus wouldn't be a stage hazard nor a character. Metroid also seems to have received an upgrade visuals wise; appearing more detailed and smoother thanks to the HD graphics.

Here is a Brawl screenshot for comparison:

Many were happy to see the Metroid return; either because of their love of the Metroid franchise, because they liked the Assist Trophy, or that its confirmation boosts Ridley being revealed for the Direct.

http://www.ssbwiki.com/images/6/62/MetroidAssistTrophy.jpeg

@kingofphantoms47

Did anyone here (other than me) let yourselves get latched onto by the Metroid so you can do the infinite Up-B trick? It worked best with Ganon.

@NintendoKnight

Well, that's 2 Metroid Assist Trophies, and no Ridley, so there's that.

@Chris Baker

Well that extreme close-up totally isn't disturbing and showing more details of a Metroid than I probably wanted to know about.

Neat, though.

@Wave Kusanagi

THE BABY.

Mother Brain and the Metroid as Assists!
Anthony Higgs would make a good third AT, but it doesn't seem likely now.

And neither does AT Ridley...
He was apparently planned as an AT in Brawl, but was scrapped. Hope to see him playable.

-----

@ Rebellious Treecko

And obviously with two days leading up to the Direct came obvious predictions and requests for the Direct.

Metroid.

Yep, calling Ridley for the direct.

@James DNaux

Yeah, I kinda expect Ridley for the Direct now. XD Get more Metroid stuff right Before a Metroid reveal sounds good.

And that Metroid looks great! Surprised Metroid has two Assist Trophies now. It kinda deserves two characters now.

@MasterofMonster

So, judging from what I've heard over the past couple of days...Ridley and Shulk in the Direct?

@KenithTheGatherer

I'm not going to assume that the picture means anything for tomorrow's Direct. I do find the concept of it to be very humorous, though.

@Bassoonist

Tomorrow there will be another Metroid pic and there will be nothing at all about a Metroid newcomer in the Direct.

Who wants to bet?

@Reila


Things Confirmed for Monday:

1. Metroid returns as a potential Assist Trophy.

What's in the Boxes
04/08/2014
Day #2: Tuesday
Writer: MaskO`Gears​

Tuesday's pic brought us our first look at the Crates, an iconic item in the Super Smash Bros. series.

A Crate is an item that has appeared in the entireSuper Smash Bros. series. Crates are containers which can hold various different items. When you pick up a Crate, because they are so heavy, you will not be able to jump or attack, and you will move very slowly while holding it. However, in the original Super Smash Bros., one could not move with it at all; this was a special ability available only toDonkey Kong. After the player has picked up a Crate, they can throw it up, forward, backward, or down. Crates are very similar toBarrels. If the player taps the control stick lightly, they cannot walk off ledges holding a Crate. But holding it down makes their character and the crate tumble off the ledge, and they drop the crate.

http://supersmashbros.wikia.com/wiki/Crate


The crate has been expected to return, given it’s appearance in all three previous Smash Bros. games. Also shown here is the Rolling Crate, a Crate that moves when hit, and the Futuristic Crate’s new design.


These items need no introduction, or at least that was the idea that Masahiro Sakurai had in the description, reserving the space to instead remind us of the April 8th Direct.

"Pic of the day, and a very important announcement. On 4/8, at 3 PM PST (8/4 11 PM UK time), we'll be airing a Super Smash Bros. Direct!! There will be all kinds of info about the new Smash Bros. games on this simultaneous global stream that will be delivered "directly" to you, so don't miss it!

In Brawl, more futuristic stages (Lylat Cruse, Norfair) the default wooden Crates would take on a more futuristic appearance, and on more fantastical stages (Yoshi’s Island, Flat Zone 2) the Crates would appear as wrapped presents. Below are the Crates from Brawl. It’s interesting to note that all three appear on the same stage, but this could have been done to highlight all three without having to post three pictures, one for each stage that the crate appears on.

The Wooden Crates now are more detailed, but remain aesthetically similar, the Presents are shinier, with a polka-dot pattern, and the Future Crates has a Smash Bros. logo, and an ironically sturdier look. They also now have a new design that may remind some of the Companion Cube from the video game Portal.

Some users commented on the Crate’s appearance..

Those are too many different kinds of crates for one stage. What is this witchcraft?

@N3ON

The lighting in this game is so good.

@Eternal phoenix Fire

Yay for Crates.

I'm glad all three types can appear on the same stage now.

@KingofPhantoms47

That Smash Box looks sick.

]DaDavid

But most talked about the Crates in regards to the direct or more accurately, character reveals.

There are three newcomers in those boxes, now I wonder who could be in a classic box, a futuristic box, and a wrapped present?

@JamesDNaux

humm.... the three crates means three new characters?

@ppbto

Yeah, the Direct is going to show 3 Newcomers.

Notice how Sakurai doesn't talk about the boxes in his comment...which basically means he wants us to associate the 3 boxes with the Smash Direct.

The logic is perfect!

@PurpleSpaceDragon

I don't think the number of boxes on the picture have any significates... but we'll see soon enough.

@DraginHikari

Whatever you see in this pic of the day,


Things confirmed for Tuesday:

1. The Crates and Rolling Crates will return.
2. All Three Crate Types have new designs.

Super Smash Bros. Direct Debuts
04/09/2014
Day #3: Wednesday
Writer: Venus of the Desert Bloom

​

The Super Smash Bros. Direct finally premiered today to much fanfare. The Super Smash Bros. thread logged in 243 users and 244 guests moments prior to the Super Smash Bros. Direct.

Unless you missed the Direct, watch the video here:

To view more information on the Direct, please visit the Super Smash Bros. Direct article:
http://smashboards.com/threads/week-in-review-issue-13-super-smash-bros-direct-coverage.352316/


Things Confirmed for Wednesday:

1. To much too include here...

Who Can Jump the Highest?
04/10/2014
Day #4: Thursday
Writer: Venus of the Desert Bloom​

​

After the torrent of information that was the Super Smash Bros. Direct, it is time for the Picture of the Day to feature the revealed characters;

• Zero Suit Samus
• Sheik
• Yoshi
• Charizard
• Greninja

First up was Zero Suit Samus who was featured along with her armored self. But who is the real Samus? I guess different versions of the same character is not canon, much like sizes, in Super Smash Bros. This image showcased the jumping ability between the two.

I think it is obvious that Zero Suit Samus jumps higher than regular Samus. Not to mention she has those new boost boots which probably excels her already impressive jumping ability.

I know it's not canon, but ZSS + Jet Boots = Awesome. Her new design is excellent and I can't wait to see how she plays. Strong and fast. Plus her plasma whip looks even cooler now.

Radical Beam

I'm seriously surprised Greninja and Charizard wasn't the focus of the Pic of the Day, but yay for Samus and Zero Suit Samus!

@Rosalina

Despite having a crapload of stuff seen from the direct, he continues to post PotDs. What a guy.

@SilverEra

The PotD could of been anything from the Direct but, seeing as how Zero Suit Samus as the first new veteran revealed; that could be why she was given the first PotD after the Direct.

Her new boost boots have certainly garnered both a lot of comments and criticisms; some believing they are too overly-sexualized or that they are great additions....or it feels

like the new ZSS is like a weird fan-design?

@Grinch21X

I like it, but I totally see where you're coming from on that.
I feel it is somewhat too drastic, though in all honesty, the fact she isn't Other M Samus shows that Metroid characters don't have to be from Other M in design.

Obviously, after yesterday's info regarding a certain character, this is somewhat important.

@KenithTheGatherer

I'm going to be mad of Zamus is better than Samus again. It makes absolutely no sense for an armorless character to be stronger than an armored character. I guess we'll wait and see.

@Uffie

Some felt splitting the transformation characters:

This just further enforces how dumb the decision was to remove transformations. Now ZSS and Samus, as well as Zelda and Sheik, are counted as separate characters, which also means they'll both be in battle with default colors. They have split the exact same characters into separate individual characters. It's really stupid when you think about it.

@Mr. Lange

Others were excited to see what the PotD will show:

with the release of more info and characters we will be able to see more new things in the picture of the day more info equals more info

@hyperconductor


Things Confirmed for Thursday:

1. Zero Suit Samus jumps higher than Samus
2. Her new boost boots help with this.

Smash RUUUUUUN!
04/11/2014
Day #5: Friday
Writer: Venus of the Desert Bloom

Smash Run, the new mode that is found on the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. was featured for the PotD. Unless you missed it, watch the Super Smash Bros Direct to see what this is all about. It can be found after the Returning Characters section.

Smash Run was apparently inspired by http://www.nintendolife.com/games/gamecube/kirby_air_ride]Kirby's Air Ride[/B], players can collect power ups as they travel through the expansive course; defeating baddies. The items come from said baddies or can be found in item boxes and such.

Sakurai is quoted with saying...

Pic of the day. Your character starts a Smash Run as a relatively ordinary fighter. But before the game, you can outfit yourself with certain items that can help power you up early, which will give you a big advantage later on!! These items are much like the Powers you'd find in Kid Icarus: Uprising.

....as well as this...

For those who are wondering what Smash Run is, check out the Super Smash Bros. Direct. You can find the link on the post two days before this one.

...on the MiiVerse page.

It was revealed that you are able to carry those power ups and upgrades into a Free-for-all match after 5:00 minutes are up. This will affect how well your character does against the other players online. It is not sure if you are able to pick and choose to maximize your characters potential but you can certainly try to avoid certain power ups in favor for ones you desire more.

This isn't exactly new information considering Sakurai mentioned all of this on the Direct but it is still good to read his comments and some pictures of it.

I really hope with regards to Smash Run that Sakurai doesn't put in a checkboard like he did in Air Ride. Some of those conditions were just unreasonable. And good lord we got THREE in Uprising.

@Chris Baker

So more Smash run info. Not bad, but not too interesting either.

@ FalKoopa

Looks like these pictures are going to be even worse for people who've played Kirby Air Ride. The mode sounds identical to City Trial. Which is actually a great thing.

@The Drilling Juggernaut

The 3DS version comes out much earlier (Summer) than the Wii U version (Winter) supposedly. Short of absolute refusal to play a specific version, there shouldn't be much reason to not at least try or consider both.

Knowing Nintendo, there'll probably be a combined Smash Bundle somewhere down the line.

@IsmaR [in reference to which version to purchase]

But still, we are in for a week or so of catch up PotD's as Sakurai systematically features content that was revealed on the Direct.

Things confirmed for Friday

1. Smash Run will have upgrades that can be collected.

Overview

This week was a great week. While the PotD weren't axctly hype worthy, we did get a lot of new information through the Direct. However, please check out the Direct article thread for further coverage on that. On Monday, we saw the return of the Metroid assist trophy which many were happy about...especially considering the infinite recovery move ability. Tuesday consisted of the various types of boxes and how they make a return as well as a message from Sakurai to inform us to watch the Direct. Wednesday was the Dawn of the Final Day i.e. the Super Smash Bros. Direct. There wasn't a PotD but, rather, a video of the actual Direct.

The Direct showed a month's worth of information in 39 minutes. As well, the veterans Zero Suit Samus, Sheik, Yoshi, and Charizard were revealed. Sakurai confirmed transformation mechanics will not return. The Kalos Pokemon, Greninja was also unveiled as a Pokemon newcomer receiving a lot of "huh", "really", and "AWESOME!" responses. He currently wasn't a popular choice for many speculator rosters.

Thursday was the return to the PotD which felt slightly....unceremonious given the nature of the Direct. However, it showed a contrast in jumping ability between Zero Suit Samus and regular Samus. Finally, Friday was again some rehashed information concerning Smash Run.

Overall, this week was amazing by all accounts with rather weak PotD updates but that was to be expected with the Super Smash Bros. Direct.​

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Week in Review Interview
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom

@IsmaR​

IsmaR has been a member on Smashboards longer than most within the Super Smash Bros. For Wii U/3DS speculation scene. His posts date back during the Pre-Brawl speculation and has been active in many of the support threads during that time. Ismar has been a vocal and active member of both speculation scenes. Modded earlier in the year, IsmaR has put his title to good use by helping clean up the forums, keep things on topic, and insuring the quality on the forums are upheld. I really enjoyed sitting down and interviewing IsmaR. I hope you all enjoy it as well.

1) How long have you been a member on Smashboards and why did you join? When did you become a moderator?

Bit of a grey area to describe. This account dates back to later 2007, while an unnamed/lost lurker one dates back farther. I remained quiet in early Melee days, finally breaking the silence during the apex of Brawl's speculation era. Upon thinking of who I'd like to see playable in the new Smash Bros game (followed the Dojo religiously from the weeks before its opening), I came across the old rumor consisting of a French interview with Sakurai, claiming the characters Ridley, Bowser Jr., and Wind Waker Link were playable in Brawl.

Naturally, my first few posts would be on the character support threads, then eventually branching out to the Melee and Smash 64 boards. I was rambunctious, having 2,000 posts and a 2-week ban by the time that year ended, and even being a nominee the Forum Awards category "Forum Monkey" (though I was unsurprisingly shut out by Gimpyfish62).

Somewhere along the line, I calmed down. Got into competitive gaming briefly, lurked and went inactive for a while, and rather recently returned in time for the new Smash games' reveal. A few months of speculating later, and on February 7th, 2014, I became the 2nd in a new wave of Smash 4 Moderators.

2) What is your favorite part of Smashboards? What is your least favorite part?

Goes without saying that its the community that keeps bringing me back. This was the first forum I joined, met people in person (among other things) from, and genuinely cared about. No matter what crowd, which users, or even which game, I consider these my people. I've made close friends I can't imagine life without, rivals that that I can't wait to play against the next time we meet, and memories that as hard as I try, I won't ever be able to just forget. Not all good, but c'est la vie.

Somewhat ironically, considering it's both where I got my start and where I spend most of my time now, my least favorite part is probably speculation for the next games. Even before we had any idea there would be a Brawl, I never saw speculation as anything but "a fun way to waste the time, but inevitably futile considering most of our ideas will probably go to waste." Brawl's speculation period in particular hit me hard, as being wide-eyed and idealistic to the logical extreme, I expected the world out of that game. Not to say I didn't love it, but I got much more of a lingering headache out of it than I bargained for. Being more experienced (often noted by others for my cynical and pessimistic views), Smash for Wii U/3DS speculation isn't playing by the same rules, I think, so it's definitely a much different experience this time around. Probably because I can infract people now.

3) Will you be getting Super Smash Bros. for Wii U or 3DS?

Just made plans to get a Wii U earlier today, so seems very likely. Was definitely going to get the 3DS version, which I honestly believe will be on par, if not better than the Wii U counterpart (the earlier release date helps!). Whether or not I get back into the competitive scene, I can't say due to commitments I've recently made in real life. But I definitively see myself having fun playing Smash for years to come. For Fun Glory mustard race.

4) Who are your Mains in 64/Melee/Brawl? Who do you plan to main in Smash 4?

I'll spare the long explanation and outright say I've used Random more times than any single character in every single game. The thing that drew me to Smash in the first place was it being a game full of characters I love (and conversely making me love characters I didn't know), so I try to get the most out of it by playing as everyone, at least to some extent.

Even so, everyone has their favorites, bests, ones you use most or "mains" and whatever else you wanna call it. Combining all three of those, it becomes a little easier to say I live, breathe, and sweat Metroid in each game. Despite always being on the lower end of the competitive spectrum, Samus remains the character I most identify with.

-In 64, I used her alongside DK upon my return to serious play (both on and offline).
-In Melee, the only character I used as proficiently as her was Captain Falcon, although I made it a habit to try and use my favorite at the time, Mewtwo, just as frequently. Most of my idols were famous Mewtwo players, Taj being (literally, I barely came up to his shoulders in person) biggest one.
-In Brawl, I originally decided to use King Dedede alongside Zero Suit Samus. Eventually spread to a plethora of characters, from Pokemon Trainer, R.O.B., Captain Falcon, Lucas, Bowser, Fox, Kirby, Ganondorf...who else is left? Oh right, Power Suit Samus. Despite that long list, I never used anyone but Spamus in tournaments. I made a name for myself, being featured in the Smashboards Samus Community Combo Video. Never quite got to Xyro or Tudor levels, due to traveling restrictions.

5) Who is your most wanted newcomer for Smash 4? More than one answer is ok.

Do I even need to say it? No? Okay, fine. Since it's the main reason I repeatedly came back/stopped lurking on this site, it goes without saying that my all time most anticipated character is Ridley. I loved the idea of playing as it since before I even became a hardcore Metroid fan. Ridley just barely edged out the likes of Mewtwo, Lil' Mac, Krystal, K. Rool and Kamek the Magikoopa as my most anticipated newcomer...in Brawl. That hype only carried over to Smash 4 tenfold, and even in light of the recent hinting (never actually mentioned or seen, Sakurai seems to be going the extra mile for ambiguity), I still remain hopeful that there's still a chance I might get to play as my favorite Space Pirate Zombie Space Alien Cyborg Space Dragon in future Smash titles. #NotTooBig #Believe

6) What stages would you like to see included in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS? Past stages included?

Though we already have 2 Pokemon stages revealed thus far, I'd love to see the Pokemon World Tournament from Pokemon Black 2/White 2 for the 3DS version. I figure Lumiose City/Elite Four are more like Pokefloats, which leaves room for a Pokemon Stadium-esque stage. For the Wii U version, I'd love to see something from Pokemon Colosseum or XD: Gale of Darkness.

As far as returning stages, I'm already hyped to see Halberd and Jungle Japes returning. Would also love to see Mute City, Sector Zero/Corneria, Shadow Moses Island (assuming Snake returns), and though it's a stretch, Meta Crystal, the stage you fought Metal Mario in Smash 64.

7) What would you like to see improved or expanded from Super Smash Bros. Brawl?

Most of what I originally thought/wanted was actually covered in the latest Nintendo Direct. Faster gameplay, better online mode, something to replace the Adventure Mode (Run Mode seems incredibly fun), diversity in characters compared to previous games (Luigi and Kirby's New Final Smashes, ZSS' and Yoshi's reworked models, newcomers we wouldn't immediately think of but turn out loving (Wii Fit Trainer, Greninja) and above all, some much needed buffs to certain characters.

Despite all I'm making it out to be, I actually care very little for character choice for Smash. I love the little things, such as enemies like Chandelure and Kremlins appearing in Run Mode, or the "Who's that PokemonTrophy?" segments. I'm very ecstatic that My Music is returning, as the soundtrack was one of my favorite things in Brawl. The stages also seem to be going above and beyond the previous limitations, particularly for the Smash for 3DS version. All in all, I'm hoping they can recapture what made us love the series so much. I know it's impossible to please everyone, but I'm confident Sakurai and his team will find a balance between casual fun and the most balanced Smash experience yet.

8) What was your most favorite Smash Bros. moment/memory?

Isn't it obvious? Playing with my friends. Something about Smash struck a chord with the lot of us, one that despite years passing and interests moving on, still manages to make us remember fondly that one game we always love playing, no matter how old it gets or how much things change in the newer ones. I can think of some specific moments, like unlocking Mewtwo/Falco, beating Classic Mode with no continues for the first time, the reveal of Mega Man, "Disconfirmation" of Zero Suit Samus, and seeing Luigi's Nose for the 100th Miiverse update that all got me excited/overwhelmed with laughter beyond belief, but nothing will ever top the shenanigans I've had with all the people I've met and played with.

QUOTE]9) Where did your username come from?[/QUOTE]

Weirdly, this is gonna be the shortest answer yet. It's my real name. Though of you want to get technical, it's actually Mikela Ismar Luiz Fernando Cano Hernandez Chacon Viviano. Okay, maybe it's not that short.

I first used/came up with it in the Wi-Fi chatroom on Serebii. Typed it out exactly as I have it now, and it has stuck with me since. The name itself is of Arabic origins, though I myself am of Hispanic descent (if the 8 names didn't give it away). The only user to guess correctly what it "means" is @Ndayday with the translation roughly being "is/of the ocean."

10)You have been apart of Smashboards udirng the Pre-Brawl hype. Could you elaborate on how that period in time was? Has Smashboards changed since then? How would you compare pre-Smash 4 to pre-Brawl?

I touched on it briefly already, but the main thing I can remember was the craziness in expectations compared to now. Brawl came nearly 7 whole years after Melee, beating out the 6 year wait from Brawl to Smash 4. As such, I believe everyone had an abundance of time to think over what we would get in the next game, and when the game was first revealed, it blew us away. "Super Attacks? Characters from various series being summonable like Pokeballs? Characters like Pit being revived/redesigned, and characters like Wario and Meta Knight finally making their debut? SOLID SNAKE AND SONIC THE HEDGEHOG!?" The sky was literally the limit, with fans predicting rosters as high as 50-60+ characters.

By the time we came crashing back down to reality, many realized Brawl was not the game they were expecting, and found themselves at a loss for the direction the series was taking. Numerous wondered why play Brawl when Melee was still there? Others tried to correct Brawl's shortcomings, or to make the best of what we did get. Of course numerous users, myself included, really did enjoy Brawl for what it was. It left us wanting more, however. By the time speculation caught full wind again, we seemed determined that this time, we wouldn't be so "unrealistic" and that the next gen would be more than gracious to Smash as a series. I try not to have too many expectations in lieu of all I've gone through since those days, but if you had told me Mega Man, Wii Fit Trainer and Greninja (or just a Pokemon introduced 6 months prior) were in the next Smash game, I would have said "Sure they will. And Goku will be, too." I think the biggest thing is that with Brawl, we learned there are limits to what even Nintendo/Sakurai could do. But this time around, I feel as though try as we might, there's just no telling what's coming next.

11)If you could have any special ability, what would it being (flying, breathing under water, psychokinesis, etc

I've always been fond of the idea of instantaneous/controllable teleportation. When you're as grounded as I am, you often dream of being able to go anywhere you want. Not to say I am incapable of achieving it, or that I don't wish to exist in this reality, but with this power, I feel like I'd have the best of both worlds. Plus save a lot of bus-fare/gas money.

12) What is a typical day for you?

Nowadays, I am committed to school in hopes of becoming a licensed Pharmacy Technician. When I'm not entirely consumed in school, work, or writing these interviews, I enjoy being a nature and animal lover. Living in the Arizona (and sometimes Mexican) desert, there's not much need for anybody to leave their air-conditioned house during the summer, nor still be melting during the summer. Despite that, I was made to endure both the scorching heat and love the bitter cold. The desert and mountains are about as scenic as you'd imagine, with cacti as far as the eye can see. Hiking is a big thing for me, given that I'm required to do so for my part-time landscaping and occasional poolcare jobs. Other than that, I'm always playing with, coddling and being nagged at by my pets. I currently have 3 dogs and a cat, with no rest in between keeping all of them spoiledhappy.

On the rare chance I do have absolutely nothing to do, I relax with reading (and writing if I can be bothered), video games (if I'm not playing Pokemon or Smash Bros., I'm beheading sorry fools in Gears of War), or swimming. Being a bit of a multitasker, I'll often do most simultaneously, even checking Smashboards in the process. Y'know, they really need an underwater-friendly web browser.

13) Please tell us one thing about yourself that we may not know?

Well the elephant in the room is probably obvious to anyone that actually knows me. Notice that I've been avoiding using gender-specific pronouns up until now. I don't like mentioning it much. That's right, I'm asthmatic.

Okay fine, in all seriousness, I try to downplay nowadays it because I prefer thinking of myself as androgynous, but I am for all intents and purposes female, or at least identify as such. Anyone who knew me prior to Brawl's release probably knows I was very offended whenever I was referred to incorrectly, and was pretty much in everyone's face about it. I was terrible, I know. Actually got some very unwanted attention because of my naivety, and as such have been known to lie or not specify about it for fear of history repeating itself (anyone on BrawlCentral/AiB was probably aware of the "IsmaN" thing). Eventually I realized holding it with such importance was silly, as I never even thought of myself as one, being a tomboy and all. I don't consider it good or bad now, just something that I am. Last thing I'd want is special treatment because of it, but at the same time that goes both ways. If I didn't want to be treated differently, then what would be the point of mentioning this, or even agreeing to this interview? Figure letting your actions speak for you is the best way to make sense of this. This was as good a way as ever to vent this out, so I thank you for this question/interview, Venus. And to everybody reading/not caring.

Thank you again for again agreeing to an interview, IsmaR! Please check back next week when we interview a non-moderator member! Who will it be?!​

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Bowser

Writer: MaskO'Gears

Bowser (known as ‘Kuppa’ in Japan) is back with a third helping of punishment for the newcomers and veterans of Smash Brothers.

What changes has our reptilian ruler received in his newest appearance? Will he retain his infamous reputation from the Mario series? Let’s dive into what Masahiro Sakurai has in store for Bowser.


Background:


Bowser is the main antagonist of the Mario series and the King of the Koopa, a tribe of turtle-like creatures. Like Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach, He is also one of the Star Children, one of seven chosen to receive great power. Bowser’s survivability is unprecedented, he’s survived falling from great heights, falling into lava, falling great heights INTO lava, and even being crushed by his own castle.

He has repeatedly kidnapped or attempted to kidnap Princess Peach and rule the Mushroom Kingdom, but on other occasions he has tried to rule the Mushroom World and the entire universe.

Due to his role as the primary villain of the Mario series, he is mostly the final boss in his appearances, if not as the main antagonist.

Despite his ruthless and villainous personality, he as occasionally helped Mario and company defend and defeat common threats and participates in sporting events and various spin-offs. Due to these facts, the true nature of Bower’s relationship with the other Mario reps is unknown.

Appearance:

From this comparison by @Curmudgeon, we can see that Bowser has undergone a few changes since his debut in Super Smash Bros. Melee. While most of his main features have been retained, esthetically his colors are brighter, leaning toward a less metallic look. These changes can also be seen in game such as Super Mario 3D World and other modern Mario games. (Images from Super Mario 3D World.)

His hair is redder than ever, and his pupils have shrunk, a trend that started with Bowser's transition from Melee to Brawl.

Though he looks slightly less realistic, Bowser retains a scaly skin pattern much like tortoises. His wrist, arm bands and spiked collar no longer shine quite as bright, and the area around his horns and spikes look more lifelike. The greatest and most obvious change is his stance. Bowser now stands more upright, unlike the hunched-over position from Brawl.

-Comparison courtesy of @AncientTobacco-


All these changes suggest a more anthropomorphic and faster Bowser, as opposed to the slow and movie monster-like Bowser in Brawl. These changes can also be seen in recent spin-off titles such the Mario and Luigi RPG games, and the upcoming Mario sports games. (Images from Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story and Mario Golf: World Tour.)

Moveset:

Bowser’s Specials appear to be largely unchanged, but unlike a certain portly plumber, Bowser has received a few redesigned moves for his standard moveset to match his faster and less animalistic stance.


Special Attacks:

Standard Special: Fire Breath



While holding the Special button, Bowser will exhale a continually damaging, yet steadily decreasing stream of fire in front of him. The move will last until the player lets go of the Special Button, or the stream of fire runs out.

This move is useful for staving off opponents and preventing them from returning to the stage. In SSB4, the move also appears to have less starting lag.


From his first appearance in Super Mario Brothers in 1985, Bowser has always been able to breathe fire at his enemies, usually in the form of a fireball, but it wasn’t until Super Mario 64 (1996) that Bowser gained the ability to exhale a continual stream.

-Super Mario Bros.-

-Super Mario 64-

Side Special: Flying Slam


Bower slashes with his claws, and if the hit connects, he’ll perform a flying suplex in which the player has great control over Bowser’s air momentum. This move can also be used to perform a sacrificial KO, also lovingly known as ‘Boswercide’.


The move appears to be unchanged from its Brawl version.

Up Special: Whirling Fortress

Bower retreats into his shell, and then spins quickly. Known for its high knockback on the ground, high damage in the air, and quick execution, many agree that Whirling Fortress is Bowser’s best special. Skilled players will also use the Whirling Fortress for maneuvering and edge-hogging techniques, as well as a decent horizontal recovery.

-Super Mario 3D Land-


The origins of this move go back to the original Super Mario Bros., where an attacked Koopa Troopa will hide in its shell. Mario and Luigi can then kick the shell, using it as an effective weapon. The Koopalings, seven Koopa siblings that serve Bowser, will even spin through the air in a similar fashion to Bowser’s Up-Special in Super Mario Bros. 3.


Despite the above, Bowser himself has never been seen in his shell prior to Super Smash Bros. Melee, but now commonplace in most Mario games.

Down Special: Bowser Bomb


Bowser’s Down Special has two variations. If used mid-air, Bowser will slam into the stage directly below him. If used on the ground, Bowser performs a rising diagonal slash and then slams. Both variations did around 20% damage to the opponent if the slam hit. Bowser also gains some ‘Super Armor’ at the start, to where he’ll take damage but no knockback. In the decent, Bowser can grab onto ledges, making this a safe edge-guarding technique.

View attachment 11604
-Super Mario Bros. 3-

Bowser’s Down Special was first seen in Melee, and that was based on his attack pattern from Super Mario Bros. 3. Bowser would repeatedly jump and slam the ground in an attempt at attacking Mario (or Luigi), while facing the screen. The player had to dodge Bowser’s ground pound and fireballs until he broke the bricks beneath him, causing him to fall into a pit below.


In SSB4, the move appears to have a larger hitbox, based on the move being shown multiple times in the E3 2013 trailer.


Standard Attacks

Jab/Neutral Combo: Double Punch


Bowser punches once, then twice. In previous games, this move had high priority, helping against projectile camping. It’s unknown if Bowser’s jab will retain it’s defending properties, but one aesthetic change is that Bowser now punches, instead of slashing with his claws.

Forward Tilt: Backhand Knuckle

Does and backhand punch while leaning forward, which can be angled up or down. Useful for killing at high percentages, and appears to be the same as before.

Down Tilt: Punch Trip

Punches twice low. The first hit does more damage than the second, unlike most multi-hitting moves. Like his Jab/Neutral Combo, Bowser’s arms cannot be attacked while this move is being executed, giving Bowser another speedy KO move.

Dash Attack: Low Kick

While running, Bowser now kicks low, a much-needed change from his previous Dash Attack. Ending lag has been reduced, and is much faster than the Dashing Headbutt, Bowser’s Dash attack in Brawl and Melee.


Smash Attacks:

Forward Smash: Drop Kick


Bowser leaps into the air and kicks hard with both feet, replacing Horn Lunge, the most damaging Forward Smash in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. It’s currently unknown if Bowser’s Drop Kick will retain the power of it’s predecessor, but it can be assumed that it will be one of the more powerful Side-Smashes in the game.

Up Smash: Shell Slam

Bowser gets on all fours and jumps strait up, hitting with his shell. Players who block the attack by shielding may be hit by the landing, which does damage. High knockback, appears unchanged from it’s Brawl version.


Aerial Attacks:

Neutral Aerial: Windmill Claw

Bowser spins in the air, in a fashion not unlike Kirby’s Neutral air from Brawl. Has a large hitbox, but its unknown what damage it will do. Has a quick start up, but slight lag at the end.

Forward Aerial: Air Claw

Bowser quickly swipes forward with surprising power. Considered one of his best moves, Air Claw has hitboxes above, in front, and below Bowser, with the sweetspot being right in front of him. Appears the same as in previous games.

Down Aerial: Inverted Spin

Bowser retracts into his shell and does a spin upside down, with a limited shockwave if it hits the ground. The last hit in Brawl could meteor smash (an areal and sometimes ground attack that can sends the opponent strait down), but it was weak and not overall recommended.


Miscellaneous:

Down Taunt

Bowser balances precariously on one leg, acting as if he’s going to fall over an edge, a reference to the original Super Mario Bros. games, where Bowser is usually defeated by falling into lava or off some edge. Appears the same as in previous games.


Flinch-Resistance?

As sharp-eyed smashers may have already noticed, during Little Mac’s Reveal Trailer, Bowser was shown getting hit by Mega Man’s Jab, a projectile attack known as the Mega Buster. With characters such as Mario, the Mega Buster has been shown to cause flinching.

But at 1:45 in the trailer, Bowser is seen attacking and receiving damage from Mega Man’s jab, but without flinching. It’s a possibility that Bowser now has Super Armour to some attacks.

In addition to all the new changes, we’ve seen Bowser’s Air and ground Dodge:

A new jump animation, once again reminiscent of a more anthropomorphic Bowser:

His ledge grab animation:

Though his reactions to pain remain as stoic as ever, Bowser’s pupils shrink in a reaction to the surprise.

That’s our hero- I mean, villain!

Overview:

In Melee and Brawl, Bowser has remained a large and slow opponent, capable of dishing out pain to his enemies, but at the same time, being vulnerable to faster characters. Although much of his moveset hasn't been seen, With Bowser's new remake, he’s faster than ever, giving him a possible edge over other opponents, a good choice for players who may want to get into the more technical side of the game, while possibly becoming a good pick-up-and-play character. A worthy buff to the tenacious terrapin, the kidnapper princesses since 1985.


Thanks for reading!

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Wii Fit Trainer Character Analysis Part 2
Author: @ThatWasPeachy​

Hello. This is the second half of the Wii Fit Trainer character analysis. The Smash Bros. direct released a lot of info, and so I would like to cover them here. This article will also cover Wii Fit Trainer's matchups against the other 28 characters we know of.


New Info From The Direct

The most obvious info is that the male Wii Fit Trainer exists as an alternate outfit, similar to Wario in Brawl. The two have the same moves, height and, presumably, the same attributes like running speed. It's unknown how voice acting will play a role.

The Sun Salutation is confirmed to be their neutral special attack. This is a chargeable projectile attack not unlike many we've seen before, such as Charge Shot, Aura Sphere and Water Shuriken. This move looks to be a very quick projectile, and the charge can be held and used later.

The Deep Breathing move is what separates the Wii Fit Trainers from the rest of the fighters. To those of you who have played Project M, you'll find this to be a similar move to Lucas's Power Plus attack. This move raises the power of the Wii Fit Trainer's next attack.

The throw that I had previously called the Palm Tree is actually the Tether Ball throw. She spikes the player downward as if they were a tether ball.


Beyond that, other smaller pieces of information are:

- The Forward Tilt "Dance" has a large hitbox with a hitbox on both the arm and the leg

- Gate pose has a hitbox on the arm and head

- They can crawl


Matchups


I am in no ways an expert on competitive Smash Bros., so please do not treat these discussions as anything more than guesses.

: Mario has been shown to have more range and power. However, he is unable to outrange a Sun Salutation. This looks to be slightly in Wii Fit Trainer's favor, as a Sun Salutation can set up easy combos with her fast moves.

: Luigi looks to be very similar to his appearance in Brawl. This means that he continues to lack the range he wished he had. This results in Wii Fit Trainer being able to outrange him with her huge hitboxes and set up some combos. This is a matchup in Wii Fit Trainer's favour.

: Peach's viability against Wii Fit Trainer depends on what happens with her turnips, as we haven't seen them yet. This also looks to be in Wii Fit Trainer's favor; however, as Brawl's turnips were notoriously bad projectiles due to a lack of range, and Sun Salutation can outrange and outpace them.

: Bowser's battle against Wii Fit Trainer appears to be a losing battle. Even with all of his buffs, he still is a massive hurtbox and an easy character to combo. Though the launch resistance he has may make things tough.

: Yoshi looks visually the same as in Brawl (aside from standing straight). This could result in Yoshi being very easy to put pressure on, and the Wii Fit Trainers thrive on putting pressure on with their close range attacks.

: DK looks to be able to outrange the Wii Fit Trainers, and he's very tough to KO as he can recovery horizontally very well. However, he is easy to combo. But this match could be in DK's favor.

: Diddy was already a strong contender in Brawl, and things look to be better for him here. Wii Fit Trainer loves ground based combat, and will therefore find it tough to approach Diddy due to the bananas and peanuts. Easily in Diddy's favor.

: Given how Link's most crippling Brawl flaws have not yet been seen (run speed, air speed, jump height, etc), I'm hesitant to give more than a 50/50 until we know more about the character.

: Zelda's biggest flaw in Brawl (she did have a lot) was her lack of an approach. The Phantom appears to fix this issue to an extent. However, Din's Fire still appears to be terrible and will always lose to Sun Salutation, making this a match slightly in the Wii Fit Trainer's favor.

: Given how little we know about Sheik, it's tough to be accurate about a matchup. Sheik looks to be largely the same outside of Bouncing Fish, and the both Wii Fit Trainer and Sheik look to fight similarly, so this looks to be even.

: Toon Link looks to be very similar to his Brawl incarnation, though it wouldn't be surprising to see the Zair Hookshot not appearing. The projectile spam makes it difficult to the Wii Fit Trainer's to approach unless Sun Salutation can break through them. Looks to be in Toon Link's favor.

: With a faster forward smash and a "drastically improved" Charge Shot, Samus may be able to contend with Wii Fit Trainer. This improved Charge Shot fixes her main problem of weak KO moves, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it out-prioritize Sun Salutation, so I'll call this a match in Samus' favor.

: Due to a change in transformation mechanics, Zero Suit Samus appears to have lost her Power Suit pieces, which is a serious nerf. However, her amazing aerials remain unchanged and apparently are stronger as well. Like with Sheik, ZSS plays very similar to the Wii Fit Trainers and so this is another even matchup.

: Kirby looks to be very similar to his Brawl incarnation. This means he's easy to KO and has tough times approaching. The swiftness of Sun Salutation makes Kirby an easy match for Wii Fit Trainer, as Kirby lacks the ability to outpace a Sun Salutation.

: Like many other fighters, Dedede remains to be mostly unchanged aside from Gordo Toss. Waddle Dees were solid projectiles in Brawl due to their versatility, so it may be that Gordo changes things. Gordos can also be attacked back by contacting them, and the Wii Fit Trainers have the hitboxes to attack them. Throw in Dedede being a prime target for combos and this is easily in the Wii Fit Trainers' favor.

: Once again, Fox appears to be similar to his Brawl appearance. The Trainers still have to watch out for Up Smash, and Fox should be able to keep them running. Looks to be in Fox's favor due to his high speed and high damage output.

: In Brawl, Pikachu suffered from an overall lack of range on his attacks. The Wii Fit Trainers will be able to outrange the electric mouse and hit strike with their yoga poses while he struggles. This is a losing match for Pikachu.

: I'm not going to say anything about this matchup because we don't know how much stand alone Charizard differs from Brawl Charizard, especially with new moves. I will reserve judgement until we know more about the character.

: The aura buff appears to be massive, so the Wii Fit Trainers need to be able to defeat him quickly. Beyond the buffed aura, we actually don't know a lot about Lucario. If it's anything like in Brawl, Lucario's ground combat is below average, and so the Wii Fit Trainers will have to stay on the ground. I think this is slightly in Lucario's favor.

: Marth is still the same as before. He's a fast character with disjointed hitboxes. He won't struggle to break Sun Salutations, and will outrange the Wii Fit Trainers. This will be a very easy matchup for Marth.

: Pit got a slew of new moves that fix his problems in Brawl, including the Upperdash Arm to solve range problems and the Power of Flight to deal with recovery issues. Palutena's Bow still remains a useful projectile, and he is able to deal with Sun Salutations. Wii Fit Trainer lacks the ability to deal with this approach well, so Pit should have the advantage here.

: Olimar in Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS looks to be a solid counter to Wii Fit Trainer. The yoga instructors lack the ability to deal with camping, and Olimar, even with a limit of three Pikmin, is still able to pitch up a tent against them. Pikmin are also decently sized disjoints. Putting everything together, this looks to be very tough for the Wii Fit Trainers.

: Like in Brawl, Sonic struggles due to a lack of disjointed hitboxes and projectiles. Wii Fit Trainer will be able to comfortably outrange the world's fastest hedgehog and have an easy time beating him.

: Rosalina is likely Wii Fit Trainer's worst matchup. Luma is a walking disjointed hitbox due to being separate from Rosalina at all times. Luma allows Rosalina to comfortably deal with the Wii Fit Trainers from a range where she is completely safe. Star Bits also exist to make the match even harder, and Gravitational Pull makes both Sun Salutation and Tether Ball useless.

: We know nothing about Greninja, and so I won't discuss it until we have more info about the character.

: Little Mac thrives on the ground, just like Wii Fit Trainer. Therefore, Wii Fit Trainer must take to the skies in order to have a chance against Little Mac. Single Leg Extension is a solid move to outrange Little Mac, and strategic Sun Salutation use can help as well. That being said, this is still likely in Little Mac's favor because of how restricted the Wii Fit Trainers are in the matchup.

: Villager has a lot of disjointed hitboxes like Wii Fit Trainer, and both have projectiles as well. This is likely to be an even matchup due to how similar the characters are.

: Perhaps the character with the most disjointed attacks, this looks to be a tough match for Wii Fit Trainer. Approaching will be a nightmare due to the many ways that Mega Man can protect himself. However, once Wii Fit Trainer infiltrates Mega Man's defense, his lack of close range attacks become apparent. That said, this is an easy match for Mega Man.


Synopsis on the Competitive Wii Fit Trainer scene

Wii Fit Trainer's biggest strengths are their long ranged attacks and solid projectiles. These will be very useful tools in establishing a Wii Fit Trainer metagame. The Smashes, Tilts and Aerials have excellent range due to their massive hitboxes, and Sun Salutation is an incredible projectile. However, these same tools are also Wii Fit Trainer's downfall. Characters that are able to outrange Wii Fit Trainer are very tough to overcome, as she has no way of forcing approaches if the opponent is armed with a projectile. Making up for these flaws will be key in being successful with the yoga teachers.

Kirby Hat

Seeing as how Sun Salutation is her Neutral attack, Kirby will be performing it as well when he swallows Ms. Fit.

Closing

This has been a busy week for Smash fans due to the Nintendo Direct. The Week in Review is covering every detail that the writers can find in the direct to share with us, so props to them. Thanks for reading this analysis on Wii Fit Trainer, and enjoy the rest of the Week in Review.

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

We Want YOU to Vote! Results
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom

In what capacity would you like to see Ridley be included in Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS?

​

It seems kind of strange to write about this poll after the recent Direct which potentially deconfirmed Ridley and made his a possible boss on Pyrosphere. If you are unsure to what I am referring to, this image should suffice:

Ridley supposedly grabbed poor Pikachu and flew off with him. However, there are both those that believe that Ridley is not a stage hazard and still has a chance at being playable and there are those who felt this was a direct 100% deconfirmation of Ridley.

Regardless, the results on the poll are in as of today:

1. As a playable character
   42 vote(s)
   73.7%
2. As a stage hazard on Pyrosphere or another stage
   6 vote(s)
   10.5%
3. As a background element in Pyrosphere or another stage
   1 vote(s)
   1.8%
4. As a boss in the adventure mode
   2 vote(s)
   3.5%
5. As an Assist Trophy
   1 vote(s)
   1.8%
6. As a collectable trophy
   1 vote(s)
   1.8%
7. Other (Please post why!)
   2 vote(s)
   3.5%
8. I don't want to see Ridley included
   2 vote(s)
   3.5%

It is easy to see why Smashboards is seen as being usually pro-Ridley among the other Smash communities. An overwhelming 73.7% or 42 total votes preferred to see Ridley as a playable character rather than anything else. Meanwhile, 10.5% preferred to see him as a stage hazard in Pyrosphere or a Metroid-related stage while 2 votes for 3.5% wanted to see him appear in some sort of Advebture Mode as a boss though I wonder if these votes were more so in favor for an Adventure Mode rather than Ridley himself. Both "Other (Please post why!) " and "I don't want to see Ridley included " got 2.5% or 2 votes. However, only MisterVideoGaming explained why he chose Other:

I picked other.

Or the, "I don't mind what his appearance is" option.

The two who picked "I don't want to see Ridley included." did not explain why so we are unsure if it is dislike of the character or lack of knowledge.

Regardless, Smashboards obviously wants to see Ridley playable and this most recent Direct has sent ripples...nay...tidal aves through the Ridley community.

We Want YOU to Vote!
Author: @ Venus of the Desert Bloom ​

What was your favorite part of the Super Smash Bros. Direct?​

How did you enjoy this weeks Direct? Was it everything you thought it was! Were you happy with the information presented or were you disappointed? Let us know!
​

• • The Release Date
  • About Online Play
  • Stages
  • Final Destination Stages
  • Global Smash Power
    
  • Items
  • Assist Trophies
  • Pokemon
  • Zero Suit Samus
  • Sheik
  • Yoshi
  • Charizard
  • Greninja
  • All of the character
  • Everything!
  • Nothing...

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

This was left on my WiR desk earlier this week and just labeled.....

"*laughs*"

Digging through its contents, I was amazed at the treasure trophy I have stumbled upon. I quickly translated a random entry into English and held onto it until today. Thus, I present to you, Smashboardians.....

Sakurai's Dairy
​

4/1/14: Dear Diary,

got a surprise visit from Iwata today. Came in begging for me to do my own Direct and to announce the 3DS version release early. Broke out in tears saying his butt's on the line come June, and that we can just delay the game again once E3 passes. I hate him so much. Told him that I'd be doing the Direct my way, not any of this "please understand" or "directly to you" stuff (thank god I don't spoke English), and to keep Reggie as far away as possible...he's been rather moody since I told him he's not in the game unlike Miyamoto. That said, I have so many ideas now that I have my own Direct, though I'm not sure which character to reveal yet...maybe Ghirahim? I know people have been looking for a character who fights with their tongue, but then again Game Freak is finally letting me reveal Pokemon stuff, maybe I should announce Dunsparce? I'll have to think on it.

As translation can be an uphill and often long battle, I think I can only give you the translated entries once every week and so. And since it was delivered to me only, I will be keeping how of this Sakuleek...

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Misc Information/Requests
The WiR is a huge commitment for me. I typically spend anywhere from an hour to 5 hours of my day making sure the WiR is as good as it can be. But I do have a job that I constantly have to prepare and study for as long as taking online classes myself and studying Japanese to further my career. Not to mention I have a social life, a wife, and commitments that conflicts with the WiR.

Therefore, I depend A LOT on outside help. If you would like to help write a WiR, please contact me via Private Message and we can work out the details. If you have any idea or would like to contribute something different, I am open to ideas. For example, the veteran analysis was entirely @APC99’s idea. I could also use some help in finding quotes, watching threads, and proofreading. If you see some interesting posts that you think may help me in writing the WiR, simply quote it in a Private Message or quote/tag me in your post on that thread. That way, I am sure to read it and within its context.

Secondly, I want to open to three Requests I have for people. If you are interested in helping out, please put "____________ Submission" so I know what you are applying for.


Little Mac Newcomer Analysis

Are you planning on maining Mac? Was he one of your most wanted characters? Or are you interested in writing about him? I am looking for a capable writer to help cover the Little Mac analysis.

If you want to write up a analysis on Little Mac, hit me up on PM.

Potential Character Analysis: Ridley

Are you an avid supporter of Ridley! Show your knowledge of the space dragon by writing up an analysis of how Ridley would be incorporated into Smash! Everything from move sets, stats, game play, and more! Contact me for more details!
​

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

I would like to take the time to thank:

@ Pazzo.
@ThatWasPeachy
and
@IsmaR

I couldn't do it without you guys!

 

[Rebellious Treecko]

Cool, I was referenced.

I don't check this much. SO much stuff here. Must've been crazy for you guys to write it all.

----

My favorite part about the direct was the everything.

Some cool parts for me:

-He did something amazing for competitive smashers with the "for glory mode" and option for FD-style stages.

-Finally showing Yoshi.

-The Balloon Fight stage for the 3DS version.

-Using various music tracks during the direct like Dark Pit's theme and ID-Purpose, all but confirming them for Smash, I suppose.

-The (currently unnamed) Kalos Pokemon League stage for the WiiU version briefly shown in the Greninja trailer.

-The humor during various parts of the direct, like the Waliugi doll, the substitute doll, "yes, I'm still alive", and the Paultena trophy fake-out.

-Giving Zelda and Sheik new down special moves and making ZSS easier to select. (I assume she'll be on the CSS now) Will miss the transformation gimmick though.

-Smash Run for the 3DS version. They took the Underground Maze from Melee and took it up to eleven. 4 player mode? Nintendo-based enemies along with Subspace enemies? It looks like a small, quick little mode, but do want.

-Greninja. As a standalone character.

I originally thought a Kalos Trainer with Chespin, Braien, and the ninja frog would be awesome to have, but I wasn't expecting it all that much for SSB4. I also saw various people saying that Pokemon Trainer would be cut and only Charizard would remain due to his comments with problems with multiple characters in the 3DS version. Didn't think he'd actually do it.

I'll miss Pokemon Trainer, though... But Greninja and the other things in the direct make my hype outweigh my disappointment.
Worried about Ridley and Snake, too.

----

And something off topic: The url for Greninja's page on the US site has had "gekkouga" in the name since the start and hasn't changed. You think Sakurai (or whoever makes the pages) simply forgot to edit and use the english name?

-----

 

[Pazzo.]

Excellent WiR! Glad I could write for it!

 

[FalKoopa]

Another great job, Venus.

It must have been a hell to write two WiRs in one week, covering all the info from the Direct and the daily pics. Glad it went without any hiccups.

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

There were a few. I admit Issue 13 took a back seat in favor for Direct coverage.