What would an indie smash bros look like?

[slambros]

Lately, their's been controversy about the inclusion of indie characters as DLC in the latest two super smash bros games. Popular characters like Shovel Knight, Shantae, and the Azure Striker Gunvolt main progatonist are decently popular in America and have good move-set potential, but might not be Nintendo-relevant or worldwide back aimed enough to warrant an inclusion on the roster. Nevertheless, while I had indie characters on my mind, I had this idea: what if there was a smash bros-esque game with indie characters only?

What if all the indie developers banded together to make something like this? Better yet, what would the roster look like? Personally, I'd bet on characters like Shovel Knight, Yooka-Laylee, Shantae, Super Meat Boy, the Azure Striker Gunvolt main protagonist, Hatty Hattington from Battleblock Theater, and a plethora of others.

What's your opinion on this idea? Enjoy discussion.

 

[JBRPG]

While the indie studios may not be able to create the smash-bro like experience, there are games that give a feeling of multiplayer mayhem

RunBow - featuring Indie characters, which act the same
Tohou Smash Battle - Smash-inspired game with unique mechanics (Smashboards covered it once)
Super Indie Kart - Bunch of small indie characters in kart games with unique gimmicks.

 

[singleserved]

Lately, their's been controversy about the inclusion of indie characters as DLC in the latest two super smash bros games. Popular characters like Shovel Knight, Shantae, and the Azure Striker Gunvolt main progatonist are decently popular in America and have good move-set potential, but might not be Nintendo-relevant or worldwide back aimed enough to warrant an inclusion on the roster. Nevertheless, while I had indie characters on my mind, I had this idea: what if there was a smash bros-esque game with indie characters only?

What if all the indie developers banded together to make something like this? Better yet, what would the roster look like? Personally, I'd bet on characters like Shovel Knight, Yooka-Laylee, Shantae, Super Meat Boy, the Azure Striker Gunvolt main protagonist, Hatty Hattington from Battleblock Theater, and a plethora of others.

What's your opinion on this idea? Enjoy discussion.

I would love for Shantae to be a character!I already have a few ideas for a moveset and everything.

 

[slambros]

I think I can make a good roster for this. I think it would start small, like 12-ish, and it would have relatively multiplatform characters. I'd initially go with Shovel Knight, Yooka & Laylee, Super Meat Boy, The Drifter (Hyper Light Drifter), Shantae, Quote (Cave Story), Tommynaut (Armikrog), Beck (Mighty No. 9), Octodad, and the Azure Striker Gunvolt protagonist, among others I can't think of at the moment.

 

[ThePlacidPlatypus]

I'd just like to see Quote.

 

[Wintropy]

I could see a Skullgirls character making the cut.

More than likely it'd be Filia, main character and all, though I could also see that honour going to either Peacock or Squigly, both of whom are among the creator's favourites.

 

[Freduardo]

Commander Video. I can't think of an indie crossover game he's not in.

(Including Smash Brothers 4)

 

[Loïc]

If there's no indie character in Smash as DLC, something like this would be the next best thing. While maybe not an exact clone of Smash, some kind of platform fighter would be great.

Various characters that could work well include:

Quote
Shantae
Shovel Knight
Gunvolt
Beck
Yooka & Laylee
Super Meat Boy
Lilac
Commander Video
Braid
Filia
Someone from Touhou (Probably Reimu or Marisa)
Someone from Rivals of Aether (Obviously)
Wryn
Suguri

 

[Sid-cada]

Heh, what do ya know...

A while ago, some guys made a version of this, called Indie Brawl. While never compleated, a beta of several charaters exists.

Naturally, they were aiming for more of the indie community rather than the gaming comunity, so the names are more obscure, but it still exists. As far as I can tell, the last version of the roster featured:

Character Series
Naija Aquaria
The Golden Knight Bonesaw: The Game
Liero Liero
Iji Iji
Nikujin Nikujin
Lyle Lyle in Cube Sector
Dwarf Dwarf Fortress
Turner Lugaru and Overgrowth
Trillby Trilby: The Art of Theft and Chzo Quadrilogy
Xoda Rap Noitu Love 2

The following characters were considered, but never finished:

Character Series
Gish Gish
Charles Barkley Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden
The Blue Knight Castle Crashers
Spelunker Spelunky
Reimu Hakurei Touhou Project
Madotsuki Yume Nikki


For those of you wondering about Quote of Cave Story, when they asked for permission the creator stated that he had to reluctantly decline, so no content is available from the game.

A small temporary spike in reviving the project brought up Issac (Binding of Issac), a Skullgirls charater, The Kid (Bastion), the unnamed clawed schoolgirl of They Bleed Pixels, Dustman (Dustforce), and either Isadora or Momo (Momodora Series).

To give you an idea of how old this project was, Shovel Knight was talked about, but they decided to wait until his game was released.


I've talked about it several times before, but eh. Once more wouldn't hurt, am I right?

 

[Freduardo]

Runbow's cast:
Shovel Knight
Rusty from Steamworld Dig
Juan and Tostada from Guacamelee
Swift Thornbrooke from Sportsball
Scram Kitty from Scram Kitty
Commander Video and Commander Girl Video from Bit.Trip (and 1001 spikes, and Super Meat boy)

If we're doing this Indies in general, I'd add Reimu and Meat Boy, a castle crasher knight, alien hominid, and the creepy kid from Limbo and Beck From Mighty No. 9. With secret guest character Earthworm Jim

If we're doing Nintendo's indie spotlight I'd add Quote, Shantae, Gunvolt, Gunman Clive, and the kid from Mutant Mudds

 

[slambros]

Commander Video. I can't think of an indie crossover game he's not in.

(Including Smash Brothers 4)

I have no idea how I forgot Commander Video! Even after playing Super Meat Boy and running into his sudden playability, I totally overlooked him. He'd be a perfect addition.

 

[A Distant Demon]

paging @ Khoru

 

[Khoru]

hey yeah
i made this a while back. been meaning to add drifter, ukulele, gunvolt, and someone else i haven't decided on yet but i'm lazy

tried to keep the most ~iconic~ indie games while having a few weird choices, but not ones that wouldn't be able to do much (read: the kid from limbo)
although i guess ninja would be a bit of a pain to make a moveset for so shut up
i've been slowly working on assist and stage rosters to complement this, but progress has been...... slow.

in other words, i got into touhou while researching music for it.

in any case, the absolute essentials are reimu, quote, meat boy, steve, and video. anything else is extra

Tohou Smash Battle - Smash-inspired game with unique mechanics (Smashboards covered it once)

yyyeah that kind of got taken down because westerners can't handle the creator's guidelines

For those of you wondering about Quote of Cave Story, when they asked for permission the creator stated that he had to reluctantly decline, so no content is available from the game.

iirc that was something on nicalis' end
in any case quote got in runner2 and curly got in 1001 spikes so