StrangeTamer
Smash Cadet
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2013
- Messages
- 49
(Source: @gameb0ybryan)
Previous Threads:
https://smashboards.com/threads/support-ray-for-smash-custom-robo-discussion-thread.325155/
https://smashboards.com/threads/sup...stom-robo-in-smash-bros.436485/#post-21165376
Credit to @ToastyPyre for several assets from the original thread and
The One Who Wrote This
for superheading the newer version and creating the social group.
Previous Threads:
https://smashboards.com/threads/support-ray-for-smash-custom-robo-discussion-thread.325155/
https://smashboards.com/threads/sup...stom-robo-in-smash-bros.436485/#post-21165376
Credit to @ToastyPyre for several assets from the original thread and
The One Who Wrote This
for superheading the newer version and creating the social group.
What is Custom Robo?
Custom Robo is a series of science fiction action role-playing games published by Nintendo. In each game, the player assumes the role of a character who engages in various Custom Robo battles. In these battles, the player pilots their robo and maneuvers around a 3D battlefield, attacking their opponent with the objective of reducing their HP from 1000 to 0. These battles can have up to 4 fighters and include teams, much like Smash.
The game follows the cycle of collecting, customizing, and battling. Throughout the games, you'll be finding various parts to customize your robo with to suit your style of combat. The 5 parts you'll be adjusting are the body, gun, bomb, pod, and legs. These will affect things like your gun's speed and power, the mobility of your robo and length of hover time, and their speed and weight.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What's the history of the franchise?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What's the history of the franchise?
Custom Robo is developed by Noise and published by Nintendo. In Japan, it was marketed towards young boys who enjoyed playing with action figures and toy models. The developers were inspired by the childhood fantasy of becoming action figures and playing out battles.
The 5 games in the Custom Robo franchise are...
Custom Robo (N64)
-Released in Japan, 1999
-Released for the iQue Player in China, 2006
Custom Robo V2 (N64)
-Released in Japan, 2000
-Released on the Japanese Wii Virtual Console, 2008
-First Custom Robo to allow up to 4 fighters, instead of 2
Custom Robo GX (GBA)
-Released in Japan, 2002
-First and only Custom Robo rendered in 2D for battles as opposed to the usual 3D
Custom Robo (GameCube)
-Released in Japan and North America, 2004
-First Custom Robo to be released in North America
-First Custom Robo to incorporate full motion video
Custom Robo Arena (DS)
-Released in Japan, 2006
-Released in North America, Australia, and Europe, 2007
-First Custom Robo to be released in PAL regions
-First Custom Robo to incorporate Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for battles
As you can see, the series had a decent lifespan, with a new game coming out about once every 2 years for the newest Nintendo system. Unfortunately this stopped after Custom Robo Arena, which is the last Custom Robo game in over a decade. The last thing we've gotten was a virtual console release in Japan, and more recently, a translation patch for Custom Robo 64. (https://www.startrinket.com/custom-robo)
Credit to
smashkirby
for discovering this!---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who is Ray?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who is Ray?
Ray is the mascot robo model for the series. In every game, the player is given a Ray model as their first robo. Because there are several different models, it's hard to determine which specific one is fit best for Smash (do we go OG, newest one, or most iconic looking), but it can be safe to assume a Ray model nonetheless would be the representative given its prominence in the franchise as a whole. It has also been long enough since a new game that Smash Bros could throw in their own rebooted version of Ray.
Custom Robo (N64)
Very first robo in the Ray series and primary robo for the hero. Also appears in V2 and Arena.
Custom Robo V2
First robo given in V2 and Arena. Mascot of V2.
An alternate, illegal version of Ray piloted by doppelgangers. Also appears in Arena.
Custom Robo GX
Mascot for Custom Robo GX. Also appears in Arena.
A modified version of the X-Ray given to the player later in the game. Also appears in Arena.
A military version of the Ray Sky that appears in GX and Arena.
Custom Robo (GameCube)
The mascot robo for Custom Robo (GameCube). Also appears in Arena.
An upgraded, illegal version of the Ray 01 given to the player in the post-game. Also appears in Arena.
An illegal member of the Ray series, considered to be an obsolete version of the original Ray.
Custom Robo Arena
The newest member of the Ray series, given to the player later in the game.
(Taken from the Custom Robo Wiki: http://customrobo.wikia.com/wiki/Ray_Series)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why should Ray be in Smash Bros?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why should Ray be in Smash Bros?
1. Diversity
Ray automatically stands out from your typical Smash Bros fighter. The current roster only has two robot characters, R.O.B. and Mega Man, and all three of them are vastly different. Ray also has a unique design that contrasts with the fighters we already have. He has an appealing look with a robo action figure vibe that can draw people in to exploring more about him. In terms of fighting potential, not only does Ray stem from a game that revolves around fighting, which makes his moveset relatively simple to compose, but his fighting isn't that similar to many other characters already in Smash. While I often struggle to think of why my other top wanted characters could stand out in terms of moveset potential, Ray has an assortment of weapons that gives developers many possibilities to work with if they were to design him. If Smash Switch follows up on the idea of customizing characters, Ray fits into this feature like a glove, since his entire franchise revolves around changing around components of your fighter.
2. Personality
Custom Robo is OOZING with creativity. The entire concept of the franchise is fresh and appealing. The vast amount of robos in the games make for easy ideas for trophies and maybe even an assist trophy (we did get one in Brawl). The game's signature 3D battleground creates an idea for stage that writes itself. Without trying to sound redundant, Ray's action figure robot vibe is a unique characteristic that's appealing in itself and hasn't been explored in a Smash character yet. The closest character is probably Samus, who is still different enough from Ray and unique with her own variety of reasons.
3. Recognition
Smash Bros is a very popular game. A lot of people, including myself, were introduced to certain video game characters because of their role in Smash. The biggest example of this is Marth and Roy. Fire Emblem was a Japanese only franchise until their inclusion in Melee, where their popularity was enough to convince Nintendo to release the next game in the West. Fire Emblem has since grown to now being able to have 6 reps, and it all started with having a character and a clone in Melee. While I'm not sure if this is really linked to Smash because the franchise was already highly demanded to be brought to the West to begin with, Xenoblade has also seen a rise in popularity in the past couple of years, with it now having a spiritual successor and a sequel about to be released. Even though Shulk was a popular character during the Smash 4 speculation cycle, his inclusion nonetheless informed a lot of people of him and his franchise and convinced many to try his game out. I'm not saying Custom Robo is on the level of Fire Emblem or Xenoblade, but I think if there's enough demand, we can save the series. Kid Icarus got a new game after over two decades, and Pit's inclusion in Brawl may have helped that happen. If the development team were to ever take a chance on Ray and add him to Smash, my hope would be that there is a Custom Robo game on the Switch's eventual Virtual Console to sort of test the waters of how fans react to his inclusion and if there's enough people who would want to see the series rebooted. This may not be the most valid reason, but overall I think he could work as one of those obscure characters that's unexpectedly added and then rises in popularity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Counterarguments
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Counterarguments
Let's address the elephant in the room, Ray's chances aren't the greatest. In terms of relevancy, he hasn't had a game in over a decade. Heck, he downgraded from an assist trophy in Brawl to no representation at all in Smash 4. While Ray isn't the most obscure character, he isn't one of the most popular either. So based solely on popularity, King K. Rool, Isaac, Snake, and others would realistically take priority.
However, thinking in terms of characters for an unrepped series, he could be seen as more unique and able to offer more to Smash's diversity. You could also argue that Ray and Isaac's glaring omission from Smash 4's trophy list (when they had TWO games to cover Nintendo's assortment of franchises) was done intentionally so they could potentially add them if fans demanded them enough for DLC. This is slightly debunked by Lucas having a trophy pre-DLC, but an interesting thought nonetheless.
So taking into account that Ray is only semi-popular, hasn't had a new game in a while, and his series didn't have extraordinary sales or marketing, what redeems all of this?
Well, thinking purely from a fighting standpoint, Ray works very, very well. He can offer a unique personality to the cast of Smash and has a remarkable identity that'll keep him from blending in with the rest. Smash is known for its surprises. We can look for patterns and criteria that fits every character's inclusion, but every now and again we'll get thrown a curve-ball that makes us rethink what we thought was possible. Ray is one of those characters that could be a half-expected inclusion. His identity will definitely fly over a casual person's head, but I think that semi-obscurity makes him really cool and gives him an opportunity to meet a new audience of players.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So who wants to support Custom Robo, or more specifically, Ray for Smash? Any model is welcome!
(I'll update this thread as time goes on and I get more ideas. I wanted to include some character poll results but I didn't know which polls were the most reliable)
Trophies
Ray MK II: The Custom Robo games feature combat between small robots averaging about 12 inches (30cm) in height. Ray Mk II is the upgraded descendant of one of the combatants from the original game. It's a well-balanced Jumper model in the Shining Fighter line of robots. Its stable design lets it excel with a minimum of customization. (Custom Robo 2 (Japan only))
Bayonette: Tsurugi and Yaiba, twin brothers who were bewitched by the dark power, combined their beloved robots Spear and Lance to form this illegal robot. The brothers used the Strike Vanisher model as a base, but then added a number of stealth capabilities. This successful power-up is nothing short of a Custom Robo miracle. (Custom Robo 2 (Japan only))
Annie: Annie, a Jumper model in the Stunner line of robots, was the robot used by Nanase, a cadet at the Takuma Academy, a commander training school. At the climax of the story, Nanase fell prey to temptation and stained her hands with the illegal robot Majei. This act ultimately set the stage for her undeniably tragic end. (Custom Robo 2 (Japan only))
Assist Trophy
Ray Mk III, hailing from Custom Robo Arena, appears as an Assist Trophy in Brawl. When summoned, it will fly to the center of the stage and fire either a barrage of energy bullets, or a singular missile. These bullets can be reflected or absorbed. Ray MK III may occasionally fly slightly to the left or right, and fire another attack before returning to his original position. Ray MK III is unlocked as an Assist Trophy after 100 Vs. Matches have been played.
Trophies
Ray Mk III: The custom robo used by the main character. It's the latest Shining Fighter model in the Ray line of robots, which appears throughout the Custom Robo series. The main character switches from his beloved Ray Mk II to this model after his sister and father develop it. This one has a great balance between built-in abilities and ease and depth of available customization. (Custom Robo: Arena)
Custom Robos: Small robots. Custom robos average about 12 inches (30cm) in height. Battling of custom robos fitted with weapon combos—including guns, bombs, and pods—is a hobby of the future, taking place in a virtual arena called a holosseum. The different customization options allow for many battle strategies. Clearly defined regulations provide for a highly competitive activity. (Custom Robo(GC), Custom Robo: Arena)
Jameson & A.I.R.S.: Highly illegal modified robos. The Jameson is based on the Lightning Sky. It and the A.I.R.S., a high-end Ray machine, can transform into fighter jets. The A.I.R.S. was developed for military use and thus cannot be used by all commanders. Both of these robos were available via DS Download Stations in Japan. (Custom Robo V2 (Japan Only), Custom Robo: Arena)
Stickers
Annie(Custom Robo V2), Rakansen(Custom Robo(GC)), Ray(Custom Robo), Ray01(Custom Robo(GC)), Ray MkIII(Custom Robo Arena), Robo Cube(Custom Robo(GC)), Seal Head(Custom Robo(GC)).
Last edited:
