This is all REALLY excellent content, everyone! I had no idea so many great games came out on this day, but while it sucks that Sakurai didn't acknowledge it, we got dozens of people and outlets spreading the word. That's the thing I wanna get into: even though Nintendo doesn't really acknowledge DKC, and frankly tries to shun certain elements, we fans have kept it alive. Not just on smashboards either; we've got over 900 followers on Twitter, GameXplain is always giving the series its time to shine, loads of fanart pouring in from various users, an excellent chronicle from SourceGaming and developer insights. It really feels like Dixie as a character, and DKC as a whole is truly beloved.
A while ago I said that if Nintendo doesn't acknowledge and appreciate DK, then us fans will take matters into our own hands, and we certainly did. We'll keep putting in a great word for both Dixie and DKC. Whether our favorites are from Rare's era or Retro's we've got 5 excellent and memorable games to choose from, with about a dozen fun characters to show off and many phenomenal music tracks.
I'm glad to have gotten the chance to play DKC2 back in 2007; my family was on the verge of homelessness, and being able to play it during the fall of that year kept me from despair. Between that game and Brawl's hype cycle, my excitement for the future was remarkably high. I remember the days walking home from school humming Mining Melancholy, looking at the leaves change to their yellows, reds and oranges as I hurried to my friend's house to use his emulator. Diddy was always my childhood favorite Kong, but I never got the chance to play DKC2 in ths 90's. Part of me is glad I played it when I did though, cuz if I played it as a kid....Dixie would've been my favorite Kong. She flat out upstaged Diddy as badly as he upstaged DK. I was amazed with that game, and I was playing it 12 years after it came out.
Dixie's gotten incremental exposure from Nintendo recently, and while it's a baby step in the right direction, it certainly isn't enough. She doesn't get her due credit TBH, and while I sadly doubt she'll get into Ultimate, I wanna point out that her absense doesn't make her unworthy. Smash Bros is a boost to one's legacy--a boost Dixie needs--but it's not the defining point of her legacy, and it won't be if she gets in. She's still the preferred Kong for most when she's playable, one of Nintendo's longest running action-girls, a girl who's never been canonically captured and a great asset in the 2 best DKCs. Whether Dixie gets in or not, she's still a great character and an excellent Nintendo All-Star.