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Having DK in there would eliminate Dixie's starring role status, imo. I think it would've been cooler if it was either Funky or Chunky Kong. Funky could've had the hover surfboard introduced here first, with some caveats compared to his gameplay in TF in order to make it fair and balanced. Though it's kinda hard to see Chunky in a 2D setting, the juxtaposition of Dixie's brave mannerism and Chunky's cowardice would make for an entertaining venture.
I've gotten to the point of envisioning a different DKC3 scenario based around that. Funky gets Kiddy's spot, Cranky takes over Funky via a Kong Junkyard selling items, and you could even have the first semi-friendly Kremling called Kompetitor to take over Cranky's spot in Swanky's games.
But it is funny how in the original trilogy named after him, DK is only playable once.
Sometimes the new character additions are welcomed and great to the fans (Dixie) and some new additions are baffling and odd (Kiddy). Like, why make a new character for DK64 with Tiny when Dixie already exists? Lanky is fine as he was unique and not just a swap out for an established Kong.
Seeing Pyra get in over Rex....What would be your reaction if Kiddy gets in and not Dixie?
Mine would be utter confusion, disappointment, but ultimately happy to at least get new DK content. But I would probably be confused about it for the rest of my life.
I mean, Pyra and Rex are at least on somewhat equal footing in terms of importance to their series.
Kiddy is FAR FAR below Dixie in terms of importance to DK. He's below a whole bunch of characters, like someone listed before, Funky, Cranky, Tiny, Pauline, etc.
It would be like if they added the Piranha Plant before Peach and Bowser in Melee.
Keep in mind that Diddy upstaged DK in the 1st game, and Dixie upstaged Diddy in the 2nd. Having DK instead of Kiddy means he still gets upstaged, but he's already more likeable than Kiddy. The promotional stuff will center around him though, but gameplay-wise people will flock to Dixie.
That, or they have all 3 hero kongs playable. Only catch is since it's Dixie's game, you gotta go a good portion of the campaign with her solo, unlocking one Kong midway through the 2nd world and the other Kong a couple worlds later. The game in questiin gets an overhaul to accommodate Diddy as well as DK gameplay, and so does the story.
So King Bob-Omb is coming to the new Mario Golf game. This makes me excited for Mario Kart 9 and other spin offs as he was in Tour so was Dixie and Funky. I think we'll get them all in 9.
I don't even have access to mobile games, let alone that one.
That being said, I do wonder if Super Rush will also get to partake in the DK 40th festivities, depending on its roster choices. Camelot's previous game Mario Tennis Aces did have some solid DK-related picks for its DLC, after all.
With all due respect to fans of the game, having Donkey Kong elements in Mario Kart Tour as a DK fan is a lot like having an actor friend who just a role in Pepto Bismol commercial.
You're happy for them, but you're also hoping they can get better gigs in the future.
My initial impressions on the Nintendo direct the other day were pretty “meh” as well. It’s really nice to see these directs happening again, but this one I wasn’t too much excited about, though there were some things that interested me like the Age of Calamity expansion and the new Mario Golf game. The new DLC reveal for SSBU was really cool too.
I am confident we will get a few more directs months from now further down the line. I am still cautiously optimistic for a big announcement for something like a new Donkey Kong game and a new Star Fox game; I will still feel that way at least until the year 2021 concludes. My feelings for the future of those series then could possibly change.
I wasn’t expecting too much from the recent direct, but I was at least hoping for an update on what became of Metroid Prime 4. It’s hard to believe that It’s been nearly 4 years since the game first got announced back in the summer of 2017. They haven’t announced a release date since.
Not sure what Diddy was, but Dixie was $40. She came with a high end kart and 90 rubies (what you use for the pipes to pull characters/karts/gliders). If you want to buy 90 rubies on their own it costs $50.
I'm not spending hundreds of dollars btw. I bought some rubies one time and Dixie. They don't have me in that deep lol.
Why didn't Donkey Kong get a golfing outfit in Super Rush, like Bowser did? Simple: because no pair of golf shorts in the world could hope to contain the might of Donkey Kong's monkey mounds.
Wow, that looks great! I always wondered why DK Summit had a statue of Mario. You know what would be really cool? If they replaced the snowboarding Shy Guys with Tucks!
For what it's worth, it's also Metroid's anniversary year, so Retro might get cracking on making progress and we may hear of it by New Year's Eve.
In the meantime, I don't expect the biggest Ninty news until at least Summer. They just started reviving regular Directs, so it's best to wait for them to settle into their (semi-older) routine.
Why didn't Donkey Kong get a golfing outfit in Super Rush, like Bowser did? Simple: because no pair of golf shorts in the world could hope to contain the might of Donkey Kong's monkey mounds.
Games don't have to come out on their anniversary. BotW missed Zelda's previous anniversary.
Anyway, Retro will release a new crossover game with Donkey Kong Country Meets Metroid. King K Ridley fights Samus in her new Banana Armor armed with a coconut gun, which fires in spurts. Probably gonna hurt.
Games don't have to come out on their anniversary. BotW missed Zelda's previous anniversary.
Anyway, Retro will release a new crossover game with Donkey Kong Country Meets Metroid. King K Ridley fights Samus in her new Banana Armor armed with a coconut gun, which fires in spurts. Probably gonna hurt.
The contrast! Metroid has the following flavors: 'dark,' 'intense,' 'fast-paced,' 'explorative,' 'solitude,' 'bizarre,' 'aftershock.' On the other hand, Donkey Kong Country has the following flavors: 'bright,' 'casual,' 'simple,' 'friendly,' 'silly.' Whoever designs a cross-over must be very creative in weaving these worlds together seamlessly, naturally, and believably! It would be a highly unusual game that either does extremely well, or plummets tragically. The latter case is too easy to fulfill, and could hurt the image of both franchises for 'hard' fans if Metroid and Donkey Kong were not properly integrated ... I would like to see it, but it sounds like it could be a risky venture.
I'll give you friendly, silly, and maybe even bright (parts of DKC2 and DK64 get pretty gloomy), but casual? Simple? Forget about it. Mechanically, the DKC games are very complex, and no one who's suffered through Animal Antics, Tyrant Twin Tussle or Perilous Passage would ever call these games casual!
I also think it's funny cause Metroid already has quite a few cameos in the Retro DK games. I doubt we'll ever see a crossover game like that ever release, but apparently they are close enough to meld into the background.
Naw, no need to apologise. I'm just playing around. I rarely look back at old pages, just happened to have that particular page opened and decided to have some fun with ya. Seriously, it's not like I'm obsessed with being showered with dem likes. Honest.
Games don't have to come out on their anniversary. BotW missed Zelda's previous anniversary.
Anyway, Retro will release a new crossover game with Donkey Kong Country Meets Metroid. King K Ridley fights Samus in her new Banana Armor armed with a coconut gun, which fires in spurts. Probably gonna hurt.
A potential DK x Metroid crossover could end up being amazing. Could have an engine similar to Other M, maybe with more beat em up mechanics due to the Kongs being way more close combat melee based than Samus.
I have an idea for two crossover games: a Donkey Kong Country game set in the Metroid universe where the Kongs are trying to retrieve the bananas from the space pirates (as to how they get into space, I don't know, Funky's rocket ship?), and a Metroid Prime game that takes place on DK Island where Samus is trying to retrieve a Metroid from the Kremlings. As to why the Space Pirates and Kremlings have the Golden Bananas and Metroid respectively, it would turn out it would be some kind of mix up which would then turn into a Punch Out mini game starring K. Rool vs. Ridley. Whoever you choose to win with decides the outcome at the end.
As I said in the past, I have returned to comment on the new character unveil that has happened (as well as a bunch of posts that caught my interest over the course of this month). Pyrra and Mytha are yet another character that I did not see coming. Congratulations to Xenoblade fans on this miraculous inclusion. As I said before, I was doubtful on any more Nintendo characters, and especially spirit promotion happening for Ultimate. Not only did we get one more, but two more (Pyrra and Mythra are counted as separate characters on the website). I could never have predicted one of the slots would have included two newcomers. The only possibility I saw for another Nintendo newcomer was a Pokemon one (to promote Sword and Shield, and the series's 25th anniversary).
There are now only two slots left to unveil. I personally think that both of them will be third-party, but we shall see. I am going to wait and see the presentation for Pyra & Mythra to see what Sakurai's comments are regarding their (Pyra and Mythra) inclusion, and what Mii costumes are included in the upcoming wave. It will be interesting to see whether the Lloyd Mii costume or the two Monster Hunter Mii costumes return. The absence of one of those two might potentially be a big hint as to whom one of the last two slots will be. My guess right now are the last two slots are a Capcom character (likely one of Dante, Monster Hunter, or Phoenix Wright) and one out of Crash Bandicoot/Ryu Hayabusa/Lloyd. We shall see though.
The rumored DK title did not show up in the direct either. I really wonder if it is going to happen. I guess we shall see what gets announced at the possible June Nintendo Direct. However, between Breath of the Wild 2 and the rumored Pokemon Diamond and Pearl remakes, I am not sure how DK will be able have time to shine. We shall see what happens.
I think that our next Smash unveil will happen anywhere from June to August. It is surreal to think that we our quite close to the end.
Now with all of this being said. Time to comment on some posts that caught my eye.
OK so we're coming up on this thread's 4th anniversary and it's time we do some introspection. How much would y'all say this community has grown throughout the years, and does anyone have any Comments, Complaints, Compliments and/or Critiques about our sect of the fandom?
With no new DK game in sight there's little incoming hype; this coupled with Ultimate naturally dying down in its DLC cycle, plus the unpredictability of choices makes Dixie a long shot. Luckily we're getting steady Life Support from Nintendo with Mario Kart and VC updates but that's not as in-your-face as say a new game. Our fanbase has grown slowly but we haven't suffered the major blows that other bases have, and when it comes to this subforum we're now the 2nd most active Newcomer Speculation thread.
We seem pretty insulated from the usual pitfalls. We don't die out from inactivity and we don't succumb to hype overload like the larger formerly active threads. In a game of endurance we're holding strong, but we're not anywhere near surpassing the activity that some of the larger threads once had, before they were locked. Since Ultimate will be complete in 2022 by Sakurai's estimates, this entire subforum faces extinction a little while after the 6th character gets confirmed, and we're already halfway there. That means this thread will face its end, and the most we'll have regarding fan support will come from the excellent Twitter page.
In regards to Dixie herself, she's been very easily overlooked by the broader fanbase. She's a "sure why not" to many but those outside of the DKC fandom treat her as an Easy Echo when being positive and viewed as a minor character from a D-Tier franchise when being negative. Obviously Dixie's far from minor and DK is far from D-Tier, but a detractor's job is to downplay and dismiss as much as possible. It goes without saying I'm certain you can make a viable moveset out of anything, and Dixie's got more than enough to be unique. Problem I'm seeing is that there's little enthusiasm for her, even though she has a lot of people who'd be A-OK with her making the cut.
So, what do we do about it? We bring our enthusiasm with us to other sites. Even when her detractors start taking shots we don't take it personally, but have good counters ready for when they pop up. I gurantee you that if Mario never was in Smash before, and was a potential newcomer to be speculated on right now, there'd be dozens of people against his inclusion because reasons. "What's he gonna do? 'Jump on people'?! Hah!" No character is detractor-free, so remember that when advocating.
Other than that we can keep up the fan support like we are now. I'm not done with moveset ideas--I doodled up about 25 more ideas and I just need to put them in digitally--and Seashore isn't done with his stuff either. The twitter page is a fun corner as well and this thread is lively with topics that we don't seem to be replicating on other threads (correct me if I'm wrong).
So basically this is an open dialogue and everyone is free to put in their perspectives.
This is a great assessment on the thread and what Dixie Kong faces as a whole. Very good job on it. It is remarkable that Dixie Kong has a support thread as large as she does despite never having a very vocal fanbase or mania surrounding her. Thank you again for your stewardship of the Dixie Kong thread over the past four years. It really reminds me of pre-Ultimate character support threads, and that is a compliment.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. This is the only thread on this site that I frequent/post in and its not because I think Dixie has a shot in the DLC (I dont sorry) and Im pretty much over Smash Ultimate as a whole (I've hit burn out). Would I like to see Dixie be added? Yes. Will I be excited for her inclusion? Absolutely!
But the reason Im still in this thread is to discuss DK as a whole with a group of people that share the same love and passion for the franchise as I do. They're aren't many places on the internet even within Nintendo circles (as previously discussed) that give the DK franchise the time in the spotlight it deserves. I have come to respect everyones contributions to this thread whether I agree with their opinions on certain aspects of the franchise or not. Cause at the end of the day we are all DKC fans by extension of Dixie. So we can have different discussions on different games, characters, music of the franchise and what the future of the franchise could hold. Those are the conversations that keep me coming back here and less of "What would Dixie's side taunt be?" No Im not knocking those discussions btw. Lol
Same here. Once in a while I will make a post in my own Fighters Pass Volume 2 speculation topic , but that is only when after character presentations happen. I will also make a rare post in other support topics. As I said before, this support topic is probably my last tether to the Smash character support and speculation scene.
I do agree that I do like a lot of the ideas and comments here outside of speculation pertaining to Dixie Kong. Its a nice little community, where each of us have unique ideas and input.
I am sure she will be in someday. I just hope her visitation to Donkey Kong games in the future will not die. That is a sure fire guarantee of her exclusion if nothing else is. That said, I think she is popular, original, and historically significant enough that this will not likely be the case.
Dixie Kong's inclusion for DK titles is far from a guarantee. I have brought up numerous times that Dixie has a notorious track record of missing critical DK titles. Missing Diddy Kong Racing and Donkey Kong 64 alone was something that has massively hurt her requests among Smash fans (since many did not grow up with the SNES) to this day. Missing Jungle Beat (though that did not include any of the Rare created DK characters) and Country Returns also hurt her a lot as well. The latter especially considering that several Rare created characters did have roles in that title (Diddy Kong, Cranky Kong, Rambi, and Squawks).
It is my hope that Dixie Kong will have a major playable role in the next major DK title. She could easily miss out on it, and we should not believe that an appearance from her is a guarantee for the next DK title. Her Mario Kart Tour appearance was a step in the right direction, but she is going to need much more in order to build her support.
Since we got the first half of FP2 last year (surprisingly enough) despite covid, I was thinking we might get the remaining half this year, but if the last character or so isn’t until next year, then it’s whatever. Either way, ready for this all to be over before too long, and maybe some metagame shifts again by then with the lack of fighter adjustments from the last couple character releases...
Still too early for goodbyes and stuff right now, but is good to have some long term thinking/planning ahead of time. Nothing more for me to add right now as far as that, but if something comes to me later, I’ll bring it up. Otherwise, am kinda here for similar reasons to what Mariomaniac said. Surprised for this to be one of the most current active threads while also maintaining that balance between hype and discussion, as we know Dixie’s a long shot as is (known it since the DLC began), but still, a most notable feat in her support history.
Yeah. It is remarkable many Dixie fans are able to walk the tight rope between hype and discussion, hope and realistic expectations. A lot of us still dream and hope Dixie still somehow makes it, but as you said, most of us also realize that she is a long shot.
It does speak to both the depth of the DKC (and beyond) titles and the lack of interesting places online to talk about them that a fighter thread for a character that realistically won't get in the DLC has remained so active.
That and its been an ideal place to discuss the nature of Nintendo, platformers, and other various elements adjacent to DKC.
It is truly remarkable I will agree on that. This topic seems to go beyond just support of Dixie Kong, but it is the appreciation and shared support for Dixie Kong, that was the glue that brought a bunch of disparate Smash fans together. It is interesting to hear different opinions on a myriad of topics pertaining to Nintendo franchises, plaformers, and just any sort of miscellaneous game topics in general.
I have already accepted the fact that she's not very likely to make it into "Ultimate" and I don't have the drive to keep on speculating post "Ultimate" when I eventually get into my 30's. Because it seems like it will probably never get bigger than this again.
I feel the same. Several others (especially old guard Smash speculators) have said the same as well. I am pretty much do not have the drive or interest I used to possess for Smash speculation, and I am pretty much just only on just to see how the remainder of Ultimate plays out.
This game has largely given most of what I had wanted to see from the Smash franchise. As you said, this game is very likely going to be the peak for the series in terms of character and stage count. For myself, I know several characters that are personally dear to me likely will not be returning for the next game, and it is understandable why (it took a very special set of circumstances for Ultimate to take the form that it did). For me personally, as someone that had been following the series from the very beginning, Ultimate seems like a good conclusion for the old guard Smash fanbase like myself. Smash going forward is going to be something that will have to re-invent itself for the next installment to make up for the fact that "bigger than before" is no longer a viable plan.
So anyone here play Diddy Kong Racing recently? I've been revisiting the game and I still love that it has a single-player mode since I love kart racers but have no friends.
Though one thing that really stands out to me is that Pipsy is the only girl in the roster (unless you choose to believe that Kazooie was in Banjo's backpack the whole time). It's something that the DS version changed by adding Dixie and Tiny Kong, although sadly at the expense of Banjo and Conker.
I wish there was some way to have a definitive version with all the characters, but unless we get a really talented ROM hacker on the case it's probably never gonna happen.
Diddy Kong Racing is among my Top 10 favorite games for the Nintendo 64. Even though Dixie was not part of the original game's roster, I still really enjoyed it. It has a very memorable soundtrack and whimsical course design. I never got the DS port though despite Dixie being made an addition to the game's roster. I am contemplating one day getting it though.
On that note, Dixie Kong not making it for Diddy Kong Racing's roster is one of the first gaming disappointments I can remember.
Unfortunately, I do not think a definitive version to Diddy Kong Racing will ever be made. I do see a possibility for the 64 game being re-released if Nintendo 64 games are ever added to the Switch Online or the DS port if DS titles are ever added.
For what it's worth, Zero Mission is my favorite 2D Metroid and think it's a great entry way for newbies. Super Metroid is great, but I do find it may be a little too difficult for newcomers.
Zero Mission is my second favorite 2D Metroid (Super is my favorite). I really like the freedom the title offers in terms of what order you can get power-ups. I agree it is a great title for newcomers to the series.
As to the broader and DK and Metroid discussion, like many others here, I am a fan of both franchises. Super Metroid and DKC2 in particular were among my very favorite games for the SNES.
The Gamecube sold around twice as much as the Wii U. The U had a few or couple great titles here and there like Tropical Freeze and Bayonetta 2, but compared to the library the Gamecube offered... It wasn't even close. Not talking about just Metroid either; it was the last time we saw F-Zero and a not insignificant number of other IPs that went to a graveyard and stayed there from the Wii and onward. The worst you can say for the GC is the experimental era that DK went through, but it still came back, while the GC was the last time a certain chunk of IPs saw the light of day. The GC is also retroactively appreciated for being the last system before Nintendo changed its design philosophy to appeal to the more casual audience, and the last time they took the hardware race more seriously with the GC having been one of the most powerful consoles at the time as pointed out, but it was also when Nintendo failed to maintain relationships with Rare and other Western teams, so it's a mixed bag.
But I don't think the Gamecube deserves being lumped with the Wii U as some utter failure like I often see. At the same time though, I agree it's retroactively overhyped by those that mostly grew up with it; the Nintendo youtubers and such that you see now (who also unfortunately don't see the same appeal for DK as we do since they grew up when it was experimented on unlike others that had Rare growing up). Gamecube deserves a lot of the arguments it's got going on its end, especially with the early 2000's being when the Nintendo online community first really grew and nurtured, but isn't the best era or peak Nintendo like many of them now claim. That honor still goes to SNES.
Oh, many of those I still see who champion the Gamecube mainly just talk about Melee and Sunshine, not so much the other more underrated gems which the library was rich with. Feels like the system is both underrated and overrated.
This is a fantastic post. I agree with both sentiments that the GameCube was not a Wii U level flop, while at the same time it has gradually grown to become overrated in some regards. On the latter point, I think it is because many of the Nintendo Youtube personalities and those on social media in general are the "GameCube kiddies" (back in the early 2000's the GameCube was derided online as appealing mostly to children) that played the console as children and have become the main online influencers now for the Nintendo fanbase. Just look at how much used GameCube game prices have risen in just a year's time alone.
I do personally really like the GameCube though, and it is probably among my Top 5 favorite home consoles. I do agree with the sentiment that it is both underrated and overrated. It is strange to me that Super Mario Sunshine is now upheld as a masterpiece when I remember back in the day many were calling it a disappointing follow up to Super Mario 64 and many pointing towards just how rushed the game seemed (the underwhelming final boss and emphasis on blue coins for a good portion of the shines being the two biggest clues).
Though as you said, I would agree that my favorite game console would be the SNES. Most of Nintendo's classic franchises were either in top form, or had some sort of presence on that console.
My top favorite GameCube titles are largely the same as well, though I would swap out Twin Snakes and Star Fox Adventures for F-Zero GX (the pinnacle of the F-Zero series and a contender for the best racing game of all time) and Metroid Prime 2 (a very underrated game in general).
I will agree with you in an earlier post you made that the GameCube was hurt by weaker showings from its traditional platformer franchises (Mario, DK, and Kirby). Kirby outright did not even have a platformer on the GameCube. Jungle Beat was an experimental title in general, and Sunshine while its beloved by many was not groundbreaking or genre defining like many other Mario platformers are.
What's telling is that Gamecube's greatest successes typically were in the multiplayer department; Smash Bros, Mario Kart, Mario Party, the sports spin-offs, Star Fox Assault, and even Kirby's Air Ride. But as someone who was a fan at the time, even though many single player series did manage to get a rebirth or a coming out that did work via Metroid with Prime or Animal Crossing coming to the States, I couldn't help but note that many of the major single player games weren't really the successors that I personally wanted.
Mario Sunshine was fine but still feels outdone by Mario 64 and Galaxy. Wind Waker has improved with time, but its rushed nature means it never completely lived up to its potential. Neither Adventures nor Assault felt like the leap forward in rail shooting mechanics from SF64. Yoshi and Kirby never even got mainline games on the system. The problems with DK have been greatly noted, Thousand Year Door is notable in being the exception and succeeded as an outright improvement on what came before (and given what's happened to the series since, one wonders if that was almost a fluke).
Basically while a lot of spin-offs were thriving with some of their best entries, some of the big pillars were getting mixed results with their entries, hence why the system has maintained a mixed reputation but with an overwhelming positive image of multiplayer fun.
I will agree that the GameCube is a fantastic console in terms of multiplayer titles. It is a shame that local multiplayer has gradually been phased out.
As for your comments on Wind Waker, I will agree. It is another title that I remember back in the day getting a lot of flak, but that is today remembered as a masterpiece. I do still think very fondly and highly of Wind Waker though (and I was very fond of it even before popular opinion did a 180 on it), but I agree the title could have seen its full potential had it been given more time, and that like Sunshine, its apparent that the game was rushed.
As for Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, I do agree that it is a great game, but personally I do not think it surpasses the original. I think the original has a certain sort of charm that has yet to be replicated in the following Paper Mario titles. I also think the 64 installment had better world and level design, as too much of Thousand Year Door was basically long halls.
I dont think their is a such thing as "peak" Nintendo the closest would probably be the SNES but still every generation has its peaks and valleys or strengths and weaknesses. Nintendo has so much IP that not a single generation can get every single franchise so if you're a fan of said franchise and said franchise doesnt appear or is lackluster on that said generation it probably wont be considered "peak" to you. Also nostalgia admittedly plays a big part in said opinion of yours.
I grew up during the N64 era but had a hand me down SNES. So I played N64 and SNES at the same time. I didnt get fully invested into games until the GCN era. Wii was what opened my eyes to Nintendo's other wealth of IP through Brawl and VC outside of just Mario and DK and was the first Nintendo console where I owned almost every 1st party title. DS was my first handheld Nintendo system I owned. Wii U I was there since almost the beginning and owned almost every 1st party game released on the platform. 3DS had a wealth of 1st party games in multiple classic franchises (except DK and F-Zero). Switch was the very first console I ever got on launch and payed for myself.
I have great memories with every Nintendo console to some extent but no Nintendo system is perfect so yeah their is no true "Peak" in my eyes.
I do agree with a lot of the ideas presented here. For example, the Game Boy Advance is probably my favorite handheld of all time partially due to the very strong showing that Metroid, F-Zero, and Fire Emblem had on the console. Not to mention having the best Game & Watch Gallery title.
I do think nostalgia also plays a role in console assessment as well.
I mean the SNES will always be the one I think was strongest across the board (great entries for Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Star Fox, F-Zero, Kirby, Yoshi, Punch-Out, DKC) with strong third party support to boot. However the explosion of spin-off series hadn't really happened yet and newer franchises hadn't come into existence, so someone who loves Pokémon, party titles, or multiplayer emphasized games? I couldn't blame them looking at the Super Nintendo and finding it lacking in that respect.
The SNES did not just have an all-star showing among Nintendo franchises, but it was also among the last Nintendo home consoles where most third-parties brought in their best efforts. The 64 had little third-party support, and the Wii mostly just got niche titles from third-parties from B-teams. GameCube is perhaps the only modern Nintendo home console that got a lot of noteworthy third-party exclusives (or at least were exclusive for a time), but even then it was nowhere near what the PS2 was receiving.
The very strong third-party support the SNES had is another factor why many call it the best Nintendo console.
While I played my share of the SNES and love the console for it's classics like "Super Mario World" and Donkey Kong Country" The Nintendo 64 was my first ever video game console and while I'll admit I'm a little bias, But where the N64 lacks in major 3rd party support more than makes up for it with a formidable 1st/2nd party lineup that I believe packs a more powerful punch overall than not just the SNES, But in any Nintendo console ever in my personal opinion.
I now a lot of people point towards the SNES as having the best all-around and balance in not only having strong 1st party, But also strong 3rd party as well.
But Nintendo and Rareware did all the heavy lifting during the N64 era, While Rare made a name for themselves back in the SNES with DKC and Killer Instinct, They really hit their stride during the N64 era with platformers like Banjo-Kazooie and Tooie, Donkey Kong 64 and Conker's Bad Fur Day, shooters like Goldeneye 007 and Perfect Dark and even their take on the kart racer with Diddy Kong Racing, As someone who (Other than a few exceptions) doesn't really cares about 3rd party games all that much, I felt like I didn't lose anything because Nintendo/Rare had me covered.
The N64 alongside the Gameboy had the debut of a major franchise in Pokemon, Pokemon played such a vital part of my childhood that it's hard for me to picture that there was a time that this major Nintendo franchise didn't even exist Pre-N64 era. I played Pokemon so much on both the N64/GBC that I really didn't care that the N64 lacked JRPG support because Pokemon is the only JRPG I really gave a damn about.
Not to mention the N64 was the ultimate multiplayer system where Mario spinoffs really took off with not just continuations of Mario Kart 64 and the debut of other staples like Mario Party, Mario Tennis and of course Super Smash Bros, Can't also forget Rare for bringing us Goldeneye 007 multiplayer too.
This is just my experience as someone who grew up during the N64/Gamecube era, But also played and respects what came before it, I do own both NES and SNES Classic consoles too, But overall view the Nintendo 64 as not just the greatest Nintendo console, But the best video game console of all time period.
I feel the 64 is hurt by having negligible third-party support as well as many Nintendo franchises either being absent entirely or having their installments being much weaker than their SNES counterparts. Metroid and Fire Emblem were missing entirely (and Fire Emblem was not even gone for that generation, as Thracia 776 was released in late 1999 for the Super Famicom). Both Yoshi's Story and Kirby 64 seemed to me like a step down compared to Yoshi's Island (arguably the pinnacle of SNES platformers) and Superstar and Dream Land 3. Donkey Kong 64 is a much more flawed game than any of the DKC trilogy, and many have characterized it as a Banjo game in a DK costume (though with even more collectathon bloat).
The pinnacle of the 64 can go toe to toe with the pinnacle of the SNES, the problem is though there is a massive drop off after that pinnacle. There are many genres on the 64 that have an almost nonexistent presence. RPGs pretty much only have Paper Mario and Ogre Battle 64 in terms of great titles. Fighting games is another genre where the N64 was lacking, with Super Smash Bros. being the only one that is fondly remembered.
I will agree it was a phenomenal party system. I will also say the Nintendo 64 was my favorite console of that generation (the PS1 was also phenomenal though).
If I had to choose a single Nintendo system its hands down the Wii. Look at this 1st party line-up:
- Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy 2
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Donkey Kong Country Returns
Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
Metroid Prime Trilogy
Metroid: Other M
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Excite Truck
Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Animal Crossing: City Folk
Wario Land: Shake It
Punch-Out!!
Mario Kart Wii
Sin & Punishment: Star Successor
Mario Strikers Charged
WarioWare: Smooth Moves
Mario Party 8
Mario Party 9
Kirby's Return to Dreamland
Xenoblade Chronicles
Pokepark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure
Pokepark 2: Wonders Beyond
Mario Sports Mix
NPC: Mario Power Tennis
NPC: Pikmin
NPC: Pikmin 2
Wii Sports
Super Paper Mario
Wii Sports Resort
Excitebots: Trick Racing
Pokemon Battle Revolution
Rhythm Heaven Fever
Flingsmash
Batallion Wars 2
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Wii Play
Wii Play: Motion
Wii Fit Plus
Wii Music
Link's Crossbow Training
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Mario Super Sluggers
Fortune Street
Wii Party
Endless Ocean
Endless Ocean 2
^ There was so much variety on the Wii when it came to IP. Not to mention Wii is backwards compatible with GCN AND before the servers were shut down you had an amazing VC service. Wii was definitely (at the time) the Ultimate Nintendo machine i.e. your one stop shop for most home console Nintendo games. I'm so glad Smash Bros. Brawl opened my eyes to Nintendo IP. I wish I still had my Wii as well as all those 1st party games I listed for it...
I do think the Wii is underrated as a console, though personally I had fonder memories and experiences with most other Nintendo home consoles. The two Super Mario Galaxy games were truly phenomenal and might very well be the pinnacle of the 3D platformer genre. It will be interesting to see when public opinion does a 180 on the Wii. It had a truly massive install base (it is the only Nintendo home console to sell over 100 million so far), so I imagine many younger Nintendo fans had their formative experiences with the titles on that platform.
The major experience for myself with in regards to the Wii was the Virtual Console. It was quite novel to me at the time when the Wii launched that I had a classic game store from the comfort of my bedroom. I appreciated it even more given I was getting more and more into classic video games at the time.
Pretty interesting that you got to experience a bunch of different consoles per generation. It reminds me of my own childhood. Though that stopped being a thing after the PS2/GameCube/Xbox/Dreamcast generation, and after that the only home consoles I (or my family) owned were Nintendo ones. Granted I have had less and less times for games in general though as I have gotten older. I might one day get into my own story. I do kind of miss when game consoles used to have wildly divergent libraries. Heck, even the GameCube, PS2, and Xbox all had many exclusives, and pretty different libraries overall.
Would have to disagree on the Smash 4 part though. Brawl definitely had the better newcomer lineup. SSB4 had some worthwhile additions too, but from what I've seen of the opinion consensus, it's a tossup between Brawl and Ultimate as to which Smash has the best set of newcomers. For Ult, none of the 3rd party DLC's that might disinterest can really take away from the goodwill of all the hype additions that came with the base roster, and Dixie being added would give Ultimate another edge against any of the previous Smashes, though we already know how we feel on that likelihood, but still.
I do agree with this. I think Brawl had a better newcomer set than Smash 4 did. Smash 4 did a lot of good by adding a lot of unrepresented Nintendo franchises to the roster though, as well as a few very big name third-party characters (Mega Man, Pac-Man, Ryu, and Cloud).
As for Ultimate's newcomers, I am personally biased in terms of weighing it because Ridley was my single most wanted newcomer for nearly 20 years, and both Castlevania characters and Banjo-Kazooie were things I never expected to happen but hoped for. That alone puts it on par with Brawl for me personally.
I do agree Dixie Kong somehow making Ulimate's roster would be another big point in Ultimate's favor.
With Brawl to Smash 4, I liked the gameplay a lot better in the latter most of all. Sure tripping was gone, but the fighters felt more combo-oriented than before, and playing as the characters felt more satisfying and I could comfortably use more.
I do agree Smash 4 plays a lot better than Brawl (Melee plays better than Brawl too, and I am not even a competitive Smash player). Brawl felt really off in general. It had a phenomenal newcomer and stage selection, but it was weighed down by a poor fighting engine. I liked playing it a lot more when Project M became available (I did not start playing Project M until 2013 though).
As of now, I'm pretty satisfied with Metroid. Ridley, much like K. Rool, was one of my most wanted from 4. As much as I would like to see Dark Samus as unique, I didn't expect to see her at all so it was a nice surprise. It surprises me Xenoblade doesn't have Rex or Elma since Sakurai is a fan of the series. And DK, well, it will never be complete without Dixie. Hell, the whole roster just doesn't feel complete without her.
Wolf had just become recent/relevant again at the time with Star Fox Zero and yet he wasn't added as SSB4 DLC. It's fine if they just wanted to save him for Ultimate, but Dixie had similar reasoning for having ought to have appeared in Smash by SSB4 at least and yet she wasn't and still is not here... I don't know. Seems she'll have to play the long game to get in regardless, and I don't really plan to stick around for speculation in future Smashes simply for her sake, even though I'll still be hoping for her on the side along with the return of most characters.
Yes, unfortunately it looks like she will have to go through the same thing that Diddy and K. Rool had to in order to be included. She is going to need a massive outpouring of support. Like you, I do not plan to stick around for speculation for future Smash titles just for her. I do hope she somehow makes it for Ultimate. It would take a massive miracle though in order for that to happen.
Same here. I've been playing the speculation game since the Smash 4 days on the Smash Sub-Reddit so I've been through 2 speculation cycles. I really want Goemon, Krystal and Dixie, but I don't know if I have it in me to go another round after Ultimate. I think this game will be my last rodeo speculation wise.
I mean World of Light was basically event matches and adventure combined together. I know it got repetitive, but the mode is really underrated. The freedom of being able to use whoever you wanted whenever once you unlocked them was a nice change of pace from Subspace, and moments like unlocking Ridley at Dracula’s castle (even if I already unlocked him and everybody before I did WoL) and beating the area with him I’ll always fondly remember, just as others have those kind of memories with Subspace. Also appreciated all the classic gaming map locations that WoL gave as a bonus; Street Fighter world map, the aforementioned Castlevania locations, the first world map of DKC1, etc.
Subspace’s overall design was heavily criticized when it came out and still is by anyone that isn’t a Brawl superfan (the generic locations, lack of dialogue/voice acting, etc). Is remembered for the cutscenes since WoL was lacking in those, but even then some of them feel as bad as they did back then if not worse retroactively, like Bowser being there trying to steal DK’s banana horde instead of K Rool... Subspace had some things to like, but what people often forget is once you’ve beaten it and unlocked everyone, there was no reason or incentive to play through it again. It was another one and done type mode, not dissimilar to WoL. Definitely felt like a good concept ahead of its time.
Smash Run is also really underrated. It deserved better than being a 3DS exclusive for the replay value it had, which was almost as good as Melee adventure in that respect.
On Break the Targets, can’t really blame them for not having unique target layouts once Smash got so many characters. When you have such an ambitious roster, there’s less room and time for some of the little things. Ultimate at launch was fairly lacking in modes, but addressed most of those criticisms when it added stuff like Stage Builder and Home-Run Contest in later updates. A boss rush mode outside of replaying the end of WoL would be nice though, but not too much else to think of adding.
I understand preferring like trophies to the spirits, but the trophy system got worse and worse with each game, that I don’t really miss it now. Ultimate could still use some fine tuning, mostly with online, but has grown to be my favorite mechanically. Brawl was the worst there with the tripping and other stuff I don’t miss.
Another fantastic post from you. I agree with many of the opinions displayed here.
I do think World of Light and Smash Run are very underrated as well. I also agree with your criticisms of SSE. It is really peculiar to see how much the opinion of it has changed within the last three years. I guess much of it can be as a result of a lot of people whom grew up with Brawl are now the core Smash Bros. fanbase. This might be a controversial opinion, but I think the Subspace Emissary is the weakest adventure mode for the Smash series so far. I would put Melee's Adventure Mode, Smash Run, and World of Light all above it.
World of Light had a lot of small touches that made it special. The Pico role in particular had quite a poignant effect on me (because I never expected Pico to have a role beyond trophy/sticker/spirit in Smash, and he is my favorite F-Zero character and among my favorite minor Nintendo characters in general).
Stuff like Break the Targets really should have its own creator mode that you can make for specific characters; if Nintendo/Sakurai can't put the time in for it, let the fans step in. Smash Run was also a blast to play, with a mode that both paid tribute to franchises while having a real novelty to it. That they looked at Smash Tour and concluded it was worthy of being the console version's exclusive will likely be one of the most baffling decisions in the history of the series.
As far as Subspace Emissary, yeah I have to agree. I get people's nostalgia for the story and notability of seeing various Nintendo's characters interact like that. However my dominant memory is at lot platforming levels being a slog, filled with generic backgrounds while I found myself wondering where the actual Nintendo enemies were. The level design itself is some of the most bog standard stuff I've ever seen, basically Kirby stages without any of the creativity, charm, or depth; a basic setup to accommodate characters with vastly different speeds, weights, and moves. The last third basically being the same boss fights but in a maze didn't really help when it came to the pacing either.
Harsh as it sounds Sakurai being upset about the cutscenes being leaked made complete sense, because if you've seen them, quite frankly you've experienced about 80% of the value of SSE itself. World of Light may be repetitive, but it at least plays to Smash strengths as a fighter, and makes facing off against enemies from various different gaming franchises the main course rather than the appetizer.
I agree with your criticisms of SSE as well. It is bizarre why Nintendo enemies (aside from a few Mario ones) were not used for it (and many of the enemy designs in general were just very bizarre and did not seem like they would fit in with any Nintendo franchise except maybe the Uprising subsection to the Kid Icarus series). Slog is the most appropriate word to describe the experience of going through it.
I think the DKC3 GBA soundtrack is quite underrated and hearing it made it worth playing the GBA port of DKC3 (along with the extra stages). I do like the original SNES soundtrack more though.
WoL is much better than Subspace. The Pikachu/Samus levels and the Great Maze of Rehash at the end of the campaign were torture. And the Custscenes are overrated, most of them are just 30 seconds of two random characters looking at each other and nodding before they venture off in a generic biome because 90% of them have a no talking rule. I can see the appeal, and there were cool scenes, buuuuuut the spirit of the SSE CGI cutscenes live on in the modern reveal trailers that started with Smash 4.
I agree that I think World of Light was much better than Subspace Emissary despite having far less time and resources devoted to it (I might some day go into what made World of Light actually fun).
I also do agree with your idea as well that the newcomer unveil trailers for Smash 4 and Ultimate are the successor to the SSE cutscenes.
Dixie's further appearances feel somewhat dependent on what the next DK game is like. If she's a significant enough part of it, then there's probably a vested interest and momentum to have her show up in other titles.
The lack of non Donkey/Diddy Kongs in the spin-offs (barring random appearances like Funky in MK Wii) was somewhat a result of the franchise's relative isolation and indeterminate status in the 2000s. Assuming the rumor of a Nintendo EAD developed DK game is true, then that might change, especially given the easier access to relevant Donkey Kong assets by NoJ.
I agree with this assessment. I think appearances by DK characters in Mario spinoffs aside from DK and Diddy are contingent on who ends up having a major role in the next major DK title.
I still dont think we will ever see K.Rool in a game developed by Nintendo themselves. I still think their are people within Nintendo that just dont "get" or like the character for whatever reason. I would love to be wrong but I just dont see it..
I think there is a good chance K. Rool has a major role in the next major DK title (Nintendo developed or not) simply due to the massive outpouring of ballot support he had as well as being one of the most prominent Ultimate newcomers.
You work at Nintendo and you realize that the weird villain from the SNES games is still enormously popular and got even more popular thanks to being in one of the most popular Nintendo games ever? Hard for me to see how he isn't in the next DK game. It's just hard to ignore, he's got no competition among the other villains either.
And you don't have to revive a franchise or anything for him.
To be honest, I worry more about Dixie because it seems that her appearances are really tied into the game allowing for multiple playable characters -- or booting DK. And that seems like it would tie the developers' hands more than including a NPC like K. Rool.
I agree that there is much more reason to be concerned about Dixie as there is actually a long history of Dixie missing major DK titles, and her inclusion largely hinges upon whether there is a gameplay niche for her, and even in that case there is no guarantee (look at how Tiny replaced Dixie as the glider girl in DK64).
I pray to God that nobody from the Mario Kart team is ever in charge of Smash's roster someday as we would have a bunch of ***** clones that no one asked for or wants unlike certain characters people would want as clones or unique characters.
That is funny because a joke during pre-Smash 4 was that Sakurai got the idea to include ROB from Mario Kart.
Also, several of Melee's clone newcomers seemed like the sort of characters you would see added to Mario Kart nowadays (most notably Dr. Mario, Young Link, and Pichu), costume alter egos and child alter egos.
Well, I could see Funky happening along with Dixie, but I think that's the possible max we're ever going to get in the case of DK characters in Smash.
Cranky is also a possibility, and maybe even oddballs not even part of the main DK(C) cast as Pauline and DK Jr. Pauline probably also could be considered a Mario newcomer at this point.
If they wanna pull a -styled character for DKC, I think Rambi has the best shot.
Honesty, am just happy K.Rool made it in. Sure, no Dixie, but we got the big boi in at least. Dixie's absence made me painfully realize that you can't take a character's inclusion for granted, ever. We where too silent for her.
I could easily see Cranky making it in before Dixie. I also could see Funky making it in before Dixie (Funky would be a very easy echo fighter to make). Dixie Kong is not the next in line that we think she is.
Pauline is a possibility if she continues to have major roles in mainline Mario (or DK) titles. I also think Donkey Kong Jr. is a possibility if the character ever ends up properly returning.
In general, DK has a lot of possible future newcomers for it, and it is not necessarily "finished" if Dixie does make it. However, it would be complete for me personally though if Dixie were to somehow make it.
This is really remarkable considering Dixie has never been seen as likely all throughout the DLC period. It really shows that this thread has built up a small dedicated community.
If the rumors are true, and DK will get (yet another) grand revival, Dixie is one of the safest bets for a new character. We said this with Smash 4, and Ultimate, but ended up being wrong. Same was said about Takamaru, twice. Pauline had some great following, same with Rex. I do think we've established ourselves as one of the biggest first party fanbases left. Maybe only topped by Isaac, which is obvious cause Golden Sun is also a neglected franchise of Nintendo with way too much potential to just be swept under the table.
We do not even know if Dixie will have a major role in this hypothetical upcoming DK title. Also, even if she does, she could easily be passed over. Just look at Bandanna Waddle Dee who got an assortment of major roles since Smash 4's release, yet it did not even get him a notable consolation prize (such as an Assist Trophy role).
Its going to take a special set of circumstances for Dixie to make it in, not just another major role in a highly successful DK title. A major role is simply one of the several cards she needs in order to make it in.
Assuming the rumored DK upcoming DK title is actually real, I do not expect to see it get unveiled until June/July (whenever the mid-year Nintendo Direct happens).
I think it's kind of funny and ironic that most of Fighter's Pass 2's newcomers are all characters everybody and their mother thought was going to be in base game 3 years ago. It's funny how things work out sometimes.
I would not say "most", but certainly Min Min and Pyra & Mythra fit that. It is amusing because a regular slap Dixie Kong receives is that she is only "base roster material". That being said, I am still very pessimistic on her prospects. I would put it at 10%. I would not be surprised if there is somehow another Nintendo newcomer, but I see that character as most likely being a Pokemon newcomer.
This is my second post for the year to date. I should have another post made soon after the presentation happens for Pyra & Mythra. It will be posted in my Fighters Pass Volume 2 predictions topic. So far I have only guessed correctly a single character for Pass 2, which was Steve (of which I saw him among the strongest contenders for an additional Western third-party newcomer for Ultimate). I only saw Min Min as a strong contender after it had been announced that an ARMS character was going to be the first newcomer for Pass 2, so I am not going to count that.
It is strange to think that Ultimate got its first newcomer shown nearly three years ago, yet it is still receiving additional newcomer confirmations. There are only two slots left be unveiled at this point. I estimate that the next newcomer will be shown in June-August, so this might be my last post in this thread for a few months. I might also comment again if a new DK title does end up getting unveiled.
I do hope that a new DK title does get announced later this year, and that Dixie Kong has a major role in it (I am personally quite optimistic on K. Rool returning). I will still keep my fingers crossed that Dixie Kong somehow does make it onto Ultimate's legendary roster. I have said many times before that I think her chances of being added are very low, but we should still have hope. Just look at what happened with Xenoblade fans. Most thought that the opportunity for a newcomer in Ultimate was missed after Rex was shown as a Mii costume, yet now, Xenoblade has received not just one, but two newcomers in Ultimate.
It will be sad when the "journey" (Ultimate's speculation period) finally does end regardless of whether it does end with Dixie being included or not (most likely not though). I enjoyed sharing my thoughts with many of the people in this topic, and responding to your own thoughts in turn. This year is an important milestone for me as it marks the 20th anniversary since I had started participating in the online Smash roster speculation and character support community. I have been winding down for the past several years in terms of making posts, but I still spend quite a bit of time reading what others have to say.
Thank you for your time and patience in reading this lengthy post. It will be interesting to see what ends up happening in June or July, and who the penultimate newcomer for Ultimate ends up being and whether there is indeed a major new DK title in development.
In general, having another Xenoblade character is great news, especially since it comes after another Final Fantasy character. They're willing to add numbers on the lesser represented franchises. And work with revisited ideas.
But, unless there's something planned for Donkey Kong, which we have seen is not yet happening.. I have little hope for Dixie. I think that another character from Sonic, Street Fighter, or even Zelda (and only cause of the anniversary) is more likely to happen. And of course another Pokemon. Then there's big names as Monster Hunter, Ryu Hayabusa, and Crash Bandicoot to take account for.
All am hoping for is for another low budget Fighter Pass, with mostly semi clones. Since Splatoon 3 is now a reality, we could see Octoling, and the Skyward Sword HD remake could have Impa. Dixie would make a nice addition alongside them. Will it happen?... Highly unlikely. But this ride has been a wild one, it's in the realms of possibility therefore.
Wow. We might get Dixie Kong and Sylux as the last two Fighter's Pass 2 characters. I wouldn't really care if we get Sylux if Dixie is coming along with him.
Wow. We might get Dixie Kong and Sylux as the last two Fighter's Pass 2 characters. I wouldn't really care if we get Sylux if Dixie is coming along with him.
Despite these guys on Restera having such a good track record. I still can't believe it's happening. In my head Nintendo hates DK and wants nothing to do with him or the franchise. It's crazy to think a new DK project has been in the works all this time...
Also, I think if Dixie Kong got into Smash, I'd never ask for anything from Nintendo ever again.
Despite these guys on Restera having such a good track record. I still can't believe it's happening. In my head Nintendo hates DK and wants nothing to do with him or the franchise. It's crazy to think a new DK project has been in the works all this time...
Also, I think if Dixie Kong got into Smash, I'd never ask for anything from Nintendo ever again.
Could you imagine a DONKEY KONG Direct in the Summer?
DK40 (40 people simultaneously play Arcade DK until there's only 1 person left.)
DKC Returns HD with the 3DS levels
A brand new 2D DKC from Nintendo EPD8
Ends with Dixie and Funky Kong (Echo) coming to Smash.
...
Could you imagine a DONKEY KONG Direct in the Summer?
DK40 (40 people simultaneously play Arcade DK until there's only 1 person left.)
DKC Returns HD with the 3DS levels
A brand new 2D DKC from Nintendo EPD8
Ends with Dixie and Funky Kong (Echo) coming to Smash.
...
Could you imagine a DONKEY KONG Direct in the Summer?
DK40 (40 people simultaneously play Arcade DK until there's only 1 person left.)
DKC Returns HD with the 3DS levels
A brand new 2D DKC from Nintendo EPD8
Ends with Dixie and Funky Kong (Echo) coming to Smash.
...
Feels like they have to do that at some point next. As shown by the last batch of games added online recently, they’re running out of notable titles for the SNES unless they’re just holding out on some like they were with the DKC trilogy for awhile. I’d like to see more 2 player beat em ups added, though don’t know how much if any Nintendo still has the license to, and of course everyone asking about Earthbound and Super Mario RPG.
Also the next games they add will pass the 100 mark. Right now we’re at 99 games for NSO as of the last S/NES game additions, which feels deliberate. N64 NSO would also coincide well with the online server overhaul that they’re said to be having.
Could you imagine a DONKEY KONG Direct in the Summer?
DK40 (40 people simultaneously play Arcade DK until there's only 1 person left.)
DKC Returns HD with the 3DS levels
A brand new 2D DKC from Nintendo EPD8
Ends with Dixie and Funky Kong (Echo) coming to Smash.
...
Even if they didn't announce those, it would be the best direct ever on the sole fact it's a Donkey Kong direct.
About DK 40, what if it was team related? Like team Donkey Kong vs. team Mario: One side plays the Donkey Kong Jr. game and the other plays the Donkey Kong game. Would be a fun way to shake up the Battle Royale formula.
I would also love it if they also bundled Tropical Freeze with a hypothetical DKCR HD.
Despite these guys on Restera having such a good track record. I still can't believe it's happening. In my head Nintendo hates DK and wants nothing to do with him or the franchise. It's crazy to think a new DK project has been in the works all this time...
Also, I think if Dixie Kong got into Smash, I'd never ask for anything from Nintendo ever again.
For a time when the series was put on the backburner, I (unfoundedly) thought that Nintendo was resentful towards the DK series because a non-Nintendo company used their character and made them more popular than they could ever do, making games that quickly rose to the top of quality and must-haves in the SNES days, overshadowing other Nintendo specific designed games. I thought Nintendo could never get over that, so after the Rare buyout, they buried the series intentionally to get back at Rare and the fans. Of course, there's no proof of that. But seeing how bad DK fell in the 00's and how it's content in Smash was laughably bad (honestly, one of Nintendo's longest running series shouldn't need to wait until the 5th Smash game to just get it's third character), it just made you think that there was something else going on behind the scenes.
Realistically I think its the next Direct (likely one around E3?) that will give us a real picture into major developments.
Its not that hard to view this week's presentation as one essentially making up for lost time and showcasing games you'd probably see in a Fall Direct, especially with solid but unspectacular stuff like Mario Golf. Between that and a lot of being carried by third parties it was clearly not a video based around a lot of core Nintendo franchises, with even Zelda getting a DLC announcement/Wii port and them saying "Hey Splatoon 3 will be a thing so sit tight".
If Zippo's information is legit, then a big summer blowout in terms of reveals would make sense with Nintendo laying the groundwork for the rest of the year and likely showing off a second half of the year which would be stronger than the first (which is typical for them). What this means for Smash I don't know, but business wise Nintendo can get a second wind of momentum circa June (especially given that's when PS5 & Xbox would finally be getting more significant games) if there's a big first party news then.
Realistically I think its the next Direct (likely one around E3?) that will give us a real picture into major developments.
Its not that hard to view this week's presentation as one essentially making up for lost time and showcasing games you'd probably see in a Fall Direct, especially with solid but unspectacular stuff like Mario Golf. Between that and a lot of being carried by third parties it was clearly not a video based around a lot of core Nintendo franchises, with even Zelda getting a DLC announcement/Wii port and them saying "Hey Splatoon 3 will be a thing so sit tight".
If Zippo's information is legit, then a big summer blowout in terms of reveals would make sense with Nintendo laying the groundwork for the rest of the year and likely showing off a second half of the year which would be stronger than the first (which is typical for them). What this means for Smash I don't know, but business wise Nintendo can get a second wind of momentum circa June (especially given that's when PS5 & Xbox would finally be getting more significant games) if there's a big first party news then.
I gotta be honest after seeing that last direct. I think Nintendo would've been better off following their 2020 strategy and just making it a big partner direct and then released the 1st party stuff as a shadow drop. Nothing in the direct warranted a 50 minute direct IMO. It just set expectations too high IMO. It took 530 days to get a major direct and their wasn't a single bomb shell dropped (sorry Mario Golf aint it chief). If Paper Mario: Origami King, Age of Calamity, and Pikmin 3 Deluxe announcements could be randomly shadow dropped Mario Golf: Super Rush, Skyward Sword HD, and Miitopia sure as hell could've as well. Lmao
I also actually prefer this method to directs anyway. As I dont have to take time off work or schedule around a livestream only to be disappointed when 75% of it is filled with anime JRPG's, old ports, and meh first party announcements. I actually enjoy seeing a new Nintendo game randomly announced on twitter at 10 AM as I have no expectations going in.
Edit: I forgot Splatoon 3 was announced. So I guess that was the "bombshell" that justified the direct but still meh...I feel this sequel is much too early and unneeded on Switch. I always felt Splatoon as a series should adopt the Mario Kart, Mario Tennis, Smash Bros. approach where its a 1 per console franchise. I just dont see how they can change the game up enough to justify having 2 sequels on the same console without splitting the userbase. Yeah COD does it and gets away with it but even though Splatoon sells incredibly well for Nintendo it aint pulling in COD numbers. Also it aint even coming out this year. Lmao! The announcement literally felt like it was tacked on the end because Nintendo knew Mario Golf, a Smash character, and 2 ports weren't enough to justify a direct so they threw a new 2022 game in there just to show that Nintendo does have more original content on the way. Why they didnt choose a new Q4 2021 game to tease instead...who knows? All I know is I hope we starting getting more NEW original content from Nintendo soon.
My post wasn't COOL enough.
Planet Cool
's cowboy getup and 
