Geno (♥♪!?): Return of the Starsend Savior

[CannonStreak]

It is no surprise to me that Sakurai has no plans for another Smash game, considering this one, Ultimate was kinda made over a year ago, and it is still not far in the Switch's lifetime. Just saying.

 

[ForsakenM]

Basically it's now or never for Geno.

Some may see me as overconfident, but I've got to say...

It's much more it's NOW for Geno rather than never.

 

[Icewolff92]

Still not a sure thing, but the evidence pile is only getting bigger.

Agreed

I know Sakurai has done this a number of times but Sakurai has put out yet another statement that not only is Season 2 is the last of Ultimate's DLC but he currently doesn't have any plans for after Ultimate either:

https://gonintendo.com/stories/3576...XX-vatFFZezVBPw5n0NuJOWJ_7Z2g-7dGk8SEeSmYzrcc

I've been saying it for more than half a year now but everything points to Season 2 being an enormous deal to Sakurai on a personal level.

Didn¨t he also say that he will keep on going if Nintendo brings the cash so to say?

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

I mean, doesn't "There are no plans" mean just that things could potentially change but he doesn't intend on it?

Cause obviously things could change. Sales could matter. One thing to remember is that with no plans for a new game any time soon, milking the most out of it isn't a bad idea. Of course, Sakurai is tired too, so I'm sure one more pass overall is something that's more what he prefers at this time, but he's aware of how "last chance to have everyone together" as is. This is probably why a second pass was made, to help keep up the massive crossover that's a once in a lifetime chance. Of course, it doesn't mean other characters won't show up in a new game(as in new characters), but it means they won't be playable all together either. Say Geno doesn't come into the next game. It won't feel the same whatsoever as using him against Joker, Banjo, etc. because we can't guarantee all will be back. We went literally 2 games where we had cuts, after all, and Sakurai's pretty clear that cuts are extremely likely in future games as is. It's one thing if it's all 1st/2nd party, but 3rd parties are a ton of licensing/money too, so...

 

[Deleted member]

Basically it's now or never for Geno.

Let’s get it Geno! Come on down to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate!

 

[MisterMike]

THURSDAY IT IS
https://gonintendo.com/stories/357587-star-wars-jedi-knight-jedi-academy-may-come-to-switch-on-march

Current thread theme:

Hngggg. LaxChris just uploaded a video with an ALL CAPS title saying that the Direct was going to be announced today and, despite NOT being subbed to him, YouTube just sent that video to my push notifications.

If you click on the little grey dots next to a video's thumbnail, you can choose to stop getting recommendations for that channel altogether. This should help.

 

[Loliko YnT]

Honestly , when it come to the future of Smash... I could see a deluxe port of Ultimate happening , with some new base game newcomers , stages , and a proper story mode , with some balancing to the gameplay.

However , the Switch is still young , so I don't think much about it to be honest , haha.

Granted , at this rate , my only "hopes" are Rayman and Geno , I don't have much faith in my others MWs , so I really hope I get at least one of them.
(Base game gave me , and DLC gave me , so I really hope that this pattern continue , and I at least get that one character.)

 

[Organization XIII]

I mean how many times has Sakurai had no plans for the future at this point? He has said things like that every single game. It's a little premature to say that anything is wrapping up. Especially Smash as a series or Sakurai's career.

 

[TriggerX]

SIGH...

It's clear that you guys don't get this **** at all and your disdain for Nintendo for protecting their IPs is ridiculous. Clearly, none of you have ever made anything remotely successful and had to defend it from lazy hacks on the internet.

So, let me break it down for you.

Protecting your intellectual properties (IPs) whether they be copywritten or trademarked is a very VERY big deal for businesses. If you don't defend them rather rigorously, it can be potentially used against you in the court of law.

For a close-to-heart example, I take you back into a horrible time where I myself...was a Brony.

*Audible Audience Gasp!*

Yes yes, I know, how dreadful of me! Still, it was true, and during that phase in my life there was a team of game designers who put all their resources into producing a My Little Pony fighting game, which was aptly named Fighting Is Magic. Now Hasbro already was known to crack down on stuff like this: there were a number of games that had been made that they slapped the creators with a C&D. There was an MMORPG made in the MLP Universe, a MLP version of Mario Kart, some puzzle games...lots of cool projects and all of them taken down by Hasbro, yet for some reason Fighting Is Magic remained alive.

Many of us wondered why for a while. Did Hasbro not know about it yet? Did they know but were okay with it? It was a mystery up until mid-2013 when EVO did a donation drive. They funds went to charity, and you would donate and nominate which game in a line-up of choices YOU wanted to see on the EVO main stage. Keep in mind for those of you who do not know, EVO often has smaller tournaments that can still have prize pools, but the big ones that Mr. Wizard announces himself are the ones that will be livestreamed and will be on the big fancy stage with a ton of money and a trophy to win.

So, this donation drive was to put one of the listed games in the big-time fighting game spotlight. As many of you here know, Melee won that spot, but here is what you didn't know I'll bet: Fighting Is Magic was in a landsliding first place for a long time during the donation period.

You heard that right, Smash friends: a My Little Pony fan-made fighting game was kicking the ass of Melee, SkullGirls (Launch Party EVERYDAY!), and many others by a very wide margin. You may think this is ridiculous, but it was true, and here is why I can attest to that: I was actually considering donating and picking Fighting Is Magic as my choice, even over SkullGirls (my favorite fighting game of all time), and I was debating it because I needed my own money and Fighting Is Magic was SOOOOO far ahead I felt like it didn't really matter if I did so or not.

Well, you may ask, how did Melee win then? Well as it turns out it would seem the devs of Fighting Is Magic (who called themselves Mane6Dev or just Mane6) didn't really know or expect such support and...well, the game was never going to be ready for a main stage at EVO anyway. See, at that time, the most recent build had Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, and Applejack at like 90% with Pinkie Pie around 80% or so while Rainbow Dash was at around 60% and Fluttershy was around 30% at BEST. The team was small and this was a side project that earned them no money, so they did what they could with the time they had, and they were still polishing up the foundation of the game in some ways. There was a lot of sprite work that still needed to be done for most of the cast and they just did not have confidence they would have a final build ready in time for EVO.

So it was announced that Fighting Is Magic would no longer be a selectable option for donations and if Fighting Is Magic still wins at the end, whoever is second place would win instead, but that Mane6Dev will most definitely have a spot at EVO as smaller booth or room to have people play their current build. Melee ended up getting more donations of course but I now laugh at the idea that in another timeline, a fan-made My Little Pony fighting game beat out Melee for a main stage at EVO. XD

So this was kinda big news, and when EVO came around a lot of people got footage of Fighting Is Magic and showed off cool stuff and uploaded it to various places on the internet...and it wasn't long after that Man6Dev told us about their C&D they got from Hasbro. The fact that the game had been a serious contender for a main stage feature at the biggest fighting game in the world coupled with the rising popularity forced them to make a move. Sure, they could have not done anything, but a non-Hasbro official game at the biggest tournament when Hasbro owns the MLP IP? Surely this would be a factor that would have been brought up in court later on should someone have made another game and perhaps tried to profit off it.

So hopefully, this helps you understand this a bit more. Nintendo HAS to do these takedowns just to keep them safe in the future, and I am positive there is a whole team dedicated to keeping track of these things and making the decision on when something has gone too far. So that Nintendo can keep ownership of the IPs you so dearly love like Mario, Pokemon, Zelda, Kirby and Smash they have to go after people who make games with IPs that they do not own so that nothing can threaten to take them from Nintendo later on.

It's not that they hate fan games because I know they love and support creativity, but maybe make your own character and world when you do that and have it inspired by Mario instead of ripping off Mario and Nintendo won't have to shut down your game due to legal obligation and protection.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That said, I really feel a Direct is coming. I hope it's an hour-long Direct man. Even hour and a half. Just hit us with everything at once Nintendo, blow my socks off man!

The original question that was asked by Icewolf was why Smash Flash hasn’t had the same issues as other fan projects.
We already know why companies protect their IPs.

However Icewolf brings up a great question as to why smash flash is constantly spared despite being well known in the fan game community.

There’s no obvious answer, other than Nintendo being selective in terms of what projects they actively try to cease.

Also I do wonder if they ever considered to add Geno to their roster. May not be something they push until an official reveal in ultimate, but I would love to see their take on the character.

 

[Datboigeno]

I’m looking forward to Thursday but at this point with everything going on and Sakurai’s comments I’d say it’s 50/50 on us getting an announcement tomorrow even if 6 is finished.

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

I mean how many times has Sakurai had no plans for the future at this point? He has said things like that every single game. It's a little premature to say that anything is wrapping up. Especially Smash as a series or Sakurai's career.

That's more or less what I'm saying.

At the very least, expecting everyone to return in all new Smash game is a bit unrealistic. It's not impossible, but we already learned from 4 it isn't that simple. That, and you have to consider if Sakurai is definitely the next developer too. Even if he's an adviser for the next one, a new developer would at most have to follow Nintendo. Of course, it's worth mentioning there's a lot of respect for developers in Japan, so I doubt any guidelines would change anyway. I don't think we'd have to worry about Dr. Mario being a swap, etc. either. But we could see changes like various weird cuts(Marth, Villager, the ones who obviously are meant to represent the core franchise being cut anyway) due to a change in philosophy. And so on.

Honestly , when it come to the future of Smash... I could see a deluxe port of Ultimate happening , with some new base game newcomers , stages , and a proper story mode , with some balancing to the gameplay.

However , the Switch is still young , so I don't think much about it to be honest , haha.

Granted , at this rate , my only "hopes" are Rayman and Geno , I don't have much faith in my others MWs , so I really hope I get at least one of them.
(Base game gave me , and DLC gave me , so I really hope that this pattern continue , and I at least get that one character.)

I'm kind of doubting this unless it's still on the Switch. A port even like this requires them to do all the licensing over again, as it's a new game even then. That's why a lot of ports have to cut things, because they're not part of the same contract.

I mean, it's not impossible the licensing agreement is that all future ports of Ultimate are treated as "licensed" for use. But you have to consider that companies also have to be sure of the future of a franchise or whether it could happen or not. When it comes to an agreement, it's very very rare for someone to agree with a "just in case it happens in the future". That would also make them want more money for future usage as is. That, and we have been confirmed there's no Smash games coming out after Ultimate in the future at this time. Now, whether or not a Port counts as that is a good question, but Sakurai isn't often that vague, and I doubt he has plans for a port either. Maybe Nintendo has an idea they haven't said at all yet, sure, but that's the most I'd give it.

Not that I'm against a port, but I don't see it that likely, that's all. I'd love the idea, if it means you get even more content.

 

[Polarthief]

I know Sakurai has done this a number of times but Sakurai has put out yet another statement that not only is Season 2 is the last of Ultimate's DLC but he currently doesn't have any plans for after Ultimate either:

https://gonintendo.com/stories/3576...XX-vatFFZezVBPw5n0NuJOWJ_7Z2g-7dGk8SEeSmYzrcc

I've been saying it for more than half a year now but everything points to Season 2 being an enormous deal to Sakurai on a personal level.

Kinda makes me think he's done. He could easily retire (if he wants to) with the money he's made from the series, and I don't think he'll be coming back for Smash 6. Might be a consultant but idk if he can go through another one. It might kill him.

Basically it's now or never for Geno.

Yeah, which we already knew but this just confirms it harder.

Hngggg. LaxChris just uploaded a video with an ALL CAPS title saying that the Direct was going to be announced today and, despite NOT being subbed to him, YouTube just sent that video to my push notifications.

Literally why would they on a Sunday? What a dumb thing to claim.

It is no surprise to me that Sakurai has no plans for another Smash game, considering this one, Ultimate was kinda made over a year ago, and it is still not far in the Switch's lifetime. Just saying.

TBH I'd be fine if they just kept porting Ultimate, doing some tweaks here and there, and adding more characters with each iteration. Ultimate is quite supreme and I don't know how you can really top it.

I mean how many times has Sakurai had no plans for the future at this point? He has said things like that every single game. It's a little premature to say that anything is wrapping up. Especially Smash as a series or Sakurai's career.

I mean, he has looked worse than ever and even passed out at the gym. While he's only 49, I'm sure he could easily retire if he wanted to, but he'll probably find something less taxing to do with his time.

 

[Organization XIII]

I mean, he has looked worse than ever and even passed out at the gym. While he's only 49, I'm sure he could easily retire if he wanted to, but he'll probably find something less taxing to do with his time.

He'd probably look better and not pass out if he was making sure to stay properly hydrated before working out especially when on unhealthy no carb diet. Game development had nothing to do with any of that.

 

[CannonStreak]

TBH I'd be fine if they just kept porting Ultimate, doing some tweaks here and there, and adding more characters with each iteration. Ultimate is quite supreme and I don't know how you can really top it.

Agreed, though to be honest, I don't think it will be a complete port if Sony is actually planning on buying the rights to Metal Gear, Castlevania and Silent Hill and actually succeeds.

 

[MattX20]

..a dumb thought occurred to me. Has anyone ever attempted to mix Beware the Forest's Mushrooms with the theme to the One Hundred Acre Wood?

 

[T2by4]

..a dumb thought occurred to me. Has anyone ever attempted to mix Beware the Forest's Mushrooms with the theme to the One Hundred Acre Wood?

Ask siivagunner.

 

[MattX20]

Well, tomorrow starts the potential hope of a direct this week. At the latest, Tuesday or Wednesday could have a direct announcement. Let's hope that rumor is indeed true for once

 

[Powerman293]

Well, tomorrow starts the potential hope of a direct this week. At the latest, Tuesday or Wednesday could have a direct announcement. Let's hope that rumor is indeed true for once

SpawnWave just posted his Direct predictions podcast yesterday or a few days ago. And he has inside info sometimes. So I'll give it a 50/50 chance.

What are the chances you guys think that Geno will be the next character reveal? 50%, 25%, etc?

 

[MattX20]

SpawnWave just posted his Direct predictions podcast yesterday or a few days ago. And he has inside info sometimes. So I'll give it a 50/50 chance.

What are the chances you guys think that Geno will be the next character reveal? 50%, 25%, etc?

Personally, I think Geno's chances are the strongest in the first two reveals (third at the absolute latest) for the last wave of DLC, so a 50/50 for either one is not unreasonalbe for a chance.

 

[CannonStreak]

Ugh, I am so bored, especially from staying inside from this Corona virus thing. The next few days will be a pain to me, but hopefully, the Direct wait is worth it.

And if Geno gets revealed in that Direct, than all the better.

 

[MattX20]

Ugh, I am so bored, especially from staying inside from this Corona virus thing. The next few days will be a pain to me, but hopefully, the Direct wait is worth it.

And if Geno gets revealed in that Direct, than all the better.

Same, we're rapidly approaching 7 months to the day since the last general direct, and right now, a little good news would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CannonStreak]

Same, we're rapidly approaching 7 months to the day since the last general direct, and right now, a little good news would be greatly appreciated.

I know, right? Whatever happens in the Direct, if it happens this week, I hope this Direct wait is worth it.

 

[Powerman293]

I know, right? Whatever happens in the Direct, if it happens this week, I hope this Direct wait is worth it.

Nintendo has frustratingly been trying to put all of its marketing focus into Animal Crossing. Feels like they want the game to sell 20 million considering the HEAVY focus on it.

 

[CannonStreak]

Nintendo has frustratingly been trying to put all of its marketing focus into Animal Crossing. Feels like they want the game to sell 20 million considering the HEAVY focus on it.

Speaking of which, I was gonna ask earlier if Animal Crossing: New Horizons being focused on was the cause of the delay of the Direct. I guess it might have been.

If that is the case, now that the game has released, there is no excuse to not release a Direct.

 

[YsDisciple]

Time for some big-brain, REACHING, DLC Vol. 2 theory crafting.

It all began with a thought in regards to the Fighters Pass Vol. 2. "Let's see if this pass will be Sakurai's show of hands into a Royal Flush or..."; it was at that very moment that the gears began to turn. Cards, hmm... what a coincidence; in the first Fighters Pass, the first DLC fighter was literally Joker. Hmm. It then got me thinking even further. In most games of cards (Poker, etc.), you have four suits of cards which are the Spades, Hearts, Clubs, and Diamonds. Along these suits, there is also a lone Joker card that usually comes with these card decks. The first Fighters Pass had five characters, and by adding the Joker card to the other four suits (preferably the Ace) then... *gasp*, that makes five cards! Hmm, interesting. When re-looking about the suits of cards (for reassurance) I came upon an interesting classification of these. There's this classification known as the Bartle taxonomy of player types (just found out about this ) and, the association of each different suit symbol (spade, heart, diamond, club) to each classification is quite telling. To briefly go over each player classification;

• Achievers (Diamonds) = players who prefer to gain points, levels, equipment and other concrete measurements of succeeding in a game.
• Explorers (Spades) = players who prefer discovering areas, and immerse themselves in the game world.
• Socializers (Hearts) = players that gain the most enjoyment from a game by interacting with other players, and sometimes, computer-controlled characters with personality.
• Killers (Clubs) = players that thrive on competing with other players, preferring to fight them rather than scripted computer-controlled opponents.

After learning of the aforementioned classifications, one can see the relationship with the fighters from the first pass; taking into consideration the game genres said players would most likely prefer (RPGs, Fighting, Strategy, Platformers, etc.).

• Joker = Joker: Now, beside the first character LITERALLY being named Joker, his reveal back at TGA 2018 took everyone by surprise. However, from the four player type classifications, Joker's games (Persona) fit in between the Achievers (Diamonds) and Socializers (Hearts). Heh, how convenient; Joker is the leader of the Phantom Thieves after all (who steal hearts).
• Hero = Achievers (Diamonds): JRPGs/RPGs are mostly known for being lengthy games, but also for containing a hefty number of equipment to obtain and in some cases, level grinding. Hailing from the father of JRPGs no less, Hero fits perfectly with this classification.
• Banjo & Kazooie = Explorers (Spades): Banjo & Kazooie's self titled game is a platformer that consists of exploring different worlds, as well as collecting a bunch of stuff along the way (jiggies, notes, Mumbo Tokens, etc.). In Banjo Tooie, the worlds were much bigger, and players had more room to explore and find literal easter eggs in some of them.
• Terry Bogard = Killers (Clubs): hailing from one of the early fighting games (Fatal Fury), and being a fan favorite characters in other fighters such as The King of Fighters, Capcom vs. SNK, and most recently making a guest appearance in Fighting EX Layer, Terry is a legacy character within fighting games.
• Byleth = Socializers (Hearts): Now, I know that Fire Emblem is a JRPG/strategy game and character leveling and getting equipment are important within these games, but since you control a vast number of units, these games are also known for character relationships. Like other Fire Emblem titles, Three Houses is no exception, giving the player the freedom to choose which House leader to ally with, as well as to develop bonds with many of the characters within each house.

With that being said, we then have another set of characters coming in the second fighters pass and... *notices that there will be six characters*... uh... *realizes that the four suits/player classifications plus joker cars make five cards*... hmm... *realizes the numbers don't match*. Huh, it seems like all this theory crafting was for naught. Oh well, and it was going... *remembers that there is one sixth symbol related to the aforementioned ones* AH! Mhmhmhmhm, how could I forget? Here comes the kicker.

As it is known, the Fighters Pass Vol. 2 will consist of six (6) Challenger Packs, each containing a fighter, a stage, and a collection of songs. Above I mentioned the four suits of cards and the Joker card and, associating them to the characters from the first fighters pass; four of them (well, all of them actually) with the Bartle classification of player types (hence, games as well). With only five symbols/cards, it seems that this comparison wouldn't work for Vol. 2. HOWEVER, there is one more symbol that although not associated with cards or the like, we do see it in a game that's beloved by many; and most of all, us Genobros.

In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, each character once performing a special move a symbol appears on them. Most of these symbols are pretty much the four suits of cards, plus a unique symbol. Mario's symbol is the spade, Mallow's symbol is the club, Bowser's symbol looks close to a diamond, Peach's symbol is the heart, and Geno's symbol is... a star. The unique sixth symbol.

And so, we come to have six symbols to associate to each fighter within Vol. 2; joker, spade, heart, club, diamond, and star. If we were to contemplate such symbols or player types (spade, heart, club, and diamond only) to perhaps indicate what kind of character (or from which game genre) could be coming in this pass, we would have the following to go with:

• Joker = The showstarter of the pass, or the unthinkable pick. Game genre-wise, it would most likely be from a game that has characteristics of more than one game genre (like a jack of all trades).
• Spade (Explorer) = This character will most likely be from a platformer/adventure game. *whispers* Crash Bandicoot
• Heart (Socializer) = This character would most likely hail from a game that has the player creating strong bonds with either in-game CPUs, or other players. Heh, this... kinda fits an Animal Crossing character (especially now with New Horizons having released just last Friday). Animal Crossing-esque games if you may.
• Club (Killer) = This character will almost certainly be another fighting game character, and we all know Heihachi's name has done the rounds for a long time, and we still don't have a Namco rep. Yes yes, I know Sakurai once addressed that at one point (I believe it was for Smash 4), he didn't found a way to design Heihachi into Smash and honestly, I can understand. Games like Tekken and Soul Calibur, they're distinct feature as fighting games is that they have this arena-style to it where characters can side step forth or back (not just approaching or distancing from the opponent). Since Smash is a 2D fighting game, incorporating a moveset for Heihachi in this game would not make it feel as if you were playing Tekken. However, Guilty Gear Strive is coming out later on and, Sol Badguy would be an interesting choice.
• Diamond (Achiever) = This character for sure would have to be from a JRPG game, or one that requires players to collect gear, level up; that kind of stuff. Lloyd maybe? Rex & Pyra combo?
• Star = Geno. ... ... What? Ain't no thinking too deep about this one.

Now, I just want to STRESS that this is all me theorycrafting based on a thought that occurred to me. This is NOT to be taken seriously, nor beckons rebuttals such as the usual "no, you're wrong, etc. etc.". This is simply a humble OPINION. Carry on Genobros.

 

[MarioTime]

Time for some big-brain, REACHING, DLC Vol. 2 theory crafting.

It all began with a thought in regards to the Fighters Pass Vol. 2. "Let's see if this pass will be Sakurai's show of hands into a Royal Flush or..."; it was at that very moment that the gears began to turn. Cards, hmm... what a coincidence; in the first Fighters Pass, the first DLC fighter was literally Joker. Hmm. It then got me thinking even further. In most games of cards (Poker, etc.), you have four suits of cards which are the Spades, Hearts, Clubs, and Diamonds. Along these suits, there is also a lone Joker card that usually comes with these card decks. The first Fighters Pass had five characters, and by adding the Joker card to the other four suits (preferably the Ace) then... *gasp*, that makes five cards! Hmm, interesting. When re-looking about the suits of cards (for reassurance) I came upon an interesting classification of these. There's this classification known as the Bartle taxonomy of player types (just found out about this ) and, the association of each different suit symbol (spade, heart, diamond, club) to each classification is quite telling. To briefly go over each player classification;

• Achievers (Diamonds) = players who prefer to gain points, levels, equipment and other concrete measurements of succeeding in a game.
• Explorers (Spades) = players who prefer discovering areas, and immerse themselves in the game world.
• Socializers (Hearts) = players that gain the most enjoyment from a game by interacting with other players, and sometimes, computer-controlled characters with personality.
• Killers (Clubs) = players that thrive on competing with other players, preferring to fight them rather than scripted computer-controlled opponents.

After learning of the aforementioned classifications, one can see the relationship with the fighters from the first pass; taking into consideration the game genres said players would most likely prefer (RPGs, Fighting, Strategy, Platformers, etc.).

• Joker = Joker: Now, beside the first character LITERALLY being named Joker, his reveal back at TGA 2018 took everyone by surprise. However, from the four player type classifications, Joker's games (Persona) fit in between the Achievers (Diamonds) and Socializers (Hearts). Heh, how convenient; Joker is the leader of the Phantom Thieves after all (who steal hearts).
• Hero = Achievers (Diamonds): JRPGs/RPGs are mostly known for being lengthy games, but also for containing a hefty number of equipment to obtain and in some cases, level grinding. Hailing from the father of JRPGs no less, Hero fits perfectly with this classification.
• Banjo & Kazooie = Explorers (Spades): Banjo & Kazooie's self titled game is a platformer that consists of exploring different worlds, as well as collecting a bunch of stuff along the way (jiggies, notes, Mumbo Tokens, etc.). In Banjo Tooie, the worlds were much bigger, and players had more room to explore and find literal easter eggs in some of them.
• Terry Bogard = Killers (Clubs): hailing from one of the early fighting games (Fatal Fury), and being a fan favorite characters in other fighters such as The King of Fighters, Capcom vs. SNK, and most recently making a guest appearance in Fighting EX Layer, Terry is a legacy character within fighting games.
• Byleth = Socializers (Hearts): Now, I know that Fire Emblem is a JRPG/strategy game and character leveling and getting equipment are important within these games, but since you control a vast number of units, these games are also known for character relationships. Like other Fire Emblem titles, Three Houses is no exception, giving the player the freedom to choose which House leader to ally with, as well as to develop bonds with many of the characters within each house.

With that being said, we then have another set of characters coming in the second fighters pass and... *notices that there will be six characters*... uh... *realizes that the four suits/player classifications plus joker cars make five cards*... hmm... *realizes the numbers don't match*. Huh, it seems like all this theory crafting was for naught. Oh well, and it was going... *remembers that there is one sixth symbol related to the aforementioned ones* AH! Mhmhmhmhm, how could I forget? Here comes the kicker.

As it is known, the Fighters Pass Vol. 2 will consist of six (6) Challenger Packs, each containing a fighter, a stage, and a collection of songs. Above I mentioned the four suits of cards and the Joker card and, associating them to the characters from the first fighters pass; four of them (well, all of them actually) with the Bartle classification of player types (hence, games as well). With only five symbols/cards, it seems that this comparison wouldn't work for Vol. 2. HOWEVER, there is one more symbol that although not associated with cards or the like, we do see it in a game that's beloved by many; and most of all, us Genobros.

In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, each character once performing a special move a symbol appears on them. Most of these symbols are pretty much the four suits of cards, plus a unique symbol. Mario's symbol is the spade, Mallow's symbol is the club, Bowser's symbol looks close to a diamond, Peach's symbol is the heart, and Geno's symbol is... a star. The unique sixth symbol.

And so, we come to have six symbols to associate to each fighter within Vol. 2; joker, spade, heart, club, diamond, and star. If we were to contemplate such symbols or player types (spade, heart, club, and diamond only) to perhaps indicate what kind of character (or from which game genre) could be coming in this pass, we would have the following to go with:

• Joker = The showstarter of the pass, or the unthinkable pick. Game genre-wise, it would most likely be from a game that has characteristics of more than one game genre (like a jack of all trades).
• Spade (Explorer) = This character will most likely be from a platformer/adventure game. *whispers* Crash Bandicoot
• Heart (Socializer) = This character would most likely hail from a game that has the player creating strong bonds with either in-game CPUs, or other players. Heh, this... kinda fits an Animal Crossing character (especially now with New Horizons having released just last Friday). Animal Crossing-esque games if you may.
• Club (Killer) = This character will almost certainly be another fighting game character, and we all know Heihachi's name has done the rounds for a long time, and we still don't have a Namco rep. Yes yes, I know Sakurai once addressed that at one point (I believe it was for Smash 4), he didn't found a way to design Heihachi into Smash and honestly, I can understand. Games like Tekken and Soul Calibur, they're distinct feature as fighting games is that they have this arena-style to it where characters can side step forth or back (not just approaching or distancing from the opponent). Since Smash is a 2D fighting game, incorporating a moveset for Heihachi in this game would not make it feel as if you were playing Tekken. However, Guilty Gear Strive is coming out later on and, Sol Badguy would be an interesting choice.
• Diamond (Achiever) = This character for sure would have to be from a JRPG game, or one that requires players to collect gear, level up; that kind of stuff. Lloyd maybe? Rex & Pyra combo?
• Star = Geno. ... ... What? Ain't no thinking too deep about this one.

Now, I just want to STRESS that this is all me theorycrafting based on a thought that occurred to me. This is NOT to be taken seriously, nor beckons rebuttals such as the usual "no, you're wrong, etc. etc.". This is simply a humble OPINION. Carry on Genobros.

Galaxy Brain moment

 

[MattX20]

Time for some big-brain, REACHING, DLC Vol. 2 theory crafting.

It all began with a thought in regards to the Fighters Pass Vol. 2. "Let's see if this pass will be Sakurai's show of hands into a Royal Flush or..."; it was at that very moment that the gears began to turn. Cards, hmm... what a coincidence; in the first Fighters Pass, the first DLC fighter was literally Joker. Hmm. It then got me thinking even further. In most games of cards (Poker, etc.), you have four suits of cards which are the Spades, Hearts, Clubs, and Diamonds. Along these suits, there is also a lone Joker card that usually comes with these card decks. The first Fighters Pass had five characters, and by adding the Joker card to the other four suits (preferably the Ace) then... *gasp*, that makes five cards! Hmm, interesting. When re-looking about the suits of cards (for reassurance) I came upon an interesting classification of these. There's this classification known as the Bartle taxonomy of player types (just found out about this ) and, the association of each different suit symbol (spade, heart, diamond, club) to each classification is quite telling. To briefly go over each player classification;

• Achievers (Diamonds) = players who prefer to gain points, levels, equipment and other concrete measurements of succeeding in a game.
• Explorers (Spades) = players who prefer discovering areas, and immerse themselves in the game world.
• Socializers (Hearts) = players that gain the most enjoyment from a game by interacting with other players, and sometimes, computer-controlled characters with personality.
• Killers (Clubs) = players that thrive on competing with other players, preferring to fight them rather than scripted computer-controlled opponents.

After learning of the aforementioned classifications, one can see the relationship with the fighters from the first pass; taking into consideration the game genres said players would most likely prefer (RPGs, Fighting, Strategy, Platformers, etc.).

• Joker = Joker: Now, beside the first character LITERALLY being named Joker, his reveal back at TGA 2018 took everyone by surprise. However, from the four player type classifications, Joker's games (Persona) fit in between the Achievers (Diamonds) and Socializers (Hearts). Heh, how convenient; Joker is the leader of the Phantom Thieves after all (who steal hearts).
• Hero = Achievers (Diamonds): JRPGs/RPGs are mostly known for being lengthy games, but also for containing a hefty number of equipment to obtain and in some cases, level grinding. Hailing from the father of JRPGs no less, Hero fits perfectly with this classification.
• Banjo & Kazooie = Explorers (Spades): Banjo & Kazooie's self titled game is a platformer that consists of exploring different worlds, as well as collecting a bunch of stuff along the way (jiggies, notes, Mumbo Tokens, etc.). In Banjo Tooie, the worlds were much bigger, and players had more room to explore and find literal easter eggs in some of them.
• Terry Bogard = Killers (Clubs): hailing from one of the early fighting games (Fatal Fury), and being a fan favorite characters in other fighters such as The King of Fighters, Capcom vs. SNK, and most recently making a guest appearance in Fighting EX Layer, Terry is a legacy character within fighting games.
• Byleth = Socializers (Hearts): Now, I know that Fire Emblem is a JRPG/strategy game and character leveling and getting equipment are important within these games, but since you control a vast number of units, these games are also known for character relationships. Like other Fire Emblem titles, Three Houses is no exception, giving the player the freedom to choose which House leader to ally with, as well as to develop bonds with many of the characters within each house.

With that being said, we then have another set of characters coming in the second fighters pass and... *notices that there will be six characters*... uh... *realizes that the four suits/player classifications plus joker cars make five cards*... hmm... *realizes the numbers don't match*. Huh, it seems like all this theory crafting was for naught. Oh well, and it was going... *remembers that there is one sixth symbol related to the aforementioned ones* AH! Mhmhmhmhm, how could I forget? Here comes the kicker.

As it is known, the Fighters Pass Vol. 2 will consist of six (6) Challenger Packs, each containing a fighter, a stage, and a collection of songs. Above I mentioned the four suits of cards and the Joker card and, associating them to the characters from the first fighters pass; four of them (well, all of them actually) with the Bartle classification of player types (hence, games as well). With only five symbols/cards, it seems that this comparison wouldn't work for Vol. 2. HOWEVER, there is one more symbol that although not associated with cards or the like, we do see it in a game that's beloved by many; and most of all, us Genobros.

In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, each character once performing a special move a symbol appears on them. Most of these symbols are pretty much the four suits of cards, plus a unique symbol. Mario's symbol is the spade, Mallow's symbol is the club, Bowser's symbol looks close to a diamond, Peach's symbol is the heart, and Geno's symbol is... a star. The unique sixth symbol.

And so, we come to have six symbols to associate to each fighter within Vol. 2; joker, spade, heart, club, diamond, and star. If we were to contemplate such symbols or player types (spade, heart, club, and diamond only) to perhaps indicate what kind of character (or from which game genre) could be coming in this pass, we would have the following to go with:

• Joker = The showstarter of the pass, or the unthinkable pick. Game genre-wise, it would most likely be from a game that has characteristics of more than one game genre (like a jack of all trades).
• Spade (Explorer) = This character will most likely be from a platformer/adventure game. *whispers* Crash Bandicoot
• Heart (Socializer) = This character would most likely hail from a game that has the player creating strong bonds with either in-game CPUs, or other players. Heh, this... kinda fits an Animal Crossing character (especially now with New Horizons having released just last Friday). Animal Crossing-esque games if you may.
• Club (Killer) = This character will almost certainly be another fighting game character, and we all know Heihachi's name has done the rounds for a long time, and we still don't have a Namco rep. Yes yes, I know Sakurai once addressed that at one point (I believe it was for Smash 4), he didn't found a way to design Heihachi into Smash and honestly, I can understand. Games like Tekken and Soul Calibur, they're distinct feature as fighting games is that they have this arena-style to it where characters can side step forth or back (not just approaching or distancing from the opponent). Since Smash is a 2D fighting game, incorporating a moveset for Heihachi in this game would not make it feel as if you were playing Tekken. However, Guilty Gear Strive is coming out later on and, Sol Badguy would be an interesting choice.
• Diamond (Achiever) = This character for sure would have to be from a JRPG game, or one that requires players to collect gear, level up; that kind of stuff. Lloyd maybe? Rex & Pyra combo?
• Star = Geno. ... ... What? Ain't no thinking too deep about this one.

Now, I just want to STRESS that this is all me theorycrafting based on a thought that occurred to me. This is NOT to be taken seriously, nor beckons rebuttals such as the usual "no, you're wrong, etc. etc.". This is simply a humble OPINION. Carry on Genobros.

That's a very interesting theory you have there. You have my attention

 

[Powerman293]

Time for some big-brain, REACHING, DLC Vol. 2 theory crafting.

It all began with a thought in regards to the Fighters Pass Vol. 2. "Let's see if this pass will be Sakurai's show of hands into a Royal Flush or..."; it was at that very moment that the gears began to turn. Cards, hmm... what a coincidence; in the first Fighters Pass, the first DLC fighter was literally Joker. Hmm. It then got me thinking even further. In most games of cards (Poker, etc.), you have four suits of cards which are the Spades, Hearts, Clubs, and Diamonds. Along these suits, there is also a lone Joker card that usually comes with these card decks. The first Fighters Pass had five characters, and by adding the Joker card to the other four suits (preferably the Ace) then... *gasp*, that makes five cards! Hmm, interesting. When re-looking about the suits of cards (for reassurance) I came upon an interesting classification of these. There's this classification known as the Bartle taxonomy of player types (just found out about this ) and, the association of each different suit symbol (spade, heart, diamond, club) to each classification is quite telling. To briefly go over each player classification;

• Achievers (Diamonds) = players who prefer to gain points, levels, equipment and other concrete measurements of succeeding in a game.
• Explorers (Spades) = players who prefer discovering areas, and immerse themselves in the game world.
• Socializers (Hearts) = players that gain the most enjoyment from a game by interacting with other players, and sometimes, computer-controlled characters with personality.
• Killers (Clubs) = players that thrive on competing with other players, preferring to fight them rather than scripted computer-controlled opponents.

After learning of the aforementioned classifications, one can see the relationship with the fighters from the first pass; taking into consideration the game genres said players would most likely prefer (RPGs, Fighting, Strategy, Platformers, etc.).

• Joker = Joker: Now, beside the first character LITERALLY being named Joker, his reveal back at TGA 2018 took everyone by surprise. However, from the four player type classifications, Joker's games (Persona) fit in between the Achievers (Diamonds) and Socializers (Hearts). Heh, how convenient; Joker is the leader of the Phantom Thieves after all (who steal hearts).
• Hero = Achievers (Diamonds): JRPGs/RPGs are mostly known for being lengthy games, but also for containing a hefty number of equipment to obtain and in some cases, level grinding. Hailing from the father of JRPGs no less, Hero fits perfectly with this classification.
• Banjo & Kazooie = Explorers (Spades): Banjo & Kazooie's self titled game is a platformer that consists of exploring different worlds, as well as collecting a bunch of stuff along the way (jiggies, notes, Mumbo Tokens, etc.). In Banjo Tooie, the worlds were much bigger, and players had more room to explore and find literal easter eggs in some of them.
• Terry Bogard = Killers (Clubs): hailing from one of the early fighting games (Fatal Fury), and being a fan favorite characters in other fighters such as The King of Fighters, Capcom vs. SNK, and most recently making a guest appearance in Fighting EX Layer, Terry is a legacy character within fighting games.
• Byleth = Socializers (Hearts): Now, I know that Fire Emblem is a JRPG/strategy game and character leveling and getting equipment are important within these games, but since you control a vast number of units, these games are also known for character relationships. Like other Fire Emblem titles, Three Houses is no exception, giving the player the freedom to choose which House leader to ally with, as well as to develop bonds with many of the characters within each house.

With that being said, we then have another set of characters coming in the second fighters pass and... *notices that there will be six characters*... uh... *realizes that the four suits/player classifications plus joker cars make five cards*... hmm... *realizes the numbers don't match*. Huh, it seems like all this theory crafting was for naught. Oh well, and it was going... *remembers that there is one sixth symbol related to the aforementioned ones* AH! Mhmhmhmhm, how could I forget? Here comes the kicker.

As it is known, the Fighters Pass Vol. 2 will consist of six (6) Challenger Packs, each containing a fighter, a stage, and a collection of songs. Above I mentioned the four suits of cards and the Joker card and, associating them to the characters from the first fighters pass; four of them (well, all of them actually) with the Bartle classification of player types (hence, games as well). With only five symbols/cards, it seems that this comparison wouldn't work for Vol. 2. HOWEVER, there is one more symbol that although not associated with cards or the like, we do see it in a game that's beloved by many; and most of all, us Genobros.

In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, each character once performing a special move a symbol appears on them. Most of these symbols are pretty much the four suits of cards, plus a unique symbol. Mario's symbol is the spade, Mallow's symbol is the club, Bowser's symbol looks close to a diamond, Peach's symbol is the heart, and Geno's symbol is... a star. The unique sixth symbol.

And so, we come to have six symbols to associate to each fighter within Vol. 2; joker, spade, heart, club, diamond, and star. If we were to contemplate such symbols or player types (spade, heart, club, and diamond only) to perhaps indicate what kind of character (or from which game genre) could be coming in this pass, we would have the following to go with:

• Joker = The showstarter of the pass, or the unthinkable pick. Game genre-wise, it would most likely be from a game that has characteristics of more than one game genre (like a jack of all trades).
• Spade (Explorer) = This character will most likely be from a platformer/adventure game. *whispers* Crash Bandicoot
• Heart (Socializer) = This character would most likely hail from a game that has the player creating strong bonds with either in-game CPUs, or other players. Heh, this... kinda fits an Animal Crossing character (especially now with New Horizons having released just last Friday). Animal Crossing-esque games if you may.
• Club (Killer) = This character will almost certainly be another fighting game character, and we all know Heihachi's name has done the rounds for a long time, and we still don't have a Namco rep. Yes yes, I know Sakurai once addressed that at one point (I believe it was for Smash 4), he didn't found a way to design Heihachi into Smash and honestly, I can understand. Games like Tekken and Soul Calibur, they're distinct feature as fighting games is that they have this arena-style to it where characters can side step forth or back (not just approaching or distancing from the opponent). Since Smash is a 2D fighting game, incorporating a moveset for Heihachi in this game would not make it feel as if you were playing Tekken. However, Guilty Gear Strive is coming out later on and, Sol Badguy would be an interesting choice.
• Diamond (Achiever) = This character for sure would have to be from a JRPG game, or one that requires players to collect gear, level up; that kind of stuff. Lloyd maybe? Rex & Pyra combo?
• Star = Geno. ... ... What? Ain't no thinking too deep about this one.

Now, I just want to STRESS that this is all me theorycrafting based on a thought that occurred to me. This is NOT to be taken seriously, nor beckons rebuttals such as the usual "no, you're wrong, etc. etc.". This is simply a humble OPINION. Carry on Genobros.

I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if appealing to different player types factored at least a little bit into the character choices.

 

[T2by4]

Time for some big-brain, REACHING, DLC Vol. 2 theory crafting.

It all began with a thought in regards to the Fighters Pass Vol. 2. "Let's see if this pass will be Sakurai's show of hands into a Royal Flush or..."; it was at that very moment that the gears began to turn. Cards, hmm... what a coincidence; in the first Fighters Pass, the first DLC fighter was literally Joker. Hmm. It then got me thinking even further. In most games of cards (Poker, etc.), you have four suits of cards which are the Spades, Hearts, Clubs, and Diamonds. Along these suits, there is also a lone Joker card that usually comes with these card decks. The first Fighters Pass had five characters, and by adding the Joker card to the other four suits (preferably the Ace) then... *gasp*, that makes five cards! Hmm, interesting. When re-looking about the suits of cards (for reassurance) I came upon an interesting classification of these. There's this classification known as the Bartle taxonomy of player types (just found out about this ) and, the association of each different suit symbol (spade, heart, diamond, club) to each classification is quite telling. To briefly go over each player classification;

• Achievers (Diamonds) = players who prefer to gain points, levels, equipment and other concrete measurements of succeeding in a game.
• Explorers (Spades) = players who prefer discovering areas, and immerse themselves in the game world.
• Socializers (Hearts) = players that gain the most enjoyment from a game by interacting with other players, and sometimes, computer-controlled characters with personality.
• Killers (Clubs) = players that thrive on competing with other players, preferring to fight them rather than scripted computer-controlled opponents.

After learning of the aforementioned classifications, one can see the relationship with the fighters from the first pass; taking into consideration the game genres said players would most likely prefer (RPGs, Fighting, Strategy, Platformers, etc.).

• Joker = Joker: Now, beside the first character LITERALLY being named Joker, his reveal back at TGA 2018 took everyone by surprise. However, from the four player type classifications, Joker's games (Persona) fit in between the Achievers (Diamonds) and Socializers (Hearts). Heh, how convenient; Joker is the leader of the Phantom Thieves after all (who steal hearts).
• Hero = Achievers (Diamonds): JRPGs/RPGs are mostly known for being lengthy games, but also for containing a hefty number of equipment to obtain and in some cases, level grinding. Hailing from the father of JRPGs no less, Hero fits perfectly with this classification.
• Banjo & Kazooie = Explorers (Spades): Banjo & Kazooie's self titled game is a platformer that consists of exploring different worlds, as well as collecting a bunch of stuff along the way (jiggies, notes, Mumbo Tokens, etc.). In Banjo Tooie, the worlds were much bigger, and players had more room to explore and find literal easter eggs in some of them.
• Terry Bogard = Killers (Clubs): hailing from one of the early fighting games (Fatal Fury), and being a fan favorite characters in other fighters such as The King of Fighters, Capcom vs. SNK, and most recently making a guest appearance in Fighting EX Layer, Terry is a legacy character within fighting games.
• Byleth = Socializers (Hearts): Now, I know that Fire Emblem is a JRPG/strategy game and character leveling and getting equipment are important within these games, but since you control a vast number of units, these games are also known for character relationships. Like other Fire Emblem titles, Three Houses is no exception, giving the player the freedom to choose which House leader to ally with, as well as to develop bonds with many of the characters within each house.

With that being said, we then have another set of characters coming in the second fighters pass and... *notices that there will be six characters*... uh... *realizes that the four suits/player classifications plus joker cars make five cards*... hmm... *realizes the numbers don't match*. Huh, it seems like all this theory crafting was for naught. Oh well, and it was going... *remembers that there is one sixth symbol related to the aforementioned ones* AH! Mhmhmhmhm, how could I forget? Here comes the kicker.

As it is known, the Fighters Pass Vol. 2 will consist of six (6) Challenger Packs, each containing a fighter, a stage, and a collection of songs. Above I mentioned the four suits of cards and the Joker card and, associating them to the characters from the first fighters pass; four of them (well, all of them actually) with the Bartle classification of player types (hence, games as well). With only five symbols/cards, it seems that this comparison wouldn't work for Vol. 2. HOWEVER, there is one more symbol that although not associated with cards or the like, we do see it in a game that's beloved by many; and most of all, us Genobros.

In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, each character once performing a special move a symbol appears on them. Most of these symbols are pretty much the four suits of cards, plus a unique symbol. Mario's symbol is the spade, Mallow's symbol is the club, Bowser's symbol looks close to a diamond, Peach's symbol is the heart, and Geno's symbol is... a star. The unique sixth symbol.

And so, we come to have six symbols to associate to each fighter within Vol. 2; joker, spade, heart, club, diamond, and star. If we were to contemplate such symbols or player types (spade, heart, club, and diamond only) to perhaps indicate what kind of character (or from which game genre) could be coming in this pass, we would have the following to go with:

• Joker = The showstarter of the pass, or the unthinkable pick. Game genre-wise, it would most likely be from a game that has characteristics of more than one game genre (like a jack of all trades).
• Spade (Explorer) = This character will most likely be from a platformer/adventure game. *whispers* Crash Bandicoot
• Heart (Socializer) = This character would most likely hail from a game that has the player creating strong bonds with either in-game CPUs, or other players. Heh, this... kinda fits an Animal Crossing character (especially now with New Horizons having released just last Friday). Animal Crossing-esque games if you may.
• Club (Killer) = This character will almost certainly be another fighting game character, and we all know Heihachi's name has done the rounds for a long time, and we still don't have a Namco rep. Yes yes, I know Sakurai once addressed that at one point (I believe it was for Smash 4), he didn't found a way to design Heihachi into Smash and honestly, I can understand. Games like Tekken and Soul Calibur, they're distinct feature as fighting games is that they have this arena-style to it where characters can side step forth or back (not just approaching or distancing from the opponent). Since Smash is a 2D fighting game, incorporating a moveset for Heihachi in this game would not make it feel as if you were playing Tekken. However, Guilty Gear Strive is coming out later on and, Sol Badguy would be an interesting choice.
• Diamond (Achiever) = This character for sure would have to be from a JRPG game, or one that requires players to collect gear, level up; that kind of stuff. Lloyd maybe? Rex & Pyra combo?
• Star = Geno. ... ... What? Ain't no thinking too deep about this one.

Now, I just want to STRESS that this is all me theorycrafting based on a thought that occurred to me. This is NOT to be taken seriously, nor beckons rebuttals such as the usual "no, you're wrong, etc. etc.". This is simply a humble OPINION. Carry on Genobros.

Can you imagine if Sakurai sat down and unironically thought to do something like this.

 

[Andwooooo]

Your showstarter sounds an awful lot like Travis Touchdown--he's been dipping his fingers in a whole lotta video game genre pies, so to speak. I still don't think we'll get Heihachi though, based on what Sakurai has said before *and* out of respect, especially since Namco retired him already. I can see the "killer" being someone from a huge IP that would steal every show. Maybe... the Master Chief?

Heart, I can't see being another Animal Crossing rep. Maybe a Pokémon one--a character you form bonds with throughout the game; and with the expansion passes coming soon, I can see them choosing one of the mythicals/legends.

The RPG Diamond character will be Lloyd, I think. His moveset potential is the easiest to translate over, and he's *the* Cloud of the Tales of series. Plus he'd give us a Yuri Mii costume.

 

[Ace C.R.O.S.S.]

As it is known, the Fighters Pass Vol. 2 will consist of six (6) Challenger Packs, each containing a fighter, a stage, and a collection of songs. Above I mentioned the four suits of cards and the Joker card and, associating them to the characters from the first fighters pass; four of them (well, all of them actually) with the Bartle classification of player types (hence, games as well). With only five symbols/cards, it seems that this comparison wouldn't work for Vol. 2. HOWEVER, there is one more symbol that although not associated with cards or the like, we do see it in a game that's beloved by many; and most of all, us Genobros.

In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, each character once performing a special move a symbol appears on them. Most of these symbols are pretty much the four suits of cards, plus a unique symbol. Mario's symbol is the spade, Mallow's symbol is the club, Bowser's symbol looks close to a diamond, Peach's symbol is the heart, and Geno's symbol is... a star. The unique sixth symbol.

And so, we come to have six symbols to associate to each fighter within Vol. 2; joker, spade, heart, club, diamond, and star. If we were to contemplate such symbols or player types (spade, heart, club, and diamond only) to perhaps indicate what kind of character (or from which game genre) could be coming in this pass, we would have the following to go with:

• Joker = The showstarter of the pass, or the unthinkable pick. Game genre-wise, it would most likely be from a game that has characteristics of more than one game genre (like a jack of all trades).
• Spade (Explorer) = This character will most likely be from a platformer/adventure game. *whispers* Crash Bandicoot
• Heart (Socializer) = This character would most likely hail from a game that has the player creating strong bonds with either in-game CPUs, or other players. Heh, this... kinda fits an Animal Crossing character (especially now with New Horizons having released just last Friday). Animal Crossing-esque games if you may.
• Club (Killer) = This character will almost certainly be another fighting game character, and we all know Heihachi's name has done the rounds for a long time, and we still don't have a Namco rep. Yes yes, I know Sakurai once addressed that at one point (I believe it was for Smash 4), he didn't found a way to design Heihachi into Smash and honestly, I can understand. Games like Tekken and Soul Calibur, they're distinct feature as fighting games is that they have this arena-style to it where characters can side step forth or back (not just approaching or distancing from the opponent). Since Smash is a 2D fighting game, incorporating a moveset for Heihachi in this game would not make it feel as if you were playing Tekken. However, Guilty Gear Strive is coming out later on and, Sol Badguy would be an interesting choice.
• Diamond (Achiever) = This character for sure would have to be from a JRPG game, or one that requires players to collect gear, level up; that kind of stuff. Lloyd maybe? Rex & Pyra combo?
• Star = Geno. ... ... What? Ain't no thinking too deep about this one.

Now, I just want to STRESS that this is all me theorycrafting based on a thought that occurred to me. This is NOT to be taken seriously, nor beckons rebuttals such as the usual "no, you're wrong, etc. etc.". This is simply a humble

Dang, that's very deep. So according to this the next Pass could have the next characters:

Joker: - Reiji Arisu and Xiaomu, from the CROSS series.
Spade (Explorer): - Shantae, from the Shantae series
Heart (Socializer): - Phoenix Wright, from the Ace Attorney series
But of course, that's just my wishlist...

 

[Polarthief]

Heart (Socializer) = This character would most likely hail from a game that has the player creating strong bonds with either in-game CPUs, or other players. Heh, this... kinda fits an Animal Crossing character (especially now with New Horizons having released just last Friday). Animal Crossing-esque games if you may.

Y'know, we got Isabelle with the announcement of AC:NH in 2018, but I wouldn't be surprised if we got Nook (or his adopted employees) since this game revolves a lot more around Nook (and the Nooklings) rather than Isabelle from NL or... nobody really prior... also given how hardcore they've been pushing NH, I wouldn't be surprised if he or they are DLC 6 and I'd be curious to see the reaction to it...

But let's hope it's Geno instead plzkthx.

 

[Aerospherology]

Time for some big-brain, REACHING, DLC Vol. 2 theory crafting.

It all began with a thought in regards to the Fighters Pass Vol. 2. "Let's see if this pass will be Sakurai's show of hands into a Royal Flush or..."; it was at that very moment that the gears began to turn. Cards, hmm... what a coincidence; in the first Fighters Pass, the first DLC fighter was literally Joker. Hmm. It then got me thinking even further. In most games of cards (Poker, etc.), you have four suits of cards which are the Spades, Hearts, Clubs, and Diamonds. Along these suits, there is also a lone Joker card that usually comes with these card decks. The first Fighters Pass had five characters, and by adding the Joker card to the other four suits (preferably the Ace) then... *gasp*, that makes five cards! Hmm, interesting. When re-looking about the suits of cards (for reassurance) I came upon an interesting classification of these. There's this classification known as the Bartle taxonomy of player types (just found out about this ) and, the association of each different suit symbol (spade, heart, diamond, club) to each classification is quite telling. To briefly go over each player classification;

• Achievers (Diamonds) = players who prefer to gain points, levels, equipment and other concrete measurements of succeeding in a game.
• Explorers (Spades) = players who prefer discovering areas, and immerse themselves in the game world.
• Socializers (Hearts) = players that gain the most enjoyment from a game by interacting with other players, and sometimes, computer-controlled characters with personality.
• Killers (Clubs) = players that thrive on competing with other players, preferring to fight them rather than scripted computer-controlled opponents.

After learning of the aforementioned classifications, one can see the relationship with the fighters from the first pass; taking into consideration the game genres said players would most likely prefer (RPGs, Fighting, Strategy, Platformers, etc.).

• Joker = Joker: Now, beside the first character LITERALLY being named Joker, his reveal back at TGA 2018 took everyone by surprise. However, from the four player type classifications, Joker's games (Persona) fit in between the Achievers (Diamonds) and Socializers (Hearts). Heh, how convenient; Joker is the leader of the Phantom Thieves after all (who steal hearts).
• Hero = Achievers (Diamonds): JRPGs/RPGs are mostly known for being lengthy games, but also for containing a hefty number of equipment to obtain and in some cases, level grinding. Hailing from the father of JRPGs no less, Hero fits perfectly with this classification.
• Banjo & Kazooie = Explorers (Spades): Banjo & Kazooie's self titled game is a platformer that consists of exploring different worlds, as well as collecting a bunch of stuff along the way (jiggies, notes, Mumbo Tokens, etc.). In Banjo Tooie, the worlds were much bigger, and players had more room to explore and find literal easter eggs in some of them.
• Terry Bogard = Killers (Clubs): hailing from one of the early fighting games (Fatal Fury), and being a fan favorite characters in other fighters such as The King of Fighters, Capcom vs. SNK, and most recently making a guest appearance in Fighting EX Layer, Terry is a legacy character within fighting games.
• Byleth = Socializers (Hearts): Now, I know that Fire Emblem is a JRPG/strategy game and character leveling and getting equipment are important within these games, but since you control a vast number of units, these games are also known for character relationships. Like other Fire Emblem titles, Three Houses is no exception, giving the player the freedom to choose which House leader to ally with, as well as to develop bonds with many of the characters within each house.

With that being said, we then have another set of characters coming in the second fighters pass and... *notices that there will be six characters*... uh... *realizes that the four suits/player classifications plus joker cars make five cards*... hmm... *realizes the numbers don't match*. Huh, it seems like all this theory crafting was for naught. Oh well, and it was going... *remembers that there is one sixth symbol related to the aforementioned ones* AH! Mhmhmhmhm, how could I forget? Here comes the kicker.

As it is known, the Fighters Pass Vol. 2 will consist of six (6) Challenger Packs, each containing a fighter, a stage, and a collection of songs. Above I mentioned the four suits of cards and the Joker card and, associating them to the characters from the first fighters pass; four of them (well, all of them actually) with the Bartle classification of player types (hence, games as well). With only five symbols/cards, it seems that this comparison wouldn't work for Vol. 2. HOWEVER, there is one more symbol that although not associated with cards or the like, we do see it in a game that's beloved by many; and most of all, us Genobros.

In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, each character once performing a special move a symbol appears on them. Most of these symbols are pretty much the four suits of cards, plus a unique symbol. Mario's symbol is the spade, Mallow's symbol is the club, Bowser's symbol looks close to a diamond, Peach's symbol is the heart, and Geno's symbol is... a star. The unique sixth symbol.

And so, we come to have six symbols to associate to each fighter within Vol. 2; joker, spade, heart, club, diamond, and star. If we were to contemplate such symbols or player types (spade, heart, club, and diamond only) to perhaps indicate what kind of character (or from which game genre) could be coming in this pass, we would have the following to go with:

• Joker = The showstarter of the pass, or the unthinkable pick. Game genre-wise, it would most likely be from a game that has characteristics of more than one game genre (like a jack of all trades).
• Spade (Explorer) = This character will most likely be from a platformer/adventure game. *whispers* Crash Bandicoot
• Heart (Socializer) = This character would most likely hail from a game that has the player creating strong bonds with either in-game CPUs, or other players. Heh, this... kinda fits an Animal Crossing character (especially now with New Horizons having released just last Friday). Animal Crossing-esque games if you may.
• Club (Killer) = This character will almost certainly be another fighting game character, and we all know Heihachi's name has done the rounds for a long time, and we still don't have a Namco rep. Yes yes, I know Sakurai once addressed that at one point (I believe it was for Smash 4), he didn't found a way to design Heihachi into Smash and honestly, I can understand. Games like Tekken and Soul Calibur, they're distinct feature as fighting games is that they have this arena-style to it where characters can side step forth or back (not just approaching or distancing from the opponent). Since Smash is a 2D fighting game, incorporating a moveset for Heihachi in this game would not make it feel as if you were playing Tekken. However, Guilty Gear Strive is coming out later on and, Sol Badguy would be an interesting choice.
• Diamond (Achiever) = This character for sure would have to be from a JRPG game, or one that requires players to collect gear, level up; that kind of stuff. Lloyd maybe? Rex & Pyra combo?
• Star = Geno. ... ... What? Ain't no thinking too deep about this one.

Now, I just want to STRESS that this is all me theorycrafting based on a thought that occurred to me. This is NOT to be taken seriously, nor beckons rebuttals such as the usual "no, you're wrong, etc. etc.". This is simply a humble OPINION. Carry on Genobros.

There exists a card game with a fifth suit, Star, called Five Crowns. Both Super Mario RPG and this card game are from 1996, hmmm...

 

[Powerman293]

How many of you guys are in the Geno push in the hopes his newfound popularity will allow a Super Mario RPG remake or sequel to happen?

 

[Blankiturayman]

How many of you guys are in the Geno push in the hopes his newfound popularity will allow a Super Mario RPG remake or sequel to happen?

I think it'd be cool if that happened with his inclusion, but even aside from that, I'm fine with him and SMRPG just getting recognized nowadays.

 

[super88cloud]

I wonder, if Geno is in Smash Bros. Ultimate, what would be his most powerful move? (aside from possibly Geno Whirl, of course)?

Also, if there is a Direct next week, what day do you guys think it will be announced?

the geno rainbow

 

[SpiritOfRuin]

How many of you guys are in the Geno push in the hopes his newfound popularity will allow a Super Mario RPG remake or sequel to happen?

I'm pretty sure we would all love a remake/sequel if it did the original justice of course, but I think we all have come to the understanding that this won't happen and that's why we push so hard for Geno in Smash. Smash is a vehicle through which forgotten characters can be in the spotlight again even if everything else about them and their home franchise was taken out back and put down old yeller style. The stakes for us as Geno fans are higher than most other fanbases because this is pretty much the only way to keep our beloved character alive/memorialized in some form.

 

[Sovereign Trinity]

I know Sakurai has done this a number of times but Sakurai has put out yet another statement that not only is Season 2 is the last of Ultimate's DLC but he currently doesn't have any plans for after Ultimate either:

https://gonintendo.com/stories/3576...XX-vatFFZezVBPw5n0NuJOWJ_7Z2g-7dGk8SEeSmYzrcc

I've been saying it for more than half a year now but everything points to Season 2 being an enormous deal to Sakurai on a personal level.

That's interesting. I'm happy he's finally receiving a break once he's done with the 2nd DLC lineup.

That'd be nice if the last six fighters will be Sakurai's personal picks since it's his game and he's able to directly choose who he wants this time. Geno is one of the characters he wants, so let's hope all goes well for Geno to come back!

 

[RetrogamerMax]

How many of you guys are in the Geno push in the hopes his newfound popularity will allow a Super Mario RPG remake or sequel to happen?

I would love a direct sequel to SMRPG but I won't get my hopes up for it even if Geno makes it into Smash's roster. Geno getting in Smash is enough for me but SMRPG2 would be a big bonus.

 

[Lamperouge]

How many of you guys are in the Geno push in the hopes his newfound popularity will allow a Super Mario RPG remake or sequel to happen?

I'd settle for being able to play the original again through NSO, TBH.