Social King K. Rool's Kremling Kutthroats: This...Is Our Finest Hour!

[DJ3DS]

The icons are fully working now. A massive thank you to whoever it is on the site who updates them!

So Krew, how does it feel to finally list K Rool as your main here?

 

[Skyline1992]

A little late but way to go guys. K Rool's moveset is pretty much what we were all expecting. Altough I wasn't expecting him to have a counter.

 

[spoilerowl]

With BKupa's post and the icon added, King K. Rool's inclusion now feels "complete" in the context of Smashboards.

And yes, sign me the hell up for that thank you card. I will contribute in any way I can to thank Sakurai directly for what he's done for K. Rool and in general.

 

[BridgesWithTurtles]

Sakurai's done more for K. Rool than Nintendo ever has. I'd wait in line just to sign a thank-you letter to the man.

 

[SmashKeks]

So, now that K. Rool is officially revived from the dead, what other appearances do we want to see him in? Obviously we all want his true return to a new DKC game as the main villain once more, but do you think K. Rool could start gracing Mario Kart in his new design? Show up for some tennis? Celebrate a Mario Party? Finally be on the playable list for a DK racing game? Oooooh I'm excited just imagining the possibilities.

 

[InASnowBoundLand]

How does the blunderbuss even work from a button input perspective? It can shoot stuff out and suck enemies in and shoot them back out again. How do you think that works?

 

[THE 6r]

It's been two days and it's still just barely started to register that K. Rool is back. After a 10-year hiatus, I think it's going to take a while before his return truly sinks in, with him getting brought up in new interviews, getting more facetime in future footage and the like. Here's my immediate reaction:

In a word, that trailer was euphoric. I had heard fourth-hand information that a "Steve Mayles character" might get shown Wednesday, but the Castlevania music leak and BS lupensko laundered through Vergeben about "no DK newcomers" made me skeptical. I wore my "King of Krem" t-shirt as a good luck charm and tuned in anyway. Was content with the Direct and prepared to spend the next few months arguing that DK's first assist trophy being an "irrelevant" Klaptrap boded well, and then...what was that? I thought I had imagined the first rumble, but from the second, I had a good feeling...what newcomer but Rool, the one people are theorizing could be the new heaviest character period, could be responsible? Then I saw the villains montage and the dam burst. I am fully aware how silly it is in the grand scheme of things to get so emotional over an obese fictional crocodile, but in this context it's more than that...it's the understanding that a band of committed fans, including many I would consider longtime friends, finally won the day. We all came together in the first place over two favorite series, Smash and DK, and stayed together over the years because of our desire to steer its trajectory in a certain direction, with K. Rool specifically and in terms of answering fan desires. Years and years of seemingly going unheard, being told repeatedly we wouldn't matter even if we were heard on account of being a small sliver of the customer base, with a side helping of criticism for everything from liking an "ugly Rare character" to being delusional over character chances, and agonizing over whether minor, minor details could maybe mean good things...all over for Rool fans with a two-minute trailer.

K. Rool was a pivotal part of my first exposure to gaming, in that I watched a cousin play his DKC1 boss fight, and memorably succumb to his iconic fakeout, in 1999, when I was a young kid. I then became a DK superfan in 2003 when the first GBA port came out, and I quickly became infatuated with everything about the Country series...the hybrid between natural environments and cartoony characters, the music, the challenge, the whole shebang. I couldn't begin to count how many times I played and replayed those games to completion. The Kremlings and Rool quickly became favorite series staples of mine, as I came to look forward to what new appearance they'd take on in each sequel and what new way they'd escalate their conflict against the Kongs. Later on, in 2005, I got my first exposure to Smash through Melee at a friend's house.

Becoming a Smash fan was a slower burn...I liked the concept of Nintendo characters squaring off, but even back then was wondering why you could play as Mario, Luigi and Bowser, but Diddy and K. Rool weren't there to fight with or against DK (this was before series representation or the Rare buyout were on my radar). It was randomly going onto Mario Wiki in August 2007 and learning that Diddy had made Brawl when I started really getting into Smash, and started hoping for K. Rool. Between 2007 and 2012, my like for the character developed into a bonafide fandom...of note, I made multiple full movesets for K. Rool, including for each of his individual personas, through the Make Your Move competitions, and watched the full cartoon series. I lobbied for the character in general Smash speculation threads on account of what he could contribute to the series, and a sense he deserved his place there, and became a loud critic of the decision to have "no crocodiles" in Returns and Nintendo/Retro's questioning of "whether he really needed to be there." So when 2012 rolled around, and the Smash Wii U character forum opened up, I quickly pounced on making the K. Rool thread. The original title was "K. Rool's Kountry Klub," but it became "Kremling Kutthroats" in part because people thought version one sounded a bit too Brothers Bear-esque, and in part because I wanted to reflect the fans' connection to the character. The Kremling Kutthroats were Rool's army in beloved DKC2, and likewise, an army of fans was going to be necessary to persuade Nintendo, Retro, and Sakurai to return the character to prominence.

And they did! I mentioned it in my brief first impression, but K. Rool wouldn't have a glimmer of a chance at coming back if the fans didn't speak up. The fanbase got somewhat of a reputation for obnoxiousness over it, but had there been less visibly vocal support, we wouldn't be where we are today. The ballot was an opportunity served to us on a silver platter, and we truly seized the opportunity. Through the grapevine, I've heard that K. Rool was 100% a ballot inclusion, and that a recent theory of mine, that Nintendo and Sakurai weren't aware of the character's popularity to that point, was indeed true. But not anymore. And, per the same source of information, the dearth of K. Rool appearances is going to change. I've given Sakurai a ton of crap over the years, and I intend to write a separate post in the "I was wrong" thread walking back the bulk of it. A few others and I also are working on getting a heartful thank-you card written, translated, illustrated and sent to Sakurai, both via Twitter and physical mail. He did us and our series so right, and it's only right that we let him know it.

I'll write more later delving into just how faithful K. Rool looks so far, and gushing over the new direction they're taking his characterization. But for now, I'm ready to just bask and enjoy following the lead-up to the game with no anxiety at all. There are still characters I intend to passively support - namely Dixie, who I think has a great chance at being a Chrom-style echo, taking her fans' suggestion to use Diddy's side and neutral specials, plus DK's up and down specials - but K. Rool is such a labor of love that I don't think anything new could truly disappoint me anymore.

I couldn't have said it better then that. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication. These are exciting times to be alive. I fully support that thank you card and would be more then happy to add my name to it.

 

[-crump-]

Count me on in the letter to Sakurai. The man made our dreams come true, and even beyond that is making a ****ing amazing Smash Bros. I can’t believe how good this game looks, especially with the kremling king himself involved...

I’m glad K. Rool’s icon is available so we can all show our love.
Sooooo when are we finally gonna get our King’s beautiful face on the Character subfourms page, exactly?
The Little Macs are really starting to bother me for some reason...

 

[CHAMPIONX9]

The gratitude in this thread gives me a warm feeling in my heart.

 

[Snagrio]

3 years. 3 long years since this message was posted. 3 years of krazy ups and downs, meeting like-minded people such as this fine krew here and sticking through to the bitter end.

And to top all of this off? It happened on one's most special of days. The dawn of our King's arrival was my own 23rd birthday, and I couldn't have asked for a greater present.

At long last, he's One of Us.

 

[DJ3DS]

Would it be possible to make a thread regarding signing up to this card, BKupa666 ?

There are lots of us who would like to put our names on it and it seems like an alternative thread would make it much easier rather than half the posts getting buried in this more general thread.

 

[THE 6r]

I’m glad K. Rool’s icon is available so we can all show our love. Soooo when are we finally gonna get our King’s beautiful face on the Character subfourms page, exactly? The Little Macs are really starting to bother me for some reason...

Yeah, it's starting to bother me too.

 

[Crap-Zapper]

Would it be possible to make a thread regarding signing up to this card, BKupa666 ?

There are lots of us who would like to put our names on it and it seems like an alternative thread would make it much easier rather than half the posts getting buried in this more general thread.

I'd love to put my name on such a card.

 

[Deleted member]

Glad I am here, for this, I am becoming a bigger Donkey Kong Country fan. My Favorite character from Donkey Kong Country King K . Rool is in, and we're all happy. It's a great time Kremlings, glad to be here, with you too see it.

 

[Richard 89]

BKupa666 you, my friend have been an amazing leader. over the couple of years that I've joined, this thread and the people in it were the reason why i'd log in. No matter how many times we have got negative responses from naysayers, you had us to keep our composure in a positive way and led us in the right direction through it all.

May we always stick together as a crew until the end of it all, and by the way when smash ultimate releases, I would like to have some battles with you, Not as a leader but as a player like every one else.

 

[MattOnwheels]

Count me in on that card

 

[Mario & Sonic Guy]

Okay, so we can now set King K. Rool as our Smash Ultimate main, and yet his stock icon isn't a smiley option yet...

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I'l totally sign a thank you card! With Squirtle, Ridley, and K.Rool, this is definitely the best Smash ever.

One impossible want to go...

 

[GAINAX]

Is it just me or does Bowser look kinda rubbish when compared to K. Rool's shiny new model?

And I'll sign a card for sure!

 

[Crap-Zapper]

I just hope Nintendo now realize what goldmine they have with King K. Rool in particular.

They must notice the positive reaction to him now, and be like; "Wow, what the **** Miyamoto? You said people didn't care for old DKC stuff."

 

[SmashBro99]

So happy he's in!!!

Now I just need Waluigi and Sora and my top 3 are in haha.

 

[InASnowBoundLand]

Yes, I'll sign it too.

And that pic made me realize, wow K. Rool has a climbing and swimming animation! K. Rool has a TANOOKI FORM!

 

[Phantomjack24]

For music I want Crocodile Cacophany, Lockjaw's Saga, Fear Factory, Homecoming Hijinxs / Snomads Theme, Seashore War, and Grassland Groove.

Boss Bossonova would be nice too.

 

[Jimmy42893]

Oh yeah wow, keep me posted on the thank you card as well! I'm sure my grandma will want to sign it as well.

Speaking of, while I don't have a live reaction video per se (which is probably for the best, since it was an UGLY cry), I do have a reaction photo from just a few minutes later that I'd like to share:

Spoiler: Reaction Photo

Featured:

• My grandma, wearing the K. Rool t-shirt I bought two years ago. (The full text reads, "K. ROOL STORY, BRO.")
• Me, wearing the K. Rool t-shirt my grandma bought me four years ago. (It's kind of hard to see, but it's a silhouette of Paon K. Rool in front of the "DK" Smash logo, with only the crown/bracers/jewel/cape colored in.)
• The Kaptain K. Rool mug my grandma bought me three years ago, from which I drank what I will forever remember as the best tea of my life during the Direct.
• Three crocodile-themed knickknacks I bought a year ago, which we had arranged on the table around the laptop during the Direct, including:
  • a Japanese King K. Rool toy and accompanying mine cart;
  • a 3D-printed King K. Rool figurine from a 3D printing website that happened to be making them; and
  • a small glass crocodile figurine purchased before I discovered the other two K. Rool-specific knickknacks.
• My hair, messed up from me frantically tugging on it from the moment Donkey Kong appeared onscreen until the moment we got the splash screen.

I like to think that my grandma and I summoned King K. Rool with our powers combined. Embarrass

 

[dangeraaron10]

It's been two days and it's still just barely started to register that K. Rool is back. After a 10-year hiatus, I think it's going to take a while before his return truly sinks in, with him getting brought up in new interviews, getting more facetime in future footage and the like. Here's my immediate reaction:

In a word, that trailer was euphoric. I had heard fourth-hand information that a "Steve Mayles character" might get shown Wednesday, but the Castlevania music leak and BS lupensko laundered through Vergeben about "no DK newcomers" made me skeptical. I wore my "King of Krem" t-shirt as a good luck charm and tuned in anyway. Was content with the Direct and prepared to spend the next few months arguing that DK's first assist trophy being an "irrelevant" Klaptrap boded well, and then...what was that? I thought I had imagined the first rumble, but from the second, I had a good feeling...what newcomer but Rool, the one people are theorizing could be the new heaviest character period, could be responsible? Then I saw the villains montage and the dam burst. I am fully aware how silly it is in the grand scheme of things to get so emotional over an obese fictional crocodile, but in this context it's more than that...it's the understanding that a band of committed fans, including many I would consider longtime friends, finally won the day. We all came together in the first place over two favorite series, Smash and DK, and stayed together over the years because of our desire to steer its trajectory in a certain direction, with K. Rool specifically and in terms of answering fan desires. Years and years of seemingly going unheard, being told repeatedly we wouldn't matter even if we were heard on account of being a small sliver of the customer base, with a side helping of criticism for everything from liking an "ugly Rare character" to being delusional over character chances, and agonizing over whether minor, minor details could maybe mean good things...all over for Rool fans with a two-minute trailer.

K. Rool was a pivotal part of my first exposure to gaming, in that I watched a cousin play his DKC1 boss fight, and memorably succumb to his iconic fakeout, in 1999, when I was a young kid. I then became a DK superfan in 2003 when the first GBA port came out, and I quickly became infatuated with everything about the Country series...the hybrid between natural environments and cartoony characters, the music, the challenge, the whole shebang. I couldn't begin to count how many times I played and replayed those games to completion. The Kremlings and Rool quickly became favorite series staples of mine, as I came to look forward to what new appearance they'd take on in each sequel and what new way they'd escalate their conflict against the Kongs. Later on, in 2005, I got my first exposure to Smash through Melee at a friend's house.

Becoming a Smash fan was a slower burn...I liked the concept of Nintendo characters squaring off, but even back then was wondering why you could play as Mario, Luigi and Bowser, but Diddy and K. Rool weren't there to fight with or against DK (this was before series representation or the Rare buyout were on my radar). It was randomly going onto Mario Wiki in August 2007 and learning that Diddy had made Brawl when I started really getting into Smash, and started hoping for K. Rool. Between 2007 and 2012, my like for the character developed into a bonafide fandom...of note, I made multiple full movesets for K. Rool, including for each of his individual personas, through the Make Your Move competitions, and watched the full cartoon series. I lobbied for the character in general Smash speculation threads on account of what he could contribute to the series, and a sense he deserved his place there, and became a loud critic of the decision to have "no crocodiles" in Returns and Nintendo/Retro's questioning of "whether he really needed to be there." So when 2012 rolled around, and the Smash Wii U character forum opened up, I quickly pounced on making the K. Rool thread. The original title was "K. Rool's Kountry Klub," but it became "Kremling Kutthroats" in part because people thought version one sounded a bit too Brothers Bear-esque, and in part because I wanted to reflect the fans' connection to the character. The Kremling Kutthroats were Rool's army in beloved DKC2, and likewise, an army of fans was going to be necessary to persuade Nintendo, Retro, and Sakurai to return the character to prominence.

And they did! I mentioned it in my brief first impression, but K. Rool wouldn't have a glimmer of a chance at coming back if the fans didn't speak up. The fanbase got somewhat of a reputation for obnoxiousness over it, but had there been less visibly vocal support, we wouldn't be where we are today. The ballot was an opportunity served to us on a silver platter, and we truly seized the opportunity. Through the grapevine, I've heard that K. Rool was 100% a ballot inclusion, and that a recent theory of mine, that Nintendo and Sakurai weren't aware of the character's popularity to that point, was indeed true. But not anymore. And, per the same source of information, the dearth of K. Rool appearances is going to change. I've given Sakurai a ton of crap over the years, and I intend to write a separate post in the "I was wrong" thread walking back the bulk of it. A few others and I also are working on getting a heartful thank-you card written, translated, illustrated and sent to Sakurai, both via Twitter and physical mail. He did us and our series so right, and it's only right that we let him know it.

I'll write more later delving into just how faithful K. Rool looks so far, and gushing over the new direction they're taking his characterization. But for now, I'm ready to just bask and enjoy following the lead-up to the game with no anxiety at all. There are still characters I intend to passively support - namely Dixie, who I think has a great chance at being a Chrom-style echo, taking her fans' suggestion to use Diddy's side and neutral specials, plus DK's up and down specials - but K. Rool is such a labor of love that I don't think anything new could truly disappoint me anymore.

This right here is my favorite part of the whole reveal.

You dun good, BKupa. You dun good. I really think this Smash inclusion is going to make whoever works on DKC next, be it Retro or someone else, put King K. Rool back into the series. They'd be crazy not to, now that he's in Smash with undeniable fan demand. And you played a critical role in all this.

 

[Super Nintendo Chalmers]

Oh yeah wow, keep me posted on the thank you card as well! I'm sure my grandma will want to sign it as well.

Speaking of, while I don't have a live reaction video per se (which is probably for the best, since it was an UGLY cry), I do have a reaction photo from just a few minutes later that I'd like to share:

Spoiler: Reaction Photo

View attachment 156991
Featured:

• My grandma, wearing the K. Rool t-shirt I bought two years ago. (The full text reads, "K. ROOL STORY, BRO.")
• Me, wearing the K. Rool t-shirt my grandma bought me four years ago. (It's kind of hard to see, but it's a silhouette of Paon K. Rool in front of the "DK" Smash logo, with only the crown/bracers/jewel/cape colored in.)
• The Kaptain K. Rool mug my grandma bought me three years ago, from which I drank what I will forever remember as the best tea of my life during the Direct.
• Three crocodile-themed knickknacks I bought a year ago, which we had arranged on the table around the laptop during the Direct, including:
  • a Japanese King K. Rool toy and accompanying mine cart;
  • a 3D-printed King K. Rool figurine from a 3D printing website that happened to be making them; and
  • a small glass crocodile figurine purchased before I discovered the other two K. Rool-specific knickknacks.
• My hair, messed up from me frantically tugging on it from the moment Donkey Kong appeared onscreen until the moment we got the splash screen.

I like to think that my grandma and I summoned King K. Rool with our powers combined. Embarrass

That's lovely!

So happy for you both!

Also remembering posters during the Smash 4 speculation period such as Tortilla Noggin, Wintropy, Bananinja and Bellboy, who aren't as active but I'm sure they will be thrilled like all of us. The latter created an amazing piece of fan art which was a glorious tribute to K. Rool and further put his name out there.

Bellboy's art:

Also, rocking this t shirt today!
And count me in for signing the letter!

 

[GigaRidley]

It's finally starting to sink in for me that K. Rool is actually going to be in this game. After all the waiting with Smash 4, having all my most requested characters and my old Brawl mains (Wolf/Pokemon Trainer) back feels more surreal than anything. I'm still going to be pulling for him to return to the DKC series, but it's because of this thread and all the supporters that he has a future again at all.

And I'd definitely like to sign the letter as well. Sakurai 100% did K. Rool justice in this game.

 

[IronWarrior94]

I just wanna say, I really admire the ending of K. Rool's reveal trailer. Seeing both him and DK rush forward eachother, jumping into the air to connect boxing gloves as the music reaches an epic climax.

That moment felt like it was saying "welcome back K. Rool. You're relevant again"

 

[mynameisBlade]

I have to sign this letter. Got me a T-shirt, most if not all of the Kutthroat artwork from the old thread and the new thread, and a greatly renewed attitude of the series director. He did DK a great justice by shoving K. Rool back in the spotlight.

 

[CannonStreak]

Someone's doing a thank you letter? Count me in! I want to say...

Dear Sakurai...

Thanks for all the amazing Smash games. But most of all, thank you for adding King K. Rool. For that, you are truly awesome.

 

[MrGameguycolor]

Might as well throw my reaction in here too:
(VOLUME WARNING)

Speaks for itself.

Also yeah I'll sign my name too!

Thank you very much Sakurai for all the love, effort and hard work you and the team have put into this game!

 

[mygamecube]

I posted in here about a week or so ago saying how he was practically a shoe in. Im here now to say congratulations to all the supporters. This truly is the ultimate smash.

 

[Draugen]

It's been two days and it's still just barely started to register that K. Rool is back. After a 10-year hiatus, I think it's going to take a while before his return truly sinks in, with him getting brought up in new interviews, getting more facetime in future footage and the like. Here's my immediate reaction:

In a word, that trailer was euphoric. I had heard fourth-hand information that a "Steve Mayles character" might get shown Wednesday, but the Castlevania music leak and BS lupensko laundered through Vergeben about "no DK newcomers" made me skeptical. I wore my "King of Krem" t-shirt as a good luck charm and tuned in anyway. Was content with the Direct and prepared to spend the next few months arguing that DK's first assist trophy being an "irrelevant" Klaptrap boded well, and then...what was that? I thought I had imagined the first rumble, but from the second, I had a good feeling...what newcomer but Rool, the one people are theorizing could be the new heaviest character period, could be responsible? Then I saw the villains montage and the dam burst. I am fully aware how silly it is in the grand scheme of things to get so emotional over an obese fictional crocodile, but in this context it's more than that...it's the understanding that a band of committed fans, including many I would consider longtime friends, finally won the day. We all came together in the first place over two favorite series, Smash and DK, and stayed together over the years because of our desire to steer its trajectory in a certain direction, with K. Rool specifically and in terms of answering fan desires. Years and years of seemingly going unheard, being told repeatedly we wouldn't matter even if we were heard on account of being a small sliver of the customer base, with a side helping of criticism for everything from liking an "ugly Rare character" to being delusional over character chances, and agonizing over whether minor, minor details could maybe mean good things...all over for Rool fans with a two-minute trailer.

K. Rool was a pivotal part of my first exposure to gaming, in that I watched a cousin play his DKC1 boss fight, and memorably succumb to his iconic fakeout, in 1999, when I was a young kid. I then became a DK superfan in 2003 when the first GBA port came out, and I quickly became infatuated with everything about the Country series...the hybrid between natural environments and cartoony characters, the music, the challenge, the whole shebang. I couldn't begin to count how many times I played and replayed those games to completion. The Kremlings and Rool quickly became favorite series staples of mine, as I came to look forward to what new appearance they'd take on in each sequel and what new way they'd escalate their conflict against the Kongs. Later on, in 2005, I got my first exposure to Smash through Melee at a friend's house.

Becoming a Smash fan was a slower burn...I liked the concept of Nintendo characters squaring off, but even back then was wondering why you could play as Mario, Luigi and Bowser, but Diddy and K. Rool weren't there to fight with or against DK (this was before series representation or the Rare buyout were on my radar). It was randomly going onto Mario Wiki in August 2007 and learning that Diddy had made Brawl when I started really getting into Smash, and started hoping for K. Rool. Between 2007 and 2012, my like for the character developed into a bonafide fandom...of note, I made multiple full movesets for K. Rool, including for each of his individual personas, through the Make Your Move competitions, and watched the full cartoon series. I lobbied for the character in general Smash speculation threads on account of what he could contribute to the series, and a sense he deserved his place there, and became a loud critic of the decision to have "no crocodiles" in Returns and Nintendo/Retro's questioning of "whether he really needed to be there." So when 2012 rolled around, and the Smash Wii U character forum opened up, I quickly pounced on making the K. Rool thread. The original title was "K. Rool's Kountry Klub," but it became "Kremling Kutthroats" in part because people thought version one sounded a bit too Brothers Bear-esque, and in part because I wanted to reflect the fans' connection to the character. The Kremling Kutthroats were Rool's army in beloved DKC2, and likewise, an army of fans was going to be necessary to persuade Nintendo, Retro, and Sakurai to return the character to prominence.

And they did! I mentioned it in my brief first impression, but K. Rool wouldn't have a glimmer of a chance at coming back if the fans didn't speak up. The fanbase got somewhat of a reputation for obnoxiousness over it, but had there been less visibly vocal support, we wouldn't be where we are today. The ballot was an opportunity served to us on a silver platter, and we truly seized the opportunity. Through the grapevine, I've heard that K. Rool was 100% a ballot inclusion, and that a recent theory of mine, that Nintendo and Sakurai weren't aware of the character's popularity to that point, was indeed true. But not anymore. And, per the same source of information, the dearth of K. Rool appearances is going to change. I've given Sakurai a ton of crap over the years, and I intend to write a separate post in the "I was wrong" thread walking back the bulk of it. A few others and I also are working on getting a heartful thank-you card written, translated, illustrated and sent to Sakurai, both via Twitter and physical mail. He did us and our series so right, and it's only right that we let him know it.

I'll write more later delving into just how faithful K. Rool looks so far, and gushing over the new direction they're taking his characterization. But for now, I'm ready to just bask and enjoy following the lead-up to the game with no anxiety at all. There are still characters I intend to passively support - namely Dixie, who I think has a great chance at being a Chrom-style echo, taking her fans' suggestion to use Diddy's side and neutral specials, plus DK's up and down specials - but K. Rool is such a labor of love that I don't think anything new could truly disappoint me anymore.

You are our guy! I could really see so much passion on your reaction video. All our hearts stopped with Dedede, but then.... BAAM! There he is!
Congratulation for all your efforts!

 

[SuperSceptile15]

Now that K. Rool is in Smash, I hope he'll gain enough popularity to show up more in Mario spinoffs. It would be nice to get more characters like him instead of generic enemies, babies, or Pink Gold Peach.

 

[InASnowBoundLand]

I wish I had these cool stories to share. I still am angery at myself that I didn't watch the direct live. But I guess it was also kind of neat to log on to Twitter and Resetera and see King K. Rool everywhere. It was honestly a surreal bizarre experience. I thought there was some bizarre group trolling going on.

It was shocking to go back on social media when the last time I used it, pre the direct, K. Rool was dead, irrelevant, etc.. When I come back, the first thing I see is a tweet by Nintendo about "rolling out the red carpet for Kremling royalty". I couldn't process it! What the HECK?

I still had a good feeling about K. Rool being revealed eventually before the direct. But I thought I already knew what they were going to show during the direct because of the Bloody Tears leak Nintendo accidentally did. I was so wrong!!!!!

 

[Banjodorf]

It's been two days and it's still just barely started to register that K. Rool is back. After a 10-year hiatus, I think it's going to take a while before his return truly sinks in, with him getting brought up in new interviews, getting more facetime in future footage and the like. Here's my immediate reaction:

In a word, that trailer was euphoric. I had heard fourth-hand information that a "Steve Mayles character" might get shown Wednesday, but the Castlevania music leak and BS lupensko laundered through Vergeben about "no DK newcomers" made me skeptical. I wore my "King of Krem" t-shirt as a good luck charm and tuned in anyway. Was content with the Direct and prepared to spend the next few months arguing that DK's first assist trophy being an "irrelevant" Klaptrap boded well, and then...what was that? I thought I had imagined the first rumble, but from the second, I had a good feeling...what newcomer but Rool, the one people are theorizing could be the new heaviest character period, could be responsible? Then I saw the villains montage and the dam burst. I am fully aware how silly it is in the grand scheme of things to get so emotional over an obese fictional crocodile, but in this context it's more than that...it's the understanding that a band of committed fans, including many I would consider longtime friends, finally won the day. We all came together in the first place over two favorite series, Smash and DK, and stayed together over the years because of our desire to steer its trajectory in a certain direction, with K. Rool specifically and in terms of answering fan desires. Years and years of seemingly going unheard, being told repeatedly we wouldn't matter even if we were heard on account of being a small sliver of the customer base, with a side helping of criticism for everything from liking an "ugly Rare character" to being delusional over character chances, and agonizing over whether minor, minor details could maybe mean good things...all over for Rool fans with a two-minute trailer.

K. Rool was a pivotal part of my first exposure to gaming, in that I watched a cousin play his DKC1 boss fight, and memorably succumb to his iconic fakeout, in 1999, when I was a young kid. I then became a DK superfan in 2003 when the first GBA port came out, and I quickly became infatuated with everything about the Country series...the hybrid between natural environments and cartoony characters, the music, the challenge, the whole shebang. I couldn't begin to count how many times I played and replayed those games to completion. The Kremlings and Rool quickly became favorite series staples of mine, as I came to look forward to what new appearance they'd take on in each sequel and what new way they'd escalate their conflict against the Kongs. Later on, in 2005, I got my first exposure to Smash through Melee at a friend's house.

Becoming a Smash fan was a slower burn...I liked the concept of Nintendo characters squaring off, but even back then was wondering why you could play as Mario, Luigi and Bowser, but Diddy and K. Rool weren't there to fight with or against DK (this was before series representation or the Rare buyout were on my radar). It was randomly going onto Mario Wiki in August 2007 and learning that Diddy had made Brawl when I started really getting into Smash, and started hoping for K. Rool. Between 2007 and 2012, my like for the character developed into a bonafide fandom...of note, I made multiple full movesets for K. Rool, including for each of his individual personas, through the Make Your Move competitions, and watched the full cartoon series. I lobbied for the character in general Smash speculation threads on account of what he could contribute to the series, and a sense he deserved his place there, and became a loud critic of the decision to have "no crocodiles" in Returns and Nintendo/Retro's questioning of "whether he really needed to be there." So when 2012 rolled around, and the Smash Wii U character forum opened up, I quickly pounced on making the K. Rool thread. The original title was "K. Rool's Kountry Klub," but it became "Kremling Kutthroats" in part because people thought version one sounded a bit too Brothers Bear-esque, and in part because I wanted to reflect the fans' connection to the character. The Kremling Kutthroats were Rool's army in beloved DKC2, and likewise, an army of fans was going to be necessary to persuade Nintendo, Retro, and Sakurai to return the character to prominence.

And they did! I mentioned it in my brief first impression, but K. Rool wouldn't have a glimmer of a chance at coming back if the fans didn't speak up. The fanbase got somewhat of a reputation for obnoxiousness over it, but had there been less visibly vocal support, we wouldn't be where we are today. The ballot was an opportunity served to us on a silver platter, and we truly seized the opportunity. Through the grapevine, I've heard that K. Rool was 100% a ballot inclusion, and that a recent theory of mine, that Nintendo and Sakurai weren't aware of the character's popularity to that point, was indeed true. But not anymore. And, per the same source of information, the dearth of K. Rool appearances is going to change. I've given Sakurai a ton of crap over the years, and I intend to write a separate post in the "I was wrong" thread walking back the bulk of it. A few others and I also are working on getting a heartful thank-you card written, translated, illustrated and sent to Sakurai, both via Twitter and physical mail. He did us and our series so right, and it's only right that we let him know it.

I'll write more later delving into just how faithful K. Rool looks so far, and gushing over the new direction they're taking his characterization. But for now, I'm ready to just bask and enjoy following the lead-up to the game with no anxiety at all. There are still characters I intend to passively support - namely Dixie, who I think has a great chance at being a Chrom-style echo, taking her fans' suggestion to use Diddy's side and neutral specials, plus DK's up and down specials - but K. Rool is such a labor of love that I don't think anything new could truly disappoint me anymore.

BKups, it’s been an honor being on this ludicrous journey with you over literal years. My memory might be failing me, but I’m pretty sure you and I have both been on this train since Brawl’s Kremling Power days.

We may not have gotten him back then, but your sheer dedication to the kause and rallying us all together when we were at our lowest points during Smash 4 really kept us together. AND JUST LOOK WHERE WE ENDED UP!

We finally have our own K. Rool boards, with matchup threads and everything! It’s something we could only **hope** for back then!

AND WE DID IT!

Hats off, Kaptain.

 

[GeoBantra]

Sign me up on the Thank You letter!

 

[Jimmy42893]

That's lovely!

So happy for you both!

Also remembering posters during the Smash 4 speculation period such as Tortilla Noggin, Wintropy, Bananinja and Bellboy, who aren't as active but I'm sure they will be thrilled like all of us. The latter created an amazing piece of fan art which was a glorious tribute to K. Rool and further put his name out there.

Bellboy's art:

View attachment 157000

Also, rocking this t shirt today!
And count me in for signing the letter!

View attachment 156999

Aw, thank you! As fate would have it, I actually got my grandma a pillow with the Bellboy design on it a few years back, and she got me a drawstring bag and a notebook with the Bellboy design on them last year, but we didn't have them out during our Direct screening, so they weren't in our photo. (I actually went through airport security with the drawstring bag a few weeks ago, and a TSA agent saw it and asked, "Is that a Donkey Kong bag?" I took it as a really good sign that someone actually recognized it; it meant the King wasn't quite so irrelevant after all. )

For the sake of completion, other K. Rool items that my grandma and I didn't have out for our Direct screening include a pair of earrings shaped like crocodiles that I got her for Christmas like a year or two ago, as well as a pin of the crocodile from Peter Pan that I got for her in Disney World last summer. (The general lack of licensed K. Rool merchandise caused us to turn to generic crocodile paraphernalia over the last four years; we're gonna have a field day when the K. Rool Amiibo comes out. )

And your t-shirt is awesome! I'm kind of ashamed that I don't own it myself, considering some of the more generic crocodile merchandise I've purchased instead.

 

[cephalopod17]

I noticed something interesting watching the trailers for K. Rool and The Belmonts again. I took a look at the views and likes for the trailers, and interestingly enough, K. Rool has around 170,000 more views than the Belmont trailer. What's even more startling is the like comparison. Simon's trailer has 4,884 likes. K. Rool's has 12,571. Which is significantly more than the Belmont trailer.

Now this isn't to degrade Simon Belmont or his trailer. I was happy to see him and they did a wonderful job with his trailer. But I expected Simon to have more, just because Castlevania is about on the same level as Mega Man (and there's that Netflix show too). Classic NES/SNES third party franchise that was closely identified with Nintendo. Yet the "irrelevant" K. Rool has more views and significantly more likes than Simon's. Now of course as time goes on this could change, but I think this initial reaction really speaks to how much people do care and remember K. Rool, and how this could be the start of his grand return to DKC proper, and perhaps more Mario spin-offs as mentioned above.

 

[Korporal K. Reep]

Thank you BKupa666 for your efforts over the years, this wouldn't have been possible without them. I'd love to take part in the signing as well.