New Concept - Underwater Battles

[PixelPasta]

Alright, so I had an idea today - underwater battles (like the title said)!

Here is how it would work. Instead of having players simply drown and be KO'd when in the water, the fight should be able to continue completely under the water!
When underwater, the physics of the game would change a bit. With no input, players slowly sink to the bottom. If the jump button is held, players will swim upward. All tilts and smashes become just aerials (as those would logically function underwater), and of course, the specials remain unchanged (give or take some physics changes for some).

Some stages would have some water portions, and maybe some could be entirely aquatic. Some of my ideas are:
Mushroom Kingdom Sea (Super Mario Bros)
Dire Dire Docks (Super Mario 64)
Water Temple (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
Sector 4 (Metroid Fusion)
Sunny Beach (Wave Race)
Endless Ocean (Endless Ocean)

Every character would get a new stat: Aquatic Speed. This determines how fast and how smoothly they move when under the water. This is what I have so far, from highest Aquatic Speed to the lowest:

Spoiler

Squirtle
Wii Fit Trainer
Mario
Peach
Diddy Kong
Kirby
Luigi
Jigglypuff
Villager
Pit
Pikachu
Toon Link
Ness
Lucas
Donkey Kong
Yoshi
Meta Knight
Captain Falcon
Samus
Mr. Game & Watch
Link
Mega Man
Ice Climbers
Fox
Ivysaur
Olimar
Sonic
Lucario
Falco
Marth
Snake
Link
Ike
Wario
Mewtwo
King Dedede
Wolf
Ganondorf
R.O.B
Bowser
Charizard

Please feel free to post your own list, as mine is definitely not finalized.

Some other neat features of aquatic stages could be:
-Kirby would wear his scuba goggles upon entering water
-Olimar could only use Blue Pikmin

What do you think of this idea? Would you want this in the game?

 

[KingofPhantoms]

I had a similar underwater idea a few months back, but I like your concepts much better. And the Water Temple would be a perfect underwater stage choice on the 3DS version.

 

[BluePikmin11]

I had this idea before, and if they ever implement underwater battles, Starfy needs to be confirmed.

 

[mimgrim]

I feel like Falco should be higher up on that list for reason. Dunno why. :L

Also a air bubble should around everyone's head, except for Olimar as he has a helmet and for characters like Kirby it should cover their whole body. Easier and more simple then doing something for each character.

I know it is canon and all that, that only Blue Pikmin can survive in water and that it was even done in Brawl that Pikmin would down in water. But with a mechanic like this it would be entirely unfair to Olimar as his whole play style revolves around the Pikmin and the fact that each works in a different way so that limiting it to only one is in truth just plain unfair for his character. Make the Pikmin have little bubbles of their own if you have to, but he shouldn't be limited to just one color in any situation.

 

[NintendoKnight]

I approve.

We all knew a better water mechanic was needed, and I think this is how it should be implemented.

Maybe we can get Great Bay back. And Jungle Japes won't be as stupid.

Maybe they can take Summit from Brawl and completely redesign it. After the iceberg slides down, it becomes completely submerged. And the battle rages on underwater for a short while before it eventually reforms back into the mountain. It would be a three phase stage. Land (beginning section), Air (sliding section), and Aquatic (submerged in the ocean).

 

[GreenReaperGod]

Mario should be in his penguin suit.
Good idea btw

 

[PixelPasta]

I feel like Falco should be higher up on that list for reason. Dunno why. :L

Also a air bubble should around everyone's head, except for Olimar as he has a helmet and for characters like Kirby it should cover their whole body. Easier and more simple then doing something for each character.

Well, I don't think an air bubble around everybody is necessary. In most of these games, the characters can swim without anything like that- for example, Mario doesn't look any different when he goes underwater.
As an homage to what happens in Kirby games, Kirby could have his scuba mask. Otherwise, every character could look the exact same as normal, just with their own individual swimming animations.

As for Falco - I put him lower on the list because, well, he prefers the air.

 

[APC99]

This is a cool idea. I had an idea for this a while back, alongside air battles (no ground, just free-falling without any helpless stages).

If this were to happen, we'd need to see Mario use the Penguin Suit and Luigi use the Frog Suit. Also, probably Link wear the Zora Tunic, and some moves may need to change, notably a lot of energy (fire, wind, rock, water sometimes) attacks.

 

[Sobreviviente]

Being a plattaform kind of game, im surprised we dont have them yet.
An Starfy Stage should be enough for this but the water temple is a nice and iconic idea, mmmhhh

 

[pitthekit]

Nice idea but could someone just camp underwater per say?

 

[8-peacock-8]

Nice idea but could someone just camp underwater per say?

Probably.

 

[Hippopotasauce]

Endless Ocean could be inside some kind of cave where the tide goes in and out, changing from regular to water battle.

 

[Smashoperatingbuddy123]

I like it but i really doubt sakurai would try this

 

[SuperBrawler]

This is an AWESOME idea!

I would love it if this happened.

Anyway, maybe some people could think up some newcomer ideas.

 

[rodough4]

Sonic should be lower- he hates water. Other than that, I think it's a solid list.

 

[Hippopotasauce]

Anyway, maybe some people could think up some newcomer ideas.

Main character of Fluidity

 

[Dr. Krumm]

Interesting notion, I actually support this. Then again.... I support all sort of wacky ideas, because while I want this to be a competitive game, I don't want it to lose it's party game essence.

 

[YoshiandToad]

Sonic should be lower- he hates water. Other than that, I think it's a solid list.

Agree with this. Sonic canonically cannot swim and actively hates water hence why in the Mario and Sonic Olympics games he's always given arm bands.

Why is Peach higher than Luigi on the list as well? Just trying to think of times when Peach swims...the Mario and Sonic olympic games?

Not a bad idea regardless of those nitpicks and it'd certainly add some new matchup dynamics.

Am I the only one who looked at the title and instantly imagined Smash 64 movement speed?

 

[Moon Monkey]

Charizard dies instantly.

 

[Tepig2000]

Please feel free to post your own list, as mine is definitely not finalized.

My list:

Spoiler

Squirtle
Wii Fit Trainer
Captain Falcon
Lucario
Sheik
Mario
Yoshi
Mr. Game and Watch
Luigi
Diddy Kong
Wolf
Donkey Kong
Fox
Snake
Zero Sui Samus
Falco
Pit
Samus
R.O.B.
Kirby
Toon Link
Olimar
Ness
Lucas
Villager
Meta Knight
Jigglypuff
Ice Climbers
King Dedede
Pikachu
Marth
Link
Zelda
Mega Man
Ivysaur
Ike
Peach
Wario
Ganondorf
Bowser
Sonic
Charizard

 

[Souless_shadow]

I feel like the sea floor dungeon from Mother 3 could be a good stage for this. It could start out underwater and moving to the side and then after a while you would fight on the shore of TaneTane Island.

 

[fogbadge]

underwater stages would be pretty cool

 

[BoomToon]

I feel like the sea floor dungeon from Mother 3 could be a good stage for this. It could start out underwater and moving to the side and then after a while you would fight on the shore of TaneTane Island.

Love this idea. It would be interesting to see the speed of gameplay change, assuming you would move a little slower under water. Plus I love Mother 3!

 

[PixelPasta]

My list:

Spoiler

Squirtle
Wii Fit Trainer
Captain Falcon
Lucario
Sheik
Mario
Yoshi
Mr. Game and Watch
Luigi
Diddy Kong
Wolf
Donkey Kong
Fox
Snake
Zero Sui Samus
Falco
Pit
Samus
R.O.B.
Kirby
Toon Link
Olimar
Ness
Lucas
Villager
Meta Knight
Jigglypuff
Ice Climbers
King Dedede
Pikachu
Marth
Link
Zelda
Mega Man
Ivysaur
Ike
Peach
Wario
Ganondorf
Bowser
Sonic
Charizard

Spoiler

Your list is also quite good. I think R.O.B should stay pretty low because he is a robot (tech + water doesn't mix), and I also think that Sonic is a little too low.

 

[PixelPasta]

This is a cool idea. I had an idea for this a while back, alongside air battles (no ground, just free-falling without any helpless stages).

If this were to happen, we'd need to see Mario use the Penguin Suit and Luigi use the Frog Suit. Also, probably Link wear the Zora Tunic, and some moves may need to change, notably a lot of energy (fire, wind, rock, water sometimes) attacks.

I wouldn't want to see those suits for Mario and Luigi. Like I said earlier, Mario and Luigi are just fine when underwater without anything to help them swim/breath.
The Zora Tunic is a nice idea though. The only problem I see with this is that it would change the color, potentially causing confusion in Team Battles.

 

[~ Valkyrie ~]

I remember throwing this idea around as a nice way to make Starfy's inclusion more ideal for Smash Bros. In anycase, this should have him around if ever considered in some form.

 

[Zalak]

I absolutely love this idea.

 

[Tepig2000]

Your list is also quite good. I think R.O.B should stay pretty low because he is a robot (tech + water doesn't mix), and I also think that Sonic is a little too low.

Sonic is low because he does not like water. But R.O.B. could be low, I made him somewhat high in the list as I imagine him having some sort of built-in propeller to help him swim.

 

[NintendoKnight]

I wouldn't want to see those suits for Mario and Luigi. Like I said earlier, Mario and Luigi are just fine when underwater without anything to help them swim/breath.
The Zora Tunic is a nice idea though. The only problem I see with this is that it would change the color, potentially causing confusion in Team Battles.

I had an idea before where characters have different outfits in response to the level's they're in. For instance, in a level with a blizzard, they wear parkas and snow gear.

So maybe for levels where you have underwater combat, all the characters arrive in their own particular gear. (If they ever had it in their own games, anyway)

And the suit colors would adapt to the primary color of the character. For instance, Link's Zora Armor would turn green, and only be blue with the blue-colored Link.

 

[andalsoandy]

Wario swims pretty fast in Wario Land 2, 3 and 4.

 

[Vintage Creep]

It could work and I like the idea for an Endless Ocean stage. Not too many stages with this feature though, I would make that EO stage which is 90% based on water fighting just for fun, and then maybe other 2/3 stages à la Great Bay or Great Sea with water in it. Not more, it would become gimmicky.

 

[Tailisu10]

I feel that this concept would greatly expand the choices of stages!

 

[Protom]

epic idea. Too bad ridley cant swim

 

[D-idara]

omgnounfair foreverbanned4tournamentz

Kidding, it's a great idea and it would give some life to stages with water on them like Jungle Japes or Summit.

 

[BridgesWithTurtles]

This is an idea I've also had for quite some time and I think would be interesting to see actually implemented. Though to save programming time, I'd settle for just letting every character (except for Sonic) jump infinitely, rather than giving them unique swimming animations. I think it'd be best if most stages using this feature were only partially submerged. It'd open up new battle tactics to explore with mechanics such as "surface canceling" or something aptly named, where characters launched out of water experience a decrease in knockback when breaking the surface of the water.

And of course, a stage based on the Starfy series would be the perfect showcase for these new water mechanics.

 

[FalKoopa]

I immediately thought of Starfy when I saw the thread title. BridgeswithTurtles sums it up nicely.

 

[Uffe]

If Samus is wearing her Gravity Suit, then she'll just end up fighting like she does on land. She simply would not swim. If she's not wearing her Gravity Suit, then she's going to be pretty slow. Sonic would just drown.

 

[andalsoandy]

The Ice Climbers would drown in those coats.

 

[Vintage Creep]

Also

 

[Zigzagar]

I would like that