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Rate Their Chances - Smash Ultimate Edition! Day 672: Five Most Likely First and Third Parties for Smash 6, and Final Goodbyes

Artix

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Jul 9, 2018
Messages
254
Crash Bandicoot

Chance: 45%
Out of all the western third-party characters that are most likely to get in, Crash is definitely on the top of that list. Not only does he have the popularity on both the West and Japan, but there's also the N-Sane Trilogy and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, which are all being released on the Switch. Thanks to Banjo-Kazooie's inclusion in Smash, Crash's chances are just getting higher and higher as we go along. However, the only thing that might hold him back is the intense competition from other third-party characters and while Banjo-Kazooie's inclusion did help Crash a lot, it also kinda hinders him as we're not certain if we're getting another western third-party character aside from Banjo-Kazooie. Still, Crash is one of the popular western third-party character not in Smash yet and if we ARE getting a second western third-party character in the Fighter's Pass, it's most likely going to be him.

Want: 80%
I have recently played the N-Sane Trilogy on the Switch as well as Crash Team Racing and I kinda loved both games. As for Crash, I have fond memories of him ever since I played the first Crash Bandicoot on the PlayStation as a kid and I kinda loved his design as well as his personality. I would love to see Crash in Smash just to see him fight against Mario and Banjo-Kazooie for a Nintendo vs. Sony vs. Microsoft battle!

Spyro

Chance: 10%
Unlike Crash, Spyro really doesn't have anything going for him. I mean, sure there's the Reignited Trilogy on the Switch and once again, Banjo-Kazooie's inclusion helped boost his chances, but he lacks the massive popularity that Crash had. Not to mention the intense competition from other third-party characters really hinders it a lot. All in all, I just don't see Nintendo going for Spyro over Crash, who is more popular and had quite a following on the Smash community.

Want: 50%
I haven't played any Spyro games so I have no real attachment to the character. But I do like his dragon design and I really love dragons in any fiction. As for him in Smash, I absolutely want him in Smash and he might certainly have a lot of moveset potential, but there's no way they're gonna put him first before Crash.

Predictions:
Maxwell - 3.61%
Hollow Knight - 11.05%

Nomination:
Saber (Fate) x5
 

HyruleHero

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Apr 9, 2018
Messages
426
Location
Hyrule
Crash 'The Orange' Bandicoot

Chance 15%
Looking through all the evidence pointing towards Crash being a possible character in the DLC pass I would argue that he hasn't actually got a chance. Most of the arguments for Crash in smash seem to be very "Sony vs Nintendo" or "Crash vs Mario" which means nothing in terms of character selection. Crash has recently got a resurgence in the gaming industry however as a character he hasn't got a foot hold back in the world of gaming with a new game as of yet. I would say if Crash gets a new game he would be very likely for either a second DLC pass or next smash however currently he isn't a valuable choice for a DLC slot.

If Crash was chosen he would be aimed at the same audience who have already bought the pass, the older generation of gamers. Both Hero and Banjo fill the niche of Crash's era of gaming and a similar gaming audience (granted some people would have more nostalgia for Crash than Banjo or Hero). With Sakurai saying Rex and Pyra came out to late (granted it was the end of 2017). Crash who returned to gaming in June on the ps4 later came to Nintendo consoles in 2018 which would, in my eyes, say Crash came out to late. Although using this argument a lot of characters that follow similar trends wouldn't be likely.

Want 0%
I have no attachment to Crash, I have played a few of his games but I never personally got into them. Compared to the characters that have appeared in the pass so far I think Crash would be a little lack luster as he doesn't have a big overarching gimmick in his game that would transfer to moveset unlike Joker, Hero and Banjo, I mean Incineroar has already taken the spin attack he has.

Spyro

Chance 1%
I do think that everyone is right that if either of these characters is getting in smash it would be Crash as both characters follow the same logic for getting in smash only Spyro is a less popular character and less of a gaming icon.

Want 20%
I wouldn't mind Spyro, he had fun games and would be more unique as a character being another four legged character that aren't a large portion of the roster.
 
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GoodGrief741

Smash Legend
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
10,169
Agumon
22.17% Chance, 56.29% Want
Winner of predictions was @Velveeta Dream by virtue of being the highest prediction, with a precise 13.00%

Jibanyan
16.00% Chance, 21.09% Want
Winner of predictions was Sari Sari with 19.83%
Last time we rated him he got 16.97% Chance and 15.00% Want. More or less the same, a slight rise in want, but that could be explained away by the very different composition of the thread yesterday.

The people with extra noms (pay attention! Purge is coming!)

3BitSaurus 3BitSaurus 5
Awakining Awakining 5
DaUsername DaUsername 50
Delzethin Delzethin 5
GoodGrief741 GoodGrief741 40
Nemuresu Nemuresu 10
PapillonXtreme PapillonXtreme 5
Ridrool64 Ridrool64 5
Sari Sari 5
shocktarts17 shocktarts17 5
Ramen Tengoku Ramen Tengoku 5
Ultomato Ultomato 5
@Velveeta Dream 5

Crash has recently got a resurgence in the gaming industry however as a character he hasn't got a foot hold back in the world of gaming with a new game as of yet.
Considering the N. Sane Trilogy sold over 10 million copies and CTR Nitro Fueled outsold the former within its first month, I think the franchise definitely has got a foothold in the world of gaming. It's not fair to not count the games just for being remakes when they're very much from the ground up. Metroid isn't still in hiatus just because Samus Returns was a reimagining of Metroid II. Nintendo isn't neglegtic September just because their release is a remake of Link's Awakening.
If Crash was chosen he would be aimed at the same audience who have already bought the pass, the older generation of gamers. Both Hero and Banjo fill the niche of Crash's era of gaming and a similar gaming audience (granted some people would have more nostalgia for Crash than Banjo or Hero).
Given how those nostalgic for Crash are most likely Playstation kids, I don't think there's that significant an overlap between demographics.

Plus, if that were the case, then we're kind of screwed for characters, aren't we? Dragon Quest's from the 80's, Banjo-Kazooie's from the late 90's/early 2000's, Megami Tensei began in the late 80's, Shin Megami Tensei and Persona began in the 90's, and both Joker and Luminary are from 2016-2017 titles. There's bound to be some repetition, unless we get a deep cut 70's character or a late 2000's casual era pick.
With Sakurai saying Rex and Pyra came out to late (granted it was the end of 2017). Crash who returned to gaming in July on the ps4 later came to Nintendo consoles in 2018 which would, in my eyes, say Crash came out to late.
The N. Sane Trilogy was June 2017 for the PS4. A month earlier than Dragon Quest XI.
 

HyruleHero

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Apr 9, 2018
Messages
426
Location
Hyrule
]The N. Sane Trilogy was June 2017 for the PS4. A month earlier than Dragon Quest XI.
Oops, I thought I wrote June.
Even still I feel like the DQXI model is rather lifeless compared to his other skins so I think he was a last minute addition forced by Square Enix to promote their new game. I think making a skin for a already completed character is easier than making a whole new character of a more recent game.

Honestly don't really know what Im saying anymore I just feel that people rating Crash higher than 50% aren't looking at any other character really as in all honesty the logic behind him having a shot is the same as Doom and Resident Evil and those two have better shots as we know Bethesda has talked to Nintendo about something and Capcom is already supporting Smash with multiple characters.
 
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Dee Dude

“Never ask Dee for anything again”
Joined
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1,846
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Kidnapped by Sakurai.
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WOAH!

Chance: 68%
There’s literally nothing going against his way.

He’s extremely iconic, had resurgence in 2017 which was two years ahead before the DLC picks were finalized (note how :ulthero: and :ultjoker:‘s games both came out in that same year as N.Sane Trilogy) I can definitely see Nintendo picking him for sure out of shear recognizability and popularity alone.

It really just comes down to if he simply doesn’t make it which would kinda shock me or if Sakurai made :ultbanjokazooie: a sole exception to Western 3rd Parties which I heavily doubt.

Want: 89%

Of course, I’ve always wanted Crash in Smash long even before Ultimate’s reveal at E3 and Banjo’s Western bandwagoning.

He’s not usually at my top 5 picks as far as base roster goes but he would be an absolute perfect DLC character, he’s wacky, colorful, and full of personality which fits Smash’s tone to a complete tee, I’d freaking kill to have Banjo and Crash in the exact same game not to mention it’d be a total embarrassment to PSASBR by having him alongside the lines with :ultsnake: and :ultcloud:.

Plus him finally completing the 90s rivalry trio with :ultmario: & :ultsonic:? As Tai Lung said it:

“Our battle will be legendary!”

I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE...

Chance: 2%

He ain’t happening which is unfortunate for the little dragon.

As the others said it before, he’s a literal who in Japan because the original trilogy games sold poorly there and even then, he lacks serious demand here in the West.

If it’s either the orange marsupial or the purple fire breathers, it’s doubt gonna be the former since Crash was worldwide appeal as an advantage while Spyro sadly doesn’t which funny enough is a similar case to Banjo & Conker.

One is a shirtless platformer Western mascot who’s popular in both here in the West and Japan while the other is also a Western platormer series owned by the same company....but is nearly non-existent in Japan by poor sales/games never releasing there.

Want: 17%

Eh...never been the biggest Spyro fan, being a quadruped doesn’t hold him back thanks to :ultduckhunt: and :ultivysaur: but I feel like he doesn’t really interest me that much because other then breathing fire, there isn’t anything else he can do so he just seems like a boring character imo.

Again, I’ve played Spyro but not much of it so any notable fans can correct on the number of abilities and skills he uses in his games.

Of course, I’ll be happy if he does get in, he earned his spot as he’s just as iconic as Crash is.
 
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DrifloonEmpire

Smash Champion
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
2,219
Crash Bandicoot

Chance: 70% - Little to nothing stands in the Bandicoot's way! He's a legendary mascot on par with Mario and Sonic, N. Sane Trilogy brought him back into the spotlight (before the DLC negotiation deadline, too!), and even before it Crash has had a pretty good track record on Nintendo systems! Furthermore, N. Sane Trilogy had great sales on the Switch, so even if he was a Playstation mascot there's still a sizable fanbase for Crash on Nintendo, so there is a lot of Demand. In fact, I remember a decent amount of support for him even before N. Sane was revealed! He's one of the strongest contenders for a Western character, and even in Japan crash was extremely popular (even if N. Sane Trilogy didn't do too well). Crash's only major obstacles are Activision's somewhat preference for Sony in Crash's case (though the Bowser and DK in Skylanders definitely helps their relationship with Nintendo) and the possibility that Banjo filled the cartoonish platformer niche (in the event that Sakurai wants to vary the genres for the pass). Still, things are looking great for Crash!

Want: 100% - Crash is by far one of my most desired characters right behind Dragonborn and Katamari Prince. I only had one of Crash's GBA games growing up but I developed an interest in the series later and he was still an icon for me alongside Mario growing up. Plus, we've got Mario and Sonic here, might as well complete the trio!


Spyro the Dragon

Chance: 15% - As iconic as Spyro is himself, he's got much lower odds of making the roster. Reignited doesn't hit the Switch until September and currently Crash is seeing the greater popularity of the two, so no doubt Activision will have a preference for Crash. Spyro, while very significant in his own right, wasn't as prominent as Crash in the 90's, and thus it makes more sense for Crash to get in before Spyro. and while it wasn't his fault, Spyro never took hold in Japan due to some nonsensical changes to his original games that made them rather frustrating to play. All in all, Spyro's biggest competition is his bandicoot buddy, but no doubt if Crash gets in then Spyro's chances will go up drastically.

Want: 70% - Spyro isn't as high up on my list of most wanted characters, but I think he would be a fun and welcome addition to the roster! While he wasn't as big of an icon as Crash, he was still a great character in his own right who's brought his fans lots of happy memories growing up and in the present day!


Nominations:

[Rerate] Dovahkiin x 10


Predictions:

Maxwell: 3.4%
Hollow Knight: 7.5%
 

GoodGrief741

Smash Legend
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
10,169
Oops, I thought I wrote June.
Even still I feel like the DQXI model is rather lifeless compared to his other skins so I think he was a last minute addition forced by Square Enix to promote their new game. I think making a skin for a already completed character is easier than making a whole new character of a more recent game.

Honestly don't really know what Im saying anymore I just feel that people rating Crash higher than 50% aren't looking at any other character really as in all honesty the logic behind him having a shot is the same as Doom and Resident Evil and those two have better shots as we know Bethesda has talked to Nintendo about something and Capcom is already supporting Smash with multiple characters.
I doubt that they would make the main skin at the last minute. It's the main skin, that kind of thing isn't decided at the last minute. Plus the stage is also from DQXI. And to be honest if DQXI hadn't come out I don't think we would have Hero, it really started a push to try and break DQ into the mainstream worldwide.

I don't think the logic is the same for Doom because Japan despises that series so it's at a severe disadvantage, but I do agree that RE is in a similar place as Crash (with more intra- and inter-franchise competition perhaps). But what do you know, when we rated the concept of a Resident Evil character it got 53% (Crash got 51% last time), so it's not like people are inconsistent.
 

Dee Dude

“Never ask Dee for anything again”
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Kidnapped by Sakurai.
3DS FC
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Wait, Japan hates DOOM?

If that’s the case then ouch, Doomguy’s chances just hit rock bottom.

But this is Smash after all and we know how it’s magic works for introducing game franchises so there’s a slight chance they could DQ-tify it to appeal for the East...but Smash is developed in Japan so that’s unlikely.
 
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GoodGrief741

Smash Legend
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
10,169
Wait, Japan hates DOOM?

If that’s the case then ouch, Doomguy’s chances just hit rock bottom.

But this is Smash after all and we know how it’s magic works for introducing game franchises so there’s a slight they could DQ-tify it to appeal for the East...but Smash is developed in Japan so that’s unlikely.
There's two things that don't do well in Japan: FPSs and excessive gore/violence. So yeah, they ain't too keen on Doom.
 

Ornl

Smash Ace
Joined
Dec 25, 2018
Messages
617
Location
France
Crash
Chance
: 0% - Want: abstain
My critical intuition is directed, with an absolute view, to the Sakurai and Reggie announcements:
- (2014) It’s important to have something only that character can do. Every character needs to have a reason to be in. The decision takes into account if there is no conflict with other characters. "No matter how suited a character may be to fighting, if I cannot meaningfully distinguish them from other characters, or create fun unique characteristics of the characters, then that’s the end for them."
- (2018) "He (Sakurai) wants characters that are unique, different, to bring them into the Smash Bros environment. Ultimate would bring just a whole different level of fun and enjoyment for the player. That's been the approach. That's the thinking".

I think the full potential of Crash is already relatively more or less represented by other Fighters and by Banjo. The best example would be the spin attack, used by many characters, as a Special attack (like Dr. Mario, Meta Knight...) or as a Simple attack (like Mega-Man). I think Crash is the antithesis of being able to have a unique, different and original character. And I don't think that his icon status and his popularity could have influenced to have a 2nd hype similar to a "Banjo effect", which would have no specific platformer moveset, which wouldn't be Japanese, which would be an old character. Indeed, Sakurai is also looking for recent characters, as are Joker and Luminary, although this principle isn't fixed and can be overridden:
- (2019) Smash tend to have characters from older series. But just old characters wouldn’t make Smash worthy. If there is no new series, then the selection of the characters will be from the old series.
About Crash, it's the moveset and the repetition that seem to me to be obstacles.

Crash moveset.png


Spyro
Chance
: 0% - Want: abstain
It's impossible for me to consider that Spyro can appear in Smash Bros series before Crash.

Nominations: Concept: Another western character x5.
 

Nquoid

Smash Ace
Joined
May 21, 2019
Messages
584
Crash
Chance: 30%
Want: 10%

Man, I'm going to be ****ting all over the Crash love fest aren't I? Obviously Crash has had a massive resurgence the last few years with the N Sane Trilogy and Nitro Fueled. But man I just don't think it's enough for Smash. Activision's support of Nintendo is piss poor, with only Crash and Spyro even being on the system. Compared to Bethesda who have been going out of their way to put Doom and Wolfenstein on the system. If we're getting a western rep it's going to be from a company that actually wants to work closely with Nintendo and that is not Activision. Plus we have the fact that Activision have had chances to push Crash into other places. I know I'll get rebuttals to saying this, but the fact that Crash wasn't in PSABR is a huge red flag. I personally doubt it's a case of Activision not trusting Sony and more to do with money. Now it's possible that PSABR was made on the REAL cheap, but I also think that Activision probably asked for a stupid amount of money to licence Crash, and with the recent success I doubt that's decreased. Which is especially notable for a character who does not have the Nintendo pedigree. I doubt Joker cost too much. And even if Microsoft and Square played hard ball (and Square almost definitely did based on the budget comment from Sakurai) there's a clear trajectory for why they would sell well. With Crash, most of the install base for N-Sane is on other consoles. And whilst the sales on Switch are certainly impressive with more than a million units sold, that's still only 10% of the install base for that game, who aren't going to buy a Swtich, Smash Bros and a DLC pass just to get Crash. I just think there are other Western companies that Nintendo would want to work with and that Activision aren't exactly known for their giving and generous ways when they could make money. And the "Mario & Sonic & Crash would combine the three mascots that all competed with each other!" just feels like revisionist history to me. Are we going to say Ty the Tasmanian Tiger has a legitimate chance because of this advert?


I was a Spyro kid. I've played the Crash games, and they're fine. I understand the nostalgia and urge to play them again. But even back then I just thought they were just very technically impressive corridor runners. Like when I had Mario and Spyro with full 3D controls (that mostly nailed that transition on first go) why would I want this half step between 2D and 3D? And obviously a lot of people adore Crash and I understand I'm in the minority. But I think Naughty Dog just went onto bigger and better things over the years. I think Jak and Daxter is better than all three Crash games, Uncharted and Last of Us too. There's a huge nostalgic ground swell for Crash that I just can't get behind.

Spyro
Chance: 5%
Want: 49%

If an Activision character gets in, it's Crash. Spyro launched during the end of Ultimate's dev cycle so doesn't have the head start of renewed relevance that Crash had during Smash's development. Plus the Spyro series has generally sold less well than Crash over the years. And that botched Japanese port back in the day definitely didn't help matters out in Japan.

I owned a PS1 before I had an N64 and the Spyro trilogy were my most played games on that system. I can play these games on autopilot if I really had the urge and still frequently break them out to replay them (for some reason I haven't got round to buying Reignited yet..). But I'm also not sure I want Spyro in Crash over other characters. Resident Evil, Tekken, Tales, Doom and Ninja Gaiden all feel like missing parts of Nintendo history or relations. Spyro and Crash had some mediocre GC, GBA and Wii games? If Sony PSABR2 was announced tomorrow with Spyro and Crash I'd be over the moon at those two characters getting to go home. But an appearance in Smash? I still think (notable outliers notwithstanding) Smash should be about Nintendo history. And even during my heady childhood school days, I wasn't running around begging for Mario/Spyro crossover. And I'm still not there now.
 
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StormC

Smash Hero
Joined
Oct 29, 2014
Messages
8,162
Crash Bandicoot

Chance: 40%. As I've said before, very few characters I would put over 50 (though if I could I would probably bump Hayabusa from 40 to 45). So this is a very good rating. I'd put him in about the top 5-7 most likely choices. His series has outsold many of the third parties already in Smash, the original trilogy were all million sellers (or close enough to it) in Japan, Activision has worked closely with Nintendo before on several occasions, and western third parties are on the table. N. Sane Trilogy was announced for Switch long before DLC was finalized and if anyone at Nintendo was checking Smash discussion, they'd probably see Crash was a pretty common request. The character is iconic and would fit perfectly into Smash. So... why not at least 50%?

-The series has lost its luster in Japan, the new games lack the snappy marketing the original trilogy have and have flopped as a result. (Despite this, Crash is still fondly remembered in Japan and polled well in a recent magazine poll.)
-I'm unsure two of the characters will be western cartoon animal 3D platforming mascots from the late 90s. I know I am saying this fully aware we have two JRPG characters from PS4 games circa 2016-2017, but I think that's a different ballgame with a Japanese developer.
-The "if" regarding anyone at Nintendo checking online fan demand is a big if. Crash would have been near-nonexistent on the ballot in 2015.
-Sakurai has gone on the record saying he wants to use Smash to promote Japanese games (I believe Banjo could be a special exception due to overwhelming fan demand and being an ex-Nintendo character).
-Will Activision play ball? You never know after Square.
-What does Sakurai think of the series? Does he have a personal affinity for it? We don't know, he's never talked about it. We know he loves Persona and Dragon Quest.

I think that's it. Crash has a lot going for him and should definitely be considered a top contender, but if I had to guess the two final characters, Crash wouldn't be one of them before a couple of other choices.

Want: 85%. Crash would be freaking sweet. Basically the only realistic chance of another character on the Pass that isn't a normal looking humanoid, and the chance to have Mario, Sonic, and Crash in the same game is a 90s kid dream. His goofy animations and moves would fit perfectly into Smash and like Banjo, I'd love to see a Japanese developer's take on him. He's probably my most wanted third party character for the Fighters Pass, and although I didn't grow up on the series (mostly played them as an adult), I did play Warped a lot with my friend as a kid, so that's a nostalgic nugget for me at least.

Spyro

Chance: 0%. Spyro is near-nonexistent in Japan due to the awful port, and many of his other games have never even been released. The HD trilogy didn't come to Switch until after the roster was decided on and fans have been pretty vocal Crash is the one they want. Spyro has about as good of a chance as any other mid-tier western series, which is to say, not at all.

Want: 20%. He'd be okay, I guess? I'm definitely more into Crash and his games. Spyro could probably have a neat moveset but I have no real attachment to the character or series. I wouldn't lie in that I would be upset that Spyro got picked over Crash, but well... that scenario has no chance of happening, lol.

With Sakurai saying Rex and Pyra came out to late (granted it was the end of 2017). Crash who returned to gaming in June on the ps4 later came to Nintendo consoles in 2018 which would, in my eyes, say Crash came out to late. Although using this argument a lot of characters that follow similar trends wouldn't be likely.
Sakurai was saying that for the base game. Not for DLC.
 
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Ben Holt

Smash Master
Joined
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The Moon
NNID
BenHolt
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While I am pretty convinced that Doom Slayer and Ryu Hayabusa are the last two Fighter's Pass characters and leaning towards Geno being a bonus character a la Piranha Plant, I'm also relatively certain that we're getting a second Fighter's Pass, and Crash is THE prime candidate.

Crash
Chance: 63%
I am 70% sure that Crash will be playable, because I am 70% sure of a second Fighter's Pass, upon which Crash is contingent. Actually, I'd be 90% sure of Crash if we have a second Fighter's Pass, of which I'm 70% sure of. So 90%×70%=63% MATH!

Want: 100%
Crash and Spyro are my most wanted newcomers by far. If I could go beyond 100%, I would.

Spyro
Chance: 30%
Spyro is absolutely contingent upon Crash, but Crash and Spyro often come as a pair. And this is not only a recent trend, but an historical one. Crash 3 had a Spyro demo, Spyro 1 had a Crash 3 demo, and Spyro 3 had a Crash Bash demo.
They also had a GBA crossover, cross promotion with their PS2 games, cameos in each others' games, McDonald's toys, and recently HD trilogies released back to back.
Spyro COULD be a separate character from Crash in a single Fighter's Pass, but he could also be sold WITH Crash as a dual-pack.
This is by no means likely, but also not implausible.

Want: 100%
 

Neosonic97

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Dec 18, 2018
Messages
304
WOAH (again)

Chance: 35%.
My feelings on Crash haven't really changed much, though I do think there's one thing that may hamper his chances a bit. Notably, the recent backlash that has been sparked against Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled, with Activision and Beenox somehow throwing away the good will they gained with the N.Sane Trilogy by introducing micro-transactions and increasing the grind to push said micro-transactions onto players. That being said, Crash is still a very good pick with a strong history, so the backlash with Nitro-Fueled is merely a minor setback.


Want: 80%
My feeling for WANTING Crash in, however, is still unchanged from when we last rated him, two months ago, and the reasoning I used back then is still valid now.


You're toast!

Chance: 30%
First and foremost, as the poster above already said, if we don't get Crash, we're probably not getting Spyro either. While Spyro is one of the two mascots for the original Playstation and had his own remastering in the form of the Spyro Re-ignited trilogy (And is slated to be coming to Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled), Crash is the more popular pick, and Spyro's biggest competition. Still, Spyro does have many of the same strong points that Crash does.


Want: 75%
Basically the same reasons as Crash, though I didn't exactly grow up with Spyro, I have been exposed to him quite a bit mostly through his crossovers with the orange marsupial, and I can definitely see the reasoning for Spyro to get in. But uh... the only thing I can say is Crash should probably get in first.


Noms: Reimu Hakurei rerate x5
 
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Calamitas

Smash Champion
Joined
Aug 17, 2018
Messages
2,689
Location
Germany
So I know I predicted both Crash and Spyro to get pretty high scores. But as for my own? Well. . .

Bash Crandicoot

Chance: 45%
I'll admit, he has a lot of things going for him. Mascot of a rival platform, appears on Nintendo consoles now, popular in Japan, iconic, and so on. But. . . I don't know, I have a gut feeling that he's not going to happen. I admittedly have nothing to go on here, but it's just a hunch.

Want: 10%
I'm probably gonna sound like a broken record for my ratings here, but I have zero connection to the character. In terms of design, I think he'd properly fit into Smash, but in terms of moveset potential. . . oof. As far as I know, he does little more than jump, spin, and use a jetpack on occasion. I just don't really see the makings of a moveset that by itself could convince me of the character. Beyond that, I really don't want a scummy company like Activision to be connected to Smash in any way. Konami is already bad enough.

Cartoon Quadruped Ridley

Chance: 10%
Mostly going off other people's ratings here. Since the series has seemingly no presence in Japan, his chances are most likely pretty low.

Want: 15%
My reasoning here is pretty similar to my want score for Crash. The only reason why I'm rating him is a bit higher is because I think that a quadruped dragon would offer a bit more in terms of being an interesting fighter than Crash would.


As for my nominations, I'll give Amaterasu x10, seeing as there's no way that the concept of at least one Fighter's Pass character being first-party is gonna get past 50 nominations today.
 

zeonie888

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Feb 26, 2007
Messages
96
Crash Bandicoot
Chance: 50%
I think he has a decent shot of getting in to smash with the resurgence he had with the trilogy and ctr-nf

Want: 75%
I would love to see how he plays if he gets in.

Spyro
Chance: 45%
I feel that Crash has a slightly better chance than this dragon.

Want: 80%
It would be really neat to see another quadruped in smash and see how he would play.

Nominations: Amateraus x5
 
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BowserKing

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Crash Bandicoot

Chance: 50%. The only thing standing in the way is the competition. But due to his popularity and his revival, he could have a chance.

Want: 90%. He would be a fun character to play, and he would complete the company brawl. But right now, it is a roll of the dice.

Spyro

Chance: 30%. Lower then Crash, due to competition, and that Crash is more likely, but he could have a chance. Then again, we have quite a bit of dragons in the game, so it is possible.

Want: 80%. He too would be a fun character to play as. Just like Crash, he has potential to be in the game.

Noms: 1 for Adeleine, 1 for Marx and 3 for Concept: Pokeball Pokémon Promotion
 

Yokta

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It's probably not fair for me to vote on today's characters when I haven't voted in months, but I really like these two, so here we are.

Crash: 80% Chance, 99% Want

At this stage, Crash is by far the most iconic and beloved gaming character yet to appear in Smash. If he's not one of the last two slots in the fighter pass after Persona, DQ and Banjo get reps, there's going to be a harsh anticlimax.

Spyro: 33% Chance, 100% Want

Wherever Crash goes, Spyro soon follows. If the demand for Spyro's inclusion is not very high now, it will skyrocket once Crash gets a slot.
However, if Activision is approached to feature just one of their characters in Smash, of course it's going to be Crash.
If Crash is DLC fighter #4, a lot of fans might consider Spyro a lock for slot 5. But if anyone else is slot #4, that would kill Spyro's chances right there.
 

Perkilator

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Cash Banooca 2: Gringotts Steak House

Chance: 30%
Despite Banjo-Kazooie proving that western reps factually can work in Smash, Crash himself is probably more likely for the next game, if at all.

Want: 100%
After playing his games, there's no way I don't want him. There's too much moveset potential resting in Crash's furry orange hands.


Spongebob Squarebob Spyrobob

Chance: 0%
Want: Abstain

If there's one thing I can agree with Ornl Ornl on, it's that Spyro logically wouldn't get in before Crash.

Noms: Idolm@ster rep x5
 

waddledeeonredyoshi

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Chris O'Neil voice
Chance: 60%
Crash Bandicoot as a franchise is in a pretty great spot at the moment, having one of the most succesful comebacks in video game history. And having both the remasters on the Switch could make the Bandicoot fresh on Nintendo's mind. Of course, being a pretty big icon and having a decent amount of support even in Japan speaks for itself. I actually fail to see things that would go against him. Yeah, Activision isn't that supportive of the Switch but neither are other third-party companies already represented that much, like Konami or Atlus. To be honest, I think he might be one of our two remaining fighters, if not one of the likeliest.

Want: 50%
Yeah he's one of the third-parties I understand the hype for and would welcome. I still have to play the N.sane trilogy however.

Ridley
Chance: 0.1%
Sorry, perhaps for a potential second pass but as of right now it's basically Crash or bust. Spyro just doesn't hold the same legacy and his games weren't received well in the east to the point where major entries in the franchise weren't released over there.


Want: Abstaining

Maxwell: 5.72%
Hollow Knight: 10.13%
Adeline x5
 

Opossum

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Crash time, baby.

Chance: 30%
Don't let that number fool you, I actually consider that a REALLY GOOD shot for this late in the game, mainly because a lot of things are up in the air. Popularity in the west and Japan, a cultural icon, a character who fits right in. Crash has it all, including modern relevance.

Want: 100%
Crash Bandicoot was one of the first video games I ever played. The final two being Crash and Edelgard would be phenomenal.
 

MacDaddyNook

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Crash Bandicoot

Chance: 40%
His chances aren't bad at all. He's currently enjoying a recent rise to prominence after being shuffled away for a couple decades and has made a name for himself in the past in both the West and Japan. With that said, I don't know if his resurgence is too recent to affect DLC planning and he did stumble and be forgotten for quite some time and didn't get the fan push that Banjo did.

Want: 2% [edit] 25%
He's full of personality and as a character isn't in any way bad. With that said, his abilities are a bit lacking for my taste. We have enough characters that can run, jump and spin that I don't quite see Crash have anything that really makes him pop out compared to other fighters.

[edit]
Ok, he gets a bit of a bump up in his score for this.

-----

Spyro the Dragon

Chance: 40%
I feel like his chances are about the same as Crash due to, if nothing else, his role in the Skylanders series that has kept him from fully receding to the background like Crash did. Also, like Crash, he is currently enjoying a bit of a revival that may or may not be too soon for him to be considered for this DLC season.

Want: 5%
I never really played his games so I have no real connection to him. Still, he feels a little more unique than Crash in the abilities department, so I'll give him a slight advantage.
 
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YoshiandToad

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Cash Banooka
Chance: 55%

Crash is popular, he's relevant, he's nostalgic, he did well in Japan and Sakurai has even showcased a willingness to negotiate and talk with western companies if Banjo and to a lesser extent Rayman are anything to go by.

In terms of hot property right now, Crash is pretty up there between N-Sane Trilogy and Nitro Fuel Racing...ignoring the controversy around the latters micrograms actions anyway.

In terms of company competition he has Spyro, who has always been seen as his second fiddle and Tracer from Overwatch who, whilst having made a big impact on gaming in recent years is even less connected to Nintendo than even Joker was. Crash is the most obvious Activision choice by a landslide.

I'll be honest I have a pretty good feeling about Crash, and the first one since Isabelle and Inkling that I've felt is more likely than not. I think he's probably THE most likely character right this second. More than Doomguy, more than Ryu Hayabusa, and more than any specific Resident Evil character.

Want: 95%

I remember back in the early days of Ultimate speculation when the Captain Toad/Crash Bandicoot/Spyro leak happened, and I can't lie, that would have been the perfect triple threat.
Crash, sadly, is my least favourite of the trio BUT as someone who has been vocal nearly exclusively about first party characters only, Crash is someone who I'd be overjoyed to see. More so than Banjo even.

Skylanders' nostalgia selling point
Chance: 1%

Spyro is, in his own right, a big star. However unless Activision offers a deal to Sakurai along the lines of a two for one deal(highly unlikely knowing how greedy they can be) I can't see how Spyro could possibly make it into Smash Ultimate, not least before Crash.

Due to a criminal butchering of Spyro's game he never found the success that Crash managed over in Japan, meaning Spyro's a big old "who" there.

Also despite arguably being the face of "Toys to Life" style of games, Spyro and his squad of Skylanders never made it to Japan on either Nintendo or Sony's consoles meaning very very few, if any, Japanese players got to experience this. They probably thought the Amiibo were the first to do it, and thus poor Spyro is robbed even of that notable achievement.

Lastly...I can't seem to find any evidence Spyro even got his reignited trilogy out in Japan. Which is the final nail in the coffin. Hopefully he'll at least be a spirit in Crash's set.

Want: 100%
Annoyingly for me Spyro was my favourite of the two Playstation stars and by a large, large margin even if I can't deny Crash Bandicoot is a far bigger deal.
I have yet to buy Crash's N-Sane trilogy, but I am super excited to get the Reignited when it hits Switch in September. I'll probably pick up Crash some time after that when it goes on sale again, but Spyro, with his gorgeous modern design and not the hideous Skylanders one is an absolute must buy for me.

To see him playable in Smash seems like a distant pipe dream, but as a fan of Toad that's obviously nothing new for me.

Predictions:
Maxwell: 2.5%
Hollow Knight: 8.6%

Nominations:
Lara Croft X 5
 

Nemuresu

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Crash:
Chance: 60%-He's one of the most likely characters I see for this Pass, all thanks to his overalll fame and as video game character. Thanks to N. Sane Trilogy and NFR, he's definitely gonna stay in people's heads for a while.
Want: 80%-Well, time to confess something: my first console was PS1, and Crash was one of the games I played in there. He's never been among my top wanted, but I did enjoy his games and would be more than fine with him in Smash.

Spyro:
Chance: 10%-He's not as popular as Crash is, and let's not forget that Spyro's port in Japan screwed up the game big time, so if he were to make it in, he'd have to compete with other western-requested characters like Doomguy, and that's already rough as it is.
Want: 5%-Never been too interested in Spyro's titles. Gave them a try, but never invested enough time into them. Don't have anything against the character tho.

Predictions:
Maxwell: 4.74%
Hollow Knight: 11.96%

And the "Mario & Sonic & Crash would combine the three mascots that all competed with each other!" just feels like revisionist history to me. Are we going to say Ty the Tasmanian Tiger has a legitimate chance because of this advert?

Are you comparing Crash, a successful 90's character who was known for being one Playstation's mascots and still had games all the way into this generation, with an obscure character that hasn't had a game in years? That's a rather overlooked thing to do.
 

FancySmash

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Collision Bandicoot

Chance: 50%
Yeah, I honestly feel Crash is a 50-50 scenario. He could easily happen, but with two slots left, I can easily see him left out. While he is western, he goes over relatively well in Japan, and is iconic enough to fit the bill. However, being on Sony platforms for most of his life hurts him when it's Nintendo and Microsoft who are allied at the moment. But with a recent remake or two, he's certainly back in the spotlight to be considered for DLC.

Want: 60%
Honestly, I haven't played Crash titles all that much, but I do have friends who would like to see him in the game. I also recognize him for being quite the iconic character. Certainly a character I wouldn't hate the inclusion of.

Year of the Dragon, but it's year of the pig

Chance: 10%
Yeah, I'm just gonna come out and say what pretty much everyone else has said: Spyro just isn't getting in before Crash. Crash has him beat in... really every category. Spyro's remake was technically more recent, but that's all he has to his name really. However, never say never and all that, so I guess if they really want to shock people, Spyro could realistically do that.

Want: 60%
Actually, I have played a couple of Spyro games, so I wouldn't be against Spyro either. I do however still have to concede to Crash. If either of them are getting in, it's certainly the Bandicoot. Take joy in that Crash, you might not be a dragon, but you best Spyro in this way...

Predictions:
Hollow Knight: Ah, yet another rising indie? Sorry, after the Shovel Knight assist, I really don't see indie characters. 6.47%
Maxwell: As much as I liked scribblenauts, I'm gonna be realistic here. 5.21%

Noms:
Kamek x5
 

Nquoid

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Joined
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Messages
584
Are you comparing Crash, a successful 90's character who was known for being one Playstation's mascots and still had games all the way into this generation, with an obscure character that hasn't had a game in years? That's a rather overlooked thing to do.
No, I'm saying any character comparing itself to the level of the Mario v Sonic rivalry seems weird. That is on a whole other strata of video game rivalries, and the fact that people keep saying Crash was on that level as a third part of a trinity because of some adverts is a leap. Crash had some bold memorable advertising, but Crash 1 isn't on the level of Sonic the Hedgehog or Super Mario World or Super Mario 64.

It is a really solid game though.
 

Nemuresu

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No, I'm saying any character comparing itself to the level of the Mario v Sonic rivalry seems weird. That is on a whole other strata of video game rivalries, and the fact that people keep saying Crash was on that level as a third part of a trinity because of some adverts is a leap. Crash had some bold memorable advertising, but Crash 1 isn't on the level of Sonic the Hedgehog or Super Mario World or Super Mario 64.

It is a really solid game though.
N64 vs PS1 was definitely a rivalry. And the first three Crash games on the system were definitely acclaimed, otherwise, why even make dedicated remakes for them? Not to mention, if advertising really doesn't amount to anything, then Sonic shouldn't be considered a mascot in the same level as Mario, since Sega had a lot of ads in the same style as Crash ("Genesis does what Nintendon't"). We could argue a lot on whether Crash's games were as great as other classic platformers, but I wouldn't put them on the same category with something as obscure as Ty the Tasmanian Tiger.
 
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chocolatejr9

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Messages
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N64 vs PS1 was definitely a rivalry. And the first three Crash games on the system were definitely acclaimed, otherwise, why even make dedicated remakes for them? Not to mention, if advertising really doesn't amount to anything, then Sonic shouldn't be considered a mascot in the same level as Mario, since Sega had a lot of ads in the same style as Crash ("Genesis does what Nintendon't"). We could argue a lot on whether Crash's games were as great as other classic platformers, but I put them on the same category with something as obscure as Ty the Tasmanian Tiger.
Can I just use this opportunity to mention that Ty just recently had a successful Kickstarter to get the remastered first game on Switch? Not that I'm saying he's relevent, just pointing that out.
 

DanganZilla5

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Crash and Spyro

Chance: 60% for both

The reason why I gave them the same chance is that to me, they are in the same exact situation:
  • They are legacy characters that have first appeared on PlayStation but eventually branched out to other platforms.
  • They have numerous games on Nintendo consoles.
  • They recently got remakes that are on Switch, bringing them back to the spotlight.
  • They are platforming characters with an art style that fits Smash.
  • They are popular in both West and East, though maybe more popular in West.
  • They are owned by Activision.
The reason for the 60% is that I could see them happening, but also not happening, though they are leaning more on likely than not likely. Activision seems to have a good relationship with Nintendo, but not as good of a relationship that Nintendo has with Ubisoft and Bethesda. The biggest reasons are Mario + Rabbids and Skyrim being one of the first Switch games to be announced as well as Doom and Wolfenstein being some of the first major third party games to arrive on Switch. I could see a western character like Doom Slayer making it over any Activision rep, even Crash and Spyro.

With that said, however, Crash and Spyro are some of the most likely dlc characters. They are iconic, have a history with Nintendo consoles, popularity in both West and Japan, plenty of moveset, stage and spirit potential, fitting art styles, and with Banjo opening the floodgates for more western characters, they could very well be next. I feel like Crash is a bit more popular though.

Want: 100% for Crash and 80% for Spyro

I have more of an attachment for Crash. I've watched lets plays of his games so the older games have a nostalgic effect on me. I have been a fan of the racing games for a long time and have played Crash Twinsanity since I was a kid. Crash Team Racing is within my top 20 favorite games and I was hyped to finally be able to play the original trilogy with the N. Sane Trilogy. Overall the Crash series has been close to me for a long time and I would be ecstatic if Crash got in.

I don't have much of a history with Spyro. I played one of the ps2 games as a kid and played the first game a couple years back and I have been waiting for the Reignited Trilogy to come to Switch as those are the type of games that would be good for a handheld console (go into a level, explore for a bit and collect some gems, then save and quit). However, I still really like Spyro and while I would prefer Crash to get in, I would still like to see Spyro become a playable character in the biggest crossover game of all time.
 

HyruleHero

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N64 vs PS1 was definitely a rivalry.
Crash doesn't represent a rivalry between N64 and PS1, if any game does it would be FF. Clouds inclusion represents PS1 perfectly well, when I think PS1 and icons I don't think Crash Bandicoot I think either Final Fantasy or Resident Evil. Sonic and Mario are gaming Icons that even people who don't play games recognize. The people who recognize Crash are the people who played his game. I'm not sure if its a location thing but in Australia we didn't really get the 'iconic' Crash adverts and I don't really remember Crash being a big thing either compared to Mario or Sonic.
 

GoodGrief741

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Messages
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Crash doesn't represent a rivalry between N64 and PS1, if any game does it would be FF. Clouds inclusion represents PS1 perfectly well, when I think PS1 and icons I don't think Crash Bandicoot I think either Final Fantasy or Resident Evil. Sonic and Mario are gaming Icons that even people who don't play games recognize. The people who recognize Crash are the people who played his game. I'm not sure if its a location thing but in Australia we didn't really get the 'iconic' Crash adverts and I don't really remember Crash being a big thing either compared to Mario or Sonic.
That's you though. For most people the first character that comes to their minds when you say PS1 is Crash.
 

MasterWarlord

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Crash Bandicoot Chance 18%
Crash had not been revived when the ballot votes were rolling in, and the roster already has a lot of western appeal in it without Crash, what with Ridley and Banjo. Japan had very lukewarm reception for the N. Sane Trilogy revival. Granted, these DLC picks have been representing legendary 3rd party game series, and Crash falls very much in line with that. He would be extremely at home in this roster given the tone. Activision is a notoriously difficult company to work with, although we've already got past Microsoft and Square at this point, so who knows.

Crash Bandicoot Want 40%
Big Crash fan here, but not so much of Crash himself, just his series. Based off what we've seen from other franchises, very few extraneous characters will make appearances. Crash Bandicoot as a franchise is memorable for its supporting cast, not so much the playable characters.

Spyro Chance 5%
Spyro is peanuts compared to Crash Bandicoot and that doesn't have a very high chance of getting in in the first place, you can't talk about him without inviting obvious comparisons. It would also be extremely redundant hypothetically putting both Crash and Spyro in the game, that's a million to one chance. His franchise never had any Japanese popularity compared to Crash and did not leave as much of an imprint as a gaming icon, and is also generally much less requested to join the series than Crash from what I've seen in my experience. Outside of the Crash comparison, yes, it's a big franchise and did get revived recently, but, I would mark Skylanders as a negative, if anything, as there would be no representation from that in Smash Bros.

Spyro Want 0%
I do not like the series gameplay and find it very generic for a collectathon. I also hate the majority of the universe and characters. Skylanders' existence is another turn off. I would be offended he made it over Crash, as well.

Nominate King Boo x5
 
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Sudz

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Crash Bandicoot

Chance: 70%

Crash is huge and also successful in Japan IIRC. Forgive the phrasing, but Crash is popular even among what some on the internet would call normies. Crash not being added to Smash would just be Nintendo saying they don't like money. I didn't even play the Crash Bandicoot games until recently when my friend brought them over and we drank and played, and as far as I am aware she doesn't ever really play video games. She adores Crash, though. I know many others that are the same. I think he's got a good case tbh.

Want: 100%

I've always known him as an icon of the Playstation era of gaming. I have no emotional attachment to him, but it'd be sick to see him Smash it up with the other all stars. He's probably one of my most wanted, aside from my relatively unrealistic Shy Guy pick.

Spyro the Dragon

Chance: 0%

As long as Crash is not in Smash, Spyro will never be. He's not relevant whatsoever in Japan, either. I'm not sure what else to say tbh.

Want: 80%

Spyro would be dope. I grew up playing some of his games, specifically the season of whatever ones on GBA(?) and they were cool. I think he'd be a blast to play, and we need more non-humanoid characters!

Noms: Kamek x5
 

Playstation Guy 1000

Smash Journeyman
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Jun 22, 2019
Messages
359
Crash Bandicoot
Chance 65%:Crash Bandicoot is pretty much the most likely western charater to be join the fighters pass He's popular both on the west and japan, he has been on nintendo consoles and still manage to get new games(albeit remakes of the ps1 trilogy) the only 2 things that's holding crash is
1:whether or not are we going to get a 2nd western character.
2: Activision could be like Sega/Capcom/Microsoft(pretty easy to work with) or be like Square-Enix(hard to work with).
want 75%:I would really like to see Crash Bandicoot in smash bros, He's a pretty entertaining character with his classic spin attack,and I do like his games so why not.

Spyro
Chance 15%:The poor sales of the first two games in japan, and His competition with crash makes Spyro unlikely.
Want 80%:I Love the Spyro games so I would love to see Spyro in the smash bros universe, he would be a fun character with a neat moveset.

Predictions
Maxwell:4.7%
Hollow Knight:9.6%
Nominations: Cooking Mama X5
 

SKX31

Smash Master
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Beneath the mask, he doesn't go "Arsene!" he shouts "WAH!" instead! (Crash Bandicoot):

Chance: 45 %

It's difficult to bring up details other people haven't already brought up. But there are a few points worth mentioning:

First of all, is Activision as stingy with Nintendo as they were with Sony and Superbot? This qoute came during PlayStation AllStars' development:

We obviously know at SuperBot and at Sony how important various characters are to the game, Crash Bandicoot in particular. We got this question at San Diego Comic Con and my president, Chan Park, gave a very good answer: ‘It takes two to tango’. We know the fans want Crash. We want Crash. Crash is not owned by Sony. So it is a negotiation between Sony and the IP holders for all of the characters that exist in the game. We’re very interested in making that happen but it’s not for free. I do want the fans out there to know that obviously we recognized the interest in Crash and characters like Crash.
That's a difficult question to answer when it's been 7 years since PSASBR and the storm around that game. Of course, Sakurai and Sora Ltd. has a much stronger bargaining position than Superbot ever did - the question is how much of a boon that is. Also, StormC StormC has some very good questions I'd like to point out and reply to:

-What does Sakurai think of the series? Does he have a personal affinity for it? We don't know, he's never talked about it. We know he loves Persona and Dragon Quest.
He might not have talked about it, what we can safely assume though is that Crash hasn't escaped Sakurai's notice. Crash is one of the main reasons for the PS1's success after all, and he was developing Smash right around Crash 3's release. Yea, sure Sakurai doesn't care about the console wars, but if he has written abour Halo 2 and Half Life 2 - games which are (likely) much less prominent in Japan we can say that he has an expansive eye for games and how they're designed. For him to miss Crash would seem weird.

Also, if I may ask, where does he say that Smash is meant to promote Japanese games? I got the impression that the Japanese focus was due to convienience mainly (Snake being added because Kojima's son wanted him in Smash, and Kojima being friends with Sakurai for example). I'm not entirely convinced when Shovel Knight and Shantae both have non-playable appearances in Ultimate as is.

Want: 50 %

Guess which Crash game was my first?

Wrath of Cortex.

Not kidding. Entirely because that was his first multi-plat. To cut 12 year old me some slack the PlayStation was not on my radar back then. Still, he's got quite a bit of versatility gameplaywise and - although his "niche" is filled by Banjo to a certain extent - brings his own flavor. I mean, Smash could mean the Fruit Bazooka finally gets more use than just as a "niche Nitro crate destroyer"! So yes, I'm getting onto this train a bit.

Exploring, fighting lizard arch enemies and running really quickly. Wait, we're not talking Super Metroid? (Spyro the Dragon)

Chance: 10 %

I'm just glad he, like Crash, have also recovered from the long slump. Spyro's luck during the 2000s and early 2010s can be summed up as him slamming right through the ground. Good thing he didn't need to see the doctor after that string of games and got back via Reignited.

Thing is though? Spyro is really unfortunate to have Crash as competition too, so him getting in over Crash doesn't seem likely. That's a major shame when Spyro could fill a still unique niche. Also, if Activision-Blizzard got two Smash reps I could see them doing what Square-Enix did and ask for one per company - meaning Blizzard takes priority over Spyro in this theoretical scenario. This is an "if", mind, but that's not outside the realm of possibility.

That said the dragonfly-reliant dragon does have some perks to him. Not sure if Sakurai would allow Spyro to glide should Spyro get in, but: he's got a four legged stance, a charge and its momentum etc. There's gameplay perks that Sakurai and Sora Ltd. could work with. Not sure if it completely salvages his chances, but it's worth noting.

Want: 40 %

Recently began playing through Reignited as my first Spyro - and honestly, his series is interesting for me personally. Might be my taste for collectathons, but part of my want is also the possible movesets.

Noms: Lara Croft x5
 
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StormC

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Joined
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Messages
8,162
Also, if I may ask, where does he say that Smash is meant to promote Japanese games? I got the impression that the Japanese focus was due to convienience mainly (Snake being added because Kojima's son wanted him in Smash, and Kojima being friends with Sakurai for example). I'm not entirely convinced when Shovel Knight and Shantae both have non-playable appearances in Ultimate as is.
https://www.sourcegaming.info/2016/12/16/the-substantial-barrier-of-aaa-games-sakurai-col-514/

That said, the game developer side of me simply cannot rejoice at this news because Japanese games have all but disappeared from the list of Top 10 Highest-Selling Games Worldwide.

[...]

Japanese games are gradually losing their presence in the global market with every passing year, and there is data to support this conclusion. Pokémon GO has taken the world by storm as of late, but the game was developed by Niantic Inc. and The Pokémon Company. In other words, it was not an exclusively Japanese effort.

[...]

It all depends on the next project I undertake, but I’ve already proven Japanese games can resonate with the rest of the world, and I’d like to continue doing so in whatever way I can.

Thankfully, Smash was a game that ended up supporting a lot of other games. It’s been proven that including a character as a fighter generates publicity for said character and their respective series. I’m very pleased that Smash can positively promote other titles.
 

TheCJBrine

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From what Sakurai said about Banjo, he didn’t seem to care about him being Western at all. He seems he still likes Western stuff and may include more Western characters but he also wants to promote his home country’s games.
 

Jomosensual

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Messages
2,014
Crash

Chance 70 - Going fairly high here because I want to be bold. Mii Costume theory is dead, and Crash is one of the characters that benefits the most from that. For sure one of the bigger name that is both realistic and wanted. I can't imagine anyone being mad about Crash being included, which is amazing considering how spread out the opinions of the Smash fan base is.

Want 80
Crash is the exact type of character I would want to be in Smash. His inclusion would feel like one of the bigger ones to date in the series and without a doubt would cause a lot of excitement


Spyro
Chance 20 - Sorry my purple dragon buddy. I love you but Crash is far more popular in Japan. Spyro's lack of popularity in Japan really really hurts him. Otherwise I could maybe see an outside shot considering people are able to find arguments for really obscure characters bordering on being literal whos, but this is really, really hard for Spyro to overcome

Want 100
While less iconic than Crash without a doubt, Spyro makes all that up for me because I loved the GBA game I had to death. I was like 8 when I played it and was awful at it, but that never stopped me from wanting to play it nearly all the time.

Noms
Kratos x5
 
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