Crashworth Cortex I:
Oh boy, this one is really interesing.
To put this into perspective, here is my previous rating:
Abstaining on STD today.
El Giros.
Chance: 50%
Like Steve, he's the most likely guest not called Hayabusa in Smash. Crash, like Steve is probably one of the few "western" (specifically American in this case) video game characters whose franchise actually managed to get a following in Japan, thanks to Sony's marketing at the time. While he has fallen off the wayside over there in popularity (ESPECIALLY compared to Steve), he is still a major gaming icon in the rest of the world who has recovered thanks to the remasters of his PS1 games (minus Crash Bash) and even is getting a brand new game following the classic formula!
"bb-b-b-b-BUT IT'S NOT COMING ON SWITCH!"...................and? Persona's mainline games will never come to a Nintendo game and we still got Ren. No don't give me the Q2 bull**** excuse, because Crash's Main games (the original ones that made him the star he is) are on the Switch, again, thanks to the remasters. Also let's face it, Crash 4 will come to the Switch. It will just take a few months to be announced (probably next year assuming 2020 doesn't get worse)
Honestly i can't give any argument against him. Not Nintendo centric? That honestly was never an issue (it's just a fan-rule that never a had a leg to stand on, but i understand why people would want it to be that way, i would rather have Bomberman and Layton over Joker and Cloud) Remember the third party ever shown wasn't Mega Man or Banjo or even Pac-Man, it was SNAKE. Then we got Cloud and Joker. Dead Franchise? Was revived thanks to the N.Sane Trilogy, and the likes of Banjo got in anyway. Non-Japanese Third Party? again, Banjo.
Also, like Sonic, after the 6th generation he started to become a multi-platform mascot with 2 brand exclusive GBA games that were very faithful to his previous adventures (and probably are better than Wrath........) so he really stopped being a Sony Mascot after the PS2 era. Crash has given more support on Nintendo consoles than some of the Guests already in Smash or even some that people proclaim that should be in Smash.
It should also be mentioned that Crash's support in Smash was nonexistent in Brawl or Smash 4, but started to become a thing in Ultimate. Namely due the Crash N. Sane Trilogy Switch port beign announced in the Same Direct as Smash Ultimate (back then not titled). While his support and outcry likely did not affect the development process of the base game nor even Fighter Pass 1, it COULD make a difference for Fighter Pass 2. I wouldn't be surprised if Activision took note of this and went for Nintendo to negotiate for Crash in Smash to get at least SOME positive PR out of this, which is probably one of the reasons why Microsoft even bothered to give Banjo to Sakurai, i don't think we would have gotten Banjo in Smash if that Tweet to Phil Spencer never happened, and the reaction was extremely positive attention for Microsoft too (especially the shoutout Sakurai gave to the Xbox One in Japan) seeing how Activison is getting his ass handed as early as the Skylander Days, giving Sakurai the opportunity to use Crash would be a surefire to get some positive attention for once.
The only reason that i think Crash would not get in, is that Sakurai usually doesn't work with Foreign Companies. It's not that Sakurai hates American Gaming or non-japanese gaming as a whole (if anything he is one of the more open "westaboo" gamers out there) but rather working with a non-japanese company is not the norm for him (language and cultural barriers and ****) so it may make it difficult.
Want: 100%
I usually DO have a bias towards Third Parties who have a strong brand association with Nintendo, if Not Nintendo characters in general, but you know what my bigger bias is? Childhood.
Back when i was young Chilean Lad, i got a Ps1 with Crash's PSX classic Trilogy. Despite me sucking at it (and never beating them due to not having a memory card), i can't lie and i have to admit, i loved them. I always got my hand on any Crash games no matter how sucky they were. Nitro Kart, WoC, Twinsanity, even that crappy Beat em Up where Crash got Titans and ****. Crash was my childhood. In fact, way back in the days before Smash 4 was even formally annoucned to the public, i used to daydream about what characters could be in Smash. Crash was one of them. As soon as the N.Sane Trilogy was announced i hoped anxiously for it, and got it on Switch on its release day and beat them with the best endings, finally fulfilling the dream i ever so desired. I would later also buy and enjoy Nitro Fueled (before selling it because im an idiot) and for all intents and purposes, my passion for Crash has awaken again. Crash is one of gaming childhood darlings, next to Mega Man. He's the reason i always associate the Square Button with Attack and Cross (not X, Cross) Button with Jump. Even with its not a Playstation Controller i still have this control shceme in my brain. To say Crash left an Impression on me would be an understatement.
That's not to say im a hardcore fan, no. But i hold Crash in my heart, and i never realize it. I have been more passionate about others like Simon, K.Rool, Dixie, Bandana Dee, Waluigi etc. But none of them hold the same impact as Crash did to me. He didn't need Smash to do that, and still doesn't need it.
It's always been like this for me. Im not gonna be so upset if Crash doesn't make it, but i would be really happy to see him. I think he deserves it. His best outings are now avaliable to Nintendo players, platforming mascots still hold a place in the minds of many, and Sonic got to finally fight the mascot he was meant to compete against in Smash after getting games like the Sonic Advance Trilogy, Sonic Rush 1 and 2, Sonic Colors and so on. It's Crash turn now.
Woah indeed.
As you can see, i was really optimistic regarding him, and im still on that bank.
-Crash's major obstacles are almost all clear. No PS characters? Cloud and Joker? No western Third Parties? Banjo and Steve. speaking of that.
-Crash has never better been positioned as a franchise than now. He is booming in the gaming landscape right now, and while not super selling COD at any rate, it's pretty clear Activision is putting him in the spotlight real hard and the franchise hasn't seen better exposure since its beggining in the Universal/Naughty Dog era, it's a renaissance at this point. The Entire Trilogy has been remastered on all modern consoles (including the Switch) its has a Spin-Off that is went from an HD remaster to its own beast, and a brand new game that recieved Critical Acclaim from everyone (minus the Completionist camp) There were even plans to make a Crash Animated series by Amazon, but the deal fell through, wouldn't surprise me if they tried again later on. This isn't a long gone franchise that lives in cameos like Xenosaga, or Darkstalkers, this is an A-lister or at least a B Plus lister as of now for all im concerned. It helps that Nintendo would have interest in supporting Crash as a franchise. It's been on Nintendo systems for over a decade since the GBA, with only Twinsanity missing the boat so far (but was intended to come in the GC) and im fully confident Crash 4 is coming to the Switch.
-Crash was actually popular in Japan. Crash was one of the few game series in that country that actually managed to find success there, all thanks to Sony marketing the hell out of him, and being given proper localization to fit in better with the region, and they succeeded. Crash is still one of the few frachises over there that have saw success outside of Minecraft. Yes, Crash is no longer that popular in Japan anymore (thanks to generational graphics evolving and exposing Crash as the wide-grin big-teeth Looney Tunes-like creature he is, and Japan has always been "Kawaii or Die" so it doesn't go that well with them, plus the N.Sane Trilogy is clearly based on the Western versions so the nostalgia appeal does not work there) But the fact that Crash was even popular there at one point in time at all speaks volumes to me, and already makes him more likely in my eyes than any western character possible as of now. Not only that, but Japan has had influence in Crash as a franchise thanks to its popularity. The Crash Dance, Penta the Penguin, and even the whole "Tawna left Crash to date Pinstripe lore" all originated from Japanese media, and were directly ported to Crash worldwide lore (minus the Tawna part, maybe) and even influenced the creation of FAKE CRASH, and would later develop a game for Crash, Crash Boom Bang by Dimps of Sonic Advance fame (it sucks, but still worth mentioning) i don't think i need to mention his worlwide popularity because..............you already know, him. Brits love him (CYOAR) Americans love him, Latinamericans love him (The Crash 4 LATAM dub trailer has more views than the original english one) and so forth. It perplexes me that people give high chances to characters that never made a single success outside of Japan and are only NOW attempting to try for that international pie, or characters that are basically invisible to the human eye and are only playable in their native languague via FAN PATCHES, or characters that are sort of popular in the West but are nobodies in Japan. Yet Crash, a character that is for all intents and purposes a worldwide icon, that has managed to appear in all mainstream regions for years even in his dark ages, is somehow unlikely? Bull, i call bull. The only games that weren't localized in Japan were the Titans games which...............yeah they are not missing much. There are even ESSAYS about Crash's worldwide popularity.
-Crash is requested. Nothing much to say here. He is popular both outside and inside the "Smash Bubble". moving on.
Is there any real thing against Crash? Yes there is two, or three depending on how you look at it.
-The first is Activision. No its not because "Activision Bad", because if you have seen Nintendo for the last couple of years it should stick to your brain that COMPANIES ARE NOT YOUR FRIEND, and Nintendo collaborating with Kona-**** You Kojima-Mi and Square "no just because you put Sephiroth doesn't mean im gonna leave you off the hook-Enix proves is that if Nintendo sees benefit in the collaboration, they would do it. It's because they are a western company, and not its' not because "MUH EVIL GAIJIN COMPANY" either, but rather that international collaborations like this take time, probably a lot. Just look at Steve, who was stated to have been in the Negotiations for 5 YEARS. It's this point that brings my to my next issue.
-Timing. Crash's revival has done wonders for the Orange Marsupial Mutant, but one has to wonder...............did he arrive too late? Smash Rosters are planned well in advance before the game even starts development, and outside of Clones last minute choices are not a thing. When looking in hindsight, it was really stupid to think Crash was going to be in the base game. The franchise was JUST getting its foot back into the game, and trying to ape a Third Party franchise that was basically still on recovery into Smash was a risky move, maybe if Crash started gaining steam back in '13 or '14 my stance would change, but the franchise basically became important again after Smash Ultimate's Planning stages were complete and realistically could only apply for Smash's DLC line up by that point. FP1 made a little more sense by then, but still. It's only FP2 that seems that Crash really stands a chance, but now arises another issue.
-Crash is big, is huge, is popular, and recognizable. He would be an easy sell for the Pass and one of the headliners...............you think you would start the Pass with Someone like HIM. This is the big issue i have. Look at Smash 4, almost all of the hype choices were in the start or middle. Mega Man as the second newcomer revealed, Pacman right around E3 '14 hype, and..........Duck Hunt Dog as the last Base Newcomer reveal. Same goes for DLC, Opened with ****ing Mewtwo, followed by RYU FROM STREET FIGHTER and ends with........Corrin from FE Fates (and Bayo i guess....) BASE ULTIMATE! STARTS with RIDELY FOLLOWED BY THE BELMONTS AND K.ROOL.........and then goes to Isabelle, to Ken, an iconic character, but basically a Clone Character, and they always tend to be given smaller spotlight, which is evident since he shared his trailer with Incineroar (PP is right around the middle of Base Game and DLC) FP1 starts with Joker, followed by the likes of Banjo, and ends with........Byleth.......
It's this reason i just don't see Crash as a shoo-in. Crash is a character that should have been announced by now if im honest. You don't save him for last or even penultimate. Now granted, depending on your view, Terry either counts as a really hype and important and iconic character..........or a really niche one that was a sign of the disappointing finale to come (it should be noted that just like Crash, SNK as a whole was making a come back in the mid to late Twenty Tens and Start of the new Twenties thanks to the likes of KOF XIV and the new Samurai Showdown game, although being of Japanese origin and making their comeback a few years earlier definitely helped) so maybe Crash can still come in as the next Character.
With all of this, i give Crash a:
40% Chance.
Crash has received a hit. He has all the merits Sakurai looks for a character. Popular, requested, could bring an audience from a franchise not in Smash as of now, has made a presence all round the globe on multiple entries on multiple systems, and would easily be a favorite choice that would please many.
However, the circumstances are not in his favor. Western Characters are possible, but it takes a huge a mount of planning to do so, and Activision hasn't collaborated with Sakurai in Smash as of now (that we know of) in any form, so they don't have their foot already on the door like say, Koei Tecmo. Plus, Crash is a character that could have easily been the Game Awards reveal, and to be that spot be taken by Sephiroth instead leaves him in sort of a dire situation, where he once seemed too big to fail, now he seems too big to be left on what is essentially the bottom of the totem pole of reveals, and because of this if he doesn't appear as Fighter Number 9, im convinced it's too late for him and will not be playable, and be something like a Mii Costume at best, or Spirit at worst. The likes of Hayabusa, Arle and Lloyd may be more niche worldwide, but come from Japanese Companies that already have their footing in Smash that makes negotiations easier, plus they are among Smash Disscussion just like Crash and are all in healthy conditions (except maybe Ryu) so for that reason i can't give him a chance higher than any of these 3.
Still for now, it's possible Sakurai may just be wanting to start this year with a Bang with Crash.
For want? Still the same:
100%
I already posted why Crash is my childhood icon, i don't think i need to do it again. Love this fella, and even if he is not playable, im just glad we can talk about Crash in a PRESENT tense, as in he is back to relevance again, and that makes me happy.
Abstaining on Tracey, but i don't think it should suprise you too much that if i were to rate her, i would give her the good ol'e One Chane and Zero Want score, but im not gonna rate a character that quite frankly i couldn't be arsed to research or care about.
