Day over, Rate Crash and Spyro, Predict Maxwell and The Knight (Hollow Knight).
Crash
85% Chance
Yeah. I honestly feel really really good about Crash's chances right now. Call me an optimist (potentially an extreme one), but right now I have a really good feeling about Crash.
While we potentially only have two slots left (at least unless FP2 is confirmed), Crash in my opinion has the strongest case out of any character right now.
One thing that helps Crash out a lot is the legacy of the Crash franchise. Crash was Sony's answer to Mario. Crash was the PS1 icon. I feel I can not state that enough. Being the mascot of the PS1 is a big deal. Like a really big deal. When you are one of the main faces of the system that outsold the N64 3:1 that is a big deal. The PS1 games alone sold close to 22 million copies at the time. What is especially important about this is the fact Crash was a global icon. Crash 1 was one of the first non Japanese games to crack 500,000 units in japan. This era would cement Crash as a pop culture icon, something people think about when they think about the 90s.
While the post Naughty Dog Years were not as stellar, the series still managed to have a presence. Crash then became multiplatform after ND left the franchise behind. Crash still sold well enough to have sold enough so at this point, the franchise sold around 50 million units before the N Sane Trilogy would come out. However, Crash would go on a long hiatus from 2008-2016, with the franchise looking bleak.
Then Crash came back. In a big way. In a N Sane Trilogy selling over 10 million units way. Crash had a massive success for his revival, which would lead to Spyro also coming back (more on that later). Crash also made his return to Nintendo platforms after 1 year of exclusivity. CTR also did well but that is too recent to matter, all it does is help reinforce Crash is back.
So why am I so high on Crash right now? To me, Crash seems like a perfect storm in which most of the barriers he could have faced are gone. Crash is in the limelight again, and is once again one of the biggest names in gaming. Crash and Activision have been historically supporting Nintendo, to the point Bowser and DK were in Skylanders. Crash also has the massive benefit of timing. In all honestly, I would likely rate Doomguy higher in hindsight since I think timing and popularity are the two most important things for most characters. The only exception I can really think of is for shill picks by Nintendo. Joker and Hero especially made me realize that being released in the 2016-2018 window, when DLC was likely being brainstormed, is a massive boon (See
). The main thing Doomguy does not have as much that Crash does is global staying power. Crash has the benefit of being a very inoffensive pick, a franchise that is successful worldwide which would likely mean that it would be well received. Crash also being a popular character in Japan helps him as a result. Crash is definately popular in the West. This might be confirmation bias, but I see Crash often getting discussed for Smash and appearing in fan polls. Usually each place on the internet has their own characters that have way larger support (4chan loves Reimu and Doomguy, Smashboards has a big Geno following still, Reddit tends to have a soft spot for Isaac, etc), but Crash usually always rears his head.
I honestly think there is nothing really going against Crash. I know someone might inevitably say Banjo already appears in his niche, but lets be honest that really is a stretch. Moveset wise they would not fight alike at all, and if you are talking visually that really is a stretch. We got two RPG protags this time, and two sword fighters last time. Going off of any real idea of patterns on who we have honestly does not work. The only thing I feel goes against Crash is the fact that we are getting towards the end. But right now, I honestly can say I feel Crash is the most likely character. Sometimes I eat my hat when I say something is likely (I was someone who believed the Grinch, and I thought that the Black Knight and Lycanroc were very likely for base), but usually when I got this gut feeling, I tend to be right. I had it in Sm4sh with Shulk and Robin, I had it this time with Ridley, Dark Samus, Chrom, and K Rool in the base game. Right now my gut feeling tells me Crash is likely.
Spyro
15% Chance
To be honest, a large part this is so high is due to me thinking Activision might try to get him for Season 2 if there is one. It makes business sense. Spyro is having his classic revival too, the Reignited Trilogy on Switch and CTRNF give them an opportunity to make Spyro have a second chance in Japan again, and Nintendo clearly thinks Spyro is a big deal to start off their E3 Direct with RT even in Japan.
But aside from my gut crackpot theories, Spyro does not have the two things that Crash has that make him so likely to me: Worldwide appeal and timing. The RT Trilogy, while a huge success, did not come out until 2018, which is on the later end for DLC to benefit from timing, at least in my eyes. Furthermore, the PS1 spyro games were butchered in the 90s in Japan, and as a result did not sell well. Like actually look at the camera and changes they made it makes the games worse.
But Spyro does have a few things going for him. Much like Crash, Spyro is a big franchise. Is it as big as Crash? No, but he is still a large franchise of note. Skylanders also kept him somewhat relevant even when he was in an arguable drought as well. Spyro also is a franchsie that while not as synonymous with the PS1 as Crash, still has a good legacy with the PS1 in its later years. Also, he bleeds moveset potential. It is hard to see any fighter who would fight like Spyro does in the roster rn.
But perhaps the biggest thing Spyro has going against him is his competition. Now I am gonna discount most of Blizzard, as although an OW or WoW rep would be cool (or Diablo), I feel these two outclass them due to a higher Nintendo presence. What Spyro has as his biggest competition is ironically Crash himself. Crash pretty much needs to come first. I know that sounds dumb, but its true. The N Sane Trilogy came before RT. Crash is the biggest franchsie, especially in Japan. Maybe for S2 if we get Crash.
Crash
100% Want
Do you remember my old profile? Do you see my sig? Of course I want Crash. I have been having a blast with N Sane and CTRNF. I have a strong affection for the series. I also feel Crash would be a great character to see in smash due to this animations. Crash always had this slapstick, almost looney tunes animation style to him. Watching him get cleaved or explode or crushed was great. I would love to see someone whose over the top animations and expressions could top DK's.
Now onto the real meat of this.
Spyro
100% Want
If I could go higher I would. This is the single character I want the most. Allow me to explain.
Ok. This goes beyond just smash.
Spyro was my first video game. I remember as a kid, I did not get along with kids in elementary school much because on my first day I knocked three kids out for making fun of my shirt. People were afraid of me, so I was kind of lonely. That's when I discoverd Spyro: my first video game. Seeing this fantasy realm that I could dive into helped me escape the pain of being a kid and feeling lonely. My parents, they did not have much time for me: my brother had ptsd. As such, I was often left to myself. What else was I to do but play Spyro, read books, play Spyro, play with my dog Buddy once we got him when I was in 2nd grade (hes still going strong 12 years later), and play Spyro. I remember calling my cousin in Florida for tips to beat level s and find things that I could not.
Spyro Enter The Dragonfly taught me the lesson of disappointment. Getting a PS2 for Christmas and playing it for the first time, I was amazed at how it. I remember trying to free the dragon statue for two hours, the one that gives you bubble breath. I learned that just being part of a brand I loved did not mean it was automatically good.
Once I got to middle school I found out that my Spyro disks had lived their lives past due. Years of moving and not the best care wore them down. Thankfully the Spyro Collecters Edition was not too expensive, I bought it and still use that to this day. I remember 100%ing Spyro 1 and 2 for the first time in Middle School. I remember showing my best friend SPyro 1 and doing a gaming veg sesh and just playing and talking.
Hell, I play through each of the original trilogy once a year at least. For me they are a coping mechanism that takes me back. Issues with my parents? School? Depression? Self Loathing? I just play Spyro at some point, I know each game by heart by now.
For me this is more than just saying "Well I like the character, he should be in smash". This is legit my childhood. This is a character that I have dreamed of for years, with now there being a realistic chance he could appear. This is being able to tell 6 year old me playing Melee at a friends house that one day Spyro would be in. This is me seeing that the single character I could want the most in Smash ever being in smash.
Good god writing this has made me tear up, part out of nostalgia, part of the painful memories I tried to forget using Spyro.
On a brighter note, music!
Please take pity on me and do not just pop in and give Spyro Double Zeros. That would be soul crushing.
Wow time has flown since then.
I did not have the best childhood. I had two brothers who were disabled, and as such I was the child that got by far the least attention. I also did not hang out with other kids as much; my parents did not want to have other kids over due to my brothers being unpredictable and I was unable to get rides due to my parents being busy. Combined with the above stuff, I was a pretty lonely kid. Spyro was an outlet for me to play with. If I was not with my dog (Hes 13 and a half now, old for his breed), I was playing Spyro.
Reignited helped me again. From November to May this year I was in a serious depressive episode. Many things in my life were out of whack. My mother started drinking again. My relationship with my family sunk. I had some difficult relationships at school. Many things in my life took a turn for the worse. In that timeframe, I did three perfect runs of each Spyro game. It helped me feel better when I needed it most.
The series has a large sentimental spot for me. I know it sounds corny to say that, but the franchise did help me through some dark times and I have a lot of sentimentality towards it.
ProtoMan x 5
Reminder there will be the noms purge after tomorrow. Maybe I will give out bonus noms...
