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

[BlazGreen]

Most of my picks have been mentioned multiple times already but I'll still share anyway. This is also the order I expect them to come in.

Rex w/ Pyra & Mythra
Tons of moveset potential, from a series that's only growing and from a game that Sakurai personally loves. I feel this will be a similar situation to Min Min who shared the same fate (too recent to be added to the launch roster and FP1 but brought onboard eventually)

Ryu Hayabusa
I imagine Hayabusa will be the Terry of FP2 (a retro pick for the older fans). Koei Tecmo not having a rep yet also helps as well as the old rumours that, correct me if I'm wrong, mentioned both Hayabusa and Steve together.

Gen 8 Pokemon
The shill pick of the pass. I know you could make a case for Min Min and Rex being shill picks but their games are a few years old and stopped receiving major updates a while ago. My hype for this spot comes down to who they pick. If they pick a starter or Urshifu then I sleep. If however they pick one of the more interesting mons like Sirfetched, Toxtricity or even something off the wall like Falinks then It could actually be hype.

Crash Bandicoot
Has almost everything going for him right now. Nintendo seems to love having old Sony staples in Smash (Snake & Cloud) and Crash would round out that trio nicely. You have the history of the Crash vs Mario rivalry, his recent but not too recent revival and the strong fan demand and it overall makes for a pretty strong candidate

Honourable mentions go to Geno, Monster Hunter, Rayman and Doomguy. If there are somehow more characters after FP2 then these would be my bets.

 

[Doomguy46]

My Predictions: Rex and Pyra. Sakurai has said he would have added them given time, he did it with an arms character so this feels inevitable. Probably the safest pick.
Heavy TF2 or doomguy: I think a shooter character would be super interesting especially as niche as heavy, but I really think he's the most likely valve rep and I think it will happen. Doomguy, could really be interesting and doom would be nice to see repped. Some may ask why I leave off the chief but he's just not interesting, he's just kinda a dude with guns, while his games are influential I don't think there's much to note, his moveset wouldn't be much different to that of "call of duty man".
A pokemon: a lame addition imo but a likely one. Honestly not much to note here. just any pokemon, give em moves, done.
Waluigi(or some mario rep): Here's the thing, while I'm well aware he's an assist trophy I also don't care. It's mario's 35th anniversary I think a rep is really inevitable.


Anyway, these are my picks, agree disagree. I think this would be a nice bundle of characters.




Characters I don't think/don't want to happen
The master chief: I've already gone over this one. GUN MAN isn't enough for a moveset on its own.
Geno: Geno is a character that's requested in smash because he's always been requested. people play Mario RPG because they heard people want geno in smash. He's a niche character from a niche game over 30 years ago.
Another anime swordy boy: I mean this post rex and pyra, I understand this is broad but we have so much of the same artstyle and if rex and pyra get in we really really won't need another.
Pokemon from previous gens: No. We have enough of those, I'm not even a fan of adding a new pokemon but I think it's likely. However I really don't see another one coming.
Crash bandicoot: Not only do I think the crash games boring I think a crash moveset would be too. But then again I said the same thing about steve so maybe I'm wrong here.

 

[fogbadge]

It's mario's 35th anniversary I think a rep is really inevitable.

i dunno, the 30th anniversary for smb was during the last game's dlc cylcle

 

[Doomguy46]

i dunno, the 30th anniversary for smb was during the last game's dlc cylcle

I agree to an extent. But Nintendo seems to be making a bigger deal out of this one. Maybe I'm crazy. But this pass is so unpredictable, this is the safest bet. Honestly tho, it will be interesting to see what sakurai does. He's made this dlc, for better or worse, unpredictable.

 

[waddledeeonredyoshi]

Honestly there's very little difference between my predictions and most wanted for the rest of this pass. Spoiler alert, the three characters on my signature are all on it and to tell the truth: I haven't taken the time to think of a version that doesn't contain them. That's a problem I'll acknowledge and I know that all three happening isn't likely. I'll still try making an argument for each of them. Not the likeliest characters out there but eh, things have turned very unpredictable to me after Travis got costume'd. In short: Bias alert! Non ordered btw.

• Bandana Waddle Dee: A popular request that feels long overdue. The Kirby series has grown big enough since Brawl to deserve some more love. There have been plenty of Kirby titles last decade, Dee being in most of them, that Smash has mostly neglected, giving it much material to pull from for a challenger pack. His popularity is notable, especially over in Japan where Waddle Dees can even be considered marketable. He's a character that would really fit in, yet they have not pulled the trigger on for some reason. With his charm, I think he has what it takes to be a viable DLC pick and one of the likeliest options for a first-party. I know Rex also competes for that spot and he too is certainly likely but I have more minor uncertainties regarding him, whereas I feel with Dee it's just a matter of HAL approaching Sakurai. It's likely more complicated than that but hey, this is bias talking.
• The Knight: With the word "indie" not being uttered during the Steve presentation and Vault Boy/Bomberman showing that premium costumes aren't necessarily reserved for indie characters only, I do not consider an Indie character out of the question. Nintendo loves their indie games so I find it hard to imagine them not giving those games even a consideration. And they've shown particularly fond of Hollow Knight back when the Switch version still had to release and was relatively new and niche, with them really pushing it at E# 2018. Now it's a multi-million seller, will offcially be a franchise, has formed a Japanese following from what I've seen (tho how big it is I'm not sure) and has been held to high regard as a Metroidvania title. While there do exist indies which more fan-demand and seniority, Hollow Knight being a rising star in the indie scene gives it a "now or never/strike while the iron's hot" opportunity that games like Touhou or Cave Story wouldn't have to worry about. Nintendo and Sakurai did go for characters like Joker and Byleth, which might've not happened if the timing were different. They could look back on IPs like Shantae, Undertale and maybe even Shovel Knight as well but those ships might've already sailed depending on the circumstances and I'd see Nintendo giving the new guys from Team Cherry a chance.
• Rayman: ...Talking about this character does feel a bit awkward after allegations on his creator but whatever, that will neither take away from his chances nor my want for him. I'm sure Ubisoft will take custody of him and give him a comeback eventually instead of loweringhimfurtherintohisgravepleasesdon'tprovemewrong. Anyway, nobody needs to mention Nintendo and Ubisofts being buddy buddy since we all are aware of that, as are we with their involvement in Smash. Rayman starring in both Ultimate and Smash 4... as a collectable. Weird, Ubisoft seems more than content with having Rayman in Smash (He's the only IP of theirs in Smash 4, not even the Rabbids weirdly enough) yet they've never commited to him as a fighter so far. Surely they could've gone for a costume atleast. It wouldn't have been impossible since we now have weirder stuff with Creeper, yet even with Ubisoft costumes there, Rayman wasn't included. Hmmm... I know some might disagree but it seems to me like Ubisoft would really prefer having Rayman playable, so I'd say his chances really hinge on Ubisoft getting a spot in the pass, solidifying Nintendo's and Ubisoft's bond further. I know he isn't popular in Japan, tho I'd argue his western popularity balances that fact out. Having some decent ballot support back in the day. (if that's still being used) I often like to compare him to Banjo-Kazooie, beloved platformer mascots their parent companies don't do much with yet wouldn't mind in Smash, that through solid demand and good relationships actually made it in over more mainstream choices.
• ....right I need a fourth character. With my top 3 out of the way I guess I'll use nonbiased logic and reasoning here and predict we're getting the Monster Hunter. Like Dragon Quest, it's a franchise popular with Japanese audiences that Nintendo seems to push at every opportunity possible, the latest Parters Direct being a huge example of that. No suprise really, Monster Hunter tmk seems to be Capcom's second most succesfull series and MHW is their best selling. I've argued because of the RE spirit event that just because a third-party IP is huge it doesn't mean it get's a spot on the roster, tho Steve might have made me eat my words regarding that. In the past I've also expressed the Rathalos boss/Assist as all the MH series would get in Smash but I'm aware how much more potential that series has and I honestly don't see Nintendo satisfied with just Rathalos and some potential returning costumes anymore. The franchise is hugely popular, relevant on Nintendo systems, is no stranger to crossovers and the Hunter would undeniably have a unique moveset/playstyle. Any statements I may have previously said about comparing them to Byleth I also retract. Not that I actually want Monster Hunter, but it just really makes sense right now.
• Honourable mentions to Rex, Crash and Hayabusa. The top 3 likeliest characters according to this thread. Ain't I a rebel?

The Knight (Hollow Knight) x20

 

[Lionfranky]

My Predictions: Rex and Pyra. Sakurai has said he would have added them given time, he did it with an arms character so this feels inevitable. Probably the safest pick.
Heavy TF2 or doomguy: I think a shooter character would be super interesting especially as niche as heavy, but I really think he's the most likely valve rep and I think it will happen. Doomguy, could really be interesting and doom would be nice to see repped. Some may ask why I leave off the chief but he's just not interesting, he's just kinda a dude with guns, while his games are influential I don't think there's much to note, his moveset wouldn't be much different to that of "call of duty man".
A pokemon: a lame addition imo but a likely one. Honestly not much to note here. just any pokemon, give em moves, done.
Waluigi(or some mario rep): Here's the thing, while I'm well aware he's an assist trophy I also don't care. It's mario's 35th anniversary I think a rep is really inevitable.


Anyway, these are my picks, agree disagree. I think this would be a nice bundle of characters.




Characters I don't think/don't want to happen
The master chief: I've already gone over this one. GUN MAN isn't enough for a moveset on its own.
Geno: Geno is a character that's requested in smash because he's always been requested. people play Mario RPG because they heard people want geno in smash. He's a niche character from a niche game over 30 years ago.
Another anime swordy boy: I mean this post rex and pyra, I understand this is broad but we have so much of the same artstyle and if rex and pyra get in we really really won't need another.
Pokemon from previous gens: No. We have enough of those, I'm not even a fan of adding a new pokemon but I think it's likely. However I really don't see another one coming.
Crash bandicoot: Not only do I think the crash games boring I think a crash moveset would be too. But then again I said the same thing about steve so maybe I'm wrong here.

So how is Heavy any different? Minigun is all he has going for, right? All he does is stand there and pull trigger. How is that interesting?

 

[Mr. MR]

- Capcom rep: I think it's pretty much toss up between Dante and Phoenix Wright. People bring Monster Hunter rep due to Rise. Frankly, I'm not so sure. Other series can also go for promotion especially with DMC's recent port. I think MH would've already had playable character with Rathalos in base game. MH is different from ARMS because it's third party. There are only select few for obvious shill/promotion.

Well, as far as I know, Monster Hunter is the only 3rd party title to get its own Nintendo Direct. If this wasn't Nintendo shilling for MonHun I don't know what is. Personally I think it proves that Nintendo sees a lot of potential in the series in the West as it's already a monster hit in Japan.

So how is Heavy any different? Minigun is all he has going for, right? All he does is stand there and pull trigger. How is that interesting?

Well he does have boxing gloves, mittens that make you laugh, a sandvich, shotguns, and a grappling hook.
Personally, I lean more towards the Soldier but I can see the Heavy's minigun take up a lot of his moveset.
But you are right that being slow and standing still to shoot people isn't that fun of a mechanic in a fighting game. But who knows? I think Sakurai has the ability to make it interesting.

 

[SharkLord]

So how is Heavy any different? Minigun is all he has going for, right? All he does is stand there and pull trigger. How is that interesting?

Because Heavy, that's why. His Sandvich says so.

 

[fogbadge]

I agree to an extent. But Nintendo seems to be making a bigger deal out of this one. Maybe I'm crazy. But this pass is so unpredictable, this is the safest bet. Honestly tho, it will be interesting to see what sakurai does. He's made this dlc, for better or worse, unpredictable.

maybe but theres a fair number of anniversaries coming up

although nobody seems to think we'll get a gen 8 pokemon for their anniversary. just cause its what pokemon does

 

[TCT~Phantom]

Day over

Today, we are rating Klonoa. While his series is small, it has charmed many and there are rumors of a remake/new game. Rate Klonoa in chance and want.

Tomorrow we are revisiting Final Fantasy. Instead of ****king Tidus, we have everyone's favorite shopkeeper, the Moogle. Predict Moogle's chance.

 

[fogbadge]

Day over

Today, we are rating Klonoa. While his series is small, it has charmed many and there are rumors of a remake/new game. Rate Klonoa in chance and want.

Tomorrow we are revisiting Final Fantasy. Instead of ****king Tidus, we have everyone's favorite shopkeeper, the Moogle. Predict Moogle's chance.

ooh moogle, awesome

ahem, im gonna abstain as ive never played kolona and nominate chibi-robo x5

 

[Perkilator]

Caddicarus still can’t pronounce this game

Abstain. I saw a little bit of Caddy’s revisit back in 2019, and that’s it. I know virtually nothing about this series.

Moogle: 70%

Noms:
Sakura Shinguji x5

 

[TCT~Phantom]

Klonoa

1% Chance

Sorry little guy, but Namco is weird for third parties. You would think given the treatment Sega, Capcom, Microsoft, Square, and Konami have gotten, a second Namco rep would be inevitable. And yet... nothing so far. Even if we do get another Namco rep, Klonoa has the deck stacked against him. Chosen Undead, Lloyd Irving, Nightmare, you name it. Bigger Bamco franchises exist than Klonoa, who is much more of a cult classic. Smaller franchises have gotten into smash, but I would argue that Banjo Kazooie, Bayonetta, and Persona all are more successful and in the gaming zeitgeist more. So yeah, sorry little guy. Maybe you could get a cute Mii Gunner costume.

Abstain Want

I have not played the original Klonoa or Klonoa 2. I only played the wii version, which I have heard is not as good. I plan on trying them out, but they are on my backlouge for now. That being said, Klonoa is super cute and I would love to try out his games at a later point. The wii version of Klonoa though was mind numbing. I am gonna say this, easy platformers that I can't dig the movement of melt my brain. It is why I am not the biggest Kirby fan. I played all five Starfy games... and they were a cakewalk. I found Klonoa so painfully easy that it made me apprehensive to trying the games out. That being said, I do not have enough experience with the series, so I am abstaining.

Coco as Crash's echo x 10

 

[Sari]

Some songs to get into the Klonoa mood:

Spoiler: Klonoa Music

Also here is the link to the official RTC Discord server

-----

I'm going to abstain completely today. I plan to look into the Klonoa series very soon but right now I don't know much about it.

Moogle chance prediction: 1.84%

Nominations:
BotW Zelda x5

 

[3DSNinja]

It's time boys, for best boy Klonoa
Chance: 1%:
...He could happen, but I doubt it. Unless the Klonoa Encore rumors are true, there'd be no reason for Bamco to put him in over the more requested and popular Dark Souls and Tales of characters...I doubt we'll get our favorite cabbit in Smash Bros.
Want: 100%:
The Klonoa series is one of my favorites, and I have a huge soft spot for it. The gameplay is fun and easy to get into, the stories are tragic and emotional and WHY AM I CRYING AT THIS GAME? and the music is amazing.. ..please give us a new Klonoa Namco. Please.
Nominations: Hajime Hinata x5

 

[DrifloonEmpire]

Klonoa

Chance: 5% - Klonoa, during his heyday, had a good showing on Nintendo systems and did relatively well for its' time. Furthermore, Klonoa had a trademark last December for Klonoa Encore, part of a series of Namco remasters that started with Katamari Damacy Reroll and this June continued with Mr. Driller Drilland, so clearly Klonoa is on Namco's mind to a degree! Though two big issues plague Klonoa, which are timing and competition.

In regards to timing, even if Klonoa's remaster were to come out this year, Namco hasn't done much lately to promote it, and negotiations for Pass #2 were decided a year ago, so he very well may have missed the deadline. While negotiating for him would be extremely easy (and wouldn't take the five years that it took for Steve) I don't think he's really been on Namco's mind until development on the possible remaster started.

The second is competition. I've already discussed this many times on other Namco characterrs so I'll keep it brief. With the remaster being not revealed, it has to contend with much bigger and still-going Namco franchises like Tales of, Katamari, Taiko no Tatsujin, Soul Calibur, Dark Souls, and much much more. Alongside that, Namco's been very conservative with its' character additions, having just Pac-Man after three character cycles. Combine these things and the odds are not currently in Klonoa's favor.

That being said, we seem to have a pattern going of one returning Smash 4 3rd party Mii Costume with every character in FP2. if this trend continues and Lloyd's costume shows up then that's the two big pillars of Namco deconfirmed, and it becomes a free-for-all of the remaining characters. Which in turn does help Klonoa!

Want: 10% - I have to unfortunately give him a low score due to my most wanted being another Namco character (Prince of All Cosmos) so any other Namco character would effectively deconfirm him. However, I do really like Klonoa's design and the themes of his franchise. He has a very whimsical Sonic-esque design and I think he'd make for a fun addition! The Namco characters I like tend to me more of the underdogs (but still viable underdogs, this one not being one of them) of Namco's collection, and hopefully one of them overcomes the odds!


Nominations:
Don-chan x10

Predictions:
Moogle - 1.68%

 

[BowserKing]

Kloana

Chance: 10%. I think Kloana has a slight chance of showing up, more likely as a spirit in a spirit event, but who knows who will show up. But it’s more likely that Lloyd would be the second Nampo Rep, but it should not completely remove Kloana’s chance of being in the game.

Want: 85%. Of the Namco characters, Kloana would be my next best choice, and I think Kloana would be fun to play as. I might see a fight between him and Pac-Man or even have an allience against another (representing another company of any choice) team in a fight. Overall, Kloana would be an great choice for a Smash Bros Rep.

Prediction: Moggle (5%)

Noms: 5 for Stage: Bowser’s Castle

 

[GoodGrief741]

Spoiler: Nominations post-Fighter Pass 2 predictions pre-Klonoa

Billy Hatcher x210
Sakura Shinguji x200
Concept: Content from currently unreleased game (not Spirit Events) (as of May 17th 2020) x195
Zelda (BotW universe) x195
The Stretchers x190
Jason Frudnick & SOPHIA x180
Alex Mason x175

200 - 151

Concept: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon content x171
Amiya (Arknights) x170

150 - 101

[Rerate] Frisk x150
Hades (Kid Icarus) x150
Neptune (Hyperdimension Neptunia) x135
Red (Angry Birds) x125
Arthur (Ghosts 'n Goblins) x125
Mii Costume: Jill Stingray x124
Concept: A Microsoft rep that isn't Steve or Master Chief x120
Concept: A Bravely Default character x120
D.Va x115

100 - 51

Zero (Mega Man) x95
Mii Costume: Alex Kidd x93
[Rerate] Maxwell x90
Concept: Second F-Zero rep x89
Boss: Ender Dragon x83
Concept: Darksiders rep x80
Sackboy x80
Riptor x80
Fulgore x79
Concept: More ATs as one new item x75
Stage: Bowser's Castle x71
[Rerate] Concept: Boss Rush x70
Concept: Rocket League rep x70
Giygas x65
Impa (Age of Calamity) x65
Dwight Fairfield (Dead by Daylight) x60
Echo: Coco (Crash) x60
Concept: SNES-era Final Fantasy rep x55
Concept: Fortnite character x55
Gooigi x55
Vi (Bug Fables) x55
[Rerate] Chibi-Robo x55
Boss: Rayquaza x55
Echo (Olimar) x51

50 - 25

Echo: Zeraora (Lucario) x50
[Rerate] Jin Kazama x50
Magolor x50
John Marston x50
Jin Sakai x50
[Rerate] Monokuma x50
Ghirahim x50
Hajime Hinata x45
Miriam x45
Adol Christin x40
[Rerate] Concept: New Zelda character x30

Under 25

Ryza (Atelier) x20
[Rerate] The Knight x20
Tetra x15
Yarn Yoshi x15
Don-chan x15
Tetris x10
Cynthia (Pokémon) x5
Concept: Rocket League content x5
[Rerate] Thrall x5
Stage: Tetris x5

Yesterday 20 noms were in play for everyone, and not everyone got 'em. As a result, we have a big shakeup in the top seven. Billy Hatcher rolled past 200 noms and took the lead. Sakura Shinguji passed The Stretchers, Zelda, and Content from currently unreleased game and is now in second place. Amiya blinked and got taken out by Jason Frudnick & SOPHIA, who also passed Alex Mason and ended the day in sixth place. And the week's just starting!

Concept: A Bravely Default character gains over 100 noms.

Impa and Echo: Coco dash past 50 noms.

Adol Christin slashes his way out of the under 25 club.

For today's newcomers, we have a rerate of the Concept: New Zelda character, starting out at 30 noms; a rerate of The Knight, with 20 noms; and Stage: Tetris, with 5 noms.

 

[DanganZilla5]

Lord of the Ring

Chance: 4%

The first Klonoa game, Door to Phantomile from 1997, was a notable game for its time. In an era where 3D gaming was all the rage, Klonoa decided to keep the spirit of 2D while still keeping relevancy in the birth of the 3D period. The gameplay of Klonoa is 2.5D, that means that Klonoa moves along a 2D line, but he is actually in a 3D world where he can interact with the background and foreground.

Klonoa's main asset is his ring, which has the ability to grab opponents from a distance. While holding onto an enemy, Klonoa can either fling them forward, into the background, or into the foreground. He can also jump then throw the enemies down to gain more height. This combination of 2D and 3D gameplay is simple, but allows for unique level designs. Klonoa can get items in the background by throwing an enemy at them, he can traverse vertically to get to an area that was previously seen in the background, and enemies can jump in from the foreground. Thus, Klonoa's world feels lively, expansive, and it makes the player truly feel like they are exploring the world instead of just traveling in one direction for the entirety of the journey.

After the first game, Klonoa would later go on to get a sequel on the PS2, a remake on the Wii, and a bunch of games on handheld systems including Nintendo ones. Most people who touch a Klonoa game will get charmed by them. Klonoa himself fits perfectly in a Nintendo centric crossover. He is adorable and has a lot of personality, and those traits match his games. The stage would be bright and filled with many zany enemies that populate Phantomile when there is trouble brewing. The music is great. It's cheery, ambient and gives you that adventure feeling. Some of it also gets you pumped up.

As mentioned before, Klonoa attacks enemies by grabbing and throwing them, so he would have a grappling centric moveset. After seeing what Sakurai has done with Steve, there is some potential crazy stuff they could do with Klonoa. They could make it so that powerups appear in the background and Klonoa would have to grab his opponent then throw them at the powerup, which would activate it for Klonoa while doing some damage to the enemy. Klonoa could also be unique in the fact that he has one jump, but if he grabs an opponent, he can then slam them down, doing damage to the enemy while Klonoa gets a major boost in height. He could also do this in midair so if someone tried to spike Klonoa, he could grab them then do his "double jump" and push them into the blast zone.

So, Klonoa is a classic platforming character that fits right in with the likes of Mario, Pac Man, and Mega Man. So he is all good right? Well, unfortunately, I don't see him being all that likely. First, his series has been dormant since 2008 which is a hit for any character. Klonoa does make it up for being recognizable to an extent, though even comparing him to the lesser known third party characters like Terry, he is even smaller by comparison. He does have a good amount of requests, I'll give him that. But my main concern is the fact that he is owned by Bamco. They have been chilling in the background while almost every other third party company has been getting multiple characters. And they are the ones making the game! While I think it's likely we will see a character from them, it's also likely we could easily see nothing else from them. And even if they get another character, they have Tales Of, Dark Souls, Digimon, and Soul Calibur. Not very good odds I must say.

Many will point out that there is strong evidence of a new game of some kind coming. But honestly, I think we are getting to the point where if a game hasn't been in development for at least a year, there is a good chance that Nintendo may not have been aware of this when choosing the characters, and thus this is a non-factor. To be fair, we don't know when negotiations happen and this could have been planned for a long time. But even if there is a game coming to the Switch and Nintendo has known about it for a long time, would they pick Klonoa? I can't give a confident yes when they likely have other bigger priorities. Sure, we've had smaller series get in, but would Nintendo care enough about a series that has been dormant for a long time and was never super successful? And Klonoa doesn't have a large amount of requests to compensate for this. Bamco does care about Klonoa still as he has guest appeared in several of their games over the years, but they aren't choosing the characters so I can't even say this is much of a factor.

Overall, as much as it pains me to say, I don't think Klonoa has much of a shot. I think he might pique Sakurai's interest, but I just don't see Nintendo going for this one.


Want: 93%

But despite all that, I still want Klonoa in Smash badly. He is absolutely adorable and has cool moveset potential that will further expand what is possible in Smash. The music is great, a stage would be neat, and Klonoa fits right in. I did play Klonoa 2 as a kid and recently I got the Wiimake and I instantly fell in love with it. The game has so much charm and the level design is creative. With the rumors of a new game, I hope that Klonoa will finally find a good-sized audience and he will flourish in the future. But for now, he will remain a classic character in my eyes and many other peoples'. The only reason this isn't higher is because I do want Nightmare and Agumon a little bit more. But my god, I would love Klonoa in Smash. He is an underdog, someone that is easy to root for, and to see him immortalized in Smash would be a dream come true.

Prediction: Moogle - 4%

Noms: Arthur x10

 

[chocolatejr9]

Klonoa

Chance: 5%
I'll admit, this is a little generous. That new trademark has been showing up a bunch, so I wouldn't be TOO surprised if there was a fire with that smoke. However, that's really the only thing going for him. His series has been dead since the Wii days, and Namco is... a bit of an enigma with Smash. I can't help but feel like there's a reason why they haven't gotten a new character since Pac-Man despite making the games.
Want: 90%
I'll admit, I've never played his games. However, there's just something about this guy that really intrigues me. It might be due to how the series can handle dark subject matter without resorting to being "moody" or "edgy", which I'm all for. Plus, I know a lot of people want this series to make a comeback, so it'd be nice for them, y'know. Now all I can do is hope that Klonoa Encore becomes a reality so I can play it myself...

Nominations: Billy Hatcher x10

 

[GoodGrief741]

Kloana, friend of Issac, Llyod and Laura Croft

Chance: 5%
This score is just because of the very strong indications that a remake is coming. For Katamari and Mr. Driller, successful and series to get new releases on modern systems makes sense. But Klonoa, a series Namco expressed little faith in financially and whose last game flopped, getting a new title, even if a remake, to me suggests a future. Since Bandai Namco is developing the game, I can see them requesting Klonoa. But honestly, right now, with Lloyd's costume having a good chance of returning, I think Bamco will walk away empty handed.

Want: 10%
I can't bring myself to think Klonoa deserves a spot. It's nothing more than a cult series that never got tons of acclaim or anything. And I've never even played any of the games (though they seem like I'd enjoy them). But the guy's cute, and I can sympathize with the series' cult following. Plus I've actually seen some demand, more than a series of this size has any right to have, so I'd probably accept him.

Noms: Jason & SOPHIA x10
Moogle prediction: 7.61%

 

[SharkLord]

Oh boy oh boy oh boy
My entire time here has led up to this. I know as well as anyone that Klonoa's unlikely as ****, but that won't stop me from gushing. Just give me a moment to post my full writeup.

 

[fogbadge]

Lord of the Ring

Chance: 4%

The first Klonoa game, Door to Phantomile from 1997, was a notable game for its time. In an era where 3D gaming was all the rage, Klonoa decided to keep the spirit of 2D while still keeping relevancy in the birth of the 3D period. The gameplay of Klonoa is 2.5D, that means that Klonoa moves along a 2D line, but he is actually in a 3D world where he can interact with the background and foreground.

Klonoa's main asset is his ring, which has the ability to grab opponents from a distance. While holding onto an enemy, Klonoa can either fling them forward, into the background, or into the foreground. He can also jump then throw the enemies down to gain more height. This combination of 2D and 3D gameplay is simple, but allows for unique level designs. Klonoa can get items in the background by throwing an enemy at them, he can traverse vertically to get to an area that was previously seen in the background, and enemies can jump in from the foreground. Thus, Klonoa's world feels lively, expansive, and it makes the player truly feel like they are exploring the world instead of just traveling in one direction for the entirety of the journey.

After the first game, Klonoa would later go on to get a sequel on the PS2, a remake on the Wii, and a bunch of games on handheld systems including Nintendo ones. Most people who touch a Klonoa game will get charmed by them. Klonoa himself fits perfectly in a Nintendo centric crossover. He is adorable and has a lot of personality, and those traits match his games. The stage would be bright and filled with many zany enemies that populate Phantomile when there is trouble brewing. The music is great. It's cheery, ambient and gives you that adventure feeling. Some of it also gets you pumped up.

As mentioned before, Klonoa attacks enemies by grabbing and throwing them, so he would have a grappling centric moveset. After seeing what Sakurai has done with Steve, there is some potential crazy stuff they could do with Klonoa. They could make it so that powerups appear in the background and Klonoa would have to grab his opponent then throw them at the powerup, which would activate it for Klonoa while doing some damage to the enemy. Klonoa could also be unique in the fact that he has one jump, but if he grabs an opponent, he can then slam them down, doing damage to the enemy while Klonoa gets a major boost in height. He could also do this in midair so if someone tried to spike Klonoa, he could grab them then do his "double jump" and push them into the blast zone.

So, Klonoa is a classic platforming character that fits right in with the likes of Mario, Pac Man, and Mega Man. So he is all good right? Well, unfortunately, I don't see him being all that likely. First, his series has been dormant since 2008 which is a hit for any character. Klonoa does make it up for being recognizable to an extent, though even comparing him to the lesser known third party characters like Terry, he is even smaller by comparison. He does have a good amount of requests, I'll give him that. But my main concern is the fact that he is owned by Bamco. They have been chilling in the background while almost every other third party company has been getting multiple characters. And they are the ones making the game! While I think it's likely we will see a character from them, it's also likely we could easily see nothing else from them. And even if they get another character, they have Tales Of, Dark Souls, Digimon, and Soul Calibur. Not very good odds I must say.

Many will point out that there is strong evidence of a new game of some kind coming. But honestly, I think we are getting to the point where if a game hasn't been in development for at least a year, there is a good chance that Nintendo may not have been aware of this when choosing the characters, and thus this is a non-factor. To be fair, we don't know when negotiations happen and this could have been planned for a long time. But even if there is a game coming to the Switch and Nintendo has known about it for a long time, would they pick Klonoa? I can't give a confident yes when they likely have other bigger priorities. Sure, we've had smaller series get in, but would Nintendo care enough about a series that has been dormant for a long time and was never super successful? And Klonoa doesn't have a large amount of requests to compensate for this. Bamco does care about Klonoa still as he has guest appeared in several of their games over the years, but they aren't choosing the characters so I can't even say this is much of a factor.

Overall, as much as it pains me to say, I don't think Klonoa has much of a shot. I think he might pique Sakurai's interest, but I just don't see Nintendo going for this one.


Want: 93%

But despite all that, I still want Klonoa in Smash badly. He is absolutely adorable and has cool moveset potential that will further expand what is possible in Smash. The music is great, a stage would be neat, and Klonoa fits right in. I did play Klonoa 2 as a kid and recently I got the Wiimake and I instantly fell in love with it. The game has so much charm and the level design is creative. With the rumors of a new game, I hope that Klonoa will finally find a good-sized audience and he will flourish in the future. But for now, he will remain a classic character in my eyes and many other peoples'. The only reason this isn't higher is because I do want Nightmare and Agumon a little bit more. But my god, I would love Klonoa in Smash. He is an underdog, someone that is easy to root for, and to see him immortalized in Smash would be a dream come true.

Prediction: Moogle - 4%

Noms: Arthur x10

say have we ever rated qbby?

 

[GoodGrief741]

say have we ever rated qbby?

Surprisingly, no, we haven't.

 

[Karp Man]

I messed something up and I don't know how to delete a post so, here we are.

 

[Jomosensual]

Spoiler: Nominations post-Fighter Pass 2 predictions pre-Klonoa

Billy Hatcher x210
Sakura Shinguji x200
Concept: Content from currently unreleased game (not Spirit Events) (as of May 17th 2020) x195
Zelda (BotW universe) x195
The Stretchers x190
Jason Frudnick & SOPHIA x180
Alex Mason x175

200 - 151

Concept: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon content x171
Amiya (Arknights) x170

150 - 101

[Rerate] Frisk x150
Hades (Kid Icarus) x150
Neptune (Hyperdimension Neptunia) x135
Red (Angry Birds) x125
Arthur (Ghosts 'n Goblins) x125
Mii Costume: Jill Stingray x124
Concept: A Microsoft rep that isn't Steve or Master Chief x120
Concept: A Bravely Default character x120
D.Va x115

100 - 51

Zero (Mega Man) x95
Mii Costume: Alex Kidd x93
[Rerate] Maxwell x90
Concept: Second F-Zero rep x89
Boss: Ender Dragon x83
Concept: Darksiders rep x80
Sackboy x80
Riptor x80
Fulgore x79
Concept: More ATs as one new item x75
Stage: Bowser's Castle x71
[Rerate] Concept: Boss Rush x70
Concept: Rocket League rep x70
Giygas x65
Impa (Age of Calamity) x65
Dwight Fairfield (Dead by Daylight) x60
Echo: Coco (Crash) x60
Concept: SNES-era Final Fantasy rep x55
Concept: Fortnite character x55
Gooigi x55
Vi (Bug Fables) x55
[Rerate] Chibi-Robo x55
Boss: Rayquaza x55
Echo (Olimar) x51

50 - 25

Echo: Zeraora (Lucario) x50
[Rerate] Jin Kazama x50
Magolor x50
John Marston x50
Jin Sakai x50
[Rerate] Monokuma x50
Ghirahim x50
Hajime Hinata x45
Miriam x45
Adol Christin x40
[Rerate] Concept: New Zelda character x30

Under 25

Ryza (Atelier) x20
[Rerate] The Knight x20
Tetra x15
Yarn Yoshi x15
Don-chan x15
Tetris x10
Cynthia (Pokémon) x5
Concept: Rocket League content x5
[Rerate] Thrall x5
Stage: Tetris x5

Yesterday 20 noms were in play for everyone, and not everyone got 'em. As a result, we have a big shakeup in the top seven. Billy Hatcher rolled past 200 noms and took the lead. Sakura Shinguji passed The Stretchers, Zelda, and Content from currently unreleased game and is now in second place. Amiya blinked and got taken out by Jason Frudnick & SOPHIA, who also passed Alex Mason and ended the day in sixth place. And the week's just starting!

Concept: A Bravely Default character gains over 100 noms.

Impa and Echo: Coco dash past 50 noms.

Adol Christin slashes his way out of the under 25 club.

For today's newcomers, we have a rerate of the Concept: New Zelda character, starting out at 30 noms; a rerate of The Knight, with 20 noms; and Stage: Tetris, with 5 noms.

How far into the week are we? The reveal and presentation threw me off a bit

 

[DanganZilla5]

Vault Boy

Chance: 60%

Want 99%

He's the mascot of my favorite game series and represents all the games. Plus Nintendo and Bethesda have been buddy-buddy with Skyrim coming to switch and Vault Boy getting a Mii Costume. With Microsofts recent purchase of Bethesda this could also help him, as we already have 2 charecters owned by Microsoft

Hope I formatted that right!

........I'm assuming you are not aware of how this thread works.

 

[Calamitas]

Vault Boy

Chance: 60%

Want 99%

He's the mascot of my favorite game series and represents all the games. Plus Nintendo and Bethesda have been buddy-buddy with Skyrim coming to switch and Vault Boy getting a Mii Costume. With Microsofts recent purchase of Bethesda this could also help him, as we already have 2 charecters owned by Microsoft

Hope I formatted that right!

Sorry, but that's not how this thread works. We don't come in here to rate whatever character comes to mind, but rather have set days where everyone rates one character in particular. At the end of the day, those ratings for chance and want are tallied, so that we get an overall score. Today's Klonoa's turn to be rated, as the thread's current title quite clearly says.

 

[Jomosensual]

Klonoa

Chance 5 - I've kinda given up on BN getting another character in Ultimate. Why could Klonoa though? First, while I don't have him in the more likely side with the likes of Nightmare, Agumon, and Lloyd(the 2 former aren't even that likely imo) I think there is at least a little going for him. That of course are the rumors of a new game. That gives him something over the likes of others who've been discussed at the very least. Could actually see this happening if Namco seemed like they had any real interest in putting their own characters in the game though. Maybe not in Ultimate mind you, but some day down the line. Instead though they seem content with just Pac Man and for now Lloyd seems like the front runner should we ever get anyone else.

Want 10 - Eh, IDK about this one. Not really that big of a fan of the character and there's a lot of others I'd rather have from BN. Haven't played the games so that is subject to change but what I know about him doesn't really interest me. Kinda comes down to me being more interested in other BN characters a lot more as well, especially the top 3 I mentioned above.

Predictions:
Moogle - 1.42%

Noms
Non Steve/Chief Microsoft rep x 10

 

[PeridotGX]

Do we really want to add another klone?

Chance - 1%. I don't think we're getting another Namco character. The companies that got characters had their costume with the character (Sega, Square, SNK), and the companies that didn't had their costumes come with unrelated characters (Capcom, Konami, Toby Fox). Namco costumes have started showing up with unrelated characters, so that's not good news for Klonoa (or other Namco characters). Besides, I don't see a good reason for them to choose Klonoa over a Tekken, Tales, or even another retro character (such as Dig Dug).

Want: Abstain. I've never played a Klonoa game. They do sound intresting, I'm gonna look into getti-

oh. Guess that's not happening anytime soon. Hoping those remake rumors are true.

Noms: Maxwell x5

 

[fogbadge]

Surprisingly, no, we haven't.

better start nominating him after chibi

or try and earn 10 noms and nominate them both

 

[SharkLord]

Do we really want to add another klone?

Chance - 1%. I don't think we're getting another Namco character. The companies that got characters had their costume with the character (Sega, Square, SNK), and the companies that didn't had their costumes come with unrelated characters (Capcom, Konami, Toby Fox). Namco costumes have started showing up with unrelated characters, so that's not good news for Klonoa (or other Namco characters). Besides, I don't see a good reason for them to choose Klonoa over a Tekken, Tales, or even another retro character (such as Dig Dug).

Want: Abstain. I've never played a Klonoa game. They do sound intresting, I'm gonna look into getti-
View attachment 288507
oh. Guess that's not happening anytime soon. Hoping those remake rumors are true.

Noms: Maxwell x5

$1,499.00

Okay, I knew these games were expensive, but I didn't realize they were that expensive. I know it's brand-new, but geez.

 

[Lyncario]

Klonoa
Chances: 2%
Not very high, yeah. And there's multiple reason to it too. One of them is that I don't think a Bamco rep after Heihachi getting Mii'ed is likely, another is that, well, even without the scary old badass man, there's still Lloyd who got a decent ammount of request for quite a while, Yuri who is extremly popular in Japan, Dark Souls, if it's in the running Digimon, Taiko Drum Drum, and Soul Calibur. So sorry to say that Klonoa isn't really of any caliber compared to them, though I guess that he is in a better position than say KOS-MOS if the rumors of Klonoa Encore are true, since Xenosaga wasn't succesfull enough to get a remaster. So yeah, a sadly very low rating for him since he's just far too outdone by almost anyone in his own company.

Want: 45%
I'm like neutral on him but he looks cute and has cool Wind based ability so that's cool and give him cookie points in my book, I especialy like how cute his Pac-Man hair pin is, like that's just adorable. But yeah, otherwise, I never played a Klonoa game in my life, and probably won't for a while even if the rumors for Klonoa Encore are true since for now my eyes are on other games, and even if we keep it to platformers, what I saw of Balan Wonderland just fascinates me. But hey, If it's cheap I might as well take it if I find the occasion to do so.

Prediction
Moogle: 1.14%

Nomination: Hades x5

 

[TCT~Phantom]

Oh boy oh boy oh boy
My entire time here has led up to this. I know as well as anyone that Klonoa's unlikely as ****, but that won't stop me from gushing. Just give me a moment to post my full writeup.

I know you said that this would be your swansong to RTC. First off, I would love you to stay but if that is your choice, I won't stop you. Your posts were a highlight of the thread to me. I hope the write up is gonna be good and I hope ya at least stick around in the discord server.

 

[GoodGrief741]

How far into the week are we? The reveal and presentation threw me off a bit

This is actually the first day of the week. Last week ended with SMT and then we had FP7 predictions, satisfaction (which was stretched to include the presentation), and the Pass prediction day.

 

[Phoenix Douchebag]

Klonoa? Klonow? KLONOOOOAAAAAAAAAA..

Chance: 1%

I wish i could give this poor little guy a bigger chance. Despite having a loyal cult following, he has never managed to become a mascot of high pedigree, i always atribute this to his game coming out after the industry slowly turned away from Cartoony Mascot Platformers like Sonic and Crash and went for EDGY stuff. It's clear when you look at the only that succedded was the first one, and it wasn't a breakout hit by all means either. It also doesn't help that they didn't really market him that much, esepcially outside of Japan.

Nevermind he has to compete with ****ing Lloyd Irving, that is a death sentence right there. (.....and Kos-Mos................ i guess?)

Want: 25%

I have NEVER TOUCHED a singel Klonoa game in my life, and unless i start emulating PS1 games i likely never will, but i have to say, looking at this character, it's less like "i wish this character was in Smash" and more "i Wish Klonoa was a game A-Lister". Im tired of people talking about "mature" m-rated characters or anime waifu trash, so to see this type character would be a welcome sight in my eyes, it's just too sad that his series has been unfairly mistreated.

It's like Bomberman, but without the large legacy around him. Still a cool addition though.

 

[Blankiturayman]

Klonoa

Chance: 5%
Most of his disadvantages have already been mentioned from what I've read, but still: Sadly enough, I think he doesn't measure up to the rest of the Bamco characters they could go with. Even with that in mind, the series has not been doing so hot for quite a while. I know there's been some rumors of a remake or something of the sort (that would be very nice) but even with those I'd imagine the chances are slim. Nonetheless, he definitely isn't without his merit should they ever decide to add him, the series has been around for long, had its time in the limelight for a while though not that big, it was enough to generate a small following that lasts even now, even if it's to a smaller degree. The game upon release was also pretty unique from the start, what with its 2.5D style and whatnot. To add to this a little, years ago, when Klonoa was newer, he made it into Namco X Capcom, which was pretty nice. Who knows, maybe he'll get a Mii Costume at the very least. If Goemon can, why not Klonoa?

Want: 60%
I haven't tried much Klonoa myself though I do mean to, but I'd like seeing the guy. He's got charm, and from what I can tell he'd be a pretty fun fighter. He could use his ring in various ways. Namco in general has a lot of nice characters that could be added, like him and Dig Dug. Plus I always like the "dream" motif in games, like with Kirby, NiGHTS and Rayman, so by default I like him a bit more. Overall, he would be pretty good.

Noms: Adol Christin x10
Prediction: Moogle gets a 2%.

 

[NintenRob]

Abstain

Nominate content from currently unreleased game x5

 

[BlueEyedGrimmbat]

I'd abstain, but...

Spoiler: Nominations post-Fighter Pass 2 predictions pre-Klonoa

Billy Hatcher x210
Sakura Shinguji x200
Concept: Content from currently unreleased game (not Spirit Events) (as of May 17th 2020) x195
Zelda (BotW universe) x195
The Stretchers x190
Jason Frudnick & SOPHIA x180
Alex Mason x175

200 - 151

Concept: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon content x171
Amiya (Arknights) x170

150 - 101

[Rerate] Frisk x150
Hades (Kid Icarus) x150
Neptune (Hyperdimension Neptunia) x135
Red (Angry Birds) x125
Arthur (Ghosts 'n Goblins) x125
Mii Costume: Jill Stingray x124
Concept: A Microsoft rep that isn't Steve or Master Chief x120
Concept: A Bravely Default character x120
D.Va x115

100 - 51

Zero (Mega Man) x95
Mii Costume: Alex Kidd x93
[Rerate] Maxwell x90
Concept: Second F-Zero rep x89
Boss: Ender Dragon x83
Concept: Darksiders rep x80
Sackboy x80
Riptor x80
Fulgore x79
Concept: More ATs as one new item x75
Stage: Bowser's Castle x71
[Rerate] Concept: Boss Rush x70
Concept: Rocket League rep x70
Giygas x65
Impa (Age of Calamity) x65
Dwight Fairfield (Dead by Daylight) x60
Echo: Coco (Crash) x60
Concept: SNES-era Final Fantasy rep x55
Concept: Fortnite character x55
Gooigi x55
Vi (Bug Fables) x55
[Rerate] Chibi-Robo x55
Boss: Rayquaza x55
Echo (Olimar) x51

50 - 25

Echo: Zeraora (Lucario) x50
[Rerate] Jin Kazama x50
Magolor x50
John Marston x50
Jin Sakai x50
[Rerate] Monokuma x50
Ghirahim x50
Hajime Hinata x45
Miriam x45
Adol Christin x40
[Rerate] Concept: New Zelda character x30

Under 25

Ryza (Atelier) x20
[Rerate] The Knight x20
Tetra x15
Yarn Yoshi x15
Don-chan x15
Tetris x10
Cynthia (Pokémon) x5
Concept: Rocket League content x5
[Rerate] Thrall x5
Stage: Tetris x5

Yesterday 20 noms were in play for everyone, and not everyone got 'em. As a result, we have a big shakeup in the top seven. Billy Hatcher rolled past 200 noms and took the lead. Sakura Shinguji passed The Stretchers, Zelda, and Content from currently unreleased game and is now in second place. Amiya blinked and got taken out by Jason Frudnick & SOPHIA, who also passed Alex Mason and ended the day in sixth place. And the week's just starting!

Concept: A Bravely Default character gains over 100 noms.

Impa and Echo: Coco dash past 50 noms.

Adol Christin slashes his way out of the under 25 club.

For today's newcomers, we have a rerate of the Concept: New Zelda character, starting out at 30 noms; a rerate of The Knight, with 20 noms; and Stage: Tetris, with 5 noms.

Amiya blinked and got taken out by Jason Frudnick & SOPHIA

I'M SORRY?!?!?!?!

Klonoa:
Chance: 2%
Being one of the more obscure Bandai Namco characters, Klonoa's chances aren't exactly radiant. It's been over a decade since the last Klonoa game, and while the series was well received during its heyday, Klonoa has too much stiff competition from the likes of Tales and Dark Souls to stand a chance. Even in the platforming genre, he's overshadowed hugely by Crash Bandicoot.

Want: 20%
I literally had to look up Klonoa to do this post, and that tells you how much I know about the guy: nothing. But from what I've seen of his abilties he seems pretty cool, so I'd say he's liveable with.

Predictions for Moogle: 9,4%
If we somehow get another Final Fantasy rep, I can say with 99% certainty that it won't be Moogle. They'll likely want to go for another FF main protagonist. Moogle's likely going to get at least a Mii Costume or Spirit, considering they're basically the series mascot, but not playable.

Noms: Amiya x10
Godangit, nobody's taking out Amiya on my watch! Skill 3: Chimera, activate!

 

[waddledeeonredyoshi]

Klonoa high
Chance: 0.75%
This little guy seems to rank so low in priority amongst other Namco characters you could argue even KOS-MOS being likelier. He had no game in over a decade and always remained pretty niche at best. I can't realistically see an outcome where Klonoa gets to be a fighter over somebody from Tales, Dark Souls or Soulcalibur. Best he can hope for is a Mii costume imo.

Want: Abstaining

Moogle: 2.11%
Hades x5