Shantae, the Half Genie Protector of Scuttle Town! (A Switch To A New WayForward)

[Veodok]

At this point there is no denying the facts:
WF silence
Background furniture
Both Skull Kid and Rayman being dropped from the running thanks to credible sources
Cristina V silence
Ballot position
Sakurai using Ballot for choosing new material
The lists goes on and on.
I am literally getting that Palutena vibe from all this if you all know what I mean.

I just meant the "CONFIRM" part of what he was talking about. I agree with everything else.

 

[Shinuto]

Oh it doesn't bother me anymore haha

My main reason to usually tend to play female characters is because they often end up being the only good-looking characters in their series ! ( And NO Waluigi is not handsome lmao )
They are almost always designed beautifully, and I have a thing for beautiful things haha.
In Fire Emblem for exemple, my favorite characters are surprisingly male for the most part because they look equally as good as the gals in these games !

The reason I was drawn in Shantae in the first place was because of her super cool design, then I found out about the amazing universe, music, games ect ect ect she has going for her.

How can you look at THIS and not see the epitome of handsome?

 

[EarlTamm]

How can you look at THIS and not see the epitome of handsome? View attachment 161472

Huh. I just got the mental image of Waluigi and Shantae in a dance off. So that's a thing.

 

[Captain Hazama]

I just meant the "CONFIRM" part of what he was talking about. I agree with everything else.

I would still not consider Rayman or Skull Kid out yet till Daddy Sakurai says other wise.

 

[GoldLiger]

How can you look at THIS and not see the epitome of handsome? View attachment 161472

The thing with Waluigi is that he isn't unique. He doesn't have anything that is unique to him as a character unlike his pseudo brother Wario. Not saying that he can't have a moveset created just for him but Sakurai would like to use stuff he can easily research in a characters history.

 

[Veodok]

I would still not consider Rayman or Skull Kid out yet till Daddy Sakurai says other wise.

Well, see, that's not gonna happen for another three months. And I'm making the infographic now.. Soooooo

 

[TheRandomCities4]

At this point there is no denying the facts:
WF silence
Background furniture
Both Skull Kid and Rayman being dropped from the running thanks to credible sources
Cristina V silence
Ballot position
Sakurai using Ballot for choosing new material
The lists goes on and on.
I am literally getting that Palutena vibe from all this if you all know what I mean.

I didn't follow Palutena last time. Care to elaborate a little on this? I don't want to spend too much time on this topic, but I'm just a little curious.

 

[Shadowknight1]

If we do assume that Skull Kid and Rayman are out of the running, I think these characters still have a reasonable chance. This is assuming that Sakurai is going by the ballot. This doesn't include any random Pokemon/retro/WTF character Sakurai might add.

Issac
Banjo-Kazooie (Assuming they aren't DLC. If they are DLC, then I think Elma is likely to go here)
Geno
Bandana Waddle Dee
Shantae

If we add a Pokemon/retro/WTF character that gives us six more original newcomers, which is what I've been predicting.

I'm starting to believe that we might not get a new Pokemon rep until DLC. We have no reason to believe there is one aside from Vergaben who is sketchy AF. While I'm not getting my hopes up, I have raised Shantae's chances from 50% to 60% as I think she's more likely right now than she was yesterday.

I just hope that if we get a Gen 7 Pokemon that it's NOT Incineroar. Out of all of the Gen 7 Pokemon, that design disappointed me the most. When I read Fire/Dark kitten, I was hoping to get the antithesis of Houndoom, not a WWE Jerk cat.

 

[EarlTamm]

Well, see, that's not gonna happen for another three months. And I'm making the infographic now.. Soooooo

It does not disconfirm them, but it certainly wounds them, though I do imagine Skull Kid fans would raise objections if they were to see it. They don't seem to buy the leak at all.

 

[meleebrawler]

No... Super Indie Goddess Empress Shantae.

Oh you just know they're gonna make a game called Super Shantae. Just wait!

 

[zferolie]

How can you look at THIS and not see the epitome of handsome? View attachment 161472

 

[EarlTamm]

Oh you just know they're gonna make a game called Super Shantae. Just wait!

Funny thing, I was making a reference to DBZ Abridged and you saying Super Shantae just made me imagine Shantae going Super Saiyan.

 

[Captain Hazama]

I just hope that if we get a Gen 7 Pokemon that it's NOT Incineroar. Out of all of the Gen 7 Pokemon, that design disappointed me the most. When I read Fire/Dark kitten, I was hoping to get the antithesis of Houndoom, not a WWE Jerk cat.

Incineroar reminds of some Ben 10 alien that my nephew watches. It looks almost exactly like him.

I want either an Ultra Beast or Zeraora, (even though that pokemon hasn't been released outside Japan yet) from Gen. 7.

 

[zferolie]

I just hope that if we get a Gen 7 Pokemon that it's NOT Incineroar. Out of all of the Gen 7 Pokemon, that design disappointed me the most. When I read Fire/Dark kitten, I was hoping to get the antithesis of Houndoom, not a WWE Jerk cat.

The Gen 7 I want is Decidueye, or Nihilim fused with Lusamine, thought the latter I know will never happen.

Honestly I want Gardevoir the most of any newcomer pokemon

 

[GoldLiger]

I didn't follow Palutena last time. Care to elaborate a little on this? I don't want to spend too much time on this topic, but I'm just a little curious.

Basically what we are doing now is what #Palutena4Smash were doing back in the day. I think some SmashBoards vets here or one of our esteemed guests viewing our conversation could attest to it.

 

[Shadow Novus]

At this point there is no denying the facts:
WF silence
Background furniture
Both Skull Kid and Rayman being dropped from the running thanks to credible sources
Cristina V silence
Ballot position
Sakurai using Ballot for choosing new material
The lists goes on and on.
I am literally getting that Palutena vibe from all this if you all know what I mean.

Oh man, Palutena was the character I wanted most back when Smash 4's pre-release speculation was ongoing. I still remember when she got revealed I was through the roof. But hindsight being 20/20, it seemed kind of a safe bet considering Sakurai was behind Kid Icarus Uprising.

I have a similar feeling going on with Shantae, except I want her waaaay more than I ever did Palutena and this time there's so much more uncertainty.

Honestly if Shantae turns out to be playable I dunno how I'm going to react...there may be tears and a couple of pissed off neighbors from me screaming incoherently in joy xD

 

[Veodok]

It does not disconfirm them, but it certainly wounds them, though I do imagine Skull Kid fans would raise objections if they were to see it. They don't seem to buy the leak at all.

Oh that's what you guys are saying. The paste I gave you uses plenty of conditional statements such as "if this is to be believed" or "if the background hint's were to be for a character" and "Rayman was confirmed as a character in Brawlhala, possibly eliminating him from the Smash roster".

I never said it was a set in stone fact, I'm just saying I can't wait for Sakurai to drop a deconfirmation on possible circumstantial evidence we have now.

 

[EarlTamm]

Oh that's what you guys are saying. The paste I gave you uses plenty of conditional statements such as "if this is to be believed" or "if the background hint's were to be for a character" and "Rayman was confirmed as a character in Brawlhala, possibly eliminating him from the Smash roster".

I never said it was a set in stone fact, I'm just saying I can't wait for Sakurai to drop a deconfirmation on possible circumstantial evidence we have now.

Okay good. I just recall one post from earlier making it all sound so final, so I wanted to make sure.

 

[Shadowknight1]

Funny thing, I was making a reference to DBZ Abridged and you saying Super Shantae just made me imagine Shantae going Super Saiyan.

No... Super Indie Goddess Empress Shantae.

Can I just call her Shantae for short?

 

[Shadow Novus]

Can I just call her Shantae for short?

...Super Indie Goddess Empress Shantae accepts this




I may also be a DBZA fan...

 

[CHAMPIONX9]

Let me know if I'm missing any info before I start.

https://pastebin.com/Y0G3m7Mf

I think there was more stuff.
Apart from that, to be persuasive some amount of elaboration/explanation needs to be made for each point. For example, you need to argue that Wayforward's silence is significant, which has been done before in this thread, but it's not really evident from the pastbin text.

Otherwise people can systematically debunk each point with an alternative explanation. Like the points that "Wayforward is just ashamed" or "every developer has been quiet since the end of the smash ballot", will be used.
1st, the argument needs to be made that Wayforward's silent out of character.
2nd There are legal implications to this silence. It implies a NDA, nondisclosure agreement (not mentioned in the pastbin text surprisingly)
3rd You can go on about how extensive this silence is from the timespan, to nothing from the voice actress, to the interview with James that seemed pretty unusual.

You can then go on how the lack of Shantae in fighting games is not because wayforward doesn't want Shantae in, but because it's more likely that they made an exclusive agreement with Nintendo.

There are lots of details that matter. We've been through many songs and dances, and explored alternatives, so it's clear that the evidence holds up, but if you are seeing the evidence for the first time then you will first question it because you lack context of this discussion.

(Some of the evidence is low tier circumstantial, but I think the core arguments need to be beefed up with details. Otherwise the evidence will have little weight and not count for much.)

Finally these pieces of evidence also need to be synthesized in an "everything comes together" moment. Case solved. I think that's where the infographic would come in.

 

[EarlTamm]

Can I just call her Shantae for short?

Hey, at least it's nor Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan... but yeah, Super Indie goddess Empress Shantae allows this. Or at least I assume she would.

 

[SoupCanMafia]

Oh you just know they're gonna make a game called Super Shantae. Just wait!

Seeing that made me think of this Sonic Mania mod: https://youtu.be/fb6sv8e4TLk?t=2m59s

 

[GoldLiger]

The question people should ask themselves is "If Rayman is a playable fighter in Smash Ultimate, why the heck would we buy Brawlhalla?"

You need to see this from a consumers point of view. Rayman in Brawlhalla is a move to get people to buy that game. Ubisoft knows that putting Rayman in Smash as a playable fighter would hurt the sales of the game they are publishing(Brawlhalla).

Ubisoft would be making the same mistake EA did with the Mass Effect Trilogy and how that game got released around the time Mass Effect 3 for WII U was launched.

 

[SoupCanMafia]

The question people should ask themselves is "If Rayman is a playable fighter in Smash Ultimate, why the heck would we buy Brawlhalla?"

You need to see this from a consumers point of view. Rayman in Brawlhalla is a move to get people to buy that game. Ubisoft knows that putting Rayman in Smash as a playable fighter would hurt the sales of the game they are publishing(Brawlhalla).

Ubisoft would be making the same mistake EA did with the Mass Effect Trilogy and how that game got released around the time Mass Effect 3 for WII U was launched.

Quick question, though. Isn't Brawlhalla still in the free to play phase? Also, I'm not entirely familiar with whom is publishing Brawlhalla, so I'm sort of in the dark there.

 

[A1Again]

Funny thing, I was making a reference to DBZ Abridged and you saying Super Shantae just made me imagine Shantae going Super Saiyan.

I'm actually playing some Xenoverse 2 and they added the "Arabian Costume" Bulma wore one time, so you can just about make a Shantae clone/duplicate right in the game.

 

[Shadowknight1]

Hey, at least it's nor Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan... but yeah, Super Indie goddess Empress Shantae allows this. Or at least I assume she would.

Let's just call it Super Saiyan Purple? lol

 

[GoldLiger]

Quick question, though. Isn't Brawlhalla still in the free to play phase? Also, I'm not entirely familiar with whom is publishing Brawlhalla, so I'm sort of in the dark there.

The devs behind Brawlhalla are now under Ubisoft. While F2P at first I think Rayman will cost money in order to get.

You also have to remember that Brawlhalla is coming to the Switch so.....

 

[SoupCanMafia]

The devs behind Brawlhalla are now under Ubisoft. While F2P at first I think Rayman will cost money in order to get.

You also have to remember that Brawlhalla is coming to the Switch so.....

Oh, okay, so it's now essentially the whole Futurama joke where Bender is going to make his own theme park. With blackjack. That's good to hear.

 

[DOTBHDD]

Guys. Please don't use those chairs as evidence for Shantae. They're just chairs.


Everything else is fine. Especially the possible NDA and being on the cover of Nintendo Power. But please... anything but the chairs.

 

[zferolie]

Guys. Please don't use those chairs as evidence for Shantae. They're just chairs.


Everything else is fine. Especially the possible NDA and being on the cover of Nintendo Power. But please... anything but the chairs.

If the previous direct didnt strongly hint at k rool i would agree with you...

 

[EarlTamm]

Guys. Please don't use those chairs as evidence for Shantae. They're just chairs.


Everything else is fine. Especially the possible NDA and being on the cover of Nintendo Power. But please... anything but the chairs.

I think it's best to note all possible evidence, even if it can seem a bit silly.

 

[Shadow Novus]

If the previous direct didnt strongly hint at k rool i would agree with you...

Pretty much this. That and the chairs just stand out way too much. They are there for a reason, even if it's Sakurai just completely messing with his fans.

 

[GoldLiger]

If the previous direct didnt strongly hint at k rool i would agree with you...

Like seriously that was an eye opener to how well Sakurai plans ahead.

 

[IronWarrior94]

Isn't Shantae voiced by the very talented Cristina Vee?

 

[EarlTamm]

Isn't Shantae voiced by the very talented Cristina Vee?

Yup.

 

[IronWarrior94]

Yup.

Ah, ok. Hope she gets in Smash then lol.

 

[Jazzy Jinx]

What's funny is that I was coming around to the idea of Rayman being in the game because it actually looked like things were going pretty well in his favor. However, I do think GoldLiger's point is a strong one. The timing couldn't be worse and this certainly seems like a bonafide strike against Rayman.

Honestly I want Gardevoir the most of any newcomer pokemon

I think her chances may be slept on.

I'm personally on the train that thinks the Gardevoir "leak" has some viability to it, or at the very least the logic behind it. Think about it; would Sakurai really take all of the Pokemon votes on the Smash Ballot and throw them out entirely just to follow the quota of "new gen rep"? It would basically mean that if you voted for an older generation Pokemon that your vote was meaningless and was going to be thrown out no matter what. That honestly doesn't sit right with me.

Though hey, status quo and all.

---

Personally, I'm thinking these guys are the front-runners at the moment:

Unique

- Isaac
- Bandana Dee
- A Pokemon (possibly older or a new gen)
- Geno
- Shantae

Echoes

- Dixie Kong
- Isabelle (could also be unique)
- Impa
- Shadow
- Ken *

* I doubt he did well on the ballot but it's still possible as an easy gimme.

---

I think that Banjo & Kazooie, while a perfect fit for the game, are going to be a difficult legal situation and possibly saved for DLC. I've also excluded any newer picks or old school methodology because I'm honoring the idea that the ballot is taking priority (which is also, frankly, her only shot of getting in).

I know "muh relevancy" doesn't matter as much as people make it out to be but I do think it's a good thing that Shantae's only real competitors on that front are Bandana Dee and a Pokemon. It's also a point in her favor that Nintendo are taking strides to promote indie titles more fervently. Shantae could easily be a gateway for the indie section and a completely sound business strategy. And it helps that WayForward would be ridiculously easy to work with.

Literally the only real thing in her way are shallow hang-ups on her indie status, which are pretty meaningless wholesale. "She's an indie character. An indie has never been in before." And?

Precedent gets broken routinely in Smash. There'd be no legal fiasco, they probably wouldn't even have to pay to use her, she ticks every single box according to Sakurai's design philosophy (brings something new to the table, unique silhouette, expressive), she's relevant and contributes to a business strategy, and she's a popular ballot pick...

She has a chance.

 

[Hollywoodrok12]

Why are we accepting Leaky’s info deconfirming Skull Kid as fact all of a sudden? I‘m pretty sure the only thing he got right was Waluigi being an AT again, which I feel anyone could have predicted. I’m not saying I don’t want him to be right (I do, since I don’t want Skull Kid, since he isn’t a recurring character and doesn’t bring anything outstandingly new to the table, but that’s just my opinion), but Leaky seems too out of the blue to be trustworthy.

 

[TheCJBrine]

Why are we accepting Leaky’s info deconfirming Skull Kid as fact all of a sudden? I‘m pretty sure the only thing he got right was Waluigi being an AT again, which I feel anyone could have predicted. I’m not saying I don’t want him to be right (I do, since I don’t want Skull Kid, since he isn’t a recurring character and doesn’t bring anything outstandingly new to the table, but that’s just my opinion), but Leaky seems too out of the blue to be trustworthy.

Leaky also got the date of the August direct right, from what I've seen people say.

Then got the contents completely wrong.