Smash Underdogs #9: Nathan Drake

Welcome to the ninth episode of the Smash Underdog series! In these articles, I’ll be taking a look at some of the lesser talked about characters in Smash speculation. These characters aren’t as popular as big names like Waluigi or Isaac, but would be just as great additions with the content they could bring. The purpose of these articles is to get viewers hooked on these characters and the idea of them appearing in Smash one day.

Whether it be Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider, everyone loves a good treasure hunting story. It’s the dangerous stunts, globe-trotting expeditions, and fun adventure that make these all great series. Today’s character knows this all too well, as he’s been in more tough situations than you can count. Survivor (as well as the cause) of several boat, train, and plane accidents, it’s Nathan Drake from the Uncharted series!

Who is Nathan Drake?

First Appearance: Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune (2007)
Latest Appearance: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (2016)​

Nathan Drake is the protagonist of Sony’s Uncharted series, a third-person shooter series centered around hiding behind cover, solving puzzles, and climbing basically anything colored yellow. A self-proclaimed descendent of real-life English explorer Sir Francis Drake, Nate is a treasure hunter who ventures to many exotic places of the world in pursuit of historical artifacts. He almost always crosses paths with other treasure hunters who often have their own militia at their disposal for him to fight against. During his adventures, Drake has uncovered many of life's greatest mysteries: from the crypts of El Dorado, to the ancient city of Shambala, to the fabled Iram of the Pillars.

Although the first Uncharted game received great scores, the series would not get its proper footing until Uncharted 2 which is considered by many to be one of the greatest games of all time. Since then, Drake has become one of the most iconic and recognizable characters of the PlayStation brand, being considered as a mascot by many along with other characters such as Kratos from God of War. The Uncharted series will be getting a live-action movie next year, with Tom Holland playing a young version of Drake.

Trivia:​

The Uncharted series is created by Naughty Dog, who previously worked on the Crash Bandicoot series. Even after Crash went onto different companies, the two series have given each other shoutouts on several occasions. These include the playable Crash Bandicoot level in Uncharted 4 as well as this cute little video made by the official Crash twitter account.

“I’m interested in Uncharted! How can I play it?”

All of the mainline Uncharted titles are available on the PS4 thanks to the Nathan Drake collection which includes Uncharted's 1-3. The collection itself is easy to find, having a base price of $20 on the PSN store. Play the games in chronological order, starting with 1 and ending with 4 which was originally released on the PS4. Keep in mind that the first Uncharted game is the weakest entry so the series goes uphill from there. Additionally, there are a few side games such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss on the PS Vita and Uncharted: Lost Legacy on the PS4.

If you’re planning on going into the series completely blind, please be aware that this article will of course have spoilers for the series. Main sections you want to avoid are the final smash and echo fighter parts. Also try not to read too much of the spirit board battle descriptions.

Drake’s Chances for Smash​

Drake has one major setback when it comes to appearing in Smash: Sony. The Uncharted series is created by Naughty Dog, which is owned by Sony, and with Sony being direct console rivals with Nintendo it’s hard to see them handing over someone like Drake to be used in Smash. Yes we did get Banjo and Steve from Microsoft, however Nintendo and Sony don’t seem to be as cooperative with each other as Microsoft.

Additionally, Drake has direct competition in the form of God of War’s Kratos, another Sony character who is just as popular as Drake if not moreso. Kratos recently appeared in Fortnite as a crossover skin, which might show that Sony would prioritize him over Drake if they were asked about Smash.

Actual footage of Kratos being picked as the Sony rep for Smash​

With all of the negatives out of the way, let’s talk about the good things Drake has going for him. The Uncharted series is massively popular. Uncharted 4 is the second best-selling PlayStation 4 game of all time (only behind GTA V) and the series has also done exceptionally well in Japan as Uncharted 4 topped sales charts over there. And while the upcoming movie with Tom Holland as Drake will most likely… not be good, the fact that it’s getting a live action movie to begin with really helps to show how popular the series has become.

It should also be noted that Sony has shown to be willing to play ball with other companies in recent years. They allowed Kratos to appear in Fortnite, a crossplay game that is even on Switch. It’s baby steps right now, but steps nonetheless. Once the Sony being stingy wall officially falls down, Drake may actually be super likely to appear in Smash based on everything else.

Why Should Drake be in Smash?​

Uncharted is one of the greatest cover-based shooter and cinematic game series of all time. Each game has an amazing story, fun gameplay, and an outstanding soundtrack. If you’re a big fan of the Indiana Jones films then you will absolutely love the Uncharted titles.

A greater mystery than El Dorado or Shambala: the fact that this ad only aired in Japan.​

Drake himself is a great character full of comedic quips (mostly thanks to Nolan North’s stellar performance). He might not be as badass as fellow treasure hunter Lara Croft, but he is definitely more expressive and just as skilled when it comes to climbing mountains or hanging onto high ledges.

A common complaint that I’ve seen for realistic characters like Drake is that they’re just normal people with guns and thus would be boring to play as. This statement is absolutely false as gun-wielding human characters can always bring in a lot of cool mechanics that would make them fun to play as. Drake is no different: in addition to gunplay, the Uncharted series has a heavy emphasis on both platforming and melee/stealth takedowns. Both of these would definitely come into play in Smash as seen through the moveset below.

Moveset​

Note: I tried to not to look at PlayStation All-Stars when making this moveset. This is not to say that I didn’t refer to it at all, but I only did so at the end of my original moveset which came strictly from me looking at the games themselves. In the end, only the down special was directly taken from that game.

Drake would have an above average jump height, being comparable to that of Samus. His size/proportions would be best comparable to that of Snake. However, Drake is easier to launch as he has a weight value of 90 (same as Marth/Lucina). His dash speed is also slightly below average, being roughly the same as Terry.

Drake can wall jump as he frequently jumps from wall to wall within the Uncharted games. Although the Uncharted games do not have an actual crawl button, I think it’d make sense for Drake to be able to crawl considering how you can do so while hiding behind cover. He'd do so by moving around while in a crouched position (though not completely flat on the ground like most characters).

In Uncharted, one of the main gameplay aspects is being able to climb and hang on just about anything. Because of this, I gave Drake an extended number of attacks to perform while on ledges or on ladders.


Normals:

Spoiler: Normal Attacks

Jab:

A three-hit combo consisting of a punch, a kick to the groin area, and a headbutt from Drake.


Dash Attack:

Drake does a strong dropkick attack. Based on one of the finishing moves that can be done when running towards an enemy.


Forward Tilt: Run-and-gun

Drake moves forward and fires 3 shots from his AK-47. If you hold down the A button, Drake will instead aim the gun behind him and open fire continuously while running away.


Up Tilt:

A quick uppercut from Drake’s left hand. One of his stronger normals.


Down Tilt:

This one is hard to properly illustrate (and not truly represented by the gif), but it would pretty much be Drake doing a long downward kick while crouching. This attack will instantly spike anyone hanging on a ledge. Partly based on the kick off move in multiplayer, which allows you to kick hanging enemies for a one-hit KO.

Grabs/Throws

Spoiler: Grabs/Throws

Forward Throw:

Drake quickly turns you around and kicks you in the back. Out of all of Drake’s throws, this one has the most launch power. Based on the stealth takedown in Uncharted 4 when attacking enemies while they’re standing near a cliff.


Back Throw:

Throws the opponent behind him using two arms. The enemy will be sent at a horizontal angle and will collide with anything they come across while flying (such as additional enemies or a wall). Based on the stealth takedown when peeking from around a corner.


Up Throw:

Drake lifts the opponent over his head and throws them up into the air. Based on the stealth takedown when attacking enemies that are at a higher elevation than you.


Down Throw:

Drake quickly puts you to the ground and snaps your neck (I mean, Snake’s pummel is basically a neck crack). Deals the highest amount of damage but has little to no knockback. This attack is similar to Snake’s down-throw except it all happens much faster.

Smash Attacks

Spoiler: Smash Attacks

Note: While charging all of his smash attacks (except for down smash), Drake will enter a crouching position before standing up to fire his weapon. This is to simulate hiding behind cover which you’ll be doing a lot in the Uncharted games.

Forward Smash: AK-47

Shoots 5 shots from his AK-47. The first 4 shots stun you and deal no knockback, while the final shot sends you flying. The longer you charge, the farther the bullets go.


Up Smash: Grenade Launcher

Drake shoots a grenade launcher into the air, which will deal great knockback to airborne enemies and whoever is on the ground when it lands. It is similar to Snake’s up-smash, however the grenade is shot at a more horizontal angle, meaning it won’t fall where Drake is standing.


Down Smash: Minigun

Drake pulls out a minigun and shoots multiple shots at his feet before turning around and doing the same behind him. The highest damage dealing of all of Drake’s smash attacks, however it is also the slowest.

Aerials

Spoiler: Aerials

Neutral Air:

Drake does a quick kick. It’s a weak normal but it comes out quick and has a decent amount of range. Based on the melee takedown when attacking enemies at a lower elevation.

Forward Air:

Drake slams downward with his right fist. This attack has a sweet spot which will spike the opponent. Based on the aerial takedown in Uncharted 4.


Back Air:

Drake fires a Micro - 9mm behind him. Bullets travel in a fairly short range.


Up Air:

Drake does an upwards swing with the butt of his AK-47. Covers the top half of Drake.


Down Air:

Drake slams both of his fists downward. Spikes the opponent when hit with the sweetspot, which is much larger than that of the forward air. Based on the aerial takedown in Uncharted 4 when attacking enemies directly below you.

Special Moves

Spoiler: Special Moves

Neutral Special: Pistol

For his neutral special, he wields a... .45 Defender pistol. This firearm has 8 bullets that can be fired to deal a decent amount of damage and knockback. Drake will reload the weapon once you run out of bullets or stop firing.

If you hold the B button, you can move forward and even backwards while shooting. So for example if I’m facing the right and I hold the B button, I can move to the left while continuously shooting to the right.

Additionally, Drake can fire this weapon while hanging on a ledge by pressing B. Doing so will have Drake lean forward over the ledge and shoot. More on ledge attacks in the ledge section.


Side Special: Propane Shoot

This special move incorporates propane tanks which are a common throwable item in Uncharted 2 and 3. Press side + B and Drake will throw a propane tank. The tank will travel in an arc until it hits the ground where it will stay. At any point during the tossing and the landing, if Drake presses side + B again then he’ll quickly pull out his AK-47 and shoot it so it explodes. The explosion deals high knockback making this a reliable killing move especially handy for off-stage enemies. If there is a platform/obstacle between Drake and the tank, the bullet will just hit that and only deal about 2% damage. On a very rare occasion, Drake may say “I love the smell of propane in the morning” after killing an enemy with this move, which is a quote he says in Uncharted 3.


Up Special: Grappling Hook

For his recovery, Drake would use the grappling hook introduced in Uncharted 4. Like with Joker’s grappling hook, it can latch onto any ledge so that you can recover with it. Unlike Joker’s grappling hook however, there are a few differences:

• You don’t latch onto the ledge as quickly as Joker’s up special, as there is a slight delay when Drake throws the hook.
• Instead of immediately snapping to the ledge, you can choose to hang onto the hook by not pressing any buttons. This will result in Drake swinging to the other side to which he can jump across. He will have increased acceleration upon the first swing, allowing for great travel distance and some unexpected takedowns.

Down Special: Cover

Upon using this move, a concrete barrier will appear in front of Drake and he will hide behind it. To leave the barrier, either jump or use your down special again. If used in the air, nothing will appear and Drake will do a brief quick comical falling animation before returning to regular freefall.

While hiding behind the barrier, your controls become the following:

• B = Shoots AK-47 shots over the barrier. While holding B, you can move up and down to adjust your aim.
• A = Whack opposite site with the butt of the AK-47.
• Left or Right = Vault over to the opposite side of the barrier.
• Left/Right (direction that Drake is on) + B= Stealth grab, a powerful melee grab that deals about 40% damage.
  • So if Drake is on the left side, you would hold left and press B to use this attack.

The barrier can be destroyed by being attacked as it has an HP of 16 (the same as Steve’s stone blocks). The barrier will also slowly crumble once Drake decides to leave it and move elsewhere. If the barrier is destroyed then Drake will have to wait for 5 seconds before being able to use it again. However, it is important to note that the barrier will stay standing forever as long as Drake stays with it.


Final Smash: Thief’s Plunder
Spoilers to the final boss of Uncharted 4

Spoiler

Drake pulls out a sword and does a quick slash. Whoever is hit by the slash will be put in a cinematic of being trapped in a burning ship. Drake will say a smart quip (just think of any crushed related pun), then he’ll hit a lever which will result in a giant trove of treasure falling onto the enemies and sending them flying.

Ledge/Ladder Attacks (Drake Exclusive)

Spoiler: Ledge/Ladder Attacks

Normally I wouldn’t have a section for things like ledge or ladder attacks. However since Uncharted heavily revolves around climbing objects, I think it’d be best for Drake to be exceptionally skilled with these attacks and even have a few additional ones.

Ledge Attacks​

Drake would have two ledge attacks: one by pressing A like usual, and another by pressing B. Both of these ledge attacks are very unique as Drake does not have a regular getup attack.

Ledge Attack (A):

This would act as the standard ledge move and serve as the substitute to the average getup attack. It is a command grab move where Drake grabs the unfortunate sap who is standing above him and then throws them downwards off-stage. In both the singleplayer and multiplayer of the Uncharted games, this move instantly kills the opponent and they fall directly below Drake.

I’d personally prefer if this move throws the opponent directly under Drake as it would feel more satisfying and is more true to the games. However for the purpose of balancing it might be better suited if the opponent gets launched horizontally behind Drake when thrown. Regardless, this move would have a lot of endlag if Drake misses his grab so it’s not a move to be spammed a million times. It also means that another Drake can easily kill someone who messes up this grab by using down tilt.

Ledge Attack (B):

This would be a continuation of Drake’s neutral special. Drake can still use his pistol even while hanging on a ledge. The shots would be fired directly horizontally slightly above the ground.

Ladder Attacks​

Drake would have two additional tracks to perform on ladders: on while holding up and pressing B, and another by holding down and pressing B.

Up + B:

Drake reaches upwards and grabs whoever is above him. They are then flung downward as if they have been spiked.


Down + B:

Drake does a vertically long kick below him using one leg. This attack will always spike the opponent no matter what.

Other Animations/Victory Theme

Spoiler: Other Animations/Victory Theme

Intro Animation:

Drake and his mentor Sully drive up with a jeep, with Sully at the wheel. Sully stops the jeep and Drake jumps out before Sully drives off. Based on the Madagascar portion of Uncharted 4 which has Drake arriving at multiple areas with a jeep.

Taunts:

• Up Taunt: The “Oh Snap” taunt from the multiplayer of Uncharted, with Drake saying “how do you like THAT?”
• Side Taunt: The “Pump” taunt from the multiplayer of Uncharted.
• Down Taunt: The “Yessss” taunt from the multiplayer of Uncharted, with Drake saying “Booyah!”

There are a lot of options when it comes to taunts (some more chaotic than others) but in the end I went for some of the more tame and recognizable ones in the series.

Victory Animations:

• Drake looks at his notebook and closes it while saying “well that went better than expected.”
• Drake hops off a giant cargo crate that is being parachuted to the ground. He then looks to the side and poses with a gun over his shoulder. Based on the cutscene of Drake appearing in front of the plane wreckage in Uncharted 3.
• Drake looks at Sir Francis’ Drake’s ring from the first three games (engraved with the Latin phrase “sic parvis magna”) and says “greatness from small beginnings” before looking at the camera.

Victory Theme:
Drake’s victory theme would be a brief remixed version of Nate’s theme, the main theme of the Uncharted series. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale conveniently has a victory theme for Nate which is exactly how I imagine it’d sound like in Smash (but with some different instruments to make it sound grander).

(BONUS) Echo Fighters

Spoiler: Echo Fighters

In a first for these articles, I’ll also talk about a few characters that could also serve as echoes if Drake were to actually get into Smash. For Drake in particular, there are two that come to mind:

Echo Candidate #1: Chloe Frazer

Chloe is one of the main characters of the Uncharted series. First appearing in Uncharted 2, Chloe is a treasure hunter just like Drake is and the two often team up with each other. She has a sassy personality and is even the main character of the spin-off game Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.

The only issue with Chloe being a Drake echo is that she is slimmer and has a more feminine posture than Drake, so it might be hard to make her an echo. But other than that, Chloe would definitely be able to get the job done as she can play the same as Drake with little to no issues.

Echo Candidate #2: Samuel Drake

Sam is Nate’s long lost older brother who first appears in Uncharted 4. After an unfortunate turn of events, Sam was separated from his brother Nate for 15 years. The two reunite in the fourth game in the series and work together to find the treasure of notorious pirate Henry Avery. Sam is playable for a few brief sections in Uncharted 4, and also appears in The Lost Legacy.

His echo chances may increase even further than Chloe’s as time goes on considering… (MAJOR UNCHARTED 4 SPOILERS) Nate retires at the end of Uncharted 4 so Sam may become the head of the series. Only time will tell if that last part actually happens, but as far as playing like his brother goes, Sam has all of the boxes checked.

Also Troy Baker voices characters in basically every big game, so he’s long overdue to appear in Smash.

Costumes:​

Like with my Hat Kid article, this one was hard to make due to the amount of really good costume options to choose from. I settled with outfits that were both colorful and commonly associated with Drake.

• Light Brown (Default): Drake’s appearance in Uncharted 2.
• Red: Based on a multiplayer skin in Uncharted 3, as well as one of Drake’s palette swaps in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.
• Green: Resembles Drake’s appearance during the France segment of Uncharted 3 (but with brown pants instead of blue), as well as one of Drake’s palette swaps in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.
• Brown: Resembles Drake’s appearance in Uncharted: Golden Abyss but with a darker shirt to distinguish it from the next costume I’m about to mention. Also one of Drake’s palette swaps in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.
• Tan: Drake’s appearance in Uncharted 1.
• Blue: Drake’s appearance in Uncharted 4.
• Light Red: “Baseball Shirt Drake” costume available in Uncharted 1, as well as the multiplayer of Uncharted 2 and 3.
  • This costume is based on Drake’s design in concept art sketches of Uncharted 1.
• Dark Tan: Drake’s desert camo outfit worn towards the end of Uncharted 3.

There are a lot of other possible outfits to choose from in the series. Some other choices I had in mind were the museum heist outfit from Uncharted 2 and the Scotland jacket from Uncharted 4.

Stage: Himalayan Mountainside

The Uncharted series has a nearly endless potential when it comes to amazing stage candidates. Some choices I had in mind included Shambala from Uncharted 2, the plane crash segment from Uncharted 3, and Madagascar from Uncharted 4. In the end, I decided to go with the most iconic level of the most iconic game in the series: that being the train level from Uncharted 2.

Based on what is generally considered to be the greatest train level in all of gaming, this stage would feature three segments of non-stop train action.

1. The first part would be a train ride through a jungle as the train goes to the right. A helicopter will appear behind you and start blowing up train cars. Shortly afterwards you will enter a tunnel that will take you to the next section.
2. Section two is a snowy cliff area. The weather is more harsh so you’ll find it a bit more difficult to move around due to the strong wind. The pesky helicopter will show up again, this time shooting at players directly. At the end of the segment, the helicopter will shoot missiles at the train car which will cause it to crash and fall down the mountainside.
3. The final section has the train car dangling from a cliff. During this phase, you must climb up the inside of the train while also fighting the other opponents so that you can get to the cliff. If you aren’t fast enough, you will be stuck inside the train car and fall to your death. After the train car falls, a temporary platform will appear so that everyone can jump on and be taken back to the first part in the jungle.

The omega/battlefield versions of this stage would be based on the final cliff section.

Spirit Battles​

For the Uncharted spirit board, I went with Drake’s closest allies along with the primary antagonists of the four main games.

• Elena () [Song]
  • Zero Suit Samus on Kongo Falls. ZSS represents Elena while Kongo Falls represents the South American jungle where most of Uncharted 1 takes place in.
• Chloe () [Song]
  • Bayonetta on Fourside with the Latios & Latias pokeballs spawning. Chloe is represented through Bayonetta since they’re both sassy female gunners. The Latios & Latias represent the helicopter that keeps shooting at Drake throughout the mission. Fourside represents the rooftops of the Nepal city, where Drake and Chloe have to face off against the helicopter.
• Sully () [Song]
  • Grey Mario + 3 Olimar (who only throws Pikmin) on Luigi’s Mansion where the floor catches fire. Mario represents Sully since they both have cool mustaches (just go with it). Luigi’s Mansion represents the French Chateau level from Uncharted 3, which catches on fire. The Pikmin represent the spiders that chase you in this level.
• Sam () [Song]
  • A wave of Captain Falcons with a Blue Luigi ally on Big Blue. This is based on the car chase scene in Madagascar, with Luigi representing Sam and the Captain Falcons representing enemies on cars.
• Atoq Navarro () [Song]
  • Falco with super scope and multiple Zombie (Steve) enemies on Great Bay. Falco represents Navarro who uses a sniper rifle to fight Drake at the end of Uncharted 1. The Zombies represent the undead Spaniards who are enemies in the first game. Great Bay represents the boat off the coast where the final battle takes place.
• Zoran Lazarević () [Song]
  • Snake who randomly becomes invincible for a few seconds on Great Cave Offensive. This battle is based on the final boss fight of Uncharted 2, where you have to fight the military leader Lazarević who drank an ancient sap that gives him near invincible strength. The only way to beat him is to injure him with exploding blue tree sap scattered around the stage, which can sort of be represented through the fire walls on Great Cave Offensive.
• Katherine Marlowe () [Song]
  • Black Peach and Jigglypuff (who likes to use Sing) on Pilotwings with a 2 minute timer and blast boxes constantly spawning. Peach represents Katherine Marlowe, the main antagonist of Uncharted 3. Jigglypuff represents her assistant Talbot who uses various hypnotic abilities throughout the game. The plane with explosives represents the cargo plane level (even though Marlowe and Talbot do not appear on it themselves).
• Rafe Adler () [Song]
  • Roy on Pirate Ship with lots of explosive/fire items spawning, along with a sleeping blue Luigi that you must protect. Roy represents Rafe who has a sword fight with Drake on a burning ship. Luigi represents Sam who Drake is there to save.

Classic Mode:
Uncharted: Among Smashers

Drake’s classic mode would have him fighting professional gun-wielders/brawlers in adventurous settings as he uncovers clues to reach the ancient Temple in the Sky. From there, he’ll have to battle Ganondorf to prevent him from obtaining the mythological Smash Ball that would turn him into the dangerous Ganon.

Spoiler: Classic Mode Route

• Stage 1: Samus and Dark Samus (Kongo Jungle 64)
• Stage 2: 2 Foxes and 2 Little Macs (Swaying Bridge section of Wuhu Island)
• Stage 3: Zero Suit Samus (Pilotwings)
• Stage 4: 2 Falcos (Battlefield form Skyloft)
• Stage 5: 3 Snakes (Temple)
• Stage 6: Ganondorf (Find Mii)
• Final Boss: Ganon

Music​

There are so many orchestrated masterpieces in the Uncharted series that this list was hard to make, but in the end I went with 6 tracks from each game (plus the main theme) for a well-rounded total of 25 songs:

• Nate’s Theme
  • This is the main theme of the Uncharted series that has appeared in every entry. This would most likely get a new remix if it were to appear in Smash.
• Unlocking the Past - Uncharted 1
• Sir Francis Drake - Uncharted 1
• Drowned City - Uncharted 1
• Treasure Vault - Uncharted 1
• The Bunker - Uncharted 1
• Showdown - Uncharted 1
• Among Thieves - Uncharted 2
• Bustin’ Chops - Uncharted 2
• Cat and Mouse - Uncharted 2
• Cornered- Uncharted 2
  • Specifically the part from 1:55 and onward.
• Helicopter and Tank - Uncharted 2
• Tree of Life - Uncharted 2
• Atlantis of the Sands - Uncharted 3
• Oh No Chateau - Uncharted 3
• Pursuit - Uncharted 3
• Maritime Malfeasance - Uncharted 3
• Stowaway - Uncharted 3
• Ambushed - Uncharted 3
• A Thief’s End - Uncharted 4
• The Twelve Towers - Uncharted 4
• Marooned - Uncharted 4
• New Devon - Uncharted 4
• Cut to the Chase - Uncharted 4
• Brother’s Keeper - Uncharted 4

Mii Costumes​

The costumes releasing alongside Drake would include costumes from Uncharted as well as other Sony game series.

• Chloe (Gunner)
• Sully (Brawler)
• Jak & Daxter (Gunner) from the Jak & Daxter series.
  • Daxter would be attached to the costume just like with Azurda on the Rex costume.
• Cole MacGrath (Brawler) from the inFamous series.
• [Deluxe] Sly Cooper (Swordfighter) from the Sly Cooper series.

I had a few other Sony costumes in mind though I'll probably save those for if I ever cover Kratos or another Sony character in the future.

Closing Comments​

This turned out to be one of my favorite articles so far along with the Axel Stone and CJ ones. With that said, I hope you all enjoyed it.

So to tell you the truth… I was originally going to cover Conker next, but with him getting a full-on moveset in the recent Smash Remix update, I’ve decided not to since it would feel redundant (at least for now). Perhaps for another time. Either way, I'll probably be back sometime after June with these Underdog articles due to E3 coming up and how long this article took (all of the moveset clips had to be made into gif form from scratch).

Until next time!

Credits
Editing: @Scribe
Graphics: @Zerp
Social Media: @Zerp
Special Thanks: The following videos which were used for the gifs of the moveset section:

Spoiler: Video Credits

• Uncharted 4 Stealth Kills by StealthGamerBR.
• Uncharted 4 Badass Stealth Kills by Slashing Danny.
• Geralt Roach’s videos for all of the Uncharted 2 and Uncharted 4 melee kills.
• Uncharted 2: Chapter 6 by【XCV//】
• Uncharted 2: Chapter 7 by dembonez19
• All weapons in Uncharted 2: Among thieves by Light
• UNCHARTED 2 Minigun Battle by zhixuan zhang
• Uncharted 4 All Taunts by Throneful
• Uncharted 3 - All Melee Combat Animations by XenLEGACY
• Uncharted 2 - Chapters where you can use stealth by LudiXP

Author’s Note: What are your thoughts on Uncharted appearing in Smash? Would you like to see it one day? Let us know in the comments below!

 

Another great writeup Sari. I actually have not thought about what the stage would be since there are so many great options. I like the idea for the stage as I can tell it would make you feel like you are playing Uncharted while playing Smash. Smash has a history of bad moving levels, but this one sounds fun and due to the nature of Uncharted there is a good reason to make it like that. And I agree with the moveset and how it incorporates the platforming mechanics which is a big part of the series.

Overall I had fun reading this and it makes me excited for future Smash games where hopefully Sony will have opened up more and maybe in that timeline we could actually get Drake. Uncharted is one of my favorite series so I would be absolutely stoked if it got included.

 

Great article! I like the Uncharted franchise and I think it would fit well in Smash with Drake personnality. That being said, I think others big Sony characters like Kratos, Ratchet or Sackboy could bring a more fun moveset, but that Drake's concept could be used for a Lara Croft moveset (maybe not exactly the same but could be similar).

 

I hate to be that guy, but any character that was in the abomination that was -Playstation All Stars: Battle Royale- will NEVER EVER ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever be in Smash Bros... That game existing is why I knew we would never get Heihachi, regardless of Sakurai's own personal reasons. That is all.

 

Left for a few days for personal stuff, came back to Smashboards and was pleasantly surprised that one of my most wanteds got an Underdogs article! I played the games for the first time back in 2018 and really enjoyed each one-4 especially, being the only one I have revisited (I'll get around to 2 and 3 eventually). There are a lot of great choices for an Uncharted stage, but I agree with choosing the train-while 2 isn't my favorite Uncharted game I agree it has the best set piece. The moveset did an awesome job of mixing together platforming, shooting, and melee attacking. Drake himself would fit right into Smash with his quippy personality.
If there's one thing I would change, I'd replace the baseball shirt with the either the Scotland jacket or tuxedo from 4.
And as for his chances...I hope Sony is starting to realize that Smash is much bigger than a lot of paperwork just to make Kratos or Drake or whoever punch the crap out of Mario. Smash is a museum of gaming history, and it would be childish for Sony to not want to be a part of that just because it would be a short-term inconvenience. I wouldn't expect Drake in the Fighter's Pass, but I could totally see him in the next game or so if Kratos isn't chosen.

 

Nathan Drake is cool and the games were great! Not sure I really see him working that well or uniquely in Smash (I feel like Chris Redfield could do the exact same things for example), but I wouldn't be upset in the least if Nate made it in. I do think there are some other PS exclusive characters like Kat, Kratos, Ratchet and Clank, etc, that I'd rather see, but he'd still be cool.

Nice write up though, great article and a good read.

 

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Welcome to the ninth episode of the Smash Underdog series! In these articles, I’ll be taking a look at some of the lesser talked about characters in Smash speculation. These characters aren’t as popular as big names like Waluigi or Isaac, but would be just as great additions with the content they could bring. The purpose of these articles is to get viewers hooked on these characters and the idea of them appearing in Smash one day.

Whether it be Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider, everyone loves a good treasure hunting story. It’s the dangerous stunts, globe-trotting expeditions, and fun adventure that make these all great series. Today’s character knows this all too well, as he’s been in more tough situations than you can count. Survivor (as well as the cause) of several boat, train, and plane accidents, it’s Nathan Drake from the Uncharted series!

Who is Nathan Drake?

First Appearance: Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune (2007)
Latest Appearance: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (2016)​

Nathan Drake is the protagonist of Sony’s Uncharted series, a third-person shooter series centered around hiding behind cover, solving puzzles, and climbing basically anything colored yellow. A self-proclaimed descendent of real-life English explorer Sir Francis Drake, Nate is a treasure hunter who ventures to many exotic places of the world in pursuit of historical artifacts. He almost always crosses paths with other treasure hunters who often have their own militia at their disposal for him to fight against. During his adventures, Drake has uncovered many of life's greatest mysteries: from the crypts of El Dorado, to the ancient city of Shambala, to the fabled Iram of the Pillars.

Although the first Uncharted game received great scores, the series would not get its proper footing until Uncharted 2 which is considered by many to be one of the greatest games of all time. Since then, Drake has become one of the most iconic and recognizable characters of the PlayStation brand, being considered as a mascot by many along with other characters such as Kratos from God of War. The Uncharted series will be getting a live-action movie next year, with Tom Holland playing a young version of Drake.

Trivia:​

The Uncharted series is created by Naughty Dog, who previously worked on the Crash Bandicoot series. Even after Crash went onto different companies, the two series have given each other shoutouts on several occasions. These include the playable Crash Bandicoot level in Uncharted 4 as well as this cute little video made by the official Crash twitter account.

“I’m interested in Uncharted! How can I play it?”

All of the mainline Uncharted titles are available on the PS4 thanks to the Nathan Drake collection which includes Uncharted's 1-3. The collection itself is easy to find, having a base price of $20 on the PSN store. Play the games in chronological order, starting with 1 and ending with 4 which was originally released on the PS4. Keep in mind that the first Uncharted game is the weakest entry so the series goes uphill from there. Additionally, there are a few side games such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss on the PS Vita and Uncharted: Lost Legacy on the PS4.

If you’re planning on going into the series completely blind, please be aware that this article will of course have spoilers for the series. Main sections you want to avoid are the final smash and echo fighter parts. Also try not to read too much of the spirit board battle descriptions.

Drake’s Chances for Smash​

Drake has one major setback when it comes to appearing in Smash: Sony. The Uncharted series is created by Naughty Dog, which is owned by Sony, and with Sony being direct console rivals with Nintendo it’s hard to see them handing over someone like Drake to be used in Smash. Yes we did get Banjo and Steve from Microsoft, however Nintendo and Sony don’t seem to be as cooperative with each other as Microsoft.

Additionally, Drake has direct competition in the form of God of War’s Kratos, another Sony character who is just as popular as Drake if not moreso. Kratos recently appeared in Fortnite as a crossover skin, which might show that Sony would prioritize him over Drake if they were asked about Smash.

Actual footage of Kratos being picked as the Sony rep for Smash​

With all of the negatives out of the way, let’s talk about the good things Drake has going for him. The Uncharted series is massively popular. Uncharted 4 is the second best-selling PlayStation 4 game of all time (only behind GTA V) and the series has also done exceptionally well in Japan as Uncharted 4 topped sales charts over there. And while the upcoming movie with Tom Holland as Drake will most likely… not be good, the fact that it’s getting a live action movie to begin with really helps to show how popular the series has become.

It should also be noted that Sony has shown to be willing to play ball with other companies in recent years. They allowed Kratos to appear in Fortnite, a crossplay game that is even on Switch. It’s baby steps right now, but steps nonetheless. Once the Sony being stingy wall officially falls down, Drake may actually be super likely to appear in Smash based on everything else.

Why Should Drake be in Smash?​

Uncharted is one of the greatest cover-based shooter and cinematic game series of all time. Each game has an amazing story, fun gameplay, and an outstanding soundtrack. If you’re a big fan of the Indiana Jones films then you will absolutely love the Uncharted titles.

A greater mystery than El Dorado or Shambala: the fact that this ad only aired in Japan.​

Drake himself is a great character full of comedic quips (mostly thanks to Nolan North’s stellar performance). He might not be as badass as fellow treasure hunter Lara Croft, but he is definitely more expressive and just as skilled when it comes to climbing mountains or hanging onto high ledges.

A common complaint that I’ve seen for realistic characters like Drake is that they’re just normal people with guns and thus would be boring to play as. This statement is absolutely false as gun-wielding human characters can always bring in a lot of cool mechanics that would make them fun to play as. Drake is no different: in addition to gunplay, the Uncharted series has a heavy emphasis on both platforming and melee/stealth takedowns. Both of these would definitely come into play in Smash as seen through the moveset below.

Moveset​

Note: I tried to not to look at PlayStation All-Stars when making this moveset. This is not to say that I didn’t refer to it at all, but I only did so at the end of my original moveset which came strictly from me looking at the games themselves. In the end, only the down special was directly taken from that game.

View attachment 318129​

Drake would have an above average jump height, being comparable to that of Samus. His size/proportions would be best comparable to that of Snake. However, Drake is easier to launch as he has a weight value of 90 (same as Marth/Lucina). His dash speed is also slightly below average, being roughly the same as Terry.

Drake can wall jump as he frequently jumps from wall to wall within the Uncharted games. Although the Uncharted games do not have an actual crawl button, I think it’d make sense for Drake to be able to crawl considering how you can do so while hiding behind cover. He'd do so by moving around while in a crouched position (though not completely flat on the ground like most characters).

In Uncharted, one of the main gameplay aspects is being able to climb and hang on just about anything. Because of this, I gave Drake an extended number of attacks to perform while on ledges or on ladders.


Normals:

Spoiler: Normal Attacks

Jab:

A three-hit combo consisting of a punch, a kick to the groin area, and a headbutt from Drake.


Dash Attack:

Drake does a strong dropkick attack. Based on one of the finishing moves that can be done when running towards an enemy.


Forward Tilt: Run-and-gun

Drake moves forward and fires 3 shots from his AK-47. If you hold down the A button, Drake will instead aim the gun behind him and open fire continuously while running away.


Up Tilt:

A quick uppercut from Drake’s left hand. One of his stronger normals.


Down Tilt:

This one is hard to properly illustrate (and not truly represented by the gif), but it would pretty much be Drake doing a long downward kick while crouching. This attack will instantly spike anyone hanging on a ledge. Partly based on the kick off move in multiplayer, which allows you to kick hanging enemies for a one-hit KO.

Grabs/Throws

Spoiler: Grabs/Throws

Forward Throw:

Drake quickly turns you around and kicks you in the back. Out of all of Drake’s throws, this one has the most launch power. Based on the stealth takedown in Uncharted 4 when attacking enemies while they’re standing near a cliff.


Back Throw:

Throws the opponent behind him using two arms. The enemy will be sent at a horizontal angle and will collide with anything they come across while flying (such as additional enemies or a wall). Based on the stealth takedown when peeking from around a corner.


Up Throw:

Drake lifts the opponent over his head and throws them up into the air. Based on the stealth takedown when attacking enemies that are at a higher elevation than you.


Down Throw:

Drake quickly puts you to the ground and snaps your neck (I mean, Snake’s pummel is basically a neck crack). Deals the highest amount of damage but has little to no knockback. This attack is similar to Snake’s down-throw except it all happens much faster.

Smash Attacks

Spoiler: Smash Attacks

Note: While charging all of his smash attacks (except for down smash), Drake will enter a crouching position before standing up to fire his weapon. This is to simulate hiding behind cover which you’ll be doing a lot in the Uncharted games.

Forward Smash: AK-47

Shoots 5 shots from his AK-47. The first 4 shots stun you and deal no knockback, while the final shot sends you flying. The longer you charge, the farther the bullets go.


Up Smash: Grenade Launcher

Drake shoots a grenade launcher into the air, which will deal great knockback to airborne enemies and whoever is on the ground when it lands. It is similar to Snake’s up-smash, however the grenade is shot at a more horizontal angle, meaning it won’t fall where Drake is standing.


Down Smash: Minigun

Drake pulls out a minigun and shoots multiple shots at his feet before turning around and doing the same behind him. The highest damage dealing of all of Drake’s smash attacks, however it is also the slowest.

Aerials

Spoiler: Aerials

Neutral Air:

Drake does a quick kick. It’s a weak normal but it comes out quick and has a decent amount of range. Based on the melee takedown when attacking enemies at a lower elevation.

Forward Air:

Drake slams downward with his right fist. This attack has a sweet spot which will spike the opponent. Based on the aerial takedown in Uncharted 4.


Back Air:

Drake fires a Micro - 9mm behind him. Bullets travel in a fairly short range.


Up Air:

Drake does an upwards swing with the butt of his AK-47. Covers the top half of Drake.


Down Air:

Drake slams both of his fists downward. Spikes the opponent when hit with the sweetspot, which is much larger than that of the forward air. Based on the aerial takedown in Uncharted 4 when attacking enemies directly below you.

Special Moves

Spoiler: Special Moves

Neutral Special: Pistol

For his neutral special, he wields a... .45 Defender pistol. This firearm has 8 bullets that can be fired to deal a decent amount of damage and knockback. Drake will reload the weapon once you run out of bullets or stop firing.

If you hold the B button, you can move forward and even backwards while shooting. So for example if I’m facing the right and I hold the B button, I can move to the left while continuously shooting to the right.

Additionally, Drake can fire this weapon while hanging on a ledge by pressing B. Doing so will have Drake lean forward over the ledge and shoot. More on ledge attacks in the ledge section.


Side Special: Propane Shoot

This special move incorporates propane tanks which are a common throwable item in Uncharted 2 and 3. Press side + B and Drake will throw a propane tank. The tank will travel in an arc until it hits the ground where it will stay. At any point during the tossing and the landing, if Drake presses side + B again then he’ll quickly pull out his AK-47 and shoot it so it explodes. The explosion deals high knockback making this a reliable killing move especially handy for off-stage enemies. If there is a platform/obstacle between Drake and the tank, the bullet will just hit that and only deal about 2% damage. On a very rare occasion, Drake may say “I love the smell of propane in the morning” after killing an enemy with this move, which is a quote he says in Uncharted 3.


Up Special: Grappling Hook

For his recovery, Drake would use the grappling hook introduced in Uncharted 4. Like with Joker’s grappling hook, it can latch onto any ledge so that you can recover with it. Unlike Joker’s grappling hook however, there are a few differences:

• You don’t latch onto the ledge as quickly as Joker’s up special, as there is a slight delay when Drake throws the hook.
• Instead of immediately snapping to the ledge, you can choose to hang onto the hook by not pressing any buttons. This will result in Drake swinging to the other side to which he can jump across. He will have increased acceleration upon the first swing, allowing for great travel distance and some unexpected takedowns.

Down Special: Cover

Upon using this move, a concrete barrier will appear in front of Drake and he will hide behind it. To leave the barrier, either jump or use your down special again. If used in the air, nothing will appear and Drake will do a brief quick comical falling animation before returning to regular freefall.

While hiding behind the barrier, your controls become the following:

• B = Shoots AK-47 shots over the barrier. While holding B, you can move up and down to adjust your aim.
• A = Whack opposite site with the butt of the AK-47.
• Left or Right = Vault over to the opposite side of the barrier.
• Left/Right (direction that Drake is on) + B= Stealth grab, a powerful melee grab that deals about 40% damage.
  • So if Drake is on the left side, you would hold left and press B to use this attack.

The barrier can be destroyed by being attacked as it has an HP of 16 (the same as Steve’s stone blocks). The barrier will also slowly crumble once Drake decides to leave it and move elsewhere. If the barrier is destroyed then Drake will have to wait for 5 seconds before being able to use it again. However, it is important to note that the barrier will stay standing forever as long as Drake stays with it.


Final Smash: Thief’s Plunder
Spoilers to the final boss of Uncharted 4

Spoiler

Drake pulls out a sword and does a quick slash. Whoever is hit by the slash will be put in a cinematic of being trapped in a burning ship. Drake will say a smart quip (just think of any crushed related pun), then he’ll hit a lever which will result in a giant trove of treasure falling onto the enemies and sending them flying.

Ledge/Ladder Attacks (Drake Exclusive)

Spoiler: Ledge/Ladder Attacks

Normally I wouldn’t have a section for things like ledge or ladder attacks. However since Uncharted heavily revolves around climbing objects, I think it’d be best for Drake to be exceptionally skilled with these attacks and even have a few additional ones.

Ledge Attacks​

Drake would have two ledge attacks: one by pressing A like usual, and another by pressing B. Both of these ledge attacks are very unique as Drake does not have a regular getup attack.

Ledge Attack (A):

This would act as the standard ledge move and serve as the substitute to the average getup attack. It is a command grab move where Drake grabs the unfortunate sap who is standing above him and then throws them downwards off-stage. In both the singleplayer and multiplayer of the Uncharted games, this move instantly kills the opponent and they fall directly below Drake.

I’d personally prefer if this move throws the opponent directly under Drake as it would feel more satisfying and is more true to the games. However for the purpose of balancing it might be better suited if the opponent gets launched horizontally behind Drake when thrown. Regardless, this move would have a lot of endlag if Drake misses his grab so it’s not a move to be spammed a million times. It also means that another Drake can easily kill someone who messes up this grab by using down tilt.

Ledge Attack (B):

This would be a continuation of Drake’s neutral special. Drake can still use his pistol even while hanging on a ledge. The shots would be fired directly horizontally slightly above the ground.

Ladder Attacks​

Drake would have two additional tracks to perform on ladders: on while holding up and pressing B, and another by holding down and pressing B.

Up + B:

Drake reaches upwards and grabs whoever is above him. They are then flung downward as if they have been spiked.


Down + B:

Drake does a vertically long kick below him using one leg. This attack will always spike the opponent no matter what.

Other Animations/Victory Theme

Spoiler: Other Animations/Victory Theme

Intro Animation:

Drake and his mentor Sully drive up with a jeep, with Sully at the wheel. Sully stops the jeep and Drake jumps out before Sully drives off. Based on the Madagascar portion of Uncharted 4 which has Drake arriving at multiple areas with a jeep.

Taunts:

• Up Taunt: The “Oh Snap” taunt from the multiplayer of Uncharted, with Drake saying “how do you like THAT?”
• Side Taunt: The “Pump” taunt from the multiplayer of Uncharted.
• Down Taunt: The “Yessss” taunt from the multiplayer of Uncharted, with Drake saying “Booyah!”

There are a lot of options when it comes to taunts (some more chaotic than others) but in the end I went for some of the more tame and recognizable ones in the series.

Victory Animations:

• Drake looks at his notebook and closes it while saying “well that went better than expected.”
• Drake hops off a giant cargo crate that is being parachuted to the ground. He then looks to the side and poses with a gun over his shoulder. Based on the cutscene of Drake appearing in front of the plane wreckage in Uncharted 3.
• Drake looks at Sir Francis’ Drake’s ring from the first three games (engraved with the Latin phrase “sic parvis magna”) and says “greatness from small beginnings” before looking at the camera.

Victory Theme:
Drake’s victory theme would be a brief remixed version of Nate’s theme, the main theme of the Uncharted series. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale conveniently has a victory theme for Nate which is exactly how I imagine it’d sound like in Smash (but with some different instruments to make it sound grander).

(BONUS) Echo Fighters

Spoiler: Echo Fighters

In a first for these articles, I’ll also talk about a few characters that could also serve as echoes if Drake were to actually get into Smash. For Drake in particular, there are two that come to mind:

Echo Candidate #1: Chloe Frazer

Chloe is one of the main characters of the Uncharted series. First appearing in Uncharted 2, Chloe is a treasure hunter just like Drake is and the two often team up with each other. She has a sassy personality and is even the main character of the spin-off game Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.

The only issue with Chloe being a Drake echo is that she is slimmer and has a more feminine posture than Drake, so it might be hard to make her an echo. But other than that, Chloe would definitely be able to get the job done as she can play the same as Drake with little to no issues.

Echo Candidate #2: Samuel Drake

Sam is Nate’s long lost older brother who first appears in Uncharted 4. After an unfortunate turn of events, Sam was separated from his brother Nate for 15 years. The two reunite in the fourth game in the series and work together to find the treasure of notorious pirate Henry Avery. Sam is playable for a few brief sections in Uncharted 4, and also appears in The Lost Legacy.

His echo chances may increase even further than Chloe’s as time goes on considering… (MAJOR UNCHARTED 4 SPOILERS) Nate retires at the end of Uncharted 4 so Sam may become the head of the series. Only time will tell if that last part actually happens, but as far as playing like his brother goes, Sam has all of the boxes checked.

Also Troy Baker voices characters in basically every big game, so he’s long overdue to appear in Smash.

Costumes:​

Like with my Hat Kid article, this one was hard to make due to the amount of really good costume options to choose from. I settled with outfits that were both colorful and commonly associated with Drake.

View attachment 318162​

• Light Brown (Default): Drake’s appearance in Uncharted 2.
• Red: Based on a multiplayer skin in Uncharted 3, as well as one of Drake’s palette swaps in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.
• Green: Resembles Drake’s appearance during the France segment of Uncharted 3 (but with brown pants instead of blue), as well as one of Drake’s palette swaps in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.
• Brown: Resembles Drake’s appearance in Uncharted: Golden Abyss but with a darker shirt to distinguish it from the next costume I’m about to mention. Also one of Drake’s palette swaps in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.
• Tan: Drake’s appearance in Uncharted 1.
• Blue: Drake’s appearance in Uncharted 4.
• Light Red: “Baseball Shirt Drake” costume available in Uncharted 1, as well as the multiplayer of Uncharted 2 and 3.
  • This costume is based on Drake’s design in concept art sketches of Uncharted 1.
• Dark Tan: Drake’s desert camo outfit worn towards the end of Uncharted 3.

There are a lot of other possible outfits to choose from in the series. Some other choices I had in mind were the museum heist outfit from Uncharted 2 and the Scotland jacket from Uncharted 4.

Stage: Himalayan Mountainside

The Uncharted series has a nearly endless potential when it comes to amazing stage candidates. Some choices I had in mind included Shambala from Uncharted 2, the plane crash segment from Uncharted 3, and Madagascar from Uncharted 4. In the end, I decided to go with the most iconic level of the most iconic game in the series: that being the train level from Uncharted 2.

Based on what is generally considered to be the greatest train level in all of gaming, this stage would feature three segments of non-stop train action.

1. The first part would be a train ride through a jungle as the train goes to the right. A helicopter will appear behind you and start blowing up train cars. Shortly afterwards you will enter a tunnel that will take you to the next section.
2. Section two is a snowy cliff area. The weather is more harsh so you’ll find it a bit more difficult to move around due to the strong wind. The pesky helicopter will show up again, this time shooting at players directly. At the end of the segment, the helicopter will shoot missiles at the train car which will cause it to crash and fall down the mountainside.
3. The final section has the train car dangling from a cliff. During this phase, you must climb up the inside of the train while also fighting the other opponents so that you can get to the cliff. If you aren’t fast enough, you will be stuck inside the train car and fall to your death. After the train car falls, a temporary platform will appear so that everyone can jump on and be taken back to the first part in the jungle.

The omega/battlefield versions of this stage would be based on the final cliff section.

Spirit Battles​

For the Uncharted spirit board, I went with Drake’s closest allies along with the primary antagonists of the four main games.

• Elena () [Song]
  • Zero Suit Samus on Kongo Falls. ZSS represents Elena while Kongo Falls represents the South American jungle where most of Uncharted 1 takes place in.
• Chloe () [Song]
  • Bayonetta on Fourside with the Latios & Latias pokeballs spawning. Chloe is represented through Bayonetta since they’re both sassy female gunners. The Latios & Latias represent the helicopter that keeps shooting at Drake throughout the mission. Fourside represents the rooftops of the Nepal city, where Drake and Chloe have to face off against the helicopter.
• Sully () [Song]
  • Grey Mario + 3 Olimar (who only throws Pikmin) on Luigi’s Mansion where the floor catches fire. Mario represents Sully since they both have cool mustaches (just go with it). Luigi’s Mansion represents the French Chateau level from Uncharted 3, which catches on fire. The Pikmin represent the spiders that chase you in this level.
• Sam () [Song]
  • A wave of Captain Falcons with a Blue Luigi ally on Big Blue. This is based on the car chase scene in Madagascar, with Luigi representing Sam and the Captain Falcons representing enemies on cars.
• Atoq Navarro () [Song]
  • Falco with super scope and multiple Zombie (Steve) enemies on Great Bay. Falco represents Navarro who uses a sniper rifle to fight Drake at the end of Uncharted 1. The Zombies represent the undead Spaniards who are enemies in the first game. Great Bay represents the boat off the coast where the final battle takes place.
• Zoran Lazarević () [Song]
  • Snake who randomly becomes invincible for a few seconds on Great Cave Offensive. This battle is based on the final boss fight of Uncharted 2, where you have to fight the military leader Lazarević who drank an ancient sap that gives him near invincible strength. The only way to beat him is to injure him with exploding bluu tree sap scattered around the stage, which can sort of be represented through the fire walls on Great Cave Offensive.
• Katherine Marlowe () [Song]
  • Black Peach and Jigglypuff (who likes to use Sing) on Pilotwings with a 2 minute timer and blast boxes constantly spawning. Peach represents Katherine Marlowe, the main antagonist of Uncharted 3. Jigglypuff represents her assistant Talbot who uses various hypnotic abilities throughout the game. The plane with explosives represents the cargo plane level (even though Marlowe and Talbot do not appear on it themselves).
• Rafe Adler () [Song]
  • Roy on Pirate Ship with lots of explosive/fire items spawning, along with a sleeping blue Luigi that you must protect. Roy represents Rafe who has a sword fight with Drake on a burning ship. Luigi represents Sam who Drake is there to save.

Classic Mode:
Uncharted: Among Smashers

Drake’s classic mode would have him fighting professional gun-wielders/brawlers in adventurous settings as he uncovers clues to reach the ancient Temple in the Sky. From there, he’ll have to battle Ganondorf to prevent him from obtaining the mythological Smash Ball that would turn him into the dangerous Ganon.

Spoiler: Classic Mode Route

• Stage 1: Samus and Dark Samus (Kongo Jungle 64)
• Stage 2: 2 Foxes and 2 Little Macs (Swaying Bridge section of Wuhu Island)
• Stage 3: Zero Suit Samus (Pilotwings)
• Stage 4: 2 Falcos (Battlefield form Skyloft)
• Stage 5: 3 Snakes (Temple)
• Stage 6: Ganondorf (Find Mii)
• Final Boss: Ganon

Music​

There are so many orchestrated masterpieces in the Uncharted series that this list was hard to make, but in the end I went with 6 tracks from each game (plus the main theme) for a well-rounded total of 25 songs:

• Nate’s Theme
  • This is the main theme of the Uncharted series that has appeared in every entry. This would most likely get a new remix if it were to appear in Smash.
• Unlocking the Past - Uncharted 1
• Sir Francis Drake - Uncharted 1
• Drowned City - Uncharted 1
• Treasure Vault - Uncharted 1
• The Bunker - Uncharted 1
• Showdown - Uncharted 1
• Among Thieves - Uncharted 2
• Bustin’ Chops - Uncharted 2
• Cat and Mouse - Uncharted 2
• Cornered- Uncharted 2
  • Specifically the part from 1:55 and onward.
• Helicopter and Tank - Uncharted 2
• Tree of Life - Uncharted 2
• Atlantis of the Sands - Uncharted 3
• Oh No Chateau - Uncharted 3
• Pursuit - Uncharted 3
• Maritime Malfeasance - Uncharted 3
• Stowaway - Uncharted 3
• Ambushed - Uncharted 3
• A Thief’s End - Uncharted 4
• The Twelve Towers - Uncharted 4
• Marooned - Uncharted 4
• New Devon - Uncharted 4
• Cut to the Chase - Uncharted 4
• Brother’s Keeper - Uncharted 4

Mii Costumes​

The costumes releasing alongside Drake would include costumes from Uncharted as well as other Sony game series.

• Chloe (Gunner)
• Sully (Brawler)
• Jak & Daxter (Gunner) from the Jak & Daxter series.
  • Daxter would be attached to the costume just like with Azurda on the Rex costume.
• Cole MacGrath (Brawler) from the inFamous series.
• [Deluxe] Sly Cooper (Swordfighter) from the Sly Cooper series.

I had a few other Sony costumes in mind though I'll probably save those for if I ever cover Kratos or another Sony character in the future.

Closing Comments​

This turned out to be one of my favorite articles so far along with the Axel Stone and CJ ones. With that said, I hope you all enjoyed it.

So to tell you the truth… I was originally going to cover Conker next, but with him getting a full-on moveset in the recent Smash Remix update, I’ve decided not to since it would feel redundant (at least for now). Perhaps for another time. Either way, I'll probably be back sometime after June with these Underdog articles due to E3 coming up and how long this article took (all of the moveset clips had to be made into gif form from scratch).

Until next time!

Credits
Editing: @Scribe
Graphics: @Zerp
Social Media: @Zerp
Special Thanks: The following videos which were used for the gifs of the moveset section:

Spoiler: Video Credits

• Uncharted 4 Stealth Kills by StealthGamerBR.
• Uncharted 4 Badass Stealth Kills by Slashing Danny.
• Geralt Roach’s videos for all of the Uncharted 2 and Uncharted 4 melee kills.
• Uncharted 2: Chapter 6 by【XCV//】
• Uncharted 2: Chapter 7 by dembonez19
• All weapons in Uncharted 2: Among thieves by Light
• UNCHARTED 2 Minigun Battle by zhixuan zhang
• Uncharted 4 All Taunts by Throneful
• Uncharted 3 - All Melee Combat Animations by XenLEGACY
• Uncharted 2 - Chapters where you can use stealth by LudiXP

Author’s Note: What are your thoughts on Uncharted appearing in Smash? Would you like to see it one day? Let us know in the comments below!

This is absolutely fantastic. As you've probably heard me say before, Nathan Drake is my most wanted for Smash and I'd be very happy with all this content being what he had come with him. Will likely never happen but I'd lose my **** badly if he did

 

I love Uncharted, and and i love the work you put on this, Although personally I would choose Shambhala, Ubbar or maybe the place where El Dorado was located as stage

 

If Nathan Drake got into Smash, you all know Nate's Theme HAS to be in Smash. BTW Sari, you’re a fantastic writer. Y'know, I’m kinda thinking of getting into writing myself. Anyway, Nathan Drake would be great for PlayStation representation in Smash, along with many others, like Cole McGrath, Sackboy, and Kratos. I know it’s unlikely, because...well, it's Sony, but still, it would be cool.

 

I would love this!

If I had to pick a stage, I would go with the convoy of jeeps and trucks from Uncharted 4 with the armoured truck that chased Drake and Sam as a stage hazard.

 

I would love this!

If I had to pick a stage, I would go with the convoy of jeeps and trucks from Uncharted 4 with the armoured truck that chased Drake and Sam as a stage hazard.
Edit: Double edit sorry

 

I hate to be that guy, but any character that was in the abomination that was -Playstation All Stars: Battle Royale- will NEVER EVER ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever be in Smash Bros... That game existing is why I knew we would never get Heihachi, regardless of Sakurai's own personal reasons. That is all.

Good thing Dante wasn't in Playstation All Stars. Nope. That thing definitely wasn't Dante. That was Don'te.