Stealing the Fight - Carmen Sandiego for Smash?

[Miifighters4Smash5]

This thread is to support Carmen Sandiego, the ex-secret-agent-turned-globetrotting thief of the synonymous series (though it usually asks “Where in [X] is Carmen Sandiego?”)

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“...are you for real?”
Sure. Carmen Sandiego is a video game character, after all, and she’s been on Nintendo consoles before, even, with titles on the NES, SNES, GameCube, DS, and Wii.

“But (hypothetically), who in the world is Carmen Sandiego?”
Her main origin is in a series of educational computer games, starting with “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” In most versions, the conceit is that you’re a detective working for an organization known as ACME, assigned by the chief to track down Carmen Sandiego, an ex-agent turned thief who now runs a criminal organization known as VILE, going around stealing various artifacts from around the world. It’s your job to find the criminals and capture them, as well as return the artifacts, through a series of questions leading you to the right answers, eventually tracking down and finding Carmen herself...well, usually a body-double. She seems to get away almost all the time. The true aim is to teach you geography, but they manage to make it feel like a fun detective adventure. Eventually this concept also reaches out to world history (involving time travel), outer space (space travel), language (how?), math (HOW?), and North Dakota (how overly specific).

“So she’s from an educational game series not really centered around direct action. How in the world could she fight?”
I already said, she’s an ex-secret-agent-turned-thief, and in many of the in-game cutscenes, as well as her TV shows, she’s been shown using a wide variety of gadgets and vehicles to aid her in her goals. What’s more, is that since she’s mostly in it for the chase, rather than direct confrontation, and the fact that her series is for children, she’s a relatively non-violent criminal as well. More abstract and/or non-combative characters, such as Mr. Game & Watch, Duck Hunt, ROB,Wii Fit Trainer, Villager and even Pac-Man as far as third parties go, have been included as playable fighters, and she at least has her training, gadgets, and items she has stolen to extrapolate from.

“Okay, but is this a relevant series? Or a popular enough one?”
The last series entry for the games was in 2015, but there is also the Netflix series currently available. More to the point, there are at least 20+ games in the series, with some being variations on “Where in the World/Where in Time”, in addition to having a cartoon, two game shows, and the aforementioned new series in development, as well as a comic published by DC. There’s also a surprising amount of fanart and cosplay of her, as well as parody videos online (many of these pair her with Waldo, another elusive character popular in the 90’s), proving that she is well-remembered and struck a chord with a good chunk of people. She has a distinct appearance, personality, and backstory that people seem to enjoy, which is surprising for an edutainment game character, and if I had to guess, she’s on the same level of popularity/notability as something like Kid Icarus or StarFox, maybe?

“Okay, but there have to be drawbacks.”
Sadly, yes. Mainly, I do not know if many/any of her games were published in Japan (although I did find in my research: a French Carmen Sandiego game and also that Konami developed the NES/SNES games), meaning that she probably isn’t much in the radar over there. Not to mention that I’m unsure if the Learning Company itself would sign off on putting her in a fighting game, even one as unrealistic and over-the-top as Smash, more so because I don’t see that as seeming like a big priority for them Besides that, there’s the fact that she’s more of a vague/distant antagonist, purposefully, but what that means is that you aren’t ever controlling her, despite her being the main recurring character of her series. This would make envisioning her more difficult. Plus she’s nowhere near the most popular third party request, and I fully acknowledge her unlikelihood, but I’d like to say she makes more sense than one would initially think. I thought of more pros, than cons, for one thing, so you may be able to see that there is at least a decent case for her as a playable character.

Some Gadgets (Potential for moveset)
-Grappling Hook
-Smoke screen
-Sleeping gas bombs
-Hacking mini-tool [disguised as a compact make-up kit]
-Miniaturized cutting tool
-Extendable pole in her shoe’s heel
-Rocket-powered, winged glider hidden in her coat

List of Things She’s Stolen (Either for moveset potential, possibly, or for your own reading amusement/amazement)
https://q99.livejournal.com/485597.html

Possible Moveset
Just Specials right now...
B: Laser Cutter - A short ranged laser beam that can be precisely aimed and angled at a foe, which can rack up multiple hits of damage. Like Bowser's Fire Breath, could potentially lose power over time to prevent the incentive to spam it.
Up-B: Rocket Glider - Simply shoots upward with a rocket glider, could be angled in several directions diagonally before going off.
Side-B: Gas Grenades - These could work like Snakes, but with more of an emphasis on stunning foes rather than heavy damage, potentially also causing them to fall asleep like Jigglypuff, leaving them open for a follow-up attack from Carmen.
Down-B: Thievery - Considering this is one of the things she's most known for, it should be included. However, my only thought for this move is to make it like Villager/Isabelle's Pocket move, possibly combined with a counter, but that feels like an unoriginal way to go about it.

She could also use a grapple gun for Grabs and a Tether Recovery, as well. My only thoughts for the Final Smash are that Carmen could disappear, then potentially steal the entire stage they're fighting on, but I have no clue how to actually work that.

So, to summarize...
Pros
+Long-running video game series
+Outside media exposure (TV shows and comics and the like) making her even more well-known
+Has appeared on multiple Nintendo consoles (NES, SNES, GameCube, Nintendo DS, and Wii)
+Has fighting experience and skills in character as a secret agent/thief
+Is the main recurring character of her series
+Has fighting abilities that generally keep within the E/E10 range
+/-Not from a genre that one would expect to crossover into a fighting game

Cons
-Not really sure if she’s known in Japan
-Neither company (Nintendo or the Learning Company) seem like they’d see it as a priority
-Not a playable character
-Not heavily requested
-Moveset isn’t as easy to lay out just from looking at the kind of games she's in
-Just to reiterate: basically not a character on anyone's radar, from multiple angles, which heavily works against her.
(Then again, I've seen a thread here for the Question Block from Mario, so this isn't the strangest thread I've seen)
+/-Not from a genre that one would expect to crossover into a fighting game

Supporters
-Me
-SneakyLink
-KatKit
-MacDaddyNook
-Ridley_Prime
-GKMLTTSB
-SnakeFighter64
-Sabrewulf238

I Mean she IS originally From a Computer Game; So She technically is a Video game character; as The Game Shows & BOTH Cartoons(Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego; and The Netflix Show) came AFTER the original Computer Games. . . so while It might not be Likely to happen anytime soon;
but It's Not like Carmen's a Non- Video Game character like GOKU or IRON MAN who debuted in a NON-Video game Medium like Anime, Comic Books, etc since She IS from a Video Game; albeit her Video Games were originally played on a Computer!!

P.S. Add me to the Support List

 

[SargeAbernathy]

I'm one for it.

Seems there was a Carmen Sandiego in Japan. カルメン サンディエゴ イン ジャパン in 1989. I don't know how popular it was, nor do I know if the other games were ever localized. My assumption is they weren't, and I doubt people there know who she is.

However, she would be a great representation of Educational Games. I'd love to see her in the game, but I don't really have any hope for her. I don't even see her getting a spirit ... let alone a character slot.

Still, thumbs up!

 

[NintenRob]

I'm one for it.

Seems there was a Carmen Sandiego in Japan. カルメン サンディエゴ イン ジャパン in 1989. I don't know how popular it was, nor do I know if the other games were ever localized. My assumption is they weren't, and I doubt people there know who she is.

However, she would be a great representation of Educational Games. I'd love to see her in the game, but I don't really have any hope for her. I don't even see her getting a spirit ... let alone a character slot.

Still, thumbs up!

I think I read somewhere that the Japan game was made specifically because the first one was popular there, so I wouldn't be surprised if more was made. (actually during rate their chance day, I think Good Grief pointed out that Konami published some games there)

 

[Mushroomguy12]

A Thank You fanart for the cast and crew of Carmen Sandiego!

So happy to finally finish this!!! A thank you fanart for @CarmenSandiego! The cast and crew really did an amazing job in creating this series not only as an entertainment, but also an inspiration to a growing artist like me 💖 Thank you for the amazing 4 seasons! #CarmenSandiego pic.twitter.com/lP2yo5zOUL

— flo 🌙 (@yyuppys) January 17, 2021

 

[Ridley_Prime]

Wasn’t sure how long the show was gonna go on for, but the 4th season was a pretty good sendoff as any. Rewatching it now.

 

[Oracle Link]

i thought she was a Netflix Character Huu the more you Know

 

[NintenRob]

i thought she was a Netflix Character Huu the more you Know

Nope, she's been in the gaming business longer than most characters on the roster

 

[chocolatejr9]

Admittedly, I never even considered Carmen Sandiego until I saw people talk about her here. I don't have any personal connections to her (never played the games or watched the shows), but hey, I'm open to almost anybody in Smash, really.

By the way, I figured you all would be interested in this: