Super Smash Bros. Infinite Project (Finally Finished!???)

[warpenguin55]

Does anyone remember back in the Brawl days when people wanted Chugon?

I'm sorry, but who? I can't even get google results for them?

EDIT: I have a bad feeling I missed a joke

 

[Speed Weed]

To get us started as I was around during the Brawl days…

1) Andy
2) Chibi-Robo
3) Tom Nook
4) Geno
5) Sylux
6) Paper Mario
7) Saki
8) Krystal
9) Toad
10) Mach Rider
11) Excitebiker
12) Ayumi Tachibana
13) Ray MK
14) Black Shadow

Just from the top of my head. Asking around may yield other results.

Alright guys all I'm gonna say is we should definitely add based Saki Amamiya he would be very cool and epic I think

 

[WeirdChillFever]

Considering the angle of the job I believe the character should still be popular in current speculation (disregarding any deconfirmations for Smash Ultimate that hampered the perceived liklheood of certain characters). However, I‘m also biased to believe that any character I like should be the exception to this.

 

[Adrianette Bromide]

I'm sorry, but who? I can't even get google results for them?

EDIT: I have a bad feeling I missed a joke

Let's stop Chugon along and hurry up submitting *********

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Job #161: Submit a Highly-Requested Character from the Brawl Era who still retains Popularity Today​

Well, this certainly brought up a lot of discussion. I was honestly pretty shocked by it. The intention of this job prompt was not to limit choices but to shine some light on characters who, more or less, “missed the boat” so to speak back during Brawl and Smash 4 and Ultimate. This was to give them a fighting chance to finally appear in the greatest crossover in history. It also seems one if biggest contention was allowing both a new Mario newcomer plus Geno. I understand that this was perhaps controversial but, as much as I dislike the character, Geno’s importance to the Brawl era can be understated enough. That was more or less the height of his popularity and ignoring that wouldn’t be a fair representation for that era.

Also, after discussing things with the team as well several members in this thread, a second Pokémon rep will be allowed. Please note that this rep will be confined to the Brawl era. So this includes Gens 1 to 4. This precedent is due to Lucario and Pokemon Trainer both getting into the game. Now, one issue that arises is that we kind of have a 3rd Gen Rep in Grovyle to an extent. That being said, Sceptile is not eligible for submissions.

I will be posting the list of possible characters shortly after posting this thread. Please don’t feel that your submissions need to be confined to this list though.

Reminder that the following franchises are ineligible:

• Zelda
• Kirby
• Kid Icarus
• Kirby
• Wario
• Astral Chain
• Golden Sun
• Style Saavy
• Rhythm Heaven
• Mysterious Castle Murasame

In addition, the following characters are also ineligible: Kumatora, Sukapon, Lyndis, and Sylux due to Mii Costume status. This also includes any Assist Trophies. Also, due to having two Mech characters, Porky is ineligible.

When submitting content, please provide the following info:

• Name
• Series
• Why the character should be included

List of acceptable and possible characters:
1) Andy
2) Chibi-Robo
3) Tom Nook
4) Geno
5) King Hippo
6) Paper Mario
7) Saki
8) Krystal
9) Toad
10) Mach Rider
11) Excitebiker
12) Ayumi Tachibana
13) Ray MK
14) Black Shadow
15) Starfy
16) Samurai Goroh (I remember him being a very common prediction)
17) Balloon Fighter
18) Jill Dozer
19) Fawful
20) Masked Man
21) Micaiah
22) Lip
23) Meowth
24) Plusle & Minun
25) Blaziken
26) Gardevoir
27) Darkrai
28) Deoxys
29) Black Knight

 

[Tankman from Newgrounds]

Newcomer, who "missed the Brawl Bus" submittion, aka Job #161:
EXCITEBIKER (Excite Series)

Reason why He should be included, because he was Requested in Melee times, but he was thrown off by Ice Climbers due to his issue that he couldn't jump without ramps, and also in Brawl Times, who was an AT.
He would be representative of Nintendo's Racing series: Excite and also little accent of Retro Representative. He is my most wanted Retro Character (Despite he has Modern games tho) for Super Smash Bros and I want him as Playable Character. Even his NES side-scrolling game was Very Popular for Inclusion to Smash Bros.

His moveset would be Vehicular-type, since he rides on his Motorbike. His Side Smash would be Gravel Wheel, Side Special can be Ramp and Up Special can be Wheelie Rocket jump. For His Final smash, it can be Boulder from ExciteTruck, who rams at Enemies, resulting Instant KO.
His Gimmick can be Temperature meter, who works at His Neutral Special, Turbo Scorch, where he does a Small Dash and he launches a Fireball that gives the Flame Damage. When it's overused, the bike explodes and He is launched into air and after painful landing, he regains his Bike.

So, how do you guys like this idea?

 

[Jondolio]

Job #161: Submit a Highly-Requested Character from the Brawl Era who still retains Popularity Today

Geno
Series: Super Mario
Hailing from the cult classic, Super Mario RPG, ♡♪!? is sent by "a higher authority" to retrieve the seven legendary stars and restore the power of wishes to the world. He ends up possessing a child's doll named Geno, and takes on that name as his actual name is unpronounceable, and teams up with Mario & friends to defeat the Smithy Gang.
Geno's been a popular request for years, with our predecessor, Masahiro Sakurai, even acknowledging his popularity and saying he wanted to include him at one point. Why he hasn't been included to this day is unknown, but he would make for a very unique fighter thanks to a combination of the attacks he can learn in Super Mario RPG, his arm cannon, and the main mechanic of the game - the "Timed Hits", named "Action Commands" in later Mario RPGs, which increase the power of his attacks when the button is pressed just before the attack. Geno's inclusion would likely be very well received, as his fanbase is as big and passionate as ever, if not more than it was during the Brawl days.

 

[Paraster]

Highly-Requested Character from the Brawl Era who still retains Popularity Today

Krystal (Star Fox)

Krystal is probably the most requested character from Star Fox, an inaugural Smash franchise that hasn't necessarily gotten as much focus as it deserves in modern times. She definitely has a lot of potential to be a lot more unique than "another Fox."

Her association with both a magic staff (Adventures, as seen in her Assist Trophy) and technological weapons (Assault) gives a lot of variety, which could make her both out first staff fighter (in terms of actually using the staff as a melee weapon) and out first "magitek" character.

For more ideas, including more specific interpretations of what I've listed here, see my last Krystal submission.

• Design based on Assault, but wields a technological staff that vaguely resembles one from Adventures
• Staff used as melee weapon, can also fire lasers and energy explosions
• Slower but heavier than other SF characters
• Doesn't say words like other SF characters
• Neutral special is an ice attack, but very different from her Ult AT--fires an ice projectile that flies a fair distance, can freeze and be charged
• Down special is Grenade from Assault--similar to Mii Gunner's Grenade Launch
• Final Smash similar to Fox/Falco/Wolf, but takes place above Dinosaur Planet during rain and has her fly alone in Cloud Runner ship from Command
• Stage: "Sauria" (Dinosaur Planet but based on how it appears in Assault--Aparoid attack going on in background but no real hazards)
• New item: Gatling Gun from Assault (basically Bullet Arts as an item)
• New Assist Trophy: Tricky (rams opponents, takes no damage from front)
• New boss: Andross (Star Fox Zero design, teased at end of trailer)

 

[ivanlerma]

Ayumi Tachibana from Famicom Detective Club

While not the very first main protagonist, Ayumi Tachibana is a pretty known character from the Famicom Detective Club Series, She is a schoolgirl who wanted to help solve the murder case of her best friend, afterwards she joined the main character as an assistant in the utsugi detective agency.

Ayumi's moveset would be based on mechanics taken from her games, a magnefying glass which can use to stun opponents by pressing onto them or light a ray of light to give out small damage, Her Suitcase could also come into play for her movesets, her final smash can be The Girl Who Stands Behind who can drag opponents into the mirror while behind Ayumi.

Ayumi's series had two remakes for two of the series' entries and would work well as a underrated nintendo franchise that was considered. While Ayumi wouldn't stand out with the other fighters, she would certainly be interesting in her own way.

 

[Adrianette Bromide]

Job #161: Paper Mario from... Paper Mario!

A third Mario? You're kidding, right? Well the difference between this Mario and the two in Smash is that this one is totally flat! He hails from the Paper Mario spin-off series, a series of turn based RPG with a focus on action commands and enriching the world of Mario. This Mario has gone on whacky adventures like saving Peach from a wish power infused Bowser, an ancient demon queen, a tragic count bent on world destruction, a mad king bent on brainwashing the world and NOTHING, MOST DEFINITELY NOTHING HAPPENED BETWEEN THOSE LAST TWO EVENTS.

ABSOLUTE NOTHING!

Anyway, Paper Mario isn't the only person that could be fighting in Smash. One of Paper Mario's most iconic staple is his wide array of partners. And when I say wide array, I'm not kidding.

Yeah, he's got a huge arsenal. Don't mind the first image, I spilled some dark matter brew over it but I'm sure it was just an empty couple of slots.

For Paper Mario's moveset, he could use his different partners for his different special attacks or maybe they function on their own like Luma, Nana and Pikmin. This also means his series would be ripe for more spirits and lots of stage cameos.

We could also focus on adding a better Paper Mario stage as well. As far as we have now, the current Paper Mario stage seems to be generic and not based on any particular game, at least one that exists anyway with only 1/3rd of a transformation being based on TTYD.

His moveset can also be TOTALLY different from normal Mario's. As Paper Mario is from a slower paced RPG series, he can be more methodical and less focused on air game like Mario is. His specials could be similar but need action commands to be performed to unlock their true strength.

He would be a great addition and despite being a third Mario, I can assure you Paper Mario would make the cut in terms kf uniqueness 100-fold!

 

[PeridotGX]

New Fighter: Masked Man (Mother 3)

The Masked Man is a key character in Mother 3, the beloved Japan-only sequel to Earthbound. He's one of the main antagonists of the game, and appears more often than the actual main antagonist. He's a mysterious character, his true identity not revealed until the end of the game (I'm sure we all know who it is but I'll pretend like we don't). He was suprisingly popular during the Brawl era, with his thread having over three thousand replies (more than characters like Bomberman, Issac, Ness, and Marth). It kinda fell off after Brawl, but not entirely. If nobody wanted him, why would he be in a brawl mod?

Spoiler: Warning: Video has him in his true identity

That video kinda shows how he could work in Smash already.

 

[Janx_uwu]

JOB 161:

That's right-I'm submitting Meowth for Super Smash Bros Infinite!
Originally, I was just going to copy-paste my original Meowth submission, but after re-reading it, it came off as very snarky and unprofessional-so here it is again, from the ground up.

Meowth is a popular character in the Pokemon franchise who has been requested for Super Smash Bros since Brawl. He loves coins and was the first Pokemon to speak in the anime adaption. Speaking of the anime, Meowth played a really big part in that, being one third of Team Rocket, the main antagonists for most episodes. He's a normal type Pokemon and, because of this, he would likely be one of the simpler Pokemon in Smash. However, given his large role in the anime, there's a ton of fun stuff we could reference, not to mention being a cat would be a very cool archetype to finally have in Smash! (Yes, I'm aware Incineroar is a cat, but he hardly makes use of that as a fighter).
Now, whenever a character like Meowth comes up in conversation, the first thing people mention is the iffy nature of non-videogame content in Smash. However, I find this an irrelevant point to bring up, as Smash already has game characters that come with non-game references, or just non-game content in general. Including, but not limited to-

• Cloud having references to Advent Children
• Sephiroth himself being an Advent Children reference, not to mention his reveal trailer being a huge homage to the film
• The sensor-bomb item was originally based off of the same item from Goldeneye 007, a game adaption of a film series-while it was changed to not look like said bomb in later Smash games, it still functions the exact same.

So I don't think there's a problem with taking a videogame character and giving them non-gaming references. It's like if we included a taunt of Sonic eating a chili dog-something that's nearly inseparable from his character but is hardly mentioned in the games. At least let the man talk!

Anyways, yeah, that's about all I have to say on Meowth-no big writeup this time, I think he speaks for himself-no pun intended. Highly requested since Brawl, cool archetype, and adds yet another well-deserved rep to the Pokemon franchise in Smash.

 

[Yiptap]

BUP!

Toad claims his spot!

Toad is Peach's guard who has been there since the beginning. He has been playable in almost every modern Mario game, and when he isn't, he has a major role. Toad is one of the most iconic Mario characters and certainly deserves to get in (I'm feeling so tired right now I ain't in the mood for a long writeup lol). EDIT: Darn, I thought we were submitting )

Submitting the one, the only, Toad!

 

[cashregister9]

Saki Amamiya

The Main character of the First Sin & Punishment, Saki wields the Dolphin gun which can shoot projectiles and turn into an energy sword. While the original Sin & Punishment was a Japanese exclusive for a while, The Sequel Star Successor wasn't and the original eventually got an English release on Wii U. Saki has appeared as an Assist and a Mii costume in the past. Saki would be an interesting inclusion as his weapon could make for some fun gameplay and apparently the whole reason Saki was even added as an assist was because so many japanese players kept asking for him

 

[GolisoPower]

JOB 161:

Mach Rider is the titular protagonist of the NES vehicular combat video game released in 1985 in Japan and the West before making its way to Europe two years later. This is a character that many would argue did the "Samus Is A Girl" twist a whole year ahead of Metroid's release, though that's still up for debate.

Over the course of the next few decades, Mach Rider would become popular enough to return to Virtual Console on the Wii, 3DS and Wii U, and while support for the character was strong back then, it gained a recent resurgence with the infamous Grinch Leak that included the character alongside Geno, Shadow, Ken, Chorus Kids, Banjo & Kazooie, and Isaac, with Ken and Banjo being the two characters to actually make it into Ultimate and Isaac being the one we voted to put in Infinite.

How would Mach Rider stand out from the rest of the cast, you ask? Well, while Excitebiker is a popular choice and there have been cases where people have made some solid sets for the character, Mach Rider is basically Excitebiker if he was canonically made for combat. He could have the same hurtbox mechanics as Bowser Jr, with the motorcycle taking less damage while the rider him/herself takes more damage. Their playstyle would be that of a speedy rushdiwn character who's about chasing their foes and trickling damage onto their person.

 

[Tankman from Newgrounds]

JOB 161:
View attachment 329385
Mach Rider is the titular protagonist of the NES vehicular combat video game released in 1985 in Japan and the West before making its way to Europe two years later. This is a character that many would argue did the "Samus Is A Girl" twist a whole year ahead of Metroid's release, though that's still up for debate.
View attachment 329384
Over the course of the next few decades, Mach Rider would become popular enough to return to Virtual Console on the Wii, 3DS and Wii U, and while support for the character was strong back then, it gained a recent resurgence with the infamous Grinch Leak that included the character alongside Geno, Shadow, Ken, Chorus Kids, Banjo & Kazooie, and Isaac, with Ken and Banjo being the two characters to actually make it into Ultimate and Isaac being the one we voted to put in Infinite.

How would Mach Rider stand out from the rest of the cast, you ask? Well, while Excitebiker is a popular choice and there have been cases where people have made some solid sets for the character, Mach Rider is basically Excitebiker if he was canonically made for combat. He could have the same hurtbox mechanics as Bowser Jr, with the motorcycle taking less damage while the rider him/herself takes more damage. Their playstyle would be that of a speedy rushdiwn character who's about chasing their foes and trickling damage onto their person.

That would be cool like my Sumbmittion, ExciteBiker.

 

[WeirdChillFever]

Job #161
Balloon Fighter (Balloon Fight)

Introduction
Balloon Fighter is the eponymous playable character in the NES classic Balloon Fight. Wielding his balloons, it was his job to traverse various stages by popping the balloons of the enemies floating around. In the side game Balloon Trip, the objective is instead to traverse an endless ocean full of obstacles in a side-scrolling floating adventure.

A Balloon Trip back to Brawl
Back in the Brawl speculation era, Balloon Fighter was touted as a possible retro rep to follow-up on both Ice Climbers’ and Mr. Game & Watch’s appearance in Melee, gaining a good following. This following persisted up until Smash 4’s speculation period, before being consequently deflated by Villager’s Up Special, which was also called Balloon Trip and featuring the classic balloon-adorned helmet and flapping animation as a mere recovery. Since then, Balloon Fighter’s support declined, but in the vein of second chances, I propose he’ll join the fight as Infinite’s latest retro character.

Beyond Villager’s New Horizons
Even though Villager’s Up B has popped the bubble of Balloon Fighter’s Smash-specific popularity, the game still reigns as a true NES classic. So much in fact, that it was included on the NES Classic Selection of games and increased its presence in Smash Bros. with a stage of the game (aptly named Balloon Fight). Since the Brawl era, he had even been steadily rising the ranks of retros by nabbing a spot in Nintendo Land’s line-up with a recreation of Balloon Trip called Balloon Breeze and by appearing as one of the 3DS ambassador games. To take a trip down memory lane and remember how far the lad has come shows how much hearts he has captured, with a peak in popularity unfairly cut off by a mere Up B. This harsh deconfirmation has been a huge blow to Balloon Fighter speculation, and that while his appeal, historical value and popularity haven’t decreased. In the vein of second chances and missing the boat, he’s the one most held back by factors that have no bearings on his own qualities as a fighter, whereas other fighters have slipped into obscurity due to timing or being overshadowed by other choices from their series: Balloon Fighter, along with a select other fighters, are the only ones truly timeless despite their popularity peaking in Brawl.

A second retro rep is not only possible, it has happened before in both Melee and Brawl. Since Ultimate skipped on a retro character, Infinite could return to form and introduce another one besides Takamaru. With this job revolving around missing the boat, the changing climate hasn’t been particulalry kind since the prospect of multiple retros have disappeared from the collective memory. Yet, there’s definitely an appeal in reviving the retro slot, shown by Takamaru and the multiple retro reps submitted for this job. In fact, Takamaru and Balloon Fighter have a very similar resume, sharing an appearance in Nintendo Land, an addition to the 3DS and a spike of in-Smash acknowledgement thanks to their popularity in Smash 4.

Moveset
A balloon fighter might seem less impressive moveset-wise, but the opposite is true! A physics-based fighter, with low traction and adjustable falling speed depending on the amount of balloons attached is a versatile and unique playstyle. Moreover, the Flipper, a cut item from Smash Bros. Melee, could make an appearance in Balloon Fighter’s moveset as a Darth Maul-esque dual sword.
This Flipper wouldn’t be just a regular sword though, but rather the focus of Balloon Fighter’s more salient moves. Since the Flipper spins around and is more of a bumper-type item than a true bludgeoning weapon, the angle of the Flipper’s knockback would depend on the position of the opponent relative to the Flipper, making for a multi-faceted moveset where each attack has wildly different purposes depending on the exact hitbox. Besides that, the Flipper would deal high knockback but deal low damage Combined with Balloon Fighter’s mobility, which could even be enhanced by a pumping-popping mechanic where Balloon Fighter’s stats are altered depending on the amount of Balloons attached to him, and potential of the Flipper to feature in a projectile Side B, and Balloon Fighter would much rather play a gimping game to control the stage’s aerial area than to go for the high-percent combos.​

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Job #161: Sami (Advanced Wars)

With Advanced Wars getting a reboot, it seems prime time for the series to finally get a rep. While Andy would be an obvious choice given his protagonist role and ability to buff himself and allies in an unique Shulk-like way while fighting with wrenches, I feel Sami would be an ideal candidate. Beyond utilizing traditional firearms, she could have a MK 11-esque moveset utilizing booby traps, camouflage, knives, and more in battle. She could even utilize her allies and units in battle like Andy and Max. She could also have a gimmick centered around the idea of Advanced Wars mechanics where her damage potential would be dependent on the situation, like land versus aerial attacks. She would be both a trapping and capturing character with good projectiles and melee abilities while also having buffing abilities for herself and allies.

Andy could easily be substituted for Sami but, in my opinion, she is far more the interesting candidate due to her appearance, abilities, and combat potential. Both Andy and Sami were talked about during Brawl’s speculation period with significant focus being centered on how they would play. Both had sizeable communities and, while they shrunk due to the series not getting a new game, they are still quite popular. Advanced Wars is one of those series where a rep makes sense but has yet to receive one despite its popularity and legacy.

 

[Golden Icarus]

These submissions are really strong already. I’m excited.

Question about Balloon Fighter: is it too late to change Villager’s (and maybe Isabelle’s) Up-B? Do we have plans to change more veteran movesets, or have we moved passed that? I’m super down with Balloon Fighter’s inclusion, but I’d be more happy to vote for him if I knew for sure that we could still change Villager’s recovery.

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

These submissions are really strong already. I’m excited.

Question about Balloon Fighter: is it too late to change Villager’s (and maybe Isabelle’s) Up-B? Do we have plans to change more veteran movesets, or have we moved passed that? I’m super down with Balloon Fighter’s inclusion, but I’d be more happy to vote for him if I knew for sure that we could still change Villager’s recovery.

I like a lot of these submissions as well. Very solid.

As for that, I would be more cool with giving Balloon Fighter unique options for a recovery as opposed to simply flying into the air. Like giving his up special Balloon Pump which gives his jumps even more oomph. His double jump could have potential to cover more ground than a standard recovery. Or even Villager’s recovery.

Heck, he could even not have a double jump. Just constantly be in the air the whole time but has a certain height redirection based on how inflated his balloons are.

 

[Capybara Gaming]

Job #161: Sami (Advanced Wars)

With Advanced Wars getting a reboot, it seems prime time for the series to finally get a rep. While Andy would be an obvious choice given his protagonist role and ability to buff himself and allies in an unique Shulk-like way while fighting with wrenches, I feel Sami would be an ideal candidate. Beyond utilizing traditional firearms, she could have a MK 11-esque moveset utilizing booby traps, camouflage, knives, and more in battle. She could even utilize her allies and units in battle like Andy and Max. She could also have a gimmick centered around the idea of Advanced Wars mechanics where her damage potential would be dependent on the situation, like land versus aerial attacks. She would be both a trapping and capturing character with good projectiles and melee abilities while also having buffing abilities for herself and allies.

Andy could easily be substituted for Sami but, in my opinion, she is far more the interesting candidate due to her appearance, abilities, and combat potential. Both Andy and Sami were talked about during Brawl’s speculation period with significant focus being centered on how they would play. Both had sizeable communities and, while they shrunk due to the series not getting a new game, they are still quite popular. Advanced Wars is one of those series where a rep makes sense but has yet to receive one despite its popularity and legacy.

I'll be voting for this.

 

[Tankman from Newgrounds]

Guys, have you ever saw my submittion?

 

[Yiptap]

Cringe Spirits

	Imp Debut Game: Plants V.S. Zombies Class: Novice Type: Support Effect: Tiny Puppet Fighter: Tiny Biker Wario x 10 (Grey Alt) Stage: House (Lawn, Night) Music Track: Moongrains Conditions: You need to take down several opponents, The opponents favor neutral special.
	Jumpman (This isn't the only artwork, but it's my favorite) Debut Game: Donkey Kong Class: Ace Type: Primary Grab Effect: Unflinching Charged Smashes Puppet Fighter: Mario, Simon Belmot (Red Alt) Stage: The Arcade Donkey Kong Stage, I forgot what it was called Music Track: Opening - Donkey Kong Conditions: You have a CPU Ally (Donkey Kong), The opponent has increased jumping power, Items regularly spawn (Hammers), The opponent favors side smash (Simon Belmot), You lose if your CPU ally is K.O.ed
	Belcha Debut Game: Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Class: Novice Type: Primary Defense Effect: None Summon from the cores of DK and Bongos and two defense cores

 

[ivanlerma]

Guys, have you ever saw my submittion?

Sam: Yup
Max: Oh Yeah, I've seen it

Edit: Not trying to sound rude, just using impressions for a different reaction.

 

[airConditioner]

(I know someone already submitted Saki, but consider this a supplement to their post.)

The Successor of the Earth

Saki Amamiya Roughs it Up!
First Appearance: Sin & Punishment (Nintendo 64, 2000)
Latest Appearance: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo Switch, 2018)

1. What is Sin & Punishment, and who is Saki?​

Sin & Punishment is a rail shooter released on the Nintendo 64. It was originally only released in Japan, but through the means of the Virtual Console, it reached international audiences in 2007. The series was developed by Treasure, who have also developed titles such as Mischief Makers and Ikaruga. The first game's success among its audience led to the creation of a sequel, Sin & Punishment: Star Successor on the Wii. Its plot focuses on two members of an armed resistance group, Saki Amamiya and Airan Jo, and their fight for survival in a dystopian world.

In the year 2007, humanity finds itself at a world threatening famine as a result of overpopulation. To combat this, governments around the world decided to breed a new species of livestock. Unfortunately, the breeding facility located in Northern Japan was struck by a terrible catastrophe. Many of these livestock animals began seeing their genetic makeup shift rapidly, escaping into the urban areas of the country. This caused the destruction of many small cities and the conversion of nearly 90% of the wildlife in Japan to mutate. These mutated animals are given the nickname Ruffians, and soon, a police force known as the Armed Volunteers began their crusade to eradicate them.

Unfortunately for the people of Japan, the Armed Volunteers began doing what police do and started oppressing the people. This prompted a mysterious woman named Achi to form the Saviour Group, two members being Saki Amamiya and his partner, Airan Jo. During a planned theft of a transport, this entire group is wiped out save for Saki, Airan, and Achi. When the group reaches the transport, Achi and Airan stay inside it while Saki fights the Ruffian Radon. Following its defeat, an Armed Volunteer named Kachua notices and starts fighting him. However, their fight is interrupted when an earthquake plunges them into a tide of blood. The two transform into Ruffians and continue their fight. Kachua is eventually killed and the Ruffian Saki begins his assault on Achi and Airan. Meanwhile, the leader of the Armed Volunteers, Brad, resolves to keep his group in Japan to combat Saki. Airan battles her way to Brad and confronts him with the knowledge of him giving his blood to Kachua and Radon. The two fight, leading to the defeat of Brad. With the Armed Volunteers out of the way, Airan focuses on restoring Saki to his original human form. Achi instructs her companion to shoot Saki in the head and enter his subconscious with human memories. This is unfathomable to Airan who refuses to kill her friend.

Airan wakes up in a different reality, meeting her son Isa Jo in a New York subway. She sees the Ruffian Saki continuing to rampage throughout the city and a human Saki who chastises her decision on having a child in such a turbulent time. Airan shoots Saki, waking up from the dream and realizing she shot her partner in real life. Appalled at being manipulated by her superior, Airan learns that Achi's motives are much more malicious. Achi reveals that Saki was to be groomed into her ultimate warrior to win battles for her in conflicts in the deep reaches of space. Airan is then forced into Saki, who is finally returned to his human state. When Airan regains consciousness later on, she is saved from hordes of Ruffians by Saki. However, she is eventually kidnapped by Achi. Saki then fights through swathes of Ruffian infested forests to reach her. Achi and Saki have an argument and Saki reaches out to his partner, asking her to hold onto his heart. Together, they transform into a giant Ruffian to defeat Achi. Following the defeat of their former leader, the two question their future as the game ends.

2. Sin & Punishment in Smash

​

Since Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Sin & Punishment series has had quite some decent representation. Saki Amamiya appeared first as an assist trophy in Brawl, with a requisite trophy. This continued in for Wii U and 3DS, with him reprising his role as an Assist Trophy and trophy. His assist was removed in Ultimate however, and replaced with a Mii Costume. The collectibles for Sin & Punishment doubled with Saki being joined by his son Isa. In Infinite, there are several music tracks from Sin & Punishment: Star Successor. The menu theme (which is extremely good for being only a menu theme) and Discipline, which plays during the tutorial boss. What does this mean? It means that Sin & Punishment is well received enough to receive major content like this and has enough demand to be included in such a capacity. In fact, the Super Smash Bros. Brawl Dojo!! states that Saki was specifically added to appease demands from the fanbase! It also means that there is still quite a lot to represent for this series. Despite its popularity, it still only has a few pieces of music and spirits to its name in Infinite. Surely, we can add more music, spirits, and enemies along with a character and stage to justify the popularity the series holds.

3. What would Saki Bring to Smash?

​

While at first glance from the Assist Trophy Saki just seems like Marth with a gun, there is so much more that Saki has to offer. The gameplay and options of Sin & Punishment allow for a much more unique moveset. As a rail shooter focused on movement, Saki would obviously be quite a fast character. Unlike his fellow rail shooter characters, Saki would have much more utility in his blaster, with it being one of the main parts of his moveset. His Dolphin Gun could possibly draw more from the genre than his brethren, with free aim and streams of shots rather than single lasers in one direction. Additionally, he could incorporate a locking mechanic that would lock his aim. This would represent both gameplay options in Sin & Punishment, the free-aim mode and the locked-on mode. This unique functionality could accurately represent the game and genre that Saki is from as well as provide for a new gameplay experience in Smash. No character in Smash currently has the ability to represent what Saki does. In addition to the blaster function of his Dolphin Gun, Saki also has a sword function. This is used in game to destroy nearby obstacles as well as reflect damage. Surely, this function can easily be reflected in Smash with regards to the previous rail gun gameplay. There is also the issue of his Ruffian form. While it is a clear candidate for his Final Smash, one could easily implement it elsewhere in his moveset, such as how Kazuya does so with his devil form. Thus, with only representation from the first Sin & Punishment game, Saki has already proven to play extremely differently from any other character already seen in Smash.

There is yet more to draw moveset from, as Saki's son Isa and his companion Kachi (...?) have abilities of their own. These could easily be drawn from for more inspiration, in case the simple uniqueness of the first is not enough to satisfy gamers. This pair have the ability to freely float, whether from a jetpack or a hoverboard. Additionally, their blasters have additionally functionality in their shots - Isa's has the ability to fire a powerful charged shot while Kachi's fires several charged shots locked on many targets. This could easily be adapted into Saki's moveset, creating an amalgamation of Sin & Punishment characters and gameplay. You may argue that this is unfaithful, but it has happened before with characters from EarthBound and Castlevania.

In addition to moveset variation, the world of Sin & Punishment is rich in setting and characters that would fit perfectly into Smash. As Sakurai himself said, "He has no problem fitting in!" Sin & Punishment's dystopian settings are unlike any other already present in Smash Bros., with desolate oceans and cities that stretch the limits of the Nintendo 64 and Wii's capabilities. Its enemies are numerous and provide for interesting stage hazards. Its soundtrack is absolutely one of the best that Nintendo has to offer. Thus, the vast amount of variety that Saki and the world of Sin & Punishment could bring to Smash and its modes is limitless.

4. Saki's Popularity​

As mentioned before, the popularity of Sin & Punishment among its original Japanese audience was greatly influential in his inclusion in Smash Bros. The cries for his inclusion in Brawl led Sakurai to make a statement in the official DOJO!! - "He rivals just about any main character. There were many requests for [Saki's] inclusion." Clearly, his popularity definitely reached a point to where the director of the most popular crossover party game in history made a comment about it during his inclusion. In addition, the high reviews and innovation of the original Sin & Punishment created a cult following among those who were not able to purchase it locally. It became a highly demanded import game until its release on the Virtual Console in 2007. He is a playable character in the Smash fangame Super Smash Bros. Crusade, one of the two large fangames along with Super Smash Flash 2. While definitely not as strong in the modern era of third party most wanteds and Everyone is Here, Saki is still a request that holds great amount of popularity.

5. Potential Issues Addressed
​

Marth with a Gun

Again, from first glance, Saki just seems like a sword user with a gun. What would differentiate him from characters like Officer Howard and Fox? One way we could do so is by pulling directly from his source material and giving him the gameplay of a rail shooter, in Smash. We've had fighting game characters, Splatoon, and Minecraft quite accurately representing their gameplay in Smash so it would be inside the realm of possibility to give Saki the moveset a moveset that would be both unique and accurate to his source material.

Dead Game / no Popularity

Lack of relevancy has never and will never affect a character's inclusion in Smash. Additionally, Saki's popularity was very high at several points, as demonstrated in point 4. Saki could also fill the role of a legacy character, where adding him would demonstrate the wide repertoire Nintendo was once so proud of. His addition into Smash could see a resurgence of the Sin & Punishment series. Infinite's release as a game in the year 20XX has also given the window of opportunity for another game to theoretically be released.

Why not Airan/Isa/Kachi?

Saki is the face of the franchise. He is the one who has had the constant appearances in Smash. Additionally, much of the story of the first game revolves around his problems and it would make the most sense to add him. While Sin & Punishment: Star Successor doesn't feature either Airan or Saki, both of their influence is strongly felt in their son and the struggles he faces. Thus, Saki's status as the face of the franchise and one of two main characters of the first game puts him at the top of the list for Sin & Punishment representation.

6. Final Arguments

1. Saki would provide proper representation to the Rail Shooter genre, something quite lacking with the other Rail Shooter representation we have.
2. Saki's popularity led him to be added as an Assist Trophy in Brawl, with direct comments from Sakurai about it.
3. Agave
4. Saki would bring another universe to Smash, one that will directly represent the Nintendo 64 era.

 

[WeirdChillFever]

Guys, have you ever saw my submittion?

Yes, but I didn’t wanna clog the thread with any comments right now since I assume the discussion period is later and right now is the submission period.

 

[chocolatejr9]

I feel a little odd submitting him since we already have Sami, but then I remembered we already have three(?) Mario submissions, so what the heck?

Popular Brawl request: Andy

Andy is the main protagonist of the Advance Wars series. A CO of the Orange Star nation, Andy is a young mechanic who finds himself on the frontlines after enemy nations launch attacks on his home. Being a mechanic, Andy can build various tools and crafts to assist him in combat, such as tanks and planes. This makes him stand out from the rest, as there aren't that many characters with this sort of mechanic. It would also make him more unique than Sami, who would most likely be another typical shooter character, wheras Andy would come with a handy wrench to set him apart from the others.

 

[Krookodilian]

Chibi Robo:

No manifesto, but Chibi Robo would be pretty cool. His series has multiple installments spanning from the GameCube to 3DS, and an inclusion in smash may be exactly whats required to breathe life back into the franchise. In Smash, Chibi Robo is a Mii Gunner Costume, has a whopping five spirits which is very high for a nonplayable nintendo series, only being outpaced by Starfy now, and can be played as in Smash Flash 2. He Could fight with househould appliances such as a toothbrush and spoon, or due to his robotic nature could use electrical attacks such as a blaster and his plug. There's also the potential for a watt meter which he must recharge to use his more powerful electric attacks, or even fire and ice variants which he has access to in Zip Lash.

I don't know how popular he was back in the brawl days, but his series has continued on since then so he makes more sense to include than ever.

The gameplay of Chibi Robo is extremely charming, and he would also be Skip Ltd's first smash fighter, so why not put him in smash?​

 

[BowserKing]

Could Legendaries get in again?

Lugia dives in the fight.

Ever since Mewtwo got in Smash, Lugia was one of the most likely Legendaries to get in Brawl. But that did not happen, mostly likely due to size issues. Of course size is inconsistent in Pokémon games.

Is Lugia a popular choice? First of all, Lugia is a breakout character, due to being a mascot of Pokémon Silver and a Major role in Pokémon: 2000. Second of all, Lugia is one of the most popular Pokémon of Gen 2 (Umbreon is higher). Lugia defiantly has popularity on it’s side, even enough to get a Shadow form in Pokémon XD.

Of course Lugia is a popular choice during the Brawl days, but as more generations arrive, more Pokémon have to compete with Lugia. But why should that stop a major Legendary?

Lugia is a Psychic/Flying type Pokémon and we need a Pokémon that uses those moves. It can use Areoblast, Wind Gusts and Extrasensory, but also Dragon Rush. I could also see Lugia use Ancient Power. And Lugia would also be the heaviest Pokémon in the roaster, but not the heaviest fighter.

Of course Lugia’s size and air thriving would be nerfed, but if it worked with Ridley, then it can work with Lugia.

Overall, Lugia would give Johto more representation and we get more Johto music. And a second Legendary (excluding mythical)

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Could Legendaries get in again?

Lugia dives in the fight.

View attachment 329430

Ever since Mewtwo got in Smash, Lugia was one of the most likely Legendaries to get in Brawl. But that did not happen, mostly likely due to size issues. Of course size is inconsistent in Pokémon games.

Is Lugia a popular choice? First of all, Lugia is a breakout character, due to being a mascot of Pokémon Silver and a Major role in Pokémon: 2000. Second of all, Lugia is one of the most popular Pokémon of Gen 2 (Umbreon is higher). Lugia defiantly has popularity on it’s side, even enough to get a Shadow form in Pokémon XD.

Of course Lugia is a popular choice during the Brawl days, but as more generations arrive, more Pokémon have to compete with Lugia. But why should that stop a major Legendary?

Lugia is a Psychic/Flying type Pokémon and we need a Pokémon that uses those moves. It can use Areoblast, Wind Gusts and Extrasensory, but also Dragon Rush. I could also see Lugia use Ancient Power. And Lugia would also be the heaviest Pokémon in the roaster, but not the heaviest fighter.

Of course Lugia’s size and air thriving would be nerfed, but if it worked with Ridley, then it can work with Lugia.

Overall, Lugia would give Johto more representation and we get more Johto music. And a second Legendary (excluding mythical)

I’m just checking in but Lugia was actually popular during the Brawl era or are we assuming he was just because you want to subject Lugia. Just checking to keep line with the prompt.

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

JILL & DRILL DOZER STEAL THE SHOW!

Who are Jill & Drill Dozer?
Jill (NOT “Jill Dozer”, her last name has never been confirmed in the West, though she does have one in Japan, where she is known as "Dori Kururi") is the protagonist of the 2005 puzzle-action-platformer Drill Dozer, made by Game Freak and published by Nintendo. The daughter of a righteous crime boss, Jill was raised in the art of thievery, piloting a powerful Drill Dozer tank long before she could even read or write. Before her mother’s untimely death, she gave Jill a powerful red diamond that can grant any wish, trusting her not to abuse its power and protect it from anyone who may want to - so when the not-so-righteous Skulker gang break in, incapacitate Jill’s dad, and steal the diamond, it’s up to the little rascal to get it back, and on the way discover the conspiracy behind why the police always target the Red Dozers and not the Skulkers. It's because the Skulkers are paying them

What would Jill & Drill Dozer do?
We don’t yet have a fully drill-based fighter. Jill would likely have a moveset revolving around powerful multiple hit-attacks, slow movement, a heavy weight disproportionate to her small size, (just slightly below an ultraheavyweight, 110 about) and poor air mobility but great air attacks. Jill admittedly doesn’t have many unique maneuvers with her drill, but she does have a propeller that lets her drill in the air, can shift up gears by timing the drill button (which could play into her overall playstyle) and when all else fails a mighty punch. We could probably composite some level elements from Drill Dozer into her moveset - such as Jelly Blocks which she can bounce backwards off of, or lifts she sticks her drill into and can be carried by. A lot of people may think of Jill as a “Bowser Jr. clone”, but beyond being obnoxious children piloting robots and Jr. having one or two drill moves there’s no real resemblance. Speaking of Bowser Jr, we could possibly have Gearmo and Grutch as alternate characters as their proportions fit.

Why should Jill & Drill Dozer be in Smash?​

• Jill would be a representative for Game Freak’s non-Pokémon games. Jill’s inclusion in Smash could be a big break for them and allow them to build interest for their pocket monster-free titles.​
• Jill is a non-sexualised female character, being a cartoony child piloting a mech suit that covers her entire body. After the backlash, drama, and concern over Pyra and Mythra’s sexualised designs, we should probably try to emphasise less provocative female heroes - booba fans would probably get their fun from a Detective Carrie stage cameo anyway.​
• Drill Dozer, while not known to many, is often considered one the best games (if not THE best original platformer) the GBA has to offer, as well as one of Game Freak's best titles outside of the Pokémon series.​
• Jill would serve as a representative for the mid 2000s, a retro era that’s already become nostalgic to many. Her design resembles Western cartoons of the time such as The Proud Family and The Powerpuff Girls so we could take advantage of the recent nostalgia boom between animation fans for the “thick line”/UPA art style, even from those not familiar with the Red Dozer boss. (possibly with a 2D animated trailer?)​
• Including Jill would encourage fans who may not have played Drill Dozer to seek it out, and thus they may find a new favourite title, while introducing Jill would reward and validate die-hard Nintendo and Game Freak fans for going into the obscure back catalogue of years gone by.​
• Jill has a fandom, as small as it is, and it tends to be pretty passionate about the neon-haired juvie. Jill would be an unexpected, quirky newcomer, but also one with an existing fanbase and therefore not as likely to cause controversy or confusion as previous unexpected retros.​
• Jill appeared as an Assist Trophy in Brawl and Spirit in Ultimate, so there's likely at least a passing familiarity for her to most casual Smash fans.​
• The Game Boy line of consoles has been seriously lacking when it comes to Smash representation, with the only character in Smash you could really consider exclusively associated with it being Lucas.​

 

[Adrianette Bromide]

I’m just checking in but Lugia was actually popular during the Brawl era or are we assuming he was just because you want to subject Lugia. Just checking to keep line with the prompt.

Brawl "vet" here. Vet as in, I played G&W at the age of like maybe 7 and didn't do squat except hope to land the funny side B. But nonetheless, I scoured the interwebs back then. Lugia placed high in Smash Bros.' very first poll back in Smash 64. However, that's honestly the extent of his popularity.

That in and of itself was a very different era where Smash was new and other top requests were Chocobo, Mr. Saturn and James Bond. I don't wanna sound mean but I'm sure a lot of other Brawl vets could testify that Lugia was not a character talked about much during Brawl when the series had sort of cemented itself more.

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

So we will keep submissions open until 12 hours from now. Unfortunately, I won't be able to kick us off on time unless I can actually make time for it. One of the leadership team members should be able to take care of it. If anything, we will have a discussion period after in case we can't kick voting off until later on in the afternoon EST.

 

[Golden Icarus]

My goodness everyone! All of these b a s e d submissions, yet still no sign of the most coolest one of all? Guess I gotta roll up my sleeves and do it myself!

Job #161: Ray from Custom Robo!

Yeah you know, that badass multiplayer action RPG/arena fighter that Nintendo has somehow ignored for the past twelve years. Custom Robo got its start in 1999 as a Japan-only franchise, up until Custom Robo: Battle Revolution (or simply Custom Robo in North America) for the GameCube made its way overseas. Battle Revolution did well enough for itself, considering how new the series was. It amassed a decent cult following, allowing for a sequel to be released only a few years later for the DS, leading to Custom Robo being commonly speculated as a potential series to be introduced in Brawl, alongside other new franchises like Pikmin, Golden Sun and Advance Wars.

Sadly, the franchise hasn't seen any new entries since 2008, but the simple fact that there were five Custom Robo games released over the course of a decade shows that it definitely had its merits at one point, but was sadly cut short right as it was picking up steam. It's a real shame as these games are a blast and have a ton of potential that hasn't been tapped yet, especially with the multiplayer and online capabilities of the Switch.

Moveset potential is off the charts with Ray. The main selling point of Custom Robo is...customizing your robo. Thus, Ray has a **** ton of options for a unique moveset. Shotgun, gatling gun, flamethrower, drill, bomb, ice bomb, homing swords, you name it. The boy is loaded.

Oh yeah and the soundtrack is sweet. So...are you ready for Custom Robo in Smash?

 

[Krookodilian]

Newcomer Voting Here!

Here are your Submissions! Sami and Andy were combined for voting, but we will vote to decide which one of them to include if they win. Feel Free to discuss who you think should win or any submission you have thoughts about as well.​

Newcomer, who "missed the Brawl Bus" submittion, aka Job #161:
EXCITEBIKER (Excite Series)

Reason why He should be included, because he was Requested in Melee times, but he was thrown off by Ice Climbers due to his issue that he couldn't jump without ramps, and also in Brawl Times, who was an AT.
He would be representative of Nintendo's Racing series: Excite and also little accent of Retro Representative. He is my most wanted Retro Character (Despite he has Modern games tho) for Super Smash Bros and I want him as Playable Character. Even his NES side-scrolling game was Very Popular for Inclusion to Smash Bros.

His moveset would be Vehicular-type, since he rides on his Motorbike. His Side Smash would be Gravel Wheel, Side Special can be Ramp and Up Special can be Wheelie Rocket jump. For His Final smash, it can be Boulder from ExciteTruck, who rams at Enemies, resulting Instant KO.
His Gimmick can be Temperature meter, who works at His Neutral Special, Turbo Scorch, where he does a Small Dash and he launches a Fireball that gives the Flame Damage. When it's overused, the bike explodes and He is launched into air and after painful landing, he regains his Bike.

So, how do you guys like this idea?

Job #161: Submit a Highly-Requested Character from the Brawl Era who still retains Popularity Today

Geno
Series: Super Mario
Hailing from the cult classic, Super Mario RPG, ♡♪!? is sent by "a higher authority" to retrieve the seven legendary stars and restore the power of wishes to the world. He ends up possessing a child's doll named Geno, and takes on that name as his actual name is unpronounceable, and teams up with Mario & friends to defeat the Smithy Gang.
Geno's been a popular request for years, with our predecessor, Masahiro Sakurai, even acknowledging his popularity and saying he wanted to include him at one point. Why he hasn't been included to this day is unknown, but he would make for a very unique fighter thanks to a combination of the attacks he can learn in Super Mario RPG, his arm cannon, and the main mechanic of the game - the "Timed Hits", named "Action Commands" in later Mario RPGs, which increase the power of his attacks when the button is pressed just before the attack. Geno's inclusion would likely be very well received, as his fanbase is as big and passionate as ever, if not more than it was during the Brawl days.

Highly-Requested Character from the Brawl Era who still retains Popularity TodayView attachment 329371

Krystal (Star Fox)

Krystal is probably the most requested character from Star Fox, an inaugural Smash franchise that hasn't necessarily gotten as much focus as it deserves in modern times. She definitely has a lot of potential to be a lot more unique than "another Fox."

Her association with both a magic staff (Adventures, as seen in her Assist Trophy) and technological weapons (Assault) gives a lot of variety, which could make her both out first staff fighter (in terms of actually using the staff as a melee weapon) and out first "magitek" character.

For more ideas, including more specific interpretations of what I've listed here, see my last Krystal submission.

View attachment 329374
Ayumi Tachibana from Famicom Detective Club

While not the very first main protagonist, Ayumi Tachibana is a pretty known character from the Famicom Detective Club Series, She is a schoolgirl who wanted to help solve the murder case of her best friend, afterwards she joined the main character as an assistant in the utsugi detective agency.

Ayumi's moveset would be based on mechanics taken from her games, a magnefying glass which can use to stun opponents by pressing onto them or light a ray of light to give out small damage, Her Suitcase could also come into play for her movesets, her final smash can be The Girl Who Stands Behind who can drag opponents into the mirror while behind Ayumi.

Ayumi's series had two remakes for two of the series' entries and would work well as a underrated nintendo franchise that was considered. While Ayumi wouldn't stand out with the other fighters, she would certainly be interesting in her own way.

Job #161: Paper Mario from... Paper Mario!

View attachment 329369

A third Mario? You're kidding, right? Well the difference between this Mario and the two in Smash is that this one is totally flat! He hails from the Paper Mario spin-off series, a series of turn based RPG with a focus on action commands and enriching the world of Mario. This Mario has gone on whacky adventures like saving Peach from a wish power infused Bowser, an ancient demon queen, a tragic count bent on world destruction, a mad king bent on brainwashing the world and NOTHING, MOST DEFINITELY NOTHING HAPPENED BETWEEN THOSE LAST TWO EVENTS.

ABSOLUTE NOTHING!

Anyway, Paper Mario isn't the only person that could be fighting in Smash. One of Paper Mario's most iconic staple is his wide array of partners. And when I say wide array, I'm not kidding.

View attachment 329373

View attachment 329372

Yeah, he's got a huge arsenal. Don't mind the first image, I spilled some dark matter brew over it but I'm sure it was just an empty couple of slots.

For Paper Mario's moveset, he could use his different partners for his different special attacks or maybe they function on their own like Luma, Nana and Pikmin. This also means his series would be ripe for more spirits and lots of stage cameos.

We could also focus on adding a better Paper Mario stage as well. As far as we have now, the current Paper Mario stage seems to be generic and not based on any particular game, at least one that exists anyway with only 1/3rd of a transformation being based on TTYD.

His moveset can also be TOTALLY different from normal Mario's. As Paper Mario is from a slower paced RPG series, he can be more methodical and less focused on air game like Mario is. His specials could be similar but need action commands to be performed to unlock their true strength.

He would be a great addition and despite being a third Mario, I can assure you Paper Mario would make the cut in terms kf uniqueness 100-fold!

New Fighter: Masked Man (Mother 3)
View attachment 329381
The Masked Man is a key character in Mother 3, the beloved Japan-only sequel to Earthbound. He's one of the main antagonists of the game, and appears more often than the actual main antagonist. He's a mysterious character, his true identity not revealed until the end of the game (I'm sure we all know who it is but I'll pretend like we don't). He was suprisingly popular during the Brawl era, with his thread having over three thousand replies (more than characters like Bomberman, Issac, Ness, and Marth). It kinda fell off after Brawl, but not entirely. If nobody wanted him, why would he be in a brawl mod?

Spoiler: Warning: Video has him in his true identity

That video kinda shows how he could work in Smash already.

JOB 161:

That's right-I'm submitting Meowth for Super Smash Bros Infinite!
Originally, I was just going to copy-paste my original Meowth submission, but after re-reading it, it came off as very snarky and unprofessional-so here it is again, from the ground up.

Meowth is a popular character in the Pokemon franchise who has been requested for Super Smash Bros since Brawl. He loves coins and was the first Pokemon to speak in the anime adaption. Speaking of the anime, Meowth played a really big part in that, being one third of Team Rocket, the main antagonists for most episodes. He's a normal type Pokemon and, because of this, he would likely be one of the simpler Pokemon in Smash. However, given his large role in the anime, there's a ton of fun stuff we could reference, not to mention being a cat would be a very cool archetype to finally have in Smash! (Yes, I'm aware Incineroar is a cat, but he hardly makes use of that as a fighter).
Now, whenever a character like Meowth comes up in conversation, the first thing people mention is the iffy nature of non-videogame content in Smash. However, I find this an irrelevant point to bring up, as Smash already has game characters that come with non-game references, or just non-game content in general. Including, but not limited to-

• Cloud having references to Advent Children
• Sephiroth himself being an Advent Children reference, not to mention his reveal trailer being a huge homage to the film
• The sensor-bomb item was originally based off of the same item from Goldeneye 007, a game adaption of a film series-while it was changed to not look like said bomb in later Smash games, it still functions the exact same.

So I don't think there's a problem with taking a videogame character and giving them non-gaming references. It's like if we included a taunt of Sonic eating a chili dog-something that's nearly inseparable from his character but is hardly mentioned in the games. At least let the man talk!

Anyways, yeah, that's about all I have to say on Meowth-no big writeup this time, I think he speaks for himself-no pun intended. Highly requested since Brawl, cool archetype, and adds yet another well-deserved rep to the Pokemon franchise in Smash.

Submitting the one, the only, Toad!

Saki Amamiya

The Main character of the First Sin & Punishment, Saki wields the Dolphin gun which can shoot projectiles and turn into an energy sword. While the original Sin & Punishment was a Japanese exclusive for a while, The Sequel Star Successor wasn't and the original eventually got an English release on Wii U. Saki has appeared as an Assist and a Mii costume in the past. Saki would be an interesting inclusion as his weapon could make for some fun gameplay and apparently the whole reason Saki was even added as an assist was because so many japanese players kept asking for him

JOB 161:
View attachment 329385
Mach Rider is the titular protagonist of the NES vehicular combat video game released in 1985 in Japan and the West before making its way to Europe two years later. This is a character that many would argue did the "Samus Is A Girl" twist a whole year ahead of Metroid's release, though that's still up for debate.
View attachment 329384
Over the course of the next few decades, Mach Rider would become popular enough to return to Virtual Console on the Wii, 3DS and Wii U, and while support for the character was strong back then, it gained a recent resurgence with the infamous Grinch Leak that included the character alongside Geno, Shadow, Ken, Chorus Kids, Banjo & Kazooie, and Isaac, with Ken and Banjo being the two characters to actually make it into Ultimate and Isaac being the one we voted to put in Infinite.

How would Mach Rider stand out from the rest of the cast, you ask? Well, while Excitebiker is a popular choice and there have been cases where people have made some solid sets for the character, Mach Rider is basically Excitebiker if he was canonically made for combat. He could have the same hurtbox mechanics as Bowser Jr, with the motorcycle taking less damage while the rider him/herself takes more damage. Their playstyle would be that of a speedy rushdiwn character who's about chasing their foes and trickling damage onto their person.

Job #161
Balloon Fighter (Balloon Fight)

View attachment 329382

Introduction
Balloon Fighter is the eponymous playable character in the NES classic Balloon Fight. Wielding his balloons, it was his job to traverse various stages by popping the balloons of the enemies floating around. In the side game Balloon Trip, the objective is instead to traverse an endless ocean full of obstacles in a side-scrolling floating adventure.

A Balloon Trip back to Brawl
Back in the Brawl speculation era, Balloon Fighter was touted as a possible retro rep to follow-up on both Ice Climbers’ and Mr. Game & Watch’s appearance in Melee, gaining a good following. This following persisted up until Smash 4’s speculation period, before being consequently deflated by Villager’s Up Special, which was also called Balloon Trip and featuring the classic balloon-adorned helmet and flapping animation as a mere recovery. Since then, Balloon Fighter’s support declined, but in the vein of second chances, I propose he’ll join the fight as Infinite’s latest retro character.

Beyond Villager’s New Horizons
Even though Villager’s Up B has popped the bubble of Balloon Fighter’s Smash-specific popularity, the game still reigns as a true NES classic. So much in fact, that it was included on the NES Classic Selection of games and increased its presence in Smash Bros. with a stage of the game (aptly named Balloon Fight). Since the Brawl era, he had even been steadily rising the ranks of retros by nabbing a spot in Nintendo Land’s line-up with a recreation of Balloon Trip called Balloon Breeze and by appearing as one of the 3DS ambassador games. To take a trip down memory lane and remember how far the lad has come shows how much hearts he has captured, with a peak in popularity unfairly cut off by a mere Up B. This harsh deconfirmation has been a huge blow to Balloon Fighter speculation, and that while his appeal, historical value and popularity haven’t decreased. In the vein of second chances and missing the boat, he’s the one most held back by factors that have no bearings on his own qualities as a fighter, whereas other fighters have slipped into obscurity due to timing or being overshadowed by other choices from their series: Balloon Fighter, along with a select other fighters, are the only ones truly timeless despite their popularity peaking in Brawl.

A second retro rep is not only possible, it has happened before in both Melee and Brawl. Since Ultimate skipped on a retro character, Infinite could return to form and introduce another one besides Takamaru. With this job revolving around missing the boat, the changing climate hasn’t been particulalry kind since the prospect of multiple retros have disappeared from the collective memory. Yet, there’s definitely an appeal in reviving the retro slot, shown by Takamaru and the multiple retro reps submitted for this job. In fact, Takamaru and Balloon Fighter have a very similar resume, sharing an appearance in Nintendo Land, an addition to the 3DS and a spike of in-Smash acknowledgement thanks to their popularity in Smash 4.

Moveset
A balloon fighter might seem less impressive moveset-wise, but the opposite is true! A physics-based fighter, with low traction and adjustable falling speed depending on the amount of balloons attached is a versatile and unique playstyle. Moreover, the Flipper, a cut item from Smash Bros. Melee, could make an appearance in Balloon Fighter’s moveset as a Darth Maul-esque dual sword.
This Flipper wouldn’t be just a regular sword though, but rather the focus of Balloon Fighter’s more salient moves. Since the Flipper spins around and is more of a bumper-type item than a true bludgeoning weapon, the angle of the Flipper’s knockback would depend on the position of the opponent relative to the Flipper, making for a multi-faceted moveset where each attack has wildly different purposes depending on the exact hitbox. Besides that, the Flipper would deal high knockback but deal low damage Combined with Balloon Fighter’s mobility, which could even be enhanced by a pumping-popping mechanic where Balloon Fighter’s stats are altered depending on the amount of Balloons attached to him, and potential of the Flipper to feature in a projectile Side B, and Balloon Fighter would much rather play a gimping game to control the stage’s aerial area than to go for the high-percent combos.​

Job #161: Sami (Advanced Wars)

With Advanced Wars getting a reboot, it seems prime time for the series to finally get a rep. While Andy would be an obvious choice given his protagonist role and ability to buff himself and allies in an unique Shulk-like way while fighting with wrenches, I feel Sami would be an ideal candidate. Beyond utilizing traditional firearms, she could have a MK 11-esque moveset utilizing booby traps, camouflage, knives, and more in battle. She could even utilize her allies and units in battle like Andy and Max. She could also have a gimmick centered around the idea of Advanced Wars mechanics where her damage potential would be dependent on the situation, like land versus aerial attacks. She would be both a trapping and capturing character with good projectiles and melee abilities while also having buffing abilities for herself and allies.

Andy could easily be substituted for Sami but, in my opinion, she is far more the interesting candidate due to her appearance, abilities, and combat potential. Both Andy and Sami were talked about during Brawl’s speculation period with significant focus being centered on how they would play. Both had sizeable communities and, while they shrunk due to the series not getting a new game, they are still quite popular. Advanced Wars is one of those series where a rep makes sense but has yet to receive one despite its popularity and legacy.

(I know someone already submitted Saki, but consider this a supplement to their post.)

The Successor of the Earth

Saki Amamiya Roughs it Up!
First Appearance: Sin & Punishment (Nintendo 64, 2000)
Latest Appearance: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo Switch, 2018)

1. What is Sin & Punishment, and who is Saki?​

Sin & Punishment is a rail shooter released on the Nintendo 64. It was originally only released in Japan, but through the means of the Virtual Console, it reached international audiences in 2007. The series was developed by Treasure, who have also developed titles such as Mischief Makers and Ikaruga. The first game's success among its audience led to the creation of a sequel, Sin & Punishment: Star Successor on the Wii. Its plot focuses on two members of an armed resistance group, Saki Amamiya and Airan Jo, and their fight for survival in a dystopian world.

In the year 2007, humanity finds itself at a world threatening famine as a result of overpopulation. To combat this, governments around the world decided to breed a new species of livestock. Unfortunately, the breeding facility located in Northern Japan was struck by a terrible catastrophe. Many of these livestock animals began seeing their genetic makeup shift rapidly, escaping into the urban areas of the country. This caused the destruction of many small cities and the conversion of nearly 90% of the wildlife in Japan to mutate. These mutated animals are given the nickname Ruffians, and soon, a police force known as the Armed Volunteers began their crusade to eradicate them.

Unfortunately for the people of Japan, the Armed Volunteers began doing what police do and started oppressing the people. This prompted a mysterious woman named Achi to form the Saviour Group, two members being Saki Amamiya and his partner, Airan Jo. During a planned theft of a transport, this entire group is wiped out save for Saki, Airan, and Achi. When the group reaches the transport, Achi and Airan stay inside it while Saki fights the Ruffian Radon. Following its defeat, an Armed Volunteer named Kachua notices and starts fighting him. However, their fight is interrupted when an earthquake plunges them into a tide of blood. The two transform into Ruffians and continue their fight. Kachua is eventually killed and the Ruffian Saki begins his assault on Achi and Airan. Meanwhile, the leader of the Armed Volunteers, Brad, resolves to keep his group in Japan to combat Saki. Airan battles her way to Brad and confronts him with the knowledge of him giving his blood to Kachua and Radon. The two fight, leading to the defeat of Brad. With the Armed Volunteers out of the way, Airan focuses on restoring Saki to his original human form. Achi instructs her companion to shoot Saki in the head and enter his subconscious with human memories. This is unfathomable to Airan who refuses to kill her friend.

Airan wakes up in a different reality, meeting her son Isa Jo in a New York subway. She sees the Ruffian Saki continuing to rampage throughout the city and a human Saki who chastises her decision on having a child in such a turbulent time. Airan shoots Saki, waking up from the dream and realizing she shot her partner in real life. Appalled at being manipulated by her superior, Airan learns that Achi's motives are much more malicious. Achi reveals that Saki was to be groomed into her ultimate warrior to win battles for her in conflicts in the deep reaches of space. Airan is then forced into Saki, who is finally returned to his human state. When Airan regains consciousness later on, she is saved from hordes of Ruffians by Saki. However, she is eventually kidnapped by Achi. Saki then fights through swathes of Ruffian infested forests to reach her. Achi and Saki have an argument and Saki reaches out to his partner, asking her to hold onto his heart. Together, they transform into a giant Ruffian to defeat Achi. Following the defeat of their former leader, the two question their future as the game ends.

2. Sin & Punishment in Smash

​

Since Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Sin & Punishment series has had quite some decent representation. Saki Amamiya appeared first as an assist trophy in Brawl, with a requisite trophy. This continued in for Wii U and 3DS, with him reprising his role as an Assist Trophy and trophy. His assist was removed in Ultimate however, and replaced with a Mii Costume. The collectibles for Sin & Punishment doubled with Saki being joined by his son Isa. In Infinite, there are several music tracks from Sin & Punishment: Star Successor. The menu theme (which is extremely good for being only a menu theme) and Discipline, which plays during the tutorial boss. What does this mean? It means that Sin & Punishment is well received enough to receive major content like this and has enough demand to be included in such a capacity. In fact, the Super Smash Bros. Brawl Dojo!! states that Saki was specifically added to appease demands from the fanbase! It also means that there is still quite a lot to represent for this series. Despite its popularity, it still only has a few pieces of music and spirits to its name in Infinite. Surely, we can add more music, spirits, and enemies along with a character and stage to justify the popularity the series holds.

3. What would Saki Bring to Smash?

​

While at first glance from the Assist Trophy Saki just seems like Marth with a gun, there is so much more that Saki has to offer. The gameplay and options of Sin & Punishment allow for a much more unique moveset. As a rail shooter focused on movement, Saki would obviously be quite a fast character. Unlike his fellow rail shooter characters, Saki would have much more utility in his blaster, with it being one of the main parts of his moveset. His Dolphin Gun could possibly draw more from the genre than his brethren, with free aim and streams of shots rather than single lasers in one direction. Additionally, he could incorporate a locking mechanic that would lock his aim. This would represent both gameplay options in Sin & Punishment, the free-aim mode and the locked-on mode. This unique functionality could accurately represent the game and genre that Saki is from as well as provide for a new gameplay experience in Smash. No character in Smash currently has the ability to represent what Saki does. In addition to the blaster function of his Dolphin Gun, Saki also has a sword function. This is used in game to destroy nearby obstacles as well as reflect damage. Surely, this function can easily be reflected in Smash with regards to the previous rail gun gameplay. There is also the issue of his Ruffian form. While it is a clear candidate for his Final Smash, one could easily implement it elsewhere in his moveset, such as how Kazuya does so with his devil form. Thus, with only representation from the first Sin & Punishment game, Saki has already proven to play extremely differently from any other character already seen in Smash.

There is yet more to draw moveset from, as Saki's son Isa and his companion Kachi (...?) have abilities of their own. These could easily be drawn from for more inspiration, in case the simple uniqueness of the first is not enough to satisfy gamers. This pair have the ability to freely float, whether from a jetpack or a hoverboard. Additionally, their blasters have additionally functionality in their shots - Isa's has the ability to fire a powerful charged shot while Kachi's fires several charged shots locked on many targets. This could easily be adapted into Saki's moveset, creating an amalgamation of Sin & Punishment characters and gameplay. You may argue that this is unfaithful, but it has happened before with characters from EarthBound and Castlevania.

In addition to moveset variation, the world of Sin & Punishment is rich in setting and characters that would fit perfectly into Smash. As Sakurai himself said, "He has no problem fitting in!" Sin & Punishment's dystopian settings are unlike any other already present in Smash Bros., with desolate oceans and cities that stretch the limits of the Nintendo 64 and Wii's capabilities. Its enemies are numerous and provide for interesting stage hazards. Its soundtrack is absolutely one of the best that Nintendo has to offer. Thus, the vast amount of variety that Saki and the world of Sin & Punishment could bring to Smash and its modes is limitless.

4. Saki's Popularity​

As mentioned before, the popularity of Sin & Punishment among its original Japanese audience was greatly influential in his inclusion in Smash Bros. The cries for his inclusion in Brawl led Sakurai to make a statement in the official DOJO!! - "He rivals just about any main character. There were many requests for [Saki's] inclusion." Clearly, his popularity definitely reached a point to where the director of the most popular crossover party game in history made a comment about it during his inclusion. In addition, the high reviews and innovation of the original Sin & Punishment created a cult following among those who were not able to purchase it locally. It became a highly demanded import game until its release on the Virtual Console in 2007. He is a playable character in the Smash fangame Super Smash Bros. Crusade, one of the two large fangames along with Super Smash Flash 2. While definitely not as strong in the modern era of third party most wanteds and Everyone is Here, Saki is still a request that holds great amount of popularity.

5. Potential Issues Addressed
​

Marth with a Gun

Again, from first glance, Saki just seems like a sword user with a gun. What would differentiate him from characters like Officer Howard and Fox? One way we could do so is by pulling directly from his source material and giving him the gameplay of a rail shooter, in Smash. We've had fighting game characters, Splatoon, and Minecraft quite accurately representing their gameplay in Smash so it would be inside the realm of possibility to give Saki the moveset a moveset that would be both unique and accurate to his source material.

Dead Game / no Popularity

Lack of relevancy has never and will never affect a character's inclusion in Smash. Additionally, Saki's popularity was very high at several points, as demonstrated in point 4. Saki could also fill the role of a legacy character, where adding him would demonstrate the wide repertoire Nintendo was once so proud of. His addition into Smash could see a resurgence of the Sin & Punishment series. Infinite's release as a game in the year 20XX has also given the window of opportunity for another game to theoretically be released.

Why not Airan/Isa/Kachi?

Saki is the face of the franchise. He is the one who has had the constant appearances in Smash. Additionally, much of the story of the first game revolves around his problems and it would make the most sense to add him. While Sin & Punishment: Star Successor doesn't feature either Airan or Saki, both of their influence is strongly felt in their son and the struggles he faces. Thus, Saki's status as the face of the franchise and one of two main characters of the first game puts him at the top of the list for Sin & Punishment representation.

6. Final Arguments

1. Saki would provide proper representation to the Rail Shooter genre, something quite lacking with the other Rail Shooter representation we have.
2. Saki's popularity led him to be added as an Assist Trophy in Brawl, with direct comments from Sakurai about it.
3. Agave
4. Saki would bring another universe to Smash, one that will directly represent the Nintendo 64 era.

I feel a little odd submitting him since we already have Sami, but then I remembered we already have three(?) Mario submissions, so what the heck?

Popular Brawl request: Andy
View attachment 329400
Andy is the main protagonist of the Advance Wars series. A CO of the Orange Star nation, Andy is a young mechanic who finds himself on the frontlines after enemy nations launch attacks on his home. Being a mechanic, Andy can build various tools and crafts to assist him in combat, such as tanks and planes. This makes him stand out from the rest, as there aren't that many characters with this sort of mechanic. It would also make him more unique than Sami, who would most likely be another typical shooter character, wheras Andy would come with a handy wrench to set him apart from the others.

Chibi Robo:
View attachment 329398
No manifesto, but Chibi Robo would be pretty cool. His series has multiple installments spanning from the GameCube to 3DS, and an inclusion in smash may be exactly whats required to breathe life back into the franchise. In Smash, Chibi Robo is a Mii Gunner Costume, has a whopping five spirits which is very high for a nonplayable nintendo series, only being outpaced by Starfy now, and can be played as in Smash Flash 2. He Could fight with househould appliances such as a toothbrush and spoon, or due to his robotic nature could use electrical attacks such as a blaster and his plug. There's also the potential for a watt meter which he must recharge to use his more powerful electric attacks, or even fire and ice variants which he has access to in Zip Lash.

I don't know how popular he was back in the brawl days, but his series has continued on since then so he makes more sense to include than ever.

The gameplay of Chibi Robo is extremely charming, and he would also be Skip Ltd's first smash fighter, so why not put him in smash?​

Could Legendaries get in again?

Lugia dives in the fight.

View attachment 329430

Ever since Mewtwo got in Smash, Lugia was one of the most likely Legendaries to get in Brawl. But that did not happen, mostly likely due to size issues. Of course size is inconsistent in Pokémon games.

Is Lugia a popular choice? First of all, Lugia is a breakout character, due to being a mascot of Pokémon Silver and a Major role in Pokémon: 2000. Second of all, Lugia is one of the most popular Pokémon of Gen 2 (Umbreon is higher). Lugia defiantly has popularity on it’s side, even enough to get a Shadow form in Pokémon XD.

Of course Lugia is a popular choice during the Brawl days, but as more generations arrive, more Pokémon have to compete with Lugia. But why should that stop a major Legendary?

Lugia is a Psychic/Flying type Pokémon and we need a Pokémon that uses those moves. It can use Areoblast, Wind Gusts and Extrasensory, but also Dragon Rush. I could also see Lugia use Ancient Power. And Lugia would also be the heaviest Pokémon in the roaster, but not the heaviest fighter.

Of course Lugia’s size and air thriving would be nerfed, but if it worked with Ridley, then it can work with Lugia.

Overall, Lugia would give Johto more representation and we get more Johto music. And a second Legendary (excluding mythical)

My goodness everyone! All of these b a s e d submissions, yet still no sign of the most coolest one of all? Guess I gotta roll up my sleeves and do it myself!

Job #161: Ray from Custom Robo!
View attachment 329521
Yeah you know, that badass multiplayer action RPG/arena fighter that Nintendo has somehow ignored for the past twelve years. Custom Robo got its start in 1999 as a Japan-only franchise, up until Custom Robo: Battle Revolution (or simply Custom Robo in North America) for the GameCube made its way overseas. Battle Revolution did well enough for itself, considering how new the series was. It amassed a decent cult following, allowing for a sequel to be released only a few years later for the DS, leading to Custom Robo being commonly speculated as a potential series to be introduced in Brawl, alongside other new franchises like Pikmin, Golden Sun and Advance Wars.

Sadly, the franchise hasn't seen any new entries since 2008, but the simple fact that there were five Custom Robo games released over the course of a decade shows that it definitely had its merits at one point, but was sadly cut short right as it was picking up steam. It's a real shame as these games are a blast and have a ton of potential that hasn't been tapped yet, especially with the multiplayer and online capabilities of the Switch.

Moveset potential is off the charts with Ray. The main selling point of Custom Robo is...customizing your robo. Thus, Ray has a **** ton of options for a unique moveset. Shotgun, gatling gun, flamethrower, drill, bomb, ice bomb, homing swords, you name it. The boy is loaded.

Oh yeah and the soundtrack is sweet. So...are you ready for Custom Robo in Smash?

Regarding Spirits, Donkey Kong and Plants spirits will close at the end of today, but Zombie spiritis will remain open.​

 

[Jondolio]

I honestly don't see Geno winning this one. I may have sabotaged him by writing such a brief post, but I feel like there's much more competition than one would initially think, and I feel like others put much more effort and time into their submissions.
But maybe that's just me being pessimistic. I'm always skeptical about my most wanted actually getting in.

 

[Mushroomguy12]

It's funny how at the beginning of this job, people were complaining that there weren't many "good" options, yet this round has one of the largest selection of strong candidates I've seen in a while. I almost wish we could add multiple candidates.

In other thoughts, we don’t get a dedicated discussion period this time? Just straight to voting huh?

 

[PeridotGX]

Lots of good submissions this round! I'd be rather satisfied with all but one (and the remaining one, who's name starts with a G and ends with an Eno from Super Mario RPG legend of the seven stars, would just be kinda boring rather than something I'd actively dislike). Sorry to Çhibi Robi, who I really thought I would be voting for but he was beat out by other options

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

You should vote for Jill - think of all the fun times we'll have deciding which Jill to call just "Jill" and which Jill to use an extended distinguishing name for! One's first party and the other is more popular: who gets priorities?

 

[WeirdChillFever]

Gonna do a round-up post to get my thoughts in order and hopefully make some sense of the large amount of submissions:

First, I’d like to speak up on the prompt itself, and by extension, the nature of prompts itself. If we were to vote for the most throwback-popular fighter, we’d have to pick Geno. If we’d vote on the most ”snubbed/second chance fighter”, I will make the case that Toad has been this fighter. If these prompts are simply that, prompts, and we get to vote for our favorite submission and the theme is just to garner a fun pool of candidates, that’s okay too, because we got an a azing selection of candidates where I feel a run-off vote could work.

Retro NES
Excitebiker is a great submission. Moveset potential is sky high between the overheating gimmick and the fact he’s mounted. Excitebike also is a respectable series that Nintendo likes to work back into cameos like they did in Mario Kart 8. If we pick a pure retro character, despite my own submission being Balloon Fighter, I’d like it to be Excitebiker.

Mach Rider is a very similar character imo, so I think we should combine votes for Excite Biker and Mach Rider. The prompt is too broad to treat them as different fighters in the first round of voting. I strongly urge a discussion about this, should their vote being split lead to one of the two being snubbed of the win. In a similar vein, do we get a run-off vote for this job in general if it’s applicable?

Ayumi is not my preferred choice for a retro character, let alone one for a Brawl favorite.

I feel Balloon Fighter fits the job the most out of the NES retros, again because Villager’s Up B popped his support that could’ve floated all the way up to Ultimate otherwise.

Mario
Bias, but I feel like the winner should be from this series.

Geno is a long-running requests that is the epitome of this job’s goal. I don’t peticularly like him, nor do I like the focus on “old demand” that seemingly grandfathers its way into discussions to make it seem like Brawl-era popularity is the holy grail. I assume his moveset potential to be decent.

Toad got snubbed already by his submission post. Not that Yipyap didn’t do a good job, but there’s no fighter that deserves a second chance in speculation as much as Toad. Snubbed by pessimism, his support dropped off quite harshly, despite his icon status and moveset potential having earned him much more than a spot. Toad is timeless, so it is an extraordinary sort of crime that his support went down the drain as his Captain status started to falter. Toad is the OG of speculation and imo the most deserving of the slot.

Paper Mario, similarly, is a bit of a puzzle as to why his support faltered so much over the years. Yes, his games went down in perceived quality, but he still offers a treasure trove of powers and his world is just too charming to not have in Smash. Because of this, he’s also very justifiable as a second Mario character, especially since Waluigi steps away even more from the classic Mario aesthetic in favor of his spin-off presence.

Other (This is where I already got tired of writing this post)
Meowth’s a good choice, if not a bit soured for me due to his competition. Still, betweem the anime and his varioud regional forms he has a solid deck of cards.

Lugia might be ome of my most wanted Pokémon, but in the context of the job I can’t really justify him.

Masked Man is sadly a skip for me. Mother got both of its veterans back, so a character whose support was born in an era where both of the Mother boys were seen as on the cutting block doesn’t fit. Plus, if we’re going for a gunner-type character, we have a selection of better picks imo.

Krystal is a poster girl of the sort of profile we‘re looking for for the job and thus provides a good alternative for those who want to stick a bit closer to the intention of the prompt but don’t want to vote for Geno. Great support back in the day thanks to Assault, but fell off once Star Fox got stuck in a 64 time loop. Still, an enticing selection thanks to her moveset potential, whose magitech prowess is only rivalled by the more recent incarnations of Impa.

Sami is in a similar boat as Krystal, trading the iconic level of popularity Krystal had for being from a new series and arguably more potential because of it. Sharing the strength of being the sort of diamond in the rough Brawl era we are looking for that fell down in support for understandable reasons, she fits the sort of characrer we went back to the Brawl era for, which is otherwise a weird form of pandering to the fallacy that seniority in popularity is automatically more desirable. Andy being added to the vote only helps settling for an exact moveset and whether we want more firepower from Sami or more handymanning from Andy.

Saki is again a really good choice thanks of course to the massive post made by airCon. Making a Z-targetting a core playstyle just sounds so neat that it could absolutely work for a character and its the sort of thing only they could do.

Chibi-Robo is Chibi-Robo and would be a great pick if this wasn’t one of the most enticing selection of characters we’ve had in a job. Same with Ray, although I feel like a “manifesto” could’ve helped them a good amount, like Saki had.