Thoughts on the "video game characsters only" rule/thing

[Technomage]

You know how many Smash players do not want non-game characters (such as anime chars) in the game AT ALL, as well as this rule of Sakurai's (is it true?) that says only game chars should be in? Well, while I understand why those two things are the case, personally believe that there should be exceptions for ones that are important to Nintendo's history, examples including chars from the Pokemon anime and James Bond (due to GoldenEye's existence). Any opinions?

 

[Pigzooka]

I think characters should be from a video game series that has appeared on Nintendo consoles. For example, Metal Gear appeared on the NES, so Snake is fair game, and since the first six FF games were on Nintendo, Cloud is valid.

 

[Technomage]

I think characters should be from a video game series that has appeared on Nintendo consoles. For example, Metal Gear appeared on the NES, so Snake is fair game, and since the first six FF games were on Nintendo, Cloud is valid.

Okay, but this is meant to discuss non-game ones...

 

[Good Guy Giygas]

Only if they run out of game characters should they put in 4th party characters. And since that'll never happen, let's just keep it to video game characters. Once you open the floodgates to 4th party characters, you'll destroy what makes Smash special. It's really unnecessary for such a thing to happen anyway, at least in my opinion.

 

[Cyn]

Okay, but this is meant to discuss non-game ones...

If one non-game character is allowed, it opens up the game to all sorts of characters. The licensing issues alone would likely be a nightmare. I think it is a good rule to follow. Do I think that it would be neat to play as Spider-Man vs....idk.......Luigi? Sure. But I don't really see it as an issue. Maybe in the future.

 

[Tokyo Cloud]

While it would be kind of cool seeing some anime characters duke it out with Mario, Link, Kirby, etc. officially, I'd rather Smash just stick with video game characters. There are still a lot of game characters from a variety of series that could be represented, from series that aren't represented at all to ones that are, and I'd rather see those kinds of characters and series shown some love.

That and licensing issues would be terrible depending on the manga/anime series, if I wanna see Luffy, Goku, Ichigo, Jotaro, etc. fighting I can just play a Jump Super Stars or J-Stars Victory VS game; or Smash Flash.

 

[Quillion]

That and licensing issues would be terrible depending on the manga/anime series,

People keep bringing this up but Smash is such a big name now. Wouldn't Shueisha pay Nintendo to put their characters in Smash?

 

[MG_3989]

Non-video game characters is a terrible idea and it would make Smash not Smash. MvC3 exists if you wanna fight comic book characters. There are a ton of DBZ, Naruto, and other anime fighters for anime characters. Hell even Def Jan exists if you wanna fight rappers. Smash is a game about Nintendo characters fighting Nintendo characters (while its been a little looser on the “Nintendo” part lately it still hasn’t compromised the franchise). That’s what made it special to all of us. That’s what made us gravitate towards it and fall in love with it. The day a non-video game character makes the roster is the day Smash dies

 

[Idon]

My opinion is that I'd prefer this to be a video game crossover first and foremost.

I have many videogame characters that I want to be characters and introducing the literally infinite amount of non-videogame characters would drastically reduce their chances while introducing characters I probably dislike.

 

[Arymle Roseanne]

I rather them stick to video game characters since there's still a lot of Nintendo or third party characters to choose from. Non video game characters are quite a headache to get the rights of especially with localization in multiple areas of the world and it wouldn't feel the same anymore in my opinion since I always felt that Smash was meant to be a video game crossover first and foremost.

Also I would really really hate to see anyone suggesting anything from my most hated thing in media history.

 

[Sabertooth]

It will happen eventually.

 

[Technomage]

Not even James Bond?

 

[Tokyo Cloud]

Not even James Bond?

Probably not since he first appeared in the Casino Royale novel in 1953, and more people associate him with the novels and movies anyway.

 

[Mogisthelioma]

Adding non-video game characters would ruin Smash forever and open the floodgates to literally every character ever. And video game characters as in a VG or VG media is their place of origin, so no James Bond would not count. There's a reason why he was immediately scrapped from melee.

 

[Quillion]

Alright. That is it.

Why is everyone so cagey about putting non-video game characters in Smash? Are you afraid that they're going to overtake the Nintendo characters? Because adding Snake and Sonic totally made third-party video game characters overtake the roster as they are now? /s

Frankly, continuing to ignore non-video game characters is ignoring video game history. Some of the most enjoyable games in the past few gens have been licensed: Spider-Man, Marvel vs Capcom, Batman Arkham, The Witcher, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Middle Earth Shadow, the list goes on.

So honestly, being close-minded to the idea of non-video game characters being in Smash is more hurtful to video game history than it is helpful. I don't want them to overtake the roster either from its primary Nintendo-centric purpose, but they don't need to.

 

[Dattix]

I don't think that will happen, nor is it a good idea, simply because it would open up the floodgates to just about anything.

Of course, being able to play as Darth Vader would be awesome.

 

[BonafideFella]

Smash is at its core is a celebration of gaming. Every character, stage, item and collectable are meticulously created to reflect their appearance in their source game. That's the magic behind it all these years.
Adding non~video game characters would be cool, but it would taint Smash at its very core.

 

[Quillion]

I don't think that will happen, nor is it a good idea, simply because it would open up the floodgates to just about anything.

Smash is already about chaotic variety even within its Nintendo-centric purpose. What makes that a bad thing exactly?

Smash is at its core is a celebration of gaming. Every character, stage, item and collectable are meticulously created to reflect their appearance in their source game. That's the magic behind it all these years.
Adding non~video game characters would be cool, but it would taint Smash at its very core.

Except I attacked that idea.

Frankly, continuing to ignore non-video game characters is ignoring video game history. Some of the most enjoyable games in the past few gens have been licensed: Spider-Man, Marvel vs Capcom, Batman Arkham, The Witcher, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Middle Earth Shadow, the list goes on.

So honestly, being close-minded to the idea of non-video game characters being in Smash is more hurtful to video game history than it is helpful. I don't want them to overtake the roster either from its primary Nintendo-centric purpose, but they don't need to.

 

[Technomage]

Smash is at its core is a celebration of gaming.

I thought it was a celebration of just Nintendo, not gaming in general...

 

[TriggerX]

Personally I feel that the game is open to all characters who have originated from video games.
Pokemon started off as a game right? The anime is based off it, not the other way around.

Digimon might be in a similar situation. A character like Augumon could potentially be valid if it initially started off as a game.

At some point a line has to be drawn, because there should be a theme. Goku or Dragonball has a ton of history with Nintendo as early as the Nes. However, I dont feel as though that warrants his inclusion into the game. While his character could be worked to fit into the smash universe, he is out of place because he doesnt share the same background as the others. Its what ties the game theme all together.

As far as other characters like Master Chief go, I believe Ultimate has open the gates for non nintendo related characters to join the fray. Its a celebration of gaming history at this point, and despite what some may think that easily extends past Nintendo's influence. That being said, seeing characters like Tracer, Master Chief, Dante,Nathan Drake, etc dont bother me.
As much as I hate Fortnite and Minecraft, they probably should be represented in some form.

 

[T-Donor66]

No thanks. I’m already not too pleased with the possibility of no all star Nintendo characters making the fighters pass, with It possibility being 3rd party dominated. Now, throw in non video game characters into the mix? Yikes.

We don’t even have all of the major Nintendo characters yet, or all of the major 3rd party mascots. Putting in a non video game character opens a Pandora’s box that I personally don’t want touched with a ten foot pole.

 

[MG_3989]

Alright. That is it.

Why is everyone so cagey about putting non-video game characters in Smash? Are you afraid that they're going to overtake the Nintendo characters? Because adding Snake and Sonic totally made third-party video game characters overtake the roster as they are now? /s

Frankly, continuing to ignore non-video game characters is ignoring video game history. Some of the most enjoyable games in the past few gens have been licensed: Spider-Man, Marvel vs Capcom, Batman Arkham, The Witcher, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Middle Earth Shadow, the list goes on.

So honestly, being close-minded to the idea of non-video game characters being in Smash is more hurtful to video game history than it is helpful. I don't want them to overtake the roster either from its primary Nintendo-centric purpose, but they don't need to.

It just has something to do with the feel and spirit of the game. We love Smash for what it is because it’s Smash. It would slowly and slowly start feeling less and less like Smash

Somebody else is welcome to make another platform fighter with Spider-Man, Batman, James Bond, Aragorn, and Goku but they don’t fit in Smash. It just wouldn’t make sense and it would detract from the games charm and initial plan which it never has. It’s just a bad idea

 

[Sean²]

There's a fine line of greatness that lies between obscurity and stupidity when it comes to crossovers. I think Smash in its current state walks it perfectly. Adding non-gaming characters would push it over to the stupid side.

Something like Goku in Smash is a funny meme type thing but I think seeing it in reality would just be uncomfortable once the novelty wears off. If someone does something like that, it shouldn't be titled Super Smash Bros. Something like a "Nintendo vs. _________" title would be more appropriate for more "out there" crossovers.

 

[MG_3989]

There's a fine line of greatness that lies between obscurity and stupidity when it comes to crossovers. I think Smash in its current state walks it perfectly. Adding non-gaming characters would push it over to the stupid side.

Something like Goku in Smash is a funny meme type thing but I think seeing it in reality would just be uncomfortable once the novelty wears off. If someone does something like that, it shouldn't be titled Super Smash Bros. Something like a "Nintendo vs. _________" title would be more appropriate for more "out there" crossovers.

Yeah exactly. This is a different kind of crossover than MvC (which worked perfectly for 3 games and let’s not talk about the forth). Nintendo vs DBZ etc... would have to be a completely different thing. Smash has a purpose and a distinct feel that no other game has and adding any non video game characters would ruin it and it wouldn’t be Smash anymore

 

[Mogisthelioma]

I thought it was a celebration of just Nintendo, not gaming in general...

That's what it was, until developers started begging Nintendo to put their games in Smash.

Smash is a celebration of gaming, yes. But characters like Spider Man and Darth Vader are not video game characters. If you surveyed people form all across the world and asked them where those two came from (assuming they know who they are), they'll most likely say "The Spider Man comics/TV show/movie/etc. or A New Hope. I doubt anyone will say, "Oh yeah, I know who Vader is! He's that guy from Battlefront! They originated from a non-video game media. Not having them in Smash is not ignoring video games in any way.

And it doesn't matter. Sakurai has said that only video game characters can get into Smash, and this rule has never been broken. And it never will be.

 

[Nepht]

You know how many Smash players do not want non-game characters (such as anime chars) in the game AT ALL, as well as this rule of Sakurai's (is it true?) that says only game chars should be in? Well, while I understand why those two things are the case, personally believe that there should be exceptions for ones that are important to Nintendo's history, examples including chars from the Pokemon anime and James Bond (due to GoldenEye's existence). Any opinions?

I think keeping it Japanese video game characters only is a good idea. If you add characters from other media like comic books or movies especially western ones things will get DISTURBING as companies like Marvel say if Spiderman gets in might find things in non Marvel characters to moan about. Look what happened to Chun Li's face in MvCi. But that said Japanese anime companies are disturbing in other ways if say Goku gets in that could screw up the tournament scene as Toei is being a right git towards DBFZ just now. Japanese video game characters have a lot less baggage than ones in western popular media, western video games and Japanese Anime.

That said not ALL western video games should be blocked from Smash. Shantae would most likely be safe as Wayforward even though western seems to extremely chill about everything.

 

[Coolboy]

that is why Jump force was created though it still has to come out, that game will have characters from popular fighting anime like dbz, Naruto, Bleach and Boku Hero no Academia for example, even Yami Yugi made it in that game lol