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Saturday, March 01, 2008
Our weekly brawl countdown continues with seven more characters!
Day 22: Ice Climbers
Series: Ice Climbers
First Apperance: Vs. Ice Climber [Arcade, 1984]
Last Main Apperance: That same Ice Climber game, but on different platforms.
Smash Experience: Veteran
Intro: The Ice Climbers have only been in one game. Its not that great of a game. There has been absolutely no sign of there being any kind of sequel of this game. Yet, here they are, Ice Climbers, quite unique characters in that you control both of them at once. I'm almost surprised Urban Champion guy hasn't shown up yet.
Standard B: Those mini Icebergs they shoot out are quite resiliant. They cancel out many projectile attacks, and since there's two of them, one will cancel out a projectile while the second moves on and deals damage.
Side B: Its a spinning hammer attack. With only one Ice Climber, its not that great. With both Ice climbers, its... decent enough.
Up B: The Belay move is useless with only one Ice Climber. With both, it turns into an excellent recovery move.
Down B: This little freeze breath attack of theirs can be quite useful at times, with the chance of freezing. The second Ice Climber has the first's back.
Final Smash: Giant Iceberg appears. It deals damage. It freezes opponents. It takes up a huge amount of space. Its quite formidable.
Other Notes: On a dojo update, it notes that only Nana has access to a meteor smash, leaving Popo without one. This may only fuel the rumors that the player can only play as Popo and not Nana. Which isn't cool. ...pun not intended.
My Expectations: Ice Climbers weren't very popular in Melee, much like their game. Giant Iceberg aside, they don't seem to be that much different in Brawl. Much like their second g... oh, wait.
Day 23: Lucas
Series: Mother Series
First Apperance: Mother 3 [GBA, 2006]
Last Main Apperance: Mother 3 is Lucas' only appearance.
Smash Experience: Newcomer
Intro: Mother 3 is not like either of the other two Mother games. While Mothers 1 & 2 are both quite upbeat, lighthearted adventures, Mother 3 is quite tragic, quite often. Lucas personally experiences two tragedies; one near the beginning of the game and one at the end. Despite this, Mother 3 also brings in many lighthearted moments. Which just makes the experience weird. I dunno. Game just weirded me out with its lighthearted tragedy. I mean, what the hell.
Standard B: The trend of Mother characters using moves they can't learn in their games continues, except moreso. Ness' Standard B, PK Flash, is a move Lucas CAN learn. Yet, Lucas doesn't have PK Flash. Instead, Lucas uses PK Freeze has his Standard B, a move Lucas CAN'T learn. Ugh. Its not as powerful, but it obviously comes with the ability to freeze.
Side B: PK Fire. The main differences from Ness' PK Fire is that, unlike Ness' whose PK Fire hits and creates a column of fire with no knockback, Lucas' PK Fire works like a gunshot. Boom!
Up B: Lucas' PK Thunder is also different. Sharper turns, goes through enemies, and sends Lucas twice as far when he hits himself with it compared to Ness.
Down B: Lucas' Recover is a bit odd. Its still a round ball, but Lucas puts it in front of him, only being able to absorb energy damage from the front. Those who are inside the ball of recovery take damage.
Final Smash: PK Starstorm, again a move Lucas can not use in Mother 3, is his Final Smash. Unlike Ness', whose Starstorm goes off in diagonals, Lucas' goes straight down. Probably best used on small stages, with multiple brawlers, and with Lucas doing anything possible to get people hit by it. PEEEKAAAY STAAAARRSTOOOOORRRM!!!
Other Notes: Lucas never uses a bat in Mother 3. He uses blunt wooden objects that could be cheap versions of bats, but never specifically a bat. Oddly enough, this fact is held true (yet not the PK attacks), as Lucas' forward smash uses a tree branch instead of a bat. Also, since Lucas never uses Yo-yos in Mother 3, his Up and Down smashes uses a psi-like damage maker instead of a yo-yo.
My Expectations: Lucas comes from a tragically lighthearted game. Or a lightheartedly tragic game, whichever. In any case, those who had fun playing as Ness are going to have fun with Lucas, and even those who didn't use Ness much may find something nice about Lucas as well.
Day 24: Wolf
Series: Star Fox Series
First Apperance: Star Fox 64 [N64, 1997]
Last Main Apperance: Star Fox Command [DS, 2006]
Smash Experience: Newcomer
Intro: As Fox is the leader of StarFox Wolf is, naturally, the leader of StarWolf, those two groups being quite the huge rivals. I'd say more about him, but my experiences of Star Fox games with Wolf is limited just up to the part in 64 where he says his famous first line: "Can't let you do that, StarFox!"
Standard B: Wolf's blaster is the slowest of the three StarFox reps, but its the most powerful of the three.
Side B: Whatever its called, its similar to Fox's and Falco's side B, except Wolf doesn't go as far and he actually dashes uphill. That's not the best way to explain it, but... yeah.
Up B: There's no fire involved with Wolf's Up B, unless its that dark, evil fire associated with evil characters. That's what it looks like. Also, there's no charge or delay involved unlike Fox and Falco's Up B.
Down B: Wolf also has a reflector. It doesn't have knockback but it still hurts. It covers both sides of Wolf, but it appears as though it doesn't protect Wolf from above. Also, its light red instead of light blue.
Final Smash: Wolf has a landmaster. It doesn't last as long as the common StarFox landmaster, however it is more powerful. Also, instead of the blue and white StarFox landmasters, Wolf's is an evil shade of black and red. I thought Wolf was more of a jerk mercenary, not an inherently evil guy wolf, but again I haven't played many StarFox games.
Other Notes: Despite the similarity of B moves, I hear Wolf's A button arsenal is quite different than both Fox and Falco.
My Expectations: The StarFox series as a whole got a lot of love in Brawl, perhaps to make up for the series' less-than superb outings since Melee. Wolf is probably the result of that pity-love, especially with a fighting set, B moves and FS aside, that reflect this love.
Day 25: Pikmin & Olimar
Series: Pikmin Series
First Apperance: Pikmin [GCN, 2001]
Last Main Apperance: Pikmin 2 [GCN, 2004]
Smash Experience: Newcomer
Intro: The two Pikmin games were intriguing puzzle games for the Gamecube where, essentially, you needed to implement the various kinds of Pikmin to solve puzzles and complete each game. In Brawl, Pikmin & Olimar are very unique. Olimar can barely do anything without any Pikmin while the Pikmin themselves are not just his main threat, but if used properly one of the bigger threats in the game.
Standard B: With this move, Olimar pulls up a Pikmin. There are five types, which I'm not inclined to describe right now. Each one, though, has their own abilities and perks.
Side B: Olimar throws a Pikmin with this move. With the exception of the purple ones, Pikmin will latch onto the opponent and chip away at an opponents %. Obviously, the more Pikmin on someone, the more damage that will stack. White pikmin also throw in some poison, too.
Up B: With the Pikmin currently out, Olimar quickly turns them into a vine for emergency edge latching action! Its an okay offensive move, though.
Down B: Olimar whistles, rearranging the order of Pikmin. This is useful if, for example, you want to use a Red pikmin but its way in the back. As you can see, only two of Olimar's four B moves deal any actual damage, the other two are simply for Pikmin management.
Final Smash: This Final Smash, oddly, doesn't use Pikmin at all. Olimar somehow wills it to be "End of Day" and as such, gets the hell out of there in a magically appearing spaceship of his. Those that are left behind (re: not Olimar) are left to be the food of those slug creatures you see in Pikmin. While this doesn't really KO anybody, watch out. Olimar's spaceship returns afterwards and will crash, destroying itself and anybody the ship crashes into.
Other Notes: Olimar needs Pikmin to do his smash attacks. Olimar needs Pikmin to throw. Olimar needs Pikmin to not die in Pikmin 1. As you can see, its obvious why the character's official Brawl name is "Pikmin & Olimar".
My Expectations: Definiately an unique character, Olimar can be quite devastating when put into the right hands, yet those not willing to invest in mastering his B moves will probably work on staying away from him more than most other characters. Hopefully, there will be more cases like the former.
Day 26: Kirby
Series: Kirby Series
First Apperance: Kirby's Dreamland [GB, 1992]
Last Main Apperance: Kirby: Squeak Squad [DS, 2006]
Smash Experience: One of the Originals
Intro: First you draw a circle, then you dot the eyes. Add a great big smile, and presto, its Kirby! That line, taken from Kirby's Adventure, pretty much sums up the lighthearted yet usually epic adventures the pink puff goes through in its games. Swallowing enemies and spitting them back out or swallowing enemies and copying their abilities. Kirby is quite unique, and that continues as such in Brawl.
Standard B: Kirby's signature move, it swallows an opponent and copies their standard B move, coming complete with a cute little Kirby hat or hair or skin of some kind. It normally fully copies another character's Standard B with a few exceptions (Olimar Kirby picks then immediatly throws Pikmin, for instance). Kirby loses the hat by either being KOed or by using one of its taunts.
Side B: Kirby's hammer has been reported to be different in Brawl. I haven't seen much of it in action, especially in midair, so I don't have too much to say. From what I can see from its hammer while on the ground, there's slightly less power for slightly less charge time.
Up B: Kirby's cutter is pretty much the same. ...not much more to add.
Down B: Kirby's Stone ability also seems to have little difference than before.
Final Smash: Cook Kirby is here to serve up some pain. ...yeah. When Cook Kirby clangs on its frypan, anybody in range and not doing other things will suddenly fly into Kirby's pot. When Kirby's done cooking, various things spit out, including food, super-spicy curry, non-food items somehow, and fiery flying opponents.
Other Notes: Kirby was nerfed quite hard in Melee, and I've heard that's been rectified some in Brawl. As a whole, Kirby's moves seem stronger and provide harder knockback.
My Expectations: Kirby's bag of tricks hasn't changed much since Melee. Well, they kinda have. Those tricks have gotten a tad stronger. Kirby fans who miss Kirby from the 64 days may still not find that Kirby in Brawl, but its a step in the right direction.
Day 27: Toon Link
Series: The Legend of Zelda Series
First Apperance: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker [GCN, 2003]
Last Main Apperance: The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass [DS, 2007]
Smash Experience: Newcomer (possibly Veteran)
Intro: While Link appears to be young in many Zelda games, the grown up Twilight Princess model is the official 'Link' for the time being. Meanwhile, this model of Link, once known as 'Wind Waker' Link and now known as the more silly 'Toon Link' has appeared in quite a few games as this specific model. From Wind Waker to the various Four Sword games, from the disappointment that was Minish Cap to another disappointment that was Phantom Hourglass. Toon Link appears in these, and Toon Link appears here, apparently the new version of Young Link as he is much faster yet quite weaker than Link.
Standard B: His Bow is weaker, doesn't go as fast, and actually flies in an slight arc regardless of how much you charge. Fire arrows are gone.
Side B: His boomerang is a normal boomerang unlike TP Link's Gale Boomerang. It also moves slowly and deals 'meh' damage.
Up B: Toon Link's spin attack seems to have quite the recovery when used in midair. From this the fact that Toon Link is the master at spin attacking is quite evident, while TP Link is left in the spin attack dust.
Down B: Toon Link's bombs are based off their WW model, complete with that very nice looking explosion effect.
Final Smash: Even with the differences in the B moves, it doesn't seem like Toon Link's final smash, another Triforce Slash, is any different than TP Link's.
Other Notes: Toon Link's grab is also the Hookshot, although I say 'also' knowing Link's is now the 'Clawshot'. Some might of expected the Grappling Hook, but Hookshot works just fine. Thankfully, Toon Link actually does get a Hookshot in at least one of his games. *looks sternly at Ness and Lucas*
My Expectations: Toon Link is the new Young Link. The agile, weaker counterpart to normal Link. I expect Toon Link to play similarly to that of the old Young Link, minus that overly long 'milk drink' taunt that I'm sure Toon Link doesn't have.
Day 28: Peach
Series: Mario Series
First Apperance: Super Mario Brothers [NES, 1985]
Last Main Apperance: Super Mario Galaxy [Wii, 2007]
Smash Experience: Veteran
Intro: Princess Peach always needs a rescuin'. ...except in Super Princess Peach. In that game, she's doing the rescuin', but in most other games she needs a rescuin'. In the Smash games, she needs no such rescuin' as she is just as able to fight as everyone else (except in SSE mode in Brawl...). Will she be able to keep up again?
Standard B: Poor toads. Not only does Peach force them to take hits, but then they go and spew up some kind of toxic gas. ...poor toads.
Side B: Her Peach bomb or whatever it is no longer packs the power of an explosion. It now packs the power of... hearts. Lots of them. Tons of them. Pow.
Up B: Her parasol attack is relatively unchanged. While using it to float, the parasol can still deal damage. I'm... not sure if that was in Melee or not.
Down B: Her turnip toss can pull up, among weird looking stronger turnips, bob-ombs, Mr. Saturns and Beam Swords.
Final Smash: Peach dances. Some music plays. Two 2D Peach models appear for some reason. Peaches, the fruit, appear. The opponents fall asleep, having been dealt 40% damage somehow. Peach can use this time to either heal with those peaches, or put some smack and down on her sleeping foes. Possibly both if she's fast enough. A final smash such as this can be quite formidable in 'scrolling' stages like Mushroomy Kingdom or Jungle Japes.
Other Notes: Is it me, or was there a little too much attention made to Peach's dress? I mean, just look at all those details. Looks like there were a few Peach fans on the development staff. Their graphic work on Peach shows... in more ways than one.
My Expectations: With her strong air game and Brawl's greater emphasis on the air game, it will be interesting to see how much better she is, if any. Just be careful if you get "no items, Smash Ball and Peach only, Mushroomy Kingdom".
--Written By Rick52 [GameWinners Moderator]
Posted by on 03/01 at 01:36 PM
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