LINK TO SECTION BELOW
The camera then turned back to Drake and Ashley. The scene went back to normal in their seats, but they were still wearing their Halloween costumes.
"Anddddd we are back!" Ashley smiled.
"And not a moment too soon!" Drake grinned. "Let's not waste time and actually start on the new fighters!"
Then, an alarm went off, startling Ashley.
"Wait…" The wizard said. "We are starting the new fighters with a MYSTERY FIGHTER?"
"Yeah, I am surprised too." Drake agreed. He then clenched his fists together excitedly. "That means whoever this Mystery Fighter is the definition of a Halloween character!"
Ashley actually chuckled at this. "Well, let's not waste any more time! Let's move to the first Mystery Fighter AND new fighter!"
BEETLEJUICE
NODE: BEETLEJUICE: THE ANIMATED SERIES
Drake's eyes lit up while Ashley's smile vanished.
"DUDE, it's Beetlejuice!" Drake grinned, practically bouncing in his seat.
"Why are you so happy? He is a maniac with reality warping powers!" Ashley scolded.
"I know! It is awesome!" Drake beamed.
Ashley narrowed his eyes. "You are not thinking of the implications of what will happen? He may hijack our show just like Psycho Mantis did!"
Drake turned to Ashley to answer. Suddenly, the former's phone started to ring. He then reached into his pocket and pulled it out. He then raised an eyebrow.
"Is it Xero?" Ashley questioned.
"Yeah, but he didn't directly call. Just send me a voice message." Drake said.
Ashley blinked twice. "Um, okay…? Let's hear it."
Drake nodded before pushing a button on his phone. Then, the message started to play.
"That reminds me, I just left a note to everyone that due to competing, I'm bound to the tournament, so no saying my name three times to summon me to them. You should be lucky, Ashley and Drake. I'm not going to disturb your little side stories."
Drake and Ashley both blinked twice before looking at each other in awe.
"Welp… That answers THAT question." Drake said.
"W-Wait, did Xero have Beetlejuice prepared or did he send it on his volition?" Ashley asked.
"Best not to question it." Drake shrugged before looking off-screen. "Aight, guys! First new fighter, first MYSTERY Fighter!"
The camera went over to Wally and Catherine who were also still wearing their Halloween costumes.
"Aight! Leave it ta us!" Wally grinned. "Now as always, despite THIS Beetlejuice is based on the animated series, we are still going ta cover the original live-action movie first."
Catherine nodded her head. "Beetlejuice is exactly that. A live-action movie of the horror-comedy genre directed by Tim Burton. It was about a literally dearly departed couple, the Maitlands, that are now ghosts. However, they didn't want to move on so they decided to hang around in their house."
"Until one day, a REALLY obnoxious couple, the Deetzes and their goth daughter, Lydia had moved into the house. As ya could expect, they drove the ghost couple up the wall. So much so that they decided on an exorcist to get rid of them." Wally explained. "And by exorcism, Ah means in the reverse sense where a ghost is hired to spook humans out of haunted houses."
"The name of the exorcist is Betelgeuse. But because it is actually hard to pronounce, he just goes by Beetlejuice." Catherine said before rolling her eyes. "Personally, I think they are trying way too hard to sound edgy for a part-comedy, but whatever."
Wally chuckled nervously. "Anywayyyy, in a subplot, Lydia, the goth daughter, actually started to bond with the Maitlands. And from there, hilarity ensues."
"Yeah, if you like seeing one of the Top 10 wanted on SVU hilarious!" Catherine grunted in disgust, crossing her arms. "Seriously, I know that is partly the point, but a pervert like him with reality warping powers."
"Not… Wrong." Wally frowned.
Catherine grunted in disgust. "I STILL can't believe that people thought that HE, of all people, is ripe for potential Saturday Morning Cartoon protagonists."
"...Truth be told, Ah think they did a good job adapting him into a cartoon by toning down all of his negative aspects and focusing more on greed and pranks." Wally shrugged.
"I… Guess. The Beetlejuice cartoon was stupid, but… More in the mindless, stupid fun if that makes sense?" Catherine asked. "Though I STILL think he belongs on SVU's Most Wanted."
Wally rolled his eyes. "Oh, don't tell me ya are one of THOSE people who think Beetlejuice has a thing for Lydia!"
"Oh, come on, Wally, you can't tell me he doesn't remind you of a possessive boyfriend at times!" Catherine pointed out.
"Ya can be possessive WITHOUT having love or lust fer a person!" Wally scolded, angrily. He then paused. "Wait… That doesn't make things any better, does it?"
"No... " Catherine said with a deep sigh. "But yeah… Even then, Beetlejuice in the animated series is very tame. Both that and the live-action movie both have their huge fanbases, despite they are clearly made for different target demographics and… It also got a musical for some reason.
"I mean they did one for Spongebob Squarepants and Hamilton." Wally explained. "They even had a sequel to the live-action movie planned, but it got cancelled."
"So for better or for worse, Beetlejuice is a Halloween icon and he is definitely a great way to kick off the Halloween round." Catherine said. "Back to ya…"
The camera went back to a grinning Drake. "Thanks, guys!"
Ashley grumpily crossed his arms. "I do not like talking about reality warpers. Everything about their movesets is all… Ooh, random."
"Yeah, not much to commentate on in terms of combat." Drake admitted.
"Also, how are people going to get him out of the ring?" Ashley asked.
"Easy. In the most over-the-top way possible." Drake said.
Ashley paused before narrowing his eyes. "I HATE that you are completely right."
JACK SKELLINGTON
NODE: KINGDOM HEARTS/THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Drake's eyes again lit up. "Dude, THE Exorcist of Humans AND the Pumpkin King showing up!? This is a Halloween round and yet it feels like Christmas!"
Ashley chuckled at this. "Okay, random thing to bring up, but…"
"Butttt?" Drake asked, raising an eyebrow. "Don't be shy."
"I never knew that Jack was a Disney character." Ashley admitted.
"Well, to be fair, while he always was, he had to be placed under a different company." Drake answered.
Ashley blinked twice. "Wha…?"
"I'll explain more, but I do not want to steal Wally and Catherine's thunder." Drake offered. "Yo, you're on!"
The camera then focused on a grinning Wally. "Leave it ta us, mates! The Nightmare Before Christmas is a stop-motion movie created by Tim Burton. Despite not being mostly made by Disney, it was STILL going to be uploaded under the name. However, Walt Disney went against the idea because it is considered well… 2spooky4me."
"So it was posted under Touchstone Pictures. Though that doesn't mean Disney has completely abandoned it." Catherine pointed out. "As the cast of Nightmare Before Christmas have taken over Disneyland of America and Japan's Haunted Mansion every Halloween to the point that the main antagonist has appeared as the mascot."
"Anyway, onto the main story, there is a place that has a forest that leads to a different world. And each world represents a different holiday." Wally explained. "And of course, the main world we will be focusing on is Halloween Town!"
"Yeah, real original, huh?" Catherine asked, rolling her eyes. "Yada yada yada, the residents are all monsters that you would associate with Halloween monsters. And they are obsessed with scaring people!"
"However, the main protagonist, Jack Skellington, the town's ruler, got tired of the everyday hustle and bustle and wanted to try something new." Wally explained. "That was when one walk, he made his way over ta the portals of the other worlds and out of curiosity, he stumbled into one of them."
"There, he ended up in Christmas Town, again, yada yada yada, Jack was so bewildered and mesmerized by the concept of Christmas and wanted to celebrate it!" Catherine explained. She then rolled her eyes. "However, he and the residents of Halloweentown only know how to celebrate Halloween. Not helping is that Jack KIDNAPPED Santa Claus."
"Aye… It is really sad when ya outdo the GRINCH in nearly ruining Christmas." Wally muttered. He then lit up. "Well, that doesn't make the movie a fun ride from start ta finish!"
"I mean it DID spawn a sequel. I mean, not a film sequel, but a video game tie-in called the Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge." Catherine explained. "Hell, it even had a video game tie-in PREQUEL called the Nightmare Before Christmas: the Pumpkin King. OH, and who could possibly forget the sequel comic, starring Jack's adorable ghost dog, Zero! Oh, and that came out only THREE years ago!"
"So yeah, even though Disney may not show it in the main line-up, it is still a major part of Disney history. Hell, the animation for its time is legendary because it is similar to Corpse Bride!" Wally grinned.
"That is why it appeared in Kingdom Hearts and even Disney's Sorcerer's Arena." Catherine nodded. "Well, was that sufficient, Drake?"
The camera went back to a grinning Drake. "Oh, more than sufficient, guys! Thanks!
"Okay, so I KNOW that Jack has his abilities from the video game tie-ins, but for now, I will focus on his Kingdom Hearts appearances." Ashley said. "Despite his extremely tall height, Jack is more of a black mage. Having low physical attack power and defense, but he DOES have powerful magic in terms of fire, ice, electricity and gravity."
Drake raised an eyebrow. "Gravity?"
"...It is the closest Sora will ever get to using a "dark" spell." Ashley said.
"Well, I do not doubt that Jack was a Glass Cannon." Drake said before letting out a mirthless laugh. "But that would be a disservice to say that he is helpless in physical combat."
"Alright, you are the Halloween expert. What would Jack do in the tie-in games?" Ashley asked, putting his hands on his hips.
"Well, I can't speak for the Pumpkin King, but Revenge of Oogie Boogie is considered Devil May Cry-lite!" Drake smirked.
Ashley's eyes widened. "Really?"
"Really? And he does it with a gooey creature called the Soul Robber which Jack would use a whip for, of course, stylish combos!" Drake smirked. "As expected from the Pumpkin King!"
STORM THE ALBATROSS
NODE: SONIC THE HEDGEHOG
BIG GUY ALERT!
Drake's grin vanished. However, he merely closed his eyes and breathed in and breathed out.
"...Last Babylon Rogue, let's get it over with." Drake muttered.
"So Storm is obviously the Power character of his team?" Ashley asked.
"Obviously from his size." Drake nodded. "However, that is his only role as he is presented as dumb and clumsy."
"Oof, even still, Big was dumb and clumsy and HE somehow made it work." Ashley shrugged.
"Maybe because he was more humble than Storm?" Drake asked. "But yeah, let's be fair. Storm is definitely the most humble of the Babylon Rogues. Anyway, while he is obviously the slowest racer out of the three Babylon Rogues, he is STILL a Sonic character so his speed is still decently impressive."
"And I could only imagine what would happen if he got hit by him by going at said speed." Ashley said.
"Exactly! He has potential to be a Lightning Bruiser." Drake agreed. He then sighed. "But again, the Babylon Rogues' biggest opponents are themselves.
THE PENGUIN
NODE: DC COMICS/BATMAN
BIG GUY ALERT!
Ashley blinked twice. "Oh, right, I actually forgot that the Penguin was part of Batman's Rogue Gallery."
Drake winced. "Ouch…"
"Hey, it is not that he ISN'T memorable! It is just that… He is overshadowed by his fellow Batman villains!" Ashley insisted.
"I mean considering the amount of villains, it is admittedly hard to stand out." Drake frowned. He then narrowed his eyes. "Still don't underestimate the Penguin. He is the anti-Batman!"
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Well, he is nearly as rich as Batman so he has a LOT of access to resources than other criminals would literally kill for." Drake said. "Also, despite his heavyset frame suggests otherwise, he is well-versed in judo, fencing, ninjitsu and bare-knuckle boxing!"
"Wow… I wouldn't have imagined." Ashley said in awe. He then paused. "So his umbrella is more of a makeshift rapier and katana?"
"Oh, don't even get me started on his umbrella!" Drake grinned. "Not only could he use it as a close-range weapon, but it could also hide machine guns, sword tips, missiles, lasers, flamethrowers, acid or poison gas."
Ashley's eyes bugged out at this. "Woah! All that from ONE umbrella."
"Well, no, I do not doubt that he has all of his features. But still, more than enough to be a huge threat." Drake noted. "Also, the blades of his umbrella could be used as a descending helicopter or another offensive weapon and opening it could be used as a bullet-proof shield."
Ashley blinked twice. "...How did I forget THIS guy again?"
"Again, he is UP against a lot of fan-favourites." Drake recalled before smirking. "But you could bet that he is willing to make you remember him."
INKLING
NODE: SUPER SMASH BROS/SPLATOON
"You're a kid! You're a squid!" Drake grinned.
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't that sound like the lyrics to one of Daphne and Celeste's songs?"
Drake' grin vanished before turning to Ashley and growling. "I am going to pretend that you never said that. Guys, to you."
The camera then went to Catherine, shaking her head. "Honestly, Ashley. Anyway, Splatoon is one of Nintendo's modern games. It is a kid-friendly third-person shooter. However, instead of edgy men wielding real guns, there are squid-like kids who could turn into actual squids that could fire paintball guns."
"The game is simple. There are two teams of four and you have to cover as much turf as you could with your team's colour ink. The team with the most ink wins the round." Wally grinned. "It may SOUND simple, but trust me, there is more ta it!"
"Indeed. Despite what I just said about paintball guns, that is just the "default" weapons. The kids, or in this case, Inklings, could use giant paint rollers, paintbrushes, aerosprays, even umbrellas and sniper rifles!" Catherine agreed. "And that is not even getting into many sub-weapons and ultimate!"
"Not going that, but ya are going ta wear different clothes. Not just ta look fresh, but also ta give ya different stats!" Wally agreed. "And there are also the many locations ta could play on like the top of an apartment complex, a shopping center, a skate rink!"
"And that is not even getting into the Splatfests!" Catherine grinned. "Where players are asked to choose a side and then get into a series of matches to get enough points for their team to win!"
"And there are also ranked matches fer the best of the best and of course, for those who like "typical" third-person shooter solo experiences, there is Hero mode where you play as a sole Inkling who have ta do various tasks." Wally explained.
"As you could expect, the game has a huge following, even getting a sequel with a third one on the way!" Catherine said. "Not surprisingly with the gameplay, lore characters, music and graphics!"
"Ah am looking forward ta the third game and see what else it brings!" Wally grinned. "Back ta ya mates!"
The camera then went to a smiling Ashley. "Thanks, guys! It is rare to see the both of you so enthusiastic about something."
"So about the Inkling." Drake said before letting out a deep sigh. "Let's just say they are hard to fight against."
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Because she is a zoner?"
"Well, not exactly a zoner, but she is VERY evasive, focusing on hit-and-run tactics." Drake explained. "She also has to fire her gun or send out Splat Bombs to either splatter the arena with ink to make her evasive options even more versatile or splatter her enemies to make her attacks cause more damage."
"Oh, wow…" Ashley said in awe.
"Oh, and DON'T get me started on that Splat Roller. It comes out fast, does a good chunk of damage, paints a good chunk of the arena and it could BURY enemies, leading to an easy KO!" Drake winced.
"Oh, goodness." Ashley frowned. "But that is the problem with evasive fighters. If they are caught, it is game over."
"Yeah, and Inklings are especially weak against aquamancers." Drake agreed.
Ashley blinked twice. "W-What? But Super Smash Bros have water hazards."
"And they cause damage when they are in the water." Drake nodded. "Of course, if it was like the base game, Inklings would literally dissolve into ink and go back to the respawn point."
Ashley paused. "...Video games are weird."
"You are just NOW noticing that?" Drake asked in disbelief.
FALKE
NODE: STREET FIGHTER V
"Oh, right. I forget that she exists." Drake said, flatly.
"Drake!" Ashley scolded.
"Oh, like my reaction isn't that different from your own with the Penguin!" Drake snapped. "Because her fighting style and gameplay are… Fine, but as a character, she is pretty flat."
"...To be fair, a good chunk of Street Fighters are not known for their deep personalities." Ashley recalled.
"Yeah, but at least I know what they are TRYING to go with. Even the likes of Rufus, El Fuerte and Abigail!" Drake agreed. "I don't know what Falke is as an individual besides giving Ed more story!"
"So you think that she is a Satellite Character." Ashley frowned.
"Unfortunately, yes. And frankly, I could understand making a member of Ed's crew playable, but personally, I would prefer the gorilla." Drake muttered.
Ashley just blinked twice.
"...Don't ask." Drake muttered.
"S-So, does Falke excel in mid-range combat?" Ashley asked.
"Yeah, but I suppose it is obvious by her staff." Drake noted. "She also has Psycho Power which she could enhance her weapon with, not only doing stronger attacks, but also use her staff like a sniper rifle."
Ashley jumped at this. "Wait, what?"
"Yeah, I'll give her this. She is definitely fun to watch." Drake said. He then growled. "Even if she DID steal Rolento's role as the staff-wielder of V. Sure, their styles are different as night and day, but between her and Laura showing up before Blanka, I know that sex sells, but not at the cost of cutting beloved characters!"
"DRAKE!" Ashley scolded.
HEIDERN
NODE: KING OF FIGHTERS XIV
"And here we have the final Ikari Warrior." Drake smiled.
Ashley blinked twice. "Wait… I doubt he was a NPC."
Drake's smile vanished before casting Ashley an exasperated glare. "Hey, sure, Heidern is the least recurring Ikari Warrior despite being the leader, he is still a prominent character in the story."
"Really?" Ashley asked.
"Yeah, even though he only appeared in the final game of the NESTS arc, he was still a prominent figure throughout." Drake said. "Like, if you didn't fight Kula in 2000, he would be the one who disabled the Zero Cannon which is a Kill Sat!"
"Wow… So how is he as a fighter?" Ashley mused.
"Ooh, trust me. If you thought Leona was a brutal fighter, she learned everything she knew from Daddy Dearest!" Drake grinned. "His hands act like knives, he could send out projectiles by doing slashing motions, he could ignite his hands in explosions and last, but not least, he could DRAIN his enemies' health."
Ashley jumped. "What kind of training did you do to do THAT?"
"Truth be told, not even the devs know." Drake admitted with a shrug.
PAINWHEEL
NODE: SKULLGIRLS
Ashley winced at Painwheel's appearance. "I WAS wondering that despite it being a Halloween round, there have been a lack of Halloween-themed fighters recently."
"Yeah, she is definitely the "Halloween" fighter, even though she never wanted to be one." Drake frowned. "Poor girl has been through a lot."
"Yes, and but some people may be willing to forget that when she is tearing people left and right in the name of revenge." Ashley winced.
Drake solemnly nodded his head. "Now you may assume that Painwheel would be a simple, but brutal rushdown fighter, but may I remind you that this is Skullgirls. You know that bladed wheel on her back, she could use that to fly."
"Because why would Skullgirls follow logic now?" Ashley asked, rolling his eyes.
Drake returned the gesture. "Anywayyyy, along with being a surprising aerial-based fighter, Painwheel could stick out spikes from all over her body to pierce her enemies and could use to hatred to power through the competition. No, really, that is actually a game mechanic."
"I know that a fighting tournament is not the best place to find it, I do hope that she finds peace." Ashley frowned.
"Same here." Drake nodded.
OSWALD
NODE: KING OF FIGHTERS XIV
Drake's eyes lit up at this. "Dude, it's Oswald!"
"Huh. I am not into fashion, but even I could acknowledge a classy man." Ashley smiled.
"Oh, Oswald is all about classy!" Drake grinned. "He fights using cards and has a swift yet brutal fighting style."
"Cards, huh? Like Setzer and Luxord?" Ashley asked.
"Yeah, but obviously while arguably a Fragile Speedster, he is more of a close-combat fighter." Drake said. "No, really, you should see the crazy combos he could do in XI and XIV. It was almost like he was created from a completely different game!"
"Huh. Do you think he will do well?" Ashley asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I mean, not only does he have a badass fighting style, but he is also high-tier in both of his games." Drake said. "Let's hope that this tournament will show SNK that he is capable of more."
MARTH
NODE: SUPER SMASH BROS/FIRE EMBLEM
"Huh. Marth AND Roy in the same section. Do you think Xero did this to attract the fangirls to the Halloween round?" Ashley asked.
"I doubt it. It seems like a complete coincidence." Drake reassured. He then smirked. "After all, Xero doesn't like diverting the attention of the ladies from himself."
"True." Ashley said, returning the smirk.
The two then shared a laugh.
"Aight, back to you guys!" Drake grinned.
The camera went to a bewildered Catherine. "Okay, Roy's debut game, but Marth as well."
"Aw, come on, Cat!" Wally frowned. "It is the first Fire Emblem game, ever!"
"I KNOW that! And while that DOES deserve to be praised, it will suffer from first game syndrome!" Catherine scolded.
"Just… Try to do proper research." Drake muttered, exasperated.
"Alright, alright…" Catherine muttered, rolling her eyes. "Marth's debut game and THE first Fire Emblem game is called Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light. It is released on Famicom in Japan only."
"It stars Marth, prince of Altea who is trying to win back his kingdom and the entirety of Archanea from the Dolhr army and search for his legendary sword, the Falchion, to defeat the evil dragon, Medeus." Wally grinned.
"Okay, real talk there: It is the first game in the series and doesn't have that many features to distinguish itself as its own identity." Catherine complained, rolling her eyes. "Even the Binding Blade introduced some new mechanics."
"Alright, alright, let's talk about Shadow Dragon, the remake fer the DS and actually had an international release." Wally offered. "It DID include a lot of changes and additions to it."
"Yeah, taken from OTHER Fire Emblem games!" Catherine scolded before rolling her eyes. "But to be fair, it DID include more chapters and even the ability to reclass units. It even has multiplayer!"
"There ya go! And don't forget! A 2020 port has been put out for the first game with not only new features, but a localization version!" Wally explained.
"Really? Huh. That's… Actually kinda neat." Catherine mused. "Well, I think that is all we could do here."
The camera then went to a nodding Drake. "Thanks, guys."
Ashley rubbed his chin. "So it is hard to cover Marth because we already covered Roy."
"More or less as he IS Roy without the flames." Drake shrugged. He then smirked before raising a finger. "BUT he DOES have a unique mechanic."
Ashley turned toward his friend. "Oh? What is it?"
"The edge of the sword is a tipper. If he swings it and connects it perfectly, it will do massive damage." Drake explained.
"Oh, wow. That is definitely going to make him a threat." Ashley said in awe. His face then fell. "But only if it connects."
"Yeah… The rest of his sword is considered a "sour spot". It still hurts like hell, but still not as strong." Drake frowned. He then smirked. "Of course, he could always go back to his telepathic grab."
Ashley did a double take. "Wait, what!?"
Drake let out a laugh. "Never mind. Never mind. That was a glitch. But still, it would be cool to add it!"
Ashley just blinked twice.
GAIA
NODE: BATTLE ARENA TOSHINDEN
BIG GUY ALERT!
"And here we have the final boss of the first Battle Arena Toshinden!" Drake grinned.
Ashley shuddered. "He definitely has the LOOK of a final boss."
"Hey, don't worry about it. Gaia is actually pretty cool." Drake reassured. "He is less of a villain and more of a tournament host. And even then, he only rebelled against the organization that killed his wife and son."
Ashley winced. "Oh god… He sounds like he has a lot on his plate."
"Yeah, but judging by his giant sword, he could literally shoulder it." Drake reassured.
Ashley grunted in disgust. "Drake!"
"Hey, just stating facts!" The vampire reassured, holding up his hands in defense. "Anyway, he is your standard fighting game boss. Sure, his movement is incredibly sluggish, but his ATTACKS come out fast and as you could expect with such a giant sword, they hit HARD."
"Huh. He should do well." Ashley mused. "Battle Arena Toshinden have actually been doing decently thus far."
Then, the alarm went off.
"Oh, yes, finally, we get to the second Halloween-themed Mystery Fighter!" Drake grinned, clenching his fists together. "Who is it!? Who is it!? Is it a Darkstalker? Doom Slayer? Mavis from Hotel Transylvania!"
Ashley chuckled. "Well, let's not suffer in suspense."
VIVI
NODE: BRAIN DEAD 13
Ashley blinked twice. He then turned his head towards Drake who was looking at the picture of Vivi with an excited look on his face. Finally, he turned towards Ashley.
"...I have no idea who that woman is."
"Knew it. Good thing, Tiny warned us in advance."
The camera then went to Wally and Catherine who were both looking smug.
"Wait, what?" Ashley asked from off-screen.
"Ya see, after Tiny had more or less take over the last fighter of the previous recap, he told us to research this node beforehand." Wally explained.
"He said that normally he would just let us in blind, but considering how excited you are from this section, Drake, he told us in advance because he knew that you didn't want to half-ass it." Catherine added.
"Aww, thanks, Tiny!" Drake said from off-screen.
"Anyway. Brain Dead 13 is a game that is similar to Dragon's Lair and Space Ace." Wally explained. "For those who are unfamiliar, they are interactive games where the graphics are actually hard-drawn. No sprites, no 3D technology, it was as if you were watching a cartoon."
"However, the games are VERY hard. You have to navigate your character through dangerous places. However, it is VERY easy to make the wrong choice or not react quick enough and die." Catherine frowned. "And die. And die. And die again."
"On the flip side, we got a LOT of unique death animations for each death, even if some are repeated with a different background." Wally noted.
"Now onto Brain Dead 13, the story is… Somewhat simple plot. Computer repairman, Lance Galahad has been hired to go into a creepy castle to fix a mad scientist's computer. However, it was a trick to use his server to try to take over the world." Catherine said before rolling her eyes. "Now normally, this would be the part where I would say "Woah, how original", but that is not wise."
"Aye, Lance made that mistake. He just called the mad scientist's plot average which pissed him off and now Lance is spending the majority of the game trying to escape a gruesome death." Wally said before wincing. "And BOY, are those deaths gruesome!"
"Yeah, while the death of Dragon's Lair and Space Ace looked like they would fit in in a Tex Avery cartoon, Brain Dead 13's deaths…" Catherine grimaced. "It's like if you mixed Looney Tunes with Mortal Kombat fatalities."
"Yeah, we tried to watch them and while some were funny and creative, others were… Creative and just plain disturbing." Wally grunted in disgust.
"I could see why Xero had Vivi as the second Halloween-themed Mystery Fighter." Catherine muttered before rolling her eyes. "I could also see why he invited Vivi period."
"Oh, don't be like that! She is the most popular character in the game!" Wally scolded with a big, stupid grin on his face.
"Gee, I wonder why…" Catherine muttered, rolling her eyes. "So yeah, guys, we will be sending the scenes with Vivi. Including the death scenes with her."
The camera then went to Drake who was holding his tablet. "Thanks, guys! You are real lifesavers!"
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Well?"
"Well, despite being one of the antagonists, Vivi… Doesn't actually have much in terms of direct combat." Drake mused. "I mean, she could use a miniature scythe or a butcher's knife, but those are for her "shaves" or "manicures".
Ashley paused. "...Do I even want to know?"
"No, you don't…" Drake muttered. "Anyway, she seems to have vampiric strength, effortlessly lifting Lance and Fritz, the mad scientist's "Igor". Other than that, while her moveset may be limited and basic, I think she will make it up with… Personality."
Ashley gave an exasperated stare. "Whenever someone mentions the personality of a blatantly sexy woman, they are usually trying to avoid mentioning their looks."
"Shut up!" Drake spat.
BENTLEY
NODE: SLY COOPER
Ashley immediately frowned. "...I don't feel right watching a wheelchair-user fight."
"Hey, don't underestimate Bentley, he is the badass wheelchair-user in all of media, arguably with the likes of Professor Xavier!" Drake scolded with a smirk.
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Because of his gadgets."
"Yeah, his wheelchair is actually more of a mini-mech. It has extendable arms, has a hover feature AND could fire sleep darts AND bombs!" Drake explained.
Ashley jumped. "Woah!"
"Yeah, just because he can't use his legs, doesn't mean he can't be a fighter." Drake said. "And was he a fighter. I loved seeing his arc from the trilogy and the character development he went through. Between Bowser and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, he has proven that turtles could be badass."
"Wow, despite being a thief, Bentley is an inspiration." Ashley said with a smile.
"And then some!" Drake grinned.
SIMON BELMONT
NODE: SUPER SMASH BROS/CASTLEVANIA
Drake grinned. "Hey, look, it's Tinyhammer's main!"
"He was always a defensive person in video games so naturally, he would pick a fighter with a lot of projectiles." Ashley noted.
"Well, even if he is more defensive, Simon is a badass that isn't afraid to go in headfirst!" Drake smirked.
Suddenly, his phone rang over. Raising an eyebrow, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone and answered it.
"Hello, Xero?" He said.
"Actually, this is Maurice." An unfamiliar voice answered.
This took Drake off-guard. "Oh, okay. So what is it?"
"What is the sudden change of heart? You made it perfectly clear in the very first section recap that you do NOT like the Belmonts." Maurice recalled. "So why are you praising Simon here?"
Drake frowned at this before letting out a deep sigh.
"Even if it is in a different world, I have to get used to them." He admitted.
"Wait, what?" Maurice asked.
"I guess you didn't get the news. I am going to be appearing in a Survivor season in the late future." Drake corrected.
"Wait, really?" Maurice exclaimed.
"Yeah, and my node is going to be… Castlevania." Drake said. "So yeah… In that timeline, I have a… Mixed relationship with the Belmonts, but if they are willing to work with me for a common cause."
"Huh. That is actually great! I will be looking forward to the season!" Maurice encouraged.
Drake just chuckled. "Well, you may have to wait a while because the person writing said season only has about a few episodes done."
"That's fine. Anyway, best of luck to you." Maurice offered. "Bye."
With that, he hung up the phone, making Ashley blink twice.
"...I thought only Xero could break logic like that." He said.
"I guess being friends with someone like Xero has its benefits." Drake chuckled.
Ashley shook his head. "Excuse us for being lazy, but Simon and Ritcher's movesets are exactly alike. Except Simon's Holy Water is fire-elemental while Richter's Holy Water is… Aura-elemental?"
"...Well, we know what Richter's favourite Pokemon is." Drake muttered.
RYU
NODE: STREET FIGHTER V
"I know that Ryu is the face of fighting games and it is only natural to have him as the final fighter of a section, but it is still odd to do so in a Halloween-themed section." Drake frowned.
"I mean Ryu has that whole subplot of overcoming the temptations of the Satsui no Hado so maybe he is supposed to represent Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?" Ashley mused, rubbing his chin.
Drake's eyes lit up at this. "Dude, it is literally at the eleventh hour, but you are really getting into this section!"
Ashley chuckled at this. "Yes, unfortunately, we may have to be lazy here as well."
"Yeah, what you see is what you get with Ryu. Hadoken, Shoryuken, Hurricane Kick." Drake nodded. "THOUGH, there ARE a couple of things that Ryu has that other Street Fighters don't."
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Well, both of his V-Skills are parry-base. Sure, anyone could parry in a fight, but Ryu is one of the few who has it as a game mechanic." Drake pointed out.
Ashley nodded his head. "That sounds like him."
"Also, one of his V-Triggers could conduct his fists in electricity to not only make his Hadoken and Shoryuken more effective, but also obviously add the electricity element." Drake explained.
Ashley's eyes widened at this. "Wait, really?"
"Yeah, and it's not like it is completely out of leftfield." Drake nodded. "One of his supers is literally a charged-up electric Hadoken."
Ashley just looked in awe before shaking his head. "Well, that is everyone!"
"Normally, with Bowser, Storm, the Penguin and Gaia as the Big Guys, nineteen people will be eliminated." Drake explained.
"HOWEVER, because Bowser is a Really Big Guy, he counts as TWO Big Guys so twenty people will be eliminated this round." Ashley pointed out.
"Also, the side battles are King Dedede from Super Smash Bros and Luong from King of Fighters XIV versus Ichigo from Tokyo Mew Mew and Pudding from… Tokyo Mew Mew and Chowder & Kimchi from Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion versus the Contessa from Sly Cooper."
"As of this recap part, you only have TWO days to vote if you didn't already. You better because there may be some spooky surprise eliminations coming soon!"
archiveofourown / works / 25531129 / chapters / 77586614
