LINK TO SECTION BELOW
We now returned to Drake and Ashley with big grins on his face.
"Anddddd we are back!" Drake greeted.
"And we have a lot of fighters to cover so let's not waste any more time!" Ashley smiled.
BUBBLES
NODE: CARTOON NETWORK: PUNCH-TIME EXPLOSION/THE POWERPUFF GIRLS
Ashley blinked twice. "Wait… Mac and Bubbles are DATING?"
"I mean if Orange-Ratchet could put one of SSBFreak and Tinyhammer's favourite pairings each, I don't see why not Orange-Ratchet can't spoil himself with one of HIS own." Drake said, shrugging his shoulders.
Ashley paused. "Not… Wrong? I… Just didn't know that Mac X Bubbles was one of his favourite pairings?"
"Yeah, he loves writing romance fanfiction so you think we would have learned about it." Drake noted. "Knowing Orange, he would tell Tiny later and the latter would tell US."
"Fair enough…" Ashley nodded. "Now about Bubbles' abilities. Let's not repeat ourselves with stuff we already went over with her sisters so what is HER special ability?"
"She could speak Spanish and could understand the language of squirrels?" Drake asked.
Ashley blinked twice. "I was just about to say that Bubbles has it just as bad as Buttercup, but then I remembered Squirrel Girl."
"As you should." Drake said with a toothy grin. "But anyway, while not stated outright, it is strongly implied that Bubbles is the fastest of the Powerpuff Girls as she was the representative of the race around the world challenge in the "Members Only"."
Ashley looked at Bubbles' cheery face. "Not going to lie, while Blossom and Buttercup could be initially unthreatening at a first glance, I would never expect Bubbles to be just as brutal as her sisters."
"Oh, she definitely has her moments." Drake warned. He then smirked. "Just like…"
CREAM THE RABBIT
NODE: SONIC THE HEDGEHOG
"..And her buddy, Cheese!" Drake grinned.
"If you told me that Cream & Cheese will be the EASY mode of Sonic Advance 2 & 3, I would assume it would because the enemies and obstacles are lessened." Ashley noted. "But no. They are easy mode BECAUSE they could potentially destroy any and all enemies in their track."
"I know, right? Cream must have spent a LOT of time at the Chao Garden because Cheese's stats are BEYOND maxed!" Drake said. "All Cream has to do is give the command and he turns into a homing missile, destroying any and all Badniks in her path!"
"Not only that, but she could keep up with not only her, but the rest of the cast as well!" Ashley added. "Also, apparently he could engulf himself in energy and fly forward and spin around so fast that he could turn into a tornado."
"And we can't forget about Cream's abilities as well! Not going could she fly just as well as Tails, but one of the best, nay, THE best White Mages of all-time!" Drake smirked.
"Indeed. Not only have she demonstrated this in Sonic Battle where she could make healing factor AND special gauge goes at above-average rates, but she has a bunch of great abilities!" Ashley smiled. "Healing, buffing defense and could even cure poison!"
"I am not exaggerating that between her, Cheese and Bubbles, they would make a group that rivals even Donkey and Mushu!" Drake grinned. "And THAT'S not counting Mac & Bloo into the mix!"
Then, the Mystery Fighter Alert went off.
"Oh, already?" Ashley mused.
"Heh. I still stand by what I said about the power group I talked about just now. But I don't doubt that the next Mystery Fighter will give something that even the group could do!" Drake grinned.
ROGER SMITH
NODE: THE BIG O
Drake and Ashley blinked twice.
"Well… He will give something." Ashley noted. "Can't really say if that is a good thing or bad yet, but… He will bring… SOMETHING."
"Okay, I heard of the Big O a few times, but never actually watched it." Drake mused, rubbing his chin. "Looks like that it is quality over quantity for this section, you guys. And by that, you have to do some extra-research."
The camera went to an annoyed Catherine. "Joyyyyy…"
"Ah, don't be like that. This could be fun!" Wally scolded with a grin before he started to research. "Okay, the setting of the Big O takes place in a metropolis called Paradigm City that seems to be a cross between Film Noir New York and a futuristic city. Heh, Ah am liking this anime already!"
"Should have known." Catherine said, rolling her eyes. "The concept is decent at least. Forty years ago, all of its inhabitants got amnesia that robbed them of their past and sense of self and everyone had to adapt without having any history."
"The main protagonist, Roger Smith, is a negotiator. Part-time detective. Part-time professional go-between. He is the most trusted and well-paid man in his line-of-work." Wally said before smirking. "But if someone threatens the peace of the land and negotiating isn't enough, he has one big ace up his sleeve."
"The titular Big O. Which is a giant battle robot. After said forty years, something came up that may expose the truth behind Paradigm City." Catherine explained. "And with the help of a colorful cast of characters, Roger must protect Paradigm City from outside threats while trying to figure out the truth of its past!"
"The Big O is created by Sunrise studios, the same creators of the Gundam, thus the giant robot. It was supposed to be a 26-episode show, but due to the lack of people watching it in Japan, it got cut in half." Catherine mused. "HOWEVER, it was more well-received overseas and Toonami, the channel, asked for the remaining second half to be aired."
"But of course! It is clearly inspired by Batman AND James Bond!" Wally grinned.
"Of course… What's a better way to get the dudebros is to merge two "male power-fantasy"?" Catherine asked.
Wally's grin vanished. "Not every story male human that has a lot of power in some way or another God of War trilogy."
"Just saying. They knew EXACTLY what type of demographic would be more attracted to their stuff!" Catherine agreed. "And DON'T even get me started on James Bond!"
Wally rolled his eyes. "Ugh, I think we are going to cut the segment here. Back to you, guys."
The camera went back to Drake doing the same thing. "Thank you, Wally!"
Ashley shook his head. "Now I don't know how Roger will fight. I do not doubt that he could be effective in a fist-fight, but as Wally and Catherine stated, the anime seems to be focusing more on the Big O in terms of combat."
"To be fair, that didn't stopped Ichiro, Sakura, Erica and Gemini from the Sakura Wars series to appear footlocked in Project X Zone." Drake noted.
"Yes, but… I don't know." Ashley said, scratching the side of his head. "This isn't by far the weirdest choice that Xero & Maurice made for Mystery Fighters, but it just seems… the most random if that makes sense."
Drake frowned. "Yeah. I admit that this pick seems… Normal in a way. Because Orange-Ratchet used to watch the Big O growing up."
LINK
NODE: SUPER SMASH BROS/LEGEND OF ZELDA
"And here we have the Hero of Time himself!" Drake grinned.
Ashley paused with a frown. "After the CD-I games and the cartoon, I don't feel right about Link talking."
"Hey, blame SSBFreak, Tinyhammer and RaineSage. THEY had Link talk so why not Orange-Ratchet?" Drake scolded. "And besides, technically Link CAN talk in Breath of the Wild, we just obviously can't hear any words for him."
"True…" Ashley said. "Now Link is another case of being a Jack-Of-All-Trades AND Master of All!"
"Indeed! Along with his Master Sword and trusty shield, he is also skilled in archery, bomb-throwing and boomerangs!" Drake grinned.
"And that is just limited to his Super Smash Bros moveset!" Ashley added. "He could do so many things!"
"Like using the Sheikah Slate, he could use the powers of Cryonsis, Magnesis, Remote Bomb and Statis!" Drake grinned. His eyes then lit up. "Oh!"
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Drake?"
"Do you think that Link will also use a spear and a heavy weapon just like in Age of Calamity?" The vampire asked. "Along with the flail in the DLC pack?"
"I don't know… I mean it WOULD be a waste to not use any of those skills, considering that he is now double-teaming with someone who ALSO have Hyrule Warriors skills." Ashley mused.
GUTSMAN
NODE: MEGAMAN
BIG GUY ALERT!
"And here we have not only the OG Robot Masters, but one of the two most ICONIC ones in Megaman with the other one being Cut Man!" Drake grinned. "Cutsman!"
"It is about time that we have a Robot Master that ISN'T brainwashed." Ashley said in relief. "Is he the only Robot Master who ISN'T brainwashed? Besides the one who is working for Wily from the start, of course."
"Sheep Man." Drake explained. "Which is rather confusing because Gutsman and Cutman kept getting kidnapped and brainwashed by Dr. Wily. To the point that people think that they ALWAYS worked for Wily."
"Ouch…" Ashley winced. "So Gutsman obviously looks like a bruiser."
"Oh, he is. While the other robots have decent strength, Gutsman trumps all of them in pure power in the mainline games." Drake said.
Ashley blinked twice. "Mainline games? As opposed to?"
"Well, in Powered Up, a chibi remake of the first game, ALL of the Robot Masters, including two brand-new ones could be playable!" Drake said. "In that case, he could create crates out of nowhere to either use to block projectiles or throw them at his opponents."
"Wow." Ashley said.
"And in Megaman: The Power Fighters, he could summon a boulder from the sky just like Lucky Glauber could summon his basketballs." Drake explained.
"Huh. I thought he was mostly a close-range fighter." Ashley mused.
"Oh, he was." Drake said before smirking. "But like I said, being an original and iconic Robot Master has its perks."
MISS DECIBEL
NODE: SLY COOPER
"Looks like we are not done with the story fights yet." Ashley mused. "I am still stunned to see Miss Decibel on the heroes' side."
"To be fair, Miss Decibel has no reason to side with Le Paradox after what he did to him." Drake said, sadly. "That's probably why she and Harley Quinn hit it off despite being polar opposites at first glance."
"Yes, the Joker and Le Paradox are horrible people and even worse boyfriends." Ashley said in disgust. "While Harley and Decibel aren't exactly saints, they deserve better than them."
"Agreed." Drake said, darkly. "So about her fighting style. You would assume that having her trumpet inside of her trunk would be some kind of handicap for her, but no. She makes it work for her."
"Oh, she could actually play music with it?" Ashley asked.
"Um, well, that depends on how you think about her music." Drake winced. "HOWEVER, she does have a lot of music-based attacks like sprouting music notes out of her trunk, using it to propel herself through the air. She could even create a staff of music that could send out energy balls on it."
"Wow… And considering that she is an elephant, she could pull her weight around." Ashley explained. "Her all-or-nothing attack is a powerful ground pound that creates a shockwave around her, but leaves her vulnerable!"
"Goodness. She sounds like another potential threat." Ashley mused.
"And don't forget. She has one of the more dangerous weapons of all time." Drake said before wincing. "The wrath of a woman scorned."
E-123 OMEGA
NODE: SONIC THE HEDGEHOG
BIG GUY ALERT!
Ashley blinked twice. "Huh. It is rare to see a heroic robot in a Sonic game."
"Yeah, the only other ones I could think of are Gamma, Emerl, Gemel Heavy and Bomb." Drake admitted. "Gamma and Emerl are unfortunately destroyed, Gemel is Dracula-knows-where and Heavy and Bomb… Might as well be enemies considering how much of a hindrance they are."
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Heavy and Bomb are THAT bad?"
"I mean, to be fair, they kinda HAVE to be because they are the "punishment" characters in Knuckles' Chaotix." Drake explained.
"Well, if you say so…" Ashley said. "So being a robot, Omega has a lot of weapons, doesn't he?"
"Oh, yeah, rapid fire rotary cannons, flamethrowers, missiles launchers, FIREBALL launchers, multiple semi-automatic single-barreled wrist cannons for firing pellets, homing lasers. The list goes on." Drake said.
"And he also looks like a Power character." Ashley noted. "Which means he is both fast AND strong."
"Yep. With a skillset like that, everyone is just…" Drake said before smirking. "Worthless consumer models."
Ashley paused. "...Should I consider myself lucky that I DON'T know that meme?"
SGT. JAMES BYRD
NODE: SPYRO THE DRAGON
"Ooh, a little penguin packing big heat!" Drake grinned with his eyes lighting up. "I am all for it!"
"Apparently, he is the only person in the history of both Battle of the Luminaries to get an elimination and NOT get away screentime at all?" Ashley asked.
"Yeah, I don't get it either." Drake said. "Tiny is usually consistent with giving each and every person their day in the limelight except for those who failed to get a single elimination. I wonder what happened that made Sgt. Byrd the odd penguin out."
"Well, I am sure that he will show everyone what they are missing." Ashley offered. "Sgt. Byrd plays like a combat flight simulator despite being a flightless bird.
"Yeah, he uses his tech to hover around the battlefield and uses his BAM Rocket Launchers on his shoulders to fire them at his opponents!" Drake grinned. "And that is not all! He also has bombs!"
"But he has to be VERY precise with them. If he is careless, he will just waste a bomb, but if it connects, it is definitely worth it!" Ashley smiled. His smile then vanished. "Hey, you don't think that this being a "King of Smashers" round, he may have a chance of not being seen?"
"No, actually." Drake said, sternly. "Tiny may have made that mistake, but Xero will not miss up the opportunity to portray a military penguin!"
Ashley rolled his eyes. "Fair enough."
Then, the Mystery Fighter alarm went off.
"Oh, but let's worry about Sgt. Byrd's screentime later!" Drake offered.
Ashley nodded his head. "Indeed. We gave our full attention to the next one."
ROGER SMITH
NODE: AMERICAN DAD
Drake and Ashley both paused when they heard. Then, the latter slunk in his chair.
"...To be fair to Xero." Drake started.
Ashley immediately snapped at his friend and co-host. "To be fair to Xero, he isn't the first person to do an "at least two people will show up in the arena with the same name as each other and they will have a childish squabble over it" due to SSBFreak and Tiny doing so at least once at their respective tournaments!"
Drake winced before giving a sheepish grin. "Umm… Yes?"
Ashley groaned. "Just… Just cut to Wally and Catherine."
The camera then went to a chuckling Wally and a frowning Catherine.
"Not going to lie, I am NOT looking forward to covering American Dad." The pink-haired woman asked.
"Why? Because it is basically Family Guy 2.0?" Wally asked.
"Uh, duh?" Catherine asked, crossing her arms.
"Oh, she of little faith. Looks like Ah am going solo fer this one." Wally said before looking at the camera. "So aye, while Catherine more or less already revealed this. American Dad is the second animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane. The first is Family Guy."
"As you could see by not only its art style, but also its set-up. A bumbling man, his wife, his three children and non-hum…" Catherine said before trailing off. She then looked like she was counting her fingers.
"Klaus, the goldfish, is actually an East German athlete who is cursed into an adult. So technically, in a twisted way, while he ISN'T exactly like Stewie, he CAN be if you squint." Wally said.
"...I'll stick a pin on that one for now." Catherine said, blinking twice. She then scoffed. "But otherwise, I am mostly right."
"Not wrong. American Dad is about paranoid and patriotic CIA Agent, Stan Smith, his overprotective wife, Francine, nerdy teenage son, Steve and liberal and rebellious teenage daughter, Hayley. The pilot starts with Stan uncovering a talking alien named Roger in his attic." Wally explained.
"I must admit that I am glad that the pilot episode is about either Roger and Klaus so we could find out what the hell is going on." Catherine noted.
Wally nodded his head. "Okay, okay, OKAY. So American Dad actually follows a similar structure to Family Guy, having cutaway gags, flashback twists, surreal humour, overly-long gags and a lot of pop culture references! It relied on caricatures of political personalities, as well as some of the more visible and controversial aspects of the right wing's policies and ideologies"
Catherine rolled her eyes. "Shocker."
"Until they stopped." Wally said.
This made Catherine do a double-take. "Wait, what…?"
"Aye, over time the character developed and gained depth and the show became less political." Wally explained.
Catherine blinked twice. "But… The main character is a CIA Agent."
"Aye, Stinky and Ah don't get it either." Wally said, shaking his head.
"Oh, not only you watch the show, but Stinky too?" Catherine asked.
"Yeah, Ah get it. It is VERY hard ta watch American Dad because it is just Family Guy with a fresh coat of paint." Wally admitted. "However, there is a lot of care put into the show. Especially in comparison to Family Guy that relies on Meg being a punching bag."
Catherine paused. "I may watch it. But only in the later seasons."
"Ah personally don't blame you, but while American Dad doesn't do flashback twists anymore, they have a bit of call-backs." Wally warned. "You don't have to know every episode to watch future episodes, but it is a nice little bonus."
Catherine nodded her head. "Alright, got it."
Wally grinned. "Back ta ya, mates!"
The camera went to a stunned Drake.
"Damn… Way to sell me on a show." He said before turning to Ashley. "Are you feeling better?"
"More or less." The androgynous man sighed. "Okay, so even though it is better than Family Guy, it is still a comedy sitcom. How does he fight?"
"Well, I can't tell you about his combat abilities, but Roger is a master-of-disguise." Drake offered.
Ashley looked unimpressed. "As in Clark Kent master-of-disguise?"
"Hey, if it works, it works!" Drake scolded. "But anyway, apparently he actually has a lot of different disguises and a different "personality" for each of them."
"With the amount of seasons American Dad has, he must have a good amount." Ashley noted.
"Indeed." Drake said before frowning. "Also, when pushed too far, Roger could be… Extremely petty and revels in disappropriate retribution."
Ashley winced. "Oh dear… And considering that the Big O Roger is NOT happy to not only share the same day as an eccentric alien, he is also not happy that American Dad Roger dressed as him."
"Yeah… This could turn out very badly for at least one of them and quite a few innocent bystanders." Drake said. He then brightened up. "But at least it will turn out great for us."
Ashley rolled his eyes. "I am REALLY dreading that Xero will rub off on you in the worst way when the third Battle of the Luminaries comes along."
MZ. RUBY
NODE: SLY COOPER
"And here we have the first female villain in Sly Cooper history, Mz. Ruby!" Drake grinned.
"Indeed, she is the chief mystic of the Fiendish Five, being a master of black magic." Ashley nodded.
Drake just smirked. "Should have known that YOU would know about her."
Ashley chuckled. "But yes, she did quite a lot of impressive feats with her black magic, breaking the laws of both man and nature alike."
"Though despite having so much potential, she put it to… a Rhythm game?" Drake asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ashley merely shrugged. "I can't really answer you on that. Maybe she just loves the genre."
"Well, use what you know." Drake said, returning the shrug.
"But yeah, she is a long-range fighter through and through and the only way to get close enough is to dodge to the rhythm." Ashley explained.
"Unfortunately for her, Sly has already beaten her game before." Drake said. "Do you think that the outcome will be the same?"
"Maybe. Remember, her spells are based on the Playstation buttons and the controllers of said console have advanced over the years." Ashley said before shrugging. "So maybe HER spells have advanced based on said controllers."
Drake looked in awe. "Huh. Nice one."
SHUN'EI
NODE: KING OF FIGHTERS XIV
Ashley jumped. "What in the world is HE wearing?"
"I…" Drake started before shaking his head. "I don't have the slightest idea. It is clear that it is inspired by K-Pop fashion, but his personality is like the complete OPPOSITE of a K-Pop star."
"Is it technically C-Pop fashion because he is Chinese?" Ashley asked.
"I don't know, man!" Drake insisted. "I avoid the genre for a reason."
Ashley shook his head. "Sooo… Is his fighting style… Just as bad?"
"Nah, it is actually pretty cool." Drake reassured. "Unlike the previous KoF protagonist, while he DOES wields flames, it is the form of a giant floating hand with another hand made out of WATER."
"Ooh, fire and water are opposing elements for a reason." Ashley said in awe. "Having both elements should help him."
"Oh, they should. And even if they are non-elemental, they are still impressive." Drake noted. "While he could Air Dash through the air. Even though the King of Fighters is a more ground-based fighter."
"Wow. That is an interesting set-up for a protagonist." Ashley noted.
"Oh, that's right. The kid's as green as grass, but I think he has potentially to be a great well-developed character." Drake noted. "Especially since XV looks more story-based."
The two then paused.
"...But nothing is going to justify that outfit." Ashley piped up.
"But nothing is going to justify that outfit." Drake repeated with a sigh.
CAPTAIN FALCON
NODE: SUPER SMASH BROS/F-ZERO
Drake immediately grinned. "YES!"
"Oh boy, I already know how THIS segment is going to go." Ashley said, rolling her eyes.
"But of course! The dude is a living icon!" Drake said. "How could I NOT quote him!?"
"I agree. This Captain Falcon is very charismatic. Maybe they should give him his own game."
Drake winced before he glared off-screen. The camera then went to an exasperated Wally and a smirking Catherine.
"Cat. LOW. BLOW." Wally scolded.
"Oh, you know that I am right!" Catherine scoffed.
Wally shook his head. "Anyway, F-Zero is… Well, Was a long-running Nintendo racing game. However, this ain't your average Mario Kart!"
Catherine let out a deep sigh. "Okay, even I will give F-Zero this. It has an interesting gimmick. You are riding futuristic vehicles on one of the most dangerous tracks of all time. And the speed is FAST. I mean, REALLY fast. Like think Sonic the Hedgehog at his fastest."
"Also, it has an energy meter that works not only as a life bar, but also a boost gauge. The more damage you take, the less you boost!" Wally grinned. "And the more you boost, the more you will go right off the track! That's right! Ya can DIE on the track! Well, not die, but retire, but still the same thing gameplay-wise!"
"Also, despite Captain Falcon being the bombardistic show-off he is in Super Smash Bros, he is arguably the most NORMAL racer." Catherine explained. "No, really, there are a lot of characters in the series. Each with their own distinct appearance."
"Aye, it is not just the men who are super-ripped! The woman has abs as well!" Wally said, raising his eyebrows in a lecherous manner. "The cast has someone for everyone if you have… Specific tastes!"
"Wally, oh my god!" Catherine groaned, holding her eyes.
"Ha ha. Sorry." The kangaroo said with a chuckle.
"But real talk, why are we talking about how F-Zero is just a big part in Nintendo history when Nintendo themselves doesn't feel that way!" Catherine challenged.
Wally narrowed his eyes. "Well, the same could be said about Metroid and guess what? We got Metroid Dread!"
"Okay, I admit that Metroid has a rough few years, but F-Zero has it even worse. I mean Mario Kart has more or less replaced it!" Catherine said.
"That is NOT the same!" Wally scolded.
"Oh, yeah? In Mario Kart 8, it has the iconic Blue Falcon as a kart, not one, but TWO tracks from F-Zero and even 200cc that makes you feel like the gameplay." Catherine said. "Oh, and despite having guest racers from Legend of Zelda, Splatoon and of all places, ANIMAL CROSSING! And yet here is the good captain himself?"
Wally winced.
"Also, doesn't Nintendo have another game that is similar to F-Zero?" Catherine asked.
"Yeah, but it lacks the personality F-Zero has!" Wally scolded.
"Not wrong, but at this point, the fans will eat up ANY type of F-Zero goodness. Even if it is just in gameplay alone!" Catherine scoffed.
Wally's eyebrow twitched.
"Also, Drake mentioned it earlier. They had the perfect chance to make Ganondorf his own character and give his old moves to Black Shadow, but nooo!" Catherine said, rolling her eyes. "Apparently that is too much for Sakurai! I legit think that WALUIGI has a chance in Smash before a F-Zero character."
"Catherine, STOP!" Wally roared at the top of his lungs.
"Also, I am going to talk about the Falcon Punch seeing that Drake will try to overhype it!" The pink-haired woman said. "Why is that attack so iconic? Any decent player could easily dodge it despite his main thing being speed! Because of the anime? Well, that thing doesn't care about its characters by making the likes of Octoman and the Skull bad guys so why should I care about it if you are so…"
Suddenly, a cushion flew from off-screen, colliding with Catherine in the face. This has actually made the young woman fly off-screen with Wally watching with wide eyes. An unsatisfying crash could be heard.
The camera then went back to Drake and Ashley. However, Drake was standing up while panting heavily with his face red with anger, looking like he just threw something. Ashley was watching with wide eyes as an awkward silence could be heard.
Finally, Ashley broke the silence. "...Sooo about Falcon's moves."
Drake continued to breathe in and out before sitting down and holding his head. "Alright, alright."
Ashley stifled a cough. "S-So obviously just like his games, Falcon is all about speed. Not to the extent of Sonic, of course, but still."
"Yeah, he specializes in hitting hard and fast. And he could do that with his pyrokinetic moves." Drake explained, still red in the face. "And while his Falcon Punch, as someone DELICATELY put it, shouldn't be spammed, I've seen some really good plays online with it. Said with his Knee of Justice."
"So he should overcome all odds here?" Ashley asked.
"He better… Just to make people like HER shut up." Drake muttered, crossing his arms.
"...Ah think ya already did that for him, mate." Wally said from off-screen.
ROBERT GARCIA
NODE: KING OF FIGHTERS XIV/ART OF FIGHTING
"And against all odds, Yuri has reunited with her boyfriend, Robert." Drake said, still trying to calm down.
Ashley blinked twice. "Um, did Robert always have that moustache and goatee?"
"No, he only started having it in XIV." Drake shrugged. "I don't get it either. Maybe it is to differentiate himself from Dan Hibiki?"
Ashley blinked twice. "...Who would mistake Robert, scratch that, ANYONE for DAN?"
"SVC Chaos says hi." Drake said.
Ashley shook his head. "So Robert is a Shotoclone, right?"
"Right. However, Robert has an emphasis on kicks, even sending out some of his projectiles with said kicks, not unlike his fellow Art of Fighting nodal companion, King." Drake explained.
"Ooh." Ashley mused.
"Also, he could potentially fight as a zoner and one of his signatures is a diving kick." Drake explained.
"Huh. Do you think that Robert will help continue Yuri's streak?" Ashley asked.
"Possible. Robert doesn't do well at these things, but I said that about Yuri and here we are." Drake shrugged.
PRINCESS PEACH TOADSTOOL
NODE: SUPER SMASH BROS/SUPER MARIO BROS
"And here we have the most iconic Damsel in Distress in gaming!" Drake grinned.
"What kind of announcement is THAT!?" Ashley asked in disgust.
"...I mean, it doesn't bother her nowadays so I could afford to say it." Drake admitted with a shrug.
"That only brings up MORE issues!" Ashley scolded.
Drake rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Now upon her abilities. She has the same moves as Daisy in Super Smash Bros so not much THERE, but…"
"But while no Cream, she is a very effective White Mage!" Ashley smiled. "Especially in Super Mario RPG where if you are very good at doing her Action Commands and get her the best weapons AND armour, she is absolutely broken!"
"Also, she may use her Vibe Powers from Super Princess Peach!" Drake added.
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Vibe Powers?"
"Yeah, she could use her emotions to wield the power of elements. When she uses the Happy Vibe, she could fly around while spinning with wind surrounding her while singing!" Drake grinned. "When she is using the Sad Vibe, she literally cries people a river and moves quite fastly. When she is using the Anger Vibe, she is engulfed with a flaming aura and when she is using the Calm Vibe, she self-heals."
"Huh. I have forgotten that Peach got her own game." Ashley mused.
"Yeah, and it IS kinda kiddie, even for Mario standards, but it was alright." Drake shrugged.
"Okay, okay, okay, so Peach is not extremely the best case of feminism, but when push comes to shove, she could prove that she is a threat." Ashley said.
BILLY KANE
NODE: KING OF FIGHTERS XIV/FATAL FURY
Drake grinned. "And here we have one of the more prominent characters in the Megamix Tournament, Billy Kane!"
"Mainly because SSBFreak kinda pushed him to be that way." Ashley mused.
"But hey, it worked, didn't it?" Drake scolded. "Sure, he and his sister, Lilly haven't beat their scores at the Megamix Tournaments, they still did decently well!"
"True, true." Ashley noted. "So Billy is a zoner?"
"Somewhat. Billy wields a three-sectioned-staff. By itself, he could fight at mid-range and does some impressive athletic skills with it!" Drake noted.
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "But?"
"But he could also extend his staff for more range! Not only that, but he ignited his staff in fire, even making a ring of fire by spinning it around!" Drake grinned. "Also, he could multiply his weapon several times for a powerful strike."
Ashley jumped. "Wait, how does THAT work?"
"Don't know. Don't care. It's awesome!" Drake grinned. "Also, in case he ever gets separated from his staff, he could get a new one out of his jacket!"
"Wow… He really has a lot of abilities with his staff." Ashley mused.
"Yeah, he also shows to be a good teacher, not only teaching her sister everything he knows, but also helps her find her affinity with ice." Drake explained.
Ashley paused. "Wait, I thought Billy's affinity came from his staff, but not himself."
"Hell if I know. We literally had a woman with a shadowy djinn in the last section." Drake shrugged.
ICE CLIMBERS
NODE: SUPER SMASH BROS/ICE CLIMBER
Ashley blinked twice. "Okay, they are not THE weirdest inclusion in Super Smash Bros, but sometimes they make me pause and ask "Why"?"
"Yeah, and what's more, they appeared in the SECOND game and appeared for all games except the fourth one." Drake said. "And only because having an 8-player Smash with all Ice Climbers was too much for the 3DS."
"Well, good thing we have two people that are willing to help us." Ashley offered with a smile before looking off-screen. "Okay, it is your turn, Wally and…"
The camera then went to an upset Wally and… No Catherine.
"...Catherine?" Ashley asked from off-screen.
"Um, aye… Catherine did NOT appreciate having that cushion tossed at her and now she is taking a break from the rest of the section." Wally said, sheepishly.
"Well, I suppose THAT works out. I do not want to hear from her for the rest of the section." Drake snarked.
"Drake, Wally now has to do this segment alone because of you!" Ashley scolded.
"No, no, it's fine!" The boxer reassured. "It is not like there should be THAT much ta do, but Ah will see what Ah could do."
With that, he held up his tablet.
"Ice Climber is a vertical-scrolling platformer released on the Famicom in Japan and then later put on the NES in America. The game is about two kids, dressed in ice climbing gear, called Popo and Nana. Popo being the one in blue and Nana being the one in pink. Wait… are they based on some kind of monkey? I mean I know that there is a monkey villager called Nana in Animal Crossing that has the catchphrase "popo" but still."
He then shook his head.
"While the story is limited, it is not hard ta connect the dots. A condor has stolen Popo and Nana's food supply and now it is up ta the kids ta get them back. By literally jumping up the mountain, avoiding enemies like polar bears and seals. Or yetis overseas. Collecting fruits and eventually catching up with the aforementioned condor."
He nodded his head.
"As it is obvious, the game could be played in co-op with Popo being Player 1 and Nana being Player 2. Also, unlike other platform heroes like Mario, Popo and Nana has an… Angled jump. Aye, let's say that."
Wally then shrugged.
"While the Ice Climbers is more known for their appearance in Super Smash Bros than their actual game, they are still several games that at least reference them like in the Nintendo Classic microgames in the WarioWare series and when Kirby gets the Ice ability in certain games where he gained Popo's parka."
He then grinned.
"But let me end this segment on something interesting. While the Ice Climbers and Mr. Game & Watch were the main retro reps for Melee, there have actually been several characters that the devs wanted in. Like the Balloon Fighter, Urban Champion, Bubbles from Clu Clu Land, an Excitebiker and Mach Rider. But in the end, the Ice Climbers were put in because due to having TWO of them, they could give a playstyle that no other classic rep could replicate. Back ta you, mates!"
The camera then went back to a grinning Drake. "Thanks, man!"
"Okay, so it is obvious that Popo and Nana's biggest strength is their teamwork." Ashley noted.
"Yeah, they have to fight together because if they are apart, their attacks are MUCH weaker." Drake nodded. "Their mallet strikes are weaker, they could only send out one ice block at a time, they could only shoot out cold air in one direction and their spin attack could only go so far. Oh, and don't even think of trying to recover by yourself!"
Ashley blinked twice. "Wait, do ALL of Popo and Nana's people have cryomancer powers or is it just them?"
Drake merely shrugged. "When you are around something for so long, you can adapt to it."
"Not… Wrong. Still, I do respect the Ice Climbers' teamwork." Ashley said.
"Yeah, while there have been a lot of duo fighters so far, they are one of the best examples in gaming about covering each other's weaknesses." Drake said.
NELSON
NODE: KING OF FIGHTERS XIV
Ashley blinked twice. "What kind of hairstyle is that? It looked like someone spray-painted a dead raccoon red and stuck it to his head."
Drake gave a descending whistle. "Damn! It is as if Catherine has never left us."
Ashley winced before blushing. "S-Sorry, that was rude."
"...I mean, even for KoF standards, that hair IS pretty out there." Drake explained. "Now Nelson has a prosthetic arm."
Ashley jumped. "Wait, but he is a boxer! Is that allowed?"
"I don't know if he does normal boxing matches with it, but he certainly does have regular NON-boxing matches." Drake explained. "He is the one who gave Ti… I mean, the King of Dinosaurs his scar."
Ashley's eyes widened at this. "What!? You mean the devastating blow that turned him into a Heel?"
"Yeah, and also it turns out that his arm… Is made by NESTS." Drake said, grimly.
Ashley jumped at this. "Wait… They are still around!"
"Yeah and with possibly certain people coming back from the dead, NESTS may make a comeback." Drake said, grimly.
Ashley paused. "...Do you think Nelson will return in XV?"
"I mean, he better. Not only is the King of Dinosaurs in, but also it looks like it would set up for something interesting." Drake noted. "They better not drop the ball like with Malin and the entire Ron subplot."
KING
NODE: SUPER SMASH BROS/DONKEY KONG COUNTRY
BIG GUY ALERT!
Ashley gave a smile. "I must admit, even though he is a ruthless villain, it still puts a smile on my face to see back against all odds."
"I know, right?" Drake grinned. "To think that there used to be a time where people would look down on the face that he would be in Super Smash Bros! Again, the same people said the same about Ridley and Banjo & Kazooie!"
"Just goes to show that no one is off the table in Super Smash Bros." Ashley said before smirking. "And we recently learned that."
"Indeed." Drake said, returning the smirk. "Now onto . He is an obvious heavyweight, but he actually got some tricks up his sleeve."
Ashley nodded his head. "Yes, apparently he could throw his crown like a boomerang. I don't know how THAT works. He is secretly a Kung-Lao fanboy?"
"Now THAT would be an interesting fact!" Drake laughed. "But he also has his Blunderpuss, a musket that shoots out cannonballs and even sucks people in, his Kopter-pack, a helicopter pack and of course, his big guy which is so thick that it acts as a counter."
"Oof, he sounds like torture to fight against." Ashley winced.
"Oh, he is. Combined with the obvious power he has and he is hard to get out of the arena." Drake noted. "Also, this isn't a boon for the tournament, but I have to say this at least once."
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "What?"
Drake then grinned. "He has a great singing voice."
Ashley blinked twice before closing his eyes.
"...I'm not even going to ask."
BLUE MARY RYAN
NODE: KING OF FIGHTERS XIV/FATAL FURY
"And here we have Terry's girl!" Drake grinned.
Ashley blinked twice. "Why do they call her BLUE Mary Ryan? Sure, she has blue pants, but you would think that most of her outfit will be blue."
Drake's grin vanished. "Okay, now you're just being silly."
Ashley rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright, I am sorry."
Drake shook his head. "So anyway, while she doesn't look like it, Mary is a grappler."
Ashley jumped at this. "You mean like Clark?"
"Kinda. While she does have a few wrestling moves, she also got some limb-breaking moves as well." Drake pointed out.
Ashley gulped nervously. "She sounds like a threat."
"Oh, she is. After missing out in XI and further, only to come back in XIV as a DLC fighter, she is here to prove to everyone why she is usually a KoF mainstay!" Drake grinned.
MARIO
NODE: SUPER SMASH BROS/SUPER MARIO BROS
"And last, but certainly not least, Mr. Nintendo himself!" Drake grinned.
"And one half of one of the most well-known couples in gaming!" Ashley added. "Especially since Bowser is dating Asgore so they don't have to worry about him kidnapping Peach anymore!"
"Well, at least for romantic reasons…" Drake admitted.
Ashley blinked twice. "Huh?"
"I mean think about it. For better or for worse, Bowser has a competitive streak, right?" Drake asked. "I think that he will continue to kidnap Peach, just to see how well he could outdo himself in his schemes. Especially when he has the bonus of not worrying about not having Peach as a wife."
Ashley paused with wide eyes. "...That is so in-character, that is scary."
Drake chuckled. "So anyway, just like in other spin-offs. Mario is the well-rounded guy. You know, the one where people go to learn the game?"
"But don't think that Mario isn't affected. He could be played at beginner AND pro level!" Ashley warned.
"Yeah, along with his fireball and jumping uppercut, he could also use his cape from Super Mario World to deflect projectiles!" Drake grinned.
"Also, he has his friend, F.L.U.D.D. from Super Mario Sunshine to send out water at his opponents, knocking them away!" Ashley added.
"Also, seeing that he more or less has Cappy in Ultimate, is it really a stretch that he will try to use it to possess some of the other fighters?" Drake asked.
Ashley jumped. "Oh, right. I have forgotten that Cappy could do that."
"Yeah, we should be grateful that Mario is a benevolent soul." Drake noted. "Not like MatPat will let anyone believe."
Ashley shook his head. "There are also many other abilities like his hammer and of course, the potential Power-ups he could use."
"Either way, he is sure to jump up and be the super star in this section!" Drake grinned.
Ashley rolled his eyes. "Couldn't resist, could you?"
"Oh, come on! That song is a bop!" Drake scolded with a grin.
Ashley shook his head. "Anyway, like I said, this is a King of Smashers round so you will be voting for twenty people to live and twenty people to die."
"Also, this will be the last King of Smashers as the numbers of both King of Fighters XIV and Super Smash Bros are nearly on the same level as the others." Drake nodded.
"...I am still in awe that we have come so far to the point where that would happen." Ashley said in awe.
"That is why I decided to announce the third Battle of the Luminaries here and now." Drake said. "Because we are this close to the end of the tournament."
"Very, very fair. However, what a King of Smashers round for it to end on!" Ashley beamed.
"I know, right!? Mario AND Peach!? Link!? Mike and Sulley!? Bubbles and Cream!?" Drake grinned. "Even compared to other sections, I think we have an all-star section here!"
"I concur!" Ashley nodded before looking at the camera. "Now Ralph, Eggman, Needles, Sulley, Gutsman, Omega and are Big Guys so TWENTY-SEVEN people will be eliminated!"
"Also, the Side Battles in this section is Supergirl from DC Comics versus Ripto from Spyro the Dragon and Kim and Chang from King of Fighters XIV versus Gulp also from Spyro the Dragon!" Drake smiled. "Please stay tuned! This is going to be BIG!"
"Indeed!" Ashley nodded. He then paused. "Drake…"
"Hm?" The mayor mused.
"Did you… Finalize the Tales of cast?" Ashley asked.
Drake's smile vanished. "Um, not really. I am torn between trying to fit in characters from Zestiria, Berseria AND Arise, but also trying to figure out which characters from PREVIOUS Tales games to give a shot."
Suddenly, Ashley grabbed his hand with Drake looking startled. The vampire looked to see a rare sly smirk on his friend's face.
"...Then, we have a LOT of work to do!" Ashley grinned.
With that, he turned around and ran off, dragging Drake by his arm. At first, the vampire was stunned.
But then had a relieved smile on his face as he ran after his friend.
LINK TO SECTION: archiveofourown / works / 25531129 / chapters / 86196610
