Super Smash Bros. 4 DOJO!!

Welcome to the unofficial Super Smash Bros. 4 Dojo, led by the honorable and prolific Sensei Seth.

[smashbros4dojo]

This will be smashbros4dojo's final post.

Hello there! This is Sensei Seth, and I regret to inform you that this will in fact be my last post as the leader of Smash Bros. 4 Dojo!!

I created this blog partly to pay tribute to Brawl's amazing announcement website, but mostly to learn web design. Having garnered a firm understanding of both HTML & CSS, this blog has outlived its use, and thus must be put to rest.

However, that is not the only reason for its termination.

Nearly a month after creating this Tumblr, a simple web design project had transformed into an unhealthy obsession. I would spend hours creating content in the pursuit of "reblogs" and endlessly refresh my activity page for the prideful boosts provided by "likes." My blog was no longer done for fun, but rather for followers.

I see my blog's discontinuation as a bountiful boon for my livelihood. Less time making contrived posts means more time for thoughtful creation in other parts of life. Less hours mindlessly scrolling through "social" media feeds means more time for friends and family.

What about Smash Bros? Flooded by Smash speculation, Smash questions, and Smash GIFs, my life had become all Smash Bros, but not very Super. Frankly, I could not be happier about taking a break from my Bros. This absence will leave more to be discovered when the games release later this year.

Here are my closing thoughts:

Smash Bros. 4 will be a wonderful game, regardless of the system. Along with Mario Kart 8, it will help bring Nintendo out of its nasty slump.

The final roster will consist of upwards of 45 characters, with Shulk, Mii, and Palutena making the cut for certain, and Pac-Man, Bandana Dee, and King K. Rool possibly joining the crew.

Remember "Less is More." Don't try to discover every character, stage, and item before the game's release; you will ruin the surprise. Remember the look on your face when you saw Mewtwo for the first time in Melee?

On June 10th, don't sit inside all day scouring the Internet for E3 info. Call up your buds, go to Best Buy, and enjoy Smash Bros. 4 in person. What makes Smash so great is sharing it with others!

And finally, make sure that you own your Tumblr, and not Tumblr owns you!

- Sensei Seth

[smashbros4dojo]

May 19th, 2014

Hocotate, we have a problem!

19 days since impact: Today, Sakurai emulates Olimar's voyage log from the Pikmin series, channeling the pint-sized cosmonaut with the planet-sized vocabulary to describe a menacing Little Mac. In his Final Smash form, Giga Mac makes a Bulborb look like a tiny tadpole, and if Olimar wants to escape this planet alive he better marshal his forces and retreat!

[smashbros4dojo]

May 16, 2014

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls...

Today, Sakurai confirms the ability to play as both male and female costumes of the Villager! With the growing presence of female characters on the roster, Sakurai has gone to great lengths to make the new Smash Bros. the perfect game for everyone, regardless of one's identified gender. Kudos!

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In Brawl, both Golden Sun's Isaac and Custom Robo's Ray appeared as Assist Trophies.For Smash 4, I do not see them leaving the Assist Trophy collection.

With Xenoblade's Shulk likely to be added to the roster, I do not see the need to add another RPG swordsman like Isaac. Additionally, while the Smash series desperately needs another automaton to keep R.O.B. company, Ray is not the right robot for the job because he is relatively unrecognizable. Chibi Robo for Smash!

[smashbros4dojo]

May 15th, 2014

Wumpus, from 1972's Hunt the Wumpus, deconfirmed for Smash Bros!

Going back to the groovy year of 1977, history buff Masahiro Sakurai gives a compelling account of the Assist Trophy Color TV-Game 15, which he confirms to be the oldest entrant into the Smash Bros. series at 37 years old. While characters from 1973's Mugwump, 1975's Snark, and 1976's Telengard are all deconfirmed for the series, Pac-Man, who began chomping in 1980, is still fair game.

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Items from "Secondary" Series...

Galaga Ships and the Special Flag from Namco

Lip's Stick from Panel de Pon

Unira from Clu Clu Land

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Magnus vs. Bandanna Dee, huh?

Such a question would be traumatizing for Papa Sakurai, who fathered both characters in Kid Icarcus: Uprising & Kirby Super Star, respectively.

However, for a detached third party like myself, the answer is simple: Bandanna Dee. Here's why:

Over the past few years, Dee has been becoming a greater presence in the Kirby series, including becoming playable in Return to Dream Land. 

Recently, King Dedede's side special "Waddle Dee Toss" was removed of its Waddle Dees. Perhaps this is a sign that greater things await for the Waddle Dee race?

Palutena, another child of Sakurai, will most likely make an appearance for the Kid Icarus series. Her inclusion, along with the proliferation of swordsman, make Magnus repetitive and redundant.

Plus, we can never an excess of cute puffballs!

[smashbros4dojo]

Here's a link to that Game TM article for all that are interested!

[smashbros4dojo]

May 14th, 2014

Today, Sakurai picked a pic that depicts a pink Pikmin chick...

In an uneventful update, Sakurai confirms that Pikmin 3's Brittany will be joining the trophy collection, but not the battle. The news seems to confirm that Olimar is destined to live "forever alone" as the only representative of Pikmin, with only his combative carrots to keep him company.

[smashbros4dojo]

[smashbros4dojo]

No one can doubt Phoenix Wright broke down societal barriers when he appeared in Marvel vs. Capcom. The ass-kickin' attorney proved to the world that one can be both brainy and brawny.

But does this mean that Professor Layton, another elite member of the gaming intelligentsia, could make the cut for Smash 4? Indubitably!

While his status as a 3rd party character makes his playability dubious, I could see him as another piece in the Assist Trophy puzzle.

Maybe he will engage the fighters in thought-provoking brainteasers and then punish those who guess erroneously? Or perhaps he will open fire on foes with his Slot Machine Gun, lethally wounding those unlucky enough to escape his wonkish wrath?

In the end, however, this is a puzzle only Sakurai can solve.

[smashbros4dojo]

[smashbros4dojo]

Although I’d give Sceptile the edge over Blaziken, I cannot see him knocking out good ol’ Mewtwo.Here’s why:

Mewtwo is a Smash veteran, who Sakurai even acknowledged as possibly returning for Smash 4. For all we know, Sakurai is unaware of Sceptile.

Mewtwo is perhaps one of Pokémon’s most popular figures, starring in 3 movies and widely demanded by the Smash fan base. On the other hand, Sceptile has wallowed in obscurity until the Hoenn remakes were announced.

Mega Mewtwo Y was perhaps the most publicized Mega Evolution. With Mega Charizard X confirmed as a Final Smash, wouldn’t Mega Mewtwo Y be a way to showcase both X & Y evolutions?

However, I would not be surprised if both Mewtwo and Sceptile made it into the game, with the former perhaps appearing as DLC.

Now to R.O.B. The Brawl equivalent to Mr. Game & Watch will return because he is the sole representative of the R.O.B. series. In all of Smash histroy, Sakurai has never cut a character who is the only rep from their series, so don’t expect him to start with R.O.B.

[smashbros4dojo]

May 13th, 2014

Charizard's "Flare Blitz" would have even Peyton Manning quaking in his cleats...

Today, Sakurai gives a chockful of clarifications for Charizard, something we have desperately needed since the Direct. The Fire-type's new side special is "Flare Blitz," a potent horizontal assault that harms both himself and others. "Rock Smash" remains solid and intact in his moveset, but this time moves to his down special (to the chagrin of many Charizard players). Most importantly, Sakurai confirms that Lizardon's Mega Evolution is in fact his Final Smash. However, only his "X form" is given the confirmation, making one ask: "Why no Y?"