On the surface, we seem to be getting all the facts. But what if they are putting in subtle clues to reveal secret characters before the game is released?

The new version of Super Smash Bros. Dojo has been operating since May 22nd, providing informative updates on the characters, stages, music, and items of Nintendo’s upcoming release, Super Smash Bros. Brawl. For the most part, the updates of the Dojo have served to whet the palettes of gamers on a weekly basis with a new character (or two). But there are still holes in the character list. Many have begun to wonder if we will really learn of all the characters before the December 3rd release. And to that I say, we will know. But they may not tell us outright.

The way the Super Smash Bros. Brawl website has been established is that they provide information in distinct sections: Characters, Gameplay, Game Modes, Stages, Items and Music. But, within these updates, I wonder if they haven’t hidden clues so that we might guess where the other characters will be coming from.

For example, take the list of musicians. This is something that has been stressed on several occasions. The developers have hired musicians for Super Smash Bros. Brawl who have worked on games that do not belong to Nintendo, or games which have not been included in Smash before. For example, composers who have worked on Pikmin, Golden Sun, Animal Crossing, Metal Gear Solid, Xenosaga, and even Kingdom Hearts have contributed to Brawl. At the time of this announcement, we had no idea that anything related to Animal Crossing would be included. But that has changed. A stage and Animal Crossing music was confirmed, suggesting that these composers may be working on remixing songs from their original material. Could this indicate that there will be a character from Pikmin, Golden Sun, and possibly even Xenosaga or Kingdom Hearts? It is likely.

Some people have taken the remixed Ridley battle music to indicate that Ridley will be a playable character in some form or another. Originally, I thought this to be extremely unlikely. However, the inclusion of more “heavy” characters (Bowser, Charizard, Donkey Kong) and the inclusion of flying characters (Charizard, Pit, Metaknight) and “rival” characters (Mario - Bowser, Kirby - Metaknight), Ridley is seeming more and more likely. He is - in fact - more likely than Dark Samus, who would be a clone character (and is not nearly as tied into the Metroid mythos as Ridley).

The confirmation of Samurai Goroh as a trophy told us two things: Captain Falcon will be back, and the only other person capable of inclusion from his franchise is Black Shadow (since the popularity hierarchy in F-Zero goes Captain Falcon - Black Shadow - Samurai Goroh - the rest). We know Captain Falcon will be present because of this:

The symbol of the F-Zero series, this character symbol exists because it belongs to a franchise affiliated with a playable character. To further prove this point, it is worth noting that Mr. Wright (from Sim City) has the Smash Bros. logo as his emblem, as opposed to a franchise specific emblem.

Something else that we can expect in the game is - likely - an Animal Crossing character due to the creation and presence of this emblem:

This suggests that there will be at least one Animal Crossing character (hopefully Resetti).

The Franklin Badge also tells us that there will be a character from Mother present again. Not only does it have Mother written right on it, but - once again - it has an exclusive emblem.

On the Smash Bros. website, numerous emblems have been revealed. And there are gaps in between many of them, suggesting additional franchises. All Smash logos except for the first are blank spaces, and there may be even more beyond the discovered range (we only know it goes up to 18 because of Kid Icarus’ symbol).

Granted, those three franchise symbols could easily be filled by Solid Snake, leaving room for only two other franchises. My money is on Pikmin and Golden Sun, although I would thoroughly enjoy playing as Little Mac.

Okay. So, Lair blows. Everyone is talking about it. We get it. And Factor 5 admitted it. Sort of.

But then, director Julian Eggebrecht goes ahead and says this, “The Sixaxis motion control itself feels a lot more organic and free-form than the rigid controls of other flight games and does much better for casual players, as we saw in focus tests. It does seem to alienate some reviewers who are at the top of the hard-core crowd and seem to have a passionate hate for all things motion.”

Ah, yes. The reviewers hate motion controls. I should have known.

It is clear how much they hate it when you check out the reviewers for a game released at the same time on a competing system. Metroid Prime 3. Let’s see what they had to say about motion controls for it:

“Indeed, as far as we’re concerned, the Texas-based studio has made Wii’s best game.”

“Metroid Prime 3’s new Wii-enhanced control scheme is so good and so responsive that by comparison the original title and its sequel feel clumsy. In fact, using the nunchuk’s analog stick to control Samus through environments as you point the Wii remote to target with speed and accuracy obliterates just about every dual-analog control setup currently available. If there is a game that proves the potential of the Wii remote for first-person experiences, this is it, and our hat is off to Retro for stepping up to the challenge when others couldn’t or wouldn’t.”

“Prime 3 makes better use of the Wii remote and nunchuk’s motion-sensory equipment than any “hardcore” game to date.”

“Not only do the new controls respond quicker and with more precision than any dual-analog-helmed FPS ever created, but the gesture system works brilliantly, too.”

• IGN

You’re right. These people gave your game a shitty review, and they said such horrible things about MP3. I mean…can you believe that they gave you a 4.9, and - in a similar fashion - they gave Metroid Prime 3 the low low rating of 9.5…Oh…wait…on a scale of ten…that isn’t low at all.

Oh, right. You’re completely ridiculous. It isn’t the motion controls the reviews don’t like. It is motion controls that DO NOT WORK that they hate. Metroid works. Lair does not.

As a sidenote, I don’t understand why everyone is calling the energy cells in Metroid Prime 3 a fetch quest and complaining about how they had to “go back” for it. You run across most of the energy cells as you progress naturally through the game. I think I had to backtrack for two, but I was going to those same areas for other goals too. If these gamers were capable of planning multiple things at once, they wouldn’t be complaining about this being a fetch quest.

I actually got the “end result” of this “fetch quest” before I even knew I needed it. I actually didn’t know I used it. Fraser told me when it came up. :P

My blog has become a little neglected lately. There have been brief and uninformative updates, and I regret not providing the juicy content that once existed in this modest space. In the future, I will strive for change. I will make things better.

I promised a feature post ages ago about a way that the Star Fox franchise can change its dynamic to show remarkable improvements, and I still intend to discuss this. Before I touch on that issue, I wanted to present a feature article inspired by a recent movie release that was captivating and disappointing all at once.

Keep checking back for more posts. I have an hour lunch at work now, so I will try to work on posts in that time. Unfortunately, I am enrolled in two courses for Distance Ed, so my time is somewhat consumed. I am glad Metroid Prime 3 was so short because I was actually able to beat it in a short span.

Anyway…yeah. More to come.

Well, I just beat Metroid Prime 3: Corruption for the Nintendo Wii.

It took me 12 hours, according to the game itself, which sounds about right. I played it a little under three hours each weekday since I got it, except for Friday. Saturday had barely any playing, but Sunday was like a blitzkrieg. I just motored through the game like mad.

And I beat it. Got the best ending too. I will describe it at the end of this post for those who:

1) Don’t want a spoiler mid post 2) Won’t ever own the game 3) Are too lazy to get the best ending themselves

Ultimately, I thought the last boss was a little too difficult. That is to say, the last boss was impossible. You had to battle a three phase boss while you are - in essence - dying. It was just unfair. The final phase had a sliver of health when I “succumbed to my injuries”, so to speak.

Despite that, I enjoyed it. I loved the new items too. The Grapple Volt, which allows you to drain energy, was a nice touch. I loved stealing health from some weaker enemies, and then unloading it on those Space Pirates w/ shields, causing parts of them to explode.

I was disappointed that there were not as many giant enemies in this one. Where were the Omega Pirates, or whatever they were. Did the Space Pirate’s just give up on the strongest troops they had? Doesn’t make much sense.

Anyway, enough of that. Sleepy time now. It is 2:10 AM, after all.

100% ENDING - SPOILERS TO FOLLOW:

After passing out in the Phazon cave on Phaaze, Samus inexplicably has made it back to her ship and through the wormhole before the planet exploded. Apparently, the reason that the Federation ship didn’t hear from Samus is because she refuses to talk. Anyway, she sends them her typical “Mission Complete” message. The Admiral salutes, Samus waves, and she speeds off.

The scene switches to her in Skyland on Elysia, looking up at the clouds and remembering her fellow hunters.

Credits roll

Samus gets up. Walks back to her gunship. Takes off her suit (where does it teleport too, and what happens to all her upgrades, they were gone). Anyway, she gets into the gunship, flies off into the sunset, and warps out of the galaxy. But then, another fighter appears behind her, locks its s-foils in attack position, and speeds off after her.

It looks as if the Huntress has become the Hunted.

I’m 25% through. It is a very good game so far, but I’ve been playing it on Normal, not on Veteran (as Fraser suggested). I’ve been getting those token things left, right and center. Fraser, connect to the Internet so I can get some damn friend tokens.

Also, I’m going to have to start a new game and switch to Veteran. Oh well. At least I know what needs to be done. Those fuckin’ turrets in that one level were a pain in the ass, and I loved the cinematic appeal of fighting you know what in Skytown. When you come back to your ship, and see him through the window. Awesome.

If you’ve seen the newest video on SmashBros.com, you may be reacting to the same paranoid fear as me.

Two Nintendo characters appeared in that video.

R.O.B.

and that bastard, Petey Piranha.

If Petey Piranha is playable, I swear to God, I will go crazy.