Oh Sakurai, why do you hate Yoshi so? I know I’m beating a dead horse here, but how difficult can it be to announce a returning classic? Sigh. If there has been no announcement by next week, expect a very strange Most Wanted Brawler. Regardless of my sadness, there were many great screens this week, the most noteworthy involving Sonic. Plus, we have another great Character of the Week by a writer you haven’t seen on this segment yet!
Get excite, and let’s get Smashing!
Is there any better way to start your week than with Cuccos? If so, then I don’t want to hear about it. In all seriousness, though, I love this screen. Naughty Toon Link is about to hurt that chicken, and get mauled in the process! Fantastic. Gotta say, though I am far from the biggest Zelda fan on staff, I am digging the new Zelda related items being introduced in this game, just like the Golden Beetle, the Fairy Bottle and now the Cucco.
I’m gonna be brutally honest. While I loved the last screenshot, this one didn’t do much of anything for me. It merely illustrates the 3DS graphics with and without the outline. Sakurai says it best here – “Here’s a comparison of characters with and without their outlines on the 3DS version. They also give off a different impression in 3D, so customize the look however you like.” Yeah, not that exciting. Moving on.
…and there there’s THIS screen, which makes Monday and Tuesday’s screens combined look like ugly step-children. Wow. Sonic looks incredibly bad-ass wielding the Ore Club from Kid Icarus: Uprising! And I say that as someone who hates how annoying the blue blur was in Brawl, so that means a lot. Plus, the Ore Club apparently can fire tornadoes. Did I mention I am loving the new attack items?
Though this screen is cool in its own right, the comment by Sakurai is beyond precious – “Oh, Uncle Andross. He really isn’t very considerate.” Wow. Uncle Andross? Maybe Bad Touch Uncle… Yikes. Still, not as creepy as our previous take on the classic Star Fox villain.
And finally, we end with this lovely screen of Lumiose City! Apparently, it is a multi-faceted level, with players starting at ground level and working their way up. Sounds great to me. Plus, since it is from the Pokemon universe, it is bound to be a hectic level.
So, that’s all of the screens from this week. But, as always, we have another great Character of the Week for your viewing pleasure, this time by Hailee Kenney! So stick around for that. Also, if you have any input on things you would like to see in future installments of Smashing Saturdays, chime in below in the comments, and I might make some changes!
Character of the Week
Despite being a character from a Japanese-exclusive game, and a new face to me at the time, Lucas has become one of my favorite additions to Super Smash Bros. Lucas originates from Mother 3, the sequel to Mother 2 (better known in the West as EarthBound), a game which, tragically, never made it outside Japan. Although my love for Lucas stems primarily from how much I enjoy playing as him, I also love him because his appearance in Brawl was what led me to play Mother 3, a fantastic game which would have otherwise passed me by.
Although certainly not the best character in the series, I find Lucas to be a lot of fun to play. I have a strong preference for quick characters in fighting games, which makes Lucas a good match for me. He moves quickly, and is equipped with some powerful attacks. His aerial attacks are quick and his smash attacks powerful. Often my best bet for a KO is with his downwards aerial attack. He also has some nice throws, with his up throw being particularly useful. I have gotten many a KO by launching my opponents up into the sky. Additionally, most of his PSI attacks are a lot of fun, particularly PK Fire. PK Thunder and PK Freeze are great if used in the right situation.
Lucas also has some pretty decent recoveries, which is great for clumsier players like myself. Not only can you make a quick recovery with his zap jump, Lucas can also hit himself with a PK Thunder, propelling him back to safety. I also appreciate his Final Smash, since it requires no coordination on my part. If I can use PK Starstorm, I’m usually guaranteed to get in a few powerful hits unless my opponent is particularly lucky and/or good at dodging.
One of Lucas’s biggest setbacks for me is the aiming required for PK Freeze and PK Thunder. Since he must stand still to aim, Lucas remains quite vulnerable when performing these attacks. This, combined with a few other issues, makes it clear that Lucas is certainly not the strongest character in the game, but I personally find him to be a lot of fun to play.
In addition, I appreciate all the Mother 3 references that he brings with him, like Duster’s Rope Snake, and the fact that he adds “Love Theme” to the game’s soundtrack. I also think it’s quite cute (and a little sad) that one of Lucas’s alternate color schemes turns him into his brother, Claus. When given the choice, I usually choose Claus’s outfit.
Overall, Lucas isn’t the best brawler, but he’s a lot of fun and brings some great character to the game. Although I’m a little doubtful we’ll get to see him in the new Super Smash Bros., I’ll always appreciate his appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
