Dojo Update: Item Encyclopedia

You can't get the item section more complete than describing every single item.

Dojo Updates: Meteor Smash, Bowser's Special Moves

And we edge ever closer to have every character page complete, with Bowser's special moves being explained. This actually makes more sense, as Bowser has some actual changes, quite unlike most everyone else. Prepare to learn the details of his new body slam!

Also on the agenda, Meteor Smashes! We all know what these are. Apparently, this is the last Smash 101 update. I will sure miss them. No, really, I will!

Dojo Update: Quick Techniques, Plus I made a video!

Quick Techniques shows us a few things you may or may not know you can do! Among them are tourney favorite Small Jump (known to them as 'shorthop') and Perfect Shield (known before as 'Power Shielding'), the new swimming ability, and more new stuff like Pivot grabbing, eating while down, reflecting attacks eventually breaking down.

Now, here's a stupid video made by me:

Dojo Update: Assist Trophies

Aha! Just as I predicted! They did an update detailing a selection of Assist Trophies, including three they had mentioned before in passing. Finally, though, clear pics and art for Jill and Metroid, and our first real glimpse of Kat & Ana and Helirin! I'm going to assume in a few weeks they'll give us 'Assist Trophies, Part 2' that will include Barbara Bat, Infantry, Isaac, Shadow, and Ray.

It's good to see stuff getting done around here!

Dojo Update: Vault

Today we get a look into all the features of the Vault. Pretty much as we expected - Photo Album, Stage Builder, Replays, Challenges, Masterpieces, and a new feature called the Chronicles, which is basically a big list of every game that makes some sort of appearance in here. Some new trophies and stickers to add, too.

Onto other things, the fifth Iwata Asks interview is up, giving us the finer points of the Final Smash (apparently been around in concept form since the original game) and Assist Trophies (hopefully stomping the people who still think a playable Animal Crossing character is coming). A few videos there, too, including one that confirms Jeff from Earthbound as an Assist Trophy!

Dojo Update: Masterpieces, Plus Rag Info!

In one of the most obvious pieces of cross-promotion ever, Brawl contains short demos of games on the Virtual Console, basically giving every player a chance to know the games the characters come from. Very neat.

In other news, another supplement from the Famitsu gives us more information. The 21 character starting lineup has been confirmed once again, and we're given some great details about the characters, including their general weight (basically, at what % Mario's forward smash takes them out), what kind of techniques they have, and their most powerful attacks. Oh yeah, and Final Destination is back, too.

One new technique revealed by the magazine is called 'Wall Clinging'. Basically, sticking to the wall for a few seconds, giving you ample time to wall jump. Only three characters (Diddy, Sheik, and Squirtle) are confirmed to be able to do this.

Check out the front page of Brawl Central for the whole shebang.

Dojo Updates: Manaphy, Iwata Asks, plus Someone has a Copy?

Manaphy is probably the coolest Poke Ball Pokemon ever. When you get it, it switches control between you and an opponent, so you're their character, and they're your character for a short time! Madness!

Director M. Sakurai is also featured in the newest edition of Iwata Asks. We get some insight into Sakurai joining the project (how it was either that or go poor), but the main point for most of us is the identity of the secret developer who has, up until now, been referred to as 'The Studio'. It is, in fact, Game Arts, the people who have made cult RPGs like Grandia and Lunar. The 'large-scaled game' referred to a long time ago in relation to 'The Studio' was Grandia III.

There will be more to that interview to come, so stay tuned!

But wait, there's MORE. Someone on 2chan has apparently got ahold of the game, and posted the game disc and starting lineup:




The classic screen looks pretty legit. I can only guess the 100% proven collection of characters and other such secrets will be out by the end of the week. Finally.

Dojo Updates: Dragoon, Share

As it turns out, these are the last two entries of the year - the Dojo will be taking a break next week, and will resume on January 7th.

The first post is a brand spankin' new item, and one that is...absolutely insane. The Dragoon was a machine in Kirby Air Ride, and in Brawl its one of the most powerful, yet hard-to-obtain items in the game. The thing is split into three pieces, and you must collect all 3 pieces to use it. If other players get one of the pieces, hit them or KO them to make them drop it. Once you get it, you fly off the screen, aim, and then fly at hyperspeed towards the screen, basically instant-KOing everyone in your path.

The second update is basically about how sharing photos and stages work. You must turn on the Smash Service beforehand, so you can receive the data. When Nintendo sends you stuff, it is instantly transported to the applicable mode when you connect to the Nintendo WFC. When friends send you something, a message on your Wii messageboard will appear. There's a difference between stuff Nintendo sends you and stuff your friends send you - Nintendo's stuff can't be deleted, and is just replaced in time. You can do whatever you want with friend stuff, but you better make sure it doesn't complete drain your harddrive.

One weird thing I noticed - in the last screenshot, on the send menu, there's a little thing at the bottom that says 'Points needed to send this data'. What points? Wii points? There's only 20, and that's pretty low for Wii points. Is it something else?

Anyway, now that I know that the 31st will bring nothing, it'll be alot easier for me to complete my 'Top 100 Bits of Smash Bros. Info in 2007'. Expect that over the weekend. Or maybe I'll it split up over the course of five days? Or maybe I'll do something else? I'll figure it out.

Dojo Update: Team Healer

Here's an interesting idea: the Team Healer item is only useful in, you guessed it, team battles. Depending on how much damage the target has, it gets a certain amount of damage recovered. And your opponents can leap in front and absorb the free energy if they want, too. Certainly adds a new dynamic to team battles.

There's another batch of new colors for me to add to the list, as well. Good stuff.

Dojo Updates: Stafy & Waluigi

And we end off a week with double Assist Trophy goodness, with both Japanese GBA hero Stafy and Mario-spinoff mainstay Waluigi. This deconfirms both characters as possible playables, for all 34 people that believed in that possibility.

Stafy spins around the field into opponents, but can be knocked out. What the hell is up with that explosion at the end, though?

Waluigi is more dangerous, as he curb stomps the nearest player into the dirt repeatedly, and then kicks or swats 'em with his racket.

Dojo Update: Bonsly

I don't think anyone knew what Bonsly's point was in the demo, so now we get that cleared up. It's certainly the most interactive Pokemon, allowing you to just toss it about, causing massive knockback to anyone hit. Plus, one of the screenshots features the world's most sinister Diddy.

Dojo Update: Returning Pokemon

Late today!

In an amusing parallel, the site has posted the Returning Pokemon on the first Tuesday of the month, just as they posted the returning items on the first Tuesday of last month.

I only knew about three of the Pokemon here were confirmed to be returning from E For All, so all us Ho-Oh or Wobbuffet fans should be relieved. As well, Mew and Celebi now give you prizes (like CDs) for cracking them, making these rare monsters more than just a pretty sight.

Dojo Update: Saki Amamiya + Something to Look Forward Too?

Sin & Punishment is one of those games, like Mother 3, that people over here really wanted to be imported. The only difference being that, 7 years later, they actually did get what they want. It's pretty cool that the game's main character is also an Assist Trophy, again showing off how they're going everywhere for references. Awesome.


Another thing: Our friends over at the Japanese Mother fan site are saying that another friend of ours, Corocoro Comics, will include an insert in the next issue (due on December 15th) that will include "all" the characters. Of course, they don't say whether it's "all" as in everyone, or "all" as in just the starting characters, or maybe just what we know up to that point. If anything, it could indicate one more characters being revealed over the next three weeks.

Dojo Update: Color Changes

So, every character will have around 6 color variations in Brawl. This is going to lead a lot of fun (and plenty of weirdness to go along with it.) Snake camos are especially amusing - since when did he ever need to blend in with a group of leopards?

Dojo Updates: Smart Bomb & Training

An unexpected double update, with both a regular item we knew about, and a returning mode that has remained unchanged. Both contain little details we didn't know about.



First up, the Smart Bomb, which we first learned of at E For All. If you are anything like me, seeing this item in action inspires much giggling with girlish glee. And, how can you not? Look at that explosion!

A new detail: sometimes the bomb won't go off. Sometimes, even Electrode won't go off. This makes Electrode very sad, as he was so looking forward to martyrdom.



Now, the Training Mode wouldn't normally be such an exciting update (is that why it was paired off?), as it is only a mode that is fun to screw around in for a while, plus, as I mentioned before, it hasn't changed at all since Melee.

However, two things are of interest. One, they show two more alternate colors for Ike, which is good for my obsessive cataloguing. Second, much like the Returning Items update from a few weeks ago, it includes a never-before-seen-or-heard-of item, this time it is a soccer ball. What will this soccer ball do? More likely than not, you're supposed to hit that little bastard and watch it bean some schmo in the face. Actually, that's awesome.

Dojo Update: Three Different Taunts

Same deal as yesterday, although this is the last night of this.

We already knew every character has three taunts now, and today's update explains the controls (including how it's different with Wiimote+Nunchuck), and a bright gallery of taunts to gawk at.

Aside from some examples of taunts from a wide range of characters, we can finally confirm that Snake hides in his box as one of his taunts. Now I have clue what his Down Special is, unless its also a box, but it has something special about it. I. Just. Don't. Know. Anymore.

My only question...why couldn't the d-pad be used on the Wiimote+Nunchuck? What's it being used for, secondary jump? Ohhhhhh....

Dojo Updates: Gray Fox, Grab & Throw

It's very kind how they always pair a Smash 101 update with something else.



Today, new players get to know grabbing and throwing. They're actually getting pretty close to covering all the basics of the game...about the only thing I can think that still needs to be covered is aerial attacks/dodging.



Oh, and there was also a Metal Gear Assist Trophy - the cyber ninja himself, Gray Fox. He bandies around the stage, cutting people up and deflecting projectiles all ninja-like. Pretty cool.

Dojo Update: Items from Previous Installments

We saw the return of many of these old items during E For All, with the exception of the Green Shell and the Freezie. And that stopwatch. Never seen that before. Hm...

Dojo Update: On-Screen Appearances

The weirdest thing about this update about character intros is that its a technique. It's weird enough that its a How to Play, although really, where else would it go? I guess 'How to Play' doesn't just encompass actually playing.

Many of us already knew that the intros were backs, thanks to the demo. At the very least, they were kind enough to include some that we haven't seen. Why Lucas surfs in on a table is beyond me.

Dojo Update: Little Mac

You know, as disappointed as I should be, considering that Mac was my #1 most wanted character in Brawl, I'm really happy just for Punch-Out!! to get some rep in the game. Plus, he's a really cool-looking Assist Trophy, to boot. I hope he is accompanied by lots of classic sound effects!

The past week or so has really been affirming me that Assist Trophies are freaking awesome.

Oh yeah, Nintendo's Press Site write-up for Brawl confirms that the box art we saw a month back is the real deal. I'm happy.