Welcome Back to the Stage of History: Talking Time's Top 60 Video Game Characters Smashdown

[Issun]

#31

Asellus (SaGa Frontier)
52 Points, 3 Votes, Highest Vote: #3 (spines)
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Smash Potential: Imagine being able to switch between Human, Mytic, and Half-Mystic forms with different abilities for each.

SaGa Frontier is one of those games that got a rough reception initially, but those who loved it then have kept the flame alive, and one of the game's most popular characters is Asellus. A human who nearly died after being hit by a carriage (from a dream character creator Miwa Shoda once had), Asellus was given a blood transfusion from a mystic names Orlouge, turning her into a half-mystic. This gives her story a lot of replayability as your choices can give her 3 different endings, one where she fully holds on to her humanity, one where she fully embraces her mystic side, and one where she splits the difference.

Fun Fact: Asellus was originally intended to be unambiguously gay, but that aspect did not make it past the planning stage. It's still pretty visible in the end product, though.

 

[Torzelbaum]

Frog/Glenn (Chrono Trigger)

That's a good pick. I'm not sure why I didn't think to put him on my list.

 

[WildcatJF]

Claire! Um...am I in one of these again?

Takara! What's up grrrrrrl

God, what isn't up. Hey, so this is pixelation...can I say I kinda love it?

Egads he did do it.

Catto! I remember you Where's Baby?

That continuity kinda...hm...broke last time.

So, that means I just have to find Baby again! Sw-eeeeeet

.....sure.

 

[Issun]

#30

Link (The Legend of Zelda Series)
53 Points, 2 Votes, Highest Vote: #3 (4-So), One vote for TotK version (Baudshaw)
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Smash Potential: Frankly I don't see it.

Link
He  come to town
Come  to save
The Princess Zelda
Ganon took her away
Now  the children don't play
But  they will
When Link saves the day
Hallelujah! 

Now Link
Fill up your hearts
So you can shoot
Your  sword with power
And when you're feeling all down
The fairy will come around
So you'll be brave
And not a coward

Now Link
Has saved the day!
Put Ganon in his grave
So now our Zelda is free
And now our hero shall be
Link, I think your name shall
Go down into history

 

[Torzelbaum]

Smash Potential: Frankly I don't see it.

I mean it's called Smash Bros - why would it even include a character with a sword?

 

[RT-55J]

I don't think Nintendo is brave enough to make Super Slash Bros.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

I don't think Nintendo is brave enough to make Super Slash Bros.

 

[Torzelbaum]

I don't think Nintendo is brave enough to make Super Slash Bros.

How would they even find enough characters that use swords?

 

[nataeryn]

Super Smash or Pass Bros

 

[Peklo]

Please don't uncritically post lyrics from 1998 that reach for comedy with homophobic pejoratives.

 

[Issun]

I would be glad to mindful of such if I knew what the pejorative was.

 

[Violentvixen]

Yeah, not familiar with this either?

 

[Daikaiju]

Guessing it's "sissy"?

 

[Kirin]

Yeah, fits the pattern of general homo/trans-phobic insults from that era.

 

[Violentvixen]

Hmm, this may be because I was in an all-girls school at that time. Girls would call each other that all the time as an insult but it was more about being afraid or weak. I could see that usage though. Good to be aware of if that is the word we're talking about.

 

[Issun]

Ah, okay. I will remove the word from my post and not use the song in the future. Good to be educated.

 

[Issun]

#29

Daisy (Mario Series)
54 Points, 2 Votes, Highest Vote: #2 (Daikaiju)
​

Smash Potential: It'd be nice to see her finally be more than a palette-swapped Peach.

Princess Daisy first appeared in the 1989 Gameboy game Super Mario Land, as they needed a different princess for Sarasaland. She eventually showed up in Mario Kart and Smash Bros. games as a peach alternative, though her personality has generally been much perkier than the more down-to-earth Peach. She's also (in?)famous for her "Hi, I'm Daisy!" line from Double Dash.

 

[Daikaiju]

Yaaaassss

 

[WildcatJF]

Do you think people noticed Daisy is more tan?

I'm not so sure people can tell with all the yellow.

There's also the elf.

That was in the comic before.

Link isn't an elf, he's Hylian. Hold on...do you hear something?

 

[Issun]

#28

Pac-Man (Pac-Man Series)
54 Points, 3 Votes. Highest Vote: #8 (LBD_Nytetrayn)
​

Smash Potential: He has already acquitted himself pretty well in the last two installments.

Before Mario was Mr. Video Games, there was Pac-Man. An ultra-simple design reportedly inspired by a missing slice of pizza, he is nearly as iconic as the plumber. The original game had a super addictive gameplay loop of navigating a maze, trying to eat all the pellets before the ghosts eat you. He has starred in other genres and even cartoon series, but none of his appearances has surpassed the original in popularity or influence.

Q: Is there a... Mrs. Pac-Man?

A: Uh. Yeah? Yes there is.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

 

[Issun]

Sounds like if you crossed Weird Al with Huey Lewis.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Sounds like if you crossed Weird Al with Huey Lewis.

Buckner and Garcia was a novelty song duo who hit big (and temporarily) with Pac-Man Fever and made an entire album dedicated to the arcade game craze of the early 80s.

Though Garcia died in 2011, Buckner would go on to do one more video game song...

 

[Purple]

Weird that they never had a Breakout hit.

 

[nataeryn]

Okay, i'll admit it, I laughed at that joke.

Pac-Man (Pac-Man Series)
​

I know of him.

 

[Issun]

#27

Rydia (Final Fantasy IV)
55 Points, 2 Votes, Highest Vote: #8 (Kirin)
​

Smash Potential: Do you want to mess with Bahamut?

Rydia is a summoner, which in Final Fantasy is what it says on the tin: people who can summon powerful beasties to attack enemies for them. She first appears in Final Fantasy IV as a young girl whose home town of Mist has been destroyed by the unwitting Cecil and Kain. This enrages her to the point where she momentarily punches far above her weight and summons Titan, who causes a massive avalanche that cuts her and the two men off from Mist, as well as the route back to the kingdom of Baron. Kain disappears, but Cecil takes Rydia under his wing, and she becomes a powerful (if squishy) ally who eventually grows into a young woman by magical time difference shenanigans. Regardless of her age, she is strong willed and no-nonsense, but also possesses a compassionate side. The moment where she rejoins the party as an adult is one of the most iconic scenes in the franchise.

 

[WildcatJF]

RIBBIT

How much longer are you going to be a pissed off toad?

RIBBIT!

At least for the rest of this post, huh, cuz?

She sure can hold a grudge. I hope there isn't any other way she can be exposed to frogs on this list or I'll never hear the end of it...

...........RIBBIT? The fuck? HOW MANY GAMES HAVE FROGS IN THEM?

...that's just two more. And, to be honest, neither of those strike me as Talking Time's top char-

OVER 5 HOURS?!? Does each episode in this Stu-per cut have a fucking frog in it?

Who can say?

I'm gonna piss again

 

[Issun]

#26

Little Mac (Punch Out!! Series)
55 Points, 2 Votes, Highest Vote: #6 (Johnny Unusual)
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Smash Potential: He's been in the previous two titles and he can beat Mike Tyson (Probably).

Little Mac is the consummate underdog. Just a little guy doin' his best against the behemoths of the ring. If he can time his swings right and takes the advice from his ever-present trainer, Doc Louis, he can take down even the biggest boxing titan.

DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince: I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson​

 

[Torzelbaum]

I had Little Mac at #11 on my list.

Smash Potential: He's been in the previous two titles and he can beat Mike Tyson (Probably)

Little Mac can beat Tyson. The real question is whether you can beat Tyson (as Little Mac).

 

[RT-55J]

I think it's funny that Little Mac can transform into a bigger, beefier version of himself who happens to not be named Big Mac.