The SSBB History Lesson (see first post)

[naisatoh]

The SSBB History Lesson

Latest Entry:

--Donkey Kong - Original Theme
Updated 12/2/2007

IMPORTANT: Due to reaching my limit of 30 images per post, I have moved many of my articles to their update locations throughout the thread. Please click on the links to view the whole article!! And don't forget to wait a few seconds for the whole page to load before it takes you to the correct post.

Like many of you, I have been following the daily updates on the official Smash Bros website. However, it seems like many of you are disappointed with some of the new additions to the game, and I have noticed a few people have stated that they would turn off certain items so they wouldn't interfere with their gaming experience. I believe that a major part of this game is the amount of history that went into its making, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl is shaping up to be a giant virtual museum of Nintendo's rich past. It's part of the experience to allow some of these obscure characters make a difference in your battle, as they have made their own contributions to Nintendo's ever-changing history.

So in order to gain some appreciation for some of these new additions, I have decided to start a series of posts that outline the history behind Sakurai's daily updates. Most of this information comes from Wikipedia, but I will be referring to a number of sources to get my facts as straight as possible. New updates will appear as new replies and all updates will be archived into the first post.

Requests are always welcome!


SSBB History Lesson

Table of Contents:
-I. Main Characters (Moves and Final Smashes)
---A. Pit
---B. Yoshi
---C. Kirby
---D. Pikachu
-II. Assist Trophies and Pokemon
---A. Devil
---B. Dr. Wright
---C. Knuckle Joe
---D. Excitebike
-III. Stages
---A. Battleship Halberd
---B. Rumble Falls
-IV. Items
---A. Franklin Badge
-V. Music
---A. Metroid: Ridley Theme
---B. Kid Icarus: Underworld Theme
---C. Star Fox: Space Armada
---D. Animal Crossing: Go K. K. Rider!
---E. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Medley
---F. Yoshi's Island: Ending
---G. Pokemon: Pokemon Stadium/Evolution
---H. Menu 1: Super Smash Bros. Melee
---I. WarioWare: Ashley's Theme
---J. Kirby: Meta Knight's Revenge
---K. Zelda II: Adventure of Link: Great Temple/Temple
---L. Donkey Kong: Original Theme


Chapter I: Main Characters (Moves and Final Smashes)

--Pit




--Yoshi




--Kirby




--Pikachu




Chapter II: Assist Trophies and Pokemon

--Devil




--Dr. Wright




--Knuckle Joe




--Excitebike



Chapter III: Stages

--Battleship Halberd

--Rumble Falls

Chapter IV: Items

--Franklin Badge

Chapter V: Music

--Metroid: Boss Battle Music (Ridley Theme)

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/SSBB%20-%20Boss%20Battle%20Music%20(Ridley%20Fight).mp3[/media]

Most people recognize this theme from previous versions of Metroid, but I thought I would upload the original versions for your entertainment. Although Ridley appeared in the original Metroid for the NES, this theme is first heard in Super Metroid. When Samus returns to the Ceres Space Colony after receiving a distress call, she finds the final Metroid in the hands of Ridley. A battle ensues..

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Super%20Metroid%20-%20Ridley.mp3[/media]


--Kid Icarus: The Underworld

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/SSBB%20-%20Kid%20Icarus%20-%20The%20Underworld.mp3[/media]

Like it says in the description, this song incorporates not only the Underworld theme from Kid Icarus but also the Grim Reaper and Game Over Themes. Here are the 3 songs in their original form, and like Sakurai says, don't pass up the chance to download this game onto your Virtual Console. Kid Icarus was one of my favorite games growing up, and I'm thrilled to see Pit included in this franchise.

Underworld Theme:

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Kid%20Icarus%20-%20Underworld.mp3[/media]

Grim Reaper Theme:

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Kid%20Icarus%20-%20Grim%20Reaper.mp3[/media]

Game Over Theme:

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Kid%20Icarus%20-%20Game%20Over.mp3[/media]


--Star Fox: Space Armada

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/SSBB%20-%20Space%20Armada.mp3[/media]

Star Fox made its debut on the SNES on February 21, 1993. Its success led to the development of a remake for the N64 in addition to 3 sequels that were created for the Gamecube and DS. The theme featured in this update was originally played in the (aptly titled) Space Armada stage on the SNES, though motifs from the song can be heard throughout the Star Fox soundtrack. Enjoy!

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Star%20Fox.mp3[/media]


--Animal Crossing: Go K. K. Rider!

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Animal%20Crossing-%20Go%20K.K.%20Rider.mp3[/media]

I have never played Animal Crossing, so I did a little bit of sleuthing to find out more about this piece. Animal Crossing was originally released in Japan for the N64 on April 14, 2001. However, just 8 months later, it was ported to the Gamecube on December 14, 2001 with a US release on September 15, 2002. As many of you already know, Animal Crossing is an open-ended "social simulator" that allows players to live their lives without any mandatory objectives. Many events occur at certain times of the day and on certain days of the week.

This song originally appears in Animal Crossing as one of K. K. Slider's "secret songs". Every Saturday night at 8:00pm, K. K. Slider (also known as Totakeke) will appear in front of the train station and take song requests. By typing in the correct name, K. K. Slider will play it for you.

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/K%20K%20Rider.mp3[/media]

From what I've seen, there are over 50 tunes that K. K. Slider will play. Some of them even stem from other popular games like Legend of Zelda (so I've heard). With the September 7 update of multiple songs for each stage, you can expect more of Slider's tunes to make it into the final product.

References:
http://www.gamefaqs.com


--The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time Medley

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/The%20Legend%20of%20Zelda%20-%20Ocarina%20of%20Time%20Medley.mp3[/media]

From its memorable characters to its polished gameplay, and right down to its incredible score, The Legend of Zelda is a gaming franchise that requires no introduction. It should come without surprise that with so many different melodies throughout its history, there is really no better way to capture it all than to create a medley.

For this piece, five themes have been chosen from the Ocarina of Time. More specifically, these tunes were all played on the Ocarina itself. In order of appearance, the featured songs are the Song of Storms, Epona's Song, the Song of Time, Saria's Song, and Zelda's Lullaby. Instead of using the Ocarina versions of each song, I have decided to upload the arranged versions that are heard at different points during the game.

Windmill Hut (Song of Storms):

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/57%20Windmill%20Hut.mp3[/media]

Lon Lon Ranch (Epona's Song):

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/28%20Lon%20Lon%20Ranch.mp3[/media]

Temple of Time (Song of Time):

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/44%20Temple%20Of%20Time.mp3[/media]

Lost Woods (Saria's Song):

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/35%20Lost%20Woods.mp3[/media]

Zelda's Theme (Zelda's Lullaby):

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/26%20Zelda's%20Theme.mp3[/media]

References:
http://nindb.classicgaming.gamespy.com/ssbb.shtml


--Yoshi's Story: Ending

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/SSBB%20-%20Yoshi's%20Story%20Ending.mp3[/media]

Yoshi's Story is the N64 sequel to the widely successful Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island for the SNES. Released in Japan on December 21, 1997, and later in America on March 12, 1998, Yoshi's Story sees the return of Baby Bowser who has turned Yoshi's Island into a storybook. Moreover, Baby Bowser has stolen the Super Happy Tree, which provides life for the inhabitants of Yoshi's Island. It is up to the surviving Yoshis to defeat Baby Bowser and bring happiness back to the island.

The song title is pretty self-explanatory as it takes place during the game's ending. Enjoy!

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Yoshi's%20Tale.mp3[/media]

References:
http://www.wikipedia.org
http://www.youtube.com


--Pokemon: Pokemon Stadium/Evolution

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Pokemon-%20Pokemon%20Stadium-Evolution.mp3[/media]

Although this song is featured in Pokemon Stadium for the N64, its origins reach way back to the beginning of the series. For this reason, I have uploaded the original Gym theme heard in Pokemon Red/Blue for the Game Boy.

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Pokemon%20Gym.mp3[/media]

At the end of sample, we are treated to an updated version of the Evolution theme, first heard in the original Game Boy game.

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Evolution.mp3[/media]


--Menu 1: Super Smash Bros. Melee

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/SSBB%20Menu%201.mp3[/media]

Anyone who has ever played Super Smash Bros. Melee should recognize this tune, as it is making its return for not only the Menu Screen, but also for the Battlefield Stage. For those of you who don't remember, or have never played Melee, the original song goes a little bit like this:

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Melee%20Menu.mp3[/media]


--WarioWare: Ashley's Theme

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Wario%20-%20Ashley's%20Theme.mp3[/media]

Ashley is a witch-in-training first introduced in WarioWare: Touched!, released on December 2, 2004, for the Nintendo DS. She lives in Diamond City with her grandmother and pet devil, Red, and spends most of her time perfecting her skills in witchcraft. Her theme song is one of the few that has lyrics, and it actually describes her personality quite well. Fortunately, Sakurai has wasted no time implementing them into his rearranged version. Enjoy!

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/WWT%20-%20Total%20Drag.mp3[/media]

References:
http://www.gamefaqs.com
http://www.wikipedia.org
http://www.ign.com


--Kirby: Meta Knight's Revenge

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Music_KirbyMetaKnightsRevenge.mp3[/media]

As described on the official website, this song is a "jazzed up" version of the original from Kirby Super Star. In order keep this article from becoming redundant, please refer to my previous update about the Halberd to find more information on this SNES game. Enjoy!

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/203_-_kirby_attacks!.mp3[/media]


--Zelda II: Adventure of Link: Great Temple/Temple

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Music_ZeldaIIGreatTemple.mp3[/media]

With the return of some of our most beloved Melee stages, Sakurai also unveiled a new arrangement from the Legend of Zelda series. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link was released for the Famicom Disk System on January 14, 1987, and wasn't brought to the United States until December of the following year.

Due to its presentation as a side scrolling RPG, The Adventure of Link is often referred to as the "black sheep" of the franchise. However, despite its differences, Zelda II was a successful title that established a number of important concepts. Most importantly, the Triforce of Courage made its debut and reappears in subsequent titles along with the Triforce of Wisdom and the Triforce of Power. Other important concepts include the use of magic as well as the introduction of Dark Link as the game's final boss.

The music featured in this update comes from the game's final stage, the Great Palace (Temple). This is slightly different from the version featured in Super Smash Bros. Melee, which is the common theme from the other Palaces in the game. For this reason, I have decided to include not only the original version of the Great Palace, but also the original and rearranged themes featured in Melee as well. Please enjoy!

Great Palace:
[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/2-13%20Great%20Sanctuary%20%5BFrom%20The%20Adventure%20Of%20Link%5D.mp3[/media]

Hyrule Temple (featured in Melee):
[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Hyrule%20Temple.mp3[/media]

Palace (from Adventure of Link):
[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/2-08%20Sanctuary%20BGM%20%5BFrom%20The%20Adventure%20Of%20Link%5D.mp3[/media]

References:
http://www.wikipedia.org
http://nintendoforever.free.fr/Nes/Zelda2/Zelda2_Soluce/Zelda2_14Niveau7.php


--Donkey Kong: Original Theme

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Music_DonkeyKong.mp3[/media]

This track is a remixed version of one of the oldest songs in Nintendo history. Taken from the original Donkey Kong, this update is sure to bring back fond memories from years past. This particular theme is heard on the first stage, while each subsequent level has its own associated tune. In addition to the original song, I have included theme that most of you should recognize: the song that plays when the player picks up a hammer. Enjoy!

[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Donkey%20Kong.mp3[/media]

This isn't the first time a classic Donkey Kong tune has undergone such a modern remix. For this reason, I have added the theme song from Donkey Kong Country, which is a modern twist to the song heard in the opening titles. Enjoy!

Donkey Kong Country Theme Song:
[media]http://filer.case.edu/vhc/SSBB%20History/Music/Donkey%20Kong%20Country%20Theme.mp3[/media]

 

[Shadowking]

Awesome job naisatoh! If you would like help posting the history of anything in the game, I'll be happy to help: I too think that the history of each item/character/music/etc is INCREDIBLY important in order to truly enjoy the game ^_^

 

[balrogs.pa]

nasihtoah. for a thread like this you should have bumped 5 times. named those bumps after each chapter and then do that. and so far all you really did was copy the post from Site Discussion. do more. its not that hard.

 

[naisatoh]

Updated with Palutena's Army..

It takes time to research and write up each article.. Don't expect them all to appear at once.


--Pit

History

Pit made his first appearance in Kid Icarus for the NES on December 18, 1986, as a young angel called upon to rescue the goddess Palutena and save Angel Land from the evil Medusa. His story begins when Medusa invades the Sky Palace with her army of demons and monsters, taking control of Angel Land and imprisoning Palutena within her own palace. With her last ounce of energy, Palutena sends Pit a magic bow, making him Angel Land's last hope for rescue. Pit must battle his way out of the Underworld, travel through the Overworld, and climb up into the Sky World in order confront and defeat Medusa.

Although Kid Icarus is regarded as one of the most significant games of all time, its sequel, Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters for the Gameboy was not a commercial success. Unfortunately, it was last title that Pit would star in, though we would continue to make cameo appearance in games like Tetris and WarioWare: Twisted for the Gameboy Advance. His appearance in Brawl would rekindle hopes for a new Kid Icarus title for the Wii.

Special Moves

At the end of each world, Pit must find his way through a labyrinth in order to defeat a monster guarding one of three Sacred Treasures (the Mirror Shield, the Arrow of Light, and the Wings of Pegasus). It is from these treasures that Pit derives his Special Move set, though they have been renamed for Brawl.

The Light Arrow has been changed to the Palutena Arrow, while the Wings of Pegasus have been renamed the Wings of Icarus. In Kid Icarus, Pit could only use these treasures in the final stage. In Brawl, however, these weapons make up his standard arsenal. Please note that the final Sacred Treasure, the Mirror Shield, has not been confirmed for Brawl. Since other characters have the ability to reflect projectiles (Fox's Reflector), I am confident the Mirror Shield will make an appearance.

Palutena's Army

As he travels through each labyrinth, Pit will occasionally come across Centurions that have been turned to stone by Medusa's evil stare. Pit can release them by using special mallets that are obtained by destroying certain enemies or by purchasing them from local shops. These freed Centurions will help you in battle by firing arrows at the dungeon's guardian.

However, these Centurions are very weak as one hit by the monster will quickly knock them out. Moreover, only three Centurions can aid you at a time. Therefore, it is important for Pit to save as many of them as possible to help him complete the each stage.

Just like in the original game, the Centurions in Brawl are weak and one hit will take them out of battle. However, instead of only three Centurions coming to your aid, you can expect an entire army of Centurions lending a hand. Hopefully, strength in numbers will counteract their lack of defensive strategy. Not to mention.. when you're only means of travel are wings that come out of your helmet, you can't expect to get very far.

References:
http://www.wikipedia.org
http://www.flyingomelette.com/kidicarus/kidicarusshrine.html

 

[balrogs.pa]

Updated with Palutena's Army..

It takes time to research and write up each article.. Don't expect them all to appear at once.

ah i thought you were going to research and then make the thread with most of the info in it already.

 

[naisatoh]

--Franklin Badge

As many of you probably already know, the Franklin Badge originates from the first game in the EarthBound series, Mother. Mother was released in Japan on July 27, 1989, and although the game was fully translated into English, it was never officially released in the United States. However, its sequel, EarthBound, was released in the United States for the SNES on June 1, 1995.

The plot of Mother revolves around a boy names Ninten who's objective is travel around the world in search of eight melodies in order to save the world from invading aliens. 80 years prior to these events, Ninten's great grandparents, George and Maria, were abducted by the aliens. Upon his return, George began to study and managed to learn the secret behind the aliens' special power, PSI. The aliens realized their power had been uncovered and sought to invade Earth to keep its secret under wraps. Meanwhile, George had passed his knowledge of PSI onto Ninten, thus making him the world's only hope for survival. During his journey, he meets Ana, who has managed to learn and understand PSI on her own.

Near the beginning of the game, Ninten leaves his house and notices his town in distress. Animals are acting strangely and rumor has it that something is raising the dead in the cemetery. After speaking with the mayor, he asks you to venture into the cemetery to rescue Pippi, Ninten's neighbor. Ninten agrees and battles his way through the local cemetery. After finding Pippi and speaking with her politely, she offers Ninten the Franklin Badge for his troubles.

According to the in-game description:
"Legend says Ben Franklin wore this reflective badge during his experiments with lightning."

With the badge equipped, the player and relect PK Beam off them and onto the enemy. Likewise, in Smash, the Franklin Badge gives the wearer the ability to reflect projectiles aimed in his or her direction.

References:
http://www.wikipedia.org
http://www.gamefaqs.com
http://www.rpgclassics.com

 

[demonflair]

Nice job, naisatoh.

 

[wario2ooo]

co0o0o0ol.......good job dude :thumbsup:

 

[Shadowking]

Good job! Maybe now people will stop complaining about Pit's FSA...

And is Ninten the Japanese name for Ness, or might we see more Earthbound characters in Brawl?

 

[naisatoh]

Ninten and Ness share very similar qualities. They dress similarly and take on similar roles in their respective video games. However, as far as we know, they are different characters.

Next update:

--Devil

As strange as this character seems, Devil originates from the NES game, Devil World, originally released in Japan on October 5, 1984. Although it was later released in Europe, Devil World never made it to the United States due to its use of recognizable religious icons. Whether or not it'll make a debut on the Wii's Virtual Console is still yet to be seen.

Devil World puts the player in control of Tamagon, a little green dragon who travels into the underworld to take on the Devil himself. The object of the game is simple - navigate Tamagon through a series of mazes collecting Boa Boa Dots and destroying any demons that get in the way. By and large, the mechanics of the game is very similar to that of Pac-Man. As Tamagon travels through each maze, he picks up crosses and bibles that temporarily allow him to breathe fire.

Although similar to Pac-Man, Devil World adds an extra twist to the game's mechanic. As Tamagon journeys through the Devil's world, the Devil himself stands at the top of the screen and orders his minions to move the maze in different directions. Tamagon must act quickly to avoid getting trapped at the edge of the screen.

A stripped down version of Devil World appears on the Nintendo DS in Tetris DS's Marathon Mode. As you can see in the above photo, although Tamagon continues to make his way through a moving maze, the religious symbols and the Devil are noticeably absent.

Tamagon also makes an brief cameo appearance as a Japan-exclusive trophy in Smash Bros. Melee. Though it is still unknown as to whether Tamagon himself will make an appearance in Brawl, there is a good possibility that he will also lend a hand as an Assist Trophy.

References:
http://www.wikipedia.org
http://www.sydlexia.com/devilworld.htm

 

[Shadowking]

Ok thank you ^_^ If you want, I can do the music and/or stage history lessons and PM them to you so you can cover all the previous updates and just do each of the new updates...

 

[naisatoh]

Sorry for the lack of updates.. it may seem like nothing's going on, but I've been making small changes here and there. For starters, I have uploaded all images to a single server so they're still be there in case the original websites are lost. Second, I've been creating screen shots for each game's title screen to add to each update.

I've recently added an entry for today's update. Yoshi's final smash may seem strange to some, but I can assure you, it makes perfect sense. I couldn't find images on the web, so I played through the first 10 minutes of the game to obtain these shots.

--Yoshi

Yoshi made his video game debut in the SNES launch title Super Mario World, originally released in Japan on November 21, 1990, and later released in the United States on August 13, 1991. In this sequel to the NES best-seller, Super Mario Bros. 3, Princess Peach is vacationing in Yoshi Island with her favorite plumbers when King Bowser arrives to stir up trouble. Not only has he kidnapped the princess for the third time, Bowser has stolen the Yoshi eggs from the island. It is up to Mario and Luigi with the help of newcomer Yoshi save the missing eggs and rescue Princess Peach.

Yoshi's appearance was so well received that he went on to appear in his own series of games from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island to puzzle game Yoshi's Cookie. Yoshi even seemed to go backwards in time when he appeared on the NES console in Yoshi's Egg. While it may seem that Yoshi made his debut here, Yoshi's egg was not released until December 1991, a full year after the release of Super Mario World. Yoshi went on to appear in the starting line-up of compilation games including Super Mario Kart and the original Super Smash Bros.

Super Dragon

Yoshi's Final Smash stems from his abilities in Super Mario World. Depending on which colored shell Yoshi eats, he will temporarily obtain a new skill. These skills are outlined in the Super Mario World instruction manual, pictured below:

After eating a red shell, Yoshi gains the ability to breathe fire:

After eating a blue shell, Yoshi gains the ability to fly:

Though not confirmed in Brawl, Yoshi gains a third ability after eating a yellow shell. As seen in the manual, he gains the ability to create small sand clouds, knocking out enemies in his proximity.

References:
http://www.wikipedia.org
Special thanks to S.S. for the scan from Super Mario World manual

 

[wario2ooo]

i forgot one more......yoshi can get his wings by hitting a coin box that has wings in it...:lol:

 

[naisatoh]

Updated Music section..

 

[balrogs.pa]

great job so far!