Papetoon

In the Nintendo Power comic, Team Star Fox called an out-of-the-way desert planet named Papetoon home. There, they acted as Robin Hood-style bandits, attacking freighters taking goods away from the planet’s people. They also lived near a village, inside a large hollow tree.

A Papetoon stage would reflect most of this area, with their tree as a major structure on the stage, and a freighter passing over the stage that you can fight on and eventually cause to crash.

Potential theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTLf7Q6E0jU is the closest we could ever come to a theme.

Fara Phoenix

Like most popular Nintendo properties, Star Fox got itself a comic adaptation in the Nintendo Power magazine. This comic showed the Star Fox team’s adventures a few years after the events of the first game, including countering terrorist attacks, discovering a plot to resurrect Andross, and gaining a new teammate.

This is Fara Phoenix, the daughter of a wealthy Lylat system businessman and skilled pilot in her own right. Before Krystal, she was Fox’s main love interest, and even appeared in the cancelled Star Fox 2. Despite the name, she is an anthropomorphic fennec fox, not a phoenix.

As a fighter, she will be similar in nature to the other Star Fox team members, pulling from the exact same moveset, but with slight differences. For her, there will be multiple references to the comic in question.

Likelihood rating: Non-game (or . . . does she count as a game character? The comic came first, so . . . I don’t think so?)

Character Sheet: Fara Phoenix

FARA PHOENIX

And now we come to the end of our characters, with only four left to add. They include:

1. Fara Phoenix

2. Katt Monroe

3. Captain Shears

4. Goras

Starting with Fara Phoenix, she is a character from the Nintendo Power run of Star Fox comics who appears in some versions of Star Fox 2. She is a fox, like Fox, and is the daughter of a wealthy magnate who joins the Star Fox team due to her flying prowess. She is a "proto-Krystal" of sorts. She will be like the other members of Star Fox, with a similar moveset slightly altered to fit her more.

Here's her moveset:

Standard B: Blaster

Same as the others, except hers has the comic effects to its hits and explosions.

Side B: Vixen Sweep

It will be similar to the Fox Illusion, but she'll do a bit of a flip to get under and come back up behind her opponent, striking them in the back as she does so.

Up B: Phoenix Flame

She will blast upward like Fox and the others, except her flames will take on a phoenix shape.

Down B: Mud Bath Lid

This is based on the comic, when Fara ends up being saved in an early chapter by a lid suddenly popping off a mud bath and squashing her enemy.

Final Smash: Team Star Fox

This will be the comic version of this team, with Fara flying with them.

Entrance: Dropping out of her Arwing.

Taunts: Up, she will pose confidently. Side, she will swirl, showing off a dress. Down, she will spin her blaster.

Kirby Hat: Her ears and head-piece thing.

Kart: Her Arwing.

Special Move: Dropping a large lid on top of anyone behind her.

Spirit Battle: With Fox on Papetoon.

Victory Screen: Stepping out of her ship and asking "How was that?"

Losing Screen: Her ship crashing to the ground with smoke trailing.

Color Swaps: Her Star Fox uniform, her dress from the beginning, Fox's mother's dress, a black-and-white version of her, different colors for all four.

Thanks for reading! Next up, Katt Monroe is waiting for you!

Kirby (Nintendo Power)

KIRBY (NINTENDO POWER)

Next up, it's time for the Kirby comics that appeared in Nintendo Power, which are basically just recreations of the first two episodes of Kirby: Right Back at Ya! that ran from July to October 2022. That's all there is to say. Kirby did crop up a bit in the Nintendo Comics System, often crossing over with Mario and Link, but he apparently didn't have many comics of his own as far as I could find in my research. I don't know.

Anyway, here's what we've got so far:

Characters:

Marona: cakes, cookbook, destroy

Baron Gallic: Malice Stone, throwing knives, airship

Moa: sword, broom, controller

Director Kane: Susie or Haltmann echo?

Tron: camera, printer, clone, Battle Royale echo

Pirika: dreamstalk, mind control, fruit, fly

Beryl: Meta Knight echo?

Stages:

There's possibilities, I guess.

Maybe one for this could be cute.

Strange Sweets Island?

Thanks for reading! Next up, could somebody help me Find Kirby? I seem to have lost him.

Armstrong Houston

ARMSTRONG HOUSTON

When Super Metroid came out, Nintendo Power magazine ran a series of issues of Samus working through the game’s story, accompanied in her journey by an admirer and fellow bounty hunter who wants to become her partner.

This is Armstrong Houston, who patterned his suit after her and everything. He mostly acts as an exposition sponge, learning Samus’s backstory and witnessing her abilities for the audience’s sake. As the story goes on, he grows to be a better ally and focuses on helping Samus rather than trying to convince her to take him on.

As a fighter, Armstrong will be a semi-clone based heavily on both Samus and the Federation Marines. His moveset will pull from both pulls, but he’ll be a little less strong stat-wise than both.

Likelihood rating: Non-game.

Character Sheet: Armstrong Houston

ARMSTRONG HOUSTON

And now we have a long list of character who appear exclusively within the Metroid comics, manga, and other non-game media. These will all act as a roster on their own, separate from the standard game roster. They are:

1. Joey Apronika

2. Kreatz

3. Mauk

4. Diesel

5. GFS Tyr Crew

6. Armstrong Houston

7. Zegan Doh

8. Bomad

9. U-Ton

10. Papa Lightning

11. Chozo Elders

12. Greed

13. Bishop

14. Knight

15. Dangelo

16. Pirate Boss

17. Amokmaw

18. Integra

19. Megaroid

Now, to the next end of our conundrum surrounding the fates of Armstrong Houston and Dangelo. Samus still has an echo fighter in SA-X, and I'd rather not break the one-echo-rule just yet. So, I have a different idea. How about we "Roy and Chrom" this MF, make them echoes of each other that are only semi-clones of Samus instead.

Armstrong appeared in the Nintendo Power adaptation of Super Metroid, which is part of the same continuity as Magazine Z (featuring three characters who appear in both). Armstrong appears as a fellow bounty hunter who really wants to become Samus's partner, despite her constant refusal. He mostly acts as a receiver for Samus's backstory when it is told in this comic. He wears a suit similar to hers, but with colors that have since become the basis for the Federation Marines. His moveset will combine aspects of Samus and the Marines with that in mind.

Here's the moveset I came up with:

Standard B: Plasma Cannon

This one will pull from the Federation's playbook, rather than Samus's.

Side B: Missile

This one will pull from Samus's, just a little less powerful.

Up B: Space Jump

Pulling from Samus but just a little different.

Down B: Mine

Sort of combining both Samus's bombs and the mines used by the Marines.

Final Smash: Power Beam

Based on Samus's powerful laser attack.

Entrance: He will drop in from his ship.

Taunts: Up, he will raise his cannon and adjust it. Side, he will take up a stance as if trying to stand back to back with a partner. Down, he will take off his helmet and adjust it.

Kirby Hat: His helmet.

Kart: A kart based on his ship.

Special Move: He will be able to backup and defend a fellow racer.

Spirit Battle: He and Samus on Tourian.

Victory Screen: He will stand tall, saying something about "See, Samus, I told you we'd make a great team."

Losing Screen: He will slump down, with his helmet off, saying something about how Samus is better off without him.

Color Swaps: His standard blue and orange, Samus colors, green colors, full red colors, black colors, white colors, purple colors, and gold colors.

Thanks for reading! Next up, a couple of supporting bounty hunters from Samus & Joey.

Super Metroid (Nintendo Power)

SUPER METROID (NINTENDO POWER)

Now, let's cover a five-issue comic series released by Nintendo Power comics that somewhat followed the plot of Super Metroid and seems to be set in the same universe as the Magazine Z comics that we will cover tomorrow. Samus heads to Zebes, but she is accompanied by a fellow bounty hunter named Armstrong Houston who really, really, really wants to become her partner. He doesn't do much to help fight, except to cut a spike once in her defense, and mostly exists to receive exposition about Samus's backstory. However, there are aspects that might give us something to work with, in that he wears a blue suit similar to Samus's power suit with the same colors as the Federation marines seen in Other M. Many have even theorized that those designs were directly inspired by him. We will see how it goes.

Other supporting characters include Chairman Keaton, the leader of the Federation, and Captain Hardy, Samus's somewhat incompetent dispatcher, who will reappear in Magazine Z. There is also Old Bird, the Chozo who rescued Samus as a child and will play a massively pivotal role in Magazine Z, who Armstrong takes Samus to to be healed after she is severely wounded in battle.

And that's about it! Here's what we've got so far:

Characters:

Samus

Armstrong Houston: possible Samus/Federation Marine echo basis

Commander Nemo

Chairman Keaton

Captain Hardy

Old Bird: float, healing bubble

Big Time Brannigan: arm cannon

Stages:

Federation headquarters

Next up, one of the best Nintendo comics out there, and possibly the most canon comic as well!

Zelda Multimedia Roster

 SUPER SMASH BROS. UNIVERSE

LEGEND OF ZELDA MULTIMEDIA

Spoiler alert, the manga will offer us up several more entries, so I feel perfectly comfortable making this its own thing. At the moment though, there are only ten fighters.

1.     TV Link

2.     TV Zelda

3.     King Harkinian

4.     Queen Seline

5.     Roam

6.     Sing

7.     Doof & Automaton

8.     Sleezenose

9.     TV Ganon

10.  Water Monster

And that should be it. Next week, we begin the manga runs, starting with those written by Ran Maru.

Other Zelda Comics

OTHER ZELDA COMICS

Today, I'll be covering two remaining comics that didn't have that much to them, so I might as well just combine them. First is an Ocarina of Time comic published by Nintendo Power in 1998, a four chapter comic acting as a prequel to the game and detailing how Link became an orphan raised by Kokiri. His parents are the main stars, but all action shown is either mostly off screen (see: his father's death) or just fleeing through the forest while holding a baby (see: his mother's death), neither of which are that conducive to Smash movesets. The second is a little five-page Skyward Sword comic published by Penny Arcade and written by Mike Kahulik. There's not much to it that's not in the original game.

Here's what we've got so far:

Characters:

Link: kick, sword, sword beam, pillow, magic pouch, swing, shield, lasso, springboard, wind whistle, power bracelet, force field ring, surf on shield

Zelda: punch, reflect with a pan, grow with magic, launch from a tree, bow, boomerang, crossbow, raise on Triforce, ice, fire, shields, lemons, banana peels

Sprite

King Harkinian: water park, CDi games rep?

Impa

Ganon: teleport, lightning, summon enemies, bombs, fire, chains, crystal ball, suction, control jewel, capture staff, wand of power

Goriya: Possible catch-all for enemy representation here, as it is the most prominent enemy type in the show that has not yet gotten a moveset. If so, staff, bone bow, capture staff, bomb, frog transformation, boomerang, giant magnet.

Prince Façade: horse, shield, crossbow

Sing: Pegasus, leap, sai, sai beam

Sleezenose: fake sword, lockpick, beehives, bee catapult, box of bees

Doof/Automaton: automaton, animate, bear hug, broom, fake Moblin

Witch of Walls

Water Monster: splash, flood, snake, crab, fish, tentacle, lightning

Captain Krin

Bagu: pick up

Queen Seline: magic, frog transformation, jar that steals magic, horse, wand as weapon, defense, tennis

Roam: sword, crossbow, eagle form, silver arrow, angel, fire corn, Epheremelda

Stages:

Zelda's Castle

Ganon's Lair

Water Park

Calatia

Thanks for reading! Now, I think we'll cut it here and do a character run before moving on to the manga, because let me tell you, we are in for a treat. The manga are so much fun.

A Link to the Past (Ishinomori)

A LINK TO THE PAST

Today, we'll be covering an adaptation of A Link to the Past printed in Nintendo Power comics and written by mangaka Ishinomori Shotaro. The comic covers much of the general plot of the game, though it leaves a lot out for the sake of the story. The biggest addition to the plot is the character Roam, a noble (-ish) knight destined to wield the silver arrows when fighting Ganon, but, due to his impure heart, starts to transform into an eagle when in the Dark World. (This must have been a popular concept, because Himekawa's manga adaptation would have a similar, but more well-done, character). Roam wielded a sword and crossbow, could transform into an eagle, returned briefly as an angel after his death, and, of course, wielded the silver arrows. I think we can possibly factor in the explosive firecorn items and the fairy Epheremelda, both appearing in this comic.

Anyway, here's what we've got so far:

Link: kick, sword, sword beam, pillow, magic pouch, swing, shield, lasso, springboard, wind whistle, power bracelet, force field ring, surf on shield

Zelda: punch, reflect with a pan, grow with magic, launch from a tree, bow, boomerang, crossbow, raise on Triforce, ice, fire, shields, lemons, banana peels

Sprite

King Harkinian: water park, CDi games rep?

Impa

Ganon: teleport, lightning, summon enemies, bombs, fire, chains, crystal ball, suction, control jewel, capture staff, wand of power

Goriya: Possible catch-all for enemy representation here, as it is the most prominent enemy type in the show that has not yet gotten a moveset. If so, staff, bone bow, capture staff, bomb, frog transformation, boomerang, giant magnet.

Prince Façade: horse, shield, crossbow

Sing: Pegasus, leap, sai, sai beam

Sleezenose: fake sword, lockpick, beehives, bee catapult, box of bees

Doof/Automaton: automaton, animate, bear hug, broom, fake Moblin

Witch of Walls

Water Monster: splash, flood, snake, crab, fish, tentacle, lightning

Captain Krin

Bagu: pick up

Queen Seline: magic, frog transformation, jar that steals magic, horse, wand as weapon, defense, tennis

Roam: sword, crossbow, eagle form, silver arrow, angel, fire corn, Epheremelda

Stages:

Zelda's Castle

Ganon's Lair

Water Park

Calatia

Thanks for reading! Next up, two more short and simple American comics based on Ocarina of Time and Skyward Sword respectively.

Mario vs. Wario

MARIO VS. WARIO

Today, let cover a pair of comics printed in Nintendo Power: Mario vs. Wario and its sequel, Mario vs. Wario: The Birthday Bash. Both are mostly based on Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins and focus on the rivalry between Mario and Wario. This was the comic that originated Wario's origin story of having been bullied by Mario as a child, resulting in him becoming vitriolic and hateful toward the plumber as an adult. Outside of that, there's not really much to talk about.

Here's what we've got so far:

Characters:

Mario

Link

Kirby

Luigi

Princess Peach

Toad

Yoshi

Wario

Bowser

Tatanga

Koopalings

Herman Smirch: Game Boy, gun, hijack, flying car, Tatanga's minions

Mushroom King: go-kart, portable throne, magic wand, dog, chameleon, "Sacred Cylinder of Cheese," Green Gecko Gem, garden, mattress of clouds, Wooster, Stopwatch

Dirk Drain-Head: wrench, plunger, cape, Snakey, Pipe Ooze, Muck

Pionpi: Yurarin, spell, minions

Stanley the Talking Fish

Friendly Floyd: salesman, items

Stages:

Super Mario World locations

Nintendo Hotel

Real World locations (Disneyland being one of them)

Thanks for reading! Next up, let's cover literally everything else!