SUPER SMASH BROS. UNIVERSE
LEGEND OF ZELDA MULTIMEDIA
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.
VIRE/KEESE
1. Link
2. Dark Link
3. Princess Zelda (Currently honorary)
4. Marin
5. Sahasrahla
6. Old Man
7. Hylian Soldier
8. Ganon
9. Agahnim
10. Nightmare
11. Moblin
12. Stalfos
13. Vire/Keese
14. Thunderbird
Today, let's cover two major enemies of the Zelda series: Keese and Vires. Keese are your standard bat enemies, not dissimilar to Swoops and Zubats, while Vires are vampiric creatures that can split into multiple Keese when hit. Keese would appear throughout the series, in basically every installment of it, but the Vires would sadly only crop up in 2D games. Apart from the whole "split into Keese" part, our movepool also includes the ability to breath fireballs, strike with a lightning curse that it places on Link in Link's Awakening, plus the Keese's variants including Fire, Ice, and Thunder types.
Here's the moveset I came up with:
Standard B: Fireball
So, as much as I'd love to give the "bat/vampire" enemy a bloodsucking move for the standard, it doesn't seem to have really been a thing for these enemies. Instead we will use the fireballs Vires are known to spew, both in Link's Awakening, and in a boss battle in the Oracle games which we'll get to later.
Side B: Lightning Curse
In Link's Awakening, Link encounters a Vire that casts a hex upon him by summoning lightning in both of its hands and striking him with it. It would work much like that.
Up B: Keese Swarm
The base and most iconic move, the Vire will split into a Keese swarm and fly upward, each individual dealing its own slight damage.
Down B: Fire Keese
Now this will either represent Fire Keese alone, or the various varieties of them. Alone it will just burst into flames, dealing damage on contact. All three, it will cycle through Fire, Ice, and Thunder, dealing that specific type of damage.
Final Smash: Gomess
Gomess is a similar type of enemy to Vire, but appears as a boss in Majora's Mask. The Vire will burst into Keese, before a whole swarm of them merge into Gomess, who then strikes the stage with its scythe.
Entrance: A swarm of Keese will come together to form a Vire.
Taunts: Up, it will turn into a Keese and flap upward. Side, it will flare its wings and make a scary face. Down, it will curl up its wings like a bat sleeping.
Thanks for reading! Next up, the Thunderbird and its relatives, the Fokka and Fokkeru!
STALFOS
1. Link
2. Dark Link
3. Princess Zelda (Currently honorary)
4. Marin
5. Sahasrahla
6. Old Man
7. Hylian Soldier
8. Ganon
9. Agahnim
10. Nightmare
11. Moblin
12. Stalfos
13. Vire/Keese
14. Thunderbird
Another major recurring enemy type is the Stalfos, skeletal warriors risen from the dead that often seem to be the go-to basic enemy of dungeon areas (at least in the 2D games). They would go on to receive multiple alternate forms, such as their smaller versions, the Stalchildren, and many, many, many versions in Breath of the Wild based on all the regular enemy types.
Stalfos are most often seen wielding swords, and can often carry around shields as well. Jumping seems to be pretty standard for them, as is the propensity to collapse when defeated, returning to life if not all of their comrades have been defeated in time. They can throw their own heads when need be, and some appearing in Link to the Past could even cast spells and wore Wizzrobe-type shrouds.
Here's the moveset I came up with:
Standard B: Head Throw
The sword its standard weapon, the Stalfos will instead throw its head forward as its base special, the head flying out as a projectile and returning like a boomerang.
Side B: Magic Shroud
It will cast a spell forward that will explode on impact, the character animation briefly taking on a Wizzrobe shroud to cast it.
Up B: Flying Leap
Not too much in the way of aerials yet, but for now, I think we can stick with the standard of leaping into the air, with its sword over its head, and coming down with a vertical slash.
Down B: Stalchild
It will summon as Stalchild from the ground, which will walk forward in front of it. It will be very weak, and collapse in one hit, but the Stalfos will be able to revive it with another Down B-press within five seconds of it being hit.
Final Smash: Blood Moon
Considering it has to do with reviving the dead, I'd say it works. The stage will turn a dark red, and all manner of Stal-enemies will crawl their way up out of the stage floor, terrorizing everyone on it.
Entrance: It will start as a pile of bones before coming together.
Taunts: Up, it will toss its own head gently into the air once. Side, a Stalchild will run around it for a second. Down, it will collapse in a heap and rise again.
Thanks for reading! Next up, the Vire and/or Keese enemies!
MOBLIN
1. Link
2. Dark Link
3. Princess Zelda (Currently honorary)
4. Marin
5. Sahasrahla
6. Old Man
7. Hylian Soldier
8. Ganon
9. Agahnim
10. Nightmare
11. Moblin
12. Stalfos
13. Vire/Keese
14. Thunderbird
Right from the get-go, the first and foremost minion of Ganon and core enemy throughout the series are the Moblins. Starting life as large anthropomorphic bulldogs, they would eventually take more of a pig form to be more in keeping with their boss Ganon. They would also be replaced in a way by their smaller cousins, the Bokoblins, making Moblins more the elite warriors to the Bokoblin grunts, sorta like the Uruk-hai to the Orcs if you will.
So far we only have a few actions of note, but enough, and we all know that the list will only keep growing in future games, so I'd say we've crossed the playable threshold. Their main weapon is their large spears, which they throw in some games, and charge with in others. They are also seen wielding tridents, just like their master, and have also taken up the sword and shield on occasion. Some even set up a keep in Link's Awakening with a big boss at the end.
Here's the moveset I came up with:
Standard B: Trident Throw
Based on both the trident weapon and the weapon throw they frequently employ, the playable Moblin will throw its trident as a projectile, skewering opponents from across the stage.
Side B: Spear Charge
Probably most well known from Ocarina of Time, but seen in other games as well, the Moblin will charge forward with its spear down, dealing damage and forcing players off the stage.
Up B: Helmaroc Drop
Unfortunately not a whole lot of aerial maneuvers seen yet, but luckily I am familiar enough with our upcoming games to know of at least one option to make use of. A Helmaroc will pick up the Moblin, carry it high into the air, and then airdrop it.
Down B: Heavy Shield
Somewhat seen already, but for sure more prominent in games like Skyward Sword, the Moblin will pull out a heavy shield that will form an impenetrable wall in front of it and protect it from harm.
Final Smash: Horde Rush
Hmm, now here's an interesting one. The first thing that comes to mind is the whole "Lookout blows horn, then a horde of enemies rush the enemy." That's more specifically a Bokoblin thing, but it still works for Moblins. Hmm. You know what? Let's do it.
Entrance: The Moblin will pace back and forth for a second like its been patrolling.
Taunts: Up, it will blow a horn to sound an alarm. Side, it will do a pace back and forth with its spear out. Down, it will doze for a second before being awoken from its sleep.
Thanks for reading! Next up, one of my favorite enemy types, the Stalfos!
GANON
1. Link
2. Dark Link
3. Princess Zelda (Currently honorary)
4. Marin
5. Sahasrahla
6. Old Man
7. Hylian Soldier
8. Ganon
9. Agahnim
10. Nightmare
11. Moblin
12. Stalfos
13. Vire/Keese
14. Thunderbird
This will naturally be about Ganon, the big blue pig demon as he appears in most of the 2D games, as opposed to the more popular human form Ganondorf as seen in most of the 3D games. Ganon is the iconic big bad of the Zelda franchise, an evil wizard who lusts after the Triforce, regularly hatching a plot to take over Hyrule, capturing Princess Zelda and forcing Link to take up his sword as the hero of legend.
Across the two games we've covered so far that he has appeared in, his boss fights have seen him teleport and turn invisible, shoot fireballs, cause statues to shoot fire, wield a trident that he slashes with, spins around, and throws, summon swarms of fire keese, transform into a bat himself, create a circle of fire around himself, and stomp.
Here's the moveset I came up with:
Standard B: Fireball
His trident forming the basis of most of his standard attacks, we'll use magic for most of his specials. First up, he will hold up his trident and charge up a fireball that will do damage above him while charging, then he can cast it forward with a second tap.
Side B: Cross Swipe
This one will make use of his trident, with him holding up his trident for a brief pause, before swiping twice in front of him in an X-shape.
Up B: Teleport
Ganon will disappear into thin air for just a moment before reappearing at a new location, generally upward and over depending on the actions of the player.
Down B: Fire Circle
He will stomp hard and create a circle of fire around himself to deal damage to nearby opponents.
Final Smash: Lord of Darkness
First he will hold up the Triforce of Power. Then a vortex of shadow will fill the screen similar to the seals he is often trapped in when he is breaking free from them. Ganon will appear in shadow from it and grab all players within the vortex area and pull them into the void.
Entrance: He will appear out of nowhere like he does in the game.
Taunts: Up, he will hold up the Triforce of Power over his head. Side, he will hold out his hands, and one of the six maidens will appear floating before him, unconscious. Down, he will turn invisible for a moment.
Thanks for reading! Next up, his faithful servant from A Link to the Past: Agahnim!
OLD MAN
1. Link
2. Dark Link
3. Princess Zelda (Currently honorary)
4. Marin
5. Sahasrahla
6. Old Man
7. Hylian Soldier
8. Ganon
9. Agahnim
10. Nightmare
11. Moblin
12. Stalfos
13. Vire/Keese
14. Thunderbird
I used to think strange men living in caves distributing swords was no basis for a system of heroism, but here we are. Honestly, it tickles me pink to include this character, and if we want, the Old Woman character model from the first two games could easily act as a color swap. Across the two games he notably appears in, he gives Link a sword and teaches him a spell to shield himself, a spell to jump really high, a spell to heal himself, a spell to transform into a fairy, a spell to cast fireballs, a spell to reflect projectiles, a spell to open a door, and a spell to call down lightning. If he can teach it, I presume he can also perform it, so . . . let's do it!
Here's the moveset I came up with:
Standard B: Fireball
He will cast the fireball spell, shooting one out as a projectile and inflicting burn damage on his opponents.
Side B: Reflect
He will cast the reflect spell, bouncing back an oncoming projectile with the same speed and force with which it was thrown at him.
Up B: Jump OR Fairy
Honestly, either one of these would work great and both are iconic to Zelda II, so . . . Jump would send him jumping really high in a more-or-less straight line, and Fairy would let him move around more in the air.
Down B: Water of Life
Adopting this from his female counterpart, he will drink some Water of Life and heal some of his damage.
Final Smash: Take This
Now, I think Thunder is more the go-to spell to include here, but that was boring, so thinking more creatively, I liked the idea of his iconic text popping up on screen, as swords appear next to every single opponent on screen and slash through them.
Entrance: An 8-bit tree will burst into flames, and he will emerge from a stairwell leading down.
Taunts: Up, he will hold up a sword and his iconic text will appear. Side, the text box "I AM ERROR" will appear. Down, he will display the options typically offered by the Merchant below him.
Thanks for reading! Next up, the generic soldiers of Hyrule!
PRINCESS ZELDA
1. Link
2. Dark Link
3. Princess Zelda (Currently honorary)
4. Marin
5. Sahasrahla
6. Old Man
7. Hylian Soldier
8. Ganon
9. Agahnim
10. Nightmare
11. Moblin
12. Stalfos
13. Vire/Keese
14. Thunderbird
For the moment, this is only an honorary slot, because, well, it's Zelda. Literally the title character. We all know she's going to get onto the roster, we just don't have enough to work with yet. Across these three games, she breaks apart the triforce, contacts Link through his dreams, and opens a door with magic. Maybe the gems the maidens get sealed inside can work too, considering even her Smash version of Nayru's love reflects the shape, but that's all we've got.
No moveset yet, but here's a general approximation of what it could be:
Standard B: Light Arrow
Light arrows are a massive part of her legacy, so it might be an option here.
Side B: Light Barrier
Creating and dispelling magical barriers are also prominent, so we'll see.
Up B
All manner of magical teleportation is often used by Zelda throughout the games, so that's more than an open option.
Down B: Gem
As a perfect shield, the gemstone seal that she gets trapped in numerous times throughout the series is a nice contender. I imagine the barrier above would be more of a counter.
Final Smash
Definitely some Triforce shenanigans (or to do with the goddess Hylia, considering certain Skyward Sword spoilers.
Entrance: She will appear in a beam of light.
Taunts: Up, she will pray, with the triforce appearing above her. Side, she will wave her hand and cause some magic sparkles. Down, she will play a few notes of Zelda's Lullaby.
Thanks for reading! Next up, a few gimmick reps starting with Marin for Link's Awakening.
LINK
1. Link
2. Dark Link
3. Princess Zelda (Currently honorary)
4. Marin
5. Sahasrahla
6. Old Man
7. Hylian Soldier
8. Ganon
9. Agahnim
10. Nightmare
11. Moblin
12. Stalfos
13. Vire/Keese
14. Thunderbird
We'll start with Link, our perennial hero, always saving Hyrule and protecting Princess Zelda. He has a number of abilities across every game in the series, most being unique to each respective game, but with a handful of standard regulars (which will be make up most of our focus today). These regulars include his sword, the ability to shoot beams, perform a spin attack, and stab down with said sword, his shield, his bombs, his bow and arrows, his boomerang, a power glove or bracelet that lets him lift heavy objects, and his hookshot.
More game-specific abilities we will factor in, but not focus on too heavily, as many of them have characters who can take them up and let Link focus on his regulars. Regardless, these include magic rods that let him cast certain elemental spells, magical potions and powders, the Pegasus Boots, a cross, various spells from Zelda II, three magical medallions from Link to the Past, a shovel, a bug net, two magical canes, flippers that let him swim, a magic mirror, the Roc's feather, and the instruments from Link's Awakening.
I'd say that's more than enough! Here's the moveset I came up with, heavily leaning into his already existing Smash moveset, because, well, it gets it:
Standard B: Sword Beam
Or maybe bow and arrow. I get why Smash went the way it did, his arrows and his boomerang are both very important standards for him and it would be a shame to exclude either of them, but it feels even more a shame to leave out his sword beams considering they are his first and foremost line of attack in so many games.
Side B: Bow and Arrow OR Boomerang
If we keep the Sword Beam, I'd rather keep the Bow and Arrow over the Boomerang, but if Standard B is Bow and Arrow, Boomerang is a natural fit here.
Up B: Sword Spin
It's not . . . great. At least not my first pick for an Up B, but it is a pretty essential move, and its not like he has that much upward momentum-based abilities in most games. Plus, the hookshot is better for a grab, so it works.
Down B: Bombs
I feel this is a natural choice, and Smash already has it down pat.
Final Smash: Triforce and Master Sword
He will draw the Master Sword from its pedestal and hold it high into the air, the Triforce appearing behind him and making the sword glow. He will then strike with full power, landing the finishing blow and insta-KOing anyone it hits.
Entrance: A bird with drop him off on the stage.
Taunts: Up, he will hold his sword straight up in the air. Side, he will let a fairy out of a bottle and it will circle around him. Down, he will play a little on his Ocarina and small animals will appear around him.
Thanks for reading! Next up, we will cover our first echo fighter of the series!
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA
The game was an action adventure that more or less plopped you down into the middle of a large open world with no real directive on where specifically to go or what to do, but rewarded you heavily for simply exploring, eventually leading you to the game's dungeons (basically levels) and supplying you with items and weapons to help you on your way. As for story, the game's manual tells us that an evil wizard took over the kingdom, trying to collect the magical "Triforce of Wisdom," only for the kingdom's princess to break it into eight pieces and scatter it across the land. You play as Link, a young warrior tasked to find and restore the pieces of the Triforce and use it to defeat the wizard.
Link is our main player character and really the only named one seen on screen for most of the time. His sword is his main weapon, with which he can slash or shoot beams of light as projectiles, with his shield as his second most prominent item. From there, he also picks up bombs he can place, arrows he can fire, candles that allow him to produce fire, boomerangs he can throw, potions he can drink to restore his health, a magical rod he can use to cast spells, a book of magic that can upgrade his magical rod, a flute that lets him teleport to other dungeons, rings that reduce his damage when worn, and the power bracelet that makes him stronger.
Outside of Link, our supporting characters include the titular Princess Zelda, basically a living goalpost for this game much like Peach before her, only appearing at the very end with no demonstrated abilities (outside of the aforementioned breaking of the triforce). There are also Old Men who give you your swords when you find them, Old Women who give you life potions, and Merchants who sell you stuff. Also, Zelda's mainstay caretaker and bodyguard Impa does appear in the game's manual, but not in the actual game itself. Great Fairies also make their first appearance in this game, healing you of all damage when you find their fountains.
Ganon is our main villain, presented as a giant pig wizard who took over the kingdom. In his final battle, he can teleport all around the place, shoot fireballs, turn invisible, and causes the statues around him to spit fire. Each of the eight dungeons in the game also comes with a boss, including Aquamentus, a dragon that shoots fireballs; Dodongo, a large saurian that breathes fire; Manhandla, a plant creature with four pincers; Gleeok, a multi-headed dragon that can breathe fire; Digdogger, a large . . . spinny thing weak to music; and Gohma, a spider/crab monster with one eye that shoots energy balls from it.
As for our enemies, in the overworld we see: Moblins, Ganon's main minions who throw spears; Octoroks, weird squid things that shoot rocks; Zoras, far different from their later incarnation, who live in the water and spit fireballs at you; Tektites, crab things that like to jump around; Leevers, spinning things that dig up from underground; Ghinis, basically ghosts; Armos, living statues armed with shields and tridents; Peahats, flying plant things; and Lynels, a bit more tame than their, ahem, more infamous versions, armed with swords that can shoot beams.
In the underworld, however, is where you find the more interesting enemies. These include: Gels and Zols, basically Chuchus but apparently not; Bubbles, whose names now make so much more sense to my 3D-Zelda-knowing brain; Ropes, basically snakes; Keese, basically bats, and Vires, vampiric creatures that turn into Keese; Wallmasters, disembodied hands that grab you and return you to the dungeon's start; Like Likes that eat your shield; Pols Voices, weird rabbit heads that hop around; Patras, flying eyeballs that split into a horde of minis when hit; Moldorms and Lanmolas, large worm creatures that slither around with multiple body segments; Stalfos, skeletons wielding swords; Goriyas, wolf creatures throwing boomerangs; Darknuts, knights wielding swords and shields with heavy armor; Wizzrobes, wizards who cast spells; and Gibdos, basically mummies.
The overworld map is just kind of a massive open world with various forests, deserts, lakes, and mountains all around the place with nothing specifically named, at least as far as I could tell, with the exception of Death Mountain, the mountainous region where Ganon's lair is found. The dungeons likewise don't really have much theming to them, just being hidden locations with an assortment of square rooms you have to navigate your way through in various patterns (and yes, one of them is shaped like a swastika).
The items include all the stuff mentioned being used by Link before, in addition to hearts and heart containers that give you more health, Triforce pieces, rupees which act as your money system in the game, clocks that stop time for a while, rafts that let you cross water ways, and step ladders that let you cross gaps.
And that's about everything! Here's what we've got so far:
Characters:
Link: sword slash, sword beams, shield, bombs, arrows, candles, boomerangs, life potions, magical rod, book of magic, flute, rings, power bracelet.
Princess Zelda: Triforce.
Impa
Old Men/Old Women: swords, life potions.
Great Fairies: heal
Ganon: teleport, shoot fireballs, turn invisible, statue fire.
Moblins: throw spears
Octoroks: shoot rocks
Zoras: swim, spit fireballs
Tektites: jump around
Armos: shields, tridents
Lynels: swords, shoot beams
Vire: turn into Keese
Moldorms: slither
Stalfos: swords
Goriyas: boomerangs
Darknuts: swords, shields, heavy armor
Wizzrobes: spells
Gibdos
Aquamentus: fireballs
Dodongo: breathes fire
Gleeok: breathe fire
Gohma: energy balls
Bosses:
Aquamentus
Dodongo
Manhandla
Gleeok
Digdogger
Gohma
Ganon
Locations:
Overworld-based stage
Dungeon room-based stage
Death Mountain
Items:
Bombs
Bow and Arrows
Candles
Boomerangs
Life potions
Magical rod
Book of magic
Flute
Rings
Power bracelet
Hearts
Heart containers
Triforce pieces
Rupees
Clock
Raft
Step ladder
Thanks for reading! Next up, we cover the game's sequel, aka the black sheep of the family!
