- Joined
- Dec 26, 2019
Hey, everyone. I'm new here, and I wanted to bring over a thread I made from Smash Boards. It didn't gain much traction there, but I'm hoping fellow Shenmue fans might appreciate the hypothetical move-sets. Forgive any rudimentary explanation of the game and its protagonist, as I was writing to a broad audience:
After an 18 year hiatus, Shenmue has returned to the gaming world with Shenmue III. Even if they never played, a lot gamers have some familiarity with what the series attempted to do by creating an open world game, melding action, adventure, and RPG genres into one unique and deeply engaging experience.
The game's protagonist--Ryo Hazuki--has endeared himself to Sega fans since the game's release in 1999. Ryo is the epitome of a man--calm, cool, collected, and caring (but, uh, maybe a bit emotionally distant from his girlfriend).
Let's take a look how he would play in Smash--but first, I need to drink a soda, play with a cat, and collect a couple of capsule toys.
Who is Ryo?
Before the day of "the incident," Ryo Hazuki was your average 1985 Japanese high school student. His father--the owner of a dojo--was killed by the mysterious Lan-Di who was in search of a special mirror (almost taking Ryo's life in the process). Since that day, Ryo has embarked on an quest to avenge his father.
Why should he be in Smash?
This is actually why I'm reviving the thread. My first instinct was always imagine Ryo getting in because his game was "epic" or "groundbreaking." However, as Sakurai recently said in the Terry Bogard presentation, making the character "fun" is the most important thing. I think Sakurai can achieve that.
Would Nintendo fans care?
Some Nintendo fans might be fairly familiar, as Ryo appeared in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing on Wii, which sold very well on Nintendo platforms, and he appeared in 2015's Project X-Zone 2 on the 3DS. Sega has also strongly hinted that Shenmue I & II HD will come to Switch if the fan demand is there.
What should his move-set be?
Ryo's moves in the game are very much an evolution of Virtua Fighter. While a wonderful series, it doesn't lend itself much to Smash Bros. in the creative department. Ryo however, is more versatile than your standard Virtua Fighter character:
Down-special: QTE
Shenmue was the first game to implement the QTE (or "quick-time event") where you're interacting with the game during a cutscene. Similar to Shulk's "vision," Ryo's down-special/down B will appear as though he's predicting his opponent's attack. A d-pad or button will appear above his head when the move connects, and Ryu will respond with a counter-attack. The counter will have a different move relative to where the initial attack came from.
Up-special: Motorcycle Jump
Ryo breaks out his motorcycle from Shenmue (and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing) and does a diagonal recovery, as if jumping off a ramp. Ryo can leap to safety while the motorcycle can cause damage if it careens or falls on opponents.
Side-special: Forklift
Ready to start his shift, Ryo hops in his forklift, plowing into opponents, causing horizontal knockback If timed just right while pressing B, Ryo can use the forklift's prongs to send the opponent vertically for an even stronger attack.
Neutral-special: Tetsuzankou
Shenmue started off as "Virtua Fighter RPG." The game and Ryo pays homage to the series with Akira Yuki's famous tetsuzankou thrust (just like the assist trophy).
Final Smash: ?
This, I'm not quite sure. There's more than meets the eye with Shenmue. I would like to be surprised with what Sakurai and Yu Suzuki (creator of Shenmue) could come up with. :)
Other moves (standard attacks, grabs, air attacks, etc) have a plethora to choose from:
Taunts:
Side: Poses as if ready for battle and says one of several phrases, ie: "I see. . . , Let's get sweaty!, Have you seen any sailors?"
Up: Drinks a soda
Down: Bends down to pet a cat
Classic Mode examples:
Luigi = Fuku-san (friend and sparring partner)
Multiple Dark Pits = The Mad Angels biker gang
Green-colored Ganondorf = Lan Di
Stage:
Something by the docks--perhaps fighting atop a crane, so that the camera can pan and we can see the beautiful areas of Yokosuka.
Music:
Yes--any and everything (especially the Tomato Store song).
Is there hope?
Oh, absolutely. Hey, if there's one important piece in all of this, Sakurai encouraged Sega to re-release the Sega Ages collection on Switch, which featured some of Yu Suzuki's most iconic games in Space Harrier and Virtua Racing. Sakurai is no doubt a fan of Suzuki's work.
Additionally, when asked if Shenmue III would be coming to Switch, Suzuki said the information was "classified." Shortly after, he interrupted the interviewer to clarify "there were no plans at this time," perhaps catching himself. There's always the possibility.
Reveal Trailer
A black screen. Slowly a dull pink petal falls from the top. Then another. Another. The theme of Shenmue starts. A voice begins to speak--Shenhua's: "He shall appear from a far eastern land across the sea. A young man who has yet to know his potential. . ." The blackness fades. A mountainside comes into focus as the camera sweeps up it, the sun setting behind. "This potential is a power that can either destroy him or realize his will." We now see Shenhua, arms outstretched. Petals fall around her. "His courage shall determine his fate." The petals of the Shenmue tree increase with the wind. The camera pans behind her, now over her head, past her fingertips, sailing over the mountain's edge. "The path he must traverse, fraught with adversity. . ." The petals thin as they sail over the sea, revealing a single, white envelope amongst them. "I wait whilst praying. . ." The screen slowly fades to black. The petsls disappear. Finally, the envelope, too.
". . .For this destiny predetermined since ancient times."
The rev of a motorcycle engine. The screen fades in again. The white envelope is lying half-off a street curb. The red wax Smash symbol can be seen. The wheel of a motorcycle pulls into frame. A hand picks it up. A familiar voice: "What's this?" The sound of the envelope opening. The camera quickly pans back to show a stoic Ryo Hazuki, looking focused--toward the direction from where the letter may have come.
RYO HAZUKI GETS SWEATY!
From there the music changes to a more action-oriented song from Shenmue. Different in-game scenes will show Ryo's moveset while hardening back to other aspects of Shenmue, such as:
-Driving a forklift into enemies, stopping at a wooden crate.
-Facing off against Ganondorf in his green outfit (Lan Di)
-Using the QTE counter on opponents who are attacking one at a time, hearing the sound effect when it connects (and lastly, when it does not).
-Ryo flying overhead on his motorcycle, and below him is Wario on his own bike.
-Crouching on the boat with Kapp'n on the Animal Crossing stage (Have you seen any sailors?)
-Breaking open a party ball (Gatcha capsules)
-Doing the elbow thrust at the same time against the Assist Trophy of Akira Yuki (Shenmue started off as a Virtua Fighter RPG)
-Posing with multiple orange clad Mii fighters in gis (monks from Shenmue II)
-Fighting with standard attacks against multiple Dark Pits (Mad Angels biker gang)
The trailer ends after Ryo's Final Smash (whatever that may be). The screen again fades to black with just a few petals falling. The Shenmue song comes back, if only lightly.
"A pitch-black night unfolds with the morning star as its only light. And thus, the saga begins..."
Against the black backdrop, in Shenmue lettering comes the scratched-in release date. The lingering piano keys from the Shenmue theme pitters out...
Conclusion
With no 5th fighter being announced alongside the Terry Bogard release, I'm hoping for a Video Game Awards reveal, which would create an immesurable amount of hype. If a game like Shenmue can garner this type of reaction from grown men...
...perhaps Ryo's venture across the sea will take a brief detour in Smash.
After an 18 year hiatus, Shenmue has returned to the gaming world with Shenmue III. Even if they never played, a lot gamers have some familiarity with what the series attempted to do by creating an open world game, melding action, adventure, and RPG genres into one unique and deeply engaging experience.
The game's protagonist--Ryo Hazuki--has endeared himself to Sega fans since the game's release in 1999. Ryo is the epitome of a man--calm, cool, collected, and caring (but, uh, maybe a bit emotionally distant from his girlfriend).
Let's take a look how he would play in Smash--but first, I need to drink a soda, play with a cat, and collect a couple of capsule toys.
Who is Ryo?
Before the day of "the incident," Ryo Hazuki was your average 1985 Japanese high school student. His father--the owner of a dojo--was killed by the mysterious Lan-Di who was in search of a special mirror (almost taking Ryo's life in the process). Since that day, Ryo has embarked on an quest to avenge his father.
Why should he be in Smash?
This is actually why I'm reviving the thread. My first instinct was always imagine Ryo getting in because his game was "epic" or "groundbreaking." However, as Sakurai recently said in the Terry Bogard presentation, making the character "fun" is the most important thing. I think Sakurai can achieve that.
Would Nintendo fans care?
Some Nintendo fans might be fairly familiar, as Ryo appeared in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing on Wii, which sold very well on Nintendo platforms, and he appeared in 2015's Project X-Zone 2 on the 3DS. Sega has also strongly hinted that Shenmue I & II HD will come to Switch if the fan demand is there.
What should his move-set be?
Ryo's moves in the game are very much an evolution of Virtua Fighter. While a wonderful series, it doesn't lend itself much to Smash Bros. in the creative department. Ryo however, is more versatile than your standard Virtua Fighter character:
Down-special: QTE
Shenmue was the first game to implement the QTE (or "quick-time event") where you're interacting with the game during a cutscene. Similar to Shulk's "vision," Ryo's down-special/down B will appear as though he's predicting his opponent's attack. A d-pad or button will appear above his head when the move connects, and Ryu will respond with a counter-attack. The counter will have a different move relative to where the initial attack came from.
Up-special: Motorcycle Jump
Ryo breaks out his motorcycle from Shenmue (and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing) and does a diagonal recovery, as if jumping off a ramp. Ryo can leap to safety while the motorcycle can cause damage if it careens or falls on opponents.
Side-special: Forklift
Ready to start his shift, Ryo hops in his forklift, plowing into opponents, causing horizontal knockback If timed just right while pressing B, Ryo can use the forklift's prongs to send the opponent vertically for an even stronger attack.
Neutral-special: Tetsuzankou
Shenmue started off as "Virtua Fighter RPG." The game and Ryo pays homage to the series with Akira Yuki's famous tetsuzankou thrust (just like the assist trophy).
Final Smash: ?
This, I'm not quite sure. There's more than meets the eye with Shenmue. I would like to be surprised with what Sakurai and Yu Suzuki (creator of Shenmue) could come up with. :)
Other moves (standard attacks, grabs, air attacks, etc) have a plethora to choose from:
Taunts:
Side: Poses as if ready for battle and says one of several phrases, ie: "I see. . . , Let's get sweaty!, Have you seen any sailors?"
Up: Drinks a soda
Down: Bends down to pet a cat
Classic Mode examples:
Luigi = Fuku-san (friend and sparring partner)
Multiple Dark Pits = The Mad Angels biker gang
Green-colored Ganondorf = Lan Di
Stage:
Something by the docks--perhaps fighting atop a crane, so that the camera can pan and we can see the beautiful areas of Yokosuka.
Music:
Yes--any and everything (especially the Tomato Store song).
Is there hope?
Oh, absolutely. Hey, if there's one important piece in all of this, Sakurai encouraged Sega to re-release the Sega Ages collection on Switch, which featured some of Yu Suzuki's most iconic games in Space Harrier and Virtua Racing. Sakurai is no doubt a fan of Suzuki's work.
Additionally, when asked if Shenmue III would be coming to Switch, Suzuki said the information was "classified." Shortly after, he interrupted the interviewer to clarify "there were no plans at this time," perhaps catching himself. There's always the possibility.
Reveal Trailer
A black screen. Slowly a dull pink petal falls from the top. Then another. Another. The theme of Shenmue starts. A voice begins to speak--Shenhua's: "He shall appear from a far eastern land across the sea. A young man who has yet to know his potential. . ." The blackness fades. A mountainside comes into focus as the camera sweeps up it, the sun setting behind. "This potential is a power that can either destroy him or realize his will." We now see Shenhua, arms outstretched. Petals fall around her. "His courage shall determine his fate." The petals of the Shenmue tree increase with the wind. The camera pans behind her, now over her head, past her fingertips, sailing over the mountain's edge. "The path he must traverse, fraught with adversity. . ." The petals thin as they sail over the sea, revealing a single, white envelope amongst them. "I wait whilst praying. . ." The screen slowly fades to black. The petsls disappear. Finally, the envelope, too.
". . .For this destiny predetermined since ancient times."
The rev of a motorcycle engine. The screen fades in again. The white envelope is lying half-off a street curb. The red wax Smash symbol can be seen. The wheel of a motorcycle pulls into frame. A hand picks it up. A familiar voice: "What's this?" The sound of the envelope opening. The camera quickly pans back to show a stoic Ryo Hazuki, looking focused--toward the direction from where the letter may have come.
RYO HAZUKI GETS SWEATY!
From there the music changes to a more action-oriented song from Shenmue. Different in-game scenes will show Ryo's moveset while hardening back to other aspects of Shenmue, such as:
-Driving a forklift into enemies, stopping at a wooden crate.
-Facing off against Ganondorf in his green outfit (Lan Di)
-Using the QTE counter on opponents who are attacking one at a time, hearing the sound effect when it connects (and lastly, when it does not).
-Ryo flying overhead on his motorcycle, and below him is Wario on his own bike.
-Crouching on the boat with Kapp'n on the Animal Crossing stage (Have you seen any sailors?)
-Breaking open a party ball (Gatcha capsules)
-Doing the elbow thrust at the same time against the Assist Trophy of Akira Yuki (Shenmue started off as a Virtua Fighter RPG)
-Posing with multiple orange clad Mii fighters in gis (monks from Shenmue II)
-Fighting with standard attacks against multiple Dark Pits (Mad Angels biker gang)
The trailer ends after Ryo's Final Smash (whatever that may be). The screen again fades to black with just a few petals falling. The Shenmue song comes back, if only lightly.
"A pitch-black night unfolds with the morning star as its only light. And thus, the saga begins..."
Against the black backdrop, in Shenmue lettering comes the scratched-in release date. The lingering piano keys from the Shenmue theme pitters out...
Conclusion
With no 5th fighter being announced alongside the Terry Bogard release, I'm hoping for a Video Game Awards reveal, which would create an immesurable amount of hype. If a game like Shenmue can garner this type of reaction from grown men...
...perhaps Ryo's venture across the sea will take a brief detour in Smash.
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