Today's character is always looking for a fight, but he's not a jerk. He's homeless, but he's been around the world. And with no job, no home, and a penchant for fighting, you'd think that today's character was Jim-Jam, the homeless drunken clown, hut he's not. He's a world warrior, and the standard by which all other fighters are judged. His name is


Ryu!

Whether you pronounce it ree-OOH or Rye-YOU, one fact is indisputible. Ryu is a butt-kicking machine! His move set should be pretty obvious to any Street Fighter 2 fan.

B: Hadoken - Ryu channels some kind of kung fu magic into his hands that manifests itself as a flameless fireball by chanting the magic word "Hadoken"! Actually, I have no idea how it works (hamsters?), but it will hit for a maximum of 9% damage.
< or >B: Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku - Also known as the tornado kick, Ryu will leap into the air in the direction he's facing when this move is used, spinning one leg, while the other gets ready to land. This move is good for closing the gap between you and your opponent. If you're caught in this crushing tornado of bare feet, you'll be hit for a maximum of 4% damage per hit, for a maximum of 4 hits.
^B: Shoryuken - You'll have to defeat his "Dragon Punch" if you want to beat Ryu! This move will send Ryu into a leaping, vertical uppercut that will do a maximum of 20% damage. On top of this being one of Ryu's strongest moves, it's also his recovery move.
vB: Counter-attack - This a reactive move that Ryu uses to counter his opponent's attacks. Ryu will put his blocking hand forward to swat away the opponents attack, before hitting them for a maximum of 16% damage.
Final Smash: Shinku Hadoken - Ryu has charged up his fighter's gauge all the way... he's ready to unleash the Shinku Hadoken! This move is similar to Mario's Final Smash, in that it's a big projectile that stretches across the screen. Unlike Mario's move, though, this fireball is a little smaller from top to bottom, but it hits anyone unlucky enough to catch the full blast for a maximum of 67% damage! What else would you expect from the world's ultimate fighter?

Ryu's Stage:


Ryu's stage is based on one of his usual haunts... a back alley in a small town in Japan. This town is big enough so that no one really notices Ryu, but not so big that he's always running into trouble. You can battle in the alleyway, in front of the buildings, and you can even battle on the window ledges, roofs, or on top of the parked car!

Hazards:
A bucket full of soapy water will sometimes come out of the window of the building on the left hand side, and hit the ground in about the middle of the play field. This will make the main platform slippery to be on! The parked car on the main platform also explodes (dealing a maximum of 18% damage) if it takes too much damage. Try to use this hazard to your advantage!

Ryu is a good candidate to represent Capcom in Super Smash Bros. Brawl if Mega Man won't be in there. His move set from the Street Fighter series carries over well, and everyone has played Street Fighter 2, so he would be easily recognizable. The only real strike I can see against Ryu is that he's too real. He's a warrior determined to be the best through training and hard work... not a race car driver from the future, or a one man army, or a bounty hunter in a space suit, or a little boy with psychic powers. He's just a man that fights, and that may put him a little out of place in the world of Super Smash Bros... However, he's not graphically brutal like some other fighting games, and as I said before, he is immensely popular. Ryu would be a welcome addition to the roster in my book!

Come back tomorrow for more rampant, unfounded speculation as I count down the days until the US release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl!

As always, if you've missed any of the old updates due to the holiday season (or just want to go back and read or discuss about your favorite predictions) then just go here. I'll keep the links current, so you can bookmark the page and check back later for any updates.