Hope, love and fitness
Like I was saying to the creators of Pocket Rumble, the minutia is what will make or break a fighting game. All the little moment-to-moment experiences in a given round of combat have to come together to create a vast psychological landscape. That big picture is easy to take for granted unless you take the time to pick it apart now and again.
For instance, winning or losing a fight doesn’t have to be about how the game defines victory. The player can define victory on their own terms if they choose to. Using the old Dan/Servbot/Amingo team in Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and knocking just one of the opponent’s characters out of the match is the peak of competitive fighting game majesty for some. For others, taking on all comers with Pichu and surviving a three-minute battle in Super Smash Bros. Melee is the zenith of videogame achievement. Setting a goal and reaching it. That’s what winning is all about, regardless of how the game or anyone else judges you.
Maybe the Wii Fit Trainer’s unorthodox crawl animation in Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U will become the next great disrespectful fighting game handicap. Doing a quick set of push-ups while in the middle of a super-powered combat scenario really sends a message. It’s a message about priorities, about how seriously you take your opponent, and the importance of doing whatever the heck you want. It’s beautiful. So beautiful that I had to write a song about it.
Thanks Leonard Nimoy!
