Smash Bros. Brawl to include Nintendogs, Hammer Bros. and Samurai Goro as items

by Justin McElroy { Jul 2nd 2007 at 8:31AM }

In an answer to (somebody's) prayers, F-Zero pilot Samurai Goro was confirmed to be in Smash Bros. Brawl by the game's official blog. However, don't expect to be playing as the hulking mound of muscle and tiny sunglasses. He's one of the first characters who'll be summoned up by "Assist Trophies," which you can read more about here.

Also confirmed to be locked away in the glass domes (we assume there are air holes) are one of the Hammer Bros. and a Nintendog. While we think it's great to include some ham 'n' eggers in the mix for a single attack without having to fully flesh them out, we'll reserve judgement until they stuff Tingle into one of those things.

Read -- Samurai Goro
Read -- Assist Trophies

[Thanks, Ben]

Tags: smashbros, ssbb

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Alex @ Jul 2nd 2007 8:40AM

This is honestly the best announcement so far by a pretty wide margin (if, um, you exclude the one about Gamecube controllers definitely working, because that's not so much about gameplay as it is cheap people (hi) and besides we already knew that). First week playing this will undoubtedly result in much "oh wow it's Toad!" which is about as franchise-fresh as we could hope for.

rockintom @ Jul 2nd 2007 8:51AM

But... A Hammer Brother would make an *awesome* character anyway :(

hvnlysoldr @ Jul 2nd 2007 8:53AM

We want as many 3rd party and obscure 1st party characters as possible. The characters no longer need any movesets or nearly as much balancing. Also it would be cheaper licensing and easier to take out than playable characters.

Kye @ Jul 2nd 2007 9:02AM

How weird, I was reading this on the Nintendo website this morning and wondering when Joystiq would post this news.

Also, Joystiq, you will be able to buy Wii points using your Club Nintendo star points... eventually.

Dman @ Jul 2nd 2007 9:34AM

Still waiting for Sonic and other Sega characters to be included...

BopBop @ Jul 2nd 2007 9:43AM

pokeballs

Jim @ Jul 2nd 2007 9:47AM

This is a fine idea - it'll allow for a TON of characters to suit everyone.

rabidkeebler @ Jul 2nd 2007 9:49AM

and here I was hoping for nintendog to be a playable character.

samfish @ Jul 2nd 2007 9:52AM

I want Tingle as a playable character. That would be frighteningly awesome.

jay @ Jul 2nd 2007 9:53AM

I'm now at a stage where I don't care what news they give us. Smash Bros Brawl is going to own. Everything. Even the DS.

I wonder how long they can keep this site up though? Theres only so much information they can give us. I'm expecting them to either drop this format in a few months or just release the game.

kingofwale @ Jul 2nd 2007 10:10AM

>I wonder how long they can keep this site up though?

Do NOT ever doubt Nintendo's ability to milk a game, just as Mr Mario.

hvnlysoldr @ Jul 2nd 2007 10:11AM

It's The Mario punk.

megaStryke @ Jul 2nd 2007 10:11AM

@jay

Owning the other consoles and handhelds is not enough. SSBB needs to own the UNIVERSE if it really wants to turn my head. In order to do that, it should allow me to travel at light speed and it should give me oral pleasure whenever I want. Then, and ONLY then, will I claim that it owns everything.

hvnlysoldr @ Jul 2nd 2007 10:16AM

That's next Monday's update.

megaStryke @ Jul 2nd 2007 10:19AM

Awesome. I can't wait.

Jonathan Tran @ Jul 2nd 2007 10:28AM

All I need to say is,

when they announce Sonic, there will be 300 posts here.

Also, the internet will crash due to sheer panic.

I say when and not if because from a business standpoint:

Not announcing sonic: 3 million sold
sonic is in the game: every person who was a child in the mid 90s will buy a wii just to fight sonic vs mario. wii install base becomes 100 million overnight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyXUVd2c83c

Ytoabn @ Jul 2nd 2007 10:30AM

@Jay

Think of it this way, we current have 11 characters officially announced, I think the bare minimum characters they will have is 20.

So, for each of those characters, they have, their introduction, then revealing two of their B-moves, then two more of their B-moves. So that's 3 updates per character, or 60 potential updates total. Then there are 20 more updates, one for each item potentially. Then about 20 more updates for each stage. Then 25 more updates for each song. Then probably 10 updates for things like online, menus, and how to control the basics of a character.

60 + 20 + 20 + 25 + 10 = 135 updates at this rate.
6 months till December (and it will definitely release before then). If they do 20 updates a month, then that's 120 updates till X-mas.

In other words, they will probably have extra updates to keep it going for a month or two after SSB:B releases.

vidGuy @ Jul 2nd 2007 10:41AM

I wish they didn't feature characters from Melee in their own updates - it's nice to know they are returning, but seeing "oh, Zelda's back" isn't very exciting compared to Snake and the inevitable Sonic announcements.

I'm hoping this makes a Holidays release with SMG coming out in early Spring 08. At least that's what I see happening.

This update is cool but it seems like glorified pokeballs to me. I was more excited to see that not only can we use any of the available controllers we want, we can also customize the button configuration. That makes the game unbelieveably better.

bm @ Jul 2nd 2007 10:46AM

":I wish they didn't feature characters from Melee in their own updates - it's nice to know they are returning, but seeing "oh, Zelda's back" isn't very exciting compared to Snake and the inevitable Sonic announcements."

Look, guy. You and others complaining about "useless updates". It's a goddamn blog. You get something every single day. Do you seriously expect them to announce earth shattering news every time?

Mike @ Jul 2nd 2007 11:52AM

It's basiclly Pokeballs for people. And puppys that can calm your mental state. And I don't think sonics coming...

Jonathan Tran @ Jul 2nd 2007 10:52AM

@19

The thing is, they haven't announced ANY earth shattering news, aside from the contol flexibility.

Holy crap you mean pikachu is in this game? wtf??!?

Well at least the slow already known chars show off the kewl graphix

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyXUVd2c83c

GodisaMyth @ Jul 2nd 2007 11:11AM

Could someone explain to me why this is a big deal?
I just do not get most Nintendo fanboys...what makes this game so much fun?

I am not trying to flame I am just looking for answers.

I grew out of Nintendo back in High School. (I am not saying that you cannot be a mature adult and like Nintendo)

What keeps you coming back when the bulk of the games include some cute furry creature that you land on with your butt and they mysteriously disappear?

Why do you like Mario so much?

If anyone can shed some light on this for me please do.

Bring on E3!!!

FermitTheKrog @ Jul 2nd 2007 11:19AM

GodisaMyth:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fun

Jonathan Tran @ Jul 2nd 2007 11:19AM

@21

Have you played any SSB?

The main reason it is fun is that, unlike most fighting games:

1. It's up to 4 players
2. One of those "easy to learn, difficult to master" games
3. You can change item settings to make the game as serious or as ridiculous as you want.
4. There is no KO/dying limit, the whole point is to just build up ridiculous damage on your enemies and then slam them into outer space. It is in many ways more gratifying than to just see your opponent pass out, to see them quivering at 300% damage knowing the next uppercut is going to put them in orbit!

megaStryke @ Jul 2nd 2007 11:39AM

@GodisaMyth

"Welcome to Corneria."

BenjaminBreeg @ Jul 2nd 2007 11:45AM

Its kind of dissappointing, as every time you see a cool assist character, youre gonna wish he was actually playable. But at least theyre in the game in some form.

jay @ Jul 2nd 2007 11:53AM

Ah, my mind is at ease. I also hope they don't give us some major spoilers before the launch. I'd like to find out some things for myself.

Re: Sonic. I just can't see him turning up for Brawl. I can imagine Streets of Rage folk or the NiGHTS chap, I just don't feel like Sonic would fit in well. Just a gut feeling is all. I still think the musicians list and their previous works mentioned on the site have loaded with clues of new fighters.

And 21- because Smash Bros is just amazing. I didn't grow out of Nintendo throughout school, college or university. Infact it was that very game that glued together the multiplayer party games throughout. Halo, Mario Kart, F-Zero all subsided at one point but Smash Bros Melee was always there.

Paviel @ Jul 2nd 2007 11:53AM

"I grew out of Nintendo back in High School. (I am not saying that you cannot be a mature adult and like Nintendo)"

So did I.

Actually, I stopped playing Nintendo games about a year before I started high school. Then, when I was in college, I realized that Zelda is still awesome.

In other words, it isn't just Mario. There are about 24 other characters in Super Smash Brothers Melee, and I've heard that there will be even more in Brawl.

smartguy1600 @ Jul 2nd 2007 12:21PM

I'm wondering if they realize how much backlash will be caused by NOT putting Sonic into the game. I think with games like the Mario/Sonic Olympic game tie-in and an actually decent Sonic game on Wii will help cement some sort of deal to put Sonic in the game. He has enough unique moves and abilities that it could be possible. As an Up+B move I think it would be cool for tales to fly in and catch him, lifting him up in the air.

But anyway, I think this new item is really just kind of pokeballs + obscure characters, but still a fun little thing. It would be great to launch of craploads of these like pokemon can be.

javelin7 @ Jul 2nd 2007 12:59PM

Maybe you can unlock them somehow and they can be playable once you "finish" the game.

Kizzle @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:33PM

Piss on Nintendo for using the name "Goro" and NOT having it be the 4-armed boss from Mortal Kombat.

Naota @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:32PM

maybe they'll add the rest of the Earthbound cast?

Phazon @ Jul 2nd 2007 4:00PM

I think this is awesome news. I'm not even a pokemon fan, but I loved the pokeballs in SSBM, so I can't wait for these assist trophy things. I think it would be great though if they allowed your assist trophy characters to fight other peoples assist trophy characters or there pokemon.

Mr Khan @ Jul 2nd 2007 4:11PM

@ naota

That begs to occur, the other EarthBound characters, and Ridley (also Doshin the Giant)

This really came out of left field, though, and will be a good way to include all the 1st party characters that would be too obscure to include as proper characters

Smash Bros does have the mystique of always being fun, too. The game has remained popular amongst my circle of friends for the past 6 years running

bm @ Jul 2nd 2007 5:12PM

"Could someone explain to me why this is a big deal?
I just do not get most Nintendo fanboys...what makes this game so much fun?

I am not trying to flame I am just looking for answers.

I grew out of Nintendo back in High School. (I am not saying that you cannot be a mature adult and like Nintendo)

What keeps you coming back when the bulk of the games include some cute furry creature that you land on with your butt and they mysteriously disappear?

Why do you like Mario so much?

If anyone can shed some light on this for me please do.

Bring on E3!!!"

I'll shed some light onto it for you.

When you "grew out of Nintendo" in high school, you entered the stage of early puberty. You know, the stage where you don't want to watch Bugs Bunny cartoons anymore, because that stuff is for kids. You want to watch He-Man now.

Then later, you actually "grow up", the fog clears from your brain, and you stop caring about retarded shit like that. And you see those old cartoons for what they actually are: awesome.

You are in that stage. Right now you're wondering "what keeps people coming back when the bulk of the games include some cute furry creature that you land on with your butt and they mysteriously disappear". But don't worry, one day you're going to become an adult and you'll get over that, like any normal person.

Oh, I know what you're going to say. "BUT I'm 35 years old you dumbface!" Well, it's ok. Some people get a little stuck in their preteen phase for a few years. Just hope you'll grow out of it soon.

Espeon @ Jul 13th 2007 7:44AM

Oh great! I can't wait until it comes out, and I show my cousin what can come out of an assist trophy. She likes calling Dr. Wright "Butthead" because of his hair. I'll be laughing for five minutes at her reaction!

BTW, for the people saying they "grew out" of it, I have but one thing to say: You're missing ENDLESS hours of fun! I still have a blast with SSBM, so I KNOW the next system will give me countless weeks of nonstop fun!