Well, we wanted Super Smash Bros details and boy did we get it.
With all this new info that came out of the recent Smash Bros. Direct, it'd be weeks until
we had the full analysis ready.
We don't want that, and we KNOW you guys don't want it.
So instead, we'll be breaking them up into smaller analyses.
And who better to start with than the brand new fighter, Greninja!
So what kind of moves can we expect out of the ninja frog?
Well, let's break out the old Analysis Machine to see what secrets and hidden details we
can find in his debut trailer!
Right away, we can see that Greninja is going to be a very speedy character, matching his
ninja theme.
But he isn't just a straight copy of Sheik either as it seems like he has a greater focus
on teleportation.
The first can be seen immediately as gameplay begins with him disappearing in a cloud of
smoke.
While this could simply be a taunt, we believe that it's actually the same move that he uses
later on.
When the Wii Fit Trainer launches his Sun Salutation, Greninja dodges it by disappearing
into another cloud of smoke before striking him from behind.
At first this seems to be a counterattack, but that doesn't quite match up, mainly because
he already has a counter in the form of Substitute.
In fact, we believe that this move teleports him around the field, much like Sheik's recovery.
The difference may be that he can only use this for horizontal travel.
So while this looks like a counter, Greninja is actually teleporting behind the Wii Fit
Trainer and immediately attacking him.
As we said before, his actual counter comes in the form of Substitute.
In Pokémon, Substitute would sacrifice a small portion of the user's health to create
a doll that would take any future hits.
The doll still appears in the move and takes the hit.
But this time it seems to match up more with how ninja magic works in fiction rather than
Pokémon.
While Mario's distracted with the doll, Greninja takes the opportunity to counterattack.
The big question though is whether he will sacrifice some health when performing the
special.
The trailer also reveals his other specials.
His recovery is actually very similar to Pikachu's except that he appears to be using Hydo Pump
to propel him in different directions.
But can he only go in two directions like Pikachu or could he potentially have more?
Greninja's final special is his signature Water Shurikens.
He can simply toss out small ones to do minimal damage or block projectiles or, like many
projectile moves, the shurikens can be charged for a larger, more powerful version.
However, this one actually strikes opponents multiple times while pushing them back.
And then there's Greninja's Final Smash, which seems to be taking more from ninja lore than
Pokémon.
It seems to work like Link's or Ike's Final Smash in Brawl, where it captures an opponent
before unleashing a ton of devastating strikes.
While the move certainly looks amazing silhouetted in front of the moon, we're not sure what
Pokémon move it could be based on.
Looking at Greninja's moveset in X and Y, it could be an enhanced Night Slash and Double
Team combo since multiple Greninja's can be spotted at one time when pausing the footage.
If not, then this just may be an original move specifically for Smash Bros.
Of course, that wouldn't be the only one as Greninja's standard moves also seem to derive
influence from ninjas.
He has a multi-hit attack that sends out blades of water.
He can use his tongue to launch an opponent into the air.
And even has a water sword.
While we're not sure of the origin of this water sword, it could be a liquid version
of Night Slash.
At any rate, it can be used for mid-air strikes as well as Greninja's up smash.
This attack actually strikes with twin water swords that seem to have some slight horizontal
range too since they go beyond his body as he lowers them to his sides.
What's truly impressive though is that it knocks Fox out of his up special meaning it
has good priority.
The last of his water-based moves is actually his grab, as he wraps his opponent in water
before tossing them away.
Greninja can do more than just water moves though.
One of the most interesting is an aerial move that dives down into Yoshi.
Not only does this launch Yoshi into the air for a follow-up combo, but it seems to give
Greninja some height as well.
Perhaps it's similar to Brawl's hops?
His other moves include arm swipes, kicks, and a down smash where he sweeps his leg out.
In all, it looks like Greninja is a fighter that favors speed and mobility, striking opponents
from every angle.
His dodges reflect that too as his backwards dodge is so quick that it's essentially a
teleportation.
He even seems to have a unique falling animation as he looks to be diving through the air in
this footage.
Could he actually be able to control his speed in the air?
Or is this just how he falls?
Finally, Greninja has a playful side as well as one of his taunts create water spouts in
his hands while in another he strikes a ninja pose.
Ok, we're almost done here, but there is one more thing worth pointing out.
There's a brand new stage shown off in Grenininja's gameplay, specifically Drasna's chamber in
Pokémon X and Y, who was a member of the Elite Four.
In fact, every member's chamber could make an appearance since later on we see another
clip that takes place in the main hallway of the Pokémon League.
It looks like the stage will shift between each of the themes of the Elite Four and possibly
the Champion herself.
With the promise of certain stages including boss stage hazards, perhaps one or all of
them will send out Pokémon to fight?
And with that, we've covered all of the secrets and details that we could find in Greninja's
reveal trailer.
He looks to be a highly mobile fighter designed to throw off opponents by disappearing and
reappearing all around them.
While it's impossible to say just how strong his moves are, he seems to be an excellent
choice for players who prefer agility over everything else.
But as always, be sure to let us know if we missed anything in the comments.
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Thanks for watching and be sure to stay tuned in the coming days for more on Smash Bros.
for Wii U and 3DS and other things gaming too.