August 4, 2021|

Filed under: Featured, Guest Article, History, Speculation, Super Smash Bros. Series, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Dream Smasher: Ash & Sue (Guest Article)

This guest Dream Smasher was created by @EchoSaefir on Twitter, and thanks to Cart Boy for help with edits.

The Phantasy Star series is one of SEGA’s longest running, yet most underrated franchises. Having started as a series of role-playing games on the SEGA Master System, the brand has changed a lot over the years. Unlike other RPGs of its era, Phantasy Star features a science fiction world, mixing elements of interplanetary travel and aesthetics of more traditional fantasy. The series saw moderate success in its infancy, but upon making its way to the SEGA Dreamcast, everything changed. Phantasy Star Online, a name that is synonymous with early online experiences for many, marked a paradigm shift and gave players a glimpse into the future of gaming. As its name implies, PSO was not exclusively a single-player experience. It proudly boasted online multiplayer functionality, a then-nascent concept for this medium. Additionally, Online featured action-RPG gameplay instead of classic Phantasy Star’s more traditional RPG elements. The PSO series lasted for years as the de facto SEGA RPG in people’s minds. 2006’s Phantasy Star Universe released to less overall praise than the previous entries, but was the series’ first proper massively multiplayer online game. In 2012, Phantasy Star Online 2 came out and quickly became one of SEGA’s highest grossing games…in Asia, that is. Following PSO2’s reveal, SEGA announced plans to bring it to the rest of the world. Plans that, for one reason or another, weren’t able to materialize until 2020, when SEGA finally brought it to America in collaboration with Microsoft. A rousing success, this game has had a remarkably long lifespan, celebrating its tenth anniversary next year. And it’s inspired several spin-offs, two tie-in anime series, a stage play, and a manga. These types of expansions into other media hadn’t happened since the original Phantasy Star games. Proving its worth even further, PSO2 got a sequel that was released worldwide on June 9th, 2021, dubbed Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis. So, since the franchise is enjoying a renaissance, what better time to bring some of the most iconic faces in MMO history to Super Smash Bros. than now?

Who are Ash & Sue?

Ash and Sue are, through several timelines and universes, the default Male Human Hunter and Female Newman Hunter/Fighter, respectively, in the PSO games. In the original PSO, aside from being templates for the HUmarl and HUnewearl classes (HU referring to their playstyle, Hunter, and marl/newearl referring to their race, huMAn/NEWman), they also appear as NPCs in the story, with Ash being the driving force behind the tutorial mission. While neither of them appear as characters in the PSU games (The leading role is instead given to the one and only non-player generated protagonist in the PSO series, Ethan Waber), they returned for PSO2 as default appearances for the Male Human Hunter and Female Newman Fighter, respectively. While they don’t act as formal characters in the story, the two of them often appear in the game’s animated intros and several promotional materials. In New Genesis, the protagonist is a Meteorn, a person who falls in a capsule from the sky onto planet Halpha. Most of these mysterious people arrive without memories, and join the forces of ARKS to defend Halpha from a threat known as DOLLS, ancient mechanical creatures who’ve threatened the planet for centuries. In the story, the protagonist arrives on a small island and meets Aina, a fifteen-year-old girl who is an ARKS in Training. Ash and Sue are once again templates in New Genesis, instead of proper characters. However, both again appear in its intro and some promotional materials, even sporting spiffy redesigns.

Ash also appears as an actual character in PSO2: Episode Oracle, a 2019 anime that vaguely adapts the PSO2’s story’s first three episodes. This version of Ash differs quite a bit from how the protagonist is treated in the game, as Ash in this version actually has personality traits, instead of being treated as a simple avatar that represents the player. He’s shown to be determined and steadfast, while not unemotional. He cares deeply about his friends, most notably the amnesiac Matoi, who appears out of thin air during Ash’s training mission and somehow knows his name. Ash takes on the role of her protector throughout the series, while also making friends with other ARKS Operatives and going on missions to destroy the looming presence of ARKS’ enemies: The Falspawn and their leaders, the Dark Falz. While Sue does appear in the first episode of the series, her appearance is short-lived. However, she is nevertheless a fan favorite in the franchise.

Importance to Nintendo/Series

Despite the revival’s newfound association with Microsoft, the original Phantasy Star Online, alongside a story expansion, was famously released first on the GameCube back in 2002 as Phantasy Star Online: Episode I & II after SEGA left the console market. Of course, the game was ported to the Xbox in 2003, which was notable for being the first modern console to feature widespread online multiplayer courtesy of Xbox Live. The GameCube was far from reaching that technology and was thus not seen as the ideal console for PSO. Despite this, PSO Episode I & II enjoyed a period of exclusivity on the Nintendo console, requiring a broadband adapter, and leading to the advent of the infamous keyboard controller in Japan. This version is considered to be the best way to play PSO Episode I & II nowadays. Additionally, Phantasy Star Online Episode III was a GameCube exclusive and Phantasy Star 0 a DS exclusive, cementing SEGA’s trust in the Nintendo platform. In fact, Nintendo and SEGA even collaborated together on the franchise; PS0 scored a handful of items based on Nintendo franchises, such as Super Mario-themed weapons.

Although no part of the Phantasy Star Universe series released on Nintendo platforms, Phantasy Star Online 2 did grace the Switch in 2018 through its release as Phantasy Star Online 2 Cloud in Asian territories. And Nintendo and SEGA’s collaborative relationship continues, with the game’s Switch iteration nabbing cosmetics and weapons lifted from The Legend of Zelda’s Link, which can be obtained through special in-game quests. As of today, the Switch version of the game has not been released outside of Asia. However, as a cloud version of PSO2: New Genesis has already been announced in Asia for Nintendo Switch, it seems like a matter of time before we see both games reach the handheld in the West, especially now that the initial exclusivity period for PSO2 on Xbox consoles has expired.

Colors & Design

Naturally, Ash and Sue suffer from a challenge akin to that of Steve, Inkling, and Villager: customizability. The PSO series, much like the franchises from which the aforementioned characters originate, prides itself in its immense customizability, with PSO2 alone boasting one of the most robust character creation tools in the medium – seriously, there are thousands of available outfits. This means that there are hundreds, if not thousands of customization options across the series that Ash and Sue could feasibly use. For their appearance in Smash, they would probably wear their default outfits from PSO2 for their default appearances, with Ash wearing a black, armoured bodysuit with a bright orange shoulder pad on his left arm. Meanwhile, Sue would bring a toned down version of her outfit, which features purple, armoured arm and leg coverings, as well as shirt and shorts connected by a pair of suspenders. Furthermore, each of them could bring an outfit from a different PSO entry for their alternate appearances.

As for their PSO outfits, Ash would don a different hairstyle and a red and orange outfit with black accents, while Sue’s outfit would be a black and red crop top and shorts combo with long black boots. In their outfits hailing from the Gurhal System, the PSU series’ setting, Ash would wear a short sleeved red, blue and white shirt, grey shorts with stripes, green gloves, and green shoes. Sue, however, would be wearing black robes with a purple flower pattern. Finally, their outfits while on the planet Halpha from the upcoming PSO2 New Genesis have Ash wearing a highly technological white suit of armor with the left arm being completely black. Sue, then, sports a unique hairstyle, a black bodysuit with white armored boots, and a white jacket with purple accents. Additionally, each set of armor would feature a different design for their Mag (small machine companions who aid player characters in every iteration of the PSO games), which would be based on the default appearance of a Mag in each game, as well as the default versions of the weaponry that the characters use in each respective game.

How Would They Play?

Now, let’s have a look at some stats:

Can they crawl? No
Can they wall jump? No
How many jumps do they have? 2
Are there any exclusive abilities they have*? Yes
Weight Class: D+
Height Class: C+
Speed Class: B
Are they mirrored when they face left? Yes

*Like Peach’s float

For clarity’s sake, I’ll only be referring to Ash moving forward, but be sure that all details I’m about to mention apply to Sue as well. Ash’s moveset is very combo-centric, a choice that comes from the more modern PSO games, namely PSO2 and New Genesis (abbreviated as NGS). Ash focuses on linking hits together and keeping opponents nearby to deal as much damage as possible. He can move from the ground to the air to continue combos seamlessly and has tools that allow him to chain as many moves as possible together. One of his main unique tools is his jabs. Yes, plural. His neutral attack and neutral aerial are a single set of jabs, much like Bayonetta, but his neutral special is also another set of jabs. Known as Normal and Heavy Attacks respectively, these jabs can be used interchangeably, meaning that you can, for instance, start a jab by pressing the A button, then press the B button to continue, and finally finish it by pressing the A Button again. The Normal Attacks deal low damage and knockback, while the Heavy Attacks deal higher damage and knockback. Combo these moves alongside the rest of your moveset to deal extraordinary amounts of damage! While this mechanic is wonderful for easy combos, these moves alone won’t earn Ash the victory. And their usage is rather limited on their own.

This is where the rest of his moves come into play. Ash’s normal moves are versatile, just like a PSO player. He uses a combination of three iconic PSO Hunter weapons: the Sword, the Double Saber, and the Partisan, a type of Naginata. Ash works with these three weapons in order to capitalize on his combo-centric moveset. These moves wouldn’t be complete without his specials either. Outside of his Heavy Attack, Ash has access to three other moves that can turn the tide of battle: a dodge roll, an ice projectile (a defensive barrier) and a trusty sword swing that launches his opponents into the air to start combos and can be charged in order to become a powerful kill move. Ash has a wide array of mid to long range tools that can make him a combo machine without comparison, though to compensate for this, Ash is easily damaged. He’s on the lighter end of the spectrum and can be finished off quickly if he’s not careful. So, be sure to keep your distance, while being proactive to chain combos as much as you can!

Boxing Ring Title: “Oracle’s Best Hope” / ”Hunting Pioneer” / ”Guardian of the Universe” / ”Meteorn without Memory”


Series Icon	Stock Icon	Kirby Hat

Move Type

Description

On-Screen Appearance:

Ash teleports onto the stage through a Telepipe.

Stance:

Ash stands slightly hunched over while holding the Sword.

Idle Animation #1:

Ash opens his holographic interface (meant to be interpreted as PSO2’s UI), moves a couple of things around, then closes it.

Idle Animation #2:

Ash unequips his Sword and looks around the battlefield for a second, before equipping his Sword again.

Walk:

Ash moves slowly but carefully, as if he’s looking out for a monster.

Dash: Photon Dash

A new move from PSO2 NGS, Ash unequips his Sword and sprints as Photon Energy surrounds his body.

Jump:

Both of Ash’s jumps look exactly the same. He raises his arms slightly as he rises from a very mild jump.

Damage Animation:

Ash holds onto his sword with one hand while leaning back, receiving the full hit with his body. His face instinctively scrunches up.

Crouch:

Ash goes on one knee while quickly equipping the Double Saber.

Shield:

Ash guards his body with his sword by putting it in front of him at a diagonally down angle. The animation references the counter animation in PSO, which is more noticeable when parrying an attack.

Neutral Attack: Normal Attack

For this three hit attack, Ash swings the sword from right to left, then from left to right before finishing the attack with a 360° spin attack. Each of the attacks need to be inputted by hitting the button consecutively.

Forward Tilt:

Ash slashes with the sword from high to low, referencing one of his fights with [Persona] in Episode Oracle.

Down Tilt:

Ash swings one blade of the Double Saber close to the ground. Pressing the button again yields a follow up attack that makes Ash swing the other blade upwards, allowing this move to become a combo starter.

Up Tilt:

Ash drags the Partisan through the floor then raises it up.

Dash Attack: Photon Dash Attack

While running, Ash pulls out his Sword and slashes forward in a large arc. The slash deals a lot of damage, making it a fantastic kill move.

Forward Smash:

Ash charges his Sword forward while at his side, then releases the charge by dashing forward and stabbing it straight forward.

Up Smash:

Ash charges up with the Partisan equipped and pointed upwards, after which he stabs it above him. Similar to Sephiroth’s Up Tilt.

Down Smash: Waylay Drop

Ash charges the Double Saber while crouching. When he’s done, he’ll jump into the air, and slam the higher blade straight back down.

Neutral Aerial: Normal Attack

For this three hit attack, Ash swings the sword from low to high, then from left to right and finishes the attack with a 360° spin attack. Each of the attacks needs to be inputted by hitting the button consecutively.

Down Aerial:

Ash slams the Sword into the ground, with himself in tow (which can spike foes). If the move hits the ground, Ash bounces off, but it’s dangerous off stage.

Forward Aerial: Tornado Dance

Ash essentially turns into a drill, twirling in the air while holding the Double Saber.

Back Aerial:

Ash stabs the Partisan directly behind him while looking back, exhibiting an impressive amount of range.

Up Aerial:

Ash slashes with his Sword above his head. The move is very simple and straight to the point, but is one of Ash’s slower and stronger moves. Similar to Marth’s Up Aerial.

Grab:

Ash unequips his weapon and grabs the opponent with both hands.

Pummel:

The Mag releases a Foie charge. While it’s a slow pummel, it’s the most damaging in the entire roster.

Forward Throw:

Ash kicks the opponent forward, equips the Sword, and stabs forward. The first part of the move resembles Link’s Forward Throw.

Up Throw: Impact Rise

Ash slams the opponent with the hilt of the Partisan, then slashes upward with the blade.

Down Throw:

A Rappy comes out of nowhere, stomping the opponent as Ash steps back, as the dust settles, the opponent is buried in the ground.

Back Throw:

Ash releases the opponent, then skewers them with the Partisan and spins them backwards.

Neutral Special: Heavy Attack

Ash swings the sword diagonally downwards from right to left, then spins it from left to right and finishes with a swipe from low to high. Each of the attacks has to be inputted by hitting the button consecutively. Different from the Normal Attacks, these attacks all have a small charge period before they are executed.

Side Special: Grapple Kick

Ash uses the Wired Lance, a set of extending blades, to hook onto an opponent and propel himself toward them before delivering a devastating kick that sends the opponent flying away from Ash.

Up Special: Rising Edge / Spiral Edge

Ash does a rising slash with his Sword that takes him along for the ride. Since Ash rises while dealing damage, this move is an excellent combo starter, and a move that is pivotal to his gameplan.

If you hold down the Button, Ash charges the attack, transforming it into PSO2 NGS’ Spiral Edge. Ash rises while spinning his sword around him. This attack deals massive damage and, instead of acting like a combo starter, is a fantastic kill move, particularly if the final hit of the attack connects as it deals a lot of knockback. The recovery property of the move also gets an upgrade, as Ash rises higher than with Rising Edge.

Down Special: Hunter Physique

Ash creates an energy shield around him for a second. This shield absorbs any knockback that a move might inflict on Ash, and reverses it at a lower rate against the opponent, opening them up for a combo. The shield only works on knockback though, as it won’t defend you from actual damage. Hunter’s Physique is a useful tool for reversing the tides of battle, but it has a catch. After you use it, a long cooldown period is initiated. This cooldown is, initially, thirty seconds long, but it can be lowered by connecting hits on your opponents. So, you’ll need to connect combos from it in order to be able to use it again quickly. If you lose a stock while the cooldown is active, the cooldown is reset upon respawning instead.

Final Smash: Photon Blast

The Mag shoots out a charge of Megid that explodes in front of Ash. Any opponent caught in the explosion is taken to a cutscene where the Mag summons Cetus, The Unfaltering. Cetus roars, and then releases lasers from its body that strike opponents dealing massive damage, and then sends them flying.

Up Taunt:

Ash drinks a Monomate, a healing drink from the PSO games. This doesn’t actually heal him though, like Steve’s steak taunt.

Side Taunt:

Ash feeds his Mag an item, to which the Mag replies by twirling around happily in place, making Ash smile.

Down Taunt:

A Nav Rappy appears in front of Ash, which trips before running off as Ash reacts with a perplexed expression.

Victory Animation #1:

Ash slashes a couple of times forward with the Sword, then an NPC appears to his side and congratulates him. The NPC changes depending on the costume he’s wearing: Oracle/PSO2 Outfits have Matoi, Ragol/PSO Outfits have Kireek, Gurhal/PSU Outfits have Ethan and Halpha/NGS Outfits have Aina.

Victory Animation #2:

Ash falls from the sky like he was using his down air, then points his Sword forward. As the screen pans out, a couple of Rappies are in front of him and jump up excitedly, applauding his performance by singing.

Victory Animation #3:

Ash slashes boxes laying around the screen and is then seen hastily grabbing the items laying on the floor: A handful of Meseta Crystals, a Green capsule containing a Monomate, and an orange capsule containing a Saber. We know what these items are because, as Ash picks them up, text appears on-screen replicating the text that appears while grabbing items in PSO.

Victory Fanfare: There are two ways the victory fanfare for the Operatives could be handled. They could either receive a shortened version of the iconic victory theme from PSO2, or a version that loops like Cloud and Joker’s. Either way, an orchestrated remix would be in order:

Outro

Clearly, Phantasy Star Online is far from the most popular choice for a new SEGA franchise to appear in Smash. However, it’s an option that should not be overlooked. The series has had a significant impact on the gaming industry, continues to thrive, and Nintendo has taken an interest in it. Considering Smash still lacks representation of the MMO genre, there’s an abundance of potential in seeing Ash and Sue join the crossover. One could argue that there are more popular MMO titles out there like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, but none of those properties have a connection as close to Nintendo as Phantasy Star Online does. It is far from me to say that other SEGA icons are less likely than Ash and Sue, though. Arle, Sakura Shinguji, Dr. Eggman, and even AiAi are in similar situations considering their connections to Nintendo and recent releases that make them prime candidates for Smash. My point in showcasing this particular part of SEGA’s history was partially inspired by the large number of hours I’ve put into PSO2 myself, naturally, but also out of a desire to show that the obvious choice is not always the one that will get in. Of course, that is far from a bad thing. If PSO gets into Smash, and even if it doesn’t, I hope more people give the series a chance. It’d be great to see some Rookie ARKS roaming the lobbies and experiencing a series that, in many ways, shaped the MMOs that so many players love today.