Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s got a lot of content, like its stages, music, and other features, but above all, it’s defined by its fighters. Some of the most iconic faces in gaming, first party or otherwise, have brawled under Masahiro Sakurai’s supervision, and fans are always eager to see this scope broaden. Previous installments were never without their oddities, however, a field in which the latest game falls a bit short. Melee’s Poké Floats, newcomers along the lines of R.O.B. or Duck Hunt, and so on weren’t given much attention in Ultimate, deemphasized in favor of bigger and bigger names…except for Piranha Plant.
This early-purchase bonus was welcomed by some and rebuffed by others, but regardless, it turned some heads. Did it broaden Smash’s horizons and introduce a new corner of gaming to the roster? Not at all, but it pushed the limits of what this series could craft a moveset out of, and feels like the kind of experiment you’d expect from an older entry. There’s no way to know where Smash might go from here, whenever it reappears. However, if the developers were to continue cultivating the seeds sown by Piranha Plant, here’s another product of vegetation, straight from a franchise that’s close to Super Mario in terms of renown, that’d make for a fascinating contender…
By the time Pokémon reached its third Generation, the hype was starting to die down. The original pair of regions, Kanto and Johto, weren’t meant to see any successors, but with sequels inevitably greenlit, Game Freak looked to give things a bit of a reboot. Thus, Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire’s Hoenn region introduced a vast lineup of specimens, many of which embraced the new continent’s tropical climate. And upon besting the adventure’s fifth Gym Leader, Trainers can finally set foot on Hoenn’s eastern portion and discover some exotic catches. One of the first things they’re likely to encounter is our Fruit Pokémon of interest. A Grass/Flying type, Tropius is distinguished by the fruit that grows from its neck and the massive, flight-enabling leaves on its back. These traits are all the Pokédex can disclose about the thing, actually. The banana-resembling fruit is popular with children, ripens twice a year, especially sweet in the Alola region, you get the picture. Aside from that, however, Tropius doesn’t have much background lore.
This solar-powered sauropod’s mediocrity is reflected by its career beyond Route 119, unfortunately. It’s readily obtainable in regions like Sinnoh and Paldea, but can’t serve many roles on a team that others couldn’t surpass it in. Oddly enough, though, a Shadow Tropius can be snagged in Pokémon Colosseum, a beloved spin-off that’s infamous for its dearth of potential party members. As for the Pokémon anime, where all sorts of secondary critters have gotten their time in the spotlight, Tropius only stands out in a single episode. Here, it butts heads with Ash Ketchum’s Grovyle and ultimately motivates its rival to evolve. Aside from this one-off role, Tropius sees some of the least promotion a denizen of its universe can enjoy. By and large, it’s only gotten a few trading cards, a cameo in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire’s introduction, a decent career in Pokémon GO as a regional exclusive that’s actually worth using, a spot alongside many others in New Pokémon Snap, a knockout or two in the Pokémon: Path to the Peak web series, all adding up to one of the smallest résumés in the franchise’s history.
Importance to Nintendo & Series
I’m just gonna repeat that: in a multibillion-dollar property, featuring over a thousand monsters, Tropius is among the least celebrated. There are so many ways to gain a reputation in a world as vast as Pokémon’s, but our fruit-bearing friend’s seen none of that. It debuted in a region that’s already brimming with impressive Grass and Flying types (Sceptile and Ludicolo for the former, Altaria and Salamence for the latter), it’s rarely been employed by worthwhile Trainers, it doesn’t evolve into or from anything, and even as all-new forms like Mega Evolutions and regional variants emerge to reinvent tired species, Tropius doesn’t budge.
If I could address leaks and speculation for a moment, I need to mention Tropius’s short-lived history with Pokémon Unite. Around the beginning of the year, four critters were rumored to be coming to the blossoming MOBA: Goodra, Chandelure, Inteleon, and our benchwarmer of interest. Sure enough, all but one made the cut in the following months, followed by all-stars like Mewtwo, Blaziken, and Mimikyu. Tropius is still nowhere to be seen all these months later, and it would seem the leaked Grass- and Flying-type moves that made fans consider it belonged to recent addition Leafeon the entire time. There goes Tropius’s one chance at a standout role, making this whole concept an even harder sell. But you know, it still hails from a region that has yet to provide a Smash fighter, sports an unorthodox build and movepool, and…makes for a decent HM slave, I guess? We can work with that.
Colors & Design
The only exceptional thing about Tropius might be how unexceptional it is, but in a platform fighter, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Smash already hosts a few plant-based combatants, but none of them portray the element’s serenity and vitality. This gentle giant’s not the only Pocket Monster that could represent these aspects of nature, but as a considerably large quadruped (at least, it would be one after Smash does its usual sizing up for Pokémon reps) with an extra few appendages, it could do so in a wholly unique way. Fortunately, translating its design to the crossover wouldn’t be all that complicated. Resembling an herbivorous dinosaur, Tropius is defined by the green and yellow flora adorning its brown body and growing from its back. Without any alternate forms or redesigns to speak of, bringing it over shouldn’t be any more complicated than applying similar touches to those other Pokémon like Ivysaur received. Make its leaves and fruit look as vibrant as ever, give it a friendly and carefree demeanor, distinguish it with one of the tallest frames in the game, and we’ve already got a solid base. As for Tropius’s voice, instead of doing the standard Pokémon thing and having it speak its name for all its lines, I’d lean more toward grunts and roars that somewhat take after Charizard’s.
Next, let’s talk about the colors Tropius could don on the battlefield. Overall, I’m suggesting a lineup that references its franchise’s wide assortment of Berries, as well as common plant motifs. Oh, and while we’re at it, let’s also make it so that the color of Tropius’s fruit is affected by its choice of costume. After the default palette, we’ve got blue (referencing Oran Berries), red (representing Cheri Berries), pink (alluding to both Pecha Berries and sakura blossoms), purple (like with Chesto Berries), yellow (resembling both Sitrus Berries and its Shiny form), orange (mirroring autumn leaves), and white (evoking trees in winter).
Taking a look at its base stats, Tropius seems beyond middling, but for the sake of its Smash moveset, we’ll try and make something interesting out of its affinity for Berries and harsh sunlight. Since we’ll have it throw its weight around without much urgency or devotion, it’s sure to feel weak. With an awkward frame that’ll leave it liable to catching stray hits, as well as a moveset that’s somewhat sluggish and all-around mediocre, Tropius’ll probably come across as Melee Pichu’s successor. That’s where its down special, Sunny Day, comes in, replacing most of the sauropod’s weaknesses with strengths for as long as it’s within the move’s radius. Thus, like with Villager and their Timber, Tropius needs to establish its territory and keep intruders at bay with its empowered techniques. However, foes will have no choice but to approach, as Tropius’s sunlit ground will produce one of two Berries every so often, slightly healing the first fighter to pick them up. Although self-made remedies have always been a slippery slope in Smash, restricting them to items that anyone can swipe might be enough to keep things balanced.
In reality, Tropius’s virtues don’t stop at Sunny Day. The dinosaur can’t kill as easily as others in its weight class, but it’s got plenty of unexpected tricks that’ll keep it alive and threatening. Its midair jumps and impressive up special make recovering a breeze, its long neck and leaves give its attacks plenty of range, and it’s surprisingly good at starting combos. Yeah, a self-healing camper with all these tools sounds frustrating, but that’ll make breaking through its defenses and bullying it like you would any other heavyweight all the more satisfying. Attempting to make this leisurely behemoth a decent contender might be a lost cause, but with enough bright spots, it’s sure to earn itself some devotees. Honestly, Tropius’s presence on the roster could only ever feel like a joke, but once you get past the absurdity, you’ll (hopefully) find a fighter whose charm and uniqueness deserve the recognition.
Boxing Ring Title: “The Tropical Titan”
Series Icon
Stock Icon
Kirby Hat
Move Type
Description
On-Screen Appearance
As a Safari Ball soars into view and collides with the stage, Tropius emerges from it and prepares for battle. Sure, the standard Poké Ball would work just fine, but if Byleth can use a recolored summoning circle, why can’t Tropius mix things up?
Stance
As its leaves and fruit sway in the wind, Tropius stands tall and holds its head up high.
Idle #1
Tropius looks toward its leaves and extends them in all directions, probably looking to absorb some sunlight.
Idle #2
Tropius aims its mouth toward the bunch of fruit on its neck and attempts to eat one of them, but gives up after a few half-hearted attempts.
Walk
Tropius keeps its head near its torso and leisurely stomps ahead.
Dash & Run
Tropius takes off and uses its leaves to glide forward, matching the speeds of fellow winged reptiles Charizard and Ridley.
Crouch
Tropius spreads its legs as far as they’ll go, then lowers its head and leaves to the ground.
Jump
Tropius uses its hind legs to leap off the floor with a surprising amount of grace, then flaps its leaves for its second and third jumps.
Tropius shuts its eyes and reels backward, then regains its composure.
Shield
Tropius defends itself by tucking its head inward and covering its face with its leaves, and strikes a menacing pose as if roaring upon parrying an attack.
Dodge
Tropius sidesteps by darting forward or backward with a flap from its leaves, and evades from the air by clumsily spinning in place.
Floor & Edge Attacks
Tropius gets back on its feet by rotating with its leaves outstretched, weakly repelling nearby foes. And when rising from a ledge, it performs a straightforward headbutt along the ground.
Tropius thrusts one of its leaves forward, thrusts again with another leaf, continuously slashes the two appendages with blinding speed for as long as the input’s held, then finishes with a vertical cleave from both of them. With its considerable range and damage output, this attack’s deceptively useful.
Forward Tilt:
Headbutt
Tropius reels its head back, then swings it horizontally, like a weaker version of Piranha Plant’s forward smash. Since the forward smash is somewhat specialized, keep this attack in mind when fishing for kills.
Up Tilt:
Air Cutter
Tropius hoists both leaves upward, one to its front and the other to its back, to relieve pressure from all sides. The greenery doesn’t deal much damage at all, but its reach is second to none.
Down Tilt:
Take Down
Tropius intentionally takes a fall, landing on its side as foes in its way are knocked skyward. Luckily, despite what the name would imply, this move doesn’t cause recoil damage.
Dash Attack:
Body Slam
Tropius ends its flight with a powerful belly flop, launching anyone it collides with relatively far. Moreover, the monster’s landing causes a few tremors to erupt at its front and back, flinching nearby opponents.
Forward Smash:
Magical Leaf
Tropius takes after Palutena’s forward smash, charging its leaves with verdant energy before bringing them together in front of itself. Although this move can’t kill all that well, it’s got impressive range and a windbox. Under the effects of Sunny Day, its speed and power are improved.
Up Smash:
Rain Dance
Tropius faces the camera and puts its leaves together, then dramatically fans them outward as water droplets emerge from their edges. Again, not all that strong, but the maneuver reaches far and the droplets act as a windbox. When boosted by Sunny Day, however, the droplets are replaced by a devastating rainbow!
Down Smash:
Grass Knot
Tropius raises its front legs as a sprout appears at its front and moves along the floor. The longer Tropius charges the technique, the farther the sprout travels. Upon releasing the input, Tropius puts its feet down as the sprout turns into a tangle of vines that launch unsuspecting enemies. With Sunny Day’s influence, though, the trap moves quicker and knocks victims toward Tropius, allowing for a variety of follow-ups.
Neutral Aerial:
Sweet Scent
Tropius emits a cloud of pink steam that engulfs its body, then spins in place to hit anyone nearby. As it does so, nearby airborne opponents are unwillingly drawn toward Tropius’s oscillating body. For the most part, this attack’s kinda unwieldy, but it could have some interesting uses when it comes to edgeguarding.
Forward Aerial:
Gust
Reminiscent of Charizard’s old forward aerial, Tropius claps its leaves in front of itself to swat incoming targets away and stir up a small cyclone. The tornado extends a short distance beyond the leaves, dealing negligible damage and sporting a weak windbox.
Back Aerial:
Tailwind
Tropius aims its leaves backward, then flaps them in time with a powerful kick from its back legs. The flap is weak, but propels Tropius ahead (like with Corrin’s back aerial) and blows foes slightly backward. The stubby kick, on the other hand, packs a considerable punch and is all-around one of the kit’s best kill moves.
Up Aerial:
Treetop Stretch
Tropius faces upward and extends its majestic neck, then tilts it forward and backward to bash any airborne threats. Although it’s not the strongest attack, with how far it reaches, opponents near the upper blast line ought to watch out when Tropius is nearby.
Down Aerial:
Stomp
Tropius raises all four of its legs, then forcefully kicks them downward in unison. This technique’s lack of speed and range make it hard to connect with, but when it hits its mark, it’s one of the strongest down aerials in the game. Essentially, if foes are struck by it offstage, they have next to no hope of surviving.
Grab:
Leech Seed
Tropius plants its feet, causing a glowing stem to rise from the ground in front of itself and engulf any fighter it collides with. By the way, like how Ivysaur uses its vines to handle items, Tropius simply uses its leaves.
Pummel:
Giga Drain
As the stem tightens its grip around its prisoner and deals a bit of damage, Tropius heals about half the damage its trap inflicted.
Forward Throw:
Bullet Seed
Tropius knocks its opponent into the air with a swing from its head, then sends them farther by firing a volley of seeds from its mouth. Like with Mewtwo’s forward throw, other foes in the projectiles’ path are likely to take collateral damage.
Back Throw:
U-turn
Tropius seizes its enemy with a bite, then turns around and heaves them backward. The move doesn’t hurt all that much, but it’s a solid kill throw.
Up Throw:
Aerial Ace
Tropius lobs its foe skyward and aims its sharpened leaves toward them as they fall back down, launching them when they collide with the thorns. This throw excels at killing consistently, no matter how far Tropius is from the left or right blast lines.
Down Throw:
Outrage
The stem retreats underground, but sinks its captive along with it. Suddenly, Tropius hops on top of them and viciously stomps them farther downward, releasing the foe and knocking them a short distance upward.
Neutral Special:
Solar Beam
As the special input is held, light appears from within Tropius’s mouth. Upon its release, the sauropod releases a beam of Grass-type energy that flies a short distance ahead and launches anyone in its way. The longer Tropius prepares the move, with it automatically releasing around the time Byleth’s fully charged Failnaught would, the farther it goes and the more devastating it is. Even at its lower tiers, Tropius is sure to rely on this attack for zoning or even the rare knockout. But under the effects of Sunny Day, the beam attains its full strength in half the usual time and sports greater reach.
Side Special:
Trailblaze
A shrub of Route 119’s signature tall grass rises from underneath and surrounds Tropius in an instant, allowing it to evade any attacks that come its way in that moment. Afterwards, the sauropod jumps forward and charges through anyone in its path, then uses its leaves to fly a bit farther (assuming the player doesn’t cancel the glide with a jump or attack). Great for recovering and relieving pressure, it’s among Tropius’s most reliable attacks.
Up Special:
Leaf Storm
Tropius engulfs itself in a tornado of winds and plants, then rockets a good distance upward. The typhoon takes its rider pretty high, can be angled slightly forward or backward, and drags other fighters toward it with a windbox. Moreover, nearby fighters are dealt a bit of non-flinching damage via the spinning debris. Overall, this is another fantastic part of Tropius’s recovery, but it’s too slow to help much out of shield.
Down Special:
Sunny Day
Tropius spreads its leaves as a miniature sun appears overhead and spotlights the ground to its summoner’s front and back. This area covers the length of about two Battlefield platforms, and as long as Tropius stays within its light, its frame data, launch power, and a certain few attacks are bolstered. Moreover, every five seconds, the illuminated floor spawns either an Oran Berry, healing 5% of damage, or a Sitrus Berry, healing 10%. However, each round of Sunny Day only lasts ten seconds, and like with Wii Fit Trainer’s Deep Breathing, Tropius has to wait longer to use it again each time it’s activated per stock. Since anyone can enjoy the Berries, it’s up to Tropius to ensure one of its best moves isn’t taken advantage of by intruders.
Final Smash:
Bountiful Bloom Doom
As a green aura gathers from underfoot and engulfs Tropius, it puts its leaves together and raises them skyward, emulating the Grass-type Z-Move pose. Suddenly, the aura combusts around Tropius and turns into a flower-shaped explosion that envelops about the same radius as Rosalina & Luma’s Grand Star. Anyone caught in the blast suffers a barrage of multi-hits, and is then launched directly upward as the fiery bud opens and dissipates. Moreover, the finisher leaves a few Oran and Sitrus Berries in its wake, perfect for any weary dinosaurs that happen to be nearby.
Up Taunt:
Helping Hand
A Taillow soars in from behind Tropius and lands on its back, prompting the Grass type to turn its neck around and smile at its visitor. Afterwards, Taillow flies back behind Tropius and out of sight.
Side Taunt:
Dragon Dance
Tropius stomps its feet and spins horizontally, then roars to its front in an endearing attempt to look menacing.
Down Taunt:
Synthesis
Tropius takes a break from the action by closing its eyes and raising its leaves. As the limbs absorb particles from the sun and briefly glow, their owner gives a heavy yawn.
Victory Pose #1
Tropius gracefully flies into view and touches down, causing some grass and a few flowers to grow at its feet.
Tropius is seen (unsuccessfully) hiding behind a shrub of Route 119’s grass. As the camera approaches, the sauropod shows itself and roars skyward.
Victory Pose #3
A Taillow emerges from below and pecks at the camera before noticing a napping Tropius. It then flies atop the reptile and joins it in its slumber.
Victory Fanfare
Although Tropius could simply reuse the same fanfare all the other Pokémon reps are stuck with, it’s kinda boring. With that in mind, we’ll go with a short remix of Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, and their remakes’ iconic title screen theme. After all, I don’t think any Hoenn rep would truly feel complete without those famous trumpets.
Closing Thoughts
Do you ever just come up with something that sounds fun, start working on it for an hour or two, quickly lose steam, then drop it for months? Repeat that cycle about five times, and you’ve got this article’s creation process. The reason is simple: I used to not care about Tropius very much. Look, my measure of a ‘mon’s worth used to be based on how involved it was in Smash or Mystery Dungeon, so a lot of humbler faces flew under the radar. But since that way of deciding favorites didn’t sit right with me, I thought I’d devote some time to one of the least involved Pokémon I could think of. And if I’m gonna do that, why not satisfy a request my friend and coworker Cart Boy’s had for a long while? But next time, let’s go over something a bit more conventional. As for Tropius itself, despite my jabs toward it and its ordinariness, I do think it’s a perfectly good Pokémon. It’s pretty inept at battling, but it sports a charming attitude and adds some much-appreciated flavor to one of my favorite regions. As I’ve brought up before, it’s great when species not built for combat get a chance to shine via spin-offs like Snap or GO, and while Smash doesn’t really need to help with that, I don’t see the problem in exploring how fun it could be if the crossover ever did so.
