Playing Catch-Up

So, we've missed a couple Mario-related Smash Bros. updates. Better late than never, right?

First on the list, last Friday's update officially introduced us to Peach's Final Smash. Psych Bomb? Some emotional power a la Super Princess Peach? Nope. Meet the Peach Blossom.

she does a little dance, surrounded by frame that couldn't possibly be any more girly

enemies nod off, and a bunch of her namesake fruit drops from the sky

get it? 'coz her names "peach"

Like many, I'm less than impressed with this. It's not so much the femininity. That wasn't a big surprise. What bugs me a little is the fact that it has nothing to do with any of Peach's established abilities, some of which (such as those mentioned above) might lend themselves to a Final Smash quite well. It's been pointed out by some that Peach's Sleepy Time spell in Super Mario RPG put enemies to sleep. That I will grant. Some take this even further, suggesting that the healing peaches harken to her White Mage-like role in that game, going so far as to point out that her dance somewhat resembles the kiss-blowing pose of her Group Hug spell. Eh, as much as I hate to be a killjoy, that's really a stretch.

Tuesday's update was somewhat of a disappointment for most that had been keeping up with the news from E for All. It was a Donkey Kong-centered cutscene from the Subspace Emissary mode, one that a lot of folks had already seen. Still, the update was worth it, as it showcased the actual music and sound effects for the scene, which got a near-unanimous thumbs-up. I completely agree. I've also got to say, I'm extremely happy with how Diddy is shaping up in this game. Watch the post-cutscene gameplay footage from that link. Don't his idle stance and jumping pose look like they fell right out of Donkey Kong Country? Hell, his double-jump even puts him in the same pose as bouncing off an enemy did back in the day. Also, his running attack appears to be a very DKC-esque cartwheel. Considering that the company responsible for these moves has since departed from the Nintendo scene, this loyalty to his origins strikes me as an extremely pleasant surprise.

Now, I'm not going to complain about the delay. Seriously, people, let them take their time. Even so, I've got to admit; February seems a long way off.