Five Characters We Want to See in Sony’s Battle Royale

I’ve been doing quite a bit of reporting on PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (still such a mouthful) so it probably comes as no surprise that I am nothing short of excited. As a huge fan of the entire Super Smash Bros. series, the idea of being able the same type of game with all of my favorite Sony characters is a dream come true. I’m also a huge fan of Sony, and after ridding my gaming shelf of a Wii, it’s nice to see a similar brawler come to my console of choice. With six characters already announced (and two rumored, make sure to check out my previous article about them), I’m joining in with the speculation about which characters should appear in the upcoming fighting game.

#1. Ratchet and Clank

Okay, this really isn’t “speculation,” as Sony is no doubt going to include them in the roster. They are probably the biggest Sony mascots, appearing in more games than any other Sony-exclusive characters yet. They’ve been featured in over ten games already, with more sure to come, and would make an excellent addition to Battl Royale. However, the way I would like to see it handled is to include them as one character, much like the Ice Climbers from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. With Sony’s brawler having not one, but two special attack buttons that function exactly like the special attack button in SSB, one could be dedicated to Ratchet attacks, with the other focused on Clank attacks. It would make the most sense to do it this way, while also using Clank’s hover ability as Ratchet’s fall rescue.

#2. Crash Bandicoot

Once again, there’s no doubt that Crash will be included in the roster. He was truly the first Sony mascot, appearing in several titles on the original PlayStation. His spin attacks would be fast and be perfect for throwing other fighters off of the arena, and keeping them off, just like the Donkey Kong ground smash attack. Of course, there would have to be a downside to using it so as to make it more fair and balanced, like Crash getting dizzy and stunned for a short duration if he uses it for too long. Another though is having the tiki mask that follows crash around, and perhaps has it’s own abilities.

#3. The Wanderer

With the rumor that Ico will be making an appearance as a fighter in Battle Royale, the addition of The Wanderer from Shadow of the Colossus is a no-brainer. With his sword and bow, he could have a similar play style to that of Link in Smash Bros. Melee, with some excellent sword slashes and powered arrows as special attacks. His ultimate attack (the attack performed by completely filling up the special bar) could be to summon a colossus that attacks other players on the battlefield. Perhaps The Wanderer jumps on its back, allowing the player to control the attack direction of the beast.

#4. Satoru or Spike

It seems that not many people are familiar with Ape Escape these days, but it could still be considered on the best series Sony has ever had, and also one of the most important. Back on the original PlayStation console, Ape Escape was the very first title to use the DualShock controller (in fact, it was required), and gamers were blown away by the use of two analog sticks in the game. Spike was the protagonist of the original title, while Satoru is the most recent hero. Using their nets to capture and hurt other players would make for an awesome and quirky special attack that’s hard to master, and there is an incredible amount of gadgets from the series to choose from. The best and most exciting attacks, however, could come from releasing mischievous monkeys, each with their own ability. Perhaps Spike throws a monkey onto the battlefield, which in turn tosses a bunch of banana peels around, causing players to slip. It would make for some very funny and exciting gameplay.

#5. Tomba

I’m sure that nobody reading this even remembers the wonderful, pink-haired hero Tomba, but he starred in my two favorite titles from the original PlayStation’s days. He would make a great addition to the roster, using his boomerang and his chain mace for his attacks. His ability to eat things could work similar to Kirby’s inhalation ability, only without the copycat skill. Being able to swallow enemies and spit them at others, or off of the battlefield, could form some great strategies. Perhaps spitting up items from his stomach to throw at enemies with each having it’s own unique effect, while also being random a la Game and Watch from Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Well, there it is, my list of fighters that should be included in the upcoming PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. We still have a while to see what other fighters are going to be joining the battle, but chances are we’ll find out at E3 this year. Check back for more updates, and feel free to leave some comments below about who you wold like to see in the fight.