Editing Codec Conversations

[[File:Snake Smash Taunt.jpg|thumb|220px|left|Snake's codec regarding {{SSBB|Diddy Kong}} begins in ''Brawl''.]]

The '''Codec Conversations''' are [[Snake]]'s [[Smash Taunt]] on [[Shadow Moses Island]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', where he talks about other fighters with his support team, consisting of [[Colonel Roy Campbell]], [[Otacon|Hal "Otacon" Emmerich]], and [[Mei Ling]]. When fighting [[Falco]], Snake also talks with [[Slippy Toad]].

[[File:CodeSoli.jpg|thumb|Snake having a codec conversion in ''Metal Gear Solid''.]]

This Smash Taunt is based on the optional codec conversations that recur throughout the ''Metal Gear'' series, where Snake is given information about his current whereabouts, objectives, or actions. By calling certain frequencies, Snake can talk to different characters who specialize in different subjects and roles, including Colonel Campbell, Otacon, and Mei Ling, the three members of his support team who appear in ''Smash''.

The codec's appearance is based on how it is depicted in ''Metal Gear Solid'' and its remake, ''Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes'', using the same ringing sound effect from the latter game. Characters within the codecs are portrayed as hand-drawn portraits. Snake's portrait is subtly modified from its original version, reflecting his visible stubble in ''Smash''. The same voice actors from the original games reprise their roles. Within the conversations, characters occasionally allude to events and characters from the ''Metal Gear'' games. In series tradition, they also tend to "break the {{s|wikipedia|fourth wall}}", referring directly to their status as characters in a video game.  

The Codec Conversations are initiated by inputting the down [[taunt]] command for just one frame. If done correctly, Snake will kneel and touch the codec receiver in his ear. The codec message will begin after a few seconds, provided Snake is left undisturbed. He can only perform the Smash Taunt once per match, even if he is interrupted during the initial animation. In matches where Snake has more than one opponent, the subject will be selected randomly.

Each character Snake talks to has their own way of describing his opponent. The Colonel's descriptions are blunt and cautionary, and he usually offers Snake careful advice about the character, encouraging him to attack. Otacon's descriptions are the most in-depth, as he is analytical and somewhat nerdy; however, he is also very temperamental, and his attitude can range from excited to paranoid. Mei Ling, the most well-read character, also has the most emotional descriptions; she'll usually talk about the characters' backstories, generally giving them sympathy and showing disdain towards Snake's indifferent comments.

The feature was effectively replaced by [[Palutena's Guidance]] in {{forwiiu}} due to the absence of the ''Metal Gear'' series.

In ''Ultimate'', the Codec Conversations from ''Brawl'' return alongside {{SSBU|Snake}} and Shadow Moses Island. Unlike Palutena's Guidance, no new Codec Conversations were created for characters not present in ''Brawl''; instead, the original recordings were reused mostly unaltered. This leads to several instances where characters refer to the game as ''Brawl'' and reference attributes of characters that no longer exist due to changing between games (only Link's was altered, removing a mention of his Clawshot). {{s|wikipedia|Takeshi Aono}}, Roy Campbell's Japanese voice actor, passed away in 2012 from a stroke, and as a result, future ''Metal Gear'' titles do not feature the character out of respect for Aono.<ref>http://www.twitlonger.com/show/gu57f6</ref> This is likely why no new Codecs were recorded, instead simply reusing the conversations already present in ''Brawl''; however, no official reason has been provided.

 

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*[[Otacon|Hal "Otacon" Emmerich]] - Christopher Randolph (English), Hideyuki Tanaka (Japanese)

:'''Colonel:''' Well, he is the king of Koopas. It's only natural he'd be slow. But that's only because he's the heaviest fighter here—by far. He's a powerhouse of destruction. Careful he doesn't flatten you.

:'''Snake:''' [[Falcon Punch|Falcooooon Punch]]!

Note: In the English version, when Snake says "Falcon Punch", only the "Falcon" part of it is extended. However, in ''Brawl'', the text shows it as "Punch" extended (which mainly fits the Japanese dialogue more closely). The error was fixed in ''Ultimate''.

 

This conversation is also a voice actor joke in the Japanese version of the game, as Otacon's Japanese voice actor, Hideyuki Tanaka, also voiced Captain Falcon in the anime ''F-Zero: Falcon Densetsu'' (known to Western audiences as ''{{s|fzerowiki|F-Zero: GP Legend}}'').

:'''Otacon:''' That's Donkey Kong. As you can tell, he's got strength to spare. He may be king of the jungle, but he lives in a [[mariowiki:Donkey Kong's Treehouse|house]] just like you or me. And he seems pretty smart—well, for an ape, anyway. The Donkey Kong who fought that epic battle with Mario was this guy's [[mariowiki:Cranky Kong|grandfather]].

:'''Otacon:''' Nope, they're still at it. Seems like they're always competing in something—[[mariowiki:Mario Kart (series)|kart racing]], sports, you name it.

Note: Otacon states that Mario and Donkey Kong still have an ongoing rivalry, but in ''Smash 64'' Donkey Kong's [[List of character profiles|character profile]] states that the two have "patched things up". Otacon might be implicitly referring to the concept of friendly rivalry, which does not invalidate the statement made in the N64 game.

:'''Snake:''' Whaa—! Who is this? What are you, some kind of frog?!

:'''Slippy:''' Just so ya know, Falco uses a {{b|Blaster|Falco}} and {{b|Reflector|Falco}} that I designed, just like Fox does. But Falco will kick his Reflector and send it flyin' around. Just showin' off, if you ask me.

Note: This is the only codec that does not feature any of Snake's normal contacts. The number "140.85" (Roy Campbell's codec number) appears in the Codec screen, indicating that Snake intended to call Campbell, but Slippy interrupted the transmission and showed up instead.

:'''Otacon:''' Snake! Ganondorf is dangerous! His ambition is to rule the world, and he's got the power to do it. It's no wonder they call him "King of Evil."

:'''Mei Ling:''' Snake, have you ever heard of a "blood bond"?

:'''Mei Ling:''' Snake, in China they say, "Though brothers may quarrel at home, outside they defend each other from slight."

Note: The "blood bond" that Mei Ling mentions is a reference to the strong sense of camaraderie between Popo and Nana, being a "two-in-one" fighter in all of their playable appearances. Snake's mentioning of the Ice Climbers fighting each other to see who gets to the top first is a reference to one of the two-player modes in ''{{b|Ice Climber|game}}'' in which both players must compete against each other in order to reach the summit first.

:'''Colonel:''' Jigglypuff is a balloon-shaped Pokémon. It may be light and puffy and full of air, but its [[Rest|sleep ability]] is devastating.

:'''Colonel:''' Takes all kinds, Snake. Especially here in "[[Brawl]]."

Note: Snake's comment about the marshmallow is a semi-accurate translation of the original comment in Japanese, in which he compares Jigglypuff to a dessert because Jigglypuff's Japanese name is "Purin," which is also the Japanese word for "pudding." Colonel also breaks the {{s|wikipedia|fourth wall}}, mentioning ''Brawl'' by name.

 

In ''Ultimate'', this codec remains unchanged, which causes the Colonel to still refer to the game as ''Brawl''.

Note: While what exactly King Dedede is supposed to be has never been stated, the common assumption among fans is that he is some sort of penguin, hence Snake's asking about the subject (coincidentally, in ''Smash 4'' and ''Ultimate'', King Dedede is given a black alternate costume that makes him resemble a great penguin).

:'''Otacon:''' That's Kirby, also known as "Kirby from Dream Land." He's from another planet—in other words, an extraterrestrial. He's got a powerful stomach that lets him [[Inhale (Kirby)|swallow]] and digest anything. And he also has a 'Copy Ability' that allows him to mimic opponents, steal their moves, and use those moves against them. On top of that, he has the power to fly around the stage, so once he's got you in his sights, there's no place to run.

Note: In the original Japanese conversation, Otacon refers to Kirby as "Hoshi no Kaabii", meaning "Kirby of the Stars", instead of "Kirby from Dream Land". This is the official name of the series in Japan, as well as the animated series (known as ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby: Right Back at Ya!}}'' outside of Japan). Snake calls Kirby a marshmallow just as he does to Jigglypuff.

:'''Otacon:''' That's Link. He's the hero of Hyrule. That blade in his hand is called the [[Master Sword]], also known as the "Blade of Evil's Bane." He also has a whole arsenal of items at his disposal—[[Link's bomb|bombs]] and [[Hero's Bow|arrows]], a [[Master Sword|sword]], a [[Passive shield#Link|shield]], a [[Gale Boomerang|boomerang]]{{rollover|, and a [[Clawshot]]|... (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)|?}}. He's a force to be reckoned with.

Note: This conversation pokes fun at Snake's tendency to be carrying a heavy assortment of weapons and equipment, up to and including 2 rocket launchers and 3 cardboard boxes, in a sort of hammerspace at any one time. ''Snake Eater'' attempted to alleviate this by imposing a carrying capacity limiting the amount of weapons the player can carry at a time, as well as their combined weight having an effect on their stamina.

 

In ''[[SSBU|Ultimate]]'', the mention of Link's Clawshot is cut out, as Link no longer has it due to him being based on ''Breath of the Wild''.

:'''Mei Ling:''' That's his "[[Aura]]."

Note: While Lucario is often referred to as an "it" in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'', Snake and Mei Ling use male pronouns to describe it. This is also the case with the description of [[Event 25: The Aura Is With Me]].  

 

This is likely because this Lucario is based on the one featured in [[bulbapedia:M08|the eighth Pokémon movie]], which is referred to as a male. Additionally, Lucario has a 7:1 male-female ratio, which carries over from its previous evolution, Riolu. In the Japanese version, Snake and Mei Ling use gender-neutral terms, which are more common in Japanese grammar and conversation.

Note: The "hardships" that Snake mentions are a reference to his internal conflict with his so-called "family" from Les Enfants Terribles, such as dealing with his twin brother Liquid Snake due to Liquid's "inferiority complex." Throughout the ''Metal Gear'' series (except ''Metal Gear Solid 3'', ''Portable Ops'', ''Peace Walker'' and ''Metal Gear Solid V'', where the player plays as Snake's "father", Naked Snake/Big Boss), Snake frequently has to battle one of his "family members" as a boss fight, and most of the plot involves the evil deeds of one of his "family members" (particularly Liquid).

This conversation is also a reference to ''{{s|wikibound|Mother 3}}'', namely the relationship between Lucas and Claus, Lucas' twin brother.

:'''Colonel:''' Ha. You mean the "King of Second Bananas"?

:'''Colonel:''' Mario made his [[Donkey Kong (game)|first appearance]] in 1981, and since then, he's become a worldwide phenomenon. There's probably not a single person who doesn't know Mario. He's that famous.

Note: Snake is referring to the fact that in ''Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake'', he found out that his war buddy [[Gray Fox]] was one of Big Boss' men. Big Boss himself was once Snake's commander, and he betrayed him much like Gray Fox did. It should be noted that betrayal is a common occurrence in the ''Metal Gear'' series.

 

Meanwhile, Mei Ling is referring to ''Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem'', in which Marth's former ally Hardin is crowned emperor and becomes the game's primary antagonist. Overtaken by grief and despair upon acquiring the Darksphere, he betrays Marth and the kingdom of Altea. Mei Ling's statement is slightly incorrect, as Altea is the name of Marth's kingdom; the land as a whole is named Archanea.

 

Snake's comment about building an army from his enemies could also be a reference to ''Portable Ops'', where Big Boss could capture enemy soldiers to fight for his side (which can also be done in ''Peace Walker'' and ''The Phantom Pain'', released after ''Brawl'').

:'''Colonel:''' Exactly. He can use [[On-screen appearance|teleportation]], [[Double jump|levitation]], [[PK Fire|pyrokinesis]], and [[PK|psychokinesis]].

Note: Psycho Mantis, a Russian renegade FOXHOUND member, appears in ''Metal Gear Solid'' as a boss. Like Ness, Psycho Mantis uses psychic powers to create devastating attacks. Snake's inquiry about mind reading refers to Psycho Mantis' main ability, which involves using telepathy to predict his opponent's attacks. In the game, his "mind reading" had the game read the player's memory card, and reference games the player has played before fighting him (in the original version, these games are ''{{s|wikipedia|Azure Dreams}}'', ''{{iw|wikipedia|Suikoden|video game}}'', ''{{s|wikipedia|Castlevania: Symphony of the Night}}'', ''{{s|wikipedia|Vandal Hearts}}'', and, in the Japanese version of the game, ''{{s|wikipedia|Policenauts}}'' and ''{{s|wikipedia|Tokimeki Memorial}}'' - notably, all games published by Konami like ''Metal Gear Solid''; in the GameCube remake, the game list is changed to ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario Sunshine}}'', ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker}}'', ''[[wikipedia:Eternal Darkness|Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem]]'', and, notably, ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''). He also used his telepathy to predict the player's move inputs on their controller. To prevent this, the player will need to plug their controller into the player 2 slot.  

:'''Mei Ling:''' Snake, have you heard of the ancient Chinese story, "The Vain Ocean of Wealth and Splendor" from the [[wikipedia:The World Inside a Pillow|Zhen Zhong Ji]]?

:'''Mei Ling:''' Basically, it's meant to express the impermanence of all things. You know, like even when Captain Olimar has lots of {{b|Pikmin|species}} with him, they could all be gone the next moment. Those poor little guys—they carry, they fight, they multiply...and they get eaten. Olimar might have lots of company one minute and be all alone the next. It's so sad.

Note: Mei Ling saying that the Pikmin "carry, fight, multiply...and get eaten" is a reference to the lyrics of the song used to advertise ''Pikmin'' in Japan, ''{{SSBBMusicLink|Pikmin|Ai no Uta}}'', which also features in ''Brawl''.

 

In ''Ultimate'', Mei Ling still refers to Olimar even if Snake is fighting [[Alph]].

:'''Snake:''' Sounds pretty serious.

:'''Mei Ling:''' Yes, but every time it happens, [[Mario]] ends up saving her. Sure, he may not look like your ideal "knight in shining armor." A little on the short side, I'd say... But still, don't you think it's romantic? I mean, to have a guy who's always there for you?

Note: Snake's comment about Ocelot's old torture device is a reference to the torture scene in ''Metal Gear Solid'' in which Revolver Ocelot runs high voltage through Snake's body after Snake was captured. In nearly every ''Metal Gear'' game, the main character gets captured and sometimes gets tortured.

 

Mei Ling's comment about capturing Pikachu may parody the several codec requests that Naked Snake (the playable character of ''Metal Gear Solid 3'', more commonly known as Big Boss, or Snake's father) receives from his radio team, asking him to capture some type of flora or fauna. However, it is more likely that Mei Ling is imitating a {{s|bulbapedia|Lass}} from the ''Pokémon'' series; one Lass in ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'' begs her father for a Pikachu early on in the game.

:'''Snake:''' And by trials, you mean, "Game Overs"?

Note: Snake's comment about Pit's "Game Overs" could be poking fun at ''Kid Icarus''{{'}} somewhat infamous difficulty. In the Japanese version, he quotes its specific "Game Over" message: "I'm finished!" Otacon's following statement may also be poking fun at ''Metal Gear Solid''{{'}}s iconic "Game Over" screen.

:'''Otacon:''' Actually, in the U.S. they called him "R.O.B." Robot, R.O.B.—take your pick.

Note: This conversation is a fairly direct translation from the Japanese version, hence Otacon using the name "Robot" at first. However, this can be seen as in-character for Otacon, as he is an {{s|wikipedia|otaku}} obsessed with Japanese culture.

:'''Snake:''' Colonel, it's me! I'm fighting myself!

:'''Colonel:''' Snake, what's going on out there?! Could it be...? Has the "Les Enfants Terribles" project really come this far?

:'''Snake:''' It's more than that. He's got my moves, my gear... It's like looking in a mirror.

:'''Colonel:''' Interesting. So even if you're evenly matched in power, your fighting styles will make a big difference. You've faced tougher odds in the past, Snake. Don't let this impostor beat you!

Note: In the ''Metal Gear Solid'' series, the "Les Enfants Terribles" is a cloning project that created [[Solid Snake]] as well as his "brothers" (Liquid Snake and Solidus Snake). They are all created from the DNA from their "father," Big Boss (in addition, the younger version of Big Boss almost looks like Solid Snake, insofar as Snake's appearance in ''Brawl'' being patterned after Naked Snake's in ''Snake Eater'').

Even if multiple Snakes wear the same costume through [[online]], [[Tourney (SSBB)|Tournament Mode]], [[team battle]] or [[Same color glitch|a glitch]], Snake will still act like their sneaking suits are a different color.

 

Note: While there has been a lot of speculation on the matter, no adequate explanation for Snake's animosity towards Sonic has arisen, and no reasons for the cryptic codec conversation have been provided by any official source. This may reference the fact that hedgehogs are natural predators to snakes. It may also reference to how the announcement on Sonic's inclusion in ''Brawl'' overshadowed the vast majority of the hype built up on Snake's inclusion, or that Snake's Japanese VA, Akio Ōtsuka, is the son of the late Chikao Ōtsuka, who played Sonic's nemesis, Eggman (coincidentally, Chikao also voiced Big Boss, Snake's father, in ''Metal Gear Solid 4''). Otacon also breaks the fourth wall by mentioning that Sonic is featured in ''Brawl'', which caused a lot of excitement amongst players when he was first revealed.

 

In ''Ultimate'', like Jigglypuff's, this codec remains unchanged, which causes Otacon to still refer to the game as "''Brawl''". However, the "the" in "Sonic the Hedgehog" is no longer capitalised; it was also not capitalised in PAL versions of ''Brawl''.

:'''Mei Ling:''' But you know there've been several people who've gone by that name, right? They all have certain things in common—green clothes, a [[Master Sword|sword]], a shield... But they all came from different lands and lived in different eras. And yet the spirit of the hero of the Triforce is timeless. It's an essence that transcends history.

:'''Snake:''' There's been more than one "Snake," too, you know...

Note: In the ''Metal Gear'' universe, at least five people have had the codename Snake - Naked Snake, later known as Big Boss (''Metal Gear Solid 3'', ''Portable Ops'', ''Peace Walker'', ''Metal Gear Solid V''), Punished/Venom Snake (from ''MGSV: The Phantom Pain'', an MSF medic surgically remade into an exact physical and mental duplicate of Big Boss), Solid Snake (known as Old Snake in ''Metal Gear Solid 4''), Liquid Snake (''Metal Gear Solid''), and Solidus Snake (''Metal Gear Solid 2''). In ''Metal Gear Solid 2'', there is another character called Raiden who had assumed the name "Snake" early in a mission and was being manipulated into playing the role of Solid Snake in a simulated recreation of the Shadow Moses Incident from ''Metal Gear Solid''. His codename was later changed to Raiden to not confuse him with the enemy's leader's codename, who was also falsely going under the name of Snake.

:'''Snake:''' "Wolf." Real imaginative name...

:'''Colonel:''' He's the leader of a ragtag team called "Star Wolf." They're the longtime rivals of Star Fox.

:'''Colonel:''' Well, I don't think he works well with others. I suppose they're more like hangers-on than actual comrades. But he's a remarkable pilot. And his ship, the "Wolfen," is no slouch either.

Note: Snake's comment "kind of strange for a wolf to have friends" seems a bit odd, since wolves are famous for hunting in packs, although some species do keep to themselves. It's most likely a reference to Sniper Wolf, a ''Metal Gear Solid'' villain who, unlike other snipers, could shoot at Snake without help from a spotter. He could also be thinking of him as a "lone wolf".

If one listens carefully, the words "that's a" can be heard mumbled quickly in Snake's second line (too fast to be recorded as text in the conversation). Thus, the line is, "'Wolf'. [That's a] real imaginative name..."

:'''Otacon:''' ...Actually, it's a "he." At least, that's what it says.

Note: Not mentioned in the conversation is that Samus was not just trained but literally enhanced, via Chozo genetic engineering; without her Power Suit, Samus is still supernaturally agile and strong, as well as highly resistant to harsh environments.

Along with [[Wario]]'s, [[Yoshi]]'s and [[Mario]]'s, Zero Suit Samus' Codec message was shown on the DOJO site.

 

In ''Ultimate'', Snake still treats as though Samus [[transform]]ed into Zero Suit Samus even though both characters no longer transform starting in ''Smash 4''.

[[File:CodecTalk.png|thumb|The trailer codec.]]

:'''Snake:''' Ah... That Nintendo thing...

Note: This is the only codec message which features three-dimensional models instead of two-dimensional illustrations, similar to conversations depicted in ''Metal Gear Solid 2''. This is also the only codec message in the English translation that is not dubbed from Japanese.

Note that these messages do not play if Snake loses his last life in a [[stock]] battle.

*When someone gets a [[Smash Ball]] during a Codec conversation, or if a codec conversation starts when a character already has a Smash Ball, the conversation will automatically end.  

*In ''Brawl'', if Snake keeps getting KO'd while in a Codec Message, whoever he is talking to will keep repeating the KO message as long as Snake keeps getting KO'd before the message finishes. This no longer happens in ''Ultimate''.

 

[[Category:Easter eggs]]