User:The Other Jared/Sandbox

This is meant for pre drafts of whatever I want to do. May convert content to a full article later.

Archetype is a blanket term that describes the numerous categories fighters fall into based on their most commonly used moves and gameplans. Every fighter in the Super Smash Bros. series falls under one or more basic archetypes.

History and existance of archetypes

In the broadest possible terms, an archetype is defined is "a typical example of a certain thing." The term first became widely used in the world of literature, in which many were created to group together characters, items, or settings that serve similar narrative functions. When the term was added to video games, it extended to functionality in game play as well as narrative.

Archetypes for fighting games started appearing around the release of Street Fighter II. Being one of the earliest examples of a fighting with a large, diverse roster of characters with wildly different playstyles, it became very influential towards the genre as a whole. This includes the characters, whose designs and playstyles became influential towards many other games that followed. This eventually led to the creation of definite archetypes that appear in more-or-less every traditional fighting game.

Characters that occupy the same archetype often have similar gameplay and share the same strengths and weaknesses. Knowing how the archetype typically plays is often beneficial when trying a new character, as the learning curve is somewhat flattened. There are also some archetypes that naturally counter others. For example, characters that do well up close against characters that do well at a distance will have two major phases. The up close fighter will struggle initially while trying to close in because the distance fighter is trying to keep them away. However, they will gain the advantage if they do get close, as the distance fighter was not prepared for such a situation. Knowing these matchups and Counterpicks are also greatly beneficial.

The main disadvantage of archetype is that, much like Tier lists, they are not the end all matchup determiner. While the right matchup helps to an extent, the actual outcome of a match is determined by the skill level of each individual player. Also, archetypes are very fluid, and a single character can exist within multiple archetypes at the same time. This is due to the advancement of the fighting game genre giving characters more tools to deal with different situations, potentially giving them multiple different playstyles depending on player preferences.

List of Archetypes in Smash

• All Rounder: Fighters in this archetype that can seemingly do it all. They usually possess all attributes that represent the fundamentals of the game with nothing that can be considered a "gimmick." They have no real weaknesses, but by the same token have no real strengths either. They are usually outclassed by one or more fighters in every concievable category. Examples include Mario, Pit, and Banjo & Kazooie.

• Rushdown: Fighters in this archetype tend to be fast and combo oriented with a mostly offense-based moveset. They rely on getting in their opponent's face and applying pressure until they force the opponent to make an opening, then swarm the opponent to kill them quickly. However, if the opponent either keeps them at a distance or is simply patient, the rushdown fighter does not have much in terms of a backup plan and will likely lose. Examples include Sheik, Zero Suit Samus, and Pikachu.

• Hit and Run: Essentially the opposite of rushdown, fighters in this archetype excel at running in, getting some damage, then running away. Being unpredictable and evasive is key to characters in this archetype, as they usually are very easy to kill if they are caught. Time out victories are most commonly found with this category. Examples include Jigglypuff, Sonic and Min Min.

• Footsies: The term itself means different things to different people, but fighters in this archetype tend to be very good at controlling the space immediately in front of them. Their moveset is designed to be very powerful in a comfortable range while denying the opponent of the same luxury. These fighters are also very good a punishing the opponent when they make a mistake in footsies range. However, these fighters tend to fall apart if the opponent is good with reads and is willing to resort to dirty tactics. Examples include Meta Knight, Little Mac, and Hero.

• Bait and Punish: Fighters in this archetype tend to be high execution and rely on conditioning their opponent in to respond a certain way to a specific action. If the conditioning works, the fighter exploits that response with a counter play for massive damage. However, if the conditioning does not work and the opponent gets the upper hand, the fighter does not have much in the way of defending itself. Examples include Captain Falcon, Bowser, and Wario.

• Grappler: Fighters in this archetype tend to have relatively short range and average to below average damage on most of their moves. However, they have exceptionally powerful grabs and throws, and their entire playstyle is based around them. While these fighters tend to struggle at a distance due to their limited options at that range, they are close to unbeatable when they do manage to close the gap. Examples include Donkey Kong, Luigi, and Incineroar.

• Big Body: Fighters in this archetype are large, heavy, and tend to hit hard. While not necessarily the same as a grappler, overlap tends to happen. These fighters are often able to kill opponents with only a few well placed attacks. However, they also tend to be really slow, and are often combo food if the make make a mistake. Examples include Ganondorf, King Dedede, and King K. Rool.

• Zoner: Fighters in this archetype excel at keeping the opponent at a distance. This is done by long ranged moves or projectiles and a few very powerful short ranged attacks. The goal is to both kill the opponent without them getting close and wear down their patience into running into the short ranged attack. But just as easily as they can punish, they can also be punished, with the opponent tricking them into using the wrong move potentially leading to massive damage. Examples include Samus, Mega Man, and Simon.

• Trapper: A variation of a zoner, fighters in this archetype have tools specifically made to force the opponent to respond in certain ways. Using these fighters requires many moving parts and can backfire if the player overwhelms themselves. However, there is very little the opponent can do when everything goes according to plan and the traps work. Examples include Snake, Pac-Man, and Bowser Jr.

• Turtle: An extreme version of a zoner, fighters in this catergory possess the traits of one mixed with elements of hit and run. Nearly their entire moveset is defensive in nature, designed to not get hit at all. The opponent has to slowly and patiently navigate through the traps set by the turtling fighter, but will be rewarded for their patience because turtles have very little in terms of defending themselves up close. Examples include Villager, Isabelle, and Duck Hunt.

• Puppeteer: Fighters in this archetype are actually multiple fighters controlled by the same player at the same time. These fighters tend to be the most complex in the game, as attempting to use more than one fighter can be confusing and overwhelming at first. Also, these fighter tend to be very weak on their own if they get separated. However, they also tend to be the most potent fighters in terms of damage, often able to steamroll most of the roster in the right hands. Examples include Ice Climbers and Rosalina & Luma.

• Glass Cannon: Fighters in this archetype are a mixture of elements from rushdown and hit and run. These fighters have the power and potency a rushdown fighter posesses, but also have the fragility of a hit and run fighter. In essence, they kill quickly and get killed quickly. Examples include Pichu, Mr. Game & Watch, and Lucario.

• Dynamic: Fighters in this archetype are similar to all rounders in that they can seemingly do everything. The main difference is that these fighters have multiple forms with different strengths and weaknesses. They have to constantly swap between these different forms to meet the situation, as being caught off guard in the wrong form usually means certain death. Examples include Kirby, Shulk, and the Mii Fighters.

• Multi-Fighter: A variant of the Dynamic archetype where swapping forms means literally changing into a different fighter. These fighters usually share a health bar and are meant for certain situations before being swapped out again. Examples include Sheik & Zelda (in Melee and Brawl), Pokémon Trainer, and Pyra & Mythra.

• Shoto: Originating from the Street Fighter series, fighters in this archetype are usually very technical with some type of fireball, ground closer and anti-air. The name comes from Shotokan Karate, a common real-world martial art that many video game characters practice. Examples include Ryu and Ken.

• Mishima: Originating from the Tekken series, fighters in this archetype tend to be a member of the Mishima family. They specifically are high execution fighters that possess a Wind God Fist and the ability to wavedash. The only example in the Smash series is Kazuya.

• Space animal: One of the few archetypes exclusive to the Smash series. This archetype encompasses Fox, Falco, and Wolf, who all possess a similar moveset and a rushdown-esque gameplan, along with mixing in projectiles.