Cloud Strife Storms into Smash!

Recently, Nintendo has shown off a trailer, revealing that yet another new fighter is joining the wonderous world of Smash Bros. Who could it be? We've seen Roy from the Fire Emblem series return from Melee, and Lucas from the Mother series make his return from Brawl, and we even have seen Ryu from the Street Fighter series make his debut. So, who would come to Smash...

Yes, Cloud Strife! Cloud Strife, one of the protagonists from Final Fantasy VII, is coming to Smash, and he's bringing his Buster Sword to raise some hell, and he even has brought a stage with him. I'm assuming that's Midgar, and you can even bring in summons from the game to mess with the stage.

I thought this was quite a surprise, and it was pretty cool, too. I admit, I never played Final Fantasy VII (Pokémon was the series that got me into RPGs), but I am aware that it was the game that made RPGs popular in America.

I have heard complaints about Cloud being in the game, because he was another swordsman, and also because his debut game was never released on a Nintendo console. He has appeared in games that have been on Nintendo products since then, though. Like the Kingdom Hearts series. However, I do get why he was included, when you think about it.

Final Fantasy VII is one of the most iconic games in the series, and Cloud himself is one of the protagonists in the game. FFVII was the game that made RPGs popular in America. And Cloud himself has become one of the most iconic protagonists in the series. Why not use one of the most memorable characters from one of the most popular and successful games in the series to represent it?

Also, on a personal note, I honestly think Sakurai just wanted to break the Internet again.

Sakurai: Hey guys, remember when we broke the Internet by including Mega Man?
Programmers: Yeah...
Sakurai: Well, I want to do it again, only a thousand times bigger.
Programmer: Well, there was the Smash Ballot...
Sakurai: This is outside the Ballot! We'll still do the Ballot! I'm thinking...Cloud Strife.
Programmer: Wait, Cloud?! Sakurai, you're insane. Cloud first appeared on the PlayStation! And...I don't think the Internet will be able to handle the fan reaction!
Sakurai: Trust me, fellas. They will love it. Call Square-Enix.

The addition of Cloud has shown me one thing: the Smash series really has grown beyond its roots. When it started, it was a fun fighting game featuring Nintendo characters and paying homage to the company's history. But over the years, we've seen the series grow and include characters like Sonic and Pac-Man. To me, the Smash Bros. series has become almost a tribute to video game history in general. Many of the greatest video game series ever have either been created by Nintendo or appeared on Nintendo consoles, so it's neat that Final Fantasy is getting love, too.

Hmm, with Cloud, maybe Tifa and Barrett could join in, too. Think about it. They fit the three main categories of fighters in Smash. Cloud is the swordsman, Tifa is a brawler, and Barrett is a gunner. That would be cool. And many series have more than one fighter in Smash, so why not Final Fantasy, too?

Now hopefully, Simon Belmont is one of the winning characters in the Smash Ballot. As well as Solid Snake, too. I would love to play as Snake again, and I would love it if Konami also let Smash give Castlevania some love.