CLOUD
Fighter Number: 61
Fighter Group: Smash 4 Veterans/Smash 4 DLC
Franchise: Final Fantasy
Game of Origin: Final Fantasy VII (PS1, 1997 (US/JP/EU)
Final. Fantasy. Seven.
Three words that certainly mean something in the general gaming sphere. Whether you think it deserves it's moniker as one of the greatest video games of all time, or if you think it's one of the most overrated games ever made. There's no denying that the game has impacted nearly every person who's picked up a video game just from the general exposure.
The fact that FF7 was a huge part of the divorce between Squaresoft and Nintendo for a good while despite the first 6 games being great hits on the Nintendo system only added a bit of interesting drama that may have only elevated the game's fame. It could only be found on the Sony Playstation, a system that dared to take on Sega and Nintendo and quite honestly probably very much won. Especially if you count the Playstation 2 era. Where the PS2 was death knell of the Dreamcast and thus contributed to the end of Sega as a console make, and it absolutely crushed the Gamecube in sales. The funny thing of course is that aside from FF7 not getting on Nintendo systems until the Switch era, the Playstation itself could have very well been in Nintendo's hands at one point. But the company remained stubborn when they were asked to start using CDs as opposed to the cartridges that the NES, SNES, and the N64 used. Imagine a hypothetical timeline where Nintendo green lighted the support needed for an FF7 as well as the CDs they were asked to use before. There's a good chance the video game industry is just practically monopolized by Nintendo in that scenario. As if Nintendo had what the Playstation did too, it's a wonder if Microsoft would even try to compete if we are to assume of course that Sega's trajectory remains the same of eventually going 3rd party. Nintendo having reigned supreme over Sega's competition, and assured that serious competition was instead owned by them too properly. Would video game industry as a whole be better then it is now? Or maybe it'd be worse? I'd probably wager a bit on the latter, because without competition you have no reason to up the quality of your product if there's nothing competing with it. But we'll never know for sure. And that mistake of letting both Square and Sony off the hook might have started the trend where while Nintendo is still making consoles. They're seen as being a generation late to what Sony and Microsoft already provided in the previous generation. So the mid-90s was a real turning point for the video game industry.
But as we switch conversation to Final Fantasy 7 on itself. This was obviously a landmark title not just for the Playstation and Square Enix. But it probably shaped the future of many JRPGs that came afterward. While the graphics of the original certainly has it's rather laughable look that doesn't exactly age well. Where while the battles have the character look closer to how the creators envision them. The more chibi-fied lego-esque polygons may be hard to take seriously nowadays. Though you could say FF7 while it certainly has it's dark themes isn't supposed to always be serious. Given you have moments like Cloud snowboarding and saying "Let's Mosey". Even if said silly looking graphics are found even shortly after a certain character's death (Which I think I will get more into when we get to a certain… other FF7 character)
Cloud Strife himself in the original game certainly has shades of the emo-ness that he had in Advent Children or other material depicting him. But he also had a fun side to him that's comparable to the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog's appeal. Sonic the Hedgehog and Cloud could be seen as essentially the examples of a 90s protagonist with attitude. Sometimes that can be not to everyone's tastes. As other attributes related to the 90s often is some obnoxious features and/or personality. But what matters to people who like them is that they're cool characters who will use their badass powers to save their friends. Sonic his super speed, Cloud his sword that's almost as tall as he is.
Along the way in FF7 we meet a colorful cast of characters like the gung-ho but loving father Barret, Cloud's childhood friend Tifa who you do NOT want to underestimate in a fight, Aerith the adorable flower girl with an interesting past, Red XIII a talking big cat with a fair share of family issues, Cait Sith a rather shady member of a casino represented by a talking cat on top of a large moogle, Cid who's a grumpy but well-meaning older man who just had his dreams crushed years ago when it meant that it would kill someone he loves. And even two optional party members in Yuffie who's a hyper thief out for any and all material. And Vincent who feels like he'd fit right into a Castlevania game. Each world in every FF7 numbered game is of course it's own universe and there's no denying that FF7 has mass appeal from the characters, lore, magic, etc.
I will say I have never played FF7 itself, but I have watched playthroughs and/or all cutscene videos to familiarize me with the world and characters of the game. I'm not and probably never will be an RPG guy, but there are times where one's story intrigues me. And FF7 was no exception (I'd also very much say Xenoblade Chronicles 1 was also that for me). I get why FF7 in particular is still to this day perhaps the most popular Final Fantasy. And why despite all odds, Cloud was probably the most requested fighter from the franchise for Smash despite FF7 not being on a Nintendo System until the Switch. Sure, it's probably fair to say something like a Black mage, or Terra from Final Fantasy 6 would deserve it more for actually being on Nintendo systems in their heyday. But it's just a fact that the one Final Fantasy that managed to hit the mainstream more than any other was the 7th one. And Squaresoft knew that, as since the release of the original we've had a number of games within the same universe, a full-on movie, and in recent years. A remake of the game that's being done in parts (Although remake is a bit misleading at this point. As the story goes in directions that seems to presume you already knew the original's story. Which can be a bit troublesome who were hoping to get into FF7 through a more updated title rather then having to know how the original turned out before playing)
And at this point, FF7 and thus Cloud's absence from Nintendo platforms (Outside of a fair share of cameos prior to Smash 4) is starting to become a little moot. Cloud Strife is Final Fantasy most iconic and popular Final Fantasy character. And when you take into account that 3rd party choices don't necessarily have to be a character's legacy on Nintendo systems but gaming as a whole. There's no doubt Cloud deserves to be here. I'd even say he was definitely my favorite DLC character of Smash 4.
Though one more thing about Cloud, is how oddly stingy Square is about him. We know now that there was a legit danger of Everyone is Here getting ruined by the exclusion of Cloud. And then there's of course the fact that Cloud only came with two songs and a stage. A laughably bad amount of content that made people wonder if Nintendo couldn't shell out the money for more than that. If Cloud was ever going to even be an easy return to Smash, especially when we get to a point where Sakurai is no longer director. I do think that at this point that with Square having shared not just Cloud, but the Dragon Quest heroes, Sephiroth, and Sora it's probably more safer now then it was years ago. Though there is certainly the possibility they hold characters hostage to become DLC again in future Smash games
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I think the perfect spot to rank Cloud currently is right behind fellow 90s protagonist Sonic the Hedgehog, and above Sora. Heck, Cloud even appears in the latter's games sometimes. You get a feeling Sora's existence owes itself a little to Cloud. As does many other modern RPGs
1. Mario
2. Link
3. Pikachu
4. Donkey Kong
5. Kirby
6. Luigi
7. Wario
8. Yoshi
9. Bowser
10. Peach
11. Mii Fighters
12. Mega Man
13. Pac-Man
14. Diddy Kong
15. Banjo & Kazooie
16. Simon Belmont
17. King Dedede
18. Mewtwo
19. Ridley
20. King K. Rool
21. Zelda
22. Ganondorf
23. Mr. Game & Watch
24. Sonic the Hedgehog
25. Cloud
26. Sora
27. Bowser Jr.
28. Olimar
29. Fox
30. Rosalina & Luma
31. Marth
32. Zero Suit Samus
33. Toon Link
34. Isabelle
35. Inkling
36. Snake
37. Shulk
38. Pit
39. Ness
40. Captain Falcon
41. Robin
42. Jigglypuff
43. Duck Hunt
44. Greninja
45. Steve
46. Lucas
47. Mythra
48. Joker
49. Sheik
50. ROB
51. Min Min
52. Byleth
53. Ice Climbers
54. Wii Fit Trainer
55. Chrom
56. Dr. Mario
57. Dark Pit
58. Piranha Plant
