Assemble! - Fighting Game Archetype Roster - The Long Ranged

This is Assemble, where we look at several different characters across multiple series to form a perfect team-up. Whatever the case may be, whether it’s a fighting game roster or an RPG adventuring party, we’ll find the best team for the job. In a change of style from the more long-form articles featured here, these articles will be shorter entries, focusing on one or two characters each, and spread out over time until the complete roster is formed.

What would a fighting game be without a roster of several different, powerful, and engaging characters? In this batch of articles for Assemble, we will be assembling a fighting game roster using characters from several different fighting games based on different character archetypes.


The picks will be based on where the characters fit in terms of game mechanics and their place in the story and world of the game. Only characters that originated in fighting games will be observed here. That means no guest characters, no licensed fighting games (unless their roster includes original characters), and no crossover titles. Finally, I’ll only be discussing games or characters that I am at least somewhat familiar with. While this means I won’t discuss all the fighting games out there, there should be at least some variety from just the major titles.

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THE LONG RANGED

Dipping back into gameplay for this next entry, the Long Ranged character, also known as the zoner or the keep-away, is one who specializes in long-ranged attacks, whether that be from extendable limbs, weapons with a long reach, or several projectile attacks. Several characters in fighting games can use long-ranged projectiles, but this character has these as an integral part of their move set and, more so, a way to effectively protect themselves against enemy projectiles.

Our choice for the Long Ranged is… 

Min Min from ARMS.

ARMS, the latest new fighting IP from Nintendo, is the stand-out series for this category. In this game, all the characters have long, stretchy, extendable arms with different gloves that can produce multiple different effects. In any other game, any of these characters could count as the Long Ranged, but here, one would need to have a special use of their arms, the gloves that can be used with them, and what other special attributes they could have to stand out.

Enter Min Min. This kung-fu trained noodle chef with ramen noodle arms offers some extra quirks in ranged offense and defense, setting her apart from the other ARMS fighters. While dashing, she can deflect attacks with a spin kick move, throwing their attacks back at them. After a long charge or a successful throw, her left arm can turn into a dragon for a beam attack. Along with those, her default ARMS (the gloves that the characters can wear) include a large wrecking ball that can produce electric shocks, a red chakram that ignites when charged, and, again, dragons that can fire energy beams, so her attacks carry a lot of power as well.

For standing out as an exceptional fighter of and against long ranged attacks among a large cast of long range attack users, we now add Min Min to our roster.

ADDED!

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What did you think about this article? Want to see what other characters get picked for our roster? Do you think someone would fit this role better besides whoever got picked? Make your voice heard in the comments below. Thank you for coming.