Secret character
From Free net encyclopedia
A secret character (not to be confused with an unseen character) is a playable character in a video game that can only be played by completing some task in the game.
Secret characters are more common in fighting games, which are fundamentally based around a set of different characters. However, they can occur in any kind of game.
In some cases, secret characters are given as a reward for completing a game (a process usually described as unlocking a secret character). The Tekken games are a fine example of this, as they actually provide empty spaces on the Character Select screen for characters that have not yet been unlocked.
Other secret characters, however, are far more secretive, and can be classified as a kind of Easter egg. Some may require the player to accomplish impressive or unusual gameplay feats, and some can only be obtained by using cheats or hacks.
Popular secret characters sometimes return as main characters in sequels of the original game. Ayane was a secret character in the original Dead or Alive but is a main character in every subsequent installed of the series.
Notable secret characters
- Akuma (Super Street Fighter II Turbo)
- Reptile (Mortal Kombat)
- Gon (Tekken 3)
- Marionnette (Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower)
- Ein (Dead or Alive 3)
- Umaro and Gogo (Final Fantasy VI)
- Yuffie Kisaragi and Vincent Valentine (Final Fantasy VII)
- The Legendary Pokémon (Pokémon series)
- Dan Hibiki (Street Fighter Alpha)
- Luigi, Ness, Captain Falcon, and Jigglypuff (Super Smash Bros.)
- Mewtwo, Luigi, Mr. Game & Watch, Marth, Jigglypuff, Ganondorf, Falco Lombardi, Dr. Mario, Pichu, Young Link and Roy (Super Smash Bros. Melee)
- Minion (Twisted Metal series)
- Smoke (Mortal Kombat 3)
- HUNK (Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4)
- Zero (SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom)
- Castille, Laharl, Etna, Flonne, Salome, Valvoga, King Drake, Pram the Oracle, Lord Zetta, Seedle, Yoshitsuna, Super Robo Suit, and Asagi, (Makai Kingdom)
- Richter Belmont (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night)
Notable fake secret characters
- Sheng Long (Street Fighter II)
- Sonic and Tails (Super Smash Bros. Melee)
- "All Bonds" (GoldenEye 007): A multiplayer mode feature supposedly allowing the player to use any of the actors who had portrayed James Bond in the movie series.
- Luigi was often rumored to be hidden in Super Mario 64
- Goro in Mortal Kombat II