Challenger Approaching! 9: Mischief Maker

Shy Guy
- Debut: Super Mario Bros 2 (1988)
- Latest Appearance: Mario Party 9 (2012)
- Affiliation: Unknown

Tired of his abusive treatment in Brawl, Shy Guy steps off his kart from Mario Circuit to take matters into his own hands. They're stronger then most people give them credit for, with multiple items tucked away for combat purposes.

Why?

If you look back to my Bottom 10 post back in March, my first rejection was any kind of useless characters or grunts, like Tom Nook or a Goomba. Characters like them just don't belong in a fighting game.

I'm not saying I don't like Tom Nook, but him
fighting just doesn't seem right.

But, Shy Guy isn't a useless character if you get right down to it. The Shy Guy species themselves are a jack-of-all-trades. They've used spears, slingshots, balloons, Bill Blasters, inner tubes, and even spontaneously combusting to accomplish their goals.

Nothing says dedication like setting yourself on fire.

Shy Guy would also add to the villain list with Bowser and Wolf, so that's good too. They'd also be a great addition to the game in my opinion. I'm a big Shy Guy fan myself.

Universe?

Now, Shy Guys are found in Mario games, but it's very rare that Mario or Luigi actually has to fight them.

Last time was in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time,
and that was in the past! 

However, on Yoshi's Island, these guys are EVERYWHERE! They are the natural enemies of the Yoshi Clan, and as such, they count as part of the Yoshi universe. They'll share the Yoshi Egg icon with their enemy Yoshi.

Gameplay?

Shy Guy's a light weight character who uses his extensive arsenal of weapons and items to dish out the damage. He's not exactly the high attacker we'd all like, but he can sure rack up the damage. Combos are his speciality.

He's pretty balanced, but a little bit technical too.

His reach isn't the best with his little arms, but a lot of his moves can be a little deceptive with their range. 

Special Moves

Standard Special: Sling Shy

Take that you pigs.

Shy Guy's had a slingshot since Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, which I believe is the perfect weapon for the little trouble maker. Kinda like Dennis the Menace I suppose.

Pressing B will make Shy Guy shoot out a pellet that arcs downwards after firing. It has long range and deals decent damage. If B is held, Shy Guy charges the shot, firing three or five pellets in a spread shot!

Side Special: Spear Guy

What? It's Casual Friday.

Spear Guys are so crazy with their dances and whatnot. The Spear Guy dance is actually a taunt for Shy Guy, but more importantly, this move reflects some of Shy Guy's weapon proficiency.

Shy Guy only takes out the spear and jabs it forward once before tucking it away. It has excellent range, and is good for shield stabbing too. It does the most damage at the tip as opposed to the shaft of the spear.

Up Special: Fly Guy

Nothing to do here...

Fly Guys are the only sub-species of Shy Guy that are playable in Mario games like Mario Power Tennis for the GameCube and Mario Hoops 3-on-3 for DS. On a personal note, this special is my favorite.

Shy Guy sprouts a propeller from his head and takes flight, much like Propeller Mario. Actually, that's exactly how it works! He flies upwards, only doing small damage if someone touches the propeller during the ascent. Otherwise, they'll get pushed away. Afterwards, Shy Guy will float downwards, much like in New Super Mario Brothers Wii.

Holding the Control Stick up will make him spin and fall slower, allowing the masked minion to gain more distance. Holding the Control Stick down will make him perform a Drill Spin, damaging those below him. Shy Guy can cancel the Drill Spin at any time by releasing the Control Stick.

Down Special: Spy Guy

Name's Shy; James Shy.

Spy Guys are troubling enemies in Paper Mario. They disguise themselves as patches of flowers, but rise up when you least expect it to smash you with a hammer! The hammer blow even blocks out one of Mario's commands! Spy Guy also has a sling shot on him, so that reflects the Sling Shy attack.

This move is a counter move. Shy Guy hides in a flower patch, waiting for enemy attacks. If something connects, then Shy Guy pops out and smashes the offender with a hammer. The attack is very strong, and lasts longer then most counters.

Final Smash: Greaper

Any reaping to be done?

Shy Guy and Yoshi are not on good terms with each other, that's for sure. Even if this Shy Guy is neutral (as not all of them work for Bowser), this animosity is just a fact of life between the species. That relationship might drive Shy Guy to show up and trump the green dinosaur, using a subspecies spirit from Super Mario RPG.

After getting his hands on a Smash Ball, the screen gets darker while Shy Guy's robes glow an ominous red, and grow out to that of a Greaper's, even pulling out a scythe. His eyes also have an eerie glow to them. Much like Yoshi's Super Dragon Final Smash, Shy Guy's Greaper let's him fly around freely. But instead of shooting fireballs from a distance, he attacks by slashing with his sickle. When time's up, he turns back to normal.

In Conclusion

Time to break out the heavy artillery

Shy Guy isn't overly complicated, making him good from first time beginners and long time veterans all the same. If someone were to master the miscreant, then they could really kick foes around with Shy Guy's great combos.

But does Shy Guy have the gall to stand up for both himself and his fans? Or does Yoshi turn him into an egg without a second thought, not giving him a fighting chance?

Comment below and tell me: Do YOU want to see Shy Guy in Super Smash Brothers 4?

I guess the Brawl's already begun...

Until next time! :D