With all the awesome television happening last night (looking at you, Game of Thrones), you might have missed out on what’s easily one of the best Rick and Morty episodes to date. In it, the drink-swilling scientist transforms himself into a pickle (inexplicably, of course), and while his family is off in therapy, he’s in a battle of wits against insects, rats and, eventually, Russian agents.
Videos by ComicBook.com
It’s an incredible episode, and got us thinking – wouldn’t it be great if someone threw Pickle Rick into a fighting game? I mean, it might be inexplicable in some cases – he’d have to be regular size to be a true competitor to his opponents – but he’d make for an awesome guest appearance in some given game.
We’ve put together a few examples of the best fighting games out there and discuss whether or not Pickle Rick would be an ideal addition to them. He can’t fit in everything, but it was funny weighing the pros and cons anyway…
Street Fighter V
We’re not too sure about this one. While Capcom is no stranger to adding guest characters to its fighting games (such as Mega Man in Street Fighter x Tekken), they take Street Fighter very seriously, and even with the ridiculous Abigail thrown into the mix, we’re not sure if Pickle Rick would be an ideal fit. He has the quips and even the battle poses to match, but, by the same token, he’s also got a lot of weaponry, and most of Street Fighter‘s combatants prefer the hand-to-hand combat style. He’d be good with a few combos and even with an across-the-screen dash similar to M. Bison’s Psycho Crusher, but, at the end of the day, he’s a bit too much on the offbeat side to really make a case for a Street Fighter appearance.
Verdict: Not Pickle Rick’s best choice.
Injustice 2
Here’s a much better fit for the likes of Pickle Rick, for a few reasons. Number one, Warner Bros. obviously has good relations with Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, so licensing Rick for the game would be a piece of cake. Secondly, Injustice is no stranger to liking oddball characters, including favorites like Lobo, Zatanna and, most recently, Sub-Zero, even if he’s more on the Mortal Kombat side of things. But on the other hand, Rick wouldn’t be able to execute bloody fatalities, since Injustice 2 leans on its Teen rating. That said, he’d have one hell of a super, where he could knock an opponent into the air and then blast them with his AA-battery powered laser a few times. Now that’s getting schwifty.
Verdict: Better fit here, but still not quite capable of Pickle Rick’s true potential.
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
Like Street Fighter V, Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite has its own tone going for it, and a heaping amount of fighters from both the Marvel and Capcom side of things. True, they like their oddities as much as the next fighting game, with favorites like Dormammu and Firebrand (from Demon’s Crest and Ghosts ‘n’ Goblins) recently being confirmed for the game. But Rick doesn’t seem like he’d fit into either side. Sure, Capcom could release a game featuring him and Morty to kind of make him fit on their side, but considering that Adult Swim Games already makes their own Rick and Morty titles, that doesn’t really look like it’s gonna happen. Sorry, Spidey, but you’ll have to battle Pickle Rick in your imagination.
Verdict: Not the best fit for either side.
Guilty Gear
Okay, let’s talk Japanese fighting games. All bets are off when it comes to crazy characters entering the fray, since most of them look like they just came from a Babymetal concert anyway. So Pickle Rick would fit right in with the cast, considering his over-the-top looks and his manic fighting attitude. That said, we’re not sure how well his dialogue would fit into the game, although it would be hilarious to hear him given a Japanese dialect, and talking like a madman as he whips enemies into shape. He seems better set for something along the lines of Guilty Gear, although we could totally see him working in a few rounds of Persona 4 Arena Ultramax, just for the sake of saying he whipped Teddy’s ass.
Verdict: Some reservations, but Pickle Rick would be hilarious in Guilty Gear.
Mortal Kombat X
Now…we’re…talking. Mortal Kombat X seems like the perfect universe to put Pickle Rick in. Let’s weigh all the factors. First off, he doesn’t hold back on the carnage, as you could see in the episode that aired last night. Second, his fatalities would be outrageous, including a move where he could blast someone through the skull with a high-powered laser (and maybe their friends to boot). Thirdly, considering that Rick doesn’t hold back on determination – or language – he’d fit right in with the kind of maniacs that rule this game. And, hey, he could totally show up Raiden with his own “superman” move, using his rocket pack to dash across the screen and pulverize him. All the while yelling, “PICKLE RIIIIIIIIICK!”
Verdict: PERFECT. Someone call NetherRealm Studios.
