ARMed and Dangerous

He might not be the most obvious candidate to join the ARMS league, but Link is easily the most realizable character on this list since he’s also owned by Nintendo. Although there’s nothing special about Link’s arms, his retractable hookshots would even the playing field. First used in A Ling to the Past, hookshots can latch onto far-away objects to help Link clear pitfalls. They can also be used as a long-range weapon or to retrieve items that are too far away. Different variations of the hookshot have been used over the years, but Twilight Princess broke new ground by allowing Link to equip two hookshots at the same time! It might seem unfair to allow Link onto the ARMS arena, but if Mechanica is permitted to wear a mechanical suit then Link’s handheld hookshots shouldn’t drum up too much controversy.

Other characters on this list are linked with entertainment mediums like video games, film, and comic books, but Stretch Armstrong is a child’s plaything. The large, gel-filled action figures were first introduced by Kenner in 1976 and nearly 70 different versions have been released in countries all over the world. ARMS has been praised for its colorful roster of characters, so a well-muscled blond man wearing a black speedo might seem pretty bland in comparison. That said, his talents should not be overlooked. The original dolls could be stretched to four or five feet, and they could be easily repaired if they were damaged. Exposure in a popular video game could help Stretch Armstrong maintain mind share and help bolster viewership for the upcoming animated series that Netflix recently commissioned.

Elastigirl (also known as Mrs. Incredible) can stretch any part of her body up to 100 feet, and she can be as thin as a millimeter when she needs to be. This uncanny ability allows her to maintain an impossible figure, and she can reshape her body in a variety of ways. She has used her arms as a slingshot and has turned her body into a improvised parachute, so punching opponents from a distance would be a simple task for her. Elastigirl is a soccer mom at heart and is much happier being a parent than she is fighting crime, but her elasticity and super strength would garner her legions of fans in the ARMS arena. She already has a mask, so she wouldn’t even need a new costume! She tries to keep her family’s powers under wraps, but she’d be welcomed with open arms if she decided to step into the spotlight.

The fighters in ARMS are largely defined by their extendable arms. These arms are made from springs, ribbons, chains, bandages, belts, snakes, DNA strands, ramen noodles and an assortment of other materials, but Rayman would stand out from the other combatants since his arms are made out of nothing at all! (If Twintelle gets to fight with her hair, Rayman should get to fight with his magic fists.) Since he has no arms to speak of, Rayman’s hands can move independently from his body. He can launch his fists at his enemies, and the power of his punches will increase in accordance to how long he winds up. Rayman has had the opportunity to use metal fists, rocket fists, and special fists that look like bear traps, so it would probably be easy for him to adapt to the various weapons that are available in the ARMS arena.

Although Ristar didn’t have the star power of Sonic the Hedgehog, it stands as one of Sega’s most underrated Genesis games. The game’s mechanics center around Ristar’s stretchable arms, which are used to pick up and throw a variety of objects. Naturally, they’re also used to attack enemies. After extending his arms, Ristar can grab his foes, pull himself towards them, and finish them off with powerful headbutts. This sort of technique would be a great fit for the ARMS league and could propel Ristar to the top of the fighting world. His elastic arms can literally propel him into the sky like a shooting star, so it would be pretty difficult to stop him. Ristar’s attacks pack enough explosive power to knock down trees, so I’m sure he’d hold his own against actresses, pop idols, and spicy noodle girls.

Cosmic radiation gave him the ability to stretch his body into any shape he desires, but Reed Richards was already one of the planet’s greatest minds and an expert on all things science. Years of mental and physical training have made Richards so malleable that he can even take on a fluid state. Whether he’s flattening himself into a trampoline to save a teammate or turning his fists into hammers to pummel his enemies, “Mister Fantastic” demonstrates a complete mastery of his powers. As the leader of the Fantastic Four, Reed Richards insists that his stretching powers are expendable when compared to his intellect, but the ability to turn himself into a ball and ricochet off his enemies certainly doesn’t hurt. Richards can be cold and distant at times, but he’d probably be fascinated by the other ARMS combatants.

He’s not as well-known as some of the other superheroes on this list, but Plastic Man predates them all and was the inspiration for some of them. (His first comic appearance predates Mister Fantastic by 20 years!) Plastic Man’s abilities are more inventive than most of the heroes he inspired, and he can stretch his body parts into any imaginable form. His plasticity is akin to shape-shifting and basically renders him invulnerable. Plastic Man was orphaned at a young age and fell into a life of crime, but he decided to use his radical new powers for good after he was doused with unidentified chemicals. His plastic body would be right at home in the ARMS arena, and he would also be a great fit from a thematic standpoint since he was one of the first superheroes to effectively blend humor and action.

A dimwitted cyborg with thousands of high-tech gadgets installed in his body, Inspector Gadget spends most of his time building brown bricks and investigating the criminal activities of the villainous Dr. Claw. He’s always on duty, but his niece Penny is the one who’s truly responsible for foiling Dr. Claw’s plans. There are many reasons why he could succeed in the ARMS Grand Prix, despite his bumbling incompetence. He has luck on his side, a robotic implant in his brain lets him perform 12 quadrillion calculations per second, and his telescoping limbs would allow him to hold his own in any fist fight. He has a gyrocopter built into his head, roller blades built into his shoes, and his legs contain spring mechanisms that can increase his stride. If nothing else, it would be difficult to predict his moves.

When it comes to characters who originated in gaming, no character has a stronger association with extendable arms than Dhalsim. He was one of the slowest characters in Street Fighter II, but his stretchy arms and legs gave him range like no other and allowed him to wear his opponents down from a distance. His kicks would likely be downplayed if he were to appear in ARMS, but his elastic legs could improve his mobility and be used for defensive purposes. His ability to conjure fire could also prove helpful and could potentially negate enemy attacks. Although Dhalsim frequently partakes in street fighting tournaments, he’s not especially fond of conflict. It might seem strange to see the stoic yoga master compete in the ARMS Grand Prix, but I’m sure he’d use the spotlight for altruistic reasons.

Monkey D. Luffy is defined by great ambitions and a huge appetite. Vowing to become “King of the Pirates,” he travels the world in search of a legendary treasure. He normally has a cheerful personality, but he means business when he’s fighting. The supernatural “Gum-Gum Fruit” gave his body the properties of rubber when he was younger, and he can use the elasticity of his body to execute a diverse range of attacks. His signature “Gum-Gum Pistol” allows him to rapidly slingshot his punches from almost any range, and he’s flexible enough to inflate his body like a balloon or coil into a spring. Even Helix would be taken aback by how strange some of his maneuvers are! Luffy can take a punch and is always looking for a fight, so the leader of the Straw Hat Pirates would be well-suited for the ARMS Grand Prix.