Codec conversations

Snake's codec regarding Diddy Kong begins.

On the Shadow Moses Island stage, Snake has a secret taunt where he talks about the other fighters with his support team, consisting of Mei Ling, Otacon, and Roy Campbell. Even Slippy Toad talks with Snake on one occasion (when talking about Falco).

The taunt is performed by inputting the down taunt command in a split second. If done correctly, Snake will kneel and touch the codec receiver in his ear. The codec message will begin soon afterward if Snake is left undisturbed.

Voice Credits

• Solid Snake - David Hayter (English), Akio Ohtsuka (Japanese)

• Colonel Roy Campbell - Paul Eiding (English), Takeshi Aono (Japanese)

• Hal 'Otacon' Emmerich - Christopher Randolph (English), Hideyuki Tanaka (Japanese)

• Mei Ling - Kim Mai Guest (English), Houko Kuwashima (Japanese)

• Slippy Toad - Michael McAuliffe (English), Kyoko Tonguu (Japanese)

Bowser

Colonel: "Careful, Snake! That's the great and terrible Bowser!"

Snake: "Bowser? Looks like a cheap movie monster."

Colonel: "Hardly. Bowser leads an entire army of monsters. But I'd worry more about his claws and fire if I were you."

Snake: "Doesn't look that tough to me. Seems kind of slow, actually."

Colonel: "Well, he is the king of Koopas. It's only natural he'd be slow. But that's only because he's the heaviest fighter here--by far. He's a powerhouse of destruction. Careful he doesn't flatten you."

Captain Falcon

Snake: "Hey! That's Captain Falcon, isn't it!"

Otacon: "Good eye, Snake! He's F-Zero pilot number 07!"

Snake: "You know, seeing Captain Falcon here reminds me... We should do that thing we've always wanted to try..."

Otacon: "Ohhhh yeah! That thing! Good idea! OK, ready? Go!"

Snake: "Falcon Puuuunch!"

Otacon: "Falcon Kiiiiiiick!"

Note: Oddly, when Snake says "Falcon Punch", only the "Falcon" part of it is extended. However, the text shows it as "Punch" extended. Also, Otacon being a fan of Captain Falcon is a subtle inside joke to Otacon's Japanese Voice Actor, Hideyuki Tanaka, who voiced Captain Falcon in the anime F-Zero Falcon Legend.

Diddy Kong

Snake: "Otacon, there's a chimpanzee here wearing a Nintendo hat."

Otacon: "That's Diddy Kong. He's Donkey Kong's partner. Not only is he lightweight, he can use a wide range of weapons as well. He can fly using those barrel jets on his back, and he can shoot nuts with his Peanut Popgun."

Snake: "Peanuts? As in the ones in the little shells? Are you serious?"

Otacon: "Wait, here's the best part. You see them lying on the ground after he shoots? If you pick up some of those peanuts, they'll restore your health a little."

Snake: "Hmm. Edible ammunition, huh... Times sure have changed."

Note: Snake states that there is a chimpanzee wearing a Nintendo hat. That is incorrect for Diddy as he has a tail, and chimpanzees do not have tails (Diddy more closely resembles a spidermonkey).

Donkey Kong

Snake: "Otacon, there's a gorilla wearing a tie here. He's huge."

Otacon: "That's Donkey Kong. As you can tell, he's got strength to spare. He may be king of the jungle, but he lives in a house just like you or me. And he seems pretty smart--well, for an ape, anyway. The Donkey Kong who fought that epic battle with Mario was this guy's grandfather."

Snake: "That was a long time ago. What about this Donkey Kong? Does he get along with Mario?"

Otacon: "Nope, they're still at it. Seems like they're always competing in something--kart racing, sports, you name it."

Snake: "A chip off the old block..."

Note: Both Snake and Donkey Kong inherit their name/title from their predecessors. In Snake's case he inherited the name "Snake" from his father Big Boss' old codename "Naked Snake" and Donkey Kong is a direct descendent of the Donkey Kong seen in the original arcade game who is hinted to have become recurring character Cranky Kong.

Falco

Snake: "This is Snake..."

Slippy: "Copy, Snake! This is Slippy!"

Snake: "Whaa--! Who is this? What are you, some kind of frog?!"

Slippy: "Easy there, buddy! Just thought I'd hop on the wireless and give you a holler. Don't get mad!"

Snake: "Hacked right into my channel, huh..."

Slippy: "But I'm not here to mess nothin' up. Don't worry."

Snake: "..."

Slippy: "Just so ya know, Falco uses a Blaster and Reflector that I designed, just like Fox does. But Falco will kick his Reflector and send it flyin' around. Just showin' off, if you ask me."

Snake: "No reason a weapon can't have more than one use. In fact, I'd say its versatility shows how well you designed it."

Slippy: "Hey, maybe so! I feel all fuzzy now! Thanks, Snake!"

Snake: "Maybe next time we meet, you can design me a weapon...."

Note: This is the only codec that features Slippy Toad from Star Fox instead of Snake's normal contacts. The number "140.85" (Roy Campbell's codec number) appears in the Codec screen, implying that Snake intended to call Roy.

Snake's comment about the next time he and Slippy meets, Slippy will design him a weapon alludes to the fact that some of Solid Snake's technologies were developed by Otacon, and that Big Boss himself had weapons developed via various scientists either willingly or by force in Peace Walker and Metal Gear 2.

Fox

Snake: "Colonel! That fox is fast!"

Colonel: "You're fighting Fox, eh, Snake? His full name is Fox McCloud. He's the leader of the commando-for-hire unit Star Fox. They're mostly active in a galaxy known as the Lylat System. Fox and his comrades pilot all-terrain fighter crafts called Arwings. His skills in combat can turn the tide of any battle. ...You seem to have a thing with foxes, don't you, Snake?"

Snake: "Don't remind me. First FOXHOUND and now this guy... I'm sick of foxes."

Colonel: "You and foxes have a long history together. You ought to be proud."

Note: FOXHOUND was a special forces group that Snake and Colonel used to work in before it fell into the hands of Liquid Snake and became a terrorist group. Also, one of Snake's friends, Gray Fox, betrayed him. Either or both might explain Snake's disdain for foxes.

Ganondorf

Snake: "This guy is giving off a murderous vibe! Even getting close to him makes my skin crawl..."

Otacon: "Snake! Ganondorf is dangerous! His ambition is to rule the world, and he's got the power to do it. It's no wonder they call him 'King of Evil'."

Snake: "Do modern weapons even work against him? Do I even have a chance?"

Otacon: "Take a look around you. There are plenty of people fighting with swords or even their bare hands. At least you've got firepower! Count yourself lucky! It's not like you to whine, Snake."

Snake: "I was just asking, sheesh. Well, it's back to the mission for me."

Ice Climbers

Snake: "So those two are the Ice Climbers, huh?"

Mei Ling: "Snake, have you ever heard of a 'blood bond'?"

Snake: "Sure."

Mei Ling: "It refers to a bond between two people that's so strong they'd die for each other. The Ice Climbers have conquered frozen glaciers and dangerous mountaintops together. I think they've formed a bond that we can't even fathom."

Snake: "I dunno. Seems to me they'd get in each other's way fighting to see who gets to the top first."

Mei Ling: "Snake, in China they say, 'Though brothers may quarrel at home, outside they defend each other from slight."

Snake: "Is that really a Chinese proverb?"

Mei Ling: "Even though they may get in each other's way occasionally, they'll pull together in times of need. They're an inseparable team, Snake. Don't underestimate them!"

Note: The "blood bond" that Mei Ling mentions is a reference to the strong sense of camaraderie between Popo and Nana, as they always appear together as "two in one" character in Melee and Brawl. Snake mentioning of the Ice Climbers fighting each other to see who gets to the top first is a reference to one of the two-player modes where both players must compete each other in order to reach to the top to the summit.

Ike

Snake: "This swordsman's gonna be tough to beat."

Colonel: "Fighting Ike, eh, Snake? Ike is the leader of the Greil Mercenaries. He may look too refined to be a fighter... but he has one heck of a sword arm."

Snake: "Yeah, he's swinging that two-handed sword around with only one hand. I don't even want to get near him."

Colonel: "That's the holy blade of Ragnell. It's an extremely powerful sword. But don't forget, Snake, you're armed to the teeth yourself. To your opponents, you might just be their worst nightmare. The distance between you and your enemy is a crucial element in battle. Using that distance can give you an advantage against some enemies."

Snake: "Yeah, I've got the same feeling..."

Jigglypuff

Snake: "Aw, there's a big eyeball walking around here..."

Colonel: "That's just Jigglypuff."

Snake: "Jigglypuff? That some kind of marshmallow?"

Colonel: "Jigglypuff is a balloon-shaped Pokémon. It may be light and puffy and full of air, but its Sleep ability is devastating."

Snake: "Sleep...? What's so devastating about it going to sleep?"

Colonel: "The instant it falls asleep, there's a huge buildup of energy in its center of gravity. If it hits you, it's lights out for sure."

Snake: "So it puts a lot of energy into sleeping? Sounds pretty irresponsible if you ask me."

Colonel: "Takes all kinds, Snake. Especially here in 'Brawl'."

Note: Snake's comment about the marshmallow is a semi-accurate translation of the original comment in Japanese, in which he compares Jigglypuff to a dessert because Jigglypuff's Japanese name is "Purin," which is also the Japanese word for "pudding." Colonel also breaks the fourth wall by mentioning Brawl.

King Dedede

Snake: "Look at the size of that hammer..."

Colonel: "That's King Dedede you're fighting, Snake."

Snake: "Dedede? You mean it's not a penguin, Colonel?"

Colonel: "He's the King of Dream Land. Well, so he says, anyway."

Snake: "Are you sure he's not a penguin?"

Colonel: "One full swing from that hammer can level an entire building. It may look like just a big wooden mallet, but it's actually outfitted with special mechanical systems like turbo jets and precision bearings to boost its effectiveness."

Snake: "I don't think I could even lift that thing. And here he's swinging it around like it was nothing..."

Colonel: "But he also leaves himself wide open. Just make sure you avoid the swing, Snake."

Note: Oddly enough, King Dedede's dubious authority is not mentioned that much in the Kirby games. It is only mentioned in this codec conversation, Sakurai's description of Dedede on the DOJO website, Dedede's trophy in Brawl, and in the Kirby anime Hoshi no Kaabii (known as Kirby: Right Back At Ya! in the states).

Kirby

Otacon: "Snake! Watch out!"

Snake: "For what? That pink marshmallow?"

Otacon: "That's Kirby, also known as 'Kirby from Dream Land'. He's from another planet--in other words, an extraterrestrial. He's got a powerful stomach that lets him swallow and digest anything. And he also has a 'Copy Ability' that allows him to mimic opponents, steal their moves, and use those moves against them. On top of that, he has the power to fly around the stage, so once he's got you in his sights, there's no place to run."

Snake: "...Huh? Yeah, got it. I'll keep an eye out."

Note: In the original Japanese conversation, Otacon refers to Kirby as "Hoshi no Kaabii", meaning "Kirby of the Stars", instead of "Kirby from Dream Land". This is the official name of the series in Japan, and also the animated series is named after it. In Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards there is an ice planet that resembles Earth, which reinforces the idea that Otacon would classify Kirby as an alien.

Link

Snake: "Otacon, who's the guy with the sword?"

Otacon: "That's Link. He's the hero of Hyrule. That blade in his hand is called the Master Sword, also known as the 'Blade of Evil's Bane'. He also has a whole arsenal of items at his disposal--bombs and arrows, a shield, a boomerang, and a Clawshot. He's a force to be reckoned with."

Snake: "Gear is only useful when it's used at the right time and place. Just lugging a ton of it around doesn't do you any good."

Otacon: "...I, uh... I wouldn't be talking if I were you, Snake."

Snake: "What's that supposed to mean?"

Otacon: "You tell me, Mr. Utility Belt."

Snake: "..."

Note: This conversation pokes fun at the fact that in previous Metal Gear games, the player is capable of carrying a high number of weapons and items, up to and including two rocket launchers, two assault rifles and three different cardboard boxes, all carried in some sort of "hammerspace" since they do not weigh Snake or Raiden down nor are they shown on their physical person. Snake Eater and other games onward downplayed this somewhat, only allowing the player to carry a certain number of items at a time, and their weight factors into the stamina consumed by Big Boss/Old Snake during dramatic movements, and Ground Zeroes and Phantom Pain ultimately only allowed Big Boss/Venom Snake to carry two primary and secondary weapons for each category and a certain number of tools and support weapons, with the latter changing the cost of deploying Venom on missions. In Ultimate, the "Clawshot" line was removed, since the Link from "Breath of the Wild" doesn't have a Clawshot in the first place.

Lucario

Mei Ling: "You're fighting Lucario, aren't you, Snake?"

Snake: "Mei Ling, what's that purple fire coming out of his hands?"

Mei Ling: "That's his 'Aura'."

Snake: "Aura?"

Mei Ling: "I guess you could call it his life force. Lucario can use his own Aura and turn it into power. Every time Lucario's damage increases, his aura gains strength, making his attacks more powerful. So don't think you've got him beat just because his health is down."

Snake: "The cornered rat will bite the cat... Sounds like trouble."

Mei Ling: "Hey! When did you become so good with proverbs?!"

Snake: "You must have rubbed off on me."

Mei Ling: "Well, come back in one piece, and I'll teach you all the Chinese proverbs you can handle."

Note: While Lucario is often referred as an "it" in Super Smash Bros Brawl, Mei Ling uses the word "he." This is possibly because this Lucario is the Lucario from the movie (where that Lucario is referred to as male). Also, Lucario's pre-evolution are usually born male. It may also be a translation error from the Japanese.

Snake's comment about Mei Ling "rubbing off on him" when giving a proverb refers to the fact that Mei Ling frequently spoke Chinese proverbs in her appearances (and in the case of international versions of Metal Gear Solid, western literature as well).

Lucas

Mei Ling: "I see you're fighting Lucas, Snake."

Snake: "Lucas?"

Mei Ling: "That boy has PSI powers, which he can use for different kinds of attacks. But the poor little guy's had such a hard life. His mother was killed when he was young, and he was separated from his brother. After that, he faced all kinds of senseless hardships, and he slowly grew stronger."

Snake: "Senseless hardships--yeah, I had a lot of those too. The question is how you translate those hardships into a better future."

Mei Ling: "...Mmm. Well, I hope things turn out okay for him."

Note: The "hardships" that Snake mentions is the reference of his internal conflict with his so-called "family" from Les Enfants Terribles, such as dealing with his twin brother Liquid Snake due to Liquid's "inferiority complex." Throughout most Metal Gear games featuring Snake, he must battle one of his "family members" as a boss fight, and most of the plot involves the evil deeds of one of his "family members".

Luigi

Snake: "That guy with the moustache..."

Colonel: "Ha. You mean the "King of Second Bananas"?

Snake: "Hey, that's Luigi! Show him a little respect!"

Colonel: "Look at that pale skin. He's been living in his brother's shadow for too long."

Snake: "That's a low blow, Colonel!"

Colonel: "Face it, Snake! Once a kid brother, always a kid brother!"

Snake: "Colonel, what's gotten into you?!"

Colonel: "La li lu le lo! La li lu le lo! La li lu le lo!"

Snake: "Colonel, snap out of it! Colonel! Coooooooloneeeeeel!"

Note: The "La li lu le lo" is a nickname for a group in the Metal Gear series known as the Patriots. Colonel's speech in this conversation is a reference to a fake programmed colonel known as "AI Colonel" that Raiden encountered in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. During the final parts of the game, due to a virus designed by Otacon's sister Emma, the AI Colonel malfunctions, and it begins saying random and somewhat disturbing things (i.e. "I need scisors, 61") up to and including breaking the fourth wall and referencing previous Metal Gear games (i.e. "Infiltrate...the enemy fortress...Outer Heaven.") It is later revealed in Metal Gear Solid 4 that in fact those with the Patriots' nanomachines in their bodies are unable to refer to the Patriots, calling them the "La li lu le lo". This Colonel also seems to say random things. Subtly it most likely a reference between the relationship of Solid Snake and his brother called Liquid Snake. Though it was Liquid who lived under the shadow of Snake. As well, it references the inferiority complex Luigi may harbor towards his brother, as well as the condescending attitude the AI Colonel showed towards Raiden in MGS2. Finally, Snake's last line is actually a reversal and parody of his "Game Over" line (where someone else calls out to Snake) from the Metal Gear Solid games.

Mario

Colonel: "Snake, you know who that is?"

Snake: "You're kidding, right? It's Mario."

Colonel: "Mario made his first appearance in 1981, and since then, he's become a worldwide phenomenon. There's probably not a single person who doesn't know Mario. He's that famous."

Snake: "Good thing I survived long enough to meet him on the field of battle, huh."

Colonel: "This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, Snake. Now get out there and show him what you're made of. No regrets."

Snake: "Got it."

Note: This message appeared in the Snake Joins the Brawl video on the Smash Bros. Dojo!!, also found in-game in the video archives.

Marth

Mei Ling: "Snake, have you heard the saying "Politics makes strange bedfellows"?"

Snake: "Don't tell me that's a Chinese proverb."

Mei Ling: "Err, no... It means that when the going gets tough, you might need unexpected partnerships in order to succeed. Marth was a prince whose kingdom was usurped. He didn't even have an army to fight with him. But as he battled his way forward, he found new allies to fight at his side, and in the end, he was able to reunite the war-torn land of Altea."

Snake: "So he built his army from the ranks of his defeated enemies..."

Mei Ling: "Marth did his share of fighting too. Even when he had an army, he was always alongside his men in the thick of battle. Then he was betrayed by one of his most trusted friends. I can't even imagine how that feels..."

Snake: "...I can."

Note: Snake is referring to the fact that he found out that his war buddy Gray Fox was one of Big Boss' men. It also involves to the fact that Big Boss was once the CO of Snake and like Fox he betrayed him. It should be noted that betrayal is a common occurrence in the Metal Gear series.

Mei Ling's comment about Altea is slightly incorrect. Marth was indeed usurped by a backstabbing nation, but Altea was the name of his kingdom, not the land as a whole, known as Archenea.

Snake's comment about building an army from his enemies could also be a reference to Portable Ops and Peace Walker, where Big Boss could capture enemy soldiers to fight for his side, as did Venom Snake in The Phantom Pain.

Meta Knight

Snake: "Mei Ling, there's a mysterious masked man flying around here with a sword..."

Mei Ling: "That's Meta Knight. He's a knight from Dream Land. They say his sword swings can break the sound barrier. Whatever you do, don't get caught in one of his furious barrage attacks. He also commands the Halberd, a flying battleship."

Snake: "Mm, I've seen it. The bow looks like his mask. What kind of weirdo puts his face on the bow of a ship, anyway?"

Mei Ling: "Umm, maybe he's a little narcissistic. Kind of like someone else I know."

Snake: "Really... And who would that be?"

Mei Ling: "Use your imagination..."

Note: This is a reference to, and foreshadowing of, Outer Haven, Liquid Ocelot's ship seen in MGS4. There is a Mt. Rushmore-like structure on the ship that includes all the faces of Snake's family (or rather, everyone who has "Snake" in their codename, excluding Raiden, who only received the name "Snake" for a short while). Also, Snake claims he's seen the Halberd, which could be a reference to the Subspace Emissary, where he was a stowaway in the ship. It is most likely a reference to the Halberd stage, where Snake is likely to have already fought on.

Mr. Game & Watch

Snake: "Otacon, there's a guy walking around in here...and he's only got two dimensions!"

Otacon: "That's Mr. Game & Watch. He comes from a world where everything is flat. Game & Watch was a series of portable games released by Nintendo in 1980. They were powered by large-scale integrated circuits and only had mono-chrome LCD displays, so characters kind of looked like the numbers on a calculator. The guy you're looking at now, Mr. Game & Watch, was a character who appeared in these games."

Snake: "This is making my head hurt."

Otacon: "Well, um... He's... I mean... Look, just start fighting him, and I'm sure everything will make sense."

Snake: "..."

Ness

Colonel: "That kid... Isn't that Ness?"

Snake: "Ness?"

Colonel: "He may look like a mere boy, but don't let that fool you. He has PSI abilities that defy all scientific explanation."

Snake: "Just like Psycho Mantis..."

Colonel: "Exactly. He can use teleportation, levitation, pyrokinesis, and psychokinesis."

Snake: "Yeah, but the question is, can he read minds?"

Colonel: "Not to my knowledge, no."

Snake: "Good. Then I won't have to worry about him predicting my every move."

Colonel: "Even if he had telepathic powers, I don't think he'd use them to mess with you like that. I hear he's a good kid."

Note: Psycho Mantis, a Russian renegade FOXHOUND member, appears in Metal Gear Solid as a boss. Like Ness, Psycho Mantis manipulates psychic powers to create devastating attacks. Snake's enquiry about mind reading refers to Psycho Mantis' main ability, which involves using telepathy to predict his attacks. In the game, his "mind reading" had the game read the player's memory card, and reference games you've played before fighting him. He also used his telepathy to predict your move inputs on your controller. To prevent this, you had to plug the controller into the player 2 slot (controller socket 2 in the GCN remake). In The Twin Snakes, Mantis will note that Snake has played Super Smash Brothers Melee before if data from that game is detected.

Ness actually did have telepathic abilities in EarthBound, albeit limited to use on animals.

Olimar

Mei Ling: "Snake, have you heard of the ancient Chinese story, 'The Vain Ocean of Wealth and Splendor' from the Zhen Zhong Ji?"

Snake: "I've been waiting for the movie."

Mei Ling: "Basically, it's meant to express the impermanence of all things. You know, like even when Captain Olimar has lots of Pikmin with him, they could all be gone the next moment. Those poor little guys--they carry, they fight, they multiply...and they get eaten. Olimar might have lots of company one minute and be all alone the next. It's so sad."

Snake: "But he can pluck out more Pikmin anytime he wants, right?"

Mei Ling: "Well, yeah, I suppose so."

Snake: "No one truly fights alone. Not even me."

Mei Ling: "...You're absolutely right, Snake. Good luck. I'm rooting for you."

Note: Mei Ling saying that the Pikmin "carry, fight, multiply...and get eaten" is a reference to the (translated) lyrics of the song used to advertise Pikmin, "Ai no Uta".

Peach

Snake: "Mei Ling, tell me what you know about Peach."

Mei Ling: "Princess Peach is the beloved ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom. She's been kidnapped numerous times by Bowser."

Snake: "Sounds pretty serious..."

Mei Ling: "Yes, but every time it happens, Mario ends up saving her. Sure, he may not look like your ideal 'knight in shining armor'. A little on the short side, I'd say... But still, don't you think it's romantic? I mean, to have a guy who's always there for you?"

Snake: "If he was smart, he'd tell her to stop getting kidnapped."

Mei Ling: "...You don't get a lot of dates, do you, Snake?"

Note: Although Snake showed feelings for his teammate Meryl Silverburgh, and later embarked on a relationship with her that went sour, Snake normally doesn't like "getting involved" in relationships, as demonstrated with avoiding Holly White from Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, after the events of the game are over.

Pikachu

Mei Ling: "Ooh! How cuute!"

Snake: "What? The yellow thing?"

Mei Ling: "That's Pikachu. It's a Pokémon. They're popular all over the world, you know. And it may look cute, but be careful. It can store up large amounts of electricity in those adorable little cheeks. It'll try to pepper you with electric shocks."

Snake: "Couldn't be much worse than Ocelot's old torture device..."

Mei Ling: "Oh, and, Snake?"

Snake: "What?"

Mei Ling: "I was wondering, could you maybe try and catch Pikachu for me? Pleeeeease?"

Snake: "Give me a break! What do I look like, a Pokémon Trainer?"

Mei Ling: "Fine... Sorry I asked."

Note: Snake's comment about Ocelot's old torture device is a reference to the torture scene in Metal Gear Solid in which Revolver Ocelot runs high voltage through Snake's body after Snake was captured. Nearly every Metal Gear game, the main character gets captured and sometimes gets tortured. Also, Mei Ling's comment about capturing Pikachu parodies the several codec requests that Naked Snake (the playable character of Metal Gear Solid 3, more commonly known as Big Boss, or Snake's father) receives from his radio team, asking him to capture some type of flora or fauna (Most especially the Tsuchinoko, of which Major Zero instructs Snake not to eat under any circumstances should he catch it). However, it is more likely that Mei Ling is imitating a Lass from the Pokémon series, as one Lass begs for a Pikachu early on in the game.

Pit

Snake: "Otacon, there's a kid with wings out here. Is he a mutant? Or is he just into costumes?"

Otacon: "That's Pit, Snake. Pit is an angel from Angel Land. He's the captain of Palutena's Army."

Snake: "Angels. Give me a break!"

Otacon: "I dunno, maybe he's from a different species. But those wings on his back and those mysterious weapons he has are the real deal. He may look young, but he's a veteran warrior. Watch yourself. He used to be a weakling, but countless trials over the years have toughened him up."

Snake: "And by trials, you mean, 'Game Overs'?"

Otacon: "Yeah, you should know all about that."

Note: Snake's comment about Pit's 'Game Overs' could be taken either as a breaking of the Fourth Wall (referring to the fact that this is a video game) or poking fun at Kid Icarus' somewhat infamous difficulty. Although that would mean Snake knows who Pit is. There are various points in the Metal Gear series that break the fourth wall heavily as well, which explains Snake's familiarity with the "Game Over" concept. In the Japanese version, Snake says "Yararechatta" ("I'm Finished!"), Pit's game over quote from his series. The part where Snake asks if he's a mutant could be a reference to the Maximum Ride series, which featured mutant kids with wings.

Pokémon Trainer

Snake: "Pokémon Trainer... That's the guy giving orders behind a Pokémon, right?"

Colonel: "Right, and this Pokémon Trainer is controlling Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard. They represent water, grass, and fire, and they're all powerful."

Snake: "So he makes his Pokémon fight while he sits back and watches. Sounds like a good deal if you ask me."

Colonel: "It's not like that, Snake. Those Pokémon wouldn't know what to do if the Pokémon Trainer wasn't there giving orders. In every battle, there's a soldier doing the fighting, and a commander telling him what to do. By working together as a team, they accomplish much more than either could on their own. So let's do this together, partner."

Snake: "...Yeah... Whatever you say, Colonel."

Note: The conversation is ironic in that the Colonel gives Snake orders (like the Trainer) while Snake is constantly sent into the field of battle (like the Pokémon). Furthermore, Portable Ops and Peace Walker show that Big Boss (Snake's father) also gave orders and sent soldiers on missions, though he would also take part in missions himself, and his body double Venom Snake would do the same in The Phantom Pain. Also, Colonel's comment about Pokémon not knowing what to do without the trainer is entirely false, as Charizard and Rayquaza must be fought in the Subspace Emissary, where they have no trainer to give them commands.

R.O.B.

Otacon: "So, Snake, you're fighting Robot?"

Snake: "Yeah, it's a robot. Although, couldn't they have come up with a better name?"

Otacon: "Actually, in the U.S. they called him 'R.O.B.' Robot, R.O.B.--take your pick."

Snake: "Fine. R.O.B. it is, then."

Otacon: "In North America, R.O.B.'s body was grey, like the NES. But in Japan, he had a white body and red arms, the colors of the Japanese Famicom."

Snake: "You sure know your geeky tech stuff, Otacon."

Otacon: "Well, you know..."

Note: Otacon is a self-proclaimed "otaku" who was inspired by Japanese anime into making robots such as Metal Gear REX, so it is possible he would know all there is to know about R.O.B.

Samus

Snake: "Hey, Otacon. I got a woman here in a Power Suit..."

Otacon: "Huh? How'd you know she was a woman? Yeah, that'd be Samus Aran, the most renowned bounty hunter in the galaxy. Her Arm Cannon packs quite a wallop. If you get hit with a charged shot from that thing, you can kiss your butt good-bye."

Snake: "Sounds like my kind of woman..."

Otacon: "Yeah, well, just don't get too close, Snake. Samus is deadly. After Space Pirates killed her parents, she was raised by the Chozo and trained in the fighting arts. She's been places and seen things that people like you and me can't even begin to imagine."

Snake: "But underneath that cold, metal exterior beats the heart of a woman..."

Note: Snake says that Samus is in a Power Suit, although Samus is really in the Varia Suit. This could be just a result that the Super Smash Bros. series calls it the Power Suit, or that Power Suit is a general term. Otacon's line, "How did you know she was a woman?" may also be a reference to the original Metroid, where Samus was referred to as male in the game's manual, to hide the surprise that she was really a female, which was revealed at the end of the game. It may also be a reference to a scenario in Metal Gear Solid where Snake was able to identify Meryl from the terrorists by the way she walked, while Otacon couldn't. A similar situation occured in Metal Gear 2 where Snake had to identify an ally, Gustava Heffner, who was disguised as an enemy soldier, although due to that game's limited animation, Gustava was identifed by Snake after seeing her walking into a women's bathroom. The last line of Snake, about the metal exterior and the heart of a woman, could be a reference about the B&B Corps (also called The Beauty and the Beast Unit). Though such events have not yet occurred in the fictional timeline of Metal Gear Series (because Snake is still young), the B&B Corps appear in Metal Gear Solid 4 as a group of four women that fights inside machines that resembles an animal. Also, these women have emotional problems caused by their tragic past. Old Snake is (or will be) the only one capable of defeating them and, as Drebin says, to heal them from their pain.

Sheik

Snake: "What's going on here? What happened to Zelda?!"

Mei Ling: "Snake, Princess Zelda transformed into Sheik. I can understand the clothes, but to change her skin and eye color? That must take some powerful magic."

Snake: "...Magic...?"

Mei Ling: "Come on, Snake! Don't get all grumpy and start talking about how unscientific it is. Science is basically just another form of magic that makes our lives easier."

Snake: "I never thought I'd hear that coming from you, Mei Ling."

Mei Ling: "Don't you think talking to someone halfway around the world is a kind of magic? Or flying across entire continents?"

Snake: "No. I think this is completely different."

Note: Snake's disbelief in magic is a bit unusual, because the Metal Gear Solid series has three infamous characters (Psycho Mantis from Metal Gear Solid who was an actual psychic, Fortune from Metal Gear Solid 2 who displayed the ability to deflect bullets, missiles and other projectiles moments before her death, and The Sorrow from Metal Gear Solid 3 who was an empath who could commune with ghosts and was himself already dead by the events of that game) who have abilities that defy all forms of conventional science, even with the advances of nanomachines and genetics in the Metal Gear universe.

Sonic

Snake: "..."

Otacon: "Snake, what is it?"

Snake: "Something about that hedgehog rubs me the wrong way..."

Otacon: "...? Oh, you mean Sonic The Hedgehog? But everyone loves Sonic. He's a big star. Do you have any idea how excited people are that he's here in Brawl?"

Snake: "Yeah, I know, but there's something about him I just don't like."

Otacon: "But...why? You must have some kind of reason."

Snake: "...Nope, I just don't like him."

Note: While there has been a lot of speculation on the matter, no adequate explanation for Snake's animosity towards Sonic has arisen, and no reasons for the cryptic codec conversation have been provided by any official source. This may be a pun on the fact that hedgehogs are natural predator to snakes. This may also reference how the announcement on Sonic's inclusion in Brawl overshadowed the vast majority of the hype built up on Snake's inclusion or that Snake's Japanese VA, Akio Otsuka, is the son of veteran VA Chikao Otsuka, who plays Sonic's nemesis Eggman (Coincidentally, Chikao also voices Big Boss, Snake's father, in Metal Gear Solid 4 as well.) Also, interestingly enough, Brawl is one of the few recent games where "The" in Sonic's name is capitalized. Otacon also breaks the Fourth Wall by mentioning that Sonic is featured in Brawl, and that everyone is excited that he's in it ("Everybody", being the fans of SSBB).

Snake

Snake: "Colonel, it's me! I'm fighting myself!"

Colonel: "Snake, what's going on out there?! Could it be...? Has the 'Les Enfants Terribles' project really come this far?"

Snake: "It's more than that. He's got my moves, my gear... It's like looking in a mirror."

Colonel: "Do you think they collected data on you and created another Snake...?"

Snake: "He's got the same build, too. Creepy. But his Sneaking Suit is a different color. And his tactics are slightly different."

Colonel: "Interesting. So even if you're evenly matched in power, your fighting styles will make a big difference. You've faced tougher odds in the past, Snake. Don't let this impostor beat you!!"

Note: In the Metal Gear Solid series, the 'Les Enfants Terribles' is a cloning project that created Solid Snake as well as his "brothers" (Liquid Snake and Solidus Snake). They are all created from the DNA from their "father," Big Boss (in addition, the younger version of Big Boss almost looks like Solid Snake).

Toon Link

Snake: "Mei Ling, who is this kid with the cat eyes...?"

Mei Ling: "Oh, they call him Toon Link. Doesn't he look familiar?"

Snake: "Yeah, he looks just like Link."

Mei Ling: "But you know there've been several people who've gone by that name, right? They all have certain things in common--green clothes, a sword, a shield... But they all came from different lands and lived in different eras. And yet the spirit of the hero of the Triforce is timeless. It's an essence that transcends history."

Snake: "I think I can relate to that."

Mei Ling: "Huh? What do you mean?"

Snake: "There's been more than one 'Snake', too, you know..."

Note: In the Metal Gear universe, at least five people have had the codename Snake - Naked Snake, later known as Big Boss (Metal Gear Solid 3, Portable Ops, Peace Walker, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes), Venom Snake (Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain) Solid Snake (known as Old Snake in Metal Gear Solid 4), Liquid Snake (Metal Gear Solid), and Solidus Snake (Metal Gear Solid 2). In Metal Gear Solid 2, there is another character called Raiden who had assumed the name "Snake" early in a mission and was being manipulated into playing the role of Solid Snake in a simulated recreation of the Shadow Moses Incident from Metal Gear Solid. His codename was later changed to Raiden to not confuse him with the enemy's leader's codename, who was also falsely going under the name of Snake. Only two of these Snakes (Solid and Naked) can be viewed in the Brawl Trophy rooms though Liquid, Solidus and by extension Raiden appear as Stickers.

Wario

Snake: "This guy kind of gives me the creeps."

Colonel: "That's Wario, Snake. Wario first appeared as Mario's rival, but he really made his name in the WarioWare games. Watch out for Wario's bite. It's not just damage you take from it."

Snake: "What do you mean, Colonel?"

Colonel: "Wario loves garlic. He eats whole cloves of it day and night. So try not to get caught in his mouth. Once that smell gets on you, it'll stick to you for quite a while."

Snake: "...That's a scary thought."

Colonel: "He also attacks by farting. He can fart to fly around, too."

Snake: "By farting... Are you kidding me?!"

Colonel: "Sadly, no. I am not kidding. If his belly starts to bulge, watch out."

Note: This message appeared in the Snake Joins the Brawl video on the Smash Bros. Dojo!!, also found in-game in the video archives. Also, when Colonel says "If his belly starts to bulge, watch out." could be a reference to the trailer where Wario's stomach expands and then lets out a huge Wario Waft around all of the other characters. It could also be a reference to the visual cue Wario gives when his Wario Waft has reached maximum power.

Wolf

Snake: "Colonel, there's a guy in here who looks like a wolf..."

Colonel: "You mean the fighter named Wolf."

Snake: "'Wolf'. Real imaginative name..."

Colonel: "He's the leader of a ragtag team called 'Star Wolf'. They're the longtime rivals of Star Fox."

Snake: "Kind of strange for a wolf to have friends, isn't it?"

Colonel: "Well, I don't think he works well with others. I suppose they're more like hangers-on than actual comrades. But he's a remarkable pilot. And his ship, the 'Wolfen', is no slouch either."

Snake: "But this is hand-to-hand combat, Colonel. He's out of his element."

Colonel: "Careful, Snake. Those claws of his aren't just for show."

Note: Snake's comment "kind of strange for a wolf to have friends" seems a bit odd, since wolves are famous for hunting in packs. It could be a reference to Sniper Wolf, a Metal Gear Solid villain who, unlike other snipers, could shoot at Snake without help from a spotter. It may also be referring to the expression "lone wolf." Coincidentally, Big Boss's body double Venom Snake would later befriend a wolfdog in The Phantom Pain, named D.D., who bares some similarities to Wolf O'Donnell, including an eyepatch.

If one listens carefully, the words "that's a" could be heard mumbled quickly in Snake's second line. Thus, the line is, "'Wolf'. [That's a] real imaginative name..."

Yoshi

Snake: "Otacon! What's this lizard thing?"

Otacon: "That's a Yoshi. It's a dinosaur from Yoshi's Island. Watch out for its long, chameleon-like tongue. If it gets you, you'll be swallowed whole."

Snake: "It lays eggs and throws them, right? ...Then it must be female."

Otacon: "...Actually, it's a 'he'. At least, that's what it says."

Snake: "It talks!?"

Otacon: "Yes! It talks! Well, kind of..."

Snake: "Now you've got me curious. ...How about I capture one so we can see what they taste like?"

Otacon: "Uhh, Snake..."

Note: Snake wondering how Yoshi tastes could be a reference to Metal Gear Solid 3, where the protagonist, Naked Snake (later known as Big Boss, the father of Solid Snake), had to capture live animals and eat them to restore stamina. Whenever his team mate Para-Medic mentioned a new animal that she had found, Snake would always ask about its taste, much to her disgust.

Along with Wario, Zero Suit Samus, and Mario, this Codec message was shown on the DOJO site.

Zelda

Colonel: "Snake, I see you're fighting Zelda."

Snake: "Yeah, I guess. Doesn't feel right fighting someone in a dress, though..."

Colonel: "Don't underestimate her just because she's a woman. Zelda's attacks are backed by powerful magic. Her hand-to-hand combat may look weak, but her magic makes it cut to the bone."

Snake: "So this rose has thorns... Interesting..."

Colonel: "...This is no time for pickup lines, Snake."

Snake: "Don't worry. I know from experience that it's the quiet ones you have to watch out for."

Note: This is a reference to Sniper Wolf, one of Snake's female enemies in Metal Gear Solid, who doesn't show herself often and rarely moves from her position when threatening Snake.

Zero Suit Samus

Snake: "Mei Ling, Samus took her clothes off!"

Mei Ling: "That's just her in the Zero Suit, Snake."

Snake: "Without that bulky Power Suit, she's gotten a lot more agile... You know, I bet if I took off all this heavy gear, I could catch her... "

Mei Ling: "Um, yeah, you wish. Even without the Power Suit, all that training she did with the Chozo has made her a super athlete. I don't think a normal human could ever keep up. Just look at her."

Snake: "...Her loss."

Note: Snake's romantic interest in Samus is unprecedented in the Smash Bros. universe, besides well-known couples like Mario and Peach. As such, this codec message has been the subject of many internet parodies (particularly Snake's first line in the codec, which refers to nudity), claiming that this is the reason Brawl is rated "T".

E3 2006 Trailer

The trailer codec.

The following quotes are not elements in the game, but were used in the E3 2006 Trailer for Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Colonel and Snake speak in Japanese, the original language for the game.

Colonel: "Snake! Sorry to bother you, but I've got big news!"

Snake: "What? Not another absurd objective, I hope."

Colonel: "Are you familiar with Super Smash Bros.?"

Snake: "Ah… That Nintendo thing…"

Colonel: "Yes. Actually, we've received an invitation for you to join. Are you up for it?"

Snake: "…"

Colonel: "Where are you right now, anyway?"

{Cut to outside the cardboard box, on the Battlefield, where Mario, Link, Pikachu, and Kirby are fighting.}

Snake: "I'm on reconnaissance duty."

Colonel: "Reconnaissance?! Of what kind?!"

Snake: "Knowing your enemy is the quickest path to victory."

{Snake jumps out from under his cardboard box and his fanfare plays}

Snake: "It's showtime!"

Note: This is the only codec message which is in 3-D, similar to that depicted in Metal Gear Solid 2. This is also the only codec message where the characters speak Japanese while the codec shows English translation.

KO Messages

If Snake gets KO'ed during a codec conversation, these special messages will appear, based on which of the four characters Snake is talking with. These messages also appear in the Metal Gear Solid series when it is Game Over and Snake dies, with the obvious exception of Slippy Toad.

Colonel Campbell

"Snake, do you copy? Snake! Snaaake!!"

Otacon

"Snake! What's going on? Snake! Snaaake!!"

Mei Ling

"Snake! Don't quit now! Snake! Snaaake!!"

Slippy Toad

"Snake! Get up! Snake! Snaaake!!"

Trivia

• In the E3 2006 trailer, the Colonel and Snake's codec portraits are rendered in 3D similarly seen in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. In the final build of Brawl, Snake and his team use drawn portraits seen in Metal Gear Solid, and its remake, The Twin Snakes.
• Snake's codec portrait appears to be slightly modified to mirror his MGS2 appearance.
• When someone gets a Smash Ball during a Codec conversation, or if a codec conversation starts when a character already has a Smash Ball, any codec conversation automatically ends. This is probably to prevent two-dimensional Final Smash effects (such as Triple Finish's text box) from "intersecting" the codec box.
• There are rumors of "things" that may happen when the Pokémon Manaphy uses Heart Swap on Snake during the Codec Taunt. However, none have been proven to the public with a video online, although it is said that the message continues normally as if nothing had happened.
• If Snake keeps getting KO'd while in a Codec Message, whoever he is talking to will keep repeating the KO message as long as Snake keeps getting KO'd before the message finishes.
• Snake always addresses Kirby as pink, even when he uses a palette swap.
• According to Snake’s English voice actor David Hayter, he and the rest of living Metal Gear cast weren’t being called to record certain new Codec dialogues while against either newcomers, or certain veterans who has either character developments or origin changes like the fully voiced Pit since his Smash for Wii U/3DS appearance and Breath of Wild version of Link for Ultimate. It is likely because of the passing of Colonel’s Japanese seiyu Takeshi Aono few years ago, and none of the cast are able to find his new seiyu for the latest Smash.
• This Easter Egg is the only one featuring Slippy Toad to not be related to his home series.

Videos

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate All Codec Conversations (Easter Egg)