User:The Jacketed Terrapin/Third-Party Universe Catalog/Ruleset

Before adding a universe to this project, it is strongly recommended to read these rules.

General ruleset:

• Outside of the "What isn't allowed" list, there are no limits on which universes are allowed here. They can have worldwide fame or be obscure to the point literally no one has heard of them; they can spawn an entire franchise or only have one standalone game; they can be exclusive to Nintendo hardware or not have a single release on Nintendo hardware; they can be serious additions you think should be represented in Smash or simply be added for the sake of comedy (i.e. a "joke addition"); anything goes for this page.
• Stuff like descriptions, infobox info, or even adding universes on here is free for anyone to edit, but only I decide what can stay and what goes.
• If there's a universe you want to see added, but you don't feel like adding it yourself, feel free to suggest it to me. To suggest a universe, go to this page's talk page and suggest it there; just make sure it doesn't break any of the "What isn't allowed" guidelines. Do note that any suggested universe is not guaranteed to be added to the list right away, so please be patient if your suggestion isn't added yet.
• If there's a universe you want to add to the list, but you're unsure on whether it qualifies or not, ask about it on this page's talk page. Similarly, you can also use the talk page to point out any potential mistakes or if you have concerns about a certain universe's inclusion on the list.
• Should a universe listed actually get representation in the Smash series, it should be removed from the project.

Structure:

• When adding a universe, make sure to mark it with <big>'''Added by *insert your username here*'''</big>; this should go below the universe's title header and above its infobox.
• Out of respect for the "image hosting service" policy, images for universe logos are not to be uploaded for this page. Instead, these should be externally displayed via an outside website (such as Imgur).
  • If available, the ideal image quality for universe logos are that they are at least 250 pixels big and they have transparent backgrounds (i.e. no white background or any background fluff that isn't naturally part of the logo).
  • If there is a universe logo you want to show me or you have a better version of one already on the list, then let me know via this page's talk page.
• Consoles that are listed as the "Consoles of origin" should be ordered by their release date (e.g. Windows -> iOS -> 3DS -> Wii U -> PlayStation 4 -> Xbox One -> Switch).
  • On a related note, any universe that debuted on an operating system (whether it's on PC or mobile) should use the then current name of the operating system at the time of the first game's release (e.g. any Apple Mac game released between 2001-2011 should be labeled with "Mac OS X", 2012-2015 should use "OS X", and 2016-onward should use "macOS").
• Because the nature of this page would make it very difficult to keep track of upcoming games for each universe, only the first installment of a universe should be listed.
• While this project isn't strictly tied to any universe type (whether it be major, secondary, or minor), universe descriptions may only be written like how they would appear on the minor universes pages (i.e. a brief description instead of several paragraphs).

What isn't allowed:

• Third-party universes that already have representation in the Super Smash Bros. series. The dependent universes that are listed on the List of minor third-party universes page are fair game, however, as those do not have the standard infoboxes that the other universes share.
• Any universes that are already added to my List of unrepresented universes or List of Chronicle universes pages. You can, however, add anything that is listed on this page, but only if it falls under the "Third-party games published by Nintendo outside of Japan" category.
• Any primarily non-video game property (Dragon Ball, Shrek, SpongeBob, you name it). Franchises that technically started out as non-gaming media, but are primarily video game franchises (such as Megami Tensei or Strider), are fair game, however. Games based on public domain works are also valid, though the original work must have been in the public domain by the time the video game adaptation came out.
  • Also worth noting, just because a non-gaming property is owned by a video game company (such as Gundam via Bandai Namco or Fullmetal Alchemist via Square Enix) does not mean it is eligible for this list. The video game series has to have far higher priority over the other types of media in order to qualify for the list.
• Unreleased or cancelled games. While Smash does often reference content from then upcoming games (with Melee even having a trophy of an IP that wasn't even released yet), allowing unreleased games is more likely than not going to open the floodgates for a ton of universes that may very well never see the light of day. To keep things a lot more simple, only include games that have had at least one installment officially released.
• Anything currently owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment, as there should be a PlayStation All-Stars 2 instead unlike Microsoft, no content owned by the company has any representation in the Smash series.
• Explicitly erotic games or games that blatantly promote bigoted views (e.g. white supremacy, anti-LGBTQ+, ableism, etc.). These ones are obvious, so no need to go in-depth about them.

Some other notes:

• The company categories are not necessarily a way of saying that these companies should have representation in Smash (especially if some of them have a problematic history), but rather serve as an easy categorization for certain universes; and besides, IPs are still subject to change ownership and this project is only really focused on the IPs themselves, anyway.
• Some universes may be under a certain company not necessarily because said company may own that IP, but more because they are the main publisher of that series. This is especially in cases where the true ownership of the IP is very uncertain.