Editing Perfect Dark (universe)

{{Title|''Perfect Dark'' (universe)}}
{{ArticleIcons|ssbm=y}}
{{Infobox Series
|title=Perfect Dark (universe)
|image=[[File:Perfect Dark logo.png|300px]]
|caption=
|developer=[[Rare]]<br>4J Studios
|publisher=Rare<br>[[Xbox Game Studios]]
|designer=Martin Hollis<br>David Doak<br>
|genres=First-person shooter
|originconsole=Nintendo 64
|firstinstallment=''{{iw|wikipedia|Perfect Dark}}'' (N64) (2000)
|latestinstallment=''{{iw|wikipedia|Perfect Dark|Xbox Live Arcade}}'' (XBLA) (2010)
|interwiki=wikipedia
|interwikiname=Wikipedia
|interwikipage=Perfect Dark (series)
}}
The '''''Perfect Dark'' universe''' ({{ja|パーフェクトダーク|Pāfekuto Dāku}}, ''Perfect Dark'') refers to the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series' collection of properties that hail from the ''Perfect Dark'' series of first-person shooters developed by [[Rare]]. Due to Rare's sale to [[Microsoft]] and resulting lack of presence on Nintendo platforms afterwards, ''Perfect Dark'' only received limited representation in the ''Smash'' series.

==Franchise description==
The game first started as an adaption of the then-upcoming James Bond film ''{{iw|wikipedia|Tomorrow Never Dies}}'' as a successor to one of Rare's most successful prior titles, {{uv|GoldenEye}}. However, the studio lost the rights to the film after being outbid by Electronic Arts. The developers saw this as a blessing in disguise, as they felt working on an original project would allow them to be more creative.<ref>https://www.gamespot.com/articles/learn-how-perfect-dark-came-to-be-in-this-behind-t/1100-6433378/</ref> Several names like ''Covert Ops'' and ''Alien Intelligence'' before the final title ''Perfect Dark'' was chosen. The two slash marks in the logo was inspired by the Japanese writing system. The intentionally poor grammar of "Perfect Dark" was inspired by the team's love of Japanese products using English words and phrases inappropriately, a practice also known as "Engrish." The game was now set in a dystopian science fiction setting based on popular media at the time like ''{{iw|wikipedia|Ghost in the Shell}}'', ''{{iw|wikipedia|Elektra}}'', ''{{iw|wikipedia|The X-Files}}'', ''{{iw|wikipedia|La Femme Nikita}}'', novelist Thomas Pynchon, and ''{{iw|wikipedia|The Matrix}}''.

Development on the game was rocky from the beginning, with more and more features routinely being added, such as high quality sound, full voice acting, and native 16:9 widescreen support, to the point of the team not realistically including them all in the final product. These unchecked ambitions, as well as completely reworking the ''GoldenEye'' engine during development, incited a minor exodus of key staff due to expired contracts, and the team moving to new offices in 1999 slowed the game to a nearly four year development cycle. To make sure the game ran at all on the [[Nintendo 64]] hardware, it was one of the few games that required the use of the Expansion Pak, which allowed for higher resolutions and more memory. The game also received minor controversy pre-release due to it being the first M rated game developed and published by Rare. The game finally released on May 22, 2000. The game starred {{iw|wikipedia|Joanna Dark}}, a secret agent who must assassinate her targets to take down the evil dataDyne corporation. Joanna was an early example of a female lead in the first person shooter genre, and was deliberately made more plain looking than most hyper-sexualized female protagonists to be a more realistic character and stand out among her contemporaries. A direct prequel, ''{{iw|wikipedia|Perfect Dark|Game Boy Color video game}}'' for the {{iw|wikipedia|Game Boy Color}} would be released a few months later.

The series went dormant for several years after Rare was acquired by [[Microsoft]] and many projects in development were canceled. One of these projects was ''Velvet Dark'', a spin-off based on Joanna's sister. A proper sequel initially made for [[GameCube]] was not canceled and instead shifted to {{iw|wikipedia|Xbox|console}}, before finally releasing as ''{{iw|wikipedia|Perfect Dark Zero}}'', as a prequel to the original, and as a launch title for {{iw|wikipedia|Xbox 360}} on November 22, 2005. while the game was received as a solid entry to the series, many voiced disappointment and how it was much worse than the previous entry in many ways. While the graphics and weapon combat were praised, many design decisions like orientation sensitive actions and a more sexualized design for Joanna were believed by fans to have betrayed the design philosophy of the original game. A two-parter sequel to the original called  ''Perfect Dark Core'' and ''Perfect Dark Vengence'' began development shortly after, that would seen Joanna traveling around the world and visiting places like {{iw|wikipedia|Cairo}} and {{iw|wikipedia|Russia}}, before landing on {{iw|wikipedia|Saturn}}'s largest moon, {{iw|wikipedia|Titan|moon}}, where Russia had uncovered an ancient civilization beneath its frosty surface. Both of these were cancelled by Microsoft in 2007 due to underwhelming sales of ''Perfect Dark Zero''.<ref>https://www.unseen64.net/2011/03/21/perfect-dark-core-xbox-360-cancelled-prototype/</ref>

The series once again went dormant due to Rare choosing to shift focus away from legacy intellectual property, outside of a [[wikipedia:Perfect Dark (2010 video game)|remaster]] of ''Perfect Dark'' for {{iw|wikipedia|Xbox 360}} developed by [[4J Studios]] in 2010. The series made an unexpected return at [[The Game Awards]] 2020 with a teaser trailer for a game simply titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Perfect Dark|cancelled video game}}''. The game was being co-developed by The Initiative and Crystal Dynamics (best known for their work on ''{{iw|wikipedia|Tomb Raider}}'' and ''{{iw|wikipedia|Legacy of Kain}}'') and was planned to be released on PC and Xbox Series X/S. After years of no announcements, a new trailer released on June 9, 2024. The next announcement was its sudden cancellation on July 2, 2025 alongside the closure of The Initiative.<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2025/07/02/xbox-has-cancelled-perfect-dark-and-two-more-games-amongst-layoffs/</ref>

==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''==
The [[Cloaking Device]] [[item]] is based on ''Perfect Dark''. Additionally, the [[Motion-Sensor Bomb]] in the Japanese release of ''Melee'' is based directly on its ''Perfect Dark'' appearance. The international releases of ''Melee'' redesigned the item to resemble its appearance from an earlier Rare game, ''{{iw|wikipedia|GoldenEye 007|1997 video game}}'', which was the game ''Perfect Dark'' had been based on in terms of gameplay and engine. Both items' references to Rare properties are minimized, with their games of origin listed as "TOP SECRET" in the Western releases, and the references to ''Perfect Dark'' in the trophy description removed entirely in the American version. All versions still list the game in the credits sequence, however.

Later ''Smash'' games redesigned the Motion-Sensor Bomb and treat it as an original {{uv|Super Smash Bros.}} series property. The Cloaking Device was removed entirely, although invisibility is still present in certain modes such as [[Special Smash]] or by using a [[Boo]] in [[Smash Tour]].

===Trophies===
{{Trophy
|name=Proximity Mine
|image=Proximity Mine Trophy Melee.png
|desc=(JP language option) 床、壁、天井などに投げつけると設置され、誰かが近づくと爆発。敵味方問わずに巻きこむ。小さいが、威力は強力。本来は近くによっても動かなければ反応しない爆弾だが、『スマブラ』の登場人物は全員落ち着きがないので、あっという間に反応してしまう。
:({{rollover|EN language option|Not a translation|?}}) The perfect accessory for ambushes, the proximity mine has long been a favorite covert weapon of the Carrington Institute any surface{{sic}}, and once armed, detonates with incredible force when it detects motion within its range. In the frantic world of Super Smash Bros., it doesn't take long for it to go.
|gamelist={{Trophy games|game1={{ja|パーフェクトダーク(N64)|Pāfekuto Dāku (N64)}}}}
{{Trophy games|game1=Perfect Dark|release1=5/00}}
|game=Melee
}}
{{clrl}}

{{Trophy
|name=Cloaking Device
|image=Cloaking Device Trophy Melee.png
|desc=This state-of-the-art camouflage device bends light rays in such a way that players using it appear almost invisible. The device fosters confusion, and players using it will not take damage while cloaked. This does not mean, however, that players become invulnerable, so they can still be sent reeling or flying across the screen, depending on their damage percentages.
|gamelist=:{{Flag|Japan}}
{{Trophy games|game1=Perfect Dark|release1=5/00}}
:(International)
{{Trophy games|game1=TOP SECRET}}
|game=Melee
}}
{{clrl}}

==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''==
Both the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color ''Perfect Dark'' games are mentioned among the titles listed in the [[Chronicle]] in PAL versions of ''Brawl''. However, no other content from the series is seen anywhere else in the game.

==Trivia==
*''Perfect Dark'' is the newest major universe (represented by a character, stage, item, or Assist Trophy) to be represented in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'', with an initial date of May 2000.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Universe}}

[[Category:Perfect Dark universe| ]]
[[Category:Microsoft]]
[[Category:Third-party universes]]
[[es:Perfect Dark]]
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