McLeodGaming (universe)

The McLeodGaming universe refers to the Smash Flash series' collection of characters, stages, and properties that comes from the website McLeodGaming founded by Gregory McLeod (who goes by the alias Cleod9). The site is dedicated to showcase flash games, cartoons, and music for entertainment but it is well known for the creation and showcasing of the Super Smash Flash series; Flash fighting games based off on the Super Smash Bros. series. As its suggest, all the fan and original characters comes from this universe.

Franchise description
The site appeared in early 2003 as a calculator game site for the TI-83 Plus graphing calculator. During that time, Cleod9 developed a admiration to the Macromedia Flash and eventually he got his own. He learned how to make Flash cartoons so he started to upload the animations in place of the games. He also uploaded musical compositions he personal made with instruments and computer sounds. Soon, watching his abilities with Flash Cleod9 started creating small interactive projects, led to the creation of Super Smash Flash, a flash game loosely based on Super Smash Bros. Melee with the difference that this has third party entries. Due to the success of this game Cleod9 decided to make a sequel entitled Super Smash Flash 2 (loosely based on Melee's sequel Super Smash Bros. Brawl) which is currently under development. He shows each process of it in a playable demo. In September 2008, the website received a new and elegant gray with blue design created by Zero Insanity, this remodelation was to have under control the development of Super Smash Flash 2, the forums and other updates.

McLeodGaming has different sections with variable content, among them, the McLeodGaming Forums. These are considered a total separated website more than a section, they are phpBB boards where anyone can maturely give an idea, commentary, or suggestion for Super Smash Flash 2. The McLeodGaming Games '  section that includes all the 5 games showcased in McLeodGaming. The McLeodGaming Cartoons '  section that includes all the 11 Flash movies made by Cleod9. The McLeodGaming Music '  section, the largest section in the website after the forums, this includes 24 musical compositions to hear made by Cleod9 too. There are other less important sections in the website such as the affiliates section which shows other websites affiliated to McLeodGaming, a search section to search for information in the forums, a contact section which only provides Cleod9's email, and the about section which provides information about the site.

There exists many other official sites related to McLeodGaming nad they aren't administrated by Cleod9. Among them, the McLeodGaming Wiki is a wiki founded by the SSF2 Dev [TSON] to provide info of the actual events of McLeodGaming and the Super Smash Flash series as well. The official YouTube McLeodGamingOfficial, usually used by the SSF2 Devs to showcase Super Smash Flash 2-related videos. The Smash Flash DOJO!! is the official website of Super Smash Flash 2 used to post information of the game semi-weekly about characters, stages, items, news, etc.

The official Newgrounds account, Cleod-9, of McLeodGaming, as its name suggests, it is the only related site administrated by Cleod9 himself. In that account, he uploads some of the games, movies and music of McLeodGaming. Currently, the only award he has received, is a Daily Weekly award for the first Super Smash Flash.

In Super Smash Flash
The McLeodGaming franchise was treated as the fan characters universe. It is represented only by two characters in Super Smash Flash 2, both are based on the Equinox_Twilight's characters but were created by the user topcat13.

Characters

 * Blade: Unofficially refered as Blade the Swordman Hedgehog, Blade is a fan character based on a similar character, Flare the Hedgehog, created by the Newgrounds user Equinox_Twilight, but completely has a design made by other user known as topcat13. He was redesigned from orange to red to make it a new character. He resembles Sonic in many aspects as both are hedgehogs and can perform the Spin Dash as a move and during a jump. Blades does, however, own a sword which he uses in all his attacks and of his attacks is possibly electrically infused. Blade is one of the fastest characters in Super Smash Flash but possibly the weakest character in SSF due to his weak moveset.


 * Blue: Unofficially refereed as the Blue the Swordman Hedgehog too, Blue is a secret character derived from the Equinox_Twilight creations and redesigned by topcat13. The relation between him and Blade is totally a mystery, is not known if they are siblings, friends or rivals. He resembles, but in few aspects, Sonic as both are hedgehogs too but have no similar designs which is similar to Knuckles'. Like Blade, he wields a sword which makes him a semi-clone of him. The difference between them is that Blue has more powerful, fire infused attacks, but he is not as fast as Blade.

In Super Smash Flash 2
The McLeodGaming franchise, or the fan characters universe, was expanded in Super Smash Flash 2, with the addition of new characters and some speculated things.

Characters

 * Blade: He returns with a new design that now resembles Knuckles instead of Sonic. Blade still wields a sword, but he can attack with thunders and electricity just like Blue could in SSF. For now, his special are not completely known. His Final Smash ia a Semi-Final form called Dark Blade State in which Blade transforms into a dark version of himself for a short time while boosting his attacks.


 * Azrael: A new original character introduced, Azrael is a human entity that resembles the Grim Reaper and whose name comes from the Islamic angel of death's name. Azrael wield a scythe know as Xcrete which he can use, not only to slash or slice, but he can summon several ghost and souls at his opponents as well. He can open a portal to an underworld as his Final Smash to trap his opponents in there, this is known as Final Judgement.


 * Blue: The other Swordman Hedgehog returns, Blue has a new design which is completely different to his SSF's first design and that it doesn't resemble any Sonic character. With his sword he can use fire attacks like in SSF. His attack range is broader since now he can even create explosions and create fire shields. Blue has many animations of his Final Smash, the most suitable shows Blue levitating into the air and, apparently, creating multiple explosion all over the stage, many sources have called it the Imhentum's Inferno.


 * Spikeman: A very bizarre new character in SSF2. He is a red ball with shoes and a red mane, who commonly uses his tongue to attack or grab since he has no arms, he can also shoot beam from his mouth and can deal bites at his opponents. Spikeman poses a Final Form as his Final Smash in which he changes into his Insane form that, albeit smaller, gives him speed and power. Spikeman is possibly the most hillarous character in SSF2.

Items
These items have been told to appear, some were confirmed in the previous DOJO!! but were scrapped since its closure:
 * BAN Hammer: A very rare item whose hit deals a big knockback and can result into a One-Hit KO.
 * Clyde shoes: These shoes belongs to a mystery fan character known as Clyde the Hedgehog, if one grabs and wears the shoes, his running speed will be considerably fast enough even to prevent from falling to the stage.
 * WOW Block: Another rare item that its a parody of the Mario's POW Block but with the difference the WOW block stuns the characters in midair rather than in the foreground.