:Twintelle

Twintelle was first revealed during a May 17, 2017 Nintendo Direct. She is a Black French person, and has dark brown skin and large, silver-and-pink pigtails.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/05/preview_going_some_rounds_with_arms_on_nintendo_switch |title=Preview: Going Some Rounds With ARMS on Nintendo Switch |work=NintendoLife |last=Bowling |first=Steve |date=May 17, 2017 |access-date=October 25, 2020 |archive-date=October 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027065155/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/05/preview_going_some_rounds_with_arms_on_nintendo_switch |url-status=live }} French artist Adeyto was cast to voice her.{{cite tweet |title=アナウンス：

ARMSファイターたちの「声」は、ご覧の皆様にご協力頂いています。お気に入りファイターの声をどんな方が担当しているのか…チェックしてみてください！ |number=880621930037903360 |user=ARMS_Cobutter |date=June 29, 2017 |access-date=May 21, 2019}} Unlike other fighters who use their arms, Twintelle fights using her hair.{{Cite web |url=https://screenrant.com/smash-bros-ultimate-arms-character/ |title=Which ARMS Character Is Joining Smash Bros Ultimate? |work=Screen Rant |last=Little |first=Riley |date=June 11, 2020 |access-date=October 25, 2020 |archive-date=October 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027014710/https://screenrant.com/smash-bros-ultimate-arms-character/ |url-status=live }} Twintelle is depicted as a femme fatale, a confident, attractive woman,{{Cite web|date=April 23, 2018|title=ARMs' Twintelle: Simultaneously Sexualized and Empowered|url=https://www.nerdmuch.com/arms-twintelle/|access-date=October 25, 2020|work=Nerd Much?|language=en-US|archive-date=October 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026092505/https://www.nerdmuch.com/arms-twintelle/|url-status=live}}{{Citation|title=Arms: Hands-On with New Characters and Modes - IGN|date=17 May 2017 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/05/17/arms-hands-on-with-new-characters-and-modes|language=en|access-date=October 25, 2020|archive-date=October 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027211647/https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/05/17/arms-hands-on-with-new-characters-and-modes|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/features/333141-arms-like-wii-sports-boxing-steroids-thats-good-thing-hands-preview |title=ARMS Is like Wii Sports Boxing on Steroids, and That's a Good Thing [Hands-On Preview] |work=GameRevolution |last=Vacheron |first=Griffin |date=June 1, 2017 |access-date=October 25, 2020 |archive-date=October 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027072249/https://www.gamerevolution.com/features/333141-arms-like-wii-sports-boxing-steroids-thats-good-thing-hands-preview |url-status=live }} and a famous, award-winning actress.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/06/poll_which_arms_fighter_should_join_super_smash_bros_ultimate |title=Poll: Which ARMS Fighter Should Join Super Smash Bros. Ultimate? |work=NintendoLife |last=Gavin |first=Lane |date=June 19, 2020 |access-date=October 25, 2020 |archive-date=October 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026232402/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/06/poll_which_arms_fighter_should_join_super_smash_bros_ultimate |url-status=live }} She, along with the rest of the cast in Arms, is regarded as a protagonist of the game by its producer.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_NNyXaBW-I&t=1s |title=Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – Mr. Sakurai Presents "Min Min" |work=Nintendo |last=Sakurai |first=Masahiro |date=June 22, 2020 |access-date=July 29, 2021}}

Arms producer Kosuke Yabuki described spending more time on designing Twintelle than on other characters in the game, contrasting her design which intentionally tried to be different with more straight-forward characters such as Ninjara. The initial concept only had one detail decided on, which was a character fighting with hair.{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/interviews/2018/3/26/17164492/ARMS-nintendo-switch-interview-kosuke-yabuki |title=ARMS director Kosuke Yabuki on the past and future of the Switch fighting game |work=Polygon |last=McWhertor |first=Michael |date=March 26, 2018 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719164501/https://www.polygon.com/interviews/2018/3/26/17164492/arms-nintendo-switch-interview-kosuke-yabuki |archive-date=July 19, 2019 |url-status=live }} The design team wanted to represent different countries and backgrounds, leading them to reach out to staff at Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe to get ideas for a character from a different background, providing them sketches to help.{{cite web |last=McCarthy |first=Caty |date=April 5, 2018 |title=Nintendo on the Challenge of Post-Release Support, and More Tales of ARMS' Development |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/ARMS-postmortem-interview-kosuke-yabuki-twintelle |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190211152640/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/arms-postmortem-interview-kosuke-yabuki-twintelle |archive-date=February 11, 2019 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |work=USgamer}} Yabuki designed her to have a muscular build. He enjoyed the character, believing that characters like Twintelle were uncommon in Nintendo games, and was particularly happy to have made what he considers to be a strong female character.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/06/07/-arms-creators-on-twintelles-popularity-and-the-strange-lore-of-the-games-world-luffy-one-piece.aspx |title=ARMS' Creators On Twintelle's Popularity And The Strange Lore Of The Game's World |magazine=Game Informer |last=Hilliard |first=Kyle |date=June 7, 2017 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825004708/https://www.gameinformer.com/index.php/b/features/archive/2017/06/07/-arms-creators-on-twintelles-popularity-and-the-strange-lore-of-the-games-world-luffy-one-piece.aspx |archive-date=August 25, 2019 |url-status=live }}

Twintelle first appeared in Arms as a playable character and one of the Grand Prix contestants. Twintelle owns Cinema Deux, which is one of the stages where players can fight each other in Arms.{{Cite web |url=https://www.stuff.tv/game-reviews/arms/review |title=Arms review |work=Stuff |last=Leedman |first=Robert |date=June 7, 2017 |access-date=October 25, 2020 |archive-date=October 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027003822/https://www.stuff.tv/game-reviews/arms/review |url-status=live }} She later appeared in the 2018 video game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a Spirit, a form of collectible.{{Cite web |url=https://www.siliconera.com/super-smash-bros-ultimate-arms-fighter-will-be-revealed-on-june-22/ |title=Super Smash Bros Ultimate ARMS Fighter Will Be Revealed on June 22 |work=Siliconera |last=Lada |first=Jenni |date=June 19, 2020 |access-date=October 25, 2020 |archive-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028011238/https://www.siliconera.com/super-smash-bros-ultimate-arms-fighter-will-be-revealed-on-june-22/ |url-status=live }}

Since her appearance in Arms, Twintelle has received generally positive reception, which made producer Yabuki happy, though he was surprised by how popular she became. Along with Min Min and Ninjara, Twintelle is often regarded as one of the most popular Arms characters by fans.{{cite web |last=Oxford |first=Nadia |date=June 20, 2017 |title=Nadia Highlights the Internet's Best ARMS Fanart |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/nadia-highlights-the-internets-best-ARMS-fanart |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518072050/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/nadia-highlights-the-internets-best-arms-fanart |archive-date=May 18, 2019 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |work=USgamer}}{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2017/5/18/15658318/ARMS-twintelle-fan-art-gameplay |title=ARMS already has its fan favorite in movie star Twintelle |work=Polygon |last=Frank |first=Allegra |date=May 18, 2017 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023050551/https://www.polygon.com/2017/5/18/15658318/arms-twintelle-fan-art-gameplay |archive-date=October 23, 2018 |url-status=live}} In a 2017 poll conducted by NintendoLife, Twintelle was ranked number one by readers as their favorite Arms fighter.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/05/poll_who_is_your_favourite_arms_fighter |title=Poll: Who Is Your Favourite ARMS Fighter? |work=NintendoLife |last=Calvert |first=Darren |date=May 19, 2017 |access-date=October 25, 2020 |archive-date=October 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027172002/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/05/poll_who_is_your_favourite_arms_fighter |url-status=live }} Twintelle's popularity led to Nintendo including her in Arms{{'}} "Global Testpunch," a free temporary online video game demo.{{cite web |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/twintelle-is-so-popular-nintendo-put-her-in-the-ARMS-global-testpunch |title=Twintelle is So Popular Nintendo Put Her in the ARMS Global Testpunch |work=USgamer |last=Kim |first=Matt |date=June 2, 2017 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014014300/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/twintelle-is-so-popular-nintendo-put-her-in-the-arms-global-testpunch |archive-date=October 14, 2017 |url-status=dead}} Critics, including Allegra Frank and Gita Jackson, suggested that her popularity was derived in part from her hair, outfit, attractiveness, and "calm, collected" personality.{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/nintendo-fans-are-losing-it-over-twinelle-ARMS-new-cha-1795335523 |title=Nintendo Fans Are Losing It Over Twintelle, ARMS' New Character |work=Kotaku |last=Jackson |first=Gita |date=May 18, 2017 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926120855/https://kotaku.com/nintendo-fans-are-losing-it-over-twinelle-arms-new-cha-1795335523 |archive-date=September 26, 2018 |url-status=live}} Writer Xavier Harding felt that the amount of fanart of Twintelle suggested that she would prove to be a popular Nintendo character.{{cite web |url=https://www.mic.com/articles/177488/ARMS-woc-character-twintelle-is-a-fan-favorite-in-less-than-24-hours |title='ARMS' WOC character, Twintelle, is a fan favorite in less than 24 hours |work=Mic |last=Harding |first=Xavier |date=May 18, 2017 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126183450/https://mic.com/articles/177488/arms-woc-character-twintelle-is-a-fan-favorite-in-less-than-24-hours |archive-date=November 26, 2018 |url-status=live}} USgamer writer Matt Kim called her the "star of ARMS" and said he had "fallen in love" with her. She has been suggested for inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate by critics, including Xavier Harding, Paul Tassi, Brian Shea, and Will Greenwald.{{cite web |url=https://www.mic.com/articles/177543/super-smash-bros-nintendo-switch-characters-twintelle-from-ARMS-needs-to-be-included |title='Super Smash Bros.' Nintendo Switch Characters: Twintelle from 'ARMS' needs to be included |work=Mic |last=Harding |first=Xavier |date=May 18, 2017 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126183209/https://mic.com/articles/177543/super-smash-bros-nintendo-switch-characters-twintelle-from-arms-needs-to-be-included |archive-date=November 26, 2018 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2018/03/09/heres-who-should-join-the-fight-in-nintendos-super-smash-bros-switch/#2e0e7abd7a96 |title=Here's Who Should Join The Fight In Nintendo's 'Super Smash Bros. Switch' |work=Forbes |last=Tassi |first=Paul |date=March 9, 2018 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312081802/https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2018/03/09/heres-who-should-join-the-fight-in-nintendos-super-smash-bros-switch/#2e0e7abd7a96 |archive-date=March 12, 2018 |url-status=live}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/06/09/10-characters-we-want-to-debut-in-super-smash-bros-for-switch |title=10 Characters We Want To Debut In Super Smash Bros. For Switch |magazine=Game Informer |last=Shea |first=Brian |date=June 9, 2018 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807221622/https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/06/09/10-characters-we-want-to-debut-in-super-smash-bros-for-switch |archive-date=August 7, 2019 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.geek.com/games/10-female-fighters-who-should-be-in-the-switch-super-smash-bros-1733810/ |title=10 Female Fighters Who Should Be In The Switch Super Smash Bros. |work=Geek.com |last=Greenwald |first=Will |date=March 14, 2018 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531082311/https://www.geek.com/games/10-female-fighters-who-should-be-in-the-switch-super-smash-bros-1733810/ |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |url-status=live}} When Min Min, a fellow Arms character, was added to Ultimate as a DLC playable character, fans of Twintelle were disappointed and upset that she was not added instead.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/news/650660-min-min-smash-ultimate-reveal-smash-direct-june-22 |title=Smash Ultimate's Min Min reveal surprises fans, upsets Twintelle stans |work=GameRevolution |last=Adams |first=Robert N. |date=June 22, 2020 |access-date=July 22, 2021 |archive-date=January 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116162441/https://www.gamerevolution.com/news/650660-min-min-smash-ultimate-reveal-smash-direct-june-22 |url-status=live }}

Reception towards her representation as a woman and as a Black person was mixed. Mic writer Tanya DePass was unhappy with Twintelle's design, criticizing the fact that she was a "brown, female character with weaponized hair." She compared the idea of "weaponized hair" to real-world discrimination against Black people for their natural hairstyles, suggesting that Twintelle's hair was part of a greater issue in video games with the handling of Black people's hair.{{cite web |url=https://www.mic.com/articles/177734/ARMS-twintelle-nintendo-woc-hair-weapon |title=What Nintendo gets wrong with Twintelle, the new WOC fighter from 'ARMS' |work=Mic |last=DePass |first=Tanya |date=May 22, 2017 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323003251/https://mic.com/articles/177734/arms-twintelle-nintendo-woc-hair-weapon |archive-date=March 23, 2019 |url-status=live}} Paste Magazine writer Shonte Daniels responded to this article; Daniels felt the argument had merit, but exclaimed that Twintelle made her feel empowered. She felt that the character's hair deconstructed the idea of "weaponized hair," arguing that she "fights alongside it" instead of against it. She compared Twintelle to Black female athletes such as tennis player Serena Williams, who touched upon how she used to dislike her muscular body, but in time grew to love it due to how it has helped achieve her goals. Daniels argued that Twintelle has similar pride, and that she flaunts her hair in spite of criticism.{{cite web |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/06/twintelles-hair-is-an-act-of-resistance.html |title=Twintelle's Hair Is an Act of Resistance |work=Paste Magazine |last=Williams |first=Shonte |date=June 7, 2017 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929014412/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/06/twintelles-hair-is-an-act-of-resistance.html |archive-date=September 29, 2018 |url-status=live}} Daniels went on to name her as one of the best new video game characters in 2017.{{cite web |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/12/the-best-new-games-characters-2017.html |title=The Best New Game Characters of 2017 |work=Paste Magazine |last=Daniels |first=Shonte |date=December 13, 2017 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518071302/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/12/the-best-new-games-characters-2017.html |archive-date=May 18, 2019 |url-status=live}}

Alisha Karabinus, Assistant Professor of Writing and Digital Studies at Grand Valley State University, acknowledged that Twintelle had potential problematic elements, but felt that they are not insurmountable issues, and said the key issue is a lack of representation and that there should be more playable Black female characters in video games.{{cite web |url=http://www.nymgamer.com/?p=17773 |title=Playable Black Women in Games and Why the State of Decay Franchise Matters |work=Not Your Mama's Gamer |last=Karabinus |first=Alisha |date=September 10, 2018 |access-date=June 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708230646/http://www.nymgamer.com/?p=17773 |archive-date=July 8, 2019 |url-status=live}} Nerd Much? writer Janet Garcia called Twintelle the most unique character design of the Nintendo Switch generation, praising her design as both "sexualized and empowered." She further discusses that Twintelle's sex appeal works in Arms because the other female characters are not sexualized. She added that Twintelle's backstory helps justify her sexualization and that it makes her seem "badass." However, she acknowledges that the femme fatale design that Twintelle incorporates is too commonly applied to women of color.{{cite web |url=https://www.nerdmuch.com/arms-twintelle/ |title=ARMS' Twintelle: Simultaneously Sexualized and Empowered |work=Nerd Much? |last=Garcia |first=Janet |date=January 15, 2019 |access-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-date=July 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701213816/https://www.nerdmuch.com/arms-twintelle/ |url-status=dead}}

{{reflist}}

Category:Black characters in video games

Category:Female characters in video games

Category:Fictional actors

Category:Fictional boxers

Category:Fictional characters who can stretch themselves

Category:Fictional French people in video games

Category:Video game characters introduced in 2017

Category:Video game characters with air or wind abilities

Category:Video game characters with electric or magnetic abilities

Category:Video game characters with ice or cold abilities

Category:Video game characters with superhuman strength

Category:Fighting game characters

Category:Nintendo characters