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[Boss Doggie]

I just realized how DW's Jack Frost can easily pass up as an anime character

 

[Shadow Hog]

Balloon Fighter is going to be the retro character. They're pushing him harder and harder.

His moves will be a mixture of balloon based move and Iwata.

Taunt: [laughs]

 

[Javier]

Since Atlus is collaborating with Nintendo, what's the chance of an Atlus character getting in?

Look at all that shit he's carrying. He's a human swiss army knife.

 

[Nocturnowl]

Balloon Fighter is going to be the retro character. They're pushing him harder and harder.

His moves will be a mixture of balloon based move and Iwata.

A balloon fighting Iwata Mii to cover multiple bases.

 

[SmithnCo]

Tokyo Crash Mobs girls for SSB4. New Ice Climbers confirmed.

 

[GamerSoul]

I'd say Marth is gonna stay for sure, not sure about the Ike/Roy/Chrom trio tho. I'm not convinced FE will get 3 characters, and each of these characters has a strong argument going for them.

I think FE is now a big enough series to get 3-4 spots. If Sakurai had his way we would have already had 3. Imo, it's more relevant to Nintendo than most of the other series that are included.

I still think Tingle should be his own series like Wario, since he's basically been written out of Zelda and the Tingle in the Tingle series is his own character compared to the Tingle in Zelda.

I'll agree with you. It would make more sense to give Tingle his own series icon, but he's not too popular, from what I've heard, in the west. Who knows though, maybe seeing Tingle return in his glorious HD tights will change everyone's opinion.

My top ten has begun to kinda conform over time into a few absolute wants (Top 3) and then casual "yeah, they'd be cool" picks:

1. Mike Jones (StarTropics)

It really might just be nostalgia alone that is pushing this vote along, but man, nostalgia is more than good enough talking about Smash. It'd be really nice to see a west centric pick get in to play the counter pick or dream matchup against a strictly eastern Retro draft pick. I still think playing up a Mike/Takamaru rivalry would be a fun nod. Also, if anything can bring out the best kind of attention to a sleeping/retired franchise with potential, it's a nod in Smash Bros.

Play style is another big reason I want to see him in, he's basically a '90s era, "all American" Saturday morning cartoon (think like Mighty Max or even Captain N) styled high school jock with a Indiana Jones kinda lifestyle to improvise from. Then again, maybe I just want to see a character with fast yo-yo trick based attacks and setups. Dem disjointed hit boxes.

2. Takamaru (Mystery at Murasame Castle)

My favorite of the de-facto retro requests right here. Another dormant but interesting franchise, another chance for a "quick draw/Iaijutsu" kind of sword play (r.i.p Lyn for Brawl movement) in the roster, and a strong recent surge of interest make him the closest to a no-brainer pick, but Nintendo is unpredictable at times. Here's hoping this time, we're on the mark though.

3. Megaman (Megaman)

Do I really even need to say anything?

4. Palutena
5. Medusa

6. Daisy

Mario Sports/Party/Kart rep; completes the Princesses by being the Luigi (her absolute opposite; tomboyish, nimble and a power hitter) to Peach's Mario (more feminine and dainty). She could also be the unofficial rep for the Super Mario Land series.

7. Captain Syrup

Could be there to give Wario Land more spotlight since Wario's definitely more Wario Ware in his current Smash incarnation. Could have her Maple Syrup Gang play like if Olimar's Pikmin were more about stealing or re-positioning things near herself for gimmicks. Hell, maybe she could go full on Doronjo (Tatsunoko vs. Capcom) with this idea.

8. Issac

9. Toad

I want to make a special note about Toad, I want him but only if they'll play him up as the mighty tiny striker like a mini version of Abel in Super Street Fighter 4 when he lifts, runs about and chucks at breakneck speeds. He should also throw bombs in reference to both SMB2USA and Wario's Woods.

10. Ridley

...oh shit, I forgot bout Little Mac again.

Nice selections. There a little bit of everything so I don't feel like I'm reading the same roster for the umpteenth time. Mike Jones would just be awesome the more I think about it. I can see something like that really working for syrup. heh, that's a good example.

 

[Red Arremer]

I think FE is now a big enough series to get 3-4 spots. If Sakurai had his way we would have already had 3. Imo, it's more relevant to Nintendo than most of the other series that are included.

You sure? I mean, Star Fox was kind of an exception to the rule, but other series that have had more than 2 characters only were Mario, Zelda, Pokemon and Kirby.
I think there's other series that are more relevant than Fire Emblem, which still is kind of a niche title in comparison to the big names like Donkey Kong, Metroid, and let's not forget Wario as well, which is a very strong series that often gets overlooked.

Fire Emblem is probably on a similar level as Star Fox or F-Zero - they're popular in their own right, and they're some of Nintendo's core series, but they're def. not the big hitters.

3 characters is possible, but again, I wouldn't say it's specifically likely. Again, at the moment, nothing seems -likely-. Not even really obvious choices like Ridley or Takamaru can be treated as "shoe-ins".
We're at a point where it's become less about the characters' popularity itself, and rather about the Smash brand, so even if Sakurai threw some really strange curveballs at us, Smash still would sell like crazy, cause it's Smash.

 

[Incendiary]

I don't dive into this thread too often, but with the announcement of Super Smash Bros probably being at E3 this year, I figured I'd see what was up.

To me, the 'obvious' characters are Takamaru, Little Mac, Palutena, Isaac, Krom, and a 6th Gen Pokemon. Possibly Balloon Fighter as the retro character. I don't see Kid Icarus getting more than one other representative.

I see R.O.B., Ike, and Lucario as being removed for sure (although I love Lucario). Maybe Wolf. But beyond that it's up to the whim of Sakurai I'd say, but I don't think he'd remove more than 5 or 6 characters at most.

 

[Ryce]

I see R.O.B., Ike, and Lucario as being removed for sure (although I love Lucario). Maybe Wolf. But beyond that it's up to the whim of Sakurai I'd say, but I don't think he'd remove more than 5 or 6 characters at most.

wat

 

[Red Arremer]

I don't get why people think ROB is gonna get axed. Out of all the Brawl additions, he's probably one of the most likely to stay. I'd put him into the same league as Diddy and Wario.

 

[GamerSoul]

You sure? I mean, Star Fox was kind of an exception to the rule, but other series that have had more than 2 characters only were Mario, Zelda, Pokemon and Kirby.
I think there's other series that are more relevant than Fire Emblem, which still is kind of a niche title in comparison to the big names like Donkey Kong, Metroid, and let's not forget Wario as well, which is a very strong series that often gets overlooked.

Fire Emblem is probably on a similar level as Star Fox or F-Zero - they're popular in their own right, and they're some of Nintendo's core series, but they're def. not the big hitters.

3 characters is possible, but again, I wouldn't say it's specifically likely. Again, at the moment, nothing seems -likely-. Not even really obvious choices like Ridley or Takamaru can be treated as "shoe-ins".
We're at a point where it's become less about the characters' popularity itself, and rather about the Smash brand, so even if Sakurai threw some really strange curveballs at us, Smash still would sell like crazy, cause it's Smash.

Imo, Fire Emblem has had a steady rate of releases compared to a lot of the others. They have also have gotten DLC and a special 3DS release that even made it to the west. Fire Emblem, eventhough it doesn't have the legacy world-wide like a DK or Metroid, seems to be really healthy as a series right now so I wouldnt mind seeing an extra slot for them.

And true, Wario shouldn't be forgotten. The guy is getting a lot of games, be it Wario Land or Ware. Both were represented on the Wii, iirc, and Nintendo even revealed Game & Wario as one of the first WiiU games so he's not going any where. He definitely more deserving of another character. And you're right, it's more about the Smash brand and what Sakurai feels is best so anything goes. In the end, I just feel FE deserves atleast 3 for the amount of interesting characters they produce and how consistent they are now.

 

[Ryce]

If Takamaru gets in, Sakurai could recycle his Plusle & Minun concept for Kat & Ana (two miniature Takamaru semi-clones fighting together). I don't think the Wario series is going to get a second original character.

 

[Red Arremer]

True, but frankly, I'd rather have a character that isn't a generic swordsman, or if they are, something more interesting like Eirika, who uses a rapier (so the fighting style is completely different).

But there's a TON of magic users, axe and polearm users, archers, and ofc the unique characters like those that can turn into dragons or whatever; I really would prefer one of those characters than 2 or maybe even 3 lords.

 

[GamerSoul]

If Takamaru gets in, Sakurai could recycle his Plusle & Minun concept for Kat & Ana (two miniature Takamaru semi-clones fighting together). I don't think the Wario series is going to get a second original character.

I'd rather see Lyn take on a theoretical Takamaru moveset. But Wario could be the only character Sakurai needs to rep his franchises. I think the alt costume maybe a slight hint. heh

True, but frankly, I'd rather have a character that isn't a generic swordsman, or if they are, something more interesting like Eirika, who uses a rapier (so the fighting style is completely different).

But there's a TON of magic users, axe and polearm users, archers, and ofc the unique characters like those that can turn into dragons or whatever; I really would prefer one of those characters than 2 or maybe even 3 lords.

Man, I agree wth you but the main characters are going to have a best shot and it sucks that they usually use similar broad swords that differ in size. Lyn was a nice gift though. lol.

 

[NMFried]

Balloon Fighter is going to be the retro character. They're pushing him harder and harder.

His moves will be a mixture of balloon based move and Iwata.

I completely agree with this, thinking more and more about it. Also, Power Glove as an item would be pretty sweet.

I see R.O.B., Ike, and Lucario as being removed for sure (although I love Lucario). Maybe Wolf. But beyond that it's up to the whim of Sakurai I'd say, but I don't think he'd remove more than 5 or 6 characters at most.

I don't the reason or point for removing any characters whatsoever. I'd actually expect Melee and planned Brawl characters to return as the more likely outcome. There's no reason to cut down anymore.

 

[Red Arremer]

Power Glove was made by Mattel, though, not by Nintendo, so the chances of it appearing are quite slim. I doubt Nintendo'll buy the license for just an item.

 

[Neoriceisgood]

I want Satoru Shibata as a playable character, EU represent.

 

[Choppasmith]

I completely agree with this, thinking more and more about it. Also, Power Glove as an item would be pretty sweet.



I don't the reason or point for removing any characters whatsoever. I'd actually expect Melee and planned Brawl characters to return as the more likely outcome. There's no reason to cut down anymore.

Honestly, I can see them doing something like Brawl. The new Smash would still have a hefty amount of content on its own, but a small handful of characters/stages from past games left out and sold later as DLC along with new content.

Speaking of past stages, I'd love to see them bring back REMADE 64 stages instead of just copying and pasting them in like in Melee.

Also, on Chapter 15 in KI: Uprising and just WOW, I want all these characters in somehow. They're just too damn awesome. I'm actually very eager to see how Pit and KI:U is represented, if he's given the same moveset or is given a relevant overhaul kinda like Mario in Brawl. At the very VERY least they got to get the same guy who does Pit, I'll be highly disappointed if they don't. As I mentioned in a lttp thread, there's already a fan made patch the replaces his voice in Brawl

 

[Red Arremer]

I want Satoru Shibata as a playable character, EU represent.

That reminds me when I asked Niitsuma through one of the live stream Q&A why he didn't include himself and Stan Lee as playable characters in MvC3. He laffed. :3c

 

[Incendiary]

I don't the reason or point for removing any characters whatsoever. I'd actually expect Melee and planned Brawl characters to return as the more likely outcome. There's no reason to cut down anymore.

I just don't see the roster being huge. I mean, people were expecting a 40-50 character roster for Brawl and we got 35. I'd say a roster bigger than 45 characters is expecting too much, and honestly I'm more looking towards a 40-42 character roster, and to get a good amount of new characters in they've got to cut some of the old characters. That's how fighting games work most of the time.

Could I see all the old Melee/Brawl characters that are cut as eventual DLC if Nintendo chooses to go that route? Sure. In fact, I'd expect that. But I think for the base game, Sakurai would want to have enough of a difference between rosters as to not make the roster Melee + Brawl + 3 new guys.

 

[qq more]

hey guys what do u think of my list ov newcomers

tailes
kchuckles
amiy roise
shadiow
super sanic
super shadoiwo
silvr
supr silvr
naruto
sora w/ mikkey
epic mikey
crytstal
gino
bubbsey
gooku
vegitea
guumba
shygie
bobbomb
kopa tropa
boshi
bowsr jr
babby bowsr
babby mrio
babby wrio
bby dsgsdjgdjkkjdjkga

pls rate this rosteR!!!!

Wow what's wrong with you?

You forgot to include skylenders and bleech

 

[Azure J]

Actually, thinking about my list again, I'd probably replace Medusa with Lil' Mac. Not because I feel like either should be in over the other (in an ideal world, all of those characters would be no-brainers or confirmed already), but partially because I was hoping Sakurai would OD on bulking up Medusa's personality via Smash since she got shafted in Uprising (which is pretty amazing given how awesome everyone was characterized in that game). That and I want an offensive staff user with powerful but slow magic playing a foil to a fast caster type with weaker melee ability.

Also, the banter between the Kid Icarus power trio in a mostly self referential game would be amazing. They should also double as Smash 4's in game commentators. :lol

 

[qq more]

Oh my god that thread. :lol They're gonna be sooo disappointed.

 

[Azure J]

Oh my god that thread. :lol They're gonna be sooo disappointed.

Isn't it weird how threads like this are looked down upon because "hurr character roster fanwank" in other situations, but when a thread like that pops up, we get some of the erm-- "boutique" suggestions stated in there?

 

[qq more]

Isn't it weird how threads like this are looked down upon because "hurr character roster fanwank" in other situations, but when a thread like that pops up, we get some of the erm-- "boutique" suggestions stated in there?

I never thought about that... they make no sense :/

 

[SmithnCo]

Oh my god that thread. :lol They're gonna be sooo disappointed.

Some real pie-in-the-sky dreams in that thread that will be crushed, haha.

 

[Kjellson]

I don't get why people think ROB is gonna get axed. Out of all the Brawl additions, he's probably one of the most likely to stay. I'd put him into the same league as Diddy and Wario.

If you read some of the threads before Brawl was released like the update one, some people were certain that characters like Mr. Game & Watch and Ice Climbers would be cut. Doesn't make any sense really.

 

[I'M FINISHED!]

Speaking of past stages, I'd love to see them bring back REMADE 64 stages instead of just copying and pasting them in like in Melee.

Everyone's favorite stages Hyrule Temple and Infinite Glacier: Icicle Mountain return to Smash 4! But seriously, hopefully the switch to HD will encourage revamps.

Also, on Chapter 15 in KI: Uprising and just WOW, I want all these characters in somehow. They're just too damn awesome. I'm actually very eager to see how Pit and KI:U is represented, if he's given the same moveset or is given a relevant overhaul kinda like Mario in Brawl. At the very VERY least they got to get the same guy who does Pit, I'll be highly disappointed if they don't. As I mentioned in a lttp thread, there's already a fan made patch the replaces his voice in Brawl

This actually has me worried. If they give Pit his action movie moveset it could potentially cement him in that genre. I like his old moves and would like a more traditional sequel in the future.

 

[?oe?oe]

Balloon Fighter is going to be the retro character. They're pushing him harder and harder.

His moves will be a mixture of balloon based move and Iwata.

Did they say they were planning on using Balloon Fighter before, but he didn't have enough interesting moves to warrant an entry? Or was that made-up?

That's why Tingle can replace him. He can still use the balloon gimmick and he also has an array of moves; bombs, ruppees, etc. And he's flamboyant as fuck

 

[Boss Doggie]

So if Sakurai has diaper fetish everyone would have Baby versions?

I see R.O.B., Ike, and Lucario as being removed for sure (although I love Lucario). Maybe Wolf. But beyond that it's up to the whim of Sakurai I'd say, but I don't think he'd remove more than 5 or 6 characters at most.

lulz

 

[Lee Chaolan]

Look at all that shit he's carrying. He's a human swiss army knife.

I shudder to imagine what his final smash would be.

>_>

 

[ScraftyDevil]

I shudder to imagine what his final smash would be.

>_>

Healing Touch. He draws a star on the screen and every enemy inside it is slowed, allowing him to run around stabbing them with his scalpel and lasering them.

 

[qq more]

So if Sakurai has diaper fetish everyone would have Baby versions?

Where in the hell did that even come from

 

[Boss Doggie]

Where in the hell did that even come from

All dat Baby Mario cast

 

[qq more]

All dat Baby Mario cast

Wait, were people actually asking for Baby _____ ?

 

[Boss Doggie]

Wait, were people actually asking for Baby _____ ?

Nah I was just humoring that Baby ____ roster

 

[I'M FINISHED!]

Baby Smash Bros will be the 3DS version. It will be an edutainment game with an all baby cast, baby stages, baby items, and baby sized fun! Rated Early Childhood.

The Wii U version will be Super Tank Bros.

I am calling it!

 

[Boss Doggie]

Huh, I realized some posters are gone. Where did Kevin Cow go?

 

[Red Arremer]

Apparently he got banned.

 

[Nocturnowl]

There's some mystery junior running around with Cows old avatar, it sickens me.

 

[BGBW]

A balloon fighting Iwata Mii to cover multiple bases.

I heard that before Sonic was added to the game Brawl was originally going to feature Iwata saving the day. He'd pop up and go "Super Smash Borthers. That's my game" and then he'd look at Tabuu and go "I'm going to kick his you know what" and after firing laser from his eyes destroying Tabuu's wings he'd [laugh] and ask "who's your daddy?"

Of course he was deemed too powerful which is why he was replaced. But it does explain Sonic's odd inclusion to SSE.

Did they say they were planning on using Balloon Fighter before, but he didn't have enough interesting moves to warrant an entry? Or was that made-up?

That's why Tingle can replace him. He can still use the balloon gimmick and he also has an array of moves; bombs, ruppees, etc. And he's flamboyant as fuck

I've heard similar rumours along with Mach Rider but I don't know if that is simply because their music appears in Melee.

Yeah I've always thought if Tingle got in he could also be used to rep Balloon Fight since there was that DS spinoff staring him.

 

[Boss Doggie]

For older Pokemon gens, I want Blaziken. Especially if it has Speed Boost lulz

Apparently he got banned.

Yikes. Perm? I hope not :/

There's some mystery junior running around with Cows old avatar, it sickens me.

Maybe it's him.

 

[Red Arremer]

Yikes. Perm? I hope not :/

I think it is perm.

 

[Neoriceisgood]

What do those guys do to get banned anyway? The rules don't seem that difficult to follow.

 

[Lee Chaolan]

What's the thought on some Xenoblade characters? Shulk probably a shoo-in?

 

[Red Arremer]

Shulk is a strong possibility to represent "current" Nintendo, but I wouldn't consider him a "shoe-in". Xenoblade was successful, and it seems to be really popular, not to mention that Shulk is one of the most name-dropped characters just about everywhere... but he's not in guaranteed.

What do those guys do to get banned anyway? The rules don't seem that difficult to follow.

I think he trolled in this one thread from a guy who couldn't afford his hospital bills or something.

 

[Nocturnowl]

I'd say Shulk's chances shoot up if that face seen at the end of the X trailer happens to be his but i'm not sure what's going on with that.

 

[Red Arremer]

The X trailer?

 

[Snakey]

I wrote this essay about Ridley back in 2010, so there is probably some dated stuff in there, but it basically sums up why Ridley is the most deserving newcomer at this point:

Smash Bros. is constantly referred to as being a collection of Nintendo’s “All-Stars” or rather the most important characters from its universes. Its biggest all-stars joined in the original with the main heroes of most of it’s A-list and B-list franchises joining in the original. Melee continued this tradition by having most of its newcomers be important characters from A-list series (Bowser, Peach, Zelda, Ganondorf, Mewtwo, Marth). Many were disappointed that more all-stars were not added with Melee. However, with Smash’s third installment it seemed to have rectified this. Important and recognizable characters such as Wario, Diddy Kong, Meta Knight, King Dedede, Olimar, and Red (Pokemon Trainer) were added. Like with Melee two retros were added (Pit and ROB), as well as a slew of promotional characters (Lucario, Ike, Toon Link). For the first time third-party characters were added as well. Most people were satisfied with this roster, and many felt that there were few, if any, more worthy additions to be made to the overall roster of Smash Bros.

Perhaps the only character that comes to mind that is an “all-star” and has not been added to Smash Bros.’s playable roster is Ridley. Ridley is argued by many to be the main antagonist of the Metroid series (though was never the final boss with the exception of the Ridley Robot in Zero Mission). Ridley is often compared to Revolver Ocelot in that despite usually never being the final boss, he is almost always shows up somewhere in Metal Gear. Samus herself calls Ridley her arch-nemesis, and is the most recognizable and re-occurring character from the Metroid series outside of Samus herself. Ridley also happened to be the most requested newcomer among the Western Smash Bros. fanbase excluding Sonic. The Metroid series has had 11 games to date, and out of those 11 games, Ridley has been in 8 of them.

By comparison, most of the commonly requested characters for Smash 4 are either minor characters from A-list and B-list series or the main hero from a C-list series.

Ridley by contrast has continued to be make appearances in main Metroid installments. Even in the recently release Metroid Other M (which is not a spoilers considering he was known to be in it since its unveiling trailer back in 2009). Ridley is a being who strikes terror in even the hearts of those have seen and fought him (yes, even Samus) [lol i cant believe i wrote that back before Other M was released]. Ridley is even referred to as being, “The Cunning God of Death” in the Zero Mission instruction booklet. Ridley has shown himself to be on an almost magical level of coming back and that death has been more of an inconvenience for him rather than an end.

Ridley is probably Nintendo’s third most popular villain, with the only two holding more popularity being Bowser and Ganondorf. Also, unlike other Nintendo villains, Ridley has a deep personal connection with Samus, with Ridley having been the one to have orphaned Samus and murdered her parents. It was Ridley’s attack on her colony, that gave Samus the desire to become a bounty hunter, and to protect innocents from Space Pirate attacks. No other Nintendo hero probably has a deep hatred for the villain from within their own series outside of a few Fire Emblem games. Heck, in gaming in general, Ridley is unlike any other re-occurring villain (Bowser, Ganondorf, Dr. Wily, Dracula) in that Ridley usually never makes his entrance to the player at the end, but rather offers some faint “hints” that he is still there and waiting to strike at a moment when the player has forgotten about him (this is mostly evident in the Prime games).

Ridley lives up to his title as “The Cunning God of Death” in that like death, one can know of it inevitability (all people die, and in most Metroid games Ridley manifests), and like most people, humans are not sure what their demise will be just like how Samus does not know how Ridley will manifest himself in her latest mission. Like death, it can be a surprise (an accident or sudden bodily injury) or a build-up (like a terminal illness), Ridley following in the reaper’s footsteps either giving the player no indication of when he will strike, or sometimes leaving hints that he is within the player’s vicinity (such as the computer monitors with his head on it on Pirate Homeworld). Like death, Ridley can never be conquered, simply warded off for a time, eventually the reaper will call the name of mortals like how Ridley will return to torment Samus. Ridley’s sadism goes beyond that of sociopath, he is more like a force of nature, something that cannot be reasoned with, a monster, a force, that simply exists. Ridley’s continued existence is to prove to Samus that like saving your life from death’s claws, defeating Ridley is a temporary victory. At the back of Samus’s mind, does she wonder that Ridley will keep returning until he draws her last breath from her? Like death, Ridley is more than adversary for Samus, he is a part of her life and psyche, and a constant reminder of her own mortality and weakness.

Ridley despite being one of Nintendo’s most iconic characters from their A-list and B-list series has yet to make a playable appearance in Smash Bros. One of the most curious things about this is not only Ridley’s massive popularity but the fact that he has been in every Smash Bros. to date. In the original, he flew in the background to the Planet Zebes stage (King Dedede had a similar role in the original Smash Bros. in which he flew in the background the Dreamland stage). Ridley appeared again in the Melee intro fighting Samus (interestingly enough, Ridley was roughly the same size as Samus in the intro), and also appeared as a detailed trophy. Ridley was a highly requested character back during the Melee roster speculation days, however, the main excuse used by skeptics was that Metroid had been a series in long hiatus (however, defenders used the fact that two new Metroid games were on the way). Regardless, Ridley, along with many other highly requested characters (such as Wario, Diddy Kong, King Dedede, Meta Knight, Wolf, and Pit) did not get in Melee as a playable character.

However, unlike the other popularly suggested characters for Melee, Ridley did not make it in Brawl as a playable character. Instead, he appeared as two boss fights, had his old stomping grounds as an arena (Norfair), received two trophies, two stickers, and two remixes of his theme. Ridley, being the most requested character for Brawl (outside of Sonic), left many fans disappointed to find out he was unplayable yet again. Ridley soon found himself amid a crowd of mostly minor characters from more important series and heroes from minor series in regards to competing for a spot on Smash 4’s roster. However, the aftermath of Ridley’s boss status in Brawl came a new meme which proved to be Ridley’s greatest obstacle: “He is too big.”

There has been a great deal of apologist work done on this subject matter so I will not go particularly into detail about the inanity of it. Two important things to look at is that size has always been modified for Smash fighters. Ganondorf is usually twice the size of Link, however, in Smash, he is usually only slightly taller than him. Also, Bowser has become a giant in the main Mario series, however, he has been a playable character since Melee. Also, characters that are notable for their size such as Olimar, have also had their size changed (in series canon, Olimar is only the size of a quarter, yet in Smash he usually goes up to the knees of a lot of fighters). Not to mention, that in Melee’s intro, Ridley was given size and proportions that were similar to other fighters.

Regarding this issue, Sakurai (the creator and director of the Smash Bros. series) himself has commented on it. It is interesting to note, that Ridley was the only character that Sakurai has commented on regarding their absence from the roster. Here is exact text from the interview in which Sakurai commented on why Ridley was not playable in Brawl:

Nintendo Power: There was a rumor at one point about Ridley being playable. Was that ever a consideration?

Sakurai: I think that would probably be pretty impossible. [Laughs] If we had put our best efforts into it, we may have been able to do it. But he might have been a little slow. Would that be all right? [Laughs]

In Sakurai’s own words he says he could have made Ridley playable if his team had put more effort into it, and considering that Sakurai’s team was pressed for time (he mentioned that he wanted to put more characters in, however, he could not do so due to time constraints). I also think Ridley was placed in as a boss primarily to give the Subspace Emissary so more star power. However, since Ridley being a boss is Smash Bros. (he has already been featured in two boss fights), is now old news, perhaps a fresher approach to Ridley in Smash Bros. would be for him to finally make a playable appearance.

Not to mention that even fans have been able to get Ridley to fit in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyvWCMZ4s60

Regardless, there is no one else left in the Nintendo universes that is as important and recognized as Ridley that has not been given a playable spot yet. Perhaps, the only characters that would have more star power than Ridley in regards to Smash 4’s roster would be a third-party guest newcomer such as Mega Man. Ridley is the last Nintendo all-star to not be given a playable position. The last important character from Nintendo’s A-list series to not be playable. Other characters may be requested from these series, however, they all lack the popularity and recognition that Ridley has.

Ridley has been my most requested Smash Bros. character for almost a decade. I have wanted him in Smash Bros. ever since I saw him in the opening trailer for Melee and I have been a fan of him ever since I player Super Metroid for the first time back in 1994. Truly, I feel there are no other important additions to be made to the Smash Bros. roster aside from Ridley. The only reason I am even following Smash 4 is in the hope that Ridley will finally be made playable. I am closing in on 10 years [now closing in on 12] since I wanted Ridley playable in Smash Bros. and so far Ridley has yet to make his playable debut in the Nintendo all-star franchise.

I am guessing that Sakurai’s next project after Kid Icarus Uprising will be Smash 4 considering that the Wii’s life cycle seems to be drawing near an end, with more and more people being curious as to when Nintendo will finally announce a successor to the Wii. Considering the DS’s life cycle was about six years, and the Wii is on a similar level of success to it. I am guessing the Wii’s successor will be released in late 2012. No doubt Nintendo will ask Sakurai to have a trailer prepared for the system’s Smash 4 in time for its announcement (though I can see it not happening) [looks like my pessimism won out]. E3 2012 could very well be the time in which we finally see Smash 4 [Could being the operative word, it didn't. Onward to E3 2013]. Usually, some of the most popularly requested characters for the previous Smash game are made into playable characters for its opening unveil. With Melee it was Bowser, Peach, and Sheik. With Brawl it was Wario, Meta Knight, and Pit. What all-stars are left besides Ridley? Smash 4 represents Ridley’s last chance for Smash. He has hardly any competition for spots and is by far the more recognized Nintendo character not yet playable. Ridley is one of the few reasons I am even anticipating a new Smash Bros. I am waiting for the last all-star, Ridley.

Thank you for your time in reading this piece, and I hope that others share my convictions about Ridley and his worth to be made playable in the next Smash Bros.

 

[Neoriceisgood]

Woah wall of text.

I'll take the bait, I'll read it.

Spoiler

You're in for it if it isn't worthwhile, lol