POLL: How many characters do you expect in SSB4's roster?

[Banjodorf]

I don't think that's what he meant. If that was the case then how is that any different to adding any character from a new Nintendo series?

Either way Pac definitely fits the description of "the absolute most recognizable characters".
I read a study recently that concluded Pacman had the highest brand awareness of any video game character in the USA. Just pulling the stats up now he was recognised by 94% Americans with Mario just behind at 93.

That coupled with Namco co-developing the game is an incineratingly good argument for his chances being so high.
However I'd guess his brand awareness would be relatively lower in Japan where it really counts. That's why Tekken still has a (very small) chance.




Sadly I won't be MBP for long though. I'm evolving into my real form soon.

Just like me! I was once gannondorf4ever..and everything changed..

You're right with your points, I also agree with SSBF thought that I've seen absolutely no indication from Namdai that they've even considered Pac. The same could be said for Mega BUT Pac has contenders where Mega does not.

 

[Dark Phazon]

Banjo & Kazooie would most probly be the dopest third party ever but i know has 0/ chance..just saying...

 

[Neanderthal]

Another reason we may get a very conservative roster number is if they are planning to sell characters through DLC retrospective to release.

That way they could give us less than 40 characters and we'd still remain optimistic, buy the game and convince ourselves that our favourite character will be in the next DLC update.

 

[Guybrush20X6]

I doubt we'll get more than 10 new characters. Most Fighting games are lucky to get more than 5 characters in a sequel, at least without dropping most of the cast like SF3 did.

 

[Deleted member]

Majority of people predict that there will be approx 48 playable characters. I can't guarantee that the roster will be this big.

 

[Neanderthal]

Just had a new stream thought:

If I recall correctly Sakuraitold us to expect less newcomers than in previous games.
Melee had 13 (14 inc transformations) newcomers and Brawl had 14 (17 inc transformations). Brawl also had 4 cuts.

So doesn't it logically follow that the maximum amount of newcomers we can expect is 12 (or 13 inc transformations)?
If there are no cuts and we get the maximum amount of newcomers according to what Sakurai said then we are left with a maximum roster of 35 (39) + 12 (13) = 47 (51).

That means 47 characters (or 51 inc transformations) at the absolute maximum. And realistically we might expect one or two less than this maximum.

Ofcourse there is the possibility that Sakurai will backtrack on this statement or was just falsely trying to manage our expectations, but from the information we have in the present I think it is illogical to expect over 50 character slots like most prediction rosters include.

Thoughts?

 

[Bassoonist]

I'm hoping at minimum 45. 50 would be even better.

 

[Thirdkoopa]

Another reason we may get a very conservative roster number is if they are planning to sell characters through DLC retrospective to release.

That way they could give us less than 40 characters and we'd still remain optimistic, buy the game and convince ourselves that our favourite character will be in the next DLC update.

i support this if they do it well

also bassoonist is correct, 45-50 guys.

 

[Dark Phazon]

If everyone came back there only like 5-7 Chars that deserve a spot anyway..well by fan logic..Sakurai Logic on the other hand...boyyyy....(- -)

 

[Johnknight1]

The way I see it:
Smash 64: 12 characters.
Melee: 26 characters; 14 characters more than Smash 64.
Brawl: 39 characters; 13 characters more than Melee.
Smash Wii U and/or 3DS: 51 characters; 12 characters more than Brawl.

The range I see as the only "distinctly possible" range is 45-55 characters, and the "likely" range is 48-52 characters. And no, don't mention "transformations don't count," because we play as CHARACTERS, not freaking stupid slot numbers on the roster menu ya noobs.

This is especially so if everyone from Brawl comes back, along with a fairly refreshed rendition of Mewtwo. After all, re-adding and improving upon previously playable characters is a lot easier, less time consuming, cheaper, and more efficient to do than adding the same number of freshly built characters, and it's not even close.

Also, everyone who voted for 41 or less characters or 60 or more characters is a freaking fool (unless of course they did it as a joke or because of the number 69), and has really unrealistic expectations one way or another.

 

[Dark Phazon]

The way I see it:
Smash 64: 12 characters.
Melee: 26 characters; 14 characters more than Smash 64.
Brawl: 39 characters; 13 characters more than Melee.
Smash Wii U and/or 3DS: 51 characters; 12 characters more than Brawl.

The range I see as the only "distinctly possible" range is 45-55 characters, and the "likely" range is 48-52 characters. And no, don't mention "transformations don't count," because we play as CHARACTERS, not freaking stupid slot numbers on the roster menu ya noobs.

This is especially so if everyone from Brawl comes back, along with a fairly refreshed rendition of Mewtwo. After all, re-adding and improving upon previously playable characters is a lot easier, less time consuming, cheaper, and more efficient to do than adding the same number of freshly built characters, and it's not even close.

Also, everyone who voted for 41 or less characters or 60 or more characters is a freaking fool (unless of course they did it as a joke or because of the number 69), and has really unrealistic expectations one way or another.

Not to crash on your parade but i thought there wasent a formula...plus PeePz start getting there knickers in a twist when people tried to come up with one and justify it...

There is one thing i know is a fact though! That there is indeed a formula!
Its called the 'Sakurai Formula''
And not a single person on this planet knows its equation...not even Sakurai himself....(@_@)
Pretty ****ed up ****......

 

[Johnknight1]

I have no idea what you are trying to prove other than Sakurai can be unpredictable, but he isn't always unpredictable. He adds the most wanted characters (see: Bowser, Peach, Mewtwo, and Zelda in Melee; Sonic, King Dedede, Diddy Kong, and Wario in Brawl), and a few less than expected retro and newer characters to add in a little spice.

If anything, his roster additions are a pretty straight-forward approach, but his gameplay directions and some of his stage selections are straight up crazy.

 

[Dark Phazon]

I have no idea what you are trying to prove other than Sakurai can be unpredictable, but he isn't always unpredictable. He adds the most wanted characters (see: Bowser, Peach, Mewtwo, and Zelda in Melee; Sonic, King Dedede, Diddy Kong, and Wario in Brawl), and a few less than expected retro and newer characters to add in a little spice.

If anything, his roster additions are a pretty straight-forward approach, but his gameplay directions and some of his stage selections are straight up crazy.

Hmmm...yh...my bad...i do appologise.. (no sarcasm)

 

[MasterOfKnees]

I expect 45 character slots, 10 new characters would go well with his statement that he don't want to include too many new characters. 50 would push it to 15 new characters, and that'd be around the same amount as Melee, which wouldn't make the game introduce less newcomers like he said it would. So I'm expecting 45 character slots, the last 5 characters that would round it up to 50 could be DLC.

 

[Ultinarok]

I put 48-50, because there are a large number of characters that seem like they'll make it...and I have no idea which ones to knock off the list to trim the number down, if he's limiting newcomers.

I just hope they don't cut Wolf.

 

[MasterOfKnees]

I just hope they don't cut Wolf.

I wouldn't worry about Wolf, he's very important to Star Fox and it only takes a small step to make him completely different from Fox, which he is already close to. I don't see him going anywhere, especially considering we're also lacking in the villains department. Don't you worry about that.

 

[Neanderthal]

The way I see it:
Smash 64: 12 characters.
Melee: 26 characters; 14 characters more than Smash 64.
Brawl: 39 characters; 13 characters more than Melee.
Smash Wii U and/or 3DS: 51 characters; 12 characters more than Brawl.

The range I see as the only "distinctly possible" range is 45-55 characters, and the "likely" range is 48-52 characters. And no, don't mention "transformations don't count," because we play as CHARACTERS, not freaking stupid slot numbers on the roster menu ya noobs.

This is especially so if everyone from Brawl comes back, along with a fairly refreshed rendition of Mewtwo. After all, re-adding and improving upon previously playable characters is a lot easier, less time consuming, cheaper, and more efficient to do than adding the same number of freshly built characters, and it's not even close.

Also, everyone who voted for 41 or less characters or 60 or more characters is a freaking fool (unless of course they did it as a joke or because of the number 69), and has really unrealistic expectations one way or another.

I'd put the likely range at more like 43-48.

A 50ish roster is ridiculously huge for a fighting game with such diverse characters.
I mean, are people going to then expect 65ish for the next game?
They have to draw the line of adding so many characters at some point and Sakurai has hinted that it will be this time when he said there will be less newcomers.

 

[TigerBizNiz]

I see the roster size being around 40-45 with a few characters getting cut (I'm thinking Ike and Lucario being examples). Didn't they mentioned in one of their interviews that they don't plan on making the roster size too big because it would imbalance the game?

 

[Neanderthal]

I see the roster size being around 40-45 with a few characters getting cut (I'm thinking Ike and Lucario being examples). Didn't they mentioned in one of their interviews that they don't plan on making the roster size too big because it would imbalance the game?

Yeah Sakurai said adding too many characters more than what they already have would start making it near impossible to balance.

I think you're prediction of 40-45 is sensible. Alot more so than people predicting 50-55.

(P.S. I can barely read your writing in that dark blue font without highlighting it. You might want to make it something lighter).

 

[Johnknight1]

I'd put the likely range at more like 43-48.

A 50ish roster is ridiculously huge for a fighting game with such diverse characters.
I mean, are people going to then expect 65ish for the next game?
They have to draw the line of adding so many characters at some point and Sakurai has hinted that it will be this time when he said there will be less newcomers.

According to my numbers, we'd get 62 in Smash 6 (which would be after Smash Wii U and 3DS) if the number I predicted is right.

Again, most of my theory is that all of the Brawl characters will return. Most of them are already fairly well balanced (whether in Brawl or previous smash games) and have pretty solid movesets that need minimal change, sans some clones (Falco and Wolf could use an original move or two, I would like to see Lucas get a new forward B, Ganondorf is overdue for a new moveset, Luigi could use a new move or two, and Toon Link needs some changes), some clearly imbalanced or weird moves (Snakes' forward tilt range, Wario's down smash, Mario's FLUDD), and so forth.

And yes, 1 less total slot is a lot less newcomers. Remember Brawl cut 4 (5 if you count Toon Link over Young Link) Melee characters and added 17 (18 if you count Toon Link over Young Link) newcomers. Thus, his statement makes sense in that regard while still applying to my theory. Heck, if Mewtwo returns (he probably will) with a remotely similar movesets, that means we only get 10 newcomers, which isn't that hard to make.

Seeing as how "patching veterans" is much easier to do that "create new characters from scratch," I think if the 39 Brawl characters plus Mewtwo return, with a few small fixes here and there with the whole cast and a few major changes for some characters, 51 characters is totally reasonable.

This is especially so since Sakurai stated he was very satisfied with the Brawl roster, and that it was nearly a perfect roster. Aside from Mewtwo's glaring omission, I have to agree with him. So why completely throw out characters in a very popular and nearly perfect roster when you can just patch them up and add about 10 new ones (give or take like 3 characters)=???

 

[Neanderthal]

According to my numbers, we'd get 62 in Smash 6 (which would be after Smash Wii U and 3DS) if the number I predicted is right.

Again, most of my theory is that all of the Brawl characters will return. Most of them are already fairly well balanced (whether in Brawl or previous smash games) and have pretty solid movesets that need minimal change, sans some clones (Falco and Wolf could use an original move or two, I would like to see Lucas get a new forward B, Ganondorf is overdue for a new moveset, Luigi could use a new move or two, and Toon Link needs some changes), some clearly imbalanced or weird moves (Snakes' forward tilt range, Wario's down smash, Mario's FLUDD), and so forth.

And yes, 1 less total slot is a lot less newcomers. Remember Brawl cut 4 (5 if you count Toon Link over Young Link) Melee characters and added 17 (18 if you count Toon Link over Young Link) newcomers. Thus, his statement makes sense in that regard while still applying to my theory. Heck, if Mewtwo returns (he probably will) with a remotely similar movesets, that means we only get 10 newcomers, which isn't that hard to make.

Seeing as how "patching veterans" is much easier to do that "create new characters from scratch," I think if the 39 Brawl characters plus Mewtwo return, with a few small fixes here and there with the whole cast and a few major changes for some characters, 51 characters is totally reasonable.

This is especially so since Sakurai stated he was very satisfied with the Brawl roster, and that it was nearly a perfect roster. Aside from Mewtwo's glaring omission, I have to agree with him. So why completely throw out characters in a very popular and nearly perfect roster when you can just patch them up and add about 10 new ones (give or take like 3 characters)=???

I think you mean Smash 5 not Smash 6*
Otherwise you make some good points.
I'm just not prepared to get my hopes up that high after his recent comments.

 

[Admiral Pit]

Just about 40..
Say you want to keep all the characters we got in (save for the routine with the new Mewtwo or Zoroark replacing Lucario), and there being about 2 characters being cut. Then the remaining are newcomers. The problem with huge rosters is a high chance at unbalance, and I don't want it to get to that like with Brawl and them MKs, along with how bad Ganon is. Though there's no true balance, at least make it better than how bad Brawl's so-called balance was.

 

[Johnknight1]

^^^^ Again, they can basically use lots of the good and balanced parts of characters in previous smash games. And even if they don't, they still have most of the animations and movesets down, and all they have to do is slightly improve or slightly weaken various moves and stuff.

I think you mean Smash 5 not Smash 6*
Otherwise you make some good points.
I'm just not prepared to get my hopes up that high after his recent comments.

No, because we're getting two smash games, so one is Smash 4, and one is Smash 5. Thus, the next Smash game past these 2 is Smash 6.

Also, the number rhythm is there for a reason. And without 17 newcomers coming and instead roughly 8 to 13 (if we get all the Brawl characters and Mewtwo back), the developers aren't going to be spending millions of dollars on developing fresh animations, moveset ideas, and whatnot for new characters because we are inevitably going to see nearly every character playable in Brawl return.

 

[MasterOfKnees]

No, because we're getting two smash games, so one is Smash 4, and one is Smash 5. Thus, the next Smash game past these 2 is Smash 6.

They're most likely gonna be the same game just ported, so neither of them is gonna be a sequel, which is the whole point of such a numbering system, to note which one is ahead of the other chronologically. I'd still say that the next Smash after these two is SSB5.

 

[Johnknight1]

They're most likely gonna be the same game just ported, so neither of them is gonna be a sequel, which is the whole point of such a numbering system, to note which one is ahead of the other chronologically. I'd still say that the next Smash after these two is SSB5.

You're telling me Sakurai, a guy who has stated both these games will be different, hates ports, and has made 1 remake (for like a then over 10 year old game) would make literally the same game twice=???

The same guy who quit Nintendo almost a decade ago because he didn't want to do remakes and sequels like that, because he hates being restricted like that, and he wants to make a lot of original games=???

This logic seems legit.

 

[MasterOfKnees]

You're telling me Sakurai, a guy who has stated both these games will be different, hates ports, and has made 1 remake (for like a then over 10 year old game) would make literally the same game twice=???

The same guy who quit Nintendo almost a decade ago because he didn't want to do remakes and sequels like that, because he hates being restricted like that, and he wants to make a lot of original games=???

This logic seems legit.

I'm saying that he is probably not making 2 vastly different Smash Bros games at the same time. With Kirby it was completely different, it was over a long timespan that he felt like he made the same game a ton of times. This time they're being made at the same time, he'd be way in over his head if he had to make 2 completely different games. I'm expecting the games to be able to do different things, like the Wii U version having an Adventure Mode where as the 3DS version would have some new gimmick feature, but no way do I expect them to be 2 different games past that.

 

[Johnknight1]

I'm saying that he is probably not making 2 vastly different Smash Bros games at the same time. With Kirby it was completely different, it was over a long timespan that he felt like he made the same game a ton of times. This time they're being made at the same time, he'd be way in over his head if he had to make 2 completely different games. I'm expecting the games to be able to do different things, like the Wii U version having an Adventure Mode where as the 3DS version would have some new gimmick feature, but no way do I expect them to be 2 different games past that.

They'll both have an Adventure Mode of some sort, just they might go in different directions (like comparing say the various handheld Kingdom Hearts games to Kingdom Hearts I or II).

What I think will be the huge difference, however, will be the gameplay. I fully expect the gameplay to be quite a lot different between the two games. Sakurai will probably have the same roster, items, and stages. Of course that is sans maybe a few additions if one game is released after the other, and hopefully in that situation, we get that in the other game, too (say via DLC).

 

[Guybrush20X6]

Smash gets more Fighters per new iteration than most other fighters but unlike said fighters they don't ave to make them from scratch. Street Fighter is begining to run out of fighting styles to take inspiration from and they were cloning before it was cools so we got Ryu, Ken, Akuma, Jailbait Ryu, Whatever Sean is upposed to be and SNK parody Dan Hibiki. They were stretching it with Turkish Oil Wrestling.

 

[Neanderthal]

They'll both have an Adventure Mode of some sort, just they might go in different directions (like comparing say the various handheld Kingdom Hearts games to Kingdom Hearts I or II).

What I think will be the huge difference, however, will be the gameplay. I fully expect the gameplay to be quite a lot different between the two games. Sakurai will probably have the same roster, items, and stages. Of course that is sans maybe a few additions if one game is released after the other, and hopefully in that situation, we get that in the other game, too (say via DLC).

People will still refer to the next one as Smash 5 not Smash 6.

 

[Noler_Mass]

Personally I think the roster will be from 45-48 depending on cuts, maybe even reaching 50. I really don't think it will get lower than 45 since many people play the game because there are so many characters to unlock and don't mind if there are a few unbalanced Charcters. Some people can even get really good with these so called super unbalanced characters. I think they will understand this and still give the fans a good amount of newcomers to play as. I do think people wanting 50+ are definetly wrong because that's a lot of new characters to add. I would still play and like it, but it's not gonna happen. I really don't mind a few unbalanced characters, if they are unbalanced I just don't use them. As long as they don't mess with Marth.

 

[Neanderthal]

Personally I think the roster will be from 45-48 depending on cuts, maybe even reaching 50. I really don't think it will get lower than 45 since many people play the game because there are so many characters to unlock...

Fair enough but they aren't just going to keep adding 10-15 characters forever.
You could use this argument for any SSB game in the future but the fact is at some point the number of newcomers will start to diminish.

 

[Johnknight1]

People will still refer to the next one as Smash 5 not Smash 6.

Yes, but it doesn't mean they're right. Most people think seasons change because we get farther from the sun, despite the fact they are 100% wrong, and that the Northern and Southern Hemispheres always have opposite seasons (Winter/Summer, Spring/Fall).

Fair enough but they aren't just going to keep adding 10-15 characters forever.
You could use this argument for any SSB game in the future but the fact is at some point the number of newcomers will start to diminish.

Which is why I think 10 newcomers this time around, the 39 characters from Brawl, and 1 returning Melee cut (Mewtwo), plus either 1 more newcomer or Roy is the way to go. Any smash game after that the reasonable expectations for newcomers will be at the most 10, and Sakurai is saved a lot of pain.

Smash gets more Fighters per new iteration than most other fighters but unlike said fighters they don't ave to make them from scratch. Street Fighter is begining to run out of fighting styles to take inspiration from and they were cloning before it was cools so we got Ryu, Ken, Akuma, Jailbait Ryu, Whatever Sean is upposed to be and SNK parody Dan Hibiki. They were stretching it with Turkish Oil Wrestling.

Street Fighter ran out of ideas back in like 1995. Seriously, half of the newcomers since then have been Ryu/Ken clones. On top of that, all of those characters are original characters, and they're a lot harder to think of.

Still, I don't get why they don't have some more one martial arts-based fighters with martial arts previously not really used in Street Fighter, such as Taekwondo, Japanese Jujitsu, Brazilian Jujitsu (big difference between the two), Olympic/Gecko-Roman Wrestling, Judo, Muay Thai (people kneeing other people in the face = epic), Karate (although I think there is a Karate character), etc.

 

[Noler_Mass]

Fair enough but they aren't just going to keep adding 10-15 characters forever.
You could use this argument for any SSB game in the future but the fact is at some point the number of newcomers will start to diminish.

They also aren't goin to keep making smash bros forever at least not with the current formula. Something tells me that if we do get a smash five it will be... Different

 

[Neanderthal]

The trailer had less than half the newcomers of previous trailers.
That's very suggestive that us conservatives might be closer to the money about the final count.

 

[Deleted member]

I think Sakurai said something like the roster will be a bit smaller than Brawl's. It's probably because he doesn't like a roster of 40+ characters. Balance is his main focus. I have a feeling that the final number of characters will be around in the 20s/near Melee's number.

 

[Neanderthal]

I think Sakurai said something like the roster will be a bit smaller than Brawl's. It's probably because he doesn't like a roster of 40+ characters. Balance is his main focus. I have a feeling that the final number of characters will be around in the 20s/near Melee's number.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand too conservative.
He said less newcomers not less characters.

I'm thinking low 40-43ish

 

[psyniac_123]

I'm thinking low 40-43ish

I really have to agree. It's 45 tops for me after cuts and new additions. That's about 10 new characters maximum.

 

[dezeray112]

Around 45-50 I would say.

 

[TheTuninator]

The amount of new characters they reveal at E3 should be telling. If they give us another day of reveals, it'll be indicative of a big jump in roster size again. No way they'd blow their wad already with the game probably close to a year out.

I'm expecting 10-13 newcomers, personally, with some cuts.

I also wouldn't be too quick to take Sakurai at his word, given that he also said that Animal Crossing couldn't be made to work in Smash.

 

[grizby2]

48-50 including transformations id say.