Rate Their Chance Returns! Day 13 - Bowser Jr.

[Deleted member]

Flavor will come later.

Day 6 begins! Today, you will be rating Shulk's likelihood and how much you want Shulk along with predicting Dixie Kong's score for tomorrow. You also have six nominations at your disposal today. The day will end on June 30th, 2013 sometimes after I get up.

Due to my mistake when putting down the overall score in likelihood and want for characters, I have used a new, more accurate method for this. Everyone gets an extra nomination today to compensate for this.

Xenigma from Smashboards will get five extra nomination today for being the closest to predicting King K. Rool's score. bellagio23 from GameFAQs will earn five extra nomination for being the closest to predicting Isaac's score while Crap-Zapper and Kikaru earn four and three more respectively for having the same score but predicting later (this is to make up for the inaccurate score Isaac got until I fixed my method).

If you are confused, here's the format to use to help you out:

Shulk: *Insert likelihood with possible reasoning*
*Insert want score*

Dixie Kong: *Insert prediction for Dixie Kong's score tomorrow. Not the same as voting for likelihood*

Nominations: *insert six nominations*

Here's is my explanation for the new system of putting overall scores together I am using.

As I said before, I am putting votes together from both Smashboards and GameFAQs when putting in scores together. However, the method I was using was that I simply combined the percentage from both sites for my overall percentage. I noticed the problem yesterday afternoon when putting together King K. Rool's score. I put both scores together, and it came out in the 62% range for his likelihood. The problem with this is that there is a discrepancies between how many people vote on Smashboards and who vote on GameFAQs and realized that it was messing with my ratings. So what I did was changed the way to reflect a more accurate grading system to cover the discrepancies of votes between Smashboards and GameFAQs.

Here is the method I use; I first count the amount of votes Smashboards and GameFAQs made separately and then add them together to see how many votes are overall when both sites are factored in. Afterwards, I then add every vote made on the website and divide by how many votes are made on that website. This gives me the percentage for the website. Afterwards, I divide how many votes are made on that website with the overall amount of votes made. I do this for Smashboards and GameFAQs. When both are done, I then combine both websites for the total score. This is probably confusing to most people and I'm not the best at explaining, but here's an example:

Palutena
 
Likelihood:
- Number of votes: 36 (Smashboards) + 18 (GameFAQs) = 54 (total)
- Votes on Smashboards: 50, 75, 75, 90, 90, 80, 70, 75, 68, 85, 90, 93, 85, 90, 65, 75, 40, 45, 85, 70, 80, 80,
  55, 82.47, 80, 90, 90, 90, 85, 60, 50, 85, 90, 85, 85, 65
    Individual ratings given by voters/how many votes were made = 76.35%
- Votes on GameFAQs: 80, 90, 50, 85, 30, 20, 87.5, 80, 80, 40, 85, 90, 85, 84, 64.01, 100, 30, 85
    Individual ratings given by voters/how many votes were made = 70.31%
 
36 (Smashboards)/54 (total) * 76.35% (likelihood score for Palutena on Smashboards) = 50.9%
18 (GameFAQs)/54 (total) * 70.31% (likelihood score for Palutena on GameFAQs) = 23.44%
 
50.9% + 23.44% = 74.34%
 
Same math applies to want ratings.

I will put this on the FAQs for everyone to see. Please ask questions if you have them.

 

[Keto]

Shulk: 25%
Different series, fits into the smash universe, easy moveset to create. Other characters have higher priority than Shulk though.

Want: 50%
I won't be mad if he makes it or not.

Dixie: 56.4%

Sandbag x5

 

[Swamp Sensei]

Shulk Chances: 67%
He's from a new series and is a pretty popular choice. Especially in Japan. If X is a Xenoblade related game then I'd say he'd be a shoo-in.

Want: 65%
Seems pretty cool. But I have never played Xenoblade so...

Dixie Kong: 73%
Tropical Freeze is gonna give her a boost in predictions.

Pokemon Trainer x4
Mewtwo
Little Mac

 

[Jedisupersonic]

Shulk: 50%. Part of a successful new start to a series, has many unique things to his name. Namely his laser sword the Monado and his visions helping in combat, Project Rainfall was also pretty big in getting the game localized which had a big impact to its localized sales, yet as it wasn't around until after Brawl and Sakurai seems to be paying more attention to that time in development [I mean Brawls development] I'd wager its a 50/50 shot

Want: 100%. My most wanted newcomer. I'd love to play as Shulk

Dixie Kong prediction: 66%

Nominations: Roy X3, Sonic X3

 

[---]

Shulk - 70%
Want - 60%
+ Popular
+ Operation Rainfall caught the attention of the gaming industry (Nintendo doesn't usually give into fan demand, ex. Mother 3)
+ Possible new franchise (X for the Wii U?)
- Still a very young franchise

 

[Starbound]

Shulk: 50%
Depends how much Sakurai looks to post-Brawl want vs pre-Brawl want. He won't even be on the radar if he's only looking at the characters people wanted for Brawl.

Want: 65%
Dat OST that comes along with him is so good.

Dixie: Gonna predict a 57% from her.

Nomz:
Bowser Jr. x4
Mewtwo x2

 

[Shorts]

Shulk - 65%
Want - 80%

Dixie Kong will score much lower than she should because of King K Rool so, 58%

Krystal x3
Tharja x3

 

[kikaru]

Shulk: 74%.

Project Rainfall was a huge success in that it brought in three great games for the Nintendo Wii with Xenoblade Chronicles being one of them, and perhaps the most popular among the three. Not only that but due to the success of Xenoblade Chronicles we are now getting a sequel that seems to borrow many elements seen in Xenoblade such as the combat system and ridiculously large overworld. It seems to be suggested that X may be a sequel to Xenoblade, but many years into the future. This is evidenced by parts of the overworld looking similar to areas seen on the Bionis Leg and Shoulder, the abnormally humongous gears left in the backgrounds hinting at the remnants of Mechonis, and the possibility of Telethia appearing in the most recent trailer, a monster line that plays a pivotal role in Xenoblade Chronicles.

With this being said however, there are several risks Shulk runs into. One of which is how sales bombed in Japan, selling less than 200,000 units. While this is not a large risk Shulk faces and the fact that Ike's games also did not sell well either, I would be more comfortable with his chances had Xenoblade been a hit in Japan. (Sales=/= representation, but I do believe that sales can aid in a character's overall recognition)

The next obstacle Shulk faces is whether or not X will be a spiritual successor to Xenoblade or if it will become a completely independent game. Becoming a spiritual successor to X may aid in Shulk's chances as it indicates that Monolith and Nintendo have not forgotten about the character/ still deem him important enough to represent in X. If X is independent of Xenoblade then Shulk does not receive said recognition.

However, if Sakurai is currently no longer taking requests, then the chances of having the protagonist from X is likely to be close to zero as there has not been a character to request in the first place. And considering that the roster was most likely created in advance as was Brawl's roster, Shulk had a decent frame of time to make his impression.


Want: 100%.

Shulk is my number one choice for character I want included the most. (Perhaps I should've given Isaac a 99.99%) I believe I have ranted enough about how great Xenoblade is so I will leave this section be short. The gameplay, story, music (Huge emphasis on music. I have a soft spot for games that can provide fantastic musical scores) , world, and characters were all done phenomenally well. Shulk has great potential for a movepool with his Monado/Monado Arts as well as the ability to exemplify the Monado and ability to see into the future in the game's storymode by saving a life or instantly turning the tides of battle.


Dixie Kong: 64%


Nominations: Lyn x6 (May I save my remaining three for later? If not I will vote Lyn x6 and Chrom x3)

/rant

 

[Erimir]

Shulk
Popularity: His series has low sales, but it wasn't because of a lack of people trying to buy it. He seems reasonably popular with the Smash fans, question is whether that translates to Sakurai putting him in. Sakurai doesn't only care about those fans but also the more casual crowd who wouldn't have any idea who Shulk is.

Relevancy: He's from a recent, critically acclaimed game, that is getting at the very least a spiritual successor. If Nintendo sees X as a big property that they'll promote heavily, then Shulk is relevant. Particularly if there's any connection to the story of Xenoblade. On the other hand, they didn't exactly treat Xenoblade as well as they should have.

Design potential: Shulk is another sword wielder, but he has some magic moves and definitely some good Final Smash options (he could have Monado powers, or a Chain Attack with other Xenoblade characters jumping in, for example). He doesn't seem to be as unique as some other options like King K Rool or even Isaac though. A lot of his moves in the game are either simple sword slash type moves, or not really possible to incorporate (Speed and Battle Soul, for example). I suppose if Sakurai wanted to make him really unique he could give him like the Purge move and make it seal opponents' specials briefly, but I imagine he'd be hesitant to make a move like that.

Technical/legal issues: None.

Shulk chances: 43%
The evidence from the way Nintendo treated Xenoblade and no indication that they're seeing X as one of their flagship titles as of yet makes me skeptical he'd be in for promotional reasons. He doesn't have a lot of familiarity with the general public, and it seems a little more likely that Sakurai would pick more retro characters if he's going with someone less known. But if Sakurai likes him, or Nintendo thinks that maybe they have the potential for a big new IP with more Xeno-titles from Monolith, then he could get in. A definitely possibility but I wouldn't put much money on it (I also think he's in competition with Isaac to an extent).

Shulk want: 63%
I like Xenoblade, and while I personally didn't like Shulk that much as a character (he was a little... whiny or something) compared to other cast members (I particularly liked Dunban and Riki better), I'd like to see Nintendo giving support to the series. And the music is pretty great.

Dixie predicted score: 53%
I think most people see K Rool as a bit more likely, and two new DK reps not very likely, so her score should be lower because of that. But the people who think that recentness/"relevancy" matters more will want to give her a bit higher score.

Nominations:
6x Simon Belmont

 

[Dyl9]

Shulk-70%
Not the most well known game, but among the people who know a fair bit about it, it is talked highly of. He is obscure enough to surprise the casuals, while being well received enough by the hardcore fans to be wanted an a newcomer.
His series is semi relevant as it is fairly recent, but X could take the attention away from Shulk. The protagonist of this new game is the main reason that Shulk may not get in.

Want-100%


Dixie prediction-44%

Nominations-
Lucario X 5
Edit- Lucario X 6

 

[SmashShadow]

Shulk 25%
At this point he's a one shot character and his sequel may not have him in it. Even with less competition this time around he's still gonna be low priority compared to characters that have had many games under their belt. The only other series where Sakurai has added a character with one appearance was Earthbound. Not to say that he couldn't change this but he also said something about not just going with the recent popular choice. We've seen this at work with the Zelda cast already.

Want: 20%
Haven't played Xenoblade so I'm pretty indifferent towards Shulk...outside of Smash. I just don't think he should get in being from such a small series and only being in 1 game. I'd like to keep the notion of Nintendo All-Star Game I do like the music from that game though.

Prediction:
Dixie 72%

3x Mewtwo
2x Bowser Junior
1x Toad

 

[FalKoopa]

Shulk:
Likelihood: 50%
It can go either way at this point. X seems unrelated to Xenoblade, making Shulk a one shot character. While one-shot characters have gotten in before, they have always been retros or from series with changing casts.

Want: 35%
Can't say that I'm really interested. Never played his game, I'm indifferent towards him.

Dixie Kong prediction: 65%
There are a good number of relevancy pundits on GameFAQs, but on the other hand SmashBoards doesn't view her as very likely.

Nominations:
Lyn x 3
Toon Link x 3

 

[Homelessvagrant]

Shulk:
Likelihood: 55%
This one is hard to pin down because he seems to have as much going for him as he does against him. However I feel like he does have a slightly higher chance of getting in than otherwise simply due to three factors I feel are key
- fan support: the games saw a much higher demand than it did stock which showed nintendo that public interest is in favor of the series.
- game support: Monolith has stepped in and helped work on smash. Now this doesn't guarantee anything but the fact that Monolith folks have been there working on the title may help in terms of influence helping guide Sakurai in the decision of adding a Monolith rep whether it be from Xenoblade or a possible X rep.
-First party status: Monolith was recently fully bought by nintendo making it a full on first party dev. Also not a guarantee but it has to mean something.
Still its hard to say because Shulk is relatively new and as many people have mentioned previously he has plenty going against him as well.

Want: 50%
I don't care either way for his inclusion. I'd probably be more excited for Xenoblade based music and potential stage being implemented.

 

[Toxicroaker]

Shulk: who da heck? (dont answer that)

Dixie Kong: 59%

x6 waddle dee

 

[Opossum]

Shulk time.

Likelihood: 48%

I know, this is a bit on the low side, but I just don't have a good feeling about this character. New series with only one game released so far. Correct me if I'm wrong, but we don't even know if X is a sequel, or something new entirely...I don't know.

Want: 50%

Never played Xenoblade, and while he looks really cool, I can live with him being excluded.

Prediction for Dixie: 58%, due to TF.

Nominations: x6 Ice Climbers.

 

[wildvine47]

Aw man, did I really scroll over this topic that many times? Looks like I'm a little late to the party, but eh, at least I'm here in time to rate Shulk.

Shulk: 66% is what I think he rightfully has at this point in time. Popular new series, big movement that even Nintendo noticed that caused Xenoblade to get ported over to the US, and more than enough moveset potential. As for "X" and it's chances of affecting Shulk, has everyone forgotten that Shulk himself appeared in X's first trailer? The game has at least SOMETHING to do with Shulk, even if he's apparently not the main protagonist this time around. Shulk's biggest hurdle is going to be whether or not Sakurai feels that a 2 game series not named Pikmin deserves a playable rep this time around, not to mention that he has some pretty heavy competition from similar niche characters Isaac and Saki, hence the 34% docked from him.

Want: Here, Shulk scores at about an 80%. I loved Xenoblade and it's characters to pieces, but at the same time, Shulk isn't one of my top priorities, like Ridley, K. Rool, and Goroh are. I'd love to see him in the game, and he'd definitely make the roster that much better for me, but at the same time, I wouldn't be too broken up about it if he were excluded. There better at LEAST be some Xenoblade music though.

Dixie Kong Prediction: I'm gonna guess around 54% for Dixie. K. Rool is going to be her biggest obstacle, and rightfully (/fittingly) so.

Nominations:
3x Samurai Goroh
2x Medusa

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

I don't have time to go into detail. Maybe later.

Shulk
Likeliness: 52%
Want: 100%

Dixie kong: 58%

Nomz:

Mach Rider x5
Nightmare x1

 

[Gingerbread Man]

Shulk: 40% He might pull an isaac and be an assist trophy that people can marvel at thought of being a playable character for the next 5 years.
want: 70%

Dixie prediction: 55%

Nominations:
x3 Robin
x1 Paper Mario
x1 Professor Layton
x1 Sonic

 

[foolssigma]

Shulk: 70% with my bias of loving Xenoblade so much. He has the potential to be another different character in terms of playstyle to add to the growing diversity of the Smash roster. His series is also unrepresented, which seems to be a trend as of late. Xenoblade is critically acclaimed and with the now second party Monolith making what looks to be some sort of sequel, this could very well become one of Nintendo's big franchises over time. A Xenoblade stage seems even more likely than the character and the music will probably make its way into the game in some shape or form. Metal Face would be a great boss for the single player....that's all I have at the moment though I can keep rambling on.

Want: 100% My most wanted newcomer for Smash Bros, if you couldnt tell. I would love if both Shulk and Isaac made it in and I dont see a reason why they cannot.

Dixie: 52.3%

Nominations:
Pac-Man x3
Little Mac x3

 

[BluePikmin11]

Shulk chance: 60%, He is a reasonably popular character, but I don't know much about Xenoblade, I can't really compliment about Shulk.

Shulk want: 40% See the last sentence.

Dixie Kong Prediction: 60%, While K. Rool is a preference, Dixie Kong's chances has risen since DKCTF.

Nominations: Little Mac x6

 

[SirPainsalot]

Shulk
Chance: 65% I think he has a good shot at making it considering how much attention here got.

Want: 50% I don't know much about Xenoblade; what I do know is that it's a great series apparently and it could use a rep for more attention just like how Marth and Roy in Melee got attention for Fire Emblem. (of course it's different but still)

Dixie Kong Prediction: 53% K. Rool has the edge here.

Nominations: Bowser Jr./Shadow Mario x5 Little Mac x1

 

[Shadow312]

Shulk
Chance: 55% - I see his name a lot around this board
Want: 0% - No idea who he is :|

Dixie Kong Prediction: 52% - Her model was found in Brawl or something? We know she was considered to be playable alongside Diddy so we know she was a contender once. King K. Rool would probably edge her out but she still has an above average shot

Noms: Krystal x6

 

[Lightosia]

No description for when Shulk enters the arena? Okay, then.

Shulk: 49% ~
Hello Isaac of pre-Smash 4! I dunno, I think he'll appear as an assist trophy, just like Isaac. That character from X trailer isn't confirmed to be Shulk (althought is VERY likely).
His moveset would be mostly Monado (his sword) attacks with specials based on Monado special powers. His final smash would be his ability to predict and change the future.
Example of his moveset (Small spoilers): http://youtu.be/BuUNuuvEjdI?t=6m55s

Want: 100% ~
+YES PLEASE SAKURAI

Dixie Prediction - 72%

Still with the same nominations:
Lucas x3
Jigglypuff x2
Ike

 

[BKupa666]

Shulk

Likelihood: 75%
This is twenty percentage points higher than I gave Isaac, just because Shulk is by all means perfectly-crafted for Smash. Remember back in 2011, how every bandwagon Magnus fan claimed his sword he 'looked like he was designed for Smash'? Shulk basically offers all of that and with the added bonus of having some depth and being decently popular worldwide. What with the whole Operation Rainfall shindig, Xenoblade Chronicles could easily get the Pikmin treatment in Smash, as far as new franchises go. At the very least, I expect a stage and music from the series. Shulk could make for a feasible Assist Trophy, but I'm leaning far more toward him being playable, especially if the oh-so-likely Chrom actually does bump out Ike, creating a void for a powerful sword-user.

Want: 20%
I'd prefer Isaac if we're only getting one of the two, and I'm not a fan of the JRPG hero archetype. But hey, Xenoblade is pretty high on the totem pole as far as stage and (especially) music quality go.

Dixie Prediction: 69.5%
I think were getting either Dixie or Krool and shes in a new game and the forbiden 7 so yeah.

Nominate:
Little Mac x3
Mewtwo x2

 

[FlareHabanero]

I'd prefer Isaac if we're only getting one of the two, and I'm not a fan of the JRPG hero archetype.

>Does not like the JRPG archetype.
>Picks the character that follows the archetype to a tee.

 

[Curmudgeon]

SHULK
Likelihood: 25%
Want: 40%

DIXIE
Prediction: 48%

NOMINATIONS:
Masked Man x6

 

[Xenigma]

Wow, so I get 11 nominations? Guess I'll stick with my trend and give Toon Link a nice boost in the race against Mewtwo to be the first veteran to rate.

Shulk - 25%
In my eyes, Shulk has exactly two things going for him: Project Rainfall's success proving the game's fan support, and Monolith's new game being featured in Nintendo's E3 Direct. It seems clear that Nintendo has some faith in the studio and recognizes that fans are interested in them, so that could help give Shulk the edge he needs. Unfortunately, Xenoblade Chronicles is just one game, and as far as I know it didn't sell very well (partially due to its limited release, I know, but still). Even worse is that the game is effectively in competition with Golden Sun for a coveted spot on the roster, a franchise with more games, better sales, and a longer history with Nintendo. Shulk's got a chance, but I think it's more likely he ends up pulling an Isaac and becoming an Assist Trophy, with a much more plausible chance at being playable coming with a theoretical SSB5 should he appear in future Xenoblade games.
Want - 90% - While I'm not a fan of the character, swordsmen tend to be really fun to play in Smash, so I'd love to try him should he make the cut.

Dixie Kong Prediction - 48.3%
I'm guessing the pro-K. Rool community pushes her chances down, though I really have no clue as to where she'll end up.

Nominations
11x Toon Link

 

[BKupa666]

>Does not like the JRPG archetype.
>Picks the character that follows the archetype to a tee.

I'm more willing to look past it for Isaac, since he has potential for a spacing/gimping playstyle with his magic, whereas the Shulk movesets I've seen are largely just Monado slashes. And for the record, I didn't rate him too high in the want category either at 40%.

 

[FlareHabanero]

I'm more willing to look past it for Isaac, since he has potential for a spacing/gimping playstyle with his magic, whereas the Shulk movesets I've seen are largely just Monado slashes.

Don't know, it seems like the same either way. As someone who has experience with both characters, Isaac is also very straightforward too in terms of general capabilities, and I could argue even more so then Shulk. The Monado is actually quite capable of a fair amount of things due it's godly status quo.

By the way, it's not magic, it's Psynergy.

Also, going to rate real quick like since Shulk is a character I'd really like.

Likelihood: 70%
Want: 90%

Expect me to show up when Takamaru's turn comes up.

 

[splat]

Shulk:

Prediction: 20%
Still only has one game after his name. The Xeno series does appear to continue, but we don't know whether or not Shulk will return. As it stands, there's many characters from older, more popular series to appear before Shulk.

Want: 10%

Dixie Kong: 62%

Nominations: Battalion Wars Rifle Grunt x6

 

[SmashChu]

I guess I'll play

Shulk: Looking at popularity, Shulk has a strong Japanese and worldwide presence. He is in the upper end of the US popularity (though the bottom of the top) and the top of Japanese popularity. This gives him an edge over most other characters. Also, he is one of the new series made since Smash. The only X Factor is how is Sakurai doing characters. If Sakurai is bullish on new series, Shulk is almost guaranteed. If not, that he may be beaten out by other characters. Depends, so........
80%

 

[Sid-cada]

Shulk

Chance - 67% - I'm not convinced that X is a true sequel to Xenoblade. Still, for a post-Brawl series, I think he has the best chance.
Want - 50% - Eh, don't care much for or against him. The Monado and it's abilities just don't interest me.

Dixie Kong Prediction - 71% - Tropical Freeze will give he a slight edge that K. Rool's domination will be decreased.


Nominations:
Toon Link X2
Lucario X2
Bandana Waddle Dee X2

 

[colder_than_ice]

Shulk
Chance: 63% - Xenoblade may not have been a mega-hit in sales, but it is a very creative and well received game that has huge potential in Smash. I would be surprised if Sakurai didn't include at least one Project Rainfall character in SSB4, and Shulk is definitely the best choice.
Want: 89% - I unfortunately never got a chance to play Xenoblade. Having Shulk playable will help me feel better about that.

I predict that Dixie Kong will average about 42%.

Nominations: Chrom x1, Toad x1, Isa Jo x1, Proffessor Layton x1, Miis x1, and Aeron (Pandora's Tower) x1.

 

[Groose]

Shulk's Chances: 35%. Of all of the characters we've rated so far, Shulk is the one who I feel I have the least of a read on. Xenoblade is noteworthy because of Operation Rainfall, a plan that influenced the thinking of Nintendo's brass. It is also noteworthy for disappointing Japanese sales. Also of note is X, a project that seems to have a different protagonist. I actually see Shulk in an indirect competition with Isaac for a roster spot; while neither directly threatens the other's chances, I just don't see them both making it.

Shulk Want: 50%. Shulk is a pretty cool dude. The Monado makes him a good sword user, but a sword user nonetheless. He has some other tricks up his sleeve, but I honestly think that if he makes it, there is a very real chance that it will be as a last-minute clone of a Fire Emblem character.

Dixie Prediction 45% People will be hating on her because of who she is. Oh, and because of a certain croc. But forbidden seven is an argument that people like to throw out, and she seems to be usurping some of said croc's momentum since Tropical Freeze's announcment.

Tingle! Tingle! Kooloo-Limpah! Nominate Tingle x6!

 

[Opossum]

Seriously, those last four posts were off-topic and incoherent. And stop shouting.

 

[Groose]

Seriously, those last four posts were off-topic and incoherent. And stop shouting.

I sense an incoming ban. I saw that there five new posts and... this... happened.

On a more related note: I can't believe I'm the only one promoting Tingle on this thread. I thought I had backup, but I just checked the nominations list. Pity.

 

[Alban712]

Shulk:
Likelihood: 40%
Want: 50%

Dixie: 61,5%

Nominations:
Bowser Jr. 2x
Krystal 2x
Lyn 2x

 

[Deleted member]

Shulk ~ 60%

Predicting a misc. newcomer aside from Little Mac and Mii is really difficult. I expect to see at least one more, but I can't really point my finger to whom that character would be and there are several contenders for a misc. newcomer. But one thing is for certain, Shulk is definitely within the realm of possibility.

Xenoblade is a very critically acclaimed game. Considered one of the best JRPGs of the 7th generation, Xenoblade was lauded for a fresh new look on the genre and was executed beautifully according to almost everyone who played it. Even with its limited release in the US, Xenoblade still sold impressively despite the limit in how many copies were sold overall. While niche, 800,000+ sales worldwide is still good all things considered. While sales don't lead to characters, it does show that people do have interest in the game and there are even hints that X for the Wii U is related to Xenoblade.

What also helps Shulk is that he has an advantage that no other misc. newcomers share; being highly wanted worldwide. Isaac's demand for Smash is mostly relegated to the West and the demand for Little Mac even more so, but Shulk has ended up as among the Top 15 most wanted newcomers in the West and is even more highly wanted in Japan.

However, he is not a shoo-in. The main issue surrounding Shulk is competition from several misc. series newcomers that could fill in the spot as well (with Starfy, Saki and especially Isaac being contenders). His chance may also be dependent on how much Sakurai emphasize on recent popularity. If it plays a big role, he'll probably get in but if he looks mainly at pre-Brawl stuff, then his chance goes down considerably.

Want ~ 60%

I don't have any interest in Shulk being playable, although considering the accolade Xenoblade got, he has earned himself a spot in Smash. Plus if it guarantees a Xenoblade stage and music, then I'm all for it because it'd be a shame if they got overlooked the opportunity to be seen in gorgeous HD.

Predicting that Dixie Kong will get 71.48% mainly because of GameFAQs and Tropical Freeze.

x6 Pac-Man.

 

[Erimir]

For some reason this is bothering me, but people, it's "shoo-in" not "shoe-in." It's related to the command "shoo", except, you know, shooing something in, rather than away.

Anyhow, it occurs to me that it might not be a bad idea for Nintendo to make an HD port of Xenoblade Chronicles. Just a basic port with the bare minimum necessary to touch up the graphics to take advantage of the higher resolution. Because they surely could sell more copies of it, particularly if they gave it some better promotion. Cuz I mean, I wanted to get it around Christmas last year, and I was super annoyed to find that it was sold out at GameStop, and on Amazon and eBay it was going for like $100 for any copy! I did eventually find a friend who had it and was willing to part with it for $30, so I lucked out. But if that's what it was selling for, they're really just letting money slip away by not at least printing a bit more copies...

 

[TumblrFamous]

Shulk's Chance: 72%

I think Xenoblade is a great game to be included in Smash. The only reason I don't see Shulk getting in is if Sakurai finds more feasible characters.

Want: 90%

Shulk is one of my top 5 most wanted. I would love to play as him!

Dixie Kong Prediction: 76.8%

It's a pretty obscure prediction, but there will be pretty obscure predictions.

Nominations:

Bowser Jr. x6 (I wanna see his chances)