Tails
Chance: 3%
If any company does receive two 3rd party slots, especially from the same franchise it's going to be Sega with Sonic. Tails is the top choice for that option. Some may argue Eggman is, but going off previous Smashes it's clear the sidekick out-prioritizes the villain; Luigi was added before Bowser, Diddy before K. Rool, Falco before Wolf, etc.
What about Knuckles? He's more a fighter than Tails!
Tails unlike Knuckles also appears and plays a major role in all the current Sonic games, whilst the Red Echidna has been pushed to the side; Generations could of starred a younger Knuckles too, but Sega decided to focus on Sonic and Tails. Tails' also has had major roles within Colours, Sonic 4(episode 2) and even the latest Sonic title Lost Worlds whilst Knuckles roles have been minimal or non existent.
What about Shadow?
Whilst technically slightly more popular than Tails amongst those polled for favourite Sonic characters he's a terrible clone or semi clone material at best. Plus actually has quite a big hate base amongst older Sonic fans considering when he received major roles within the series, Sonic turned perhaps coincidentally to crap. Shadow could be a last minute clone addition, but why would they splurge their second role on what is essentially a carbon copy clone of Sonic?
That said Tails still has no hope in hell due to being the Luigi of a 3rd party series.
Although I will strongly disagree with those who claim Tails not to be legendary; everybody knows of Tails, the two tailed fox from Sonic; he was a gaming icon back in the Sega Vs. Nintendo days and completely outranks anyone on the roster currently that isn't Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Bowser, Peach, Wario, Donkey Kong, Pikachu, Charizard, Link, Sonic himself or Megaman in terms of sheer recognizability.
Want: 96%
Aside from Yoshi, Tails is my absolute favourite video game character of all time(yep, even more than Toad and you know how much I defended him). He was the very first character I ever played(my friend owned Sonic 2) and his inclusion would be about the only 3rd party character aside from Pac-Man I could give a flying fox about. I'd settle for Assist Trophy though.
Although my want is this high it's purely because I love the character and his inclusion brings out a lot of hype for me personally. I don't think his inclusion is a good idea however, similarly I didn't think Snake, Sonic or Megaman were good ideas.
I'd rather have a roster with Nintendo fillers first before getting any 3rd party characters if I'm totally honest.
But if any of the currently revealed 3rd parties deserve a second character at all, it's Sonic, and if that's the case I sure as hell want only the best option from that series, which I believe Tails is; he uses machinery like Eggman, but can also get down and dirty with fighting like Sonic.
He's also not a shameless attempt to appeal to the teenage market like Shadow or to a far lesser extent Knuckles were.
Travis Touchdown predictin: 1.2%
Too violent, too sweary for this sweet little game. Still one of the best Wii protagonists out there though.
Nominations:
Mario Series Newcomer X 5
