Sakurai Comments on Ice Climbers (via Famitsu): Exclusive Characters Debunked?

[Chrimbo]

IGN posted an article (http://uk.ign.com/articles/2014/09/17/ice-climbers-were-cut-from-smash-bros-due-to-3ds-limitations) pointing out a comment Sakurai made on the Ice Climbers in his most recent Famitsu column.

As a lot of people predicted, the Ice Climbers were cut due to the limitations of the 3DS. What's more interesting though, is that he had the ICs running on the Wii U version. This may come as a surprise to people who assumed they were cut from the start.

Why is this interesting? Because it has to lead to one of these options:

- Sakurai is telling the truth, and the Ice Climbers are cut. This makes Wii U exclusive characters A LOT LESS LIKELY. Sakurai would have surely bundled them with the Wii U exclusive characters since he already had them running.

- Sakurai is lying to maintain the surprise, and the Ice Climbers are in the Wii U version. If the ICs are confirmed at some point in the future, there's more substance to there possibly being more characters, i.e. Ridley and Mewtwo.


Personally, I don't see a reason for Sakurai to lie about this despite his track record. Ice Climbers aren't even one of the rumoured characters for Wii U exclusive, so it doesn't add up with the "leaks."

Discuss.

 

[RomanceDawn]

None of the rumors I've seen suggested Wii U exclusive characters. Characters that will be revealed with the Wii U version but available for both.

Ice Climbers being cut is without a doubt because it was tough on the 3DS to run them.

 

[ReddFloxy]

I don't really see the Ice Climbers being cut relating to being able to unlock more characters from the Wii U by linking with the console. While it is true that the 3DS limits did cut the Ice Climbers from both rosters, it doesn't mean that there aren't more characters waiting to be unlocked until you link both version, making the rosters being the same again.

The choice to add unlockables through linking could've been made once they realized they would separate the two release dates + it would result in much more sales that way instead of selling them together (of course that is something he wouldn't say on an interview)

This all but speculation though, we will not really know until something is leaked that is convincing or until the Wii U version gets released, the latter being more likely.

 

[Roxas215]

I dont believe the wii u version will have extra characters anyway but this in no way debunks it. Wii U were never gonna have "Exclsuive" characters. If they do have "Extra" characters those characters will also be avaiable on the 3ds as well. Since IC'S wasn't working on the 3ds he cut them from both versions.

 

[Renji64]

Ice climbers are gone and not coming back. It sucks but it is what it is.

 

[Kokusho]

IF ice climber finally appears on Wii U they will appears on 3DS too. I think Sakurai is pretty set on having the same roster for both version.

The question is, now that the game is out. Will they take the time to find a solution to make them work on 3DS ? Unfortunatly his comment on the lack of interest for the serie doesn't bode well for their inclusion but maybe he was just saying that to justify not focusing on them for the release.

We'll see, but imo they won't make a character exclusive for only one system.

 

[MagnesD3]

On the fence, there is still time for sakurai to redeem many fan bases and this roster. I just don't think he can do it.

 

[Nixon Corral]

Didn't he say around E3 2013 that both versions would have the same characters? I never knew this was up for debate.

 

[MagnesD3]

Didn't he say around E3 2013 that both versions would have the same characters? I never knew this was up for debate.

On multiple occasions sakurai says something then later changes his mind.

 

[KaZe_DaRKWIND]

On multiple occasions sakurai says something then later changes his mind.

Example?


Exclusive characters have been debunked for a LOOOOOOOOOOONG time

 

[J04KlM]

Definitely no. Wii U won't get the Ice Climbers just because another version of the game exists, as a Wii U owner myself i am infuriated by this and i tend to question Sakurai's logic.

Unless there is DLC, or some sort of rerelease (Smash 6 in 2015) we won't see our adorable duo again.

 

[The Slayer]

Didn't he say around E3 2013 that both versions would have the same characters? I never knew this was up for debate.

Yes. Both version will have the same rosters and even restated it on the April Direct here, so it would be against his word if he bring Ice Climbers to Wii U and never to 3DS.

 

[MagnesD3]

Example?


Exclusive characters have been debunked for a LOOOOOOOOOOONG time

There won't be an Animal Crossing rep, brawl is his final smash game are a couple.

 

[Chrimbo]

First of all, Sakurai has gone back on his word on multiple occasions. There are many cases of this, off the top of my head I can remember him talking down about Villager and Pac-Man.

Also, the prospect of Wii U exclusive characters isn't a crime whatsoever, you should consider yourselves lucky that a version of SSB on handheld even exists. Besides, if the rumors are true, you would probably be able to transfer those characters to the 3DS. You might still not like this if you don't own a Wii U, but it is what it is.

I think if exclusive characters are a reality, Bowser Jr., DHD, Dr. Mario and Dark Pit will be 3DS exclusive, and the Wii U version will have four other characters (Mewtwo, Ridley, Dixie and Chorus Men?)

 

[Hitzel]

Gotta love the premise of this thread:

"Sakurai himself confirms this character is cut! Poll: Is the character cut, or no??"

 

[Chrimbo]

Gotta love the premise of this thread:

"Sakurai himself confirms this character is cut! Poll: Is the character cut, or no??"

I'm not sure whether that was an attempt to be funny or not, but you should read the whole thread and comprehend what I said. Sakurai saying one thing doesn't mean it's necessarily true. And in the poll, I asked about other characters, not just Ice Climbers. I missed out a word accidentally.

 

[The Slayer]

First of all, Sakurai has gone back on his word on multiple occasions. There are many cases of this, off the top of my head I can remember him talking down about Villager and Pac-Man.

Also, the prospect of Wii U exclusive characters isn't a crime whatsoever, you should consider yourselves lucky that a version of SSB on handheld even exists. Besides, if the rumors are true, you would probably be able to transfer those characters to the 3DS. You might still not like this if you don't own a Wii U, but it is what it is.

I think if exclusive characters are a reality, Bowser Jr., DHD, Dr. Mario and Dark Pit will be 3DS exclusive, and the Wii U version will have four other characters (Mewtwo, Ridley, Dixie and Chorus Men?)

Ok, but he's not going to break a simple rule this time. Unless something random occurs in development (which is pretty much done now) where he has to put them in there without on the 3DS version, then he's not going against what he said right there. Also, it's the Wii U version that's considered lucky, because it was mostly going to be a handheld title and nothing further. So I don't really have high thoughts of it happen. Add-on content is possible, but too earlier to tell.

 

[marvel b]

i don't think sakurai would stat "same rosters" then have ice climbers only for wii u, but i still believe "unlocking full roster with both" thing.

 

[cg0rz152]

My question is if Sakurai decided to remove a working version of the Ice Climbers from the Wii U version because he wants the rosters to be the same on both platforms, does that mean other fan favorites like Mewtwo, Ridley, K. Rool, etc are completely cut as playable characters from the series as well?

I would assume so unless he somehow decides to release extra characters for DLC for both versions at the same time. I know there are still some people holding out hope their characters will make it in, but if Sakurai says the Ice Climbers are definitively cut, does that mean he has no intention of having characters through DLC?

 

[The Slayer]

Even if Ice Climbers weren't cut, he mentioned its not something he'll pursue once the games are out but he is ok with the idea of DLC/AoC. If it happens, will it deal with characters? That's really unknown, but non-character additions (stages, items, trophies, etc) are a possibility.

 

[Super_Queijo]

It would make sense, in a marketing point of view, having this WiiU/3DS connection and/or DLC, that's what most fans wanted IMO. But Nintendo and Sakurai live in a complete different dimension, nobody can predict their moves.

 

[Jexulus]

On the surface level, this is very much a de-confirmation of the Ice Climbers appearing in either version, since the different versions of the game will rely on game modes and control methods as selling points, and not exclusive characters. And we've known that, since that Nintendo Direct back in April, Pokemon and Assist Trophies needed to run at 30 fps to prevent them from bogging down gameplay on the 3DS. This is probably what happened on the 3DS; having more than one or two players use the Ice Climbers at the same time probably cut down on the frame rate immensely. Having 8 highly-detailed characters running at 60 fps is something that even the 3DS might not be able to do. If only a new 3DS model were to be released to give a much-needed boost in CPU...

 

[PikaSamus]

Three topics on this have already been locked. It's not a good idea to make a topic on this.

 

[Hayzie]

3DS and Wii U will have the same roster.

Wii U will just have more.