I'd like to say two things regarding this topic.
One, regarding Sakurai himself, he decided it was a good idea to punish you for walking in a fighting game. I will not be sensitive to him. I respect that he created Smash Bros. and created two amazing games before Brawl, but Brawl was the biggest letdown in the world for me. That was partially my own fault, over-hyping and all, but even to this day I can't enjoy it very much unless I'm playing to screw around. That's all well and good, but it's just not how I like my video games. So I will reserve the right to be bitter over Brawl while simultaneously respecting him somewhat for what he did with Melee and 64.
Two, I would like to say that, as interesting as the ATs in Melee are, it's not why I like the game. I like it because it's more competitive, but not in that sense. I've never been a fan of the super-secret button-mashing fighting game club. L-canceling and wavedashing are loads better than Street Fighter etc. type moves, but it's still something that, as a mostly non-competitive player, I don't really have the time or dedication to really get into. What I love about Melee is that it's fast-paced. That you fall fast, jump fast, run fast. I like the little things you can do that take slightly more strategic/gameplay knowledge to do, and that you can even just do for fun. Dashdancing, for example, can actually be used strategically for mindgames, but it's also just fun to do. I like the things like that, and I just like that I can have a lot of fun playing it seriously, playing to win but able to have fun even when I lose.
Brawl just doesn't do that for me. I don't like the physics, I don't like the pacing, I loathe tripping with a passion, and I've never really found myself getting any better at the game. I've never had a true main because I can never figure out who I don't suck with, and although I can occasionally do quite well when playing to win, it often goes the other way, and it ceases to be fun.
Anyway, not trying to start any Melee vs. Brawl there because I fully respect other people's opinions, whether they love or hate either or both games, and I respect people whatever they think. Just thought I'd state my take on the matter and why I don't care to be sensitive to Sakurai.
Also, I'm 110% with Krystedez. I don't want to get excited at all for SSB4, because I did that for six months before Brawl was released, and not only am I embarrassed to think about how much stock I put into Brawl as being the best game of my lifetime and all, but the fact that I constantly waited for it and got hyped for it was a large factor in at least my initial (well, by "initial," I mean a month or so afterward) utter disappointment with the game. Not that I really get that excited about games anymore anyway, but I'd rather be pleasantly surprised than let down again.