Fighter selection: "wait and see" and "relevant new faces"; or, fixed-cast and rotating-cast series

[Quillion]

I wish Sakurai would add:

Team Rocket (Meowth & Ekans / Meowth & Koffing)

Eevee / Vaporeon / Jolteon / Flareon

Eevee's definitely established as a whole-series icon at this point (more than Jigglypuff at that).

I don't think Jessie and James really have a future since Ash's story is over though, and that's on top of Smash's almost complete preference of game representation over anything else in the Pokémon franchise.

 

[BritishGuy54]

Smash really should maintain a balance, between “wait and see” and “relevant new faces”.

Smash also works as a sort of time capsule for the era that preceded it. Melee for the N64/GB, Brawl for the GC/GBA, 4 for the Wii/early 3DS, Ultimate for the Wii U/late 3DS, and early Switch.

Next game should really focus more on the Switch, and the early next-gen console.

Some faces that are just too important to their respective series or transcended the popularity of their series, such as Lucario, or Pyra/Mythra shouldn’t be cut because they’re ’flavour of the month’. They do a good job at representing their eras of their franchises and Nintendo in general.

 

[Quillion]

Smash really should maintain a balance, between “wait and see” and “relevant new faces”.

Smash also works as a sort of time capsule for the era that preceded it. Melee for the N64/GB, Brawl for the GC/GBA, 4 for the Wii/early 3DS, Ultimate for the Wii U/late 3DS, and early Switch.

Next game should really focus more on the Switch, and the early next-gen console.

Some faces that are just too important to their respective series or transcended the popularity of their series, such as Lucario, or Pyra/Mythra shouldn’t be cut because they’re ’flavour of the month’. They do a good job at representing their eras of their franchises and Nintendo in general.

How is Pythra not flavor of the month though?

 

[Swamp Sensei]

How is Pythra not flavor of the month though?

They're some of the most popular Xenoblade Characters period.If Shulk is popular and iconic enough to be a standout character, Pyra and Mythra are too. We're an entire Xenoblade (+DLC) after 2 and their popularity is still there. They were even referenced several times in 3 and it's DLC.

They're going down the same path as Lucario and Ike. Uber popular characters that people think of when they think of the franchise.

 

[Quillion]

Fair enough, I guess in the "flavor of the month" class, there's always going to be some characters who transcend that status like Pythra and Roy while there will be others like Corrin, Greninja, and Min Min who never leave it.

Those who never leave "flavor of the month" status should probably be left near the chopping block status though.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

Fair enough, I guess in the "flavor of the month" class, there's always going to be some characters who transcend that status like Pythra and Roy while there will be others like Corrin, Greninja, and Min Min who never leave it.

Those who never leave "flavor of the month" status should probably be left near the chopping block status though.

Okay, how are those three characters flavors of the month?

Greninja being a flavor of the month is a really shocking statement.

 

[Quillion]

Okay, how are those three characters flavors of the month?

Greninja being a flavor of the month is a really shocking statement.

Corrin was never liked even by the Fire Emblem fandom, Greninja had a big peak but fell off, and Min Min in between.

That aside, all three saw a lot of publicity when their origin games were released, but they never got it back.

Also, you said this in another thread:

Pokemon generally don't get marketed much past their initial generation. Greninja is one of the most popular Pokemon of all time and it fell off hard after Ash Greninja, with it's only real marketing being as the generation started.