Stay tuned for my SourceGaming article which discusses the current representation of Pokemon.
Now, "Should," is a pretty vehement term. I just tend to go overboard to the general fan consensus of Smash Bros forum-goers that we have enough Pokemon (and proper series representation), but it is often the same people who speak out for more Fire Emblem.
Some short points:
- This is the first game of Smash we did not get 2 Pokemon newcomers (in regard to total characters currently in the game). We had 2 (ssb64), then 4 (melee), 6 (Brawl), and then... 5 (initially) for Smash 4.
- It is the series with the most options for characters, just with the Pocket Monsters alone. Add in the many other characters, and we are over 1000 in options.
- This is similar to Animal Crossing. Yet, AC is represented NOT with the popular characters, but rather with the protagonist we play as being an amalgamation of other aspects of the game. Pokemon and AC are handled in inverse ways in Smash.
- Pokemon is the series in Smash with the most cut reps. If anyone truly gave a **** about 'veterans,' they could not ignore the fact that we had 5 cut veterans from the Pokemon series, with only one having been brought back. Two of the ones still missing from Smash 4 are 2 of the only veterans to have completely unique move sets.
- The three cut Brawl Pokemon characters (I count Trainer in this for a variety of reasons) are all Nintendo All Stars, without question more recognizable to a larger amount of people than two of the current four DLC (and much of the roster).
- Pokemon is second in regard to legacy in video games. Not just sales, it was classified as a phenomenon... I will explicate on this if you desire, but in short, the impact Pokemon had on pop culture is comparable only from Mario's franchise.
- Pokemon will sell. No matter what. It is a series which has made more money in merchandise than maybe even Mario. It also rivals Mario in the number of spinoffs it has in its repertoire.
This does not touch on how the current Pokemon are not at all a representation of the series, and that the, "essence of Pokemon," a phrase Sakurai coined for Robin's inclusion as a Fire Emblem character, is not in Smash 4.
Pokemon has everything going for it; it is immensely popular, there are a plethora of characters to choose from, was lacking in new content for Smash 4, nearly unlimited source material to utilize for characterization, and is guaranteed to make money as DLC. It also has both ALL STAR veterans and new characters from which to pick.
There are only two things in the way of Pokemon:
1- The Pokemon Company is difficult with which to work. They prefer to represent the anime above the games (source available).
2- The vocal Smash boards' perception which often claims Pokemon has enough content
(not that this speaks much for actual Smash players).
I'm not sure what the part I bolded was intended to say.
Additionally, even if Pokemon has 6 characters in the game, it damn well has an immense problem with how it is represented. The quality of the representation of Pokemon in Smash Bros serves nothing of the actual franchise. The way Pokemon is represented now, it seems as though Sakurai has never played a single Pokemon game at all.
- Generic summons are the only item (since the first game, no other items at all).
- Every character chosen, except Pikachu and Mewtwo, are in due to popularity.
- It is the one series to not have its protagonist present.
- It has the most cut characters, of which are some of the actual missing Nintendo All Stars.
- Greninja's moveset was literally pulled out of Sakurai's *** with no regard to the character at all.
- We dont even have the shiny versions (the only 2nd coloring Pokemon actually come in) as palette swaps.
- The movesets of the characters are unique, sure... but with a different skin, could be nearly any other character from another series. Aside from Lucario's aura technique, none of the characters represent anything special about the series.
- The essence of the franchise is no where to be seen. Nothing on strategic battling, on capturing them all, on training. These are the core tenants of Pokemon; all vacant.
Pokemon may have six characters, but to say it is well represented, is absolute malarkey. I'd argue it is one of the most poorly represented series, despite being well repped in Brawl (given what was possible) then, and that roster alone was a better representation than the current one.