How recent is too recent?

[Guybrush20X6]

A lot of discussions involve a character's "relevance" but on the flip-side a lot of ones about newer ones say they're too recent to be made playable.

Ignoring the fact Roy showed us you don't need to exist yet to get in, what would you say is the cut-off?

I'd say project rainfall characters like Shulk are ok, but Wonderful Ones are a bit late.

 

[MasterOfKnees]

I'd say as long as the game is in development at the same time as Smash Bros, it's too late. That's why we saw no representation for Galaxy or Metroid Prime 3 in Brawl. Of course there's special situations like with Roy, but we can't really depend on those miracle moments to happen. I'm personally not expecting to see anything related to Wonderful 101, Tropical Freeze, SM3DW, A Link Between Worlds, Yoshi's New Island or the likes.

Now Pokémon is an exception to all this, since Game Freak intentionally give Sakurai the inside scoop to max advertisement, so some X & Y representation is most definitely within the realm of possibilities.

 

[Louie G.]

I think that brand new characters such as Wonder Red are "too recent" to add, but last minute semi-clones are never too recent.
Think about it, they're easy to make, and they advertise new/upcoming games. This is the reason Roy got in after all.
In conclusion, this is why I'm expecting Dixie Kong AND K. Rool.

 

[Deleted member]

I don't see ourselves getting any sort of representation from games like SM3DW, Tropical Freeze, A Link Between Worlds, Yoshi's New Island, and a few others. Pokemon X and Y might be the only exception however...

 

[Jaedrik]

Too recent is the unforeseeable future.

 

[grizby2]

personally id say anything starting its development in 2014 would be "too recent", unless sakurai was in-the-know about the character waaaaay before hand and reeeeally liked it...
that's the only way I could see characters ( more like ONE character) that are "too recent" getting in.

 

[Scoliosis Jones]

Honestly I think it's very possible we get Wonder Red off of a hunch i'm having. But overall, I think anything after W101 is out of luck.

 

[BlitznBurst]

Release dates and development times have nothing to do with it. What matters is when it was revealed/when Sakurai would find out about it.

Pikmin 3 was only revealed recently, but still has representation because we still knew about it long before.

Games like 3D Land and Tropical Freeze, on the other hand, were only revealed this E3, so they'd be far less likely for representation unless Sakurai was contacted prior to their reveal

 

[DragonSniperNintendo]

Unless the character is VERY popular I would say a year or two before release, depending on how long the game is in development really.

Plus the previous gen tends to out way the current gen anyways, besides a few exclusions. I don't know so much for Wii U characters but the 3DS section would easily impact the Kid Icarus and Fire Emblem rosters IMO.

 

[jaytalks]

one game is just a game. two or more games is a franchise. current series need to be franchises for a rep Smash. Or to be a huge success with the first game. That's my thinking.

That's when recency counts.

Also too recent means your release was way after Smash 4's developmental start. Unless a series gets a special sneak peak like FE or Pokemon, it's doubtful Sakurai will consider those characters whose game have came out only recently.

 

[DragonSniperNintendo]

The most recent characters I could see us getting are people from Fire Emblem Awakening and Kid Icarus Uprising.

The rest with be from the Wii/DS generation, retro characters, and/or just popular choices.

 

[Arcadenik]

personally id say anything starting its development in 2014 would be "too recent", unless sakurai was in-the-know about the character waaaaay before hand and reeeeally liked it...
that's the only way I could see characters ( more like ONE character) that are "too recent" getting in.

I think any games that start developing in 2013 is "too recent". 2012 is just barely recent since SSB4 started development in 2012.

 

[Guybrush20X6]

To think it over with data from past games

Fire Emblem and Pokemon's companies will push for their recent characters and let Sakurai in on what characters are being created. (Roy came out before Melee, Lucario was 1 year old when Brawl dropped). The most recent character otherwise (and only other one to be created between Melee and Brawl) was Lucas who appeared in 2004. Brawl's development started in 2005.
Sakurai started work after finishing and releasing Kid Icarus Uprising in March 2012. We have no idea when the maximum possible roster was finalized.

And I checked the release dates,

Shulk appeared in June 2010 making him well within range to be included for consideration.
Dillon of Rolling Western Fame appeared one month before KI: U making him dicey at best.
Mallow of Pushmo appeared in October 2011 so expect him to show up somehow.

 

[DragonSniperNintendo]

Kid Icarus Uprising, Fire Emblem Awakening, and Pokemon X/Y will basically be the most recent to look at (basically on the handheld side, don't know if anything on the Wii U is really up for grabs).

The good time frame to look at for characters would be the Wii and DS generation.

 

[Guybrush20X6]

Also of note, the Wii Fit trainer is the only character thus far who was made after Brawl's development started.

 

[DragonSniperNintendo]

So lets see, around 2007/8 - 2013 would be a good timespan to look at for characters.

Anything from within that time makes sense, earlier with Wii/DS and the later parts with 3DS.

Characters fitting into this timeframe: Bowser Jr, Toad, Paper Mario, Ghirahim, Impa, Tingle, Tetra, Isa Jo, Matthew, Isaac, Ray MkIII, Shulk, Aeron, Zael, Mona, Ashley, Captain Syrup, King K. Rool, Dixie Kong, Ridley, Adam Malkovich, Anthony Higgs, Dillon, Tempo, Mii, Johto PKMN Trainer, Zoroark, Genesect, Kalos Trainer, Mega Evolutions being included, Chrom, Robin, Lucina, Palutena, Medusa, Magnus, Phosphora, Viridi, any Mother 2 character since it was put up for download, Little Mac, Prince Fluff, Bandanna Dee, Andy, Will, Sakura Samurai, etc.

Plus a certain Retro character that had so many cameos in games: Takamaru

This is really only a certain number of them too, I am sure I could name more. Well, besides Retros, which don't really come from the timeframe.

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

If I don't have nostalgia for it, it's too recent

 

[Guybrush20X6]

With a Sonic Lost World Stage I think the standard for recent has been shaken up.

 

[Arteen]

I wouldn't say that. Stages and assist trophies are lower priority and don't need to be planned out as far in advance as characters do.

A Wonderful 101 stage or AT seems likely, but I'd be surprised if it got a spot on the roster.