Isaac for DLC - One day. Some day. Golden Sunday.

[N3ON]

If the alternative to developing Golden Sun wasn't an easier-to-make Mario sports game that will most likely end up being more lucrative than GS, it might be a different story. As it stands now, we probably won't even have a chance for GS until Tennis and Golf are milked dry and Camelot has nothing else to do until they need to start churning out more Tennis and Golf for the next set of systems.

Also I very much doubt Metroid will miss the entirety of the Wii U's tenure. Especially with Reggie's little slip up, and very distinct possibility, despite Nintendo's claims, that there is more than one team at Retro. But that's probably a discussion better had elsewhere.

 

[jaytalks]

They didn't make StarFox a priority either. Missed the whole Wii generation. Metroid to, missing the N64 generation and might be missing the Wii U generation.

Look how long it took for Donkey Kong Country to Return as well.

Only game series which have always been around since their beginning are Mario, Zelda and Pokémon.

Then comes Donkey Kong, Kirby and Metroid. I guess Fire Emblem comes after that. And after that, niche series as StarFox.

Seriously, Nintendo just has too many series. Golden Sun was a huge hit on the GBA despite not being a well known IP. I say that counts for something.

I think it's a bit different with GS because since it was a newer series, it was more about establishing a brand. For example, they held off on Pikmin 3 until the Wii U, but they kept its fans with the new play Wii versions,

I think the Donkey Kong Country (actually just Donkey Kong as platformer in general) had a bit of a dormancy, But that was a side effect of the Rare buyout. They needed a studio that could produce the same quality as Rare. Retro was the right choice. They were just also busy saving the Metroid Series.

They made the right call with Metroid and waiting until. A Metroid Prime type of first person game would not have worked on the N64, and there was just a huge aversion to 2D games in the PS/N64 generation, symphony of the night aside.

With Star Fox, people generally don't count this but I think of Star Fox 64 3D as a sign of faith in the series. So it's not as dead as people make it sound, even if the 3DS game undersold to their expectations (I'm not sure if it did).

But this series were established brands by their dormancy. Golden Sun wasnt. And that was the problem of waiting so many year.

 

[Raetah]

Actually Golden Sun had everything really hard, it was a game that was born being retro in a moment that videogames had polished 3d graphics, a game of a portable console. That is important, imagine Golden Sun being an SNES game, im sure that i would be considered a classic rpg.
In a way Golden Sun is a classic, old school rpg. But for reasons that already mentioned it, Golden Sun is never going to be more.

 

[Diddy Kong]

Golden Sun on the GBA was a wise move. Cause outside of big names as Pokémon and Fire Emblem (and I guess some Final Fantasy), there where not too many RPGs for that system. And Golden Sun still held it's own! Maybe Dark Dawn did worse cause there where just many great RPG games for the DS in general. That, and turn-based JRPGs are kinda 'out of fashion' by now.

Maybe Golden Sun will return for the 3DS. I think the potential of those graphics of summons and Psynergy alone would be amazing and potentially causing massive elilepsia

 

[KCCHIEFS27]

i don't wanna live in a world where wiifit trainer is in smash bros and Isaac isn't

 

[jaytalks]

I dont have any problems if WFT was in it and Isaac wasn't. WFT is very worthy of being in smash. Still, I would like to see Isaac in the game very much.

 

[Knight Dude]

Wasn't Golden Sun the first major RPG on the Gameboy Advance? I'm pretty sure it came out before Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire and Megaman Battle Network.

 

[N3ON]

Wasn't Golden Sun the first major RPG on the Gameboy Advance? I'm pretty sure it came out before Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire and Megaman Battle Network.

Twas. It came out only a few months after the GBA itself. Although it was initially planned for the 64. Though back then it was probably considerably different, given the system. Would've been nice to have more quality RPGs on the 64, but it probably would've lost some of the charm the 16-bit GBA graphics gave it.

Plus it would've come out at the tail end anyway, and therefore wouldn't have found the same level of success.

 

[Knight Dude]

Twas. It came out only a few months after the GBA itself. Although it was initially planned for the 64. Though back then it was probably considerably different, given the system. Would've been nice to have more quality RPGs on the 64, but it probably would've lost some of the charm the 16-bit GBA graphics gave it.

Plus it would've come out at the tail end anyway, and therefore wouldn't have found the same level of success.

Didn't know it started out on the N64. That's interesting. But now that I'm thinking of it, if I ever get the chance to, I'm going to get both of the original Golden Sun games and at least the first three Megaman Battle Network games.

I think I played the original GS a long time ago, but I don't have it anymore. And I've seen an LP of it not that long ago either.

 

[True Blue Warrior]

I got nothing new to say, so... Go, Isaac!

 

[BluePikmin11]

So it looks like there will be returning ATs. Do you think Matthew will be an AT?

 

[True Blue Warrior]

I'd rather him than Isaac. But we will have to see.

 

[N3ON]

So it looks like there will be returning ATs. Do you think Matthew will be an AT?

There's a good chance if Isaac is playable, but if not my guess is it'll still be Isaac.

 

[Vann Accessible]

Seeing as how Golden Sun has just as many installments as Mother, and Mother has two representatives, I'd say cut Lucas for Isaac this time around.

 

[Diddy Kong]

Lucas kinda was the 'GBA RPG rep' for Brawl yeah. In all actuality, I supported Lucas getting in, but if I had to choose back then... Surely Isaac made it first. Am not wanting to see Lucas cut now though. I really like how they did Ness and Lucas in Brawl. Their playstyle and movesets is how I'd like every semi-clone to be like.

Think that if Isaac would get in Smash this time, a new Golden Sun will be made for 3DS. In which case, I should get a 32DS.

 

[Raetah]

Lucas kinda was the 'GBA RPG rep' for Brawl yeah. In all actuality, I supported Lucas getting in, but if I had to choose back then... Surely Isaac made it first. Am not wanting to see Lucas cut now though. I really like how they did Ness and Lucas in Brawl. Their playstyle and movesets is how I'd like every semi-clone to be like.

Think that if Isaac would get in Smash this time, a new Golden Sun will be made for 3DS. In which case, I should get a 32DS.

Actually i dont think that we are going to see a new Golden Sun. Dark Dawn was "the end".
;P

 

[Diddy Kong]

Didn't Dark Dawn have an open ending?

 

[Raetah]

Didn't Dark Dawn have an open ending?

The end of a franchise, i mean.

 

[Diddy Kong]

Oh the positivity <3

Nobody ever really expected a sequel after The Lost Age either.

Anything can happen! In at least 10 years time...

 

[jaytalks]

we live in the franchise era in entertainment. nothing really ever ends, they just go dormant, until the concept becomes a money maker with a mixture of nostalgia and updated mechanics. everything can be rebooted at some point.

 

[Diddy Kong]

 

[FalKoopa]

^ That isn't the Isaac I'm familiar with...

 

[DMurr]

What Rosalina's confirmation says to me is that Sakurai is looking to the more casual audience.. how he can draw in the biggest crowd. Despite having never played a game in the Golden Sun series, I'm still holding out hope that Isaac is chosen for a character slot. But this looks to really hurt the chances a little bit.

 

[N3ON]

I think Villager and WII FIT TRAINER covered the casual audience pretty well before Rosalina showed up. That said, Sakurai has never been one to shy away from diversity, he is the one who saw fit to include characters like the ICs, Pit, G&W, ROB, Captain Falcon, etc. who were definitely not for the "casual" fans out there, so if anything the abundance of casual-oriented characters revealed so far should imply that the more fan-favourites are still waiting to be revealed, if past games are anything to go by. I'm not saying Isaac will definitely be one of them, but it'd be very unlike Sakurai to only have mass-market characters.

I doubt this effects his chances any more than the existing three did, which is to say, to no great extent.

 

[Arteen]

Maybe they'll save Isaac's reveal for E3 when they also announce a fourth Golden Sun game!

...or he'll be an AT again. There's every chance that Isaac will get passed over for SSB4 like he was in SSBB. Sakurai also hasn't shown much of SSB4 beyond major franchises, which has me worried as well.

That said, it's entirely understandable to pass up on reveals for smaller franchises, given how the current website is focused so much on promoting current/upcoming games. Captain Falcon is missing in action, likely because there's no reason to show him off right now. Yoshi's reveal is certainly being held back to coincide with his new game next year.

Unless the website breaks from its current pattern, there's no reason to expect lower-profile reveals anytime soon. Not that it will stop me from worrying.

 

[Crap-Zapper]

Well, even tho I want Isaac, I'm hoping to see a slightest light that any of the previous AT's can become a Playable character! If it's Isaac, Goroh, Waluigi or Starfy I don't care, but I want to see what direction Sakurai is going with these characters!

Hoping Isaac do make it as a playable!

 

[BluePikmin11]

Missing Little Mac on that list eh..

 

[Sabrewulf238]

Well, even tho I want Isaac, I'm hoping to see a slightest light that any of the previous AT's can become a Playable character! If it's Isaac, Goroh, Waluigi or Starfy I don't care, but I want to see what direction Sakurai is going with these characters!

Hoping Isaac do make it as a playable!

In a way we already have an example of this.

Charizard was a pokeball pokemon before it became playable.

 

[Crap-Zapper]

I did not try to make a list lol, I just pointed out some of the AT's xD...


And Yes, but this was a Pokémon, now this is more specificly regarding AT's.

 

[N3ON]

I don't see how the overall principle is different. If a character merits being playable in Sakurai's mind, that's what he'll make the priority. Characters come first. Items later.

 

[Mishudo]

Replaying GS: DD at the moment, isnt' helping my hype for Isaac's inclusion. Imagine his own cinematic trailer like Rosalina's, a badass scene of him slamming opponents with psynergy hands and summoning earth pillars @_@. By the way, would you guys prefer younger Isaac to portray the originalk game and his similarity to Matthew? Or his adult form?

 

[Diddy Kong]

Young Isaac would be the best, since he's the most easy to recognise. He was also like that in Brawl, and his main two playable appearances in GS1 and TLA. Matthew's alikeness would also help. Especially since he can borrow some of his design. Funny fact is that Matthew was originally supposed to be Isaac.

 

[N3ON]

I really don't see getting adult Isaac. Personally I think if Sakurai wants to go for the series as a whole, teenage, playable Isaac is clearly the way to go. And if he wants to go for DD content he'd probably go with Matthew over adult Isaac. The argument of "most recent appearance" doesn't really take into fact that adult Isaac is drastically different aesthetically, and not nearly as recognizable. And so far, even if a character has been included with their most recent appearance, it's been similar, if not the same, as their most iconic.

Funny fact is that Matthew was originally supposed to be Isaac.

Really? Huh, didn't know that.

 

[Vann Accessible]

It pains me to say this, but I can easily see Isaac easily getting shafted again in favor of Shulk. We know X is in development. From a marketing viewpoint, Nintendo will logically want as many people to get interested in the Xenoblade sequel, and having Shulk as a SSB4 character will definitely spur interest before its release.

Sadly, there's no new Golden Sun game to market (as far as we know), which will cause Shulk to edge out Isaac in all likelihood for the sword wielding RPG hero spot.

Which is a total shame. Isaac would be so cool and unique... and I really, REALLY loathe Shulk.

 

[N3ON]

Maybe if there was a precedent of characters being chosen one, by Nintendo instead of Sakurai and two, for marketing purposes instead of the factors Sakurai has actually stated, as well as just general importance and such.

You're right, from a marketing standpoint it would make sense. But Nintendo has never pushed a marketing skew on Smash's roster yet, not even with Roy, so if it were a factor I'd say that would adversely effect Isaac's chances, sure, but... while it might be in... like... stage representation, as far as characters go it doesn't seem to be.

Maybe with Pokemon. But that's a different story and a different entity Sakurai deals with.

 

[Arteen]

On the other hand, Sakurai isn't known for adding single-game characters to the roster. The only instance of that is the Ice Climbers, who are meant to represent retro games in general, not just their own. Even Wii Fit Trainer's got three games to her name. Also, Xenoblade was a decent success in Japan, but I don't know if there's anything to that game that would have made it stick out to Sakurai while he was finalizing the roster.

Isaac's at least got a legacy of three games to his name, and Dark Dawn had high profile appearances at two of Nintendo's E3 press conferences. Shulk's got a game that Nintendo didn't think was worth releasing in the US, and a vague X trailer for a game probably not that far in development that may or may not have anything to do with him. He might actually be in Isaac's position for Brawl, and end up an AT.

 

[FlareHabanero]

Again, why do people think there is some imaginary criteria that you need forty trillion games in order to be even considered.

 

[Oniric Spriter]

It pains me to say this, but I can easily see Isaac easily getting shafted again in favor of Shulk. We know X is in development. From a marketing viewpoint, Nintendo will logically want as many people to get interested in the Xenoblade sequel, and having Shulk as a SSB4 character will definitely spur interest before its release.

X is not a Xenoblade sequel, it's just a new Xeno game.

 

[Sabrewulf238]

X is not a Xenoblade sequel, it's just a new Xeno game.

Even so it would still make sense to use Shulk to market it since Xeno titles will likely become a series with the release of X. (Like how final fantasies aren't sequels)

Personally I feel legacy will win out over promotion, at least for Sakurai. I want both of them but if it comes down to it I think Isaac would claim the spot.

 

[Arteen]

Again, why do people think there is some imaginary criteria that you need forty trillion games in order to be even considered.

No one said anything about forty trillion games, but having more than one surely helps a character stand out.

As far as roster selection goes, we can surmise that characters need to meet some combination of criteria.
1) Are they a major Nintendo character or represent a significant part of Nintendo history?
2) Is Sakurai a personal fan (or friends with that character's creator)?
3) Is the character unique or interesting in its own right?

How does Shulk fare?
1) Shulk's the star of a single, moderately successful game that's most notable in the North American market for being a pain to get. He doesn't have a legacy yet. Xenoblade's a cult success and Nintendo's clearly trying to build on it with X, but who knows if there was anything about the game that stood out to Sakurai when he was building the roster.
2) Probably not, which works against point 3.
3) Maybe? But if Sakurai's not a fan, he might not see what makes the character special and unique.

Could Shulk make it in? Maybe, but his lack of a legacy may prevent him from standing out.