Pros -
4 Donkey Kong reps (Dixie and the King)
3 Fire Emblem Reps (Krom is a most)
Including Mewtwo - He so needs to be brought back!
Including Megaman
Including Isaac
Including Tom Nook
Including Palutena
Keeping Sonic
Including Ridley
Neutral
Including Krystal
Including Lip
Including Victini
Including Toad
Cons
Four Kirby reps - Kirby is well representd with three trademark vharacters. I do not think Bandana Waddle-dee belongs in SSB4
Including Porky - To me, Earthbound is a dead series (a great one though). I think dead series such as Earthbound should have 2 characters at most. Porky, the Masked man, Kumatora, or others would be interesting but, I feel Porky is a odd choice.
Including Lucario - I like Lucario but I feel he should be replaced with Zoroark. My personal opinion.
And that note: A Zoroark Absence - For one he would be the first Dark-type Pokemon in a SSB4 game, can use illusions for attacks, can fill a villain role, and was the first of Generation 5 to be released. I feel he has a right to be in the game.
No Saki - I am a full Saki supporter as well as bringing back and continuing the Sin and Punishment games. I think the game has some relevancy within Nintendo's history and should be well documented in the SSB series. Nintendo would do well to advertise and rocgnize this series.
No Shulk - Xenoblade Chronicles is one of the best up adn coming games on the Wii console. As well, it is the first game developed by Monolith Soft after going into Nintendo. Shulk is a great character from an above amazing RPG that could help it 1) get localized in the States, 2) strengthen Monolith/Nintendo relations, and 3) help support a game with very high potential to become a flagship Nintendo series. So Shulk = must have.
Medusa - While I can totally see Sakurai pimping out Kid icarus with 3 reps, I don't think it quite deserves it yet. I like Medusa but I feel Palutena should get the role instead of her.
No 3rd Metroid Rep - If Kid Icarus gets 3 reps, Metroid should too. I propose Dark Samus to get the 3rd slot. And no, she has a lot of potential and would not be a clone (phazon-based energy attacks, phazon ice attacks, dark echoes, etc)
Impa and Tingle - Impa, while a regular in the LoZ series, has not made a huge impact on the games UNTIL Skyward Sword. While she would be interesting, I think she is not deserving of the spot. On that note, Tingle. Tingle, like Waluigi, should never, ever be in Brawl nor should Tingle represent the LoZ toon series.
Cutting Toon Link - Toon Link was the best LoZ characters by far. He also represents the LoZ toon series. I would also throw in Toon Zelda + Tetra for fun.
3 F-Zero Reps - Like I said with Earthbound, F-Zero is a dead (but great) series. It has had only the Cap to rep the series and I feel, while it derves a second, it by no means deserves a third. So I would pick Samurai Goroh, Black Shadow, or maybe even Deathborn.
Adding Snake - While I love Snake and Metal Gear Solid, I do not think he should be added to the SSB4 game. Mostly, he does not fit SSB formula as a whole, does not have a intimate relationship with Nintendo as other 3rd party characters do, and was added in SSBB because Konami (or th eleader) literally begged Sakurai to add him in (or so they say). So while I would like to see Snake included, it would feel weird to have him in it.
Taking out Mach Rider - I was really excited to see you wanted to add Mach Rider but, I feel that your reason for taking him out is rather weak. By extension, Black Shadow could have a cloned Ganondorf move set and Palutena can have a cloned Zelda move set. I picture Mach Rider fighting exclusively on his motorcycle. While he is very fast and mobile, he has low traction, skids, and turns widely. He could have attacks such as ramming his spinning tire into opponents faces, crashing his motorcycle on the ground and hand-standing on it while it spins in order to do a spin kick, and just running over the opposition with his speedy Dash attack. I would make for a fairly interesting move set and character. Just look to Final Fantasy Advent Children for examples for fighting with motorcycles lol. However, I like how you added Lip since she would be unique as well.
A lack of new series to SSB - In SSBM, we had Fire Emblem, and Ice Climbers, Mr. Game and Watch represented. In SSBB, we had Kid Icarus, Metal Gear Solid, Sonic, Wario, and Robot. In your roster, the only new series represented are Panel de Pon, Golden Sun, Mega Man, and Wii. One less than in SSBB when the trend has been shown to include two-three more new series from the previous installment. Just saying.
Lack of a WTF character - I have noticed a lack of a WTF character. Jigglypuff some what fills that role in SSB, Mr. Game and Watch fills it in SSBM, and R.O.B. fills it in SSBB. Lip or Tom Nook could fill that role but, as again, a WTF character usually presents his or her own series. As well, Lip fills the role for a Retro character more so than a WTF character.
But this is your roster and you make it how you want it to be. I have seen **** awful rosters that includes 8 Sonic characters, Master Chief, Cloud, Super Sayjin Goku, Naruto, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Gene Simmons, Simba, and whatever god awful characters they think of and expanding the roster to 250 characters when all they can do is download Mugen and have at it. While others painstakingly follows a set order and only includes the popular characters and, in the end, the roster becomes predictable and rigid. But I found yours both adhering to public opinion while being creative and informative of Nintendo's history. All in all, I give your roster a 7 out of 10 with a few minor flaws (cut a F-zero rep and a Earthbound rep mainly).
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