On Tournament Legality

[MrZero]

Now, I didn't enter the tourney scene for Brawl until 2010, and I had only been to one that year. Since then, I've only been to two this year, and possibly a third coming up. That said, I have no idea how credible my 'source' is, so I apologize in advance if I look like an idiot.

According to the flash animation, Brawl Taunts, Sonic is the reason Smash Balls are banned from tourneys. This is absolutely understandable. His Final Smash itself made things too easy for Sonic players, and it was also easier for him to reach it given his high mobility.

However, I suspect that Sakurai and crew have learned from this mistake, and have balanced out any Final Smashes that could be branded in a category similar to Sonic's. Not only that, but I also suspect that Sonic may be missing from the roster (however, it's anyone's guess since he's only to appear on Nintendo consoles now).

Assuming that at least my first idea is true, would this affect the future SSB4 tourney scene? Would Smash Balls be legal? This is assuming, of course, that Smash Balls are still the only method to use a Final Smash.

While on the subject, let's also assume that the GamePad allows for asymmetric gameplay. Would that be insta-banned for not being balanced or would it depend on what purpose it does?

Let's speculate!

 

[MrBigstuff]

Smash balls are banned because items are OP and add too much randomness to a match, not solely because if Sonic. They'll still be banned because they're an I WIN! button for whoever gets luckier. Free stocks because of luck do not a competitive game make.

Also, I assume all controllers will be basically similar. Ay most the gamepad might have your percent and life on the screen or something, but not anything that warrants banning.

 

[MrZero]

Smash balls are banned because items are OP and add too much randomness to a match, not solely because if Sonic. They'll still be banned because they're an I WIN! button for whoever gets luckier. Free stocks because of luck do not a competitive game make.


Also, I assume all controllers will be basically similar. Ay most the gamepad might have your percent and life on the screen or something, but not anything that warrants banning.

I do realize that item appearances are much too random to make a match truly fair. But, I was under the impression that the general consensus for Smash Balls was different; it's not as though you can run up and grab it, even in the off chance that it does appear next to you. Unlike other items, even the moving ones, it has an unpredictable path, so in theory it's not even guaranteed that either player will get it (in practice they will, it's not too challenging). Furthermore, it's not technically like using an item; whereas everyone can do just about the same thing with just about any item, throwing distance and Sonic's club dash attack aside, each Final Smash is different in some way, except for Link's and Toon Limk's... I think. Legalizing them would alter, but not destroy the balance of gameplay.

I think I'm about to / already going off on a tangent, so I'll summarize how I see it: the Final Smash is this franhise's equivalent of Mortal Kombat's Fatality, and the thing from Street Fighter... Street Fighter has a thing, right?

Although I can see both sides of the argument.

As for the GamePad, you never know. I would imagine that Nintendo of all companies would try to put it to use as best they could. But then again, the same was probably said about the Wiimotes, pre-Brawl.