It looks like Peach isn’t the only character whose Brawl appearance may have been confirmed before Sakurai’s introduced them. A <a href="http://gameinformer.com/News/Story/200708/N07.0802.1741.54921.htm">piece published online</a> by (fairly reputable) video game magazine Game Informer features an interview with <span id="NewsSubNav1_newsTitle">Eiji Aonuma, a developer who’s worked with Zelda games since The Ocarina of Time on the N64. What could an interview focused on Zelda on the DS reveal about Brawl?</span>
<blockquote><span id="bodyText"><span id="bodyText_PresentationModeControlsContainer_placeHolderHtml"><strong>GI: Have you been consulted at all for the usage of Link or Sheik or Ganondorf for Smash Bros. Brawl?</strong></span></span>
Aonuma: I’ve been working with Sakurai for a very long time with this new Smash Bros., because the Wii came out and when discussion for a new Smash Bros. took place nobody could think of anyone other than Sakurai working on it. He was kind of the default, and I was very happy to hear that he would be working on it. Actually, my designers did work on the designs for Sheik and Link and Ganondorf. So they submitted the initial designs, and so it would fit in the Smash Bros. Brawl environment, they’ve had to tweak some of the designs. But Sakurai has brought those altered designs to NCL. We’re working very closely with the team of Smash Bros. Brawl to make sure the characters look their best.</blockquote>
Things we can assume from this statement? Literally, we know that there were, at least, designs created for Sheik and Ganondorf for Smash Bros. Brawl. You could say that it’s possible these characters were dropped later on, but it’s worth noting that Aonuma claims to have spent a lot of time with Sakurai on this game, and speaks in the present when he says “We’re working very closely with the team of Smash Bros. Brawl to make sure the characters look their best.” Sure sounds as if it’s an ongoing affair, or at least one that wasn’t dropped after a few concept sketches. Add his concern for “fitting into the environment” and it sounds as though these characters are receiving a bit more than mere trophy status, too.
So it looks like Zelda might retain her ability to transform into Sheik, and Ganondorf may very well be returning as a playable character for Brawl. As always, we won’t absolutely know for sure until Sakurai confirms it, but it sure sounds like there might be some truth in these particular rumors.
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<blockquote><span id="bodyText"><span id="bodyText_PresentationModeControlsContainer_placeHolderHtml"><strong>GI: Have you been consulted at all for the usage of Link or Sheik or Ganondorf for Smash Bros. Brawl?</strong></span></span>
Aonuma: I’ve been working with Sakurai for a very long time with this new Smash Bros., because the Wii came out and when discussion for a new Smash Bros. took place nobody could think of anyone other than Sakurai working on it. He was kind of the default, and I was very happy to hear that he would be working on it. Actually, my designers did work on the designs for Sheik and Link and Ganondorf. So they submitted the initial designs, and so it would fit in the Smash Bros. Brawl environment, they’ve had to tweak some of the designs. But Sakurai has brought those altered designs to NCL. We’re working very closely with the team of Smash Bros. Brawl to make sure the characters look their best.</blockquote>
Things we can assume from this statement? Literally, we know that there were, at least, designs created for Sheik and Ganondorf for Smash Bros. Brawl. You could say that it’s possible these characters were dropped later on, but it’s worth noting that Aonuma claims to have spent a lot of time with Sakurai on this game, and speaks in the present when he says “We’re working very closely with the team of Smash Bros. Brawl to make sure the characters look their best.” Sure sounds as if it’s an ongoing affair, or at least one that wasn’t dropped after a few concept sketches. Add his concern for “fitting into the environment” and it sounds as though these characters are receiving a bit more than mere trophy status, too.
So it looks like Zelda might retain her ability to transform into Sheik, and Ganondorf may very well be returning as a playable character for Brawl. As always, we won’t absolutely know for sure until Sakurai confirms it, but it sure sounds like there might be some truth in these particular rumors.
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