Sakurai Explains Why Transforming Characters Were Separated.

[CaptainAmerica]

Honestly, not a fan. I always played Zelda, so Shiek stayed hidden, but having them separate is awkward to me. I liked the transformation gimmick, and it made sense considering they were the same person. The separation of Shiek/Zelda and Samus/ZSS makes the same character appear twice on the roster, which is just a bit awkward in my mind (Mario/Doc?) I'd assumed it was because people usually played one or the other, but the Pokémon trainer's mechanic forced switching a bit more. So Squirtle and Ivysaur were also cut because of the 3DS, since they're not popular enough to stand on their own?

I'll get over it, but I guess I just need to see how the game plays. I am getting more disappointed by the day, though, since we just keep getting these reports of what's been changed to cater to the 3DS. It would have been fine if both versions had gotten their own smash, but with the 3DS at the end of it's lifetime (the new 3ds has already been announced for next year), why are we holding Smash back to satisfy soon-to-be-obsolete technology. No offense to anyone who likes the 3DS, but we know that transformations and the Ice Climbers were cut because of the 3ds. Melee on the GCN has both, so we're making a smash that is not as powerful as the one from 10 years ago.

I'd just like to have a WiiU Smash that can really be called "Smash4U," not "Smash43DS in HD!"

 

[RPGatWill]

Whenever a game has a limit due to hardware, it actually makes what the team can and can't do for that game much easier. Instead of "Well let's remove it right away" it's "Can we work this in a way that will end up new and interesting while not alienating old fans?"

This was one of the good things that happened. Zelda, Shiek, Smaus and ZSS are now unique characters that don't need to be tied to each other. Most people, especially competitive players rarely even play these characters and when they do it's usually only one form.

So really, separating the characters doesn't have any long term consequences.

Ice Climbers was more unfortunate, since Nana's AI x4 all at the same time as the items and stage hazards was too much for the 3DS. It's only sad because they were unique to the game.

At least we've got a lot of new characters and playstyles to test out.

 

[CryoGX]

3DS limitations just improved the game. Just like when the limitations resulted in the Climbers being removed.

So one can say that the 3DS somewhat "redeemed" itself? :3

 

[Cammed Z28]

Honestly, not a fan. I always played Zelda, so Shiek stayed hidden, but having them separate is awkward to me. I liked the transformation gimmick, and it made sense considering they were the same person. The separation of Shiek/Zelda and Samus/ZSS makes the same character appear twice on the roster, which is just a bit awkward in my mind (Mario/Doc?) I'd assumed it was because people usually played one or the other, but the Pokémon trainer's mechanic forced switching a bit more. So Squirtle and Ivysaur were also cut because of the 3DS, since they're not popular enough to stand on their own?

I'll get over it, but I guess I just need to see how the game plays. I am getting more disappointed by the day, though, since we just keep getting these reports of what's been changed to cater to the 3DS. It would have been fine if both versions had gotten their own smash, but with the 3DS at the end of it's lifetime (the new 3ds has already been announced for next year), why are we holding Smash back to satisfy soon-to-be-obsolete technology. No offense to anyone who likes the 3DS, but we know that transformations and the Ice Climbers were cut because of the 3ds. Melee on the GCN has both, so we're making a smash that is not as powerful as the one from 10 years ago.

I'd just like to have a WiiU Smash that can really be called "Smash4U," not "Smash43DS in HD!"

Yes, a new 3DS is going to be released soon..... however that does not necessarily mean all of our current 2/3/XLs will be suddenly become obsolete. 3DS games will still be developed and played for quite a while still. I am happy there is Smash on more than one platform.... how many other countless popular titles have had multi-platform releases and still thrive today? I LOVE Nintendo, BUT, had SSB4 released exclusively on the Wii U the sales would of been pitiful. Only a very small minority would purchase an entire game system for the sole reason of playing one game. I am a huge Nintendo and Smash fan yet I would have been very bummed if the 3ds version didnt exist. 3DS Smash is not only creating new fans, but it is also giving past Nintendo/Smash fans an opportunity to experience this game without the purchase of a console most of us do not want or need.

 

[Ryu Myuutsu]

Honestly, not a fan. I always played Zelda, so Shiek stayed hidden, but having them separate is awkward to me. I liked the transformation gimmick, and it made sense considering they were the same person. The separation of Shiek/Zelda and Samus/ZSS makes the same character appear twice on the roster, which is just a bit awkward in my mind (Mario/Doc?) I'd assumed it was because people usually played one or the other, but the Pokémon trainer's mechanic forced switching a bit more. So Squirtle and Ivysaur were also cut because of the 3DS, since they're not popular enough to stand on their own?

I'll get over it, but I guess I just need to see how the game plays. I am getting more disappointed by the day, though, since we just keep getting these reports of what's been changed to cater to the 3DS. It would have been fine if both versions had gotten their own smash, but with the 3DS at the end of it's lifetime (the new 3ds has already been announced for next year), why are we holding Smash back to satisfy soon-to-be-obsolete technology. No offense to anyone who likes the 3DS, but we know that transformations and the Ice Climbers were cut because of the 3ds. Melee on the GCN has both, so we're making a smash that is not as powerful as the one from 10 years ago.

I'd just like to have a WiiU Smash that can really be called "Smash4U," not "Smash43DS in HD!"

The only real loss by making this game on the 3DS as well were the Ice Climbers and the transformations. While I personally don't mind that they made the characters their own because they end up being more fleshed out, the cut of the IC was definitely painful.
However, all of that is a small price that is far outweighed by the boons of having Smash on 3DS. Portable Smash is an appealing concept of it's own; and for a handheld game it's definitely a complete masterpiece instead of being a lesser experience compared to it's previous console iterations.

I like this change. Maybe now I will play a bit more Zelda/Sheik without the transformation mechanic.

I do agree with what others in this thread have said that Sakurai seems to be using the technical limitations excuse for any change that people may not like, however.

So providing the reason of why a mechanic is absent is "giving excuses" now? Sorry, but it grinds my gears when I see people in the fanbase demanding explanations of why stuff like this happens, and when they are giving the truth their reaction is basically "oh, you are just giving us excuses now".
When you are saying that they are using excuses, you imply that it's a lie, that there were other reasons or that they are withholding the true story. And you reach this conclusion according to your own baseless conjectures without any inside info of how things happened during the development cycle. Unless you know something we don't, we would like to hear it.

 

[Flaxr XIII]

Shame on you for being unable to detect sarcasm

:T ......... Right... So is that like, everything you say then?

 

[Deleted member]

I had a bit of a feeling that limitations were the reason why transformations were cut.
This was actually for the better in my opinion. I've played as Zelda and Sheik a couple of times and I'm always stuck to one and not the other. It also didn't help that the transformation time was a bit long in Brawl. Removing the transformations allows for players to focus one character and one character only, as well as give Zelda and Sheik effective special moves to replace the lost transformations.
This limitation was for the better.

 

[redreflect]

I'm kind of glad the transformations are separated. A lot of my friends that played as Zelda would only use her and not want to swtich to Sheik, and vice versa.

 

[Syrek]

Some of the best idea's and games have come through limitations in terms of hardware and power. This is one of those idea's or ways around such limitations. Honestly, I thought it was annoying to use Samus's Final Smash and then transform into ZSS and then from Zelda to Sheik as well as vice versa. These two character's benefitted greately from not only receiving a more complete move set but to become a more refined character as well. Very glad this limitation formed into something beneficial.

You can hate the existence of the 3DS all you want but some interesting and great ideas have spawned through it's limited power and thank goodness Sakurai found a welcomed work around this situation ^_^

 

[Jdaster64]

Unfortunate that this resulted in two of my favorite playable Pokémon being cut, but that aside, I definitely like the change. It always seemed arbitrary that Zelda/Shiek could transform mid-match but not Samus (barring Final Smashes), and I absolutely hated having to switch back to Squirtle every time I died.

 

[aethermaster]

"Please Understand."

This change is for the better imo. I was probably the only one who had this problem but I'd sometimes accidently transform sheik to zelda when I didn't want to. Now I don't have to worry about that if I wanna pick up Sheik

I hope they keep this change for any future installments.

 

[TroperCase]

I like the decision, and hopefully it means the WiiU version will allow players to bring a rotation of fighters into a battle that switch after being KOed.