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Not what I mean. I'm talking about they had something interesting about them that made them different as a character in their home games. Alph didn't. He was considered, but he lacked something easy to work with yet distinct. It's true Lucina is about the same, but she only worked because he found some kind of mechanic to give her. Dark Pit had a different Final Smash and the inability to use Pit's at that point. Also keep in mind Sakurai's team had actual ideas to give new moves. We don't even know what the context of the Rock Pikmin were, just the fact he thought about adding them. He also happened to think about making Alph his own character. These aren't necessarily connected either. Maybe the fact Rock Pikmin required all new models(specifically this) while not being distinct enough from Purple Pikmin(this part is speculation) could be why it wasn't worth the time. Besides that, the fact they aren't among the Pikmin & Olimar's moveset implies they took too long to implement and the concept was scrapped alone. There might be more to it than that though. Maybe it's just as simple as "the Pikmin are the main point. If there's no unique ones, why bother?"I'd argue a lot of echos don't really have anything ineresting to them other than a few tweaks. They are basically identical and don't add much other than "Look a bonus fighter!" Sakurai even called them a dessert to a meal.
But not in Smash. In Smash, the entire mechanic is explicitly being a duo. Unlike Transformations, which people focus on playing the specific character moreso than the group as a whole, IC's were mainly played as a duo. You couldn't "switch off" and use one moveset. You had one moveset that also included an A.I. It's like removing Luma entirely from Rosalina. Truly misses the point.Actually we could. In their home game, Popo can be played Solo. Smash Melee decided they had to be side by side. Smash set the standard. And they could just as as easily undo that standard. Just like Charizard was. But I don't want Alph to be separate from Pikmin anyway. Who does. I'm just saying that there is a distinct character in there that could very well justify another fighter.
...Yes, I definitely forgot some words here. Sorry about that.
Ask Sakurai that. He still has said no. The only explanation is that the Pikmin have to be something he wants different more than the Captains, at least that has logic within the series. The main reason I say this is he literally has the pages call 'em "Pikmin", not "Olimar" or even "PikminOlimar". In the end, the data factors imply heavily that the Pikmin are the key point. So it isn't surprising that it appears he focuses mainly on them. So there's a good reason why; wait until new Pikmin release to make a new moveset. Alph has been clamored for enough to justify separating him, but there's little reason beyond fan outcry at this time. That clearly has not been enough. So we need a dealbreaker. I'd say a clone with Rock Pikmin with far more unique abilities should be enough. Or even give him a different set of partners; Rock Pikmin, Bulbmin, and White Pikmin. ...Wait, we need more. Hmm. I can't think of a 4th one. Damnit. But you get the idea. Give him some unique Pikmin while keeping Olimar's the same. Maybe split them up. This would do better than an Echo while focusing on the moveset itself.I never implied that Alph should or would be separate from the Pikmin. However you could still add different properties to the Alph part of "Pikmin & Alph". Pikmin & Olimar could be different from Pikmin & Alph. Why not?
No, the music is only part of it. He wanted the music in Smash. But he also saw something easy to do. And saw that Dr. Mario had something unique to him that Mario can't do, the Megavitamins. That's what clones are, they always have something unique to offer. Even something somewhat small. Remember, Echoes, who are a 1:1 clone(bar the Final Smash sometimes) is not the same thing as a regular clone. Regular clones have different gameplay but are a remake of the previous moveset with vastly different properties or moves that aren't clearly just reskins alone.That's the silliest justification for a clone I've ever heard. If that's the real reason he was added than I believe it's an excuse and he was actually added because it was easy to do.
If Dr. Mario could be justified as a clone just for some music then Alph could be justified as a clone so that the Final Smash features a different ship. Or because they wanted to add Rock Pikmin or any number of excuses.
They're called development reasons; he isn't going to add a character literally just because. There's always more to it than that. Also, he is not delusional in any way. That's honestly really insulting. Every single clone had gameplay differences and were of characters who had something interesting about them from their home games while not being entirely carbon copies of a previous character. Or at least an alternate gameplay option even in something like multiplayer(as Falco and Fox do not have to play the exact same at any time within the Star Fox games. Unlike Olimar and Alph... who seriously have zero differences beyond their physical size, which was not important enough, and the Pikmin being used. That's the only serious way you could see them as different. Because of who they control). Every single Echo were not just different characters, but they had outright ideas to have them do something different. Daisy is an interesting one, as she was even a promotional option(and yes, Roy was added pretty much for promotional reasons. Sakurai was going to go for any potential clone of Marth... but they suggested Roy, which in the end is the reason he was added. He was singled out, which is the key point. There was a "reason"). If Alph ever gets added, he will have a real reason. No matter how insignificant you want to make it,All those reasons seemed like major excuses. So if making Alph an echo because it would mean the Pikmin series would have another fighter is not a good reason, but having the Dr. Mario music in Melee is a good reason? Then Salurai is clearly delusional because that sounds absolutely absurd. I honestly have a hard time believing Sakurai is delusional so I'm going to assume the main reason some of these clones were made because they were easy to do. Not all. But some.
Actually, he couldn't. There was not enough time. He either could be an Echo, which takes no effort, which they'd have enough time for, or something to do with Rock Pikmin, but it appears they didn't have enough time for that since it required a full model and movements, which appears to be exactly why it wasn't done). Could've, yet didn't. And still hasn't in Ultimate. Why do you think he still won't? And I mean, seriously, why hasn't he promoted Alph or another Captain? It's clear my opinion(with some clear evidence) is the Pikmin are the key point of the moveset, to the point they determine it more than anything. But to bring up another point, the only major changes to Olimar in 4 were purely Pikmin-based. Namely, the amount of Pikmin, and giving him a new Up B with removes Solimar as a potential playable option entirely(because you had a guaranteed Pikmin move in your moveset. It's kind of impossible to avoid that. If you don't summon Pikmin in Brawl, he will purely attack by himself... though barely can do anything. Now they changed that so even if you don't summon a Pikmin, you still can use a move. It seems like a small change, but they still directly made the moveset focus even more on the Pikmin than before).Well that's exactly why he could have been a clone in Smash 4 to promote Pikmin 3. Now the oppertunity has come and gone.