As usual, I have done an in-depth critique. If either of the contestants have questions or wish to argue against my judgement, don't hesitate to PM me.
ANGELGLORY
Positives:
1) Good layout. I'm so sick of seeing the brawl roster incarnate. It's quite impressive how you organized this.
2)Dillon. I don't really expect to see Dillon himself, but I do expect to see a character as "surprising" as he is, one that isn't among the favorites of this board. You took a risk here, and it paid off. I like risks... as does Sakurai.
3) Mach Rider. I' don't really expect him... but he's very plausible. Sakurai did redesign him and has included references to him since Melee. Congrats on not just picking Takamaru and calling it a day, as many seem to do.
4) Takamaru. But... but Mr. Groose, Your Honor! Aren't you usually indifferent to Takamaru? Not really. I like the guy. I just don't like to see him hogging every single roster as if he's the only Retro candidate out there.You also worked in Mach Rider, and I think Takamaru alongside another Retro is good.
Neutrality:
1) Fire Emblem Saturation. Three Fire Emblem characters is possible...but not overly likely. I also don't really expect the particular combination you created.
2) Roster Design. I would have made this a STRONG plus for not using the rostermaker... but you couldn't find icons for a few characters. Next time, photoshop them in.
Negatives:
1) Roster Size. I'm sorry, but I'm a "low guesser" when it comes to roster size. 48 Slots... why, that's as big as Ridley himself! I never make a roster over 45 characters, and even then I feel like I'm overestimating things.
2) No Cuts. WHY!?! Sakurai is trying to bring everyone back, but he said it most likely wouldn't happen. Your roster would have been a more reasonable size if a few cuts had been made, and you probably would have won this match hands down.
Closing Thoughts: I like you, kid. You got guts. Dillon and Mach Rider prove that much. But... you're an optimist, and I'm not. Cuts and a smaller roster would have made your roster one of my favorites. Just make three cuts on this existing roster, and you have what I deem a somewhat realistic size and I'm very satisfied. As it stands, I have to say it's somewhat unrealistic.
WARIOFAN1
Positives:
1) COMPLETE LEAK! While I personally have my doubts regarding the leak... I find all of the characters it mentions likely for other reasons. I'm inclined to believe the leak is true... not because they predicted the Wii Fit Trainer, but because it makes sense. This is a major plus.
2) Realistic Roster Size. I make 45-man rosters, and they often feel kind of bloated. But...this roster is a very good size.
3) Cuts. Have I mentioned that I don't mind cuts? I'm not all that certain of your Snake cut, but the other two (Wolf and Toon Link) are pretty likely to go, in my eyes.
Neutrality:
1) Fire Emblem Saturation. Three Fire Emblem characters is possible...but not overly likely. I also don't really expect the particular combination you created.
2) Takamaru. Ah, here we are again. Another case of just tossing in Takamaru as the obvious Retro and calling it a day.
Negatives:
1) Bad layout. I'm indifferent to people just kind of make the Brawl roster incarnate. But you kind of took the Brawl roster and... messed it up. Why aren't the Retros anywhere near each other? What's with DK on the right side of the roster? Admittedly, I do like having the Miis on the bottom left and the Random on the bottom right; I actually utilized that in my most recent roster.
2) Dearth of Surprise. I honestly expects Sakurai has another trick up his sleeve for us. Wii Fit Trainer was first, and the one he knew may be poorly received... so I think there is a surprise that will receive at the very least an indifferent reaction on the roster. I just... don't see anything like that on yours. You're a bit too predictable, a bit too brainwashed by this board. Open you mind to the beyond.
Closing Thoughts: You managed to make a small roster and added in the "unpopular" Miis and Pac-Man in the process. You didn't give a damn and just made the necessary cuts. But then... your roster ended up looking kind of like standard fare. Eh. The thing you need most is a risky surprise. Try to be a bit gutsy and add someone along the lines of (Dillon, Chibi-Robo, Starfy, Ray, Andy, Laughing Dog, etc...) in order to diversify yourself from the rest. You only need one of that type of character, and I'd pretty much declare you my favorite to win this contest.
THE VERDICT
Although I loved Angelglory's propensity for taking risks and adding the more unusual, his large roster size and dearth of cuts really turned me off. Wariofan1 offered me what Angelglory could not: namely, a realistic roster size and a handful of cuts. On top of that, he completed the "leak," which is rather large in my eyes. I can't say I agree with everything on his roster, and I am disappointed in his lack of creativity, but his roster is just altogether more reasonable.
I may note that I find both of these rosters better than the winners of the previous rounds.
