Something to Keep in Mind Regarding Obscure Characters

[Arcadenblog]

Look, I read that thread of comments on the article about appreciating non-playable characters in Smash Bros. Some people came to the conclusion that Smash Bros. is the end-all-be-all Nintendo hall of fame, and that getting added automatically secures you a new game/makes you a hit. Well here's the thing, that's not exactly true.

Getting in Smash Bros. will not automatically secure your IP a new game.
Captain Falcon has had a perfect attendance record. And yet, his inclusion in 64 and Melee did not boost sales of F-Zero GX when it came out. And we haven't had a new F-Zero since despite Captain Falcon showing up in every other installment.

Now I know what you're thing. Fire Emblem. Well here's the thing, while Melee helped push NoA to localize the series from Blazing Sword onward, the series slowly declines in sales, until it did gangbusters in the west with Awakening in 2013. And Awakening didn't need Smash Bros to do well initially.

Kid Icarus? That series was revived by none other than Sakurai himself, and we currently don't have confirmation that a Kid Icarus for the Switch is coming despite the franchise's push in Smash Wii U/3DS.

The only series I feel actually benefited full-stop from Smash Bros. was Earthbound. The game did not sell well on the SNES outside Japan, but Smash Bros. got people talking about the series, which in turn led to the formation of Starmen.net. (But that's a long story in of itself)

Oh! And in case you forgot, Nintendo was able to make a new IP in 2015, and it was a breakout hit on a dying console. And what did it get in Smash Bros. at the time? A Mii costume.

Also, It's possible for your favorite franchises to get new games without being playable in Smash.

Need proof? Look at the assist trophies in Brawl. You'd be surprised as to how many characters got something out of being assists.

*Saki -> Sin & Punishment: Star Successor
*Starfy -> The Legendary Starfy (localized)
*Isaac -> Golden Sun: Dark Dawn
*Little Mac -> Punch-Out!! (Wii)

Maybe we could get a new Panel De Pon/Puzzle League on the Switch without Lip getting in. Maybe we could get a re-release of Joy Mech Fight over here in spite of Sukapon being an assist trophy. Maybe we could get a new Murasame Castle without Takamaru getting added. (Platinum Games' Hideaki Kamiya wants to make a new Murasame Castle game, in case you didn't know.)

After Metroid Prime 4 & Samus Returns, after Star Fox 2 and Sky Skipper getting proper releases, never say never.

TL:DR ver.: Getting in Smash is not an automatic "get new game" button.

 

[Juliusaurus]

Wanting a character in the game so it can affect the character's popularity or franchise outside of Smash just feels so disingenuous to me. Smash should be reflective of gaming and Nintendo, not the other way around (though understandably, Smash is huge, and will influence other games, it has happened, but I hope it's minimal). But it's like, come on, that's not what Smash has primarily been about, and we have four (five?) games so far to show us.

Instead, look at what games have made an impact over the years, or throughout Nintendo/gaming history. And then pick your characters accordingly. Sure, whatever, pick the character you like, for whatever reason. Lip and Geno never made much impact, but they're still beloved, that's fine. But to say you want certain characters because you want their franchise to be revived or because you just want the character to be perceived as popular due to Smash's spotlight, is pretty much saying that they don't deserve to be in Smash Bros. as they currently are... But rather, Smash itself would make them worthy for Smash. It's nonsensical.

I love the example you used of characters that were only in as Assist Trophies getting more games, that's like, yeah, that's how it should be. If these characters get new games that are big enough, and create enough impact, and are important to Nintendo, then they ought to be more considerable for Smash. It's exactly what Little Mac was with the release of Punch-Out for Wii.