So on this Wednesday, we did get a Mario character after all, in Rosalina & Luma.
I myself was completely surprised that this even happened at all. Even with her playable appearance in Super Mario 3D World, I saw no possibility of Rosalina ever getting in. The fact that she did is something worth going into details for.
The fact that a fifth Mario character even happened at all bodes well for Smash 3DS & Wii U's roster. At the end of the day, we could have very well not gotten a Mario newcomer. While there were many legitimate arguments for a Mario character, there were equally good points that pointed against us getting one. The possibility of a Mario newcomer was middling. With us now knowing of Rosalina & Luma's inclusion, it shows that Sakurai has not forgotten about existing series characters and fans of characters such as King K. Rool, Dixie Kong, Palutena and Ridley should be encouraged by this development.
What Rosalina's inclusion also means is that Sakurai is favoring uniqueness as the primary reason to include a character (though not the only one). Rosalina was less important than Toad or Bowser Jr. yet she was still included because her play style is something that no other character could emulate. Sakurai was not kidding when he indicated an increase focus on uniqueness. This is good because it shows that the pool for newcomers is bigger than what we think. Before Rosalina, the Smash community was used to arguing the same twenty characters over and over again. Now that Rosalina is in, more potential additions are being brought up. We are seeing discussion of Wonderful 101, we are seeing more serious discussion on new Pokémon characters (not counting Brawl + Mewtwo), characters aside from Roy & Chrom are being considered for Fire Emblem and Bandanna Dee is starting to make headlines as well. While it is too late to influence SSB 3DS & Wii U's roster, it is good in that it makes people more comfortable in talking about characters they otherwise wouldn't have. This in return, indicates increased hype for the game. I myself am pleased to see Rosalina included for these reasons I've mentioned, because I liked her in Super Mario Galaxy and because of how great she is turning out in Smash.
However, some harsh truths must be faced in the light of the events of the past several months.
As a Toad supporter, I definitely sympathize with the passionate Toad fans and can understand the pain they feel over Toad's disconfirmation. I myself felt that he should have gotten in by now. Unfortunately, it is clear that Toad will never be granted playable status. He has had two chances to become playable; one in Brawl and one in SSB 3DS & Wii U. If Sakurai hasn't seen Toad as playable material by now, nothing will change his mind on this. It is unfortunate, but those who have not accepted this reality should do so now; Toad is Peach's eternal meatshield.
As a matter of fact, many characters are in a "now or never" limbo. Characters such as Ridley, King K. Rool, Dixie Kong, Little Mac, Palutena, and others are in their best position to get in now. All the cards they have were played for this game. Should they fail, they likely won't get another shot. Mega Man is one such "now or never" character that got in. Toad is a "now or never" character that didn't. If there is a Smash 6, expect the scene to be a lot different.
