The Cast needs more obscure characters

[Guybrush20X6]

Relevance gets thrown around a lot on this board but think for a minute. How many of you knew more than half the cast before playing Smash Bros Melee? And how many of you started playing new series because Smash Bros introduced you to them?

F-Zero, Earthbound, Fire Emblem, Kid Icarus, Dr. Mario and Metal Gear (to people who wouldn't touch M-Rated games) owe a lot to Smash Bros for giving them exposure. A lot of games like Golden Sun and Xenoblade could benefit.

What games do you think could benifit?

 

[SuperBrawler]

A lot of Retro characters, probably.

 

[BluePikmin11]

For the Frog The Bell Tolls seems alot more fitting for a revival (It seems a lot more clear), I say add Prince Sable, and maybe Prince Richard as a last minute semi-clone.

 

[Rasumii]

I had played F-Zero and Dr. Mario beforehand, but I definitely thank Smash to introducing me to Earthboud. Definitely one of my favorite games to-date.

A lot of retro series would benefit as SuperBrawler said.

 

[BluePikmin11]

I said it plenty of times before, since there are not many popular choices from veteran series left (K. Rool, Ridley, and Palutena, and Mewtwo) the series could add alot more retro characters in the game. Perhaps it might be the new direction also.

 

[BoomToon]

I agree with this completely because Smash got me playing fire emblem and the mother series. I love both but the Mother games are now my absolute favorite games of all time. I definitely think nintendo should take advantage of smash in order to reintroduce characters or franchises.

 

[Zhadgon]

Donbe and Hikari, Takamaru, Harry and Mach Rider are the characters that comes to my mind for a revival and that could bring something unique to roster add that their designs could appeal to a lot of people and become a fan favorites like Ice Climbers in Smash.
.n_n.

 

[Sobreviviente]

My choices for next smash: lip, teleroboxer harry, mach rider, balloon fighter and mr sheriff.
5 retros in a row, but this game? i doubt it completely, takamaru only.

I honestly think this game needs more actual nintendo stars than retros: starfy, saki, isaac, shulk and little mac (yeah... ), hopefully a nintendo wars soldier.

 

[BoomToon]

I would like to see a series like golden sun represented. I for one have never actually gotten around to playing any of the games but I could see smash giving this series more attention.

 

[TORNADO BUS DRIVER]

retros , saki , issac , demile , and andy/sami.

 

[Tetra's Tracker]

Too right. It's been proven that the Smash series exposing these more obscure franchises does nothing but good for those series and Nintendo in general. Fire Emblem is one of Nintendo's most popular franchises now worldwide, if it wasn't for Melee then it would just be a small unheard of series existing only in Japan. The Mother series has a massive cult following (excuse the oxymoron) which can likely be partly attributed to Ness's and to a lesser extent Lucas's placement in Smash. Pit's placement in Brawl led to a Kid Icarus revival with an extremely critically acclaimed game.

When I first played Melee I could barely be considered a Nintendo fan. I was a big Mario/Donkey Kong and Pokemon fan and I owned Star Fox 64 which I loved, but that was pretty much it. When I played 64 I called Samus a 'he' and I was confused as to why the game kept calling 'Zelda' 'Link'. But thanks to Melee I played Metroid Prime, The Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, Earthbound, Fire Emblem 7, Ice Climber and Kid Icarus (Pit trophy) and now I'm one of the biggest Nintendo fans you'll ever meet. I'm sure many other people, a lot of which will be on this board, who are in exactly the same boat.

What series could benefit? Well, I think Mega Man, a 'dying' series will definitely benefit. Retro series such as The Mysterious Murasame Castle and StarTropics which are suited for a Kid Icarus-esque revival could get that if their main characters get into Brawl. The more minor modern Nintendo franchises such as Starfy, Sin and Punishment, Golden Sun and Wars could be thrust into the limelight like Fire Emblem was if their characters got in. It really is exciting what the Smash series can do for games, it's just a question of whether Nintendo/Sakurai takes advantage of it because I always worry that they'll just play it safe.

 

[Guybrush20X6]

I always worry that they'll just play it safe.

They put the Wii Eff-ing Fit Trainer in. I don't think that's a worry.

 

[Louie G.]

Takamaru, Lip, and Mach Rider have to happen.
BluePikmin is right, there are only a number of really popular and noteworthy characters left to add (K. Rool, Dixie, Ridley, Palutena, Little Mac, Mewtwo). I wouldn't mind getting a bunch of retros, but these guys should definitely come first.
And I feel that K. Rool can benefit significantly. If he is received well (no doubt that he will be) Retro may give him another shot.

 

[Sleeves]

I agree, many franchises were boosted by Smash Bros - even series' like Metroid were not well known by modern audiences until Smash Bros. came out; Samus' sole appearence on the N64 was the original Smash so I think that and Melee gave the series the interest it needed to warrant the Prime series and just look how popular that became!

 

[Deleted member]

I definitely see them adding some obscure characters. It would be a good opportunity too as Smash has helped me get introduced to these wonderful series with amazing characters. Characters like Starfy, Takamaru, Captain Rainbow, Lip, Little Mac, and even King K. Rool would benefit from having an appearance in SSB4. I bet Mega Man will even benefit from his appearance later down the road.
While some characters have been under the radar, an appearance in Smash would help revive them to current audiences.

 

[Louie G.]

Note that some series do not benefit, as their main character is forever known as "that guy from Smash Bros."

 

[Tetra's Tracker]

Note that some series do not benefit, as their main character is forever known as "that guy from Smash Bros."

By a number of ignorant people maybe, but there's plenty of other less narrow-minded people who have tried a game from that character's series and became a fan of that franchise as a result. I'd say that the only series repped in Smash Bros. that hasn't really benefited that could have done is Ice Climber, in that a revival is very much possible yet hasn't happened.

 

[BluePikmin11]

I definitely see them adding some obscure characters. It would be a good opportunity too as Smash has helped me get introduced to these wonderful series with amazing characters. Characters like Starfy, Takamaru, Captain Rainbow, Lip, Little Mac, and even King K. Rool would benefit from having an appearance in SSB4. I bet Mega Man will even benefit from his appearance later down the road.
While some characters have been under the radar, an appearance in Smash would help revive them to current audiences.

I wouldn't call Starfy, King K. Rool, or Little Mac (or even Takamaru) obscure. Being obscure would be for characters like Prince Sable, Muddy Mole, Donbe and Hikari, Harry, and few others who have the slightest of popularity.

 

[Guybrush20X6]

I wouldn't call Starfy, King K. Rool, or Little Mac (or even Takamaru) obscure. Being obscure would be for characters like Prince Sable, Muddy Mole, Donbe and Hikari, Harry, and few others who have the slightest of popularity.

I'd call Starfy obscure considering Europe never got the little guy.

 

[BluePikmin11]

I'd call Starfy obscure considering Europe never got the little guy.

But by overall popularity, not really.

 

[Diddy Kong]

 

[Sabrewulf238]

I would love to see the Golden Sun series get a boost from getting Isaac into smash 4. Xenoblade too but at least it seems to be getting a followup game next year.

Chibi Robo is another series that could do with a promotional boot up the behind by adding him to smash 4. I've never played one of those games but they look fun....I bet people would take to the series if they were introduced properly.

 

[loganhogan]

Hey what about Panel Pom pom? There is some sisterhood potential right there about the total opposite of Punch Out's macho theme. Besides the little girl beefs up the elementary school kids roster, Nana would get jealous she's no longer the boys' love interest. Sorry Nana Lucas, Ness, Toon Link, and even Popo have their eyes on Lip now.

 

[Curious Villager]

Lippy Lip should totally be in the game! But yet for some reason I'm feeling quite pessimistic towards her chances.... :/

It would be totally awesome if she did make it in this time. ^_^

As for the thread in generall. Yup I would totally love to see more new unrepresented and obscure series get a playable character such as Panel De Pon or Golden Sun etc.

 

[shinhed-echi]

Well I can certainly think of a LOT of franchises that could benefit from SSB exposure. And Assist Trophies just don't cut it, so they'd have to be playable characters.

StarTropics could benefit the most. Nintendo has basically forgotten about this series as a whole, just for trying to appeal to the western market. Kind of unfair.. It's very fun, and it would also include a FULL mid-range character. Exposure to this series at least to aknowledge its existance... would be nice. Especially since 80% of the time one mentions StarTropics' main character's name, people think it's a rapper.

Mach Rider: This is a one-shot game that I feel could do well if it became a series. But it needs to pull a Kid Icarus first. Having Mach Rider playable in SSB first to introduce us / remind us of the character, and then it becomes a game. I feel Mach Rider could be aimed at the more serious-craving Nintendo crowd. ALMOST to Metroid levels perhaps.

Sin & Punishment: I don't have much to say about this because I could've sworn it wasn't that obscure, but I still see people believing this franchise is Japanese exclusive when it's absolutely not by any means. It was back in the year 2000, but not anymore since 2007.
It's a great rails-shooter that could be executed PERFECTLY in SSB. In fact, a lot of the moves you can pull off in S&P could almost be ported to SSB and they'd work. This is a series that needs more awareness, because it's freaking fun and it's challenging.

 

[loganhogan]

What if she makes it into an assist and then gets a new game like Punch Out or Starfy?

 

[Bowserlick]

Andross with a body.

 

[Arcadenik]

Duck Hunt Dog should be playable in Smash.

 

[BluePikmin11]

Duck Hunt Dog should be playable in Smash.

He's not really obscure though, he's a very iconic Nintendo character.

 

[Curious Villager]

What if she makes it into an assist and then gets a new game like Punch Out or Starfy?

For some reason, I do have this feeling that she will be more likely of appearing as an Assist Trophy yes, oh well, at least she will finally appear in the game in some form instead of just her stick alone. But hey, it will give her more exposure and hopefully Intelligent Systems might finally give her a chance to appear into a western Puzzle League game instead of replacing her and the cast with Yoshi and Pokemon characters etc. (or at least an optional mode or something)

At least it would be a step for Lip to come to the west.

 

[loganhogan]

Duck Hunt Dog should be playable in Smash.

He can duck his way out of battle and win.

For some reason, I do have this feeling that she will be more likely of appearing as an Assist Trophy yes, oh well, at least she will finally appear in the game in some form instead of just her stick alone. But hey, it will give her more exposure and hopefully Intelligent Systems might finally give her a chance to appear into a western Puzzle League game instead of replacing her and the cast with Yoshi and Pokemon characters etc.

At least it would be a step.

I want her to get exposed more, it seems unfair to me to leave her as Japan only. Why are they scared of bringing her over?

 

[Arcadenik]

He's not really obscure though, he's a very iconic Nintendo character.

Yes, but he is obscure to today's generation of gamers... you know, the kids born in the 21st century or after 1995 at the earliest.

 

[BKupa666]

In virtually every Smash game to date, I'd wager more than half of the newcomers added were virtual unknowns to the vast majority of players at the time. Heck, even back in the N64 days, you have factions of the fanbase not knowing any characters outside of the Mario and Pokemon ones (other than acknowledging that "Zelda" was there). That won't change this time around, but, as in the past, it won't matter, so long as the characters are sufficiently appealing.

I get the feeling this thread, however, is advocating for the roster to be swamped with Wii Fit Trainers just for the hell of it, which I cannot get behind in any, way, shape or form.

 

[BluePikmin11]

For some reason, I do have this feeling that she will be more likely of appearing as an Assist Trophy yes, oh well, at least she will finally appear in the game in some form instead of just her stick alone. But hey, it will give her more exposure and hopefully Intelligent Systems might finally give her a chance to appear into a western Puzzle League instead of replacing her and the cast with Yoshi and Pokemon characters etc.

At least it would be a step.

Meh, I think that shouldn't happen, otherwise the male-demographic won't buy the game because of the little fairies in the front cover. I say keep it as a secret unlockable themed menu when another Tetris Attack comes outside of Japan.

 

[Curious Villager]

Meh, I think that shouldn't happen, otherwise the male-demographic won't buy the game because of fairies in the front cover. I say keep it as a secret unlockable menu theme when another Tetris Attack comes outside of Japan.

Ah yeah you're right, I forgot about that. Then yeah, make it optional.

 

[BoomToon]

I'm hoping we get some announcement of a new character soon. It seems like it's been a while since the last one.

 

[Deleted member]

I wouldn't call Starfy, King K. Rool, or Little Mac (or even Takamaru) obscure.

I guess I should mostly rephrase that as: I think that Little Mac and King K. Rool getting in SSB4 would give them more opportunities. With Little Mac, they can make a new Punch Out!!. With King K. Rool, they can make him the main villain again in a new Donkey Kong Country. I guess I was getting off track a bit; my main point is that Smash could be used as an opportunity to revive series and characters. Some series desperately need to be revived...

 

[BluePikmin11]

In virtually every Smash game to date, I'd wager more than half of the newcomers added were virtual unknowns to the vast majority of players at the time. Heck, even back in the N64 days, you have factions of the fanbase not knowing any characters outside of the Mario and Pokemon ones (other than acknowledging that "Zelda" was there). That won't change this time around, but, as in the past, it won't matter, so long as the characters are sufficiently appealing.

I get the feeling this thread, however, is advocating for the roster to be swamped with Wii Fit Trainers just for the hell of it, which I cannot get behind in any, way, shape or form.

I'm sure that whatever obscure characters is announced as a playable character, I guarantee you they will be suffiently appealing.

 

[Curious Villager]

Oh I went talking here and I didn't even mention Kururin....

Ah well he's even less talked about than most other obscure franchises so... hey. C:

Just hope he shows himself outside of that Helirin for a bit even for just a few seconds just to let everyone know of his existence this time around.... If his Helirin becomes an assist trophy again...

 

[Vintage Creep]

I agree, I hope we get at least two obscure retro guys this time around.
Mach Rider is the one I'd like the most