What makes a Character Unlockable?

[Guybrush20X6]

I've been thinking a bit about past Rosters.

In 64 the unlockable characters were Luigi, Jigglypuff, Ness and Captain Falcon. Luigi and Jiggly puff make sense as they're the only characters to come from sereis with other reps (not counting Yoshi and Donkey Kong) and Ness and Falcon are unexpected characters with no stages.

In Melee Ness and Falcon made the jump to starter because they were known and they got stages. Luigi and Jiggly puff stayed unlockable again due to current representation, plus it helps Luigi's second bananna theme. Most of the newcomers with original movesets were starters with the exceptions of Marth, Mewtwo and Mr. Game and Watch. Marth was unlockable because his series was Japan only, Mewtwo because in his own games he's meant to be hard to get and Game and Watch because he represents a forgotten part of Nintendo history. All the other unlockables were Clones but still new characters.

In Brawl, things got weird. Nearly all the newcomers were starters. The unlockables were Wolf, Lucario, ROB, Sonic and Snake. Sonic and Snake were revealed before-hand as their inclusion was a selling point leaving only 3 new unlockables. The rest of the unlockables were Character that were unlockable in previous games, with Ness and Falcon getting demoted, Lucas Taking Ness' place and sending the Smash community into panic that Falcon may be gone for good.

My point is what Newcomers should be unlockable and why?

Megaman and any new third party would be unlockable but advertised.
If any new character is a semi-clon I think they'd be unlockable. For instance, King K. Rool woudl be a starter, Dixie as unlockable.

 

[FalKoopa]

Sidekick characters tend to unlockables.

And clones/semi-clones.

 

[MasterOfKnees]

Yeah, clones, semi-clones, 3rd parties and WTF characters like ROB and G&W are given to be unlockables. Characters which can generate a ton of hype are usually used for promotion, thus becoming starters, like Dedede and Wario. The lesser known ones like Lucario will get an unlockable spot, since they won't draw as many fans as characters like Meta Knight. Villains also seem to often be unlockables when looking at Ganondorf, Wolf and Mewtwo, however, two of those are semi-clones, which explains that.

In short, the newcomers that can sell a lot of copies will probably be unveiled as soon as possible, or at least on the Dojo. That includes K. Rool and Ridley. Lesser known ones like Chrom and Zoroark (just examples,) will most likely get the unlockable spot.

 

[BluePikmin11]

It's based on obscurity or maybe how the unlockables are similar to their starters.
Sometimes it's based on what the franchise of characters is in the state of right now.

 

[BridgesWithTurtles]

You should've also mentioned that Falco and Ganondorf have both been unlockable in both Melee and Brawl. I don't think recognizability is necessarily what determines whether a character is unlockable or not. Ike and Lucas were relatively niche characters at the time of their reveals, and they were starters. Marth and Ness were more recognizable, yet they were unlockable. I think that the secondary (for advertising's sake, Marth and Ness were considered secondary) and usually unplayable characters of each franchise are more inclined to be unlockable; there's a certain excitement to unlocking someone you've never or hardly gotten to play as before. In the past, we've had Falco, Ganondorf, Wolf, Mewtwo, Jigglypuff, Lucario, and the "WTF" characters. Luigi makes sense as an unlockable because that's his role in the majority of Mario games: an alternate, unlockable, slight tweak of Mario. I expect a similar trend of secondary characters in SSB4. Any new Mario character, K. Rool and/or Dixie, Ridley, etc. Expecting more previously unrepresented series to join the brawl, I suspect most of these lesser-known characters will be unlockable as well.

 

[Guybrush20X6]

I think Ness and Marth were made unlockable to keep the thing of all the characters that were unlockable in previous games were unlockable in Brawl.

 

[Curious Villager]

I'm not really sure how Sakurai really handles which characters become starters and which become unlockables. Though I can't help but feel the likes of Diddy Kong, King Dedede and Ike may have been more suitable as unlockables. (Probably by the way they were presented in the SSE but ah well).

I think we can probably be fairly certain that third parties (although they may be revealed early to create hype) will still be unlockables. But oh well, it's hard to tell after one game with them. :/

 

[volbound1700]

What characters from Brawl that were starters do you think will be unlockable in the new one?

I do think either Metaknight or Dedede will become unlockable. I can also see Ike fall to unlockable status if he returns. Another peculiar one that may go unlockable is Olimar.

I wouldn't be surprised if Ness/Lucas didn't swap places with Ness being the starter.

I still see the following as unlockable if they are in Smash 4: Falco, Wolf, Toon Link, Ganondorf, Luigi, Mr. Game & Watch, ROB, Lucario, Snake, Sonic, and Jigglypuff.

Not sure about Marth, it could go either way depending on how FE turns out. Luigi maybe a starter since it is the year of Luigi.

I do know that some of the new characters will be starters for hype. I see the following new characters as starters if they are in the game: Bowser Jr/Toad, Ridley, King K Rool, Takamaru, Palutena, Mewtwo, and Little Mac.

 

[Guybrush20X6]

I think some characters will be unlockable in one version but starter in the other.

 

[BluePikmin11]

What characters from Brawl that were starters do you think will be unlockable in the new one?

I do think either Metaknight or Dedede will become unlockable. I can also see Ike fall to unlockable status if he returns. Another peculiar one that may go unlockable is Olimar.

I wouldn't be surprised if Ness/Lucas didn't swap places with Ness being the starter.

I still see the following as unlockable if they are in Smash 4: Falco, Wolf, Toon Link, Ganondorf, Luigi, Mr. Game & Watch, ROB, Lucario, Snake, Sonic, and Jigglypuff.

Not sure about Marth, it could go either way depending on how FE turns out. Luigi maybe a starter since it is the year of Luigi.

I do know that some of the new characters will be starters for hype. I see the following new characters as starters if they are in the game: Bowser Jr/Toad, Ridley, King K Rool, Takamaru, Palutena, Mewtwo, and Little Mac.

Miyamoto said Olimar would make an appearance in some fashion in Pikmin 3, I think he'll stay starter.

 

[Thirdkoopa]

I think some characters will be unlockable in one version but starter in the other.

Possible.

I'm hoping for a good mix this time around. I don't mind some starters and unlockables switching around to make it look better, but some characters like Ike, Lucas, and Bowser should stay starters, while others like Ganondorf, Falco, and Luigi. I also think the non-unlockable parts should really not only have the sellers but try to represent as much as possible while sidekicks/secondaries/lolwtf additions should be unlockable.

Disagreements?

Also Dojo'd but still unlockable is something I wouldn't mind. Would make sense for K. Rool and/or Ridley.

 

[God Robert's Cousin]

Metaknight practically screams unlockable to me, considering how distant he usually is in the Kirby games to the point of having his own victory theme in Brawl. Usually antagonists act as unlockable characters, as mentioned with Wolf, and Ganondorf, Mewtwo. I could see the same for newcomers like Ridley, King K. Rool, and the Masked Man.

I'm against the idea of Captain Falcon, Ness, and Marth being unlockable for reasons of being either the first or most well known playable characters in their respective series. That's essentially why guys like Olimar, Wario, and the main big 8 are available from the start.

So ideally, my own vision of the starting roster (excluding newcomers) is along the lines of:

Spoiler

Mario, Peach, Bowser
Link, Zelda
Kirby, Dedede
Pikachu, Pokemon Trainer
Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong
Fox, Samus, Yoshi
Captain Falcon, Ness, Marth
Ice Climbers, Pit, Olimar
(Bowser and Dedede being included on part of familiarity and being 2 of the 4 only starting heavyweights)