Most of the bases have been covered already, so I'm just going to chime in here and say that Pit is another character has some diversity to his playstyle. I personally play a very patient Pit, with an emphasis on playing the neutral and going in for punishes when the opportunity presents itself, but others play it differently: you can play a defensive Pit that camps out with arrows, you can take to the air or remain grounded, you can even play super-aggressively off-stage to get some very rewarding early kills (Nairo's Dark Pit is renowned for this kind of playstyle).
I don't think there's one ideal way to play Pit, I think an optimal Pit makes use of everything in his kit and changes his gameplan to suit the way the match is going. That diversity and breadth of creativity is one of my favourite things about Pit, he's a very fun and dynamic character to play when you know how to use his impressive range of options.
Palutena is also interesting, in that she's a character of two extremes: in default, she's a one-trick pony with a very defensive playstyle and a gameplan that revolves around d-throw followups, but with customs on, she has a wealth of options that can radically change how she plays. Most people will agree that there's an optimal set for competitive play (Explosive Flame, Super Speed, Jump Glide, Lightweight), but she has options for just about any game mode, something few other characters can boast. Her trophy even states that this is her defining trait: the ability to customise her as you see fit, not unlike Mii Fighters.
Of course, there are quite a few other characters that can be played in very different ways depending on who's playing. Some of the most noteworthy, in my opinion:
Banana setups can fundamentally change how this character plays, especially since the Hoo-Hah was nerfed. He has solid options to play an aggressive rushdown game if he wants to, but he can also play a very tricky stage control game with the banana if needs be. I personally judge Diddies on how well they use the 'nana, it's an integral part of his character and very entertaining if used creatively.
If ever a character was defined by ability to set up traps and control the stage, it's this guy. Each fruit has its own unique effect, he can use his trampoline to stall or as a makeshift offensive weapon, the hydrant can be used to keep opponents out, to maintain dominance in neutral or even as a weapon itself - and that's not even getting into pellet tricks, grab followups or his surprisingly impressive offensive options! Definitely a character that requires forethought and an eye for detail to play, and I don't think I've ever seen two Pac-Men (Pac-Mans?) play to the same gameplan.
Can setups, clay pigeon tricks, Gunman mixups - the key to playing the duo successfully is to know how to use their different moves in conjunction with each-other, they're definitely a character that rewards creativity and knowing how to use their kit. Watching a skilled Duck Hunt do their thing is just wonderful.
Super-offensive rushdown fighter that tanks hits and goes for clean, early kills, or a defensive champ that ducks and weaves and punishes every opening with a deadly blow? Does he stick to his grounded game or go for maximum style with the all-or-nothing off-stage spike? Then there's the way he uses the KO Punch, either as a psychological weapon to intimidate his opponent in neutral, or a secret weapon to end stocks in the blink of an eye. It's fitting that the game's boxer character really does feel like a boxer in terms of how he plays his game. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!
Style or substance? High-risk, high-reward setups or methodical punishment? Grabs or strikes? Aerial dominance or grounded techniques? Falcon may seem simple in theory, but there's so many different ways you can play him, and while certain players will favour the ultra-stylish, crowd-pleasing rushdown style, others may decide to keep the opponent guessing with their superior mobility and punish every mistake that's made - sometimes even both in one!
Sonic can be played in a very aggressive manner, capitalising on mistakes and beating down the opponent with his super-fast techniques, but he can also be played in a more defensive hit-and-run manner that forces the opponent to come right to him. Either way, with that kind of speed and diversity of options in neutral, he can be a very frustrating character to fight and a very rewarding character to play.
As one of the most technically-demanding characters in the game, Sheik has a variety of ways that she can be played: do you want to be the zone-breaking terror that smothers the opponent with a veritable infinity of fast, safe strikes, or do you want to frustrate their approach attempts with needles and set up for throws and Bouncing Fish kills? Or better yet - why not both, you wily ninja master, you?
The fact that he can get so much mileage out of just Metal Blade is impressive in itself. Managing his different projectiles and setting up for kills with his diverse variety of weapons takes skill and dedication, but the results speak for themselves.
Great projectiles for ranged play, powerful kill moves for close-range battle, the ability to swap between swords at will, an impressive diversity of tomes for conditioning the opponent, micromanagement of said tomes and even using the discarded swords and books as makeshift weapons - Robin's got a ton of good options at hand, and knowing how to use them and when is vital to success. Different Robins have different ways of using their tomes, and how they change between magic and swordplay can help distinguish their own playstyle from others. Now that's strategy!
Chomp, bike, great airspeed, good pokes and a secret weapon to end stocks - a good Wario knows how to use each of these very different tools to the best of their ability, and every Wario has their own way of biting, biking and wafting their way to victory. Another character that thrives on good use of their tools, with every player having their own unique way of doing things, especially when it comes to setting up for the all-important waft kill!
The fact that she has her own unique movement option in float, and the ton of technical options it opens up, demonstrates just how hi-tech and creative this princess can be. I know Peach players that are
still figuring out new ways to use the float, so it seems her meta will be evolving for a long time to come!
Puppetmaster characters are always interesting and open to interpretation, and Rosalina is no exception. How the player embellishes their own wide variety of options with the secondary character at their disposal will vary radically, and whether you want to go for a tag-team beatdown or do things solo is fundamentally up to you.
JUMP! SPEED! SHIELD! BUSTER! SMASH! MALLC! DISJOINTS! I don't think this needs any further explanation. Shulk is a character that thrives on creativity, and knowing how and when to use the different Monado Arts is pivotal to his gameplan.
True inputs, footsies game inspired by
Street Fighter. 'Nuff said.
Yeah, I'm kind of cheating with this one, but hey - isn't creating your own character the point of Mii Fighter?
