Metaknight
It is my opinion that Metaknight will always be the best character in Brawl. I don't think he'll ever be banned, but I do think that he's the character with the most safe options in the most circumstances. He's fast, has a sword, and has what I'd consider easily the best recovery in the game between his jumps, gliding, and b moves. He can also fairly reliably and safely gimp most characters. The better people get at this game the better Metaknight will become. When I say that I don't mean that Metaknight's lead is going to INCREASE between him and the 2nd best character I just mean that he's constantly going to improve simply through increased game knowledge. He's an amazing character with no real significant drawbacks. I don't really have much to say about him.
Snake
Snake. Initially people thought Snake was pretty good, then people thought he was broken, then people thought he'd slowly get worse, and now people KNOW that he's just really really good. As the game progresses I think that Snake will remain good, but not AS good. Snake happens to be my least favorite character in the game. Not because I dislike the character himself but because I just really don't understand him in Brawl. And that doesn't mean I don't know HOW to play him. That means I genuinely don't understand why he was programmed to be as good as he is. Metaknight I understand. As I said before, he's fast, has a sword, and a great recovery with multiple jumps. He's OBVIOUSLY going to be good. But snake? Why does he have such mysteriously large and powerful hitboxes? Why do his grenades come out so fast and cause so much disruption? Why is he SO heavy? I mean... Sure, there are "almost answers" for some of these issues, but I really just don't get it. What a poorly made character. Anyway, Snake has monsterous hitboxes and is hard to punish, his grenades will remain ever useful and his overall map control isn't going anywhere in the future. Snake will always be one of the best characters in the game, but he won't progress as much as a few other characters will. I don't think he'll maintain this number 2 spot forever, but I do think he'll never go below top 5.
Diddy
Diddy Kong oh Diddy Kong. Some people consider Diddy to secretly be the best character in the game. Some people think that Diddy is going to improve so quickly he will overthrow Metaknight, who will simply be lacking options. Some people think that BANANAS are the best character in the game. What do I think? I think that Diddy is a great solid character, but that he won't ever be as good all around as Metaknight. Diddy has a lot of surprise factor going for him, even still. That's not to say he's a gimick or novelty character, because he isn't truly a gimick character at all. His bananas, speed, combo ability, and recovery all place him near the top of the list, and that's where he'll stay. I think that Diddy Kong will eventually raise to being ahead of Snake, but I don't know if he'll necessarily maintain that number 2 spot forever. There are a couple scenario's that could eventually lower him back down to 3rd, but I don't necessarily think that Snake will be in either. So there you have it, Diddy Kong is really good, and not a novelty. He's also not better than Metaknight.
Falco
Some people have been johning about Falco for a long time, and only fairly recently have we seen why. Only a few players really show off just how good this bird can be when you play defensively enough. Some people say that Falco is the true 2nd best. This scenario could potentially be true, but I really don't know how much growing this bird has in front of him. Falco is really solid in a lot of areas. He's tough to approach and you HAVE to appraoch. His recovery is not bad but not the best, used correctly it is extremely difficult to intercept him. Laser's alone make Falco a threat, but he also has extremely high priority, solid kill moves, a nice and easy chaingrab to up the percent on most characters, and a very nice side b to escape from some situations he would want to avoid. I think that Falco will eventually find his place behind both Snake AND Diddy at around 4th. But I don't really know for sure. It might become more simple over time to approach him, because I don't think he has an absolute ton of growth left (not like a few certain other characters) but he'll always be an extremely solid pick.
Ice Climbers
Let me start with Ice Climbers by first saying Ice Climbers are extremely dumb. In both Melee and Brawl I've always hated Ice Climbers. They change the entire pase of the game in a way that I really dislike, and upon capitolizing on a single mistake, can take a full stock. Ice climbers are going one of two directions. They are either going to get a LOT better (and dumber) or they're going to get a lot worse (and be slightly, but only slightly, less dumb). Well that was obvious. They'll either be better or they'll be worse. What I mean when I say that is this. Either there are going to be MORE ways in the future to reliably land a grab, or it'll become more difficult for the ice climbers to appraoch. As Brawl progresses I think that people are going to have less and less of a problem playing very campy and won't really hate taking games to time. I think that this will be the Ice Climber mains undoing. Iceys will always have a spot in tourney placings, and I think that they will always be solid. I do, however, think that their undoing will be, as it has always been, Nana, and bad matchups. I really don't think that Ice Climbers have what it takes to keep up with an ever evolving metagame this time around. I think that as more and more players learn the top level playstyles of characters like Diddy, Metaknight, and even Falco, Ice Climbers will have more and more bad matchups, which will hinder their tournament placings. I think that if Ice Climbers are ever going to move up, they're going to have to do it soon, because they won't stay up for long.
Marth
I've always enjoyed Brawl Marth. He's one of the "most balanced" characters I've ever seen in any game. That may sound silly so let me explain, Marth in Brawl is what I always thought that Mario should be in every other game he's been in. You know, the all around good but not particularly amazing in any category guy. I think that Marth is this game's ideal Mario. He's fast, he's strong, he can combo, he can kill, he has a good enough recovery, but it isn't EASY to apply ANY of this. In order to succeed as a Marth main at a high level you have to be extremely skilled. That's not to say that the other characters are EASY, but the characters who will end up above Marth on the list will have much more safe options and ways of earning kills. Marth is an all around character that seems to have everything but a projectile. His grab game is great between grab releases and simple fsmash combos
but he isn't the easiest character to earn kills with. His sword has great spacing but it isn't impossible to get in on him. He has a nice shield breaker move that isn't impossible to land and some very safe moves between his fair and some of his side b punishes. I HOPE to see Marth move up in the ranks, but it'll take very skilled players to take him there. He has a lot of great potential.
Wario
Wario is a bit of a mystery to me. On the one hand it seems like everyone should be able to destroy this guy. I mean, let's be honest, who CAN'T grab release Wario into something nasty? Part of me thinks that as time goes on more and more people will learn how to put a stop to this character, but time and time again Wario mains prove me wrong. His game, while not evolving extremely quickly, is still very solid. Wario can be played aggressive and he can be played campy. He has a good recovery and excellent aerial mobility. This guy is just really strange. I don't know how much Wario will rise, if at all, but I could see him dropping a little bit. I do think that there will always be a few premier Wario players out there showing everyone why he's not to be taken lightly, but I don't know if two or three players nationwide will impact his place enough to maintain this spot. Wario is a very good, although very strange, character.
King Dedede
Ah, King Dedede. His recent drop was hardly unexpected. Dedede and a couple other characters have a simple problem I'm going to refer to as the Game & Watch complex. Now, what I mean by this is that the character is fairly one dimensional. What do Dedede players do differently now than they've been doing for the last year? Not a lot right? And does Dedede still do well? Honestly, yes. Yes he does. He may be predictable and occasionally bland, but he's still quite solid. I don't think that Dedede is ever going to be moving UP again, because I don't think he has much capacity for growth, but I do think that he'll be a solid character for people to use for the entirity of the game's competitive lifespan.
Pikachu
Pikachu is another one of those characters that seems to have a lot of potential. We've seen him played pretty well, no doubt, but I think that Pikachu is better than any of us have seen. I think that too many players get caught up in his tricks and gimmicks and end up doing worse because of it. Please, stop over complicating him. Pikachu has a lot of really safe movement and solid setups. He's quick and has a few solid kill moves. He also has great grabs and a lot of surprise factor. I think that Pikachu has the potential of moving up slightly on this list, but only if people really step it up and figure out exactly when to do what, rather than just trying to be fast and surprising.
Olimar
I still think that ON THE STAGE Olimar is the best character in the game. Yes, the BEST CHARACTER IN THE GAME. I think that Olimar has nowhere to go but up up and then up some more. Everyone knows that he's good, and everyone knows his one glaring weakness. Olimar has range, power, speed, combo ability, ridiculous grabs, and is difficult to approach. His recovery is his main drawback, and it is shared by anyone who has a tether only recovery. I can't wait for the day that an amazing Olimar main breaks out of nowhere and wins something big. Yes, I understand that there are currently very good Olimar players, but there is nobody like the person I'm describing. I think that Olimar is sort of the "jigglypuff" of Brawl. Meaning that as the game progresses he will constantly improve until one day there will be a couple premier Olimar players who wreck almost everybody. Olimar has way to much on stage potential, and I can't wait to see what happens with him. So, Olimar mains, show me what I know is the case, and go place at a major.
Lucario
Lucario is a bit of a mystery to me. He has a lot going for him and not a lot going against him, but for some reason he isn't in the tops. He has range, power, combo ability, and even a projectile. His recovery isn't fantastic, but it's not exactly TERRIBLE either. I think that people like to think Lucario is some sleeping terror who will some day burst onto the scene again and be a real threat, and I'd love to see that happen, but I also think that, much like Marth, great lucario players are going to have to be just that: great. Lucario is by no means EASY. Sure, he has the TOOLS to do well in almost every scenario, but it isn't easy to make it happen. It's simple enough to string a couple fairs into a neutral, or do a simple chain grab to up the percent. I'll even say it's simple enough to stay alive to the percents where Lucario REALLY becomes threatening, but for whatever reason Lucario hasn't really broken out yet. It isn't as easy as it seems to actually get the kills with Lucario at the top level of play. I think that the key for Lucario is to not over pursue, to not press your advantage too far. This is a weakness of many players and something that is holding back many CHARACTERS as well. Take your opportunities as they come and Lucario will take it to the next level.
Mr. Game & Watch
Oh Game and Watch. I find it ironic that the only two dimensional character in the game has the most one dimensional playstyle I've ever seen. In the early metagame GW was an extremely feared competitor. Mr. Game & Watch, like Dedede is very predictable. Everyone knew exactly what he was doing, but it still worked anyway. People struggled with his back air and strong lagless smash attacks, they didn't know how to avoid his grab kills and he was just kind of a pain. Now Game & Watch has dropped down, and I fear he only has more dropping remaining. Now, don't get me wrong, I think that GW is a really solid character. I still think he's very good, but the more people advance and the more the game grows the more GW will be left behind. I honestly just don't think he has much untapped potential at this point. I think that he'll always have a few players that will do well with him, but I don't think that we'll be seeing any strong breakout Game and Watch players in the future.
Pit
Pit is one of the most underrated characters in the game. I think that Pit deserves his place near the top of the tier list along with characters like Falco and Diddy. I can't wait for the day that a Pit main, similar to Koolaid, bursts onto the scene and wins a major. No, I didn't say PLACES at a major, I said WINS a major. Pit has so much potential it is ridiculous. He's fast, has range, has power, has an amazing projectile, and an extremely good recovery. Pit players, much like Pikachu players, have this unfortunate habit of massively overcomplicating their character. Making him all about arrow loops and up b tricks, instead of just focusing on doing what works when it works. Pit is going to be a major contender in the future, and I can't wait to see who it is that eventually steps it up with him. Please, help make this day come soon Pit mains.
Toon Link
Toon Link is a curious character. Almost everybody thinks that Toon Link is better than he is. He's pretty fast, has a really annoying and fantastic projectile game, decent combos, and decent kill moves. I think that people allow Toon Link to get kills far to easily, and that he isn't the 'breakout 2010' character of the year, I really think that one is going to either Pit or Olimar. I think that Toon Link may rise a small amount, but I think that his raise will be short lived. I think that Toon Link simply doesn't have enough ways to make things happen.
While he obviously has a great camping game vs most of the cast, it isn't the best one out there. Some day a Toon Link player will come and prove me wrong, but I think that this character is mostly a gimick, and that he won't last long as the game evolves. He'll always be solid and fun, but I just don't know how far he can take his game.
Zero Suit Samus
Zero Suit is another character that I think is highly overrated by most players. Sure, she's fast and has some decent combos and a decent kill game, but vs most characters if you play her right she doesn't seem to have much of a way of getting in so that she can pull off her decent combos. Her dsmash doesn't seem like the most reliable thing in the world and her neutral b is hardly more than a distraction. I think that, as people improve, her side b will become worse and worse as well. She seems to be more of a novelty character than a truly great one. Again, I'm sure we'll see one or two really fantastic Zero Suit mains out there making us really jealous, but I don't think on the whole she has as much potential as people seem to be seeing. I think that her rating at this slot is extremely generous.
Kirby
Kirby is very solid and very annoying. He has a great way of wracking up some damage fast and has a lot of tricky options for getting kills. I can see a few choice Kirby mains really upping the anti here with Kirby. He has great quick moves that have a lot of solid range and good KO properties. I think we really just need to see a Kirby main take it to the next level because I think we all know he has it in him. Kirby is good, it's pretty obvious that he is, but he still hasn't broken out yet like some others have.
Rob
Rob is the third charater so far that has a Game & Watch complex. He's solid, has good range, has a good projectile, has good kill moves, and tends to be extremely predictable. This doesn't actually hinder him TOO much because his options are still very solid, but his low-ish spot isn't exactly a surprise. He's a character that needs to be played well to be good, and I think will only be good to a certain point. The evolution of his game doesn't seem to have many places to go, and I don't think that Rob will ever be the threat he once was at the higher levels of play.
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong is another one of those mysteries to me. I think that DK has some potential,
but I think that a few matchups are just going to totally wreck his true competitive potential. Some great DK player will inevitably do great at SOMETHING, but I doubt that the reign of that player will be long lived. I think that for every step forward DK takes, most of the rest of the cast will take two. Sadly, I see this ape, who I think is clearly a very solid character, not being well represented, and will never be able to take his leap forward. I don't blame character's placements on representation, I just think that because of some of his terrible matchups, DK will never have the opportunity to REALLY succeed.
Peach
I think that Peach, like Marth and Lucario, must be played very precisely, in order to succeed. I think that peach has some good potential. The main issue that Peach players have I think is trying to force the kill, when it would probably be better to just continue doing what you did to get them to killing percent and just let the kills come. It isn't an uncommon problem to have when your oponents get to high percents, but it's a huge problem with characters that seem to struggle killing. Let the kills come when they come and I think Peach will improve due to her otherwise solid game play. She has a lot going for her and a very dedicated fan base that I think will eventually see her improvement.
Fox
Everyone knows Fox is good. We're all just waiting for the fox player that's good enough to not get grabbed. His lasers, solid speed, and strong spacing mean that it's possible to play this character well enough to avoid a lot of grabs, especially from the one's who are the real threat. I think that the ability to combo DIRECTLY into a kill move alone is enough to make Fox good, but he seems like a solid character otherwise. Again, we're just waiting for the 'hero' fox main to come onto the scene and start tearing people up. He has a few poor matchups - but I think that through enough camping anything will be possible against most of those threats.
Luigi
Luigi is another character that confuses me. He can combo and he can kill at low percent. REALLY low percent. On EVERYONE. His main drawback in my opinion is his ability to approach and his range. I think that this will limit his potential once the overall metagame improves. I also think that Luigi mains will always be exciting to watch because of their ability to take stock quickly once they get in. Luigi will grow as a character along with the rest of the cast, and I see him eventually moving up a bit.
Wolf
I have a bizarre theory with Wolf that I'm really not sure how to describe. I'll start by saying I think that Wolf might be the "Mewtwo" of Brawl. I honestly don't think that Wolf is that good, however, I do think we'll see somebody being highly successful with him. I think that in the future we're going to see a "Taj" like scenario with Wolf. He's going to do extremely well with Wolf and everyone will wonder how. It will look easier than it is, and almost everyone will give him a shot, but nobody will have the success of this "new Taj" player. I really think that it will take a lot to make wolf a contender, I think it's possible, but it will take EXTREME talent to get him there. So, get on it wolf players, shock us and take out somebody big.
Sheik
Sheik, Marth, Peach, Lucario. All of these characters need to be played extremely well to be good. Sheik is possibly the most precise character of all, and she requires a lot of patience to be played at a high level. She seems like she can reliably combo most of the cast, and to a point she can, but in most cases overpursuing is her downfall. Trying to gimp works in certain situations, but is a bad idea in most. She just has to take the kills as the come and rely on her speed and spacing to wrack up damage until you can reliably land something that will kill. I think that Sheik will be improving a LOT as soon as a really solid few Sheik mains step it up and don't overpress their advantage. She'll never be one of the best, but that's not because she doesn't have the potential, I just honestly don't think anyone will ever be that good with her.
Pokemon Trainer
Pokemon Trainer is a curious case, and I think that something similar to what I described with Wolf will also happen here. I don't think that the trainer player will be AS successful, but I think that he'll do well. Everyone knows that Squirtle is a really solid character, and everyone THINKS that Charizard is too. I think that Charizard has the Game & Watch complex that GW, D3, and Rob have, but that he isn't as good as any of those characters. He can take a stock REALLY fast on a couple reads, but against the better players in the nation you'll find Charizard will have a really tough time getting in to get those reads. I think that Ivysaur is the most underrated character of the three. His recovery is dreadful, but on the stage he has a very solid spacing game with some really powerful moves along with a decent projectile. He has a lot of problems, but I think that once the metagame advances so will Ivysaur, and he will pass Charizard at this point. I think that, as silly as it sounds, one of the real keys to Pokemon Trainer is knowing when to switch and when to use each Pokemon. I also think that we're going to see one or two well placing (and REALLY fun to watch) pokemon trainer mains in the future, but sadly, he'll always remain fairly low.
Sonic
Sonic is occasionally overrated by people who don't use him and MASSIVELY overrated by those who DO use him. I hate to say it, but I really just think that Sonic is bad. Sure, you'll see a few people do well with him and beat some pretty good players, but when it comes down to it at a high level and it's just player vs player I don't think we'll often see Sonic come out on top. Once you get past all the gimmicks and distractions, Sonic is still that low priority fairly tough to kill with character that we all thought he was at first. Sonic is very fun and I'm sure that just because of his fan base we'll see some good players here, but I don't think Sonic will ever escape from low. But with Sonic more so than any other character I also feel like I could be EXTREMELY wrong. There may be some secret hidden potential that somebody will eventually be able to control that will blast him up the tiers, but as it stands now, I really doubt it.
Ness
I REALLY hate to say this one, but I think that Ness is actually underrated. Sure, a lot of the cast has some pretty dumb grab release stuff on him, and I used to think that range was a big issue of his, but the fact that he has such a solid fair that has such high priority, the fact that his bair is strong and not that hard to land, and the fact that he has a grab that kills at reasonably low percents makes him a pretty solid all around character. He has a lot of really good tools that, when used properly, will allow him to advance up the tiers steadily in the upcoming years. He won't ever be one of the best, but I think he'll develop nicely.
Bowser
Bowser is yet another curious case. Before I get into why, here is what I think is going to happen to Bowser in the upcoming years. He's going to move UP and then he's going to move back down. And once he starts going down, that's where he's going to keep going. I think that Bowser has some decent things going for him and a lot of matchups where he can effectively turtle, but as the meta game advances I think that Bowser is going to get left behind. His grab releases will always be a threat, but, just like in Melee, I think that once you start playing against him correctly he can be very effectively shut down by most characters. I think that his solid grab game, quick punishes, and ability to kill at relatively low percents and live until relatively high percents will keep him out of the lowest spots, but there isn't going to be much to advance him further than what he is at now.
Lucas
Lucas has the same "problems" that ness does with range and a mediocre recovery. Lucas, however, doesn't have the benefits of having Ness's fair, Side B, or Grab game. While Lucas does have some nice stuff going for him I just really think that Ness is better. I think that Lucas might move up a little bit - but I don't know how much more potential he has in him.
I think that Lucas has the ability to wrack up the damage and get the kills, but while the metagame advances I think he'll find less and less setups for getting into those killing positions.
Ike
Everyone likes Ike. He's really satisfying and fun. Recently we've actually seen a few noticeable tournament results from Ike players. I've managed to partially convince myself that Ike can be decent, while another part of me just thinks he's horrible. He has a lot of solid aspects of his game, really great range, really solid defensive game, and good grabs with a LOT of kill moves. However, I think that we're going to see something similar to what I expect with Bowser happening here as well. I think that Ike is going to move up (further than Bowser will) and then will start his descent. I think that as the meta game advances Ike simply won't be able to keep up. He's slow, he RELIES on reads, and he has a really not good recovery. I think Ike will always do good vs a certain level of player because, just like Melee Ganon, it's easy to jump into his large hit boxes, but I also think that Ike will plateau at some point on the upper side of the Low tier realm.
Yoshi
Yoshi! I actually think that Yoshi is a pretty solid character, he has a lot going for him. He's got a lot of air speed and pretty solid priority. He has power and can get damage on people pretty quick. His grabs are fantastic and he isn't HORRIBLY easy to gimp. I really think we're going to see Yoshi shooting up the ranks as soon as people get over how weird he is to use. Someday Yoshi players are going to be up there in the "relatively high" tiers.
Mario
Mario is one of the sadest cases in this game to me. Mario is one of my favorite characters in every one of the Smash games, and in pretty much every game he's in, but it really seems like he drew the short straw this time. Mario suffers from a massive lack of range. He seems like he has a decent combo game - and he does. He seems like he has decent kill moves - and he does. He has a pretty poor recovery, but some nice gimicks like Cape and Fludd. I really think that Mario isn't going to be great for quite a while, but I do see some potential here. He's going to have to be played PERFECTLY in order to beat certain characters, but I don't doubt that, like with Wolf, we'll see a premier Mario player tearing up the ranks, but aside from him, there won't be enough representation to really push him very high. Unfortunately I see him staying pretty low for the entirety of his Brawl life.
Captain Falcon
Everyones favorite captain, Falcon is really just dreadful this time. The first thing I want to say is that if you actually want to be good with falcon there is almost no reason to ever throw out a knee. Ever. I'm sorry. Falcon has up air, back air, a jab, and a mediocre grab. Really, this guy just isn't very good. He's going to have to be played really "hit and run" in order to beat anyone. Land the airs when you can and just hope that nobody ever gets inside because Falcon just has dreadful priority. I really just don't see him advancing PAST anyone. Sure, he'll get better, but everyone else will improve MORE. I only see him moving DOWN overall. Maybe next update some people will do decently with him, but as the metagame advances more, he'll just drop right down. I'm sorry.
Samus
Samus is just really poorly designed in this game. Samus doesn't seem to have progressed very much if at all in the last few months, and I don't think she really ever will GROW very much. I DO, however, think that she'll go up in the tiers. Why will this happen? Well, the way I figure it we're going to come across a group of the DUMBEST, CAMPIEST samus mains EVER. And yes, I realize that a lot of them play campy now. I'm not talking about camping then getting bored and going for a kill at 200%, I'm talking about the kind of camping where you just NEVER go for the kill. EVER. Almost every tournament match with these few players will go to time and everyone will hate them, but they'll be blatantly the highest placing Samus mains ever. I can't wait. Aside from the megacamp, Samus is really, really, bad.
Jigglypuff
Jigglypuff is a weird case. She doesn't seem to be particularly fantastic in any area, but I see her progressing in a strange fasion. I think that a few players are going to start beating a lot of people with puff. It won't be like Melee, but she'll do alright. I also think that puff is going to have a few solid matchups vs a few of the better characters, but will have a lot of really BAD matchups apart from those. She's just going to be a silly character I think.
Zelda
Miss controversy. Zelda moved down. A LOT. And you know what? She's REALLY bad, and that's why she moved down. She's got the Game & Watch complex worse than Game & Watch himself, except her options aren't very good. She has strong, long lasting, large hitbox moves. You have to constantly rush at her in a fairly stupid way for her to be able to do much, and her "projectile" isn't very good either. I'm sure I'm cutting her a little short, but it's hard not to talk about how just not good she is.I'm sorry, but her moving down was the right choice. She's just not very good.
Link
The hero of time is always pretty bad. It's really unfortunate, because he's always really popular at the same time. We've seen a few decent Link's by this time and I'm tempted to just say "well he's just really bad" but I don't know how much I believe that. On the stage Link is actually not that bad, he just happens to have one of the dumbest recoveries ever for some reason. Mid stage, however,he has good range, decent startup time on most moves, and a lot of disjointed range on most attacks. I think that the moment link mains stop thinking"maybe he'll jump into THIS down air" is the moment that Link can actually start moving up in the tiers. I'm so sick of seeing Link's just HOPING things land after all their work spacing and camping and jabbing they just throw it all out the door and hope for a stupid move on the part of the opponent. Link mains, like peaches and sheikes, need to STOP FORCING THE KILL MOVE and just let it come. I realize that takes a lot of patience, but when we see it, we'll see Link doing more than we thought possible. And by that I mean 'doing decently at local tournaments.' He really isn't that good, but he's better than he's being shown for now
Ganondorf
Ganondorf has combos and kill moves and he really really sucks a LOT. I don't think that Ganon will ever deserve much of an increase in tier above dead last. He's really just bad. He's easy to shut down, he's got the Game & Watch complex, but he doesn't have the tools to make that effective. If you're NOT good prepare to get absolutely DEMOLISHED by a good ganon, because very few things will cut down your stock faster than a Ganon who reads you effectively, but if you're good he's not even going to have the opportunity. You'll just patiently wait for a miss or an opportunity and just use simple spacing to chip away at his spirits until all hope is lost. It really isn't that hard and I'm sorry that Ganon has to be so horribly horrible this time around.
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anyway, that's my basic thoughts on each character
woooooooooooo most are very vague hahaha
I hope to bring discussion from this just because I like smash discussion
It is my opinion that Metaknight will always be the best character in Brawl. I don't think he'll ever be banned, but I do think that he's the character with the most safe options in the most circumstances. He's fast, has a sword, and has what I'd consider easily the best recovery in the game between his jumps, gliding, and b moves. He can also fairly reliably and safely gimp most characters. The better people get at this game the better Metaknight will become. When I say that I don't mean that Metaknight's lead is going to INCREASE between him and the 2nd best character I just mean that he's constantly going to improve simply through increased game knowledge. He's an amazing character with no real significant drawbacks. I don't really have much to say about him.
Snake
Snake. Initially people thought Snake was pretty good, then people thought he was broken, then people thought he'd slowly get worse, and now people KNOW that he's just really really good. As the game progresses I think that Snake will remain good, but not AS good. Snake happens to be my least favorite character in the game. Not because I dislike the character himself but because I just really don't understand him in Brawl. And that doesn't mean I don't know HOW to play him. That means I genuinely don't understand why he was programmed to be as good as he is. Metaknight I understand. As I said before, he's fast, has a sword, and a great recovery with multiple jumps. He's OBVIOUSLY going to be good. But snake? Why does he have such mysteriously large and powerful hitboxes? Why do his grenades come out so fast and cause so much disruption? Why is he SO heavy? I mean... Sure, there are "almost answers" for some of these issues, but I really just don't get it. What a poorly made character. Anyway, Snake has monsterous hitboxes and is hard to punish, his grenades will remain ever useful and his overall map control isn't going anywhere in the future. Snake will always be one of the best characters in the game, but he won't progress as much as a few other characters will. I don't think he'll maintain this number 2 spot forever, but I do think he'll never go below top 5.
Diddy
Diddy Kong oh Diddy Kong. Some people consider Diddy to secretly be the best character in the game. Some people think that Diddy is going to improve so quickly he will overthrow Metaknight, who will simply be lacking options. Some people think that BANANAS are the best character in the game. What do I think? I think that Diddy is a great solid character, but that he won't ever be as good all around as Metaknight. Diddy has a lot of surprise factor going for him, even still. That's not to say he's a gimick or novelty character, because he isn't truly a gimick character at all. His bananas, speed, combo ability, and recovery all place him near the top of the list, and that's where he'll stay. I think that Diddy Kong will eventually raise to being ahead of Snake, but I don't know if he'll necessarily maintain that number 2 spot forever. There are a couple scenario's that could eventually lower him back down to 3rd, but I don't necessarily think that Snake will be in either. So there you have it, Diddy Kong is really good, and not a novelty. He's also not better than Metaknight.
Falco
Some people have been johning about Falco for a long time, and only fairly recently have we seen why. Only a few players really show off just how good this bird can be when you play defensively enough. Some people say that Falco is the true 2nd best. This scenario could potentially be true, but I really don't know how much growing this bird has in front of him. Falco is really solid in a lot of areas. He's tough to approach and you HAVE to appraoch. His recovery is not bad but not the best, used correctly it is extremely difficult to intercept him. Laser's alone make Falco a threat, but he also has extremely high priority, solid kill moves, a nice and easy chaingrab to up the percent on most characters, and a very nice side b to escape from some situations he would want to avoid. I think that Falco will eventually find his place behind both Snake AND Diddy at around 4th. But I don't really know for sure. It might become more simple over time to approach him, because I don't think he has an absolute ton of growth left (not like a few certain other characters) but he'll always be an extremely solid pick.
Ice Climbers
Let me start with Ice Climbers by first saying Ice Climbers are extremely dumb. In both Melee and Brawl I've always hated Ice Climbers. They change the entire pase of the game in a way that I really dislike, and upon capitolizing on a single mistake, can take a full stock. Ice climbers are going one of two directions. They are either going to get a LOT better (and dumber) or they're going to get a lot worse (and be slightly, but only slightly, less dumb). Well that was obvious. They'll either be better or they'll be worse. What I mean when I say that is this. Either there are going to be MORE ways in the future to reliably land a grab, or it'll become more difficult for the ice climbers to appraoch. As Brawl progresses I think that people are going to have less and less of a problem playing very campy and won't really hate taking games to time. I think that this will be the Ice Climber mains undoing. Iceys will always have a spot in tourney placings, and I think that they will always be solid. I do, however, think that their undoing will be, as it has always been, Nana, and bad matchups. I really don't think that Ice Climbers have what it takes to keep up with an ever evolving metagame this time around. I think that as more and more players learn the top level playstyles of characters like Diddy, Metaknight, and even Falco, Ice Climbers will have more and more bad matchups, which will hinder their tournament placings. I think that if Ice Climbers are ever going to move up, they're going to have to do it soon, because they won't stay up for long.
Marth
I've always enjoyed Brawl Marth. He's one of the "most balanced" characters I've ever seen in any game. That may sound silly so let me explain, Marth in Brawl is what I always thought that Mario should be in every other game he's been in. You know, the all around good but not particularly amazing in any category guy. I think that Marth is this game's ideal Mario. He's fast, he's strong, he can combo, he can kill, he has a good enough recovery, but it isn't EASY to apply ANY of this. In order to succeed as a Marth main at a high level you have to be extremely skilled. That's not to say that the other characters are EASY, but the characters who will end up above Marth on the list will have much more safe options and ways of earning kills. Marth is an all around character that seems to have everything but a projectile. His grab game is great between grab releases and simple fsmash combos
but he isn't the easiest character to earn kills with. His sword has great spacing but it isn't impossible to get in on him. He has a nice shield breaker move that isn't impossible to land and some very safe moves between his fair and some of his side b punishes. I HOPE to see Marth move up in the ranks, but it'll take very skilled players to take him there. He has a lot of great potential.
Wario
Wario is a bit of a mystery to me. On the one hand it seems like everyone should be able to destroy this guy. I mean, let's be honest, who CAN'T grab release Wario into something nasty? Part of me thinks that as time goes on more and more people will learn how to put a stop to this character, but time and time again Wario mains prove me wrong. His game, while not evolving extremely quickly, is still very solid. Wario can be played aggressive and he can be played campy. He has a good recovery and excellent aerial mobility. This guy is just really strange. I don't know how much Wario will rise, if at all, but I could see him dropping a little bit. I do think that there will always be a few premier Wario players out there showing everyone why he's not to be taken lightly, but I don't know if two or three players nationwide will impact his place enough to maintain this spot. Wario is a very good, although very strange, character.
King Dedede
Ah, King Dedede. His recent drop was hardly unexpected. Dedede and a couple other characters have a simple problem I'm going to refer to as the Game & Watch complex. Now, what I mean by this is that the character is fairly one dimensional. What do Dedede players do differently now than they've been doing for the last year? Not a lot right? And does Dedede still do well? Honestly, yes. Yes he does. He may be predictable and occasionally bland, but he's still quite solid. I don't think that Dedede is ever going to be moving UP again, because I don't think he has much capacity for growth, but I do think that he'll be a solid character for people to use for the entirity of the game's competitive lifespan.
Pikachu
Pikachu is another one of those characters that seems to have a lot of potential. We've seen him played pretty well, no doubt, but I think that Pikachu is better than any of us have seen. I think that too many players get caught up in his tricks and gimmicks and end up doing worse because of it. Please, stop over complicating him. Pikachu has a lot of really safe movement and solid setups. He's quick and has a few solid kill moves. He also has great grabs and a lot of surprise factor. I think that Pikachu has the potential of moving up slightly on this list, but only if people really step it up and figure out exactly when to do what, rather than just trying to be fast and surprising.
Olimar
I still think that ON THE STAGE Olimar is the best character in the game. Yes, the BEST CHARACTER IN THE GAME. I think that Olimar has nowhere to go but up up and then up some more. Everyone knows that he's good, and everyone knows his one glaring weakness. Olimar has range, power, speed, combo ability, ridiculous grabs, and is difficult to approach. His recovery is his main drawback, and it is shared by anyone who has a tether only recovery. I can't wait for the day that an amazing Olimar main breaks out of nowhere and wins something big. Yes, I understand that there are currently very good Olimar players, but there is nobody like the person I'm describing. I think that Olimar is sort of the "jigglypuff" of Brawl. Meaning that as the game progresses he will constantly improve until one day there will be a couple premier Olimar players who wreck almost everybody. Olimar has way to much on stage potential, and I can't wait to see what happens with him. So, Olimar mains, show me what I know is the case, and go place at a major.
Lucario
Lucario is a bit of a mystery to me. He has a lot going for him and not a lot going against him, but for some reason he isn't in the tops. He has range, power, combo ability, and even a projectile. His recovery isn't fantastic, but it's not exactly TERRIBLE either. I think that people like to think Lucario is some sleeping terror who will some day burst onto the scene again and be a real threat, and I'd love to see that happen, but I also think that, much like Marth, great lucario players are going to have to be just that: great. Lucario is by no means EASY. Sure, he has the TOOLS to do well in almost every scenario, but it isn't easy to make it happen. It's simple enough to string a couple fairs into a neutral, or do a simple chain grab to up the percent. I'll even say it's simple enough to stay alive to the percents where Lucario REALLY becomes threatening, but for whatever reason Lucario hasn't really broken out yet. It isn't as easy as it seems to actually get the kills with Lucario at the top level of play. I think that the key for Lucario is to not over pursue, to not press your advantage too far. This is a weakness of many players and something that is holding back many CHARACTERS as well. Take your opportunities as they come and Lucario will take it to the next level.
Mr. Game & Watch
Oh Game and Watch. I find it ironic that the only two dimensional character in the game has the most one dimensional playstyle I've ever seen. In the early metagame GW was an extremely feared competitor. Mr. Game & Watch, like Dedede is very predictable. Everyone knew exactly what he was doing, but it still worked anyway. People struggled with his back air and strong lagless smash attacks, they didn't know how to avoid his grab kills and he was just kind of a pain. Now Game & Watch has dropped down, and I fear he only has more dropping remaining. Now, don't get me wrong, I think that GW is a really solid character. I still think he's very good, but the more people advance and the more the game grows the more GW will be left behind. I honestly just don't think he has much untapped potential at this point. I think that he'll always have a few players that will do well with him, but I don't think that we'll be seeing any strong breakout Game and Watch players in the future.
Pit
Pit is one of the most underrated characters in the game. I think that Pit deserves his place near the top of the tier list along with characters like Falco and Diddy. I can't wait for the day that a Pit main, similar to Koolaid, bursts onto the scene and wins a major. No, I didn't say PLACES at a major, I said WINS a major. Pit has so much potential it is ridiculous. He's fast, has range, has power, has an amazing projectile, and an extremely good recovery. Pit players, much like Pikachu players, have this unfortunate habit of massively overcomplicating their character. Making him all about arrow loops and up b tricks, instead of just focusing on doing what works when it works. Pit is going to be a major contender in the future, and I can't wait to see who it is that eventually steps it up with him. Please, help make this day come soon Pit mains.
Toon Link
Toon Link is a curious character. Almost everybody thinks that Toon Link is better than he is. He's pretty fast, has a really annoying and fantastic projectile game, decent combos, and decent kill moves. I think that people allow Toon Link to get kills far to easily, and that he isn't the 'breakout 2010' character of the year, I really think that one is going to either Pit or Olimar. I think that Toon Link may rise a small amount, but I think that his raise will be short lived. I think that Toon Link simply doesn't have enough ways to make things happen.
While he obviously has a great camping game vs most of the cast, it isn't the best one out there. Some day a Toon Link player will come and prove me wrong, but I think that this character is mostly a gimick, and that he won't last long as the game evolves. He'll always be solid and fun, but I just don't know how far he can take his game.
Zero Suit Samus
Zero Suit is another character that I think is highly overrated by most players. Sure, she's fast and has some decent combos and a decent kill game, but vs most characters if you play her right she doesn't seem to have much of a way of getting in so that she can pull off her decent combos. Her dsmash doesn't seem like the most reliable thing in the world and her neutral b is hardly more than a distraction. I think that, as people improve, her side b will become worse and worse as well. She seems to be more of a novelty character than a truly great one. Again, I'm sure we'll see one or two really fantastic Zero Suit mains out there making us really jealous, but I don't think on the whole she has as much potential as people seem to be seeing. I think that her rating at this slot is extremely generous.
Kirby
Kirby is very solid and very annoying. He has a great way of wracking up some damage fast and has a lot of tricky options for getting kills. I can see a few choice Kirby mains really upping the anti here with Kirby. He has great quick moves that have a lot of solid range and good KO properties. I think we really just need to see a Kirby main take it to the next level because I think we all know he has it in him. Kirby is good, it's pretty obvious that he is, but he still hasn't broken out yet like some others have.
Rob
Rob is the third charater so far that has a Game & Watch complex. He's solid, has good range, has a good projectile, has good kill moves, and tends to be extremely predictable. This doesn't actually hinder him TOO much because his options are still very solid, but his low-ish spot isn't exactly a surprise. He's a character that needs to be played well to be good, and I think will only be good to a certain point. The evolution of his game doesn't seem to have many places to go, and I don't think that Rob will ever be the threat he once was at the higher levels of play.
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong is another one of those mysteries to me. I think that DK has some potential,
but I think that a few matchups are just going to totally wreck his true competitive potential. Some great DK player will inevitably do great at SOMETHING, but I doubt that the reign of that player will be long lived. I think that for every step forward DK takes, most of the rest of the cast will take two. Sadly, I see this ape, who I think is clearly a very solid character, not being well represented, and will never be able to take his leap forward. I don't blame character's placements on representation, I just think that because of some of his terrible matchups, DK will never have the opportunity to REALLY succeed.
Peach
I think that Peach, like Marth and Lucario, must be played very precisely, in order to succeed. I think that peach has some good potential. The main issue that Peach players have I think is trying to force the kill, when it would probably be better to just continue doing what you did to get them to killing percent and just let the kills come. It isn't an uncommon problem to have when your oponents get to high percents, but it's a huge problem with characters that seem to struggle killing. Let the kills come when they come and I think Peach will improve due to her otherwise solid game play. She has a lot going for her and a very dedicated fan base that I think will eventually see her improvement.
Fox
Everyone knows Fox is good. We're all just waiting for the fox player that's good enough to not get grabbed. His lasers, solid speed, and strong spacing mean that it's possible to play this character well enough to avoid a lot of grabs, especially from the one's who are the real threat. I think that the ability to combo DIRECTLY into a kill move alone is enough to make Fox good, but he seems like a solid character otherwise. Again, we're just waiting for the 'hero' fox main to come onto the scene and start tearing people up. He has a few poor matchups - but I think that through enough camping anything will be possible against most of those threats.
Luigi
Luigi is another character that confuses me. He can combo and he can kill at low percent. REALLY low percent. On EVERYONE. His main drawback in my opinion is his ability to approach and his range. I think that this will limit his potential once the overall metagame improves. I also think that Luigi mains will always be exciting to watch because of their ability to take stock quickly once they get in. Luigi will grow as a character along with the rest of the cast, and I see him eventually moving up a bit.
Wolf
I have a bizarre theory with Wolf that I'm really not sure how to describe. I'll start by saying I think that Wolf might be the "Mewtwo" of Brawl. I honestly don't think that Wolf is that good, however, I do think we'll see somebody being highly successful with him. I think that in the future we're going to see a "Taj" like scenario with Wolf. He's going to do extremely well with Wolf and everyone will wonder how. It will look easier than it is, and almost everyone will give him a shot, but nobody will have the success of this "new Taj" player. I really think that it will take a lot to make wolf a contender, I think it's possible, but it will take EXTREME talent to get him there. So, get on it wolf players, shock us and take out somebody big.
Sheik
Sheik, Marth, Peach, Lucario. All of these characters need to be played extremely well to be good. Sheik is possibly the most precise character of all, and she requires a lot of patience to be played at a high level. She seems like she can reliably combo most of the cast, and to a point she can, but in most cases overpursuing is her downfall. Trying to gimp works in certain situations, but is a bad idea in most. She just has to take the kills as the come and rely on her speed and spacing to wrack up damage until you can reliably land something that will kill. I think that Sheik will be improving a LOT as soon as a really solid few Sheik mains step it up and don't overpress their advantage. She'll never be one of the best, but that's not because she doesn't have the potential, I just honestly don't think anyone will ever be that good with her.
Pokemon Trainer
Pokemon Trainer is a curious case, and I think that something similar to what I described with Wolf will also happen here. I don't think that the trainer player will be AS successful, but I think that he'll do well. Everyone knows that Squirtle is a really solid character, and everyone THINKS that Charizard is too. I think that Charizard has the Game & Watch complex that GW, D3, and Rob have, but that he isn't as good as any of those characters. He can take a stock REALLY fast on a couple reads, but against the better players in the nation you'll find Charizard will have a really tough time getting in to get those reads. I think that Ivysaur is the most underrated character of the three. His recovery is dreadful, but on the stage he has a very solid spacing game with some really powerful moves along with a decent projectile. He has a lot of problems, but I think that once the metagame advances so will Ivysaur, and he will pass Charizard at this point. I think that, as silly as it sounds, one of the real keys to Pokemon Trainer is knowing when to switch and when to use each Pokemon. I also think that we're going to see one or two well placing (and REALLY fun to watch) pokemon trainer mains in the future, but sadly, he'll always remain fairly low.
Sonic
Sonic is occasionally overrated by people who don't use him and MASSIVELY overrated by those who DO use him. I hate to say it, but I really just think that Sonic is bad. Sure, you'll see a few people do well with him and beat some pretty good players, but when it comes down to it at a high level and it's just player vs player I don't think we'll often see Sonic come out on top. Once you get past all the gimmicks and distractions, Sonic is still that low priority fairly tough to kill with character that we all thought he was at first. Sonic is very fun and I'm sure that just because of his fan base we'll see some good players here, but I don't think Sonic will ever escape from low. But with Sonic more so than any other character I also feel like I could be EXTREMELY wrong. There may be some secret hidden potential that somebody will eventually be able to control that will blast him up the tiers, but as it stands now, I really doubt it.
Ness
I REALLY hate to say this one, but I think that Ness is actually underrated. Sure, a lot of the cast has some pretty dumb grab release stuff on him, and I used to think that range was a big issue of his, but the fact that he has such a solid fair that has such high priority, the fact that his bair is strong and not that hard to land, and the fact that he has a grab that kills at reasonably low percents makes him a pretty solid all around character. He has a lot of really good tools that, when used properly, will allow him to advance up the tiers steadily in the upcoming years. He won't ever be one of the best, but I think he'll develop nicely.
Bowser
Bowser is yet another curious case. Before I get into why, here is what I think is going to happen to Bowser in the upcoming years. He's going to move UP and then he's going to move back down. And once he starts going down, that's where he's going to keep going. I think that Bowser has some decent things going for him and a lot of matchups where he can effectively turtle, but as the meta game advances I think that Bowser is going to get left behind. His grab releases will always be a threat, but, just like in Melee, I think that once you start playing against him correctly he can be very effectively shut down by most characters. I think that his solid grab game, quick punishes, and ability to kill at relatively low percents and live until relatively high percents will keep him out of the lowest spots, but there isn't going to be much to advance him further than what he is at now.
Lucas
Lucas has the same "problems" that ness does with range and a mediocre recovery. Lucas, however, doesn't have the benefits of having Ness's fair, Side B, or Grab game. While Lucas does have some nice stuff going for him I just really think that Ness is better. I think that Lucas might move up a little bit - but I don't know how much more potential he has in him.
I think that Lucas has the ability to wrack up the damage and get the kills, but while the metagame advances I think he'll find less and less setups for getting into those killing positions.
Ike
Everyone likes Ike. He's really satisfying and fun. Recently we've actually seen a few noticeable tournament results from Ike players. I've managed to partially convince myself that Ike can be decent, while another part of me just thinks he's horrible. He has a lot of solid aspects of his game, really great range, really solid defensive game, and good grabs with a LOT of kill moves. However, I think that we're going to see something similar to what I expect with Bowser happening here as well. I think that Ike is going to move up (further than Bowser will) and then will start his descent. I think that as the meta game advances Ike simply won't be able to keep up. He's slow, he RELIES on reads, and he has a really not good recovery. I think Ike will always do good vs a certain level of player because, just like Melee Ganon, it's easy to jump into his large hit boxes, but I also think that Ike will plateau at some point on the upper side of the Low tier realm.
Yoshi
Yoshi! I actually think that Yoshi is a pretty solid character, he has a lot going for him. He's got a lot of air speed and pretty solid priority. He has power and can get damage on people pretty quick. His grabs are fantastic and he isn't HORRIBLY easy to gimp. I really think we're going to see Yoshi shooting up the ranks as soon as people get over how weird he is to use. Someday Yoshi players are going to be up there in the "relatively high" tiers.
Mario
Mario is one of the sadest cases in this game to me. Mario is one of my favorite characters in every one of the Smash games, and in pretty much every game he's in, but it really seems like he drew the short straw this time. Mario suffers from a massive lack of range. He seems like he has a decent combo game - and he does. He seems like he has decent kill moves - and he does. He has a pretty poor recovery, but some nice gimicks like Cape and Fludd. I really think that Mario isn't going to be great for quite a while, but I do see some potential here. He's going to have to be played PERFECTLY in order to beat certain characters, but I don't doubt that, like with Wolf, we'll see a premier Mario player tearing up the ranks, but aside from him, there won't be enough representation to really push him very high. Unfortunately I see him staying pretty low for the entirety of his Brawl life.
Captain Falcon
Everyones favorite captain, Falcon is really just dreadful this time. The first thing I want to say is that if you actually want to be good with falcon there is almost no reason to ever throw out a knee. Ever. I'm sorry. Falcon has up air, back air, a jab, and a mediocre grab. Really, this guy just isn't very good. He's going to have to be played really "hit and run" in order to beat anyone. Land the airs when you can and just hope that nobody ever gets inside because Falcon just has dreadful priority. I really just don't see him advancing PAST anyone. Sure, he'll get better, but everyone else will improve MORE. I only see him moving DOWN overall. Maybe next update some people will do decently with him, but as the metagame advances more, he'll just drop right down. I'm sorry.
Samus
Samus is just really poorly designed in this game. Samus doesn't seem to have progressed very much if at all in the last few months, and I don't think she really ever will GROW very much. I DO, however, think that she'll go up in the tiers. Why will this happen? Well, the way I figure it we're going to come across a group of the DUMBEST, CAMPIEST samus mains EVER. And yes, I realize that a lot of them play campy now. I'm not talking about camping then getting bored and going for a kill at 200%, I'm talking about the kind of camping where you just NEVER go for the kill. EVER. Almost every tournament match with these few players will go to time and everyone will hate them, but they'll be blatantly the highest placing Samus mains ever. I can't wait. Aside from the megacamp, Samus is really, really, bad.
Jigglypuff
Jigglypuff is a weird case. She doesn't seem to be particularly fantastic in any area, but I see her progressing in a strange fasion. I think that a few players are going to start beating a lot of people with puff. It won't be like Melee, but she'll do alright. I also think that puff is going to have a few solid matchups vs a few of the better characters, but will have a lot of really BAD matchups apart from those. She's just going to be a silly character I think.
Zelda
Miss controversy. Zelda moved down. A LOT. And you know what? She's REALLY bad, and that's why she moved down. She's got the Game & Watch complex worse than Game & Watch himself, except her options aren't very good. She has strong, long lasting, large hitbox moves. You have to constantly rush at her in a fairly stupid way for her to be able to do much, and her "projectile" isn't very good either. I'm sure I'm cutting her a little short, but it's hard not to talk about how just not good she is.I'm sorry, but her moving down was the right choice. She's just not very good.
Link
The hero of time is always pretty bad. It's really unfortunate, because he's always really popular at the same time. We've seen a few decent Link's by this time and I'm tempted to just say "well he's just really bad" but I don't know how much I believe that. On the stage Link is actually not that bad, he just happens to have one of the dumbest recoveries ever for some reason. Mid stage, however,he has good range, decent startup time on most moves, and a lot of disjointed range on most attacks. I think that the moment link mains stop thinking"maybe he'll jump into THIS down air" is the moment that Link can actually start moving up in the tiers. I'm so sick of seeing Link's just HOPING things land after all their work spacing and camping and jabbing they just throw it all out the door and hope for a stupid move on the part of the opponent. Link mains, like peaches and sheikes, need to STOP FORCING THE KILL MOVE and just let it come. I realize that takes a lot of patience, but when we see it, we'll see Link doing more than we thought possible. And by that I mean 'doing decently at local tournaments.' He really isn't that good, but he's better than he's being shown for now
Ganondorf
Ganondorf has combos and kill moves and he really really sucks a LOT. I don't think that Ganon will ever deserve much of an increase in tier above dead last. He's really just bad. He's easy to shut down, he's got the Game & Watch complex, but he doesn't have the tools to make that effective. If you're NOT good prepare to get absolutely DEMOLISHED by a good ganon, because very few things will cut down your stock faster than a Ganon who reads you effectively, but if you're good he's not even going to have the opportunity. You'll just patiently wait for a miss or an opportunity and just use simple spacing to chip away at his spirits until all hope is lost. It really isn't that hard and I'm sorry that Ganon has to be so horribly horrible this time around.
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anyway, that's my basic thoughts on each character
woooooooooooo most are very vague hahaha
I hope to bring discussion from this just because I like smash discussion
