Super Smash Bros. 4: Lack of Transforming Characters Also Result of 3DS Limitations

In bringing Smash to Nintendo's portable ecosystem, director Masahiro Sakurai had to make a number of concessions, some which have even affected the home console version. Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS cannot make use of the Circle Pad Pro or Miiverse functions unless running on the New 3DS hardware, and Ice Climbers had to be removed from the roster entirely, seemingly because the AI partner was difficult to implement in a satisfactory manner. Now we learn that the reason transforming characters like Zelda / Sheik and Samus / Zero Suit Samus were split apart was also due to 3DS limitations.

In his column in the latest issue of Famitsu, as interpreted by Siliconera, Sakurai broke the news that the 3DS hardware was preventing transforming characters from existing as a single entity. But it's not all bad, as he explained:

However, reaching that limit can sometimes lead in good directions. Transforming characters had the drawback of ambiguous tactics and such, and I believe that they have become more fresh now.

Furthermore, by giving Zelda and Samus the split — and for that matter, pulling Charizard out of the Pokemon Trainer rotation — he was able to assign new Down Specials to replace the transformation abilities. Now they can be proper, well-rounded fighters. When we first learned that these characters had gone solo, the general response was positive, so I guess there was a silver lining to hardware drawbacks in the end.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS launches tomorrow, October 3. The Wii U build might arrive November 21.