We recently got together and discussed our favorite clone characters in Smash. Agree or disagree? Let us know in the comments.
For more information about clones in Smash, check out Frostwraith’s article on the subject.
(Note: semi-clones were acceptable picks)
Luigi is by far the best clone in Smash. Even with his appearance in Smash 64, Luigi still portrayed a lot of personality — perhaps even more than Mario! This can be even be seen in Secret of Alts page, where Luigi holds the same pose for all his alts (the only one!). In Melee, Luigi was given more differences, and birthed the term “Luigified” which is now used to describe semi-clones in Smash in English. Luigi’s personality is pretty quirky, and Smash really highlights it. Even if Luigi is a clone, he is still pretty true to his character.
Dark Pit is a controversial choice as I am sure many people out there feel he should not even be in the game and I can understand that. For me however, I was a massive fan of Pit pre-Brawl and really wanted him to be added to the game. I was ecstatic to see him in the reveal trailer but when I actually got the game I was somewhat let down by how he played. They changed him for the better in Smash for but I still didn’t think he was good enough. He was just a bit too weak. This is where Dark Pit comes in as the stronger variant. Although the two are similar (the nature of being clones) Dark Pit did everything I wanted from Pit originally.
For my choice, I’d like to speak about Toon Link. Because aside from being a lovable, goofy tyke, one who plays markedly differently from regular Link thanks to their dramatically different weights, he also does something only a clone character really could. See, the Zelda series is based partially around the idea of each game being a separate story, a “legend” passed down through the history of Hyrule. These differences relate not only to story, but to visual and gameplay style as well. What separates Toon Link from his Young Link counterpart in Melee is that the former represents an entirely different style of presenting and creating games, and the wealth of artistic inspiration that powers the Legend of Zelda. In other words, he’s a clone not only through his use of Link’s special moves, but by reinterpreting who Link is in each game. Both of them are Link, a very specific kind of hero with access to a bow, boomerang, and the spin attack. But the depiction of these same ideas is different, through unique animations and graphics That’s what Zelda is; it reimagines and plays with older ideas in new contexts. And it could not be done nearly as well unless Toon Link was playing by similar standards and moves to his older counterpart.
Also, his down aerial attack in Brawl was amazing, and I’m sad it was changed in Smash for 3DS / Wii U.
Considering my most played character in Smash is Ganondorf, that makes him my choice. Despite the oddity of being a Captain Falcon clone, I still think he feels like the canon Ganondorf in many ways, having the same personality, showing off dark powers and having brutal strength. I’ve had a preference towards medium and heavyweight characters and while Ganondorf does lack in mobility and attack speed, each of his blows is always incredibly satisfying to land. From timing a Warlock Punch for a devastating blow, to using his up tilt and pierce through unsuspecting foes’ defenses, to landing down aerials and Meteor Smash opponents into oblivion, Ganondorf may be hard to play, but playing as him and winning feels more rewarding than any other character in the game. Plus, he simply is one of my favorite fictional villains of all time.
Falco is my main character since Melee, but I like him more because of his cool and brash personality instead of his moveset (I mained Fox in 64, so it wasn’t a big change after all). Sadly he isn’t a top tier anymore, but his moveset fits my way to play Smash… Or maybe I adapted myself to his pressuring style. I hope in the subsequent games he get’s a more distinct moves, at least a new Final Smash, but even if he get’s nothing, I will personally prefer him.
Speaking as someone who generally supports clones, there are several I’d love to nominate. However, I can only choose one, so I’m going to follow my heart and pick Dr. Mario. Dr. Mario 64 was one of the first video games to enter my possession. It supplied me with great memories, and it served as my gateway drug into the puzzle genre. Seeing the Doc in Melee was great, even if I was probably the only person who requested him, and I was overjoyed for his return in Smash for Wii U/3DS. It also helps that Mario is among my main fighters in most Smash games, so I’m happy to have an alternative take on his moveset, especially since Dr. Mario retained his Dr. Tornado and drill kick.
I’m going to avoid semi-clones and pick Young Link. Ocarina of Time is my personal favorite Zelda game and Young Link really was a love letter to Ocarina fans. It’s more an aesthetic love than anything else. The little things like the wooden shield, and the lon-lon ranch milk taunt. Young Link is perhaps the only time in Smash Bros. history where I prefer the clone’d version of a character to the original.
Roy‘s our boy! Roy is by far my favorite “pure clone” in the Smash Bros. franchise. Lucas edges him out as a character I overall enjoy more, but as I don’t count Lucas as a clone, Roy is the clear winner here. Listen guys, I am not a huge Fire Emblem fan. I’ve never played Roy’s game and I probably never will…. still, there is something just fun about playing as a harder hitting, more “punchy” version of Marth. Also, fire > no fire. Just saying.
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For me, it’s Toon Link. (Probably guessed that from my avatar. :p)
Anyway, fell in love with him since Wind Waker and Minish Cap. I remember I literally cried when he was confirmed, haha.
Luigi is by far the best clone, although by now he’s nearly reaching a point where even calling him a semi-clone is a stretch. Luigi being a clone of Mario is appropriate (looking at you, Ganondorf), and he mixes Mario’s moveset up in fitting ways. He also got into Smash on his own merits rather than using his clone status as an excuse, unlike Roy, Dr. Mario, Lucina, and Dark Pit.
For clones, I’ll go with Ganondorf, because even if i don’t main him, he’s fun to try out, sometimes you have to be careful fighting against Ganondorf, one wrong move and you’ll end up at 100%, a ko, or worse, a flame choke outside.
Of course I’ll pick Dr. Mario. Mario was my main in Brawl but I always hated F.L.U.D.D.(nothing against Mario Sunshine) I really wanted them to remove it in Smash 4 but they didn’t. Dr. Mario easily fixes that problem. I also wanted them to return at least one of those cut Melee veterans, I was even willing to take Doc as an alt. Ironic how he actually has more differences than the other two despite being the same character as his original.
You have excellent taste, Octavian.
So…many…choices…
I like playing as several clones. I prefer Falco to Fox. I prefer Toon Link to regular Link. Luigi is quite possibly one of the most accurate clones in fighting games and is fun to play. I actually like Doc pretty good too. Ganondorf is terribly inaccurate, yet still fun. I like Lucina too, and Roy is fun if not very effective. And Dark Pit is…eh, less annoying I guess.
I’m not sure I can pick just one.
By personal affinity: Lucas. Also, near-identical body frames with mostly distinct standard moves is a neat contrast.
In general: Toon Link, for the reasons stated above. Semi-clones are different incarnations of existing characters and that’s literally what each Link is in Zelda canon.
I think my grand all time favorite clone will always be Pichu.
People don’t seem to realize that the fun of the character is his spontaneity and overall joke-character-ness….
He’s cute, fun to play as, cute, great for humiliating your non-competitive friends, CUTE.
He’s the underdog that you want to play.
He’s the character that you want to prove you can play. Pichu is my personal definition of wanting to play Smash on a whole new hardcore level, just taking an adorably terrible character and showing what skill can do in a game centered around the idea that anyone could win a match, and with your strengths, so could Pichu!
Sucks that he isn’t in Smash anymore, and seeming from his small Smash fanbase, probably never will, but one of the reasons I main Pikachu outside of his own strengths is the theory that with happiness and friendship, Pichu was able to evolve and fight alongside the typical Smash crew.
It’s the most adorable thing to hit Smash.
Probably Luigi because it’s really the only justifiable one, since Luigi tends to be similar to Mario in many platformers and sports games. I like to play as Toon Link but I don’t like how he uses the same items as Link.
Oh, and Lucas, but he’s barely that much of a clone. Shame they didn’t change his last few cloned moves in Smash 4.
I guess Luigi, Dr. Mario, and Lucas. I did like Falco in Brawl, though.
I don’t know if I can call it a clone due to usage of different movesets, but Lucas is my favorite clone character so far. He’s fast than Ness, and even stronger than he looks. Before DLC happened, I was disappointed that Lucas was removed from Smash for 3DS/Wii U, but after DLC, I’m glad that he returned in his new look and attitude. His emotion from his shy and cowardly look from Brawl to brave and bright look in 3DS/Wii U did look perfect as reflecting to his personality in the actual MOTHER 3, and Sakurai did a good job on that one.
Lucas is my favorite by far. I love Mother 3, I love his moveset, and I like how he compares to Ness. I also find him more fun to play than the original (but I still love playing as Ness). …But he’s not really a clone.
Close calls would be Falco, Luigi and Toon Link. They’re all fun characters, very strong presences in a Nintendo crossover, and they make sense as (semi)clones.
Then come Wolf and Roy. A bit more redundant, and less significant than the others as overall characters, but worthy, fun and dinstinct enough. I miss Wolf, by the way.
Ganondorf is great and absolutely deserves to be in Smash, but I don’t think in a perfect world he would still be a Falcon clone, contrary to, say, Luigi, Falco or Lucas who make more inherent sense in being similar to their counterparts.
Then Dr. Mario and Pichu. They don’t really add much, but they are a fun presence. Especially Doc, it was great to have him back in Smash 4 where he’s even pretty different to Mario. But Pichu was fine, too, with his self-damaging thing he even has all the potential to come back and be very unique while still being similar to Pikachu.
Young Link is fine, but by now he feels eclipsed by Toon Link.
I don’t like Lucina at all. She’s extremely redundant, especially in a post-Roy’s comeback world.
Dark Pit is the definition of a waste of space. What’s even the point of him being in?
I’m not quite sure why Roy would make Lucina redundant, their playstyles are still different. Since Roy’s power is at the hilt as opposed to the tip of Marth’s blade, he has to get up close to make the most out of his attacks. Lucina, on the other hand, benefits from not having to worry too much about spacing her moves since the whole blade is evened out in terms of damage (of course in a competitive environment, you’ll still want to worry about spacing, but Lucina doesn’t lose as much if she doesn’t space properly).
Lucina would be redundant even without Roy, but they’re both variations of Marth’s playstyle, and Roy’s take on it is a lot more unique.
Lucina is just Marth without his gimmick. Like if you had, say, someone with the exact same moves as Shulk, a bit less endlag on every move, and no Monado stats. You wouldn’t play this character exactly as you play Shulk, but objectively he wouldn’t add much to the game.
Every other clone brings more to the table than Lucina does, except maybe for Melee Doc, and, of course, for Dark “absolute bottom of the barrell” Pit.
To me it seems like those two are just there to please their fans, while the other clones are in a bit for that, but also to fill a purpose.
While I love playing with a whole host of clones and semi-clones, Ganondorf stands out on top. He fits my playstyle the best out of every other character in Smash, and he got me interested in trying more Zelda games because of how much time I’ve spent playing the character. While I do practice with the character seriously, I also can’t deny the evil satisfaction of Ganonciding someone on For Glory ;P Runner-ups would include Lucas, Roy, and Falco. Oddly enough, I can play most clones/semi-clones better than I can play the character they were cloned from.
Funnily enough I’d have to say I’m the same when it comes to clones and their originals. I’m much better at using Doc than I am with Mario. MUCH better, my Mario is pretty bad, yet I’m pretty confident in my Dr. Mario. I’m like playing both Marth and Lucina but I’ve gravitated towards Lucina as of late. And I prefer Dark Pit to Pit as well, though I’m not too good with either. I preferred Pichu and Young Link over Pikachu and Link, though now I do pick Link since I prefer him to Toon Link.
Ganondorf is my favorite clone by far being my main and all, though I’m one of those people that really likes clones. There’s not a single clone throughout Smash’s history that I dislike, and the same is true for most other fighting games I’ve played. I don’t know what exactly it is about clones, but seeing variations of the same moveset, seeing how minor changes or a few unique moves with a mostly cloned set of attacks can still play so differently is really interesting to me. A lot may be annoyed by their inclusion but I say the more the merrier, so long as developers don’t get TOO clone happy. I’m not sure I’d want a game where every character is the same either.
My favorite clone is Dr. Mario 110%. When transitioning from Melee to Brawl, it was incredibly disappointed to find out that my best and favorite characters had been removed from the game, Dr. Mario and Mewtwo respectively. Going into Smash 4 I was incredibly hopeful we’d see my favorite return again and to my surprise Sakurai gave me my main instead….only for Mewtwo to come out a few months after release anyways. As far as him deserving his spot….I can’t really defend him. I thought it was extremely reasonable for the Doc to never return, and I can’t really say I feel he deserves to be in the game based on his own merits. That being said however, I will never, NEVER be upset by his inclusion, and I am overjoyed that I’m able to play as him once again.