Tier List V.2
Alright, so since I've posted the first tier list, Sakurai has released a playable Brawl demo. This demo effectively allowed us to know the details of every move, movement in general, final smashes, and visual stuff for the following characters: Ike, Fox, Mario, Yoshi, Peach, Diddy, Pikachu, Metaknight, Pit, Samus/Zamus, Sonic, Link, Donkey Kong, and Bowser. As such, we now know far better the actual moves, characteristics, and playability for these characters. We also know certain tactics (such as wavedash, lcancel, conventional airdodge) are gone but new ones (like edgehugging, ridiculous di, and general floatyness). Opinions on characters have been -drastically- changed, in only a couple weeks. This proves how unpredictable this game will be. Anyway, on with the revamped tier list. Each char will display a +/- based on how much they raised/dropped.
Top
+2 Zero Suit Samus - I thought her whip would be good. I didn't think it would be great. The range on that thing is incredible. She has projectiles as well! The only real problem with Zamus is the fact that it's impossible to become her. :( She probably won't see the light of tournament play because she'll need the smash ball. But that whip+her general speed and closecombatness is insane.
+/-0 Metaknight - His comboing ability was well proven. His tornado special+side special are great special attacks, and his up-b provides intense recovery. His sword attacks are great, and his fsmash is a very good killmove. Marth w/ recovery it seems.
High
+5 Pit - Amazing recovery from his up b+ very good sword moves+multiple jumps for aerial combat=very good character.
-3 Fox - He lost wavedash as a reliable mode of transportation, you can no longer foxtrot, he's not as much of a fastfaller so his quick combo gamestyle is lessened, it's much more difficult to shine cancel. Basic fox play is ruined, but I think his great moves will likely still do well in the new play. His laser sucks too, btw. EDIT: Gimpyfish also says MAJOR SUCKS IS FOX. so yeah.
-1 Peach - Her downsmash has less range, her float cancelling doesn't work. Her dash attack is different.. You can't really tell if it's good or bad. Turnips are roughly the same, while upsmash and bair or more powerful. Peach would probably remain in the same spot had Pit not gotten better. EDIT: Float cancelling's in. commence higher peach playability.
Middle
+1 Sonic - He's fast. He's di-tastic. His moveset, however, seems to be -very- heavily based ont he spindash. His tilts are purported to be really good, but all the spindash attack are reported as gimmicky and not really that useful. I think you'll be able to see a charged spindash from a mile away. However, many of sonic's non spindash a moves look alright. He's worse in my opinion, but not enough to really get lowered. He's only higher on the tier list beacause Samus and Ike dropped.
+9 Diddy - The biggest riser in my tier list.. Diddy's popgun is a decent projectile, his up-b recovers and kills well, his quick hit-and-run attacks are well suited for brawl, and his tail is a fun little attack device. Yay diddy.
+1 Mario - Fludd sucks. Mario's still general wellbalanced decent character besides that. EDIT: Gimpyfish has a LOT of good to say about mario. I kind of want to put him high tier.
-3 Samus - Despite what genus claims, swd really is not that essential to Samus gameplay. Samus does take a huge hit because of the loss of wavedash (samus had a great wd and especially wavesmash), loss of missile canceling (so projectiles are less smooth), and loss of bomb jump (so recovery is much, much shorter, though still good). Some atacks are more powerful, though.
+/-0 Link - His moves seem to be a tad less laggy and more powerful, and there are slight aesthetic changes to stuff like his boomerang. I think this is a pretty accurate position for him.
+3 Pikachu - I decided that he was unfairly rated too low based on his moveset. It's pikachu. It's decent.
+/-0 Snake - No new news in the world of snake. Or most of bottom tier, for that matter. Maybe I'm biased against players I haven't seen.
Low
+/-0 Donkey Kong - again, no real change among the guy. Or he wasn't well played.
-9 Ike - Can you say FLUNK? Biggest dropper by -far-. He is slow. really really slow. He's effectively as slow as bowser, only he has a sword and vertical recovery. I'm ranking him high based on the idea that his disjointed hitbox provides a decent hitbox, but it's optimistic thinking since he's so slow. Not really marth at all.
-4 Ice Climbers - No wavedash=no real ground movement. Increased aerial play=ics have to jump. ugh. :( but their ground play, especially smashes and grabs, is so great it seems they'll still stay over bottom tier.
+4 Lucas - I just decided I was being too harsh on Lucas, who probably has a fairly different moveset than Ness anyway.
Bottom
+2 Bowser - The no flinch rule actually seems to be better than I thought it was. His new side b seems really decent as well. Since his up-b is still all the ownage it used to be, I see decent playability.
-1 Pokemon Trainer - No change in info
-1 Zelda - see above
-5 Yoshi - He can't djc, his eggtoss airtime is very little, and his attacks show no real positive change. The up-b hype was unbased.
+/-0 Kirby - lalala no change.
+/-0 Wario - My justification for bottom of bottoming such an awesome character stands.
I sure hope we get some info on Snake, Kirby, Wario, and all the seemingly bottom tier gang soon so I won't be so biased against them.
