The decision to remove Mewtwo from Super Smash Bros. Brawl remains one of the most controversial roster changes in the franchise’s history, leaving many Pokémon fans disappointed nearly two decades later.
First introduced in Generation 1, the Legendary Pokémon Mewtwo was created through genetic experiments involving DNA from the Mythical Pokémon Mew. The result was an extraordinarily powerful creature that quickly became one of the most recognizable characters in the Pokémon franchise. Its disturbing origins distinguished Mewtwo from Pokémon that naturally exist in the fictional world, giving it a tragic backstory and establishing a complicated relationship with humanity.
Mewtwo’s popularity soon extended far beyond the original video games. It became the central antagonist of Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back and later appeared in projects such as Mewtwo Returns. Over the years, the Legendary Pokémon maintained a prominent presence across video games, anime, movies, trading cards, and numerous Pokémon crossover projects.
However, even an iconic character like Mewtwo was not guaranteed a permanent place in the spotlight. Eighteen years ago, a major video game release effectively replaced the Legendary Pokémon with another popular character, triggering a debate that continues to resonate with fans almost two decades later.
When Super Smash Bros. Brawl launched in 2008, one of the most noticeable changes to its playable character roster was Mewtwo’s absence. The Legendary Pokémon had previously appeared as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Melee, but despite Pokémon remaining an important part of Brawl and fans hoping for its return, Mewtwo was ultimately excluded.
Instead, the game introduced Lucario, a humanoid Fighting- and Steel-type Pokémon whose appearance and combat abilities immediately invited comparisons with its predecessor.
For many fans, Lucario’s inclusion felt like a disappointing replacement for Mewtwo. Both characters occupied similar positions among the Pokémon representatives in the Super Smash Bros. roster, while Lucario’s Aura Sphere attack appeared comparable to Mewtwo’s devastating Shadow Ball.
Although their overall fighting styles and movesets were significantly different, Mewtwo’s disappearance alongside Lucario’s introduction created the impression that Nintendo had simply exchanged one popular Pokémon for another. The decision sparked considerable backlash, even though Mewtwo had never been regarded as a particularly strong competitive fighter in Melee.
However, an important detail complicates the assumption that Lucario directly replaced Mewtwo. Data discovered within Brawl suggests that Mewtwo may originally have been planned to return alongside Lucario rather than being removed to make room for it. This discovery sparked widespread speculation among players about what might have happened during development. The remaining files reportedly included Mewtwo-related visual effects, victory music, and even Wii Remote character selection data, suggesting that work on the fighter had progressed considerably before it was ultimately abandoned.
Therefore, while Lucario may not have been a direct replacement for Mewtwo, many fans still wish that both Pokémon could have appeared together as playable fighters in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Despite the disappointment surrounding Mewtwo’s absence, the circumstances behind Super Smash Bros. Brawl make the decision somewhat easier to understand. Series director Masahiro Sakurai later confirmed that several characters originally planned for the game had to be removed during development because there was not enough time to complete everything.
Unused data found within Brawl provides further evidence of the extensive experimentation that took place during roster development. Remnants associated with characters such as Mewtwo and Roy remained in the final game files. Sakurai also revealed that Wolf nearly missed the final roster entirely, while Wolf, Toon Link, and Jigglypuff were added so late in development that they were excluded from the main storyline of The Subspace Emissary.
Mewtwo’s leftover data, including character-specific effects, victory music, and Wii Remote selection information, has reinforced the longstanding belief that the developers had worked on bringing the Legendary Pokémon back before abandoning those plans. In discussions on Reddit, many players have suggested that development deadlines were the primary reason for Mewtwo’s removal, rather than a deliberate decision to favor Lucario.
Lucario’s inclusion in the final roster also made sense from a development perspective. As a relatively new Generation 4 Pokémon at the time, it brought a fresh character to the crossover fighting series. Its distinctive Aura mechanic also introduced a unique gameplay element, allowing its attacks to become more powerful as it accumulated damage. Including Lucario gave Brawl a new Pokémon representative rather than relying exclusively on returning fighters. Considering the ambitious scope of the project and the development resources required, prioritizing a new character over completing Mewtwo’s return was an understandable decision.
Nevertheless, Mewtwo’s absence remains a disappointment for fans who hoped to see the Legendary Pokémon return after its appearance in Melee. Despite this controversial roster decision, Super Smash Bros. Brawl went on to achieve enormous commercial success, becoming a worldwide hit and one of the most memorable entries in Nintendo’s crossover fighting franchise.
Sources: gamek