I know what you mean about the clone/ish characters.
I aggree that neither ROB nor Olimar should've been included.
Luigi is acceptable, sort of, since he *needs* to be in there, but his moves could be changed quite easily.
First off; all fire effects become electrical ones.
Nutual-special = current straight-line flame but with electricity effect.
side-special = the headbut attack
Up-special changed into a spinning jump that drags people up with him (heavily modified bowser-up)
Down special = vaccume cleaner which does damage at range, and can suck enemies in if highley damaged (sort of like kirby) in order to shoot them out again at short range (like kirby vs kirby). sucks luigi forwards in way selected.
Yes, he's sort of mewtwo-ish, but it makes sense, and all the moves are visibal in games he's been in except the headbut.
'Cartoon link' should've had the deku leaf as a gliding ability. To be honest, I allways prefered young link to adult link, though. His down be could be turned into something else easily.
As for the 3 foxes; remove either Falco or Wolf. I'd suggest falco, although I know many people would cry out against it. Make wolf's attacks much heavier (pistol? pah! rocket launcher!)
Falco replaced by Krystal. Yes, she sucks, but her moveset would've been FAR more interesting and it's quite obvious how it'd work if you've played adventures. rocket jump, fire balls, ground smashing, shields and whathaveyou can be done with that staff.
I'm sure they could've changed ganon in any number of ways.
Also, if they really want bonus strategic characters which seem out of place (*cough* ROB, olimar) then why not Sunshine Mario, Wolf Link+Minda, Tails/Knuckles, Bowser Jr+Shadow Mario, or any number of great choices?
I know Mario, Link and Sonic could then end up fighting each other, but they're TROPHIES anyway...
Sunshine mario would have sole posession of FLOOD, using all of it's abilities to great use, from attacking, throwing himself into opponants or hovering back onto the stage.
Wolf Link/Minda could have mostly grapple-based attacks (like bowser's bite move) and short-range, charged melee attacks (like C.Falcon's main set or luigi's headbut) for special attacks, maybe even copy the teleport off zelda for an up-special. They could use a grapple in the form of Minda's 'hand'. The final smash could involve WZ's ability to rapidly lunge from opponant to opponant using his version of the spin attack...
Tails could quite happily use multipul jumps, be equppied with his weapons from sonic battle (ranged laser attacks and melee boxing-gloves-on-springs), or Knux could use verrry heavy hitting melee attacks, throw boulders in a similar way to peach's down-special, etc. His up-special would be that flaming jump-punch of his. Glideing for a recovery move.
Bowser jr (although I hate him)/Shadow Mario would have Bowser jr to Bowser as Ylink was to Link - shorter ranged attacks, not as damaging, but faster. Side-special would change grabbing a badguy into grabbing onto a badguy, slowing them down but putting them firmly in control whilst you damage them. Paintbrush for melee moves. Down B to change. Shadow Mario would be a re-skinned dr mario, the pills changed to globs of paint (which could make the stage slioghtly more sticky where they hit, or slow down enemies) with no bounce, the side-B changed into mario's old Down-B move, with added sliding.
