I'd be really interested in seeing these polls. I hear them mentioned often but have never looked at them. If anyone could link me to any of them I'd appreciate it. Does Sakurai sanction these before development or are these just random internet polls or... something inbetween?
I found translated poll results after 64 that factored into Melee and Brawl's development. Im still trying to find poll results for Brawl.
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/PostResult1.html
Favourite character from Smash Brothers
(1) Kirby: 252
(2) Ness: 203
(3) Link: 140
(4) Falcon: 98
(5) Pikachu: 95
(6) Samus: 85
(7) Luigi: 70
(8) Mario: 68
(9) Fox: 60
(10) Yoshi: 47
(11) Purin: 42 (Jigglypuff)
(12) Donkey Kong: 38
(13) Metal Mario: 24
(14) Mysterious Lackey Army Team: 17 (Fighting Polygon Team)
(15) Master Hand: 11
(16) Giant DK: 3
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/PostResult2.html
Top 20 most requested new characters
(1) Koopa [Super Mario series]: 169 (Bowser)
(2) Princess Peach [Super Mario series]: 66
(3) Wario [Super Mario series]: 65
(4) Great King Dedede [Kirby of the Stars series]: 46
(5) Ganon(dorf) [Legend of Zelda]: 36
(6) James Bond [GoldenEye 007]: 35
(6) Mewtwo [Pocket Monsters]: 35
(8) Banjo & Kazooie [Banjo & Kazooie's Big Adventure]: 33([Banjo-Kazooie])
(9) Kinopio [Super Mario series]: 27 (Toad)
(10) Mew [Pocket Monsters]: 24
(11) Marth [Fire Emblem]: 21
(12) Dosei-san [Mother 2]: 18 (Mr. Saturn [Earthbound])
(12) Satoshi (main character) [Pocket Monsters]: 18
(12) character from Fire Emblem [Fire Emblem]: 18
(15) Gooey [Kirby of the Stars series]: 17
(16) Diddy Kong [Donkey Kong series]: 15
(16) Sukapon [Joy Mecha Fight]: 15
(18) someone from Pokemon [Pocket Monsters]: 12
(19) Meta Knight [Kirby of the Stars series]: 11
(19) Lugia [Pocket Monsters]: 11
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/PostResult3.html
Super Mario series
(1) Koopa: 169 (Bowser)
(2) Princess Peach: 66
(3) Wario: 65
(4) Kinopio: 27 (Toad)
(5) Nokonoko: 9 (Koopa Troopa)
(6) Kamec: 8 (Magikoopa)
(7) Kuribou: 7 (Goomba)
(8) Mallow (Mario RPG): 5
(8) Geno (Mario RPG): 5
(10) Baby Mario: 3
Pocket Monsters series
(1) Mewtwo: 35
(2) Mew: 24
(3) Satoshi (main character): 18
(4) someone from Pokemon: 12
(5) Lugia: 11
(6) Nyarth: 8 (Meowth)
(7) Raichu: 7
(8) Maril: 5
(8) Fushigidane: 5 (Bulbasaur)
(8) Togepy: 5
Legend of Zelda series
(1) Ganon (including Ganondorf): 36
(2) Young Link: 8
(2) Princess Zelda: 8
(2) Sheik: 8
(5) Darunia: 2
Kirby of the Stars series
(1) Great King Dedede: 46
(2) Gooey: 17
(3) Meta Knight: 11
(4) someone of Kirby's comrades: 10
(5) Waddle Dee: 3
Mother series
(1) Dosei-san: 18 (Mr. Saturn)
(2) Poo: 6
(3) main character of Mother 2, etc: 4 (Earthbound)
(3) Paula: 4
(5) Starman: 3
(5) Jeff: 3
Star Fox
(1) Falco: 7
(2) Slippy: 5
(3) Wolf: 4
(4) Peppy: 2
Fire Emblem series
(1) Marth: 21
(2) someone from Fire Emblem: 18
(3) Oguma: 8
(4) Celice: 4
(5) Siglud: 2
(5) Leaf: 2
related to the Rare company
(1) 007 James Bond: 35
(2) Banjo & Kazooie: 18
(3) Diddy Kong: 15
(4) Blast Dozer robot (nothing specific): 2 (Blast Corps)
(4) 006 Trevelyan: 2
various Famicom / Super Famicom forces (NES / SNES)
(1) Sukapon (Joy Mecha Fight): 15
(2) Lip (Panel de Pon): 9
(3) Prince Richard (The Bell Tolls for the Frog): 8
(4) Metroid (Metroid series): 6
(4) Blacky (Wrecking Crew): 6 (Spike)
(6) Pit-kun (Parthena's Mirror): 5 ((Kid Icarus))
(6) main character of Shin Onigashima: 5
(6) main characters of Marvelous: 5
(9) Samurai Goroh (F-ZERO): 4
(9) Popo & Nana (Ice Climber): 4
(9) main character of Balloon Fight: 4
these are non-Nintendo forces
(1) Chocobo: 9
(2) Doraemon: 7
(3) Bomberman: 5
(4) Crash Bandicoot: 4
(5) Sonic: 3
(5) Rockman: 3 (Mega Man)