Top 5 Most Wanted Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Characters

The release of a new Super Smash Bros. game always gets people hyped. And while the E3 Direct and playing the E3 demo accomplished just that, for me, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was something to be excited for, but one that seemed a bit familiar. That is until earlier this month with the second SSBU-focused direct, which revealed a host of new information on the upcoming entry, and kicked things into high gear with the announcements of Simon Belmont and King K. Rool!

Of course, being a series built on Nintendo’s history (or just plain video game history at this point), people always have their characters that they’d like to see make the Super Smash Bros. roster with every new entry. So far, the newcomers for Ultimate reads like a shortlist of winning selections: The Inklings represent a contemporary Nintendo franchise, Simon Belmont hails from the third-party franchise most synonymous with Nintendo’s early years (except maybe Mega Man), and Ridley and K. Rool have been among the most requested characters to join Super Smash Bros. for ages, so their inclusions feel like gifts for the fans.

The following characters are the ones I’d most like to see be announced in the coming months to join the ranks of Super Smash Bros. fighters in Ultimate. I know, people might bring up that Sakurai has already stated there won’t be too many newcomers (outside of echo fighters) this time. But this list isn’t called “Five Characters Who Will Totally Make the Cut in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in Addition to the Ones Who Have Already Been Announced.” It’s a list of the five characters I’d most like to see make it. Not expecting all five, but I like to think my top two picks have more than a fighting chance.

The funny thing is I had originally planned to make this list before the last Smash Bros. Direct, but never got around to it. And since Simon Belmont and King K. Rool were originally going to be on this list, I had to change things up a bit after they were announced.

Also, my list includes a mix of Nintendo characters and those of third-parties. Because honestly, Super Smash Bros. now has most of Nintendo’s most notable characters. There aren’t too many left that would make a big splash outside of an Assist Trophy. Kind of have to branch out at this point.

With all that out of the way, here are the top five characters I’d most like to see become playable characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. But first, a runner-up.

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Runner-up: Skull Kid

From: The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

Rumors are already spreading that Skull Kid may make the cut, partly because his return as an Assist Trophy hasn’t been confirmed. I’d like to think those rumors are accurate. However, the fact that Majora’s Mask’s ‘Moon’ is an Assist Trophy gives me some doubts, as that would be Skull Kid’s obvious Final Smash. But I guess they could make some kind of ‘Majora transformation’ his big move. Who knows.

Anyway, Skull Kid would be a great addition for a few reasons: He’s the kind of character with potential for a unique moveset, he represents one of the most acclaimed Zelda games, and he’s a Zelda character who isn’t another version of Link.

Admittedly, the duo of Midna and Wolf Link would be another awesome, out of left-field Zelda representative. But I think Skull Kid seems like the more popular option. And he kind of reminds me of a scarecrow, and scarecrows are awesome.

Likelihood of making the cut: Not too shabby.

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And now for the top 5!

 

5: Fawful

From: The Mario & Luigi series

Some people bemoan that there are “too many Mario characters.” But that’s a pretty dumb complaint, given Mario’s importance to Nintendo and gaming as a whole. I mean, if you go to Disneyland, you expect to see a lot of Mickey Mouse, Frozen and The Lion King, and not so much Treasure Planet or Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Also, Mario isn’t a singular series, but a franchise comprised of multiple series (platformers, RPGs, Kart, etc.), and crosses over into other series like Donkey Kong and Wario (though the latter only with its titular character). It’s like Nintendo’s MCU.

Point being, Mario can have as many characters as it wants, provided they warrant the inclusion. And I think Fawful warrants the inclusion.

Now, that’s not to say that I think Fawful will make it into the game (except maybe as an Assist Trophy), but I’d be lying if I said his hypothetical announcement wouldn’t have me jumping for joy. Fawful’s one of the few recurring Mario villains, and became a fan-favorite due to his status as being arguably the most bizarre character in what is a pretty bizarre franchise when you think about it.

Sure, some might say Fawful hasn’t had a new appearance in nearly a decade (the 3DS remake of Superstar Saga wouldn’t count as “new”). But K. Rool hadn’t been seen for a full decade, so resurrecting characters isn’t exactly new to Super Smash Bros.

 

Likelihood of making the cut: Fingers crossed for an Assist Trophy appearance

 

4: Banjo-Kazooie

From: The Banjo-Kazooie series

Ah, third-party characters already. Like I said, even with Nintendo’s long list of memorable characters, Super Smash Bros. has soaked most of them up by this point. So…third-party characters ahoy!

Anyway, if Mega Man and Castlevania represent third-party games during the NES era, there’s no third-party characters that better represent the N64 era than Banjo-Kazooie (James Bond is a movie character, so Goldeneye 007 doesn’t count here).

Look, I understand the difficulties of licensing in this scenario, with Rare being owned by Microsoft now and everything. But Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft’s Xbox division, has been onboard with the idea of the bear and bird duo being in Super Smash Bros. for years, as have the people at Rare itself. And of course we know the fans have been behind it. Still, the legal hoops do make this unlikely, but again, I refer you to the title of this list.

Seriously, not only would Banjo-Kazooie represent a big part of Nintendo’s past (their history with Rare), but their moveset pretty much writes itself. Plus, we all just want to see Banjo and Kazooie again.

 

Likelihood of making the cut: Depends on the legal issues…

 

3: Solaire of Astora/Chosen Undead/Anyone from Dark Souls, really

From: Dark Souls series

Before you say anything about Dark Souls only now making it to Nintendo consoles, FromSoftware’s presence on the Switch was announced (along with several other third-parties) when the Switch itself was first announced. No doubt this involved Dark Souls Remastered, so there’s been ample time to implement it into Smash Bros. somehow. Not that I’m saying that is the case, but… why do I keep explaining myself? This is my Super Smash Bros. fantasy list! I can list what I want!

Anyway, another aspect that might help Dark Souls chances is that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, like the Wii U and 3DS entries before it, is in part developed by Bandai Namco. And who publishes Dark Souls? Bandai Namco. Point being, there are less legal hoops here.

But who would they pick? Solaire of Astora seems to be the most common request (he’s also the one getting his own Amiibo), and has become the unofficial mascot of the series. But maybe basing a character off the player’s created character (the Chosen Undead) would be the way to go. I guess it wouldn’t matter who they pick, because the idea of Dark Souls having a presence in Super Smash Bros. at all is just too good.

Oh, and to combat the people who say Dark Souls wouldn’t “fit in” with Super Smash Bros. Well, Metal Gear Solid and Bayonetta don’t exactly mesh with Mario and friends, yet here they are.

If Sakurai and company can make this…

… fit in with this…

Then why can’t this?

 

Likelihood of making the cut: Not impossible, but I don’t expect it.

 

2: Dixie Kong

From: The Donkey Kong series

 

And we’re back to Nintendo characters.

Frankly, it astounds me that Dixie Kong still hasn’t made it into the Super Smash Bros. series after all this time. I mean, we’ve had far more obscure characters by this point, like the Ice Climbers, Palutena, hell, even Captain Falcon seems like an off-the-wall choice when you think about it. Yet, here we are at the fifth (technically sixth) entry in the series, and still no Dixie Kong.

Being the tritagonist of the Donkey Kong series, Dixie Kong seems like she’d be an obvious addition to a franchise that seems surprisingly underrepresented in Super Smash Bros.

Many people claim she’d make a good echo fighter of Diddy Kong, but I never understood that. Dixie Kong is, both in physical appearance and abilities, a very distinct character from Diddy. She should really be her own character, with her moveset being built around her prehensile hair.

I was dead against the idea of Dixie Kong being wasted as an echo fighter. But seeing as I’m not totally greedy, and we actually got K. Rool (something we all wanted but never thought would happen), I’ve softened up a bit. Yeah, I’d still much, much prefer it if Dixie were a unique character. But at this point, I think it’s just important that she makes it in the game in any capacity. If she doesn’t, she’ll be pretty much the only notable Nintendo character not to be a Smash Bros. fighter (before you mention Waluigi, I said notable Nintendo character, not Nintendo character who happens to exist).

True, Cranky Kong also seems like an important enough character to earn a spot, but he seems more like an Assist Trophy, whereas Dixie not being a playable character by this point seems like a glaring oversight. Long story short, Cranky can have an appearance, but Dixie should be a playable character, even if it’s as an echo fighter…. *Sigh*

 

Likelihood of making the cut: The only downside to K. Rool is that the chance of another new, unique DK character seems unlikely. But Dixie’s chances do seem better now that Sakurai seems to have remembered that the Donkey Kong series exists.

 

1: Geno

From: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

What do Ridley, King K. Rool and Geno all have in common? For at least twelve years now, they’ve been the three most consistently popular requests to make the Super Smash Bros. roster. Well, Ultimate has delivered on Ridley and K. Rool. If this entry is going to live up to its name, Geno seems like the next logical step to that.

Some people whine that Geno is “too obscure” and that he’s “only appeared in one game.” Apparently these people are unaware that the Ice Climbers were only in one NES game – which didn’t exactly have Mario or Zelda levels of success – before they made the cut. Ness, Lucas, and Dark Pit also were only in one game apiece. Hell, R.O.B. wasn’t even in a game, he was an NES peripheral! Point being, you don’t exactly need to be a household name like Mario or Pikachu to make it into Super Smash Bros.

Geno is another character who has a moveset that pretty much writes itself, and just has so much potential as a unique fighter. Notably, he would be the only character who would blur the lines between first and third-parties. He’s technically owned by Square, but the game he appeared in was a Mario game, so that’s gotta give him some brownie points. Not to mention Super Mario RPG remains one of the most beloved Mario games, which has lead to Geno’s popularity to be included in the Smash Bros. series.

Perhaps even more notably, Masahiro Sakurai himself is a fan of the character, and has wanted him in Smash Bros. since Brawl was in development. We had to settle for a Mii Fighter Costume back in Super Smash Bros. on Wii U, but hopefully this time around Sakurai, and the fans, can get their wish fulfilled and we can finally get the real Geno as a playable character.

With every past character returning to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, as well as some long-desired tweaks to the formula, additional modes, and some meaningful new character additions, Ultimate is off to a great start in living up to its name. But it seems like – following Ridley and K. Rool – Geno is one of the last few necessary pieces left to make this the ultimate Super Smash Bros.

 

Likelihood of making the cut: They said Ridley would never make it. They said K. Rool would never make it. Geno becoming a Super Smash Bros. fighter actually seems like a realistic possibility now. Fingers crossed.