A Look At: The Past Assist Trophies

With Super Smash Bros. Ultimate revealed, a bunch of new information on the game including characters, stages, movesets, and more was shown. There's a few assist trophies still missing, though. We're here to take a closer look at the ones left for discussion purposes. Thankfully, Smash Wiki has developed a handy list, to make the task easier.

Two things to note, before we start: One is that L, and two is that any assist trophies that were in Brawl remain to be seen.

Assist Trophies missing from Brawl

• Barbara
• Excitebikes
• Gray Fox (Metal Gear Solid)
• Helirin
• Isaac
• Jill
• Mr. Resetti (Animal Crossing)
• Ray MK III

Assist Trophies missing from Smash 4

• Ashley (Wario)
• Chain Chomp (Mario)
• Dark Samus (Metroid)
• Dillon
• Elec Man (Mega Man)
• Isabelle (Animal Crossin)
• Magnus (Kid Icarus)
• Nightmare (Kirby)
• Phosphora (Kid Icarus)
• Sable Prince
• Skull Kid (The Legend of Zelda)

Assist Trophies missing from both games

• Devil
• Infantry and Tanks
• Kat and Ana (Wario)
• Lakitu and Spinies (Mario)
• Saki Amamiya
• Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic)
• Tingle (The Legend of Zelda)

Notable Occurrences

• Little Mac is the only character so far that's had his role upgraded from Assist Trophy. Since there's no pattern in place, it makes a good portion of these characters still in the running for playable
• Samus's Dark Samus costume was nowhere to be seen at the E3 demo. The same goes for Ridley's Meta Ridley costume, but in the case of Meta Ridley, one of the costumes may just be a placeholder.
• In the Assist Trophy portion of the Nintendo Direct, it was noted that there were at least 50 to show. We're currently at around 30 Assist Trophies, so it's reasonable to expect most of them to return.
• None of the assist trophies that made it into Brawl only have shown any sign of being in Smash Ultimate.
• Some popular choices still not confirmed yet are Isaac, Dillon, Dark Samus, Shadow the Hedgehog, and Isabelle; the latter three have remained over discussion due to "Echo Fighters"

Author's Note: What are your thoughts? Which one of these are you excited to see come back? Any you want to see become playable? Let us know in the comments below!

 

I've made this observation in the past and I do believe it's likely that the "over 50 assist trophy" figure is due to all of the past ones coming back in this game. Everything coming back seems to be the theme of Ultimate so it just makes sense that the same would be true of assist tropies.

One character that you neglected to mention for likely newcomers was Ashley. She's the character I want to get promoted the most and her odds of being playable because she had a lot of exposure in 2015 before the roster was decided upon and she's notably popular, especially in Japan.

 

Still desperately hoping Isabelle is playable this time around, she’s my second most wanted character. Her being an Echo would suck, but honestly I’d take it if it had to come to that.

 

I've made this observation in the past and I do believe it's likely that the "over 50 assist trophy" figure is due to all of the past ones coming back in this game. Everything coming back seems to be the theme of Ultimate so it just makes sense that the same would be true of assist tropies.

One character that you neglected to mention for likely newcomers was Ashley. She's the character I want to get promoted the most and her odds of being playable because she had a lot of exposure in 2015 before the roster was decided upon and she's notably popular, especially in Japan.

Every character is coming back, but not all content is coming back. It's been confirmed by Nintendo Treehouse that not all stages are returning, but "a lot of them" are. So it's also possible that not every Assist Trophy is coming back, but most of them are, plus some new ones.

 

I really hope Skull Kid manages to break the assist restraints and become playable. I want him more than ever

 

When it comes to promoting Assist Trophies to playable, outside of Lyn, Takamaru and Waluigi, I'd probably go with as a top 5:
1: Isaac
2: Ashley
3: Skull Kid
4: Dark Samus (as an Echo Fighter of Samus)
5: Isabelle.

Here's hoping at least one of them make it as a playable newcomer.

 

Q) What are your thoughts?

A) Well I think it's interesting how much speculation is going on just because we have yet to spot certain assist trophies. I feel the support that a few of these characters are getting is proof that the Assist Trophies are quite the valid tool for giving non-playable characters the spotlights, and it would be fantastic if more character could use this as a stepping stone to get playable roles in SSB, much like Little Mac did.

I do agree with the idea that Isaac, Dillon, Dark Samus, Shadow, and Isabelle could potentially have playable roles, hence their absence, though I feel that Isabelle has an even chance of having a unique move-set rather than just being an Echo (though again, the Echo is just as likely a possibility). I would also add Ashley to that list, who is very popular in Japan and has good timing, as well as Excitebikes as a likely retro inclusion. I feel Tingle is also worth mentioning as a decent possibility, even if his Majora's Mask incarnation may have been spotted in the Great Bay stage.

It does surprise me, looking back on this list, how many Assist Trophies didn't reappear in SSB4 in any manner. I feel that's a real shame; if they can't get in as playable then I'd like to see the character as the next best thing, an Assist Trophy.

Q) Which one of these are you excited to see come back?

A) Quite a few of these consist of characters I would like to see playable, but it'd be nice to see Kat and Ana return, lowers competition for Ashley to gain a spot. If they don't get in as playable characters, I'd love to see as many as possible return for the Assist Trophy role, which is honestly the next best thing. It gives these characters a lot of the attention they deserve, even if they sadly can't be played as.

Q) Any you want to see become playable?

A) Of those previous Assist Trophies, the ones I would most like to see playable are Dillon and Ashley; both characters being amongst my top 10 most wanted for SSBU. Tingle is also a character that I want playable, though with how much representation the Zelda series already has (even if mostly consists of the same character three times), he's not nearly as high up in wants. I'm always happy to see more Nintendo series gain representation, so I'd be perfectly fine with Excitebike, Isaac, Ray MKIII, Saki, Jill, ect. becoming playable.

 

Phosphora was seen as an Assist Trophy during Treehouse.

 

I would like to see:
Isaac
Saki Amamiya
€ Dark Samus
€ Shadow the Hedgehog

And although I'm not too familiar with them. I'd like to see Barbara and Dillon too.

 

Hoping that Advance Wars breaks out of Assist Trophy hell and Andy becomes playable.

 

I want Mr. Resetti's assist trophy to return.

 

What are your thoughts?

I honestly feel that assist trophies were a mistake. All they do is crush people's hopes and dreams in exchange for a 1/100 chance to see them jump around for a few seconds and then disappear.

Which one of these are you excited to see come back?

None of them.

Any you want to see become playable?

Waluigi, Bomberman, Skull Kid, Midna, Dark Samus, and Knuckles.

 

So I counted the total amount of Assist Trophies and from what it looks like, the total amount is poised to be well over 50...

29 Confirmed AT's from E3
26 Assist Trophies from previous games not shown off yet
3 New AT's from Street Fighter, Final Fantasy, and Castlevania (should Simon get in as he's rumored to do)
3-5 New AT's that have likely not been shown off.

So with that we get something close to the 60 mark. That means there's going to be AT's that...

- Are going to get cut from Smash 4 or in the case of Brawl not returning
- Gonna be promoted to playable status.

So with that in mind I except a good 3 AT's to be promoted. Ashley most likely and Dark Samus/Isabella as Echo's at least.

 

I honestly feel that assist trophies were a mistake. All they do is crush people's hopes and dreams in exchange for a 1/100 chance to see them jump around for a few seconds and then disappear.

That just makes me curious on your thoughts on trophies and stickers. Anyway, assist trophies are just a slight step down from playability, and with all of the changes they go through with each iteration, that gap gets smaller and smaller. While second place still isn't desirable, I still admire the dedication to make them get involved in the fight in some form.

 

That just makes me curious on your thoughts on trophies and stickers. Anyway, assist trophies are just a slight step down from playability, and with all of the changes they go through with each iteration, that gap gets smaller and smaller. While second place still isn't desirable, I still admire the dedication to make them get involved in the fight in some form.

Stickers are pretty harmless for the most part. Never even used them but they changed your character's stats for Subspace Emissary I think?

 

Stickers are pretty harmless for the most part. Never even used them but they changed your character's stats for Subspace Emissary I think?

My point was that stickers were the absolute lowest common denominator for "representation". I was just curious because you made second place sound like last place in this regard.

 

My point was that stickers were the absolute lowest common denominator for "representation". I was just curious because you made second place sound like last place in this regard.

Well it honestly is, especially now that DLC is a thing. Assist trophy basically means NEVER EVER as far as that specific game is concerned. But who knows, maybe Sakurai will break another trend and actually upgrade assist trophies to playable fighters in the same game. I doubt it though.

 

Nintendo may be hinting of Shadow making a playable appearance. All I want to know about Smash Ultimate if custom special moves are returning.

 

Holding out hope that Prince Sable is playable!

 

I want Ray mk III to be the next upgrade to a playable character..

Come on we know this guy should of been a fighter a while ago

And 100% real here I want tingle as well

 

I'm pretty sure Shadow the hedgehog was in brawl and smash 4? oh wait i misread that ok yeah then that makes sense

 

For myself, I don't really see much happening with the assist trophies. Other than Dark Samus (hasn't appeared and Samus's 8th alt costume has been altered) and Shadow (hasn't appeared and Knuckles is now an assist trophy) potentially becoming Echo Fighters due to evidence being brought, I can only see some assist trophies returning and new ones being brought in.

In terms of assist trophies becoming fighters, other than the above mentioned Dark Samus and Shadow, I really don't see anyone else being brought in. The main issue with Waluigi being playable is that there isn't really a moveset to work with, as he only appeared in Mario Sport and Mario Party games, and basing off of that his moveset would consist of a bunch of kicks and using sports equipment. If he had his own game (which I am kinda surprised it hasn't happened yet), then he would a significantly better chance of making it. This is similar with Daisy, but the reason why she made it in is because they made her a Peach clone, and I doubt the Waluigi fanbase would be happy him being a clone (although him being a Bayo clone would be absolutely hilarious).

For Isabelle, she would be mostly a Villager clone, and I think she is bit too "pacifist" to be fighting out there. I do hope she does get some sort of major appearance in the game outside of (of course) trophies.

All I want to know about Smash Ultimate if custom special moves are returning.

If it is returning (which is do hope it is), I hope they balance them.

Some custom moves are OP, such as both of Mii Brawler's up B variations, Kong Cyclone, Shooting Star Bit, Dash Slash, and Lightweight. I find it funny that a lot of the better custom moves are on super heavyweights.

Some custom moves are very underpowered, such as Farore's Windfall, Spinphony, the Ganon neutral B variation that isn't the sword, Armored Jet Hammer, and Mighty Falcon Punch. The latter two moves doesn't even work properly.

 

The main issue with Waluigi being playable is that there isn't really a moveset to work with, as he only appeared in Mario Sport and Mario Party games, and basing off of that his moveset would consist of a bunch of kicks and using sports equipment.

No, Waluigi definantly has multiple things to work with. Of course you got your standard kicks and spinoff equipment like tennis rackets and dice blocks, but there is so much more then that. Bob-ombs, dancing, swimming in the air, Piranha Plants, tornado summoning, etc.

 

I think Waluigi shouldn't be playable in Smash because we already have more then enough characters in the game of the Super Mario Bros series. I don't want that they waste development time on another Mario character, I wan't them to add a more unique character and keep Waluigi in his role as an assist trophie.

 

I hope Isaac and Shadow get promoted to playable characters. If they don't, I hope they both return as Assist Trophies (still salty that Isaac was straight-up cut from Sm4sh)