Characters who you feel like missed the train earlier in the series

[Mr. Stevenson]

The title says it all, basically it’s a thread for characters who you feel like had a decent shot back then but ended up missing the ride in earlier Super Smash Brothers entries and now you’re afraid that it might be too late for them to join the roster.

I’ll start: My top ones are Tetra, Balloon Fighter and Urban Champion

Tetra was (presumably) considered for Brawl, referenced by Sakurai as “Toon Sheik”. Unfortunately they dismissed her, and now that she kind of has lost her relevancy and doesn’t even have a strong enough fan support to hold her back, I’m afraid she really lost her chance as a fighter.

Balloon Fighter and Urban Champion are very similar cases. They were both considered for Melee as a retro NES newcomer. The Ice Climbers ended up being the ones to get the spot (which don’t get me wrong I’m extremely happy they were the chosen ones), but now with Pit and Duck Hunt Duo in the more recent entries and how Sakurai seemed to leave this tradition of adding a black box NES newcomer in every new entry I really don’t have much hope for them.

Feel free to share yours

 

[Perkilator]

This is mostly just characters I wish happened:

• 64: Meowth
• Melee: Scizor and Ayumi Tachibana
• Sm4sh: Snivy and Azura
• Base Ultimate: Crash Bandicoot, Shadow (Echo), Alph (Echo)

 

[UserKev]

Ghirahim, I seen his support pre-Smash Wii U/3DS release, he felt legit and pretty close, being from the newest ground breaking Zelda game at the time. Mimikyu, yup. I feel like its over for Mr. Resetti. Tom Nook will get in.

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

• Muddy Mole. Would've been perfect for Smash 64.
• Jill & Drill Dozer. Same as Muddy, but for Brawl
• Tingle. His game had just released before Brawl, but I wouldn't think he missed the boat if it weren't for the lack of any content for the Tingle games in SSBU - they aren't even subtly alluded to in his Spirit Battle!
• Literally any Pokémon that isn't from the latest gen or a game that's just been remade.
• Now one I'm actually glad about: Shadow. His "second most popular character" days are over and now he's a famed laughing stock. Thank god.

 

[Rie Sonomura]

Only one I can think of atm is Elma for Smash 4

I mean Elma’s game was literally coming out in the west the same month as Smash 4’s Final Video Presentation; Corrin’s wouldn’t be out in the west for another few months

 

[volbound1700]

I wanted to see the Diddy/Dixie Combo character. That would have been really neat to see the concept.

Isaac, Rayman, and Krystal were all likely in the past titles but are probably not going to make it into Ultimate. I hate to see that with Rayman but it seems like Rayman lost his chance in the late Wii U/early Ultimate era.

 

[Michael the Spikester]

King K. Rool and Ridley definitely should've been in since Brawl.

 

[Janx_uwu]

If Eggman doesn't get in as CP11, I'm afraid it'll be the end of the road for him. Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, or Metal all seem much more likely for the next game's base roster.

 

[fogbadge]

rex probably. although he didnt so much miss it so much as sakurai pushed him off

 

[YoshiandToad]

Meowth in 64.
Toad from Melee onwards.
Midna during Brawl.
Dixie Kong any time from Brawl onwards.
Tails/Eggman in Ultimate.
Captain Toad in Ultimate.

 

[HYRULESHERO42]

Any Zelda one-off so far - Skull Kid, Vaati, Ghirahim, Champions
3DS eshop characters - Dillon, Mallo, etc
Custom Robo rep

More come to mind but I feel retro characters are never dead, just MIA

 

[Sari]

64: Meowth
Melee: Toad
Brawl: Micaiah, Sceptile, Midna
Smash 4: Elma, Dillon, Ghirahim

 

[Chalphy]

Krystal and Brawl, and any F-Zero character and Brawl.

 

[UserKev]

King K. Rool and Ridley definitely should've been in since Brawl.

Bit far off there, bud. They got in, even if they were overdo. This topic is far characters that will never make it.

 

[IzukuXYang4Life]

Dixie Kong. Krystal. Chibi Robo. Mach Rider. A Rhythm Heaven Rep. Midna And Wolf Link. Rayman. Ghirahim. ect..................

And as far as Dixie And Krystal.

I just have to ask.

Why is it so dang hard for Sakurai to just throw them into Smash and give them decent movesets that do not suck rumpus?????????

Throwing Dixie and Krystal into the game should not be the equivalent of Breaking into Area 51 and Fort Knoxx for Cinder Fall's Sake!!!!

 

[Arcadenik]

Meowth in Smash 64, Melee, Brawl

Alolan Meowth, Team Rocket Meowth, Galarian Meowth in Ultimate

Dixie Kong in Brawl, SSB4, Ultimate

Toad in Melee, Brawl, SSB4, Ultimate

Captain Toad in Ultimate

 

[fogbadge]

I just have to ask.

Why is it so dang hard for Sakurai to just throw them into Smash and give them decent movesets that do not suck rumpus?????????

Throwing Dixie and Krystal into the game should not be the equivalent of Breaking into Area 51 and Fort Knoxx for Cinder Fall's Sake!!!!

i think sakurai just doesnt want to

Meowth in Smash 64, Melee, Brawl

Alolan Meowth, Team Rocket Meowth, Galarian Meowth in Ultimate

Dixie Kong in Brawl, SSB4, Ultimate

Toad in Melee, Brawl, SSB4, Ultimate

Captain Toad in Ultimate

i agree

 

[Chalphy]

Dixie Kong. Krystal. Chibi Robo. Mach Rider. A Rhythm Heaven Rep. Midna And Wolf Link. Rayman. Ghirahim. ect..................

And as far as Dixie And Krystal.

I just have to ask.

Why is it so dang hard for Sakurai to just throw them into Smash and give them decent movesets that do not suck rumpus?????????

Throwing Dixie and Krystal into the game should not be the equivalent of Breaking into Area 51 and Fort Knoxx for Cinder Fall's Sake!!!!

As someone who wanted Krystal as my #1 choice back in Brawl it's fairly simple. Krystal hasn't been in a Star Fox game since 2006, and SF is in decline as a franchise. It honestly just doesn't make sense to add her until she returns, and the franchise makes a rebound. It's kind of like asking for a new F-Zero character, sure it would be nice, but it just doesn't make sense in 2021.

 

[pupNapoleon]

OF THE ONES I WANT:

SMASH 64: Meowth
MELEE: Togepi, Conker, Gruntilda, Mumbo Jumbo, Balloon Fighter, Excite Biker, Mew, DK jr (echo), Sukapon
BRAWL: Chibi Robo, Ray MK, Dixie, Vaati, Skull Kid (echo), Isaac, Alex (echo), Sceptile, Lip, Tetra (TL echo), Saki, Takamaru, Kamek
SM4SH: Tom Nook, Captain Toad, Paper Mario, Chorus Kids, Professor Layton, Rayman, Impa (echo), Bandana Dee, Alph (echo), Arcade Bunny, Dillon, Anna (FE), Wonder Red
ULTIMATE: Urbosa, Daruk, Mipha, Revali, Shadow, Balloon Fighter (again), Bomberman, Frogger, Zero (echo), Ms Pacman (echo), Octoling (echo), Ezio

Others that I think will miss the DLC cycle (opposed to the ones above I'm even more certain of, but could be wrong)
Crash, Spyro, Tracer, Doom Slayer, Master Chief, Red Bird, Jonesy, Sora, Scorpion, Sub Zero (echo), Nightmare, Agumon, Jill Valentine, CJ, Dixie (again)

Why is it so dang hard for Sakurai to just throw them into Smash and give them decent movesets that do not suck rumpus?????????

Dixie... I have no idea.
Krystal... because there is no point. Like Ninten.

 

[fogbadge]

Dixie... I have no idea.
Krystal... because there is no point. Like Ninten.

bit harsh. krystal was actually considered for brawl

 

[Pupp135]

These are the ones that I can think of even if these aren’t characters that I necessarily wanted.
Melee: Leif either in Marth or Roy’s spot, a unique Jhoto Pokemon, Meowth
Brawl: Tingle, Vaati (assuming copyright was not a hurdle), Toon Zelda/Toon Sheik/Tetra, Krystal, a Hoenn Pokemon, Lyn/Eirika/Ephraim, Isaac, Andy
For 3DS/WiiU: Unova Pokemon, Elma, Chorus Kids
Ultimate: FF character not from VII
Up in the air for Ultimate: Rex (I can only see him being added if he has Chrom levels of demand), Spring Man (idk where ARMS will be in the future), Galar Pokemon (they must be CP11, or they won’t make it)
I left Skull Kid and Midna out since their major appearance was during development of Melee (Skull Kid) or Brawl (Brawl), and they lost relevance after.

 

[UserKev]

Others that I think will miss the DLC cycle (opposed to the ones above I'm even more certain of, but could be wrong)
Crash, Spyro, Tracer, Doom Slayer, Master Chief, Red Bird, Jonesy, Sora, Scorpion, Sub Zero (echo), Nightmare, Agumon, Jill Valentine, CJ, Dixie (again)

I agree with this. If there isn't a Ultimate Deluxe, Scorpion will especially miss the train for every next Smash to come. Eh, Dixie isn't out of the running tho. She's the most logical DK rep and has noticeably strong support.

 

[pupNapoleon]

I agree with this. If there isn't a Ultimate Deluxe, Scorpion will especially miss the train for every next Smash to come. Eh, Dixie isn't out of the running tho. She's the most logical DK rep and has noticeably strong support.

Logic isn't inherently what dictates a character- and with the clamor of nonsense like Funky or Cranky...

 

[OmegaRS]

For missed the train, I feel only characters that have no chance due to relevancy should count. I know relevancy isn't everything (See Banjo, Terry, and Sephiroth(Maybe FFVIIR counts)), but some characters were just not major enough then and even less major now.

64: Meowth (Pokemon has tried to keep Meowth relevant, but as soon as Gen 2 was announced, there was no more chance).

Melee: Toad (Peach brought him along, that was good enough for Nintendo).

Brawl: Midna (One shot character) / Krystal (Why have a unique Star Fox character?) / Tetra (Should've been in when Toon Link was announced) / Michaiah (A full mage Fire Emblem character? Never).

4: Elma (XCX is no longer relevant unless they port it to Switch) / Captain Toad (This ship sailed) / Wonderful 101 (Didn't sell too well) / Bandana Dee (A main character in a Wii game, not really relevant anymore) / Ghirahim (One shot character).

Ultimate: Spring Man (Min Min killed that) / Rex (Pyra and Mythra killed that) / Isaac (There hasn't been a Golden Sun in so long).

 

[fogbadge]

Vaati (assuming copyright was not a hurdle)

it wasnt

 

[zipzapsparkle]

64: Ninten, Meowth/Clefairy
Melee: Leif, Toad, Banjo, Conker, Balloon Fighter
Brawl: Lyn, Micaiah, Krystal, Isaac, Midna
Smash 4: Elma, Wonder Red, Bandana Dee, Dixie Kong, Gen 6 Pokémon, Rayman
Ultimate: Alm or Celica, Springman, Funky Kong, Rex, Botw Champions

 

[Inferno7]

I won't specify the entry for each, but here it goes:
-Meowth or any past Gen character for that matter
-Lyn
-Elma
-Krystal
-Geno
-Ghirahim
-Tetra
-Rhythm Heaven rep
-Chibi-Robo
-Wonder Red

Skull Kid (echo), Zero (echo), Sub Zero (echo)

Sorry but
WHAT?

 

[pupNapoleon]

Sorry but
WHAT?

I think Sub Zero is a very easy echo- change the effects of three out of four specials, and it is fine to be Sub Zero, at a rudimentary level. Of course, of those three different specials, the spear would have to be quite a bit different.

Skull Kid- honestly, I think can work as an echo of Vaati. Skull Kid would clearly have VERY different, frantic animations. I don't think it would happen, I just think it is the simplest way to get 2 more Hyrulian, highly recurring, villains/ characters into the game.
Zero would have his sword for Smash attacks. There are enough instances (games) where he can also utilize the copy ability, that I think it would be fine.

I will admit, these would be echoes as much as Ken is an echo, with a lot of little tweaks, and a borrowed move also altered, from another player. But I don't think they require much more variance than aesthetics plus the differences of some of the original echoes.

And of these, I do think Sub Zero is both simplest, and most likely.

 

[Perkilator]

Know what? I’m starting to think Sora and Crash might’ve missed the train after all. We still have one Challenger Pack left, so my hope isn’t completely gone, but…for as much as I wish Sora got in instead of Byleth (even as one of the two people who likes Byleth) and Crash got into base game, I’m still grateful for the characters we did get as DLC.

On a separate note:

• Fighters Pass Vol. 1: Edelgard, I guess
• Fighters Pass Vol. 2: Spring Man he was an Assist Trophy anyways, Arthur

 

[Inferno7]

I think Sub Zero is a very easy echo- change the effects of three out of four specials, and it is fine to be Sub Zero, at a rudimentary level. Of course, of those three different specials, the spear would have to be quite a bit different.

Skull Kid- honestly, I think can work as an echo of Vaati. Skull Kid would clearly have VERY different, frantic animations. I don't think it would happen, I just think it is the simplest way to get 2 more Hyrulian, highly recurring, villains/ characters into the game.
Zero would have his sword for Smash attacks. There are enough instances (games) where he can also utilize the copy ability, that I think it would be fine.

I will admit, these would be echoes as much as Ken is an echo, with a lot of little tweaks, and a borrowed move also altered, from another player. But I don't think they require much more variance than aesthetics plus the differences of some of the original echoes.

And of these, I do think Sub Zero is both simplest, and most likely.

Zero plays nothing like Mega Man in MvC though, which is the way he would be portrayed (see his AT for reference), not to mention body proportions alone ruin his chances as an echo.

Sub-Zero plays nothing like Scorpion in the modern games though, but thx for clarifying about Skull Kid.

 

[SockOnForums]

Smash 64: Rare Character
Smash Melee: Mew/Lugia
Brawl: Another Sonic character (Probably a Clone/Echo of Sonic)
Smash 4: Chibi-Robo

 

[ZagarTulip]

SSB4 would've been the perfect time to add Krystal because

Smash 64 added Fox
Melee added Falco
Brawl added Wolf
Smash 4 didn't continue that pattern, that bugs me for some reason

 

[pupNapoleon]

Zero plays nothing like Mega Man in MvC though, which is the way he would be portrayed (see his AT for reference), not to mention body proportions alone ruin his chances as an echo.

Sub-Zero plays nothing like Scorpion in the modern games though, but thx for clarifying about Skull Kid.

I don't think it matters if Zero plays super differently than Megaman in entirely other game- as far as I can tell, it would be fully discarded.
And as far as body proportions, I also don't think that actually matters. So far we have been told it does, true- but we also know that the original 6 echoes from Melee, certainly, did not all have the same proportions.

But no problem- I actually thought you'd most likely disagree on Skull Kid. I think Sub Zero would be a pretty similar echo- wherein a lot of the standard attacks would go from Fire Effect and fighting attacks, to Freeze effects and fighting attacks. They do indeed play differently now, but they were also original echoes. Doesn't Ken play pretty differently from Ryu in modern games? <--- legit question

SSB4 would've been the perfect time to add Krystal because

Smash 64 added Fox
Melee added Falco
Brawl added Wolf
Smash 4 didn't continue that pattern, that bugs me for some reason

On the plus side, it got three full characters. That's arguably more than it warrants- particularly compared to Kirby's and DK's sales and notoriety.

 

[Baba]

Dixie and Toad feel like Nintendo's biggest absences.
I think if Peach's moveset were made differently, Toad would definitely have been a newcomer in Melee or Brawl.

Banjo probably would have been in the series a lot earlier and we'd probably have Gruntilda or Mumbo by now if Rare stayed with Nintendo.

 

[pupNapoleon]

I think if Peach's moveset were made differently, Toad would definitely have been a newcomer in Melee or Brawl.

Honestly... I don't think this would have mattered.
A good number of characters had overhauls between games, and even Dedede no longer throws Waddle Dee. I do know it isn't exactly the same comparison, as RNG were removed at the time..

But Toad could have been replaced, easily. Yeah, he is a minion of Peach (though honestly... I mean... usually not), but the move doesn't particularly make any sense, as far as canon moves... hell, spores have nothing to do with Toad. It could have been replaced with another effect that does virtually the same thing- hell, they could have had her use Perry the Parasol as a reflector, and actually added something from her 'unique' series.

But to add to missing All Stars-
I do think Toad and Dixie are the clear missing two,
but I think Eevee and Meowth are just a minor step below that,
and Tom Nook a little farther down below that.

 

[Inferno7]

I don't think it matters if Zero plays super differently than Megaman in entirely other game- as far as I can tell, it would be fully discarded.
And as far as body proportions, I also don't think that actually matters. So far we have been told it does, true- but we also know that the original 6 echoes from Melee, certainly, did not all have the same proportions.

I wholehearteadly disagree
Zero is a crossover icon, a poster boy for the MvC games and he has more than just one iconic move to himself; Genmu Zero, Ryuenjin and Raikousen to name a few. And we all know that Sakurai wants to do every character as much justice as he can, especially those who are 3rd party. Just look at Joker, Kazuya, Steve, Hero or Sephiroth, for instance. Not to mention his AT already proves he would be unique and different from Mega Man.
Making him an echo would pretty much be for the sake of making him an echo, which wouldn't be possible at all in the first place (body proportions). Specially when they can just copy paste his moves from MvC which is a huge benefit not many fighters could share or brag about, since most characters tend to have an entirely made up moveset for Smash that takes up a lot of dev time.

About echoes in Melee, yeah no. The concept didn't even exist back then and they were just clones. In fact, there's not a single Melee clone who's listed as an echo in Ultimate, and what do all of these new echoes have in common? Exactly, same body proportions and barely if any new moves.
Ken was an exceptional case and even then most of his moves are samey to Ryu save for some of his inputs. Zero is nowhere close to echo material no matter how you cut it, his sword alone would make him unique. Hell, tell that to any MMX fan and they'd just call you out.

 

[pupNapoleon]

I wholehearteadly disagree
Zero is a crossover icon, a poster boy for the MvC games and he has more than just one iconic move to himself; Genmu Zero, Ryuenjin and Raikousen to name a few. And we all know that Sakurai wants to do every character as much justice as he can, especially those who are 3rd party. Just look at Joker, Kazuya, Steve, Hero or Sephiroth, for instance. Not to mention his AT already proves he would be unique and different from Mega Man.
Making him an echo would pretty much be for the sake of making him an echo, which wouldn't be possible at all in the first place (body proportions). Specially when they can just copy paste his moves from MvC which is a huge benefit not many fighters could share or brag about, since most characters tend to have an entirely made up moveset for Smash that takes up a lot of dev time.

It's not that I disagree with this idea, as much as the fact that honoring the characters doesn't always matter most in Smash. It's seemingly more important in the DLC, but let's not pretend some big liberties aren't taken with many in the roster.

About echoes in Melee, yeah no. The concept didn't even exist back then and they were just clones. In fact, there's not a single Melee clone who's listed as an echo in Ultimate, and what do all of these new echoes have in common? Exactly, same body proportions and barely if any new moves.
Ken was an exceptional case and even then most of his moves are samey to Ryu save for some of his inputs. Zero is nowhere close to echo material no matter how you cut it, his sword alone would make him unique. Hell, tell that to any MMX fan and they'd just call you out.

They may not be echoes now, but they clearly were the same thing when they were made. They were quick additions made heavily reusing assetts, who were all made quickly, with a surplus of time in development that could not have been utilized to create even a single other character. The 'clones' (which I recall as just a fanmade term, anyway- I could be wrong) from Melee are the same as the echoes of today. I don't really see how this can be argued, other than that those characters evolved to be different.

A MMX fan can 'call me out' all they want. I'm not saying Zero isn't different in his games, nor that he ideally wouldn't be different. However, that it isn't inherent in him coming in. This could be argued for almost any of the echoes that do exist (save M4rth, and potentially Dark Pit)- Daisy doesn't float, Dark Samus uses all sorts of various attacks, Ken is more variant to Ryu than Dr Mario is from Mario.... ultimately it's just a term used for marketing, and can clearly apply in a lot of situations.
Dixie would best be represented by being very different from Diddy- they certainly have enough that is different. Yet, she also could work if based on Diddy, with some tweaks.
There is also the idea that sometimes, characters from the same series just tend to play a little more similarly, to give a feeling of a shared universe. Sure, Isabelle and Villager don't actually play similarly on a competitive level, and Lucas and Ness have different evolved playstyles- but there is a reason that fans called them semi-clones at the start, because their qualities are easily related.

 

[fogbadge]

Brawl: Another Sonic character (Probably a Clone/Echo of Sonic)

considering how late sonic was added into to brawl that just wouldnt have been possible

 

[SockOnForums]

Then maybe Geno? Wasn't he planned to be in at some point?

considering how late sonic was added into to brawl that just wouldnt have been possible

 

[Janx_uwu]

It's not that I disagree with this idea, as much as the fact that honoring the characters doesn't always matter most in Smash. It's seemingly more important in the DLC, but let's not pretend some big liberties aren't taken with many in the roster.

I guess I just don't see why Zero would be chosen as Mega Man echo where they would have to make several liberties (adjusting his height, almost fully disregarding the saber, giving him moves that he's never used, etc) when they could just make Proto Man the MM echo and it would be way easier and not have to have any liberties taken.