We are currently in what I call the "dawn era" of Smash speculation as we don't know if or when a new game is coming out but, given the popularity of the series, it's nearly a given that one will come out. Ultimate has been finished for over a year now which is typically the five-year mark until a new game. Ultimate was released rather early compared to previous games. For example, Brawl was released in 2008 while Smash for Wii U and 3DS was released in 2014. Many new games will be released in the coming years, games that could potentially even have characters added to a future Smash. This makes roster speculation far different compared to roster speculation during a current Smash game cycle. Basically, we are in a good spot right now where we can look at characters and franchises in real time that could be added in the future.
We are no longer bound due to the limitations put forth by Sakurai and his team so we are free to dream and speculate on what a new game would look like with a growing wealth of content to consider. This led me to begin a new series of articles that explore this content unbound by these limitations. I previously wrote a series of articles for Smashboards speculating possible downloadable content in the Fighter’s Pass and wrote on series such as NeiR Automata, Fortnite, and even Dragon Ball Z. I wanted to do something different though now we are in this unique timeframe between such an impactful game as Ultimate was and the future of the series. Everything is currently open game at this point so I wanted to try my hand at taking the experience of what I did previously and apply it to this time; touching on things I couldn’t before. And what better way to do that than to talk about a character who, to many people, had been deconfirmed for Ultimate since 2018. It's no better time for....
With a character that has such a history in the Smash series but is also a mainstay in the Mario spinoff games, you would think Waluigi would get his time to shine rather than be regulated to an Assist Trophy. This has even led to some backslash against Sakurai when, back during Ultimate's development, Waluigi fans took to Twitter to voice frustrations about it. It garnered enough attention to be featured in mainstream media. That being said, even Sakurai is aware of Waluigi’s support at that time. So with the possibility of a new Smash Bros. on the horizon, now is the best time to openly discuss the potential of Waluigi finally breaking the binds of the “Curse of the Assist Trophy” and being promoted.
Gameplay Attributes
Waluigi's lanky frame makes him an exploitable fighter due to his tall height and low weight, so he probably wouldn't be a top-tier character if we’re being honest. His strengths lie in his reach due to the aforementioned lanky build and unpredictability in his moves. His damage output isn't the best but, funnily enough, he could have a sweetspot at the end of some of his attacks to add further unpredictability due to them being small and in unexpected places like Wii Fit Trainer. Due to his weight, his survivability is not the best so he needs to use his reach to keep opponents from bridging those gaps. Here's how Waluigi's stats could potentially look:
Specials
In regards to his moveset, Waluigi focuses on being unpredictable and even random. This goes in line with the character's archetype and personality as being a character that you can't really count on… but you can… kind of. His specials incorporate these aspects of his moveset design which, in a way, covers his weaknesses. This article (and possibly subsequent articles) only focuses on the Specials rather than normals, smashes, and so on to cut time and save up on space.
Palette Swap
Below is a list of potential palette swaps for Waluigi. I included two additional alts, one referencing Waluigi's Nintendo 64 appearance as that was the style he first debuted in.
Reveal Trailer
The scene is on Mario Avenue where all of the Mario characters live in regard to gaming. Waluigi (fully rendered in Gamecube-esque graphics) is waiting for mail from the Mail-toad on announcement day for Super Smash Bros. Melee. To his horror though, he finds out that he will be included as “a trophy”. Saddened, Waliugi watches as Mario and Luigi celebrate with Bowser, Peach, and Dr. Mario down the street. The scene cuts to the days leading up to Brawl. Waluigi (and everything else) has taken on a desaturated tone this time. He anxiously waits by the window for the Mail-toad but is worried as the TV has been advertising the new “Assist Trophy”. Waluigi quickly gets his letter but falls into disbelief as he has been relegated to that of Assist Trophy. He then decides that just waiting for an invitation is not enough: he needs to be underhanded about it.
On the next announcement day, Waluigi (and now fully saturated in color) waits for the Mail-toad so he can steal one of the invitations. He decides on Toad as no one would miss him so, as soon as the Mail-toad comes, he grabs the letter and opens it only to find “Trophy” written in it. However, Waluigi discovers invitations aren’t only for Mario characters but for Nintendo characters as well. With that in mind, he decides to break into the metaverse and steal a letter from a character The next few shots is Waluigi trying to steal invitations from Isabelle, Joker, Terry, Byleth, Min-min, and Pyra but fails each and every time. In the montage, he gets arrested by Copper and Booker from Animal Crossing, attacked by the Persona-shadow figures and falls off the building instead of Geese Howard. He finally gives up and resigns himself to his fate.
Fast forward to the present time, development begins again but Waluigi stays asleep in bed on announcement day; unable to bear being left out again. However, a commotion stirs him out of his melancholy and he looks outside his door to see a throng of characters through Smash history and they are holding up an envelope. A light shines from the letter. Waluigi approaches the letter cautiously because he knows that this could be a potential setup to further humiliate him. He takes the letter with his hands shaking and opens up the letter to find "Playable Character" written on it. Waluigi, exploding with joy and happiness, jumps up into the air while holding the Smash Invitation with tears streaming from his eyes as the others raise their hands in celebration. He finally made it in!
Que the splash scene "It's WALUIGI Time!"
A post-reveal scene after the Smash logo has Toad & Toadette arriving from a vacation only to find they missed the announcement. They open their letter but it appears that it was tampered with; possibly with glue and scissors with an “Assist Trophy” put there. They look at Waluigi's general direction with intense suspicion. Did Waluigi swap out the letters and cut and paste the results? Who knows...
Credits
Writing: Venus of the Desert Bloom
Editing: @Sari
Thumbnail Graphic: @Zerp
Social Media: @Zerp
Author's Note: It's been such a long time since I wrote anything like this for the site. It was great to jump back into it. Personally, I have never counted myself as one of Waluigi's groupies but I feel that Waluigi has proved himself to be able to become a playable character and the next game, whenever it comes, should be the one where Waluigi comes back. Do you think Waluigi was properly represented in this article? How do you feel about Waluigi's chances? Or do you not want to see him added? What is your own trailer idea? Let us know in the comments below.
We are no longer bound due to the limitations put forth by Sakurai and his team so we are free to dream and speculate on what a new game would look like with a growing wealth of content to consider. This led me to begin a new series of articles that explore this content unbound by these limitations. I previously wrote a series of articles for Smashboards speculating possible downloadable content in the Fighter’s Pass and wrote on series such as NeiR Automata, Fortnite, and even Dragon Ball Z. I wanted to do something different though now we are in this unique timeframe between such an impactful game as Ultimate was and the future of the series. Everything is currently open game at this point so I wanted to try my hand at taking the experience of what I did previously and apply it to this time; touching on things I couldn’t before. And what better way to do that than to talk about a character who, to many people, had been deconfirmed for Ultimate since 2018. It's no better time for....
It's WALUIGI Time!
Waluigi originally debuted in Mario Tennis on the Nintendo 64 as both an evil counterpart for Luigi and a partner for Wario. He has since appeared in a number of Mario spin-offs; namely Mario Kart, Mario Sports, and Mario Party. Waluigi's history with Super Smash Bros. is quite extensive, to say the least. He was first revealed in Melee as a Trophy but transitioned over to being an Assist Trophy (which made its debut in that game). His inclusion began a long-running tradition of Waluigi being featured in Smash as an Assist Trophy in each subsequent game to the point where it has become a meme Smash director Masahiro Sakurai even commented on Wauigi's ineptness to become playable in a Miiverse post back during the development of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS where he stated: "Just because you try hard doesn't mean you'll make it into battle."
Gameplay Attributes
Height | Weight | Dash | Walk | Jump | Fall Speed | Airspeed | |
Stat Number | Similar to Rosalina | 78 | 1.96 | 1.247 | 73 | 1.32 | 1.16 |
Place on the roster | Tied w/ | Between & | Tied w/ | Between & | Tied w/ | Between & |
Specials
Move | Name | Description | Damage |
Neutral Special | Tennis Serve | Waluigi will throw the tennis ball into the air and then whack it. Pressing the special button will cause Waluigi to swing the racket forward. This has a multitude of options. One option is to hit the ball which will cause it to rocket forward; depending on how you time this serve, the tennis ball will move further, faster, and hit harder. Another option is to whiff the ball purposefully to cause it to hit lower; perhaps players trying to get back to the stage. Another option is to not hit the ball at all and cause it to fall which can hit opponents at lower levels. Finally, Waluigi could swing too early or late which causes the opponent to get hit by the racket or be used for mind games. Each one of these options deals different damage and knockback. This move is pulled from the Mario Tennis series but I chose to include this as the Neutral Special since the move is the bread-and-butter of a character's moveset. With that in mind, I decided to incorporate the tennis aspect for the move as it is from the game where Waluigi made his debut. |
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Side Special | Waluigi Kart | Waluigi jumps into one of his karts and blasts forward in a manner very similar to Bowser Jr. and Wario. If the control stick is pushed forward and held while moving, it will cause Waluigi to gain some more speed thus more damage. Waluigi can turn back with a lot more control than Bowser Jr. and Wario. Waluigi has access to three karts: Standard WL, The Duke, and Waluigi Racer. Standard WL was Waluigi's main kart in Mario Kart DS while The Duke was from Mario Kart 8 as his main bike and Waluigi Racer was from Double Dash; his very first kart in the series Which vehicle he chooses is random and has no bearing on the move itself as it is purely cosmetic. |
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Up Special | WAHHH | Waluigi spins rapidly while lifting himself in the air. As he spins, rose petals spread around him. It has a trajectory similar to Wii Fit Trainer's Up Special, but is even harder to control, which is a further nod to Waluigi's character. It has both good vertical and horizontal movement but it is hampered by Waluigi's lack of control during the attack. While this attack doesn't have any actual basis in Smash, it's drawn from Waluigi's own personality and penchant for being overdramatic in his movements. |
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Down Special | Dice | Waluigi pulls out the dice commonly seen in the series Mario Party. The number that it lands on upon contacting an opponent will deal the damage indicated plus appropriate knockback as well. The dice can bounce off a wall or obstacle which will still do damage if it makes contact with an opponent. I had considered adding a 2x damage multiplier but I never committed to that idea. |
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Final Smash | Waluigi Time! | Waluigi takes a page from his days as an Assist Trophy and goes full ham on his opponents. He does a dash attack which will trap the opponent into the Final Smash. He then performs a large stomp which grounds them followed by more stomping. Previously, he would launch the opponent with a kick or tennis racket but this time, he stomps on the opponent with his feet and then delivers a series of hits with a golf club which causes it to bend. He then throws a Bob-omb which blasts the opponent up into the air. It then transitions into a dramatic cinematic cut of Waluigi winding up with a racket and then unleashing it; smacking the opponent into a Mario galaxy far, far away. |
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Additional Content
This segment focuses on potential content such as taunts, victory animations, and so on to help bring Waluigi to life.
Entrance AnimationThis segment focuses on potential content such as taunts, victory animations, and so on to help bring Waluigi to life.
- Waluigi pops out of an Assist Trophy and releases a wave of purple energy as if breaking from the Assist Trophy's curse.
- Up: Waluigi performs one of several dance moves. This can be interrupted, though they are all brief.
- Moonwalk
- Running Man
- Floss
- Dab
- Side: Waluigi stands up while twirling his mustache and snickers while saying "Wah, heh heh heh!"
- Down: Waluigi spins and performs a dramatic pose as rose petals swirl around him. He then says, "Waluigi's gunna win!"
- Waluigi slightly bends down and glares to the right and left like he is looking for trouble.
- Waluigi wrings his hands together.
- Waluigi grabs his racket and takes a few practice swings before performing one large swing while saying "Waluigi's the best!"
- Waluigi takes a Bob-omb and throws it behind him which causes it to explode dramatically. As it does, Waluigi looks back and scowls at the camera menacingly.
- Waluigi comes dashing in, twirls, and then poses with a rose in his mouth as rose petals swirl about him.
- Waluigi either takes a golf club or racket and throws it onto the ground while stomping on it.
- Waluigi's cap, nose, and mustache.
- The Purple Tornado
- Pit: Hey, look! Waluigi finally made it!
- Viridi: An assist no more!
- Palutena: It only took him, what, four games?
- Pit: Man, I am glad I wasn’t an assist trophy, back then! Not that it’s bad but, you know, it’s sort of an honor being playable.
- Palutena: Back then, I was a part of your Final Smash, Pit. It wasn't that glamorous, really.
- Pit: Oh yeah, that's right! Unlike Waluigi who never changed, I got new Final Smashes in every game! Poor guy, he must have felt left out.
- Viridi: I wouldn't mind being playable but...well...a Goddess of Nature needs to protect it! I don't like the idea of beating those poor pokemon or pikmin.
- Pit: Huh...I never thought of it that way...wait...why is Lady Palutena sometimes beating on me? Does that mean she enjoys...
- Palutena: clap clap That's enough you two. My enjoyment of beating on Pit withstanding, it's certainly a sign that times are changing when Waluigi finally gets in.
- Viridi: That's for sure! He just couldn't get that letter no matter how hard he tried.
- Palutena: That’s right. He tried to snatch it from Isabelle, Joker, Pyra, Min-Min, and even Terry!
- Pit: Wow, I had no idea!
- Palutena: Makes sense. He failed even before he could get his scheme started. It's still nice to see him back and ready for action.
- Viridi: If he's like anything from the Mario Sports games, I am sure he brought his equipment! His personality is also off-the-wall bonkers so he is probably unpredictable. He is so light I bet even I could lift him up!
- Palutena: Try to land a Smash Attack on Waluigi to make him go flying. He’s pretty low on the weight class.
- Pit: I bet when I do that, he goes "WAAAAAHHHHH!!!" as he flies off!
- Viridi: It's WAAAAALUIGI time!
- Palutena: Ok, ok, you two. Enough horsing around. Time to get back to Smash.
- Viridi & Pit: C'mon Palutena! Let's see your best Waluigi impression.
- Palutena: Now, now.
- Viridi & Pit: PLEEEASSE??
- Palutena: .....sigh.....waaaaaaaluigi is gonna win....
- Viridi & Pit: ...........................
- Snake: Hey Otacon....I got Mario...or Luigi here but he is purple and looks like a clown.
- Otacon: Hmmm...purple and looks like a clown....
- Snake: Yeah and he keeps screaming "Waaaahhh" everywhere. I swear he looks familiar...
- Otacon: It .... it can't be....they released him?
- Snake: Come again? Released what? A Metal Gear?
- Otacon: No, not a Metal Gear. They finally included Waluigi in Super Smash Bros. I can't believe it. The madman did it!
- Snake: He’s a bit on the scrawny side and his moves are really janky. Was he a really requested character like Sora or Banjo or something?
- Otacon: Well, yes and no. You said he looks familiar but that's not a coincidence. Waluigi has been an Assist Trophy since Brawl, Snake. The same game you first appeared in.
- Snake: Assist Trophies? I always played “Items Off” and Final Destination. Maybe that’s why I didn’t recognize him at first.
- Otacon: Ok, Mr. Competitive Player. Still, it is hard to believe it took him this long to get in. There were memes all over the internet about him not being playable.
- Snake: Memes....
- Otacon: I am just shocked he was included but perhaps, yes, truly it is Waluigi Time.
- Snake: So, if he is a Mario bro; does he shoot fire and do that jump punch attack? Does he have a vacuum?
- Otacon: I am not sure but I wouldn't be surprised if he uses some of his items from the Mario spinoff games like sports equipment, go-karts, and such. Being who he is, I would imagine he is quite unpredictable. You mentioned janky moves so I would be on your toes, Snake.
- Snake: Gotcha. So watch out for some out-of-left-field-type attacks. And tennis rackets. And golf clubs. And bowling balls. And apparently go-karts.
Classic Mode Route: Assist No More!
All of Waluigi's opponents are characters that are now playable but were elements in previous Smash games such as 64, Melee, and Brawl. All music is from the spin-off games and is meant to either reference the opponent or the stage that is being fought on.
All of Waluigi's opponents are characters that are now playable but were elements in previous Smash games such as 64, Melee, and Brawl. All music is from the spin-off games and is meant to either reference the opponent or the stage that is being fought on.
Round | Opponent | Stage | Music | References |
1 | | Boxing Ring | Little Mac appeared as an Assist Trophy in Brawl. | |
2 | | Arena Ferox | Dark Samus appeared as an Assist Trophy while Chrom appeared in Robin's Final Smash in Wii U/3DS as well as a Mii Costume. | |
3 | | Skyworld | Palutena appeared in Pit's Final Smash in Brawl. | |
4 | Giant | Space Frigate Orpheon | Ridley has appeared as a background character in 64, in Melee's opening intro and as a trophy, as a boss in Brawl, and as a stage boss in Wii U. | |
5 | | Saffron City | Charizard appeared as a pokeball pokemon in 64 and Melee. | |
6 | | Smashville | Isabelle appeared as both a Mii Costume and Assist Trophy in Wii U/3DS. | |
Final | Petey Piranha | Petey Piranha's Domain | Petey Piranha appeared as a boss in Brawl and in Piranha Plant's Final Smash in Ultimate. |
Palette Swap
Purple Default | Red Based on Mario | Green Based on Luigi | Yellow Based on Wario |
Black Based on Mario Tennis alternate outfit | White Based on a concept for Fire Waluigi | Dark Purple Polygonal Mario Golf outfit | Light Purple Based on Mario Tennis Aces outfit |
Reveal Trailer
The scene is on Mario Avenue where all of the Mario characters live in regard to gaming. Waluigi (fully rendered in Gamecube-esque graphics) is waiting for mail from the Mail-toad on announcement day for Super Smash Bros. Melee. To his horror though, he finds out that he will be included as “a trophy”. Saddened, Waliugi watches as Mario and Luigi celebrate with Bowser, Peach, and Dr. Mario down the street. The scene cuts to the days leading up to Brawl. Waluigi (and everything else) has taken on a desaturated tone this time. He anxiously waits by the window for the Mail-toad but is worried as the TV has been advertising the new “Assist Trophy”. Waluigi quickly gets his letter but falls into disbelief as he has been relegated to that of Assist Trophy. He then decides that just waiting for an invitation is not enough: he needs to be underhanded about it.
On the next announcement day, Waluigi (and now fully saturated in color) waits for the Mail-toad so he can steal one of the invitations. He decides on Toad as no one would miss him so, as soon as the Mail-toad comes, he grabs the letter and opens it only to find “Trophy” written in it. However, Waluigi discovers invitations aren’t only for Mario characters but for Nintendo characters as well. With that in mind, he decides to break into the metaverse and steal a letter from a character The next few shots is Waluigi trying to steal invitations from Isabelle, Joker, Terry, Byleth, Min-min, and Pyra but fails each and every time. In the montage, he gets arrested by Copper and Booker from Animal Crossing, attacked by the Persona-shadow figures and falls off the building instead of Geese Howard. He finally gives up and resigns himself to his fate.
Fast forward to the present time, development begins again but Waluigi stays asleep in bed on announcement day; unable to bear being left out again. However, a commotion stirs him out of his melancholy and he looks outside his door to see a throng of characters through Smash history and they are holding up an envelope. A light shines from the letter. Waluigi approaches the letter cautiously because he knows that this could be a potential setup to further humiliate him. He takes the letter with his hands shaking and opens up the letter to find "Playable Character" written on it. Waluigi, exploding with joy and happiness, jumps up into the air while holding the Smash Invitation with tears streaming from his eyes as the others raise their hands in celebration. He finally made it in!
Que the splash scene "It's WALUIGI Time!"
A post-reveal scene after the Smash logo has Toad & Toadette arriving from a vacation only to find they missed the announcement. They open their letter but it appears that it was tampered with; possibly with glue and scissors with an “Assist Trophy” put there. They look at Waluigi's general direction with intense suspicion. Did Waluigi swap out the letters and cut and paste the results? Who knows...
Conclusion
Waluigi has been a facet of Smash speculation since Brawl and has always had large amounts of support as a character. While his popularity was often overshadowed by characters such as Ridley, K. Rool, Banjo, and so on; he still continues to be supported to this day. Waluigi is unique as he is commonly requested but has also been an Assist Trophy since Brawl. Whether you like or hate him, you can't argue that Waluigi is a popular character and a contender to be playable in the next game. He could bring in a wealth of wacky, new content as well including music and possible stange based off of Wario Pinball from Mario Kart. It already has a song featured so it makes perfect sense. Waluigi is looking really good to finally obtain "playable character" status this time around!
Credits
Writing: Venus of the Desert Bloom
Editing: @Sari
Thumbnail Graphic: @Zerp
Social Media: @Zerp
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