Official Newcomer/DLC Speculation Discussion

[Blue7113]

Indeed. Literally, they're not that popular, and despite being created by the same development team(bar maybe a few members?), one is actually a niche but highly popular choice.

Like, I really wouldn't care if they got in(B&K) and I honestly have choices from Microsoft that interest me more(Steve?, Master Chief, and Fulgore are my favorites. I like them all more), but B&K should get in before an Indie that was loosely based upon them anyway.

I hope Banjo gets in for the fans. I love him as well, but I want to see the fans happy. Same with isaac and bandana dee

 

[ganondorf_22]

I responded within the quote.

MetaKnight was literally a main Kirby character that’s been there since Adventure.

MetaKnight was literally a low level side baddie that’s been there since Adventure.

Lucina and Robin are some of the least interesting characters in Fire Emblem Awakening. They are the most recognizable characters outside of Smash because they were in Smash.

Lucina and Robin were the two characters that became mascots of FE as their title saved the franchise, along with Chrom, they are the most recognizable FE characters outside of Smash.

Shulk came out of nowhere.

Shulk was from a game with a massive cult following that wanted the series to grow. While he can be seen as an advertisement, you can’t deny his status beforehand.

Palutena was a barely existent background npc in kid icarus, and a helpful guide in kid icarus uprising. She was a boss, but not even the main boss. In addition, Kid Icarus was a dead franchise that only was revitalized because people wanted Pit in Brawl, and they only wanted Pit in Brawl because essentially all the necessary Nintendo characters were in Smash by that point, and people didn’t know who else to ask for.

Palutena was a big female character that was a classic, coming from the same year as Samus and Zelda. She was finally given moveset potential in Uprising.

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

I responded within the quote.

Just so you know a person cannot easily quote your post and respond unless you split up the quote. By replying inside the quote, you make is extremely difficult for someone to properly respond to your points. It's something to be wary of when having a long discussion with others.

I hope Banjo gets in for the fans. I love him as well, but I want to see the fans happy. Same with isaac and bandana dee

I honestly think this is the only reason Banjo would get in. He's a fan-favorite. Considering how much of the roster has been fanserivce already...

 

[Blue7113]

I responded within the quote.

Can you reiterate your points? I can’t tell what you’re saying with that format

 

[ganondorf_22]

You're sounding a lot like that guy that bought all of those Rosalina amiibo and hated her, other female characters, and any he saw as 'not true Nintendo characters'.

This series is not about characters recognizable to the general public, it's a celebration of Video Games, particularly those linked to Nintendo, and characters fans of those individual series would love to play as.

You also have a very negative and subjective view on "worth" that I doubt most would agree with.

If we went by your criteria then the roster would be that of Smash 64, only with Ness & Captain Falcon replaced with Peach & Bowser, and adding in Sonic, Mega Man, Pac-Man, Cloud, and Inklings. Now that, in this day & age, would be boring.

By my criteria the roster would be that of Melee plus the 14 characters I said deserved to be there since Melee. Plus Wario. I forgot to include Wario in that list. Cloud was not one of those characters. Cloud belongs in the Sony All-Stars Battle game, or whatever it’s called.

 

[Crash4Smash]

Where the hell are the Shrek supporters? In disappointed with this thread.

The Shrek Supporters have all been banned for Trolling... or should I say, being an Ogre of a problem! (Yes I know Trolls and Ogres aren't the same thing, except in some cases, where technically an Ogre is a giant Troll)

 

[ganondorf_22]

Can you reiterate your points? I can’t tell what you’re saying with that format

MetaKnight was literally a low level side baddie that’s been there since Adventure.

Lucina and Robin are some of the least interesting characters in Fire Emblem Awakening. They are the most recognizable FE characters outside of Smash because they were the newest non-DLC FE characters in Smash, and they got a lot of hoopla when they were announced.

Shulk came out of nowhere.

Palutena was a barely existent background npc in kid icarus, and a helpful guide in kid icarus uprising. She was a boss, but not even the main boss. In addition, Kid Icarus was a dead franchise that only was revitalized because people wanted Pit in Brawl, and they only wanted Pit in Brawl because essentially all the necessary Nintendo characters were in Smash by that point, and people didn’t know who else to ask for.

 

[EarlTamm]

MetaKnight was literally a low level side baddie that’s been there since Adventure.

Lucina and Robin are some of the least interesting characters in Fire Emblem Awakening. They are the most recognizable FE characters outside of Smash because they were the newest non-DLC FE characters in Smash, and they got a lot of hoopla when they were announced.

Shulk came out of nowhere.

Palutena was a barely existent background npc in kid icarus, and a helpful guide in kid icarus uprising. She was a boss, but not even the main boss. In addition, Kid Icarus was a dead franchise that only was revitalized because people wanted Pit in Brawl, and they only wanted Pit in Brawl because essentially all the necessary Nintendo characters were in Smash by that point, and people didn’t know who else to ask for.

And what's your point? Characters got in because they were popular(Shulk)? Because they held importance in their franchise(Robin and Lucina)? Because the gained potential recently(Palutena)? Why should any of this be wrong? All of that is worth something.

By my criteria the roster would be that of Melee plus the 14 characters I said deserved to be there since Melee. Plus Wario. I forgot to include Wario in that list. Cloud was not one of those characters. Cloud belongs in the Sony All-Stars Battle game, or whatever it’s called.

I'm sorry, what? Do you realize how self riotous that sounds?

 

[Captain Shades]

I hope Banjo gets in for the fans. I love him as well, but I want to see the fans happy. Same with isaac and bandana dee

There are fans for Steve as well, people always seem to forget that Steve was heavily requested going into Smash 4. While he may not have been a ballot pick, neither was Ridley. Steve is the face of the newest generation of gamers, they either played Minecraft or some indie that rode off the coat tails of Minecraft’s success, like Fortnite which included a building mechanic due to Minecraft. Banjo is the face of 90s gamers, which is cool, but they already have Sonic, Snake, and even Donkey Kong if you want a Rare character. Give the new generation a chance is all I can say.

 

[Blue7113]

There are fans for Steve as well, people always seem to forget that Steve was heavily requested going into Smash 4. While he may not have been a ballot pick, neither was Ridley. Steve is the face of the newest generation of gamers, they either played Minecraft or some indie that rode off the coat tails of Minecraft’s success, like Fortnite which included a building mechanic due to Minecraft. Banjo is the face of 90s gamers, which is cool, but they already have Sonic, Snake, and even Donkey Kong if you want a Rare character. Give the new generation a chance is all I can say.

For that I say dlc

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

MetaKnight was literally a low level side baddie that’s been there since Adventure.

Lucina and Robin are some of the least interesting characters in Fire Emblem Awakening. They are the most recognizable FE characters outside of Smash because they were the newest non-DLC FE characters in Smash, and they got a lot of hoopla when they were announced.

Shulk came out of nowhere.

Palutena was a barely existent background npc in kid icarus, and a helpful guide in kid icarus uprising. She was a boss, but not even the main boss. In addition, Kid Icarus was a dead franchise that only was revitalized because people wanted Pit in Brawl, and they only wanted Pit in Brawl because essentially all the necessary Nintendo characters were in Smash by that point, and people didn’t know who else to ask for.

Shulk wasn't entirely out of nowhere, but yeah, his game wasn't that well known.

Fair enough on Lucina and Robin. Chrom was expected for a reason(besides being argued as the true main character).

Palutena is severely popular in Japan, which made her viewed as a shoo-in. Not just because of Sakurai alone, though it did help.

Meta Knight was one of the major 3 characters in the Kirby series at the time and severely popular. Though he started off somewhat random, he got bigger ever since. Don't forget that later games, manga, anime, comics, etc. also increased his actual importance. He was major in the anime(which is also the first time we had a Waddle Dee have a spear, which possibly inspired Bandanna Waddle Dee's official weapon).

 

[JarBear]

I am hoping for future DLC to include "newer" characters after the initial roster was decided on. After the game and it's mechanics are completed, it would not take as much time to focus on DLC fighters, etc.

Blend of the old and new is a good thing and to be fair, Sakurai has been doing a fantastic job. There is NO way to appease the whole audience.

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

For that I say dlc

He's a major gaming icon. Why wait for DLC? Unless you mean as a bundle deal to get B&K instead, then that makes sense.

He's been relevant for years on end. There's no reason to wait to add Steve? outside of "can't figure out a fun way to make them play" or he doesn't want to add the character.

The thing is with 3rd parties, relevance isn't an issue. You don't need to wait on them for some timing thing. They're meant to actually be important as a character to begin with. There are exceptions, as some may not be major gaming icons(like Bayonetta), of course. But those that are don't need to be waited on to "advertise a game" or anything like that. If there's a wait on the character, it's likely for a good reason, like moveset issues, licensing problems(imagine if Capcom said no to MegaMan till DLC came up), or Sakurai didn't want them in at the time(which changed later).

 

[Blue7113]

He's a major gaming icon. Why wait for DLC? Unless you mean as a bundle deal to get B&K instead, then that makes sense.

He's been relevant for years on end. There's no reason to wait to add Steve? outside of "can't figure out a fun way to make them play" or he doesn't want to add the character.

The thing is with 3rd parties, relevance isn't an issue. You don't need to wait on them for some timing thing. They're meant to actually be important as a character to begin with. There are exceptions, as some may not be major gaming icons(like Bayonetta), of course. But those that are don't need to be waited on to "advertise a game" or anything like that. If there's a wait on the character, it's likely for a good reason, like moveset issues, licensing problems(imagine if Capcom said no to MegaMan till DLC came up), or Sakurai didn't want them in at the time(which changed later).

I feel like Steve would work better for DLC for two reasons.
1. At least half of the fan base is opposed to his inclusion. It would be very controversial to see him in the base roster.
2. He wouldn’t fit the theme of older popular characters. Relevancy obviously doesn’t matter this time.

 

[Dixie Kong]

For Banjo Kazooie, if they were DLC, then Microsoft wouldn’t get royalties from the game, just the dlc right? If true, I can see Nintendo going that route.

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

I feel like Steve would work better for DLC for two reasons.
1. At least half of the fan base is opposed to his inclusion. It would be very controversial to see him in the base roster.
2. He wouldn’t fit the theme of older popular characters. Relevancy obviously doesn’t matter this time.

1. Fair enough.
2. 3rd parties aren't added because they're relevant either. His would be because of again, major gaming icon. Relevancy is, well, irrelevant here. 3rd parties haven't been added for that reason as is(Bayonetta could be a sole exception), but because of other circumstances that made the timing of their additions work. Being asked to be in, ideas for how they work, etc.

 

[EarlTamm]

I feel like Steve would work better for DLC for two reasons.
1. At least half of the fan base is opposed to his inclusion. It would be very controversial to see him in the base roster.
2. He wouldn’t fit the theme of older popular characters. Relevancy obviously doesn’t matter this time.

I agree on people being mad. Though I think people would still be upset if he came before B&K in any scenario. And there does seem to be theme of not only popular characters, but long standing characters, not that Steve isn't a little old(Minecrafte did come out in 2009).

 

[Blue7113]

1. Fair enough.
2. 3rd parties aren't added because they're relevant either. His would be because of again, major gaming icon. Relevancy is, well, irrelevant here. 3rd parties haven't been added for that reason as is(Bayonetta could be a sole exception), but because of other circumstances that made the timing of their additions work. Being asked to be in, ideas for how they work, etc.

But Steve isn’t a classic and his connection to Nintendo isn’t very strong. He was only added to Nintendo consoles well into his lifespan. And to be frank, Minecraft is dying.

 

[EarlTamm]

But Steve isn’t a classic and his connection to Nintendo isn’t very strong. He was only added to Nintendo consoles well into his lifespan. And to be frank, Minecraft is dying.

Fair enough, though I don't think it's dying, just not as popular as before. Plus, when has being dead stopped characters? A lot of us are hoping for B&K after all.

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

But Steve isn’t a classic and his connection to Nintendo isn’t very strong. He was only added to Nintendo consoles well into his lifespan. And to be frank, Minecraft is dying.

The connection to Nintendo isn't even remotely relevant to adding a major icon third party. Cloud has no real relevance to Nintendo itself. No, his series doesn't count. There's a reason he's FFVII based. In fact, Sakurai wanted an FF character because of the franchise being major. He chose Cloud because he's the most notable one. Even Square-Enix were surprised, wondering he didn't choose one who actually was connected to Nintendo. Sakurai overall said to forget console wars.

I doubt Minecraft is legit dying, but that could be a problem, yeah. I'll give you that one. Though don't forget we have a Minecraft-themed 3DS itself, so it has a lot more connections to Nintendo than some realize. Beyond that, the Nintendo version of Minecraft is the only one to also get Halo content, so it implies heavily that Microsoft is willing to work with Nintendo in the context of Minecraft itself.

However, wouldn't it be hard to sell Steve? as DLC too? Putting him on the box is arguably easier. It also depends which would be pricier. I won't deny that fan views can matter(apparently Tingle isn't playable because of his hatred in the West, though I can't find any citations on that at all. I mean, it's believable, but still, that doesn't make it the real reason why).

 

[JarBear]

The third party support so far has been those who have/had some relevance to Nintendo. Be it either starting from a Nintendo system or a game/character that was available on a Nintendo system (multi-platform games.)

Cloud is kind of a special-special guest since Final Fantasy VII was originally being developed on the SNES but the system couldn't support it and it was moved to the Sony Playstation.

 

[Captain Shades]

But Steve isn’t a classic and his connection to Nintendo isn’t very strong. He was only added to Nintendo consoles well into his lifespan. And to be frank, Minecraft is dying.

Ummm....Cross Play, two gaming competitors are now working with each other thanks to Minecraft, you know nothing major, just something that hasn’t happened since Sonic was included in Brawl and went to the Olympics with Mario.

Also Minecraft isn’t dying, it’s actually making a resurgence now that the cringe has gone to Fortnite. I mean everything sells tremendously on Switch and guess what the number one highest selling Eshop game was for the longest time. It was Minecraft. MC stills ranks in millions of players, so calling it dead would be absurd.

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

The third party support so far has been those who have/had some relevance to Nintendo. Be it either starting from a Nintendo system or a game/character that was available on a Nintendo system (multi-platform games.)

Cloud is kind of a special-special guest since Final Fantasy VII was originally being developed on the SNES but the system couldn't support it and it was moved to the Sony Playstation.

People are looking at patterns. When the reality is Sakurai doesn't care about the console stuff anyway. So no, them having relevance to Nintendo(Bayonetta is the only legitimate exception if any, and Geno would easily be too, same with maybe Banjo if he got in) is still irrelevant. People are looking for something that is not there. They were chosen because they all had major gaming history(Snake still applies for this too). These are a huge part of it. Popularity also plays a major role.

 

[EarlTamm]

Also Minecraft isn’t dying, it’s actually making a resurgence now that the cringe has gone to Fortnite. I mean everything sells tremendously on Switch and guess what the number one highest selling Eshop game was for the longest time. It was Minecraft. MC stills ranks in millions of players, so calling it dead would be absurd.

I also partially point at Youtube for the change of view on Minecraft. When they changed there algorithm, it killed a lot of Minecraft based stuff on the site, that while yes did kill some of its popularity, it did eventually have a lot of its negative stigma expunged.

 

[YoshiandToad]

Mii Fighters aren't even newcomers, they existed in Smash4-3DS amd Smash4-WiiU.

Err, yeah...I was referring to Sm4sh's newcomers when talking about the Mii fighters there, not Ultimates.

 

[Crash4Smash]

If Yooka Laylee got in over Banjo and Kazooie I think 98% of Smash fans would be outraged

¿Por qué no los dos?

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

Just a quick reminder to not make media-only posts. This includes links, images, videos.

 

[Idon]

View attachment 158016

Because we don't have infinite resouces to put into characters

 

[Captain Shades]

Steve would be a great choice as all the 3rd parties included are one of 3 things; a pioneer, a perfectionist, or a representation of an era in gaming, let me explain

Snake - A big pioneer in the art of having a story in games, as well as being somewhat of a perfectionist for it. Metal Gear brought a story that left many gamers satisfied especially in 4. The series also showed what the action genre could be and the fun of stealth gameplay. Metal Gear was masterfully crafted leaving a big impact on the industry.

Sonic - He represents the first console wars. While Mario’s greatest rival may be Bowser, outside of his games it was Sonic. The rivalry between Sega and Nintendo was a huge event in gaming history, and while Sonic has many faults, that history keeps him a float. I should also mention that Sonic is a big reason we have more varied platformers as it pioneered more free and organic platforming, unlike Mario’s blocky style. Sonic also introduced idle animations, something most games would adapt to have more personality.

Mega Man - Considered a platforming great, while Mega Man didn’t really pioneer anything, it has perfected platforming in a sense. It took the more blocky style of Mario and added more challenge and originality, making Mega Man a house hold name.

Pac-Man - He’s the arcade mascot and really pushed gaming forward as he was the biggest arcade title. He’s more a representation of the arcade era of gaming than anything else, basically being the face of those retro titles. Miyamoto really liked Pac-Man as well and may have taken inspiration to craft the Mario series. In a way, Pac-Man is like the father of gaming, bringing in the popularity to get the medium recognized and thus inspiring others to create their own gaming creations.

Ryu - Street Fighter pioneered the modern fighter, and other than Mortal Kombat, it is the fighting genre for the most part. Most try to be the next Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat when making a fighting series, so Street Fighter definitely left an impact.

Cloud - It’s Final Fantasy, the only rpg franchise main stream enough for a general audience. The series helped to pioneer/ propel the genre forward like Street Fighter did, and since Cloud is the most recognizable face in the franchise, and from the entry that’s considered the best, of course he’d be chosen.

Bayonetta - Perfected Hack and Slash titles. Many attribute this series as being the perfected version of the Devil May Cry style of gameplay. While Bayonetta didn’t pioneer that much, it quickly became the face of this smaller genre.

Simon - Pioneered a style of platformer along with Metroid. Literally the whole reason we have the title Metroidvania

Now what would Steve be, well Steve helped in pioneering the World Builder/ Survival genre, a genre that is still expanding to this day. Minecraft is also the perfectionist of the genre and pretty much the face of it. Many try to be Minecraft, but they just can’t find the magic or simplicity that made MC great. Steve fits the categories perfectly as he’s a pioneer, a perfectionist, and even a time character as many titles in this era strive to be the next MC or take elements from it.

I can’t see Banjo come before Steve as he really doesn’t seem to fit the categories as well. Mario 64 already pioneered the 3D platformer and Odessey perfected it. Even going by the historical point of view, Banjo would still be overshadowed by Ocarina, Star Fox 64, Mario 64, etc. In a way, Banjo just feels like another Platformer, nothing special.

 

[ganondorf_22]

Because we don't have infinite resouces to put into characters

This is why I would’ve preferred a more selective character addition process. The last two games could’ve been better if more time was spent highlighting the superstars and creating new ways to play rather than just trying to cram every niche character in (or trying to do it all.)

 

[Opossum]

This is why I would’ve preferred a more selective character addition process. The last two games could’ve been better if more time was spent highlighting the superstars and creating new ways to play rather than just trying to cram every niche character in (or trying to do it all.)

But when you call more than half the roster "niche characters," there aren't enough "superstars" left for a sequel.

Tell me, what Nintendo characters, at this point, would meet your lofty criteria?

 

[DevaAshera]

By my criteria the roster would be that of Melee plus the 14 characters I said deserved to be there since Melee. Plus Wario. I forgot to include Wario in that list. Cloud was not one of those characters. Cloud belongs in the Sony All-Stars Battle game, or whatever it’s called.

That's one boring roster..plus I doubt, under your criteria, that you'd include Marth, Roy, Ness, Capt. Falcon, G&W, or Ice Climbers, since none were particularly well known outside of Smash, Japan, or amongst gamers.

Niche characters are more fun and surprising. Superstars are honestly boring at this point..

 

[JarBear]

Plenty of big Nintendo stars already on the roster ... I admit I am personally lost on the view point.

There were plenty of characters as well as an improved fighting mechanics compared to Brawl.

is this on the lines of "big" superstars from other consoles? So far, at least, Smash has been mostly Nintendo based with special guest fighters that have had at least some relevance to Nintendo.

 

[Crash4Smash]

Sega is publishing N. Sane Trilogy in Japan!!! I hope Sega decides to publish a 2DS version of Cortex Strikes Back! (giving royalties to the required people/companies) And I hope a 3DS version of Warped is available using the Circle pad Pro (not required, however: Wumpa Bazooka can be toggled with the touchscreen and the top button (x) while the bottom screen shows the game status and collectables.

Also, I want Nintendo to publish Reignited Trilogy in Japan for Nintendo Switch, if anyone can reignite a PS4 craze in Japan for Spyro, it's Nintendo.

 

[ganondorf_22]

But when you call more than half the roster "niche characters," there aren't enough "superstars" left for a sequel.

Tell me, what Nintendo characters, at this point, would meet your lofty criteria?

None. The most recent ones are Inkling, Daisy (she’s more like a high-B level, but she’s been around for a while, especially in sports games), and one of the Belmonts (I prefer Richter, but feel free to sub in Simon if you prefer him.)

After them there is nobody, and that is ok. If Nintendo brings out a substantial character representing a really substantial game/series (like Villager, Wii Fit Trainer, Little Mac, and Inkling did,) then they should be added. Until then we keep what we have, and work on doing new things with the characters.

A sequel doesn’t necessarily need new characters. We also might not even need a sequel.

 

[Opossum]

None. The most recent ones are Inkling, Daisy (she’s more like a high-B level, but she’s been around for a while, especially in sports games), and one of the Belmonts (I prefer Richter, but feel free to sub in Simon if you prefer him.)

After them there is nobody, and that is ok. If Nintendo brings out a substantial character representing a really substantial game/series (like Villager, Wii Fit Trainer, Little Mac, and Inkling did,) then they should be added. Until then we keep what we have, and work on doing new things with the characters.

A sequel doesn’t necessarily need new characters. We also might not even need a sequel.

So you would rather no new characters, in spite of the fact that many of the additions you wrote off have tons of people clamoring for them? Don't you see that as kind of close-minded?

 

[Crash4Smash]

Going off of leaks and speculation/popularity I think these will probably be the new comers in Ultimate.

1) Bandana Waddle Dee - Thanks to Memoryman3 hacking the 3DS version of Yoshi’s Wooly World, we know there are two Amiibos coming soon, one being another Daisy, while the other is another Waddle Dee. While Memoryman3 is a huge Daisy fanboy, that doesn’t make him uncredible, he actually did call Daisy being in Smash through this leak, and the fact that he also mentioned Waddle Dee makes me think Bandana Dee may be a lock for Smash. Other things going for Bandana Dee include him being the only Kirby character left out of the Return to Dreamland 4 and what looks to be Sakurai filling gaps in the roster, ie Ridley and K Rool joining as Metroid and DK were missing their main villains, and Chrom completing the Awakening trio. It also helps that Bandana Waddle Dee was a popular ballot pick, ranking 4th in Japan behind K Rool and the two returning Brawl veterans, Snake and Wolf.

2) Skull Kid - Sakurai set his room up with pillows that look like Skull Kid’s shirt, and two chairs, one purple and one yellow, which could represent the fairies. If you didn’t know, the E3 direct had Sakurai in a room with barrels and a more wooden atheistic, which probably hinted at K Rool. Other evidence is the lack of his assist trophy, which is seemingly being replaced by the moon, a mini costume, and the idea of the villains theme, which means Skull Kid would be the villain to Young Link. Skull Kid also has a massive following in the Zelda community and Majora’s Mask is iconic and very recognizable as a component of Zelda. It also helps that people want a new Zelda character that isn’t Link or Zelda.

3) Steve - Yes, the avatar from Minecraft will most likely make it. Verge apparently has heard something about Minecraft content in Smash. While that doesn’t necessarily mean a character, my thinking is, why would you include content from the biggest game of the decade, but not a character. Steve would make complete sense, MC has become a gaming icon worthy of standing next to Mario. Minecraft represents a lot, with one being Indies which people voted for on the Ballot, but unlike Shovel Knight, Minecraft has become more of a house-hold name to deserve the indie spot. Steve would also be extremely unique, representing world building games, a genre yet to be seen in Smash, and he has basically become the face of Microsoft. Finally with stuff like cross-play, the 3DS title and exclusive 3DS, Nintendo is shown to be pushing the series hard probably because Steve will make a big debut in Smash.

4) Gardevior - The Richter leak called it, but it makes sense. People probably want every generation represented, so why take the risk and develop a new Pokémon that people may not like, when you can instead go back to the past and complete the generations. The Gothitelle echo may not be the best, but at least the generations can be complete for once.

5) Issac - He is popular and has been requested for years. His franchise is also at a loss for any representation other than his assist in Brawl and some music, so I think with popularity in mind, he has a pretty high chance.

6) Isabelle (Echo) - Verge called it, that is all. JK, no but in all seriousness, Isabelle would be an easy echo for Villager, and sense she’s become an icon for the franchise, and with Animal Crossing being huge after her game New Leaf, then I think it’s safe to say we’ll be seeing Isabelle.

7) Shadow (Echo) - They gave Castlevania two characters, and we all know Sonic is way more popular, so Sonic has to get a second rep. Since they most likely don’t want to make a fully new character, than Shadow is the best bet as he’s popular and was a clone of Sonic anyway. Plus with Chrom confirming that echoes can be original, maybe he can have Chaos powers.

8) Dixie Kong (Echo) - Remember when I said that Sakurai seems to be filling gaps, well, this would apply to Dixie. Being the last main Kong, I can’t see them including K Rool and excluding her. These 4 made the original DKC titles, and with Tropical Freeze seemingly being aware of Dixie’s popularity in its marketing, why would you leave out this popular third wheel. It also helps that once again, Echoes can be original, so she could have her hair move, and she was planned for Brawl, so the idea is there.

9) Octolings - They are the easiest set of Echoes you could make, as they are just Inklings. They would also be a modern villain to add to the villains trend. Add on that they are popular in the Splatoon community, and they would make for a great echo.

Gardevior and Shadow seem unlikely, and Agent 8 seems more popular than Octolings, although Agent 8 could also be two of the Octoling's costumes.

However be warned that this leak is based on an old hack of the game demo at e3, so alot has been changed, they undermined data steamed over the e3 demo, and Assist trophies are no longer distinguishable from main characters because the Assist trophies can be hacked as playable... hmm... is the hidden mode a way we can play as our favorite Assist Trophies? Hehh, I want playable bosses in a 1p vs. 1-3p setting

 

[ganondorf_22]

That's one boring roster..plus I doubt, under your criteria, that you'd include Marth, Roy, Ness, Capt. Falcon, G&W, or Ice Climbers, since none were particularly well known outside of Smash, Japan, or amongst gamers.

Niche characters are more fun and surprising. Superstars are honestly boring at this point..

I’d include all of Melee, plus 15 characters since then.

There more or less are no more superstars by this point.

 

[LetterO]

I feel like a Rhythm Heaven rep is likely enough to be on the level of Geno, Isaac, etc. Not only is Rhythm Heaven really popular in Japan, but the series is in dire need of representation that isn’t just two songs, a Smash Run enemy, and a trophy. The sheer amount of music that could be remixed in Ultimate excites me. Not to mention the Gematsu leak and datamining which implies Chorus Kids were planned for the game. I’d honestly be fine with anyone from the series.

 

[Crash4Smash]

For Banjo Kazooie, if they were DLC, then Microsoft wouldn’t get royalties from the game, just the dlc right? If true, I can see Nintendo going that route.

I can see the same for Activision involving Crash, Coco, and Spyro as well as their stages and Amiibo.
I can also see the same thing happening with Banjo-Kazooie and Mumbo Jumbo.

However, I think that the character will simply take on the name "Minecraft" just like the Inklings and 'Duck Hunt'.
Especially since we want up to 8 outfits for Steeve, including Minecraft Mario, Minecraft Yoshi, Minecraft Banjo, Minecraft Steeve, Minecraft Jesse (male) Minecraft Jesse (female), and Minecraft Link, Minecraft Alex, and Minecraft Master Chief. Or maybe even SuperGirlyGamer!