Official Next Smash - Speculation & Discussion Thread

[DarthEnderX]

Newcomers for prexisting series:
Some Pokemon [Pokemon]
Captain Toad/Toadette [Mario]
King Hippo [Punch-Out]
Zero [Mega Man]
Alucard [Castlevania]
Raiden [Metal Gear]

And then a bunch of new Echoes:
Ninten [Ness]
Black Shadow [Captain Falcon]
Impa [Sheik]
Galacta Knight [Meta Knight]
Liquid Snake [Snake]
Black Knight [Ike]
Dixie Kong [Diddy Kong]
Shadow [Sonic]
Bass [Megaman]
Zack [Cloud]
Jeanne [Bayonetta]
Octolings [Inklings]
Roxas [Sora]

 

[Scrimblo Bimblo]

So the TTYD remake has introduced a new super boss, Prince Mush.
He himself is never getting into Smash, but a playable Toad borrowing some stuff from him could work, he's a very flashy fighter. He has a rush attack and a dodge that could work decently well on regular Toad.
Let's leave the Bayonetta combos and the Super Sayan powering up confined to Mush though.

 

[Sucumbio]

Alucard let's goooooo

 

[ShotoStar]

So let's discuss the idea of characters from a series. Which series do you guys think would have potential for newcomers?

I think the most likely franchises to get new characters would be; Super Mario, Pokemon, Fire Emblem, Animal Crossing, Xenoblade, Splatoon.

Super Mario I think has three main candidates the first two being the frontrunners while the third being a dark horse pick (...and my personal want); Waluigi, Paper Mario, Geno. The perfect timeline is one where all three get in because I think all three have a case to be made for them but realistically it'd be two at best. My personal want is Geno but I think he, despite getting his game remade and the bolstering done by marketability which comes with it, I think is the least likely. Waluigi and Paper Mario seem like the easy gets so they seem particularly notable.

Pokemon I think it depends on the timing of how far along Gen 10 is and when Gen 10 comes out, if the roster has been finalized by now then perhaps we'll get a Gen 9 mon instead akin to how Xenoblade Chronicles 2 missed base game but unlike XC2 if Gen 10 misses base game I don't think it'd be retroactively included in DLC. Fire Emblem seems a toss-up between Alear from Engage or one of the original characters from Heroes, my personal preference being Sharena or Veronica. Animal Crossing I think Tom Nook could be added due to the sheer popularity New Horizons experienced but it depends on if one of the two AC characters get cut, if one of them (probably Villager) get cut then Tom Nook's chances increase significantly imo but that depends on the scope of cuts we get next game.

Xenoblade seems obvious between Noah, Mio, or both of them in a way that only Sakurai could cook up and make work. ...Assuming Sakurai returns, of course, which I think is more likely than not. Splatoon then would get Octolings of course seems like a no brainer to me. Maayyybeee one of the idol groups but I doubt it. Would be fun to see though.

As for other franchises I'll just throw out some suggestions regardless of their actual likeliness but based on who I would like to see; Tingle (Zelda), Magolor (Kirby), Duster (Mother), Bulborb (Pikmin), specifically MGS2 Raiden (Metal Gear), Dr. Eggman (Sonic), Sakura Kasugano (Street Fighter), Reina Mishima (TEKKEN), an FFXIV character (Final Fantasy), Rock Howard (Fatal Fury)

 

[fogbadge]

Considering full fighters only:

Spoiler

Certainty
Death, Taxes, & : I think this will either be a Gen 10 starter, or Eevee if one isn't available. Eevee seems like the most likely pick for them to go back for, and since Pokémon Scarlet/Violet is old now, and Pokémon Legends Z-A is a spin-off, I don't see them adding a character from either game just for promotion's sake. Gen 10's going to release very close to SSBNext, so I'll give the edge to that outcome, but something else is actually a possibility for once.
Highly Likely
: Waluigi is the most likely, but for one reason or another, he could get snubbed for (Captain) Toad or King Boo.
: I am biased, but with the success of Kirby and the Forgotten Land, I think it's time for Bandana Waddle Dee to take the stage.
: I think Tom Nook is just shy of being a lock. I also think he's not going to overlap with Villager and Isabelle and instead offer something entirely different.
: I think Splatoon will be getting a non-echo fighter, even if it's Octoling. Octoling will be like the Lucas to Inkling's Ness. Alternitively could be D.J. Octavio or an idol, but Octoling seems more likely.
Plausible
(Geno): If Geno is added, he will probably be a second Mario character rather than being the only one.
: It's been a long time since the series has gotten a character, but barring a surprise Skull Kid, there aren't too many compelling options. Rauru is possible, but not typically the kind of character they'd pick, and it's more likely they'd just change Link and consider The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom repped.
: I feel like Sylux is a possibility to promote Metroid Prime 4, but it's also very possible they don't bother for a lot of reasons, not the least of which being power fantasy overlap with Samus and Dark Samus.
: I could see Kamek happening, but being coined as a Yoshi character, as this is his debut, though he's really just operating as one of the less likely options for a Mario character here.
: WarioWare is still going pretty strong, so Ashley is an option. Not the most likely, but one I veer more towards the side of optimism on.
: There's a lot of different options they could pick here, but any one of them could happen.
: I think Pikmin is poised for a newcomer, and I'm still optimistic on Oatchi, but I cant deny the possibility of them just giveing Olimar a new costume and calling it a day.
: Chun-Li is has a pretty decent shot at getting added. Luke also does, kinda, but I'd say Chun-Li's chances are much greater.
: Jin is a pretty plausible pick, either being added alongside or instead of Kazuya.
Implausible
: They could try to go back and add Lyn, but I don't think they're super likely to do this.
: Zero could be added, but I'm not super optimistic on them doing so.
: With Noah/Mio no longer being promo picks, it's pretty likely that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will skip out on a character. Maybe Xenoblade Chronicles 4 will have a shot in the DLC? Crap, depending on how things go Pyra/Mythra could be the last Xenoblade Chronicles characters for a good long while.
: Not unless we're replacing Simon and Richter with Alucard.
Nope

EDIT: Full Newcomer Predictions:

1. Gen 10 Starter/Eevee
2. Waluigi
3. Bandana Waddle Dee
4. Tom Nook
5. Octoling
6. Oatchi
7. Monster Hunter
8. Ring & Ring Fit Trainee
9. Skull Kid
10. Geno
11. Surprise Pick (Assuming it isn't Skull Kid)
12. Chun-Li

I usually include Officer Howard here, but like Noah/Mio and Alear, their ship has kinda sailed. Unless Astral Chain 2 is gonna be a thing soon, they no in.

hang on, the ship has sailed for Astral Chain, Xenoblade 3 and FE Engage but not Ring Fit Adventures which is older than most of them?

 

[Among Waddle Dees]

So the TTYD remake has introduced a new super boss, Prince Mush.
He himself is never getting into Smash, but a playable Toad borrowing some stuff from him could work, he's a very flashy fighter. He has a rush attack and a dodge that could work decently well on regular Toad.
Let's leave the Bayonetta combos and the Super Sayan powering up confined to Mush though.

I feel like that kind of ambition might drive away from the simpler nature of Toads. Which I do appreciate in Paper Mario, since that series loved to play with expectations of the norm. But it may not necessarily be a great way to handle Toad for a wider audience in Smash.

Incidentally, I am happy that character has a role in the remake instead of vanishing right after his first appearance.

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

hang on, the ship has sailed for Astral Chain, Xenoblade 3 and FE Engage but not Ring Fit Adventures which is older than most of them?

Well Ring Fit Adventure is a special case since it sold ludicrously well. $15.38 Million as opposed to Astral Chain's $1.33 Million. Granted, 1 Million is still quite good, but it's not top 15 best seller good. Something like that, you're definitely going to want to include.

Officer Howard might still get in if Sakurai wants to have another go at the puppet fighter archetype, but otherwise they're extremely unlikely without an Astral Chain 2 on the horizon.

 

[fogbadge]

Well Ring Fit Adventure is a special case since it sold ludicrously well. $15.38 Million as opposed to Astral Chain's $1.33 Million. Granted, 1 Million is still quite good, but it's not top 15 best seller good. Something like that, you're definitely going to want to include.

Officer Howard might still get in if Sakurai wants to have another go at the puppet fighter archetype, but otherwise they're extremely unlikely without an Astral Chain 2 on the horizon.

yeah and xenoblade and fire emblem are ludicrously selling franchises. what we have here is a double standard

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

yeah and xenoblade and fire emblem are ludicrously selling franchises. what we have here is a double standard

I mean...didn't I say that both Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Fire Emblem Engage probably weren't getting characters either? In their cases neither of them sold anywhere near as well as Ring Fit Adventure, and both of them sold less than the previous games in their series.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

yeah and xenoblade and fire emblem are ludicrously selling franchises. what we have here is a double standard

There is no double standard.

Neither Xenoblade or Fire Emblem have sold 15 million units for a single game. It's a big deal if either franchise sells 3 million.

SMAASH! Puppy is making it very clear it's an exception due to its ludicrous number of sales.

 

[Perkilator]

Personally, I don’t think Sakurai 100% cares how well a game sells, if he thinks he can make a fighter from that game work.

That being said, I’m going to be bold and try to predict the next game’s base game newcomers.

1. Waluigi
2. Toad
3. Dixie Kong
4. Raven Beak
5. Bandana Waddle Dee
6. Meowscarada
7. Alear
8. Noah and/or Mio
9. Officer Howard
10. Ring Fit Trainee
11. Alucard
12. Shadow
13. Chun-Li
14. Rep from a new 3rd party franchise A
15. Rep from a new 3rd party franchise B

 

[fogbadge]

I mean...didn't I say that both Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Fire Emblem Engage probably weren't getting characters either? In their cases neither of them sold anywhere near as well as Ring Fit Adventure, and both of them sold less than the previous games in their series.

and yet you barely have any characters from the 10 switch games that sold better than it. one of them was ultimate so that’s fair enough

 

[Swamp Sensei]

and yet you barely have any characters from the 10 switch games that sold better than it. one of them was ultimate so that’s fair enough

A lot of those games already have content in Smash and are not new IPs.

You're choosing to die on a strange hill.

 

[fogbadge]

A lot of those games already have content in Smash and are not new IPs.

You're choosing to die on a strange hill.

well I’m sorry but choosing likely characters based on one game that sold well while ignoring games that sold better isn’t a logic I can understand

 

[DarthEnderX]

Personally, I don’t think Sakurai 100% cares how well a game sells

But he doesn't decide who gets in. Nintendo does. And Nintendo very much cares how well a game sells.

 

[dream1ng]

Sales is not the route to take arguing FE and Xenoblade. Sure they sell well enough to be included, but they are included.

The argument for them is they'll get new characters because they're promotional series, and have had new entries. Kirby, Zelda, DK; these games sell well too, but get characters far more infrequently, because they aren't promotional series.

I don't believe the ship has necessarily sailed for Engage or XC3, it depends on how they choose to handle those series. Timing may complicate things in terms of when the promotional characters will actually show up, whether in base or later, but it seems unlikely those two series won't get new characters at least at some point during Smash 6.

Though I also don't think the ship has sailed for Astral Chain, but without an AC2, it probably won't get in unless base is relatively sizeable, or they opt to defer the promotional additions to newer titles via DLC, freeing up room.

 

[Garteam]

>People discussing potential reps for third-party series already in Smash
>No one mentions X from the 1993/1994 winter classic Mega Man X

On a slightly more serious note, my big prediction is that supporting characters from third-party franchises will be a lot more common now that Sephiroth has broken that door down definitively and non-Nintendo characters are tied so closely to Smash generally. Nintendo and Sakurai are already making licensing deals to get these works into Smash, it's efficient and likely cost-effective to hammer out as multiple characters from said works rather than attempting to make completely new deals needed to get third parties from unrepresented games. It's also a good way to get big newcomers that general audiences will recognize as first parties picks focus on more obscure fan favourites and/or new kids with relevancy on their side.

I actually think Mega Man and Castlevania are the most likely to receive newcomers due to having expansive casts and how much stuff they already have in Smash. Capcom and Konami seem to be very liberal with licensing and its clear that both Sakurai and the Smash team (especially the music department) are happy to have them there. Sonic and Street Fighter are slightly below that. Both series would work great for a fighter, but getting content from these series into Smash seems more difficult. I still think all four will have a newcomer though because I'm an insane person.

I also wouldn't be too concerned about having multiple characters from the same company in a single wave of newcomers. Ultimate already came pretty close to breaking it with Snake being readded at the same time as Simon and both Sephiroth and Sora being added at the same time. It was a good rule of thumb for when third parties were rare, but I don't think it really reflects the minds of the parties involved in these decisions post-Ultimate. I can't see, say, Namco getting cold feet at the thought of having too many characters in Smash or Sakurai cutting Leon because Chun-Li is also being added.

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

well I’m sorry but choosing likely characters based on one game that sold well while ignoring games that sold better isn’t a logic I can understand

I mean...

10: New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe-Not a new game, and most of its major characters are playable anyway. You could add Toad and Toadette, and I do think they're a strong option, but I think Waluigi has a slight edge over them.
9: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom-Given how the series handles The Legend of Zelda, it's rep will probably be Link, but back to having regular bombs.
8: Super Mario Party-The Mario spinoffs are generally ignored when it comes to characters, but due to his popularity, Waluigi made the list anyway.
7: Pokémon Scarlet/Violet-Because newer games supplant the older ones really quickly, Smash wants to be as current as possible with this series, so if they can skip this game, they will, and if not, I think Eevee makes the most sense for a pick to go back for as a secondary mascot and wildly popular Pokémon.
6: Pokémon Sword/Shield-See above.
5: Super Mario Odyssey-They could add Pauline, but I don't see it happening due to not having a whole lot going on, especially not over other options.
4: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild-It's rep was Link, but with Remote Bombs.
3: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate-Ultimate getting a promo pick wouldn't make any sense at all considering that this its successor.
2: Animal Crossing: New Horizons-Got a rep in my list.
1: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe-The Mario spinoffs are generally ignored when it comes to characters, but due to his popularity, Waluigi made the list anyway.

I'm not really ignoring them. Every series in the top 10 list got a character on my prediction list (except for Super Smash Bros.) and specifically gave a rep to the only top spot that isn't weird about its characters in some way.

 

[fogbadge]

I mean...

10: New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe-Not a new game, and most of its major characters are playable anyway. You could add Toad and Toadette, and I do think they're a strong option, but I think Waluigi has a slight edge over them.
9: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom-Given how the series handles The Legend of Zelda, it's rep will probably be Link, but back to having regular bombs.
8: Super Mario Party-The Mario spinoffs are generally ignored when it comes to characters, but due to his popularity, Waluigi made the list anyway.
7: Pokémon Scarlet/Violet-Because newer games supplant the older ones really quickly, Smash wants to be as current as possible with this series, so if they can skip this game, they will, and if not, I think Eevee makes the most sense for a pick to go back for as a secondary mascot and wildly popular Pokémon.
6: Pokémon Sword/Shield-See above.
5: Super Mario Odyssey-They could add Pauline, but I don't see it happening due to not having a whole lot going on, especially not over other options.
4: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild-It's rep was Link, but with Remote Bombs.
3: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate-Ultimate getting a promo pick wouldn't make any sense at all considering that this its successor.
2: Animal Crossing: New Horizons-Got a rep in my list.
1: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe-The Mario spinoffs are generally ignored when it comes to characters, but due to his popularity, Waluigi made the list anyway.

I'm not really ignoring them. Every series in the top 10 list got a character on my prediction list (except for Super Smash Bros.) and specifically gave a rep to the only top spot that isn't weird about its characters in some way.

so what you’re saying is sales only matter when you say they do

 

[Hadokeyblade]

Depending on how Disney plays ball with this Roxas is THE most obvious echo fighter inclusion you could possibly put into smash, since he is an actual clone of Sora in universe who uses the same fighting style and abilities, plus it's always felt like he was the series's most popular character, idk how accurate that is but interacting with other KH fans has always given me that impression.

I wouldnt be surprised if King of fighters gets a second character too with how much Sakurai seems to personally like those games, maybe Iori since he's popular.

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

so what you’re saying is sales only matter when you say they do

Not what I said at all. No.

 

[Gengar84]

Depending on how Disney plays ball with this Roxas is THE most obvious echo fighter inclusion you could possibly put into smash, since he is an actual clone of Sora in universe who uses the same fighting style and abilities, plus it's always felt like he was the series's most popular character, idk how accurate that is but interacting with other KH fans has always given me that impression.

I wouldnt be surprised if King of fighters gets a second character too with how much Sakurai seems to personally like those games, maybe Iori since he's popular.

Roxas would be a cool echo. If we get another fully original character I’d love to see either Xemnas (KH2) or Ansem (KH1) as another villain rep for Smash. I love the designs for both, especially Xemnas’ white coat. I feel like Riku is probably more likely but he’s not my top choice.

 

[CrusherMania1592]

9: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom-Given how the series handles The Legend of Zelda, it's rep will probably be Link, but back to having regular bombs.

I can imagine the salt upon having another Link to play as


Hmm...for predicting the base roster fighters

1. Waluigi or Toad
2. Meowscarada
3. Animal Crossing (Tom Nook?)
4. Octoling
5. Ring Fit Trainer
6. Shadow or Knuckles
7. Chun-Li
8. Bandanna Dee
9. Isaac (would be nice for them to go back to an older rep being recognized from the GBA thanks to NSO)
10. Oatchi or 2nd captain
11. Impa (idgaf just give us a NEW Zelda character already...)
12. Astral Chain rep
13. Rhythm Heaven rep

DLC: Dixie Kong, Crash Bandicoot, Edelgard, Geno, Advance War rep (Andy/Sami)

 

[Slime Scholar]

Not seeing the argument that XC3 missed the boat for a character when Pyra/Mythra were added as DLC a little over 3 years after Xenoblade 2 came out. Xenoblade 1 was even older than that by the time Smash 4 released.

Noah/Mio could get passed over for any number of reasons but I think it’s a mistake to get overly hung-up on the idea of promotional picks.

 

[Gengar84]

Would you guys say that Sonic is more likely to get a second character than Mega Man as far as third parties go? I’d put both of them right at the top of the list personally. I think Zero has a lot going for him but the same can be said for a few Sonic characters. I’d love to get both Zero and Knuckles in the next Smash.

 

[CrusherMania1592]

Would you guys say that Sonic is more likely to get a second character than Mega Man as far as third parties go? I’d put both of them right at the top of the list personally. I think Zero has a lot going for him but the same can be said for a few Sonic characters. I’d love to get both Zero and Knuckles in the next Smash.

Put them in the same trailer and watch the internet explode over Zero Knuckles

One I'd love to see is Blaze the Cat or Rouge the Bat as a new Assist Trophy

 

[fogbadge]

Not what I said at all. No.

No what you said was sales aren’t going to matter to games that sold better and are part of franchises that routinely get newcomers

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

I can imagine the salt upon having another Link to play as

lol I meant the regular Link; The Tears of the Kingdom mechanics replacing Breath of the Wild ones.

Would you guys say that Sonic is more likely to get a second character than Mega Man as far as third parties go? I’d put both of them right at the top of the list personally. I think Zero has a lot going for him but the same can be said for a few Sonic characters. I’d love to get both Zero and Knuckles in the next Smash.

I almost expect Mega Man to get an Echo Fighter. Beyond that I'm still unsure about the likelihood of 3rd party reps like this. My Chun-Li prediction was mainly a "yeah I guess that makes sense" slot because I didn't have any other ideas that stood out to me. lol

 

[Hadokeyblade]

Would you guys say that Sonic is more likely to get a second character than Mega Man as far as third parties go? I’d put both of them right at the top of the list personally. I think Zero has a lot going for him but the same can be said for a few Sonic characters. I’d love to get both Zero and Knuckles in the next Smash.

Capcom is just an extremely easy company to work with in terms of collaborations so i think both Street fighter and Megaman are more likely to get another character than Sonic is.

Or just an entirely new series all together joining the smash line up like Ace Attorney or Resident Evil

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

No what you said was sales aren’t going to matter to games that sold better and are part of franchises that routinely get newcomers

I never said sales were the be-all-end-all. For a new IP with one game to its name, that potentially wouldn't even get a second, sales matter quite a bit, as getting randomly selected for moveset potential is otherwise the only shot it has at getting a character.

Bigger series have so many options that they can't possibly add all of them without neglecting everything else. Spin-offs and ports are generally ignored when it comes to characters, so I don't think them being successful as they always are is that important here. Pokémon tries to preempt their picks in order to stay trendy, and they're in a weird position where they may or may not be able to do that. I'm not entirely sure what they'll do if they can't. Maybe they'll go with Koraidon/Miraidon or Tinkaton as current icons/popular designs, but I think the safer bet is an icon that's stood the test of time. The Legend of Zelda series is pretty allergic to adding new characters, and prefers updating their Triforce trio to match the newer games instead. I think since the series has been more successful than normal they probably will get a character this time, but it's more likely an older icon than a pick like Rauru or something (though that is still possible). Super Smash Bros. just straight up don't add their OCs, and Animal Crossing I gave another character because of the success of New Horizons.

 

[Curious Villager]

What moveset changes would you guy's like to see for certain veterans?

Hard Mode: Avoid the usual suspects that get brought up the most in these kinds of discussions ( eg: Clone/semi clone/echo fighters, Wario, Ganondorf, Sonic, Samus and whatnot), try to be a bit more creative and pick a more obscure veteran character that doesn't get brought up as much in these kinds of conversations.

Like say, Pikachu, how about changing Skull Bash to a more canon move like Electroweb? I can imagine it working to where Pikachu can throw a projectile and then turning it into an electric web trampoline in mid air for him to bounce off of (Kinda like Squitter from the Donkey Kong Country games), or maybe even reflect projectiles as an additional option, he'd be able to shoot it horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Other characters will get caught up and electrocuted for a bit when they touch it.

I guess if Pichu somehow manages to stay, he can keep the old Skull Bash for differentiation.

 

[Gengar84]

What moveset changes would you guy's like to see for certain veterans?

Hard Mode: Avoid the usual suspects that get brought up the most in these kinds of discussions ( eg: Clone/semi clone/echo fighters, Wario, Ganondorf, Sonic, Samus and whatnot), try to be a bit more creative and pick a more obscure veteran character that doesn't get brought up as much in these kinds of conversations.

Like say, Pikachu, how about changing Skull Bash to a more canon move like Electroweb? I can imagine it working to where Pikachu can throw a projectile and then turning it into an electric web trampoline in mid air for him to bounce off of (Kinda like Squitter from the Donkey Kong Country games), or maybe even reflect projectiles as an additional option, he'd be able to shoot it horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Other characters will get electrocuted when they touch it.

I guess if Pichu somehow manages to stay, he can keep the old Skull Bash for differentiation.

I want to see Lucario incorporate his energy bone club and maybe rework his aura mechanic a bit. He’s probably my favorite Pokemon on the roster but I could never really get the hang of playing him well. I’d also change his running animation to the Naruto style run he uses in the anime.

 

[Perkilator]

What moveset changes would you guy's like to see for certain veterans?

Hard Mode: Avoid the usual suspects that get brought up the most in these kinds of discussions ( eg: Clone/semi clone/echo fighters, Wario, Ganondorf, Sonic, Samus and whatnot), try to be a bit more creative and pick a more obscure veteran character that doesn't get brought up as much in these kinds of conversations.

Like say, Pikachu, how about changing Skull Bash to a more canon move like Electroweb? I can imagine it working to where Pikachu can throw a projectile and then turning it into an electric web trampoline in mid air for him to bounce off of (Kinda like Squitter from the Donkey Kong Country games), or maybe even reflect projectiles as an additional option, he'd be able to shoot it horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Other characters will get electrocuted when they touch it.

I guess if Pichu somehow manages to stay, he can keep the old Skull Bash for differentiation.

I guess Mario can change a little bit by incorporating more of his canon abilities while also staying beginner-friendly? That’s what I set out to achieve, anyway.

I guess Link could also change how the Bombs could work. Maybe the Bombs themselves could be Bomb Flowers, and pressing B while holding a Bomb Flower fuses it to his arrow?

 

[Curious Villager]

I guess Mario can change a little bit by incorporating more of his canon abilities while also staying beginner-friendly? That’s what I set out to achieve, anyway.

I guess Link could also change how the Bombs could work. Maybe the Bombs themselves could be Bomb Flowers, and pressing B while holding a Bomb Flower fuses it to his arrow?

I'm surprised they haven't done the Bomb Arrow thing with Link yet, I guess he's kinda halfway there with the double arrows, maybe expand on that and let him shoot any throwable items with his arrows, it would also reflect further on how he can fuse any item on his arrows in Tears of the Kingdom as well.

 

[Opossum]

No what you said was sales aren’t going to matter to games that sold better and are part of franchises that routinely get newcomers

It's really not hard to understand if you're not being willfully obtuse. If a brand new IP sells 15 million on a first outing, it's cause for celebration. If a Mario, Pokémon, Animal Crossing, or Zelda game sells 15 million, it's a day ending in Y.

 

[dream1ng]

If Ring Fit weren't a hypercasual IP but one more overlapping with the Smash fanbase there wouldn't even be a question if it'd get in if it sold 15 million units, even with the gap in years. Splatoon sold 5 and people were like yeah Inkling's getting in.

 

[fogbadge]

I never said sales were the be-all-end-all.

oh I'm sorry I misundersood

It's really not hard to understand if you're not being willfully obtuse. If a brand new IP sells 15 million on a first outing, it's cause for celebration. If a Mario, Pokémon, Animal Crossing, or Zelda game sells 15 million, it's a day ending in Y.

things that make sense to you normal people won't always make sense to me

 

[CapitaineCrash]

Saw some newcomers preditions for next game, so here's my predictions:
1. Either Paper Mario or Waluigi. From the get go, I think in the future of the series we'll see less and less franchise with 2 newcomers because they have a much bigger pool of franchise to choose from, alongside third party being more prominent. I could maybe see both happening depending of how many newcomers we're getting, but I think it's safer that only one will do. I think it could really go either way, Waluigi is more popular in the Smash fanbase but Smash always seems hesitant to add side characters, which could give Paper Mario the edge since he's a protagonist.
2. Sidon I think with the success of Totk we'll finally get something big for Zelda. I still think Sidon is more likely than Rauru, and I don't think they're going back to Skull kid despite the popularity.
3. EIther Sylux or Raven Beak I wasn't too sure of who choose here, I think it might depend of Prime 4 release timing, but Metroid was really prominent this generation and it seems that the franchise is back to being one of the big Nintendo franchise.
4. Pokémon Well this one is obvious so I'm not going to go in detail, but I think it's going to be either Meowsacarada or Gen 10 depends of the timing.
5. Ashley I was hesitant to put her at first, but with WarioWare getting 2 games this generation, I feel like she have a much better shot than in past Smash games.
6. Tom Nook Honestly I think he's pretty much a lock
7. Octoling Same as Tom Nook
8. Ring fit adventurer Feels like the safest bet for a new represented franchise at this point
9. Ayumi Tachibana I think she will gets the "surprise pick" spot for the next game, despite the remake being not very succesful the fact that Sakurai had her in mind since Melee makes me think that he might add her now that her game got international release.
10. Monster hunter Third party are hard to predict because there's so many possibilities, and I originally had a Resident evil rep here, but I think Monster hunter got a slight edge for how huge Rise was.
11. Crash Bandicoot A lot of people see him more as a DLC pick, but with how easy apparently Microsoft is to work with, I could see him making it's way into base game as the "hype pick" similar to Sonic in Brawl and Mega Man in Smash 4.

 

[Louie G.]

If Ring Fit weren't a hypercasual IP but one more overlapping with the Smash fanbase there wouldn't even be a question if it'd get in if it sold 15 million units, even with the gap in years. Splatoon sold 5 and people were like yeah Inkling's getting in.

Animal Crossing is two characters in, is outselling practically every other Nintendo series and so many Smash fans still treat it with that level of indifference when discussing new content - let alone how expendable the community treats Wii Fit Trainer. It's rarely stated outright but there is a clear bias against "casual" market games and their viability / significance.

Granted, I usually don't see many people questioning Ring Fit Trainee's odds. I guess it's a bit harder to push back against when the game involves a great deal of combat, magical attacks etc that are kind of a no brainer in sustaining a moveset.

 

[Garteam]

Would you guys say that Sonic is more likely to get a second character than Mega Man as far as third parties go? I’d put both of them right at the top of the list personally. I think Zero has a lot going for him but the same can be said for a few Sonic characters. I’d love to get both Zero and Knuckles in the next Smash.

Sonic's supporting cast is more well-known and popular among Smash fans, but Mega Man's is easier to access and seems to come with a lot more creative freedom. I think both are likely, but another Mega Man rep (most likely X and/or Zero, but I could see MegaMan.EXE) is slightly more likely.