Official Next Smash - Speculation & Discussion Thread

[cashregister9]

I mean. They brought back Another Code, they brought back Endless Ocean, they got Metroid and Pikmin in stable spots after like eight years of nothing, they remade Famicom Detective Club after multiple decades and then gave it a sequel... Honestly, F-Zero revival doesn't seem that far off

I mean F-zero technically was revived

F-zero 99 is incredibly fun and has way more stuff than I think anyone expected.

 

[King Sonnn DeDeDoo]

I mean. They brought back Another Code, they brought back Endless Ocean, they got Metroid and Pikmin in stable spots after like eight years of nothing, they remade Famicom Detective Club after multiple decades and then gave it a sequel... Honestly, F-Zero revival doesn't seem that far off

Once we get the Hotel Dusk revival then Nintendo Adventure game renaissance will be complete and they shall all invade smash bros. (and also add Phoenix Wright and Professor Layton as guest characters.)

 

[SharkLord]

OK, we may have discussed this before, but I still have to ask just out of curiosity…

Who actually wants Smash Ultimate 2/DX, which means no cuts but not much room for base newcomers? And who would rather have a new game with at least 15-30 cuts, which leaves more room for base newcomers?

Eeeeh... I've sunk hundreds of hours into Ultimate over the years, played World of Light to completion, gotten most Spirits. It's time to move on.

Also, Ultimate isn't perfect. Some fighters could do with a rework, be it just an attitude/voice adjustment (Mario, Bowser, DK, Olimar) or a new moveset entirely (Sonic). The stages suffer from some serious bloat, with far too many grassy Mario 1-1s, moving stages without a defined memorable layout, and SO RETRO stages that are just yoinked from the original game without care for how the fighters on them. Next game could do with a serious stage selection overhaul that prioritizes quality over quantity. Spirits are just static PNGs, without unique models or descriptions that people liked about trophies. Even if modeling all the trophies took too much work, surely there's some alternative that's more distinct.

If we wait four-to-six years just for Ultimate But Again on a system that most likely has backwards compatibility, that's gonna be stagnant as hell. We have Ultimate, we have a Switch, it's not even "letting go" because the game is still right there, we don't need to lock ourselves in the SSBU room and never come out.

 

[Louie G.]

i’m just ready to move on from Ultimate. Not even just from the characters, but all the little things. The fact that it’s been years since we’ve seen a new stage from Kirby, DK or Metroid. The fact that we’ve been strapped with many of the same voicelines and victory jingles for over 15 years now. And yes, the hunger for more than just six Nintendo newcomers. I’m eager for the next Smash Bros to actually feel like a fresh new experience.

I won’t go kicking and screaming if we do just see a DX port with a handful of obligatory new stages and characters, largely unaltered gameplay and veteran movesets. But I will think we’re starting to flirt around with a furure where Smash gets stagnant and stale.

 

[King Sonnn DeDeDoo]

i’m just ready to move on from Ultimate. Not even just from the characters, but all the little things. The fact that it’s been years since we’ve seen a new stage from Kirby, DK or Metroid. The fact that we’ve been strapped with many of the same voicelines and victory jingles for over 15 years now. And yes, the hunger for more than just six Nintendo newcomers. I’m eager for the next Smash Bros to actually feel like a fresh new experience.

I won’t go kicking and screaming if we do just see a DX port with a handful of obligatory new stages and characters, largely unaltered gameplay and veteran movesets. But I will think we’re starting to flirt around with a furure where Smash gets stagnant and stale.

I think the biggest thing is new sound design, I’m rather sick of hearing Mario’s raspy brawl voice

 

[ninjahmos]

Yeah, they're probably gonna have to get Kevin Afghani to voice Mario (and Luigi and Wario).

DK (and Diddy) and Bowser's voices are especially in need of changes.

 

[Schnee117]

Mario's voice is one of the things that'd change regardless of which route the next game takes but that's really down to the fact that he's the company mascot and he actually got a new VA.

Would be nice if they cared to make sure every applicable character had proper voice lines and/or their current VAs though

 

[TheFirstPoppyBro]

i’m just ready to move on from Ultimate. Not even just from the characters, but all the little things. The fact that it’s been years since we’ve seen a new stage from Kirby, DK or Metroid. The fact that we’ve been strapped with many of the same voicelines and victory jingles for over 15 years now. And yes, the hunger for more than just six Nintendo newcomers. I’m eager for the next Smash Bros to actually feel like a fresh new experience.

I won’t go kicking and screaming if we do just see a DX port with a handful of obligatory new stages and characters, largely unaltered gameplay and veteran movesets. But I will think we’re starting to flirt around with a furure where Smash gets stagnant and stale.

I'm especially with this on the victory themes, really hoping next Smash actually gives them all a redo to make them all tonally consistent with each other because half of them are still from Brawl (and Sonic should really have one that's not from his literal worst game of all time I think). Especially jarring to me in Ultimate because Yoshi's sounds like it was cut up by a chainsaw to make it shorter, but Zelda and Mother got brand new ones.

Stages too, this is why I'm hoping next Smash goes back to a Brawl-style ratio of like mostly new stages and a handful of returning stages specifically from Ultimate's new ones, like New Donk, Plateau Tower, Dracula's Castle, or the DLC ones.

 

[ninjahmos]

I'm especially with this on the victory themes, really hoping next Smash actually gives them all a redo to make them all tonally consistent with each other because half of them are still from Brawl (and Sonic should really have one that's not from his literal worst game of all time I think). Especially jarring to me in Ultimate because Yoshi's sounds like it was cut up by a chainsaw to make it shorter, but Zelda and Mother got brand new ones.

Stages too, this is why I'm hoping next Smash goes back to a Brawl-style ratio of like mostly new stages and a handful of returning stages specifically from Ultimate's new ones, like New Donk, Plateau Tower, Dracula's Castle, or the DLC ones.

This. We need newly-arranged versions of each Victory Theme that's been used since Brawl.

Oh, and I may have said this before but they should rearrange this as Captain Falcon's Victory Theme:

 

[Noipoi]

I’m definitely eager for those new Smash vibes, with a ton of new content from newer Nintendo games.

Obviously the characters are top priority, but that stuff is important too.

 

[Perkilator]

I used to want an Ultimate DX, but upon reflection…yeah, similarly to how I want the next system to have a fully brand new Mario Kart game after over 10 straight years of 8 Deluxe, I think it’s best to not bother porting Ultimate to the next system.

That being said, I do also think it was pretty mean of Nintendo to not at least port Smash 64 to NSO for the Smash franchise’s 25th anniversary.

 

[Guynamednelson]

OK, we may have discussed this before, but I still have to ask just out of curiosity…

Who actually wants Smash Ultimate 2/DX, which means no cuts but not much room for base newcomers? And who would rather have a new game with at least 15-30 cuts, which leaves more room for base newcomers?

It's complicated. I'd rather not pay $60 for the exact same game again but with minimal additions, and thus I'd be fine with an all-new Smash, but I've been advocating for more DLC for the SSBU we already have just in case Nintendo doesn't want to risk people complaining about cuts.

Well that and discussion about the new Smash kinda feels like Schrodinger's FP3 discussion, what with people who are asking/answering "Who do you want in the next DLC Pass?" rather than "Who do you want in the next game?", and people who want a new game not remembering that base game newcomers aren't as third-party focused as DLC, nor are they just a collection of first-parties who were too new for the last game. If the fanbase is going to act like that, you might as well just make more DLC for SSBU.

 

[TheFirstPoppyBro]

Well that and discussion about the new Smash kinda feels like Schrodinger's FP3 discussion, what with people who are asking/answering "Who do you want in the next DLC Pass?" rather than "Who do you want in the next game?", and people who want a new game not remembering that base game newcomers aren't as third-party focused as DLC, nor are they just a collection of first-parties who were too new for the last game. If the fanbase is going to act like that, you might as well just make more DLC for SSBU.

Smash newcomer rosters aren't JUST that (there's a reason people are so big on Isaac lol) but a lot of Smash 4's newcomers were exactly that. Mario Galaxy was too new to get anything in Brawl so Rosalina was added to 4, same with Wii Fit, Greninja, Robin, Lucina, Dark Pit, and Shulk didn't exist when Brawl came out, and Palutena in her current incarnation only existed in Brawl via the second cutscene in Subspace and Pit's Final Smash, which would be fleshed out more in Uprising. Sakurai has said he considered Miis for Brawl but didn't think it felt right at the time for them to be punching and kicking.

There were still characters like Bowser Jr., Little Mac, Villager, and Duck Hunt from previous generations, but I don't think it's exactly "Schrodinger's FP3" to discuss characters that are getting their first shot at joining Smash lol

 

[Stratos]

In the Pokémon series, they have put various Pokémon to evolve each of them in a different way, either if they level up, or with stones like Thunderstone, etc.. I imagine that in the future they will put a Normal-type Pokémon that will evolve if they level up into a another Normal-type Pokémon, but if it has suffered a status condition and reached the level that it is to evolve into another type of Pokémon, i.e. if it is paralyzed it will evolve into an Electric-type Pokémon, if it has a burn into a Fire-type Pokémon, if it has poisoned on a Poison-type Pokémon, if frozen on an Ice-type Pokémon, and if put to sleep on a Psychic-type Pokémon.

 

[Guynamednelson]

but I don't think it's exactly "Schrodinger's FP3" to discuss characters that are getting their first shot at joining Smash lol

It's more retaining the third-party focus than discussing new first-parties that makes me think we're having Schrodinger's FP3 Discussion, don't worry.

 

[TheFirstPoppyBro]

It's more retaining the third-party focus than discussing new first-parties that makes me think we're having Schrodinger's FP3 Discussion, don't worry.

Ah okay, that makes more sense lol

I don't even have a guess about who they'll be, but we do typically only get two third party newcomers per base game, three in Ultimate, though two of them were Echoes lol (Snake/Sonic, Mega Man/Pac-Man, Simon/Richter/Ken).

 

[jamesster445]

OK, we may have discussed this before, but I still have to ask just out of curiosity…

Who actually wants Smash Ultimate 2/DX, which means no cuts but not much room for base newcomers? And who would rather have a new game with at least 15-30 cuts, which leaves more room for base newcomers?

I could go either or.

If it is a new game, it should be taking every right lesson from a game like Street Fighter 6 to provide deep, emergent game play. I expect more from it mechanically, whether they be bringing back older mechanics back and/or introducing new ones. I want characters to have more options than they've ever have (not necessarily new move sets just expanded ones). If the new game is just 'Ultimate' with fewer characters getting "new moves," then no one will be happy.

But an Ultimate DX would be probably be easier to make. The game is technically already done, you just gotta add on to it.

 

[TheFirstPoppyBro]

But an Ultimate DX would be probably be easier to make. The game is technically already done, you just gotta add on to it.

It would almost certainly be easier to make, but there's also no reason to make it if the Switch 2 is backwards compatible and Ultimate can still be played on it, which is super likely.

It'd be like saying the Switch 2 should release Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Deluxe lol

 

[jamesster445]

It would almost certainly be easier to make, but there's also no reason to make it if the Switch 2 is backwards compatible and Ultimate can still be played on it, which is super likely.

It'd be like saying the Switch 2 should release Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Deluxe lol

Booster course pass then.
It'd be weird for them to suddenly return to the game after a few years, but we can say it has happened.

 

[Idon]

I'm especially with this on the victory themes, really hoping next Smash actually gives them all a redo to make them all tonally consistent with each other because half of them are still from Brawl (and Sonic should really have one that's not from his literal worst game of all time I think). Especially jarring to me in Ultimate because Yoshi's sounds like it was cut up by a chainsaw to make it shorter, but Zelda and Mother got brand new ones.

Stages too, this is why I'm hoping next Smash goes back to a Brawl-style ratio of like mostly new stages and a handful of returning stages specifically from Ultimate's new ones, like New Donk, Plateau Tower, Dracula's Castle, or the DLC ones.

God yes, the victory theme inconsistencies annoy the hell out of me. It would be so so easy to give everyone a wholly unique victory theme, and smash fans have already done that many times over, and yet we have characters with their own actual themes in the game as BGM, but using someone else's victory theme.

Like cmon the song is called "Roy's Victory Theme" aint no reason we using Marth's.

 

[GoldenYuiitusin]

Smash newcomer rosters aren't JUST that (there's a reason people are so big on Isaac lol) but a lot of Smash 4's newcomers were exactly that. Mario Galaxy was too new to get anything in Brawl so Rosalina was added to 4, same with Wii Fit, Greninja, Robin, Lucina, Dark Pit, and Shulk didn't exist when Brawl came out, and Palutena in her current incarnation only existed in Brawl via the second cutscene in Subspace and Pit's Final Smash, which would be fleshed out more in Uprising. Sakurai has said he considered Miis for Brawl but didn't think it felt right at the time for them to be punching and kicking.

There were still characters like Bowser Jr., Little Mac, Villager, and Duck Hunt from previous generations, but I don't think it's exactly "Schrodinger's FP3" to discuss characters that are getting their first shot at joining Smash lol

The base roster is for the most part factors in what's contemporary. What's happened since the roster was finalized for the previous game.

Which yes, can include characters that have been around since well before like was for Brawl. Being "contemporary" doesn't mean exclusively existing after. Just means they're active in the present day.

Characters like that aren't added specifically to represent a specific era (i.e. ) or a token surprise character are rare exceptions and not the norm. And for Rool specifically, it's because of the Ballot.


This is why for example, I put in more stock in releases that have happened since December of 2015 having influence for the next game.

 

[ninjahmos]

If Snake makes it into the next game, they should change his Victory Theme to this:

 

[Guynamednelson]

or a token surprise character are rare exceptions and not the norm. And for Rool specifically, it's because of the Ballot.

And yet they're still common enough that there's no point in acting like they can't happen. Just because they aren't over 50% of the roster doesn't mean they're 0% either.

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

Booster course pass then.
It'd be weird for them to suddenly return to the game after a few years, but we can say it has happened.

That was also because Mario Kart Tour was an active product and had extra assets they could borrow from, making it much much easier. Smash doesn't have this option. It's not remotely the same situation.

If Tour didn't happen in the first place(which is pretty much Mario Kart 9 in practice), then 8 Deluxe wouldn't be able to even have nearly as much. It may not have been gotten a pass at all. That said, let's hope we get a cool Mario Kart 10 on the "Switch 2". I'm a bit tired of them rehashing Deluxe as well, heh.

 

[Noipoi]

Booster course pass then.
It'd be weird for them to suddenly return to the game after a few years, but we can say it has happened.

That’s still just a smidge different though.

It’s one thing to suddenly update one of the system’s flagship games years after it came out. It’d be another to release a new version of the same game on a new system that, due to backwards compatibility, can still play the old game.

And yes, hypothetically they could just leave Ultimate alone and sell new dlc with the new console, but I highly doubt that’ll happen. New Smash games are cultural events at this point. No matter what form it takes and how derivative it is, there will be a new Smash for the next console.

 

[TheFirstPoppyBro]

God yes, the victory theme inconsistencies annoy the hell out of me. It would be so so easy to give everyone a wholly unique victory theme, and smash fans have already done that many times over, and yet we have characters with their own actual themes in the game as BGM, but using someone else's victory theme.

Like cmon the song is called "Roy's Victory Theme" aint no reason we using Marth's.

I don't even specifically need everyone to get unique themes (though I do still think it's really weird that Ridley and K. Rool have unique themes, but Wolf doesn't lol), I just want all of the victory themes to be redone per game like they were up until Smash 4 reused all of the Brawl ones lol

That’s still just a smidge different though.

It’s one thing to suddenly update one of the system’s flagship games years after it came out. It’d be another to release a new version of the same game on a new system that, due to backwards compatibility, can still play the old game.

And yes, hypothetically they could just leave Ultimate alone and sell new dlc with the new console, but I highly doubt that’ll happen. New Smash games are cultural events at this point. No matter what form it takes and how derivative it is, there will be a new Smash for the next console.

You know, this description honestly makes me think... This is exactly what happened to the Bowser's Inside Story remake. It came out on the 3DS when the original was already backwards-compatible because the 3DS can play DS games.

Obviously, it's a little different since it wouldn't be coming out when it's system in question is a foot in the grave and it wouldn't immediately tank that Smash game because it's still a Smash game, but I couldn't help but notice the similarities when you put it that way lmao

 

[Arcanir]

I don't even specifically need everyone to get unique themes (though I do still think it's really weird that Ridley and K. Rool have unique themes, but Wolf doesn't lol), I just want all of the victory themes to be redone per game like they were up until Smash 4 reused all of the Brawl ones lol

Also , which is even weirder considering he's one of the most recognizable villains for Nintendo and his theme has been around since the SNES era.

Really though, a general update to the sound design would be great for the next Smash. Along with updating the victory themes and voice acting, adjusting the length to the songs is also something I hope to see, it's strange how some songs got cut down to two minutes while others are allowed to run for much longer.

 

[Guynamednelson]

That was also because Mario Kart Tour was an active product and had extra assets they could borrow from, making it much much easier. Smash doesn't have this option. It's not remotely the same situation.

If Tour didn't happen in the first place(which is pretty much Mario Kart 9 in practice), then 8 Deluxe wouldn't be able to even have nearly as much. It may not have been gotten a pass at all. That said, let's hope we get a cool Mario Kart 10 on the "Switch 2". I'm a bit tired of them rehashing Deluxe as well, heh.

Well it's not like Smash needs a mobile game to make new fighters out of pre-existing assets. Just look at Wolf, and how he was made by tweaking Fox's model and borrowing various animations from other fighters, or how the models for FP2's Switch reps are borrowed from their home games.

 

[Idon]

Well it's not like Smash needs a mobile game to make new fighters out of pre-existing assets. Just look at Wolf, and how he was made by tweaking Fox's model and borrowing various animations from other fighters, or how the models for FP2's Switch reps are borrowed from their home games.

I think that's only true for Min Min?

Sephiroth and Sora are obviously new models, Kazuya's is significantly lower fidelity than Tekken 7's models, and Pyra and Mythra don't even have the same art style/rendering as their original games.

And Steve, well, that actually can be the case, but you could probably make a Steve model in 10 minutes.

 

[GoldenYuiitusin]

I think that's only true for Min Min?

Sephiroth and Sora are obviously new models, Kazuya's is significantly lower fidelity than Tekken 7's models, and Pyra and Mythra don't even have the same art style/rendering as their original games.

And Steve, well, that actually can be the case, but you could probably make a Steve model in 10 minutes.

Pretty sure this joke has been made before but oh well.

 

[Shinuto]

OK, we may have discussed this before, but I still have to ask just out of curiosity…

Who actually wants Smash Ultimate 2/DX, which means no cuts but not much room for base newcomers? And who would rather have a new game with at least 15-30 cuts, which leaves more room for base newcomers?

I'm fine with deluxe version. Just add in new modes and some old ones from previous games and a good chunk of new omers and I'm fine

 

[Scrimblo Bimblo]

I mean F-zero technically was revived

F-zero 99 is incredibly fun and has way more stuff than I think anyone expected.

Yeah 99 should absolutely count as a revival. It has a lot of players and is a very complete package. Also Nintendo has been supporting and expanding the game at a very steady pace for a full year now.
Maybe most people don't see it as a true revival due to the 99 label, but the game is pure unadultered F-Zero. At this point it is my favorite game in the series only behind GX.

Of course we still lack the big budget, modern graphics release to fully drive the point home - and I sure hope we get it, I feel like 3d F-Zero still has a lot to give to the videogame world - but yeah we're back.

 

[Louie G.]

Which yes, can include characters that have been around since well before like was for Brawl. Being "contemporary" doesn't mean exclusively existing after. Just means they're active in the present day.

This begs a pretty interesting question, which characters feel equivalent to this going into the next game? Those who have pretty much been perpetually relevant and popular since their debut, maybe even seen a rise in stock lately but for whatever reason haven't got their chance yet?

I'll presumptuously answer my own question and say I think Tom Nook is kind of the posterboy for this going into Smash 6. He's been around for over 20 years, his series didn't get conventional character representation until Smash 4 so it's kinda playing catch-up now. And Animal Crossing's stock has seen such a massive increase from its already strong showings over the years that it puts him in a fresh new light. I think this scenario is kind of the best thing you could hope for if you're a character that has been biding their time akin to Dedede or Wario once upon a time.

Guess you could make the case for someone like Squid Sisters, too. They're relatively newer characters but three games in (nearly a decade!) they're still around. And then the furthest extreme of someone like Toad, where he will ALWAYS be relevant but this cycle has gone on so long that it just makes you wonder why it hasn't happened yet.

 

[Scrimblo Bimblo]

This begs a pretty interesting question, which characters feel equivalent to this going into the next game? Those who have pretty much been perpetually relevant and popular since their debut, maybe even seen a rise in stock lately but for whatever reason haven't got their chance yet?

Dixie Kong of course. She headlined her own game twice and both versions sold millions of copies, plus she's a fan favorite and she's also playable in the two most beloved DKC games (which I think are DKC2 and Tropical Freeze).

If the DKC trilogy happened today and/or if DK hadn't historically been so starved for content in Smash, she'd be a no brainer.

 

[GoldenYuiitusin]

This begs a pretty interesting question, which characters feel equivalent to this going into the next game? Those who have pretty much been perpetually relevant and popular since their debut, maybe even seen a rise in stock lately but for whatever reason haven't got their chance yet?

I'll presumptuously answer my own question and say I think Tom Nook is kind of the posterboy for this going into Smash 6. He's been around for over 20 years, his series didn't get conventional character representation until Smash 4 so it's kinda playing catch-up now. And Animal Crossing's stock has seen such a massive increase from its already strong showings over the years that it puts him in a fresh new light. I think this scenario is kind of the best thing you could hope for if you're a character that has been biding their time akin to Dedede or Wario once upon a time.

Guess you could make the case for someone like Squid Sisters, too. They're relatively newer characters but three games in (nearly a decade!) they're still around. And then the furthest extreme of someone like Toad, where he will ALWAYS be relevant but this cycle has gone on so long that it just makes you wonder why it hasn't happened yet.

Bandana Dee, ironically enough.
His resume keeps building up and continues to be a popular character.

I'd judged him too harshly in the past, but I think he's a bit harder for Sakurai to ignore now. Especially since it's been two generations of Smash since Dedede and Meta Knight, so I don't think there needs to be any fear of "prioritizing his own series" like the gap between 64 and Brawl.

 

[TheFirstPoppyBro]

This begs a pretty interesting question, which characters feel equivalent to this going into the next game? Those who have pretty much been perpetually relevant and popular since their debut, maybe even seen a rise in stock lately but for whatever reason haven't got their chance yet?

I'll presumptuously answer my own question and say I think Tom Nook is kind of the posterboy for this going into Smash 6. He's been around for over 20 years, his series didn't get conventional character representation until Smash 4 so it's kinda playing catch-up now. And Animal Crossing's stock has seen such a massive increase from its already strong showings over the years that it puts him in a fresh new light. I think this scenario is kind of the best thing you could hope for if you're a character that has been biding their time akin to Dedede or Wario once upon a time.

Guess you could make the case for someone like Squid Sisters, too. They're relatively newer characters but three games in (nearly a decade!) they're still around. And then the furthest extreme of someone like Toad, where he will ALWAYS be relevant but this cycle has gone on so long that it just makes you wonder why it hasn't happened yet.

Honestly, it's hard for me to think of an honest answer to this that hasn't already been mentioned by someone else, and this may just be my bias talking, but I almost feel like Paper Mario kind of falls into this category maybe?

Been around since 2000, the subseries didn't get anything until Smash 4 (with the Paper Mario stage that, while I dislike it a lot, IS his first bit of representation in Smash), and it feels like he's gotten a rise in stock recently to me because TTYD remake came out in May but Nintendo's Twitter continues to tweet about it regularly, even doing so like two days before Echoes of Wisdom came out, which may not mean much but I can't think of many cases of Nintendo doing that before for Paper Mario.

Like I said though, could be my bias talking lol

 

[Louie G.]

Dixie Kong of course. She headlined her own game twice and both versions sold millions of copies, plus she's a fan favorite and she's also playable in the two most beloved DKC games (which I think are DKC2 and Tropical Freeze).

If the DKC trilogy happened today and/or if DK hadn't historically been so starved for content in Smash, she'd be a no brainer.

I agree that Dixie is a relative longstanding no brainer, but I’m not sure if it would be right to treat her as “contemporary”? Tropical Freeze is ported on Switch at least, but she hasn’t had a whole lot of new going on since Ultimate’s release. She gets to remain a somewhat active character via Mario Kart Tour and seems to have a role in the theme park, so maybe if we’re thinking more abstractly, but I don’t know if she’s the kind of evergreen face today that someone like King Dedede was in 2005-2006.

I think I agree with the Bandana Dee and Paper Mario suggestions, though. And Dixie checks off all the other boxes these characters have, she just struggles with consistency.

 

[GoldenYuiitusin]

Dixie Kong of course. She headlined her own game twice and both versions sold millions of copies

Correction: Only the original release did millions. The GBA remake didn't even crack 1 mil.

Source: what Opossum posted before when pointing out DK sales vs. Mario Kart Wii/8.

 

[Louie G.]

Bandana Dee, ironically enough.
His resume keeps building up and continues to be a popular character.

I'd judged him too harshly in the past, but I think he's a bit harder for Sakurai to ignore now. Especially since it's been two generations of Smash since Dedede and Meta Knight, so I don't think there needs to be any fear of "prioritizing his own series" like the gap between 64 and Brawl.

Yeah I feel like people were just a bit presumptuous to jump into Bandana Dee initially. The fact that he had such impassioned support for Smash 4 is kind of funny in retrospect, because we were riding the high of like one major appearance where he was the 4th wheel. Even going into Ultimate, I think it’s dishonest to say his role in Triple Deluxe or Robobot is anything to write home about. It was mostly spinoffs like Battle Royale and Rainbow Curse where he was starting to find his footing as a deuteragonist.

Star Allies was a good step for him, and the Forgotten Land is his big moment. The most successful Kirby game ever, with Bandana Dee solidly standing as Player 2. I still wish there was a sort of BWD Meta Knightmare mode, which I believe was originally intended for Star Allies as well, just to give him one big moment to stand on his own. But right this moment is certainly the best his case has ever looked, and he’s stuck around for 13 years now.

 

[TheFirstPoppyBro]

I agree that Dixie is a relative longstanding no brainer, but I’m not sure if it would be right to treat her as “contemporary”? Tropical Freeze is ported on Switch at least, but she hasn’t had a whole lot of new going on since Ultimate’s release. She gets to remain a somewhat active character via Mario Kart Tour and seems to have a role in the theme park, so maybe if we’re thinking more abstractly, but I don’t know if she’s the kind of evergreen face today that someone like King Dedede was in 2005-2006.

I think I agree with the Bandana Dee and Paper Mario suggestions, though. And Dixie checks off all the other boxes these characters have, she just struggles with consistency.

I said I had trouble thinking of characters like this, but I just realized Ashley definitely fits all of the criteria, and she's been around since WarioWare Touched in 2004, I think lol