Official Next Smash - Speculation & Discussion Thread

[Shinuto]

either that, I think it's going to be a 2026 game, or a new game. If it's the former, then that 4chan leak could be accurate.

what leak?

 

[DynamicSmasher]

We're talking costumes?

I'd like to see them up the count again.

Default costumes should have 16 colors. 12 available at the start and 4 unlockable via classic mode, the in-game shop, etc.

Every character (well, most every character) should get at least one alt. Alts can stop at 8 colors.

(snip)

More costumes always sounds good to me. The one concern I would have would be inkling, since all of their different skins would have to use different colours to distinguish yourself. I worry that some of the colours might get too similar and too hard to tell apart in battle. I have similar reservations when it comes to adding Octoling as well. I guess some of them could use the Splatfest sparkly ink?

Was it Joker?

It wasn't Joker. His gun is technically just a very real-looking fake. You did jog my memory though, it was something about the Mii Costumes for Barrett and Especially Doomguy. Though people don't care about the miis as much as the fighters lol

Spoiler: Barrett and Doomguy costumes

 

[Diddy Kong]

I think the next Donkey Kong game is gonna be a big deal, and something tells me it’ll be in 3D, which is why I don’t see it coming this year.

First of all, we just had Returns HD which sorta fulfills the DK quota for 2025.

Second of all, if there truly is a new 3D Mario platformer like we’re all suspecting, that’s also gonna be a really big deal. Two big 3D platformers might eat into each other’s sales, so it’s better to space them out. And considering it’s the company’s mascot and the series’ 40th anniversary, Mario gets to go first.

But I believe Donkey Kong is coming. If you ask me, we could see the next big DK game as early as next year.

My brother in Christ, I hope so.

DKC Returns HD indeed does count. A little. They do seem to treat it as a major release. Which is why I hope they use this momentum and do something with it.

I've been hoping that would happen since this game released for the first time for the Wii.

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

Another thing that should happen is Shiny Lucario, Charizard, and Greninja.

• I'm not a fan of the highlighter yellow, but it should still be there, and Lucario getting warm color pallets is a welcome addition, even if I like a lot of the colors it already has.
• I know Charizard doesn't have the pallet because of Squirtle and Ivysaur, but you can't tell me that a black and red pallet for those two wouldn't be sick as heck.
• Greninja's shiny pallet is almost in the game already, but his tongue is orange instead of red and the shuriken patterns on his legs are cream instead of blue. I think the shiny pallet looks better.

 

[ninjahmos]

Assuming characters will have re-recorded/new voice clips for the next game, especially Mario characters, I'm kind of hoping they use voice clips from Laura Faye Smith for Rosalina (hopefully with an added echo).

No, not that kind of echo.

 

[RileyXY1]

Assuming characters will have re-recorded/new voice clips for the next game, especially Mario characters, I'm kind of hoping they use voice clips from Laura Faye Smith for Rosalina (hopefully with an added echo).

Yeah. We do already know that there will be recastings. Mario, Luigi, Dr. Mario, Wario, and Daisy will all get their new VAs that they got in Wonder while Bayonetta in English will now be voiced by Jennifer Hale instead of Hellena Taylor, and there's also a chance that Michele Knotz will take over the role of Jigglypuff from the late Rachael Lillis considering that Knotz already did so in the anime proper. And to top it all off Bayonetta and Richter Belmont will get new Japanese VAs because their old VAs passed away after Ultimate's release. Other than that I'm not sure if there will be any recastings.

 

[Thegameandwatch]

Yeah. We do already know that there will be recastings. Mario, Luigi, Dr. Mario, Wario, and Daisy will all get their new VAs that they got in Wonder while Bayonetta in English will now be voiced by Jennifer Hale instead of Hellena Taylor, and there's also a chance that Michele Knotz will take over the role of Jigglypuff from the late Rachael Lillis considering that Knotz already did so in the anime proper. And to top it all off Bayonetta and Richter Belmont will get new Japanese VAs because their old VAs passed away after Ultimate's release. Other than that I'm not sure if there will be any recastings.

There is also Mewtwo whose VA passed in 2020.

Jigglypuff has a chance of keeping the same voice clips since it wasn't changed in Ultimate despite the Japanese VA doing new voice clips for the first time.

 

[PersonAngelo53]

Considering how big of a game it is, it's pretty likely it gets something.

Just, uhhh. If it gets a character. Please don't allow them to build. I don't think anyone's ready for a world where they have to fight Steve with guns.

Also with heals/shields.

 

[Dukefire]

Assuming characters will have re-recorded/new voice clips for the next game, especially Mario characters, I'm kind of hoping they use voice clips from Laura Faye Smith for Rosalina (hopefully with an added echo).

No, not that kind of echo.

Rosalina, while I was young playing Super Mario Galaxy. This moment is why she's the ruler of the cosmos.

 

[BrawlX10]

TBH My one main reservation with Smash being this year is really because well, Nintendo already has Mario Kart and very likely 3D Mario booked for this year, so releasing Smash on top of that seems a bit overkill. So from that perspective, late 2026 feels like a better spot for it, although that would mean this game is having a pretty abnormally long development cycle if Sakurai really did started working on it in earnest in April 2022 (so by the time the April Direct happens, it'll been just about three whole years of production).

I agree. I feels a bit too early this year for Smash 6. Yeah, Ultimate is 6 years old right now (7 in December) And that's about the time gap between Brawl and Smash 4, but i'm more refering that it feels a bit too early in the Switch 2 life, specially when we'll have Mario Kart 9 and posibly another big game.
I think anouncing Smash 6 sometime later this year and releasing it in mid/late 2026 seems more likely to me.

 

[GoldenYuiitusin]

No, not that kind of echo.

Too bad. You're getting the Cosmic Spirit and you're going to love it.

 

[mynameisBlade]

My brother in Christ, I hope so.

DKC Returns HD indeed does count. A little. They do seem to treat it as a major release. Which is why I hope they use this momentum and do something with it.

I've been hoping that would happen since this game released for the first time for the Wii.

I've given up hope at this point. I think the Donkey Kong franchise I love is buried in the past with Rare. They made what I grew up with and we haven't seen it since. I didn't like Returns or Tropical Freeze and I'm positive it's because they replaced the villains. I tend to appreciate villains in any medium more than protagonists as I find them more interesting. So I guess it goes without saying, unless they bring the Kremlings back, I probably won't be back either.. :/

 

[RileyXY1]

Also Smash 6 coming this year would mean that the pre-release speculation period will end up being like Ultimate's, meaning that they will indeed be doing Everyone is Here a second time.

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

Too bad. You're getting the Cosmic Spirit and you're going to love it.

I would honestly love that as an alternate costume.

 

[CommanderZaktan]

what leak?

the 4chan leak said that the trailer for the next Smash Bros game will be revealed for 2026 in the Switch 2 direct.

 

[GoldenYuiitusin]

I would honestly love that as an alternate costume.

Fun fact I just learned today while trying to get the right name for it.

In Japan, the Cosmic Spirit is called the "Helper Witch".

All this time, has been witch-coded.

 

[Wonder Smash]

Mortal Kombat characters may not be coming to Smash Bros., but it was just confirmed that they are coming to Fortnite. View attachment 399084

I just want to say that finally for the first time, there will be Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat content in one game.

I'm also glad that they're going with those deigns for crossovers because that's how I would want them to look if they ever do appear in Smash Bros.

 

[ninjahmos]

Fun fact I just learned today while trying to get the right name for it.

In Japan, the Cosmic Spirit is called the "Helper Witch".

All this time, has been witch-coded.

Cosmic Spirit is more fitting.

 

[duchess-olive]

If Pauline's in, her Final Smash should be her singing a bit of "Jump Up, Super Star!" while firing music notes in various bouncing directions (like a harder hitting version of Meloetta's attack).

 

[GoldenYuiitusin]

the 4chan leak said that the trailer for the next Smash Bros game will be revealed for 2026 in the Switch 2 direct.

I'm going to level with you.
There are dime a dozen fake Smash leaks on 4chan.


Even if we get a trailer for a 2026 release, it won't make any difference because that's something people have speculated being a possibility since at least the Switch 2 reveal.

Just because some idiots running game news sites decided the very first fake leak to pop up after the Switch 2 reveal was worth writing an article over doesn't mean it's any more real than all the ones that came before in the past couple years or the dozen that had come after.

 

[BrawlX10]

Overall, I'd say for Fortnite what I'd its possible, given the numbers it pulls. I think a Genshin character could be possible for similar reasons.

I always felt like a Fortnite rep and a Genhin rep were a bit overlooked for Smash 6 speculation, i feel like they're in a similar boat to League of Legends, highly popular games with....controversial fanbases, for what i've heard.

 

[ninjahmos]

If Pauline's in, her Final Smash should be her singing a bit of "Jump Up, Super Star!" while firing music notes in various bouncing directions (like a harder hitting version of Meloetta's attack).

As cool as that would be, I'm not sure if the Smash community is ready for that or that they've recovered from the Pauline Spirit fight.

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

If Pauline's in, her Final Smash should be her singing a bit of "Jump Up, Super Star!" while firing music notes in various bouncing directions (like a harder hitting version of Meloetta's attack).

It works, but every consecutive time I see Jump Up, Super Star! be her main thing I like it a little less.

Pls give her some new music if you're gonna commit to her being a singer.

 

[Noipoi]

Pauline’s kind of a one hit wonder, huh?

 

[chinkuru]

So how about a topic that doesn't get talked about as much as character cuts, character chances and whatnot.
View attachment 399104

My most wanted alternate costumes:
-Crossdress Cloud
-Miyamoto's DK
-Justin Bailey Zero Suit Samus
-Classic Pit
-Pseudo Palutena
-Classic Link
-OOT Link
-Classic Pokemon trainer Red
-Jumpman
-Classic Sonic
-Donkey Kong Junior
-Samurai Dedede
-Morpho knight
-Robot Ness
-Dry Bowser

 

[GoldenYuiitusin]

Pauline’s kind of a one hit wonder, huh?

More like a one hit odyssey.

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

More like a one hit odyssey.

...Ya see.

 

[ninjahmos]

Yeah, Nintendo should definitely give Pauline some new songs, especially if they're gonna commit to her being a singer.

 

[fogbadge]

More like a one hit odyssey.

...Ya see.

you could say my hat is off to you

 

[BritishGuy54]

TBH My one main reservation with Smash being this year is really because well, Nintendo already has Mario Kart and very likely 3D Mario booked for this year, so releasing Smash on top of that seems a bit overkill. So from that perspective, late 2026 feels like a better spot for it, although that would mean this game is having a pretty abnormally long development cycle if Sakurai really did started working on it in earnest in April 2022 (so by the time the April Direct happens, it'll been just about three whole years of production).

2025 is way too early for a new Smash. Nintendo have Mario Kart for this year, which will likely have at least a year of DLC, alongside likely 3D Mario and Animal Crossing.

2026 isn’t as filled. Pokémon Gen 10 will likely be this year in the holidays. But that does conflict majorly with a Smash with the likelihood of a new Pokémon, Kirby, and Luigi’s Mansion. It’s still likely.

2027 is certainly possible. The ten-year anniversary of the Switch would be a good call to celebrate those last ten years. The only games I can really see conflicting with it are Splatoon 4, and possibly a B-tier breakout hit, such as Fire Emblem, Donkey Kong, or Pikmin.

2028 is too late, since that’s the territory that will likely give us 3D Zelda, 2D Mario, Xenoblade 4, and a secondary Pokémon game (e.g. BW remakes).

 

[Arcanir]

So how about a topic that doesn't get talked about as much as character cuts, character chances and whatnot.
View attachment 399104

Samus - Dread Suit, Fusion Suit, Dark Suit, Light Suit, Metroid Suit
Ridley - Omega Ridley
Zelda - Hilda, Twilight Princess, TotK

 

[Dinoman96]

2025 is way too early for a new Smash. Nintendo have Mario Kart for this year, which will likely have at least a year of DLC, alongside likely 3D Mario and Animal Crossing.

2026 isn’t as filled. Pokémon Gen 10 will likely be this year in the holidays. But that does conflict majorly with a Smash with the likelihood of a new Pokémon, Kirby, and Luigi’s Mansion. It’s still likely.

Doesn't really mean much, as mentioned in this thread, Smash 4 came out right around the same time Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire came out, in late 2014. Smash Ultimate also came out a few weeks after Let's Go, Pikachu!/Eevee in late 2018.

 

[duchess-olive]

As cool as that would be, I'm not sure if the Smash community is ready for that or that they've recovered from the Pauline Spirit fight.

Otherwise if she's still not in, I'll main Peach again. Or whatever female character is in.

 

[cashregister9]

The break free lead the way erasure whenever the subject of pauline comes up, smh my head

 

[ninjahmos]

I hope they use Zelda's designs from both BOTW and TOTK for the next game, as well as Ganondorf's TOTK design.

Also, I'd love to see more of Mario's outfits from Odyssey as his alts.

 

[Louie G.]

Who is the most likely character that isn’t discussed much?

I wanted to come up with a bit of a subversive answer to this question so I'm gonna make the case for a dark horse candidate that I don't think people give enough credit toward - EMMI from Metroid Dread.

<--- That ain't Raven Beak!

As a disclaimer, I don't think EMMI is the "most likely" but strikes me as a character that should be getting a bit more attention, and I wanted to use this as a springboard for discussion. That attention is often thrust onto Raven Beak, and while I think Beak is dope and that his abilities make him a much easier character to envision in Smash, I think EMMI has just as much if not more credibility. Personally, I feel it's unlikely that Metroid gets its flavor of the month baddies if series like Zelda have failed to do so in the past. But since much of the community likes to humor the odds of Dread getting a character anyway, I may as well make the case for the other candidate.

Raven Beak's lore implications and striking final boss battle demand attention from fans, and it's understandable. But EMMI is the very thing that this game was sold on - it is the source of the "Dread" namesake, and embodies the game's central gimmick. Frankly, I also think its more within Smash's nature to abide by this than to add the final boss. EMMI will be more identifiable to a wider audience of players. With an amiibo and Figma in tow, it's got a somewhat surprising amount of merchandising for a series that is not heavy on it to begin with. No doubt because well... its design is just incredibly cool.

I think the way EMMI moves is endlessly compelling, on that front its probably one of the most strikingly unique Nintendo characters in recent memory. Its strange alien means of contorting itself and surprising mobility are aspects that I could see inspiring Sakurai to explore the concept. Its role as sort of a Xenomorph esque horror monster whole goal is to chase you down and corner you is kind of a fascinating angle to take a character as well, concepts that we've maybe discussed for Resident Evil or Silent Hill. But EMMI provides Nintendo with its own relentlessly pursuant beast. These kind of premises and characters are more true to what Metroid is all about...and honestly, as a side note, we really don't have a lot of robots in Smash do we?

There are of course a number of things you can hold against it. Like I said, I think it's unlikely that Metroid moves the dial on any new character as much as it does just see a wealth of supplemental content. I think EMMI is a prime choice for an AT, or a stage hazard. Its moveset also doesn't pop as easily as Raven Beak, but I will defend that EMMI's spider-like design inspires a lot on its own and Smash can utilize the unique abilities of the various EMMI that you confront through the game. My point isn't to tell you that EMMI will be in the game, but moreso as a vocalization of why I wish it got more attention, and why I consider it to be an equally valid choice to represent Metroid's growth as its final boss.

 

[duchess-olive]

My guess is that Link will use his TOTK design, and include a new special move where he can absorb an item into the Master Sword to temporarily increase its attack power.

 

[ninjahmos]

Who is the most likely character that isn’t discussed much?

I wouldn't say he's the "most likely" but…

 

[Thegameandwatch]

I wouldn't say he's the "most likely", but…

Probably the 2nd most likely Kirby character after Bandana Waddle Dee in my opinion.

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

The break free lead the way erasure whenever the subject of pauline comes up, smh my head

I keep forgetting about it because so did Nintendo. It's a really good song though.