Official Next Smash - Speculation & Discussion Thread

[LiveStudioAudience]

Nintendo will probably want to bite the bullet and move on from Ultimate as a base at some point, if only because that will become more of a hindrance than a help for any grand ideas they have for the next game. Building a new title from the ground up is a lot of work, but it also opens up opportunities for things long term and releases like BotW has demonstrated Nintendo is willing to allow big shake ups if they're deemed necessary.

 

[Wonder Smash]

I don't know how I would feel about someone else designing newcomers for an already-finished game. Ult has so much of Sakurai's footprint on it that allowing a new director to add their own content to it would risk a massive stylistic clash.

I don't think it would be a problem. If they studied the way Sakurai has designed characters over the years, I think they could make it work.

One common thing that's always been consistent is that the characters are all designed as if they're taken straight from their games. So I'm sure another person would be able to pull it off. In fact, I've seen this in other similar games, so it's definitely possible here too.

 

[SPEN18]

I don't think it would be a problem. If they studied the way Sakurai has designed characters over the years, I think they could make it work.

One common thing that's always been consistent is that the characters are all designed as if they're taken straight from their games. So I'm sure another person would be able to pull it off. In fact, I've seen this in other similar games, so it's definitely possible here too.

Do I think that someone other than Sakurai can competently design Smash-style movesets? Yes, absolutely. But inevitably their style and process for doing so is going to be very different from Sakurai's and maybe it's not best to force them into doing it within the confines of what Sakurai has already built up. It could end up ok, but at best it's suboptimal.

I mean, if a port is what they really want to do and Sakurai won't agree to work on it, then they will get someone else to proceed with their plan; I don't think this potential issue would stop them from making a port, again if that's what they really wanted to do. But I raise the point to indicate a potential risk in terms of the probable quality of content that would hypothetically be added to a non-Sakurai port. And to indicate that using a port as a sort of test drive with a new director may not be a viable motivation for doing a port, even if it doesn't turn out to be a technical impediment.


"The characters are all designed as if they're taken straight from their games": representing characters accurately, making them feel like themselves in Smash is the difficulty, not the ease. There is art and science to this kind of cross-genre translation.

 

[fogbadge]

Hey, as a Zelda-fan who decided to stop watching TotK videos to avoid being spoiled, I just wanted to say that I really appreciate the use of the spoiler tag. Thanks.

no problem, hope you didn't see too much while quoting it

 

[Wonder Smash]

"The characters are all designed as if they're taken straight from their games": representing characters accurately, making them feel like themselves in Smash is the difficulty, not the ease. There is art and science to this kind of cross-genre translation.

That depends on the genre they come from. Action characters can be much easier than visual novel characters or something.

The point is understanding how characters are designed in Smash and the way they're designed can be done by people other than Sakurai. So I don't think it would be a clash in style. If they understand the game and how it works, it would fit just fine with Sakurai's work. Maybe more than you think.

 

[Rie Sonomura]

Imagine if Nintendo hired a celebrity as the newest announcer replacing Xander Mobus.
Yes, it would be a bad future.

coughs in Square Enix replacing the compilation of FFVII VO cast with celebs and applying them to the crisis core remaster too

nope. I’ll never not be salty over this. I HATE Zack and Sephiroth’s new voices a lot ok, deal breaker for CCR for me

 

[Will]

no problem, hope you didn't see too much while quoting it

Dear Smashboards, what’s the point of having spoilers when anyone quoting is going to see it in their reply? Does that imply that quoting is the wrong way to reply to people and we’ve just been doing it wrong for years

Imagine if Nintendo hired a celebrity as the newest announcer replacing Xander Mobus.
Yes, it would be a bad future.

Tyler, The Creator would absolutely pass the Smash announcer test with flying colors.

 

[Rie Sonomura]

If Ultimate Deluxe keeps spirits (probably will if that’s the case) I hope we get a Deep Cut spirit

…and 3DS/Wii U eShop bag. IMMORTALIZE THE BABY PLEASE I FEEL LIKE **** I WANT TO SEE ITS SMILE AGAIN

 

[CommanderZaktan]

If Ultimate Deluxe keeps spirits (probably will if that’s the case) I hope we get a Deep Cut spirit

…and 3DS/Wii U eShop bag. IMMORTALIZE THE BABY PLEASE I FEEL LIKE **** I WANT TO SEE ITS SMILE AGAIN

Speaking of Deep Cut. if they're going to add a fighter from that group which they could do a Splatfest for it, who will be in?

Which member of Deep Cut will be in Smash Bros? - StrawPoll

What is your opinion? Vote now: Shiver, Frye, Big Man

strawpoll.com

 

[Gengar84]

coughs in Square Enix replacing the compilation of FFVII VO cast with celebs and applying them to the crisis core remaster too

nope. I’ll never not be salty over this. I HATE Zack and Sephiroth’s new voices a lot ok, deal breaker for CCR for me

I really miss Sephiroth’s Advent Children voice actor (George Newborn). I never really like when you get used to hearing a character played by a particular actor only for them to change years later. I still prefer the 4Kids dub voices for the Pokémon anime, particularly Jessie, James, and Brock.

 

[Rie Sonomura]

I really miss Sephiroth’s Advent Children voice actor (George Newborn). I never really like when you get used to hearing a character played by a particular actor only for them to change years later. I still prefer the 4Kids dub voices for the Pokémon anime, particularly Jessie, James, and Brock.

Tyler Howchlin sounds so robotic as Sephiroth in Crisis Core Reunion too, just doesn’t hit the same

 

[CapitaineCrash]

Do I think that someone other than Sakurai can competently design Smash-style movesets? Yes, absolutely. But inevitably their style and process for doing so is going to be very different from Sakurai's and maybe it's not best to force them into doing it within the confines of what Sakurai has already built up. It could end up ok, but at best it's suboptimal.

I mean, if a port is what they really want to do and Sakurai won't agree to work on it, then they will get someone else to proceed with their plan; I don't think this potential issue would stop them from making a port, again if that's what they really wanted to do. But I raise the point to indicate a potential risk in terms of the probable quality of content that would hypothetically be added to a non-Sakurai port. And to indicate that using a port as a sort of test drive with a new director may not be a viable motivation for doing a port, even if it doesn't turn out to be a technical impediment.


"The characters are all designed as if they're taken straight from their games": representing characters accurately, making them feel like themselves in Smash is the difficulty, not the ease. There is art and science to this kind of cross-genre translation.

I think that's a fair argument, but like, even if we don't get a port and get a totally new game instead, a new director will have to do new movesets. I really doubt that a new director would change every character moves, at the end of the day a lot of Sakurai moveset will probably stay, if not every. So there would still be a "clash" between Sakurai moveset and non-Sakurai moveset, unless that new dude change literally every moves in the game.

But besides, I don't think that doing moveset with the style of Sakurai is that hard. I mean, there's literally thousand of fan made moveset online for numerous characters. And yeah of course, they're not all perfect, but I'm sure a director who have experience in fighting game could easily make moveset with the same quality has Sakurai.

 

[Sucumbio]

So long as something like this doesn't happen...

... I'd say the next director (if not Sakurai) has a good shot. They just have to subscribe to the same ideology he does and their "vision" or whatever will coincide enough.

 

[Idon]

Sakurai doesn't even keep consistent with his own gameplay philosophy between the launch of a game's roster and the DLC that comes after.

I very much doubt anyone designing new movesets will have to worry much about consistency in a game where there is none to begin with.

 

[SPEN18]

I was talking more the nuts and bolts of the dev process, logistics and subtler elements of style. Not just coming up with the essential concept for a moveset, or matching/exceeding the quality of Sakurai's movesets. I have spoken in here before about how nothing Sakurai can do would stop Nintendo from doing the project they want to do, how at a certain point Nintendo will simply have to pick someone to direct no matter how irreplaceable Sakurai may claim that he is, and how there are plenty of talented people who could surely do a fine job with the series. People have made some good points, though; obviously no new director is going to completely remove Sakurai's influence on Smash and Sakurai himself has had somewhat erratic design philosophy from cycle to cycle (though I'd argue that said inconsistency is better rectified than simply allowed to continue). I still stand by the general point that them potentially wanting to "test out" a new director wouldn't be a reason for doing a port over a new game.

 

[chocolatejr9]

…and 3DS/Wii U eShop bag. IMMORTALIZE THE BABY PLEASE I FEEL LIKE **** I WANT TO SEE ITS SMILE AGAIN

We didn't realize what we had until it was gone...

 

[Lenidem]

no problem, hope you didn't see too much while quoting it

Nope, not a word.

 

[Rie Sonomura]

We didn't realize what we had until it was gone...

Never forget what they took from you.

 

[TCT~Phantom]

Its been over four months since Gen IX dropped, and I think we are starting to see the dust settle as to which Pokemon they will be pushing hard this generation.

I am pretty confident now especially after the anime and japanese popularity polls: buy Meowscarada stock asap. Game Freak is clearly pushing the magician cat this generation very hard. If we do get that new Smash in ~2025-26 (likely before Gen X, game freak tends to be gun shy about releasing new generations on a new console's launch), Meowscarada seems like the pick. It is super popular among Pokemon fans, it is clearly pushed in game with VGC, and it will be the new main character's starter pokemon (or rather Sprigatito will be). There are plenty of other sick Gen IX picks they could go with, but so long as Gen IX keeps pushing Sprigatito and Meowscarada I think the cat is the clear front runner.

 

[RileyXY1]

Its been over four months since Gen IX dropped, and I think we are starting to see the dust settle as to which Pokemon they will be pushing hard this generation.

I am pretty confident now especially after the anime and japanese popularity polls: buy Meowscarada stock asap. Game Freak is clearly pushing the magician cat this generation very hard. If we do get that new Smash in ~2025-26 (likely before Gen X, game freak tends to be gun shy about releasing new generations on a new console's launch), Meowscarada seems like the pick. It is super popular among Pokemon fans, it is clearly pushed in game with VGC, and it will be the new main character's starter pokemon (or rather Sprigatito will be). There are plenty of other sick Gen IX picks they could go with, but so long as Gen IX keeps pushing Sprigatito and Meowscarada I think the cat is the clear front runner.

Although it mostly depends on what Sakurai wants. Decidueye was the most popular starter of Gen 7 and yet Incineroar was added in because Sakurai liked the idea of having a pro wrestler in the game.

 

[Gengar84]

Meowscarada is by far my favorite starter in Gen IX and among my favorite Grass type starters overall so I’d be happy to see it but there are several Gen IX Pokémon I like better. My favorites are Lokix, Ceruledge, Great Tusk, Koraidon, Miraidon, Annihalape and Iron Thorns. I think I like Hisuian Zoroark even more than all of them but it’s more Gen 8.5 than 9 so we’ll see if that matters. It had its own animated special so that helps.

 

[chocolatejr9]

Its been over four months since Gen IX dropped, and I think we are starting to see the dust settle as to which Pokemon they will be pushing hard this generation.

I am pretty confident now especially after the anime and japanese popularity polls: buy Meowscarada stock asap. Game Freak is clearly pushing the magician cat this generation very hard. If we do get that new Smash in ~2025-26 (likely before Gen X, game freak tends to be gun shy about releasing new generations on a new console's launch), Meowscarada seems like the pick. It is super popular among Pokemon fans, it is clearly pushed in game with VGC, and it will be the new main character's starter pokemon (or rather Sprigatito will be). There are plenty of other sick Gen IX picks they could go with, but so long as Gen IX keeps pushing Sprigatito and Meowscarada I think the cat is the clear front runner.

Yeah, that's pretty obvious at this point. Still want my dancer water duck who may or may not be a trans icon, depending on how you interpret it...

 

[fogbadge]

Although it mostly depends on what Sakurai wants. Decidueye was the most popular starter of Gen 7 and yet Incineroar was added in because Sakurai liked the idea of having a pro wrestler in the game.

well i think sakurai has a certain affinity for cats. him and all the other game devs in japan

maybe not miyamoto

 

[Gengar84]

The only issue is that we just got Incineroar so it might be more interesting to get something other than another cat starter for the Pokémon rep. I know they’re pretty different beyond that but those are just my thoughts.

 

[RileyXY1]

The only issue is that we just got Incineroar so it might be more interesting to get something other than another cat starter for the Pokémon rep. I know they’re pretty different beyond that but those are just my thoughts.

Especially considering that both Incineroar and Meowscarada share a common second type, that being Dark.

 

[fogbadge]

Especially considering that both Incineroar and Meowscarada share a common second type, that being Dark.

that’s already happened

 

[Aaayei]

The only issue is that we just got Incineroar so it might be more interesting to get something other than another cat starter for the Pokémon rep. I know they’re pretty different beyond that but those are just my thoughts.

we technically have two frog starters playable with Greninja and Ivysaur so I don't think speices matters too much

I do think Incineroar is likely to be on the chopping block next smash anyway, so don't think it'd be too egregious to have Meowscarada as a bit of an unwritten spiritual successor of sorts.

 

[Gengar84]

we technically have two frog starters playable with Greninja and Ivysaur so I don't think speices matters too much

I do think Incineroar is likely to be on the chopping block next smash anyway, so don't think it'd be too egregious to have Meowscarada as a bit of an unwritten spiritual successor of sorts.

Fair enough. I’m not really suggesting Meowscarada can’t or shouldn’t happen, just that I’d personally find it more interesting to see something else. I’d also love to see Pokémon Smash representation expand beyond just throwing in one of the newest starters as a default. I like Meowscarada and I’d still be happy to see it make it in but those are some of my reasons why it’s not at the top of my list for most wanted Pokémon reps.

I’ve got the same issue with just defaulting to the newest Fire Emblem lord when the series have so many characters I personally find more interesting than the lord. These are just my personal opinions and I’m generally happy with whatever we get. It’s just that some characters would get me more hyped than others. My reaction to most characters is “okay cool, that makes sense” more than a ton of excitement. There are characters like K. Rool, Sephiroth, Ridley, and Joker definitely got me hyped though.

 

[Lenidem]

Especially considering that both Incineroar and Meowscarada share a common second type, that being Dark.

I didn't know Incineroar was also a Dark-type. It really doesn't show in Smash, so I think it wouldn't play against the future rep.

 

[Aaayei]

Anyway, when it comes to SV cannidates, methinks Goldengho has a decent shot.

It's whole existence seems to be just to celebrate Pokemon hitting the 1000 species mark, and it's already seeming like it's being pushed as a notable face for gen 9 due to this.

And I mean, the image of a snowboarding string cheese mascot pummeling Mario is too good to pass up

 

[fogbadge]

we technically have two frog starters playable with Greninja and Ivysaur so I don't think speices matters too much

I do think Incineroar is likely to be on the chopping block next smash anyway, so don't think it'd be too egregious to have Meowscarada as a bit of an unwritten spiritual successor of sorts.

ivysaurs a reptile not a frog

I didn't know Incineroar was also a Dark-type. It really doesn't show in Smash, so I think it wouldn't play against the future rep.

again greninja is dark, it’s already happened

 

[Gengar84]

Anyway, when it comes to SV cannidates, methinks Goldengho has a decent shot.

It's whole existence seems to be just to celebrate Pokemon hitting the 1000 species mark, and it's already seeming like it's being pushed as a notable face for gen 9 due to this.

And I mean, the image of a snowboarding string cheese mascot pummeling Mario is too good to pass up

Goldengo would definitely be interesting. I imagine it could have a fun moveset as well. It’s hard for me to just pick a single favorite from Gen IX since I like several around the same but I think my top three are Lokix, Ceruledge, and Great Tusk. No idea whether any of them have much a chance.

ivysaurs a reptile not a frog



again greninja is dark, it’s already happened

Ivysaur does have a lot of frog like features so it might be a combination of many different animals. As for Greninja, I think Incineroar/Meowscarada’s shared Dark typing was just one aspect. Having two Dark cat starters in a row is a bit more similar. Greninja being a frog helped them feel more different.

 

[HyperSomari64]

ivysaurs a reptile not a frog

Explain this then

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

m.youtube.com

 

[DarthEnderX]

The only issue is that we just got Incineroar so it might be more interesting to get something other than another cat starter for the Pokémon rep.

Dammit I wish Hisuian Decidueye had been Grass/Dark.

I didn't know Incineroar was also a Dark-type.

So's Greninja. Obviously we need to complete the Dark Starter Trilogy.

 

[RileyXY1]

Although I don't know if Gen 9 will even get a rep.

 

[fogbadge]

Explain this then

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

m.youtube.com

what? running?

 

[SPEN18]

Well, I guess it's time to reiterate that I'm simply hoping that whoever directs the next game pushes a completely different methodology for constructing the Pokemon roster. In any case pushing Meowscarada as a foregone conclusion would be super dismissive of all the other great choices out there.

 

[HyperSomari64]

what? running?

They are jumping. You know, like a frog.

 

[fogbadge]

They are jumping. You know, like a frog.

or a rabbit

 

[Gengar84]

Well, I guess it's time to reiterate that I'm simply hoping that whoever directs the next game pushes a completely different methodology for constructing the Pokemon roster. In any case pushing Meowscarada as a foregone conclusion would be super dismissive of all the other great choices out there.

It would be cool if we were still open to seeing any Pokémon from a generation older than the most recent game. Obviously I’d love to see Gengar but there’s a ton of other favorites that would be awesome as well. Some of my other favorites are Cofagrigus, Golisopod, Orbeetle, Hisuian Zoroark, Gligar, and Sneasel among many others.