Official Next Smash - Speculation & Discussion Thread

[Scrimblo Bimblo]

This exact sentiment could be applied to Luigi.

I mean, I like Funky and all but he's a tertiary character at best. Luigi is one of the most iconic videogame characters of all time. And aside from that, Funky's build is even more similar to DK's than Luigi's is to Mario's. He's literally DK with sunglasses and a bandana.

 

[Louie G.]

This exact sentiment could be applied to Luigi.

Others are taking issue with this comparison, although technically it’s true. But the additional context is that Luigi started out very similar to Mario, and since he’s been in the series for 20 years the progressive changes between them made them entirely different. So through this comparison Funky would be added as somewhat of a derivative character and slowly chipped away at over the course of a decade.

If Luigi was somehow not added until now, maybe people would be saying that about him. Of course that’s just not a feasible scenario so we’d never really know. But it wouldn’t be an unreasonable thing to say in this impossible hypothetical.

 

[Wonder Smash]

Kinda pumped to hear how many people are high on Isaac's chances for the next game. People sound even more optimistic than they were in Smash 4 and Ultimate, which is really interesting. I guess despite the games getting older and older we are just at the point where he really is one of the next obvious first party fan requests. Fingers. Crossed.

I'm not sure how much of a chance he has seeing how old the Golden Sun games are but they're still considered classic GBA games even over 20 years now, so Isaac would be great as a GBA retro character. Out of all the Nintendo series that originated on that, I say he's might be the best one.

 

[Ivander]

Who is... the most iconic second player character of all time? Yeah. No way Luigi would be a carbon copy of Mario.

I mean, I like Funky and all but he's a tertiary character at best. Luigi is one of the most iconic videogame characters of all time. And aside from that, Funky's build is even more similar to DK's than Luigi's is to Mario's. He's literally DK with sunglasses and a bandana.

Let's look to the Ken and Incineroar Smash direct to see what Sakurai thinks.

 

[Scrimblo Bimblo]

Let's look to the Ken and Incineroar Smash direct to see what Sakurai thinks.
View attachment 387838

But Luigi is not an echo fighter. In fact, he's one of the least clone-y clones in the game.

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

But Luigi is not an echo fighter. In fact, he's one of the least clone-y clones in the game.

He started off as one in Smash 64, and played the most like the original counterpart. It's not till Melee he started to separate. And got further different down the line(Dr. Mario wasn't unlike Luigi either, when first introduced).

Some are just going to start clonier than others. Luigi was one of them.

 

[Noipoi]

LUIGI IS LUIGI

 

[Ivander]

View attachment 387839

LUIGI IS LUIGI

NO, LUIGI MARIO

 

[fogbadge]

The real question is did Luigi clone his side special from pikachu or did pikachu clone it from Luigi?

 

[Momotsuki]

I've always felt like Funky is a pretty free echo concept.

Compared to DK, take away cargo throw, cut his weight down, butcher his ground speed and to compensate for all of that, make him a high-jumping floaty with great aerial drift. Insanely high-damage strings and juggling via his unchanged-from-DK aerials, at the cost of being deceptively fragile thanks to being a big target but without the heavyweight survivability to make up for it.

 

[Scrimblo Bimblo]

He started off as one in Smash 64, and played the most like the original counterpart. It's not till Melee he started to separate. And got further different down the line(Dr. Mario wasn't unlike Luigi either, when first introduced).

Some are just going to start clonier than others. Luigi was one of them.

And how cloney would Funky start off?

Luigi, even sticking to only the old Mario games that already existed when Smash 64 came out, has always had two characteristics that make him differ from Mario: he jumps higher and his run is slippery (both things have been in Smash since 64, he's not slippery anymore in Ultimate though). Then he got his own series and he starred in a ton of other games.

Funky, meanwhile, has been playable one time and that one time he played just the same as DK, aside from the easy mode facilitations.
It's not that you can't give him an original moveset, it's just that there's not much to work with unless you want to make him "surfboard: the character" which is not a particularly strong concept, or to give him stuff that other Kongs did, like the orange grenades in DK64. It's either that or giving him some arbitrary stat changes in relation to DK.
If he was a major character he could warrant that, but as things are now? He has the same abilities as DK and the exact same body type. He's prime echo fighter material.

 

[LiveStudioAudience]

I mean I adore DKC as a series and dig Funky as a character, but even after playing the Switch port of Tropical Freeze, he's never really struck me as a character as ideal for having that much of an moveset that contrasts with DK's. Much of the interesting mechanics one could incorporate from the Country titles come from DKC2 & 3, which would naturally fit Dixie more than anyone else, and surfboard aside, he really does just play like Donkey Kong himself in the one playable mainline game apperance he has.

There's an interesting hypothetical of Funky with a very out creative/invented moveset (ie something out of the approaches in 64/Melee) where he'd have stuff somehow based off his inventions in DKC3, but given the current approach, echo with slight variation feels most likely.

 

[GoldenYuiitusin]

unless you want to make him "surfboard: the character" which is not a particularly strong concept

To Sakurai? That would absolutely be a strong concept. Why? Because it's something no other character has.

You people are quick to write off Funky as just "DK with surfboard" and yet....the surfboard....the very thing that sets Funky apart....has insane utility.

He can use it to hover. He can use it to shield from attacks below him in the air. He can use it to attack by performing tricks. He can use it as a blunt weapon. He could use it....to literally surf (like Squirtle's new Dash). Etc.
I don't expect the entire moveset to be all about the surfboard, but people are VERY quick to underplay it.

 

[Perkilator]

TKOWL did a pretty cool Funky moveset

Smash commission for @KidSmashing of Funky Kong! pic.twitter.com/4uxx0nLnRI

— Ryan's Art Account (@TKOWL_Art) November 9, 2022

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

And how cloney would Funky start off?

Luigi, even sticking to only the old Mario games that already existed when Smash 64 came out, has always had two characteristics that make him differ from Mario: he jumps higher and his run is slippery (both things have been in Smash since 64, he's not slippery anymore in Ultimate though). Then he got his own series and he starred in a ton of other games.

Funky, meanwhile, has been playable one time and that one time he played just the same as DK, aside from the easy mode facilitations.
It's not that you can't give him an original moveset, it's just that there's not much to work with unless you want to make him "surfboard: the character" which is not a particularly strong concept, or to give him stuff that other Kongs did, like the orange grenades in DK64. It's either that or giving him some arbitrary stat changes in relation to DK.
If he was a major character he could warrant that, but as things are now? He has the same abilities as DK and the exact same body type. He's prime echo fighter material.

If Funky is an Echo, he doesn't really change in later games. If he's a regular clone, he'll probably get minor changes like some do. Or slightly bigger changes like Ganondorf does. It varies.

...The whole point was that Luigi is a bad comparison because he was pretty much like Funky moveset-wise. Barely any tangible differences with rare notes at best. He doesn't really start to separate till Melee even. Like, he might get a notable unique move(hell, even a Bootleg game in Kart Fighter gave him something outright unique) down the line, but he didn't even by that time.

Luigi also separated more as the games did. Funky doesn't have that factor, either, as you noted. So he's unlikely to really stand out on gameplay factors alone. However, this doesn't mean he has to play exactly like DK when he has other options, something Luigi didn't really have much of at all till well after his debut in Smash. It's ironic that Funky has something you could seriously do to separate him right now, while Luigi simply couldn't have had that kind of option before getting in(bar a bootleg game, heh). But a remotely unique playstyle does make sense for Funky while none would've made sense for Luigi at the time. Luigi's Mansion is the first game to even truly separate his options, but they may not be easy to work into Smash. The RPG's slightly do help, but those were after Melee, too.

 

[CapitaineCrash]

To Sakurai? That would absolutely be a strong concept. Why? Because it's something no other character has.

You people are quick go write off Funky as just "DK with surfboard" and yet....the surfboard....the very thing that sets Funky apart....has insane utility.

He can use it to hover. He can use it to shield from attacks below him in the air. He can use it to attack by performing tricks. He can use it as a blunt weapon. He could use it....to literally surf (like Squirtle's new Dash). Etc.
I don't expect the entire moveset to be all about the surfboard, but people are VERY quick to underplay it.

Well if Sakurai really want "Surfboard the character" Gholdengo is right there and he has much more to work with, and is arguably much more popular than Funky.

 

[GoldenYuiitusin]

Well if Sakurai really want "Surfboard the character" Gholdengo is right there and he has much more to work with, and is arguably much more popular than Funky.

I can't take this post even remotely seriously.

 

[Gorgonzales]

To Sakurai? That would absolutely be a strong concept. Why? Because it's something no other character has.

You people are quick go write off Funky as just "DK with surfboard" and yet....the surfboard....the very thing that sets Funky apart....has insane utility.

He can use it to hover. He can use it to shield from attacks below him in the air. He can use it to attack by performing tricks. He can use it as a blunt weapon. He could use it....to literally surf (like Squirtle's new Dash). Etc.
I don't expect the entire moveset to be all about the surfboard, but people are VERY quick to underplay it.

This is what I'm talking about, glad to see that someone gets it. There's a lot of potential in a surfer-type character that I don't want squandered by giving Funky, who is basically a person that looks like an animal, Smash's heavily animalistic mannerisms of DK.

There's a lot of stylish moves and poses he could do even without the surfboard. Adding the board would only increase the potential for cool stuff, like TKOWL's moveset someone else posted here.

If I had to choose between Funky as an Echo Fighter in Smash 6, or Funky as a unique character in Smash 9, I would unironically be completely in favor of the latter. If you get into Smash with a bad moveset, tough luck dude, because the head honchos are so averse to changing kits that you'll probably be stuck like that forever. I don't want Funky to end up like that, although it is totally within the realm of possibility. (Unfortunately.)

Believe me, this isn't what you guys want.

 

[Schnee117]

This is how some of y'all sound

 

[DarthEnderX]

Is Ganondorf still considered a Captain Falcon clone?

With the addition of his sword moves I believe he's graduated to "semi-clone".

You should know the answer, you clicked the like button on posts regarding his moveset.

He clicks the like button on posts regarding everything.

 

[Ivander]

I'm not against Funky being mostly based around his surfboard, but I'd still want to see some of his inventions as specials or whatnot, especially his boot rocket launcher.

 

[GoldenYuiitusin]

I'm not against Funky being mostly based around his surfboard, but I'd still want to see some of his inventions as specials or whatnot, especially his boot rocket launcher.

Final Smash: Das Boot.

 

[CannonStreak]

I'm not against Funky being mostly based around his surfboard, but I'd still want to see some of his inventions as specials or whatnot, especially his boot rocket launcher.

I’d like something like that. Maybe he could have his plane in his Final Smash (Do a barrel roll!) or use DK’s Coconut Gun, since DK is not using it in Smash anytime soon.

 

[cashregister9]

This is what I'm talking about, glad to see that someone gets it. There's a lot of potential in a surfer-type character that I don't want squandered by giving Funky, who is basically a person that looks like an animal, Smash's heavily animalistic mannerisms of DK.

There's a lot of stylish moves and poses he could do even without the surfboard. Adding the board would only increase the potential for cool stuff, like TKOWL's moveset someone else posted here.

If I had to choose between Funky as an Echo Fighter in Smash 6, or Funky as a unique character in Smash 9, I would unironically be completely in favor of the latter. If you get into Smash with a bad moveset, tough luck dude, because the head honchos are so averse to changing kits that you'll probably be stuck like that forever. I don't want Funky to end up like that, although it is totally within the realm of possibility. (Unfortunately.)

View attachment 387843

Believe me, this isn't what you guys want.

I do want and prefer Funky as a unique character but I would have been just fine with him as an echo

and then this image instilled primal fear into me, I kneel.

 

[Laniv]

Remember when people thought Isabelle was gonna be a Villager echo? I'm not saying that's gonna happen with Funky, but there's a non-zero chance.

Another neat gimmick for a Rhythm Heaven character would be that they would have to do their attacks in the rhythm of whatever music is playing in the background.

RH Character mains when Environmental Noises starts playing:

 

[CannonStreak]

I do want and prefer Funky as a unique character but I would have been just fine with him as an echo

and then this image instilled primal fear into me, I kneel.

That’s right! Funky Kong will be no echo of Donkey Kong and you’ll like it!

 

[GoldenYuiitusin]

I do want and prefer Funky as a unique character but I would have been just fine with him as an echo

and then this image instilled primal fear into me, I kneel.

They would need to make Funky stand upright to feel "natural".
And since DK is literally the second tallest character in the game when upright after Ridley....they would have to shorten Funky's legs.

Oh look at that, altered model.

 

[CannonStreak]

So, what kind of voice should Funky have?

If it is generic gorilla noises, I would say “No! None of that! Shame on you!” to Sakurai.

 

[Perkilator]

Well if Sakurai really want "Surfboard the character" Gholdengo is right there and he has much more to work with, and is arguably much more popular than Funky.

I’m sorry but I draw the line with this post. As much as I love Gholdengo and want it to become a newcomer, you can’t tell with a straight face that it’s more popular than Funky Kong from 30 years ago.

 

[ninjahmos]

So, what kind of voice should Funky have?

If it is generic gorilla noises, I would say “No! None of that! Shame on you!” to Sakurai.

I hope they actually use the voice actors for the DK crew, along with Bowser.

 

[Gorgonzales]

So, what kind of voice should Funky have?

If it is generic gorilla noises, I would say “No! None of that! Shame on you!” to Sakurai.

I mean... Obviously it should be his normal voice. Ideally with Bowser and the rest of the DK Crew following suit with their canon voice clips. The animal voices are a relic from Melee and they should've done away with them a long time ago.

 

[GoldenYuiitusin]

So, what kind of voice should Funky have?

If it is generic gorilla noises, I would say “No! None of that! Shame on you!” to Sakurai.

Is it really Funky if he isn't shouting like in MKWii? :V

 

[CannonStreak]

Is it really Funky if he isn't shouting like in MKWii? :V

You can say that again! I was thinking the same thing!

 

[Laniv]

So, what kind of voice should Funky have?

If it is generic gorilla noises, I would say “No! None of that! Shame on you!” to Sakurai.

You gotta get Toshihide Tsuchiya. No one else will fit (unless it's Damon D'Oliveira from the cartoon). And look at that, Tsuchiya also voices King K. Rool. Might as well record some voice clips for him too.

And hey, Takashi Nagasako voices Ganondorf in Ultimate, might as well call him in to voice Donkey Kong, right? Right?

 

[CannonStreak]

You gotta get Toshihide Tsuchiya. No one else will fit (unless it's Damon D'Oliveira from the cartoon). And look at that, Tsuchiya also voices King K. Rool. Might as well record some voice clips for him too.

And hey, Takashi Nagasako voices Ganondorf in Ultimate, might as well call him in to voice Donkey Kong, right? Right?

Damon from the Donkey Kong Country cartoon you mean? I would love a Jamaican sounding Funky Kong, actually!

 

[CapitaineCrash]

I’m sorry but I draw the line with this post. As much as I love Gholdengo and want it to become a newcomer, you can’t tell with a straight face that it’s more popular than Funky Kong from 30 years ago.

I don't see the point of Funky being older. Pokémon is huge, so even if it's recent pretty much everything that comes for it will be very popular. I'm sure Funky got a lot of fans from Mario kart, but I don't think he was that popular from the SNES era.

 

[Scrimblo Bimblo]

To Sakurai? That would absolutely be a strong concept. Why? Because it's something no other character has.

You people are quick to write off Funky as just "DK with surfboard" and yet....the surfboard....the very thing that sets Funky apart....has insane utility.

He can use it to hover. He can use it to shield from attacks below him in the air. He can use it to attack by performing tricks. He can use it as a blunt weapon. He could use it....to literally surf (like Squirtle's new Dash). Etc.
I don't expect the entire moveset to be all about the surfboard, but people are VERY quick to underplay it.

Yeah, sorry, I don't see it. Hovering and shielding from below are replacements for Dixie's and Cranky's abilities anyways.
Tricks as attacks would be neat but it's not enough to cover a whole moveset.

Plus, if it's about making a moveset about one concept, Dixie is the better choice anyways. Her hair lets her float, propel upwards, smash stuff, grab things, torpedo, and she has way more material to work with in general.

 

[Gorgonzales]

Is it really Funky if he isn't shouting like in MKWii? :V

You make a really good point actually.

There's so many people that know Funky from Mario Kart, and the most personality you get from a character in Mario Kart is their voice lines and trick animations. Funky's voice lines are so iconic and well-known amongst players that I think making him do animal noises would genuinely make people upset, as opposed to the more-or-less ambivalence toward the animal voices of the other characters so far.

His voice is far too big of a factor of his appeal to water down. It's why many people like Funky and it practically defines the character to a not-insignificant group of people. I don't think a halfway approach like K. Rool would work, It's gotta be Toshihide Tsuchiya.

 

[GoldenYuiitusin]

I mean... Obviously it should be his normal voice. Ideally with Bowser and the rest of the DK Crew following suit with their canon voice clips. The animal voices are a relic from Melee and they should've done away with them a long time ago.

Honestly, the entire Mario cast sans maybe Jr. and the Koopalings need a touch up in general.

Mainly because everything is outdated and either leftover from the Brawl era grittiness, and/or simply not the current actor anymore.
Sad as it may be to lose Charles' clips, the current ones really only fit Brawl's aesthetic and are too different from the source series.

It's an unfortunate coincidence that the opportunity to change them to be more like the source like post-Brawl Mario characters got coincides with a replacement actor....

 

[HyperSomari64]

So, what kind of voice should Funky have?

If it is generic gorilla noises, I would say “No! None of that! Shame on you!” to Sakurai.

"¡Soy un simio muy ligero!"
I still miss Luis Alfonso Mendoza to this day .(

Anyway, is his voice actor from the Nelvana show still active?