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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Roster Thread

RedBr971

Smash Cadet
Joined
May 2, 2017
Messages
28


This is my prediction roster!
Captain Toad: Captain Toad is coming to the nintendo Switch a game that was pretty much considered "Dead" so i think it has high chances now of joining in the Battle!
It could (and i think will) include a Captain Toadette Costume!

King K. Rool: The most requested character on smash ballot, and he didn't join (bayonetta stealing the spotlight!!) Now, with the port of Donkey Kong tropical freeze it's Nintendo (and his chance) to him for joining Smash! (And besides that, we need more villains in smash!)

Link and Zelda Breath Of The Wild: Just a few changes on their movesets, and Link is confirmed soo i don't really see how Zelda won't be on her BOTW design.

Waddle Dee: The newcomer i most want to see, since Smash Brawl Waddle Dee would be the first ever Spear fighter to join the brawl, and he would have a such unique moveset and one more slot for kirby that is what we need! And since he is now part of the main Kirby characters/group I'm almost 100% sure that he is joining!

Decidueye: Well, we need Grass Pokemon, a sun and moon Pokemon, Sceptile? Nope Decidueye is the answer!
First off, besides other characters with bows he could have a more diversity moveset of invisible arrows or catching opponents by surprise, just like a Ninja, he would be unique, relevant and needed for Smash so just like Waddle dee, i'm almost 100% sure he is joining!

Rayman: Ubisoft and Nintendo work so well together, why can't they add Rayman? He could use his arms for long grabs, costumes would be easy to design and besides, a new Rayman game may come soon to Switch!

Spring Man: It's a new IP, selled a good amount and is pretty well known about people, could have unique moveset so i doesn't see how he isn't joining the crew.

I will tell the truth, my dream is a Smash game with NO cuts but that is impossible, and I have gathered a few characters that may leave us for Switch...
Pac-Man: Yes, this seems crazy but do you know why? Nobody i think (besides me) noticed that, but the new Smash Game is being produced by HAL laboratory... Remember why Pac-Man WAS in last game?
Exactly, it was made by Bandai Namco, now they are not going to touch the game anymore i think it's 100% safe to assure that he is leaving the crew.

Lucina and Dr. Mario???
This may sounds a little strange, since they are on my roster as costumes and Dark Pit will still count as characters slots, I will tell why i think these are the 2 clones leaving

Lucina: Marth has already a clone (That is much more polished) Roy, Lucina is 99% EXACTLY the same of Marth, so I think she is going to get back as they planned on paper, as a costume.

Dr. Mario: When you were a kid or something like that, did you ever knew this characters exist?
I bet most of you guys will say no, besides that look how MANY mario characters we have, and since i think we will get a new one (Captain Toad) It doesn't really mater if our beloved Doctor leaves the crew, right??

And last but not least, we have returning favorites Ice Climbers and Wolf, just by the fact that EVERYONE is praying for them to come back, it's 100% safe that they are coming back!

Guidelines:
Yellow: Costumes
Blue: Normal Characters
Red: Unlockable characters
 
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Kenith

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Smash Switch Prediction Roster 5.png

Here's mine. Clocks in at...ahem, 69 characters. No cuts from Smash 4. I think Smash Switch started as a port but became a new game over development, which means that they brought everyone from the original back.

I chose 11 new characters to add.
- 7 brand new characters: Inklings, Ridley, Decidueye, Elma, Chorus Kids, Takamaru, and Banjo-Kazooie.
- 3 clones/semi clones: Alph, Dixie Kong, Wolf.
- +Ice Climbers, who were cut from Smash 3DS due to technical limitations (possibly 8-player Smash as well)

I factored in what I believe to be popular votes in the ballot and the potential development history of this game for my choices, as well as what games were relevant or would be relevant when decisions were being made.
Also factored in that Sakurai tends to revisit characters. Which is why Alph and Chorus Kids made it.
 

MrPanic

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Back from the dead to throw my poorly photoshop'd roster in here.



Not much to say about it tbh. Lots of returning characters, couple of new nintendo ones, couple of third party ones to celebrate a ninty console actually having a lot of support again. Changed some FE characters to better fit the FE character popularity.

Here some potential variations I could see myself on my roster:
Dr Mario instead of Waluigi. (because Waluigi will never get the love he deserves)
Ridley instead of Sylux (tho Sylux is bound to play a big roll in MP4 so I expect him more)
Krystal instead of Wolf (because ninty loves their female characters these days)
Robin or new FE Switch character instead of Tharja (because of a potential age rating)
Pokeball is a new unrevealed Pokemon (no, it's not Voltorb)
Rex instead of Shulk (could go either way imo)
Rhythm Heaven character instead of Chibi Robo (because Chibi will never get the love he deserves)
Sans or Papyrus instead of Shantae (because of popularity and memes and stuff)
Knight Artorias, Solaire or Travis Touchdown instead of DS1 Knight (just put something bizarre for smash here honestly)
Neku from TWEWY instead of Cloud (because it might be weird to include Cloud again unless Switch is getting FF7R)
 

SuperSmashStephen

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Apr 11, 2017
Messages
873
Where do you guys get all the pictures to make your rosters?

I have mine typed up, but I want a physical manifestation of it.

Thanks
 

Verde Coeden Scalesworth

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Xiivi

So much for friendship huh...
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Options Available 10.18.18
Super Smash Bros.: $59.99
Super Smash Bros. - Day One Edition: $99.99
Super Smash Bros. - Ultimate Edition: $ 149.99
Battle Ready: $9.99
Mario Collection: $19.99
Pokemon Collection: $19.99
Fire Emblem Collection: $19.99
Bonus Collection One: $9.99

Options Available Q1 2019*
Ally Collection: $19.99
Villain Collection: $19.99
Retro Collection: $19.99
Bonus Collection Two: $9.99

Options Available Q2 2019*
Invader Collection: $24.99
Bonus Collection Three: $19.99

*Dates Subject to Change

Purchase our Battle Ready option to have all* characters, stages and costumes automatically unlocked in the base game!
*Battle Ready option does not include downloadable content.

Day One Edition includes Mario, Pokemon and Fire Emblem character collections and Bonus Collection One! Additional content valued at $69.96 MSRP! (Does not include Battle Ready option.)

Ultimate Edition includes all collections from the Day One Edition and includes a preorder for the Ally, Villain and Retro character collections and Bonus Collection Two! Additional content valued at $139.92 MSRP! (Does not include Battle Ready option.)

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Switch includes an expansive roster of over forty characters and brings ten brand new fighters into the mix!

Super Smash Bros. X Yo-Kai Watch: Play as the adorable Jibanyan or Hovernyan from exciting 3DS role-playing game!
Super Smash Bros. X Monster Hunter: Play as the Hunter (Male or Female) from the Monster Hunter series! Get Monster Hunter World now coming to the Nintendo Switch!

Pokemon ____ & ____: Play as the eight generation Pokemon ______! Pokemon ____ & ____ available now on the Nintendo New 3DS!
Fire Emblem ______: Play as the legendary hero ______! Fire Emblem _____ now on the Nintendo Switch this holiday season!


switchdefault.png


Starting Roster: Mario (with Cappy/no FLUDD), Bowser, Peach, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, King K. Rool, Pit (Dark Pit alternate), Link (BotW), Zelda, Toon Link, Samus, Zero Suit Samus, Pikachu, Gen VIII Pokemon, Kirby, Fox, Captain Falcon, Corrin (Male/Female), Fire Emblem Switch Hero (Male/Female), Ness, Olimar (Alph alternate), Villager (Male/Female), Inkling (Male/Female), Shulk, Wii Fit Trainer (Male/Female), Sonic, Pac-Man, Mega Man, Mii Fighter (Single slot & Customization)
Unlockables: Ganondorf, Ice Climber (Popo/Nana alternates, appear in each others' moves), Mewtwo, King Dedede, Marth (Lucina alternate), Lucas, Marshal, Isabelle, Ribbon Girl (Spring Man alternate), Dillon, Jibanyan (Hovernyan alternate), Hunter (Male/Female)

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Switch will offer more characters and options to players than ever before with our special collections! Content will keep flowing into the game! We're excited to have expansions for your game available upon release!

Can't get enough of the man in red overalls? Check out the Mario Collection: Includes veterans Luigi, Rosalina & Luma, Wario, Dr. Mario and the brand new character Captain Todd (Captain Toadette alternate)!

Can't get enough of your favourite pocket monsters? Check out the Pokemon Collection: Includes veterans Jigglypuff, Charizard, Lucario, Greninja and the brand new character Decidueye!

Can't get enough of your favourite lords? Check out the Fire Emblem Collection: Includes veterans Ike, Roy, Robin (Male/Female) and the brand new character Anna!

Bonus Collection One will feature stages from these three universes as well as special outfits to customize your Miis from these three worlds!

Every hero has allies to help them! Check out our Ally Collection: Includes veterans Yoshi, Palutena, Sheik, Falco and the brand new character Bandana Dee!

Every hero also has their enemies! Check out our Villain Collection: Includes veterans Meta Knight, Bowser Jr. (Koopalings alternate), Wolf and the brand new character Ridley!

Keep it old school with some classic fighters! Check out our Retro Collection: Includes veterans Mr. Game & Watch, R.O.B., Little Mac, Duck Hunt and the brand new character Balloon Fighter!

Bonus Collection Two will feature stages from a variety of universes as well as special outfits to customize your Miis from these many worlds!

The battle to reign supreme in the land of Nintendo just got more intense as these outside invaders are making a splash! Check out our Invader Collection:
Super Smash Bros. X Metal Gear Solid: Solid Snake makes his grand return to the series!
Super Smash Bros. X Street Fighter: Ryu couldn't get enough action on the streets and is coming back to settle the score once more!
Super Smash Bros. X Final Fantasy: Cloud has once again crossed time and space to join the fray!
Super Smash Bros. X Bayonetta: We'd say the witch had some new tricks up her sleeve; but she doesn't wear sleeves!
Super Smash Bros. X Overwatch: In an amazing clash of worlds the Hero Tracer has ventured into the land of Smash!

Bonus Collection Three will feature stages from universes represented in the Invader Collection as well as special outfits to customize your Miis from these worlds!

dlc packs.png

Don't forget to purchase your Nintendo Online Play Pass and battle against opponents anywhere in the world!
 

Venus of the Desert Bloom

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Hi. So I decided to sit down and work on a roster for the next Smash Switch game. This isn’t so much a prediction or wishlist roster. Rather, a roster that I think fits best with the Smash Bros. themes and delivers on many areas that are important for Smash such as uniqueness, nostalgia, hype, and so on. Some of my picks may seem pretty logical while others might seem really out in left field. Well, here we go!



Cut Characters: Greninja, Cloud, Ryu, Doctor Mario, Lucina, Dark Pit, Lucas, Roy

Greninja: I see Greninja being replaced for a 7th/8th party representative. Which isn’t to say I want him gone, it’s just I think its chances of returning are questionable given the circumstances.

Cloud and Ryu: While I love these two additions, I see them being on a similar circumstance as Snake as one-time 3rd party characters.

Lucina, Dark Pit, and Doctor Mario: Removed to be added as skins.

Lucas and Roy: Removed for more character additions.

DLC characters: Wolf, Ice Climbers, Hero of the Month, Bandana Dee, Chrono, Shovel Knight, Crash

Ok, with that out of the way, let’s look at the newcomers I have listed:

Captain Toad: Captain Toad is certainly a character that has been making the daily rounds due in part because ports are confirmed for both Switch and 3DS. There are arguments that Captain Toad cannot jump so therefore he shouldn’t be included but I consider that a non-issue. There can be also ways around that using a sort of weight/stuffed backpack mechanism which ways him down. As for Peach’s neutral, let’s let Toadsworth take the pain. Toadette is a skin.

Impa: Despite Impa appearing in almost every Zelda game, she doesn’t really get much representation but I guess that would be due to her usually being casted as an elderly woman. Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, and Hyrule Warriors though were different; especially the later. Sakurai and his team doesn’t have to make Impa in the way that Hyrule Warriors did but they could possibly incorporate an Ike/Shiek-type hybrid.

Ridley: Ridley is never too big. Scale him down slightly and make his the first Giant character. Ridley would be larger than Bowser but lighter than Ike with confusing disjointed hitboxes and varied hurtboxes. In addition, despite being a giantweight, he is a aerial master with some of the best aerial performance within the cast.

Dixie Kong: Why hasn’t she been included yet? It’s a crime really. Saying she would be a Diddy clone is a serious injustice against her. Apart from her hair-based attacks, she could utilize her saxophone, changing her body size, and using her hair for gliding making her an aerial fighter like the aforementioned Ridley.

King K. Rool: I invision Smahs Switch incorporating characters in under represented franchises that deserve their spot. DK and Metroid certainly deserve those spots after all this time and I think King K. Rool rounds it out nicely. A heavy weight with a projectile emphasis would be quite interesting. Plus, he could have a number of interesting skins referencing his penchant for cosplaying!

Hero of the Month: First DLC character on the roster. Who knows when we will get Fire Emblem Switch but if it comes out before Smash Switch, HotM could be a potential addition.

Bandana Dee: My second DLC addition. Bandana Dee could use the spear for spacing and zoning with wide sweeping attacks that keeps opponents on guard. His small frame also makes him a harder target to hit.

Decidueye: It is my top pick should Smash Switch come out before Gen 8 does or before it enters into the conceptual phase. That being said, I don’t mind trading Decidueye if there is a more interesting 8th Gen Pokemon. Decidueye would use mixture of its arrows and area-wide attacks that effects the stage. Plus, it’s final Smash would tether all enemies and render them unable to attack.

Elma: Elma comes from a highly acclaimed Xenoblade title and easily the most recognizable face n the game. Plus, she is a dual sword/gun wielder making her an instantly unique character in the game. Perhaps she has two sets of special moves: one for her swords and one for her guns making her a first in the game.

Rex and Pyra: I don’t know much about Xenoblade Chronicles 2 but Rex and Pyra could be an interesting duo who uses attacks together in a rather seamless way.

Takamaru: A front runner for the Retro characters, Takamaru would obviously be different from his AT version much like how Little Mac was. Using various samurai/ninja techniques is hit forte. He could combine both blinding attack speed with graceful movements.

Isabelle: An unconventional fighter who has unintentional moves that deal damage; much to her surprise. Her dash is her tripping and rolling along the ground. Her Up Smash is pulling one of the celebratory poppers. And one of her Specials is constructing a Public Works.

Inkling: An area zoner specialist whose ink negatively affects her opponents movement, speed, and traction. The Inkling excels in controlling and manipulating the stage. Plus, a number of gadgets and weapons gives him/her the edge in other characters that can exploit her/his small size and light weight.

Spring Man: Spring Man is similar to Little Mac in that he utilizes punches but he is different in that his punches have a much longer…much much longer reach allowing him to deal pain from a safe distance. In addition, to combat those who can get in close, he could have a few close up options as well.

Rayman: Rayman is highly expected from what I can gather. He comes from a franchise highly connected to Nintendo and has a moveset pool that is adaptable to Smash. Plus, Rayman content was included as trophies in Smash 4.

Crash: Not a character I want personally but his recent announcement on the Switch plus the Cloud factor leads me to thinking that Crash would be an interesting addition. Plus, it would piss off Sony fans like Mega Man and Cloud’s inclusion did. Plus, nothing would hype people up more than Crash in Smash.

Banjo-Kazooie: Much in the same vein, Banjo-Kazooie would he total hype and would be a welcomed addition back into the Nintendo fold. While he is owned by MS, they seemed alright with Banjo being in Smash 4 in a series of tweets back in the day. Many people grew up playing BK and their inclusion would really hype up the game.

Chrono: Yet another oddball pick if Cloud does not return and to represent Square-Enix. While Chrono trigger isn’t given much love from SE, it would be silly to say that Chorno Trigger didn’t have an impact on the SNES and deserve a spot in Nintendo history. It is still seen as a highly acclaimed and industry changing game with memorable characters, story, and music. Plus, Chrono would be the sword mage character that Robin really isn’t. Using his sword attacks to execute powerful lightning spells. Plus, he can call upon his allies for combination attacks.

Shovel Knight: The hero that Smash deserves. Shovel Knight would be the representative on the indie games which is something considering how many iconic characters are in Smash. Shovel Knight would be a heavy hitting character with great health and defensive capabilities but a small frame and heavy weight making him a bit hard. Thinking of trying to hit a cannonball that is jumping around. Or maybe Pikachu in a suit of armor.

List of Newcomers and Veterans

1)Mario
2)Luigi
3)Peach
4)Rosalina & Luma
5)Bowser
6)Bowser Jr.
7)Yoshi
8)Wario
9)Link
10)Zelda
11)Shiek
12)Ganondorf
13)Toon Link
14)Samus
15)Zero Suit Samus
16)Donkey Kong
17)Diddy Kong
18)Fox
19)Falco
20)Wolf
21)Pit
22)Palutena
23)Marth
24)Ike
25)Robin
26)Corrin
27)Kirby
28)Metaknight
29)King Dedede
30)Pikachu
31)Charizard
32)Lucario
33)Mewtwo
34)Jigglypuff
35)Shulk
36)Ness
37)Captain Falcon
38)Mr. Game & Watch
39)R.O.B.
40)Duck Hunt Dog
41)Ice Climbers
42)Little Mac
43)Olimar & Pikmin
44)Villager
45)Wii Fit Trainer
46)Sonic
47)Megaman
48)Pac-Man
49)Mii Fighters
50)Bayonetta

1)Captain Toad
2)Impa
3)Ridley
4)Dixie Kong
5)King K. Rool
6)Hero of the Month
7)Bandana Dee
8)Decidueye
9)Elma
10)Rex & Pyra
11)Takamaru
12)Isabelle
13)Inkling
14)Spring Man
15)Rayman
16)Crash
17)Banjo-Kazooie
18)Chrono
19)Shovel Knight

Considered/Cut Characters:

Goku: From Yuyuki, to just piss off DBZ fans.

Labo Rabo: Liked the idea of a shape-shifting cardboard robot and, admitingly, was hard to cut but did it to slim down the roster.

Sylux: Mostly because I think he will take a lead of the main antagonist in MP4.

Tails or Knuckles: I think at this point in time, a second Sonic character rep isn’t extremely unlikely with both Tails and Knuckles vying for that spot. But the character was cut to make room for more 3rdparty characters.

Zero: Going by that, Zero was considered but much like Tails or Knuckles, was cut to make room for a new 3rd party character.

Hikari & Donbe: Both were included as a replacement of Ice Climbers and to also bring in a new retro character but axed when I decided to just bring in the IC’s instead. However, I foresee that Smash in the future will start replacing at-risk characters in this fashion.

Fatal Frame character: A personal desire of mine but ultimately axed in favor for other characters.
[/B]
 
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WertQuadNine

Smash Journeyman
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Jul 16, 2014
Messages
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Yoshi's egg
Wow, haven't been on these forums in forever... but no less! I will now post my (3) rosters that deal with Smash Switch!!

My prediction roster (maybe minus a few though)
So I predict smash switch to be a 4.5 of sorts. Previous characters aren't really updated, but several additions are added and the game is just sorta expanded on. With that being said...
Additions (11)
Captain Toad - Could definitely see it happening if they are looking to expand the roster with relevant characters. Some say this guy wouldn't work, but I'm pretty sure they could find a way.
Paper Mario - A similar situation to Captain Toad, a sort of 'fluff' character. Is definitely popular and different enough to be his own character. Honestly, I could easily see this happening
Dixie Kong - While not as appealing as King K. Rool, is a lot more relevant and would show that the DK series has more characters than just those in Mario games. If a new DK character is added, I am 80% sure it'll be Dixie.
Decidueye - Probably the safest bet for a new Pokemon character. Is likely the most popular gen 8 mon and would complete the grass/water/fire starter trio. As much as I love Decidueye, Mimikyu being added instead is more appealing
NEW FE - Basically just the protagonist for the new Fire Emblem Switch game slated for this year. Even if Smash releases prior to that game, I still think they may be added for a sort of promotion.
Wolf - Bring him back!! I'll be very surprised if Wolf doesn't return. I predict he was likely planned for Smash 4 DLC, but cut when Switch version was planned. I also want to say he was only cut from Smash 4 due to the clone complaints, but the complaints of his absence probably undo this.
Rex/Pyra - A duo-ish character. While Xenoblade X did exist, I feel like Xenoblade 2 was much more popular and better regarded by Nintendo as a whole. It would be smart to keep that momentum rolling.
Ice Climbers - It is pretty well-known they were only cut due to 8-player smash not working with them, but HOPEFULLY the Switch fixes this issue and even if not, they definitely saw the communities reaction to their previous exclusion and would try to bring them back.
Rayman - I'm probably trash at 3rd party predictions, but I do see Rayman likely due to the trophy that was earnable last game... that's basically all the criteria I have for this prediction.
Crash - Everyone says the crash on the switch means 100% Crash is playable, but I see it more as a passage-way. Due to it being such a mascot and now in relation with Nintendo, it would be a smart inclusion
Snake - This is iffy. The fans loved him in Brawl, but with the whole Konami thing going on its sort of a sticky situation. I do think he'll return though.

Cuts (3)
Dr. Mario - Basically replaced with Paper Mario
Lucina - A clone and also the tipping point for Fire Emblem reps
Dark Pit - They've probably seen the communities hate for this character and want to ditch him



My wishlist roster (not horribly realistic, but I would love it)

Now this is pretty unrealistic, but it does include the characters I'm pulling for and would be most excited to see
Additions
Geno - I do think this is actually Geno's best chance for inclusion. A sort of wacky character they could use, along with retro (which they're always looking for). I would love Geno as a character and think he could work so well.
Captain Toad - More likely than Geno, but I still would love his inclusion. This is the perfect situation for a toad character inclusion and would be a really interesting move-set.
Paper Mario - There's a chance here as well! He would be a super cool character, and if he replaced Dr. Mario, I doubt people would complain about multiple Mario choices.
Impa - Now there's not much going for Impa besides the fact she's a badass. Also, she's more recognizable than other Zelda characters... so there's that.
Toon Ganondorf - Okay this isn't happening. I just think this would be soo cool and would expand the Zelda roster (which it definitely needs).
Dixie - Along with a decently high probability, I would also love to see her inclusion. Probably a similar move-set to diddy, but idc.
King K Rool - Who doesn't want the King?? I think it's unlikely, BUT there is a chance due to his high ranking in the smash poll last year.
Alph - Alph is unique enough to be his own character and definitely should split from Olimar. Why they didn't do this before is beyond me, and I highly doubt they'll do it now.
Chrom - I feel like the Smash Team REALLY wants Chrom in the game... as do I. A replacement for Lucina would be nice, but I'll be fine if this doesn't happen.
NEW FE - Along with the likeliness of a FE rep from the new switch game, I also would definitely welcome the addition.
Sceptile - Here's where things get a bit weird... As much as I would love Decidueye to be added, I personally think it'd be cooler to add Sceptile. Sceptile would complete the starter type trio and would coincide with every third generation starter being included (gen's 1,3, and 6). Along with this, his move-set could be really interesting.
Mimikyu - Along with Sceptile, Mimikyu could be a very addition. It's popular enough and would be super fun to play. Now, this addition would bring the Pokemon reps up to a crazy amount, so I'm not against cutting Jigglypuff. I know this is an iffy idea since she(he?)'s an original character, but I still wouldn't mind the absence.
Bandana Dee - One of my personal favorites I want to be added. He's not too flashy, but pretty cool and would be a nice simple character to be added.
Wolf - I didn't love him in Brawl, but I still think he should be brought back.
Krystal - I'm not dying for her inclusion like some are, but I would definitely be excited to see her added to the roster and would have a pretty cool move-set to diversify herself from the other Star Fox reps.
Dark Samus - Another character I desperately want to be added. Would add another Metroid rep, and is definitely different enough than original Samus to have their own move-set. I doubt the inclusion, but I would be stoked.
Rex/Pyra - Already kinda explained this one, but I still think the move-set would be pretty fun.
Spring Man - I doubt he'll be included since he only has one game, and Inklings weren't added when Splatoon came out. While saying that, I still think the character would work really well and I would enjoy the inclusion. Maybe even have a ton of alt costumes for other ARMS characters.
Chibi-Robo - I'm pretty sure Nintendo is going to leave him in the dust, but if they plan on keeping his series relevant, then his addition would be so cool.
Isaac - Another character I see as doubtful, but I would LOVE to see him added. I really liked the Golden Sun games, and I don't think he should be left in the dust.
Chorus Men - I was originally against this, but looking at some fan move-sets I changed my mind. This would be such a cool 'left-field' addition and I'm all for it.
Ice Climbers - Already explained, everyone wants them back.
Rayman - I'm all for Rayman being added. I'd rather have him than indie game reps like Shovel Knight or Shantae.
Crash - I'm less so supportive of Crash, but I definitely wouldn't be complaining if I see him join the squad.
Sora - I contemplated even adding him because I am so used to thinking he has such a small chance of addition, that it's pointless to dream about it. BUT I do think there's a (small) chance and is probably my most wanted 3rd party.
Snake - Despite the Konami drama, I still think he'd be cool to have back.

Cuts
The Clones - Just to clean up the roster and there's just no real need.
Jigglypuff - I would be sad to see her(him?) go, but if my dream scenario of Sceptile and Mimikyu being added happens, then Jigglypuff would have to go.
Roy - Chrom kinda replaces him. I'm not a huge Roy fan, but I could see why some people would get mad at him getting cut.

My insane roster (pretty much filled with every possible character inclusion)

Okay so this roster is mad, and there's no way it'll happen, nor do I really want it to happen, but It's filled with every possible character (I think) that could be added to the game. With that said, I'll just talk about the ones I haven't said anything about yet.

Additions
Cappy Mario - Basically just splitting Mario into pre odyssey and post odyssey. Even though this could work, I'm pretty against this since it makes the Mario roster massive and they should just re-work Mario to include Cappy.
Waluigi - Now don't stone me, but I honestly don't want Waluigi added. Like I said a second ago, this would just be too many Mario reps and Waluigi isn't unique enough for his own spot imo.
BOTW Link / Link Split - I really don't want this to happen since it'd make there be 3 links and that's just sorta insane. If they replace original Link and keep Toon Link, his move-set wouldn't be lost.
Elma - It'd be kinda cool to see her added, but giving a rep to every Xenoblade protagonist is pretty nuts and I'd much rather have Rex/Pyra.
Rex and Pyra Split - I think it's pointless to fill two spots, but it is possible that it will happen.
Magalor - I'm actually not super against this (rather have the Dee though), but it actually could happen since Nintendo seems to be pushing this character more and more.
Sylux - Okay so I forgot to add him the roster... but I do think it could happen. I'd much much rather have Dark Samus though.
Hades - Again, I'm not super against this addition, but it'd just make the Kid Icarus reps too heavy for only having 2(?) games.
Andy - I love the Advance Wars games, and I could see him working as a character. I mean I doubt it, and as much as I like AW, I don't really want him...
Mach Rider - If they want a new retro character he is probably the most likely. Well him or Excitebike Rider. I don't personally want either one though.
SnipperClips - I think this could provide an insanely cool and creative move-set, but I'm not really for it. A Snipperclippers stage seems more likely and a lot cooler.
Takamaru - Not completely against this, but he seems so irrelevant that I'm doubtful. And his move-set would be sorta bland anyways.
Banjo-Kazooie - Would be cool to see these guys on a Nintendo console again, but they're not super relevant right now.
Couple that with the fact I'm not a huge fan of these games, then it's not hard to see why I placed them on this roster
Bomberman - I don't really see him as being super worthy of a character slot, but an assist trophy would be awesome.
Rabbids - Oh god no. I despise the Rabbids and would hate to see them added. I'm only worried since they just got their own decently popular game, that Ubisoft might weasel their way to making this happen.
Shovel Knight - As I mentioned earlier, I'm not super for Indie Reps, but I do see him as the most likely. Would also have a decently cool move-set, but he just seems too minor for his own character slot.

 
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Stratos

Smash Ace
Joined
Dec 27, 2014
Messages
920
This my list of newcomers:

Isaac (Golden Sun series)
Chibi-Robo (Chibi-Robo! series)
Mike Jones (StarTropics series)
Harry (Teleroboxer)
Earthworm Jim (Earthworm Jim series)
Mike Anderson (Battle Clash)
Daitoryo (Hanafuda cards)
Mini Kangaroo (Mini Game Series)
Takamaru (The Mysterious Murasame Castle)
Bomberman (Bomberman series)
Simon Belmont (Castlevania series)
Chrono (Chrono Trigger)
John Raimi (Geist)
Kevin (Karkurenbo Battle Monster Tactics)
Alexandra Roivas (Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem)
Raymond Bryce (Disaster: Day of Crisis)
Rayman (Rayman series)
Liu Kang (Mortal Kombat series)
Muddy Mole (Mole Mania)
Saki Amamiya (Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Earth)
Spring Man (ARMS)
Cross (Xenoblade Chronicles X)
Elma (Xenoblade Chronicles X)
Rex (Xenoblade Chronicles 2)
Black Shadow (F-ZERO series)
Shovel Knight (Shovel Knight)
Goku (Yuyuki)
King K. Rool (Donkey Kong series)
Waluigi (Super Mario series)
Captain Rainbow (Captain Rainbow)
Kyo Kusanagi (The King of Fighters series)
Ryu Hyabusa (Ninja Gaiden series)
Tin Star (Tin Star)
Professor Hershel Layton (Professor Layton series)
Dillon (Dillon's Rolling Western series)
Ray MK III (Custom Robo series)
Medusa (Kid Icarus series)
Meowth (Pokémon series)
Henry Fleming (Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.)
Ivan (Devil's Third)
Andy (Advance Wars series)
Protagonist (Glory of Heracles)
Heracles (Glory of Heracles)
Protagonist (Famicom Detective Club series)
Ayumi Tachibana (Famicom Detective Club series)
Tempo (HarmoKnight)
Jin Kazama (Tekken series)
Steve (Minecraft series)
Queen Azarel (Warlocked)
Chief Zog (Warlocked)
Sukapon (Joy Mech Fight)
Mach Rider (Mach Rider)
Aisya (ASH: Archaic Sealed Heat)
 
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Smashoperatingbuddy123

Smash Legend
Joined
Jul 16, 2013
Messages
10,909
here we go for my predictions so far
(note i haven't done nintendo stuff in a while so some newcomer choices will be rusty for the moment)

returners

:4mario::4luigi::4peach::rosalina::4bowser::4bowserjr::4dk::4diddy::4kirby::4metaknight::4dedede::4fox::4falco::4link::4zelda::4sheik::4ganondorf::4tlink:
:4marth::4myfriends::4robinm::4feroy::4pikachu::4jigglypuff::4charizard::4mewtwo::4lucario::4pit::4palutena::4ness::4lucas::4wario::4gaw::4rob::4duckhunt:
:4littlemac::4wiifit::4falcon::4yoshi::4olimar::4shulk::4sonic::4megaman::4pacman::4mii:

resurrections
:wolf::popo:

Cut/DLC
:4bayonetta::4cloud::4corrin::4ryu::4darkpit::4lucina::4drmario::4greninja:
(Cloud, Bayo and Ryu, most likely to survive for dlc)
(greninja is only due to being replaced by a gen VII pokemon)

Newcomer speculations
(rusty since i haven't came back to nintendo in a while)

INKLING





no need to speculate inkling boy and girl are confirmed from the smash switch reveal

Ridley

Now before you go off on me i am aware what sakurai said about ridley when he explained why he failed for the 3rd time and the lies sakurai made

1 he claim he would lose his fly around would be weir: ridley doesn't rely on staying in the air

2 the scale down would be weird: prooven in the past that ridley doesn't look weird when scaled down slightly taller than bowser

3 finallky he claimed the working is to tough: yea we knew this one was balony

but doesn't mean you should give up on ridley because of that besides he's known to have a change of heart and by the fact a new metroid game is coming out

but im not holding my breathe for ridley though

incase its not ridley the next one will be the replacement

Sylus



This is in case if ridley fails a 4th time which could very well happen

anyway

sylus is the most famus of the metroid hunters

and the director confirmed that the ship in metroid prime 3 secret ending is his ship and not dark samus

and metroid prime 4 is coming and i heard he is the main enemy of that one so that could be his golden ticket for smash bros and finally at long last samus not the only playable character from metroid

A New Pokemon from Gen VII

i also think this is who replaces greninja in smash switch

so from out of all the choices the number one by far has to go to Deciueye


don't know enough but i do know this one is the most popular of the starters

and also by the fact it would be a first grass type playable (excluding ivysaur ofcoarse)

and maybe are first bird too

King K Rool

this has got to be the one his momment of coming back finally comes

hes probably the true ballot winner of smash 4 (we are all speculation sakurai is lieing about bayonetta being the most voted all around due to the fan polls)

and plus the mii costume acknowledges that sakurai knows k rool exist and may give me hope hes in this one

Takamaru


Not much to be said but i know we are asking for this one and little mac was the usa most wanted and it happen this is japans most wanted (actually may be k rool but you know what i mean)




Crash bandicoot

This one is on the same boat as cloud on wanted for smash and im one of them

i know bandicoot and hes popular

and at long last the door has opened up for him as possible hes third party now because that collection game got made on the switch

Rayman

Very simple he got a obtainable trophy status in smash 4 so that makes him possible for a future character


New FE Character

don't know who but this is a ritual for smash a new fire emblem character just like with pokemon with a ocastion of mario

speaking of mario

Paper mario Or Captain toad



They are both in the same catergory for introducing a new mario character for the game

plus both are relevent enough to be in this smash bros game

captain toad is higher due to being Toad and that captain toad is already confirmed for the switch

Shovel knight



Not holding my breath but the Request for smash hit the roof when shovel knight got added nintendo E-shop

and i think his game was part of the first ones to be added to the switch he even got a amiibo thats a sign of hope


The next WTF Nintendo character (Retro)

another tradition of smash we always get one of these

for the what the heck character just for the fun of it

ill will go with mach rider (most likely someone else)

on the other hand mach rider was attempted once to be put in smash


Viridi


Safe bet we are going to get another Kid Icarus character in smash switch and that sakurai made that game from all the choices viridi is the most likely in my opinion especially since with the smash dialogue on the kid icarus stage

as a matter of fact i think she may take Dark pits slot


So those are my best guess's and aware we will not get all of this but just my best guesses for possible
 
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-VictoriaJustice-

Smash Ace
Joined
Feb 18, 2014
Messages
623
Location
Houston, TX
NNID
Victor1aJust1ce
3DS FC
4768-7937-5552
Here's my first prediction roster.



Allow me to explain my choices on this one:

Yellow border around newcomer: Very, very positive on their chances
Green border: Less positive but still optimistic
Red border: Coin toss, but maybe a bit of stretch

62 characters, 9 newcomers

-Waluigi: Added due to high popularity, promoted from Assist Trophy. Chances: 64%
-Ashley: Added to promote WarioWare on 3DS releasing this summer, promoted from Assist Trophy. Chances: 30%
-King K. Rool: Added to due immense popularity, likely true Ballot winner (or top 5 worldwide), Mii costume used remnants of his player model in SSB5 (instead of the already existing trophy model). Chances: 95% (imo)
+Ice Climbers: Cut from SSB4 due to 3DS. No 3DS this time. Almost guaranteed. 99.99%
-New Fire Emblem character: Either it's a returning Corrin, the new lord from FE Switch, maybe Chrom, Alm or any one of the thousand new Fire Emblem titles. Chances: 70%
-Inkling: Already confirmed. Chances: 100%
-Spring Man: Was debating between either him, Ribbon Girl, Min Min, or Twintelle. Very likely we'll see an ARMS character regardless. Chances: 90%
+Wolf: Added back due to popularity. Chances: 75%
-New Pokemon: Dunno who to add. I guess that other thing y'all keep talking about that I have no clue how to spell. Not too sold yet, maybe they'll just keep Mewtwo and call it a day. Chances: 45%
-Rex/Pyra: Added to promote the recently released Xenoblade Chronicles 2(?). Seems like an obvious choice. Chances: 88%
-Ridley: Added due to overwhelming popularity, and also partly because of the leak. Dunno. Maybe Sakurai finally had a change of heart after ten years? Chances: 50%
-???: I reserved this spot for a potential retro or indie rep. Not sure who. Maybe Takamaru? I honestly don't know. This roster is already bloated with some of the last potential biggest names left not already in Smash like K. Rool and Ridley. Chances: 50% on a retro rep, 35% on an indie rep.

Cuts:
Dr. Mario
Dark Pit
Lucina
Cloud
Miis

Notes:
Almost cut Greninja but I think he will probably stay.
Dixie Kong may be added alongside K. Rool but I'm not sure.
Almost cut Duck Hunt Dog. I have a strange feeling he might get cut but I feel like there is a better chance he'll stay.
Debated whether to cut Ryu or Bayonetta but I think they are both popular and Bayonetta still has good relevance with her games on Nintendo platforms now.

ROSTER 2:
62 characters, 10 newcomers



-Kazukata Yuri: The *indie* rep, but Fatal Frame is a well-known and beloved franchise. Very interesting pick. Fatal Frame is one of my all-time favorite series and this would be a dream pick for me. Lots of interesting moveset potential. Chances: 20%
-Crash: New game on Switch, successful revival, popular, etc. Chances: 45%

Cuts:
Dr. Mario
Dark Pit
Lucina
Cloud
Bayonetta
Miis

Notes:
I couldn't decide between Ryu or Bayonetta to be cut but I chose Bayonetta instead. It can go either way.

Please feel free to PM me your ideas or thoughts on my roster. I encourage discussion and I'll happily be open to talk with ya about my roster!
 

Bravetriforcer

Smash Ace
Joined
May 2, 2014
Messages
776
A combination of a prediction and an ideal wishlist.



I'm on the train of thought that they ported Smash 4 Wii U to Switch and worked from there. So no cuts.

All the Zelda vets get overhauls, Ganondorf and Link getting the most drastic changes. Black Shadow's purpose is clear.

Smash 4 clones are turned into Roy or Luigi-level semi clones.

Alph and Isabelle are added as slightly unique clones.

Labo is added as the WTF pick, like Wii Fit Trainer.

Rayman added due to Ubisoft having a fairly close relationship with Nintendo.

Sora added because Disney saw how well Square's relationship with Smash turned out, and made some things happen when Sakurai came to get Cloud back.

Fire Emblem symbol is whatever FE 2018's lord or avatar is gonna look like.

Twintelle over Spring Man because let me dream.

Wolf is built from the ground up instead of being a Frankenstein'd mess of reused animations from various fighters.

Mii Fighters also get a new class, Mii Mage.

Plus other stuff but you get the gist.
 

TheSpitefulWolf

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Messages
254
tinkerin with the roster, don't got a lot to go on for 'prediction' or whatever the ****, so just doin' a basic one here.

wanna say that ****'s straightforward but whatev. if someone's got a !, they're a newbie. the rotating symbol means they're returning, hammer and wrench means a rework/move changes. 3P means third-party dummies. got some conditionals with this ****. folks with green backgrounds are peeps we know are there. peeps with blue backgrounds are peeks that're prolly gonna stick around. yellow bgs is the uh oh zone, folks that risk being cut OR if they're new additions folk that only have a slight chance of being added. folks in red are all-but-dead in my opinion so just deal with it. purple/pink is my dumb wishlist. so let's break it down

:4bowser:: he's really clear, can see his horns/mane.
:4dk:: can see his cowlick in the flames
:substitute:(Inklings): durrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
:4link:: BURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
:4mario:: HURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
:4marth:: you can see the girly boy on the left side of middle.
:4samus:: can see her huge shoulders next to :4bowser:
:4bowserjr:: unique enough and doesn't really offend so **** it he's prolly in
:4falcon:: o12, not goin nowhere
:4diddy:: annoying ****, but unique enough to stay. dk aint losin' reps
:4duckhunt:: bark bark bark. nother unique and wtf toon. sakurai loves those.
:4falco:: melee boys riot if he goes
:4fox:: lolllllllll
:4ganondorf:: sakurai ain't gonna dump ganon
:4myfriends:: boy i hate fire emblem but he's got a niche
:4jigglypuff:: o12, give her respect
:4dedede:: hes a kirby character, sakurai's on the game
:4kirby:: lollllllllllllllllllllll
:4littlemac:: unique enough to stick around even if he's ****-tier
:4lucario:: furry jesus
:4luigi:: c'mon now
:4metaknight:: 'nother kirby toon
:4mii:: get rid of the dumb **** with height/weight and standardize them and they can be tons of fun
:4gaw:: gee-dub is too good to cut.
:4ness:: o12. don't be dumb.
:4olimar:: unique boy.
:4palutena:: blah blah waifu has fans so she'll prolly stay, also kid icarus so one of sakurai's softies.
:4peach:: she's still around
:4pikachu:: pretend i typed a really good analysis here on how an o12 can't be cut
:4pit:: kid icarus
:4rob:: robot does not get cut, robot does the cutting
:4robinm:: fire emblem is garbo but he's sadly unique enough to warrant staying
:rosalina:: 'nother unique princess that's :popo:-lite.
:4shulk:: i think you can see the circle of his manado sword in the flame next to samus and bowser
:4sonic:: the only constant third-party
:4tlink:: safe to assume link's moveset is being revised for botw, so this guy'll carry the classic torch
:4villager:: sole rep of his game and individual enough to stick out
:4yoshi:: yup that's yoshi
:4zelda:: yup that's zelda
:4zss:: ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh she's probably still around.
:4charizard:: his inclusion actually dictates a lot of ****, most notably whether greninja stays and what the g7 rep will be. if he's out, greninja's definitely gone and the g7 starter can be whatever. if he's around, greninja might also stick around and in that case the g7 starter is robin hood owl
:substitute:(dillon): he's getting a push for summerslam so could see him getting the little mac treatment
:4drmario:: the most likely of the raw-dog clones to stick around.
:popo:: no hardware limits this time, but smash survived without them too, so you ~never know~
:4mewtwo:: he's skipped smash once before
:substitute:(gen7 starter): if :4charizard: and :4greninja: are still around, it's decidueye. if either are gone, WHO ****ING KNOWS
:4sheik:: ocarina and twilight princess were three systems ago, but i guess she's a melee icon
:substitute:(spring man): they want to push ARMS pretty hard
:4wiifit:: gonna be super-sad if she gets cut, but balance boards don't exist anymore
:4bayonetta:: she's got the best chance out of all of 'em and only 'cause she's got bayo 3 hitting switch.
:4cloud:: square dragged their feet and won't say yes twice
:4corrin:: purely there to push copies of fe but had zero charisma to do so, which is ironic since he's some kinda dragon-guy (DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS JOKE LOL)
:4darkpit:: this joke adds zero to the game except salt
:4greninja:: so he only has a chance if :4charizard: stays
:4lucas:: he got bumped to dlc once, no reason to think he'll make the cut this time
:4lucina:: she needs to just become a costume already
:4megaman:: this cut hurts the most, but megaman isn't nearly as iconic as sonic, and that ****ing sucks
:4pacman:: see ****ing above
:4feroy:: the original FE clone
:4ryu:: capcom doesn't like nintendo THAT much to kneecap their own fighter
:substitute:(Adam Jensen): Sick-ass augs can be used for throws, B-moves, and smashes with virtually zero effort.
:substitute:(Anthony Higgs): Another non-ZSS metroid rep? He's a cool dude, survived a mission (which only samus tends to do) and has unique edges to his fighting. maybe he'll even show up in prime 4
:substitute:(Birdo): my second-favorite mario character next to bowser.
:substitute:(Blanca): my favorite AC character, protag included. maybe she can be kirby-esque with copying, and display drawings from other players on her.
:substitute:(braixen): SHE'S SO ****ING GOOD IN POKKEN
:substitute:(Bubsy): this ************ has relevance again thanks to his new game and has cred on the SNES, plus his moveset ****ing writes itself
:substitute:(Captain N): ****ING YES LETS GOOOOO
:substitute:(Doomguy/Doom Slayer): one fast ************ that specializes in close-combat
:substitute:(Eevee): a final smash in two words: extreme evoboost mother****ers
:substitute:(Krystal): never gonna give up on my blue space fox waifu
:pichumelee:: if the other clones can come back, then he needs to too
:snake:: no vet left behind
:substitute:(Toriel): undertale's on switch, she wouldn't have a dumb gimmick like sans, and she's a good character besides
:wolf:: sakurai was dum-dum when he got cut
:younglinkmelee:: if the other clones return, then this dumb **** needs to get in
 

SuperSmashStephen

Smash Ace
Joined
Apr 11, 2017
Messages
873
Screen Shot 2018-03-16 at 4.02.38 AM.png
Screen Shot 2018-03-16 at 4.09.51  AM.png Screen Shot 2018-03-16 at 4.10.10  AM.png

Cuts: Lucina, Dark Pit, Cloud, Ryu, Mii Fighters.

Lucina - Exact clone of Marth, other than the tipper mechanic. We already have a unique Awakening rep in Robin.

Dark Pit - a slower, stronger Pit clone. The only unique thing about him is the electro shock arm, and his Final Smash. I think Hades or Medusa would be a much better inclusion.

Cloud - Everyone seems to agree that his cut is likely due to the fickle nature of Square Enix, however, with Square being so supportive of the Switch, and Cloud's inclusion being so well-recieved by most fans, I put him in as DLC again. An initial cut from the base roster none the less though.

Ryu - Same reason as Cloud, just with Capcom. It all depends on if they give Sakurai/Nintendo the rights to use him again. I believe they will, but he'll be held off for DLC again. Face it, we'd buy him again. The completionist in all of us would kick in "Must....have....complete....roster."

Mii Fighters - I feel like the Mii brand is dying down, not out, but the Mii Fighters weren't well recieved, and you couldn't use them online. They were a conflict of interest for people who enjoyed them, but all wanted to play online. I also think a lot of development time went into costume for them, when it could have gone into custom moves, new characters, new modes, etc.

* I didn't cut Dr. Mario because I strongly believe Mario's moveset is going to be changed enough in this new installment that Dr. Mario will drop to semi-clone status, and will also be there for people who prefer Mario's old playstyle.*

Newcomers: Paper Mario, Decidueye/Mimikyu, Dixie Kong/Cranky Kong, Impa, Hades/Medusa, Wonder Red, Bandana Waddle, Fire Emblem Switch Character/Celica, Sylux (rumored to be important character in Metroid Prime 4.), Rex & Pyra, Isabelle, *Ice Climbers*, Takamaru, Inklings (confirmed), Springman=Ribbon Girl (alts), Min Min/Twintelle/Ninjara, Rhythm Heaven rep, Labo Robot, Hero (Dragon Quest), King K. Rool (DLC), Ridley (DLC), *Wolf* (DLC), *Cloud* (DLC), *Ryu* (DLC), Gen VIII Pokemon (DLC), Geno (DLC)

18 initial newcomers, + 4 Newcomers through DLC = 22 Newcomers

53 vets from WiiU/3DS + 2 vets from previous installments + 18 newcomers + 4 DLC newcomers = 77 characters + Random Select. 78 Roster Slots.

Let me know what you guys think.
 
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Geno Boost

Smash Master
Joined
Jul 25, 2014
Messages
4,355
Location
Star Hill. Why do you ask?
View attachment 139011 View attachment 139012 View attachment 139013

Cuts: Lucina, Dark Pit, Cloud, Ryu, Mii Fighters.

Lucina - Exact clone of Marth, other than the tipper mechanic. We already have a unique Awakening rep in Robin.

Dark Pit - a slower, stronger Pit clone. The only unique thing about him is the electro shock arm, and his Final Smash. I think Hades or Medusa would be a much better inclusion.

Cloud - Everyone seems to agree that his cut is likely due to the fickle nature of Square Enix, however, with Square being so supportive of the Switch, and Cloud's inclusion being so well-recieved by most fans, I put him in as DLC again. An initial cut from the base roster none the less though.

Ryu - Same reason as Cloud, just with Capcom. It all depends on if they give Sakurai/Nintendo the rights to use him again. I believe they will, but he'll be held off for DLC again. Face it, we'd buy him again. The completionist in all of us would kick in "Must....have....complete....roster."

Mii Fighters - I feel like the Mii brand is dying down, not out, but the Mii Fighters weren't well recieved, and you couldn't use them online. They were a conflict of interest for people who enjoyed them, but all wanted to play online. I also think a lot of development time went into costume for them, when it could have gone into custom moves, new characters, new modes, etc.

* I didn't cut Dr. Mario because I strongly believe Mario's moveset is going to be changed enough in this new installment that Dr. Mario will drop to semi-clone status, and will also be there for people who prefer Mario's old playstyle.*

Newcomers: Paper Mario, Decidueye/Mimikyu, Dixie Kong/Cranky Kong, Impa, Hades/Medusa, Wonder Red, Bandana Waddle, Fire Emblem Switch Character/Celica, Sylux (rumored to be important character in Metroid Prime 4.), Rex & Pyra, Isabelle, *Ice Climbers*, Takamaru, Inklings (confirmed), Springman=Ribbon Girl (alts), Min Min/Twintelle/Ninjara, Rhythm Heaven rep, Labo Robot, Hero (Dragon Quest), King K. Rool (DLC), Ridley (DLC), *Wolf* (DLC), *Cloud* (DLC), *Ryu* (DLC), Gen VIII Pokemon (DLC), Geno (DLC)

18 initial newcomers, + 4 Newcomers through DLC = 22 Newcomers

53 vets from WiiU/3DS + 2 vets from previous installments + 18 newcomers + 4 DLC newcomers = 77 characters + Random Select. 78 Roster Slots.

Let me know what you guys think.
Looks good but I would just replace min Min with a 2nd namco rep like Heihachi since ARMS is still just a 1 game and I don't think it should get a 2nd rep before the game gets a sequel

As for the Hero from DQ I think Erdrick would make the most sense to be chosen because he is like Cloud of the DQ series
 

Strider_Bond00J

Smash Champion
Joined
Jul 23, 2014
Messages
2,866
Location
la-lio~n~
Switch FC
SW-2525-8699-9095
Here's my revised edition for the final roster. Yes this looks out of place if you're starting from the start of the thread, but no other place to go since I've already made a post here.
Final_Strider_Prediction_Roster Roster.png

New Echoes:
Shadow as an Echo for Sonic
Ken as an Echo of Ryu
Octoling as an Echo of Inkling
Newcomers post-Isabelle:
#69: Incineroar
#70: Isaac
#71: Geno
#72: Dixie Kong
#73: Skull Kid

Here's my contribution to the Smash Roster Thread: It's going to be broken up into series as they were introduced by game
Super Mario Bros (7 Characters) - (Veterans):4mario::4luigi::4peach::4bowser::rosalina::4bowserjr: (Newcomer) Waluigi (Cut):4drmario:(Absorbed into alternate costume for Mario)
The Legend of Zelda (6 Characters) - (Veterans):4link::4zelda::4ganondorf::4sheik: (These veterans get some influence based off Breath of the Wild) :4tlink: (Newcomer) Urbosa or Revali (A Champion from BotW is probably one of the likely newcomers, and could use the Champion Abilities that may not get picked up by this game's iteration of Link)

Pokémon (7 Characters) - (Veterans):4pikachu::4jigglypuff::4mewtwo::4charizard::4lucario::4greninja: (Newcomer) Either Mimikyu or Decidueye (My initial preference is Decidueye, but I think Mimikyu would be a rather interesting character choice after thinking it over. If we see someone like Revali added, I'd go with Mimikyu instead.)

Kirby (4 Characters) - (Veterans):4kirby::4metaknight::4dedede: (Newcomer) Bandanna Waddle Dee (Popular character in home series - brings a new weapon to the series' table in the Spear and is sort of the Forth Musketeer at this point for Kirby)

Donkey Kong (4 Characters) - (Veterans) :4dk::4diddy: (Newcomers) Dixie Kong (Fan Favourite and relevant to the DK games with Tropical Freeze's rerelease and King K. Rool (Most requested that I know of, and a new heavyweight fighter)

Yoshi (1 Character) - :4yoshi:

F-Zero (1 Character) - (Veteran):4falcon:

Star Fox (3 Characters): (Veterans):4fox::4falco::wolf:(Returning from Brawl)

Metroid (4 Characters) (Veterans):4samus::4zss: (Newcomers) Ridley (Requires miracle), Sylux (Depends on what role it'll have in Metroid Prime 4)

EarthBound/Mother (2 Characters) (Veterans):4ness::4lucas:

Ice Climbers (1) - :popo: (Returning)

Fire Emblem (7) - (Veterans) :4marth::4feroy::4myfriends::4robinm::4lucina: (Lucina is given an overhaul - She fights with the Parallel Falchion and a spear, based on the Great Lord class in Awakening):4corrinf: (Newcomer) Either Lyn (Promoted from Assist Trophy) or Celica (Using a sword and magic fighting style, but takes damage from magic spells just like Gaiden/Echoes)

Game & Watch (1 Character) -:4gaw:

Kid Icarus (3 Characters) - :4pit::4palutena::4darkpit: (Dark Pit receives a minor revamp - Uses his staff instead of the Silver Bow, gets FOOTDIVE as a new down aerial attack - Final Smash is the Lightning Chariot)

WarioWare (1 Character) - (Veteran) :4wario:

Pikmin (1 Character) - :4olimar: (Alph and Louie are alternate costumes)

Gyromite (1 Character) - :4rob:

Sonic the Hedgehog (2 characters) (Veteran):4sonic: (Newcomer) Tails (I'd say Sonic is probably worth having a second character at this point - I'd make Tails with a focus on gadgets than on speed - so something like how he played in Sonic Battle)

Metal Gear Solid (1 Character) - :snake: (Possibly DLC)

Animal Crossing (1 Character) - :4villager:

Wii Fit (1 Character) -:4wiifit:

PUNCH-OUT!! (1 Character) - :4littlemac:

Xenoblade Chronicles (2 Characters) (Veteran):4shulk: (Newcomer) Rex and/or Pyra (So Rex on his own or tag-teaming with Pyra, or Pyra on her own, but Rex and Pyra as a tag-team sounds plausible to me)

Duck Hunt (1 Character) -:4duckhunt:

Mii Fighters (3 Characters):4miibrawl::4miigun::4miisword:

Mega Man (1 Character) :4megaman:

Pac-Man (1 Character) :4pacman:

Street Fighter (1 Character):4ryu:

Final Fantasy (1 Character):4cloud:

Bayonetta (1 Character) :4bayonetta:

New Series (Nintendo):
Splatoon (1 Character): Inklings (New franchise on the block, perfect choice for Smash Bros)
Golden Sun (1 Character): Isaac (Promoted to playable from Assist Trophy)
The Mysterious Murasame Castle (1 Character): Takamaru (Added for the Retro Character of the game, and promoted to playable like Little Mac last time)
ARMS (2 Characters): Spring Man and Ribbon Girl (Spring Man is the main addition with an emphasis on ground fighting like Little Mac, while Ribbon Girl is a Semi-Clone like Falco who has more aerial manoeuvrability)
The Wonderful 101 (1 Character): Wonder Red

Guest Fighters:
Crash Bandicoot (Activision): Crash Bandicoot
DOOM (Bethesda/id Soft): Doomguy (Possibly DLC)

So that's... *Attempts calculations, botches them*
I'd say well around 78 characters... Yikes...

What is this madness? I should get on with my life.
Yeah, I'm someone who would like to continue on with what Smash 4 gave us and just build from there. No BlazBlue Locking behind paywalls or minimalist essentials rosters like MVCI.
 
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UmBongo

Smash Rookie
Joined
Mar 19, 2018
Messages
3


Veteran / Revamped / Newcomer
Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Rosalina & Luma, Bowser Jr., Dr. Mario, Yoshi, Wario, Waluigi, Mr Game & Watch
Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong,
Dixie Kong, Cranky Kong, Link, Zelda(?), Sheik, Ganondorf(?!), Toon Link, Master Kohga, Ice Climbers(?)
Samus, Zero Suit Samus, Sylus, Kirby, King Dedede, Meta Knight, Bandana Dee, Pit, Palutena, Dark Pit(?), Little Mac
Captain Falcon, Ness, Lucas, Fox, Falco, Marth, Roy, Ike, Robin, ROB, Duck Hunt
Pikachu, Charizard, Jigglypuff, Mewtwo, Lucario, Greninja,
Decidueye, Villager, Tom Nook, Olimar, Takamaru
Shulk, Rex & Pyra, Inkling, Springman, Wii Fit Trainer, Chibi Robo, Sonic, Mega Man, Pac-Man, Rayman, Crash Bandicoot

Bayonetta, Geno, Gen VIII Pokemon, FE Switch Character, Bomberman, Shovel Knight
Justifications and Explanations
  • Mario and Link's movesets revamped to go alongside Odyssey and BOTW. Dr. Mario and Toon Link retain the older movesets.
  • Waluigi appears as a representative of the Mario spin-off games. He is a beloved character despite his appearences only in spin-offs, and he is probably one of the most well known Nintendo characters not in Smash already.
    • I did not pick Toad. Captain Toad can't even jump.
  • Dixie Kong is a very popular request, as is King K. Rool. But King K. Rool hasn't appeared in a game since the Wii, and that was Super Sluggers. Cranky Kong however, is playable on the Switch in Tropical Freeze, and would be a unique addition. His final smash would take him back to his prime, raining barrels from above.
  • I'm not sure if Zelda's moveset could be reworked with BOTW in mind. I mean, they could try, but an aesthetic update is probably fine. Ganondorf really needs to be decloned.
  • Master Kohga is included from Breath of the Wild, able to showcase both mechanics from that game and the new lore introduced. He would be a light-hearted character who truly fits the tone of Smash Bros.
  • Ice Climbers aren't really newcomers, but it's been some time, old friends
  • Sylus is included because Ridley is too big and with an eye on Metroid Prime 4.
  • Bandana Dee as a new Kirby representative.
  • Dark Pit would ideally be revamped somehow to make his moveset more unique. But I actually only included him so my rows worked out nice and evenly. I would be fine if he got relegated to an alternate costume for Pit. Lucina is excluded for a similar spacing issue, and I wouldn't mind if also came back in her own slot, it's just for this.
  • No return for Wolf. I thought that because he wasn't included on Wii U and 3DS, and we don't know how much work was done on him, I'd rather he wasn't included if it took extra development time compared to other characters. He could be included as a Fox clone, which is fine, because I know some people want him.
  • I've included Decidueye as it seems to be the most popular Gen VII representative, but I would also support Mimikyu being included, and perhaps if there's a need for a grass starter, it'll come from Gen VIII as DLC when we find out more about that game.
  • Tom Nook. I'm not even sure how he would work, but I want him. Everyone says Smash needs more villains. He might just be a clone of Villager in some ways, but I really want to play as him.
  • Takamaru as a retro character
  • Springman is probably the best character to represent Arms, being mostly generic and an easy mascot. I would think Ribbon Girl would be an alt for him. I would also support Biff, he would be a fantastic addition, but will probably be a Resetti-esque assist trophy if anything.
  • Rayman over rabbids please! I am hoping he will appear in the M+R DLC as a prelude to him being included.
 

merchantofsalt

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Mar 18, 2018
Messages
117
I'm one of the few people that wants this game to function as a "soft reboot" of the series with a smaller roster, but more depth and variety to the characters' movesets. I would particularly want them to make the following changes:

  • Most characters' A-moves are basic attacks like punches, kicks, and headbutts. I want to see more unusual A-moves that implement unique weapons, gadgets, magic, and/or elaborate techniques. We have seen this with characters like Villager and Snake, and I want more of it.
  • Re-work the Final Smash mechanic so that it doesn't involve an item. Make it a Super Meter that builds up as you fight, and lets you use a super-powerful move when it's full.
  • Characters should get more complete alternate costumes that slightly modify their stats, attack effects, and/or Final Smash, thus rendering them fresh and new. These will be the "clones" of New Smash.
  • Implement an Adventure Mode! Bring back boss characters, delightful character interactions, and high-quality cut scenes.
  • Get rid of custom moves. They are clearly never going to bother with balancing them anyway. Just give us deeper standard movesets. Hell, even the Mii characters should get fixed movesets.
With all that said, I'd go for the following roster:

01. Mario

As the Ryu of Smash Bros., Mario doesn't have to change much. He can get the Hammer and the Firehand from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga as A-moves, along with a Ground Pound aerial. He can ditch FLUDD, though. Cappy should only appear as part of a taunt or victory animation. He can get a number of outfits from Super Mario Odyssey as alternate costumes, along with a full-fledged Dr. Mario alt.

02. Luigi

Nintendo has established that the Luigi's Mansion franchise is a going concern, so Luigi's special moves should be revamped to revolve around the Poltergust 3000. He can be a zoning/projectile character capable of sucking up foes, shooting ghosts, using the Poltergust as a flamethrower, and so on. He can also get the Thunderhand from Superstar Saga. His alternate costume can be Mr. L from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.

03. Peach

Peach's Smash Bros. moveset doesn't really do her justice. She can keep the turnips and parasol, but she should also get special abilities from Super Mario RPG and Super Princess Peach. She can have the cat suit from Super Mario 3D World and the nurse uniform from the Dr. Mario manual as alternate costumes. For her full alt, she can become Princess Daisy, with her attacks now getting a flower motif.

04. Bowser

Smash 4 re-worked Bowser pretty nicely, though I think his neutral special could be turned into a fireball projectile. Other than that, I think he's pretty much set. Bowser has various fan-favorite choices for alternate costumes, such as the hipster outfit from the Nintendo 3DS add, the groom suit from Odyssey, and Meowser from Super Mario 3D World. Dry Bowser would certainly make an impression as well.

05. Yoshi & Baby

Yoshi now carries Baby Mario, Luigi, Peach, or Bowser on his back. The baby can be selected at the character select screen. Yoshi's baby changes his neutral special, neutral air, and forward smash. Beyond this major change, I think Yoshi's pretty much set. He can get Birdo as an alternate costume, which wouldn't carry a baby, and have some unique moves of her own.

06. Wario

I think Wario in Smash should primarily represent Wario Land, so his yellow-and-purple outfit should be the default. His moveset should be revised to include more Wario Land abilities, and we should get a Wario Land stage as well (with Captain Syrup as a stage hazard). He can still keep the biker outfit as an alternate costume. I feel like they took Wario too far into "gross" territory with his moveset, and should focus on making him meaner and greedier instead.

07. Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong needs a stronger moveset that borrows more directly from Donkey Kong Country with rolling, momentum, and advancing grabs incorporated. He should also get the coconut gun from Donkey Kong 64 as a limited projectile. And he should definitely have a victory animation where he runs away with Pauline in tow. I'm not sure what his alternate costume could be, but Funky Kong or Dread Kong are definite possibilities.

08. Diddy & Dixie Kong

Diddy and Dixie working together, like the Ice Climbers. This idea used to be more popular than it is now, but I still think it's great, and very much in the spirit of Donkey Kong Country. Diddy's moveset is partially unchanged, but now he gets a lift from Dixie for his up-special. Their victory animation obviously has them playing the electric guitar and saxophone, respectively. Their alternate costumes could be... Lanky and Tiny Kong!?

09. Link

Link appears with his Breath of the Wild incarnation as the default. His moveset largely remains intact, with aesthetic changes. He could get the paraglider as an up-special, though. Link can get various BOTW outfits as alternate costumes, including his classic getup. He could also become a more agile, less stiff fighter on the ground. The idea would be to make a Link model that can be updated easily for later entries.

10. Zelda

Zelda returns in her Breath of the Wild incarnation, and with a fully revamped moveset. She now uses a rapier, a bow with Light Arrows, and Shiekah Slab/magic rune abilities to fight. She can get the BOTW winter oufit as an alternate costume, along with her Hyrule Warriors dress and Twilight Princess cloak. The basic concept for Zelda's character can be updated for later entries in the series quite easily.

11. Ganon

Ganon (not Ganondorf) finally gets the moveset he deserves. He gets a new default look inspired by Breath of the Wild, with either dual blades or a great sword, combined with dark magic. Shadowbeast Ganon can easily be his Final Smash. He can also get Hyrule Warriors, Twilight Princess, Wind Waker, and/or Ocarina of Time outfits as alternate costumes, without modifying his moveset.

12. Impa

If the Zelda series has a fourth pillar, it's Impa. She would join the fray with an original look that's basically the young version of her Breath of the Wild incarnation. She would play like a Shiek/ZSS hybrid, using ninja arts and shadow magic combined with overwhelming speed. She can get her Hyrule Warriors look as an alternate costume (minus the weapon), along with her outfits from Skyward Sword and Ocarina of Time.

13. Pikachu

As the mascot of the Pokemon franchise, Pikachu's not going away anytime soon. His moveset is fairly solid but could use more inspiration from the anime; Volt Tackle can become a regular attack, and Iron Tail could be incorporated. His new Final Smash could easily be a Z-Move. Obviously Pikachu has tons of choices for alternate costumes, chief among them his Luchador outfit from Pokken Tournament, and his Detective Pikachu alter ego.

14. Meowth

I know some people will never accept Jigglypuff being cut, but I think Meowth is an infinitely superior choice for Pikachu's foil. The anime keeps him relevant, and he's ingrained in the public consciousness as a humorous antagonist. As the line between the Pokemon anime and games becomes more blurred, Meowth could even use Team Rocket weaponry as part of his moveset, including a giant mecha Final Smash.

15. Mewtwo

Mewtwo is an enduring fan favorite given new relevance by his dual Mega Evolutions and his Pokken Tournament appearance as Shadow Mewtwo. His moveset is well-implemented, but could use flashier attacks to give players a sense of his monstrous power. Shadow Mewtwo could definitely be an alternate costume, as could his famous power-restraining armor from the Pokemon movie.

16. Lucario

Lucario is one of the few Pokemon from later generations that has attained lasting popularity, and his Steel/Fighting typing makes him ideal for Smash. I think they could lean harder into martial arts/Shaolin monk side of his concept in order to give his crazy acrobatic moves and Aura Blasts for days. His Final Smash can continue to be his Mega Evolution. I can't think of any alternate costumes, though.

17. Kirby

Kirby's power-copying moveset should be revamped into something slightly less fun but infinitely more useful. When he swallows an enemy, Kirby should be able to choose the power set he gets. These should be generic powers taken from the Kirby series, instead of specific powers inspired by each Smash Bros. character. These should also be more complete power-ups, instead of just one unique neutral special.

18. Meta Knight

I don't have a lot to say about Meta Knight, I think he's more or less perfect conceptually already. Balancing issues aside, he fits into Smash Bros. just fine He could definitely get the armor suits of other Kirby knights as alternate costumes, along with some Kirby villain-inspired outfits. He could even get an "unmasked" costume, though that may prove controversial among fans. But whatever.

19. King Dedede

King Dedede is such a great character, but needs a better moveset. His Brawl moveset was really weird considering Sakurai oversaw it personally, since things like the mecha-hammer don't really fit Dedede's personality at all. They should make him a heavy, floaty character with projectile options regardless. I can't think of any alternate costume ideas, though I'm sure Swole Dedede from Star Allies would be fun.

20. Marth

Marth is the iconic first Lord of Fire Emblem and has remained relevant, plus he is Smash's number one FE representative. I think his moveset is mostly okay, though it could be more stylish and dramatic, especially when it comes to the Shield Breaker and Dancing Blade. Marth's actually had a number of different outfits over the years, though of course Lucina would also be an alternate costume.

21. Ike

Ike is the protagonist of the Tellius series of games plus a reliable fan favorite, and he brings a "heavy swordsman" fighting style that is fairly unique in Smash Bros. He could still have a more interesting moveset, though. Both the Path of Radiant and Radiant Dawn versions of Ike could be represented, but his super-buff Radiant Dawn self should be the default. Not sure who could work as an alternate costume, though.

22. Anna

Anna is the closest thing the Fire Emblem series has to a mascot, and is kind of a joke character (in a good way). She represents the newer games fairly well. As a merchant, Anna can use all sorts of weapons for single attacks, such as lances, axes, crossbows, and even magic tomes, giving her a potentially fun and explosive moveset. There are various Fire Emblem girls she could cosplay as for her alternate costumes.

23. Fox

Even though the moveset of the StarFox characters in Smash is pretty well-defined at this point, there is no reason to re-think them, especially if they end up with something more accurate to the source material. Fox can still be agile and deadly, but use bombs and futuristic firearms for special moves. He should get his StarFox Zero outfit as the default, with alternate costumes for Assault, Dinosaur Planet, and/or James McCloud.

24. Wolf

Wolf is a recurring antagonist and the closest thing Fox has to a rival, so I think he deserves to be in StarFox just a little more than Falco. His badass StarFox Zero appearance should be the default, with an alternate Assault costume. There is no reason why he needs to be a Fox clone, as he can use heavier artillery, explosives, and even high-tech melee weaponry to complement his more aggressive fighting style.

25. Samus

Samus returns... and Zero Suit Samus is nowhere to be seen. Samus still sheds her armor during her victory animations, so fans remain pleased. Her moveset is generally fine, though it could stand to expand her arsenal with functions from the Prime series, and give her greater mobility on the ground, perhaps making better use of the Morph Ball. Her Power and Fusion suits should definitely be alternate costumes.

26. Ridley

Memes aside, Ridley can totally be implemented as a playable character. He'd be huge and gangly, but his wings and tail would not be part of his hitbox. He would be a heavy and powerful character with great aerial control and limited ground options. And honestly, he's the only Metroid character (aside from Samus) who deserves inclusion. Ridley's alternate costume would definitely be Meta Ridley.

27. Ness

Ness is just fine as the sole representative of the MOTHER series in Smash, though he could get a Lucas alternate costume anyway. I think his moveset is cool in concept, but needs more unique visual effects to do justice to EarthBound. He also needs a more useful neutral special, and PSI Rockin as his Final Smash. Throw in a Kumatora Assist Trophy for good measure and fans will be pleased.

28. Captain Falcon

Even though I generally don't like it when Smash makes up ridiculous movesets for characters which have nothing to do with the source material, Captain Falcon is just too iconic to change. His Smash Bros version is significantly more popular than F-Zero itself. Make him the real goof of the series with lots of flashy, over-the-top attacks, and definitely give him a helmet-less outfit, plus a Blood Falcon costume.

29. Olimar

Olimar got kind of screwed in Smash 4, though I understand what they were trying to do. I think his Pikmin moveset should be re-worked into something that is simultaneously manageable and actually useful, instead of trying to trim down the original version. Rock Pikmin also need to be included in his moveset somehow. For alternate costumes either Louie or Alph work, or maybe even both.

30. Villager

The Villager is more or less perfect as they are in my opinion, with a wonderfully cheeky moveset that is faithful to the style and tone of Animal Crossing. If anything, adding more customization options for the Villager's appearance might be nice. As for a full-fledged alternate costume, they could either go with Isabelle or Tom Nook, though in the case of the latter they would have to change the Final Smash as well.

31. Inkling

The Inklings are the first confirmed newcomers for Smash 5, and there is no one more deserving of inclusion. They'll probably be zoning characters with lots of projectile options. Covering the stage in ink will give them faster movement on the ground, but the ink probably disappears after some time. I hope they get Octoling versions as alternate costumes, since Splatoon 2's DLC will let us play as them at last.

32. Pit

Pit is Sakurai's baby, and will certainly make it into the next Smash game. But I think that making Palutena playable was a mistake, and Dark Pit can be relegated to alternate costume status. Pit's moveset could be updated further if they felt like it, as Kid Icarus: Uprising had a massive arsenal of weapons and abilities. If another Kid Icarus game is in the works, then that may eventually merit a second Kid Icarus character.

33. Mii Brawler / Swordfighter / Gunner / Mage

Miis are going to keep being a thing on the Nintendo Switch, not to mention the 3DS. Plus Nintendo clearly loves their create-a-fighter concept, and it suits the cartoon nature of Smash pretty well. I would add a fourth Mii Mage fighting class in order to make up for the loss of custom moves. And I would obviously add tons more accessories, weapons, and outfits for all combat classes, plus a Miitopia stage.

34. Shulk

Nintendo is clearly putting a lot of faith in Xenoblade Chronicles, and Shulk is still the poster boy of that series. Elma isn't nearly as recognizable and Rex is too new, plus the protagonist of the first game usually ends up being the "default" representative. Shulk has a wealth of alternate outfits to choose from if we go over the source material, plus a number of party members who could swoop down to help in battle.

35. Mr. Game & Watch

Mr. Game & Watch is a puzzling and charming character who was basically created for Smash and, if Brawl is to be believed, is deeply involved in the series lore. The franchise wouldn't be the same without him. Smash 4 did a good job making his movements feel a bit more "retro", but I think they should dial back on the random elements of his moveset and make him more strategic. No idea who his alternate costume could be, though.

36. R.O.B.

As the representative of the toy that saved Nintendo (and certainly did the video game industry a solid), R.O.B. fully deserves to be in Smash. His moveset is a little boring, though. I know there isn't a lot to go on if you look at the source material, but maybe he could use other obscure Nintendo paraphernalia, such as the Virtual Boy or Ultra Hand? As the blast-from-the-past character, I think it could work really well.

37. Duck Hunt

For me, Duck Hunt was the most charming newcomer in Smash 4, and the representative of a game that just about everyone is familiar with. His moveset could be expanded to include characters and elements from other early Nintendo shooting/arcade games, of which there are many. It would be a nice way to pay homage to the company's arcade days. I'm not sure of alternate costume ideas, but I'm sure there's something that would fit.

38. Parabo & Satebo

Every Smash game needs a curveball newcomer, preferably a retro one. It could be anyone, but I would love it if it were the Nintendo Satellaview mascots. Players would control Parabo and launch Satebo around for attacks, similar to Rosalina and Luma. Obviously their chances of being included are realistically very low, but this space is a placeholder for whatever surprise the team decides to throw our way.

39. Bayonetta

With how Nintendo is financing the Bayonetta series it seems that they're treating it practically like a second-party franchise. Despite the mature content, Bayonetta's cheeky personality and over-the-top fighting style suit Smash very well. With any luck they'll re-balance her this time, though. She'll probably be sporting whatever look she gets for Bayonetta 3 as the default, and have a Jeanne alternate costume if we're lucky.

40. Sonic

Sonic being in Smash is a permanent dream come true for many, and no other video game mascot has such a historic rivalry with Mario. I'm sure SEGA will be more than happy to keep him in the series. Hopefully this time around they'll be a bit more lenient about how Sonic is represented, and give him a more interesting moveset. A Metal Sonic alternate costume should also be a given by now.

41. Rayman

Ubisoft is dying to put Rayman in Smash. The fact that he got a trophy in Smash 4 and that Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle exists practically confirm it for me. There's always the possibility that we'll get the Rabbids instead, which honestly I wouldn't even mind at this point, but I actually think Nintendo will go for Rayman. He's got tons of moveset potential, obviously, and would generate considerable hype.

42. Mega Man

I'm sure Nintendo will eventually bring back Mega Man, and Capcom will happily comply. It's not like they're doing a whole lot with him anyway. Mega Man's Smash 4 incarnation was pretty much perfect in my opinion, though he could use an overall buff, and maybe some abilities from Mega Man 9, 10, and 11? Every one of his A-moves should be a different Robot Master ability, honestly. He can get a Proto Man alternate costume.

43. Pac-Man

Pac-Man is equally as iconic and Nintendo seems to be on great terms with Namco Bandai, so I'm sure the Pac will return. Conceptually I had no problems with his moveset, but he really needs to be re-balanced, and that grab needs to be fixed. Obviously, he should get a full-fledged Ms. Pac-Man alternate costume this time. With any luck, his stage will have music from other Namco series as well.

44. Bomberman

Ever since Snake vanished, Konami hasn't had a representative in Smash. Simon Belmont is arguably more deserving, but Bomberman is so much more fitting. The moveset practically writes itself. It doesn't have to be all bombs either, as Bomberman has lots of gadgets, abilities, and even beasts to ride. Plus there's lots of supporting characters that make for badass alternate costumes, and a wealth of amazing stage music.

45. Professor Layton

The Professor Layton series is pretty much exclusive to Nintendo, and synonymous with the 3DS. Layton himself kinda feels like a classic Nintendo character. There are other characters who could fill this slot, but Ayumi Tachibana is too obscure, and Phoenix Wright can't compete against Mega Man. And if you think Layton can't fight, you haven't played through his games. Give him a rapier and an old-timey steampunk pistol.

46. Twintelle

I think ARMS is too new and its future to uncertain for a character to get into Smash now (though that probably won't stop Nintendo). However, once a sequel is in the works I find it very likely that a DLC fighter will be announced. The most realistic choices are Spring Man and/or Ribbon Girl, but as characters they're somewhat boring. Twintelle is a unique fan favorite with a fantastic fighting style, and deserves it more.

These characters would appear as non-playable bosses in the game's Adventure mode:

  1. Wart (Super Mario Bros. 2)
  2. Petey Piranha (Super Mario Sunshine)
  3. Team Broodal (Super Mario Odyssey)
  4. Raphael the Raven (Yoshi's Island)
  5. Golden Diva (Wario Land 4)
  6. King K. Rool (Donkey Kong Country)
  7. Phantom Ganon (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
  8. Guardian of Hyrule (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild)
  9. Buzzwole (Pokemon Sun Version)
  10. Pheromosa (Pokemon Moon Version)
  11. Dark Matter (Kirby's Dream Land 2)
  12. Medeus (Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon)
  13. Andross (StarFox)
  14. Kraid (Super Metroid)
  15. Pokey (EarthBound)
  16. Vehemoth Phosbat (Pikmin 3)
  17. DJ Octavio (Splatoon 2)
  18. Hades (Kid Icarus: Uprising)
  19. Yaldabaoth (Xenoblade Chronicles)
  20. Rodan (Bayonetta)
  21. Dr. Eggman (Sonic the Hedgehog)
  22. Big Mama (Rayman Origins)
  23. Dr. Wiley (Mega Man)
  24. Master Hand (Super Smash Bros.)
  25. Crazy Hand (Super Smash Bros. Melee)
  26. Tabuu (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)
 
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GamerGuy09

Smash Master
Joined
Apr 4, 2012
Messages
3,090
Location
Iowa
Switch FC
SW-3742-4712-6319

Newcomers:

Waluigi - Highly requested character despite being memey. Would bring a lot of hype.

Dixie Kong - Relevant in recent games. Shouldn't require a lot of development time due to being a Diddy Semi-Clone.

King K. Rool - Highly requested Donkey Kong villain.

Decidueye - Popular Pokemon Starter

Sylux - Third Metroid Rep, rumored to be relavent in Metroid Prime 4

Rex + Pyra - I don't personally like them, but Xenoverse is something Nintendo is pushing hard.

Shovel Knight - Nindies representative. Highly supported on Nintendo.

Excitebiker - Retro Rep

Rayman - Ubisoft Thrid Party Rep

Steve (Minecraft) - Perfect Third Party Rep that encapsulates a history-changing game. Would bring Mega Man-level Hype.

Lyn - Old FE rep.

Inklings - Confirmed

Spring Man - ARMS is one of Nintendo's big franchises, would be shocked if they didn't make an appearance

Wonder Red - Wonderful 101 was teased for the Switch, and I can see Wonder Red making a return.

DLC:

Paper Mario - Cool Mario rep with a unique moveset.

New FE Rep - someone from the new FE for Switch

New Pokemon Rep - New Pokemon from Next Gen

Bomberman - Bomberman is making a resurgence.

Banjo & Kazooie - Most Hype

Sans - you know it baybe
 
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Drclaw411

Smash Lord
Joined
Oct 10, 2007
Messages
1,951
Location
Chicago


So, here's my dream roster. I understand how unlikely this is but, like I said, it's a dream roster rather than a true prediction. I opted to leave Dr. Mario as his own character, because if Mario has FLUDD and possibly Cappy, then Dr. Mario is a good way to preserve the original moveset. The bottom row is alternate costumes. To run everything down...

Super Mario Bros: 9 characters, 2 newcomers.
-Nabbit
-Waluigi
-NOTE: Dr. Luigi is playable as an alternate costume to Luigi.

Paper Mario: 1 character, 1 newcomer
-Paper Mario

Captain Toad's Treasure Tracker: 1 character, 1 newcomer
-Captain Toad

Warrio Ware: 1 character, 0 newcomers

Yoshi: 2 characters, 1 newcomer
-Yarn Yoshi

Mii: 1 characer, 0 newcomers

Donkey Kong: 3 characters, 1 newcomer
-King K. Rool

The Legend of Zelda: 6 characters, 1 newcomer
-Toon Zelda
-NOTE: Link and Zelda now feature their Breath of the Wild look as their standard costume.

Metroid: 3 characters, 1 newcomer
-Ridley

Kid Icarus: 3 characters, 0 newcomers

Fire Emblem: 6 characters, 0 newcomers

Kirby: 4 characters, 1 newcomer
-Bandana Waddle Dee
-NOTE: Yarn Kirby is playable as an alternate costume to Kirby.

Star Fox: 4 characters, 1 newcomer
-Krystal
-NOTE: Wolf, who was absent from Smash 4, returns.

Splatoon: 1 character, 1 newcomer
-Inkling
-NOTE: The Blue Inkling is playable as an alternate costume.

Pokemon: 7 characters, 1 newcomer
-Decidueye
-NOTE: Pokemon Trainer, who features Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard (with Squirtle and Ivysaur being absent from Smash 4), returns.

Earthbound: 2 characters, 0 newcomers

Nintendoland: 1 character, 1 newcomer
-Monita

ROB's Gyromite: 1 character, 0 newcomers

Game and Watch: 1 character, 0 newcomers

Doki Doki Panic: 1 character, 1 newcomer
-Imajin

Duck Hunt: 1 character, 0 newcomers

ARMS: 1 character, 1 newcomer
-Spring Man
-NOTE: Ribbon Girl is playable as an alternate costume to Spring Man.

Dillon: 1 character, 1 newcomer
-Dillon

Punch-Out: 1 character, 0 newcomers

Animal Crossing: 1 character, 0 newcomers

Wii Fit: 1 character, 0 newcomers

Fling Smash: 1 character, 1 newcomer
-Zip

Chibi-Robo: 1 character, 1 newcomer
-Chibi-Robo

Pikmin: 1 character, 0 newcomers
-NOTE: Louie (along with Alph) is playable as an alternate costume to Olimar.

F-Zero: 1 character, 0 newcomers

Golden Sun: 1 character, 1 newcomer
-Isaac

Ice Climbers: 1 character, 0 newcomers
-NOTE: Ice Climbers, who were absent from Smash 4, return.

Custom Robo: 1 character, 1 newcomer
-Ray

Wonderful 101: 1 character, 1 newcomer
-Wonder Red
-NOTE: The other six Wonders are playable as alternate costumes to Wonder Red.

3rd Party: 11 characters, 4 newcomers
-Geno
-Crash Bandicoot
-Rayman
-Viewtiful Joe
-NOTE: Snake, who was absent from Smash 4, returns.
 
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Chase

Smash Ace
Joined
Dec 21, 2013
Messages
529

Here's a new version of my roster, with 72 characters. This is a mix of dream choices and realistic ones, so hopefully this is close to what we get!

CUTS (4):
:4drmario::4darkpit::4lucina::4cloud: - Made the clones back into costumes again (as they should be), and Cloud will be difficult to negotiate getting back in the game (combined with the fact that I frankly don't like him and don't think he belongs in Smash.)

RETURNS (2):
:popo::wolf: - Ice Climbers should never have been cut in the first place. Everyone knows that they and Wolf are wanted back, and I would be shocked if Sakurai did not include them this time around.

NEWCOMERS (18):
  • Captain Toad
  • Kamek
  • Paper Mario
  • K. Rool
  • Dixie Kong
  • Black Shadow
  • Takamaru
  • F-Type
  • Impa
  • Bandana Dee
  • Decidueye
  • Rex & Pyra
  • Marshal
  • Dillon
  • Inkling
  • Spring Man
  • Rayman
  • Crash Bandicoot
 

Slavic

Ask not the sparrow how the eagle soars
Joined
Jun 5, 2013
Messages
757
Location
taco bell, probablyn't

Here's my roster, a mix of things I genuinely believe and things I would want within reason (some are very unlikely), though a couple of choices are biased.

Captain Toad is in as his character has only become more prevalent since his inception in Galaxy, and has made Toad a staple once more.
Kamek is a character who I'm not very confident will get in compared to some of the others, but he does tie several series together nicely and is just a fun character to play around with.
King K. Rool is another character who would have likely already been in the game if they were going to, but hey, nothing wrong with throwing him in anyways!
Paper Mario seems more likely than K. Rool or Kamek for another Mario series rep, and could easily have a fun set to work with.
Wonder-Red is a protagonist for one of a handful of Nintendo's newer IPs, and I think he could fit right in with the rest of the cast.
Tingle is not a character who you see pop up on rosters any more, which is certainly a shame because I'm still holding out for my chance to duke it out with him.
Urbosa is there as my favorite of the champions, though she is somewhat interchangeable for any of the others, and Mipha would probably pull through first. However, I think one of them should be in the game considering the success of BotW.
Gharnef is a character I actually pulled my support from years ago. Too obscure, nothing really to contribute, but I think that FE Warriors bolstered his chances a fair bit and I would once again love to see a FE villain.
Meowth is a newer addition to my rosters, as I never really bought into using non-game popularity to decide characters for Smash. However, given that all Pokemon fighters in Smash are popularized by the anime, I am glad to include Meowth.
Hyness is a neat villain from SA, and honestly the resurgence Kirby's feeling warrants another character.
Monita, from Nintendo Land, falls perfectly in line with characters like WFT, Duck Hunt, and R.O.B., and could have a hilariously varied set.
Anthony Higgs is probably the least likely character to get in, but I would love him as a joke character addition, with a Metroid character being announced who isn't...
Ridley. I cannot contribute more than anyone else as to why Ridley should be in.
Ribbon Girl and Spring Man are the kind of mascots for ARMS, which makes it unfortunate they're so generic compared to the rest of the cast. However, I do believe one of the two will absolutely get in, so I picked my preferred.
Inkling is literally confirmed.
Isaac doesn't seem like the most likely to get in any more, given how many years of requesting and no entrance in. However, that won't stop me from repping Golden Sun.
Elma is unlikely to get in before Rex and/or Pyra do from XC2, but I hate Rex and I love Elma, and they do represent different universes, so...
Sukapon is about as literal as a retro Smash character could be, so I will continue to support it.

All in all, the roster is 72 characters, which I think is just a bit on the high side to be realistic, with 18 of them being newcomers.
 

RADSheikah

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Mar 24, 2014
Messages
195
Location
Mordor


Imgur Link: https://imgur.com/HpDM7Uo

Ganon: Gets a Moveset revamp, no longer a Falcon Clone

King K. Rool: Technically I just have him as "Ballot Character" it's just that based on polls I think it would be him

Lyn: I also have her as "Current Fire Emblem Character" if she gets in I could see her having Lucina's old moveset with an added Bow special

Decidueye: I have him as "Current Popular Pokemon" he is the "Current Popular Pokemon"

Pyra: Sakurai said in a column that he loves XC2. Either she or Rex is getting in.

Inklings: Already confirmed

Spring Man: ARMS is relevant and popular. Makes sense

Shovel Knight: I have him has "New Third Party" I just want him as that one

Lucina: If she is back she would be brought back as a Marth alt as she originally was intended to be.

Corrin: I think He/She is no longer relevant so thus doesn't need to stay

Bayo: I don't think she personally fits in the atmosphere of Smash because she is trash but that is my opinion.

IC: Every thinks they'll come back.
 

SonicMetaphor

Supersonic Warrior
Premium
Joined
Nov 4, 2013
Messages
17,394
Here is my complete prediction and wishlist roster, with DLC and characters who are longshots at the bottom.

My Roster 4.png


I made some changes since I posted this on the official Smash for Switch Discussion thread. What do you guys think?
 

PlayerOneTyler

Sr. Community Manager, Smashboards Editor / Social
Joined
Oct 22, 2012
Messages
1,158
Location
Los Angeles, CA


Took me a while to put this together, but here's my prediction / dream roster. Tried to keep an open mind and take strategic choices for Nintendo into consideration. Obviously, I have some biases on here. Red indicates newcomers, blue are vets. Green indicates alternate costumes that are announced / referred to as different characters, yellow indicates alternate costumes where they are referred to as the same name.

Newcomers:
-Captain Toad (Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker for Switch)
-Dixie Kong (Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze: Funky Kong Edition)
-Impa (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
-Midna (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
-Ridley (Metroid Prime 4?)
-Lyn (Fire Emblem Warriors)
-Bandanna Waddle Dee (Kirby Star Allies)
-Decidueye (Pokken Tournament)
-Rex & Pyra (Xenoblade Chronicles 2)
-Inkling (Splatoon 2)
-Spring Man (ARMS)
-Banjo and Kazooie
-Yooka and Laylee

Most of these characters are relevant to the Nintendo Switch (obviously outside of Banjo and Kazooie). They all have some sort of existing, large fan base and are all unique in that they bring new ideas and potential cool mechanics. I don't really care for 3rd party additions (I'm actually very against it), but Banjo Kazooie have great history with Nintendo, plus Microsoft might be interested in having them in. Yooka-Laylee is my other choice because of the team-- they went back to the old N64 days of game to create a nostalgic experience with Yooka-Laylee. Plus, the characters fit right in with the world of Nintendo (much like Sonic, Mega Man, and Pac-Man). It just feels natural. Shovel Knight was my runner up for this spot. I wanted to include an indie developer for the second 3rd party character.

Cuts:
-Mii Fighters: Realistically, I just don't see them coming back. The whole customization thing was cool and it was fun to play dress-up, but Miis aren't as relevant as they were in the Wii and Wii U days. There isn't even a Mii Maker app on the Switch to my knowledge.
-Roy: This was a hard cut, but I just couldn't justify keeping him. Corrin and Robin are more relevant to the present-day series, Marth is the poster face, Ike is from one of the most popular games. Roy has been around for a while and helped introduce the series to America, but it was Lyn's game that kicked off the series in America. Plus, I feel like she's more popular all-around, and she's female.

"Demotions":
-Dr. Mario (Mario)
-Lucina (Marth)
-Dark Pit (Pit)

In a perfect word, they would all be separately playable, but I feel like I would rather development resources be spent on characters that bring something new to the table. I would hate for them to go, so I guess "demoting" them to alternate costumes would be the best.

Other Alternate Costumes:
-Koopalings (Bowser Jr.): Returning from Smash 4.
-Alph (Olimar): Returning from Smash 4.
-Daisy (Peach): Honestly, I'm surprised this didn't happen in Smash 4. Daisy doesn't really add anything new, but she does have a lot of fans (especially Rosalina haters). Peach's alt skin is cool and all, but I want to hear "This game's winner is... Daisy!" and "Hi! I'm Daisy!"
-Captain Toadette (Captain Toad): Or as she's referred to in Super Mario Odyssey: "Archivist Toadette"... or just "Toadette". Either way, I feel like this is an easy implementation. Plus, Captain Toad is coming to the Switch, and she's a big part of the game. Also, I just really heckin' like Toadette.
-Ribbon Girl (Spring Man): I'm gonna be completely honest, I've never played ARMS. I just threw her in because she's the "generic female" next to Spring Man, the "generic male". If their powers (or whatever this game is about) are tremendously different, then remove her from the list.

Mario Bros. (7) [1 Newcomer]
The Legend of Zelda (7) [2 Newcomers]
Pokemon (7) [1 Newcomer]
Fire Emblem (5) [1 Newcomer]
Kirby (4) [1 Newcomer]
Donkey Kong (3) [1 Newcomer]
Metroid (3) [1 Newcomer]
Star Fox (3)
Kid Icarus (2)
Earthbound (2)
Xenoblade Chronicles (2) [1 Newcomer]
Yoshi (1)
Wario (1)
Game & Watch (1)
Punch-Out!! (1)
Ice Climber (1)
Duck Hunt (1)
Gyromite (1)
F-Zero (1)
Animal Crossing (1)
Pikmin (1)
Wii Fit (1)
Splatoon (1) [1 Newcomer]
ARMS (1) [1 Newcomer]
Sonic the Hedgehog (1)
Mega Man (1)
Pac-Man (1)
Street Fighter (1)
Bayonetta (1)
Final Fantasy (1)
Banjo-Kazooie (1) [1 Newcomer]
Yooka-Laylee (1) [1 Newcomer]
 
Last edited:

Mega Bidoof

Smash Hero
Joined
Aug 14, 2013
Messages
8,463
Location
The Drought
NNID
Link46
3DS FC
1160-9840-1542
*THE ROSTER THAT IS FOCUSED ON FOR THE MAJORITY OF THIS POST IS NOW OUTDATED. LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR MY CURRENT, UPDATED ROSTER*



I’m very unsure about the roster for the upcoming game, but this is the best I could come up with.

Non-meme version of it where you can actually tell what characters I’m predicting without putting in effort down is down below.


Below will be my reasoning for why I made my roster the way I did, including my general philosophy and explanations for specific characters. It’s currently a work in progress and will be updated over time.

Also, two edited notes:

1. I don’t think Crash is likely anymore, but I’m too lazy to change both roster pics. Consider his icon as a “Second Third Party Character” placeholder. I’ll list some options of who I think it will be down below.

2. The roster at the top of this post will always be my first, pre-E3 roster, with the whole body below being about my thinking when making that specific roster, with no info on the game besides “It’s on Switch in 2018 and has Mario, Link, and Inklings.”
As character confirmations come, I’ll be updated rosters down below with brief explanations, but no in-depth reasonings on specific characters.

So everyone who sees this post later on can laugh at how wrong I was and how flawed my reasoning was.


General Philosophy
In making this roster I made three main assumptions that influenced my character choices.

Assumption #1 - While this is truly “Smash 5,” they reused many assets from Smash Wii U.

It just doesn’t make sense not to. Judging by the amount of ports we’re getting, it seems rather easy to port a game from the Wii U to the Switch, so I’m fully expecting Smash Switch to reuse stuff from Smash Wii U. It just makes no sense to spend months and months of development time building all the old characters from the ground up. If I was an executive at Nintendo, I probably wouldn’t even fund a year of development spent on recreating over 50 characters’ worth of assets that we already have, that would just need tweaking. I’m not saying that all 50-something characters from Smash Wii U will be unchanged, but rather that those assets will be used as a starting point, and once they have the base for those characters. Sakurai can make any changes he wishes to make.

Because of the likeliness of Smash Wii U’s assets being used as a jumping-off-point, I am also predicting that EVERY CHARACTER FROM SMASH WII U WILL RETURN. In the past, characters were cut because the game was built from the ground up, and characters like Pichu, Roy, Wolf, and Lucas were just lower priority, and didn’t have the time to be rebuilt (Sakurai only put the Smash 4 clones in over them because they already had models from when they were planned to be alternate costumes). Because the characters from Smash Wii U can just be ported over, and Sakurai doesn’t like cuts in general, I see them coming back. The only ones I could really see being cut are any combination of Lucina, Dr Mario, Dark Pit, Lucas, Roy, Ryu, and Cloud. I say the clones because low priority (even though they’d port over assets) and the third parties because copyright may become a problem, especially with Square-Enix being Square-Enix. I don’t see Bayonetta being cut because of the close relationship Platinum has with Nintendo, or any of the unique non-clone characters being cut because Sakurai especially hates cutting uniques.

Assumption #2 - The 2015 Ballot was taken into consideration when deciding this game’s roster.

They were given an accurate representation of just who the fans want to see playable in Smash. They have a list that shows the true popularity and demand of characters among all Smash fans, not just an echo chamber of a few online forums. They have data that tells them which characters will, in theory, cause more people to go out and buy the already guaranteed hit game.

You can’t convince that they only used that data to make one character. They definitely took the ballot results into consideration when they decided the final base game roster. Like porting over the Wii U assets, it just makes too much sense not to do, and if I was an executive at Nintendo, I would urge them to do this to maximize popularity and sales.

For some of my character choices I took the ballot into account, and you’ll see that later.

Assumption #3 - The game has been in development since around Spring 2016, and the base roster was decided BEFORE the start of 2017.

Sakurai stated that development on Smash 4 started after he finished Kid Icarus Uprising in late 2011. This made sense, as he submitted his project proposal sometime in early 2012. This would bring the development time for the base game to around 2.5 years, from early 2012 to mid/late-2014 (mid for 3DS and late for Wii U).

We don’t really know when the first draft for the roster was decided, but it was most likely Spring or Summer 2012, with at least one placeholder, for a Gen VI Pokémon, with Sakurai later deciding on Greninja based on some concept art he received early. However, the roster did change a bit before release. We know that Chrom was planned but changed for Robin, Bowser Jr was a late addition and was almost cut for time, Ice Climbers were planned and cut, a Rhythm Heaven character was most likely planned and cut (I’ll get into that later), and the three clones were promoted from alternate costumes last minute as “desserts,” with Alph being next in line if they had the time. So it’s obvious while the roster was decided early-mid 2012, there was room for changes along the way.

Going off of this, I think it’s safe to assume that development started in early-mid 2016 (based on a Sakurai tweet from then about his “next project”), and the first draft of the planned roster was decided somewhere before the start of 2017. This comes into play with my roster slightly with Sakurai having to receive concept art and such for games like ARMS and Xenoblade 2, and the exclusion of Pokémon Switch/Gen 8.

This development time would also give us just a little less than 2.5 years, which may actually mean MORE new content than Smash 4, since a lot of those 2.5 years were presumably spent rebuilding old characters from the ground up and developing two versions of the game at the same time, both of which they shouldn’t have to do this time.

I’ve based my roster size off the change in size from each previous Smash game.

Two things to note are that I am counting transformations as separate characters because they take as much development time as individual characters, and I am counting Young Link and Toon Link as the same character, meaning Young doesn’t count as a cut from Melee and Toon doesn’t count as a newcomer in a Brawl.

Smash 64
12

Melee
26 Total
12 Returning
14 Newcomers (8 unique/6 clones)

Brawl
39 Total
22 Returning (Young Link = Toon Link)
4 Cut from Melee (3 clones/1 unique)
17 Newcomers (15 unique/2 clones)

Smash 4 (Base Game)
51 Base Game Total
33 Returning from Brawl
6 Cut from Brawl (4 unique (with specific reasons)/2 clones)
1 Returning from Melee (clone)
17 Newcomers (15 unique/2 clones)

Ignoring Melee, which is known for its rushed development, the Smash sequels have both had 17 newcomers, with 2 being clones. I’m not sticking strictly to this, as things get shaken up during development and those two Smash 4 clones weren’t even going to be their own characters originally. The main thing I took from all of this is 15 unique newcomers.

I haven’t included any clones in my roster, but there is definitley a chance we will get some. If we do, some I could definitely see are:
- Alph OR Pikmin 4 Captain - Olimar Clone
- Second ARMS character - Spring Man/ARMS character Clone


NEWCOMERS


A close ally of “the Mickey Mouse of gaming” since the very beginning, we have Toad!

Toad debuted in 1985, in the original Super Mario Bros. He’s the only member of the “Original 5” characters from SMB to not be playable in Smash (the others being Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Bowser).

Toad’s presence as a playable character in Smash is long overdue. I understand not being in Melee due to the game’s short development time, but he should’ve been added in Brawl.

But that’s really just my opinion. Going on to facts, it seems like there are three big contenders for a Mario newcomer:
Toad, Waluigi, and Paper Mario.

Given the not-so-warm reception Paper Mario game’s have been getting as of late, I feel like he has the least of a chance, as Nintendo might not be so keen on pushing him.

Toad and Waluigi both have points going for them, and frankly I’d love to see both in. Toad really deserves it, but Waluigi’s insane personality could bring some crazy and unique moves to the table, representing all the Mario spin-offs and the millions of systems they’ve sold.

However, I think at the end of the day, the odds are in Toad’s favor.

Ever since around the time of Smash 4’s release, Nintendo has been pushing Toad more. He was playable in 3D World (which released after Smash 4’s Roster was probably decided), and got his own spin-off in Captain Toad Treasure Tracker, which will soon be available on three different platforms!
All of this while Ninty is still refusing to give Waluigi his own game.

Given how most of this Toad push is focused on Captain Toad, I wouldn’t be surprised if Captain Toad was made playable rather than just Toad. However, my guess is that Sakurai would opt to include the basic Toad we’ve had since the beginning, definitley having Captain Toad as an alternate costume.

As for Peach’s move with Toad, he could just be swapped out with Toadsworth, who’s supposed to have been her steward even since she was a baby.

TL,DR - Toad is a Super Mario mainstay that’s been around since the beginning. I believe he’ll be added over Waluigi, but would really love both. It could be Captain Toad instead, bigboi i believe it will just be regular Toad with the Captain as an alt. Peach’s neutral B can be Toadsworth.



These two icons from the Donkey Kong Country series are some of the most talked about potential inclusions. Is there room for both Dixie and K. Rool?

I decided to pool these two characters into one discussion, because whenever I think about one’s chances the other comes to mind, and they sort of tie together. As you can tell by my roster, I have a feeling that both will be included. Let me explain.

Dixie made her grand return in Tropical Freeze in 2014, after Smash’s roster was decided. With Tropical Freeze getting a Switch port this year, she is remaining relevant and is once again a mainstay in DKC. On top of this, she was planned for Brawl, most likely as a tag-team character with Diddy, so Sakurai has already shown to have an interest in including her. She also seems to be a fan-favorite character in Smash speculation (at least from what we can tell in this echo chamber).


King K. Rool has been MIA for years. His last appearance was Mario Super Sluggers (not counting his Smash 4 trophies) in 2009, and he has been totally absent from Retro’s DKC reboot and its sequel. However, this didn’t stop his support for Smash, which seems to be one the biggest out there.

Remember when I said I believe the 2015 Ballot had some influence on Smash 5’s roster? This is the newcomer where this comes into play the most. Most people believe that K. Rool did rather well in the ballot. This is shown to be likely by his inclusion as a Mii costume around the time the ballot was wrapping up, alongside other believed-to-be-ballot-favorites like Chrom, Lloyd Irving, and later Geno. His inclusion as a Mii costume, despite not being relevant anymore, shows that Sakurai knows K. Rool has his fans, and I believe he ballot may have served as a “wake up call” of sorts, as most of his support seems to be in the West. Not only this, but Sakurai went out of his way to have a new design made for his Mii costume, inspired by his more loved classic, long-shouted, golden-bellied design, rather than the fatter, goofier-looking modern model used for his trophy.

Dixie is more relevant are arguably more important as of now, and probably more known amongst casuals. K. Rool is a favorite among hardcore Nintendo fans and has more vocal backing, and even his Smash 4 trophy describes him to be to DK what Bowser is to Mario.

There’s no rule saying there can only be one newcomer per series, and multiple series have had multiple unique newcomers in the past (ex: Kirby in Brawl and Mario in Smash 4), so given the importance to the series and popularity of both, I think they may very well both be included this time around. The DK series in Smash wouldn’t feel quite complete with just one.

TL,DR - Dixie is currently relevant and has backing, plus Sakurai planned her for Brawl.

K. Rool is less relevant, but has a more vocal backing. After most likely doing well in the ballot, Sakurai acknowledged the demand by not only making him a Mii costume, but have a new design made for it, based on K. Rool’s classic appearance.

Dixie’s relevancy balances out with K. Rool’s popularity. They are both equally important to the DKC series and can both be newcomers this time around because of that, just like Dedede and Meta Knight where in Brawl.


I have no idea what is going on.

Here’s the thing. I think there’s going to be a Zelda character this time, but I have genuinely no clue. I think, if there’s a Zelda newcomer, it will be one of the ones in this pic. I wouldn’t consider any of them particularly likely, but I think there will be a Zelda newcomer, therefore one of them has to get in right?

Just a quick run-down of the characters.

Toon Zelda: My least favorite of the ones up there. She would just be a Zelda semi-clone, while there’s multiple other great Zelda characters.

Tetra: She could be fun, and a nice character to go alongside Toon Link, but is also one of my lesser picks.

Impa: I’d consider her the most likely, but she went back to being an old lady in BotW, and it’d be weird to have young Impa when her most recent (and most seen, since BotW sold greatly) appearance is frail and old.

A Champion: They each have a chance, and would each bring something unique to the table. I think it would be odd having one and not the rest, but if I had to rank them in order I want them, I’d say, from most wanted to least, Daruk, Rivali, Urbosa, Mipha.

Skull Kid: Sakurai seems to know that he has some demand, as he was featured as an Assist in Smash 4, and the first to be revealed at that. However, Sakurai also seems to be against adding one-time characters, which is probably why we haven’t seen any new Zelda characters since Melee (Toon Link is just an altered Young Link and you can’t convince me otherwise). I’d personally love him, being a big sucker for Majora’s Mask. I don’t care if he’d be a one-time villain alongside series mainstays. He’s just awesome.

Tingle: This might honestly be the most likely. He’s been an Assist in both Brawl and Smash 4, and is along with of Impa, kind of the only recurring character in the series besides the main 3 and their different incarnations. I’d be a big fan of him. He’d definitely play really unique in a way similar to how Waluigi would, just being really weird. I think some casuals are also aware of him too. He was pretty much the only Zelda character I knew of outside the main three in Smash before I got into the series.

Pig Ganon: My top choice, easily. He’s a heavyweight, he’s another villain, he’d have a giant trident and a unique moveset unlike Dorf. He’s also prominent enough in the series to have a shot, although he hasn’t appeared in many recent games, only having a brief appearance in A Link Between Worlds. Link and Toon Link, Zelda and Sheik, Ganondorf and Ganon. We’d have the main three and alternate incarnations of each. He’d be great representation, would look great with a new HD design, and would probably be a hoot and a half to play as. I’d main him instantly.


In order of how much I want each candidate?
Ganon > Skull Kid > Tingle > Daruk > Tetra > Nothing > Impa > Revali > Urbosa > Mipha > Toon Zelda

Again, I don’t know enough to rank them all in terms of likeliness, but I said who I think is higher and who is lower.

[Explanation added May 23rd]

The biggest boy is finally here!...maybe

I’m shaky on this one, but I believe there will be a Metroid newcomer, and am somewhat confident it will be Ridley.

I think Ridley’s popularity now is unignorable. Sakurai might have missed how big it was pre-Smash 4, and only saw the real demand during the development cycle when the roster was already chosen and he hasn’t had enough time to think about how he would be feasible.

However, we know that certain events can change Sakurai point of view, and that his thoughts evolve over time. When he first thought about Villager and Miis during Brawl’s development, he thought they were impossible. However, after a few years of the thought simmering, he changed his mind. It is entirely possible that, when he first saw the outcry for Ridley, he deemed him as too big, but now after thinking about it for a few more years, and seeing more of that demand, along with one or two Brawl modes showing a playable Ridley, he’s decided it can work. Maybe Ridley did well in the ballot, and that got Sakurai thinking more.

It’s a shot in the dark, but I think Ridley’s chances are better than ever.

If there’s a Metroid newcomer that’s not Ridley, my money’s on Sylux.

Or maybe we get no Metroid newcomer. Who knows?

[Explanation added May 23rd]

I’m not doing these big intro lines anymore.

So yeah, this one is self-explanatory. Smash sequels have always had at least one retro newcomer. Melee has Ice Climbers and Mr. Game & Watch. Brawl had Pit and R.O.B. Smash 4 had Duck Hunt (and arguably Little Mac, but I don’t think so because he had a revival and is sort of a current series now, even if there hasn’t been another yet). So it makes sense that we’d get at least one more. The question is who will it be?

I think Excitebiker is a good choice and has a fair shot. Excitebike was one of those one-off NES games that’s in that same category as Duck Hunt and Ice Climbers, along with Balloon Fight, which is represented in Villager’s moveset.

Takamaru is the other likely choice, I believe, due to his noticeable fan demand during Smash 4 time and still now, and his inclusion in Smash 4 as an assist trophy.

[Explanation added May 29th]

This one is self-explanatory.

When making my roster two months ago, my reasoning was basically just this:
There’s been a new FE character promoting a new game since Melee. Melee has Roy, Brawl had Ike, and WiiU/3DS had Robin (with Lucina as a last-minute clone), and later Corrin as DLC.


However, now I’m starting to doubt myself on this, mainly for two reasons.
1. Development cycles: Smash 5 probably had its roster set in winter 2016, and we don’t know when FE16 started. Given that they’ll probably come out about the same time, I’m not sure that Sakurai would’ve had access to a solid idea of what the main character would be when he was making up the roster, even if he did go out of his way for concept art.
He’s also said for Robin, who’s game was RELEASED at the same Smash 4 STARTED DEVELOPMENT, that if it came out a month later he might not have included Robin.
2. Oversaturation: Sakurai himself has stated that he felt they went a little overboard with FE characters last game. Perhaps, because of this, he’ll intentionally forego a Fire Emblem newcomer this time. It’d be even weirder if, after saying this, Sakurai went out of his way to get FE16 concept art to make a newcomer.

I’m not that as confident of a FE16 newcomer as I was when I made this roster two months ago, but I refuse to change it now, as this roster is just supposed to be a representation of my predictions soon after Smash 5’s initial announcements.

However, if there really isn’t an FE16 newcomer in the base game, I’ll assume it will have been because of clashing development cycle times, and he/she will become on of my top predictions for DLC. (Same goes for Rex from XC2 and Spring Man from ARMS)

[Explanation added May 29th]

This is an adorable little boy and he deserves to be in.

He’s established himself as a main character in Kirby, having been playable in Return to Dreamland, supporting roles in Triple Deluxe, Planet Robobot, and Battle Royale, and once again playable as the first dream friend you get in Star Allies.

He’d also be the first spear-user in Smash, so he would bring some good moveset potential to the table.

The only problem for him might be Sakurai bias. Sakurai loves Kirby, and sees it as his baby. Because of this, he may not be too willing to add a character that was added to the Kirby series after his departure.
However he did create Waddle Dees themselves, and technically even Bandana Dee in the Megaton Punch sub-game of Super Star, so he may be in favor of it, even though he didn’t give Bandana Dee the spear and a prominent role.

I still think he’s fairly likely, and the only reason I could see him not getting in is just Sakurai not really liking him, which is always possible at the end of the day.

[Explanation added May 29th]

We’ve always gotten a new Pokémon from the latest generation. 64 had Pikachu AND Jigglypuff from Gen 1. Melee had Pichu from Gen 2. Brawl had Lucario from Gen 4. Smash 4 had Greninja from Gen 6.

The latest generation as of now in Gen 7, Sun & Moon.

For Smash 4, Sakurai went out of his way to get concept art for a Gen 6 newcomer, as XY were still about 6 months away from release when he chose the roster. However, he probably wouldn’t even need to do that here.

The Smash 5 roster was most likely decided around Fall 2016, right around the time when Sun & Moon were released and most of the Pokémon were already revealed to the public. This means Sakurai already had all the reference material in front of him.

I’m fairly confident this fun tradition/corporate promotion won’t end anytime soon, and we’ll see a new Pokémon in every Smash game.

That leaves the question of which Alola Pokémon would be added.

I personally believe Decidueye, for the following reasons:
1. Most popular starter: Decidueye seems to be regarded as the fan-favorite Gen 7 starter, as wel as one of the most popular Gen 7 Pokémon in general.
2. Grass-type starter: While one could say patterns don’t really matter, you can’t deny there is something alluring about the idea of having a full trio of a fire, water, and grass type starter Pokémon in Smash again, after Pokémon Trainer was scrapped and only Charizard remained. Charizard, Greninja, and Decidueye would re-complete the type trio of starters, representing an important element in every Pokémon game.
3. Moveset potential: This one is a little iffy. He’s an archer Pokémon, and could be the first dedicated archer character in Smash. However, Sakurai has already included a character whose entire thing is having a bow and arrow (Pit), and only has him use arrows for a singular special move, so there’s always the possibility he would do the same for Decidueye, ignoring his potential as an archer.

I consider Decidueye the most likely Gen 7 Pokémon, although there are two others that I could see taking that spot: Mimikyu or Lycanroc. Both are heavily marketed and have key roles in the anime, much like Greninja in the XY anime, so I could see GameFreak pushing Sakurai (or Sakurai just choosing by his own accord) to add one of them instead.

[Explanation added May 29th]

I originally predicted Rex for multiple reasons. Nintendo seems to have poured a lot of resources in XC2. Rex may be another swordsman, but could still bring new things to the table with his Blades Pyra and Mythra, maybe switching between them for different boosts, like Shulk’s arts but with only two, and multiple stats being affected by each.

On top of this, Sakurai seems to love Xenoblade. In fact, Xenoblade 2 specifically, and XC2 is the best-selling game in the series.

However the FE16 newcomer, this is one I’m starting to get iffy on, and for the same reasons.

XC2 wasn’t even revealed to the public when Smash 5 started development and had its roster chosen. And although this was probably soon to the game being revealed at the January 2017 presentation, Sakurai still would’ve had to go out of his way to get a bunch of concept art for a niche character from a game he didn’t know would be received well. For all he knew, XC2 might’ve flopped, and he would’ve been stuck either having to scrap a ton of work, or release a character everyone hated.

It’s still up in the air I believe, as XC2 must’ve been pretty far into development by the time the roster was chosen, as a trailer was ready just a few months later in January. However, there’s still the clashing development cycles, with the character potentially not solidified in time for Sakurai to make the call, so I’m not sure.

There’s also the issue of Xenoblade X. Perhaps Sakurai planned to include Elma from X in the main game, and didn’t want to go out of his way to get concept art for a second Xenoblade newcomer and risk oversaturating a niche series like that.

It’s really a bunch of “maybes” and “what ifs” about the development cycle when it comes to predicting Rex.

However, if all those timing issues weren’t there, I’d say Rex is extremely likely. Because of this, if Rex doesn’t make it into the base game, he will be one of my top predictions for DLC (along with an FE16 protagonist, and Spring Man from ARMS).

[Explanation added May 29th]

Ok, these guys are sort of based on an assumption.

For those of you who don’t know, there was this supposed Smash 4 leak called the “Gematsu Leak.” Before E3 2013, it leaked “Animal Crossing Guy, Wii Fit Trainer, Mega Man, Little Mac, Miis, and Pac-Man.” The former three were revealed that day.
Later on before the Spring 2014 Smash Direct, which was after Little Mac’s reveal, it stated that Pac-Man and Miis would still be playable, along with Shulk, Palutena, Chrom, “Chorus Men” from Rhythm Heaven (who are named Chorus KIDS in the West) and “Pokémon from X/Y.”
Later, before E3 2015, he came back and re-asserted that Pac-Man, Palutena, Chrom, Chrosu Kids, and Miis (now specifically calling them “Mii Fighters”) would be playable. He also mentioned that there was internal discussion about DLC, and whether to keep Ness or Lucas, with the later being likely to be cut.

Now we know it got everything right besides Chrom and Chorus Kids. There are four vital pieces of information that can lead us to believe that it wasn’t just lucky guess after E3 2014.
1. Chrom was at least “considered,” before being swapped out for Robin who would be more unique.
2. Ice Climbers were cut due to the 3DS’s technical limitations, and they tried really hard to get them working. This would mean that a 3-in-one character like Chorus Kids would definitely have to be scrapped.
3. Rhythm Heaven is the only series without a character or stage, to have a unique series icon for trophies. All the other series that have icons either have a character or a stage. This is really weird, and may very well suggest that a Rhythm Heaven stage or character was scrapped at some point.
4. The Chorus Kids have a trophy in Smash 4, despite not even having been characters before that were ever even considered by fans for being in Smash.

Many people including myself believe the Gematsu leak was based on old info, from when Chrom was planned and before Ice Climbers were scrapped.

This would mean that Sakurai wanted to include Chorus Kids and represent Rhythm Heaven, but couldn’t due to technical limitations.

Now that Sakurai is working with the Switch, which is even more powerful than Wii U, I see no reason he wouldn’t want to see his vision finally be realized and include Chorus Kids in the game.

[Explanation added May 29th]

They’re confirmed. I mean everyone and their Grandma predicted them, but they were confirmed before I made this roster so I can’t official take credit as someone who predicted them here.

[Explanation added June 11th]

This one seemed pretty likely to me.
- New IP being pushed by Nintendo
- From a fighting game
- Would be really unique from everyone else

It all seems to fall into place, except for the development time.

I’m really not banking on this character anymore, since development probably started a while before ARMS was even announced.

He (or any other ARMS Character) makes perfect sense for Smash, but I think the development cycle might be an issue.

Like Rex from Xenoblade and a FE16 Protagonist, I don’t really think he will be in the base game, but is one of my top predictions for DLC.

[Explanation added June 11th]

In Brawl and Smash 4’s base game we got two third party newcomers, and I think Smash 5 will have the same.

The question is who will those two non-Nintendo newcomers be?

I feel confident that one will be Rayman.

Ubisoft has been supportive of Nintendo, even through the WiiU era. They’ve been so close with Nintendo that they’ve been allowed to make their own Mario game with Mario+Rabbids, although that specifically was probably conceived too late to make an impact on a Smash.

I think Ubisoft’s close ties with Nintendo and continued support, along with Rayman’s small but noticeable demand, will net him a spot in Smash 5.

[Explanation added June 11th]

When I first conceived this roster, I had Crash due to the N-Sane Trilogy coming to Switch.
However, I’m changing that due to thinking about development times. At the time the roster was chosen, the N-Sane Trilogy was still planned to be a PS4 exclusive, which sort of works AGAINST Crash’s chances.


He’s one of the top contenders for DLC IMO, due to the N-Sane Trilogy coming to Switch, and his rise in popularity due to that.

As for who else can be the second third party newcomer, I have a couple ideas, but not sure who will take it, sort of like the Zelda newcomer, so here are a couple of options I think have a chance.

1. Simon Belmont - Castlevania was one of those NES and SNES classics just like MegaMan, and the DasVergeban leak looks really really likely now with Jump Force having just been announced. He’s probably the most likely due to that.

2. Bomberman - he would be another Konami rep, as they’ve been supportive of the Switch (although Smash’s development cycle might mean that won’t make a difference), not to mention Bomberman has had a noticeable demand since even Brawl days. He has a solid shot, although with Vergeban making it seem both Simon and Snake will be in, having three Konami characters doesn’t seem that likely.

3. Banjo - this is the least likely, but he has his merits and is my personal favorite option, so I’ll give him his time of day. He has a lot of fans, but most of all Microsoft has at least pretended to be supportive saying they’re open to a deal. The thing in question isn’t whether or not Nintendo will reach out, and if they could come to a reasonable deal.

4. Sora - I don’t think he’s likely. Kingdom Hearts is a primarily PlayStation series (and isnt a big landmark game like Final Fantasy VII that got Cloud in). Disney owns him and can be a pain with copyright, but the imgur leak says it and it’s yet to be properly deconfirmed (we’ll see if it is at E3 tomorrow), so I’m just listing him here for now.

Holy crap I’m finally done with these character explanation. Phew.

Well, E3 is over and my was confirmed crap. Here are my modified rosters with very brief reasonings.

POST-E3 ROSTER
This will be my longest set of explanations for a roster besides the initial one, just because E3 changed so much and made me rethink almost all of my predictions.


Ok, I’m typing this up on August 18th, but I made the roster back in June and was just too lazy to post anything. I’m not trying to trick you guys for fake internet points.

I’m just going to type up my reasoning as I thought it out back in June.



Predictions that were confirmed:
- All Smash 4 veterans, Wolf, and Ice Climbers returning
- Ridley

Confirmed Characters I didn’t predict:
- Daisy

STAYED:
- Bandana Waddle Dee - very popular, which would fit with this game’s theme of catering to fans
- King K. Rool - super popular, has been demanded for ages
- Zelda Newcomer - in fact, I think I figured out who it will be
- Non-Rayman 3rd Party - two, actually, as I’ll get in to

REMOVED:
- Toad - once again a move, and even Blue Toad is. I suppose Captain can be playable, but now I’m banking on another Mario character
- Dixie - from what we know about echoes, she’s too unique to be one, but also there are too little unique characters for there to be two to a series. Sorry Dix.
- Excitebiker - I think there’s too little slots this time and too much emphasis on fan demands to have an old character for the sake of having an old character, and the one really popular one in Takamaru is deconfirmed
- Decidueye - while I still think a new Pokemon will be added since they have their own popularity, I think Mimikyu is more popular and have more moveset potential, plus with Pokemon Trainer back there’s no need for a grass starter to make a new trio
- FE16 Newcomer - especially with it being Spring 2019 now, way too late for base game; maybe DLC, plus there’s an emphasis on past fan demands
- Spring Man - too new IMO, and emphasis on past fan demands
- Rex & Pyra - too new IMO, and emphasis on past fan demands
- Chorus Kids - Rhythm Heaven doesn’t seem that popular to me, and we have limited newcomers spots
- Rayman - there are some other more popular third party picks, and I think they’ll get in because of the popularity emphasis; he’d be the third most likely third party character for me right now, but I only see two making base game like Brawl and 4; wouldn’t be too surprised to see him get in over Banjo though

ADDED:
- Every veteran, as confirmed by E3
- Mimikyu - I believe the most popular Alola Pokemon, and one with the most unique move set potential
- Skull Kid - probably the most popular Zelda newcomer, and has been consistently asked for since Brawl, assist trophy MIA too
- Geno - one of the most consistently asked for newcomers; him getting in despite his obscurity would be the ULTIMATE move to show how this game is finally catering to fans
- Simon Belmont - Vergeben
- Banjo-Kazooie - has been consistently asked for, Phil Spencer said he’s open, Microsoft and Nintendo have improved relations, would be another inclusion showing that they really care about fan demands this time
- ECHOES
- Dark Samus - color swap and assist are MIA, would be a perfect echo for Samus
- Chrom - color swap and Robin’s FS are MIA, is highly request and would be a perfect echo for Ike
- Isabelle - popular Animal Crossing character, easy echo of Villager
- Shadow - second most popular Sonic character, assist trophy is MIA and maybe replaced, easy echo of Sonic

Post-Direct Roster

[ADDED AUGUST 18th]

Predictions that were confirmed:
- Dark Samus
- Chrom (although as a Roy echo and not an Ike one)
- Simon Belmont
- King K. Rool

Confirmed Characters I didn’t predict:
- Richter Belmont

STAYED:
- Skull Kid - now maybe with some more merit, with Sakurai’s Furniture and the statue in the Diablo III announcement potentially being hints
- Bandana Dee
- Geno
- Banjo- Kazooie
- Isabelle (Echo)
- Shadow (Echo)

REMOVED:
- Mimikyu - was sadly deconfirmed, reverting back to Decidueye as my Alolan Pokemon prediction

ADDED:
- Decidueye - with Mimikyu gone, he takes the spot as the my Gen 7 Pokemon prediction
- Karate Joe - I realized that’s Rhythm Heaven is more popular than I think, remembered Sakurai wanted to give it a character in Smash 4, and saw the Karate Joe teaser/Easter egg in the K. Rool trailer
- Dixie Kong - Chrom showed that an echo fighter can borrow moves from other fighters they’re not echoing, with Ike’s Up-B and Marth’s aerials; I think this shows that Dixie can be an echo of Diddy, but still have moves that make use of her ponytail. Dark Samus was revealed a while after the Ridley trailer, so you can’t say they would’ve shown Dixie in the K. Rool trailer either.
 
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RADSheikah

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Mar 24, 2014
Messages
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Location
Mordor


I’m very unsure about the roster for the upcoming game, but this is the best I could come up with. Will add explanations for everything later, and probably a non-meme version while I’m at it.
That stupid muppet stumped me for the longest time. Had to do like triple reverse image search to figure it out.
 

NastCF

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Mar 30, 2007
Messages
169
Smash 4 had a focus on newcomers that were featured prominently in major games released since Brawl, so I tried to apply the same logic to these predictions. They ended up not being too different from what other people are saying, but here they are.

EDIT: I've changed my mind on Ridley, I don't think he's very likely at all. I've removed him from the list.

Toad:
he's the most important Mario character that's still missing from the roster, and has been made even more relevant since Smash 4 with games like Super Mario 3D World and Captain Toad. While I imagine him appearing as regular Toad, he would likely borrow inspiration from Captain Toad as well.

Cranky Kong: I know most people are expecting Dixie Kong, but for some reason I feel like Sakurai would go for Cranky instead. He's not as popular, but he's still a recurring character that a lot of people recognize, and I think he's got more potential to be unique compared to Dixie. It would be a similar situation to when everybody was expecting Chrom, and instead Robin happened. Plus, he's enjoyed some newfound attention by being playable in Tropical Freeze, unlike King K. Rool who, despite being a popular choice, hasn't been actually relevant in ages.

Bandana Waddle Dee: like other people have said, he's pretty much become the 4th protagonist of the Kirby series. I believe he's appeared in every Kirby game since Smash 4, most notably Star Allies.

Decidueye: he (it?) seems to be, by far, the most popular new Pokémon, which seems to be the main criteria when it comes to Pokémon newcomers in Smash. It helps that it's been Pokkén Tournament DX too. Don't really have anything else to add.

Rex: I don't really know much about Xenoblade Chronicles 2, but apparently it did well? It figures that Nintendo would capitalize on that.

Spring Man: pretty self-explanatory.

Karate Joe / Rhythm Heaven character: I'm not entirely sure about this one. The Rhythm Heaven series is decently popular, and its most recent installment, Megamix, is less than 2 years old (less than 3 in japan). A rhythm-based character also sounds more than unique enough for Smash. Still, maybe the series is a bit too niche. As for who it would be, I think Karate Joe is the most likely. He isn't exactly the face of the series but he has appeared (alongside a new minigame) in all four games, which is more than can be said for a lot of the other characters.


I could speculate on third-party characters too but those are much harder to predict. If I had to guess one, I would say Shovel Knight.
 
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BluePikmin11

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-84 Characters total. (78 if you exclude Echo Fighters)
-15 unique newcomers. 4 new echo fighters.

Other Notes:
-I am predicting a Hanafuda character in general, not specifically Daitouryou.
-I am predicting Lycanroc in general, not any specific form of Lycanroc.

-----------------




Choosing Geno as a prediction was not an easy decision. I grew up playing Super Mario RPG on the Wii Virtual Console loving every second of the experience. I thought Geno was a very cool character back then and wanted him in Smash 4. That never happened. But, I was super astonished when Geno had his own Mii costume for Smash 4 DLC. I looked into the interview of Sakurai mentioning the story behind the Mii costume with him stating:

"Geno:

What led you to decide to make a Geno costume after all this time?

Sakurai: To tell the truth, it’s because I wanted Geno to be a playable character. He has a gun for a hand, and I think he fits in really well with Smash. During Brawl, I thought it would be great if I could add him, but in the end it didn’t become a reality."

I interpreted that comment as Square Enix being stingy about their properties. I thought he was not included because he was just a character from a one-off SNES game and never thought much about it since, slowly drifting away my hope for the puppet as time went on, never seriously considering him when it came to Smash Ultimate newcomer speculation. But, then I thought about critically. I thought about Vergeben's rumor of Simon Belmont and Ridley being in Smash as his info quickly became more legitimate at E3. What these two choices hold in common was that they were generally perceived as impossible due to many reasons such as Konami being a bad company, the harsh treatment of Kojima, and Sakurai stating two times in Brawl/Smash 4 that Ridley would be impossible.

Thinking hypothetically, if Sakurai went that far to implement these characters in Smash Ultimate, despite the very difficult obstacles, I personally believe Sakurai would go beyond the line and negotiate Geno from Square Enix yet again. What I theorize about Smash 4 DLC was that the production for it had a lower budget. The evidence pointing to this is Sakurai stating that they had a smaller team working on the DLC, noting that there were a smaller selection of songs to choose from (pointing out the Midgar FF7 stage having only two non-remixed songs), and Sakurai choosing to add the "most realizable and negotiable character" (Bayonetta) when it came to the Smash 4 ballot. I feel these budget constraints prevented Sakurai from negotiating beyond Cloud Strife for Smash 4 DLC, with the only affordable option left being to add Geno as a Mii costume.

Normally, I would say that Geno being a one-shot character and Square Enix being strict would damage his chance to be in Smash. But, I do not believe this to be an actual problem for Sakurai. He wanted Geno badly back in Brawl and Smash 4 because of his move-set potential, setting aside the fact that his appearance was one-time, being willing enough to get Geno as one of the only notable Mii costumes for Smash 4 DLC done for the fans. Considering that SMRPG was one of Square's biggest successes in history (with SMRPG selling as massively as the huge Tomb Raider/Final Fantasy games), I feel the company would be fine with the idea of SMRPG being represented in Smash. The belief that Square Enix would strike against the idea of Geno being playable is a huge overstatement.

Square would be willing to make business to make Geno in Smash a reality, if the budget for negotiating characters for Smash Ultimate allows it. With the opportunity being possible thanks to Smash Ultimate likely being a higher budget game, this would finally have Sakurai realize Geno for Smash. The 13 year-long journey of Sakurai wanting Geno as a playable fighter would close in pure satisfaction for him and the immense number of hardcore Geno supporters. With Sakurai focusing more on popular newcomers this time around with a somewhat tighter newcomer pool, I am banking that he will make Geno a playable character, making a dream finally come true.




I have never seriously considered K. Rool to be a notable contender. I originally thought Dixie Kong had the best chance as the DKC newcomer, even though I felt her chances were very small at best because of Sakurai originally not planning clones in the beginning for Smash 4’s roster. I did play through the Rare SNES Trilogy for the first time to get an appreciation of the character and his insane personality, but I have remained in a skeptical mindset, up until the Smash Ultimate reveal. This was when my approach to Smash speculation had changed. King K. Rool has been wandering in my mind since then.

Previously, I tried digger deeper beyond the basic character criteria, looking into Sakurai interviews and other resources related to DKC that could possibly benefit K. Rool’s inclusion. I tried researching the reasons Diddy Kong was included in Brawl, and found nothing. I tried researching about K. Rool and Dixie’s creator, Steve Mayles, to see if he was involved in helping out with Brawl’s planning phase, with Dixie being originally a part of Diddy via tag-team in Brawl. I found nothing but Steve encouraging and wanting his characters to be in Smash, likely having little involvement in Ultimate due to his role in Playtonic Games, working on Yooka Laylee at the time. I tried to find other Nintendo staff members that would have helped realize Diddy’s Brawl moveset by looking into the new DK IP team mentioned in a Gamexplain Rabbids DLC interview, Paon (Developers responsible for the DKC games after Rare), and Miyamoto (Who had the closest involvement during the production of the Rare DKC trilogy). I still have found nothing concrete, researching a second time for several hours.

The only things I found that could possibly help K. Rool is the mysterious Mii costume that was added via Smash 4 DLC and that this Smash will likely focus on including popular ballot newcomers. The reasons the costume was included is unknown and was never clarified by Sakurai, unlike Geno. But, the level of detail given to the K. Rool costume to match Rare’s redesign is a bit eyebrow raising. The only thing I can confidently say really helps K. Rool is the immense ballot demand. Whether or not this demand is enough to overshadow the big negative of not playing a major role in the new mainline Donkey Kong Country titles has yet to be seen.

But, given that Sakurai seriously considered Geno for Brawl and Smash 4, despite being from a very old title, he might see K. Rool’s high ballot demand to be enough to think critically about his inclusion. The moveset potential and unique characteristics K. Rool could also help Sakurai view him as a stand-out character, being a heavyweight with an crazy cruel personality that would utilize many projectile weapons like the boomerang crown and blunderbuss for a distinct ranged play-style. With K. Rool being a character that would also attract a large Western audience like Ridley, I believe these are the positives I feel could suffice Sakurai enough to include the character.

In my personal perspective, King K. Rool, while having a good shot because of high ballot demand, is a bit of a shot in the dark. I say this only because I know so little of how Sakurai approached Donkey Kong Country newcomers back in Brawl, with little resources about DKC to be able to have very firm confidence on his inclusion. I can only speculate that Diddy Kong was included in Brawl due to his high demand, but the reasons were not specified by Sakurai, unlike Pit and Meta Knight. Regardless of him being somewhat risky choice, I am willing to predict that King K. Rool will finally be playable in this new Smash. I hope if K. Rool is included, Sakurai will characterize his insanity to the full extent in every part of his moveset.




If there is one single Nintendo title I never stop seeing constant references of, it would be The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. I have seen Majora’s Mask through countdown gifs on the internet, references in cartoons, endless merchandise, fan-videos, and a number of other things that makes the game a seriously common presence in video game pop culture. Majora’s Mask is considered a classic by a large number of hardcore Zelda fans for its dark story, tone, and memorable characters. The game was so popular, a large number of fans created a campaign called Operation Moonfall to get a Majora’s Mask remake on the Nintendo 3DS after the release of Ocarina of Time 3D.

The game’s massive popularity explains why Skull Kid has been the most requested Zelda newcomer for a long period of time since Brawl. He was so popular at the time of Brawl that a number of mods and Smash fan renders were made for the character. At the time of Smash 4, he was the most voted newcomer in a VGTribune poll sent to Sakurai during the game’s project proposal. With Skull Kid maintaining his status as one of the most requested Smash newcomers of all time, it may finally be his time to get in as a playable character, with ballot popularity likely being a big factor for many inclusions in Smash Ultimate this time around.




Although Skull Kid does not have many statements said by Sakurai that could point towards his inclusion, he does have a similar obstacle and many pros that parallel to Geno in some ways. One major positive aside from his popularity that he has is moveset potential. I personally feel Skull Kid's mischievous character being able to utilize his mask and ocarina for unleashing bizarre dark powers makes him unlike any other character currently in Smash Bros, which could make him an extremely enticing character to implement for Sakurai this time around. Even as non-Zelda fan that only played a bit of Majora's Mask on the Wii Virtual Console, I could easily see his distinct characteristics and the moveset potential he provides as a fighter.

The only question that remains is if Sakurai would see the long-time high popularity being sufficing enough to seriously consider Skull Kid for playability. I think Sakurai could change his mind on him this time around. I feel fan demand will help Sakurai view many newcomers from a different, open perspective and make exceptions for negatives like Geno’s one-time status, Ridley’s possibly difficult implementation in Smash, and K. Rool’s lack of a major role in recent Donkey Kong Country games. Skull Kid’s demand can easily have Sakurai forgive his negative having only one major role in one Zelda title. This is quite possibly the best time Skull Kid can get in Smash if ballot popularity is a major factor for a notable portion of the newcomer pool.




For the longest time since the beginning of Smash Ultimate speculation, I have been skeptical of Bandanna Dee’s chances. But, after thinking about Dee critically from a different perspective, I finally see why fans have been confident with Bandanna Dee. Before looking into positives, we need to look at the history of new Kirby additions with earlier Smash games. For King Dedede, he was planned to be included in Smash 64, but was cut during development. For Meta-knight, his inclusion was considered in Melee, but was held off because he wanted put other Nintendo titles in the spotlight before his own franchise, despite the character being extremely popular in Japan. Sakurai’s hesitance on more Kirby newcomers remained until Brawl, where he finally added King Dedede and Meta-knight.

I feel Sakurai’s hesitance on his characters was the main reason Bandanna Dee was excluded from Smash 4’s roster. This was very understandable, given that Dee’s playable debut in Kirby: Return to Dreamland might have been seen as too pre-mature, lacking the substantial amount of importance needed to be considered a central Kirby character. But now, Bandanna Dee has been increasing in importance, with his playable role in Kirby: Rainbow Curse and a number of smaller roles in Triple Deluxe, Planet Robobot, and Battle Royale. With HAL Laboratory paying ample attention to the Kirby fanbase and giving Dee greater presence and marketing, there is a real chance that Sakurai could notice this push, giving HAL the opportunity to recommend Bandanna Dee while Sakurai works on Smash Ultimate’s project planning phase to heavily push for a playable Bandanna Dee.

With Bandanna Dee’s increasing importance, it resulted with an increasing Dee fanbase, which likely caused a high surge of votes for the character with the Smash 4 ballot. These two factors could finally lead Sakurai to seriously consider Bandanna Dee and let go of his Kirby character hesitance/modesty. Gameplay potential would not be a notable problem, as Dee’s utilization of spears alone is minimally distinct enough from the current Smash cast for Sakurai to find easy move-set inspiration. It could be argued that just utilizing spears lacks substance, but Sakurai can find inspiration in the minimum a character offers, as he only needs to look at one distinct, on-the-surface trait to find the potential like Little Mac’s single, unique trait of being a boxer and Ryu’s single, unique trait of utilizing fighting game mechanics for Smash gameplay.

There is a chance that Sakurai’s modesty on Kirby character representation could still remain or that he does not find Dee central to Kirby enough to exclude Dee from the roster, but at this point, that has a small chance of happening with the positives of his inclusion the spear-wielder currently has. I am banking Sakurai finally making Bandanna Dee a playable character after making sure of his massive popularity within the Kirby fanbase and his likely high number of votes with the Smash 4 Ballot. Dee has almost nothing preventing his inclusion now.

After researching Sakurai’s criteria on Pokemon again, I have realized that Decidueye actually is not the frontrunner candidate for the next Pokemon newcomer. Who will be chosen will be based on combination of factors. While Decidueye has huge popularity in the Pokemon fanbase and gameplay potential, there is one factor he misses that is crucial for his inclusion, this part in particular:

“Well first of all, we talk with the Pokemon company. What’s the hot Pokemon? What Pokemon are in the movies right now? And really do a lot of research on that front.

For example, X and Y are coming out – of course, we haven’t done any market research because they’re not out yet, but we look at the animated series or movies and anything like that and again, find out which ones are going to be central to any of conversations in Pokemon going forward.

But it’s not just that – going back to just what we talked about, what’s unique about them? Where do they fit in with the rest of everything else? What do they have? It’s a combination of those things.

Decidueye has not become a central Pokemon and has been less promoted in the anime. As of Sun/Moon anime's new episodes, Ash’s Rowlet has not evolved into Decidueye, as his current role in the anime is mostly for gags. The one that actually has become central to the anime and marketing in general is Lycanroc:




Lycanroc has become one of Ash’s primary partners in the anime recently, whose current bond strongly parallels to 6th generation's Greninja. Outside of that medium, his pre-evolution/other forms have been promoted frequently in Sun and Moon via video games, being the first Pokemon to appear in a new trading card mechanic called GX, prominence in the manga, and merchandise. Sakurai has likely done heavy marketing research for Sun/Moon around the time of project planning. Such marketing would have been planned out in advance by The Pokémon Company. TPC would have made Lycanroc to be the most important Pokemon they want Sakurai to pay attention to way back in 2015, giving concept art of the Pokemon's Midday and Midnight form to use for reference.

Lycanroc also has solid move-set potential, wielding the powers of levitating rocks. He is an earth-bender of sorts in Avatar terms, which is very distinct when compared to the current in Smash 4. Since Midnight Lycanroc is the most popular out of its three forms, I will be discussing its play-style in that specific form. Looking at Midnight Lycanroc’s Pokedex information, it acts quite recklessly and craves for victory, provoking opponents and using close combat when nearby. Lycanroc plays as a fighter who utilizes rock powers in melee for a bait-and-attack play-style. The many other forms of Lycanroc like Dusk and Midday can work too if Sakurai wants to have the Pokemon focus on a ranged-attack bait-and-attack play-style. The choices Sakurai has with Lycanroc would provide enough gameplay potential for Sakurai to play around with.



I personally believe now Lycanroc will be the next and only Pokemon newcomer chosen for Smash. While it would be ideal for the roster to get Lycanroc & Decidueye, I feel that only one spot will remain open, in the same way only one spot was open for one new X/Y Pokemon way back in Smash 4’s project plan,. With Lycanroc having the advantage of being more promoted in several mediums like the anime more than Decidueye way back, It would not matter how distinct Decidueye would be because without that combination of benefits Lycanroc has, he will not make it in. Lycanroc is one of those Pokemon has become central to Sun/Moon from S/M's pre-release to now. I feel firmly confident that Lycanroc will be playable over Decidueye.

Isabelle has been a major staple for Nintendo ever since her appearance in New Leaf. She had appeared in Mario Kart 8, having her own official Twitter, a forefront marketed icon with significant roles in new AC games, and going farther than amiibo with having her own set of Nendoroids. This character has been more promoted than other AC characters, even more than even the previous face of the franchise, Tom Nook. With such heavy marketing, I definitely think that Nintendo will WANT Sakurai to make her playable as a Smash fighter, much like Rosalina back in Smash 4’s roster plan when the cosmic princess became playable in titles like Super Mario 3D World.

Given Sakurai’s experience with working on non-combatant fighters like Villager and Wii Fit Trainer, I feel very sure that Sakurai can accomplish and create a moveset for Isabelle that would make her a unique fighter. Most might not be able to spot the potential, but looking into Isabelle’s characterization/role in Animal Crossing: New Leaf gives away the answer. Her move-set potential can easily be found in the mayor gameplay of New Leaf. Isabelle's role in Animal Crossing: New Leaf is being a secretary/assistant that helps the villager mayor (the player) with duty management.

At the start, she helps the player that just moved in town by offering advice and making them the mayor, guiding players to earn a development permit, which allows the new mayor to enact new town laws and enable public work projects to built around town. Isabelle also helps the player with the new actions the mayor can do as well. One big part of the mayor gameplay that would be used in Smash gameplay are Public Works Projects, which has Isabelle placing town objects around the environment to gain stage control.




Isabelle would be placing town structures such as fountains, clock posts, buildings (like cafes) that serve as a primary method of defense. These town structures are automatically built over time through construction zones, but they can be easily crushed by opponents if Isabelle does not keep foes at bay. Once construction is complete, the town structure becomes Isabelle's big advantage. Each town structure has various effects on Isabelle and the opponent. Fountains have wind-box effects for the opponents.

Clock-posts can freeze opponents for a small period of time every time 12 noon is quickly reached. Cafe buildings serve as a healing zone for Isabelle. These constructed objects can be destroyed, but have bigger defense than construction zones. Isabelle can lengthen the time of the town structure's effect and increase defense by holding down the B-button when starting to place structures, but at the cost of longer construction. The more objects Isabelle strategically places on the stage, the more advantages Isabelle has to overwhelm the opponent.

Would this move-set/play-style idea be considered forced like people suggest when move-sets are brought up for Isabelle? I do not believe so. As long as there is source material from the character’s tools, role, characterization and personality from their respective games, that would be enough for Sakurai to spark ideas for a play-style. Taking move-set ideas based on what Isabelle does in the Animal Crossing games is not a forced idea. Only when a character does not offer distinct characteristics, gameplay ideas, and personality compared to the current Smash Bros. roster requiring more creative liberties than the source material gives can a idea be considered forced. Isabelle does not have this problem, as her role in Animal Crossing: New Leaf provides enough instant inspiration.

I think the difference between creating a move-set for Villager and assembling a move-set for Isabelle is the clear theme, characterization, and personality. The villager in Animal Crossing does not have any clear, appealing characteristics that would immediately set a notable template for a move-set, requiring more creative thought and research to assemble a good move-set. Isabelle has a clear, stand-out trait of being a kind assistant managing mayor tasks for me to immediately see her as a unique fighter with potential. It allows the assembling of creating original move ideas for these characters to feel less restrictive and more playful. The least a newcomer needs is a clear theme, a distinct type of combat that has yet to be seen in Smash.

The theme of a town object-builder has not been seen as a fleshed out fighter in Smash. That theme is sufficable enough for Sakurai to work on a good move-set for Isabelle. To think that Sakurai would give up on implementing non-combatant newcomers like Isabelle is underestimating his creativity, especially with Sakurai noting the importance of seeking out newcomers beyond the obvious fighters that are clearly capable of doing combat. Those kinds of newcomers is what Sakurai wants because they have stand-out characteristics that not many combat-based fighters would normally have. Note his statement about non-combatants way back in a Kotaku Smash 4 interview:

“An important thing is that the characters stand out from one another—for instance, we might wanna be able to take characters that aren't typically combat-based characters. So you might have a sword-based character, but other characters are not necessarily going to [have swords]. You're not gonna wanna focus on that sort of element, just so there's a distinction between all of the other combat-based characters.

They have to have something really unique that makes them stand apart from other characters in the game, and not limit yourself to characters that are just combat-based.”

And note how Sakurai researches deeply into gameplay step-by-step to find distinct traits of a character:

“The first thing is to take an idea. For example, imagine a game and character within that game. Take a character such as the villager in Animal Crossing. The next process is think about that character's role in their game and then the structure of the game we're making. How do those work together with each other? What kind of interesting things can you do within the structure of the game? And then if you were to actually implement that character, how would the end result be, how it works with other elements of the game?”

The thorough research Sakurai does to find a character's potential even in non-combatant Nintendo franchises is why I continue to be affirmative with Isabelle for my Smash Ultimate predictions. I am confident Sakurai will find Isabelle to be a fighter with potential. Sakurai might take notable importance in making characters faithful in characterization for Smash gameplay, but Isabelle being characterized "pacifist in argument" would not be an issue that would affect the whole picture. If anything took precedent for Sakurai when it comes to deciding characters for Smash, it would be him looking at gameplay potential first. He would look past the "peaceful" issue in the same way he did for Villager and Wii Fit Trainer in SSB4 and look into the character's role to discover Isabelle's potential. Gameplay would ultimately win out over a small characterization detail. If anything, her being characterized as "pacifist" in the AC games would only make her more stand-out as a newcomer. If Nintendo had no problems with putting Isabelle in situations where she could be able to wreck opponents like in Mario Kart, I doubt Sakurai would find her being "pacifist" to be a big issue.

Once Sakurai researches New Leaf and finds methods to integrate Isabelle’s characterization and mayor gameplay into a very fun play-style, I feel Sakurai will find her to be a fighter with great potential. I think Isabelle is one of the most obvious newcomers that will be in this Smash. There is the slim possibility that she might be viewed as not unique by Sakurai and be relegated to being Echo Fighter too, but I highly doubt that, given what Sakurai had said about non-combatant newcomers and the distinct traits/gameplay mechanics Isabelle can offer from her home game.



I believe that Elma was highly considered as the promotional candidate for Smash 4 DLC. She already held great gameplay potential and her game came out around the time Sakurai was considering making a character from an already represented franchise that was getting a game around 2015. I feel it was a competition between Corrin and Elma, but with Corrin edging the win due to the gameplay potential and Sakurai likely wanting to push his favorite series more.

That said, I believe that Sakurai played Xenoblade X in 2015 around the time when Smash DLC was being developed and likely loved the gameplay/world building (Sakurai plays a lot of games during his free time and often delves into great gameplay/game design in Famitsu columns, even during Smash Switch development. I would like to note XC2 and Stardew Valley as recent examples). His potential love for the game could have influenced Sakurai to consider Elma for the next Smash’s project plan in 2015.

Elma in particular is very unique in that she utilizes an interchangeable weapon that can switching from dual guns to dual swords. Her weapons can be changed via special to give her a different set of standard ground/aerial attacks. The attacks for dual guns have weaker knock-back and melee range, but has long range projectiles. The dual swords cannot hit as far as dual guns, but they deal bigger knock-back and damage with decent melee range.



The class Elma belongs to is of the Fullmetal Jaguar class, which excels in evasion/accuracy and has set of skills special to her such as Shadowstrike and Ghostwalker. All of these options for a move-set would make her play-style very distinct, as she would not only be a quick user akin to a fighter like Sheik, but also have a plethora of melee/range options at her disposal to keep her opponents guessing on what play-style she will be utilizing next. In my opinion, this unique play-style that remains true to Xenoblade X would be enticing enough for Sakurai to implement her in Smash.

I believe Elma will be in, but there are a few cons that could go against her inclusion. Around Smash Switch’s project plan, Sakurai likely would have put a placeholder for Elma. But, here is the very interesting situation, Sakurai would have likely negotiated with Monolith Soft for Elma, could have faced possible conflict, with Monolith noting Sakurai that they were developing a Xenoblade sequel for the Nintendo NX, where Sakurai could have been shown very early gameplay concepts of Rex and Blades. With Sakurai possibly having this early information, there could be a wall to Elma’s inclusion that could favor Rex more for the 2nd Xenoblade newcomer spot due to the convenient situation being similar to Greninja in Smash 4.

But, it is very unlikely that both could get in due to Xenoblade 2 releasing way too late in 2017, as Sakurai will most likely give this franchise the FE treatment due to the franchise not being as big as Pokemon, giving a 6 month early/late period to consider a Xenoblade newcomer out of. Rex is a small obstacle to Elma than anything else. The only real concern that could exclude Elma is whether or not she would be in the final project plan. Elma would have likely been in early roster drafts for Smash Ultimate, but whether she will be in the first proposal that was made in December 2015 remains to be seen, since Xenoblade X's Japanese release could be seen as too late by then. Then again, Fates' international release was also accounted with Corrin's inclusion for Smash 4 DLC. Who knows? As of now, I see Elma as pretty likely.

In every Smash Bros. game since Melee, there is always a “surprise” character that gets added in the game. Those characters are Mr. Game & Watch, R.O.B, and Duck Hunt. All of them share one thing in common, representing an older, but significant part of Nintendo’s history. Mr. Game & Watch represents one of Nintendo’s first big successes in the video game market with the line of LCD handheld game devices they made in the 1980s. R.O.B. represents the rise of the video games in the U.S. thanks to Nintendo marketing the Robotic Operating Buddy along the NES as a “novel, advanced” toy. Duck Hunt represents the big success of the NES Zapper, whose game was widely known for the iconic laughing dog and being an pack-in alongside Super Mario Bros. for NES bundles. I like to call these types of newcomers as “historical surprises”.

With these three characters representing a major portion of NIntendo’s older history, what else is there left to add for historical surprises? After Duck Hunt’s addition in Smash 4, it is very difficult to find historical candidates that would match and represent the same calibur of impact as Duck Hunt, R.O.B., and Game & Watch. There are choices that many Smash fans previously brought up in pre-Smash 4 speculation such as Sheriff, Virtual Boy character, and Nester. But, there are problems with them.

Sheriff does represent Nintendo’s first video game character, but his game never had the same degree of impact in the video game industry as R.O.B. and Duck Hunt. A Virtual Boy character represents Nintendo’s biggest failure in history, which I highly doubt Sakurai would want to add. Nester, while having the same impact as Duck Hunt and R.O.B. with the magazine of Nintendo Power, is not as globally recognized in Japan/Europe for Sakurai to consider it. In a process of elimination, the only newcomer choice left that I feel would best fill in the historical surprise role would be a character based on Nintendo’s beginning, Hanafuda.



Hanafuda (Translated as “flower cards”) are Japanese playing cards used to play a multitude of games like Koi Koi and Go-Stop. This was the very first product manufactured by Nintendo way back in 1889. Before the debut of Hanafuda, many kinds of playing cards were banned in Japan due to the Western influences of Japanese card games and the surge of Christian missionaries from Europe.

For the Hanafuda creator, Fusajiro Yamauchi, to get around the card problem, he would have to replace the numbers in his cards with Japanese painted art that represented the twelve months of the year. The Japanese government banned Hanafuda eventually. But around the late 1800s, playing cards were no longer banned. Yamauchi could finally create a legal business to sell his Hanafuda products, creating a new company, Nintendo Koppai (The original name of Nintendo before it was simplified decades later.)

The Hanafuda cards by Nintendo grew to become a huge hit in Japan, which led to partnerships with Disney and developing other classic Japanese/Western card games for their business. The experience Nintendo had with selling Hanafuda eventually led them forming a VERY successful business in toys, and eventually producing a business for video games that Nintendo is globally known for today.

With Hanafuda playing a MAJOR key role in Nintendo’s history, Sakurai might consider the idea of creating an original character heavily influenced by Hanafuda for the next historical surprise newcomer. Hanafuda might not be very video game related as G&W, R.O.B., and Duck Hunt, but I feel that its significant importance to Nintendo would be enough for Sakurai to be comfortable with the idea.

So, how can you form a character out of playing cards? There are MANY possible solutions to this:

1. Using Napoleon from Nintendo’s most famous Hanafuda deck.




With the Daitouryou deck featuring Napoleon being the most popular Hanafuda variant, Sakurai could use this historical figure as the basis for the Hanafuda character.

2. Using the tengu from Nintendo's second most popular Hanafuda's deck.



Although this variant of the Hanafuda deck is not as popular as the Napoleon one, the tengu has one advantage that Napoleon does not have. One, tengus being more significant to the origin of Nintendo and Hanafuda in general. Two, the tengu’s Japanese cultural relations that would fit in more than a French emperor using Japanese cards for battle.

3. Going more out-there and giving the Hanafuda deck limbs for movement.



This solution is a very unlikely scenario, but giving a Hanafuda deck arms and legs would better fit in Smash with the Hanafuda character having a crazy wacky design.

What would be the moveset theme and playstyle for a Hanafuda character be? To get a general grasp of the idea I will explain it in a Smash 4 project proposal way:



A Hanafuda character would be a very unique fighter with it utilizing hanafuda cards to summon environmental objects, tools, and animals from the card art as the primary form of attacking. Its playstyle would involve long-range summoning attacks to keep opponents at bay.



(Major credit and props to @Pacack for creating this moveset)

Entrance Animation: General outline of character appears first, followed by the outline of the details, ending with Hanafuda being painted in. (Referencing that all of the hanafuda cards were originally handcrafted by painting onto mulberry tree bark) OR A hanafuda card box drops from the sky and opens to release a Hanafuda character.

Properties: Height is roughly between Charizard’s and Samus’ heights. About as wide as Snake or Link at the widest point. Is somewhat lighter than Robin.

Jab Combo: Hits with pine branch for small damage. Only an AA combo, rather than an AAA combo. Does approximately 4% damage for the first hit and 6% for the second. (Based off of basic pine cards from the December suit, only a double combo because there are only two commons in said suit)

Side-Tilt: Kicks the ground and sends a flurry of maple leaves forward. Has good range and may trip the opponent. Does only 1% damage per leaf, but there are several leaves. Does not have the best knockback. (Based off of the October Maple leaf commons)

Up-Tilt: Waves some bush clover branches in a sweeping motion over his head (from front to back). Decen knockback that can be used for combos. Does about 9% damage. (Based off of the July bush clover commons)

Down-Tilt: Causes a small peony bush to sprout directly in front of Hanafuda (butterflies fly out from it as well, but do not do damage or interact with the opponent). Sends opponents almost directly upwards. Does approximately 11% damage and good knockback, but has some frame lag. (Based off of the June peony commons)

Dash Attack: Pulls out a chrysanthemum bouquet and swings it as he dashes (Based off of the September chrysanthemums)

Up Smash: Thrusts an umbrella into the air and opens it (as it opens, a frog comes out for purely for humor’s sake). Does good damage and knockback, but has some beginning lag. (Based off of Rain Man’s umbrella and frog)

Side Smash: Swings a fairly bulky paulownia branch forward at the opponent. Heavy damage and knockback. (Based off of the January paulownias)

Down Smash: Makes tall susuki grass sprout from the ground on one side of him and a small willow tree on the other. The grass sends opponents diagonally up and away from Hanafuda, while the willow simply hits them upwards. (Based off of the susuki grass and willow common cards)

Neutral Aerial: Hanafuda spins around (somewhat like Zelda's or Ness' nairs) in the air and irises fly out of his sleeves. Poor knockback and decent damage, but good range. (Based off of the May irises)

Forward Aerial: Swings a large plain ribbon in front of him in an arch shape. It can hit easily, but is not very powerful. (Based off of the ribbon cards)

Back Aerial: Snaps a large plain ribbon behind him like a whip. Hits very hard and with good range, but is extremely difficult to sweetspot. (Based off of the ribbon cards)

Up Aerial: Butterflies fly out from out of Hanafuda’s sleeves and go straight upwards. They are hard to sweetspot, but they provide a decent killing move. Does only 3% damage and minimal knockback when not sweetspotted, but does good damage with great knockback when they do.

Down Aerial: Hits whatever is in front of him with a plank from an eight plank bridge. Has spiking properties. (Based off of the May “animal” card)

Neutral Special: Throws poetry sake cup at the opponent. Does surprisingly high damage, but is very small and difficult to hit opponents with. (Based off of the September poetry sake cup “animal” wildcard)

Side Special: Summons a boar, deer, and butterflies that run quickly as a herd across the stage until they disappears. High damage and knockback, but can be easily avoided, as they will only run straight. (Based off of the July, October, and June animal cards and Ino-Shika-Cho group.)

Up Special: Summons multiple types of birds that fly sporadically upwards and grabs onto a crane that lifts Hanafuda about as efficiently as Pit’s up special. Damage done to opponents depends on the birds that hit them. (Based off of the various animal cards of January, February, April, August, and November.)

Down Special: Holds up the jinmaku (camp curtain) to absorb enemy projectiles. Does not deflect or heal the user. (based off of the March “bright” card)

Grab: Wisteria vines shoot out from Hanafuda's sleeves and ensnare the opponent. (based off of the wisteria cards)

Grab-Pummel: The vines repeatedly hit the opponent.

Forward Throw: Hanafuda throws the opponent with the vines and whips them quickly.

Back Throw: Hanafuda throws the opponent over his shoulder.

Up Throw: Hanafuda throws his opponent directly over his head and smacks him with the blue ribbon. (Reference to the blue ribbons)

Down Throw: Hanafuda releases his opponent and slaps them into the ground with the poetry ribbon. (Reference to the red poetry ribbons)

Final Smash: Summons Chinese Phoenix which attacks the entire stage with fire. The stage’s background becomes red with a completely white circle as the moon as this is happening. (Reference to the August and December Bright cards)


The only big competition a Hanafuda character will have to face for a historical surprise addition would be a character based on Nintendo toys made in the 1960s. Of all the potential candidates that represent an integral part of Nintendo’s long history, a 1960s toy character makes the most sense after Hanafuda’s addition. Although, without a definitive mascot or character to represent these toys, creating a character out of 1960s toys might be harder for Sakurai to imagine and he might go with Hanafuda instead. Ultimately, who he chooses as the historical surprise for Smash will depend on what Sakurai sees as having more playful gameplay potential. Both have great potential to me, but Sakurai might have a different perspective otherwise.



With a 1960’s toys character being potential competition, I say a Hanafuda character’s chances are 50/50. I believe there will be a “historical surprise” in this Smash, and the odds of Sakurai creating a character out of Hanafuda are way better now with G&W, R.O.B., and Duck Hunt no longer being major competition. The Hanafuda cards Nintendo made way back are an integral part of the company’s history. I feel such historical importance will be represented via character. With Hanafuda being distinct culturally and providing gameplay potential as a card summoner, I feel confident in banking on a Hanafuda character for Smash Ultimate. I do not believe the possibility of Smash Ultimate having a smaller newcomer pool than Smash 4's base newcomers will prevent his inclusion. It is hard to imagine Sakurai getting rid of historical surprises at this point.



When I witnessed the de-confirmation of Takamaru as an Assist Trophy and Balloon Fighter being a part of Villager’s recovery special again through E3 footage of Smash Ultimate, I was utterly astonished. I thought those two had the best chance to get in as the retro newcomer pick. It took me awhile to process the news, and I had wondered about which retro newcomer Sakurai had picked if Takamaru was not the one planned for the 2015 project plan. I looked into the remaining retro choices like Excitebiker, Mach Rider, and Prince Sable, quickly dismissing the latter two, only seeing the first choice as the only plausible character. But then, I witnessed a new, but obviously fake Smash leak featuring Lip that happened in the Smash Ultimate Discussion thread. I suddenly started to create connections to Lip and other factors Sakurai stated to be important when he included retros like Pit/Little Mac. I have an unusual amount of confidence for Lip and I want to explain why I have a moderate degree of faith that she will be in Smash Ultimate.

Since Super Smash Bros. Brawl, popularity has been a big factor towards the inclusion of retro newcomers. Pit being in Brawl was the result of being the most requested retro newcomer in America and Japan, noting the foreshadowing in Pit’s trophy description in Melee. This hint led to many fan theories, which caused the support for Pit erupt in a huge scale. Little Mac’s addition in Smash 4 was the result of him being the most popular retro in the West, with Punch Out Wii’s release and the VGTribune poll that was sent to Sakurai at the time of project proposal helping Mac’s inclusion. I think it is safe to say that popularity in the West and Japan will contribute to a retro newcomer’s addition for this Smash. With the Smash Ballot allowing a large number of fans to vote, who could have been the most popular retro request? With the more casual Smash fans likely campaigning for third-parties/Nintendo newcomers like Bayonetta, Geno, Ridley, Waluigi, and K. Rool, it is hard to find anything concrete that would suggest a specific retro being very popular in the West and Japan. Fortunately, I can find out which retro newcomer was extremely popular during the ballot voting period through a process of elimination.

Researching a number of websites like Smashboards, Gamefaqs, and Twitter, I did not find much notable campaigning for Excitebiker, Mach Rider, Prince of Sable, and Takamaru. However, there was one single retro who I have seen consistently campaigned in both the West and Japan. That being Lip. Upon looking into Lip's support during the Smash ballot period, Lip was the only retro I have seen with a truly dedicated following that parallels the likes of the dedicated Daisy fan-base in many ways. As someone who pays attention to retro newcomer support fanbases closely, I know for sure that not even Takamaru and Prince Sable had much discussion and fan-dedication as Lip. I have seen supporters of Lip from the West/East that have passionately made fan art, several videos, and MANY moveset ideas for the flower fairy, with a numerous amount of hardcore PDP fans campaigning a revival of Panel de Pon and Lip being playable in Smash Bros. This following might have been big enough to vote in a grander scale than Takamaru, possibly making Lip the most voted retro in the West and Japan. Lip is the only fanbase I know that would be capable of accomplishing a notable feat in votes.

Now assuming that Lip was the most popular retro, would her being from a Japan-only game stop Sakurai from including the character? Personally, I do not think Panel de Pon’s obscurity would be a huge problem. Sakurai loves his retro characters, especially with Japan-only games. He has shown his love of these titles with Assist Trophies like Takamaru and Sable, trophies like Ayumi Tachibana and Diskun, remixes of Lip’s theme and Mysterious Murasame Castle, and, at one point, was willing enough to make characters from a Japan only franchise playable in the form of Marth and Roy. Hypothetically, If Sakurai saw the huge ballot popularity for Lip, I believe he would immediately jump at the chance. Even if her game was Japan-only, I feel that worldwide demand would be able to make up for her obscurity. Sakurai personally considered Panel de Pon to be a masterpiece, and this alone makes me certain that he loves the the franchise. I would not be very surprised if this quickly enticed him to make Lip a playable character. Lip’s gameplay potential and character individuality would also be a factor Sakurai would be attracted by, with her being a magical flower fairy who would be able to utilize Panel de Pon puzzle gameplay mechanics and the flower effects of Lip’s Stick for a very unique moveset. With these positives going for Lip, I feel that she will be the next retro choice chosen by Sakurai.

Of course, there is the real possibility that Lip’s ballot popularity could have been less than Prince of Sable or Excitebiker. But, I personally doubt it at this point. With two of the biggest retro choices out of the running (Takamaru and Balloon Fighter), the only retro newcomer I feel pretty confident of being the most popular is Lip. Here is hoping my assessment is correct. Lip’s inclusion would do wonders and would help Intelligent Systems finally make a new Panel de Pon game, which would be a blessing for me.




Rhythm Heaven is among one of the biggest Nintendo franchises in Japan. Ever since the franchise's late debut on the Gameboy Advance's life cycle in 2006, the franchise has gained a large, Japanese fanbase. It continued to grow bigger with the debut of the sequel Rhythm Heaven on the Nintendo DS in 2008. Due to the success of the first game in Japan, the sequel managed to receive a global localization. The DS iteration managed to sell over 3 million units total, which marked the peak of the franchise. Rhythm Heaven continued to perform greatly with the Wii sequel (Rhythm Heaven Fever) and the 3DS sequel (Rhythm Heaven: Megamix). The cult fanbase for Rhythm Heaven outside of Japan grew greatly around the time of Fever, spawning hundreds of fan-remixes and memes on YouTube thanks to the mini-game of Ringside. The dedication of Rhythm Heaven fan-content still happens to this day. With all of the fan-content and Japan success, you would think a Rhythm Heaven character would get in Smash by now. Well, not exactly, but there is a ray of hope that a RH character was planned way back in Smash 4.

Before E3 2014 came, there was a Gematsu leak that would leak a second batch of newcomers for the roster. One of these choices were the Chorus Kids. Since the leak, there have been many debates and controversy on the inclusion of Chorus Kids. The negative reception soon spread like wildfire once they were not present in Smash 4's base game and DLC selection. With such reception, the Smash fanbase soon grew silent on the possibility of Chorus Kids, even in Smash Ultimate speculation to this day. But, ever since that leak came, there has been a growing amount of supporters for multiple Rhythm Heaven characters in general. Fan-content would soon multiply thereafter. Thanks to the leak, a bigger Rhythm Heaven fanbase outside of Japan soon sprouted. With Smash Ultimate nearby, now would be the best time to include a Rhythm Heaven character.



I am of the specific camp that believes the Gematsu Leak was the original roster draft for Smash 4 before changes got made due to 3DS limitations or moveset potential matters (Robin chosen over Chrom for example). I also believe that due to 3DS limitations, it kept ‘duo’ characters like Chorus Kids and Ice Climbers from getting in the game. With the hidden files of a Rhythm Heaven symbol and Sneaky Spirit in Smash Run, it all points to Chorus Kids’ potential inclusion in Smash.

Sakurai already sees merit in Rhythm Heaven getting a character. He already saw the potential of utilizing these specific characters, likely utilizing moves inspired by several rhythm mini-games with a play-style that involves rhythmic timing. The main question is mostly if technical difficulties will become an issue again. I doubt it will this time. I also highly doubt that any other character from RH would get in. Because if there were going to be a RH character, Sakurai would have chosen another candidate like Karate Man to be in Smash 4 by now. The lack of a RH character in Smash 4’s base game and DLC selection suggests to me that Sakurai wants to keep the character idea of Chorus Kids and try to make them work in the Switch version of Smash this time around. Sakurai likely had a full move-set concept of the Chorus Kids way back in Smash 4, based on this article here:

"Nintendo Dream: When not you are not developing and there is a new title or character released, you are not thinking about “How about that one in the next Smash Bros?”, right?

Masahiro Sakurai: Absolutely not! I’m always thinking that doing Smash Bros. again will be impossible. Impossible, impossible…is what I always think, but I ended up making it again (laughs). But once I decide to do it, I’m very fast about creating moves and such. For example Greninja, even before his name was decided I received several illustrations. I took them home in the evening and around midnight I had already done all his actions, normal moves, special moves and pose-pictures and sent them around asking “What do you think?”.

Nintendo Dream: That’s incredible speed! By the way, when deciding on which characters to use, are you looking into unreleased new games?

Masahiro Sakurai: At the very beginning I did that. This time our project-proposal is dated May 2012, at that time all characters were decided already. Then as production moves on we will say “We won’t put that character in” and cut out low-priority-characters."

Assuming he made concepts for move-sets for every Smash 4 newcomer planned, I feel it is EXTREMELY likely that the Chorus Kids concept will be revisited to be implemented for Smash Ultimate (Basing it on the Gematsu leak being true). I personally think a Rhythm Heaven character is an inevitability, with Chorus Kids as the most likely candidate chosen to represent RH as a whole. With Rhythm Heaven’s staggering popularity/impact/sales during the DS era, the mini-games that gained a huge amount of parodies in meme culture, their massive gameplay potential with incorporating rhythm mini-games into a cohesive move-set, Smash Ultimate including Ice Climbers (Making multi-characters like Chorus Kids a possibility), and Megamix's JP release being nearby the time the first Smash Ultimate proposal in December 2015, now would be BEST time to include them.




With Vergeben’s Simon Belmont/Ridley leak on Gamefaqs having notable credibility, I figured that I would analyze Simon again. What is the main reason Sakurai wanted to add a Konami character in Smash Ultimate, despite the company’s incredibly awful treatment to Kojima during their restructure? I can only think of five possible reasons, one of them being personal impact. Sakurai has personal history with Castlevania since the vert first game on the NES, based on the statement he gave in the Sakurai x Nomura interview:

“For me personally, it was the year 1986, when games like The Legend of Zelda and Castlevania were released, and I experienced physically interactive games. They had a big impact on me.”

I feel that such personal impact with this iconic franchise would tempt him to consider a Castlevania character. Second, Simon's potentially massive ballot popularity. I have seen Simon Belmont constantly requested and campaigned in online forums since the ballot creation. Simon’s amount of votes could have convinced Sakurai enough at least consider the idea thoroughly. Third, the move-set potential Simon offers. Simon has a distinct weapon not primarily used by other Smash characters, which would be his whip. That and his assortment of different weapons like the throwing axe, holy water, and boomerang could have tempted Sakurai to make him playable.

Fourth, pure will. I think there would be no way Konami characters would be a consideration to Sakurai without getting past the Konami Kojima treatment. I feel two things would play into this. One, the strong likelihood that Kojima would want Snake back in Smash. Even back in Smash 4, he still wanted Snake to be in the game despite not being contacted by Sakurai to do negotiations. Metal Gear Solid is still Kojima’s baby, and I cannot imagine an event where Kojima would not want it to happen even in the hard circumstances. If Sakurai contacted him primarily for permission, Kojima would still say yes and possibly help Sakurai with his anger with Konami.

Fifth and most importantly, Sakurai wanting to have Smash be the #1 fighting game roster ever. Sakurai has managed to create an unbelievable roster for Smash 4 thanks to the third-party additions like Sonic, Megaman, Pac-Man, Ryu, Cloud, all big gaming icons in a single fighting game. With Smash 4 in specific, he wanted the 3DS/Wii U installment to be the best character game in the world. If he wanted to fill in the remaining bases for big third-parties like he stated in a Nintendo Dream interview, then he will have to get past Konami’s treatment and try to negotiate one of Konami’s big icons to truly make Smash the number one character game in the world.



In my perspective, with Konami’s possible restructuring in 2015 when the Smash Ultimate project plan was created, they would still be open and fair with the negotiation of Simon Belmont. Around this time, they previously brought a majority of their old library via Wii U eShop consistently throughout the years when other third-parties couldn’t and allowed their titles to be part of the NES Mini lineup. I personally think in 2015, Konami was free and available to make profitable business deals with Nintendo and Sakurai. All of these factors create an small opening in which Simon Belmont’s inclusion in Smash Bros. is very possible. Now with Snake confirmed to return, games that Vergeben's sources had that were confirmed at E3 2018, and Bomberman being an Assist Trophy, things are looking great for Simon in Smash now.




I did not think I would ever predict this character in my time of speculating newcomers for Smash Ultimate, but here I am, finding Leon a very plausible candidate. The main reason I did not consider him was because I personally never grew up with the Resident Evil games, as I immediately avoided horror games in general. I found third parties from mature franchises like Bayonetta super possible back in the Smash 4 DLC days, but never saw a Resident Evil character as a big possibility. It was not until I thought about Sakurai’s statement in a Nintendo Dream on there not being globally popular third parties left to add in Smash:

Final Fantasy VII (FFVII below) has never been released on a Nintendo console, so how did Cloud end up appearing in Smash?

Sakurai: Final Fantasy (FF below) is one of the few uniquely Japanese game series revered by players around the world. I think fans across the globe have hoped a character from one of those series would appear in Smash, so it was only a matter of time. At the same time, there are only so many big-name titles we can work with at this point—mainly because we’ve covered most of those bases. Aside from the major globally-recognized franchises already featured in Smash, there really aren’t that many left.”

Among the many possible third-party characters whose franchises are world-wide known, I could only think of Simon from Castlevania, Layton from Professor Layton, and Sora from Kingdom Hearts. Dragon Quest, Yo-kai Watch, and Monster Hunter never came to me as possible due to their franchises not being very successful in the West. I decided to research more on Capcom’s franchises after finding Monster Hunter implausible. When I saw Resident Evil’s global sales, it finally dawned on me. Resident Evil is one of the few uniquely Japanese third-party series that is massively successful in both Japan and West, with over 80 million sales under the franchise’s belt.

Not only that, but I recalled seeing numerous Resident Evil characters frequently and highly requested during pre-Smash 4 speculation and the ballot period, with names like Leon Kennedy, Jill Valentine, and Nemesis coming up as RE suggestions for many casual Smash fans. With Sakurai knowing about Resident Evil serving as the final coffin of my horror game bias, I have opened up to the possibility of a RE character. Not only would a Resident Evil character serve as a possible ballot candidate, but it would also be the perfect surprise Sakurai could ever think of. If Sakurai wanted to add third-party characters from globally recognized franchises for Smash Ultimate, a Resident Evil character would serve his needs greatly. The only questions that remain is figuring out who was the most requested RE character in the Smash Ballot and if the character’s use of realistic weapons could pose a major issue for Sakurai when it comes to age rating companies like CERO and ESRB.

When it comes to finding which Resident Evil character is most suggested by Smash fans, it all comes down to Jill Valentine and Leon Kennedy. From the polls I have seen, it seems like Leon was the most requested. When asking RE supporters about the reasons why Leon could have been requested more in the ballot, there was generally one primary reason. That being Leon’s game, Resident Evil 4, being most closely associated with Nintendo fans, as the franchise had a somewhat of a close history with Nintendo with titles such as Resident Evil: Revelations and Resident Evil 2 for the N64 coming to mind. Resident Evil 4 was the most impactful in Nintendo history, which could be why many casual Smash fans would have voted for Leon the most in the ballot. The reason I chose the most popular RE character was because Sakurai did a similar situation when deciding a Final Fantasy character for Smash, with Cloud being the most requested from fans according to Sakurai:

"Sakurai: This isn’t an exact number, but among the requests for a Final Fantasy character to appear in Smash, around ¼ to ⅓ of the requests we got from fans were for Cloud. [TN1] I really wanted to answer the desires of those fans, and even though I thought it would be impossible, I reached out anyway, just to try."

Now there is only one more matter to settle. Will Leon Kennedy’s use of real weaponry prevent Sakurai from adding the character? I do not believe this will be a problem. I personally think that Sakurai’s veteran experience with incorporating characters from mature titles in Smash like Snake and Bayonetta will help him find solutions into figuring out the right weaponry to use for Leon’s moveset. Sakurai has asked for several modifications of characters from many third-party developers and creators on what abilities and tools can a character utilize in Smash. With Capcom giving Sakurai the full freedom to modify characters like Mega Man and Ryu to translate them to Smash gameplay when needed, I feel VERY sure they will find a solution.

I feel strong about Sakurai finding a solution, especially when Hideki Kamiya, one of the creators of Leon Kennedy, would be absolutely willing to lend help with figuring out moves for Leon that stays true to his character, who previously let Sakurai modify Bayonetta back in the Smash 4 DLC days. Leon just has so much distinct moveset potential and characterization (with him rooting from the horror game genre coming to mind) that makes him a stand-out character from other Smash characters, that I think Sakurai would be immensely willing to get him in Smash in any way possible. Sakurai giving up on the RE character idea is very unlikely to happen, in my perspective.

Right now, I personally feel more confident about Leon Kennedy getting in than other third-parties at the moment. I feel more confident about Leon than even Simon Belmont, whom has Vergeben and personal history with Sakurai mainly backing up his inclusion. Leon is the character I think will be Smash Ultimate’s big third-party surprise, in the same vein as Snake and Cloud. I could be wrong, but with what Sakurai said about covering the bases with adding third-party characters from globally popular game franchises, how easy it is to negotiate with Capcom and Kamiya, and the moveset potential Leon can offer, I find it VERY hard to think that Leon will not be in this Smash after what I have learned. We will know in the coming months if my assessment is right.



Layton getting chosen for Smash Ultimate ultimately depends on how he did in the Smash Ballot. Sakurai will likely use the poll for reference to see which third-party candidates he could add. Fortunately, I think Layton likely ranked in the top 5, at least in the region of Europe. Layton back in Smash 4 speculation was among the most wanted newcomers, going as far being in the top 10 in a VGtribune poll that was sent to Sakurai during the Smash 4 project plan. I feel very confident that Layton ranked high in the ballot, due to the franchise’s immense popularity in Europe.

Because of his potentially high ballot rank in Europe, I think Sakurai will consider Layton for playability. In terms of moveset potential, he already has a high amount for Sakurai to dance his mind around with, basing on Layton’s gentlemanly characterization and puzzle gameplay elements. Professor Layton is one of the few franchises that helped the DS surge in popularity when the first three games came out, giving Layton the game history needed to qualify for Smash. One of the biggest Japanese third party companies ever, Level-5, has had a strong relationship with Nintendo for so many years ever since the first Layton game came out, with Nintendo helping out on localization and marketing. The relationship is so strong that I feel Level-5 and Nintendo would definitely agree on the idea of the professor being playable in Smash. Sakurai and Akihiro were at one point together in a gaming talk show in 2008. One of the show moderators said that he wanted him in Smash with his fencing sword, with Sakurai and the audience responding with a positive laugh.



It certainly shows that Sakurai knows about the franchise and Level-5 in general, and the familiarity brings a nice contribution to Layton’s chances. To note a recent interview, Hino is definitely open for collaborations when he was asked about crossovers with the Layton franchise. This is VERY true, especially with Level- 5’s other franchises like Youkai Watch, which that had a collaboration movie with Kitaro (the most well known, influential manga in Japan), crossed with Final Fantasy in YW3 and FFXIV, and had multiple anime crossovers with the YW mobile game. Although the degree of crossovers Layton had goes as far as Phoenix Wright, Level-5’s recent collaborations almost assures that the potential negotiations for Layton would go VERY smoothly.

What about Professor Layton's move-set potential? While it is true that the Layton games does not involve much combat, there are times in the game when Layton needs to use combat when it is absolutely necessary. Sakurai could definitely bring up his fencing sword for his main use of combat.



In fencing, there are a lot of defensive and counter strategies involved. Each of the players concentrate hard to strike the opponent’s target area without leaving themselves open to hitting. This can translate to his being a more defensive character that has a variety of ways to counter the opponent. Layton is known to think and solve puzzles in as many ways as he can, so it certainly stays true to his character while keeping him interesting and making him stand out from other characters currently in the game. He is also known to be a skilled craftsman, from creating a slot machine gun, to a catapult, to a hang glider. This weapons and tools provide a plethora of defensive strategies that would further distinguish Layton from other characters, making him a really good fit for Smash Ultimate.

I have seen many speculators point out that Layton as not being a huge enough gaming icon as an obstacle. I do not see "third-parties" being huge icons being an obstacle for Layton. What Sakurai sees as icons may not match what fans perceive to be. Sakurai thought Bayonetta was pretty significant in the action/hack & slash genre in this Famitsu column:

"When you talk about stylish action games, Bayonetta’s the name that always comes up. But, I don’t think there’s been a game that’s surpassed Bayonetta yet, though."

When Bayonetta was added as Smash 4 DLC years later after the post-Bayonetta column, the issue of her being a huge gaming icon as Cloud, Ryu, Mega Man, and Pac-Man did not impede her into becoming a character. What Sakurai considers as icons is not to the same degree as fans, with him looking into recent franchises that defined genres. Professor Layton is a recent, defining third-party franchise of the DS and 3DS era with 15 million copies sold as of 2013 for the puzzle genre. So Layton meets the qualifications as an icon for the genre he belongs to.

That being said, there is one tiny dilemma that I can see happening with these negotiations, that being Level-5 wanting the company to add a Youkai Watch character instead. But at this point of YW’s state in Japan and worldwide, I ultimately feel Layton will be the one chosen, especially when the Layton franchise has seen a recent major resurgence and focus on the franchise in the form of Lady Layton's game/anime and the professor’s international recognition in the gaming community. The only legitimate issue against his inclusion is the possibility of Sakurai limiting the number of potential 3rd party newcomers coming from unrepresented companies he could negotiate with such as Level-5, pouring most of his resources on making every veteran return for Smash Ultimate, sticking to Konami, SEGA, Capcom, Square Enix, and Namco to add third party characters from to save time/money. But with Level-5's relationship with Nintendo, I believe they will be able to make an open compromise that allows Layton in Smash and also giving benefits for both companies.

Because of Layton’s potentially high demand in Europe, the legacy he carried in the DS era, his distinct move-set potential, and the likeliness that Nintendo/Level-5 would agree on the idea of Layton being in Smash, it lines up to him being one of the most likely third party candidates for Smash Ultimate.



We need to look into the history of clones in Smash before discussing Dixie. Starting with Smash 64, Sakurai was able to create the four hidden characters only with the fact that he was able to reuse some movements and model parts of pre-existing characters from Nintendo and possibly from Dragon King concept of gameplay as well. Although 64’s cast of characters were all unique, it was not until Melee greatly expanded on clones. With Melee, Sakurai added last-minute clones mid-way in development to pad out the roster. This was the only time where Sakurai would come up with clone ideas during development. For Brawl, clone characters like Wolf/Toon Link were planned since the start. Note, for Brawl, Dixie was actually part of the cut character line-up based on file evidence, which indicates Sakurai already finding her merits to being a playable character.

For Smash 4, newcomer clones were not originally planned, but only the alternate costume to last-minute clones due to characteristic differences in attack function. The only notable way I can see new clones get in is through alt. costume to last-minute character or if they are clones planned from the start. This method is further enforced by the inclusion of Echo Fighters, of which the reasons of inclusion are most likely based on fan and ballot popularity. Dixie likely gained a notable degree of popularity at the time of the ballot alongside K. Rool to get considered. But whether she gets in as an Echo Fighter or as a semi-clone is entirely up to Sakurai and how much care he wants to put into making a faithful moveset to Dixie.

Sakurai could easily just slap in Dixie's Hair Flight and Bubblegum Gun as the only move changes and call it a day to do the minimum requirements of an echo fighter to please the fans. And with Diddy Kong no longer having tail moves based on his Smash Ultimate trailer, it feels more likely that Dixie will be in purely as an echo fighter than becoming a semi-clone. But maybe, Sakurai would be willing to make Dixie more distinct since Sakurai likely made a moveset for Dixie way back in Brawl's project plan, as movesets would likely been made for every newcomer at the time of planning. There is also the chance that Sakurai would not want to do further effort on new clones and focus on Echo Fighters being a wee bit distinct, but also feel Dixie being an echo fighter would be a disservice to the character, putting Dixie Kong in a middle-ground where she is excluded in Smash Ultimate altogether. Either way, I feel Dixie Kong has a good shot of getting in.



Octolings are characters from Splatoon, debuting as enemies in the Splatoon’s single player campaign. Since Splatoon's big growth of popularity worldwide as a franchise (Especially in Japan), the Octolings have gained a massive fanbase mainly due to their appealing designs, spawning an immense amount of fan art, cosplay, and SFM videos. The Octolings were SO popular, that a colossal number of people requested of their playable appearance in the first Splatoon game, way before the Splatoon 2 Octo-Expansion was announced (I do not see the expansion as a positive factor for Octolings due to the release being too late in project planning). This playable Splatoon 1 appearance did not happen, but it goes to show how dedicated Octoling fans are.

This demand would likely lead to Sakurai adding them as Inkling costumes in Smash Ultimate. I theorize that Octolings were originally alternate costumes for the Inklings, but with how very distinguished the Octolings play-style are in Splatoon’s story, they became separate characters. Why do I note of the Octoling’s playstyle? I base that on this this article of Sakurai explaining Lucina’s addition over Chrom:

“Initially, I had considered including Lucina as one of Marth's alternate costumes. After all, she has a close relationship with him in FE:A. In such cases, even if two characters' names and voices differ, as long as they function the same way, I assign them as alternate costumes. The Wii Fit Trainers, Villagers, and Robin are examples of this setup.

However, even though Lucina shares her physical stats and techniques with Marth, the characteristics of their attacks differ. When two such similar characters function in an even slightly different manner, I give them a separate spot on the roster since that will affect battle records and whatnot. In that sense, you could say she was very lucky to join the fray!”

Octolings function and attack differently from Inklings in that their Elite counterparts are faster, more resilient, and deal more damage than regular Inklings. Since Octolings function different from Inklings, I feel that it will be one of the main reasons why Octolings will become separate fighters. But the biggest reason I think this decision could be made is because of the potential for unique differences.

Examining the first Splatoon’s roster of weapons alone, there is a gigantic, distinct selection of weapons to choose from that not even the Inklings cramming a fraction of the weapons in one moveset in Smash would be able to fill the entire gap out of. The options could entice Sakurai to make them separate and play around with weapons that Inklings are not utilizing. To share an example, here are multiple ways that Octolings can be differentiated:

-Octolings utilizing the faster Inkbrush, with Inklings having the slower Splat Roller.
-Octolings utilizing the quicker reloading multi-Burst Bomb, with Inklings having the standard Splat Bomb.
-Octolings utilizing the quick-charging Bamboozler 14, with Inklings using the standard Splat charger.
-Octolings utilizing the high rate Splash-o-matic, with Inklings using the standard Splattershot.

Basically, Octolings would have a more aggressive, quicker playstyle than Inklings. Of course, there is the other possibility that the changes would be minor and disappointing like with Dark Pit and Lucina in Smash 4. But noting Sakurai’s quote about “similar characters function in an even slightly different manner”, such minor differences will make them separate and different enough to warrant their own spot regardless. The possibility of Octolings becoming unplanned newcomer clones is strong, especially with the current advertising of Echo Fighters. There is also the possibility that they could stay as alternate costumes too, with Echo Fighters just being based purely on ballot popularity rather than fan popularity within a franchise, of which Octolings do not apply to ballot due to them likely not being voted over Inklings at the time. We will have to see.



Ever since the reveal of Knuckles’ Assist Trophy and the new “Echo Fighter” classification of near clones, Shadow has been a potential candidate around many Smash fans’ minds. I initially despised the possibility of it happening, but after thinking about it critically, Shadow is an addition that makes some sense in the context of being an Echo Fighter. The character’s popularity is not to be understated. Shadow is extremely popular in the Sonic fanbase and I would not be surprised if he performed strongly in ballot votes to be an Echo Fighter consideration.

Considering Daisy was likely added purely because to her ballot popularity, I can easily imagine Sakurai thinking in a very different mindset for Echos, to which he tries to cater to as many fans as possible to Ultimate by adding Shadow. I do not believe that will be concerned about adding a second character from a third-party franchise, so as long as the character is similar enough to its counterpart to develop an quick and easy addition. Even though Shadow would be more suited to being more unique with the potential to use his chaos powers, in many Sonic games, he plays so similarly to Sonic that I would not be shocked if Sakurai thought of the similarities too and used that as a basis to seriously consider Shadow for a possible Echo Fighter.

There is not much else to say on Shadow really, as the possible reasons for his inclusion is very straightforward. I understand that there are Smash fans out there that absolutely do not like the idea of multiple characters from the same third party franchise. But, I feel what should be understood that Sakurai will likely think in a different criteria when it comes to choosing Echo Fighters. The rules of choosing Echos are likely much more looser, boiling down the usual newcomer criteria down to just ballot popularity. There might one exception such as the Octolings when it comes to alternate costume to character situations, but I feel most of the Echo Fighters chosen will be of ballot candidates, with Shadow being among one of them.

I personally do not expect all of these newcomers to get in. I think some of these choices will make it. In the process of elimination, these newcomers I am predicting are the only ones I believe have a real shot at being playable in Smash Ultimate.
 
Last edited:

Jakor

Smash Ace
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My dream/wanted roster for Smash 5 (updated post-E3):



A total of 74 characters, with 13 newcomers (including Inkling, Ridley and Daisy). All newcomers are in green.

Explanation:

Captain Toad is one of two newcomers for the Mario series, alongside Daisy. I wanted Toad at first, but seeing as he still is part of of Peach's moveset, and Daisy, I now go with Captain Toad. Toad is one of the main recurring Mario characters since the first Super Mario Bros. game and his role has only expanded in recent years, even getting his own game with Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. I feel Captain Toad has a lot of moveset potential, and there are several ways which could make him unique and stand out, considering his poor jump ability.

Dixie Kong and King K. Rool are both highly requested characters, and I think the DK series so far has been underrepresented in Smash, so they both deserve to get a spot. K. Rool has been my most wanted character for a long time. His popularity from doing well on the ballot and being acknowledged by getting a Mii costume in Smash 4 further helps his chances.

The Zelda series hasn't really had a new character since Melee, so this time it will get one. I think Impa is a logical choice, as not only is she one of the most recurring character in the series, but I think she has a lot of moveset potential. Since designs for Zelda characters are no more restricted to only one game, Impa will get her Skyward Sword design.

Dark Samus is another newcomer for the Metroid franchise, being an echo fighter of Samus.

Medusa as a Kid Icarus rep, although I admit she is rather unlikely. As a female villain, she does fit a role we haven't seen yet in Smash Bros. I also think her moveset has a lot of potential. She can work as a slower but more powerful Palutena, but with unique specials of her own.

Decidueye gets in as the new Pokémon rep, to represent the grass type, and the most recent gen.

Chibi-Robo has a fantastic design and I believe he could be a unique and quirky fighter. Appearing in Smash Bros. would also boost his popularity.

Some picks like Muddy Mole might seem weird, but then Sakurai is known to always bring a few characters nobody expected every game. Along with Muddy Mole, Balloon Fighter is another retro rep, also serving as a nice homage to Iwata. Both will have revamped and modernised designs in the same vein like Pit and Duck Hunt got. Their movesets would be inspired by their games in general: Balloon Fight and Mole Mania.




A total of 71 characters (counting the Miis as 3), which I believe is realistic. There are 18 newcomers, which is close to the numbers of newcomers in past games.

EDIT: I replaced two characters. I removed Roy as I don't think his moveset is unique enough. I also removed Bomberman since I don't think getting a new character from Konami is likely. Instead, I picked Bandana Dee as a new Kirby rep. If not him, I think Marx would also make a fine addition. I also added Takamaru as I feel his chances of getting in are better than ever, and would be another good choice for a retro character.

The only cuts I made were clones and third party characters (Lucina, Dr. Mario, Dark Pit, Ryu, Cloud and Bayonetta). Both Ice Climbers and Wolf come back. I also tried to keep the third parties to a minimum as I prefer the focus to be on Nintendo characters. I feel Bomberman would fit nicely in with Nintendo characters.

Some picks like Muddy Mole might seem weird, but then Sakurai is known to always bring a few characters nobody expected every game. Along with Muddy Mole, Balloon Fighter is also a retro rep, as an homage to Iwata. He will have a revamped and modernised design in the same vein like Pit and Duck Hunt got. Villager's up B move will be changed.

Toad and Waluigi are newcomers from the Mario series, but if I had to pick only one, I would go with Toad. Toad is one of the main recurring Mario characters since the first Super Mario Bros. game and his role has only expanded in recent years, even getting his own game with Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. Waluigi can have a moveset that is inspired by the Mario sports games.

Dixie Kong and King K. Rool are both highly requested characters, and I think the DK series so far has been underrepresented in Smash, so they both deserve to get a spot.

The Zelda series hasn't really had a new character since Melee, so this time it will get one. I think Impa is a logical choice, as not only is she one of the most recurring character in the series, but I think she has a lot of moveset potential.

Dillon and Chibi-Robo are both representatives from underrated Nintendo franchises, I like their design a lot and I believe they would make unique and quirky characters, it could also boost their popularity.

Inkling and Spring Man both represent new Nintendo series.

I still want Ridley in, even if he might be hard to implement.

Medusa replaces Dark Pit as a Kid Icarus rep. As the only female villain, she does fit a role we haven't seen yet in Smash Bros. I also think her moveset as a lot of potential.

Krystal is also added, despite her decrease in popularity in recent years. She is a Star Fox character that would play very differently from the other three, using her magical staff.

Black Shadow gets a spot and inherits Ganondorf's old moveset. Bowser got revamped in Smash 4, now Ganondorf finally gets his due and is no longer a Capt. Falcon clone.

Decidueye gets in as the new Pokémon rep, to represent the grass type, which complement Charizard and Greninja.

I almost wanted to cut Roy, and I believe he might just be if Sakurai prefers to have a new Fire Emblem instead. I might replace him with Bandana Dee. who I'm still not entirely sold on.
 
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StingHobbes

Smash Rookie
Joined
Mar 12, 2018
Messages
12
6/27/2018 Update: New Predictions


Here's my brand new post-E3 roster! Explanations will be provided for each newcomer. And yes, this roster is wishful thinking, I know.

Base Game Roster: 80 Characters*
Base Game Roster + DLC: 90 Characters*

*Counting Pokemon Trainer and Mii Fighters as 3 separate characters

First of all, before I explain the actual characters, I'd like to explain why I think there's going to be a whopping 90 characters. Now, I know in the Nintendo Direct Sakurai stated he hopes we don't want to expect too many new fighters. I believe him too, and if I were to be honest, 90 characters is probably too much. Although, if we're not considering my DLC character picks or the Echo characters, I think we're getting 10 unique base game newcomers (counting Ridley and Inkling). This amount of newcomers is less than Smash 4, Brawl, and even Melee. I think this is pretty reasonable and tame, and I just can't see us getting only 2 or 3 more newcomers like a lot of people are predicting. I really do think Sakurai is downplaying it.

In addition to those newcomers, I think we'll get 4 base game Echo characters to beef up the new character count. I also think Nintendo coining the new name 'Echo Fighter' means we're definitely getting more, which is why I picked 4 more.

As for DLC newcomers, I chose 8 unique newcomers and 2 Echo fighters. In Smash 4, we got 7 DLC characters. In Ultimate, I think we're going to get 10 because I think the DLC is going to have a longer run this time around. The Switch is still massively popular and dwarfs the Wii U in every single way, so more Smash Bros. DLC for a majorly more popular console would make a ton of money. Everyone with a Switch is going to buy this game, and nearly everyone would buy the DLC too.

Okay, I'm done talking about the boring stuff, hopefully I've convinced you on the 90 character idea. I'm really stretching it here, but I'd love to see them go all the way to 100 with the DLC, but now I just sound crazy. Let's talk about the characters. FYI, all my picks take in to account that the roster was finalized at the end of 2015.

P.S. I'd love if you read my Solaire explanation, as that's the one that's most important to me.

Base Game Newcomers

Captain Toad
Yep, I'm still holding out for Captain Toad for the base game. I don't think he'd be DLC, so I think base game is his only shot. I believe he'll be in the game because he seems like the final main Mario character yet to be added, and Toad as a character has starred in a few of his own games, unlike a certain other Mario character. He's got moveset potential, and I can't see Smash going without a new Mario character.

King K. Rool
If there's a character that I 100% believe will be in Ultimate, no matter how big the roster is, it's King K. Rool. After Ridley finally making it in due to nonstop fan request, this guy is definitely next in line. He's a new villain, a third DK rep, and a heavyweight, all three things Smash has been lacking. He also had a Mii Costume in Smash 4, so we know Sakurai is aware of him. I can't think of any other character who has nearly as much support as Ridley or King K. Rool (maybe Geno and Waluigi). Yeah, he's kind of irrelevant, but I truly don't think that's going to stop him. I'm betting everything on this guy. If I'm wrong, well, I'm wrong.

New Zelda Character

I don't know what Zelda character they'll pick, but I believe we're getting another, as it's been extremely long since we got a new unique character from the series, and Breath of the Wild was a huge hit. If I had to choose, I'm thinking it's gonna one of the BOTW Champions, Impa, or some curveball like Skull Kid? Who knows!

Bandanna Waddle Dee
I still believe in the Dee. I feel Kirby needs its fourth main character, and he'd be our first ever spear character. He was also a popular ballot pick (at least it seemed he was) so I think he has pretty good chances.

New Pokemon Character
I don't know who, and I really don't care who, but I'd be shocked if we don't get a new Pokemon. I'm guessing it'll be a Gen 7 Pokemon, but we'll have to wait and see. Could be Decidueye, Incineroar, and personally, I'd like Necrozma, but I'm not going to pick one. It could be anything.

Excitebike Racer
A Smash trend is always getting a retro rep every game, and I'm still thinking it'll be the Excitebike. This character is recognizable, and we haven't seen his Assist Trophy yet. In the past, Sakurai said he considered the character but couldn't think of a moveset, but we all know how Sakurai changes his mind about characters (Ridley, Villager, etc.). If not Excitebiker, I think the Balloon Fighter could be a decent retro representative.

Rayman
I'll be honest, I'm not a big Rayman fan, but his inclusion in Smash makes a lot of sense with all the Nintendo and Ubisoft collaborations happening. He had a trophy in Smash, Mario + Rabbids happened, Fox is in the Starlink game, and he exploded in popularity around the time the Smash Ballot happened with the ArtsyOmni hoax. It just makes too much sense. But I could always be wrong.

Simon Belmont
The only reason I'm putting Simon Belmont here is because Snake is back along with Bomberman as an assist trophy (R.I.P.), and there's a leak that claimed there'd be no cuts, Snake is coming back, and that Ridley will be a newcomer along with Simon Belmont. He'd also be Konami's second rep, just like how Capcom and Sega have two reps. I'm on board with it, and I'd be delighted to see it happen.

Base Game Echo Fighters

Dark Samus
For our first Echo Fighter, it's one I'm fully expecting as there's lots of evidence pointing to it. Dark Samus, so far, seems to have a very good chance of becoming an Echo Fighter of Samus for these reasons. One, Samus's 8th skin is no longer the Dark Samus skin, as it's now yellow and black. This is similar to how Pit lost his Dark Pit skin once Dark Pit was added into Smash 4. Additionally, we haven't seen Dark Samus's assist trophy, so things are looking very good. I'd be thrilled for a fourth Metroid Representative, so I really hope this one happens.

Shadow
Similarly to Dark Samus, Shadow's assist trophy is missing so far, and has been seemingly replaced by Knuckles. This makes me believe (along with many others) that Shadow will be an echo of Sonic.

Funky Kong
This is a bit of a personal wish, although I know many others also would like to see Funky Kong as a DK echo fighter. Like Metroid, this would also bring the DK series up to 4 reps. Funky Kong is pretty popular and fits DK's build, so I don't see why this couldn't happen. If it doesn't, Dixie Kong is also a viable pick for Diddy Kong. FYI, Diddy Kong's new jab doesn't use his tail, so this could mean Dixie Kong will be an Echo Fighter as she doesn't have a tail. It would make sense that they changed his jab for this reason.

Ninten
Ninten as an Echo Fighter of Ness would be awesome! It would finally bring together the three Mother protagonists, especially the one who started it all. Plus, Mother 1 has been localized and released in 2015, right when the roster was finalized for Ultimate. This one is a risky pick, but I hope it happens.

DLC Characters + DLC Echo Fighters
Before I talk about the DLC characters, I'd like to make it clear that DLC Echo Fighters will be FREE and that they're bundled with certain characters. For example, if Springman is $5.99, you'll get Spring Man along with Ribbon Girl, with no extra cost. I don't think it'd be smart to charge for Echo Fighters and I'd rather see them bundled in a Newcomer + Stage + Echo fighter pack. This pack would cost just the same as a normal Newcomer + Stage pack. Hopefully that makes sense. Okay, on to the characters.

Spring Man + Ribbon Girl
Now that we know the roster was finalized in 2015, I'm now thinking we'll be getting Spring Man as DLC. ARMS sold very well, and Spring Man would represent the Switch era very well. There's not much else to say, he'd fit right in Smash

As for Ribbon Girl, she would be Spring Man's echo fighter, bundled for free when purchasing Spring Man. The difference she has is that she has a third jump, while Spring Man just has two. There could be other small differences, but that's my only idea so far.

Sylux
To promote Metroid Prime 4, I think Smash will announce Sylux as a DLC fighter, meaning Metroid will have 5 reps! I think Metroid Prime 4 will get promotion because unfortunately, Metroid doesn't sell that well, but announcing Sylux for Smash will help that a lot, especially with all this being on the Switch. Additionally, Sylux is slowly becoming a more prominent character in the Metroid series, as he's been teased to be an upcoming villain in many games (MP3, Federation Force).

Rex + Malos
Similar to the ARMS characters, I don't think Rex from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 made the cut for the base game. Their games came out just a bit too late to be considered for Smash, and to be honest, they probably were just barely in a concept stage when the ballot was going on, if anything. But this would be the perfect opportunity to add them. Sakurai has said he loved Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and it's popular enough to get 2 or even 3 reps.

For Malos, he would be bundled with Rex for free and would be an Echo fighter of Shulk. I haven't played Xenoblade Chronicles 2 personally, but I've heard rumblings that Malos is similar to Shulk somehow. I don't really know what that really means, but he fits Shulk's build and the weapons look similar enough. I could be wrong on this, but isn't he a villain too? I don't know if he's the main villain, but it'd add another one to the Smash cast. Really need to play these games. Hopefully I didn't accidentally spoil something.


New Fire Emblem Character
I don't know who, I don't know if it'll promote the new Fire Emblem coming out, but I do think we'll get one Fire Emblem character. Just one. That's all I really have to say.

Solaire of Astora
Okay, here's my dream character. I got Snake back, and now I'm praying Solaire from Dark Souls gets in the game. I know it's not likely, I know I'm setting myself up for disappointment, but there's a sliver a hope that he'll be in the game as DLC. Dark Souls is coming to the Switch, and he was one of the few third party characters to get an amiibo! Pleeeeaaaasssseeee Sakurai, somehow make it happen... I'll never want anything else in Smash after this. I sound so desperate...

Begging aside though, Sakurai has mentioned in an interview he likes to bring attention to AAA Japanese games as they don't sell as much as other AAA games outside of Japan anymore. In this same interview he calls out games such as Splatoon, Metal Gear Solid V, Super Mario Maker, and Dark Souls 3, and mentions despite selling well overseas, they never made it into the top 10 best selling games of the year. The same article also states "Smash was a game that ended up supporting a lot of other games. It’s been proven that including a character as a fighter generates publicity for said character and their respective series. I’m very pleased that Smash can positively promote other titles." This article shows me that Dark Souls was at least on his mind when thinking about how Smash could positively promote many Japanese AAA games. It's a bit of a stretch, but that's why I have that sliver of hope. I'm a huge advocate for Solaire, and I hope we can make him a popular pick if DLC does in fact happen. I've created a moveset for him in the Solaire for Smash Ultimate thread, so feel free to check it out. Here's the link to the article with Sakurai talking about Dark Souls and Smash.

Banjo & Kazooie
With how well Microsoft and Nintendo are getting along, and with how much fan outcry there has been, especially around the Ballot, I think it's finally time for Banjo to join Smash. Moveset potential, personality, history with Nintendo, he's got it all. Even Phil Spencer of Microsoft has said he's okay with it.

Geno
For Square's second rep, I think Geno's finally going to happen. Honestly, he could even be base game, but only time will tell. We've talked about him for years, we all know how popular he is. He was popular around the ballot, and he's still popular now. Sakurai wanted him in Brawl and in Smash 4, and he got a Mii Costume. I think it's time.

Doomslayer
For the final wildcard character in Smash Ultimate, I think it's going to be the Doomslayer, owned by Bethesda. Bethesda has shown an incredible amount of support for the Switch lately, with Skyrim, Doom, Wolfenstein II, Fallout Shelter, and more games coming to Switch. Doom has also had a lot of games on Nintendo systems, so there's definitely history. The Doomslayer would also represent the FPS genre, which is not yet represented in Smash. This would be incredibly unexpected and super hype, and I'd love to see it happen. If not this guy, then the Dovahkiin of Skyrim.

Those are all my predictions... again. I spent a lot of hours on this, so I hope at least a few people revisit this thread and happen to come upon this again. If not, it doesn't matter, I had a lot of fun writing it regardless. Hopefully I get a few of these correct, like I did with Snake and Ridley, which I'm pretty proud of.



So here's my roster that's mostly realistic, but it has a dash of hopes and dreams in it. I'll provide explanations for newcomers, returning cut veterans, cut characters, and the DLC.

Base Game: 67 Characters
Base Game + DLC: 77 Characters

In the base game, there'll be 14 newcomers (potentially 13, I'll explain that when I get to it). These newcomers are...

1.) Captain Toad

If we're going to get another Mario representative this game, I think it'll be Captain Toad, or at least Toad in some shape or form. He's had a few of his own games, he's the 4th playable character in many of the games, and he's the last main Mario character that has a lot to work for a moveset (sorry Waluigi & Daisy). I know jumping is an issue in his games, but I believe their could be a workaround for it, or ignore that entirely. Sakurai has said a couple times that he has to sometimes make a character do something in Smash they wouldn't usually do in their main games (this was said in an article talking about Snake, I believe). In Toad's case, maybe it's just best to ignore that he can't jump. The rest of his moveset can revolve around things he uses in Captain Toad's Treasure Tracker and powerups from the NSMB games, among many other things.

2.) King K. Rool

To be completely honest, we could swap this guy out with Dixie Kong, Funky Kong, or Cranky Kong. But in the end, I chose King K. Rool because I think he has the most popular vote out of the DK characters. He'd be a great fit in Smash because he's a villain, another heavyweight, and a great moveset to work with. That's all about there is to say about him.

3.) A Brand New Zelda Character

It's about time Zelda gets a new character. We haven't really seen any since Melee (Toon Link really just didn't fill that void in my opinion), and half of them were clones (Ganondorf and Young Link). Who this new Zelda character will be, I don't know, but I'm very confident we'll get one. It could be one of the Champions, Ghirahim, Midna, Skull Kid, Vaati, etc., but we'll have to wait and see.

On the topic of Zelda, I also think it's about time we make Ganondorf a unique character. Let him use his sword and magic attacks. Only moves I'd like to see stay are his Warlock Punch and his Down Air. Maybe make his old moveset for Black Shadow from F-Zero...?

4.) Ridley

Here's probably my most controversial pick, and I'm not even completely convinced about this idea. This is the most 'iffy' character on my list, but I wanted to have a few bold predictions on here. We all know what his moveset could be, so I don't think we need to go over that. I do think Metroid really needs a third rep, and Ridley would fit the bill. If not Ridley, there's another Metroid character that would suffice...

5.) Decidueye

This is the first Smash game where I'm unsure if we'll get a new Pokemon character in the base roster, but if we do, I think it'll be Decidueye or potentially Incineroar. If I recall correctly, Decidueye is more popular in America, while Incineroar is more popular in Japan. It's a 50/50 shot for both, but I think Decidueye would fit the grass role perfectly. I like Incineroar more, but it'd be slightly redundant with two fire types on the roster.

6.) Rex + Pyra

Xenoblade is pretty popular now, so I think we're all expecting a second representative coming into the game. Rex is a no-brainer when it comes to this, and I think Pyra would most likely help him out in battle. Sakurai also said he absolutely loved Xenoblade Chronicles 2, so I wouldn't be surprised if he throws in another Xenoblade character.

7.) New Fire Emblem Character

I don't have much knowledge of the Fire Emblem series, but I'm confident we'll get another Fire Emblem character again. This is where I think we might get only 13 newcomers though. I'm split between the idea of having Corrin coming back, or creating an entirely new character. I can't decide, but we'll get a 5th Fire Emblem character regardless.

8.) Bandanna Waddle Dee

I think Kirby's slightly under-represented in Smash, and Bandanna Dee would be a perfect addition to the roster. He's popular, he makes sense, and his moveset would translate perfectly into Smash. He's the 4th playable character of most Kirby games now, and he's been around the series for surprisingly long. I'd be surprised if we don't see this fellow join Smash.

9.) Excitebike

This is who I think the retro rep of the game will be. Honestly, it could be someone completely different, but I like the thought of Excitebike in Smash. I haven't thought up of a moveset for him, but I think Sakurai could easily think of something. I know in the past he couldn't think of a moveset for this guy before, but I'd like to think he's gotten over that hurdle now.

10.) Chibi-Robo

I think this little guy could use some spotlight. He's had a few games, and he's been around for awhile (since Gamecube). He could be very unique and use moves based around cleaning. He has a perfect design for Smash, and he'd be one of those characters that are slightly unexpected.

11.) Inklings

Well, they're already confirmed, so there's not much to say.

12.) Springman

Another no-brainer addition to Smash. He had a pretty successful game on the Switch, and his moveset could be super unique. Lots of options for alternate costumes too.

13.) Solaire of Astora

Alright, I'll admit, this one isn't that reasonable. I just REALLY want Solaire in Smash, so I through him in there. If he didn't get his own amiibo though, I would not have even considered him. I think he'd be the perfect WTF character, similar to how Cloud was. He's also apart of a very iconic game series, Dark Souls. Dark Souls is basically a genre defining video game, so it'd be great to get a spot in Smash.

14.) Shovel Knight

I really do think an indie character will get into Smash this time. Whether it's Shovel Knight or not, someone is going to get in. Since Smash is sort of the celebration of video games, an indie character would make sense as they're very popular now. Shovel Knight is also pretty heavily requested.

That's all for newcomers in the base game. Obviously not all of these are going to happen, but I had fun creating this and explaining my picks.
If there's DLC, I thought that 10 DLC characters could potentially be added. My reasoning behind a whopping 10 characters is just because the Switch is insanely popular. I really think they want Smash to be BIG, so after the game releases, it'll have a steady and large amount of DLC coming shortly after. I also want to point out that the 3rd party character choices are rather unrealistic, but I believe the DLC will be very unpredictable. Anything could happen. As for the character picks, they are...

1 & 2.) Veteran Fighters

Like the DLC for Smash 4, I think we'll see some characters come back who were previously cut. I don't know who's going to get cut, so I kept it pretty vague.

3.) Sylux

Yep, I think it's possible we'll be getting 4 Metroid reps. Nintendo has been hyping up this guy in so many games, and without a doubt, we'll be seeing him in Metroid Prime 4. I think they'll release him as a promotion for Metroid Prime 4, which is why he's prime DLC material.

4.) Next Generation Pokemon

This is another obvious pick for DLC. Like with Sylux, I think there'll be a Pokemon from generation 8 that'll be in Smash to help promote the game. Who that Pokemon is, I have no idea.

5.) New Fire Emblem Character from the Upcoming Game

With Fire Emblem Switch being in the works, I'm fully expecting them to promote the game with adding the main character to Smash.

6.) Banjo & Kazooie

A highly requested character. I actually had him in the base roster, but I decided to swap him with Shovel Knight. Phil Spencer from Microsoft appears to be okay with having him in Smash, so perhaps Nintendo will work with them to get Banjo in as DLC.

7.) Geno

Geno has been one of the most highly requested characters in Smash history, and I think he'll finally get his chance in the DLC. Sakurai himself even stated he'd like Geno in the game. Geno also had a Mii costume and a splash screen when Cloud came out, which makes me think he might have been planned as DLC at one point.

8.) Bomberman

If Konami is willing, Bomberman would be a lovely addition in Smash. Lots of moveset potential, and he's very iconic. Also, Bomberman and Snake are pretty much interchangeable. Both could be base game, both could be DLC.

9.) Rayman

Nintendo is on very good terms with Ubisoft as of late, so Rayman (or the Rabbids...) would not be a surprise if they were to enter Smash. Honestly, he could possibly be base game, but for now, I have him as DLC. He's very iconic and could represent the close relationship Ubisoft has with Nintendo.

10.) DOOM Guy

Here's the final DLC character and the wildest pick. Bethesda has been supporting the Switch like crazy recently, and it'd be awesome if they got some representation in Smash. Even with that aside, DOOM is incredibly important to gaming. It's the father of FPS, and it's been on numerous Nintendo consoles. Sure, it's pretty realistic, but I think Smash is a celebration of gaming. We've already had some fairly realistic characters get in Smash, so the DOOM Guy would be perfect. I don't think the art style of a character should affect their chances in Smash anymore, as long as they're very iconic, have a relationship with Nintendo, and have great moveset potential.

That's all for my DLC picks. Again, I for sure will get many things wrong. I tried to have 5 Nintendo characters and 5 third party characters as well.
I believe we'll be getting a few veterans coming back due to fan request. These veterans are...

1.) Wolf

A fan favorite character from Brawl, Wolf will make his return in Smash Switch! He's actually pretty unique; he only shares his special moves with Fox and Falco, and even those have special properties. The rest of his attacks are completely unique. Lots of people want this guy back, and I think Nintendo has been listening.

2.) Ice Climbers

I think we all know the Ice Climbers are coming back. They only got cut because the 3DS couldn't handle them. Not much to be said here.

3.) Snake

I think Snake is finally coming back to Smash Switch. He's one of the most requested characters right now, and the whole Konami fiasco has died down for the most part. With the Bomberman game being a launch title and having continued support, I believe it's safe to say there's a chance of Snake coming back. Not the largest chance, but a chance regardless.
So with every Smash, there's always a few characters that unfortunately get cut. I think these characters will be...

1.) Dr. Mario

He could very well return again as a clone, but if not, just make him an alternate costume.

2.) Lucina

See above.

3.) Dark Pit

See above.

4.) Corrin

Could be cut, could not be. I explained my thoughts on him in the newcomer section.

5.) Lucario

I do think a Pokemon is going to be cut, and I ultimately went with Lucario. I know a lot of people usually go with Greninja, but I went with Lucario simply because he's already been in two games, while Greninja has only been in one. I figured Greninja would get the spotlight and Lucario will get the axe. I do think Lucario would be a viable DLC option though.

I think those 5 are it... I hope I'm not forgetting someone. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if nobody got cut, cause I think the next Smash will use a lot of Smash 4's assets.

 
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Lil Depression

Smash Rookie
Joined
Mar 24, 2018
Messages
1

This is my smash bros dream roster. Here is a guide for all the colored boxes:
Blue: Playable
Red: Unlockable
Green: DLC
Yellow: Alternate Costume
Now I'll explain my picks:
Wolf and Ice Climbers: Out of all the cut characters that haven't came back yet, these two are the most requested by fans, and also the most likely to come back.
King K. Rool: He is heavily requested by fans and has been noticed by Nintendo. We also need another non-mario mario character in smash.
Waluigi: He is another character that is commonly requested in smash, and would appeal to pretty much everyone. He could also count as another mario character, or possibly as a wario character.
Waddle Dee: Kirby is one of the biggest Nintendo series besides Mario, Zelda, and Pokemon, so it would make sense that they would get another character since they didn't last game.
Sceptile: I could honestly see sceptile or decidueye in this spot. I chose Sceptile because I think he is more of a fan favorite in the Pokemon Community, and the fact that we hadn't got a grass type starter yet.
Crabrawler: I think this is the pick that will definitely not get into the game. I chose him over all the other Gen 7 Starters, Legendaries, Fan Favorites, and gen 8 Pokemon, because I think we need another pre-evolution pokemon that isn't really weak. He has a cool design, and is a fighting type pokemon with big claws that would be interesting to use in the game.
Spring Man and Ribbon Girl: Someone from Arms is pretty much almost 100% confirmed. I think that Spring Man is more likely, but Arms is bound to have more then one character eventually, and Ribbon Girl is the second most requested Arms character and has an unique design.
Balloon Fighter: This is probably the most likely candidate for the retro slot in Smash. While he doesn't seem to be requested as much as other characters, he got his own minigame in Nintendo Land, and has a unique design which could factor into how he plays.
Excitebiker: This is another retro character I think has a shot at being in. He is probably the most well known retro character that hasn't been in smash, because of Mario Kart. He was also considered in Melee.
Shovel Knight: He is heavily requested, his game was a launch title for the Switch, and he got his own amiibo. These three factors probably mean he will be in the next switch.
Banjo and Kazooie: This one is a farther shot, and it depends on how many third party characters Nintendo wants in the game. However, Microsoft had said that they would allow him to be in the game, so it is a possibility.
Rayman: What I think is the most likely 3rd party character after shovel knight. He is a bright colorful character that would fit in well with characters from mario, pokemon, and kirby. His game for the Wii U was also very well received.
Bomberman: Same as Rayman.
Solaire of Astora: Probably one of the most unlikely characters to get in, but he got his own amiibo and would probably boost up the sales of the game from Dark Souls fans.
Alternate Costumes: Dark Pit, Dr. Mario, and Lucina get demoted to alternate costumes for pit, mario, and lucina. Olimar and Bowser Jr. keep their alts as well. Diddy Kong gets Dixie Kong as an alt, and Inkling gets Octoling. 3rd party alts are Shadow for Sonic, Ms. Pacman for Pacman, and Proto Man for Megaman. This is to please fans who want more then one 3rd party character per franchise (two sonic characers, two megaman characters, etc).
 

RineYFD

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Feb 17, 2017
Messages
285
Location
THE HYPE TRAIN OF COURSE
Here's mine:

A mix of character I actually want and predictions:
Wants:
Sora
Infernape
Tails
Adeleine
Lilac
Ridley
Min Min
Predictions:
Rex and Pyra
Laboman
King K. Rool
Isaac
Shovel Knight
Shantae
Banjo and Kazooie
Ice Climbers
Wolf
Young Link
Geno
Waluigi
Decidueye
Bandana Dee
Lloyd
 

Dalek_Kolt

Smash Master
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Messages
3,557
Location
Skaro
Oh wow it has been a long time since I've posted here.

Anyway, I took an unorthodox approach to my roster; Only one or two characters allowed per franchise. I did this to try making every series equally represented, to boil down every series to its most essential components, and to provide a sturdy foundation for a more traditional 60+ "wishlist"/"prediction" roster in the future.

first Roster.png


And the third-party roster:

first Roster 3rd party.png

No chance whatsoever of this being accurate, but I'm pretty confident in this as a wishlist roster, though the "retro" block is subject to change.

Realistically, I'm just expecting an expansion of the Sm4sh roster. But all in all, I didn't think I would ever come speculating again.

It's good to be back.
 
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OmnisGames

Smash Rookie
Joined
Mar 25, 2018
Messages
1


https://imgur.com/PJToy49


Dr. Mario
· Dr. Mario is a mix between Mario and Luigi’s move sets and doesn’t provide much of a unique mix up to justify him taking a slot in the roster. I could see the doctor’s outfit as a costume for Mario.

Dark Pit
· Definitely will not return as a part of the roster. Will most likely be a new skin for pit.
· This is more likely cause the competitive scene sees pit and dark pit as the same character

Roy
· Returned in DLC for Smash 4. Don’t know how many people got him or how well received he was received as a downloadable character.
· Could see becoming a skin for Marth due to over-abundance of FE characters in Smash 4

Lucina (15% as her own slot)
· Lucina was mechanically different by making her entire blade do the same damage. Not many people played Lucina and the differences between her and Marth/Roy are small.
· Probably will return as a skin of Marth

Lucas
· Same as Roy

Cloud
· Third party DLC, had to add rights to include him. His remake hasn’t even come out yet and it seems like it is MIA and may not come out for a while.

Ryu
· Fun DLC character, don’t see the character returning for the main game though

Punch Boy/Ribbon Girl
· Honestly a given at this point


Rex with Pyra (Mythera) [Xenoblade Chronicles 2] (100%)
· Successful first party game where Xenoblade Chronicles 2 has released over a million copies
· Will most likely use a unique switching weapon/style mechanic like Shulk but with his Aegis and Pyra/Mythera
· Sakurai played and loved the game and played the entire game over the Holiday Season

Elma [Xenoblade Chronicles X] (80%)
· May want representation of Xenoblade Chronicles X. If that is the case, Elma is the most recognizable and could provide a unique gun moveset.
· Could see them doing a joint trailer like they did with Robin/Lucina or Charizard/Greninja

Decidueye (99%)
· Sun and Moon beat Nintendo’s record of fastest selling game
· No grass starter yet while there is a fire and water one
· There is no archer focused fighter that focuses mostly long-range
· He is the fan favorite of the 3 new starters
· It is probably way too soon to have an 8th generation/next gen pokemon rep. The next gen pokemon rep would most likely be a DLC character.
· Is the mascot of the franchise’s 7th gen (seen by being added to Pokken Tournament)


Labo Robot (80%)
· I see this as an extremely likely addition to the cast of new characters for the game. The technology for it is awesome, the character isn’t expected, represents a new line of real toys similar to ROB. Is a “WTF” character which Sakuri loves.
· Could help promote to more hardcore gamers
· Would fit perfectly as the character that Sakurai needed a Vifam figure to reference for


Overall the Kirby series is under represented in Smash and I would be very surprise if they didn’t add a Kirby representative or two.

Bandana Dee (100%)
· No spear users in Smash
· Kirby has had 3 to 4 successful games since the last iteration of Smash and Bandana Dee has been seen in most if not all of those games.
· A fun cute character which the game has been lacking in
· Is the forth “Kirby” representative
· Is a fan favorite online and has a decent following online

Magolor (100%)
· Another Kirby antagonist
· One of the only Kirby antagonist’s that have reappeared multiple times
· Would be the only Kirby rep being magic/missiles based
· Was very popular on the Smash Ballot for Japan
· Is a Sakurai series


Shovel Knight (100%)
· Shovel Knight has sold over 1.2 million copies in the US
· Good relationship between Yacht Club and Nintendo
· Ambiios of the character have been released

Paper Mario (75%)
· Most likely since he is in high demand, represents the Mario RPG
· Has been featured in both his own series and Mario and Luigi RPG series
· Could easily replace Dr. Mario with a lot of diversity in his moveset


Kiran (60%)
· Not the expected character
· Follows in the footsteps of the previous newcomer Robin
· Can also represent Nintendo’s efforts in the mobile space
· Fire Emblem Heroes has been Nintendo’s most successful mobile game
· Could have a unique moveset using the unique weapon, the Breidablik. It could even summon different moves/characters as mirages from the Fire Emblem Universe
· He is not the expected Fire Emblem Rep, but would be the most unique newcomer in terms of gameplay and unique moveset


Chorus Men (100%)
· There were files in Smash 4 for a Rhythm Heaven Character
· Would be a WTF character
· Most likely of the Rhythm Heaven characters that aren’t like other characters (Karate Joe is too similar to other punching characters)
· Could add a new mechanic for using rhythm and timing moves, the more on rhythm you are the more powerful their moves are. Also less chorus men (if they get hit off the screen) the less powerful the moves as well due to less voices.


Tabuu (70%)
· Smash original Character seems somewhat likely after 5 iterations of the series
· Would definitely surprise people
· Could have a super varied set using his boss moves in a character form
· Would represent an antagonist
· Would work as an unlockable boss/Character if a form of Subspace Emissary/Single player mode returns (which is somewhat likely since the other game modes were not well received in Smash 4)


Crash, Bomberman
· Both relevant switch 3rd party characters
 
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DBPirate

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Mar 19, 2018
Messages
146
Location
Texas
This is my dream roster for Smash 5.



All characters from Smash 4 return.

Paper Mario and Geno would be considered part of a new series (similar to DK and Wario) -- Mario RPG. I would've put Fawful in here as well but I felt that would be overkill.

I put in the Chorus Men as a placeholder for any Rhythm Heaven character. I've never played a Rhythm Heaven game so I don't know which character would be best for the spot, but they are the ones I hear about the most.

I wasn't very fond of the inclusions of Corrin, Ryu, or Cloud but they are all unique and add variety to the roster.

For the third-parties, I decided to add the ones I felt were the most recognizable in the gaming industry, plus Banjo for his N64 appearances and Shovel Knight for being the most popular "Nindie." Bayonetta is placed first because she is practically Nintendo exclusive at this point.

Lastly, I would also add the Mii Mage as a fourth class for the Miis.

Clones in this roster include Dr. Mario, Funky Kong, Toon Link, Dark Pit, Lucina, Roy, and Alph.

This is my prediction roster. I added Ridley and replaced Bomberman with Simon following the Vergeben leak, which as of the time of typing this, seems pretty authentic. I also removed Spring Man.

Screen Shot 2018-06-06 at 1.31.41 PM.png
 
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