NeonBurrito
Smash Ace
They really are. When you compare Assist Trophies from Brawl (Waluigi runs around and stomps, Lyn stays in one spot for a bit, then strikes) with some of the ones from Ultimate (Shovel Knight can run, jump, do a downwards strike, dig up items, dig up dirt to act as a projectile, and ground opponents, Rathalos spews fire, from both nearby and from the background, roars loudly, can fly, and attack with claws), you can really see a difference in ability.Assists are getting pretty advanced, don't you think?
Speaking of which, I'm a bit late, but Shovel Knight really has come a long way. Going from a Kickstarter indie game to standing alongside icons like Zero, Alucard, Waluigi, and the Squid Sisters in the world's biggest crossover of gaming icons. What an honor.