Official Smash Ultimate Discussion

[Luminario]

Oh, I had another question:

If they did add a Rhythm Heaven character, who do you pick?

Personally, my favorite choice is Karate Joe.

Tap Trial Girl is a good G&W for the series, as the same general cut-and-paste female character pops up in multiple games. If not her then Tibby or Marshal work great as the faces of the series.

Do you guys think Palutena will have carpet hair this time?

Leave her towel hair alone.
Seriously though, she's gotta get some layers in there. At least taper it off at the end like in her artwork.

 

[TheLastJinjo]

Tap Trial Girl is a good G&W for the series, as the same general cut-and-paste female character pops up in multiple games. If not her then Tibby or Marshal work great as the faces of the series.

Leave her towel hair alone.
Seriously though, she's gotta get some layers in there. At least taper it off at the end like in her artwork.

They gotta make a costume of Palutena wearing a towel! If they can have swim shorts Shulk then they gotta do Towel Palutena.

 

[?????????????]

I've actually explained what I expect to see from Rhythm Heaven several times, including just now. Don't be so defensive. If I wanna criticize you for anything for any reason I want then that's exactly what I'll do.

Ah! I see now; my bad.

Sorry if I came off as "defensive;" I was going for "lighthearted and jokey," but it didn't come across well...

 

[TheFirstPoppyBro]

If we get a Rhythm Heaven character, which I feel like we will this game (don't quote me on that), I just hope one of the songs they add is either First Contact or Second Contact from Megamix. Loved those games.

 

[Deleted member]

I think it's probably because Zelda's Breath of the Wild incarnation never really demonstrated her ability to fight. It's probably a dumb reason though, as Breath of the Wild Zelda could always specialize in the use of the Sheikah Slate.

And OoT Zelda DID outside of artwork brandishing a knife as Sheik?

 

[Bowserlick]

Zelda can seal herself in time with martial art books and weapons and practice for years without aging, and then step out of her seal a more capable fighter thank Link.

 

[Pacack]

Would anyone care to criticize my roster?

Spoiler: Roster

Spoiler: Reasoning

Newcomers: Captain Toad, Dixie Kong, Funky Kong (clone), Daitoryo, Takamaru, Sylux, Bandana Dee, Decidueye, Alph (clone), Elma, Rex, Inkling, Bomberman, Rayman, Steve (13 plus 2 clones)
Returning: Ice Climbers, Wolf (2)

Captain Toad: A fairly popular and extremely recognizable character who has appeared in all of the last three mainline Mario games. Not only that, he's the star of his own game now, which is set to appear on not one, but three Nintendo consoles. He is the newcomer I'm most confident in predicting. (Certainty High)

Dixie Kong: A popular character from a popular franchise that everyone seems to want a newcomer for. Given Tropical Freeze's re-release on the Switch, I think it's fair to say that I expect her. (Certainty High)

Funky Kong: Hear me out. Every game has had clones, and I don't expect that to change with Smash Switch. Given Funky Kong's newest appearance as one of Tropical Freeze's five playable characters, he might just be in the perfect scenario to be considered for the last-minute clone treatment. I could see him being a less grab-oriented DK with better aerial movement and juggling. (Certainty Low)

Daitoryo: I do not believe that I'm crazy in seeing a pattern of retro and historical characters. Each game since Melee has included one throwback "retro" character (Ice Climbers, Pit, Little Mac) and one character that highlights something about Nintendo's history (Mr. Game and Watch, R.O.B., Duck Hunt). If this pattern continues, I believe that the stylized depiction of Napoleon from Nintendo's "President" style Hanafuda cards is a great choice. That said, I did not see Duck Hunt as a potential historical character at first despite the game's origins as an early arcade game and its significance to the NES's success, so I fully admit that I could be wrong. Consider him something of a placeholder for the history character. (Certainty Low)

Takamaru: Ever since his appearance as an assist trophy, we've been keeping an eye on Takamaru for this next game. Given that his game was released overseas (finally), and given that Hideki Kamiya has acknowledged that he would be interested in working with the Murasame Castle franchise, I could see Sakurai picking him. That said, he's not the only contender for a retro spot, and we're not guaranteed a retro in the first place. (Certainty Moderate)

Sylux: The Metroid series is seeing a significant amount of attention, and Sylux is the villain candidate who seems most probable given Sakurai's stance on Ridley. I fully expect Sylux to play a significant role in Metroid Prime 4, and it seems to be the perfect chance for the character. That said, he hasn't had a huge role yet, and it could be a bit too early for him. Further, a Metroid character, while a popular choice, is not a guarantee, and there's always the possibility of Sakurai coming back to Ridley again. (Certainty Moderate)

Bandana Dee: The Kirby series has done very well recently, and Bandana Dee has been very consistently appeared as the fourth playable character or in support roles. And remember, the Kirby series has had a main series release every year since 2014. He has very little going against him. If he's not in, it's because the Kirby series isn't getting a newcomer for some reason. (Certainty High)

Decidueye: Admittedly something of a placeholder, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see this very popular starter in the next Smash. A flying grass-type archer, it has plenty of moveset potential, and it's been the poster boy of this gen. That said, it has a lot of competition from within its own series, and it could be passed over in favor of a newer Pokemon. (Certainty Moderate)

Alph: An off-the-wall pick from me, but I could very easily see Sakurai revisiting the idea of making Alph a clone who uses shield-breaking Rock Pikmin. And, again, clones don't take much development time, and I expect us to have a couple. (Certainty Low)

Elma: A unique, popular character from one of Nintendo's newest series, I could definitely see Elma making it into the next Smash Bros. Her game is likely to receive both a sequel and a port in due time (XCX ended on a cliffhanger), and her game was one of the best received on the Wii U. That said, she faces the distinct possibility of being shafted in favor of Rex instead of being added alongside him. However, I'm leaning towards both of them being included, especially since Elma arguably represents an entirely different series from Shulk and Rex. (Certainty Moderate)

Rex: While I'm unsure whether Rex will fight alongside Pyra or with Pyra in the background, I'm pretty sure he's on Smash's radar. That said, he does share many traits with Shulk, namely in his swordfighting style, and he faces very real competition from Elma, who could potentially be added before him. If he is passed over in favor of Elma, I expect him as DLC. (Certainty Moderate)

Inkling: Duh.

*Bomberman: Definitely the third party I'm least certain of on my prediction roster, but he's still undeniably iconic, popular, and requested. Given that he had a launch title on the Switch, I can see him happening. (Certainty Low)

*Rayman: While I'm not certain on him by any means, I think it goes without saying that Ubisoft has been very close to Nintendo. He's probably the most likely new third party, if you ask me. (Certainty Moderately Low)

*Steve: I've stated my case for him before; he's iconic, his game is the second best selling of all time, he's had a release on the past three Nintendo consoles, and Nintendo is willing enough to talk with Microsoft historically to let the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack happen. I think he's a slept on third-party, and I don't think I'm crazy to predict him. That being said, the character has a notable hate-base, and Minecraft isn't quite the titan it used to be. (Certainty Moderately Low)

*I'm hesitant to say who the next third party characters will be, and I expect to be wrong. My guess on how many we'll see is three, but I could be wrong on that as well.

Ice Climbers: I mean, the only reason they weren't in Sm4sh to begin with was the 3DS. (Certainty: Highest)

Wolf: Very popular, a veteran, and easy to bring back. (Certainty: High)

Spring Man: I know, I know, let me explain why I have him as DLC. While Rex is also extremely new, he has the benefit of coming from a series that was well-established and close to Sakurai's heart. ARMS does not have that, and there was no way for Sakurai to know ahead of time that ARMS, or even the Switch for that matter, would be such a success. I think he has seen the demand for an ARMS character, and I think it will happen in time, but I'm leaning towards seeing him as the Mewtwo of this Smash, the first DLC character released. That said, I could be wrong, and I could see him making the base roster as well.

 

[ColietheGoalie]

More thoughts on unlockables:
- Maybe allow people to pay a small fee to unlock everything? I know it's usually considered bad form when companies do that, but in this case it might be a happy medium for keeping unlocks but allowing room for those who want to just sit down and play everything with friends on day 1.
- Based solely on the teaser, I hope the "Challenger Approaching" screen is the silhouette in front of the burning Smash symbol

 

[Kooj Kooj]

Question: How do people feel about unlockable characters this time around? I know some people hate having to fill out the roster through unlocks, and the whole concept of unlocking rosters in fighting games is falling out of favor, but for me, the feeling of excitement from the Challenger Approaching screen is almost unmatched in gaming.

Should they maybe hide mostly veterans behind the unlocks, meaning people don't have to wait for the exciting new characters?

I'm a little torn on this topic. I desperately want to preserve unlocking secret characters. Melee and Brawl were some of the most fun and exciting moments in gaming I can remember. Being shocked and surprised at newcomers challenging me in Melee and being so excited that I had no idea who could be coming next was so much damn fun. And in Brawl, unlocking characters through a story mode was just as enjoyable. Because that game wasn't released worldwide, I didn't have the joy of not knowing who the characters were, but I did get to enjoy the story and not knowing -when- they might show up.

And then Smash4 happened and all the characters were revealed early and leaks ruined the joy of the mystery. If that's what's going to happen again (and I sadly believe it will,) then I'd rather not waste my time unlocking everything thanks. It's not worth the effort anymore.

They gotta make a costume of Palutena wearing a towel! If they can have swim shorts Shulk then they gotta do Towel Palutena.

Towelutena...

 

[Curious Villager]

More thoughts on unlockables:
- Maybe allow people to pay a small fee to unlock everything? I know it's usually considered bad form when companies do that, but in this case it might be a happy medium for keeping unlocks but allowing room for those who want to just sit down and play everything with friends on day 1.
- Based solely on the teaser, I hope the "Challenger Approaching" screen is the silhouette in front of the burning Smash symbol

Maybe use their amiibo to auto unlock them? Kind of like what they already did in games like Mario Odyssey, Mario Maker and Starfox Zero.

 

[Sid-cada]

Oh, I had another question:

If they did add a Rhythm Heaven character, who do you pick?

Personally, my favorite choice is Karate Joe.

Yeah, I'm with you there. To be honest, I think the character chosen will either be him or the Rhythm Girl.

Every time I see someone suggest that one of the more chibi characters like the Chorus Kids or Tibby, they're on the wrong path. Some say that a kitchen-sink-esque move set like Villager and Game and Watch would work, but that doesn't work for me. I think they're kinda missing what a Rhythm Heaven character should be doing - with "doing" being a keyword.


The actions in response to cues is probably the most memorable thing for almost all of the mini-games. Just listening to a few cues is enough to bring back memories of the game. A few examples...


Turn Right! Let's sit down! Let's sit down! Pa-Pa-Pa-Punch!

One! Chow! One! Chow! Chew-two! Chow-Chow! One! Chow! Three! Go! Go! Go!

High-high-high A hoy-mm-ha-mm-ha high!

Break C'mon OH! ... Scracho-Hey!

Jab! Jab! And one-two! Jab! Jab!

Wena-****a wirt-wirt! Wena-****a wirt-wirt!


Notice how the motions tend to stand out above everything else?


A Rhythm Heaven character should try to encapsulate the motions of as many Rhythm games as they can. While a chibi-character might work, it's not going to be able to do the motions quite as well as more normally proportioned character.

 

[?????????????]

A Rhythm Heaven character should try to encapsulate the motions of as many Rhythm games as they can. While a chibi-character might work, it's not going to be able to do the motions quite as well as more normally proportioned character.

I, uh...

Yeah. You totally nailed down my thought process.

Granted, I don't mind the chibi RH character idea, but...this is exactly why Karate Joe is my favorite!

 

[Rocket Raccoon]

Would anyone care to criticize my roster?

Spoiler: Roster

Spoiler: Reasoning

Newcomers: Captain Toad, Dixie Kong, Funky Kong (clone), Daitoryo, Takamaru, Sylux, Bandana Dee, Decidueye, Alph (clone), Elma, Rex, Inkling, Bomberman, Rayman, Steve (13 plus 2 clones)
Returning: Ice Climbers, Wolf (2)

Captain Toad: A fairly popular and extremely recognizable character who has appeared in all of the last three mainline Mario games. Not only that, he's the star of his own game now, which is set to appear on not one, but three Nintendo consoles. He is the newcomer I'm most confident in predicting. (Certainty High)

Dixie Kong: A popular character from a popular franchise that everyone seems to want a newcomer for. Given Tropical Freeze's re-release on the Switch, I think it's fair to say that I expect her. (Certainty High)

Funky Kong: Hear me out. Every game has had clones, and I don't expect that to change with Smash Switch. Given Funky Kong's newest appearance as one of Tropical Freeze's five playable characters, he might just be in the perfect scenario to be considered for the last-minute clone treatment. I could see him being a less grab-oriented DK with better aerial movement and juggling. (Certainty Low)

Daitoryo: I do not believe that I'm crazy in seeing a pattern of retro and historical characters. Each game since Melee has included one throwback "retro" character (Ice Climbers, Pit, Little Mac) and one character that highlights something about Nintendo's history (Mr. Game and Watch, R.O.B., Duck Hunt). If this pattern continues, I believe that the stylized depiction of Napoleon from Nintendo's "President" style Hanafuda cards is a great choice. That said, I did not see Duck Hunt as a potential historical character at first despite the game's origins as an early arcade game and its significance to the NES's success, so I fully admit that I could be wrong. Consider him something of a placeholder for the history character. (Certainty Low)

Takamaru: Ever since his appearance as an assist trophy, we've been keeping an eye on Takamaru for this next game. Given that his game was released overseas (finally), and given that Hideki Kamiya has acknowledged that he would be interested in working with the Murasame Castle franchise, I could see Sakurai picking him. That said, he's not the only contender for a retro spot, and we're not guaranteed a retro in the first place. (Certainty Moderate)

Sylux: The Metroid series is seeing a significant amount of attention, and Sylux is the villain candidate who seems most probable given Sakurai's stance on Ridley. I fully expect Sylux to play a significant role in Metroid Prime 4, and it seems to be the perfect chance for the character. That said, he hasn't had a huge role yet, and it could be a bit too early for him. Further, a Metroid character, while a popular choice, is not a guarantee, and there's always the possibility of Sakurai coming back to Ridley again. (Certainty Moderate)

Bandana Dee: The Kirby series has done very well recently, and Bandana Dee has been very consistently appeared as the fourth playable character or in support roles. And remember, the Kirby series has had a main series release every year since 2014. He has very little going against him. If he's not in, it's because the Kirby series isn't getting a newcomer for some reason. (Certainty High)

Decidueye: Admittedly something of a placeholder, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see this very popular starter in the next Smash. A flying grass-type archer, it has plenty of moveset potential, and it's been the poster boy of this gen. That said, it has a lot of competition from within its own series, and it could be passed over in favor of a newer Pokemon. (Certainty Moderate)

Alph: An off-the-wall pick from me, but I could very easily see Sakurai revisiting the idea of making Alph a clone who uses shield-breaking Rock Pikmin. And, again, clones don't take much development time, and I expect us to have a couple. (Certainty Low)

Elma: A unique, popular character from one of Nintendo's newest series, I could definitely see Elma making it into the next Smash Bros. Her game is likely to receive both a sequel and a port in due time (XCX ended on a cliffhanger), and her game was one of the best received on the Wii U. That said, she faces the distinct possibility of being shafted in favor of Rex instead of being added alongside him. However, I'm leaning towards both of them being included, especially since Elma arguably represents an entirely different series from Shulk and Rex. (Certainty Moderate)

Rex: While I'm unsure whether Rex will fight alongside Pyra or with Pyra in the background, I'm pretty sure he's on Smash's radar. That said, he does share many traits with Shulk, namely in his swordfighting style, and he faces very real competition from Elma, who could potentially be added before him. If he is passed over in favor of Elma, I expect him as DLC. (Certainty Moderate)

Inkling: Duh.

*Bomberman: Definitely the third party I'm least certain of on my prediction roster, but he's still undeniably iconic, popular, and requested. Given that he had a launch title on the Switch, I can see him happening. (Certainty Low)

*Rayman: While I'm not certain on him by any means, I think it goes without saying that Ubisoft has been very close to Nintendo. He's probably the most likely new third party, if you ask me. (Certainty Moderately Low)

*Steve: I've stated my case for him before; he's iconic, his game is the second best selling of all time, he's had a release on the past three Nintendo consoles, and Nintendo is willing enough to talk with Microsoft historically to let the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack happen. I think he's a slept on third-party, and I don't think I'm crazy to predict him. That being said, the character has a notable hate-base, and Minecraft isn't quite the titan it used to be. (Certainty Moderately Low)

*I'm hesitant to say who the next third party characters will be, and I expect to be wrong. My guess on how many we'll see is three, but I could be wrong on that as well.

Ice Climbers: I mean, the only reason they weren't in Sm4sh to begin with was the 3DS. (Certainty: Highest)

Wolf: Very popular, a veteran, and easy to bring back. (Certainty: High)

Spring Man: I know, I know, let me explain why I have him as DLC. While Rex is also extremely new, he has the benefit of coming from a series that was well-established and close to Sakurai's heart. ARMS does not have that, and there was no way for Sakurai to know ahead of time that ARMS, or even the Switch for that matter, would be such a success. I think he has seen the demand for an ARMS character, and I think it will happen in time, but I'm leaning towards seeing him as the Mewtwo of this Smash, the first DLC character released. That said, I could be wrong, and I could see him making the base roster as well.

Lower your 3rd partys. That is waayyy too many.
We're only gonna get one new Xenoblade rep.
Who is Daitoryo?
Only one new DK rep

 

[Opossum]

Lower your 3rd partys. That is waayyy too many.
We're only gonna get one new Xenoblade rep.
Who is Daitoryo?
Only one new DK rep

Daitoryo is the guy on the cover of Nintendo's old Hanafuda boxes, modeled after Napoleon Bonaparte.

 

[Radical Bones]

I had a dream last night that Wolf would be one of the first announced characters alongside King K.Rool. Wolf's new artwork had him in his howling taunt pose from SSBB but grinning at the camera. He also had an eyepatch.

Maybe I'm a Seer... time will tell.

 

[Luminario]

Would anyone care to criticize my roster?

Spoiler: Roster

Spoiler: Reasoning

Newcomers: Captain Toad, Dixie Kong, Funky Kong (clone), Daitoryo, Takamaru, Sylux, Bandana Dee, Decidueye, Alph (clone), Elma, Rex, Inkling, Bomberman, Rayman, Steve (13 plus 2 clones)
Returning: Ice Climbers, Wolf (2)

Captain Toad: A fairly popular and extremely recognizable character who has appeared in all of the last three mainline Mario games. Not only that, he's the star of his own game now, which is set to appear on not one, but three Nintendo consoles. He is the newcomer I'm most confident in predicting. (Certainty High)

Dixie Kong: A popular character from a popular franchise that everyone seems to want a newcomer for. Given Tropical Freeze's re-release on the Switch, I think it's fair to say that I expect her. (Certainty High)

Funky Kong: Hear me out. Every game has had clones, and I don't expect that to change with Smash Switch. Given Funky Kong's newest appearance as one of Tropical Freeze's five playable characters, he might just be in the perfect scenario to be considered for the last-minute clone treatment. I could see him being a less grab-oriented DK with better aerial movement and juggling. (Certainty Low)

Daitoryo: I do not believe that I'm crazy in seeing a pattern of retro and historical characters. Each game since Melee has included one throwback "retro" character (Ice Climbers, Pit, Little Mac) and one character that highlights something about Nintendo's history (Mr. Game and Watch, R.O.B., Duck Hunt). If this pattern continues, I believe that the stylized depiction of Napoleon from Nintendo's "President" style Hanafuda cards is a great choice. That said, I did not see Duck Hunt as a potential historical character at first despite the game's origins as an early arcade game and its significance to the NES's success, so I fully admit that I could be wrong. Consider him something of a placeholder for the history character. (Certainty Low)

Takamaru: Ever since his appearance as an assist trophy, we've been keeping an eye on Takamaru for this next game. Given that his game was released overseas (finally), and given that Hideki Kamiya has acknowledged that he would be interested in working with the Murasame Castle franchise, I could see Sakurai picking him. That said, he's not the only contender for a retro spot, and we're not guaranteed a retro in the first place. (Certainty Moderate)

Sylux: The Metroid series is seeing a significant amount of attention, and Sylux is the villain candidate who seems most probable given Sakurai's stance on Ridley. I fully expect Sylux to play a significant role in Metroid Prime 4, and it seems to be the perfect chance for the character. That said, he hasn't had a huge role yet, and it could be a bit too early for him. Further, a Metroid character, while a popular choice, is not a guarantee, and there's always the possibility of Sakurai coming back to Ridley again. (Certainty Moderate)

Bandana Dee: The Kirby series has done very well recently, and Bandana Dee has been very consistently appeared as the fourth playable character or in support roles. And remember, the Kirby series has had a main series release every year since 2014. He has very little going against him. If he's not in, it's because the Kirby series isn't getting a newcomer for some reason. (Certainty High)

Decidueye: Admittedly something of a placeholder, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see this very popular starter in the next Smash. A flying grass-type archer, it has plenty of moveset potential, and it's been the poster boy of this gen. That said, it has a lot of competition from within its own series, and it could be passed over in favor of a newer Pokemon. (Certainty Moderate)

Alph: An off-the-wall pick from me, but I could very easily see Sakurai revisiting the idea of making Alph a clone who uses shield-breaking Rock Pikmin. And, again, clones don't take much development time, and I expect us to have a couple. (Certainty Low)

Elma: A unique, popular character from one of Nintendo's newest series, I could definitely see Elma making it into the next Smash Bros. Her game is likely to receive both a sequel and a port in due time (XCX ended on a cliffhanger), and her game was one of the best received on the Wii U. That said, she faces the distinct possibility of being shafted in favor of Rex instead of being added alongside him. However, I'm leaning towards both of them being included, especially since Elma arguably represents an entirely different series from Shulk and Rex. (Certainty Moderate)

Rex: While I'm unsure whether Rex will fight alongside Pyra or with Pyra in the background, I'm pretty sure he's on Smash's radar. That said, he does share many traits with Shulk, namely in his swordfighting style, and he faces very real competition from Elma, who could potentially be added before him. If he is passed over in favor of Elma, I expect him as DLC. (Certainty Moderate)

Inkling: Duh.

*Bomberman: Definitely the third party I'm least certain of on my prediction roster, but he's still undeniably iconic, popular, and requested. Given that he had a launch title on the Switch, I can see him happening. (Certainty Low)

*Rayman: While I'm not certain on him by any means, I think it goes without saying that Ubisoft has been very close to Nintendo. He's probably the most likely new third party, if you ask me. (Certainty Moderately Low)

*Steve: I've stated my case for him before; he's iconic, his game is the second best selling of all time, he's had a release on the past three Nintendo consoles, and Nintendo is willing enough to talk with Microsoft historically to let the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack happen. I think he's a slept on third-party, and I don't think I'm crazy to predict him. That being said, the character has a notable hate-base, and Minecraft isn't quite the titan it used to be. (Certainty Moderately Low)

*I'm hesitant to say who the next third party characters will be, and I expect to be wrong. My guess on how many we'll see is three, but I could be wrong on that as well.

Ice Climbers: I mean, the only reason they weren't in Sm4sh to begin with was the 3DS. (Certainty: Highest)

Wolf: Very popular, a veteran, and easy to bring back. (Certainty: High)

Spring Man: I know, I know, let me explain why I have him as DLC. While Rex is also extremely new, he has the benefit of coming from a series that was well-established and close to Sakurai's heart. ARMS does not have that, and there was no way for Sakurai to know ahead of time that ARMS, or even the Switch for that matter, would be such a success. I think he has seen the demand for an ARMS character, and I think it will happen in time, but I'm leaning towards seeing him as the Mewtwo of this Smash, the first DLC character released. That said, I could be wrong, and I could see him making the base roster as well.

Xenoblade gets 2 newcomers but AC and Wario don't even get one?
Solid roster I guess, but none of the newcomers interest me besides Inklings. Wouldn't really say a niche series like Xenoblade warrants 2 unique newcomers either.

 

[N3ON]

You guys should check the reasoning, Funky is a clone on his roster. And frankly, including a clone or two probably makes the roster more realistic.

I do agree about Xenoblade though.

 

[Smashoperatingbuddy123]

Would anyone care to criticize my roster?

Spoiler: Roster

Spoiler: Reasoning

Newcomers: Captain Toad, Dixie Kong, Funky Kong (clone), Daitoryo, Takamaru, Sylux, Bandana Dee, Decidueye, Alph (clone), Elma, Rex, Inkling, Bomberman, Rayman, Steve (13 plus 2 clones)
Returning: Ice Climbers, Wolf (2)

Captain Toad: A fairly popular and extremely recognizable character who has appeared in all of the last three mainline Mario games. Not only that, he's the star of his own game now, which is set to appear on not one, but three Nintendo consoles. He is the newcomer I'm most confident in predicting. (Certainty High)

Dixie Kong: A popular character from a popular franchise that everyone seems to want a newcomer for. Given Tropical Freeze's re-release on the Switch, I think it's fair to say that I expect her. (Certainty High)

Funky Kong: Hear me out. Every game has had clones, and I don't expect that to change with Smash Switch. Given Funky Kong's newest appearance as one of Tropical Freeze's five playable characters, he might just be in the perfect scenario to be considered for the last-minute clone treatment. I could see him being a less grab-oriented DK with better aerial movement and juggling. (Certainty Low)

Daitoryo: I do not believe that I'm crazy in seeing a pattern of retro and historical characters. Each game since Melee has included one throwback "retro" character (Ice Climbers, Pit, Little Mac) and one character that highlights something about Nintendo's history (Mr. Game and Watch, R.O.B., Duck Hunt). If this pattern continues, I believe that the stylized depiction of Napoleon from Nintendo's "President" style Hanafuda cards is a great choice. That said, I did not see Duck Hunt as a potential historical character at first despite the game's origins as an early arcade game and its significance to the NES's success, so I fully admit that I could be wrong. Consider him something of a placeholder for the history character. (Certainty Low)

Takamaru: Ever since his appearance as an assist trophy, we've been keeping an eye on Takamaru for this next game. Given that his game was released overseas (finally), and given that Hideki Kamiya has acknowledged that he would be interested in working with the Murasame Castle franchise, I could see Sakurai picking him. That said, he's not the only contender for a retro spot, and we're not guaranteed a retro in the first place. (Certainty Moderate)

Sylux: The Metroid series is seeing a significant amount of attention, and Sylux is the villain candidate who seems most probable given Sakurai's stance on Ridley. I fully expect Sylux to play a significant role in Metroid Prime 4, and it seems to be the perfect chance for the character. That said, he hasn't had a huge role yet, and it could be a bit too early for him. Further, a Metroid character, while a popular choice, is not a guarantee, and there's always the possibility of Sakurai coming back to Ridley again. (Certainty Moderate)

Bandana Dee: The Kirby series has done very well recently, and Bandana Dee has been very consistently appeared as the fourth playable character or in support roles. And remember, the Kirby series has had a main series release every year since 2014. He has very little going against him. If he's not in, it's because the Kirby series isn't getting a newcomer for some reason. (Certainty High)

Decidueye: Admittedly something of a placeholder, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see this very popular starter in the next Smash. A flying grass-type archer, it has plenty of moveset potential, and it's been the poster boy of this gen. That said, it has a lot of competition from within its own series, and it could be passed over in favor of a newer Pokemon. (Certainty Moderate)

Alph: An off-the-wall pick from me, but I could very easily see Sakurai revisiting the idea of making Alph a clone who uses shield-breaking Rock Pikmin. And, again, clones don't take much development time, and I expect us to have a couple. (Certainty Low)

Elma: A unique, popular character from one of Nintendo's newest series, I could definitely see Elma making it into the next Smash Bros. Her game is likely to receive both a sequel and a port in due time (XCX ended on a cliffhanger), and her game was one of the best received on the Wii U. That said, she faces the distinct possibility of being shafted in favor of Rex instead of being added alongside him. However, I'm leaning towards both of them being included, especially since Elma arguably represents an entirely different series from Shulk and Rex. (Certainty Moderate)

Rex: While I'm unsure whether Rex will fight alongside Pyra or with Pyra in the background, I'm pretty sure he's on Smash's radar. That said, he does share many traits with Shulk, namely in his swordfighting style, and he faces very real competition from Elma, who could potentially be added before him. If he is passed over in favor of Elma, I expect him as DLC. (Certainty Moderate)

Inkling: Duh.

*Bomberman: Definitely the third party I'm least certain of on my prediction roster, but he's still undeniably iconic, popular, and requested. Given that he had a launch title on the Switch, I can see him happening. (Certainty Low)

*Rayman: While I'm not certain on him by any means, I think it goes without saying that Ubisoft has been very close to Nintendo. He's probably the most likely new third party, if you ask me. (Certainty Moderately Low)

*Steve: I've stated my case for him before; he's iconic, his game is the second best selling of all time, he's had a release on the past three Nintendo consoles, and Nintendo is willing enough to talk with Microsoft historically to let the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack happen. I think he's a slept on third-party, and I don't think I'm crazy to predict him. That being said, the character has a notable hate-base, and Minecraft isn't quite the titan it used to be. (Certainty Moderately Low)

*I'm hesitant to say who the next third party characters will be, and I expect to be wrong. My guess on how many we'll see is three, but I could be wrong on that as well.

Ice Climbers: I mean, the only reason they weren't in Sm4sh to begin with was the 3DS. (Certainty: Highest)

Wolf: Very popular, a veteran, and easy to bring back. (Certainty: High)

Spring Man: I know, I know, let me explain why I have him as DLC. While Rex is also extremely new, he has the benefit of coming from a series that was well-established and close to Sakurai's heart. ARMS does not have that, and there was no way for Sakurai to know ahead of time that ARMS, or even the Switch for that matter, would be such a success. I think he has seen the demand for an ARMS character, and I think it will happen in time, but I'm leaning towards seeing him as the Mewtwo of this Smash, the first DLC character released. That said, I could be wrong, and I could see him making the base roster as well.

Sigh a lot of you people still doubts king k rool especially since his chances are even better than before

The ballot and the mii costume (your all forgetting the mii costume brought him to relevance again.)

It shows sakurai is acknowledging king k rool


For for other stuff

Crash bandicoot got a shoot the moon size boost in possibility for a third party slot since he's relevant in Nintendo again from the trilogy being confirmed for the switch

Sylux yea I agree with sylux despite what people say and sakurai may actually know what's going to happen in metroid prime 4 particularly if sylux is in the game or not if he's the main

Never heard of daitoryo but you just clarified he's the retro wtf character best I got for that is Mach rider since his music is used in the games but this could really be anybody

A gen 7 Pokémon I would be udderly shock if we didn't it's either decidueye or a ultra beast

 

[Deleted member]

You guys should check the reasoning, Funky is a clone on his roster. And frankly, including a clone or two probably makes the roster more realistic.

I disagree with the idea that Funky should be a clone, but there is one thing about it that I can't help but love.

His version of the Giant Punch would be the "Funky Punch".

 

[TheLastJinjo]

DK and Xenoblade get 2 newcomers but AC and Wario don't even get one?

Do we really have to go over this again?

 

[DJ3DS]

Any actual guesses of which characters we've seen in the shadows besides the obvious DK, Bowser and Pit?

This seems to have been buried, but I think people have manipulated the images to improve contrast etc:

I've no idea as to what went into this, but going from this alone, from left to right:

Yoshi, Pit, DK, Peach, Ness, Marth, Mario, Link, Sheik, Pikachu, Samus, Kirby, Zelda, Bowser, Fox, Falcon, Wario.

 

[TheLastJinjo]

This seems to have been buried, but I think people have manipulated the images to improve contrast etc:

I've no idea as to what went into this, but going from this alone, from left to right:

Yoshi, Pit, DK, Peach, Ness, Marth, Mario, Link, Sheik, Pikachu, Samus, Kirby, Zelda, Bowser, Fox, Falcon, Wario.

This is not a manipulated picture from the trailer. This picture was drawn from scratch. I just wanna clarify that.

 

[Bradli Wartooth]

'd

 

[Luminario]

Do we really have to go over this again?

I live for the drama.

 

[DGAMER]

To respond to questions as to why Zelda will probably be in TP form instead of BOTW form, I have my reasons.

Spoiler: In depth Reasons

1. BOTW Zelda doesn't have enough moveset potential. To me, while I haven't played BOTW, I do understand that Zelda never really demonstrated whether or not she could fight. She could use the Champions, but I would much rather prefer to have Link get reworked with the Champions abilities he gets, or have Champions as playable characters. I am aware after reading the thread that OT Zelda also never demonstrated her Ability to fight, but Zelda is capable of fighting, as in TP, it is shown that she knows how to use a bow and arrow, and fire Light Arrows. The issue is that it is her Final Smash, and doesn't contibute to her main set.

2. I would like my Zelda representation to be divided by eras of the game. To me, BOTW's achievements will probably mark the start of a new era for Zelda games, so it makes sense the main star of the franchise should shift to a BOTW incarnation that is up to date (That moveset of Link is 4 games old). The issue I would have is if previous achievements of the Zelda franchise are overlooked by this game. So I split up my Representation to evenly accommodate some of the Zelda Games. Zelda represents TP, Sheik represents OT, Toon Link and Tetra represent the WW series of games, and Link and the BOTW newcomer represents BOTW. The only outlier is Ganondorf, who while I don't have any idea what game he could represent, I belive he should incorporate all of his abilities from all the games. (Kinda how he turns out to be the main bad guy in every zelda game.) The only other question is why would BOTW and WW have more reps than the other games. To me, those Zelda reps aren't that strict and can easily be exchanged. You could have any combination of two new Zelda Reps, as long as we have at least 1 rep that gives representation to TP, OT, BOTW, and WW. (As for why I chose that combination of newcomers, I'm still not sold on having Link replace all of his specials with Champion abilities, so a BOTW champion could easily be slipped in because of recent popularity. Tetra can have a lot more moveset potential, and unlike Toon Link, who currently is a clone of Link, Tetra can have a diverse moveset that can't be a clone of Zelda.)

Fast Version- TP Zelda, BOTW Link, OT Sheik, WW Toon Link, Ganondorf, and two more Zelda reps. This to me is pretty much perfect Zelda representation in Smash 5. Zelda more than deserves 7 Reps. It should be on par with Mario and Pokemon in terms of representation, and I believe this is the way to go.

 

[Bowserlick]

Zelda revamp with Champion Spirit specials and guardian dragon-form magic energy attacks.

Make sure that Zelda is better than Rosalina w/o Luma.

 

[Reality_Ciak]

Daitoryo is the guy on the cover of Nintendo's old Hanafuda boxes, modeled after Napoleon Bonaparte.

Are there any proposed movesets for such a character?

Because I'm picturing an amalgamation of Napoleon and Marvel's Gambit.

Which sounds like a magical, card throwing pompous, halfling; and I kind of love it. Seems very interesting and very unlikely.
------
As far as the silhouettes go, can anyone conclusively say whether they are facing the flames or the Inklings?

 

[Bradli Wartooth]

To respond to questions as to why Zelda will probably be in TP form instead of BOTW form, I have my reasons.

Spoiler: In depth Reasons

1. BOTW Zelda doesn't have enough moveset potential. To me, while I haven't played BOTW, I do understand that Zelda never really demonstrated whether or not she could fight. She could use the Champions, but I would much rather prefer to have Link get reworked with the Champions abilities he gets, or have Champions as playable characters. I am aware after reading the thread that OT Zelda also never demonstrated her Ability to fight, but Zelda is capable of fighting, as in TP, it is shown that she knows how to use a bow and arrow, and fire Light Arrows. The issue is that it is her Final Smash, and doesn't contibute to her main set.

2. I would like my Zelda representation to be divided by eras of the game. To me, BOTW's achievements will probably mark the start of a new era for Zelda games, so it makes sense the main star of the franchise should shift to a BOTW incarnation that is up to date (That moveset of Link is 4 games old). The issue I would have is if previous achievements of the Zelda franchise are overlooked by this game. So I split up my Representation to evenly accommodate some of the Zelda Games. Zelda represents TP, Sheik represents OT, Toon Link and Tetra represent the WW series of games, and Link and the BOTW newcomer represents BOTW. The only outlier is Ganondorf, who while I don't have any idea what game he could represent, I belive he should incorporate all of his abilities from all the games. (Kinda how he turns out to be the main bad guy in every zelda game.) The only other question is why would BOTW and WW have more reps than the other games. To me, those Zelda reps aren't that strict and can easily be exchanged. You could have any combination of two new Zelda Reps, as long as we have at least 1 rep that gives representation to TP, OT, BOTW, and WW. (As for why I chose that combination of newcomers, I'm still not sold on having Link replace all of his specials with Champion abilities, so a BOTW champion could easily be slipped in because of recent popularity. Tetra can have a lot more moveset potential, and unlike Toon Link, who currently is a clone of Link, Tetra can have a diverse moveset that can't be a clone of Zelda.)

Fast Version- TP Zelda, BOTW Link, OT Sheik, WW Toon Link, Ganondorf, and two more Zelda reps. This to me is pretty much perfect Zelda representation in Smash 5. Zelda more than deserves 7 Reps. It should be on par with Mario and Pokemon in terms of representation, and I believe this is the way to go.

"reps" don't exist, for the record. Yeah, representation is taken into account, buts its hardly the defining factor towards a character getting into the game. Zelda is well "represented" by having the holders of the triforce. Sheik came as a Zelda gimmick and Toon Link is part of a completely different branch of games.

 

[TheLastJinjo]

I live for the drama.

I was referring to your naive mentality that a series should get a character based on how "important" it is and that all of the series have to have a certain amount of characters compared to others by that arbitrary standard. It doesn't work like that.

There are games where Kirby gets two newcomers and Mario gets none. There are games where Kid Icarus has three characters and Donkey Kong has two. This doesn't happen because one series is more important than the other or because the director is biased. It's because the characters deemed worthy of adding, incidentally happened to be from that series.

If Dixie Kong gets added in Super Smash Bros for Nintendo Switch, Sakurai is not then obligated to pull a random WarioWare character for the sole purpose of making sure everyone gets their fair share of newcomers. He's not obligated to make sure Animal Crossing has three newcomers or Donkey Kong has six because Fire Emblem does. And I'm not sure why you're complaining "DK ,but no Wario" because by your own standards, Wario is not as popular as Donkey Kong so it's totally fine.

This shouldn't need to be explained.

 

[Diddy Kong]

This seems to have been buried, but I think people have manipulated the images to improve contrast etc:

I've no idea as to what went into this, but going from this alone, from left to right:

Yoshi, Pit, DK, Peach, Ness, Marth, Mario, Link, Sheik, Pikachu, Samus, Kirby, Zelda, Bowser, Fox, Falcon, Wario.

Seems reasonably likely yeah. Though I don't see how they would use TP Zelda again.

Sheik returning is also a bummer to me, but yeah, it's probably quite logical.

 

[TheLastJinjo]

Seems reasonably likely yeah. Though I don't see how they would use TP Zelda again.

Sheik returning is also a bummer to me, but yeah, it's probably quite logical.

This picture also depicts Fox prior to his design in Star Fox Zero. Like I said, it's just a fan drawing. Though I believe everyone in the picture is accurate, with the exception of their outdated designs.

 

[Bradli Wartooth]

This picture also depicts Fox prior to his design in Star Fox Zero. Like I said, it's just a fan drawing. Though I believe everyone in the picture is accurate, with the exception of their outdated designs.

Yeah I think the goal of the drawing was more to point out who exactly they were rather than what exactly they look like.

 

[DJ3DS]

This is not a manipulated picture from the trailer. This picture was drawn from scratch. I just wanna clarify that.

Apologies, I didn't realise - with there not being a single surprising character there I did not really look into it as hard as I perhaps should have.

 

[DGAMER]

I'm aware that representation is not the deciding factor in terms of characters getting into the game. To me, I belive that Smash representation is probably going to be a growing factor, as fans of the series will probably become more loud in terms of their representation.

It makes sense for the dev team to add characters that give franchises representation, especially if the franchise has few characters.

DK has had 2 reps so far. Fan demand has asked for a third in the form of King K Rool or Dixie. Does DK deserve more reps? In my opinion, after the high quality and reception of the DKC Returns games, I wouldn't mind. Who has the potential to be a character. King K Rool has more potential than Dixie in my opinion, so naturally, I would give that third slot to King K Rool.

Choosing a character should be from making sure the roster represents all parts of Nintendo history equally, and then check and see if there is something worth giving it to. For example, AC is a franchise that has contributed significantly to Nintendo history, yet I never would have even thought how Villager could have worked in Smash. Giving AC a second rep seems kinda pushing it as it is already a miracle Sakurai made the character work. In my opinion, one of the only reasons as to why Ridley will never be in Smash is because they would be unable to have a moveset that properly plays like the character. I'm positive Nintendo would love to give Metroid more character slots, but so far, only Samus has obtained both the moveset potential and franchise importance to Nintendo.

Characters should be chosen by both moveset potential, and importance of franchise to Nintendo.

 

[Curious Villager]

Yeah I think the goal of the drawing was more to point out who exactly they were rather than what exactly they look like.

Also the fact that none of BotW Zelda's outfits are available within BotW's code (other than her prayer outfit) to be used for public use probably meant they couldn't make a fully accurate recreation of the silhuettes anyway, at least not quickly. Like you said though, it was more to point out who they are rather than what they look like.

 

[Diddy Kong]

To respond to questions as to why Zelda will probably be in TP form instead of BOTW form, I have my reasons.

Spoiler: In depth Reasons

1. BOTW Zelda doesn't have enough moveset potential. To me, while I haven't played BOTW, I do understand that Zelda never really demonstrated whether or not she could fight. She could use the Champions, but I would much rather prefer to have Link get reworked with the Champions abilities he gets, or have Champions as playable characters. I am aware after reading the thread that OT Zelda also never demonstrated her Ability to fight, but Zelda is capable of fighting, as in TP, it is shown that she knows how to use a bow and arrow, and fire Light Arrows. The issue is that it is her Final Smash, and doesn't contibute to her main set.

2. I would like my Zelda representation to be divided by eras of the game. To me, BOTW's achievements will probably mark the start of a new era for Zelda games, so it makes sense the main star of the franchise should shift to a BOTW incarnation that is up to date (That moveset of Link is 4 games old). The issue I would have is if previous achievements of the Zelda franchise are overlooked by this game. So I split up my Representation to evenly accommodate some of the Zelda Games. Zelda represents TP, Sheik represents OT, Toon Link and Tetra represent the WW series of games, and Link and the BOTW newcomer represents BOTW. The only outlier is Ganondorf, who while I don't have any idea what game he could represent, I belive he should incorporate all of his abilities from all the games. (Kinda how he turns out to be the main bad guy in every zelda game.) The only other question is why would BOTW and WW have more reps than the other games. To me, those Zelda reps aren't that strict and can easily be exchanged. You could have any combination of two new Zelda Reps, as long as we have at least 1 rep that gives representation to TP, OT, BOTW, and WW. (As for why I chose that combination of newcomers, I'm still not sold on having Link replace all of his specials with Champion abilities, so a BOTW champion could easily be slipped in because of recent popularity. Tetra can have a lot more moveset potential, and unlike Toon Link, who currently is a clone of Link, Tetra can have a diverse moveset that can't be a clone of Zelda.)

Fast Version- TP Zelda, BOTW Link, OT Sheik, WW Toon Link, Ganondorf, and two more Zelda reps. This to me is pretty much perfect Zelda representation in Smash 5. Zelda more than deserves 7 Reps. It should be on par with Mario and Pokemon in terms of representation, and I believe this is the way to go.

Aw quit that ish.

Yes indeed, you said so yourself: Ocarina of Time Zelda also never had demostrated any combat abilities. The only thing she ever did which was in Smash Bros., is firing Light Arrows and in Ocarina of Time's only case; use the name Sheik to wrap up a disguise to hide from Ganondorf. Yes, Sheik also never fights in that game.

BOTW Zelda has exactly the same stuff to work with, which is basically NOTHING. Yet, she proofs to be very powerful nonetheless in cutscenes. And she has been shown to use a Sheikah Slate, which would allow her to use a few of Link's abilities from them with ease.

The Zelda roster is gonna be of mixed designs, but I would say it's extremely logical that at the very least Link and Zelda are gonna share their origin. Wouldn't make much sense if they didn't.

 

[TheLastJinjo]

I have my wonders about Paper Mario. There's a lot to take into consideration.

1. He's had a lot of games this last era. Paper Mario: Sticker Star, Paper Mario: Color Splash, and Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. It's a modern Nintendo IP that's been going on for a while now so he's one of the most relevant candidates.
2. There was the Smash Ballot back in 2016 and this game might take a bigger focus on requested characters.

On the other hand, there were two Mario newcomers last game. Mario is well represented, and while that doesn't invalidate more Mario newcomers this game, it makes it less of a necessity. Captain Toad and Paper Mario however, are well earned candidates.

I wouldn't mind if there was a bigger focus on his portrayal in Color Splash and Paper Jam though. Surely there will be references to the first two games, but Paper Mario should take advantage of the very thing that makes him unique from other fighters which is that he is made of paper. One of the most interesting abilities is the ability to stack, allowing you to take more hits or even multiply.

Being a stackcould actually be a constant trait. The shorter the stacks get, the lighter and easier to launch he is. Having only one paper mario left in the stack, he could be easier to launch than Jigglypuff.

 

[Scoliosis Jones]

I was thinking about this for a little bit today, but I wanted to go for one of the most convincing arguments that this Smash is "a new game".



The logo that appeared during the Direct was, to some, an instant alarm that this was a brand new game. I'm skeptical myself, and I personally think it'll be closer to a new game than a port, but a port nonetheless.

Yes, this is not a logo used before in a Smash Bros. game, that much is clear. There are clear "Smash Bros." lines through the title. But there's something missing from the title...THE SUBTITLE.

Now, I don't know about any of you but I doubt this game is only going to be called "Super Smash Bros." I highly doubt that. It will be called Super Smash Bros. 6, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Switch, or Super Smash Bros. [insert name like Melee or Brawl here]. Those are the most probable options.

Basically, there's no way to tell if this is for a completely new game or not because the logo itself is not final. For all we know, there could be some fancy new title that will eventually slide in underneath that effectively makes it a port or something.

Take the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Logo for example.

It's quite similar to the original, save for the word "Deluxe" and the rainbow tints to it. There are differences added, but it's not extremely different.

I also understand that Wii U and 3DS had flames coming off the end, and had different colors. But this game was just revealed. At E3, I suspect we'll get more details on content as well as the title. For all we know, that logo further up isn't final and might look completely different. It's basically like a "working title" for for a logo.

Food for thought is all. What do you think?

 

[Luminario]

To respond to questions as to why Zelda will probably be in TP form instead of BOTW form, I have my reasons.

Spoiler: In depth Reasons

1. BOTW Zelda doesn't have enough moveset potential. To me, while I haven't played BOTW, I do understand that Zelda never really demonstrated whether or not she could fight. She could use the Champions, but I would much rather prefer to have Link get reworked with the Champions abilities he gets, or have Champions as playable characters. I am aware after reading the thread that OT Zelda also never demonstrated her Ability to fight, but Zelda is capable of fighting, as in TP, it is shown that she knows how to use a bow and arrow, and fire Light Arrows. The issue is that it is her Final Smash, and doesn't contibute to her main set.

2. I would like my Zelda representation to be divided by eras of the game. To me, BOTW's achievements will probably mark the start of a new era for Zelda games, so it makes sense the main star of the franchise should shift to a BOTW incarnation that is up to date (That moveset of Link is 4 games old). The issue I would have is if previous achievements of the Zelda franchise are overlooked by this game. So I split up my Representation to evenly accommodate some of the Zelda Games. Zelda represents TP, Sheik represents OT, Toon Link and Tetra represent the WW series of games, and Link and the BOTW newcomer represents BOTW. The only outlier is Ganondorf, who while I don't have any idea what game he could represent, I belive he should incorporate all of his abilities from all the games. (Kinda how he turns out to be the main bad guy in every zelda game.) The only other question is why would BOTW and WW have more reps than the other games. To me, those Zelda reps aren't that strict and can easily be exchanged. You could have any combination of two new Zelda Reps, as long as we have at least 1 rep that gives representation to TP, OT, BOTW, and WW. (As for why I chose that combination of newcomers, I'm still not sold on having Link replace all of his specials with Champion abilities, so a BOTW champion could easily be slipped in because of recent popularity. Tetra can have a lot more moveset potential, and unlike Toon Link, who currently is a clone of Link, Tetra can have a diverse moveset that can't be a clone of Zelda.)

Fast Version- TP Zelda, BOTW Link, OT Sheik, WW Toon Link, Ganondorf, and two more Zelda reps. This to me is pretty much perfect Zelda representation in Smash 5. Zelda more than deserves 7 Reps. It should be on par with Mario and Pokemon in terms of representation, and I believe this is the way to go.

Aren't these more along the lines of reasons you want Zelda to be in her TP design instead of why it's probable?
A few people have said that BotW Zelda can't really fight but did y'all miss the scenes where she put up her hand and radiated a shockwave of intense magical energy? Seems pretty Smash worthy to me.
BotW Zelda design is extremely popular right now, so I can't see them splitting up the set for cosmetic representation of the different games of the series.

I was referring to your naive mentality that a series should get a character based on how "important" it is and that all of the series have to have a certain amount of characters compared to others by that arbitrary standard. It doesn't work like that.

There are games where Kirby gets two newcomers and Mario gets none. There are games where Kid Icarus has three characters and Donkey Kong has two. This doesn't happen because one series is more important than the other or because the director is biased. It's because the characters deemed worthy of adding, incidentally happened to be from that series.

If Dixie Kong gets added in Super Smash Bros for Nintendo Switch, Sakurai is not then obligated to pull a random WarioWare character for the sole purpose of making sure everyone gets their fair share of newcomers. He's not obligated to make sure Animal Crossing has three newcomers or Donkey Kong has six because Fire Emblem does. And I'm not sure why you're complaining "DK ,but no Wario" because by your own standards, Wario is not as popular as Donkey Kong so it's totally fine.

This shouldn't need to be explained.

Well I'm still a dumb naive *****, this stuff needs to be explained.
Also bias does sometimes affect things. Didn't I say this to you before? That Sakurai is just a man, with ego and bias and all the other little things that make us all human?
I removed DK from the post anyway, though I still don't think 2 Xenoblade characters should have priority over other potential characters. But that's just my biased opinion on the matter~ Sakurai could add both Elma and Rex, or he could add one, he has as much of a right to add them both as I have the right to think it's a terrible idea.

 

[Diddy Kong]

Would anyone care to criticize my roster?

Spoiler: Roster

Spoiler: Reasoning

Newcomers: Captain Toad, Dixie Kong, Funky Kong (clone), Daitoryo, Takamaru, Sylux, Bandana Dee, Decidueye, Alph (clone), Elma, Rex, Inkling, Bomberman, Rayman, Steve (13 plus 2 clones)
Returning: Ice Climbers, Wolf (2)

Captain Toad: A fairly popular and extremely recognizable character who has appeared in all of the last three mainline Mario games. Not only that, he's the star of his own game now, which is set to appear on not one, but three Nintendo consoles. He is the newcomer I'm most confident in predicting. (Certainty High)

Dixie Kong: A popular character from a popular franchise that everyone seems to want a newcomer for. Given Tropical Freeze's re-release on the Switch, I think it's fair to say that I expect her. (Certainty High)

Funky Kong: Hear me out. Every game has had clones, and I don't expect that to change with Smash Switch. Given Funky Kong's newest appearance as one of Tropical Freeze's five playable characters, he might just be in the perfect scenario to be considered for the last-minute clone treatment. I could see him being a less grab-oriented DK with better aerial movement and juggling. (Certainty Low)

Daitoryo: I do not believe that I'm crazy in seeing a pattern of retro and historical characters. Each game since Melee has included one throwback "retro" character (Ice Climbers, Pit, Little Mac) and one character that highlights something about Nintendo's history (Mr. Game and Watch, R.O.B., Duck Hunt). If this pattern continues, I believe that the stylized depiction of Napoleon from Nintendo's "President" style Hanafuda cards is a great choice. That said, I did not see Duck Hunt as a potential historical character at first despite the game's origins as an early arcade game and its significance to the NES's success, so I fully admit that I could be wrong. Consider him something of a placeholder for the history character. (Certainty Low)

Takamaru: Ever since his appearance as an assist trophy, we've been keeping an eye on Takamaru for this next game. Given that his game was released overseas (finally), and given that Hideki Kamiya has acknowledged that he would be interested in working with the Murasame Castle franchise, I could see Sakurai picking him. That said, he's not the only contender for a retro spot, and we're not guaranteed a retro in the first place. (Certainty Moderate)

Sylux: The Metroid series is seeing a significant amount of attention, and Sylux is the villain candidate who seems most probable given Sakurai's stance on Ridley. I fully expect Sylux to play a significant role in Metroid Prime 4, and it seems to be the perfect chance for the character. That said, he hasn't had a huge role yet, and it could be a bit too early for him. Further, a Metroid character, while a popular choice, is not a guarantee, and there's always the possibility of Sakurai coming back to Ridley again. (Certainty Moderate)

Bandana Dee: The Kirby series has done very well recently, and Bandana Dee has been very consistently appeared as the fourth playable character or in support roles. And remember, the Kirby series has had a main series release every year since 2014. He has very little going against him. If he's not in, it's because the Kirby series isn't getting a newcomer for some reason. (Certainty High)

Decidueye: Admittedly something of a placeholder, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see this very popular starter in the next Smash. A flying grass-type archer, it has plenty of moveset potential, and it's been the poster boy of this gen. That said, it has a lot of competition from within its own series, and it could be passed over in favor of a newer Pokemon. (Certainty Moderate)

Alph: An off-the-wall pick from me, but I could very easily see Sakurai revisiting the idea of making Alph a clone who uses shield-breaking Rock Pikmin. And, again, clones don't take much development time, and I expect us to have a couple. (Certainty Low)

Elma: A unique, popular character from one of Nintendo's newest series, I could definitely see Elma making it into the next Smash Bros. Her game is likely to receive both a sequel and a port in due time (XCX ended on a cliffhanger), and her game was one of the best received on the Wii U. That said, she faces the distinct possibility of being shafted in favor of Rex instead of being added alongside him. However, I'm leaning towards both of them being included, especially since Elma arguably represents an entirely different series from Shulk and Rex. (Certainty Moderate)

Rex: While I'm unsure whether Rex will fight alongside Pyra or with Pyra in the background, I'm pretty sure he's on Smash's radar. That said, he does share many traits with Shulk, namely in his swordfighting style, and he faces very real competition from Elma, who could potentially be added before him. If he is passed over in favor of Elma, I expect him as DLC. (Certainty Moderate)

Inkling: Duh.

*Bomberman: Definitely the third party I'm least certain of on my prediction roster, but he's still undeniably iconic, popular, and requested. Given that he had a launch title on the Switch, I can see him happening. (Certainty Low)

*Rayman: While I'm not certain on him by any means, I think it goes without saying that Ubisoft has been very close to Nintendo. He's probably the most likely new third party, if you ask me. (Certainty Moderately Low)

*Steve: I've stated my case for him before; he's iconic, his game is the second best selling of all time, he's had a release on the past three Nintendo consoles, and Nintendo is willing enough to talk with Microsoft historically to let the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack happen. I think he's a slept on third-party, and I don't think I'm crazy to predict him. That being said, the character has a notable hate-base, and Minecraft isn't quite the titan it used to be. (Certainty Moderately Low)

*I'm hesitant to say who the next third party characters will be, and I expect to be wrong. My guess on how many we'll see is three, but I could be wrong on that as well.

Ice Climbers: I mean, the only reason they weren't in Sm4sh to begin with was the 3DS. (Certainty: Highest)

Wolf: Very popular, a veteran, and easy to bring back. (Certainty: High)

Spring Man: I know, I know, let me explain why I have him as DLC. While Rex is also extremely new, he has the benefit of coming from a series that was well-established and close to Sakurai's heart. ARMS does not have that, and there was no way for Sakurai to know ahead of time that ARMS, or even the Switch for that matter, would be such a success. I think he has seen the demand for an ARMS character, and I think it will happen in time, but I'm leaning towards seeing him as the Mewtwo of this Smash, the first DLC character released. That said, I could be wrong, and I could see him making the base roster as well.

Yes.

There's some great stuff in it, and some bad stuff.

Great:

+ 2 DKC newcomers. Yes I do want King K.Rool, but I also wouldn't be mad if this was the final outcome
+ Not cutting Fire Emblem characters
+ Wolf returning
+ Sylux as the token Metroid newcomer, cause Prime 4 is gonna happen and all that
+ Toad finally joining the battle, be it as Captain, I don't care
+ Keeping Lucas

Bad stuff:

- Steve : Am NOT feeling this addition AT ALL! Too forced, too much based on marketing and monetary gain. Just no.
- 2 XenoBlade newcomers : I just don't think it's warranted
- Eww the Mii's are back

Other stuff which is new am very much neutral against. Bandana Dee is cute, but doesn't excite me too much. And I really don't care for the Ice Climbers either honestly. Alph as his own character is still a good idea however, but I don't care for the character itself at all.

Overall... I think I'd give it a 6.5/10 because you got at least the DKC representation stuff right. It's just overall not my taste, but the flavoring makes it better.