Unpopular Smash Opinions (BE CIVIL)

[RileyXY1]

When it comes to new Mother/Earthbound reps, I'm a heavy Ninten supporter. It would be really cool to have all three boys together.

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

While working on my 1000-character 1P roster (which is now abandoned), I realised that the Natural Killer Cyborg actually has a lot going for it. Kinda the same thing as Heavily Armoured Porky, both in terms of what it represents from the series and how it'd play, but with less uhh... baggage. Plus, while Smash has its share of robots, all of them have been somewhat sapient, while the Natural Killer Cyborg is a cold, unfeeling machine, which I think would be a really fun "personality" to take control of.

Still prefer Master Belch or a non-PSI party member though.

 

[Louie G.]

When it comes to new Mother/Earthbound reps, I'm a heavy Ninten supporter. It would be really cool to have all three boys together.

I love the Mother series, but the idea of these three being together does nothing for me. I can't really bring myself not to see Ninten as proto-Ness, and to recognize that most of the design quirks that differentiate him are either super subtle or made up.

Obviously if he's just an echo fighter or something it's whatever, he's not getting in the way of anyone else, but as far as idealistic next steps for the Mother series go the answer is obviously Porky to give both Ness and Lucas their rival. As far as lesser discussed options go though, Flint or Duster would be neat. I'm actually a little bummed Duster wasn't an AT like Jeff to round out the core Mother 3 crew since Kumatora and Boney appear in Lucas' Final Smash.

Although realistically, if anything, we're lucky if we even maintain Lucas next time around. We can dream I suppose.

 

[fogbadge]

Jeff anyone?

 

[RileyXY1]

I love the Mother series, but the idea of these three being together does nothing for me. I can't really bring myself not to see Ninten as proto-Ness, and to recognize that most of the design quirks that differentiate him are either super subtle or made up.

Obviously if he's just an echo fighter or something it's whatever, he's not getting in the way of anyone else, but as far as idealistic next steps for the Mother series go the answer is obviously Porky to give both Ness and Lucas their rival. As far as lesser discussed options go though, Flint or Duster would be neat. I'm actually a little bummed Duster wasn't an AT like Jeff to round out the core Mother 3 crew since Kumatora and Boney appear in Lucas' Final Smash.

Although realistically, if anything, we're lucky if we even maintain Lucas next time around. We can dream I suppose.

There is quite a bit to make Ninten stand out from Ness. For one there's a lot of PSI moves that were only in the first game that did not return in the sequels, including 4th-D-Slip, PK Beam, and Brainshock, and PK Flash and PK Starstorm weren't in the first game at all. Notably, the first game didn't have yo-yos either. A YouTuber even made a moveset for him where they gave him a weapon for all his normals rather than just his Smash Attacks like the other PK boys do. I also want to see the first game get repped, because there's quite a bit of moveset potential there that isn't in the other two games.

 

[Champion of Hyrule]

If we get any character thats from a series represented in smash but debuted in a non video game adaptation of said series, it should be Mario-kun

 

[Mamboo07]

If we get any character thats from a series represented in smash but debuted in a non video game adaptation of said series, it should be Mario-kun

My choice for a rep like that would be the manga version of Kirby seen here:

(Would be accompanied by Cool Spook AKA his best buddy/friend)

 

[FazDude]

If we get any character thats from a series represented in smash but debuted in a non video game adaptation of said series, it should be Mario-kun

The Bluster Kong in question

 

[Champion of Hyrule]

The Bluster Kong in question

I do think there’s some merit to adding some pretty ridiculous characters like Bluster Kong or like I dunno scratch and grounder because of the importance of memes but the manga version of mario’s definitely got like way more influence

 

[FazDude]

I do think there’s some merit to adding some pretty ridiculous characters like Bluster Kong or like I dunno scratch and grounder because of the importance of memes but the manga version of mario’s definitely got like way more influence

Fair enough - I think Bluster would be a genuinely interesting moveset given his arrogance mixed with cowardice, but Mario-kun is pretty influential and could make for a fun moveset himself.

 

[Laniv]

Jessie and James have joined the conversation

 

[RileyXY1]

If we get any character thats from a series represented in smash but debuted in a non video game adaptation of said series, it should be Mario-kun

Technically Lucario fits this bill. He debuted in a movie.

 

[HyperSomari64]

Where are my Oogtar chads?

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

If we get any character thats from a series represented in smash but debuted in a non video game adaptation of said series, it should be Mario-kun

Do commercials count? Because a lot of the weird 90s Nintendo commercials have an argument for their inclusion, at least from a strictly moveset perspective.

 

[fogbadge]

Technically Lucario fits this bill. He debuted in a movie.

but was made for a video game

 

[Champion of Hyrule]

Do commercials count? Because a lot of the weird 90s Nintendo commercials have an argument for their inclusion, at least from a strictly moveset perspective.

To clarify my first post a little, if I had the choice between any character like I described I would probably choose someone like Bluster Kong or a commercial character (Wii Would Like to Play would probably be my first choice for that lol), or something similar because I think it would be fun to see them come back and there is some moveset potential. But most of that is just because I know there’s literally no chance they could be added otherwise, Mario-kun is the one I think is the most likely, has the biggest legacy, and I can justify the most in my mind and realistically he probably should be added over those others IMO.

Laniv Jessie and James are a great other pick honestly, I hadn’t considered them before. If we’re representing Team Rocket I would probably prefer Giovanni fighting with some of the pokemon he used but then again there’s plenty of Mario characters who should come before Mario-kun

RileyXY1 I mean I guess technically Lucario debuted in a movie but categorizing it that way feels kinda “lightning mcqueen is a video game character” logic to me

 

[PinkFlare]

Another unpopular opinion:

Solid Snake with a beard is still Solid Snake. He already had a stubble in 2, it's not really unreasonable for him to grow out facial hair, which is what I interpret as since Smash Snake seems to be from after 2 but before 4 in the timeline. Their face structures are also already similar in canon so I don't see the Smash model as a "hybrid", just Solid with very minor details in facial structure pulled from Big Boss. None of which matters because he is a clone already with striking similarities. The only peculiar aspect is that his C4 would sometimes resemble the Butterfly C3 which is historical to Naked Snake and not Solid, but that's the only point I give to the hybrid theory in that regard.

The argument can be made that he can't grow a full beard since we see differentiations in facial hair in 4 between Old Snake and Old Big Boss but I would write that off as negligible because Old Snake is not the design used in Smash.

(Also the Trophy/Spirits in Brawl and Ult. clearly show it's Solid Snake and not a variation of Big Boss).

What is weird is that his Stock Icon has his clean shaven MGS1 look when he doesn't even use that design in Smash

 

[Swamp Sensei]

I love Persona and think it should stay, but I think it's the luckiest third party to get included. It really relied on its timing and if Smash DLC was decided a year earlier or later, I think Joker wouldn't have been picked.

 

[Perkilator]

I honestly think when it comes to speculation, some of the Smash fanbase is more corporate than the higher-ups at Nintendo themselves.

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

It really annoys me how whenever Celebration-of-Gaming vs. Nintendo-All-Stars discourse pops up, everybody on both sides acts like "WTF" picks can only exist in the latter and not the prior. Nintendo aren't the only company that makes or distributes weird experimental games, if anything pre-TLOU Sony was way more of a cult classic factory than Nintendo has been in any point in its history. Even if we're go with the most-extreme scenario for a COGH where only the biggest of the big names can get in... is The Sims not one of the biggest of the big names? Tetris? Among Us? anything 70s Atari? a 3P mook like Motobug or the Doom Pinky?

 

[LiveStudioAudience]

Smash is under no obligation to be a "Celebration of Gaming" but if that is a concept that it's sold on, then maybe more than fighters, there should be levels embodying that. There are loads incredibly famous titles all throughout the history of the hobby that could serve as great settings for levels. Famous non-Nintendo arcade releases alone could fill up a Smash stage selection.

 

[Perkilator]

Smash is under no obligation to be a "Celebration of Gaming" but if that is a concept that it's sold on, then maybe more than fighters, there should be levels embodying that. There are loads incredibly famous titles all throughout the history of the hobby that could serve as great settings for levels. Famous non-Nintendo arcade releases alone could fill up a Smash stage selection.

Same should be said for Spirits, songs and Assist Trophies. There are a few examples in this regard but I think the base game of SSBU should’ve gone deeper in having non-playable content from the represented 3rd party companies.

 

[Mamboo07]

Famous non-Nintendo arcade releases alone could fill up a Smash stage selection.

For example, a stage representing Tetris.

 

[RealLuigisWearPink]

Absolutely should be Space Invaders content of some sort-an AT?

 

[Mamboo07]

Absolutely should be Space Invaders content of some sort-an AT?

Having them as a fighter would be interesting.

Fighters with unique body shapes/appearances bring lots of moveset potential.

 

[Louie G.]

Same should be said for Spirits, songs and Assist Trophies. There are a few examples in this regard but I think the base game of SSBU should’ve gone deeper in having non-playable content from the represented 3rd party companies.

Monster Hunter should have gotten more than just Rathalos, I really think a stage would have been great. Feel like that probably would have happened under less time constraints, since so much effort went into bringing back old stages vs developing new ones. Monster Hunter could be added as a fighter next game, but I think giving it the Brawl "Animal Crossing treatment" would suit it well enough.

In general I'd love to see other series that, for whatever reason, can't get a playable character given everything else that it can. I wish Rhythm Heaven got added back in Smash 4 but I'd have taken a stage and more music in a heartbeat. And then the aforementioned series like Tetris and Space Invaders, those ABSOLUTELY have earned a bigger celebration in Smash but I don't think either one lends itself very well to a fighter. ATs and/or stages feel like a must at this point... Space Invaders would even make for a really fun boss battle, acting just like the original game except you either attack from below or toss up items to blow them all up before they reach you. Plenty of fun stuff you can do while paying these important series a proper homage, if that roster space isn't on the table.

 

[Louie G.]

Isabelle was as essential (and obvious) of an addition as Inkling in Ultimate and now is one of the most important characters on the roster. We'll likely never have to choose one or the other, but I would keep her over Villager in a heartbeat and I actually believe Nintendo would do the same if Sakurai asked.

Also, for me, the base roster newcomers blow the DLC passes out of the water in sheer consistency and personal value. It's a genuine masterclass in making the most out of limitation, choosing quite possibly the most efficient lineup of six characters I could think of. Balancing the biggest remaining Nintendo icons both old and new, including the most glaringly omitted legacy third party IP (Castlevania, duh), obligatory Pokemon is overwhelmingly fun and lovable. Ridley, K. Rool and Isabelle alone are worth more to me than practically every DLC third party.

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

I dunno why people dislike EMMI as a pick so much, of all the "post-launch-Switch-game-for-the-sake-of-post-launch-Switch-game" picks, it's tied with Dragaux for the most interesting IMO.

 

[Louie G.]

I dunno why people dislike EMMI as a pick so much, of all the "post-launch-Switch-game-for-the-sake-of-post-launch-Switch-game" picks, it's tied with Dragaux for the most interesting IMO.

Do people outright dislike it? I just see it neglected in favor of Raven Beak usually, which I understand because Raven Beak's boss battle provides more explicit and obvious moveset potential. At face value, you look at the two and it's obvious who is easier to make a moveset out of.

But personally, I prefer EMMI because of how unorthodox they would have to be. A quadruped robot who moves like some weird spider and would essentially be playing as a horror monster - I've seen people advocate for Pyramid Head or one of the Resident Evil antagonists, and this feels like it'd be Nintendo's own answer to that concept. I'd like to see how they emphasize moveset design around chasing down and cornering your opponents, and how creepy and strange they could make their animations. If Sakurai felt compelled to pull something from Dread, I kinda do believe we'd see something more like this than Raven Beak who is otherwise more of a standard kind of big bad boss that we've seen in Smash already. EMMI is moreso the kind of character that evokes something brand new that begs to be explored.

I guess the hot take piggybacking off of this though is that Metroid Dread, as much as I adore that game, is not going to be the kind of game that absolutely demands a new character unless Sakurai felt especially inspired. Otherwise I don't see why Metroid would get preferential treatment to bring in antagonists from a single game when Zelda and Kirby have never been granted that same privilege. I absolutely would not complain but I feel like Metroid is going to be regulated to Samus and Ridley, its two most consistent characters - and honestly that's fine with me too. As long as we get some cool new locations out of the new releases, you could make a really cool stage out of Dread and maybe with EMMI as a hazard.

 

[fogbadge]

I just really like the way the EMMI moved. And their design

 

[Mamboo07]

I dunno why people dislike EMMI as a pick so much

More like picking Raven Beak over it.

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

I don't mind 1Ps, and I don't mind the prospect of a 3P roster purge, It's really annoying how first party discussion is basically just a long string of

1. main protag of unrepped franchise
2. sidekick
3. villain
4. The Cool One™

from

1. late 90s
2. early 2000s
3. literally 5 seconds ago

I dunno, I wish Nintendo-side Smash fans were more willing to propose and entertain ideas that don't match a rigid speculatory pattern. Once you remove prediction from the equasion, there's nothing objective stopping Mad Jack or Bill Grey from being valid picks or putting Dixie and Krystal "above" them beyond personal opinion. Not saying everyone has to be shouting from the rooftops about Dr. Distorto or instantly condemn the idea of Toad, more just that we should abandon the ideas that "what is most sensical inherently = what is best" and "not likely = not worth the time talking about" for 1Ps, or at least expand the special treatment the rare Geno or Skull Kid gets to the more than just the cool silent types.

 

[fogbadge]

It occurred to me last night that both the Pokemon eiscue and the Zelda enemy darknut could have the same mechanic in smash

 

[FazDude]

Less of a hot take and more of a "nobody talks about this either way" take, but I don't really vibe with Marx's Ultimate model. The pink feels kinda off and having Marx's eyes not protude over the rim of his hat is cursed as all hell. The jester form goes hard, though.

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

World of Light is really weird from a tonal perspective. The CGI cutscenes are needlessly dark, falling into the same pitfalls that made Subspace so godawful, but the actual mode itself is really lighthearted, silly, whimsical, filled with tiny little references, and generally feels in line with what I'd personally want from a Smash story mode. It's a shame that WOL is - like many Nintendo creations - just summarised to "WOAH, EDGY KIDS' GAME!" based on the intro and bad endings alone, because honestly spirit battles and the WOL world map are one of the rare highlights for SSBU IMO, even as an Official Card-Carrying Ultimate Hater™. Wish they had just opened it with all the characters being trapped in cages or something instead.

 

[AlRex]

Everyone is Here 2 would not be great, Smash Ultimate Deluxe would not be great, and there’s a lot of dead weight going all the way back to Melee, if not Smash 64 outright, that could be dropped.

25-32 Nintendo VS 25-32 Third Parties, 8 Nintendo, 8 Sony, 8 Microsoft, and a bunch of others, or 50 - 64 Nintendo, with an emphasis on highlighting more new series rather than preexisting owould be my ideal next roster but I also recognize that would never happen in the slightest.

I really hope the single player is good and not tedious in the next game, or at least extra variety in modes in general. I get gradually less interested in just the VS mode by itself over time. I thought the Classic Modes in Ultimate were alright with the character specific stuff, but I wish some other mini-games were around more often than that race at the end to avoid the knock-off Crisis on Infinite Earths beam.

You know what? Make the next game’s collectibles be trading cards and add a simple card game to Smash that helps you earn more (no real money involved, please). Put Puzzle Fighter in Smash but with the Smash characters, too, sure. This is less unpopular opinion and more just ideas at this point, albeit ones that got goofy real quick.

 

[fogbadge]

everyone is here has already happened twice

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

This might be my Western nearsightedness speaking, but it is absolutely insane how long it took for Duck Hunt to get in Smash given how iconic the game, and in particular the dog, is. If you look at mainstream audiences and not just die hard Nintendo fans, it's probably in the top 10 or even 5 most well-known non-Mario/Pokemon Nintendo characters - even here in the UK where the NES didn't really take off until the TMHT bundle. Should've been there since 64.

 

[AlRex]

everyone is here has already happened twice

You know what, pretty clever of you, I commend you on that.

 

[Champion of Hyrule]

I don’t get wanting Andy Advance Wars in Smash because there are so many characters in the series that aren’t just “generic white boy protagonist” and can do basically exactly the same thing as him moveset wise since they can summon infantry too.