Today’s the day! The ever elusive final character reveal for the final Smash Pass of what could very well be the final Smash Bros. game!
While countless hopes and dreams have been dashed over the past year or so, many of us still cling to our favorite character plushies and other merch — anything to give us the slightest semblance of hope that they’ll make the cut. (Spyro the Dragon, anyone?)
In these precious last hours before the fated announcement, let’s take a look at who we'd love to see grace our screens for one last Smash hurrah.
The spectacle of a Smash character reveal
Nintendo has more than its fair share of fans around the world, so obviously any news from the makers of Mario is cause for excitement (case in point: any Nintendo Direct). But nothing truly builds hype more than a Smash roster reveal and seeing how many strings series creator Sakurai-san can pull to obtain all those incredible IPs.
We thought we’d seen it all when Final Fantasy VII’s Cloud Strife finally made his debut all the way back in Smash 4. But, since then, the number of crazy characters who have made their way to the all-star brawl has just been otherworldly. Minecraft Steve, Tekken’s Kazuya Mishima, Banjo-Kazooie — all of these characters that nobody thought could ever find a place in Smash finally received their invitation.
That all sets a pretty exciting precedent for this final reveal.
Given the stakes, no doubt today’s unveiling will be the most explosive one thus far. Recent leakers suggest someone from a third-party developer. Sure, it would be great to see Geno or Waluigi included, but that seems like nothing more than a pipe dream at this point.
So, who’s it going to be?
Here's our 5 most wanted!
#5: Masahiro Sakurai (Presents...Himself!)
For all the joy he has brought us over the years and the effort he has invested into making our dreams come true, we wouldn’t be at all averse to seeing Mr. Sakurai himself as a playable character in the gaming castle he built.
Sure, you can already “play” as him by making your own custom Mii, but that would pale in comparison to the real deal.
Though we’ve been racking our brains trying to think up appropriate moves and mannerisms for such a momentous addition to the Smash Bros. roster, one thing’s for sure: there’d be no greater stage for him than the Nintendo office room that he always presents new characters from!
#4: Rayman (Wreaks Hoodlum Havoc!)
Everyone’s favorite bouncy crusader made waves in 2018 when he entered indie platform fighter Brawlhalla in 2018 — a result of its creator Blue Mammoth Games joining Rayman developer Ubisoft at the time.
So while it may seem like a bit of a long shot, we’d love to see Rayman transition to what some might call the big leagues that is Nintendo’s playground.
Rayman has a plethora of unique skills and moves that could be lifted from any one of his equally numerous games. What sort of tricks would he have up his sleeve? Would the lack of limbs affect his hitboxes in any way? Would the Raving Rabbids help or hinder his participation?
All in all, you can’t deny the cultural impact that Rayman has had throughout multiple gaming generations. We think that alone is enough to afford him a spot in Smash Bros. Ultimate. What a treat it would be for classic and contemporary gamers alike!
#3: Dante ( Dances With Devils!)
We were torn between Devil May Cry’s Dante and NieR:Automata’s 2B on this one, as either hack-and-slasher would be an absolutely stellar inclusion on the Smash Bros. roster.
With the way Devil May Cry plays, though, Dante just has such a higher ceiling for combo potential. True blue combos that you as a player can link together — especially in reaction to your opponent’s movements — are the cornerstone of any Smash game, and Dante would have those in spades.
Compare that with the perceived cheesiness and the relative DI ease of Kazuya’s ten-hit combo, and it’s no wonder he received his fair share of criticism. You can’t simply learn a string of button inputs in Smash; you have to react to the DI of your opponent or their techs in any given situation.
That combo potential is the beauty of Smash — a beauty that Dante could encapsulate perfectly.
#2: Crash Bandicoot — “Spins to Win!”
Crash in Smash — it makes sense, and it rolls so well off the tongue too!
Fans have been campaigning for Crash to be in Smash Bros. for the longest time. Sakurai, an avid gamer himself, has been known to listen to the communityin the past (here’s looking at you, Ridley) — so all we can do is pray that the fun-loving bandicoot receives a coveted invitation.
Crash’s move set would presumably be fairly easy to implement (all things considered). While other characters like Minecraft Steve would no doubt have required monumental ingenuity — and many after-hours meetings — in their game design, Crash isn’t exactly the most complex of movers. Slap a spin attack on him, add a belly flop, make one of his taunts the Crash dance, and call it a day!
Given the release of Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time in 2020, the bandicoot with flair to boot is slap bang in the public eye once again — so it would be great from a marketing standpoint too.
#1: Sora (Sends Enemies to Kingdom Come!)
Let's face it — how awesome would it be if the gaming community exploded with a collective cry of “Sora!” when the reveal trailer hits later today?
With his Drive forms Sora could imitate characters such as Pyra and Mythra, utilizing different move sets on the fly. Alternatively, he could behave more like a Pokémon Trainer-type character, alternating between Donald and Goofy when requiring range or defense. We’ve seen combination magic/sword characters before with Hero and Robin, but Sora could be an entirely different beast altogether.
But everyone’s favorite Destiny Islander unfortunately places at the bottom of this list due to the unlikelihood that will ever come to pass. As strong as Sakurai’s negotiation power is, presumably even he would struggle to obtain IP rights from Disney’s protective grasp.
It looks like Sora will forever be relegated to starring in his own games.
Sleep tight, sweet prince.
Some things are just too good to be true.
...Or are they?
Conclusion
These were our picks for some of the amazing characters we’d like to see assume the mantle of last ever addition to Smash Bros. Ultimate.
The fact that Smash has shed its original Nintendo-centric skin and welcomed characters from other titles and developers — including traditional competitors Sega and Sony, no less! — is a testament to just how much Sakurai loves video games.
Though opinions may be divided when the final character is released, no doubt there'll be one thing all gamers everywhere can agree on:
Super Smash Bros. is a glorious celebration of gaming, and we all owe Masahiro Sakurai a huge round of applause for the enjoyment he's brought into our lives!
#ThankYouSakurai
Over to You!
Which of the entries in this list would you be the most behind appearing in Smash?
Which would you most definitely not like to see?
What other characters do you think are deserving of the illustrious Smash invitation letter?
Let us know on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook)! We’d love to hear from you!
ZenPlus is your one-stop shop for all things Japanese. Click here to browse our massive range of video games and other merch featuring all your favorite Smash characters!
Written by Ruel Butler
Edited and published by ZenPlus
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Thanks for reading!
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