Super Smash Bros Paluntena

The path leading to a release of a new Super Smash Bros. is inevitably filled with character rumors, speculation, and generally an insurmountable amount of anticipation. It's something that many fans have come to expect throughout the years, only believing roster additions once Nintendo has confirmed them, but now some screenshots have surfaced that appear to be very legitimate. These pictures in question feature Paluntena of Kid Icarus fame seemingly going head-to-head with Mario.

The off-screen pics of Paluntena were discovered and posted by a user on NeoGAF that goes by the handle of Fiktion, but even the they can't confirm the validity of the photos themselves. As pointed out in the thread by another user, there are several reasons why the pics may be legit and it all largely pertains to the sheer quality of the photos.

For starters, the model for Mario found in the shots is not from any existing Super Smash Bros. assets and there's no denying that the iconic plumber looks identical to what's been showcased so far. Second, Paluntena's character model isn't taken from Kid Icarus: Uprising, which means it's completely new and would have taken a lot of work. Last but not least, the background is original and also not from any existing media.

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Taking all that into consideration, it's quite possible that these leaked photos are the genuine article and that Paluntena will be appearing in the game. However, the question now becomes whether or not it will be in a playable form or simply something along the lines of an Assist Trophy. The goddess was previously featured as Pit's Final Smash maneuver in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but if these shots hold any validity then her role will definitely be changing.

Do you think these photos of Paluntena are legitimate? Do you think she'd be a good addition to the playable roster?

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Source: NeoGAF (via GoNintendo)