There's no denying the immense popularity of Nintendo-owned franchises such as Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda. These games have provided gamers with countless hours of joy, and their protagonists, Mario and Link, have become representatives of the entire medium. It therefore comes as no surprise that Super Smash Bros., a game that pits characters from many popular Nintendo games and even a few non-Nintendo games, in all of its crossover glory would become a smash-hit amongst the masses.

The only problem with the Smash Bros. series is that its games only come along once in a console's lifetime. There have only been three iterations of the series in the past 13 years, so anticipation understandably reaches a boiling point. Nintendo did announce plans to begin development of Wii U and 3DS versions of Super Smash, but only after series creator, Masahiro Sakurai, finished up his work on the soon to be released Kid Icarus: Uprising. That leaves us a few years away from getting our hands on the next game in the series, but at least they will soon be entering the initial stages of development sooner rather than later.

With those facts laid in front of us, it's now time to begin speculating on which fan-favorite characters will make the cut this time around. There are plenty of characters that fans would love to see in the next set of Super Smash Bros. games, so we've taken the liberty of compiling a list based on our judgement and a few suggestions from our readers. Without any further delay, here's Game Rant's Top 10 Nintendo-Owned Newcomers for the Next Smash Bros.

Animal Crossing is one series that got passed over in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. While the game did receive representation in the form of a stage, an item, trophies, and stickers, not even one of its characters managed to secure a spot on the game's roster of characters. Tom Nook fills the need for some AC representation, and his moveset would easily be one of the most unique additions to the cast.

Tom Nook has an arsenal of conventional weaponry as his disposal, including an axe, a bug net, a fishing rod, a shovel, and a slingshot — all of which could be used in various ways. Still don't think the character is a good fit? Well, Capt. Falcon and Fox McCloud never engaged in fisticuffs prior to the Smash series either, so if they can make the transition from racer/pilot to hand-to-hand combat specialists then why can't Nook?

 

Some fans of the Pokemon franchise probably gave up on their dreams to 'catch 'em all' after Pokemon Gold and Silver, and if that's the current situation you find yourself in then you probably have no idea who Zoroark is. After making its debut in Pokemon Black and White (not the recently announced pair of sequels), Zoroark has become somewhat of a fan-favorite and a Pokemon that could easily replace the likes of Lucario if given the chance.

This dark-type fox Pokemon can disguise itself using its illusion ability. This means that transforming into Lucario or Mewtwo, even though Mewtwo really should have his own spot on the roster, is as easy as a couple button presses away. With a variety of different attacks at its disposal, Zoroark could definitely hold its own in Super Smash Bros..

Those looking for some more old-school representation on the next Smash Bros. roster would certainly find comfort in the addition of Balloon Fighter. The character appeared as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee and was even considered for a playable character on the game's roster before eventually being replaced by the Ice Climbers.

The Balloon Fight series has made various amounts of cameos over the years, but it's about time that the series' main protagonist make his comeback on the Smash Bros. stage. We've witnessed the resurrection of Pit as a result of his appearance in Super Smash, so it's about time that Nintendo throws another retro-bone our way in the form of Balloon Fighter on the roster.

As the first female to join the Star Fox crew, Krystal brings some solid piloting skills and furry sex appeal to the team. Armed with a staff, this femme fatale packs a powerful punch in and out of her Arwing, and easily has potential for an entirely new set of moves that doesn't even come close to mimicking that of the Fox/Falco/Wolf set of clones.

Super Smash fans are well aware that the game is in dire need of female combatants, and who better to help lead the push for gender equality than Krystal? Even if you could care less about political reasoning for the character's inclusion, this fox is also friends with dinosaurs. That's right, freaking dinosaurs.

One of the most flamboyant and utterly bizarre characters in Zelda history, Ghirahim has somehow managed to win the affection of many of the recent adopters of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Whether it's his albino-inspired, emo-esque looking haircut, or his ability to stop Link's sword mid-swing by catching it with two fingers, this character is deceivingly badass.

Ghirahim is lord of the demons, and is partially responsible for forcing every person on the planet's surface to live on a small floating island several thousand feet above the ground. If that doesn't already speak volumes for the power this newcomer has, then his fighting ability will. With super-human reflexes and unparalleled skill with a sword, this is the only character to ever get bored of fighting Link — allowing him to leave their first battle unharmed out of a sense of pity.

One of the biggest complaints regarding Ridley joining the Super Smash Bros. roster is that the character is just too big. There's no point in denying the sheer bulk of this monster however, that hasn't stopped Bowser (a notoriously large baddie from the Super Mario series) from appearing as a playable character in the past two Smash installments.

As far as moveset potential goes, just take a look at the damage this hulking space pirate has inflicted throughout the Metroid series. With the ability to fly, breathe fire, and shred things with his razor sharp claws, this is one character that even Samus Aran doesn't want to mess with. Add in the fact that Ridley is extremely intelligent and capable of speech to go along with his unmatched strength, and you've got the base for a deep and compelling playable combatant.

Many of you probably haven't heard of Dillon's Rolling Western before, but anyone who has been following the 3DS eShop game, leading up to its surprise release just this past week, can vouch for the badass-ness of the game's protagonist. Dillon is an armadillo — for those who couldn't piece that together — and he'd fit seamlessly into the final roster.

This cowboy hat-donning mammal (that doesn't belong to either the rodent or marsupial family, if you can believe that) was born and raised in the harshness of an unforgiving, monster-plagued desert. Dillon the dillo could use a gun if he felt so inclined, but this awesome character prefers to destroy pig-eating rock monsters with his bare claws. His rolling attacks, combined with his strong but silent approach, make him one of the coolest original characters Nintendo has made in a long time. Now, put this Clint Eastwood equivalent in the next Smash roster!

Golden Sun's protagonist, Isaac, seems to be tragically overlooked by Nintendo. The character scored a cameo appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as an assist trophy, but fans were hoping for a more prominent and playable role. With two versions of Smash Bros. on the horizon, this portable-based series may finally get some proper representation in one of the games.

Isaac's masterful ability of Psynergy (as it's so appropriately called in the games) has been demonstrated in Brawl, and its power has more than likely been the undoing of several players throughout the course of their play through. Given that the often-overlooked Golden Sun series is sorely missing some serious representation on the Smash roster, it's about damn time that Isaac joined the fray.

One would think that none of the Nintendo characters can score a knockout victory over former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world Mike Tyson, but Little Mac is the exception. Punch-Out!!'s little protagonist that could, is still one of the most overlooked faces in gaming, but there's no denying the skills this boxer would bring to the table if added to the Super Smash Bros. roster.

As the perpetual underdog, Little Mac has done quite well for himself, and with a deadly barrage of lightning fast punches at his disposal, this is one character that even the notorious King Hippo is better off avoiding. After Little Mac appeared as an assist trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and scored a new and improved Punch-Out!! title on Wii, it's only a matter of time before he's lacing up the gloves against the likes of Mario and Pikachu.

 

King K. Rool is the arch nemesis of Donkey Kong, and sworn enemy of the entire Kong family. Although he was absent in Donkey Kong Country Returns, this classic bad guy has been a pain in DK's backside since the dawn of the Donkey Kong Country series. Since there's definitely a lack of baddies on the Smash Bros. roster, K. Rool would be a more than ideal choice for a playable appearance.

The leader of the Kremlings, while very overweight, is a powerhouse that even the musclebound apes of Kong Island have a hard time going up against. This killer crocodile isn't in any better shape mentally either, as his bloodshot eye and maniacal laughs would suggest. Still, regardless of whether or not this villain is sane or not, the possibility of pitting him up against the reptilian king Bowser is the stuff that nerd dreams are made of. If Nintendo leaves out K. Rool then they're just being K-ruel.

Phew! That ends our list of the top five Nintendo-owned newcomers that we want to appear in the next Super Smash Bros. games. There are plenty of other characters at Nintendo's disposal who could easily be considered for a playable role in the upcoming Smash installments, and we're sure you have a few more great ideas as well.

As we move forward with 2012, the roster in its entirety will likely soon be completed for Super Smash Bros. Universe (rumored title) and Super Smash Bros. 3DS. So hopefully Nintendo and Masahiro Sakurai listen to the fans and add the characters we want to see the most in the new games — along with reading a certain list composed of 9 things that should be done in the next Smash Bros..

Which characters do you think will make the cut? Who's in your top 10 list of Nintendo-owned newcomers for the next pair of Smash Bros. games?

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