There's little denying the raw appeal of seeing mascots from different franchises going toe-to-toe with one another, and it's that very premise that is partially responsible for the Super Smash Bros. series' incredibly success. The crossover-fuelled fighting game takes a number of all-star gaming icons from throughout Nintendo's longstanding history (as well as a handful of beloved third-party guests) and makes them duke it out with one another, while the execution of the game from a developmental standpoint has allowed it to blossom into a go-to series for professional fighting game tournaments like EVO.
As a result of its popularity, it was always inevitable that Super Smash Bros. would make its way to the Nintendo Switch. Despite not being officially announced yet, that hasn't stopped Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime from teasing the franchise's imminent debut on the new hardware. It's because of this that we here at Game Rant have opted to tackle a list of potential fighters that we'd like to see make an appearance in the Switch version of Smash.
Some of these characters have long been desired, a couple have been part of the fray in the past but didn't appear in the latest games, while others still may be considered third-party pipe dreams. Regardless, our list of ten characters we want in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Switch can be found in its entirety below.
10 Inkling
The stars of the smash-hit Splatoon are the most noteworthy absences from the Super Smash Bros. roster, and there's little question that the squid kids are sure to make a playable appearance in the fighting franchise sooner rather than later. In fact, the boy and girl Inklings are even controllable drivers in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the Nintendo Switch ahead of Splatoon 2's release this summer, which is sure to only increase their odds of appearing in Smash even more.
It also doesn't hurt that they have a wide array of ink-spraying weapons to choose from, making them ideal mid-to-short ranged characters. Combine their ability to transform into squids with their wide range of gadgets, and it's easy to see how the characters would fall into place. Plus, with the ability to change appearances, there's plenty of room for both the male and female Inkling to join the action in a similar fashion to other fighters like Wii Fit Trainer, Robin, and the downloadable Corrin.
9 Decidueye
With every new entry in the Super Smash Bros. series comes a new playable combatant originating from Pokemon. The Pocket Monster that's chosen for inclusion usually represents the current generation that the series finds itself on during the time of the fighting game's release, with a clear-cut example of this being the addition of the ever-popular Greninja from Pokemon X and Y – the newest pair of series installments back when Smash 3DS released in 2014. With a brand new line of creatures being introduced in Pokemon Sun and Moon, however, Decidueye would make perfect sense as a new challenger.
This Ghost/Grass-type presents a very unique moveset that could play out in several different ways, but the core focus of this archer would almost certainly be maintaining distance between itself and its foe. Since the roster is sorely lacking long-ranged combatants, Decidueye could make things a lot more interesting with a handful of Ghost attacks on standby just in case a foe gets a little too close for comfort.
Since several reports state that an enhanced port of Sun and Moon is currently en route to the Nintendo Switch under the codename of Pokemon Stars, the planets seem to be aligning for Rowlet's final form to take flight in Smash.
8 King K. Rool
It's no secret that there's a severe lack of playable villains included within Super Smash Bros., and it's been that way since the series debuted on the Nintendo 64 in 1999 sans baddies. In the years since, players have seen characters like Ganondorf and Bowser become mainstays of the roster, while Kirby frenemies King Dedede and Meta Knight have made for great additions. Still, the evil-doers are significantly outnumbered, but Donkey Kong's longstanding antagonist King K. Rool could help balance the scales.
It should go without saying, but what really helps the king of the Kremlins standout from other candidates is his sheer girth. As many players can attest, heavy characters are few and far between in this IP, and the King can help deepen the variety found in the final roster. As one of the most desired newcomers, K. Rool's popularity lead to a Mii costume to appease fans, but it's time that the cannon-wielding, crown-throwing, regal reptile laid claim to his own spot on the character select screen.
7 Ice Climbers
As one of the few characters that didn't make a return in the Wii U or 3DS installments, the duo of Popo and Nana are easily the most missed unit from the franchise. What makes their removal all the more heartbreaking is the fact that the Ice Climbers were originally set to be playable in the latest iterations – and were even well into development on Wii U – but had to be cut due to the technical limitations of the Nintendo 3DS. As a result of a desire to keep the versions uniform, this meant that the combo'd combatant was a no-show.
Fortunately, the Nintendo Switch has no such concerns in regards to power, and the studio working on Smash Switch should have no issues bringing the hooded heroes back into the limelight. Since the Ice Climbers are already a well established fighting unit, appearing in both Melee and Brawl, their moveset doesn't need all that much tweaking. This is a simple request, and one that should make any longtime fan of the series more than happy with the version arriving on the new hardware.
Make it happen, Nintendo.
6 Shovel Knight
Alright, sword-wielding characters have been done to death in Smash Bros., but a shovel-wielding one should pose enough of a changeup to avoid that particular sore point for fans. The indie darling Shovel Knight has risen to popularity through the continued support of the property by developer Yacht Club Games, with Nintendo being a major supporter of the studio and the franchise as a whole so far. In fact, the series debuted as a timed console exclusive on the Nintendo Wii U and 3DS in 2014, and even managed to arrive on Day One of the Nintendo Switch's launch with Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove and Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment, respectively.
It's evident that Nintendo and Yacht Club have a good working relationship given the timed-exclusivity of the Shovel Knight games so far, while the Shovel Knight amiibo only cements the relationship further. As a result, and despite claims that the character isn't iconic enough, it's very possible that Nintendo may see it fit to include Shovel Knight as a playable guest character. Hopefully Nintendo can come to a deal to include the character in Smash, as he would fit perfectly into the fast-paced and cartoony action of Nintendo's blockbuster beat 'em up.
Also, thanks to the Body Swap update, players could potentially have the option of suiting up as a male or female version of Shovel Knight.
5 Wolf O'Donnel
Fox McCloud's arch-rival is a veteran that made it into Super Smash Bros. Brawl following high demand from fans of the series, and he presented players with a wholly unique riff on the Star Fox leader's competitive moveset. Unfortunately, Wolf didn't make the cut in the transition from Wii to Wii U/3DS, which left Fox with a very familiar looking gray alternate color option and a handful of unlockable custom attacks that mirrored that of the Star Wolf head honcho.
Falling into a very similar situation as Earthbound's Lucas (who was later added to Smash Wii U/3DS as DLC) who was more or less a clone of Ness, Wolf is another veteran that fans have been clamoring to see make a return. Since downloadable content has wrapped up for the most recent entries in the franchise, Super Smash Bros. arriving on the Nintendo Switch means that O'Donnel has one more shot at the limelight. Fans of Star Fox and Smash alike are sure to be eager to see whether to not Wolf and his trusty blaster want a little revenge on Fox McCloud.
4 Ridley
This winged antagonist of Samus Aran has been a reoccurring character throughout the Metroid series, making him a staple of the property as a whole. At this point, however, it's not looking like Ridley will ever be a playable character in Smash, which is a shame given the demand and popularity that the character currently has. The culprit for Ridley's exclusion so far has been narrowed down to his size, something that Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai himself has pointed to as a problem.
Sakurai believes that reducing the size of the villain to fit amongst the rest of the roster wouldn't be true to the design of the character, and has instead honored the popularity of the space pirate leader by making him a boss in both Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Wii U. Still, similar comments regarding the passiveness of potential Animal Crossing representative have been made by Sakurai in the past, stating that "he wasn’t suited for battle.” Eventually, the inclusion of Villager (following that initial mentality) made for one of the more interesting newcomers the latest iterations, so fans should know to never say never when it comes to Smash.
3 Spring Man / Ribbon Girl
As a core focus for Nintendo during the company's Switch information drop in early January, Arms surprised many hopeful players with its unique take on the fighting game genre. Opting to utilize the motion control technology present in the Joy-Con controllers of the Nintendo Switch, critics were quite impressed with the initial depth of the fighter when they had the opportunity to go hands-on with it. Given that it's been setup as a prominent new IP for the house of Mario, there's little question that either Spring Man or Ribbon Girl would make for worthwhile additions to Smash.
Since both are comparable in size, both characters could be included in a similar capacity to Olimar/Alph or Bowser Jr./Koopa Kids. Allowing gamers to jump between the two mascots featured on the cover of Arms means that they'll become better acquainted with the pair of them, and the long, stretchy arms of the fighters ensures that they'll have some of the more unique moves in the game. Besides, it'd be cool to watch Punch-Out!!'s Little Mac square off with these cyborg boxers.
2 Bomberman
Seeing which guest characters make it into the fray is one of the more exciting elements of the Smash Bros. series. In recent years third-party mascots like Sonic, Pac-Man, Cloud Strife, and even Solid Snake have been added to the game, and the end result always makes for an incredibly exciting moment for fans of both franchises involved. Of course, some characters fit better than others, and Bomberman in particular would easily make for a perfect combatant.
Utilizing a menagerie of explosives to launch foes off of the stage, Bomberman could make for a unique and potentially technical fighter that would be dangerous for anyone brave enough to face off against someone that had the timing of his moves down pat. In truth, Bomberman has been a fan favorite candidate for years, but many didn't believe that the bomb-savvy protagonist had much in terms of relevant appearances recently. That's since changed with the exclusive release of Super Bomberman R on the Nintendo Switch, once again catapulting the now Konami-owned mascot into relevancy.
1 Steve
There's no denying the impact that Minecraft has had on gaming. The once indie-owned IP has since been snatched up by Microsoft, which many may have thought meant that the franchise would now be exclusive to the company's Windows and Xbox platforms. Evidently, this has not been the case, as the game has still received support on PlayStation 4, has since arrived on the Wii U, and is currently set to release in 2017 on the Switch. Nintendo was even keen to work with Microsoft in order to bring Super Mario-related content to the title, which was a huge step for the two often competing companies.
Given the prominence of Minecraft as a whole, Steve would make for a perfect addition that would appeal to a wide range of gamers. Taking into account the pixelated weapons that he brandishes whenever the opportunity to craft them presents itself, there are a number of creatures and items that would make for a varied set of attacks. From riding in a mine cart to unleashing a Creeper, there's little doubt that Steve would make for a fun addition to Super Smash Bros. on the Nintendo Switch.
Besides, the creator of Minecraft thinks it would be neat to see Steve appear in Smash.
There are a number of other characters that would make for wonderful additions to the next Super Smash Bros. roster, ranging from previous fighters like Metal Gear Solid's Solid Snake to Super Mario RPG's Geno. With that said, the above selection of mascots seems most appropriate at this point in time given their relevancy, veteran status, or pure fan demand.
Let us know which characters you'd like to see on the Super Smash Bros. for Switch roster in the comments section below.