In the Super Smash Bros. series, Assist Trophies are items that can summon a randomly selected character to as the name entails, assist the player in combat. The characters summoned by Assist Trophies are all notably not playable in any capacity and can only be summoned through the use of the item.
However, as we've seen through Little Mac's promotion from Assist Trophy to playable character between Brawl and Smash Bros. for Wii U, there is hope for characters currently relegated to the status of Assist Trophies. As there are numerous notable fan-favorite characters who currently appear as Assist Trophies, we're going to examine the ten Assist Trophies most deserving of an upgrade to playable status.
10 Bomberman
While a relatively straightforward character, few Konami characters tote the sheer iconography of Bomberman. The mascot of a sizable series of games, as Bomberman's name entails, all of his abilities revolve around the use of a wide range of explosives.
As Smash is home to the most recognizable and most well-established video game icons, it seems natural for Bomberman to be made playable at some point.
9 Akira
The Smash Ultimate roster currently includes two of the most iconic fighting game characters of all time in the form of Street Fighter's Ryu and Ken. While Street Fighter is by and large the most influential 2D fighting games of all time, Virtua Fighter is one of the progenitors of 3D fighting games.
Despite this, Virtua Fighter's protagonist and mascot, Akira, is currently relegated to the position of Assist Trophy. Perhaps he could be integrated in a way that could implement his techniques and gameplay in Virtua Fighter.
8 Samurai Goroh
Captain Falcon has become a character more synonymous with Smash than he is with his own series. While he is little more than a playable racer in the F-Zero franchise, Smash developed the character's personality, attitude, and fighting style. Despite his widespread popularity in Smash, Captain Falcon remains the only representative of F-Zero in Smash.
When it comes to other potential F-Zero characters to be made player, look no further than the current Assist Trophy, Samurai Goroh. The rival of Captain Falcon, Goroh could bring a much different flavor to the traditional Smash sword-wielder while also including another playable villain, something that has become somewhat of a rarity in the series.
7 Alucard
While many players were delighted by the prospect of the inclusion of Castlevania characters such as Simon Belmont in Ultimate, the reveal that Alucard would be little more than an Assist Trophy was a disappointment, to say the least.
The son of Dracula and the protagonist of the beloved Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Alucard's popularity has only grown due to the Castlevania Netflix series. Wielding a sword and capable of transforming into forms such as that of a wolf, Alucard's move-set could bring a great deal of variety to the table.
6 Shovel Knight
In recent years, Nintendo's relationship with independent developers has improved significantly, with the Switch being home to a plethora of notable indie titles such as Undertale and Shovel Knight. Despite this, Smash has still yet to receive a playable character with indie origins.
While most indie representation in the game has come in the form of Mii costumes, Shovel Knight had the distinction of being added as an Assist Trophy. Having access to a solid melee weapon and numerous spells that could be used as his special moves, Shovel Knight seems like the indie-game character most well equipped to make the jump to become a playable character.
5 Isaac
Poor Isaac. The protagonist of the cult classic RPG series, Golden Sun, he's been featured as an Assist Trophy for three Smash games in a row, while his home series has seemingly stopped dead in its tracks.
Capable of wielding a sword and magic alike, Isaac is a character who has the potential to be one of the most balanced fighters in the series, fighting up close with his blade and from afar with spells.
4 Krystal
While the Star Fox series currently has three playable representatives, all three of their move-sets share many similarities, most of which reside within their special moves. Despite this, one of the most popular and widely requested other Star Fox characters, Crystal, is currently in the game as an assist trophy.
Krystal is distinct through her fighting style that is notably melee-focused and relies on the use of a staff. Though Smash has many fighters that use melee weapons, the vast majority utilize swords. This would allow Krystal to set herself apart from not just other Star Fox characters, but other weapon-wielding fighters as well.
3 Shadow
Say what you will about the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, but if one thing is certain, it's the popularity of Shadow the Hedgehog. Following the release of Sonic Adventure 2, few characters were as widely popular in the Sonic franchise as Shadow. While his popularity has since waned to a significant degree, he still remains one of the most requested potential roster members for the Smash franchise.
While one may expect Shadow to function as little more than a Sonic echo fighter, he has numerous unique abilities that could help to flesh him out as his own character.
2 Zero
As far as SNES era platformers are concerned, it's hard to compete with the Mega Man X series. Improving upon previously established mechanics of earlier Mega Man games, the Mega Man X series has a special place in the hearts of many players. While earlier Mega Man games had solely focused on Mega Man, the X series introduced another major character in the form of Zero.
Wielding a beam sword, Zero is one of the most widely popular characters created by Capcom, and he's appeared across the Capcom Vs. series as well as his own games. Despite this, he currently functions as little more than a stage hazard in his role as an Assist Trophy.
1 Waluigi
If you're familiar with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, when you began reading this list, you knew this would be number one. Despite never appearing in any main series Mario games, Waluigi has garnered a dedicated fan following for his memorable appearances throughout Mario Party and Mario sports titles.
Having the potential to utilize his lankiness for range or even include references to his other appearances, many are still scratching their heads contemplating why Waluigi is still just an Assist Trophy. Due to the notable amount of fan outcry caused by his continued exclusion, it feels like only a matter of time until he's eventually added to the game.