Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's roster contains some of the most prolific characters it has to offer in gaming. Ranging from Nintendo icons like Mario and Link, to the modern classics such as Shulk from Xenoblade Chronicles, to stellar third-party representatives like Joker from Persona 5. As Smash Ultimate's final DLC approaches, some fans have been clamoring to find out if their favorite character will make the cut as a playable fighter. One modder has recently added in a highly requested fighter from the Splatoon franchise into the game.
The Octoling is an additional playable character to the Splatoon series, first introduced in Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion DLC. Aside from a few cosmetic differences, Octolings and Inklings play the same way. For fans of the Splatoon series, these characters would be the perfect Echo Fighters for Smash Ultimate, due to how similar they are to the Inkling fighters and the groundwork for them already being done. One modder thought so too, creating a brand-new Smash Ultimate-styled character mod for the Octoling over Inkling.
Joe T.E. is a prolific Smash Bros. modder, who has created some of the most popular mods, such as mods that give Cloud and Sephiroth their designs from Kingdom Hearts. According to him, these mods aren't straight ports of assets to the game's engine, but rater a recreation of designs to fit Smash Ultimate's style. His latest mod of the Octolings over Inklings is no exception, as these models are recreated to include painstaking detail to have them fit the art style and aesthetics of the game. This includes giving them an octopus form instead of a squid form, weapon designs that would fit them, as well as voice clips and ink colors.
According to Joe, the mod had been completed back in 2019, but was not ready for public release at the time due to some limitations. Many modders can attest to these limitations. Previous versions of firmware that loaded mods into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate didn't allow for some to be fully realized as a standalone release. With the latest breakthroughs from modders into the latest firmware, this allowed Joe to finally publish the mod and show off some gameplay of an Octoling vs. Inkling in-game match.
As Smash Ultimate moves towards its final DLC, the chance of any Octoling or Echo Fighter related DLC seems unlikely at this stage. That said, even if fans won't be able to play as the Octoling in Smash officially, this mod gives them that chance with such a lovingly detailed interpretation. Fans are also hyping themselves over the Octoling's playable appearance in Splatoon 3, which is coming out some time next year.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is available now for Nintendo Switch.
Source: GameBanana