The title Super Smash Bros Ultimate implies a sense of finality. After all, if you’ve been following the trailers, you know that “Everyone is Here.” However, is that really true? As we get closer to the game’s release date and the roster takes its final shape, I can’t help but be just a little disappointed. If this is truly the ultimate edition of Super Smash Bros., then it should represent the full breadth of Nintendo history. In that spirit, here are six vital characters that still haven’t joined the fight, along with speculation as to how they might play. With a quintet of fighters waiting in the wings to be introduced in the Fighter’s Pass, consider this (almost) my dream team.
6. Jill Dozer
Game Freak is one of Nintendo’s most important developers, pumping out incredibly popular Pokemon games at a regular rate. It is the golden goose, and it’s sometimes hard to remember that they’re not actually a first-party developer. The team has worked with Sega, self-published games on Steam, and even regularly contribute non-Pokemon titles for Nintendo. Considering these games continued quality, they deserve some recognition in Nintendo’s big IP mashup and Jill Dozer is a good place to start.
Jill is from Drill Dozer, a Game Boy Advance game from 2005. She’s the leader of a group of bandits who must pilot her mech through buildings to stop a rival gang from getting away with a diamond prize. The title’s unusual rumbling cartridge is obscure even among those who were gaming at the time, but Jill’s game was quite popular among those who tried it.
Jill’s Drill Dozer mech suit lends to a whole array of quick moves in Smash, which is something the game could use. Best of all, having a mech pilot on the roster could also lead to getting Tron Bonne in as a guest Echo Fighter in a mech similar to her Marvel vs. Capcom appearances.
5. Andy
Fire Emblem exists in the West for two reasons. One is the inclusion of Marth and Roy into Super Smash Bros. Melee, which gave American crowds a small peek at what they’d been missing. The second is the success of Advance Wars in the Game Boy Advance’s early days, which surprised Nintendo.
In 2018, the roles are reversed. Fire Emblem is very much in vogue, with blockbuster 3DS releases and a successful mobile game. Advance Wars has fallen out of favor simply due to a lack of new releases. While Intelligent Systems still claims that the series is alive, it’s been over a decade since the release of Advance Wars: Days of Ruin. The series needs that same boost that brought Fire Emblem into the limelight, and Andy is the person for the job.
Despite the roster growing to 80 fighters with the latest direct, there are only really a handful that takes advantage of Smash‘s chaotic nature. If Andy is going to spark renewed interest in the Wars series, he’ll need to bring in more than just his twin wrenches. He’s a commander of troops, so I imagine a character that’s similar to Pokemon Trainer. He can summon units like tanks and choppers to fight in his stead, all while staying on the sidelines and maybe throwing in a projectile or two when needed. He has a high probability of having a unique fighting style, which games like this always thrive on.
4. Dillon
Like Game Freak’s non-Pokemon games, Nintendo’s digital-only titles can also be a little obscure and hidden from plain view. Out of all those titles, the little armadillo named Dillon is suited to appear in a Smash Bros. game. The star of Dillon’s Rolling Western and its two sequels, Dillon represents Nintendo’s foray into tower defense. However, it’s not the top down Defense Grid style, it’s more of an Orcs Must Die situation where the armadillo himself is fighting on the ground.
Dillon’s claws give him a good base of attacks that have only really been covered by Wolf in current Smash Bros. He has built-in specials that could give Sonic a run for his money, thanks to his fast-moving roller form. Whether he’s represented in his more Western interpretation or the post-apocalyptic style of Dillon’s Dead-Heat Breakers, he brings something stylistically different to the table as well.
3. Ray Mk III
Custom Robo is a franchise that should be way more successful than it is. One of Nintendo’s attempts to strike at the Pokemon magic twice, it’s an arena combat game with fully customizable warriors. Developed by NOISE and first published on the N64, Custom Robo is another franchise that has been dormant for over a decade. Sure, none of the games so far have been huge hits, but the concept begs for another attempt. Why not start it off by adding the Shining Fighter to Smash?
Ray Mk III is the Pikachu of the franchise, starting in each game so far as the protagonist’s main robot. It’s possible the size was an issue in the past, as Custom Robos are traditionally action figure-sized in the games they appear in. However, with the welcome inclusion of Ridley to the playable ranks, size is definitely no longer a factor. Outside of that restriction, Ray is built for combat of all sorts. His main attacks include two projectile launchers at his arms and a backpack launcher.
Ray does appear as an assist trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, giving us an idea of what moves he could have as a fully playable fighter. However, the name of the game is Custom Robo, so it’d be great to see the wide variety of weapons from the franchise represented like Mega Man’s unique ability set. It would go a long way towards showing the versatility of these fighting robots and that flexibility is something the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster needs.
2. Samurai Goroh
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has a focus on bringing in playable villains. Both Donkey Kong and Samus now have the ability to take on their main rivals on Final Destination, and several new stages feature boss monster prominently. As with many entries in this list, I want to try to bring neglected Nintendo franchises back into the limelight like Captain Falcon’s rival, Samurai Goroh.
The portly pilot of the Fire Stingray, Samurai Goroh is the obvious choice for a second playable representative from F-Zero. Premiering alongside the good captain in the SNES launch title, he’s a different type of sword-wielder. A new style of swordsmanship lets the designers add something that isn’t just another Fire Emblem main.
Outside of the fact that F-Zero is yet another Nintendo franchise in need of a boost, adding a samurai character to Smash opens up more opportunities. If given the right move set, we would also get Takamaru in as a bonus echo fighter. Heck, I’d even be OK with Takamaru being the original, as long as Samurai Goroh gets his chance to shine at the top of the podium. Villains need love too and compilation rosters like this always shine when antagonists are playable, which is usually a contrast from the game they are in.
1. Waluigi
The fact that characters such as Robin, Rosalina, Wii Fit Trainer, and Palutena are in Smash Bros. and Waluigi isn’t is dumbfounding. Sure, he hasn’t appeared in any mainline Mario games, but the king of annoyance has more than proven his worth in his various spin-off starring roles. Mario Power Tennis‘ intro perfectly captures his glorious misdeeds along with his, um, pro wrestling-esque gesture in Mario Super Strikers. It’s time for him to stop dreaming about winning titles and join the fight.
Like Dan from Street Fighter, Waluigi would be the perfect parody character and the game could use the comic relief. He should even wield a tennis racket and a golf club in honor of his many appearances in sports games. Perhaps he could even throw a big die instead of a fireball, as he’s been in every Mario Party since the N64 days.
This could all coalescence in his Final Smash, which has to be something truly befitting of the character. Waluigi is someone who desperately wants to be in the spotlight. He’s full of jealous energy but doesn’t know how to expel it. It should have him pull out a marker and block the screen with doodles. Every character portrait will have ugly mustaches and glasses, and Waluigi’s will change to a handsome visage while randomizing each opponent’s controls. It’s a dirty trick, but it’s one befitting the purple plumber. He has a high potential to be the joke this game needs and fans might riot if he’s not a full character one day.
