Nintendo fans all over the world cried in joy when Banjo and Kazooie were announced for Super Smash Bros Ultimate at this year’s E3. As shocking as the duo’s introduction may be, it joins a litany of other character reveals that still seem too good to be true. The following highlights all the seemingly impossible fighter inclusions that Smash players shouldn’t take for granted.
Weird Smash Bros Reveals | Banjo and Kazooie
Banjo and Kazooie’s inclusion in the Smash Bros franchise is something Nintendo 64 fans had wanted since the pair made their debut on the platform over 20 years ago. Many had voted for the duo to be included in an unofficial poll last year despite the fact that one of Nintendo’s biggest competitors, Microsoft, owns the rights to the IP. Thankfully, the community’s dreams have finally come true. The head of Xbox stated in an interview that the negotiation was actually pretty easy to make, thus making fans wonder why Banjo and Kazooie weren’t introduced sooner.
Weird Smash Bros Reveals | Snake (Metal Gear)
Snake’s announcement for Brawl back in 2008 came completely out of left field, as fans had assumed the series was relegated to Nintendo characters up until that point. The internet went crazy, especially considering how Metal Gear‘s protagonist stood out among a cast of family-friendly mascots. Snake paved the way for more exciting third-party characters in the future and gave fans an excuse to speculate far more than they ever did in the past.
Weird Smash Bros Reveals | Cloud (Final Fantasy 7)
Cloud’s addition to the series defied all logic in 2015 as the character’s game, Final Fantasy 7, had yet to release on a Nintendo platform. Moreover, Square Enix contributed little to the Wii U’s software catalog and mostly developed spin-offs for 3DS. The mercenary’s inclusion threw reason out the window and challenged the notion that fighters needed to be found on Nintendo hardware in order to be eligible for Smash.
Weird Smash Bros Reveals | King K. Rool (Donkey Kong)
Despite his absence in recent Donkey Kong entries, King K. Rool managed to earn a spot on Ultimate‘s roster last year. Director Masahiro Sakurai revealed in one of his weekly Famitsu columns that the villain had received a ton of votes during the Smash Ballot and that the character’s inclusion in the next game made sense judging from petitions and constant fan demand. It appears as though Sakurai made the right decision, as longtime campaigners thanked him shortly after the announcement.
Weird Smash Bros Reveals | Simon and Richter Belmont (Castlevania)
It seems like a miracle that Konami allowed Nintendo to reuse one of its most popular mascots, Snake, for the next Smash entry, especially considering the company’s recent history. Many fans had ruled out the possibility of other Konami characters making their debut, assuming that one fighter was all that the publisher would allow. To their surprise, both Simon and Richter Belmont were announced for Ultimate alongside a stage that pays appropriate homage to the Nintendo Entertainment System’s classic Castlevania series.
Weird Smash Bros Reveals | Joker (Persona 5)
Like Cloud, Joker’s inclusion in Smash makes no sense considering how a mainline Persona game has yet to make its debut on Nintendo hardware. Though some Shin Megami Tensei titles and spin-offs like Persona Q have appeared on 3DS, no one could have guessed that Persona 5‘s protagonist and his summon, Arsene, would appear in Ultimate. While fans are getting Persona 5 Scramble on Switch, a port of Joker’s main game still hasn’t been announced.
Weird Smash Bros Reveals | Mega Man
Mega Man’s inclusion in Smash‘s Wii U and 3DS entries successfully recaptured the same excitement veterans had when Snake was announced for Brawl a few years prior. Though Mega Man 9 and 10 released for Wii in 2008 and 2010, respectively, the franchise was dormant up until that point. Nintendo’s addition of the Blue Bomber was a clear nod to those who grew up with the series on the Nintendo Entertainment System and arguably helped restore a bit of his popularity, especially after 2014’s Invitational.
Weird Smash Bros Reveals | Ryu (Street Fighter)
When discussing which third-party mascots should be included in Smash next, fans often overlook characters from other fighting game franchises. This is what made Ryu so unexpected, even if decrypted files pointed to his inclusion before his official reveal. The Street Fighter protagonist’s moves translate surprisingly well and allow him to fit in with other brawlers like Little Mac, Captain Falcon, and Lucario. His inclusion opens the door for combatants from Tekken, Guilty Gear, and Dead or Alive to appear. Mortal Kombat‘s Scorpion or Sub-Zero may even have a shot, given how MK11 is on the Switch.
Weird Smash Bros Reveals | Ridley (Metroid)
Smash fans had campaigned for Ridley’s addition to the franchise’s roster ever since the first game released in 1999. Aside from having a pretty badass design, players argued that the Metroid franchise needed more representation. Though Nintendo included the creature as a boss and background character, many had given up hope that he would appear as a playable fighter. Thankfully, Ridley was finally announced as such towards the end of company’s E3 Direct last year, thus spawning a resurgence of the meme, “Never ask me for anything ever again.”
Smash Bros represents one of entertainment’s most ambitious crossovers. It seems like a creative and legal miracle that characters from Nintendo, Square Enix, Capcom, Sega, Atlus, Konami, and Microsoft can do battle with one another in one place. Moreover, it’s amazing that many of these collaborations weren’t leaked. There’s a good chance that Sakurai and his team will continue to impress with Ultimate‘s next two DLC fighters and that fans all over the world will scream once another beloved video game mascot is revealed.
