Official Next Smash - Speculation & Discussion Thread

[dezeray112]

Here are my thoughts:

• Mario Kart World looks incredibly amazing especially the "Free Roam" mode which slightly kind of reminded me of Diddy Kong Racing's Adventure Mode.
• Had a feeling that Street Fighter 6 was going to get a Switch 2 port. But seeing Luke, Jamie and Kimberly getting Amiibos is also a nice surprise too.
• Also good to see the Gamecube online too and SoulCalibur II featured as one of its titles is something I did not anticipate but happy to see!
• Whilst I did have some slight expectations of at least a small teaser for the next Smash entry, I think they will probably save it for a later date.

 

[Guynamednelson]

I thought they were working on Tekken 8.

Emphasis on were.

 

[Noipoi]

Due to Sakurai now working on Kirby Air Riders it's now either Ultimate Deluxe or nothing until the Switch 3.

Riley please

Please stop

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

I think that the earliest the Project Plan can be conceptualized is this year, but that would bring the game to a 2029 release and that's just too late in a console's lifespan for a new Smash game.

Bruh. The Switch's lifespan was 8 years (arguably longer since they seem to be continuing support). If the Switch 2 lasts about as long, then we're talking early-mid days release for a 2027-2029 game.

 

[RileyXY1]

So it’s confirmed! Sakurai’s mysterious project is Kirby Air Riders.

This basically kills any chance of a new Smash coming in this year. And with Pokémon’s schedule and the absence of 3D Mario this Direct, it’s a hard ask for Smash to come in 2026.

It could be that Smash is still being developed, just in the background for now. Perhaps 2027 is the year we see it.

I think 2027 is too early. If it comes out before 2029 it has to be a rerelease of Ultimate and not a completely new game.

 

[Dukefire]

Just me, but see Mario Kart World and its glory. Just reminded me of an old arcade game I played long ago. The memories....

 

[AreJay25]

Well, the best thing about Sakurai working on a non-Smash project?

No more "they missed the 2022 deadline for this to happen" debates. The next game probably won't be as far behind in terms of content.

 

[The Prankster 16]

Wow, I expected much more than that. Really underwhelming. Most of it was just 3rd party ports and we didn't get a price. The 1st party games were cool, but all we got were 2 racing games (that still look very good don't get me wrong) with one not even having gameplay, a 3D DK which is cool, a couple of tech demos, and a bunch of updated Switch games.

 

[PersonAngelo53]

Unless they are doing an Ultimate port I highly doubt that. I think that now Smash will completely skip the Switch 2 and we won't see the next Smash game until the Switch 3 sometime in the 2030s.

Ok that’s ridiculous chill. No way in hell there ain’t a new smash until a switch 3.

 

[ShuffleLobo]

Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza look great.

But I'm sorry... the hardware tour "game" being a paid title is so bonkers. That should've been free and baked into the release.

And the wheelchair basketball game seems like an immediate flop to me. Not excited by this new IP at all.

At least we now know what Sakurai's project is, though we got zero gameplay disappointingly. We probably won't be hearing about Smash until the holidays or even next year, I'd guess.

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

They're CHARGING for Welcome Tour?!

Yeah that part was really weird.

I'll be getting SF6. Does this mean Switch 2 can handle rollback netcode?

I'm fairly certain rollback netcode is not a hardware issue so much as a Nintendo's online services always lag behind issue.

 

[ninjahmos]

The next new Kirby stage is gonna be from Kirby Air Riders isn't it?

C'mon, City Trial

 

[Potted Plant]

Mario Kart World looks amazing, love the direction it's going to distinguish itself from 8DX.

Bravely Default remaster, YES. Still need to finish my playthrough of the original, but happy that the series is getting more content.

New DK game looks incredible, 3D Mario meets Red Faction is such an unexpected combo but it works so well.

I know he was very much blink-and-you-miss-it, but I'm happy my boy Layton showed up at all. No release date outside of "2025" is surprising, though. The game was first announced over two years ago, you'd thing it'd be narrowed down to at least a season by now. Would've thought for sure it'd be used to help showcase mouse controls...

 

[Nabbitfan730]

Unless they are doing an Ultimate port I highly doubt that. I think that now Smash will completely skip the Switch 2 and we won't see the next Smash game until the Switch 3 sometime in the 2030s.

Yeah Port Bros definitely got the edge this time around. Not even mentioning that Air Riders will get expansion content throughout the years. Make sense for Sakurai to focus on Air Riders and then just give Ultimate the MK8D treatment.

Especially how they were marketing the Nintendo Switch 2 editions quite a lot in the direct. Very likely Ultimate is Chekhov's Gun they are waiting to fire.

I don't know how to @ members on here but DarthEnderX, I guess we all owe you apology.

 

[Thegameandwatch]

Well, the best thing about Sakurai working on a non-Smash project?

No more "they missed the 2022 deadline for this to happen" debates. The next game probably won't be as far behind in terms of content.

Even 2021 to a lesser extent according to some comments here.

 

[dream1ng]

I don't know how to @ members on here but DarthEnderX, I guess we all owe you apology.

Hold off until he's actually right

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

I think the funniest thing about the direct though has to be the casual drop that Silksong is releasing this year. lol

 

[TheFirstPoppyBro]

I feel like a good number of Nintendo's first party titles might be getting saved for an eventual Summer Direct, since the Switch 2 comes out like a week before the usual time for that, so I'm not really disappointed in that lol

 

[Nabbitfan730]

yeah, i think i'm tired of winning.

There was a problem fetching the tweet

 

[Undella2]

I mean, Sakurai was able to release both Kid Icarus Uprising and Smash 4 for the 3DS, right? I wouldn't lament about an inevitable smash ultimate switch 2 edition port just yet.

 

[AreJay25]

I will say though.

As hype as Kirby Air Riders is.

All it does is make me sad that Kid Icarus is STILL nowhere to be seen.

Like come on Sakurai. Pull some strings and make it happen damn it.

 

[Kirbeh]

Yeah Port Bros definitely got the edge this time around. Not even mentioning that Air Riders will get expansion content throughout the years. Make sense for Sakurai to focus on Air Riders and then just give Ultimate the MK8D treatment.

Especially how they were marketing the Nintendo Switch 2 editions quite a lot in the direct. Very likely Ultimate is Chekhov's Gun they are waiting to fire.

I don't know how to @ members on here but DarthEnderX, I guess we all owe you apology.

Just @ with their username. No space between the @ and the name tho. Nabbitfan730

 

[Oracle Link]

So im gonna talk about the stuff that interests me:
Mario Kart World looks fantastalissimo It Looks SOOOOO Good!

The Console seems to have some of the most robust features ever which is good!

Poor Link got snubbed for the second time in a row! (i mean sure hell proabably be playable like if they brought friggin teba into the past they will do the same with link!) But still two Zelda ZElda games in a row make me just a tad bit concerned!

Which means i guess i have to play soul calibur as link to fill that void!
Or Play the original windwaker i guess!

Kirby Fl Got a dlc Whicdh i guess explains why we didnt get all the music instantly! It looks very pretty! Even though it wouldve been cool to see kirby fight elfilis in the past! HMMM

Sakurai returns for a new Kirbys Airride game i sure hope he doesnt mess with shinyas vision because that man is cooking! But i guess a new riders game is the best and fairest way to feature sakurai without saying **** you kumazaki! I just hope that sakurai works with the established lore and doesnt ignore it like he did in smash!
(which again proabably wont happen as im sure that shinya is gonna want bwd in the new riders)
I hope the name RIDERS Instead of Ride means we get more kirby characters othzer than kirby, Dedede and Meta Knight!
And sure let sakurai feature: Nightmare, Marx, Chef Kawasaki and Knuckle joe But for the love of good let us recieve: Dark MAtter/ Goeey, Adeline, BWD, Galacta, Morpho , Elfilin and the like...

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

yeah, i think i'm tired of winning.

Good lord...

 

[dream1ng]

I mean, Sakurai was able to release both Kid Icarus Uprising and Smash 4 for the 3DS, right? I wouldn't lament about an inevitable smash ultimate switch 2 edition port just yet.

Yeah, Uprising was 2012, Smash was 2014 - for two systems.

I wouldn't jump the gun on this yet. Studio S has been working on something for a little while already, and who knows when Air Ride, presumably a less demanding game to development, actually finished.

 

[Ivander]

Oh yeah, the Gamecube NSO was also great. Was really surprised by Soulcalibur 2 being there, as well as Pokemon Colosseum and Pokemon XD. Gamecube NSO starting off good.

 

[Þe 1 → Way]

Bamco's studio split was a little over a year ago, assuming they've been working on Smash since then there's pretty solid room to hit 2027 big time. There's definitely a sizable chance for Ultimate Switch 2 Edition, but I think it largely depends on if Sakurai wants to go from Air Ride 2 to Smash or something else like Kid Icarus. Regardless, I can't imagine getting any new characters without his involvement, so we'll see in the coming months probably what they have to say.

So much talk about precedence around here, and while basing our logic on previous data is obviously what we should be doing, I feel it muddies people into thinking things are confirmed before they are.

 

[AreJay25]

Oh yeah, the Gamecube NSO was also great. Was really surprised by Soulcalibur 2 being there, as well as Pokemon Colosseum and Pokemon XD. Gamecube NSO starting off good.

They're gonna make us wait a hella long time for Melee aren't they.

It wasn't even featured in the future games list lmao.

 

[RileyXY1]

They're gonna make us wait a hella long time for Melee aren't they.

It wasn't even featured in the future games list lmao.

If it even comes at all. Sakurai notably expressed his distaste for ports and aside from putting Smash 64 on the Wii's VC they've never rereleased any previous Smash games.

 

[Dukefire]

And it all start with Switch 2's new journey on June 5th. Man, Summer is going to be HOT.

 

[dream1ng]

Y'all notice Waluigi has begun to usurp Wario in terms of more prominent placing in promotion?

I'm not saying it's because of Smash, it's not, but it just seems like Nintendo is acknowledging his popularity.

 

[DynamicSmasher]

No price tho?

I hope this doesn't break any rules for being too political, but the US has been discussing placing fairly substantial tariffs on foreign goods. That might end up affecting the price of the Switch 2, especially in the USA.

Well, the best thing about Sakurai working on a non-Smash project?

No more "they missed the 2022 deadline for this to happen" debates. The next game probably won't be as far behind in terms of content.

Does mean the chances for some newcomers(Alear and Meowscarada/a Gen 9 Pokemon, namely). I know plenty won't be too sad about it, but I actually did quite like Meowscarada and a lot of the gen 9 roster.

 

[PlasmaDam]

With this the conversation has changed this means that the next smash game project plan is being worked on rn

 

[NintenRob]

Kirby Air Riders releases this year, which probably means productions done and Sakurai is moving on to his next game. I believe Smash Bros is now in development.


Unless he plans on doing years of DLC for Air Ride, which I guess is possible but I think he'll mostly move on

 

[BritishGuy54]

The lack of a price is weird, but then again, maybe the economy is in play.

I can see a Summer Direct happening. The lack of anything beyond July is strange. Would be a good time to announce Animal Crossing or something.

In terms of Switch 2 Editions, what Switch 1 games are primed for such a thing? I’m thinking at least Xenoblade 2 coming alongside a new epilogue story, or maybe Pikmin 4? Stuff like Smash Ultimate, Splatoon 3, or Mario Maker 2 could go either way.

The inevitable Mario 40th Anniversary Direct later this year would be the time to announce a lot of Mario stuff.

I do think a new Smash could come within the next two years, if there is no Smash Ultimate NS2 Edition.

For GCN Classics, I can see Mario Kart Double Dash getting in during the Mario 40th Anniversary Direct.

 

[dream1ng]

If it even comes at all. Sakurai notably expressed his distaste for ports and aside from putting Smash 64 on the Wii's VC they've never rereleased any previous Smash games.

Sakurai doesn't own any aspect of Smash, it wouldn't be up to him

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

I wouldn't jump the gun on this yet. Studio S has been working on something for a little while already, and who knows when Air Ride, presumably a less demanding game to development, actually finished.

Honestly? I think assuming Studio S was built for Super Smash Bros., I think that leads more credence to it being Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Nintendo Switch Edition, since a whole new title would take much of Sakurai's attention. If it were just an enhanced port, it'd be much more believable for Sakurai to work on it simultaneously with Kirby Air Riders.

Given that, it's likely that we are just getting a port, or Sakurai is not at the helm of the next game. Or Studio S isn't making Smash. One of the three.

 

[DarthEnderX]

We’re not gonna hear the end of it about Elden Ring now

Yes you are, because if a Fromsoft gets into Smash, it'll Nintendo's.

Smash not coming until at least 2027 confirmed.

Smash Ultimate Switch 2 Edition confirmed.

Just me, but see Mario Kart World and its glory. Just reminded me of an old arcade game I played long ago.

Just reminded me of Diddy Kong Racing.

I'm fairly certain rollback netcode is not a hardware issue so much as a Nintendo's online services always lag behind issue.

Okay fine. Does it mean Nintendo updated their online services then?

Especially how they were marketing the Nintendo Switch 2 editions quite a lot in the direct. Very likely Ultimate is Chekhov's Gun they are waiting to fire.

I don't know how to @ members on here but DarthEnderX, I guess we all owe you apology.

It's still to early to be sure. But I'm optimistic.

 

[Nabbitfan730]

The Price is $450

 

[Kirbeh]

I hope this doesn't break any rules for being too political, but the US has been discussing placing fairly substantial tariffs on foreign goods. That might end up affecting the price of the Switch 2, especially in the USA.

I figured tariffs would inflate the price but I was hoping they'd still show it. I'm guessing they're holding off if it's significantly higher as that would affect the reception of today's announcements.

Don't think the mention should be an issue though, it's technically on topic and not something inflammatory.