Official Next Smash - Speculation & Discussion Thread

[Þe 1 → Way]

So that gets me thinking, who would be your preferred partner to some of your most wanted characters if they got in? Whether it’s a character already playable in Smash or an additional newcomer? I’ll start with one of mine that has two solid options for a partner.

In the same vein as the Belmont's, I think Phoenix Wright could probably bring one or maybe a couple of the other lawyers with him as an echo or alt if he was included. I think there's a pretty solid argument to be made for Apollo, Edgeworth, or Rynosuke depending on the direction, maybe even a composite character of the 4 of them, though I think their personalities are a bit too different for the Steve and Hero treatments.

You could also delve into the nuances of each character like Apollo's bracelet or Phoenix's Magatama for echo differences. Most fan movesets I see use MvC 3 as something of a base, which I think makes sense but kinda downplays the potential of a goofy lawyer character with exaggerated judicial and psychic abilities.

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

Seeing all the crazy new **** in Mario Kart World, especially after a decade of 8 and 8 Deluxe, only reinforces my desire for a new Smash game with new ideas.

Maybe that team game idea is the next step. I don't think rigid duos would be a good idea if for no reason other than it creates some arbitrary limitations on the roster, but perhaps allowing players to select two or three characters at once is what's needed to revitalize the series.


My only concern with this conceptually is the fact that it kind of necessitates the removal of Pokémon Trainer since swapping to a swap character in a team game is kinda weird. Pyra/Mythra could get separated (or be similar enough to get away with the gimmick), but Pokémon Trainer is a glorified background element and having Squirtle and Ivysaur without them is kinda pointless.

 

[Hadokeyblade]

In the same vein as the Belmont's, I think Phoenix Wright could probably bring one or maybe a couple of the other lawyers with him as an echo or alt if he was included. I think there's a pretty solid argument to be made for Apollo, Edgeworth, or Rynosuke depending on the direction, maybe even a composite character of the 4 of them, though I think their personalities are a bit too different for the Steve and Hero treatments.

You could also delve into the nuances of each character like Apollo's bracelet or Phoenix's Magatama for echo differences. Most fan movesets I see use MvC 3 as something of a base, which I think makes sense but kinda downplays the potential of a goofy lawyer character with exaggerated judicial and psychic abilities.

Ryunosuke would be a good option, since he uses a lot of the same animations as Phoenix, due to them being family.

And The great ace attorney is separate enough from the rest of the series so having a character from alongside mainline would be good.

 

[SharkLord]

There has been a NS2 edition game announced that had DLC, Breath of the Wild. I’m not sure but there’s a chance that the DLC isn’t included with the base game + upgrade pack. If that’s the case, then they’d already be selling an incomplete experience that you have to pay extra for.3

Well, I can't deny that, so you win on that point. Though the BotW expansion pack is just $20, compared to Ultimate's DLC adding up to $60.

And if the DLC content IS included, that opens up the possibility that the DLC for Switch 1 Ult can just be part of the Upgrade pack as well.

Which then requires renegotiations with third-parties, which complicates things more than just making a quick port and calling it a day, and also opens the possibility of affecting the price tag. It's not impossible, but it's not something you can just pull off on a whim.

As an aside, if the NS2 Edition games ARE indeed ports, that’d make the Switch 2 presentation a lot more impressive than I initially thought. That’s a lot of technically new games that’s been shown, lol. Also my hypothetical also acknowledges the possibility that Ultimate NS2 Edition might’ve been developed alongside or simultaneously with Air Riders. Not the first time Sakurai’s worked on multiple projects at once, lol.

And that simultaneous project was a full game (Brawl) and a teeny-tiny Mushiking handheld that he did in between brakes. Kirby Air Riders is a whole-ass game, and what's effectively a third Fighter's Pass won't be quite as simple as a little virtual pet device.

I just don’t think it’s all that impossible or impractical as you’re making it out to be.

You've been framing this scenario as a near-perfect slam dunk where everything lines up towards it happening, and it's not as cut-and-dry as that. Especially considering that Smash is one of the Switch's best sellers, and they just didn't show anything for it during the Switch 2 reveal, which would've been a great opportunity.

 

[Wonder Smash]

Speaking of Ace Attorney, I remember you saying Herlock Sholmes would be a Legendary Spirit:

He would be Ace Attorney's legendary spirit.

That reminds me, if these characters appeared as spirits, we'd know who'd be representing them.

 

[PersonAngelo53]

If SSBU DX is possible, Nintendo must give the audience a good reason to upgrade other than visuals and processing power.View attachment 401187

Better online and some quality of life features like being able to toggle stage hazards on the stage select screen or just allowing squad strike to be available in online rooms at least would be a solid enough upgrade for me personally.

 

[Hadokeyblade]

Speaking of Ace Attorney, I remember you saying Herlock Sholmes would be a Legendary Spirit:



That reminds me, if these characters appeared as spirts, we'd know who'd be representing them.

View attachment 401214View attachment 401216

It writes itself.

 

[Ivander]

That reminds me, if these characters appeared as spirits, we'd know who'd be representing them.

View attachment 401214View attachment 401216

It writes itself.

Yep. Wario and Waluigi.

 

[DarthEnderX]

Better online and some quality of life features like being able to toggle stage hazards on the stage select screen or just allowing squad strike to be available in online rooms at least would be a solid enough upgrade for me personally.

Yes.

And THEN they can sell me more Fighters Passes.

 

[Captain Shwampy]

My opinion is that Bananza was planned as a Switch 1 game but was moved to the Switch 2 either early or middle of development. Not sure why the Switch 1 didn't have an original game outside of Retro being busy.

Im pretty certain Bananza is the Main Nintendo teams big new game designed for a new console in mind.

 

[TheFirstPoppyBro]

Honestly, if Donkey Kong Bananza makes me think about anything, it makes me wonder if DKC would be Retro's next project after Prime 4 or if they might make something else, since they usually just work on Prime and DKC, but now we have Prime 4 covered and a new DK game coming out in 3 months.

Like maybe they still could since 2D DK instead of 3D DK and we'll end up getting 2 big new Donkey Kong games in the first half of the Switch 2's life, but I'm kind of curious if they'll take the opportunity to maybe try something brand new or potentially another franchise, like how they tried to work on Star Fox that one time.

 

[SharkLord]

And that simultaneous project was a full game (Brawl) and a teeny-tiny Mushiking handheld that he did in between brakes. Kirby Air Riders is a whole-ass game, and what's effectively a third Fighter's Pass won't be quite as simple as a little virtual pet device.

Addendum, since I genuinely forgot - There is also Smash 4, which was split into the Wii U and 3DS versions during development. That said, both games were developed as part of the greater Smash 4 package - While they had some exclusive modes and stages, they also share some stages and modes, as well as all fighters (Including physics, movesets, and I believe models) and most songs, which likely meant the development cycle wasn't exactly the same as juggling two entirely different games at once.

Also, after some thought, I've realized that releasing a Smash Ultimate Deluxe would probably require re-negotiations no matter what. SSBU's negotiations were probably made along the lines of "we're using your characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch, sold at $60." SSBU DX would be sold in stores, both physically and digitally, under a new price tag and for a new system. Even if the negotiations go smoothly, they'd still probably need to contact all the rights owners regarding royalties and licenses in this new context. With that in mind, I don't think Nintendo can just plop out an Ultimate DX on a whim.

 

[Dukefire]

Addendum, since I genuinely forgot - There is also Smash 4, which was split into the Wii U and 3DS versions during development. That said, both games were developed as part of the greater Smash 4 package - While they had some exclusive modes and stages, they also share some stages and modes, as well as all fighters (Including physics, movesets, and I believe models) and most songs, which likely meant the development cycle wasn't exactly the same as juggling two entirely different games at once.

Also, after some thought, I've realized that releasing a Smash Ultimate Deluxe would probably require re-negotiations no matter what. SSBU's negotiations were probably made along the lines of "we're using your characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch, sold at $60." SSBU DX would be sold in stores, both physically and digitally, under a new price tag and for a new system. Even if the negotiations go smoothly, they'd still probably need to contact all the rights owners regarding royalties and licenses in this new context. With that in mind, I don't think Nintendo can just plop out an Ultimate DX on a whim.

That's why it might take 2-3 years before confirmation if Smash Bros is going deluxe on ultimate or resetting the roster (soft or hard) with a new title. I don't think Nintendo is going to give a teaser or ideas this year.

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

I love this moveset idea for Funky Kong. Giant Punch has been reworked into a showstopping forward aerial (kinda, it's the same attack concept, but it's not actually based on Giant Punch). He has his gun, but the "he really shouldn't have a projectile" thing was solved by turning it into a command grab that uses other players as ammo which is genius. They even managed to make Flame Runner interesting compared to characters with similar move concepts like Bowser Jr. Rivals of Aether characters do have to differ in design from Super Smash Bros. characters, but something at least in this ballpark is what I'd want from a playable Funky Kong, clone or not.

 

[PeridotGX]

The Switch 2 is in a weird position where a lot of Nintendo's biggest series just... won't be getting games for a while.

• With the Odyssey team working on Bananza, 3D Mario is shelved for awhile.
• Wonder is still fairly recent, so I wouldn't expect a new 2D Mario for a couple years (Mario Maker 3 feels like it's still plausible though)
• 3D Zelda development takes forever, so we definitely aren't getting one until the second half of the Switch 2's life.
• Similarly, we just got Echoes of Wisdom last year, so 2D Zelda is benched for a few years.
• There's nothing stopping us from getting Animal Crossing or Splatoon... but because they share developers, it's very much an "or" situation and we'll have to wait on the other.
• And as we all know, Kirby Air Ride means we almost assuredly aren't getting a new Smash for awhile.

It's ironic that a Nintendo home console is being carried by Pokemon, between Z-A getting a Switch 2 version and Gen 10 inevitably releasing next year. There's also Mario Kart of course.

 

[RileyXY1]

The Switch 2 is in a weird position where a lot of Nintendo's biggest series just... won't be getting games for a while.

• With the Odyssey team working on Bananza, 3D Mario is shelved for awhile.
• Wonder is still fairly recent, so I wouldn't expect a new 2D Mario for a couple years (Mario Maker 3 feels like it's still plausible though)
• 3D Zelda development takes forever, so we definitely aren't getting one until the second half of the Switch 2's life.
• Similarly, we just got Echoes of Wisdom last year, so 2D Zelda is benched for a few years.
• There's nothing stopping us from getting Animal Crossing or Splatoon... but because they share developers, it's very much an "or" situation and we'll have to wait on the other.
• And as we all know, Kirby Air Ride means we almost assuredly aren't getting a new Smash for awhile.

It's ironic that a Nintendo home console is being carried by Pokemon, between Z-A getting a Switch 2 version and Gen 10 inevitably releasing next year. There's also Mario Kart of course.

Yeah. From the looks of it they're saving so many of their big franchises for later on in the Switch 2's lifespan, except for Mario Kart, DK and Pokémon of course.

 

[fogbadge]

The Switch 2 is in a weird position where a lot of Nintendo's biggest series just... won't be getting games for a while.

• With the Odyssey team working on Bananza, 3D Mario is shelved for awhile.
• Wonder is still fairly recent, so I wouldn't expect a new 2D Mario for a couple years (Mario Maker 3 feels like it's still plausible though)
• 3D Zelda development takes forever, so we definitely aren't getting one until the second half of the Switch 2's life.
• Similarly, we just got Echoes of Wisdom last year, so 2D Zelda is benched for a few years.
• There's nothing stopping us from getting Animal Crossing or Splatoon... but because they share developers, it's very much an "or" situation and we'll have to wait on the other.
• And as we all know, Kirby Air Ride means we almost assuredly aren't getting a new Smash for awhile.

It's ironic that a Nintendo home console is being carried by Pokemon, between Z-A getting a Switch 2 version and Gen 10 inevitably releasing next year. There's also Mario Kart of course.

or alternatively: Mario, Kirby and Donkey Kong are all slated for this year and both Metroid and Poekmon will have enhanced versions for it

 

[PersonAngelo53]

The Switch 2 is in a weird position where a lot of Nintendo's biggest series just... won't be getting games for a while.

• With the Odyssey team working on Bananza, 3D Mario is shelved for awhile.
• Wonder is still fairly recent, so I wouldn't expect a new 2D Mario for a couple years (Mario Maker 3 feels like it's still plausible though)
• 3D Zelda development takes forever, so we definitely aren't getting one until the second half of the Switch 2's life.
• Similarly, we just got Echoes of Wisdom last year, so 2D Zelda is benched for a few years.
• There's nothing stopping us from getting Animal Crossing or Splatoon... but because they share developers, it's very much an "or" situation and we'll have to wait on the other.
• And as we all know, Kirby Air Ride means we almost assuredly aren't getting a new Smash for awhile.

It's ironic that a Nintendo home console is being carried by Pokemon, between Z-A getting a Switch 2 version and Gen 10 inevitably releasing next year. There's also Mario Kart of course.

Oof, not looking good for me. I don’t personally care much for Pokemon so I only have Mario kart and Donkey Kong that I look forward to on switch 2. Well Metroid prime 4 too I guess tho that’s also a switch 1 title.