Official Next Smash - Speculation & Discussion Thread

[Þe 1 → Way]

I honestly never even thought of how likely it is that we see whatever Sakurai's project is in April. From what other users were discussing about Studio S and the way Ultimate's developers were shifted onto Tekken 8, I don't think it will be Smash, but here's to hoping we finally get a new kid Icarus!

That aside, it'd be funny if they announce Smash before it's actually in development again, but I'm not getting my hopes up for at least another six months I think.

 

[Thegameandwatch]

-No unlockable characters, which ties into-

I feel like the opposite will happen where unlockable characters will be like in older titles like Melee and Brawl where they would have unique methods. Not like how it was in Ultimate where there were too many unlockable characters and they didn't have a unique method.

Maybe 20-25 since Brawl had 14 unlockable characters.

 

[DarthEnderX]

Not like how it was in Ultimate where there were too many unlockable characters and they didn't have a unique method.

WoL wasn't unique?

 

[NintenRob]

I also hope the next Mario Kart game has unlockable characters. Unlocking characters in any game is super fun and gives a satisfying goal to work towards. I love how much **** Smash Bros has to work towards and the "Challenger Approaching" screen is just plain iconic

 

[Shinuto]

Street Fighter, Tekken and Guilty Gear are traditional fighting games, Super Smash Bros. isn't.

How are they gonna add in-depth tutorials in a platform-fighter?

character specific board the platforms and target test was literally designed around this idea.

 

[Þe 1 → Way]

Unlockable characters are cool, but I think it's also be neat to have some secret characters too. Akuma jumping out after a 9.9 classic mode or something would be hype, and it would generally be nice to leave some surprises in the base game, since I we haven't had anything of that nature since 4.

 

[Geno Boost]

what if the next smash starting roster is this


basically starts off with the most iconic face of video games then unlock the rest

 

[Idon]

what if the next smash starting roster is this


basically starts off with the most iconic face of video games then unlock the rest

No more unlocking the entire roster.

It sucks ass.

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

Unlocking is fine. Ultimate just feels awkward since it had so many(but it was for a very specific situation).

Rest of them are pretty reasonable on the count, so I'd stick with that ratio moreso. I also prefer having a lot of unique conditions to unlock a playable character. Melee was pretty good about this, giving multiple various ways.

 

[Thegameandwatch]

Unlocking is fine. Ultimate just feels awkward since it had so many(but it was for a very specific situation).

Rest of them are pretty reasonable on the count, so I'd stick with that ratio moreso. I also prefer having a lot of unique conditions to unlock a playable character. Melee was pretty good about this, giving multiple various ways.

Even Brawl was good at it but not to the same extent as Melee.

 

[NintenRob]

Even Brawl was good at it but not to the same extent as Melee.

My gripe with Brawl was that when unlocking a character in the Subspace Emissary, you don't get the "Challenger Approaching" fight

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

A lot of fighting games nowadays tend to either have the entire roster unlocked from the start or only keep like, 1 character behind story mode. Combined with how the whole "playground rumors" vibes were annihilated by how easily accessible the Internet is, I can certainly see Delzethin's point of view about dropping the notion of unlockable fighters. The magic's just not there anymore.

However, I think having a couple of unlockable fighters could still be cool. It all depends on how they handle the unlocking conditions. Having a mix between some of the more creative stuff from Brawl and Melee, a single-player story mode unlock like Brawl and Ultimate and having some of Smash 4's simpler conditions could allow a lot of options and make it possible to get the roster without needing to resort to grinding Stamina Flower matches.

 

[Perkilator]

My gripe with Brawl was that when unlocking a character in the Subspace Emissary, you don't get the "Challenger Approaching" fight

I mean to be fair, Brawl’s Challenger Approaching screen gave me nightmares as a kid, so I preferred unlocking characters through SSE.

 

[Gengar84]

I love unlocking characters too and actually didn’t have an issue with how Ultimate handled it but I understand why others don’t want to go through all that just to be able to play as their favorite characters. I definitely think Smash should always have something fun to work towards unlocking but it doesn’t necessarily have to be the characters themselves. Here’s my idea of how they could handle unlockables in the next game:

• All characters are available from the start in normal Vs matches.
• You still unlock characters in the story mode as you progress through the story like Brawl and Ultimate
• Every character has at least one alternate model outfit they can unlock by completing that character’s Classic mode. Some characters have additional unlockable outfits by completing other tasks like Break the Targets or certain goals to reach in playing them in Vs matches.
• Playing as characters and doing other tasks can unlock other things related to their series like stages, music, items, or assist trophies.

 

[Cyberfire]

I've always felt that the ability to unlock characters should be a toggle in the option menu. I personally love unlocking characters and content in these games, it's part of the experience for me. But I understand those who do not, and especially sympathise with tournament hosts, so make the process optional.

 

[Diddy Kong]

A lot of fighting games nowadays tend to either have the entire roster unlocked from the start or only keep like, 1 character behind story mode. Combined with how the whole "playground rumors" vibes were annihilated by how easily accessible the Internet is, I can certainly see Delzethin's point of view about dropping the notion of unlockable fighters. The magic's just not there anymore.

However, I think having a couple of unlockable fighters could still be cool. It all depends on how they handle the unlocking conditions. Having a mix between some of the more creative stuff from Brawl and Melee, a single-player story mode unlock like Brawl and Ultimate and having some of Smash 4's simpler conditions could allow a lot of options and make it possible to get the roster without needing to resort to grinding Stamina Flower matches.

The magic is not there anymore? The whole roster gets spoiled by Sakurai himself before release. I don't see the point. Characters get revealed before their inclusion ever since Melee.... There's no logic in this argument.

Unlocking characters is fine. Especially when there's a nice build up to it. I liked it with Brawl when you unlock a character through the Subspace Emissary. Won't be happening again, but keeping it thematic would be great.

I want them to bring Event Matches back for this reason. That's a good way to make a nice unlock condition for characters, keeping it challenging and thematic too.

If the magic is not there, just bring it back? Simple enough.

 

[Gengar84]

The magic is not there anymore? The whole roster gets spoiled by Sakurai himself before release. I don't see the point. Characters get revealed before their inclusion ever since Melee.... There's no logic in this argument.

Unlocking characters is fine. Especially when there's a nice build up to it. I liked it with Brawl when you unlock a character through the Subspace Emissary. Won't be happening again, but keeping it thematic would be great.

I want them to bring Event Matches back for this reason. That's a good way to make a nice unlock condition for characters, keeping it challenging and thematic too.

If the magic is not there, just bring it back? Simple enough.

I think the problem is more that it’s basically impossible to have surprise unlockable characters since all the newcomers get reveal trailers and pretty much everything is revealed online before launch. The “challenger approaching” silhouettes are a little less exciting when you already know every character going in.

 

[Perkilator]

I think the problem is more that it’s basically impossible to have surprise unlockable characters since all the newcomers get reveal trailers and pretty much everything is revealed online before launch. The “challenger approaching” silhouettes are a little less exciting when you already know every character going in.

Well, that, and leaks.

 

[DarthEnderX]

• All characters are available from the start in normal Vs matches.
• You still unlock characters in the story mode as you progress through the story like Brawl and Ultimate

This.

 

[NintenRob]

I think the problem is more that it’s basically impossible to have surprise unlockable characters since all the newcomers get reveal trailers and pretty much everything is revealed online before launch. The “challenger approaching” silhouettes are a little less exciting when you already know every character going in.

I mean, I have two rebuttals to this.

1. Not everyone is as chronically online as we are. There will be plenty of kids who play Smash who has maybe seen one trailer and the box art before playing, or casuals who don't even know what a Nintendo Direct is.

2. It doesn't matter if you know who the character is. Unlocks are satisfying and give a driving goal to the game beyond just playing it. A game like ARMS would have a lot to benefit from if there was characters to unlock and things to actually strive. Smash isn't just a multiplayer. For many such as myself, it's also a single player game

 

[Gengar84]

I mean, I have two rebuttals to this.

1. Not everyone is as chronically online as we are. There will be plenty of kids who play Smash who has maybe seen one trailer and the box art before playing, or casuals who don't even know what a Nintendo Direct is.

2. It doesn't matter if you know who the character is. Unlocks are satisfying and give a driving goal to the game beyond just playing it. A game like ARMS would have a lot to benefit from if there was characters to unlock and things to actually strive. Smash isn't just a multiplayer. For many such as myself, it's also a single player game

Yeah, those are good points. Like I said, I do still enjoy unlocking characters myself, I’m just trying to put myself in the shoes of someone that doesn’t want them and sees them as outdated. Those were just a couple reasons I think they could feel that way.

 

[Opossum]

Ultimate completely ruined character unlocks as a concept for me; needing to unlock everyone besides the original eight and the DLC was an absolute pain in the ass. Just make everyone available from the start, but make characters unlocked slowly in whatever Adventure or Story mode the next game has. World of Light and Subspace Emissary had the right idea there. Just don't make them unlockable outside of those modes.

 

[CosmicEternity44]

You know, I just had this thought. Someone on YouTube posted a video on how Smash 6 needed to change in their point of view. With Everyone is Here likely not happening, and how that took much effort that some other things were not able to be done, maybe Smash 6 will be able to do something that vastly appeals to fans, change or not?

 

[fogbadge]

I say we take it to the opposite extreme. We have to unlock EVERY character. That’s right you can’t even play the game until you beat a real life Mario

 

[Slime Scholar]

I could just be old, but I don’t think unlocking characters is ever going to have the same magic it did in the olden days, before everyone was always online and knew everything about a game before it launched.

You know, I just had this thought. Someone on YouTube posted a video on how Smash 6 needed to change in their point of view. With Everyone is Here likely not happening, and how that took much effort that some other things were not able to be done, maybe Smash 6 will be able to do something that vastly appeals to fans, change or not?

I do think it’s going to have to do a lot to stand out from Ultimate, especially since Switch 2 is going to be backwards compatible, which kinda puts a new Smash game in direct competition with the previous one.

it doesn’t have to be something as radical as “make it 3D” (which is a popular suggestion for some reason) but how exactly the next game is different should be immediately obvious to even casual players IMO.

 

[BuckleyTim]

How do we feel about chibi robo as a possibility? Obviously not much chance of a revival but he must've done some kind of numbers on the ballot given his mii costume.

 

[CosmicEternity44]

I could just be old, but I don’t think unlocking characters is ever going to have the same magic it did in the olden days, before everyone was always online and knew everything about a game before it launched.
I do think it’s going to have to do a lot to stand out from Ultimate, especially since Switch 2 is going to be backwards compatible, which kinda puts a new Smash game in direct competition with the previous one.

it doesn’t have to be something as radical as “make it 3D” (which is a popular suggestion for some reason) but how exactly the next game is different should be immediately obvious to even casual players IMO.

Well, what I was trying to say was without Everyone is Here, I think Smash 6 standing out from Ultimate can be easier, or maybe much easier.

Also, yeah, I would say unlocking characters is so outdated. What about unlocking features, though?

 

[PeridotGX]

I say we take it to the opposite extreme. We have to unlock EVERY character. That’s right you can’t even play the game until you beat a real life Mario

Mario should be an unlockable character either way. The only character available at the start should be Yoshi. Forget your analog stick, we're going back to the greatest game of all time

 

[CosmicEternity44]

Mario should be an unlockable character either way. The only character available at the start should be Yoshi. Forget your analog stick, we're going back to the greatest game of all time
View attachment 398486

You’re such a Daredevil for posting this.

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

The magic is not there anymore? The whole roster gets spoiled by Sakurai himself before release. I don't see the point. Characters get revealed before their inclusion ever since Melee.... There's no logic in this argument.

I dunno about Melee and Brawl, but SSB4 didn't give newcomer trailers for Bowser Jr. or Duck Hunt until after Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3Ds came out and revealed them by existing. The website even has a spoiler section for them and the unlockable veterans*.

As far as "the magic" of it, I think he's kind of referring to that "kid on Christmas morning" kind of feel. Each fighter unlock is an exciting surprise since you don't know who they are beforehand. Nowadays, assuming you weren't following the games development, you'd still learn about all the unlockable because everyone would unlock them on day 1 and talk about them all over your feed. Now, you can still achieve that mystery and excited buzz about unlockables, but it would require making an entire ARG of it, and that's not something Smash is gonna do.

*Ganondorf was accidentally revealed in the beginning and the entire roster was leaked beforehand, but that's another matter entirely.

 

[fogbadge]

How do we feel about chibi robo as a possibility? Obviously not much chance of a revival but he must've done some kind of numbers on the ballot given his mii costume.

he is my second most wanted character

 

[CosmicEternity44]

You know, on unlockable characters, it is kind of funny. Sakurai dislikes cutscenes being spoiled online and yet he still does unlockable characters, which can be leaked just as well online and most of us feel they are outdated, you know what I mean?

 

[Gorgonzales]

You know, on unlockable characters, it is kind of funny. Sakurai dislikes cutscenes being spoiled online and yet he still does unlockable characters, which can be leaked just as well online and most of us feel they are outdated, you know what I mean?

1. Every character in Ultimate is shown on its website. There's nothing to leak.

2. Millions of people who don't follow Smash news are bound to be surprised by some of the inclusions when they pick up the game and start playing.

3. I think the unlock system serves good secondary purposes beyond keeping surprises; it provides an engaging feedback loop (you're unlocking someone after almost every match) and prevents option paralysis by not frontloading the entire 80+ character roster on you at once.

Honestly I think Ultimate's unlock system is genius.

 

[CosmicEternity44]

1. Every character in Ultimate is shown on its website.

2. Millions of people who don't follow Smash news are bound to be surprised by some of the inclusions when they pick up the game and start playing.

I was not talking about just Ultimate, mainly games like Smash 4.

Plus, for number 2, the same can be said for the cutscenes in things like Subspace Emissary, can it not?

 

[Gorgonzales]

I was not talking about just Ultimate, mainly games like Smash 4.

Plus, for number 2, the same can be said for the cutscenes in things like Subspace Emissary, can it not?

True, but again, the cutscenes are meant to be kept secret while the newcomers (even secret characters) are all available to look up on the official Smash sites, even going as far back as Brawl.

 

[BuckleyTim]

This just feels like a pointless argument to have when the next smash could very much have a base roster unlock chest for tournament play while keeping traditional unlocks how they see fit.

I get that smash's higher ups decides whether it's a party game or a fighting game based on arbitrary desires but we're wouldn't care this much about the crossover if were, say, a Mario party type game through and through. If they want us to take the hype seriously than the least they can do is make it easier to set up a tournament seriously.

 

[CosmicEternity44]

True, but again, the cutscenes are meant to be kept secret while the newcomers (even secret characters) are all available to look up on the official Smash sites, even going as far back as Brawl.

Let me remind you that the secret characters, which we are talking about, were leaked in Brawl and Smash 4 before they were officially announced and on the site. In fact, for Melee, I saw an article showing the secret characters before Melee was released, so there is that.

My point is that both cutscenes and secret characters can be leakable, and Sakurai hates cutscenes being leaked while secret characters are something he has no problem with. I mean, sure, there are some differences, but it is rather funny to me.

 

[BuckleyTim]

There was a problem fetching the tweet

Pour one out for those speculating about Multiversus.

Dang shame, but everything about it was so consistently bungled. I'd love to see smash get some kind of competition to influence it... But in some ways this particular go at it was doomed from the start. RIP.

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

Sakurai's handling of Smash as a competitive game is really wonky. Like, he acknowledges that people like to play competitively, and adds a bunch of features that facilitate 1v1s and lower the skill floor for them, but doesn't give any of the commonplace tools that would help players out in that respect.

I guess he just wants to facilitate casual 1v1s, but still doesn't like the tournament scene.

 

[Dukefire]

Sakurai's handling of Smash as a competitive game is really wonky. Like, he acknowledges that people like to play competitively, and adds a bunch of features that facilitate 1v1s and lower the skill floor for them, but doesn't give any of the commonplace tools that would help players out in that respect.

I guess he just wants to facilitate casual 1v1s, but still doesn't like the tournament scene.

In the end, Smash Bros is a casual game to all ages at heart.

Sakurai did make it with the intent that all skill levels are welcome to fight. So, competitive may not be the hard focus.