Official Next Smash - Speculation & Discussion Thread

[NintenRob]

The 3DS version has the same soundtrack. If it did, they wouldn't have included it. It's why Wind Waker HD isn't on there for example. The soundtrack is slightly different.

I actually think it included a new song in the form of E'Gadds theme from Luigi's Mansion 2. It was used when Gooigi was sent over by future E Gadd

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

I actually think it included a new song in the form of E'Gadds theme from Luigi's Mansion 2. It was used when Gooigi was sent over by future E Gadd

And since it's a theme from another game entirely, they're gonna keep it for when they put 2/Dark Moon in the Music app.

Like how Splatoon 3 only has battle themes new to it in the app despite the previous two games being selectable in the in-game jukebox.

 

[Þe 1 → Way]

Not self-sabotage in that if they don't do it the Switch 2 will falter, just that it's standard practice even in less important years, so why would you not advertise the games like you usually do in such a critical time in the system's lifespan, its first holiday on the market? You're forgoing useful marketing.

Nintendo's standard practice for release and announcement has been ever changing since the Wii U. I honestly don't think there's solid enough precedence in modern times to call for both a summer and fall direct in specifically the first year of a consoles life. Nintendo could just as easily decide to hold off on some of their back catalogue to survey tariffs or smt as much as they could decide to break the two directs back half year 1 rule.

It doesn't really matter if they don't have that many new reveals, the point is they'd show the stuff that holiday again, show more of it, and help build hype for it. Meanwhile you throw in some stuff coming in 2026 to further incentivize people get the system, and to actually have some new reveals.

I mean, makes sense, but I still definitely could see them bouncing a fall direct in favor of a late summer showcase that they'd follow up with a January Direct. Since Mario Kart will have already launched and Prime 4 will be looking at its fourth gameplay trailer, that kinda just leaves Kirby and DK to really dive deep into. I feel like keeping up a showcase every few months might be hype but will lead to them showing their hand too early.

I want to make it clear I don't think this is at all a crazy prediction for two directs or anything, I just see it as an option on the table rather than definitively what's probably going to happen. Nintendo could choose a lot of opportune times to announce or show something off, and they pretty often leave us scratching our heads wondering as to why they didn't do something.

Also Sakurai is not going to call it a small project, is he? They want to actually sell this game, that makes it sound kinda anemic.

Sakurai noted it as big because of the hands he needed on deck to make it. Of course he wouldn't have described the game as small if it was actually a smaller title, but if we're rolling with that logic he presumably would have gone down a different route in describing the game in the first place. If you want something a bit more concrete, I guess the best I've got is that Bamco's studio hirings and structure don't seem to imply Air Riders is a B team game. By all accounts aside from maybe timing, this does seem to be a big title since its got seemingly the same amount of support Smash itself has (if you buy that 2D action title is Smash, that is).

...it didn't close out the show, DK did. I mean Nintendo revealed all of... like... two new first-party games that aren't casual stuff they wouldn't end the show with, Kirby and DK.

My bad, I did originally have a line mentioning that in my comment, but I think I accidentally deleted it in formatting.

Agreed it has more than them. Though I'm not sure that's a super high bar.

That's why I brought them up. 'Kirby Spinoff' is apt but doesn't quite convey the scope of Air Riders when the same label often applies to titles like Super Kirby Clash, y'know?

Nothing against Air Riders, it's just... Kirby is no Mario, Pokemon, Zelda, Splatoon, AC, Smash, even DK. Things like it, FE, Metroid, Xenoblade, Yoshi, Pikmin, etc. would be the game that complements the "main" holiday game, catering its release around the bigger title, rather than vice versa.

This statement kinda confuses me tbh. Kirby Forgotten Land sold double what Metroid Dread did and that was a holiday title. Looking at series like FE, Yoshi, Pikmin, etc. Kirby still outpaces them. Even comparing a heavy hitter like DK to Kirby, Star Allies ended up matching about the same sales as the Tropical Freeze rerelease did. If anything, that would place them both at the same level, no?

I mean, to put my point in perspective, Xenoblade as a franchise is listed by Google as having sold around 9 million copies by the end of 2023, and Forgotten Land as a game is currently sitting at 7.5 million sales. This is definitely just semantics at this point, and that isn't a knock against Xenoblade just cause it hasn't sold enough, but I really don't see Kirby as one of Nintendo's minor Ips, nor as an odd series to take the Holiday Title mantle, moreso it just looks like that because of how many titles the series tends to put out on the smaller scale. In that sense, I would say its best comparison might actually be Pokemon.

I think this is just a case of agree to disagree at the end of the day, no? Kirby Air Riders isn't gonna end up being the Holiday game anyhow given how early into the year it was revealed. That sorta title is definitely being saved for now.

 

[Stratos]

Some believe that the region in the 10th generation of Pokémon will be based on a region of Greece, but there is a chance that this region will be based on a region from another country such as an area of Egypt or Italy or Russia etc..

 

[NintenRob]

Some believe that the region in the 10th generation of Pokémon will be based on a region of Greece, but there is a chance that this region will be based on a region from another country such as an area of Egypt or Italy or Russia etc..

I really don't think it'll be based on Russia

 

[Gengar84]

Some believe that the region in the 10th generation of Pokémon will be based on a region of Greece, but there is a chance that this region will be based on a region from another country such as an area of Egypt or Italy or Russia etc..

Egypt would be really cool. I’ve always loved the ancient Egyptian aesthetic and mythology. Lucario, Cofagrigus, Rabsca, and Furfrou would be musts for the dex from that region.

 

[fogbadge]

Some believe that the region in the 10th generation of Pokémon will be based on a region of Greece, but there is a chance that this region will be based on a region from another country such as an area of Egypt or Italy or Russia etc..

I'd kinda like them to do Italy

 

[Noipoi]

Some believe that the region in the 10th generation of Pokémon will be based on a region of Greece, but there is a chance that this region will be based on a region from another country such as an area of Egypt or Italy or Russia etc..

A Greece region would be really cool, there’s a lot they could do with the culture and mythology.

Though if it was up to me the next region would be Australia. The wildlife there are basically Pokemon already.

 

[Thegameandwatch]

Most countries could be possible options but the exceptions are the ones that are controversial or going through a crisis. Most likely choices are Europe or the US as shown by trends that started since Unova.

I think Egypt would be cool for an African country since that continent hasn't been used yet for a Pokemon region.

 

[Stratos]

A Greece region would be really cool, there’s a lot they could do with the culture and mythology.

Though if it was up to me the next region would be Australia. The wildlife there are basically Pokemon already.

When you write that the next region will be based on Australia, do you mean the region in the 11th generation?

 

[BritishGuy54]

Judging by trends of the Pokémon series, most choices for regions would just default on Europe and North America that aren’t super controversial.

For NA, perhaps the West Coast with California? Or the south with Texas? How about Canada?

For Europe, it’s likely going to be Italy or Greece. But other than that, choices like Germany, Scandinavia, perhaps even Poland might prove to be good choices.

 

[fogbadge]

North America that aren’t super controversial.

I got bad news for you

 

[DarthEnderX]

I got bad news for you

2/3rds of NA is fine.

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

A Canadian region for Pokemon would be pretty sick.

Definitely not biased

 

[PersonAngelo53]

I think that 2027 is too early for Smash unless either it winds up extremely rushed with only a fraction of the content that Ultimate had, or is just a rerelease of Ultimate and not a new game.

I don’t see why it has to take that long. For all we know smash has been worked on at the same time as the new Kirby game. It could just be the other project studio S was doing. Who is to say they both weren’t worked on around the same time?

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

I don’t see why it has to take that long. For all we know smash has been worked on at the same time as the new Kirby game. It could just be the other project studio S was doing. Who is to say they both weren’t worked on around the same time?

I guess there was technically a one month overlap for Uprising (released March 2012) and Smash 4 (started development February 2012), so it's not crazy to assume that once Air Riders was mostly in the final polishing phase, Sakurai would've moved to Smash.

 

[PersonAngelo53]

I guess there was technically a one month overlap for Uprising (released March 2012) and Smash 4 (started development February 2012), so it's not crazy to assume that once Air Riders was mostly in the final polishing phase, Sakurai would've moved to Smash.

Yeah exactly. Just saying i don’t think is out of the question smash could release sooner than 2027 still.

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

Yeah exactly. Just saying i don’t think is out of the question smash could release sooner than 2027 still.

I would argue that early 2027 might be out of the cards depending on timing... but that still leaves mid and late 2027, and Smash would definitely be at its strongest as the big holiday title anyway

This, however, assumes Air Riders won't get any post-launch content which, as a Kirby spin-off, is actually pretty likely but we can't rule out the possibility of Sakurai going above and beyond by also giving us some stuff after the game launches.

 

[Noipoi]

All the Air Riders announcement had done is push my personal Smash predictions forward by a year. My bet is holiday 2027 now. Maybe 2028 but I think that’d be pushing it.

Of course I could be wrong, but I won’t be

 

[Stratos]

However, countries I would generally like to see new regions in future mainline Pokémon games inspired by are Greece, Egypt, Scandinavia, Italy, Australia, Russia, Madagascar, Morocco, Canada and India. From these ten countries would be the inspiration for the ten new regions I want in the main Pokémon series.

 

[fogbadge]

I just hope no one else gets shafted like scotland did

 

[HyperSomari64]

How 'bout a Peru/South America-inspired Pokémon region?

Sorry people, i needed to

 

[Laniv]

I'm okay with whatever as long as it isn't (western) Europe again

 

[BackseatSakurai]

I mean, to put my point in perspective, Xenoblade as a franchise is listed by Google as having sold around 9 million copies by the end of 2023, and Forgotten Land as a game is currently sitting at 7.5 million sales.

Don't go down this road, brother. The fans are gonna say it sold well for its genre (despite Dragon Quest 11 selling 7 million units, FFXVI selling 3.5 million, Mario RPG remake selling 3 million, Pokemon being the most profitable IP ever, etc) as if turn-based RPGs haven't been commonplace, even in the West, for like 30 years. Xenoblade's modest sales worldwide also occured in spite of huge marketing, including the Smash characters, with 2 out of the 3 platforms it has debuted new entries on being wildly successful with huge install bases, plus every single game in the series being ported to Switch, and a mass audience of people that are more anime-friendly / weeb-friendly than ever before. What you're saying is entirely correct - Xenoblade is an irrelevance in the grand scheme of things. It would never be Nintendo's holiday game because, beyond sales - it lacks mass appeal. And the word "mass" there is being pretty generous.

 

[Stratos]

One of the many ghosts I think Luigi will face in Luigi's Mansion 4 is the ghost of a mad scientist.

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

One of the many ghosts I think Luigi will face in Luigi's Mansion 4 is the ghost of a mad scientist.

Damn, E. Gadd's gonna die

 

[dezeray112]

I just hope no one else gets shafted like scotland did

Add Wales to the list as well.

 

[fogbadge]

Add Wales to the list as well.

good point they got even less

 

[Opossum]

As far as the next Pokémon region, the general consensus from the gigaleak seems to be that the next region is based on one that's an archipelago, so there are basically three major likely options: Indonesia, Greece, and the Caribbean. If we get somewhere that isn't one of those three places, I'd be surprised.

 

[Noipoi]

As far as the next Pokémon region, the general consensus from the gigaleak seems to be that the next region is based on one that's an archipelago, so there are basically three major likely options: Indonesia, Greece, and the Caribbean. If we get somewhere that isn't one of those three places, I'd be surprised.

I know it’s still a year away give or take, but I’m already really stoked for this concept. A region that’s a big island chain that you can freely explore sounds awesome!

Y'know, assuming the game is optimized. But the Switch 2 is pretty strong so I’m hoping Gen 10 will run…decently.

 

[DragonRobotKing26]

As far as the next Pokémon region, the general consensus from the gigaleak seems to be that the next region is based on one that's an archipelago, so there are basically three major likely options: Indonesia, Greece, and the Caribbean. If we get somewhere that isn't one of those three places, I'd be surprised.

i can't wait to see how could be the starters

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

I know it’s still a year away give or take, but I’m already really stoked for this concept. A region that’s a big island chain that you can freely explore sounds awesome!

Y'know, assuming the game is optimized. But the Switch 2 is pretty strong so I’m hoping Gen 10 will run…decently.

On the one hand, the Switch 2 is pretty powerful, and that likely counts for a lot. On the other hand, the reason why Pokémon games run terribly is because GameFreak doesn't know how to execute basic aspects of rendering 3D scenes with a free camera so...

I will accept it if it doesn't constantly have super blatant stuff like entire swaths of terrain flickering and camera clipping into said terrain, allowing us to see the void underneath. Also if it's open world again, it needs to have level scaling for at least its bosses.

 

[Noipoi]

On the one hand, the Switch 2 is pretty powerful, and that likely counts for a lot. On the other hand, the reason why Pokémon games run terribly is because GameFreak doesn't know how to execute basic aspects of rendering 3D scenes with a free camera so...

I will accept it if it doesn't constantly have super blatant stuff like entire swaths of terrain flickering and camera clipping into said terrain, allowing us to see the void underneath. Also if it's open world again, it needs to have level scaling for at least its bosses.

I think, at the very least, they’ll have fixed up the glitches. Pokémon’s had a few controversies in the past but the reaction to the state S/V released in was not pretty. They issued a public apology! I think they know they can’t release a game looking like that again, in fact I think that’s why they held off on Z-A last year. More dev time for both this game and the inevitable anniversary game.

With the level scaling, I could see that too. Gamefreak’s thing is slowly inching their way towards the standards of a modern open world rpg. You can literally see them working it out in real time between Sw/Sh, it’s dlc, Legends Arceus, and now S/V. Enough people complained about it that I think next time they’ll implement it, but I could be wrong.

 

[fogbadge]

As far as the next Pokémon region, the general consensus from the gigaleak seems to be that the next region is based on one that's an archipelago, so there are basically three major likely options: Indonesia, Greece, and the Caribbean. If we get somewhere that isn't one of those three places, I'd be surprised.

reminds me of an idea I had where they reused the sevii islands for a legends game as a full area

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

I think, at the very least, they’ll have fixed up the glitches. Pokémon’s had a few controversies in the past but the reaction to the state S/V released in was not pretty. They issued a public apology! I think they know they can’t release a game looking like that again, in fact I think that’s why they held off on Z-A last year. More dev time for both this game and the inevitable anniversary game.

With the level scaling, I could see that too. Gamefreak’s thing is slowly inching their way towards the standards of a modern open world rpg. You can literally see them working it out in real time between Sw/Sh, it’s dlc, Legends Arceus, and now S/V. Enough people complained about it that I think next time they’ll implement it, but I could be wrong.

Oh yeah, I also want them to bring back Set Mode. There was literally no reason for them to remove it in Pokémon Scarlet/Violet since it's still in the game for competitive play.

EDIT: But yeah, I'm not getting my hopes up, but I will at least set them at "competent product". I'm not too cynical on them missing that mark. Ignore the fact that the bar being there is in itself cynical.

 

[Thegameandwatch]

Pokémon’s had a few controversies in the past but the reaction to the state S/V released in was not pretty

There was also Dexit although that’s more controversial with Pokemon fans then outside.

Compared to S/V’s buggy state being controversial even outside of the Pokemon community.

Oh yeah, I also want them to bring back Set Mode. There was literally no reason for them to remove it in Pokémon Scarlet/Violet since it's still in the game for competitive play.

There was also the removal of the Battle Facilities. While they got worse before its removal, it means that level 100 Pokemon are really only useful for Tera Raids and Online which costs money for the latter.

There are rematches but they are generally lower level.

 

[RileyXY1]

As far as the next Pokémon region, the general consensus from the gigaleak seems to be that the next region is based on one that's an archipelago, so there are basically three major likely options: Indonesia, Greece, and the Caribbean. If we get somewhere that isn't one of those three places, I'd be surprised.

The Philippines are also an option.

 

[BritishGuy54]

Don't go down this road, brother. The fans are gonna say it sold well for its genre (despite Dragon Quest 11 selling 7 million units, FFXVI selling 3.5 million, Mario RPG remake selling 3 million, Pokemon being the most profitable IP ever, etc) as if turn-based RPGs haven't been commonplace, even in the West, for like 30 years.

Just to let you know that Xenoblade isn’t a turn-based RPG. It’s an action real-time RPG.

Xenoblade's modest sales worldwide also occured in spite of huge marketing, including the Smash characters, with 2 out of the 3 platforms it has debuted new entries on being wildly successful with huge install bases, plus every single game in the series being ported to Switch, and a mass audience of people that are more anime-friendly / weeb-friendly than ever before

Isn’t that a good thing? God forbid a game be on a popular system, after all.

What you're saying is entirely correct - Xenoblade is an irrelevance in the grand scheme of things. It would never be Nintendo's holiday game because, beyond sales - it lacks mass appeal. And the word "mass" there is being pretty generous.

If you’re looking at a complete total unequivocal ‘celebration of gaming’, maybe.

But a Nintendo All-Star crossover? If sales are what matters, Xenoblade has sold around 9 million units worldwide.

For comparison:

• The Kid Icarus series has sold just over 3 million units total.
• Star Fox has 11 million units total. If current trends continue, Xenoblade will likely over take the series within the next 5 years.
• F-Zero has sold nearly 6 million units total. It was active for 14 years, around the same time from when Xenoblade started to today.
• Mother as a series has only just over 1 million copies. Again, active for a similar amount of time from when Xenoblade started until today.
• Metroid has sold around 6 million units since 2009. This number will likely increase with Prime 4.

Or does critical reception matter more? Every game in the series is at least well reviewed by critics and audiences.

Not every series has to appeal to everyone. And that is fine. If anything, seeing something more low key with its success is why many people like Smash in the first place.

Smash can be a gateway game for many to experience new series for the first time. Let’s be real here, Smash is a helping hand for all games, big and small. Series like Metroid, Pikmin, Kirby, even bigger names like Donkey Kong and Sonic likely got many new fans from being in Smash and looking back at their games.

Alternatively, Smash can be a way to showcase bigger names that people do know. There’s a good reason why Pokémon is guaranteed a newcomer every game, why characters like Cloud and Steve are here at all.

But not every series to be mass marketable. Not very series has to be a Mario or a Pokémon. If that was the case, Smash would look a lot more like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s roster.

Or if the game just doesn’t gel with you, that is fine too. Not everyone will want to play, actually play, or even know every single game. And that is okay.

 

[BackseatSakurai]

Just to let you know that Xenoblade isn’t a turn-based RPG. It’s an action real-time RPG.

Yes, I know - unfortunately, I've played it. I meant to say JRPGs - it's immaterial to the point.

Isn’t that a good thing? God forbid a game be on a popular system, after all.

The point is - this bodes poorly for the sales figures. Popular system, yet weak sales.

If you’re looking at a complete total unequivocal ‘celebration of gaming’, maybe.

But a Nintendo All-Star crossover? If sales are what matters, Xenoblade has sold around 9 million units worldwide.

For comparison:

• The Kid Icarus series has sold just over 3 million units total.
• Star Fox has 11 million units total. If current trends continue, Xenoblade will likely over take the series within the next 5 years.
• F-Zero has sold nearly 6 million units total. It was active for 14 years, around the same time from when Xenoblade started to today.
• Mother as a series has only just over 1 million copies. Again, active for a similar amount of time from when Xenoblade started until today.
• Metroid has sold around 6 million units since 2009. This number will likely increase with Prime 4.

It's not just sales - as repeatedly stated, the sales are just representative of scale. There's abundant context outside of sales that make these comparisons ridiculous. If Metroid stopped at Super Metroid, never to return again (I have no idea why you decided to arbitrarily cut it off at 2009 btw) it would still be more important than Xenoblade both in terms of Nintendo and "gaming". This is obvious. I'm not going to go point by point through every example - there's other context.

Not every series has to appeal to everyone. And that is fine.

Cool - glad we agree. I think Xenoblade is terrible and the exaggerated claims of the fanbase are even worse, and I'm going to voice that opinion at every opportunity.

If anything, seeing something more low key with its success is why many people like Smash in the first place.

There are things that deserve this treatment far more than Xenoblade.

There’s a good reason why Pokémon is guaranteed a newcomer every game

If you consider marketing a good reason, sure.

The reply in and of itself proves my point - the fragility around the series is insane.

 

[SharkLord]

Judging by trends of the Pokémon series, most choices for regions would just default on Europe and North America that aren’t super controversial.

For NA, perhaps the West Coast with California? Or the south with Texas? How about Canada?

For Europe, it’s likely going to be Italy or Greece. But other than that, choices like Germany, Scandinavia, perhaps even Poland might prove to be good choices.

As a Californian I'd be pretty happy with a West Coast region, but if they don't have a Pokemon for my leopard sharks I will desintegrate GameFreak HQ

As far as the next Pokémon region, the general consensus from the gigaleak seems to be that the next region is based on one that's an archipelago, so there are basically three major likely options: Indonesia, Greece, and the Caribbean. If we get somewhere that isn't one of those three places, I'd be surprised.

Watch it be Japan 6
Given the usual trends Greece is probably the most likely, but the Caribbean or Indonesia would be really fun. I could also see the Philippines fitting the bill for an archipelago region.