In 1999, the video game industry was revolutionized with Nintendo’s release of Super Smash Bros.: the company’s first multiplayer fighting game that included characters from some of Nintendo’s most famous and well-recognized series such as The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, Donkey Kong, and more.
Since that time, the “Smash” franchise has grown from a single installment to a multi-faceted franchise with 5 total games:
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Super Smash Bros. (original) for the Nintendo64
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Super Smash Bros. Melee for the Nintendo Gamecube
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Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Nintendo Wii
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Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo’s 3DS and Wii U, and;
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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch
With each new release in the series, the game’s roster of playable characters has continued to grow from its initial 12 characters in the original “Smash” title to 82 characters from both Nintendo and other video game companies alike in its latest installment, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
The thing with “Ultimate” is, however, that currently only 81 characters are playable; the final remaining playable character has yet to be released by Nintendo, causing fans of the series to speculate over which character the game’s final might be.
So, in true gamer fashion, here is my own personal list for video game franchises with characters that would be prime contenders for Ultimate’s final crossover fighter.
5. Spyro the Dragon
Breaking onto the video game in 1998, Spyro the Dragon rapidly captured the hearts of gamers due to his quick wit, laid-back personality, and brash-yet-eager demeanor. Spyro was most recently seen in the Spyro Reignited Trilogy, a remastering of the original 3 “Spyro” games released by Toys For Bob and published by Activision for Sony’s first Playstation console.
Between his flame breath serving as his primary weapon, his ability to jump and glide, and his unique ramming ability, Spyro could prove to be a force to be reckoned with as Ultimate’s final secret character.
4. Assassin’s Creed
Though some may argue that Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed (AC) franchise is too gritty for the world of “Smash,” Ultimate has already included a handful of characters from games considered more “gritty” than Nintendo’s traditional roster such as Solid Snake from Konami’s Metal Gear franchise as well as the combat-heavy gun-toting Umbra Witch Bayonetta.
While AC’s in-game protagonist characters often rely on stealth and subterfuge to accomplish their missions, adding them to Ultimate’s roster could provide gamers with a more melee-driven experience in controlling some of the series’s more famous assassins like Altaïr, Ezio, Edward, Eivor, or others. After all, I can’t be the only one envisioning an AC character’s super move in Ultimate as them rapidly falling through the air before plunging their weapons into the nearest enemy character–can I?
3. Marvel Comics
Since the release of the 2008 Iron Man film kicked off the comic company’s cinematic universe (MCU), Marvel has seen an unprecedented resurgence in the revival of its roster of superheroes, sidekicks, and villains; almost all of which would be perfect picks for Ultimate’s final secret playable character.
Fans of Marvel’s comics or MCU can agree that virtually any of Marvel’s Avengers, Inhumans, mutants, or chaos-riddled anti-heroes would be able to have their abilities translated into the combat that the Smash franchise has become famous for. Personally, I’d love nothing more than to see Nintendo tribute the late Chadwick Boseman’s likeness as Black Panther portrayed in a playable Smash character.
2. Resident Evil
Though Capcom already has a video game character in the Smash series as Megaman, the Resident Evil franchise is one full of characters whose in-game combat could be easily mirrored off the playstyle of Solid Snake and his heavy reliance on weaponry.
Between the likes of Chris and Claire Redfield, Leon Kennedy, Jill Valentine, Albert Wesker, and even the T-virus riddled mutant known as Tyrant (or “Mr. X” for all you RE2 fans), the RE series is one with a number of characters who could easily fit into Nintendo’s free-for-all fighting roster. After all, the franchise has already seen prior success on Nintendo’s platforms with the release of Resident Evil 4 on Gamecube and Resident Evil: Revelations on its handheld 3DS, so bringing even one of the franchise’s characters into a Nintendo-owned game isn’t too far-fetched of a move to make.
1. HALO
Are you really surprised at this? Come on; look me in the eye and tell me you don’t want to play through Smash Bros. as our mutual favorite armor-clad space Marine. It’s not just me, either; both fans and developers of the Halo franchise’s primary protagonist have such a desire to see Master Chief as a playable Smash character that multiple petitions have even been started with the hopes of attracting Bungie and Nintendo’s attention.
Petitions aside, the fact is that Nintendo has already had Ultimate’s final fighter planned and developed for months already, if not longer. The only remaining secret is just which character will take the slot, so no amount of petitions or other measures will sway Nintendo’s opinion on the matter. Regardless, a simple Google search of “Master Chief Smash Bros” will uncover an internet full of gamers hyping at the thought of playing as Halo’s original MC.
It doesn’t harm the Chief’s prospects either that his theme song alone in any of Nintendo’s release announcements would be enough to see a spike in sales for Ultimate.
Well, gamers, there’s this week’s list! What character do you think Nintendo will choose as their last fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate? Did you agree with my picks? Leave a comment below and let me know! Until next time, dear reader.