Be Our Guest

Rayman is one of the most-requested Smash Bros. characters, and he’s also one of the most likely third-party characters to be included in the roster. After all, he seems like the type of character that Nintendo would have created themselves. He’s colorful enough to live in the Mushroom Kingdom, his detached fists look like Master Hand, and it would be exceedingly easy to build a moveset around his abilities. Rayman’s ability to hover would give him superior air control, and the developers would have tremendous freedom with his moveset since Rayman doesn’t have any limbs to get in the way. His rocket fists could be tremendously liberating, and it would be a lot of fun to see Rayman slap the shit out of other gaming icons. Ubisoft has collaborated with Nintendo in the past, so Rayman’s inclusion in Smash would not be out of reach.

Sega has a couple of representatives on the Smash Bros. roster already (Sonic and Bayonetta), but I’d like to see them turn back the clock to the 8-bit era and re-visit Sega’s rivalry with Nintendo. There are countless characters from Sega’s early years that I’d like to see again, and I considered mentioning Alex Kidd on this list. Ultimately, I decided that Wonder Boy would be a better fit for the Smash roster. Most of his moves would involve his sword and shield in one way or another, but they could also include the stone axes and skateboards that he used in his first outing. If they wanted to get really creative, they could even reference the various animal forms from Wonder Boy III. The Smash roster has enough swordsmen as it is, but none of them can transform into a mouse!

Jack Frost has been mentioned on many other lists already, but he’s deserving of the attention. The mischievous snow elf has appeared in over 40 games thus far, and more than half of them have been on Nintendo platforms. In fact, his very first game (Megami Tensei II) was a Famicom exclusive. Many Megaten demons were clearly designed with mature audiences in mind, but Jack Frost has a whimsical sense of humor that would be right at home in Smash. His outwardly adorable appearance would be the perfect ruse to lure people in before surprising them with his icy breath or a sonic punch. Jack Frost is basically the face of Atlus, and his appearance in Smash Bros. could give more exposure to Shin Megami Tensei V and increase the popularity of the Megaten franchise as a whole.

Another Assist Trophy who deserves a promotion, Bomberman’s legacy spans several decades. He made his first appearance on the MSX way back in 1983, but the Bomberman series has always had strong ties to Nintendo. Bomberman appeared alongside Wario in Wario’s Blast, and his familiar “White Bomber” design was first seen on the NES. Bomberman has appeared on nearly every Nintendo console (including the Virtual Boy), and Super Bomberman R was one of the launch titles for the Nintendo Switch. If he was added to the Smash Bros. roster, most of his moves would revolve around explosions, and his bombs would obviously detonate in a familiar cross-shaped pattern. He could also kick bombs at his opponents or detonate remote bombs from afar. The potential for him to hurt himself would make him a unique character.

NieR:Automata was released in 2017, so 2B (or YoRHa No.2 Type B) is a relatively new character. She hasn’t had a lot of time to build up a legacy, but the all-purpose battle android has already been featured in many other games. She was a guest fighter in SoulCalibur VI, her provocative outfit was available in Gravity Rush 2, and she has had cameos in about a half-dozen other games. She’s also a favorite among fan artists and cosplayers. It’s easy to see why 2B is so popular. She has the poise of a runway model, the flexibility of a gymnast, and her ass is the stuff of legend. Her combo-centric fighting style would be a great fit for Smash, and she’d have unique ways to evade or counter attacks. 2B is over-the-top in the most spectacular way, and she’d be the perfect foil for Bayonetta.

The Nintendo Switch has quickly established itself as the go-to console for indie games, so it would only be appropriate to add an indie character to the Smash Bros. roster. There’s no shortage of indie characters to consider, but Shantae’s the gal I’d most like to see. The half-genie hero has all sorts of magic abilities at her disposal, and she can transform into various animals by simply shaking her hips. It’s not hard to imagine how this could be implemented in Smash. For example, she could turn into a bat when she needs air control or take the form of an elephant when she wants to mow her opponents down. Shantae can also use her hair like a whip, so it would be easy to give her ranged attacks without requiring her to transform. It would be really cute to see Shantae taunting her opponents with her trademark belly dancing.

Super Mario RPG was released over 20 years ago and Geno hasn’t had a major role since then. His fans are very vocal, however, and even Masahiro Sakurai wanted him on the roster. The fourth Smash Bros. game played homage to Geno with a special Mii costume and an unused version of his Beware the Mushrooms theme was found hidden on the Super Smash Bros. Brawl disc, but the enigmatic star traveler is obviously worthy of a larger stage. Geno has an arm cannon and can fire energy waves from a distance, but his innate magic abilities could be used in creative ways. Geno can possess inanimate objects and bring them to life – that’s how he wound up in the body of a wooden doll – and this ability could make Geno one of the most interesting characters on the Smash Bros. roster.

Kunio-kun is one of the most iconic video game characters of the 1980s. As the star of Renegade, he was one of the codifiers of the beat ’em up genre. This was only the beginning for him, of course, and he has appeared in dozens of games since his 1986 debut. His first foray into the field of four-player fighting games happened nearly a decade before the original Smash Bros. hit store shelves, so he obviously knows a thing or two about frenetic action. Kunio-kun’s rapid-fire punches and kicks would work quite well in a Smash Bros. game, but there’s no reason why his repertoire would have to be limited to street fighting techniques. Kunio-kun has been involved in everything from ice hockey to sumo wrestling, after all, and it’s not hard to imagine how these various sports could be incorporated into his movset.

King K. Rool and Banjo-Kazooie are the only two western characters that have been added to the Smash Bros. roster thus far, and they both have strong ties to Nintendo’s past. Characters that were created outside of Japan are unlikely candidates for this list, but I contend that Lara Croft is the single most iconic character that’s not already included in the series. Tomb Raider was considered revolutionary in 1996, and Lara’s popularity with young men turned her into an international sex symbol. She was truly able to transcend the medium. Lara’s guns would no longer seem out of place in Smash Bros., and I’d love to see her stand alongside other strong women like Samus Aran. I’d be especially excited to see the return of her classic look, and Smash could remind us of why she was so popular in the first place.

Ryu Hayabusa is arguably the most iconic character from the NES era that hasn’t already secured a spot on the Smash Bros. roster. Ninja Gaiden was every bit as ambitious as Mega Man or Castlevania, and I’d like to see the legendary Dragon Ninja take his place alongside the Blue Bomber and the Belmont Clan. Hayabusa’s sword would be effective for close-range attacks, his shurikens would be useful from afar, and his ability to cling to walls would lead to all kinds of interesting strategies. His ability to create orange ninja clones would also help him stand out from the other fighters. Ninja Gaiden was included on the NES Classic Edition, and Ryu Hayabusa deserves to be immortalized with a Smash invite. He could even bring along a couple of the Dead or Alive girls as Assist Trophies!