After years of rumors, speculation, hype reveals, and letting our wildest dreams run wild, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is coming to an end. This month marks the release of the game’s final downloadable fighter: Sora from Kingdom Hearts. We may have different opinions about that Disney/Final Fantasy crossover and its utterly impenetrable anime-style lore, but don’t let that stop you from recognizing the monumental achievement that has finally been realized.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate isn’t just the best Smash game, it isn’t just one of the best Nintendo Switch games, and it isn't just one of the best fighting games. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is one of the greatest celebrations of gaming itself, a crossover pulling from all corners of gaming history. This is a game where Mario fights Samus, Sonic, and Sephiroth. So how does Nintendo possibly top that? We’ve got some ideas.
Take a Long Break
If Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is to be the last Smash game, no one would complain. It’s the franchise’s final form, and as the best-selling fighting game of all time, it could keep selling millions of copies for years to come.
We’ve also been pretty inundated with Smash Bros. these past few years. Historically, we have to wait an entire console generation, at least 6-7 years, between Super Smash Bros. games. But between Super Smash Bros. for 3DS/Wii U, those games' DLC releases, the surprisingly early Ultimate reveal and release, and Ultimate’s DLC, there’s been nonstop Smash news for most of the past decade.
Now, it’s time to give Smash a break. Let us reset our expectations. Build up anticipation after a long absence. Give director Masahiro Sakurai a long rest, or let him patiently put together the perfect team to take over the series once her retires. Ultimate will hold us over for a long time, so there's no need to rush.
![KOF, Street Fighter, and Super Smash Bros.: We Name the Best Fighting Games](https://zmgvideos.mashable.com/cms/2021/4/10888e5e-5e1e-302c/uploaded_thumbnail.png)
Rethink the Roster
Succeeding Ultimate seems especially difficult considering it has the single greatest roster in all of fighting games. “Everyone is here” means every single character who has ever been in the series has returned. Not only that, the 82-character cast includes a wide range of third-party characters from Sega, Konami, and even Microsoft.
We’re all bracing ourselves for the next Smash to reduce this roster somewhat. Who would want to deal with Disney licensing again? But considering how important it is for Smash to celebrate as many video games as possible, Nintendo will need to convince us that a smaller cast doesn’t automatically equal a worse game. As someone still upset that Solid Snake got cut from Brawl, let me tell you that’s harder than it sounds. Will people still pick up a new Smash if Steve from Minecraft isn’t there anymore?
Promoting popular assist trophies, such as Bomberman and Isaac from Golden Sun and a certain other fellow we'll get to later, into playable characters may ease the sting somewhat. Outrageous new characters can also help. Who could be disappointed if Master Chief joins the battle? Regardless, cutting characters already sounds like a let down, even if it's inevitable. That alone makes the very idea of a new Smash tough to get quite as excited for compared to Ultimate.
![Fortnite, MultiVersus, and the Thrill of Crossover Games](https://zmgvideos.mashable.com/cms/2022/9/72093ab4-d95a-2903/uploaded_thumbnail.jpg)
Do a Reboot
If Nintendo can’t make a Smash game bigger than Ultimate, it should make a Smash game so different from Ultimate that we can hardly even compare them. Do a full Smash reboot. Rethink every character’s move set. Introduce a numerous new modes for casual and competitive players. Maybe bring back trophies or an epic Subspace Emissary-style adventure story mode that does justice to all those ridiculous cutscenes.
Make a Smash game that lives alongside Ultimate instead of replacing it. Change up the art style. I’ve always wanted to see Smash Bros. experiment with pixel art. Heck, if you’re feeling really bold, maybe even ditch the 2D perspective and make the first 3D Smash Bros. We’ve played the Smash version of Street Fighter, what does the Smash version of Tekken look like? The arena-based Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm games could serve as inspiration. Speaking of anime...
Make a Versus Game
How can Nintendo whittle down the roster while adding a bunch of newcomers and celebrating Smash’s crossover identity? Make a versus game! A classic fighting game formula, a versus game pits two camps of characters against each other, typically from two rival companies. A Smash Bros. versus game could feature some core Nintendo mascots challenging a whole crop of fresh faces.
But who should Mario and friends fight? Capcom fights Marvel, and Mortal Kombat fights the DC Universe. So to complete the comic book theme, I suggest “Super Smash Bros. vs. Shonen Jump.” We’ve already seen Smash Bros.-style games featuring Shonen Jump’s manga heroes. Ultimate’s developer Bandai Namco already has history with the brand. Japanese video game fans also tend to be anime fans, and people would lose there minds seeing Link fight Goku. Think Jump Force, but actually good.
Embrace Other Platform Fighters
The future of Super Smash Bros. may not even be Super Smash Bros itself, but the other “platform fighters” that have come in its wake. Alongside Ultimate, we now have several games to choose from if we want to knock our friends off stages and into oblivion.
Check out indie fighters like Brawlout and Rivals of Aether. Brawlhalla offers a very competent, competitive platform fighter for free. And if you love Smash for its crazy crossovers, along with its gameplay, you owe it to yourself to play the diamond in the rough that is Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl.
Add Waluigi
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s roster is so unbelievable that complaining about it feels petty at this point. Yeah, I wish the roster didn’t skew so heavily towards Japanese tastes. If all these generic anime swordsmen could be playable fighters, Doomguy should’ve been more than just a Mii costume. But honestly, the only thing the next Super Smash Bros. game needs to do to make everyone happy is make our favorite gross, lanky, purple Luigi doppelganger Waluigi a playable character. Then, only then, can Sakurai rest.
For more in-depth video game talk, visit PCMag's Pop-Off YouTube channel.
Get Our Best Stories!
Sign up for What's New Now to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
Sign up for other newslettersRead the latest from Jordan Minor
- Like to Watch? 2 Edgy Indie Games Push Voyeurism Into the Mainstream
- Lego Horizon Adventures Debuts, and It Looks Better Than the Mainline Games
- Nintendo Switch 2: Backward Compatibility Could Be the Killer App
- MultiVersus: 12 Characters We Want to See Fight
- Drake vs. Kendrick Drama Confirms AI Rap Is for Losers
- More from Jordan Minor