20 Characters That Need To Be Added To Super Smash Bros. For Nintendo Switch

When it comes to new Nintendo characters to add to Super Smash Bros. on Switch, it would come as a shock if at least one character from the 2017 brawler ARMS didn’t make the cut. While ARMS is a much different kind of fighting game than Smash Bros. — featuring a behind-the-shoulder third-person style — its cast of colorful characters seem ready-made to for a crossover into other Nintendo properties, particularly Smash Bros.

The central gameplay mechanic of ARMS — boxing style combat featuring wacky extendable, well … arms — would give the characters a unique feel in Smash Bros, and would be the series equivalent to Dhalsim from Street Fighter. While any of ARMS’ 15 combatants would make for a great addition, it would make the most sense to include Spring Man and Ribbon Girl, the franchise’s unofficial male and female mascots. That being said, we wouldn’t be opposed to good gooey boy Helix making an appearance too!

The Raving Rabbids were first introduced as a spin-off from the Rayman series and it wasn’t long before they found success at the expense of the series that spawned it, as there have been quite a few more Rabbids games released over the last decade than Rayman. Honestly, the Rabbids are characters we largely ignored up until last year when Ubisoft released the surprisingly great crossover strategy game Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle and now we can see them as potential additions to the Smash Bros. lineup.

In terms of gameplay, the Rabbids could fill a niche in being a multi-character single combatant; much like how the Ice Climbers are two characters controlled as one, players could control three Rabbids stacked on top of each other, with a range of attacks that sees the Rabbids using attacks from Mario + Rabbids. Speaking of which, the three Rabbids would be Rabbid Mario, Luigi, and Peach, just to keep everything on-brand.

With Bayonetta having officially joined the Smash Bros. roster as a DLC character for Super Smash Bros. Wii U, it only makes sense Hideki Kamiya’s other popular hack and slash action series to join the fray. Dante is, of course, the protagonist of the Devil May Cry series, which was created by Kamiya and introduced back in 2001 on the PlayStation 2. With his trademark dual pistols Ebony & Ivory and sword Rebellion, Dante is arguably one of the most formidable long/close range combat specialists in video game history and his prowess is only enhanced by his half-demon blood.

As such, Dante would be a great addition to the Smash Bros. roster, with a range of moves that would make him a force to be reckoned with both up-close and from far away. Plus, Nintendo wouldn’t even have to work that hard to figure out how to translate his moveset to the Smash Bros. format, as Dante previously appeared in the 2012 Smash Bros. clone PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale.

If Banjo-Kazooie were a realistic option, we would have highlighted the lovable bear and his squacky bird companion in this slot. But since Microsoft owns Rare and is unlikely to let Nintendo use any of the studio’s original characters in one of its games, the Banjo-Kazooie knockoffs Yooka-Laylee would be the next best thing. After all, the game and characters were developed by a studio comprised largely of ex-Rare devs, so it would almost be a cruel joke for Yooka-Laylee to make it onto the Smash Bros. roster before the characters they were modeled after.

As a playable character(s), Yooka-Laylee could have a variety of team-based moves at their disposal, so there really isn’t a question of their viability as combatants. Rather, it’s still unclear if these characters will have any staying power, as Playtonic Games has only released one mediocre platformer so far starring the chameleon and his trusty bat buddy. But considering the game’s Kickstarter campaign received nearly $3 million in backer money, it’s clear that there is a sizable Yooka-Laylee fanbase out there that would go nuts if the characters were in the next Smash Bros.

With Dark Souls finally making the jump to Nintendo platforms this year with the Switch port of the original game, it only makes sense to extend a Smash Bros. invite to a character from the franchise. And in that regard, there’s no better character to include than Solaire of Asotora, a skilled undead knight who is beloved by the Dark Souls community due to his positive attitude and fun dialogue.

Indeed, Nintendo may have already played their hand by revealing that Solaire is getting his own Amiibo and the company might as well put that plastic figure to good use by letting players use it in a game other than Dark Souls. However, if Solaire doesn’t end up making the cut as a playable Smash Bros. character, he should at the very least appear as a character to summon in battle, which would fit perfectly with his role as a buddy to call for help in Dark Souls proper.

Really, you could put any of the four legendary heroes from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in this spot, but our personal pick would be Revali, Champion of the Rito tribe, because he’s both a skilled warrior and a pompous jerk who would make another great too-cool-for-school character option alongside Falco. Based on his abilities in Breath of the Wild, Revali would likely be a ranged-focused fighter with a flight ability, which could potentially make him a bit overpowered, but perhaps this could be countered by giving him a glass jaw when it comes to being knocked off the map. If Nintendo decides to not make any of the Breath of the Wild Champions playable, it would be cool to see them show up as spirit assists in combat much like they do in the game.

Dixie Kong is arguably still the most fun playable character in the Donkey Kong Country series, so the fact that she hasn’t been given her due in Super Smash Bros. — or any Mario Universe crossover game for that matter — is simply absurd. We long for the day when we can whip Dixie’s hair back and forth in a hectic free-for-all match, or get knocked off the edge of the map, only to glide effortlessly back to safety. Thankfully, there’s a pretty good chance Nintendo could include her as a new character, as her recent appearance in Donkey Kong Country Returns: Tropical Freeze proves that she hasn’t been completely forgotten about. Plus, Smash Bros. could always use some more playable female characters, so Nintendo might as well give the nod to one of its best that has yet to make the cut.

Crash Bandicoot in Smash Bros?! Blasphemy! Well, not necessarily. The former PlayStation mascot, once pitted head-to-head with Mario in the great console mascot wars of the mid-90s, has been owned by Activision for years now and as such, is technically a third-party character. With the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy — which includes remasters of the first three PS1 Crash games — already confirmed for a July 2018 release on Switch, Nintendo might as well go one step forward and officially welcome the lovable orange marsupial into the Smash Bros. fold.

Crash’s spin and slide attacks would make him a dynamic, quick-hit melee fighter but he also has a wampa fruit-spewing rocket launcher to help pester enemies at long distances. With Sonic the Hedgehog already a Smash Bros. mainstay, adding Crash to the mix would only help bring our childhood video game mascot fight fantasies closer to reality.

Simon Belmont is the protagonist of Castlevania, Castlevania 2: Simon’s Quest and Super Castlevania IV. All three titles are exclusive to Nintendo consoles and they are all considered masterpieces in the Nintendo family. In a way, this makes Simon Belmont video game royalty. With Super Smash Bros. using Duck Hunt as a recent source for characters, surely the beloved hero of these NES and Super Nintendo classics requires a roster spot in Smash Bros? Simon wields his trademark whip, which would be an interesting long-range addition to the fold. Aside from his whip, Simon has an assortment of oddities he can use for attacks such as throwing knives, crosses, and axes. With Konami having already allowed Metal Gear Solid’s Snake to appear in Super Smash Bros, Simon Belmont presents a logical next choice and offers a character with the potential to be one of the best fighters in the game.

Far too few people have played the wonderful Professor Layton puzzle games. The original trilogy, which appeared on the Nintendo DS, beautifully combined puzzles and exploration in an addictive way. The prequel trilogy began on the DS, but episodes 2 and 3 moved to the Nintendo 3DS, a confusing move for fans as the numbered series was broken up between generations. This has caused many to miss the adventures of the well-mannered archaeologist known as Professor Hershel Layton. Layton’s appearance in Smash Bros could reignite enthusiasm for the character’s outstanding games and in an ideal world, would give Nintendo a built-in excuse to port all six games as an enhanced collection on the Nintendo Switch (Nintendo can have that idea free of charge). Having the option to play these brain-teasers on a home console would be icing on the cake of having Layton be a playable Smash Bros. character.

The sword-wielding hero from one of the best games ever made doesn’t require much of an introduction. Chrono Trigger is so beloved that to this day it’s in the conversation for best turn-based RPG of all-time. With the inclusion of Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII, seeing another famous Square character make an appearance in Smash Bros. isn’t far outside the realm of possibility. Chrono Trigger is a cherished Super Nintendo classic and has more ties to Nintendo than Final Fantasy VII ever will.

Crono is closely associated with Nintendo and an appearance in Smash Bros. may even lead to an upgraded Chrono Trigger remake (hey, one can dream). Regardless, Crono is more cherished by the Nintendo fan base than Cloud. Crono fits right in with the Smash Bros. cast by having a combination of sword and lightning attacks. Crono himself may not be the most interesting character on his own but the legacy of his game has arguably earned him a spot in Smash Bros.

Aside from Professor Layton, Nintendo’s other main portable gaming icon is Phoenix Wright. Phoenix Wright stars in the Ace Attorney series, which began on the Game Boy Advance in 2001 but were not made available in North America until 2005 when they were ported to the Nintendo DS. The series has since moved to the Nintendo 3DS and has sold well, but Phoenix Wright’s widespread appeal remains rather limited. Many gamers who have not recently followed portable handhelds may have missed this series; therefore, Phoenix Wright’s inclusion on the roster of Smash Bros. would go a long way toward broadening his popularity.

As a character, Phoenix Wright would be fast with high maneuverability in terms of running and jumping. Some of his attacks could include swinging his suitcase or yelling “Objection!” to temporarily stop enemies in their tracks. Phoenix Wright has close ties to Nintendo and it’s surprising he hasn’t already been included in the roster for Super Smash Bros.

The Space Pirate Ridley is the archenemy of Samus Aran. He is the villain in the original NES Metroid and has appeared in nearly every Metroid title since then. This skeletal dragon would add another much-needed flying character to further balance out the roster in Super Smash Bros. Ridley’s attacks are ready to translate to the game, as he can breathe fire while he flies and also has very sharp claws for close quarters combat. Surely, Ridley would be more interesting than yet another clone that controls similarly to a pre-existing character.

Ridley is very different and would rival Bowser for the largest character in the roster. If it’s possible to balance Ridley’s size into the gameplay, then he is a necessity for the franchise to adopt going forward. After all, the Metroid series currently only has one character on the roster. As one of the most beloved and critically-acclaimed video game series of all-time, this is unacceptable. The first step toward remedying this oversight is by including Ridley in the roster.

Honestly, we’d be very surprised if Shovel Knight doesn’t make the cut for Super Smash Bros. Switch. The little blue knight that could may have been created by Yacht Club Games and appeared on multiple platforms, but he’s practically an unofficial Nintendo mascot at this point. Hell, Nintendo even put out a Shovel Knight Amiibo and if that’s not an indication of the company’s confidence in the character and brand, we’re not sure what is.

It may have something to do with the fact that the actual Shovel Knight game feels like something Nintendo would have made back in the 8 and 16-bit eras, which of course is no accident, as the game is very clearly inspired by classic NES platformers such as DuckTales and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Here’s hoping Nintendo lets players dish out some shovel-branded justice on the competition later this year when Super Smash Bros. is released on Nintendo Switch!

Rayman has been responsible for some of the best-produced games over several decades of gaming. 1999’s Rayman 2: The Great Escape was an underappreciated gem upon release, but fortunately was continuously ported to multiple consoles, which secured its reputation as an undisputed classic. Rayman’s legacy continues to endure to this day, as the most recent entry, 2013’s Rayman Legends, is arguably one of the best platforming games ever created (and one of the best cooperative experiences around).

During the 90s, it would have seemed impossible to think that Rayman, initially viewed as “yet another Mario-impersonator,” would go on to have a platforming legacy almost as strong as Mario’s (at least in terms of overall quality). Sonic is no longer Mario’s main competition and in many ways, the only platform title that consistently competes with the quality of the Mario brand is Rayman. Rayman has appeared on Nintendo consoles throughout the duration of the series, so he deserves a spot on the Super Smash Bros. roster.

Paper Mario would fit in wonderfully alongside the likes of Mr. Game and Watch as another two-dimensional character for the Smash Bros. roster. His special moves could be related to a timed button push, which would create a fun mini-game as players need to properly time their inputs. Beyond that, Paper Mario would have a hammer as a weapon to center his moves around. The hammer would likely be used as a prime tool for smash attacks. It certainly feels like Paper Mario as a character would play closely to how he’s depicted in his source material. The popularity of Smash Bros. could be quite beneficial in regaining some popularity for the underrated Paper Mario series. Gamers enthralled by the moves of Paper Mario in Smash could potentially go on to discover one of the best series in the Mario canon if they begin playing through the role-playing games of the character’s source material.

As a potential Smash Bros. character type, Viewtiful Joe is very appealing, as he is capable of manipulating time and space. During the self-titled games which appeared on the PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo GameCube,  Viewtiful Joe had three techniques where he was able to control time. Joe’s most-used skill was the ability to slow down time. This move affected everyone, meaning the character Joe as well as all of his opponents would end up moving slower. Another one of Joe’s techniques was Mach Speed, which made him move insanely fast.

For Super Smash Bros, this would be a perfect technique that could lead to Viewtiful Joe unleashing a flurry of attacks. Joe’s final available technique is called Zoom, an effective offensive strike. Zoom stuns all enemies on screen and Joe’s attacks become more powerful. A kick can turn into a spin kick, a punch into a mega punch, and so forth. Viewtiful Joe needs to make an appearance in Smash Bros, as his games are amazing and should be cherished, and the character would fit like a glove in the Smash roster.

Seriously, how is Waluigi still not in Super Smash Bros? This nasty boy has been a staple of the Super Mario franchise ever since his first appearance in the 2000 Nintendo 64 game Mario Tennis but so far, he hasn’t been given an invitation to Nintendo’s mascot fighter. Sure, that’s true of quite a few secondary Mario universe characters like Daisy and Birdo, but Waluigi is perhaps the most popular Nintendo character who hasn’t been given his own video game yet and considering Mario’s evil doppelganger Wario has been a part of Smash Bros. since 2008, it’s about time that Luigi’s evil copy got the same treatment.

Waluigi’s moveset would likely fall somewhere between Mario, Luigi, and Wario’s, but his flamboyant style and personality opens the door for all sorts of unique attacks. Plus, he’s got the best mustache in the Mushroom Kingdom and that alone should be enough to get him on the roster. Come on Nintendo, give the purple man his due!

With Bomberman having finally returned after nearly a decade away in the decent Switch launch title Super Bomberman R,  it feels about time that Nintendo gave Konami’s jolly explosives expert his due by making him a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Bomberman was a Nintendo staple throughout the 8 and 16-bit eras. 1989’s Bomberman for the Nintendo Entertainment System was a revelation and the Super Bomberman series exclusive to the Super Nintendo really cemented the system as a “party console” compared to the Sega Genesis.

During the following generation, Bomberman branched out to multiple consoles, appearing on the Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn, and Sony PlayStation. From that point onward, Bomberman would always be a multiplatform series. However, it was the Nintendo exclusive Super Bomberman that won gamers’ hearts and differentiated the Super Nintendo from the Sega Genesis. Taking into account that Bomberman’s ready-made moveset would make him a very easy character to implement into Smash Bros., he should at the top of Nintendo’s list when it comes to future additions to the Smash roster.

Super Mario RPG on the Super Nintendo introduced two new party members to the Mario universe and Geno is the one who stole the show. Geno is a warrior from Star Road that allies himself with Mario and company and proves to be a true hero. Geno’s true form is unknown; the body he represents throughout his journey is simply a possessed doll. Adding to Geno’s legacy, his true name is given as an unpronounceable series of characters (♥♪!?) so he requests the name Geno.

Geno is absolutely hilarious and is one of the most iconic characters in the official Mario universe that has yet to appear in Smash Bros. In fact, Geno has been requested by fans for a very long time, but there have been questions regarding whether Geno remained intellectual property of Nintendo or if he is officially a Squaresoft character. This questioning is no longer necessary as Squaresoft gave permission to put Cloud Strife in Smash Bros. and that character has yet to even appear on a Nintendo console. Geno and his rocket arms deserve inclusion today.