A list!
I've been playing me a bit of Brawl lately. I've let my skills go down (although I never win sudden death, so, yeah), and, as you may have read, I can't play online, so I'm forced to play against the damned computer. And the computer is cheap because it picks on the player characters, IE: me.
Now, there hasn't been an official announcement for a new Smash Brothers, but since it was undoubtedly the most successful franchise that Nintendo launched in the 2000s, and it's sold OODLES on both the Cube and the Wii, it only makes sense. Nintendo's a cash whore, and they know how to keep us happy. So, who do I want to see in the next Smash Brothers? Read on!!! But first, a preface... I'm a Smash purist. The point of the series is to pit NINTENDO'S characters against each other. So Sonic, Snake, and any other 3rd party bullshitters, need to get out of my ring. They're also not in any real order. And it isn't formatted, because I'm lazy. But I'm cutting for a reason.
Toad
Reason Why: Of all the classic Mario characters, Toad is the only one that isn't a playable character. The Mario series is, unarguably, the series that has the most characters in their respective franchise on the Brawl roster, counting Yoshi and the former Dr. Mario, that's 7 characters... but so far the only time we see Toad is as Peach's meat shield. We've learned that there are many a Toad in the Mushroom kingdom, and, for the most part, they all look the same, so why can't we believe that the meat shields that Peach uses are a different kind of Toad, whereas the playable Toad is the same one that we've been able to select as a playable character since Mario 2? It's only right that a character who predates Yoshi and Wario is at least promoted to the big leagues.
Likelihood: Considering Toad's longstanding placement as a playable character in various Mario spin off titles, it is possible. I'd say the chances are at least pretty good.
Little Mac
Reason Why: Little Mac is certainly a bit more iconic than Pit (not that I'm hating on Pit, I squealed like a girl when I saw Pit in the original Brawl trailer for the first time), but thus far he's been reduced to an assist trophy and maybe a regular trophy or sticker. With both Punch Out games available for download on the Virtual Console and a new Punch Out that came out on the Wii last year, the series certainly isn't lacking for recognition. And, of course, one of the alternate costumes would HAVE to be the legendary pink jumpsuit. In fact, Doc Lewis could appear in the intro for the character!
Likelihood: Already an assist trophy, and with the added recognition of a new Wii game, I wouldn't be surprised if Little Mac got the call for Smash 4 (but what do we call Smash 4? Smash Skirmish? Smash Spar? Smash something else that means battle? Smash Battle?), and I'd love if he was!
Lyn
Reason Why: One thing that I've noticed when it comes to the Smash Brothers series is the severe lack of female fighters that are on the roster. We're not in the era of Chun-Li and Sonya Blade, where female fighters are a rarity. Hell, this is Nintendo we're talking about, the people who gave us arguably the first female protagonist in a video game with Samus... so why is the game such a sausage fest? I don't know, but it's something that we can fix! Lyn is an important character in the Fire Emblem series for a variety of reasons, such as the fact that she's the first female Lord character the series had, and, most importantly, she's the first Lord character that Western gamers who didn't play the Japanese only games that preceded the GBA release got to play with. Everything that we learned about Fire Emblem we learned from Lyn the same way we learned how to stomp on a Goomba with Mario, slice a Moblin with Link, and so on.
Likelihood: Lyn's already been an assist trophy, much like Mac. However, Lyn doesn't have Mac's name recognition, which could be a hurdle that Lyn would need to overcome, but, of the Fire Emblem characters who could be added to a future Smash entry, Lyn is certainly up there and already in the developer's mind with her place as an assist trophy.
Ridley
Reason Why: Metroid is one of the series that most people, myself included, consider to be Nintendo's Big Three. But, it's a bit like Wonder Woman in the Big Three of DC comics... certainly valued, important and loved, but not having the same kind of recognition as the other two members of the trinity (in this case Mario and Zelda). In spite of Metroid's A-List name recognition, only Samus is an actual playable character in the Smash series... and I say that this is a SEVERE oversight. Ridley's already been sceen in the series as a boss character in Brawl, but there's no reason why we can't scale the character down to make him a more balanced playable character in the series. The larger Ridley can be a final smash mode, like Giga Bowser, Pig Ganon and Super Jigglypuff.
Likelihood: Decent to low. Ridley's certainly a more viable Metroid series inclusion than number one baddie Mother Brain (but that'd be cool to see!), but if they haven't added a Metroid series character in the series since Samus in the original series, in spite of the characters they could have added, it doesn't look that promising.
Wart
Reason Why: Alongside female characters, there's a lack of Nintendo villains in the series that we can throw down with, and Wart is the second, or third, Big Bad that most people remember when it comes to the Mario Series. People who have played Mario Brothers 2 didn't care that it was some sort of dumbed down game that us western idiot gamers would tolerate instead of the True Super Mario Brothers sequel that Japan got back in the day, we ate it up, and Wart won a place in our hearts. He could take extra damage when someone throws veggies at him, an advantage that Peach would have with her turnip pulling special.
Likelihood: Unlikely. Peach's character has been etched in the Mario Brothers 2 mold, with the aforementioned veggie toss special move and the floating ability that she has which has made her a favorite of many Smash players, and there was the Mario Brothers 2 World that made an appearance in Melee, but it seems that Wart is a character that is going to be etched only in gamer nostalgia.
Crystal
Reason Why: Again, more of the ladies making an appearance, but simply upping the female content isn't the only reason that Crystal's on this list. Wolf might have made an appearance first, but after the characters introduced in the first Star Fox, Crystal's probably the most recognizable in the franchise. She was also going to be a character of her own game, unattached to the Star Fox name, so Nintendo had to think that she had a bit of star power. Besides, if they're going to add a new Star Fox character, it's either Crystal or Slippy Toad... and nobody wants Slippy.
Likelihood: Decent, but not great. A request, though... GIVE HER A NEW FINAL SMASH!!!! If I have to see another one of those damned landmasters I think I'm going to smack someone. Very hard.
Lemmy Koopa
Reason Why: A vanity entry, plain and simple. The Kooplalings came in Mario Brothers 3, reappeared in Mario World, and then made some bit appearances in games that nobody played (Yoshi's Island, Hotel Mario, Mario is Missing) before fading into obscurity and being replaced by the lesser Bowser Junior. The Koopalings have returned in New Super Mario Brothers Wii, increasing their notoriety. Lemmy's inclusion on this list is because, of all the Koopalings, he's my favorite. He's my favorite for the same reason why I love Ringo the most out of all the Beatles... his name is cool! Plus, he's got a pretty nifty design.
Likelihood: Low as low can be. Lemmy, or any of the other Koopalings, are unlikely to make an appearance as anything more than a quick cameo. Bowser Junior might make an appearance, he certainly has a bigger chance of getting a place on the roster. A true crime against humanity, that one is.
Isaac
Reason Why: Aside from the mammoth being known as Pokemon, Golden Sun might be the most successful Nintendo franchise that started as a portable series. It's also Nintendo's most successful traditional RPG series. These are two qualities that merit an inclusion in this list. Isaac would be a pretty good fit in the series, adding to their collection of sword fighters and bringing a unique power set. Plus, he's already coded in as an assist trophy.
Likelihood: Decent, considering that Isaac will apparently be making an appearance in the new Golden Sun coming out at the end of the month. The series has as many entries in it as the Mother series does now, even more here in America, and that series already has 2 characters in it, so it doesn't seem impossible.
Alex Roivas
Reason Why: Ever since the 'mature gamer' has become vogue, Nintendo has been seen as a company that is known more for its kiddy friendly games. Eternal Darkness came around and showed them that Nintendo could play in the M arena and do quite well... Alex was the main character in the game. She hasn't made an appearance since then, but how many appearances did the Ice Climbers make? Appearances don't matter, and those that played her game remember her.
Likelihood: Low, damned low. I'm not even sure if Nintendo owns the rights to the character. They may belong to the developer.
Midna
Reason Why: Nintendo's seemed pretty intent on making sure that each entry in the Smash series has 4 characters from Zelda since Melee, and while the series staples of Link, Zelda and Gannondorf have been represented, the 4th slot always goes to a version of Link that is different from the 'core' version... that isn't necessary. It's true that there aren't that many characters who make the same kind of impact that the aforementioned Zelda characters have, but there are characters who seem worthy of inclusion in a Smash game. Midna, being introduced in the latest entry in the console series, Twilight Princess, could easily fit the bill. Her powers are unique, and she already comes with an alternate form.
Likelihood: Low, but not excessively low. If Nintendo is determined to add a 4th character, an original character, Midna seems likeliest. Still, if I had an 8 ball, it would say results unlikely.
Dixie Kong
Reasons why: The last in the 'girl power' entries to this list, Dixie still has a place in Nintendo history, having starred in two of the Donkey Kong Country games, which are undoubtedly the most successful games in that franchise's history. She's since faded in importance, but, like many Nintendo characters, she left a place in gamers' collective memories. Plus, it'd be nice to have a second DK character to pick... since Donkey Kong is easily one of my least favorite characters.
Likelihood: Low. Considering that the upcoming Donkey Kong Country Returns (number 1 on my Christmas list!) doesn't feature Dixie at all, even in a cameo, it's possible that Nintendo might be getting rid of the excessive Kong characters that were introduced. This isn't a bad thing, necessarily, but it does lessen Dixie's chances.
Nester
Reasons why: To those of us who have been playing Nintendo games since forever, Nester's basically a part of our childhood, right up there with Link, Mario and the rest of the legendary characters that populate the house that Miyamoto built. With that in mind, why wouldn't we clamor for Nester?
Likelihood: Surprisingly good, all things considered. Nintendo's been pretty good at playing up their history in the Smash series in a variety of ways, first with Mr. Game and Watch, and then with R.O.B. Nester, at the very least, has been more impacting on the public's mind than both of those characters, yet they were included.
Now, there hasn't been an official announcement for a new Smash Brothers, but since it was undoubtedly the most successful franchise that Nintendo launched in the 2000s, and it's sold OODLES on both the Cube and the Wii, it only makes sense. Nintendo's a cash whore, and they know how to keep us happy. So, who do I want to see in the next Smash Brothers? Read on!!! But first, a preface... I'm a Smash purist. The point of the series is to pit NINTENDO'S characters against each other. So Sonic, Snake, and any other 3rd party bullshitters, need to get out of my ring. They're also not in any real order. And it isn't formatted, because I'm lazy. But I'm cutting for a reason.
Toad
Reason Why: Of all the classic Mario characters, Toad is the only one that isn't a playable character. The Mario series is, unarguably, the series that has the most characters in their respective franchise on the Brawl roster, counting Yoshi and the former Dr. Mario, that's 7 characters... but so far the only time we see Toad is as Peach's meat shield. We've learned that there are many a Toad in the Mushroom kingdom, and, for the most part, they all look the same, so why can't we believe that the meat shields that Peach uses are a different kind of Toad, whereas the playable Toad is the same one that we've been able to select as a playable character since Mario 2? It's only right that a character who predates Yoshi and Wario is at least promoted to the big leagues.
Likelihood: Considering Toad's longstanding placement as a playable character in various Mario spin off titles, it is possible. I'd say the chances are at least pretty good.
Little Mac
Reason Why: Little Mac is certainly a bit more iconic than Pit (not that I'm hating on Pit, I squealed like a girl when I saw Pit in the original Brawl trailer for the first time), but thus far he's been reduced to an assist trophy and maybe a regular trophy or sticker. With both Punch Out games available for download on the Virtual Console and a new Punch Out that came out on the Wii last year, the series certainly isn't lacking for recognition. And, of course, one of the alternate costumes would HAVE to be the legendary pink jumpsuit. In fact, Doc Lewis could appear in the intro for the character!
Likelihood: Already an assist trophy, and with the added recognition of a new Wii game, I wouldn't be surprised if Little Mac got the call for Smash 4 (but what do we call Smash 4? Smash Skirmish? Smash Spar? Smash something else that means battle? Smash Battle?), and I'd love if he was!
Lyn
Reason Why: One thing that I've noticed when it comes to the Smash Brothers series is the severe lack of female fighters that are on the roster. We're not in the era of Chun-Li and Sonya Blade, where female fighters are a rarity. Hell, this is Nintendo we're talking about, the people who gave us arguably the first female protagonist in a video game with Samus... so why is the game such a sausage fest? I don't know, but it's something that we can fix! Lyn is an important character in the Fire Emblem series for a variety of reasons, such as the fact that she's the first female Lord character the series had, and, most importantly, she's the first Lord character that Western gamers who didn't play the Japanese only games that preceded the GBA release got to play with. Everything that we learned about Fire Emblem we learned from Lyn the same way we learned how to stomp on a Goomba with Mario, slice a Moblin with Link, and so on.
Likelihood: Lyn's already been an assist trophy, much like Mac. However, Lyn doesn't have Mac's name recognition, which could be a hurdle that Lyn would need to overcome, but, of the Fire Emblem characters who could be added to a future Smash entry, Lyn is certainly up there and already in the developer's mind with her place as an assist trophy.
Ridley
Reason Why: Metroid is one of the series that most people, myself included, consider to be Nintendo's Big Three. But, it's a bit like Wonder Woman in the Big Three of DC comics... certainly valued, important and loved, but not having the same kind of recognition as the other two members of the trinity (in this case Mario and Zelda). In spite of Metroid's A-List name recognition, only Samus is an actual playable character in the Smash series... and I say that this is a SEVERE oversight. Ridley's already been sceen in the series as a boss character in Brawl, but there's no reason why we can't scale the character down to make him a more balanced playable character in the series. The larger Ridley can be a final smash mode, like Giga Bowser, Pig Ganon and Super Jigglypuff.
Likelihood: Decent to low. Ridley's certainly a more viable Metroid series inclusion than number one baddie Mother Brain (but that'd be cool to see!), but if they haven't added a Metroid series character in the series since Samus in the original series, in spite of the characters they could have added, it doesn't look that promising.
Wart
Reason Why: Alongside female characters, there's a lack of Nintendo villains in the series that we can throw down with, and Wart is the second, or third, Big Bad that most people remember when it comes to the Mario Series. People who have played Mario Brothers 2 didn't care that it was some sort of dumbed down game that us western idiot gamers would tolerate instead of the True Super Mario Brothers sequel that Japan got back in the day, we ate it up, and Wart won a place in our hearts. He could take extra damage when someone throws veggies at him, an advantage that Peach would have with her turnip pulling special.
Likelihood: Unlikely. Peach's character has been etched in the Mario Brothers 2 mold, with the aforementioned veggie toss special move and the floating ability that she has which has made her a favorite of many Smash players, and there was the Mario Brothers 2 World that made an appearance in Melee, but it seems that Wart is a character that is going to be etched only in gamer nostalgia.
Crystal
Reason Why: Again, more of the ladies making an appearance, but simply upping the female content isn't the only reason that Crystal's on this list. Wolf might have made an appearance first, but after the characters introduced in the first Star Fox, Crystal's probably the most recognizable in the franchise. She was also going to be a character of her own game, unattached to the Star Fox name, so Nintendo had to think that she had a bit of star power. Besides, if they're going to add a new Star Fox character, it's either Crystal or Slippy Toad... and nobody wants Slippy.
Likelihood: Decent, but not great. A request, though... GIVE HER A NEW FINAL SMASH!!!! If I have to see another one of those damned landmasters I think I'm going to smack someone. Very hard.
Lemmy Koopa
Reason Why: A vanity entry, plain and simple. The Kooplalings came in Mario Brothers 3, reappeared in Mario World, and then made some bit appearances in games that nobody played (Yoshi's Island, Hotel Mario, Mario is Missing) before fading into obscurity and being replaced by the lesser Bowser Junior. The Koopalings have returned in New Super Mario Brothers Wii, increasing their notoriety. Lemmy's inclusion on this list is because, of all the Koopalings, he's my favorite. He's my favorite for the same reason why I love Ringo the most out of all the Beatles... his name is cool! Plus, he's got a pretty nifty design.
Likelihood: Low as low can be. Lemmy, or any of the other Koopalings, are unlikely to make an appearance as anything more than a quick cameo. Bowser Junior might make an appearance, he certainly has a bigger chance of getting a place on the roster. A true crime against humanity, that one is.
Isaac
Reason Why: Aside from the mammoth being known as Pokemon, Golden Sun might be the most successful Nintendo franchise that started as a portable series. It's also Nintendo's most successful traditional RPG series. These are two qualities that merit an inclusion in this list. Isaac would be a pretty good fit in the series, adding to their collection of sword fighters and bringing a unique power set. Plus, he's already coded in as an assist trophy.
Likelihood: Decent, considering that Isaac will apparently be making an appearance in the new Golden Sun coming out at the end of the month. The series has as many entries in it as the Mother series does now, even more here in America, and that series already has 2 characters in it, so it doesn't seem impossible.
Alex Roivas
Reason Why: Ever since the 'mature gamer' has become vogue, Nintendo has been seen as a company that is known more for its kiddy friendly games. Eternal Darkness came around and showed them that Nintendo could play in the M arena and do quite well... Alex was the main character in the game. She hasn't made an appearance since then, but how many appearances did the Ice Climbers make? Appearances don't matter, and those that played her game remember her.
Likelihood: Low, damned low. I'm not even sure if Nintendo owns the rights to the character. They may belong to the developer.
Midna
Reason Why: Nintendo's seemed pretty intent on making sure that each entry in the Smash series has 4 characters from Zelda since Melee, and while the series staples of Link, Zelda and Gannondorf have been represented, the 4th slot always goes to a version of Link that is different from the 'core' version... that isn't necessary. It's true that there aren't that many characters who make the same kind of impact that the aforementioned Zelda characters have, but there are characters who seem worthy of inclusion in a Smash game. Midna, being introduced in the latest entry in the console series, Twilight Princess, could easily fit the bill. Her powers are unique, and she already comes with an alternate form.
Likelihood: Low, but not excessively low. If Nintendo is determined to add a 4th character, an original character, Midna seems likeliest. Still, if I had an 8 ball, it would say results unlikely.
Dixie Kong
Reasons why: The last in the 'girl power' entries to this list, Dixie still has a place in Nintendo history, having starred in two of the Donkey Kong Country games, which are undoubtedly the most successful games in that franchise's history. She's since faded in importance, but, like many Nintendo characters, she left a place in gamers' collective memories. Plus, it'd be nice to have a second DK character to pick... since Donkey Kong is easily one of my least favorite characters.
Likelihood: Low. Considering that the upcoming Donkey Kong Country Returns (number 1 on my Christmas list!) doesn't feature Dixie at all, even in a cameo, it's possible that Nintendo might be getting rid of the excessive Kong characters that were introduced. This isn't a bad thing, necessarily, but it does lessen Dixie's chances.
Nester
Reasons why: To those of us who have been playing Nintendo games since forever, Nester's basically a part of our childhood, right up there with Link, Mario and the rest of the legendary characters that populate the house that Miyamoto built. With that in mind, why wouldn't we clamor for Nester?
Likelihood: Surprisingly good, all things considered. Nintendo's been pretty good at playing up their history in the Smash series in a variety of ways, first with Mr. Game and Watch, and then with R.O.B. Nester, at the very least, has been more impacting on the public's mind than both of those characters, yet they were included.