Super Smash Bros. Ultimatehas officially ended its post-launch support after three years. Series creatorMasahiro Sakurai says there are no plans for a newSmash Bros.to follow, and for now this makes a lot of sense. It would be hard for Nintendo to top a massive crossover game with 89 playable fighters, as well as a huge roster of stages, music, and side-activities; especially given the Switch may not be replaced anytime soon.
That being said, it feels inevitable Nintendo will follow upSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatewith something, even if Sakurai is not involved. The franchise has long been one of its best-selling and an easy hype generator thanks to the prospect of new fighters. Nintendo could shake things up with something like atraditional fighting game rather than anotherSmash Bros., but even if it moves on the original characters and bosses introduced across its 22 years shouldn’t disappear.
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Bosses in Super Smash Bros.
The main appeal forSuper Smash Bros.has always been its endless potential as a crossover platform-fighter going back to the simple days of Mario, Link, Samus Aran, and Pikachu duking it out on the Nintendo 64. Over timeSmash Bros.has grown from a celebration of Nintendo to the entire video game industry, featuring characters ranging from Sonic the Hedgehog to Cloud, andMinecraft’s Steve to Sora.
Character match-ups in casual and competitive games are always fun to see, but one thing that makesSmash Bros.games with story campaigns stand out is that bosses from various titles also appear. InBrawlandUltimate, players can take on titanic foes from Nintendo and third-party developers alike; these include Rayquaza (Pokemon), Porky Minch (Mother), Ridley (Metroid), Marx (Kirby), Dracula (Castlevania), and aRathalos (Monster Hunter). However, fans will also recognize plenty of original characters.
In1999’sSuper Smash Bros., players faced off against Master Hand at the end of a 1P Game. This simple gloved hand originally represented a child playing with their toys, fitting in with the aesthetic of Nintendo models come to life. However, it has since become a staple representative of the franchise alongside Crazy Hand, introduced inMeleeon top of theSmash-exclusive Giga Bowser.Smash 4(on Wii U and 3DS) introduced further variation on Master Hand with the malleable Master Core, which can become everything from sentient swords to an entire platforming fortress.
Brawl’s Subspace Emissary had a much deeper mythology all its own, with Tabuu being its main antagonist in command of various villains trying to dragSmash Bros.worlds into his subspace realm. Under his command were aforementioned Nintendo enemies like Ridley, as well as the unique characters Galleom and Duon.Ultimate’s World of Lighthad less of an overarching narrative, but it centered the conflicting antagonists Galeem and Dharkon leading armies of Master and Crazy Hands, respectively.
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How Original Smash Bros. Content Can See New Life
Though original characters are referenced in futureSuper Smash Bros.games, with Galleom returning as a boss and Tabuu as a Spirit inUltimate’s World of Light, most of them exist in their own bubble and have not returned in any substantial capacity. This is a shame given how attached many fans became to characters like Tabuu despite their small screentime. While it behooves Nintendo to keep innovating so eachSmashgame has its own personality, a precedent has already been set for original characters from the franchise to appear elsewhere.
Kirby and the Amazing Mirrorfor Game Boy Advancefeatures Master Hand and Crazy Hand as a boss guarding the mirror shard at the end of Candy Constellation. However, Master Hand also shows up as a mini-boss across the game, with Kirby able to gain a “Smash” ability mimicking hisSuper Smash Bros.moveset if he sucks up the omnipotent glove. GivenKirbyis another series created by Sakurai this crossover makes sense, but it opens the possibility for more down the line.
Whether originalSmash Bros.characters appear in the upcomingKirby and the Forgotten Landor other Nintendo franchises has yet to be seen. It’s unlikely, but something that would excite many long-time fans.Smash Bros.will continue to thrive via events like an official tournament series hosted by Nintendo and Panda Global, leaving the brand open to potentially experiment. Moreplatform-fighters likeMultiVersusandNickelodeon All-Star Brawlare coming around to fill the void, soSmash Bros.should consider doing more with the universes that make its games unique.
