Top 10 Most Wanted Smash Bros. Characters, 4.8 out of 10 based on 5 ratings

The time is upon us. Masahiro Sakurai and Namco Bandai have begun production of the new Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS, which means that the next year or two will be spent, in large part, by nerds like me debating what characters should make it into the game. It has been made clear that adding gobs of new combatants isn’t a priority for the sequel though, so a nice short list seems most appropriate.

As always, this is just my personal wish list. I bring it to you to share ideas and foster discussion. Honestly, I’m more interested in hearing what you want, so let me know in the comments below.

10. King K. Rool (Donkey Kong Country)

So much carnage could have been averted if DK just bought him some eye drops.

With Bowser and King Dede both eventually getting Smash Bros. berths it’s about time Nintendo gave its other portly villain a chance. King K. Rool is not only responsible for antagonizing Donkey Kong in the classic Country games, but is also infamous for his inspired evil in Donkey Kong 64. Yes, in the game that included a rap song about monkeys, the most memorable moment might be a giant alligator sitting alone in a room, just laughing. He’s like The Joker of obese reptiles.

His move-set could easily draw on the many personas that character has taken on over the years, from Kaptain K. Rool to Baron K. Roolenstein. He would likely end up as another mighty glacier type fighter, but I think there’s room enough for one more in the roster. That is, as long as his Final Smash attack involves that giant death laser from DK64 and that laugh… oh god, that laugh….

9. Zoroark (Pokemon)

I haven't seen the zoroark movie, but it can't be sadder than the first one.

Mewtwo, Pichu, Lucario. The one-and-done Pokemon is Smash Bros. tradition, even as Jigglypuff and Pikachu have soldiered on. Considering all the work it must have taken to implement Pokemon Trainer in Brawl, I can’t see that character being removed, but I bet we’ll be getting at least one new Poke to replace the metal wolf guy.

Zoroark is the obvious choice. Revealed at the beginning of the generation, the black kitsune has been a mascot of sorts for the last slew of pocket monsters, just as Lucario was for Diamond and Pearl. Deadly claws and the ability to shoot dark energy are an obvious asset, but Zoroark is “The Master of Illusion,” so it would be cool to see some teleports, counters, and other trickery that would really make it stand out. Or they could just bring back Mewtwo–either way.

8. Yarn Kirby (Kirby’s Epic Yarn)

Whip it good?

Something that has always bugged me about these crossover fighters is the inclusion of “clones.” I don’t care if Captain Falcon plays differently from Ganandorf at a competitive level. To the average player, that’s just a huge missed opportunity to do something special with an iconic character. Toon Link, Young Link, Dr. Mario, Roy, Falco, and others may technically be different, but if they come back I want to see a little more uniqueness added to their arsenals.

This is where Kirby comes in. Kirby’s Epic Yarn was arguably the best game in an already stellar series, as the adorable pink puffball took on different shapes, sizes, and abilities in perhaps the cutest way possible. Yarn Kirby (or Yirby, if you will) would fit perfectly alongside the existing Kirby moveset, as he could forego the whole “eat your enemy and take on their power” shtick and just skip right to the “turning into cute yarn things” stage. Need to attack an enemy? Yarn sword. Want to move fast? Yarn car. Fell off the stage? Yarn U.F.O.

This guys writes himself.

7. Bomberman (Bomberman)

Squeeeeeeeeee!!!

I can hear the cries of “No!” from here. It’s true that Bomberman hasn’t been Nintendo-exclusive for quite some time, but the Hudson Soft bomber most certainly had his best adventures on the N64. Also, if Sonic the Hedgehog and Solid Snake can be in Brawl than I can keep wishing for a future in which I can use high explosives on Mario’s smug face.

Exclusivity issues aside, Bomberman is a great character with a surprisingly rich catalog of abilities. Sure, they all involve bombs, but… you know, Bomberman. I’m not sure if this guy has been so scarce because of the failure of Act Zero, Hudson’s financial difficulties, or simple political correctness, but I want him back. Ice bombs, fire bombs, dark bombs, wind bombs–you name it and this guy will detonate it. Also, Pommy. Pommy is the best.

6. Mickey Mouse (Epic Mickey)

Mickey is a troll.

Disney’s Epic Mickey was a Wii exclusive. The upcoming Power of Illusion is a 3DS exclusive. It has been said that Sakurai won’t include any character not originally from a video game, but the Smash Bros. series was supposed to be Nintendo-only at one point too, but we all know how that turned out. Even if Mickey is technically ineligible for a roster spot, that doesn’t mean I don’t want him anyway. With so many decades of lore to draw from, Mickey’s moveset would be a blast to create (Wizardry powers from Fantasia! Final Smash your opponent with a black ‘n’ white steamboat!).

There were a lot of other characters I wanted to include in this list, but are probably long-shots for one reason or another. All of them were Nintendo exclusives at one point, but have either gone multi-platform, been bought by another company entirely, or just don’t meet the criteria generally assumed to govern Smash inclusion. Mickey Mouse more or less represents all of these, but I still want to give honorable mentions to Simon Belmont, Banjo-Kazooie, and Mega Man. Feel free to debate the legitimacy of these desires in the comments below.