The future of theSuper Smash Bros.franchise isn’t clear. WhileSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatewas an excellent entry that made a name for itself with a record-breaking roster of playable characters, it also made it difficult forSuper Smash Bros.to find a new direction. Bringing every previousSmashcharacter back and inviting well over a dozen more makesSmash Ultimatea tough act to follow. Although many have seenSmash Ultimateas a good end for the franchise, comments from its creator and longtime director Masahiro Sakurai inspire hope that anotherSmashgame will come out someday.
Smash Ultimate’s massive roster of characters and stages, as well asthe World of Light campaignand a rich competitive scene, seemingly make it difficult for any upcoming game to compare. However, there is one clear route:Smash Ultimatesucceeded by delivering on a massive change to the franchise, and the next game has to do the same thing. If Nintendo wants to keep theSmashbrand going after its latest entry, the nextSmashgame has to be vastly different from its predecessors in one way or another.
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Reworking Smash’s Classic Fighters
The nextSmashgame might be wise to rebuild manySmashmainstays from the ground-up. There are a lot of characters inSmashwho have been there sinceSmash 64andMelee,and while some have changed drastically as the years went by, others are almost identical to their original forms. Sometimes that’s because the old ways work, but other times it means a characters gets left behind. If the nextSmashgame delivers huge reworks for some classic characters, it could establish itself as something of a reboot with a new generation of movesets.
There’s a few obvious candidates for reworks in the nextSmashgame. Ganondorf is historically a low-tierSmashcharacters; it might be time to examine his moveset and rebuild him to be less like a heavy Captain Falcon and more of a uniquely magic-focused character likethe real Ganon and Ganondorf. Other old characters like Donkey Kong and Zelda might deserve moves that better reflect the current state of their franchises, meanwhile basicSmashmainstays like Mario might warrant new kits just to giveSmasha fresh start.
A New Story Mode
Telling a unique story within the confines ofSmashcould also be a fantastic way to reviveSmash.Although some players criticizedSuper Smash Bros. Brawlfor its changes to core gameplay,Smashfans overwhelmingly like Subspace Emissary.Although there was no dialogue, it told a pretty compelling story about Nintendo characters from all kinds of gaming forming one unlikely team of heroes to stop a great threat. Since the nextSmashgame will probably trim down its roster of fighters, maybe it will be feasible to introduce another story-driven campaign in the style of Subspace Emissary.
It’s worth noting thatSmash Ultimatetechnically had a story mode in World of Light. However, while World of Light certainly served as a campaign mode, its story was severely limited compared to Subspace Emissary. There’s little room in World of Light for characters to build relationships, which makes sense consideringSmash Ultimate’s huge roster, but it’s still a shame. AnotherSmashstory mode with less characters and more interactions would serve the next franchise entry well.
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A New Wave of Smash Fighters
Of course, the simplest way that the nextSmashgame can stand out from the crowd is inviting some groundbreaking guests.Smash Ultimatefinally delivered on major fan wishes by adding the likes ofKing K. Rool, Ridley, and Sorato the game, while others likePersona 5’s Joker andMinecraft’s Steve took fans by surprise. Regardless, the industry is much more vast than the slice thatSmash Ultimatemanages to represent.
A few big candidates are figures who have established relationships with Nintendo consoles like Crash Bandicoot. However, the further Nintendo reaches to invite the nextSmashgame’s guests, the better. The nextSmashgame will undoubtedly turn heads if it features fighters from franchises with little-to-no previous ties with Nintendo. It could bring inDevil May Cry’s Dante,Halo’s Master Chief,Horizon Zero Dawn’s Aloy,God of War’s Kratos, and a many more.Smashhas always been a celebration of the video game industry, but a new game afterSmash Ultimatehas the chance to celebrate corners yet untouched by Nintendo.
Smash’s Next Step
If Nintendo wants to continueSuper Smash Bros.afterSmash Ultimate,then fans probably won’t know about it for a few years.Smash Ultimatewill undoubtedly remain the Switch’s one and onlySmashgame, and since Nintendo only just rolled outthe new Switch OLED model, this console is clearly here to stay for a couple more years. Nintendo might want to take a break fromSmashbefore making another entry anyway, considering how much time and energy it just poured intoUltimate.A long break between games might be sad for fans, but a break gives developers more time to cook up new ideas.
Regardless of when Nintendo decides to release a newSuper Smash Bros.,it clearly has options on how to continue the franchise afterthe acclaimedSmash Ultimate.The next game doesn’t have to be bigger or bolder thanSmash Ultimate; it just has to be different in meaningful ways. Whether NIntendo aims for gameplay reworks, exciting new guests, or a riveting story mode playing on nostalgia, there’s plenty of ways thatSmashcan change in order to stay alive afterSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimateis available now for Nintendo Switch
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