Also, this happens to be Hughes 3D's 200th blog post (wowza)! So I thought what better way to celebrate than to have a little fun and have a discussion on what we'd like to see come to the next Super Smash Bros for Nintendo Switch.
More Dynamic Skins
If you notice during this brief trailer, they showcase the silhouettes of Mario and Link closely, specifically Link from Breath of the Wild. This seems to indicate a few possibilities: Either this will be a new version of Link with a new move set, or more likely, just a new skin for our typically green-clad hero. I say the latter as for a game coming out this year, keeping the same move set reduces development time and the need for balancing. And you saw a taste of more dynamic skins with Super Smash Bros for Wii-U and 3DS with characters like Wii Fit Trainer, Little Mac, Villager, and more. With that in mind though, I'd love to push this concept even more. Nintendo's characters have such a rich history now ranging across generations of styles. Imagine being able to play across every generation of Link, or as both Samus and Dark Samus. In fact, with this approach, there'd no longer be a need for clone characters, as players could enjoy the likes of Dark Pit or Wolf without the need of taking up a character slot. This leads as the perfect segue for...
No More Clones
The time has come to change the move sets of at least a few characters. Mario and Luigi, though brothers, have since developed their own personas and unique game series that should be distinguished differences in Smash. And not sure how Ganondorf is just a slower, more powerful version of Captain Falcon, given there two completely different franchises. Give Ganon a sword, or some dark magic tennis balls. Give Luigi a Poltergust vacuum or a blinding flashlight. And the possibility remains if they want to distinguish Mario more by adding Cappy from Super Mario Odyssey (his silhouette was rather shadowy). Super Mario Odyssey also featured a degree of mobility with cap tosses and and rolling the likes Mario has never seen before, which could translate into a very formidable threat in Smash. With that said, they may desire to keep Mario at least simple as he is the go-to character for many a new player, and typically offers the most balance in which to learn the game. If they did want a more complex Mario character though...
New Characters (Paper Mario)
One of the best aspects of Super Smash Bros is that its a celebration of Nintendo and games in general, and new characters joining the roster is a mark of honor for many. Though the roster may be getting a bit bloated (hopefully something the like of dynamic skins could amend), there is one character who I feel has earned a spot and would offer a unique, defined move set: Paper Mario. Being a paper thin character, there is loads of fun to be had in his animation and moves, turning sideways to dodge, rolling into a paper tube to perform a roll, or folding into a paper plane to glide back onto the stage. He can have a good mix of jump and hammer attacks for basic moves, and has a wealth of partners that could be used for special attacks or maybe a Final Smash. And introducing Paper Mario into the character roster opens up the potential for some incredibly stylish and fun stages in the Paper Mario universe, such as perhaps the rough and tough docks of Rogueport.
Adventure Mode
While the story mode of Super Smash Bros Brawl is debatable in how well it handled its execution, there was no denying how fun it was watching those cinematic cut-scenes and the world of Nintendo interacting with one another. And its absence in Super Smash Bros for Wii-U was certainly felt. Due to what looks to be a shorter development time for this upcoming Switch title, I don't anticipate a full-blown cinematic adventure like was the case for Brawl. But perhaps we can hope for something between that and the fun adventure mode that was found in Melee. While it was more arcade-like, it still offered a variety of stages and gameplay variation that looked to celebrate respective Nintendo series. Going through the dungeons of Hyrule Temple or racing across the tracks of F-Zero were enjoyable and unique thrills that I'd love to see them push further.
Better Online
While Smash will always be best enjoyed locally, roughhousing together on a sofa, that doesn't mean that such shouldn't be able to have a decent online mode though, which the series has yet to nail. Nintendo's recent ARMS game features a rather robust and fun online mode, with superb functionality and plenty of style to spare. Having a similar party mode where players would jump between standard smash matches, home-run contests, and break the targets sounds like a blast and would offer some welcome variety to mix. And with the Switch's online service to debut in September, Smash seems the perfect game to launch this new service and demonstrate its full capabilities.
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So those are a few of my dreams and wishes for the next Smash. What would you like to see? Any new characters that would make your day? Be sure to share and discuss in the comments below! And here's to many more smashing blog posts to come!
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