5 Things That Need to Be In the New Super Smash Bros (That Aren't New Characters)

Joel: Nintendo’s surprise announcement of a new Super Smash Bros. game earlier this year has caused plenty of speculation articles about what exactly could be in the new game. While there’s nothing more than a single announcement trailer about the game (and some are convinced that it’s not actually a new game but a port of the Super Smash Bros. game for the Wii U), Super Smash Bros. is a popular enough franchise that there is still plenty to discuss and speculate on. The biggest thing of course is to try and guess what new characters will be in the game or explain why this or that certain character SHOULD be in the game. We’re taking a different approach. While this is a list of five things that need to be in Super Smash Bros. 5, none of the entries on this list are new fighters. (If this announcement from Nintendo does end up being a port of the most recent Super Smash Bros. game, then you can apply this list for when a fifth game is finally made in the series.)

5.  A Real Name - While the second and third games in the series had distinguishing names like Melee and Brawl the most recent entry was just called Super Smash Bro. for Wii U (or for Nintendo 3DS depending on what version you had). This might be fine if you just call the game Super Smash Bros. and are always talking about whichever game is the most recent one to come out, but for many players, discussing the merits of each installment is important and the “fight word” part of the title helped to make each game feel like it’s own complete game and not just the latest installment of a series the way the Madden games or Fifa game are. If you want to distinguish this game as it’s own complete game, especially if you want to separate it from all of the “port” discussion surrounding the video, a name unique to this game would go a long way to establishing that.

4. Cappy - The character of Mario has always had this weird “prop weapon” move. It started as his cape from Super Mario World and it was later switched to the F.L.U.D.D. from Super Mario Sunshine. With the massive success of Super Mario Odyssey it’s time to update that “prop weapon” to Cappy. I’m not saying this needs to have a possession like Cappy does in the game. That’s Kirby’s territory. Cappy doesn’t even necessarily have to do anything different than the F.L.U.D.D. does, but Mario throwing his hat around the screen is something that’s going to look great in the advertisements for this game, and something that’s going to resonate with the current fanbase much better than something from a game from 2002.

3. Tag Team Mode - Pretty much everyone has their favorite character to play as in Super Smash Bros. (fondly referred to as their “main”) but most people also have an alternate that they spend a lot of time playing as well. It's high time that this series gives us a way that we don't have to choose between our two favorite characters. A Tag team mode, where one button would swap out one character for the other, would be able to add a ton of new strategy elements to the game. For instance you could switch back and forth between your two preferred characters depending on who you're fighting, or what the stage is doing at the time. You can pick two characters that would balance each other out or double down on your preferred playing style and get two similarly balanced characters. With the number of innovations that each game in the Smash Bros. series has, this is one that could feel like a big addition to the game while still using assets that mostly already exist.

2. A Deeply Hidden Secret - I remember when I was at a friends house watching him play through the Adventure Mode on Super Smash Bros. Melee. and GigaBowser showed up for the first time. The game had been out for a while now, and we had poured hundreds of hours into playing this game, and it was still surprising us with hidden secrets and bonus content. This is the kind of feeling that I'm hoping for here. Of course this won't be as easy to achieve as it was once upon a time. With the rise of the gaming community online, it feels like every secret a game contains has been found, posted, and critiqued within hours of the game's release. Still that ability to stumble across hidden content weeks or even months after getting a game is a fantastic feeling and one that I hope the new game at least strives for.

1. A Story Mode - This was the greatest loss between Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U. Adventure mode in the second already felt like an exciting addition to the game and felt like a genuine single player experience for Super Smash Bros., but The Subspace Emissary story in the third game cranked Adventure Mode up to 11. I know that the decision to not include a story mode in the 4th game came down to the cutscenes from The Subspace Emissary getting posted online, but something like that shouldn't result in the removal of an Adventure Mode entirely. It's important to remember that even though Super Smash Bros. is a franchise designed for multiplayer, there are still tons of players out there looking for great single player experiences. The two biggest hits so far for the Nintendo Switch so far are Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, both single player games. Something for a single person to be able to sit down and accomplish will help ensure that this game is a worthy entry into the Super Smash Bros. franchise.