Character Profile: Luigi

Character Profile: Luigi

Background

As the original "Player 2," Luigi was created to be identical to Mario in the arcade game Mario Bros.  From then on, he appeared in nearly every game alongside his brother, exhibiting an extremely similar skill set.  An early attempt to differentiate him appeared in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels which gave him a higher jump and reduced traction.

His personality slowly began to develop over the various RPGs, resulting in a cowardly, comical character to serve as an antithesis to Mario's brave heroics.  This netted Luigi his own series of games with the Luigi's Mansion series in which he is forced to investigate haunted houses to save his brother. Luigi's humorous qualities were further explored in the Mario & Luigi series, which turned him into a clownish buffoon whom nobody recognizes, and Super Paper Mario which gave a brainwashed Luigi a villainous turn as "Mr. L."

Because Mario is the Nintendo poster child, very little can be done with his persona in terms of character development.  Luigi is where creators can have fun, as seen throughout the Super Smash Bros. games.  His moves are based on awkwardness, creating a much different playing style than Mario.  2013 has been dubbed "The Year of Luigi," with games such as New Super Luigi Bros. U being released, meaning that Luigi is here to stay.

Special Moves

B - Green Fireball

Origin: Mario Bros. (1983)

I'm basically keeping all of Luigi's special moves the same because they work well for his character.  The green equivalent of Mario's Fireball once again flies straight ahead instead of bouncing, just as it did in the original Mario Bros.

Up B - Super Jump Punch

Origin: Super Mario Bros. (1985)

Luigi's version of the Super Jump Punch doesn't repeatedly hit the opponent like Mario's, but if begun at a close enough range, it can send out a fiery upward spike into the air at greater damage.

Side B - Green Missile

Origin: Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001)

For some reason, Luigi was given this special "blast-off" move that never existed in any other game.  Technically, it works as away to counteract his Super Jump Punch's lack of horizontal distance.  Plus, I like the fact that it can "misfire" and send him careening across the screen.  Poor Luigi.

Down B - Luigi Cyclone

Origin: Super Mario World (1990)

Based on the Spin Jump, this move has been with Mario and Luigi since the original Smash Bros. and since Mario lost it as a way to stand apart from Luigi, it makes sense to let Luigi keep this spinning attack.

Final Smash - Negative Zone

Origin: Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008)

Inspired by the idea of "living in Mario's shadow," Luigi performs a strange tribal dance that unleashes his darker side and ends up confusing those caught in his negative sphere.  It's so odd and quirky that I couldn't bear to take it away from him.

Alternate Costume

Mr. L

Origin: Super Paper Mario (2007)

Luigi's alter-ego is only really known for his Super Jump power and his mechanical abilities.  Since building giant robots is out of the question, all that this costume would really alter is the Super Jump Punch, replacing a fiery effect for a more electrical/dark aura.

Stage Profile: Mushroom Kingdom Overworld

Mushroom Kingdom Overworld

Origin: Super Mario Bros. (1985)

Home Stage to:  Mario, Super Mario Universe Characters

Background

Super Mario Bros. was a groundbreaking game, and its level design has become one of the most iconic universes in video games.  The simplistic overworld levels created the basic details of what would eventually become staples of the Mushroom Kingdom.  ? Blocks, smiling clouds, warp pipes and end-of-level flagpoles would reappear in many future Super Mario games.  As much as Mario needs to be included, so does this level.

The classic first level of World 1-1 has been recreated and referenced throughout many games, and a version of the stage has appeared in each version of Super Smash Bros. thus far.  The Melee version was the most visually faithful, capturing the bright color scheme and breakable blocks of the original game.

SSBM Stage

Brawl took things a step further and created a realistic, abandoned "Mushroomy Kindgom" that found the original level transformed into a desert wasteland.  This was a cool interpretation, but due to the size, the camera had to scroll through the entire level, making for difficult maneuvers throughout the fight.  I would have preferred a level like this for the single-player side-scrolling game, rather than the multiplayer brawls.

SSBB Stage

Ironically, the most fun version of this stage was the original SSB stage.  Although the colors were a bit off, the stage elements borrowed from a few games, making for a more exciting stage than the Melee version.  In addition to the moving platforms, there were usable warp pipes that could be used to escape/plan sneak attacks.  Also, a POW Block from Mario Bros. would appear at random locations to shake things up and send opponents flying. Finally, red Piranha Plants from Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels would appear from the pipe, adding more stage hazards.

SSB Stage

A combination of each of these stages would create a great way to continue the tradition of including this level in each version of Super Smash Bros.

Stage Elements

Blocks and Item Blocks

Origin: Super Mario Bros. (1985)

As seen in Melee and Brawl, the blocks need to be breakable in order to recreate the original experience.  The SSB stage had permanent blocks which created a death-trap of an area and Brawl had so many that it was easy to get stuck.  The Melee set up is ideal, although rather than have the Item Blocks disappear when hit, they should remain as they did in Brawl, and replenish after a while.

Warp Pipes

Origin: Super Mario Bros. (1985)

The Melee stage teased us with Warp Pipes just hanging out in the background.  They should be usable in order to spice up the battles, including the random pipes that dump the player out in the pits.

Movable Platforms

Origin: Super Mario Bros. (1985)

The tethered platforms create a unique balancing act and can be dangerous if stood on for too long.  They disappeared in Brawl and should, once again, be set up like the Melee stage.

Lakitu and Spinies

Origin: Super Mario Bros. (1985)

To add a level of danger to the stage, Lakitu could periodically float by and drop Spiny Eggs.  This would be similar to the Lakitu Assist Trophy from Brawl, but would only appear on this stage.  It always bugged me that the retro design was used in Brawl when most of the other Mario enemies were the updated 3-D models.  Here, it would fit right in.

Night of the Lost Levels
Origin: Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986)

Because the two games are so similar, it would be remise not to include some Lost Levels elements in the stage.  This image perfectly captures how the additions would play out.  Like in various Brawl stages, the background would change to nighttime and that's when all of the difficult elements will come out.  Piranha Plants would come out of the Warp Pipes, wind would start blowing, and we might even see some floating Bloopers.  It would amp up the intensity of the stage, but it wouldn't be endless. Like the Lakitu attack, it would be used sparingly to liven up the simple arena.

Music

Mushroom Kingdom - Super Mario Bros. (SSB, SSBM)

Ground Theme (Super Mario Bros.) - Super Mario Bros. (SSBB)

Ground Theme 2 (Super Mario Bros.) - Super Mario Bros. (SSBB)

Dr. Mario (Melee) - Dr. Mario (SSBM, SSBB)

SMB Overworld (All-Stars) - Super Mario All-Stars

Character Profile: Mario

Remember, this is not actual information about SSB4.  This is just what I would like to see.

Character Profile:  Mario

Background

As Nintendo's mascot, Mario has appeared in more video games than any other character in history.  As such, it can be hard to pair down what his most important adventures are, especially since he has produced so many spinoffs.

Originally known as "Jumpman," Mario first appeared in Donkey Kong, saving his girlfriend Pauline from the titular gorilla.  While appearing as a carpenter in his first few games, it wasn't until Mario Bros. that his position as a plumber was solidified.  Mario and his brother Luigi traveled into the sewers to stop rampaging creatures, including turtles.

This concept spun off into Super Mario Bros., creating the biggest video-game franchise ever.  Here, the now-common formula was established, in which Mario would travel across the Mushroom Kingdom to save Princess Peach from the king of the Koopas, Bowser.  Mario's adventures continued in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (a.k.a., the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2), Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario World, which each contained similar side-scrolling action.  There was also the American version of Super Mario Bros. 2 that was actually a remake of a Japanese-only game called Doki Doki Panic, which strayed from the basic plotline, yet introduced many important elements to the series.

Mario pioneered 3D gaming with Super Mario 64, which found him traveling around Princess Peach's Castle, able to enter other worlds via paintings.  The 3D platformer games continued with Super Mario Sunshine and the Super Mario Galaxy games.  Meanwhile, Mario returned to his 2-D roots with the New Super Mario Bros. series.

Mario also made way for many other franchises, such as the Mario Kart series, the Mario Party series, the Mario Sports series, the portable Super Mario Land series, the various RPGs (Super Mario RPG, Paper Mario, and Mario & Luigi), the Dr. Mario puzzle series, and new character-centric franchises for Donkey Kong, Yoshi, and Wario.

As you can see, it might be difficult to take all of these appearances and boil them down into one fighter, but fortunately, Mario has remained pretty consistant throughout all of his games.

Special Moves

B - Fireball

Origin:  Super Mario Bros. (1985)

Mario's ability to throw fireballs has been one of his most recurring special moves.  While Mario usually has to appear in "Fire Mario" mode to throw the flames, Mario was able to use the ability regularly in Super Mario RPG, the Mario & Luigi series, and, of course, the Smash Bros. series, suggesting that the power is so common to him that he no longer requires the Fire Flower's assistance.

Up B - Super Jump Punch

Origin:  Super Mario Bros. (1985)

Mario's signature jumping ability is a classic, combined with the pose and the manifestation of coins generating from the enemy/object hit.

Side B - Hammer

Origin:  Donkey Kong (1981)

The Hammer became Mario's signature weapon throughout the various RPG games.  Unlike Kirby's Hammer, which swings from side to side, Mario would swing it over his head down on the enemy, similar to the Hammer item (although it wouldn't be repeatedly).  I feel that this weapon is more representative of Mario than his cape, which he only really used in Super Mario World.

Down B - Raccoon Tail

Origin:  Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)

Mario will become Raccoon Mario with a swing of his tail (which can also be used to reflect projectiles).  Also, when Mario has his tail out, he can add a few extra jumps, glide when jumping from a running start, and slow down his descent.  This wouldn't be a complete character transformation (like Zelda into Sheik), but rather a weapon Mario can bring out and put away (like F.L.U.D.D.).  Again, I felt that this is a more iconic ability for Mario to have, especially since it resurfaced in the recent games Super Mario Land 3D and New Super Mario Bros. 2.

Final Smash - Mario Finale

Origin:  Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008) 

Originating from Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario's flame attack would be similar to its original appearance, although if it is supposed to be based on his Ultra Flame attack from Super Mario RPG, then it should have the option of making the flame bigger and wider by repeatedly tapping the A button.

Alternate Costumes

Dr. Mario

Origin:  Dr. Mario (1990)

As I said before, Dr. Mario doesn't need to be a separate character, just a costume.  The only aesthetic changes would be that Mario's Fireball attack would become Megavitamins, like in Melee.  Yes, Mario has very many outfits and powerups, but I would rather save things like that for items, rather than costumes.

All-Stars Mario

Origin:  Super Mario All-Stars (1993)

For most characters, I am only planning on including one alternate costume, but Mario is special, so he gets an extra one after all the other costumes are unlocked.  This would be his tuxedoed appearance from the cover-art of Super Mario All-Stars.  It would pair nicely with Peach's white "wedding dress" outfit.

5 Changes That Should Be Implemented in the Next Smash Bros.

Before I get into characters, stages, items, and enemies, there are a few overall elements that I'd like to see included in future installments of Smash Bros.

1.  Alternate Costumes

Super Smash Bros. Brawl did a good job of differentiating the clone characters, making them "semi-clones."  But there are some characters who are so similar that they would might as well embrace the sameness.  Dr. Mario is the key example of an unnecessary clone character.  Why not just give Mario an extra costume to wear?  Alternate costumes would be like advanced palette swaps, allowing aesthetic variations of our favorite characters.  Not every character necessarily needs an extra costume, but it would be a fun way to bring in some more Nintendo references/characters without the need for extra memory for fighters.  We saw that it could be done with Wario's distinct regular and WarioWare outfits.

2.  Classic and All-Star Modes Combined

The 1-Player Mode from Super Smash Bros. was split into four gameplay methods in Melee.  Event Mode allowed for brief, unique fights and Adventure Mode offered a loose story structured around the Nintendo franchises, but Classic and All-Star gave us virtually the same experience.  Each one was a series of battles, with Classic offering random battles in an organized format while All-Star offers the chance to fight all characters.  I feel that Classic is the least interesting of the modes and would be better meshed with All-Star.  Since All-Star is usually unlocked once all characters are unveiled, the new 1-Player Mode should build as each new character is unlocked.

3.  The Best of Melee and Brawl's Adventure Modes

Here's what the Subspace Emissary Mode from Brawl did well:
- Boss battles
- Beautiful cutscenes that moved the story along
- It gave us the opportunity to play as multiple characters throughout the story.
- It provided unique pairings and groupings of characters to allow for interactions that only Smash Bros. could provide (like Meta Knight teaming with with the Fire Emblem heroes or Samus rescuing Pikachu).
- It gave us a neutral world that suggested elements of past video games (desert level, forest level, ice level, etc.).

Here's what it did wrong:
- It relied too heavily on side-scrolling when Smash Bros. fighting physics aren't built for that kind of action.
- It had too many new (and bland) enemies and bosses, rather than highlighting the many enemies from other Nintendo franchises (only the Mario universe had representatives, save for a couple bosses).
- Too many characters are silent protagonists, meaning that, unless a character was intentionally quirky (King Dedede, Wario, Luigi), they just came off as "stoic."  And having dozens of stoic characters is boring.
- It made trophy collecting a chore.
- It had little replay value, especially since it forces you to back track through everything via the "Great Maze" section.

Here's what it could have used from Melee.
- Locations and enemies from Nintendo games, establishing that all of these universes are connected (like when Samus escapes an exploding Zebes and we end up on Kirby's Pop Star).
- Unique challenges specific to each franchise.
- The return of Giant DK and Metal Mario, the mini bosses of Super Smash Bros.  Let's see how they fit into the story.
- Alternate endings/battles.  There were moments where, depending on the difficulty setting or speed in which certain tasks were accomplished, extra battles would be unlocked.  And the Peach/Zelda choice in Brawl doesn't count.
- A Battlefield battle with unique enemies.  I think incorporating Tabuu's army into one or two battles would have made their inclusion a lot more palatable.

4.  The Return of Personalized Target Tests

Brawl only gave us 5 Target Tests as opposed to one per character.  I liked the original Target Tests as it forced you to use each character's unique abilities to solve the challenge and it also provided them with a fun extra stage that resembled their past games.  The Ice Climbers' Target Test was the best, in that it faithfully recreated an original Ice Climber level, but others, like Mario's Donkey-Kong-inspired level, were neat homages as well.

5.  Downloadable and Customizable Content

With the recent Smash Bros. Direct rumor, and the fact that the next games will be on both WiiU and the 3DS, I expect to see some form of bonus material that can be added later into the games (in the form of characters, stages, or single-player "chapters," as the rumor states).  Plus, the hacking community has made glorious alterations of existing characters and stages.  It would be need to make this a functional feature in the game and then allow others to trade their creations, allowing us to play as characters that may not actually be officially included in the game.

This is just my brief wishlist, and I shall discuss some of these elements in depth later, but I'm frankly curious to see what the creators come up with on their own.  Up next, an in depth look at the playable elements of the Smash Bros. universe.

The 42 Characters Most Likely to Appear in the Next Smash Bros.

Every fan of the Smash Bros. series has their own ideas as to who would be the best characters to appear in future installments of the game.  Some people stick with Nintendo characters, others branch out to other video game companies for inspiration, and some illogical few cling to the hopes that their favorite cartoon or movie characters will show up, despite having never starred in a video game.  At any rate, people don't hold back when it comes to picking the new characters, as seen in fake "Character Selection" screens that sometimes depict up to over 100 characters.

For my first post, I shall take a more calculated approach for the next generation of Smashers.  Based on the previous installments as well as the few clues creator Masahiro Sakurai has given us over the years, I will attempt to determine the most likely candidates for the 4th chapter in the Smash Bros. series.

First, I am limiting myself to 42 characters in total.  This is based on the patterns established in the first three games.  SSB had 12 total fighters, SSBM had 25 and SSBB has 35.  The number of additional fighters decreased from 13 to 10 between each game and so I assume we'll have 7 more next, making a final total of 42.  Note that I do not count character transformations as separate characters (such as Zelda/Sheik or Pokémon Trainer's Pokémon).

Also, looking at a similar pattern, I believe that 17 of the 42 will be brand new fighters.  SSBM introduced 13 new fighters, and SSBB introduced 15 (again, not counting instances like Zero-Suit Samus).  This means that only 25 of the 42 will be returning from SSBB.  So, just as we lost 5 characters from the transition from Melee to Brawl, expect to lose 10 from Brawl.

But just who will stay, who will go, and who will join?  I believe we have nearly all the answers we need.

The 25 Characters Who Will Return from SSBB (In Order of Likelihood)

1 - 13)  Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Samus, Kirby, Fox, Pikachu, Luigi, Marth, Mr. Game & Watch, Wario, Pit, and Meta Knight

Just look at the drawing Sakurai posted to his Twitter account to announce the beginning of production on SSB4.  These 13 characters are clearly visible and, unless something dramatic occurs, we should expect to see all of these guys return.  Most of the main franchises are represented in this group alone and have become Smash Bros. mainstays.

14)  Captain Olimar and Pikmin

A single Pikmin appears in the illustration, suggesting that they won't be leaving and, unless a major new character is introduced in the upcoming Pikmin 3, Olimar will return.  His brother Louie is too similar a character to warrant replacing the original Olimar, as well, so I don't expect to see him as a fighter in his stead.

15)  Ness OR Lucas

I am certain that at least one of these two Earthbound/Mother characters will return, but I'm not confident that both will.  The presence of Mr. Saturn alludes to the inclusion of one of them and it's likely that at the time of this drawing, it had not yet been determined which one will stay.  Points in Ness's favor go to the fact that he has been in all of the Smash Bros. games since the original and has become the de facto mascot of the Earthbound series.  However, Sakurai has stated that he originally wanted Lucas to replace Ness in Melee, but due to Mother 3's prolonged development, Lucas would have been a complete mystery to gamers at that time and Ness was brought back.  With both of them appearing in Brawl, it can be assumed that this was a sort of "passing of the torch" between the similar characters, meaning Lucas will take over as the face of the franchise.  Although I am more of a fan of Ness, I recognize Lucas's strengths as an important character.  Either way, I doubt that both will return together.

16)  Yoshi

Despite being one of the original 8 Smashers, Yoshi is noticeably absent from the picture.  Despite being technically part of the Mario universe, the Smash Bros. games still treat him as his own entity capable of hosting his own universe, so I don't foresee this popular regular getting the shaft any time soon.

17)  Captain Falcon

Like Yoshi, Captain Falcon has appeared in all three games so far and is the sole host of his own franchise.  Plus, Smash Bros. has made him a popular character in his own right, going so far as to affect his own series with his signature moves and personality traits inspired by these games.  Besides, we can't have Smash Bros. without "FALCON PUNCH!"

18 - 21)  Peach, Bowser, Zelda, and Ice Climbers

Now we're getting into some dicey territory and it is important to look at characters that were considered to be "starters" vs. "secrets."  The starter characters tend to be the more popular and recognizable while the secret characters are more like additional fun bonuses who are great for a cameo, and thus more likely to be removed.  These four characters were introduced as starters in Melee and remained as such in Brawl.  I don't foresee them getting removed although the Ice Climbers may be the most iffy, seeing as how they only represent one single game as opposed to a whole franchise.  However, like Captain Falcon and Ness, being in Smash Bros. has increased their popularity, so I consider them to be safe.

22 - 24)  King Dedede, Diddy Kong, Pokémon Trainer

This leaves the remaining starter characters from Brawl.  I did not include Ike because, like the whole Ness/Lucas issue, he seems to have been introduced to provide a new face to the franchise but, as we can see by the drawing, Marth is the favorite Fire Emblem hero.

I feel King Dedede will stay due to the efforts Sakurai went through to finally include him (he wanted him ever since the original SSB but he didn't want to overshadow other franchises with too many representatives of his own creation).  As a result, I doubt we'll see a new Kirby character enter the fray, seeing as how the Kirby-Meta-Knight-Dedede trifecta represents the universe perfectly.

Diddy Kong was able to join due to his appearance on fan polls, as well as being the obvious second choice for the Donkey Kong universe.  Personally, I wouldn't be upset if he didn't return, but I'm still just bitter about him replacing Donkey Kong Jr. back in 1994.

Pokémon Trainer is the least safe out of this trio.  The only thing keeping him in is the admittedly strong Pokémon nostalgia fanbase, but as the series continues to grow, literally introducing over 100 new characters with each generation, it's harder for him to hold his new place on the roster.  He may even be replaced completely with a new Trainer, but I'll discuss this more later.  I hope he stays.  At least he's got the luxury of appearing on Brawl's cover art, possibly securing his place in the franchise.

25)  Falco OR Wolf

The Star Fox fighters have dominated the Smash Bros. tournament circuits since the beginning, and for that reason, I couldn't see Sakurai omitting both of these characters.  On the one hand, Falco has been one of the series' strongest fighters, but Wolf has a new energy and style that helps differentiate him from Fox and Falco.  Clone characters were one of the series' biggest critical backlashes that were mostly eliminated in Brawl.  However, these three remained so similar that at least one of them has to go.  Personally, I'd like to take Wolf out for another spin, but Falco does have longevity.  It's a toss up.

Let's Briefly Discuss the Characters Who Probably Won't Return

- Ike, Ness/Lucas, Falco/Wolf - As I said, these characters' franchises will basically be represented well with Marth, Lucas/Ness, and Fox and Falco/Wolf so there is no need for the similar fighters.  Ike is a great character and a fun fighter, but if another Fire Emblem character is to be introduced, Marth will definitely stay.

- Snake and Sonic - Having 3rd party characters was a huge deal for Brawl but Sakurai has stated that he doesn't want to series to become overwhelmed by them.  If he is going to please the fans by introducing new ones, he will most likely have to let one or both of these characters go.  They had their fun, though.

- Lucario - With Pokémon Generation V nearly complete and VI on the way, Gen. IV's Lucario doesn't stand much of a chance.  I'll miss him.

- Jigglypuff - Jigglypuff barely scraped by into Brawl already.  Based on her non-role in the single-player Subspace Emissary mode, it was clear that she was an afterthought, and was only included for consistency's sake.  While Jigglypuff has earned a spot in the Smash Bros. Hall of Fame, it's time to let this Pokémon step down to make way for someone new.

- Toon Link - I'll discuss this more when we talk about the inclusion of "Link-varieties," but with The Wind Waker behind us (save for the upcoming HD remake) and new Zelda games joining the Nintendo library, Toon Link will probably not resurface.  Which is a shame, because he was a very enjoyable fighter.

- Ganondorf - Despite strong appearances in Melee and Brawl, Ganondorf hasn't appeared in any of the main Zelda titles released since Brawl.  On top of that, it was always evident that he was just a slower version of Captain Falcon.  So, unless he undergoes a major redesign, it's doubtful that he'll return in this next go-round.

- R.O.B. - R.O.B. always struck me as more of a gimmick than a genuine fighter anyway.  Nintendo enjoys showering attention on this outdated gaming peripheral from the '80s by sticking him in cameo roles in F-Zero, Mario Kart, and now Smash Bros. And despite the reveal that he was one of the main villains in Brawl, I feel as though his novelty has worn off.  Again.

And Now, the 17 Characters Most Likely to Join the Fray

1)  Toad (Mario Series)

In polls conducted for Melee and Brawl, Toad often ranked near the top of most wanted.  He is the last of the "Big 8" Mario characters the needs to appear in a Smash Bros. game (those 8 consist of Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Donkey Kong, Yoshi, Wario and Toad).  After teasing us for two games by appearing as Peach's special Neutral-B move, it's time to get this Mushroom Retainer to fight (Peach could always use Toadsworth instead).  The fact that Toads have appeared as playable heroes in the recent New Super Mario Bros. games helps increase Toad's chances of appearing.

2)  One of These Mario Spinoff Characters:  Bowser Jr., Dixie Kong, Baby Mario, Waluigi

The Mario series has many, many characters, enough to fill up it's own Smash Bros. game.  Each of these 4 characters seems equally likely, but I feel only one would make the cut.  Bowser Jr.'s appearances are becoming more and more frequent, and he would provide a great fighting style with his Magic Paintbrush from Super Mario Sunshine.  Dixie Kong was slated to appear in Brawl (possibly as a tag-team partner for Diddy Kong, à la the Ice Climbers), and with the Donkey Kong franchise being so large, I wouldn't count her out just yet.  Baby Mario would be the next logical inclusion for the Yoshi universe, which has remained at one representative for three games in a row now.  And Waluigi would best represent all of those spinoff titles such as Mario Kart, Mario Party, and any of the sports games.  Plus, he could join Wario, who doesn't really have anyone else to join him from his own WarioWare/Wario Land franchises.  There are plenty of characters, but none popular enough to be suited for a fighting role in Smash Bros.

3)  Ghirahim (Zelda Series)

With Skyward Sword being the latest big entry in the Zelda series, we should expect to see a lot of references to that game.  Link and Zelda would likely appear in these incarnations (along with Sheik possibly based on Impa's appearance, much as Brawl's Sheik was Twilight Princess inspired).  Ghirahim was the new main villain introduced in the game and it seemed as if he was created with Smash Bros. in mind, providing Link with a surreal swordfighter to exchange blows with.

4 - 5)  Alternate Versions of Link, Zelda or Ganon (Zelda Series)

While the Zelda series has a wealth of interesting characters, Link, Zelda, and the villains are the only ones who make sense has Smash Bros. fighters.  And looking at the upcoming Zelda games, there is a chance we might once again see various versions of our favorite trio.  The Link to the Past remake would offer us a chance to play as the classic young version of Link or as the blue pig-beast Ganon.  Or the rumored Majora's Mask 3D remake may finally surface, allowing us to play as a Link who can alter between Deku, Goron, and Zora forms.  Or maybe Toon Link will return and finally be joined by Toon Zelda/Tetra as intended in Brawl.  The possibilities are endless.  Or we might finally get stuck with Tingle.

6)  Another Metroid Character (Sylux?)

What's great about the Metroid series is that it represents the isolation of being a lone hero in a large universe.  Mario, Link, and the Pokémon Trainers of the world are surrounded by helpful friends and interesting strangers, but the orphaned Samus is alone, fighting off bizarre, inhuman monsters.  Even the Galactic Federation shows signs of corruption that further isolate her from making a personal connection.  This is fantastic for the Metroid storyline but killer for Smash Bros.  Most of her enemies are too large to be considered as reliable fighters (as seen with fan-favorite Ridley becoming a boss in Brawl).  But it's seems ridiculous to go through another round of Smash Bros. without expanding the Metroid roster.  In Brawl, Samus had three signature stages all to herself!  Sure there's Zero-Suit Samus, but that's still the same character.

The most common fan pick for this role would go towards the minor character of Sylux.  He appeared in Metroid Prime Hunters, which attempted to expand the cast by introducing many of Samus's contemporaries.  Out of all of them, it was the mysterious Sylux that showed the most promise.  He actively disliked Samus, while others had little to no relationship with her.  This aura of intrigue already makes him an interesting candidate.  While other Metroid characters have potential, Sylux seems primed for the role.

7)  Palutena OR Medusa (Kid Icarus Series)

With Pit's inclusion in Brawl, Sakurai made it clear that he wanted everyone's attention to be on his reboot of the Kid Icarus franchise.  After completing Kid Icarus: Uprising, it seems obvious that Sakurai would want to continue buzz about this series.  There are two ways he could go about this.  Either go with the helpful goddess Palutena who already appeared as Pit's Final Smash, or introduce Pit's main foe Medusa.  Each one would serve the same purpose and I would give the slight edge to Palutena, seeing as how Medusa could always appear as a boss fighter.

8)  Krystal (Star Fox Series)

Like Toad, Krystal always seems to head the list of most desired Smasher.  Even though her biggest appearance in 2002's Star Fox Adventures becomes increasingly irrelevant, fans still want to see the blue fox and her magic staff.  She has remained a presence in the Star Fox series and, should the creators choose to introduce another Star Fox character, Krystal is the obvious choice.  Plus, it would be nice to have a Star Fox fighter that isn't a clone.

9)  Mewtwo (Pokémon Series)

Although he was slated to appear in Brawl, the legendary Pokémon had to sit out the fight.  However, with the upcoming Pokémon X & Y games highlighting a version of the character with multiple formes, it appears as if Mewtwo is primed for a comeback into the Smash Bros. series.

10)  Zoroark, Genesect OR a Generation VI Pokémon (Pokémon Series)

For a long time, Gen. V's Zoroark seemed to be the obvious choice as a new Smasher.  He was basically the Lucario of his generation, being introduced and treated with the same fanfare.  Zoroark's main ability of creating illusions would possibly come into play, creating clone fighters.  While this may have been difficult to program, it would have been an interesting gameplay mechanic.  Alternatively, in keeping with the new Mewtwo theme, the last official Pokémon of Gen. V, the laser-bug Genesect, could prove to be a valuable fighter.  He is co-starring in the upcoming movie with Mewtwo, ensuring that he is going to be fresh in Pokémon fans' minds.  However, as Gen. VI comes down the pipe, it may replace the need for Zoroark and Genesect.  The few Pokémon that have been revealed so far don't particularly seem to be able bodied fighters, but, seeing as how the games will be released in October, there is bound to be someone worthy of succeeding Lucario.

11)  Meowth OR Another Previous Generation Pokémon (Pokémon Series)

If Jigglypuff and/or Pokémon Trainer gets the boot, that opens up some prime real estate for more nostalgia.  Perhaps we'd get a Gen. II or Gen. III equivalent of the Pokémon Trainer and their respective starters (if so, I'd vote for May with a Blaziken, Grovyle, and Mudkip).  However, there has been a solid desire to see Meowth appear as a fighter.  Much like Bowser, Dedede, Pit, and Mewtwo before him, Meowth was rumored to have been considered for the original Super Smash Bros.  And while the rest of the characters eventually appeared, Meowth has solely remained a Poké Ball fighter.  The fact that Meowth is the only other Pokémon besides Pikachu to appear in nearly every single episode of the anime series proves that he is still a recognizable draw and worthy of inclusion.

12)  Roy OR Another Fire Emblem Character

While I'm sure many would like to see Roy or Ike reappear, it is extremely difficult to tell which Fire Emblem character deserves a spot on the roster.  If we look to the most recent game in the series, Fire Emblem: Awakening, we find a new main character in Chrom.  But then if we look at the bonus downloadable characters, we see a host of returning players from previous titles (including Marth, Alm, Seliph, Leif, Roy, Lyn, Ephraim, Ike, Micaiah, and Katarina).  I am not familiar enough with the series to determine who deserves a spot more than any other, but it's evident that at least one of these characters will join Marth on the battlefield.

13)  Another Earthbound/Mother Character

While there aren't as many entries in the Mother series as there are Fire Emblem games, by the nature of the RPG, there are plenty of characters to choose from.  Having determined that either Ness or Lucas will sit this one out, many others can take the spot.  With Earthbound finally coming to the North American Virtual Console, a whole new generation of gamers will be introduced to these past characters.  Perhaps we can find that we'll play as Jeff, Paula or Poo.  Or perhaps we'll play as Mother 3's Kumatora, Duster, Boney or Flint.  Or maybe even one of the villains like Porky or Giygas.  Or, as a retro throwback, they will bring back Ninten from the original Mother.  While I would hedge my bets on Flint or one of the Earthbound kids, this one is too close to call.

14 - 15) Other Nintendo Characters

While I'm leaving this heading vague, I'm pretty confident that one of the two characters will be Takamaru from the Japanese Famicom game Nazo no Murasame Jō or Murasame's Mysterious Castle. In the recent Wii U title Nintendo Land, one of the minigames was based on this obscure ninja character, implying that Nintendo is ready to reintroduce him into the fold of iconic Nintendo characters.

The other one is a little more tricky.  We may see one of the former Assist Trophies get upgraded to a full fighter, such as Little Mac from Punch-Out!!, Isaac from Golden Sun, or Saki from Sin and Punishment.  Another popular hopeful is the robot fighter Sukapon from the Famicom's Joy Mech Fight.  While two obscure Nintendo characters may be a stretch, it's always possible.  Then of course, there may be a new character that we've yet to meet from some upcoming Nintendo game that needs promoting by the time SSB4 rolls out.

16)  A Namco-Bandai Character

Since SSB4 is being developed by this third-party, it should be expected that we see at least one character from their library of games.  Pac-Man is by far the most iconic, and he has appeared with fellow characters in the Mario Kart arcade game.  However, in terms of fighting ability, I feel Namco-Bandai would be smarter going with Klonoa, who seems to have been Namco's answer to Mario and Sonic.  He is a bit more obscure, but his inclusion would increase his popularity anyway.

17)  Another 3rd Party Character

Snake and Sonic opened the door for plenty of other non-Nintendo properties to make an appearance.  After those two were revealed to be playable, the most common request was for Capcom's Mega Man.  Having already appeared in a plethora of fighting games, Mega Man would not feel out of place.  Plus, Capcom used to be one of Nintendo's main developers and the name "Mega Man" was synonymous with the NES.  I could list plenty of other highly anticipated third party characters, but Mega Man would probably garner the most attention.  Well, unless Square-Enix lets Nintendo use Geno again.

And there we have it.  Your favorites may have been left out, but remember, there is limited room in the game.  From here on, I shall examine these characters more closely, as well as provide my predictions and hopes for other various Smash Bros. elements in the next game.  Feel free to discuss any characters you feel I may have overlooked!