Shack Chat: What DLC characters do you want to see in Smash?

Shack Chat is back once again, our weekly feature each Friday where we’ll ask the Shacknews staff to give their opinion on a particular topic, then open the floor to our dedicated Chatty community to provide a diverse mixture of thoughts on the subject. It’s a great way for us to get to know one another better while inspiring healthy debates with all of you passionate gamers out there. 

Question: What DLC characters do you want to see in Smash?

Doomguy - Asif Khan, One Doomed Space Marine

I would love to see Doomguy in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. With Doom (2016) already on the Switch, he really seems like an obvious DLC character. Bethesda and Nintendo have been playing nice on Switch for several years, and the Doom Slayer would be a great addition to the game. Imagine his BFG ultimate. I mean, come on!

Vibri, Vib Ribbon - Brittany Vincent, Senior Editor

This will never happen, but while I'm dreaming, why not throw Vibri from the classic rhythm game Vib Ribbon into the mix? You may as well. Go ahead and start opening up the game to more third-party games in the future since we're getting Persona 5's Joker. She's a wireframe rabbit. If that doesn't sound exciting to anyone, I just don't know what to tell you. Plus, she deserves more than just an appearance in a cult rhythm game that no one plays enough these days. Justice for Vibri! Put her in Smash!

Banjo - Ozzie Mejia, Senior Editor

I feel like we're in a brave new world with Smash Bros. More than ever, it feels like the floodgates have been opened for third-party characters. I mean, when did anyone ever think they'd see the lead character of a Persona game, much less a PlayStation-exclusive one, in a Smash Bros. game?

Then last week's Cuphead reveal for Nintendo Switch got me thinking. In particular, that line "thanks to our friends at Microsoft" got me thinking more and more that an Xbox-exclusive character has to be on the horizon. And if it's true that Nintendo and Microsoft are, at the very least, in a working relationship, then it probably means that the Xbox library is open for DLC. There are a lot of good choices to be the Xbox representative in Smash Bros., but my dream right now would be a symbolic Nintendo/Rare reunion. Introduce Banjo as an old friend from the Nintendo 64 era, let him and Kazooie bash opponents with bear fists and egg-splosions. Let Banjo take center stage as the next Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC character and bring those Banjo-Kazooie games to Switch, while you're at it.

Claptrap - Josh Hawkins, Some guy

As one of the main characters you deal with in the Borderland series, Claptrap has always been a treat to talk to. From witty banter, to outrageous antics, the little robot is always getting up to trouble. But, he’s not just all talk. This little guy has also helped take out some big baddies along the way, if you want to call cowering in the corner helping. Either way, I think that Claptrap would be an amazing addition to the Smash roster and can already imagine the little idiot trying his best to knock Mario or some other unsuspecting fighter out of the arena.

Sure, he might not make the most sense, considering how far out of left field the Borderlands series can go: But that doesn’t change that Claptrap is definitely one of the characters I’d love to see make an appearance in Smash, even if it’s just so he can get beat up repeatedly by the likes of Kirby and Mario.

Shovel Knight - Kevin S. Tucker, For Shovelry!

I’ll get straight to the point — Shovel Knight is a badass. The power of the shovel is real, and in the hands of the right hero, nigh-unstoppable. Functioning similarly to a sword, the shovel also allows players to “bounce” onto enemies to defeat them. If you ask me, that puts Shovel Knight right in-line with other Nintendo-branded heroes in the Smash Bros. series. Of course, the hero’s simple retro-themed aesthetic should fit right in with other classic fighters, and their gender-bending nature means they’d be a perfect match for players looking for a fighter that more accurately represents them personally. Alternatively, the male and female Shovel Knights could operate as a tag team, much like the Ice Climbers.

The entire roster of Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! - Chris Jarrard, WVBA Minor Circuit Champ

Anyone who knows me or regularly reads the ShackChat features knows that I believe in my heart that Nintendo’s best franchise is Punch-Out!! The Smash Bros. series is now deep into its life and the newest version on the Switch has nearly 100 combatants, many with sketchy credentials for inclusion into a fighting tournament. This why it makes perfect sense to include all of Little Mac’s opponents from Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! to the Smash Ultimate Roster.

Each one of the boxers has a unique look and fighting style, giving the designers ample room to vary their offense to include more than simple jabs and hooks. The other reason I’d love their inclusion is that you don’t ever see video games include such racist, zenophobic representations of people any more. There is a good reason for this, but nothing makes sense in the Smash universe to begin with, so I don’t know that it should be that big of a deal.

I can see the battles now, with Don Flamenco slapping Luigi with his rose or Bald Bull charging at Kirby. The boxers are just the right level of absurd and goofy to fit right in with the madness of Smash. Please Nintendo, make it so. Stop trying to pretend that 1987 didn’t happen. Correct the wrong of including the worst character in Punch-Out!! History (Little Mac) by including its best.

Crash Bandicoot - Blake Morse, Console Wars Survivor

While he might not be my favorite mascot personally, I would honestly love to see Crash Bandicoot join the Smash ranks. Growing up during the console wars between Nintendo and Sega I never thought I’d see the day when Mario and Sonic would throw down in a game together. The fact that the Smash series has made that reality is pretty mind-blowing in and of itself.

Now imagine the concept of Crash Bandicoot, who at one point was essentially the mascot of PlayStation, joining the fight. It would be historical to see these three characters in one game competing against each other.

As a kid, I would’ve never imagined that such a concept was even possible considering how cutthroat the competition between those three companies was back in the day. But now that you have things like the Crash and Spyro trilogies available on several platforms this isn’t out of the realm of possibility. I feel like it would also cement Nintendo as a symbolic winner of those long-fought console wars.

Shrek - Bill Lavoy, Managing Editor

I’m not a Smash player, which I know and accept is a fault. Therefore, I wasn’t really aware of all the characters currently in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, or any of the previous games for that matter. I had to do a little research to come up with a character not in the game that I think would be fun to play, and I’m fully aware that I'm not the first person to have this thought.

I landed on Shrek. Shrek needs to be in Smash. Not only do I just love the character in the movies, but Shrek is a big dude who would likely have powerful attacks that fit my usual play style of offence and destruction through brute force.

Solaire of Astora - Sam Chandler, Grossly Incandescent

I haven’t played a Smash Bros game since the original released on the Nintendo 64. In fact, I have zero interest in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which was only compounded when I realized how much had been added to the series and how very far behind I was in skill level. I was terrible and have no desire to get good. However, if Nintendo did the right thing and added Solaire of Astora to Smash Bros. Ultimate, I would go out and buy a copy today.

I don’t care how bad I would be at Smash Bros. I don’t care if Solaire was the worst character in the entire roster. I would main Solaire and I would do it proudly. I’d also only play it in a team mode so I could participate in jolly cooperation. It would be glorious.

Solaire’s moveset is already primed as well. He’s got a sword and shield, as well as some sweet lightning miracles. I mean, there’s even a bloody amiibo for Solaire. It’s really the only answer that makes sense.

Solaire - David L. Craddock, Longreads Editor

Dark Souls invaded Nintendo Switch last October. That’s a big deal on two fronts: It was the franchise’s first appearance on a Nintendo platform, and its maiden voyage on handhelds. (Unless you count Slashy Souls, a pre-order bonus for Dark Souls 2, but I don’t, and neither should you.)

The Switch version launched alongside an amiibo of Solaire, everyone’s favorite SunBro. Dark Souls has yet to be represented in Smash Bros., and Solaire is the right type of goofy (read: totally mad) to fit in with the rest of Smash Ultimate’s diverse cast. Let us praise the sun, Nintendo and Bandai Namco. Let us be grossly incandescent and engage in jolly cooperation--and competition.

Master Chief - Donovan Erskine, Intern

Nintendo and Microsoft have been playing quite well with each other as of late. Enabling crossplay between the two consoles, collaborations in their marketing, and even rumors suggesting that several Xbox Live titles could be making their way to the Switch. What else would be a greater sign of the good will between the two titans of companies than putting Xbox’s most iconic character in Nintendo’s landmark fighting game?

Master Chief would fit in beautifully with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s colorful cast of characters. I imagine his moveset would play similar to Solid Snake’s; an emphasis on guns, explosives, and gadgets. Picture the Chief pulling out an energy sword and slashing his opponents upward, or hopping in a banshee to recover from getting knocked off the stage. He could use the spartan laser as his special, charging up its power and dealing damage to multiple foes at once. I could also see him using the gravity hammer as his down smash, sending enemies flying off screen. The possibilities with Master Chief are endless. Besides, how beautiful would it be to hear that sweet Halo theme as the Chief poses alongside Cortana on the victory screen?

Shack Staff

Shack Staff stories are a collective effort with multiple staff members contributing. Many of our lists often involve entires from several editors, and our weekly Shack Chat is something we all contribute to as a group.