Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life
Today marks the 5th anniversary of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and we’re celebrating with a discussion about the future of the series. What’s next for Super Smash Bros.? Is there even a next? And where do we think Sakurai will be involved? Let’s dive in!
It’s hard to believe that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is five years old. It’s one of the defining games of the Nintendo Switch, and along with its incredible roster of characters, stages, music — basically everything — it’s easily one of the best fighting games ever. At least, in our humble opinion.
But, five years down the line, and two years after the final Fighter Pass character in Sora, it’s time to ask the question: What is next for Super Smash Bros.? The series’ creator, Masahiro Sakurai — who now has his own YouTube channel — has said that he’s not sure whether future Smash games will ever match Ultimate’s scope. And with good reason, because Ultimate is bursting at the seams.
So, what is next for Smash? Is it over? Will it get smaller? Or will it go down a very different route? Three of our lovely writers have got together to discuss the future of Super Smash Bros.
Ready? … Go! And read our thoughts on what’s next for this seminal fighting game series.
Is this the end for Smash Bros. as we know it?
Alana Hagues, Deputy Editor: I feel like it’s weird to be asking “is this the end?” for Smash Bros. on the fifth anniversary of Ultimate’s release, but with Sora’s release and the end of the Fighter Pass, it certainly feels like the end of an era. And looking back after five years just hammers home how big this game was Just what can Super Smash Bros. do next? Is there a next?
Jim Norman, Staff Writer: I feel like there will most definitely be a ‘next’, but the ‘next’ in question will be a “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Deluxe”. I’m picturing a port to the next hardware, a couple of visual tweaks and maybe the odd character or two thrown in there for good measure *cough* Oatchi *cough*. But in terms of what comes after, something actually new, I feel like things are slightly less clear-cut.
Link won’t ever let it end! — Image: Nintendo
Ollie Reynolds, Staff Writer: It’s not the end of Smash, but there’s definitely an opportunity now for the series to experiment a little bit and see what lands. I feel like with Ultimate, Sakurai presented the, well, ultimate vision of what Smash could be using the basic foundation from the original game. Now that that’s all done with, it’s time to go in a slightly different direction.