Off Topic: My Favorite Video Games Part 8 Top Ten Most Wanted Newcomers for Smash 4!

With Smash Bros getting the fourth game in the franchise, how can I not be excited. I was a big fan of Smash Bros ever since the N64 days. That game got me very interested in the Nintendo characters when I was little and the sequels helped me to find more games. Like how Melee made me discover Fire Emblem and then Brawl showing Pit and getting me interested in his old games and then I got really excited for the reboot of the Kid Icarus franchise. Overall Smash Bros is a great franchise that has shown the greatness that is video game history and thanks to third party characters like Sonic, Snake, and Megaman that is a very strong point to make. So with that I want to make a list of the newcomers I want the most. I will try to be realistic here so it just won't be the characters I want, but characters I can see being playable. Also this is a nice little break from my Wizard rush I am having right now. So let's begin!

10. Ashley (WarioWare)

The WarioWare series is a really bizarre one. It's just full of random mini-games and that somehow is a lot of fun. With Wario being in Brawl and easily being a representative of WarioWare, a new character should join him. I do know about Wario World, but Wario has become something different and I am fine with that. So with Ashley, she is a magic user and with her little devil partner that could make an interesting move set. She is easily the fan favorite of WarioWare so having her wouldn't be a bad move. Finally, I really love the song she has in Brawl (Japanese version).

9. Prince Fluff (Kirby)

The Kirby franchise belongs to Sakurai who has made Smash Bros since the beginning. In Brawl he put two Kirby characters to be newcomers so I can see Kirby getting another character. People say it should be Bandana Dee, but that is just a Waddle Dee and that is the Goomba of the Kirby universe. Also Fluff easily has more uniqueness towards him. First is the yarn animation, I would love to see that animation done for Smash Bros and then seeing Kirby be Yarn Kirby would be amazingly cute. With Fluff he can easily have moves based on the string he uses. Also his moves can be full of the forms he transforms into along with Kirby in the game. Then a great final smash would be the tank form as he punches and fire rockets everywhere! If Fluff doesn't get in, at least there should be an Epic Yarn stage because I love that yarn animation!

8. Chrom and Robin (Fire Emblem)

A big debate is with the new Fire Emblem characters. The franchise had a really big boom thanks to Awakening so I wouldn't doubt they would put a character in the game. The debate is with Chrom and Robin as they are both the main characters, but which one deserves it the most? I say why not both? Awakening had a huge support system and had dual linking in the game so why not work that in for Smash Bros. It would easily be a big change for Fire Emblem characters. The Smash moves can easily be Chrom with his sword and Robin can use his/her magic for the special moves. For the Final Smash I can see an Aether and Ignis combo. Personally I would like Robin more because of his/her swordplay along with magic would be very good for a moveset, but Chrom is a big character as well so I would love to both of them fight along side each other.

7. Palutena (Kid Icarus)

As I said before the Kid Icarus franchise had a big reboot and with Pit being shown in the first trailer it does show that Nintendo does have more focus for this retooled franchise. With that in mind Palutena would fit in very well since the heroine of Nintendo franchises do get in like Peach and Zelda. Personally a big reason why I want her in is because she's a very different type of female character compared to Peach and Zelda. Those two always get kidnapped and be the damsel in distress, Palutena is not that at all though. She does get in danger, yes, but she actually supports Pit with his ability to fly. Also she can easily fight since there is a boss fight against her and there was an anime short that shown her using the weapons from the game. I would think her final smash could Pit's from Brawl and Pit can easily get a new one thanks to the recent game. So lets get a Goddess to smash down Mario!

6. Ghirahim (Zelda)

Skyward Sword is easily getting a huge focus for this game just like Twilight Princess did in Brawl. Now I do think that 4 characters per franchise is the maximum and I will stand by it. This can easily be done if they remove a character. Ganon has been a Captain Falcon clone all the time and Toon Link is just a lighter version of Link. Now I can see Toon Link staying if he gets a new move set based on his game, Wind Waker. This can happen to Ganon as well, but if not he should be replaced by the big villain from Skyward Sword. There is no way this character can be made as a clone character. His body movement can even be a unique part about him, I would love to see him have a counter move where he grabs the foes' weapon and toss the character away. He also has different forms as his final one can work with a Final Smash. This guy has a lot of moves so I hope he gets in or Ganon becomes his own character.

5. Ephraim (Fire Emblem)

With this franchise I do feel that there should be three characters. With Marth and Ike being the previous characters I think Ike should be removed. Now I didn't hate Ike, I loved playing as Ike he was my third main in Brawl. This has to do with the history though. If Chrom and Robin were added the franchise would just have the first lord and then the newer ones. With Melee we had Marth and Roy and Roy was from the GBA era of the franchise. I think we should easily go back to that time and Ephraim is my favorite choice. Now I would say Hector would be a good choice as well, but this guy was unique for a FE character. For many times the Soldier class was always a villain class, but he was the closest thing to getting that until Path of Radiance came along. Also another big reason I want him is that he shows a different weapon from the franchise. I am not saying sword characters would not be unique, but we do need to show what this franchise actually has which is a reason I want Robin as well. Then Sacred Stones was a big personal favorite of mine and I remember destroying everyone with this lord.

4. Travis Touchdown (No More Heroes)

A big problem with third party characters is getting the rights to the character. Sonic must have been very hard to get, but Snake and Megaman were actually very easy. Kojima begged for Snake to be since Melee, but he was cut because of a lack of time. Megaman was given away pretty much since Capcom hasn't done a single thing with him in a long time. Then here is Suda 51 a man who would love to see one of his favorite characters to be playable. It doesn't stop there though as Suda had a lot of enjoyment making No More Heroes and can't wait to continue the franchise with the Wii U. Now there is a big problem though. Travis is a very vulgar character, but he can easily be toned down like Snake was. What would make Travis a great character then is his special moves will consist of the four different beam katanas he gets from NMH2 while his Smash moves can be based on his side jobs like using a lawn mower. He would be unique and funny character to play as which is the most important part about Travis, he's just a really funny character. I will say though I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't get in though, but I would easily freak out if he got in.

3. Little Mac (Punch Out)

Now Little Mac did get to be an assist trophy in Brawl, but I think he can easily be a playable character. It's not that hard to make a move set based on boxing as there are many different things you can do with it. Like Akihiko from Persona 4 Arena, he is a huge dodge and dash character so I can see that work with Little Mac in some ways. Now I would have to wonder how his grapples will work since he has boxing gloves on, but I bet Sakurai can think of something. Like maybe his coach will come out and grab Mac's foes. For a final smash I can see the Big Mac form of him just going berserk. So he is a simple character, but Punch Out being a franchise would be very fun since it is so quirky. I can image Doc Brown being an assist trophy or maybe one of the other boxers.

2. Lloyd Irving (Tales)

Sakurai has made a statement saying that just because Namco is behind the new game, doesn't mean they will have a character. There is still a chance though and most people are thinking of Pac-man or a fighting game character from Tekken or Soul Calibur, I would rather see the Tales series getting some more light. First, Symphonia is big for the franchise and the company does love it as a remake is being made for both the Symphonia games. Then Lloyd has a huge move set possibility thanks to the many moves he has from the game. Demon Blade, Tiger Blade, Beast, Rising Falcon, the list can go on. Again this wouldn't be a character I would be shocked not to see in, but again like with Travis I would scream like a little girl if he does get in.

1. Shulk (Xenoblade)

Reminding me of JRPG's, Xenoblade Chronicles was amazing! I can't believe that this was not going to be a North American release back then. There is a good amount of history with that game as it was not going to be released to North America along with two other games. People were not happy at all with this so some of those people begun Operation Rainfall. Thanks to them those three games got released and Xenoblade was easily the biggest one of those three. Fans and critics gave this game a lot of love and I will agree, it's still the best JRPG of this generation so far. Nintendo even wants to continue with the Xeno series as Monolith Soft is making a new game called "X" so far which easily means the title will have Xeno somewhere. Having Shulk in as a character would easily show that Operation Rainfall really did succeed and thanks to them the Xeno series can begin anew with Nintendo. Going on Shulk has one of the best swords in a video game and that alone makes him stand out. The Monado has amazing powers and some great moves. I can see the Monado Buster being a normal special, Monado Purge being a forward special, Monado speed would be a dodge move and be the down sepcial, and then Monado Cyclone can be the up special. Along with that his smash moves can be his normal moves like backslash, Slit Edge, Shaker Edge, Air Slash, and Stream Edge. So yea Shulk is my number one for many reasons as the fans really got this to be really popular and some love for new IP's would be great.

So that is my list, now there are many many possible characters so feel free to say what you're most wanted newcomers are. Personally I can't wait for the next big reveal for a newcomer and I'm even excited to see who is coming back. I can easily say this Smash Bros will easily be a big one just like the past three.