Smash Bros. Ultimate set an impossible standard. So what comes next?

It might feel like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate released yesterday, but we’re rapidly approaching the game’s eight-year anniversary. It's not quite a decade, but it sure is close enough to make you do a double-take. Part of why it doesn’t feel long ago is the sheer scope of the game. Ultimate launched with the slogan “Everyone is here!” and everyone was, in fact, there. From legacy fighters like Kirby and Pikachu to newcomers like Isabelle, Incineroar, and Simon Belmont, we got a starting roster of 74 characters, plus an additional 12 DLC characters. It made the staying power of the game that much greater, which only added to the longevity a franchise of that size and popularity naturally brings to the table. Image via Nintendo But a new rumor surfaced recently claiming the next Super Smash Bros. game is in development—and not only that, but it could hit digital shelves as early as 2027. That’s next year, people. Make no mistake: that time frame isn’t confirmed, and it’s worth treating it with some skepticism. Series director Masahiro Sakurai just wrapped up Kirby Air Riders in November 2025, after all. But a 2027 or 2028 release date for the next Smash title wouldn’t be totally outside the realm of possibility, logistically speaking, when you look at the development timeline of the Switch consoles in relation to Ultimate. We’re not here to break down the legitimacy of this rumor, though—that’s a different article. The bigger question isn’t if a new Smash is coming. It’s how one would follow up Ultimate if it does. Over the years, Ultimate has been deemed the Avengers: Endgame of the fighting-game franchise, a culmination of everything the series was building to. It brought back nearly every fighter, stacked the roster with third-party legends, and felt like a definitive statement. Trying to simply go bigger risks collapsing under its own weight, so it’s understandable why fans would be cautious about the future of the franchise. https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1t3tdzh/new_super_smash_bros_reportedly_releasing_as/ And in an attempt to make sense of it all, some Smash players are already trying to map out an answer. In one Reddit thread, most people agreed that the size and scope of the roster shouldn’t be the highlight of a new Smash game. Some even argued that the roster should focus on first-party characters and slim down to Brawl’s humble size of 35. That would, these players say, allow the developer to focus more on revamping the gameplay to introduce new and innovative mechanics. "[Ultimate's] roster is the massive draw for that game and a sequel will have a hard time matching it in that regard (especially when it comes to guest characters),” Reddit user Rbespinosa13 wrote. “The main way a new smash can actually attract a new playerbase is through innovative gameplay.” As another fan pointed out, some of the longtime faces of Smash—Mario, Donkey Kong, Kirby, Zelda—have starred in a number of games since the creation of their Smash kits. Maybe a new entry into the franchise would be the prime time to revisit these fighters' designs and give them new and improved movesets to better reflect their evolution as characters over the years. Though, to play devil's advocate, you’d risk upsetting the mains of these characters who’ve spent literal decades honing their skills. One change would likely be readily accepted by all: an improvement or extension of the story mode. Look, we know Smash is a multiplayer game. But campaign modes allow players of all skill levels to learn characters and practice them in a fun way that’s not just fighting a lobotomized AI over and over again. If Ultimate was the peak of “more is better,” the next Smash might need to prove the opposite—that innovative design, not bigger scope, is the way forward. And that leaves the real question: if Nintendo can’t top Ultimate by scale, what would actually make a new Smash feel essential to you? The post Smash Bros. Ultimate set an impossible standard. So what comes next? appeared first on Destructoid.

May 5, 2026 - 20:44

Smash Bros. Ultimate set an impossible standard. So what comes next?

It might feel like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate released yesterday, but we’re rapidly approaching the game’s eight-year anniversary. It's not quite a decade, but it sure is close enough to make you do a double-take.

Part of why it doesn’t feel long ago is the sheer scope of the game. Ultimate launched with the slogan “Everyone is here!” and everyone was, in fact, there. From legacy fighters like Kirby and Pikachu to newcomers like Isabelle, Incineroar, and Simon Belmont, we got a starting roster of 74 characters, plus an additional 12 DLC characters. It made the staying power of the game that much greater, which only added to the longevity a franchise of that size and popularity naturally brings to the table.

Image via Nintendo But a new rumor surfaced recently claiming the next Super Smash Bros. game is in development—and not only that, but it could hit digital shelves as early as 2027. That’s next year, people.

Make no mistake: that time frame isn’t confirmed, and it’s worth treating it with some skepticism. Series director Masahiro Sakurai just wrapped up Kirby Air Riders in November 2025, after all. But a 2027 or 2028 release date for the next Smash title wouldn’t be totally outside the realm of possibility, logistically speaking, when you look at the development timeline of the Switch consoles in relation to Ultimate.

We’re not here to break down the legitimacy of this rumor, though—that’s a different article. The bigger question isn’t if a new Smash is coming. It’s how one would follow up Ultimate if it does.

Over the years, Ultimate has been deemed the Avengers: Endgame of the fighting-game franchise, a culmination of everything the series was building to. It brought back nearly every fighter, stacked the roster with third-party legends, and felt like a definitive statement. Trying to simply go bigger risks collapsing under its own weight, so it’s understandable why fans would be cautious about the future of the franchise.

https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1t3tdzh/new_super_smash_bros_reportedly_releasing_as/ And in an attempt to make sense of it all, some Smash players are already trying to map out an answer.

In one Reddit thread, most people agreed that the size and scope of the roster shouldn’t be the highlight of a new Smash game. Some even argued that the roster should focus on first-party characters and slim down to Brawl’s humble size of 35. That would, these players say, allow the developer to focus more on revamping the gameplay to introduce new and innovative mechanics.

"[Ultimate's] roster is the massive draw for that game and a sequel will have a hard time matching it in that regard (especially when it comes to guest characters),” Reddit user Rbespinosa13 wrote. “The main way a new smash can actually attract a new playerbase is through innovative gameplay.”

As another fan pointed out, some of the longtime faces of Smash—Mario, Donkey Kong, Kirby, Zelda—have starred in a number of games since the creation of their Smash kits. Maybe a new entry into the franchise would be the prime time to revisit these fighters' designs and give them new and improved movesets to better reflect their evolution as characters over the years. Though, to play devil's advocate, you’d risk upsetting the mains of these characters who’ve spent literal decades honing their skills.

One change would likely be readily accepted by all: an improvement or extension of the story mode. Look, we know Smash is a multiplayer game. But campaign modes allow players of all skill levels to learn characters and practice them in a fun way that’s not just fighting a lobotomized AI over and over again.

If Ultimate was the peak of “more is better,” the next Smash might need to prove the opposite—that innovative design, not bigger scope, is the way forward. And that leaves the real question: if Nintendo can’t top Ultimate by scale, what would actually make a new Smash feel essential to you?

The post Smash Bros. Ultimate set an impossible standard. So what comes next? appeared first on Destructoid.

Tags:

All Fortnite Star Wars Unleash the Force quests and rewards

What's Your Reaction?

Dislike

Love

Funny

Angry

Sad

Wow

XINKER - Business and Income Tips Explore XINKER, the ultimate platform for mastering business strategies, discovering passive income opportunities, and learning success principles. Join a community of thinkers dedicated to achieving financial freedom and entrepreneurial excellence.