Beginning withSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, assist trophies were added as an item in theSuper Smash Brosseries. Similarly to Poke Balls, assist trophies summon a randomized character who will aid a player in battle. Oftentimes, assist trophies have acted as a way to represent characters or series that aren’t playable fighters.
Related:Iconic Video Game Characters Who Would Make Great Super Smash Bros Fighters
However, many assist trophies throughout theSuper Smash Brosseries have made the transition from item to fighter. Little Mac and Isabelle are examples of this, appearing as playable in the games after their first assist trophy appearance. With that in mind, these 10 assist trophies deserve their spot on the nextSmash Brosroster.
10Shadow
Sonic the Hedgehog’s inclusion inSuper Smash Bros. Brawlwas a historical moment in video game history. The character had long been rivals with Mario in the 90s, and third-party characters were brand-new inBrawlwith the inclusion of Snake fromMetal Gear Solid. However, there should definitely be room in the roster for Sonic’s own rival.
Shadow has appeared in manySonicgames since his debut inSonic Adventure 2. He’s even had his own solo game inShadow the Hedgehog. Transitioning from an assist trophy, Shadow could combine the speed of Sonic with more variety in his moveset, utilizing Chaos Control as well as being armed with weapons to be a completely unique fighter.
9Shovel Knight
Shovel Knight is one of the first indie characters to appear inSuper Smash Brosand the first to be made into an Assist Trophy. His origin game,Shovel Knight, harkens back to Metroidvania-style games, with some influence fromMega Manas well. As a playable character, Shovel Knight could inherit a lot of aspects from Mega Man’s playstyle.
Related:Potential Super Smash Bros Fighters From Series With No Representation
One of these aspects is the use of power-ups. Like Mega Man, Shovel Knight acquires new abilities each level, which would make for perfect special moves. However, Shovel Knight’s standard attacks could vary from Mega Man’s by being more up-close, utilizing his shovel to bury opponents rather than fire laser beams at them from afar.
8Takamaru
Few casual Nintendo fans may know Takamaru, as the character originally appeared in the Japan-exclusive Famicom gameThe Mysterious Murasame Castle. In theLegend of Zelda-like game, Takamaru battles enemies with his katana, while also utilizing throwing knives and fireballs as additional attacks. However, the character could be quite a unique fighter.
As a playable fighter, Takamaru could be a unique swordfighter with his various abilities. He could also have movement more akin to characters like Sheik or Ryu as opposed to Marth or Link. Perhaps the addition of Takamaru could also raise popularity in aMurasame Castlereboot, which almost came to pass with aNintendo Landminigame.
7Isaac
Isaac is the main protagonist of theGolden Sunseries,which has been a dormant franchise for many years. Despite fans' clamoring for a new title from Nintendo, Isaac has made several appearances as an assist trophy in theSuper Smash Brosseries. As an assist trophy, Isaac utilizes his Move ability, pushing opponents across the stage.
However, the Isaac that appears inGolden Sunhas a lot more abilities that would make him a unique fighter. Particularly, the character is proficient in Earth-related magic, which could make him one of few fighters who utilize nature-related attacks, alongside Ivysaur and Piranha Plant. It would certainly be more refreshing than another RPG swordfighter.
6Krystal
There are three playable fighters inSuper Smash Bros Ultimatefrom theStar Foxseries: Fox, Falco, and Wolf. For a series with an iconic place in Nintendo’s history, these three fighters operate quite similarly to each other. A good addition toSmashfrom theStar Foxfranchise with some variety would be Krystal, a recurring assist trophy.
Related:Super Smash Bros Fighters Who Used To Be Good Competitively (But Aren’t Anymore)
From her appearance inStar Fox Adventures, Krystal is playable in certain parts of the game, but has a much different movepool than Fox or even Wolf. In the game, she wields a staff and utilizes telepathy, which she later loses and is found by Fox early in the game. Krystal would be a worthy addition to theSmashroster with some much-needed diversity.
5Bomberman
Prior to being revealed as an assist trophy inSuper Smash Bros Ultimate, Bomberman occupied a similar space in fans' wishlist to Pac-Man or Mega Man.The character is video game royalty, and operates inSmashsimilarly to his original games. He places bombs around the stage, including remote bombs, which often explode in cross shapes.
Bomberman was additionally added as a Mii Fighter costume in 2020, as one of the few Mii costumes that is also an assist trophy. However, being added to theSmashroster seems inevitable, given Bomberman’s place in gaming history. The only hurdle would be giving him a moveset with more variety than just laying down bombs and detonating them.
4Excitebiker
The bikers from the NES classicExcitebikeappeared as assist trophies inSuper Smash Bros Brawl, but are absent in both subsequent titles. However, the original title remains one of the most iconic Nintendo games, andeven has representation in games likeMario Kart 8. It’s possible that the simplistic nature of the game doesn’t lend well to a diverse moveset.
That being said, there have been plenty of modern reboots of theExcitebikefranchise, with games likeExcite TruckandExcite Bots. Perhaps anExcitebikefighter could incorporate aspects of these games into its moveset, or even take from games outside the franchise such asMach Rider, another common suggestion for aSmash Broscharacter.
3Tingle
For a series with as many unique characters asThe Legend of Zelda, it has very few playable fighters inSuper Smash Bros. The most recent addition to the roster was back inBrawl, when Toon Link replaced Young Link, but that hasn’t stopped fans from wishing for new characters. An obvious choice is Tingle, who appeared as an assist trophy inBrawl.
Related:Legend Of Zelda Characters Who Would Make Great Super Smash Bros Fighters
For a uniqueSmash Broscharacter, Tingle has a lot of inspiration to choose from. He can use the balloon he flies with inMajora’s Mask, or items that appeared in the spin-off titles starring Tingle. Perhaps if Tingle makes an appearance in a futureZeldagame, he’ll have additional abilities that would inspire aSmash Brosmovepool.
2Midna
In terms ofZeldacharacters already primed for a uniqueSmash Brosmoveset, Midna takes the cake. The character’s assist trophy is simplistic, using her hair to grab and throw players across the stage. However, a playable version could stand out byhaving Midna mount Wolf Link, incorporating moves fromTwilight Princess.
An interesting way to incorporate Wolf Link into Midna’s moveset would be for one of her special moves to summon him. Like many DLC characters, this could give Midna a complex moveset that switches whether she has Wolf Link by her side or not. It would also be interesting to see more four-legged fighters inSmashother than Ivysaur and Duck Hunt.
1Waluigi
By far, one of the most requested assist trophies to be turned into fighters is Waluigi. As a recurring character in theMarioseries,it’s surprising that Waluigi hasn’t become playable yet, especially since his counterpart Wario was introduced all the way back inSuper Smash Bros Brawl, albeit with moves inspired by theWariowaregames.
Given Waluigi’s exclusivity to spin-offMariotitles such asMario KartorMario Party, Waluigi’s moveset could be a tribute to those games. He could summon a Dice Block with his up-special, or race in a kart with his side special. His attacks could also incorporate aspects of Mario-centric sports games, such as a golf club, tennis racket, or soccer ball.
