There is a lot of speculation around who could be the final fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. During his presentation of the newest fighter, Kazuya, director Masahiro Sakurai confirmed that the final slot in the second Fighters Pass DLC will be the last fighter added to the game. It seems safe to bet the final addition will be a character from a blockbuster series, but some might prefer to imagine the choice will be a quirkier (yet technically feasible) possibility.
There are a lot of strong opinions about who the final fighter should be. Many, excitedly or not, are bracing for a Gen 8 Pokémon. Many believe Smash should welcome a PlayStation character. Other corners of the fan community are full of hope for Crash Bandicoot or Nier: Automata's 2B. But very little serious space is being devoted to speculation for the more charmingly bizarre picks.
Despite the Switch's status as a destination for indie games, there are no indie games represented in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. No rhythm games are represented, either. Many of Smash's fighters have humorous moves and designs, such as Jigglypuff, who can nap fighters to death, but a lot more color and joy could be added to the game with some of these less conventional choices.
Quirky Picks for the Last Smash Fighter: Katamari Damacy's Prince
The Prince from Katamari Damacy as a Smash fighter, aside from giving fans hope that a new Katamari game isn't out of the question, would be hilarious, and undoubtedly have interesting mechanics. Katamari is a series from Bandai Namco where the King of All Cosmos repeatedly destroys all the stars. His tiny son, The Prince, must clean up the King's mess by rolling up new stars with whatever objects are scattered around, increasing the size of the rolling ball as it goes. By the game's final level, The Prince rolls up skyscrapers, warships, and even the moon. Katamari is a hilarious game with arguably one of the best soundtracks in gaming, which alone makes it a huge asset to Smash. A Prince fighter could rolls up items and, eventually, other fighters and attacks by rolling around his katamari.
Quirky Picks for the Last Smash Fighter: Taiko's Don-Chan
Taiko no Tatsujin translates into English as "Taiko Master," and, like the American Guitar Hero, originated in arcades. Taiko also recently released an RPG version. It's one of the most delightful rhythm games out there, using imagery from Japanese summer festivals to create an environment where masked yokai can dance along to the player's drumming. Taiko's easily recognizable mascot is Don-chan. As a fighter, Don-chan could beat up his opponents with Taiko Bachi (drum sticks), and his Final Smash could be a Full Combo.
Quirky Picks for the Last Smash Fighter: The Goose
If Smash picked Untitled Goose Game as the property to fill their final slot, it's hard to imagine disappointment not being drowned by sheer bemusement. Untitled Goose Game is a viral hit of an indie game where the player embodies a goose whose sole objective is to make people's lives entertainingly more difficult. There was an Untitled Goose Game crossover in Fall Guys, which could mean an additional Smash crossover is unlikely. Either way, a Goose fighter who wins by violently annoying the other fighters might be difficult to design, but would be delightful if done well.
Quirky Picks for the Last Smash Fighter: Earthworm Jim
Earthworm Jim is, perhaps, one of the weirdest mainstream mascots to ever come out of an American company. Earthworm Jim was once an ordinary earthworm who was transformed by a super suit into a hyper-evolved, intergalactic fighter. He even had his own TV series. An inclusion in Smash could be a sensible way to re-vitalized this beloved franchise, especially since Earthworm Jim 4 was recently re-confirmed after a decade in development limbo.
While most of the gaming sphere ponders the likelihood Master Chief, Sora, or the Doom Slayer coming to Smash, don't forget to celebrate the Earthworm Jims and Princes of the gaming world who could highlight the developers' humorous streak. The final fighter for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be announced before the end of 2021, so fans won't have to stew in this tension for too much longer.