Smash Analysis: Who May Return in Possible Future Installments?

Just so you all know, I started this blog before Smash for Switch was announced, so don't tell me that another game is coming, because I already know.

I'm back after a couple years and it's time I start talking about something. Even though we don't know anything about any future installments of Smash, I still thought it would be nice to talk about who could possibly return in future Smash installments. Obviously, we'll have a lot of newcomers, but we often think about who will or will not return. This is inspired by something that someone did on another wiki and I figured I would do something similar here, but with Smash obviously. Also, don't let this blog make you believe that another game is in the making, because we don't know anything right now, I'm just doing this for fun.

Here's how it will work. I'm going to use the same scale that my inspiration used to analyze who is more likely to return and who is unlikely:

Confirmed - 100% (Even though we won't know anything for some time, there are some characters who are safe to assume are automatically confirmed to return)
Very Likely - Over 75% (Have a high chance of returning, but we don't know for sure)
Likely - 50%-75% (Still have a high chance of coming back, but still have reasons for not returning)
Maybe - 50% (Have many reasons why they may or may not return)
Unlikely - 25%-50% (Will be used for those who don't have much of a chance of returning, but still have a small chance)
Very Unlikely - Less than 25% (Have a very low chance of coming back, but are not completely disconfirmed)
Disconfirmed - 0% (Have no chance of ever returning)

Before you start reading keep in mind that I could be wrong, so please do not bash me. These are just my thoughts and opinions and they do not confirm anything. I will also be taking requests for which characters I analyze next, because I will not have them all done in one day. I'm going to analyze every character who has ever been playable in Smash, so you can request anyone from any game.

Bayonetta[]

Returning Status: Maybe

Bayonetta is one character who I am not too sure about whether or not she will return, so I'm just going to say maybe. There are plenty of reasons why she could come back, but there are also plenty of reasons why she can't come back. First off, Nintendo has the rights to the Bayonetta series meaning she is more likely to return and she is female.. Despite that, there are still reasons why she may not return, first off, a lot of people were and still are angry with her being included in the game even though she is just DLC, but that is mostly american fans. Next off is that she might not be "appropriate" for the game, but obviously she was toned down so it's fine, but it's possible that Sakurai doesn't like the fact that people consider him to be a pervert now. The last thing is that she is only in the game because she won the ballot, which could be a good thing or a bad thing. It's a good thing, because it means the fans wanted her, but it can also be a bad thing because Sakurai only added her because she won. All this means that her chances of returning are kind of a mystery.

Bowser[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

So I was originally going to give him the status of Very Likely, but then I realized that's not right and that he is definitely coming back for the next installment. The reason why is because he has a unique moveset, he's iconic, he's part of the biggest franchise of the series, he's a villain and he's been in the franchise since Melee. It wouldn't feel right if he were to be removed from the franchise. As for his return in the next game, I would like to see him have Dry Bowser as an alternate costume. Wouldn't that be nice?

Bowser Jr.[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

Junior4 — The Koopaling's rein of terror continues!

This may sound like a bit of a surprise, but yes, I think Bowser Jr.'s chances of coming back are very likely. Why, you ask? Well, first off, he has a unique moveset that's even better than what anyone else could've come up with for him. The next thing is he's a villain, I'm sure Sakurai is aware of the lack of villains by now and will probably decide to keep him. Lastly, he is a part of the biggest franchise in the series, and we're only going to keep getting more new Mario characters. The only reason I can see him getting cut is the fact that he's a Mario character, but it's more of a positive thing than a negative thing, because the only time a Mario character has ever been cut from Smash was Dr. Mario in Brawl and he was only cut because he was a clone, which Bowser Jr. clearly is not. He's also one of two characters to have another character as an alternate costume. So really, I'm confident that he's coming back!

Captain Falcon[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

So here we are with one of the original 12 from Smash on the N64. There's really not much to say about him except for a a couple facts. First off, there's no way any of the original 12 will be removed, but if for some reason one of them did get removed, it wouldn't be him. He's too iconic of a character to be removed from the franchise. He's the one that brought all the Falcon Punch memes to life. And I'm sure most of us were surprised to find out he was from a racing game (for the exception of those who played F-Zero before Smash (not me)). Despite F-Zero being an obscure and dead franchise, there is no way Captain Falcon will ever be removed. Not only is he very iconic to the franchise, but if he were removed that would remove the franchise from the series. Captain Falcon is coming back and that's final! The only other thing I want to talk about is the fact that we still are probably not going to have another rep in the franchise anytime soon. Oh yeah, here's a fun fact. If you count Samus and Zero Suit Samus as two separate characters (most people including me) and if you count Yoshi as a Mario character, Captain Falcon is the only character in the original 12 that has yet to have another rep in his respective franchise.

Charizard[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

I had some trouble deciding on what his status would be, but the more I thought about it, I realized Charizard should be a very likely candidate to return. Before Pokemon X and Y were released, Charizard was the most popular starter Pokemon and even with Greninja existing, he is still popular. His unique moveset is another reason why he should stay. Obviously, a unique moveset doesn't make it certain that a character will return, but every unique character who has been cut in the past was usually for a good reason. Lastly, and most importantly is the fact that of the three that were part of the Pokemon Trainer, Charizard was the one picked. The one picked could easily have been Squirtle or Ivysaur, but no, it was Charizard. I know Charizard has a Mega Evolution and that they were relevant at the time, but Lucario and Mewtwo have them as well, which resulted in three megas, which was more than enough. This just shows that Sakurai probably cared about Charizard the most. If Charizard ends up returning, I believe he will still be alone since bringing back the Pokemon Trainer would be a step backward.

Cloud[]

Returning Status: Unlikely

This is hard to accept, but let's face it. Cloud was most likely a one time thing. I believe this, because none of the main games in his franchise have been released on a Nintendo console and the only times Cloud has even appeared on one besides Super Smash Bros, were Kingdom Hearts and some spin off games. It seems to me, like he's the new Snake, because both characters are normally in games that were released on PlayStation consoles. I do believe that Cloud has a higher chance of returning than Snake though, and it's because he fits in with the rest of the cast better than Snake does. Another thing I need to talk about is the backlash from the fandom after his confirmation. Like Bayonetta, a lot of people were mad about him being included and are still complaining about him after two years. I am not saying that I know for sure that he won't be returning, but I don't see anything that's going to help him stay, besides the fact that PlayStation All-Stars rejected him, but like the other third party characters, we don't know for sure since Nintendo doesn't own the rights to him.

Corrin[]

Returning Status: Likely

Being the newest of all the characters in Smash so far along with the last Nintendo character to be revealed in Smash 4 and bringing the Fire Emblem franchise up to six reps seems like a good reason to bring him/her back. For the most part, yes, because he/she is also unique and has an alternate costume. Also, Corrin was the first and only to represent his/her game in the Fire Emblem series, but this doesn't mean Corrin is completely saved. Like Roy, Corrin was added to promote his/her new game which hadn't been released yet (Fire Emblem Fates was already in Japan at the time, but not internationally released). Only being in the game to promote a new game doesn't really help them stay due to the fact that they could become irrelevant, but unlike Roy, Corrin is also unique (like I already mentioned), but unique characters aren't always safe. But the biggest reason why Sakurai might want to cut Corrin is to make room for other characters in the franchise, but it would make more sense to cut Roy or Lucina since the two are clones while every other Fire Emblem character is unique. At the same time though, Sakurai gave a lot of the spotlight to Fire Emblem in Smash 4 and maybe he will want to tone it down by cutting a few characters, but that is unlikely. Corrin, if you return for the next installment, then congratulations, becoming one of the last DLC fighters revealed did a lot for you, but if not, then that sucks.

Dark Pit[]

Returning Status: Likely

Pitto1 — Dark Pit: You think I'm getting removed just because I'm a clone?! Say that again! I dare you!

So all of you are probably surprised by this, but yes, Dark Pit is likely to return. Why? Because he's one of Sakurai's characters of course. Being one of Sakurai's characters is almost like a VIP pass. Not only did Sakurai adopt the Kid Icarus franchise, but Dark Pit was made by Sakurai (despite being inspired by one of Pit's color swaps in Brawl). Although, this doesn't immediately confirm him. He is also a clone and those kinds of characters are always at risk of being removed with a few excep tions. Even though clones are usually at risk of being removed, there are always clones that return and he's probably going to be one of them. The only other problem is that he was intended to be nothing but an alternate costume, but I doubt Sakurai would reduce him to that now that he has his own slot. I know that Dr. Mario was also intended to be an alternate costume and he was previously in Melee, but the difference between them is that Dark Pit is a different person than Pit, while Dr. Mario and Mario are the same person.

Diddy Kong[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

Diddy-3 — Diddy: Make it stop! I want to be in the next game already!

Being the second the represent his franchise, which is a sub franchise to the biggest franchise represented in Smash, there is no doubt that Diddy Kong has a very likely chance of returning. despite not getting even a trophy in Melee, he earned himself a spot in Brawl and then returned in Smash 4. As of right now, he and Donkey Kong are the only one's representing his franchise and since Diddy is the secondary protagonist of the series. His unique moveset is also a big reason for keeping him in the game. The only chance he has of being removed is if Sakurai wanted him to replace him with Dixie Kong just for the sake of adding more females, but that seems unlikely for two reasons. First being that, Dixie has potential for a moveset of her own, secondly, and more importantly, Diddy is a more memorable character than Dixie.

Donkey Kong[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

Donkey-2 — Donkey Kong: Oh yeah, I'm returning!

Now here we have the big ape who was the antagonist of the game that started that biggest franchise in all of Smash. That's right Donkey Kong is a very obvious character who will be returning. Come on, why wouldn't he come back? He's part of the original 12 and not only is he part of the biggest franchise in the series, but he also is the lead character of a sub-franchise. There's really not much else to talk about, but what I would like to see in the next installment is for him to have an alternate costume. Maybe he could have the boxing gloves from Punch Out!! on the wii or maybe he could have Funky Kong, which would be similar to the koopalings and Alph. The last thing I want to talk about is the fact that his sub-franchise could use a third rep. That third rep would most likely end up as Dixie Kong or King K. Rool, but I would strongly prefer King K. Rool. That's all for the big ape, who is coming back.

Dr. Mario[]

Returning Status: Maybe

If I was writing this blog back when Smash 4 was in production, I easily would have said Very Unlikely, if not disconfirmed. But then when Smash 4 came out, we were all surprised that he would be taking up a slot once again. (And that he of all the characters cut after Melee was chosen to return) Well now that he has returned, no one can say that he has been abandoned. With that being said, we should know why he goes under the "Maybe" category. Obviously, he is a clone and let's face it, no one is a huge fan of those kinds of characters, recycling one move from another character is one thing, but taking all of them is a whole other story. The only difference is that Mario's Fire Ball and Dr. Mario's Mega Vitamin are slightly different. So really, no one would complain if he was reduced to just an alternate costume for Mario. He was actually intended to be an alternate along with Dark Pit and Lucina, but unlike them Dr. Mario is not a separate person from Mario. But we don't know for sure, so I'm going with maybe.

Duck Hunt[]

Returning Status: Likely

DHunt5 — Nintendo: There they are! You thought you could escape Smash? Not this time!

I'm sure most of the Smash Fandom is aware that Duck Hunt is the gag character of Smash 4 and a gag character has never been removed from the franchise before. Despite that, we don't know for sure if Sakurai has a tradition to keep the gag character everytime. For the exception of Smash on the N64, every installment has introduced one of these characters and it's always been a retro character. If Sakurai decides to continue adding a retro gag character in each installment, then it will be safe to assume that Duck Hunt will stay, but if it stops, then Duck Hunt has a chance of being removed. I still am leaning toward his chances being likely, because every gag character is unique and a lot of people thought R.O.B. was going to be removed in Smash 4, but all of them who thought that were wrong. With that being said, Duck Hunt has more of a chance of returning than being removed.

Falco[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

So in every installment of Smash, a couple clones return and a couple get removed. Although Falco is one who will most likely not be getting removed. The reason for this is because so far he has been in three installments, which has me assuming he's safe from being removed. He's also the second character to ever represent the Star Fox franchise in the series. It just wouldn't make sense for him to be removed at this point, if we don't get any new Star Fox characters in the next game and he's removed, we will have gone back to having only one Star Fox rep, which wouldn't be pleasant at all. The only thing that's stopping Falco from returning is if Sakurai would rather add someone who wasn't a clone to the Star Fox franchise, but I don't think that's the case just because he's been in the series for so long now. Although, one thing I would like to be changed about him is his final smash, he should being using the arwing instead of the landmaster.

Fox[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

Being part of the original 12 is an obvious return for this memorable antrhropomorphic fox. Despite the fact that it seemed like Sakurai didn't care as much about Star Fox in Smash 4, because of Fox getting an annoying new voice actor and and having a character from his franchise being removed, there is still no way this character is getting removed. (At least his franchise got a new stage on the Wii U version). Fun fact, he is one of the only characters from the origninal 12 to have an updated design in a later installment. It's a fact that he's coming back, but let's talk about possible characters joining. I would talk about Wolf's chance of returning, but that will be saved for his section. As for Krystal, I am surprised she hasn't been added yet, just because she is a highly requested character. One last thing I'd like to talk about is possible alternate costumes. Wouldn't his outfit from Star Fox Assault be cool? That's all for Fox, it seems like everyone from the original 12 is just going to have short analyses.

Ganondorf[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

This character is one of the only clones that has a high chance of coming back and it's mainly because he's been in since Melee and he's such an iconic villain. Not only that, but he's in one of the biggest franchises in the Smash series, so it wouldn't make sense for him to go. The only thing that would stop is the fact that he's a clone, but it hasn't stopped him before, so it shouldn't stop him now. About the clone thing though, I wouldn't mind if he got a new moveset. Despite the fact that I main him in Smash 4, his moveset still bothers me, just because he's a clone of Captain Falcon of all people. I don't have a problem with Captain Falcon, but the two are nothing alike. None of Ganondorf's moveset is canon for the exception of his final smash. Despite that, at least we were able to see him use his sword with custom moves. I highly doubt he will get an entirely new moveset, because that would pretty much be cutting a character who has been in the series for a long time now. The other option though is that Ganondorf's moveset still returns, but is given to someone else. Someone who would make more sense having the moveset like Black Shadow from F-Zero. That way, Ganondorf and his moveset will still be in the game, but they would just be separated from each other. One last thing I'd like to say is that I've heard from a few people that Ganondorf is Sakurai's Brawl main, so that would just be another reason to keep him.

Greninja[]

Returning Status: Likely

Before anyone says "Greninja's old news, he is guaranteed to be cut", hear me out. Just because a Pokemon was from a previous generation, it doesn't automatically make mean they're cut. Some may argue that Lucario only returned, because he had a Mega Evolution, and no one form Gen 6 besides Diancie had one. That's true, but Smash 4 gave us th re e Pokemon from previous generations that have Mega Evolutions, which is more than enough. Then some will argue that Pichu got removed and he was from Gen 2, but the reason he was removed was because he was a clone, which Geninja is not. Greninja is also a fan favorite, which is giving him more of a chance to return. Lastly, a lot of people are hoping that Decidueye from Pokemon Sun & Moon becomes a playable character and assuming that happens, they just need to keep Charizard and Greninja and then we'll have a starter Pokemon for all three types (Grass, Fire and Water) available.

Ice Climbers[]

Returning Status: Likely

One of the most creative ideas for a character in the series due to the fact that it's two-in-one and the fact that we don't actually see them teaming up in the game. Nice choice Sakurai. Unfortunately, these two were cut in Smash 4 due to technical difficulties on the Nintendo 3DS. Because of that, they were the only Melee veterans included in Brawl that did not return for Smash 4. I'd give them the very likely status, but the fact that they were cut makes me feel like it's possible that they won't be coming back, but I still think it's more likely that they will than won't. There are two reasons why I think it's possible that they won't be coming back and those would be:

1. It's possible that the next installment will also be available for a handheld, therefore the technical difficulty might stay.

2. The fact that Sakurai didn't at least give us one Ice Climber as DLC like people suggested.

Despite those two reasons, I'm pretty sure Sakurai was very upset that the Ice Climbers were unable to make it into the game. We also know that cha rac te rs who were previously cut can return. Let's all hope they come back next time!

Ike[]

Returning Status: Likely

Ike Wii U — Ike: I need to return, so I can fight for my friends.

Ike is an interesting one, because back when Smash 4 was in production, a lot of people were speculating that he would be removed and replaced by Chrom from Fire Emblem Awakening, but to our surprise Ike returned and Chrom wasn't even added to the roster due to Sakurai believing he would just be an Ike clone. This is interesting, because I would think that Sakurai would just choose Chrom over Ike since he was newer like Young Link being replaced by Toon Link. Maybe Sakurai didn't want to add too many from the new game. I doubt Chrom will replace him next time, due to Fire Emblem Awakening being out for a couple years now. Another reason why he would stay is because his franchise had 6 playable characters including DLC in Smash 4, making it one of the biggest franchises for playable characters. What's stopping Ike from staying is Sakurai maybe wanting to add different characters to the franchise, so that there aren't too many, but in all honesty, I think he should be fine, because unlike some chara cters, his moveset is actually unique. Come on Sakurai, We like Ike!

Ivysaur[]

Returning Status: Very Unlikely

The one who is probably the least popular of the Pokemon Trainer's three Pokemon doesn't have much of a chance of returning. The fact that he along with Squirtle didn't return when hardware limitations on the 3DS made it impossible for the Pokemon Trainer to be a character shows that they aren't really wanted. Let's face it, Ivysaur had no chance against Charizard due to not being iconic and not having a Mega Evolution. Ivysaur was only in Brawl for the Pokemon Trainer concept, which was great when we still had it, but I don't see it happening again, since Charathey would have to take a step backward with Charizard. The fact that Ivysaur and Squirtle didn't become DLC makes it even less likely. Lastly, Ivysaur is a grass type and a lot of people are wanting Decidueye from Sun & Moon in as a newcomer and I doubt Sakurai would want two grass types, I'm aware that Pichu and Pikachu are both electric types, but Pichu was only in Melee, because Gen 2 was relevant at the time. Although, not all hope is gone as Ivysaur did have a trophy in Smash 4. I could be very wrong about all this and he could be one of the first ones announced, but I doubt it. We'll just have to see when E3 is here.

Jigglypuff[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

Jigg7 — 5-Volt: Don't even think about leaving Jigglypuff!

Before any of you tell me I'm wrong, hear me out. Not only is Jigglypuff part of the original 12, but she is one of the most recoginizable Pokemon ever, obviously not as much as Pikachu, but still. Despite being the least popular of the original 12 and some people even wanting her to be removed, Sakurai is not going to take her out. The original 12 are like a pack, you can't get them separately. The only chance that Jigglypuff could get removed is if Sakurai wasn't directing the next game and even then, I'm sure all of Nintendo is aware that no one from the original 12 has ever been cut from the series.

King Dedede[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

Dedede-3 — King Dedede: I'm already for another game!

Like the original 12, King Dedede is a priority because he is one of Sakurai's characters. Even if he wasn't one of Sakurai's characters, there are plenty of other reasons why he can't be cut. He's a villain (kind of), he's one of the main characters from the Kirby franchise, his moveset is unique, he's a heavy character (which we could use more of), and he's already been in two of the previous installments. If one of the three Kirby characters was to be cut, it definitely wouldn't be him, because he didn't have the same issue that Meta Knight had back in Brawl, so that saves him. Even then, I don't see a removal happening. We might as well say he's coming back.

Kirby[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

Come on, this one is way too obvious. Not only is this cute adorable pink puff ball one of the original 12, but he's one of Sakurai's creations. Why would anyone think he could possibly be removed? There's really not much to be said, but just so that this analysis isn't too short, there are a few things we can discuss about him. First off, he's one of the character's who has canon palette swaps, there are several others, but he was one of the first. Another thing I want to talk about is how even though his franchise has been in the series for so long, there really aren't a lot of characters playable from it. Until Brawl, Kirby was the only character who was playable from the franchise until Meta Knight and King Dedede were added. Then in Smash 4, no new Kirby characters were added. I don't see why the Kirby franchise doesn't have a fourth rep yet. I know Sakurai doesn't like to clutter the roster with his characters, but he gave Kid Icarus three characters in Smash 4 even though there aren't very many games in the franchise. The Kirby franchise has the most games in his franchise, so I don't see why we can't get another rep. I would talk about about who could possibly be added, but I don't want to go more off topic than I already did, so that's all for Kirby.

Link[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

There's really not much that can be said about a character who is part of the original 12, one of Nintendo's most iconic franchises and part of one of the franchises with the biggest amount of characters in the Smash franchise. Link is very obviously coming back for the next installment. While we already know he's coming back, it may not be safe to assume that he will still have his Twilight Princess design. In Smash 64 and Melee, he had is Ocarina of Time design, then in Brawl he had his Twilight Princess design. This means that just because a character is one of the originals, it doesn't mean they're designs won't be updated similarly to some other chara cters in the franchise. There are two possible design changes he could have, he could either have his Hyrule Warriors design or his Breath of the Wild design. Although, there are problems with both of those. Hyrule warriors is not part of the core series and Breath of the Wild lacks Ganondorf. I wouldn't be upset if Link kept the Twilight Princess design, but you never know.

Little Mac[]

Returning Stats: Very Likely

Lil Mac 2 — Little Mac: (Punches a random person) I'm not here to replace Captain Falcon!

Without a doubt, I believe Little Mac is coming back, but I don't want to say he's 100% confirmed since he has only been in one installment. Despite that, I will go over some of his history in Smash. He didn't make an appearance as even a trophy until Brawl when he was an Assist Trophy. Then in Smash 4 he was brought in as a newcomer, he was also the only Brawl Assist Trophy to get this treatment. Thinking of only, he is the only one who has the KO mechanic, very unique. Although, some people really hated it and want it removed, maybe they could make an option to turn it off, but that would remove uniqueness from him. Reasons to be removed? I don't see any way he could be cut. Some people thought he would replace Captain Falcon when he got confirmed, but their movesets are too different for that to happen.

Lucario[]

Returning Status: Maybe

Lucario is one I'm not too sure on. First off, I want to cover some of his history of being in Smash. In Brawl, he was added due to having a movie and being a part of the latest generation of Pokemon at the time. A lot of people thought he was going to have the same fate as Mewtwo and be removed, but then he got to return, and the reason he came back was probably because he had a Mega Evolution which was added to the lastest generation of Pokemon at that time. At this time, we are now at Gen 7 of Pokemon and now Lucario doesn't have anything that will guarantee his stay. Before anyone says he and Mewtwo have the same moveset, that is wrong, the only thing that's the same is their Standard B moves (Lucario's Aura Sphere and Mewtwo's Shadow Ball), other than that, they are unique. That isn't his problem at all. His real problem is that he might get removed in favor of a Gen 7 Pokemon, but the question is who could be added and take his moveset, because it shouldn't go to waste. I will let the comments decide on that if they so desire to talk about it Thinking of generations, I think they should keep Lucario along with all the other Pokemon in Smash 4, then add one Pokemon from Gen 2, one from Gen 3, one from Gen 5 and one from Gen 7. That way we can have a battle of the Generations assuming 8 Player Smash returns. Overall though, Lucario could go either way.

Lucas[]

Returning Status: Likely

Being the second representative from an obscure franchise and a character who's game hasn't even been released outside of Japan, it would make sense for Sakurai to want to keep him in the game. Until you realize that he was reduced to DLC in Smash 4. This could be a good thing or a bad thing. It's a bad thing, because he wasn't a part of the roster until eight months after the game was first released (Six if you don't count the gap between his announcement and release). But it could be a good thing, because of all the characters cut after Brawl, he was the one chosen, but at the same time, there wasn't a lot of competition, because Snake was third party, Ice Climbers couldn't return due to technical difficulty, and Squirtle and Ivysaur were part of a franchise that already had 6 reps. His only real competition was Wolf, who's removal also upset the fans and still does to this day, but the fact is Sakurai chose Lucas, meaning he cares about him more. Without Lucas, Earthbound is stuck with only one character even though Ness has been in the game since the original. The only other way Lucas can get cut is him being a clone, but he's only a semi-clone, the kind of clones that more likely to stay and become more unique each game. With that being said, it seems like Lucas has a good chance of returning.

Lucina[]

Returning Status: Maybe

Before going over Lucina's status, the first thing that needs to be covered is her competition and who's more likely. Her competition is Roy, since both are Marth clones. While Roy is more unique, Lucina is more relevant and is female. This makes them about equal for who will be chosen to return. It seems as if Smash 4 including both was an exception since Lucina was added due to Awakening being the newest Fire Emblem game at the time and Roy was added due to popular demand, but only as DLC. Also, unlike Roy, Lucina's game was actually released internationally which brings another advantage, but Sakurai is known for being unpredictable, which means I could be wrong and both will be returning or both could be leaving. It's not unheard of for a character to have t wo clones in the same game, but it doesn't mean they will have two clones forever as one can be removed in the next game. We'll just have to see what Sakurai's big surprise will be when the time comes.

Luigi[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

As one of the original 12, it is a tradition to always include characters such as Luigi in the Smash franchise. Therefore, Luigi is not going to be removed. Even if he wasn't part of the original 12, he still has no way of being removed. First off, he's part of the biggest franchise in the series, not only that, but for the most part, he's the secondary protagonist and has even had starring roles. Second, even though he originated as a clone, he's really come a long way and has more unique moveset now. Lastly, he's iconic. There is no reason Sakurai is going to remove him from the game, so we'll just leave it as that. Fun fact though, Smash 4 was the first time he wasn't an unlockable character, which was a big change.

Mario[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

Skyloft Stage SSB4 — Mario appears to be prepared for his return.

The one is the most obvious and the reason is because not only is he part of the original 12, he is the most well-known character in all of Nintendo. Heck, he's their mascot. This character is always one of the first to be announced for the next installments of each game. It would make no sense to take him out of the game, so he's not going anywhere. The only reason why anyone would even think of removing him is because a lot of people hate the fact tath Mario Tornado was replaced with F.L.U.D.D. in SSBB, but that was done to make him more unique from Luigi, so it's not coming back, sorry Melee fans.

Marth[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

The fact that Marth was one of the most obscure characters to ever be added into Smash, he has become one of the most popular because of his inclusion. Just take a look at all that fan art that exists of him and it's all because of his inclusion in Smash. He's also one of the many Melee veterans that made the cut in Brawl and came back for Smash 4. Thinking of Smash 4, we all know about the big amount of Fire Emblem characters we got in that installment. Back when Smash 4 was in development, there were rumors going around that Marth would be replaced by Lucina, but that rumor ended up being false when he got confirmed. Not only that, but why would Sakurai want to remove the character that made the franchise a big part of Smash? I would go far to even say that he's automatically confirmed, but he's not one of the originals, so he's not Sakurai's main priority.

Mega Man[]

Returning Status: Maybe

This character can really go either way. The fact that he's a third party character makes it difficult to determine whether or not he can come back. But there's still a chance that he can come back. Remember back in the Brawl era when Capcom wanted Mega Man added, but they asked too late, so he couldn't get in. Well, we got him in the next game. You may think that's enough for him to return, but then you need to remember what happened to Snake. Snake went through the same situation with Melee and Brawl and then he didn't come back, but at the same time Mega Man might end up like Sonic and return in the next game. I'm also not sure how Nintendo and Capcom feel about each other right now, so we'll just have to see around the time another Smash is announced. I'm not doubting his return, but I'm also not confident about it. Will he pull a Sonic or a Snake?

Meta Knight[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

ZlCfzSTaFN8J6JxnZp — Meta Knight: I'm on my way back to Smash! I wonder if I can bring my Halberd too.

Now that this character has returned in Smash 4, there is no way he's getting cut! The only reason why anyone thought he would be removed in Smash 4 was because he was broken in Brawl, but guess what, they fixed that! Because of that, there's really nothing that's stopping him from returning. Come on, he's one of Sakurai's characters, Sakurai really cares about his characters, so why would he want to remove one of them. Another thing about this is that Meta Knight is one of the main characters of the Kirby franchise, so that means it would make even less sense to remove him. This ended up as one of the shortest analyses on this blog, but I pretty much made my point.

Mewtwo[]

Returning Status: Likely

Mew2-1 — Mewtwo: Don't you dare remove me again!

Before you get your hopes up, I just want to say that I could be very wrong. But really, I think there's a higher chance that Mewtwo will return than not. Why? Well, I'm sure that most people were upset when he got removed in Brawl and then when Smash 4 was announced, so many people including me were going off about how much they want Mewtwo back. Also, let's not forget that unlike most of the characters who were cut in Brawl, Mewtwo actually has a unique moveset, so his removal really did not make any sense. The only reason I could think of is Sakurai not wanting too many characters from one franchise. Thinking of the franchise, Mewtwo is part of one of the biggest franchises in Smash. Also, let's not forget that Mewtwo eventually became DLC even after a lot of people doubted his chances of returning. Lastly, even though it's not as much of a reason for him to come back, but a lot of people refer to him as a villain because of the first Pokemon movie and let's face it, we need more villains! The only reason I could see Mewtwo getting removed again is the fact that he only returned as DLC, meaning that it's possible that Sakurai doesn't care about him as much, but not to worry, he does care about us fans!

Mii Fighters[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

Miismash — Miis: Bring us back and give us more fighter types!

I'm pretty sure that Miis are coming back, but there's always a possiblity that they won't be back as the Mii Fighters and maybe they'll be something else, but I doubt that. Evidence that shows them having a chance of returning are first, Sakurai confirmed that Miis were considered for Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but in the decided not to add them, but then they got their chance to shine in Smash 4. Thinking of Smash 4, when they got added, we finally got a custom character option. With the custom character option, we had so many new things to explore and it would be a missed oppurtunity to not bring them back when they could have so many new movesets, costumes, etc. If they were to be removed, the reason would probably be because Miis are not mandatory on the Switch, from what I've been told. Overall, I think it's almost safe to assume they will return, but I can't say for sure.

Mr. Game & Watch[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

G&W screen-6 — Mr. Game & Watch dances in excitement when hearing about his return.

Despite being a gag character who no one really knew about until the release of Melee, it seems like this character is not about to leave the franchise. The main reason he is probably returning is because like I said, he's been in the franchise since Melee, so that almost automatically confirms him. Along with his moveset, there are a few other unique things about him. First off, he's the only character who is flat. (He's technically a 3d model made to look 2d.) Another thing is that he is the only amiibo in the Smash franchise that is detachable and includes other poses. Lastly, there's one other fun fact about him and it's that he is the oldest character in the franchise, yes, he's a few months older than Pac-Man. Because of this, his only real chance of being removed is if an older character gets added to the franchise and that's probably not going to happen. The other thing is that a lot of people assumed that he was cut, because he was not confirmed right after his appearance in Pac-Man's trailer (which got on my nerves quickly). So yeah, I'm confident in his return, but we never know.

Ness[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

Of all the original 12, he is one of two who everyone thinks has a chance of getting removed. This is mainly because of the original idea of having Lucas replace Ness in Melee. That made people think that there was a chance of Lucas returning without Ness in SSB4, but no, Ness ended up returning and Lucas was just DLC. This makes it so there is less reason to fear that he won't be returning. I'm also know for a fact that Sakurai is aware that Ness is part of the original 12 and that tradition isn't about to be broken no matter what anyone says. Let's also not forget about his unique moveset, which means it wouldn't make sense for him to get replaced by his clone. Lastly, Sakurai always keeps the characters who come from the obscure franchises (Ice Climbers don't count, because they were only removed due to technical difficulty), and what's Ness from? An obscure franchise! I think I've made my point about him coming back.

Olimar[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

Here's one who some people may be a little surprised by, but trust me, Olimar has a very likely chance of coming back. Making his debut in Brawl back when his franchise was dying and then being revived years later. Due to this, Olimar really is not going anywhere. A lot of people want him to be removed, because he's a difficult character to main, but that's not going to stop Sakurai. Not only that, but he is one of two to have another character for an alternate costume, that being Alph. Although, I wouldn't be against the idea of Alph becoming his own character and getting an attack that involves Rock Pikmin.

Pac-Man[]

Returning Status: Maybe

Namco Roulette — Pac-Man: I have an offering, but you have to let me return if you want it.

Like most of the third party characters, Pac-Man returning could go either way. First off, his main reason for even getting into the game was because Namco helped out with the production of the game. It's possible that if Namco doesn't come back, Pac-Man won't return, but we never know. I'm sure Namco would still appreciate Pac-Man's presence in the game if he returns. So really, this is all based on Namco and Sakurai's choices. I'm sure Sakurai would accept Pac-Man if Namco wants him to return, but he could always end up like Snake to the point where they never bother to ask, which is what would worry me the most. Although, Pac-Man is a lot more iconic than Snake so I'm sure Sakurai would be more on board with bringing him back. We'll just have to wait and see.

Palutena[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

Palutena is one who should not have any reason for being cut in the next game. She's the second character to represent Kid Icarus, she's one of Sakurai's characters (Not one of his original characters, but she's his property), she's unique and she's female. At this point it seems as if there is no reason to cut her and as of right now, I can't think of anything that would stop her from coming back. The only possibility is if Sakurai decided to replace her with someone else in the franchise, but she is the second most important character in her franchise, first being Pit. If anyone from the franchise were to be cut, Dark Pit would be the one. So congratulations Palutena, you're probably returning.

Peach[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

Like a lot of the other newcomers in Melee, bringing her back seems to be a priority. She has plenty of reasons for being confirmed, she's female, she's unique and she's a part of the biggest franchise in the series. She's been in three installments of the game now, so it's not likely that she will leave the franchise. Now that my point has been made, I would like to mention one of her palette swaps. The palette swap I'm talking about is the one where she has Daisy's color scheme. It seems like in each installment, they make her look less like Daisy than before. What I think they should do instead for the next installment is make Daisy an alternate costume similar to Alph and the Koopalings. Now wouldn't that be nice.

Pichu[]

Returning Status: Very Unlikely

This poor cute adorable little Pokemon is one of the least likely to ever return to Smash. Despite being a part of one of the biggest franchises in the series, there's almost nothing that can possibly make him return. Most people hated playing as him, because all his special attacks caused him to take damage, which made him one of the lowests on the tier list. Another reason is that we already have Pikachu anyway and I'm sure Sakurai would rather not have two Pokemon from the same lineup again. Also, keep in mind that Pichu was probably only added so that there could be a Gen 2 Pokemon playable, I could be wrong, because the same was probably with Lucario and he returned, but the difference between them is that Lucario has a unique moveset, while Pichu does not. The only thing that's not stopping Pichu from returning is that Roy, Mewtwo and Dr. Mario were all cut in Brawl, but returned in Smash 4, so it makes it possible for Pichu to return, but I don't think it's going to happen. But if Sakurai decides to bring him back for some reason, I think he should have an alternate costume were he has the spiky ear.

Pikachu[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

How could he possibly not be confirmed to come back for Smash, not only is he a part of the original 12, but he is the mascot of the second biggest franchise used in Smash. There's really not much that can be said, just because Pikachu is in every installment and he's always one of the first to be announced. Something that just came to mind, wouldn't it be cool if we could get cosplay Pikachu from Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire as an alternate costume. There are several characters that have potential for an alt. costume and Pikachu just happens to be one of them.

Pit[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

Pit-sparkles — Pit makes his entrance into the next game

Despite not being introduced in Smash until the third installment of the series. He is the most likely of all the Brawl newcomers to return. The reason for that is because he belongs to Sakurai. I know he's not one of Sakurai's creations, but he adopted him and he loves him. He was one of the first newcomers to be announced for Brawl and one of the first veterans to be announced for Smash 4. Not only that, but he was considered for Smash since the very first installment, but just didn't make the final cut. Overall, I think it's safe to say that he's coming back for the next Smash.

Just for fun, I'm going to make up how Sakurai adopted the Kid Icarus franchise. Here's how I think it went down:

Sakurai: Hey Nintendo, it's been so long since you've made another Kid Icarus game. How about you make another?

Nintendo: I don't know, wouldn't it be weird to bring back a dead franchise like that.

Sakurai: Come on, Kid Icarus was great, why don't you try it out again.

Nintendo: We currently have no desire to continue the franchise and I don't think we'll ever use it again. You know what, why don't you just have it. You can do whatever you want with it.

Sakurai: (Starry-Eyed) THANK YOU SO MUCH NINTENDO, THIS IS ALL I EVER WANTED! Kid Icarus Uprising: Coming Soon!

Pokémon Trainer[]

Returning Status: Very Unlikely

Pokemon trainer 070813a-l — Red: Wait! I'm not coming back? But the fight isn't over yet!

I'm sure this one isn't too big of a surprise and there's a big reason I've decided his status as very unlikely. Even though he was only removed due to technical difficulties on the 3DS, I don't think they will ever use him again. Charizard is now his own character and I don't think Sakurai would take that away from him. If they brought him back, he would only have Squirtle and Ivysaur, which would just not be the same. The only chance he really has of coming back is if they decide to bring him back and give him different Pokemon, but I don't think Sakurai wants a whole lot of starter Pokemon playable. Some may argue that I have no proof that Sakurai wouldn't take Charizard being his own character away from which I don't, but Charizard is such an iconic Pokemon that he deserves his own slot and he also got a new Final Smash in Smash 4, so I don't think they're going to change it again.

R.O.B.[]

Returning Status: Likely

ROB4 — R.O.B. tries out Luigi's death stare to get a spot in the next installment.

This is one that I think has a good chance of coming back, but still has some reasons why they could always be cut. When Smash 4 was in development a lot of people thought he was going to be removed, but others still had faith in him and guess what, he came back. The fact that this character is considered to be the gag character of Brawl means a lot. The fact that Mr. Game & Watch was our first gag character and he's been in every installment ever since means the same can go for R.O.B. The only reason I can see him getting cut is because he was more of a joke, but it doesn't stop us from getting a new gag character every time. Something else I'd like to say is that R.O.B. was a very unique choice just like the other gag characters, especially since he started out as an accessory that was compatable with a couple games. The last thing is that he is the only character that has a different default palette swap depending on the region. We could really use more of those, just because that was interesting.

Robin[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

After some thinking, I decided that Robin would go under the category of Very Likely. Being a part of the franchise that got a lot of spotlight in the latest installment, it would make sense to keep one of the previous newcomers from the franchise and if any of the new Fire Emblem characters were to return in the next installment, it would be him/her. Like Corrin, he/she is unique and and can be either male or female, providing an alternate costume. But why is Robin the most likely you ask? Well, he/she and Lucina were both added mainly because Fire Emblem Awakening was the newest while the game was in production and so the game had two characters rather than one. Even though removing him/her and Lucina wouldn't result in the Fire Emblem franchise going away, it would result in having no more to represent Awakening, the only Fire Emblem game to have two reps for Smash. Also, back when Smash 4 was in production, a lot of people were speculating that Ike would have the same fate as Roy, but that was so wrong, so I doubt Robin would would have that fate either since he/she is actually unique.

Rosalina & Luma[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

Rosalina super jump — Rosalina is super excited to come back.

Some may be annoyed, some may not mind and others may be pleased that another Mario character has a very likely chance of returning. Yes, the franchise that a lot of people don't want to see have another rep. Why? She's female, unique and from the biggest franchise in the series. Not only that, but she's one of the only duos in the game. I've never heard this before, but it wouldn't surprise me if someone were to say that she can't come back if the Ice Climbers do. That is false, because Roaslina & Luma did not replace the Ice Climbers, because the Ice Climbers were removed due to technical difficulties. Rosalina was also one of the most wanted characters in the franchise to be in Smash, so that's just another reasn for her to come back. The only thing that's stopping her is if Sakurai wanted a different Mario rep instead, but at this point, we'll eventually have 20 or more Mario reps by the time we're at Smash 10.

Roy[]

Returning Status: Maybe

OBoy1 — Roy: NO! You can't remove me again!

At first you may think the fact that he came back after being cut means he will come back. The answer is yes and no. It's true that Sakurai brought him back due to popular demand, but that doesn't mean he's going to come back again. The fact that him and Lucina are both in the game and are both Marth clones makes it a competition between the two of them for who gets to come back, which is a similar situation between Falco and Wolf, some may argue that Wolf's not a clone, but this isn't about Wolf, it's about Roy. The fact that Roy only came back due to popular demand means he doesn't really have any other reasons he would come back. He hasn't been in any recent video games, besides as DLC in Fire Emblem Awakening and his game was never released in the United States, and not only that, before he got confirmed as DLC, he's the only character removed from Melee to not have a trophy in either the Wii U or 3DS versions of Smash 4, the last thing is that he's part of a franchise that is now a big part of Smash and it wouldn't be a surprise if Sakurai wanted to make some changes to who gets to represent it. Despite all that, Roy still had something unique from Marth and that would be the standard special, due to Marth's having changes made to his in Brawl and Roy's was kept the way it was in Melee. The other thing is that Roy was brought back due to popular demand like I said, so that means if he gets cut again, he may come back as DLC again. Will our boy come back for the next installment? Who knows?

Ryu[]

Returning Status: Maybe

Ryu1 — Ryu: So I can't get in unless Mega Man does, we'll just have to see about that.

This one should be obvious due to being a third party character. Although Ryu is the second character to be added to the series of his company. This could be both be either a good thing or a bad thing. It could be good, because it means that Nintendo and Capcom are on good terms, but it could be a bad thing because if Sakurai decides not to bring back Mega Man, then chances are Ryu's not coming back either. Why? Mega Man was the one that Capcom really wanted in the franchise having wanted him in since Brawl, but asking too late. Even though the Street Fighter franchise isn't dead like the Mega Man franchise, Mega Man fits in with the cast better than Ryu does and I'm pretty sure that Capcom won't ask for Ryu to return if Mega Man can't. Not only that, but I doubt Sakurai would want Ryu to return if he were to not want Mega Man to return for some reason. So basically, Mega Man is Ryu's ticket into Smash, but Mega Man's fate is undecided at the moment.

Samus[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

Just like every other character who is introduced in the first game, there is no way she is leaving the franchise. Even if she wasn't part of the original 12, there is no way she's leaving. Despite her franchise having been dead for a while (until a new game was announced for the Switch). She has plenty of reasons to stay. First off, she is the only playable character in the Metroid franchise, unless you count Zero Suit Samus as her own character (She will have her own section). Also, she is female, not only that, but was the first female to be introduced in the franchise. Really, there's nothing that's stopping her from coming back, so let's all say that Samus will be back in the next game. Fun fact: Her design seems to change in every installment, so maybe she will have her Metroid Prime 4 design.

Sheik[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

Preferably, I would put her under the "Very Likely" category, but I feel like Zelda is guaranteed to return and if Zelda is going to return, that means that Sheik will return, right? Even though Zelda and Sheik are no longer 2-in-1, I still believe Sheik will return as she has now been in three installments of the game and it seems as if anyone who made it passed Melee is a permanent membe with one exception. Not only that, but a lot of people believe that her silhouette appeared in the teaser for Super Smash Bros. on the Nintendo Switch, we don't know that for sure, but like I said, Zelda is most likely confirmed due to being one of the main characters of the franchise and Sheik probably guaranteed to return as long as Zelda does.

Shulk[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

Let's be real! When in obscure character gets added to Smash, they always return with a few excep tions and there's always a good reason why that character was cut. As far as I'm concerned, almost nothing is going against Shulk's chances of returning. Like Marth, Shulk being included in Super Smash Bros. has made his franchise more popular. Smash 4 came out almost 4 years ago, and within that time, we got Xenoblade Chronicles X, an New Nintendo 3DS adaptation of the first game and then just last year, we got Xenoblade Chronicles 2. It would be appropriate to keep the character that made it all possible. The only thing working against against him is if Sakurai decided to replace him with one of the newer protagonists, which isn't unheard of because Lucas was originally intended to replace Ness back in Melee, but the only reason it didn't happen was because of Mother 3's delay. Although, that was then and this is now, and it would be a missed oppurtunity for Sakurai to not give us two reps for a franchise that has becoming more popular. My guess is he's getting the same treatment as Marth, for the exception of Xenoblade Chronicles actually being released the US before being added Super Smash Bros.

Snake[]

Returning Status: Disconfirmed

Cypher — Snake making his permanent departure from Smash.

This probably pains a lot of you and it pains me as well, but the fact is that Snake is never coming back to the Super Smash Bros. franchise. How do I know that? I'm going to talk about some history of Snake in Smash. First off, Kojima wanted him in Melee, but he was denied, because he asked about it too late. Later he got his request accepted for Brawl and was the first third party character to ever be introduced in Smash. That makes it seem like he would return, but nope, there's more. Remember that Kojima wanted Snake to return for Smash 4, but he didn't bother to try talking to Sakurai about it. It really surprises me that Kojima never asked about him just because the two of them are friends. Thinking of their friendship, that would lead me to believe that Sakurai saw the article about Kojima wanting Snake to return, but didn't seem to care. I could be wrong, but you never know. The next thing I want to talk about is the fact that Kojima didn't even talk to him about making him DLC, which Sakurai probably would've accepted. Why he never asked him? Well, remember that article talking about how Kojima was fired from Konami? Yeah, Kojima doesn't have the rights to Snake anymore, so even if he were to talk to Sakurai about him, he can't do anything about it anymore, because Sakurai wouldn't have permission from Konami. Therefore, Snake is the least likely to ever return to the franchise, because like I said, he is sadly never going to return.

Sonic[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

You may be asking right now, what? Sonic's chances of returning are very likely? Yes! You may think that him being third party reduces his chances of returning, but it actually increases his chances of returning. Why? First off, at this point, Sakurai is always going to want a third party character included in the franchise due to the amount being added to Smash 4. Second, Sonic is currently the only third party character that has appeared in two installments. Third, SEGA had requested Sonic's appearance in Brawl before it was too late, so SEGA seemed to have prioritized his appearance in the game. Finally, Nintendo and SEGA have a partnership meaning SEGA will always know when the next installment is in production and they will always want Sonic to appear in the franchise. This is why it is safe to assume that Sonic will be returning for the next installment. While we're still on the topic of Sonic, I just want to say that I hope his Sonic Boom design doesn't become his default palette swap. It's very unlikely to happen, but still, I really don't like Sonic Boom.

Squirtle[]

Returning Status: Very Unlikely

Similarly to Ivysaur, Squirtle has almost no chance of returning. As I've mentioned before, bringing back the Pokemon Trainer would mean Sakurai would be taking a step backward which game developers aren't supposed to do. The series is only progressing and Squirtle is likely to be left behind. Assuming Greninja returns, we would have two water type Pokemon and one is enough. If Pokemon is going to have multiple reps (which it does), the Pokemon should all have different types so they can be more unique from each other. I wouldn't say Squirtle is gone for good though, because he and Ivysaur could always be DLC and I think that if they ever get in, that will be the category that they fall into.

Toon Link[]

Returning Status: Likely

Tink2 — Toon Link presenting a new Final Smash idea.

At this point, it shouldn't be a surprise anymore. A lot of people were predicting that he would be removed in Smash 4, but all of them including myself were wrong. For clone characters, it can always go either way, but once a character makes it into another installment, I would like to assume that they're safe, but with some exceptions. Next thing that's keeping him is that unlike Young Link, who he replaced, he can almost be considered an alternate universe (Zelda's timeline is too complicated for me) mainly because he has a more cartoony look to him than regular Link. Next thing that needs to be considered is that he is a Zelda character, a franchise that has a lot of characters. So far Young Link is the only Zelda character that has been cut and it was because Toon Link replaced him, meaning the main reason Toon Link could ever get cut is if another Link clone were to come in and take his place, but the only one I can see doing that is Dark Link, who would be a lot more similar to Link than Toon Link already is, because of their sizes. Knowing he is likely to return, like other clones, I think he needs a new final smash, maybe something involving the Wind Waker.

Villager[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

I'm pretty certain Villager is going to be coming back for the next installment if there is one. First off, the most early announced newcomers from the previous installments are usually safe. (For the exception of third party characters) It also seems like Sakurai cares about his franchise, due to the trophies that were in Melee before the game was even released and then we had even more trophies in Brawl to the point where the franchise got it's own section in the Trophy Gallery despite there not being any playable characters from the series and we also got a stage along with the pitfall as an item. Then finally we got the Villager as a playable character in Smash 4 which has me convinced he will stay despite Sakurai saying Animal Crossing was too light-hearted of a series back in the Brawl era.

Wario[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

What a big nose you have — Wario: Look at me! I'm coming back for more Smash!

So here we have a character from the Mario franchise, but doesn't have the same symbol as the other Mario characters. This doesn't mean he has a lower chance of returning than the other Mario characters. Heck, it even makes his chances of returning higher. Why? Removing him from the game removes the franchise from the game. Now some of you might be thinking "But the Ice Climbers were cut and the Polar Bear still appeared as an enemy in Smash Run." Yes, I know, but Wario is much more iconic character than the Ice Climbers will ever be. Wario was even considered for previous installments of Smash from what I've heard. What reasons would Sakurai have for removing him. He's a unique character, he's iconic, he's part of a sub-franchise of the biggest franchise in the series, and he was the first character to have an alternate costume. I think it's almost safe to assume that he's returning, but I still don't have enough proof, because so far he's only been in two installments of Smash.

Wii Fit Trainer[]

Returning Status: Likely

Trainer-3 — Wii Fit Trainer: I better practice before the next game.

Yes, the character that so many people complained about being added in the game is likely to return. Why? This is because Sakurai almost always keeps the characters that no one would've ever expected to be added to the series. Other reasons include her unique moveset, the fact that she has an alternate costume and that she's female. The only thing that's stopping her from returning is the fact that so many people thought she was a stupid decision made by Sakurai. How do I know this? A couple friends from school kept complaining about her and I even saw petitions online trying to get her removed from the game. I don't get why people complain about characters all the time. You don't have to play as them! Not only that, but we've had weird characters before, why is she any different? Ultimately, it is Sakurai's choice on who returns and I doubt he has any reasons to remove her, because he's only removed a few unique characters and there were reasons behind all of them.

Wolf[]

Returning Status: Unlikely

Hidden12 080331c-l — Wolf: Even if I don't come back, I will always be more unique than Falco!

Unfortunately, this is just how it is. This evil anthropomorphic wolf may never return to the Smash franchise. Why? A few reasons, first off, even though a lot of people say he's not a clone, his moveset still has several similarities to Fox. Second, not only was he cut in Smash 4, but he didn't even return as DLC like Lucas did, not even when trailers for Star Fox Zero were realeased. Finally, a lot of people think Krystal should replace him. The only chances he has of coming back are that he's a villain and that he would bring the Star Fox franchise back to three reps. Although, I could be wrong and he still may have a chance of returning, but I don't think it's likely, just because both him and Lucas had fans who were upset because of their respective franchises having a smaller amount than in Brawl and the fact that Lucas returned and not Wolf makes me think that Sakurai doesn't care about him very much. But who knows, he could still end up with a fate like Dr. Mario, Mewtwo and Roy.

Yoshi[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

Obviously, Yoshi will be returning for the next installment just because he is a part of the original 12 and is part of a sub franchise that is part of the biggest franchise in the series. The only reason anyone would think that Yoshi would be removed is because he seems to be the only one of 8 starter characters that isn't one of the main characters in Smash. What I mean by that is he seems to get excluded a lot. The first thing that I think of is the fact that he was the only one to not be revealed when the game was announced to be in production at E3 in 2013. That doesn't matter though, because he still returned and he always will. Not much else to say. As for new characters in his sub franchise, I'd say probably not.

Young Link[]

Returning Status: Very Unlikely

Of the five that got removed in Brawl, Young Link is one of the only two that has yet to return and it's not about to change. Unforturnately for Young Link, he has someone who most likely has permanently taken his spot and that would be Toon Link. If Young Link were to return he would have to replace Toon Link, either that or we would have two Link clones. It's true that chara cters have had two clones in one game before, but we can't just use those examples to try and save him, mainly because Toon Link and Young Link are both tiny Links. Another issue is that Young Link is not a separate person from Link. He is just a younger version, while what Toon Link is to Link is what Paper Maio is to Mario. With all being said, I believe Young Link is the second least likely to ever return to the franchise, but I'm not going to say he's disconfirmed, because we never know what Sakurai may do in the future.

Zelda[]

Returning Status: Confirmed

Besides Link, Zelda is the only other character from the Zelda franchise that I believe has a 100% chance of returning. Why? A few reasons, first off, she is the one of the main characters in the franchise, second, she's part of one of the biggest franchises in the series, and third, she is female. Let's also not forget that she was the first character to be a two-in-one character. Despite her and Sheik no longer being one character, it doesn't stop her from returning even though Sheik is more popular in the Smash franchise and this is because she is more relevant than her. Zelda has never been absent in the franchise, so that makes even less reasons to remove her. The only thing I'm questioning right now is if she will get a new default outfit, just because Twilight Princess is over ten years old.

Zero Suit Samus[]

Returning Status: Very Likely

ZSS screen-1 — Samus: Since I'm obligated to come back, I might as well show off my body.

For the most part, I believe that Zero Suit Samus is immune to be removed, or at least very close. First piece of evidence is that she was a part of one of the original 12 as a two in one character when she was first introduced. Of course the two were separated due to Nintendo 3DS limitations. One thing that stands out to me is that when she was revealed in the Super Smash Bros Direct, Sakurai said that she wouldn't be returning and then said he was joking just to trick all of us. Meaning, Sakurai is aware that we love her. (She's my waifu for crying out loud). But the real question is, if she returns, will she and Samus be a two-in-one again or will the stay separated again. I'm hoping they keep them separate, I liked that a lot better, but if they do happen to put them together again, I would like Zero Suit Samus to keep her Wii U/3DS final smash, because her Brawl Final Smash was the absolute worst in my opinion. If they're going to make them switch suits during the Final Smash, they can at least have her exit the Starship in her powersuit.