With the first Fighters Pass forSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, players have already begun speculating on who will fill the next lineup of characters coming to the game. Although, that does mean that fans would have to ignore the rush ofFighters Pass rumorslong enough to start focusing on their own theories for the upcoming players.
One franchise in particular has been raising eyebrows for newSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatefighters, and with a recently released title, there is plenty of room for morePokemoncharacters to enter the ring. WhilePokemon SwordandShielddon’t boast a full National Pokedex, there are a number of new Pokemon that would be prime candidates to joinSmash Ultimate.
RELATED:Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Getting Unexpected Character, Says Rumor
Some new Pokemon fromSwordandShieldhave joinedSmash Ultimateas spirits already, showing that Nintendo is planning on moving forward with integratingPokemonfurther intoSmash Ultimate. Along with spirits and fighters, Pokemon have also joined theSmash Bros.series in the form of the usable Pokeball item. However, when it comes to who is most likely to join theSmash Ultimateroster as a playable fighter fromSwordandShield, four Pokemon in particular stand out as some of the most likely contenders.
Grapploct
A fighting-type Pokemon usually found swimming in the colder waters of the Galar Region inSwordandShield, this suction-cupped boxer could make for an interesting addition toSmash Ultimate. Grapploct could become somewhat of a reimagining of Little Mac’s boxing style, offering similar quick punches and powerful smashes. His pseudo water-typing can also introducing some of the water-type attacks that Grapploct has available inSwordandShieldto hopefully balance out some of the issues that arrive in Little Mac’s current meta.
Essentially, Grapploct’s abilities inSwordandShieldcould give him some advantages at range, with abilities like Octazooka adding some depth to his moveset. This could also open the doors for more boxer type fighters to join in on theSmash Bros.series, such asStreet Fighter’s characters Balrog and Dudley. At the moment, Little Mac is unfortunately the only representation of this fighting style and his limited range and poor aerial combat has stuck him, and boxing as a whole, at the lower end of most tier lists.
Sirfetch’d
Farfetch’d is already one of the many Pokemon to become a spirit inSmash Ultimate, lending his abilities to players playing through the story and on the spirit board. However, the fan favorite Pokemon has never appeared yet as a playable fighter, or as a summon via the Pokeball item that can spawn in-game. The new Galarian evolution,Sirfetch’d, would then make a great addition toSmash Ultimate, thanks to an updated moveset over Farfetch’d as well as a unique weapon that has gone unrepresented inSmash Bros.until now.
Sirfetch’d’s upgraded leek, and accompanying shield, act more as a spear inSwordandShieldthan as a sword and more as a spear. Currently, the weapon wielding fighters inSmash Ultimateall tend to use either swords, guns, or in the case of King DeDeDe a hammer, but there currently aren’t any spear users. As a fighter, Sirfetch’d could fill in this gap in available weaponry, basing its moveset around defending and countering with the shield as a well as prodding from a distance with the spear, possibly offering a hard counter to fighters that rely on overwhelming enemies with speed like Sonic and Meta Knight.
RELATED:Every Pokemon Sword and Shield Fossil Combination
Grimmsnarl
This dark/fairy-type Pokemon would make an intimidating combatant in theSmash Ultimatering, boasting massive, false muscles that are really made out of its hair. Since Grimmsnarl’s attacks are almost entirely physical, its moveset would balance well with the other melee specific fighters inSmash Bros.,likely attacking slowly like Ganondorf or King K. Rool. This might make it a lower tier fighter unlike other new fighters that have joined theSuper Smashroster recently, but the unique look of Grimmsnarl and its potential for a truly unique Final Smash could be reason enough to include the new Pokemon inSmash Ultimate.
Grimmsnarl’s Final Smash potential comes from the fact that it is one of few Pokemon that canGigantamaxinSwordandShield, a special type of Dynamax available to a short list of Pokemon. This means that Grimmsnarl would be one of the best ways to portray Dynamax intoSmash Ultimate, preferably by having the Pokemon activate its Gigantimax form when initiating its Final Smash. Out of all of these potential combatants, this makes Grimmsnarl one of the most unique options for a showing in theSmash Bros.series.
Cinderace
Thefinal evolution of Scorbunny, Cinderace is likely the starter fromSwordandShieldwith the best chance of joiningSmash Ultimate. Other starters have already joined theSmash Bros.roster, with Pokemon Trainer using the original three starters fromPokemon RedandBlue, as well as Greninja and Incineroar who are the final evolutions of the starter Pokemon Froakie fromPokemon XandYand Litten fromPokemon SunandMoonrespectively. With that kind of representation for starter Pokemon, it would make sense if Nintendo wanted to help promoteSwordandShieldby including one of the starters from the latest generation intoSmash Ultimate.
As far as Cinderace’s moveset goes, the Pokemon has a number of Fire and Fighting moves available to it inSwordandShield, along with a fairly high base speed. This could result in Cinderace enteringSmash Ultimateas a high speed fighter like his fellow starter evolution Greninja, but with a flair for fire as opposed to water. Additionally, Cinderace’s signature attack, Pyro Ball, would make for a intense Final Smash, that could streak across the battlefield, tossing any fighters unfortunate enough to get caught by the fireball.
All of these options are of course speculation, but with rumors about which new character will be the final fighter added to the currentFighters Passstill circulating and allegedly confirming so many different characters, speculation is all fans have forSmash Ultimateat the moment.
Pokemon SwordandShieldis available now for Nintendo Switch
Super Smash Bros. Ultimateis available now for Nintendo Switch
MORE:Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Adding Resident Evil Characters for Limited Time
