How I would Reboot Smash Bros. (Part 2: Mario-Adjacent Franchises)

Super Smash brothers looks to be getting bigger and bigger with every entry, but this won't continue forever. Eventually, the roster will have to be condensed in a sort of reboot. In my last article, I discussed how I would represent the Mario the franchise in this scenario, but what about those characters that are still very much considered Mario characters, but are listed in Smash Bros. as being a part of their own franchises? That is the purpose of today's article, so let's see how this goes.

First, Donkey Kong, being an important part of Nintendo's history and a member of the original Smash Bros. roster, would return, albeit with an overhauled moveset and lacking Diddy. This overhaul would replace a lot of his moves, such as his neutral special becoming a barrel throw, as a nod to the series roots. Other changes would be replacing his headbutt with his somewhat standard roll as his side special and having him use Squawks the parrot for his recovery. His final smash would also be changed from his bongos to an attack that calls upon the help of the other Kongs, utilizing the cast of the series all at once as a small tribute to his history.

Next, Yoshi would make a return, needless to say. His moves would also be changed, most notably with his down special being replaced with an egg throw like what he has in his own games, complete with a moving reticle. His up special would naturally have to be replaced, so if he needs a better recovery, a brief helicopter transformation would be a possibility. As for his final smash, perhaps he could call in help from Baby Mario, who runs around, launching everyone he sees with the invincibility power-up from Yoshi's island.

Finally, there's Wario. Wario probably only warrants one character to represent him, but considering how Wario has both Wario Land and Warioware to draw from, I could easily see how he could have two characters representing his franchise. I was not sure if I could build a move set solely around Wario Land, but I was surprised. As for these moves, he could shake any opponent he grabs for a neutral special, perform a shoulder-first dash for a side special, using Wario World's Corkscrew Conk for his down special, and float upwards as Puffy Wario (from Wario Land II and III) as a recovery. As for a hypothetical Warioware character, I'm not sure as to the specifics, but perhaps this character's special attacks are microgames that make the attacks more powerful upon successful completion. Really, whether or not Wario gets multiple slots in the roster is unimportant; it could go either way without much complaint.

Overall, while Mario may be the star of the show, his friends are no slouches, either. Many of them warrant their own slots in the roster. These ideas are just that: ideas. They are pure speculation that most likely will never be anything more. Still though, I enjoy it, and I hope to continue this journey through my revamped roster with you. Next time, I will be going away from the greater Mario brand and diving into one of Nintendo's most acclaimed IPs.