You know the feeling. A Nintendo Direct starts, the screen goes black, and for three seconds, you’re convinced—absolutely certain—that this is finally the moment. Then the splash screen hits, and it's another Fire Emblem protagonist. Or a plant.
The conversation around most wanted smash characters is basically a cycle of hope and heartbreak that has fueled the fighting game community for over two decades. Honestly, it’s kinda fascinating how consistent the wishlist has stayed, even after Ultimate supposedly "cleared the board" by adding Sora, Banjo-Kazooie, and Ridley.
The Waluigi Problem (and Why It Won’t Go Away)
It has been over six years since the "Everyone is Here" trailer, and yet, the purple-clad misfit is still the undisputed king of the requests. Why? It's not just about the memes anymore.
Waluigi represents a weird gap in the roster. We have Mario, Luigi, and Wario. Leaving out the fourth corner of that square feels... wrong. When he was revealed as an Assist Trophy in Ultimate, the backlash wasn't just internet noise; it was a genuine moment of "wait, really?" that even Nintendo's PR teams had to acknowledge.
In recent 2025 and early 2026 fan polls across Reddit and Smashboards, Waluigi consistently pulls more votes than almost any third-party "guest" character. People don't just want him for the laughs; they want him because he’s the last piece of the "core" Mario puzzle.
The Resident Legends: Geno and Bandana Waddle Dee
If Waluigi is the king of the "rejected," then Geno is the patron saint of the "forgotten."
It’s been decades since Super Mario RPG on the SNES, and yet, that wooden doll is always there, hovering near the top of the charts. The 2023 remake of Super Mario RPG gave his fans a massive second wind. Masahiro Sakurai himself has admitted in the past—specifically in old Famitsu columns—that he’s always wanted Geno in the game. That kind of creator-level validation is like kerosene on a fire for a fanbase.
Then you’ve got Bandana Waddle Dee.
He’s basically the fourth protagonist of the Kirby series now.
Meta Knight? Check.
King Dedede? Check.
The little guy with the spear? Still waiting in the wings.
Unlike the more "pipe dream" picks, Bandana Dee feels inevitable. He has a moveset ready-made from Kirby Star Allies and Kirby and the Forgotten Land. In the current meta of fan desires, he's the "logical" choice that everyone is just waiting for Nintendo to pull the trigger on.
The Third-Party Heavyweights Everyone is Chasing
While the first-party picks feel like family business, the third-party most wanted smash characters are where the "gaming's greatest hits" vibes come in. We’re talking about the characters that would officially make Smash the Library of Alexandria for video games.
- Crash Bandicoot: The former face of PlayStation. If he got in, the "90s Mascot War" (Mario vs. Sonic vs. Crash) would finally be playable on one screen. Despite Activision’s recent shakeups and the cancellation of certain projects, the demand for the orange marsupial remains top-tier.
- Master Chief: This is the big one. The "Halo" protagonist represents the ultimate bridge between Nintendo and Xbox. He’s often cited in polls like those on r/smashbros as the most iconic character still missing from the lineup.
- Doom Slayer: Yes, he’s a Mii Costume. No, that did not satisfy the DOOM community. Fans argue that a full moveset involving the "glory kill" mechanic would be a game-changer for the series' mechanics.
- Rayman: Ubisoft’s limbless hero has been teased, trophied, and cameoed to death. At this point, it feels like he’s just stuck in some legal limbo between Paris and Kyoto.
The Rising Stars: Indie Reps and Modern Icons
The "indie" category has moved past being a novelty.
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Characters like The Knight from Hollow Knight or Reimu Hakurei from the Touhou Project are no longer niche. Reimu, in particular, has massive support in Japan, often outranking Western favorites like Master Chief in Eastern polls. It's a reminder that the Smash community isn't a monolith; what people want in Osaka is often very different from what people want in Ohio.
And let's not ignore the "new" classics. Noah and Mio from Xenoblade Chronicles 3 have seen a huge surge in requests as Ultimate's development cycle moved further into the rearview.
What Actually Happens Next?
Look, Sakurai is technically "retired" from the series for the fifth time, but we all know a new Nintendo console means a new Smash. If you’re looking to get involved in the conversation or track where these characters stand, here’s how to stay updated:
- Follow Source Gaming: They do the best job of translating Japanese developer interviews and official polls.
- Watch the Smashboards Rankings: The "Rate Their Chances" threads are the gold standard for analyzing how likely a character actually is, rather than just how popular they are.
- Diversify Your Wishlist: Nintendo loves a "promotion" pick (like Byleth or Min Min) just as much as a fan favorite.
The reality of most wanted smash characters is that the roster will never be "finished." There will always be one more hero, one more villain, and one more purple prankster left out. But that’s the fun of it, isn't it? The speculation is half the game.
Keep an eye on the official Nintendo social channels during major gaming anniversaries—that's usually when the real hints start to drop. If we see a Golden Sun HD collection or a new Rayman announcement, you can bet the Smash hype train will start rolling again.