Nintendo Fans Call for ‘Super Smash Bros.’ Animated Series Amidst movie Push
Amidst anticipation for the upcoming Super Mario film and a live-action Zelda adaptation,a growing chorus of Nintendo fans are hoping the company will turn its attention to an animated Super Smash Bros. series, offering a platform for a wider range of beloved characters. The sentiment, expressed by a reader in a recent online discussion, reflects a broader frustration with Nintendo’s communication and release strategies, and a concern that the focus on cinematic adaptations is overshadowing core game progress.
“We’re all sitting here waiting for a ‘proper’ Nintendo Direct, but we really should’ve learnt by now that Nintendo never give fans what they want, or at least not when they want it,” one commenter stated, expressing a common frustration with the company’s communication and release strategies. The prioritization of the Super Mario Galaxy Movie over core game development is a particular point of concern, a departure from previous approaches.
While acknowledging limited enthusiasm for the Super Mario movie among adult fans unless it considerably surpasses its predecessor, the reader points to Nintendo’s established animation studio and upcoming projects like the live-action Zelda series as evidence of the company’s expanding interest in visual storytelling. however, they argue that a Super Smash Bros. animated show could offer a unique possibility to showcase a broader spectrum of Nintendo’s iconic roster, notably those unlikely to receive their own dedicated films.
The idea draws inspiration from the 1989 series Captain N: the Game Master, which, despite being “awful, really awful,” served as an early prototype for the Smash Bros. concept by uniting Nintendo characters alongside third-party figures like simon Belmont and Mega Man. “It’s basically a prototype of Smash Bros., with not only multiple Nintendo characters hanging out together but also third party characters,” the reader explained.
Rather than replicating captain N’s narrative structure, the fan proposes framing the animated series around Smash bros. competitions, providing a natural framework for spotlighting diverse characters and franchises. This anthology approach could feature dedicated episodes for Star Fox, Metroid, Fire Emblem, and even more obscure titles. “How far you go down the rabbit hole I don’t know but seeing how much I loved all the obscure stickers and statutes in the game, I’d love them to get as weird as possible,” the reader enthused, suggesting the inclusion of characters like Takamaru and Mach Rider.
The potential for a crossover event akin to Marvel’s Avengers was briefly considered, but the live-action format of the Zelda film effectively eliminates that possibility. Despite this, the fan believes an animated series could better capture the essence of Smash Bros., providing the necessary time and space to develop compelling stories and character arcs.
Acknowledging the inherent strangeness of the Smash Bros. concept – “dozens of famous characters that have nothing to do with each other fighting for no obvious reason” – the reader argues that an animated show could provide the narrative context needed to make it more accessible and engaging. While not optimistic about the likelihood of such a project, they suggest that a post-Zelda lull in widely recognizable game franchises could create an opening for more experimental animated ventures, potentially starting with a Kirby movie followed by Donkey Kong or Splatoon spin-offs.
The commenter envisions a streaming-focused approach, allowing for continuous expansion with new characters as they are introduced in future games and the potential inclusion of third-party collaborations. Ultimately, the desire is for a Nintendo animated project that surpasses the perceived “basic nostalgia grab” of the Super Mario movies, offering a more authentic and aspiring adaptation of the source material. “I wouldn’t expect animated show to be super deep, but I would hope it’d be more authentic to the games it’s based on.”
super Smash Bros. Ultimate does feature an awful lot of cameos (Nintendo)
