Skip to main content

Super Smash Bros roster may include Duck Hunt dog, Bowser Jr. (updated)

watch super smash bros 3ds live twitch today 4pm est
An alleged leaker has shared some compelling videos and screenshots that appear to show a complete roster for the upcoming iteration of Nintendo’s flagship brawler, Super Smash Bros., including a few characters that have yet to be officially revealed.

The heretofore unseen characters are Bowser Jr. in his signature mini clown car, Shulk from Xenoblade, and the dog from Duck Hunt, finally ready to take vengeance for years of friendly fire. The leaked images also include returning characters that have not yet been confirmed, like Falco, Dr. Mario, and R.O.B. (via Kotaku).

Recommended Videos

Updated on 8-26-14: Nintendo has, to no one’s surprise, had the videos taken down. The linked NeoGAF post contains some gifs, though.

smash bros leaked roster

While the image above could obviously have been created by an intrepid Photoshopper with relative ease, the leaker has also shared a number of videos showing Bowser Jr. and Shulk in action, making a much more convincing case for their legitimacy. The leaks are obviously from the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros, but the Wii U edition will share the same roster.s

The name ESRB0083, used for the first player in the leaks, would indicate that these come from the build that’s been submitted to the Entertainment Software Rating Board for rating consideration. Notable absences from the roster include Snake and the Ice Climbers. The leaker claims that these characters will be added in subsequent DLC, but without corroborating images that should be taken as speculation for now.

You can check out a compilation of all leaked screenshots and videos over at NeoGAFSuper Smash Bros. will come to 3DS on October 3, and follow on the Wii U for the holiday season.

Will Fulton
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Will Fulton is a New York-based writer and theater-maker. In 2011 he co-founded mythic theater company AntiMatter Collective…
Lego Brawls pushes the boundaries of what a Smash Bros. clone can be
The cast of Lego Brawls stands together in this game's key art.

Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. series single-handedly created the platform fighter subgenre of fighting games. As such, a lot of games try to replicate its formula almost completely, especially mechanics like the wavedash from Super Smash Bros. Melee. While the makers of many Smash clones seem to feel like they need to be exactly like Nintendo’s classic series in order to entice players, Lego Brawls showed me that doesn’t have to be the case at Summer Game Fest Play Days.
Just as MultiVersus did last month, Lego Brawls demonstrates that games inspired by Super Smash Bros. can still have a unique gameplay identity. From being able to customize your characters and attacks to having unique modes not found in any other game in the genre, Lego Brawls looks like it's a fun Smash-like time for the whole family, even if it probably won’t be the top game at EVO anytime soon.
LEGO Brawls - Announcement Trailer
Building blocks 
One way that Lego Brawls is very much like Smash Bros. is that it's a crossover fighting game where players can duke it out with characters they create using classic Lego sets. Castle, Pirate, Western, and Space, as well as more modern ones like Monkie Kid, Vidiyo, Ninjago, and Jurassic World, are all represented in character customization. The developers claim that every character and weapon piece in Lego Brawls is based on a real Lego, even if some of them aren’t available to purchase anymore.
Any kid who likes Legos will probably enjoy spending hours unlocking and customizing the pieces of their Lego character. Some of these changes have gameplay implications too, as players can customize their weapons. In addition to choosing a basic weapon, players can go into battle with a jetpack that lets them fly or a saxophone that can calm other players. Those special abilities are obtained through item boxes that appear in matches, Mario Kart-style.
Speaking of Mario Kart, some stages even have vehicles to drive, and these often provide a nice way to shake up a battle. 

Lego Brawls' also has modes that players can't find in other Smash clones. A more traditional free-for-all mode lets players fight to be the last one standing on a small stage. But Lego Brawl's primary focus is actually on bigger maps that support modes like one where two teams of four try to hold capture points and another where eight players compete to defeat as many other players as possible within a time limit. These modes show just how much potential there is within the platform fighter genre outside of just competitively trying to ring out opponents. 
A new era of Smash clones
Last month, MultiVersus impressed me because of its primary 2v2 setup and abilities that made it feel really different to play from Smash. With deep customization and those varied modes, Lego Brawls does the same. It doesn't seem like that deep of a fighting game, but that also means it will be easy for players of any skill level to pick up and play. 

Read more
How to play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate online with friends
sora with pikachu and inkling

Super Smash Bros. has been a Nintendo staple since its initial release in 1999. Since then, there have been quite a few iterations and, so far, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has been one of the best. Although it isn’t immune from annoyances, it is still one of the most solid games, introducing new fighters and levels that haven’t been seen in previous games in the franchise. Although Nintendo has made playing online a bit of a hassle, it’s not impossible to do.

Read more
The Super Mario Bros. movie is delayed to April 2023
Mario with a shocked expression.

Mario fans are going to have to wait a little bit longer for their cinematic Christmas present. Nintendo and Illumination have announced that the release of the CGI-animated Super Mario Bros. movie has been delayed to April 2023.

The film, which has been in production since 2018, was originally slated to come out in theaters on December 21, 2022. But on Monday night, Nintendo director and Super Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto and Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri, who helmed the iconic Despicable Me film series, announced on Twitter that the release date for the movie was pushed back to April 7, 2023, for North America and April 28, 2023, for Japan after consulting with each other.

Read more