# Super Smash Bros Character Predictions > Super Smash Bros Character Predictions is a fan-speculation meme originating in 2006, defined by cyclical roster wishlists pairing genuine requests like Mega Man alongside increasingly absurd joke picks like Shrek and Goku. Super Smash Bros. Character Predictions are fan-made speculations, wish lists, and parodies centered on which characters will join the roster of Nintendo's crossover fighting game series. The meme took off in 2006 after the announcement of Super Smash Bros. Brawl and its inclusion of third-party characters, which blew the door open for increasingly absurd suggestions. From earnest wish lists featuring Mega Man and Geno to joke picks like Shrek and Goku, the prediction meme has cycled back with every new Smash Bros. game announcement for nearly two decades. ## Origin Super Smash Bros. launched in 1999 for the Nintendo 64 with 12 playable characters drawn entirely from Nintendo franchises[7]. When Super Smash Bros. Melee arrived on the GameCube in November 2001, it roughly doubled the roster to 25 characters, adding fighters from Fire Emblem and other Nintendo properties[5]. This set a fan expectation: each new Smash game would dramatically expand the character list[4]. The prediction meme didn't truly ignite until Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced Super Smash Bros. Brawl at a pre-E3 2005 press conference[6]. Iwata confirmed the game would feature online play via Wi-Fi, and fans immediately began speculating about the roster[2]. The real turning point came when Brawl's E3 2006 trailer revealed Solid Snake from Metal Gear as a playable character, the first third-party fighter in Smash history[4]. With non-Nintendo characters suddenly on the table, fans realized virtually any video game character could theoretically join the roster. On May 10, 2006, YTMND user Bendillin created "Super Smash Bros. Brawl Newcomer: John Madden!", swapping NFL commentator John Madden into Solid Snake's spot on the official newcomer announcement screen[4]. This kicked off a wave of YTMND parody sites substituting in everyone from Phoenix Wright to Richard Nixon[9]. - **Platform:** YTMND (viral spread), Nintendo fan forums (discussion origin) - **Creator:** Bendillin (first known YTMND parody), community-created format - **Date:** 2006 ## Overview The meme revolves around fans predicting, requesting, or satirizing which characters should be added to the next Super Smash Bros. game. Predictions range from plausible Nintendo picks to wildly unlikely crossover characters from completely unrelated franchises. The format takes several forms: fake "Newcomer!" announcement screens mimicking Nintendo's official reveal style, fabricated character select rosters, spoofed Smash Bros. Dojo character bio pages, elaborate tier lists, and heated forum debates[4]. What makes the meme distinct is the tension between genuine fan desire and self-aware absurdity. Someone might passionately argue for Waluigi in one breath and demand Shrek in the next[1]. ## How It Spread Bendillin's YTMND template spawned dozens of imitators throughout 2006 and 2007. YTMND search results show pages of Brawl-related parodies: "Newcomer: Geno," "Newcomer: Phoenix Wright," and even "Flying Spaghetti Monster in SSBB"[3][9]. The joke format was simple enough that anyone could participate, just drop a character's image into the official newcomer screen template. Fan communities simultaneously began creating entirely fabricated character select screens. Since Melee had doubled the original roster, many fans expected Brawl to do the same, leading to sprawling fake rosters packed with every character imaginable[1]. Nintendo's own Smash Bros. Dojo website, which showcased official character bios and gameplay screenshots, became another target for spoofing. Fans recreated the site's layout and filled it with fake character pages for their dream picks[4]. The cycle repeated when Nintendo announced a fourth Smash Bros. title for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS at E3 2011[4]. On June 8, 2011, IGN interviewed series director Masahiro Sakurai about potential Capcom characters. An accompanying poll showed Mega Man as the overwhelming fan favorite at 55.08%, with Viewtiful Joe at 11.85% and Ryu at 10.80%[4]. In July 2012, Sakurai told Nintendo Power that the upcoming game probably wouldn't feature a massive roster increase, saying "we've probably already reached the limit of what's feasible" and calling for "a change of direction"[11]. This set off fierce debate in fan communities, with some readers supporting the quality-over-quantity approach while others were openly dismayed[11]. By August 2012, Sakurai walked things back slightly at a Japanese developers conference, saying "It's fun making new skills for new characters," confirming new fighters were indeed in development[10]. The prediction meme hit another peak with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in 2018, which marketed itself with the tagline "Everyone is Here!" and included every previous fighter[8]. DLC announcements kept the speculation machine running, with each new reveal (Joker from Persona 5, Banjo-Kazooie, Steve from Minecraft) proving that almost nothing was too unlikely[1]. The inclusion of Joker, a character with no Nintendo history, further validated fans who'd been pushing for non-Nintendo picks since the Brawl era[1]. ## How to Use The most common formats for Smash character predictions: **Newcomer Screen Edits:** Take the official "Challenger Approaching" or "Newcomer!" screen template from any Smash game and replace the featured character with your pick. The funnier or more unlikely the character, the better. Past examples include real people, food items, and characters from non-gaming media. **Fake Roster Images:** Create or edit a character select screen to include your dream (or joke) roster. These typically mix legitimate Nintendo characters with increasingly absurd additions like Goku, Shrek, or real-world public figures[1]. **Dojo-Style Bio Pages:** Mimic the layout of Nintendo's official Smash Bros. Dojo website and write a character bio for your pick, complete with fake moveset descriptions and gameplay screenshots[4]. **Wish List Posts:** Write out a numbered list of desired characters on forums, Reddit, or Twitter. These range from thoughtful arguments about game balance to deliberately unhinged requests. The comment section of any Smash-related news article typically becomes a de facto prediction thread[10][11]. ## Cultural Impact Smash character predictions became one of the longest-running recurring memes in gaming culture. Every new game in the series, which has sold over 77 million copies combined as of 2025, triggers a fresh wave of speculation[8]. The meme shaped how Nintendo marketed the games. The company leaned into the hype cycle by spacing out character reveals as individual events, turning each announcement into appointment viewing for fans. The Smash Ballot, an official poll Nintendo ran in 2015 letting fans vote for DLC characters, was a direct acknowledgment of the prediction culture[1]. Characters like Bayonetta were added partly based on ballot results, blurring the line between meme wish lists and actual game development. Certain characters became memes in their own right through their persistent absence from the roster. Waluigi's exclusion despite constant fan demand turned him into a symbol of the meme itself. Geno from Super Mario RPG occupied a similar role as a niche fan favorite whose supporters refused to give up[1]. ## Fun Facts - The original Super Smash Bros. started as a prototype called "Dragon King: The Fighting Game" with no Nintendo characters at all. Shigeru Miyamoto initially rejected the idea of using Nintendo characters before Sakurai and Iwata convinced him with a demo featuring Mario, Fox, Samus, and Donkey Kong[7]. - Nathan "Rad" Spencer came in dead last in IGN's 2011 Capcom character poll with just 0.36% of the vote[4]. - Sakurai's July 2012 comments about not expanding the roster were widely misinterpreted as "no new characters at all," causing significant fan backlash before he clarified his position weeks later[10][11]. - Brawl was the first Smash game not developed primarily by HAL Laboratory, instead being built by a creative team under Sora Ltd. that pulled from multiple Nintendo and third-party studios[6]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Super Smash Bros. Character Predictions? It's a long-running internet meme where fans create wish lists, fake rosters, and parody announcements speculating about which characters will be added to the next Super Smash Bros. game[4]. ### Where did Super Smash Bros. Character Predictions come from? The meme originated on YTMND in May 2006 when user Bendillin created a parody newcomer announcement featuring John Madden in place of an official Brawl character[4]. ### What does the Super Smash Bros. Character Predictions meme mean? It reflects the gaming community's excitement and humor around Smash Bros. roster announcements. Predictions range from genuine wish lists to deliberately absurd joke picks like Shrek or Goku[1]. ### How do you use the Super Smash Bros. Character Predictions meme? The most common format is editing official "Newcomer!" announcement screens to feature your chosen character, or creating fake character select rosters mixing real fighters with unlikely additions[4][9]. ### Is Super Smash Bros. Character Predictions still popular? The meme is semi-active, peaking whenever Nintendo announces a new Smash game or DLC character. With no new Smash title announced since Ultimate in 2018, activity has slowed but the format still resurfaces during Nintendo Direct events[8]. ### Why was Brawl's announcement so important for this meme? Brawl introduced third-party characters like Solid Snake and Sonic the Hedgehog, opening up the roster beyond Nintendo franchises and making virtually any character seem like a possibility[6]. ### What characters do fans request most often? Historically, the most persistent requests include Waluigi, Geno from Super Mario RPG, Mega Man (who was eventually added in Smash 4), and joke picks like Goku and Shrek[1][4]. ### What was the Smash Bros. Dojo? A promotional website Nintendo launched ahead of Brawl that showcased official character bios and screenshots. Fans spoofed the site by creating fake character pages for their dream picks[4]. ### Did Sakurai really say there would be no new characters? Not exactly. In July 2012, Sakurai said the roster had "probably already reached the limit of what's feasible," but he was misquoted as ruling out new characters entirely. He clarified weeks later that new fighters were being developed[10][11]. ### Who won IGN's Capcom character poll for Smash Bros.? Mega Man took first place with 55.08% of the vote in a June 2011 poll, followed by Viewtiful Joe at 11.85% and Ryu at 10.80%[4]. ## References 1. [Super Smash Bros. Character Predictions - Teh Meme Wiki]() 2. [E3 2005: Smash Bros. For Revolution - IGN]() 3. [ytmnd - you're the man now dog! | search]() 4. [Super Smash Bros Character Predictions - Know Your Meme]() 5. [Characters of the Metal Gear series]() 6. [Super Smash Bros. Melee]() 7. [Super Smash Bros. Brawl]() 8. [Super Smash Bros. - Wikipedia]() 9. [Super Smash Bros. - Wikipedia]() 10. [ytmnd - you're the man now dog! | search]() 11. [Next Super Smash Bros. Games Will Include New Characters - My Nintendo News]() 12. [Smash Bros Wii U Probably Won’t Feature More Characters - My Nintendo News]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/super-smash-bros-character-predictions Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library