We’ve had leaks, we’ve had confirmations, we’ve had angry fans and we’ve had lots of excitement. Now, the Japanese release of Super Smash Bros for 3DS is less than a week away and the big thing that Smash fans are talking about is the rumour that 5 fighters have yet to be revealed. While the ESRB leak gave us a large roster, the consensus is that there are still 5 characters which fans are waiting to see in the near future. So, I’m here to give you my ideal picks for the final 5, as well as who I think will actually be revealed. My ideal picks will be in green while who I think will actually end up in Smash will be in red.

5 – Fawful (Mario and Luigi RPG series)

Let’s start off with another Mario character, as we don’t have enough of them in the game already! Using his gadgets like the Vacuum Helmet and his mecha head, this crazed villain from the Beanbean Kingdom could be an interesting addition to the roster, utilising technology and his famous rage to attack enemies. We know that tracks from the Mario and Luigi series are in the game and I’m sure many fans would appreciate seeing a Mario character which isn’t from the usual universe. Plus, having the ability to shout ‘I have fury!’ in the middle of a match would be pretty awesome.

5 – Mewtwo (Pokémon series)

This legendary Pokémon is tipped to make a return according to many leakers and I’m sure fans would appreciate this genetically engineered super Pokémon taking to the battlefield again. With Mewtwo’s return to popularity with its appearance in X and Y with its two Mega Evolutions, I think it may be quite likely that we see it join the battlefield along with its other Poke brethren. Whether it will use its Melee moveset or have a brand new one remains to be seen but I think it is a fair bet that we will see Mewtwo amongst the final 5.

4 – Isaac (Golden Sun series)

Characters like Little Mac have made the jump from Assist Trophy to full blown character, I just hope Isaac makes the leap too. His Earth Psynergy could make for tons of cool specials like him casting Growth as a tether recovery, charging Ragnarok as a sword swipe or even summoning Judgement to nuke the stage for his Final Smash. Even though Smash has a ton of swordsmen at the moment, I think Isaac’s earth-based moveset would make him a really interesting fighter. Plus, it would spur Camelot to actually make another Golden Sun game already.

4 – Chorus Men (Rhythm Heaven series)

This is another heavily rumoured one, put forward by the Gematsu leak and due to its popularity in Japan, I reckon these little chaps could make it into the game. I imagine they would act as a fusion of Mr Game and Watch and the Ice Climbers, throwing out moves based on the various minigames from the Rhythm Heaven series, with their attacks decreasing in power should you knock out members of the trio. Getting hit by badminton rackets or throwing sweaty luchadors at foes could be a very interesting way to play.

3 – Sylux (Metroid Prime: Hunters)

As opposed to another Metroid representative that may or may not be too big for this list, I think Sylux would be a great addition to the cast, seeing as Dark Samus has been ruled out. His Shock Coil weapon could be an interesting special, it could increase enemy percentages while lowering his own, providing he keeps the beam on target. Plus, with a ship that looks a lot like Sylux’s appearing at the 100% end of the last Metroid Prime game, his introduction to the Smash series could be an indication that another Prime game may be on the way.

3 – A new character from an unannounced Nintendo franchise

I think Nintendo may replicate what they did with Roy in Melee and have a new character in the roster which no-one has ever seen before. It would certainly raise hype for the franchise (look at Fire Emblem’s growth in popularity after Melee) and seeing as Nintendo are in desperate need of a new IP, revealing a main character for a brand new game as a playable fighter would be a great form of exposure. Or they could put another clone in, who knows?

2 – Simon Belmont (Castlevania series)

Now this one is incredibly unlikely but I can dream. If Snake is out of the picture, maybe Konami have followed Namco’s example and picked a representative from their NES roots. Who could be better than Simon Belmont then? You can use his whip and items for his specials, you’ve got loads of locations to pick from for a stage and just imagine the glorious Castlevania remixes we would have to listen to. Hearing Vampire Killer pumping in the background while you whip Mario to death would be so satisfying.

2 – Dixie Kong (Donkey Kong Country series)

With the popularity of the revived Donkey Kong Country series, I think the likelihood of us seeing another Kong in the game may be pretty high. With her appearance in Tropical Freeze and with her similarities to Diddy, I wouldn’t be surprised if Dixie makes it in as a Diddy clone, using her hair instead of the rocket barrels. Other leakers have touted Dixie as one of the final 5 but I hope a more villainous DK representative appears in Smash.

1 – King K. Rool (Donkey Kong Country series)

I think it’s time we got this reptilian king as a playable character. He could utilise his wide range of costumes for his moveset, switching between being Kaptain K. Rool from DKC2, to a boxer at the end of DK64 to the mad scientist Baron K. Roolenstein from DKC3 for a very varied moveset. Add in the possibilities of more DKC remixes and stages based off the final boss encounters from these games, and you’ve got a welcome addition to the Smash roster. I just hope this villain is in, compared to another Kong clone.

1 – Ridley (Metroid series)

Was this ever in any doubt? With the sheer amount of uproar, theories and noise coming from the Ridley fan camp, I wouldn’t be surprised if Sakurai has put him in to shut them up once and for all. I don’t even think he is that interesting of a fighter, he is just a big dragon with no real personality to him. Sure, it means more representation from the Metroid series but as I mentioned before, I’d much prefer one of the Hunters to enter the fighter than this overhyped purple dragon.

So, who do you think will be the final 5? Do you think they even exist or was the ESRB leak the whole roster? We’ll find out for sure on the 13th and stay tuned to VGU for even more Smash coverage when the game launches in Europe October 3rd.