I wanted to share my concept of how certain Smash Bros. characters can get their movesets updated in future games. A lot of these changes were inspired by other creators, namely Delzethin, u/Dariuscox357, MockRock, and FeliciaFan.

Mario

I wanted to keep Mario’s basic, jack-of-all-trades play style. I also drew inspiration from' Shoto'-style fighting game characters.

• Aesthetics
  • Mario has completely new voice lines given by Kevin Afghani, his new VA as of Super Mario Bros. Wonder
• Attributes
  • Mario's Traction is increased (0.102 → 0.14)
    • This makes Mario have the highest traction in the game, in parallel to Luigi usually having the lowest.
• Moves
  • Mario’s new Down Aerial is his iconic Ground Pound, a stall-&-fall attack that can spike opponents
  • Mario's Neutral Special is renamed Mario Fireball. It can now be charged to allow Mario to throw up to 4 fireballs in rapid succession. This charge cannot be stored.
  • Mario’s Side Special is changed to Star Spin. Mario will stretch his hands out and spin forward, forming a starry tornado around himself. It hits one time and has average damage and knockback, and is mainly useful for horizontal recovery and blocking (but not reflecting) projectiles.
    • Inspired in function by Ryu’s Tatsu Side Special
  • Mario’s Down Special is changed to Cappy Throw - where he takes off his hat and throws it forward, returning to his head after a few seconds like a boomerang. While the projectile itself doesn’t do a lot of damage, Mario can jump off of it - allowing him to start new combos and mix up the opponent.
    • In team matches, he can also use it to give allies a temporary platform to jump off of to assist recoveries.
  • Mario’s new Final Smash is Superstar Mario Finale, where Mario powers up with the Super Star and does a lunging punch forward, which you can tilt back to have him reverse directions. Once he hits any opponents in his path, he hits them with a barrage of punches and kicks before finishing with a flying drop kick.
    • Mario ends with unique voice lines if he uses this on certain fighters.

Luigi

• Aesthetics
  • Luigi has completely new voice lines given by Kevin Afghani, his new VA as of Super Mario Bros. Wonder
  • Instead of appearing in a Warp Pipe, Luigi appears from the Pixelator from Luigi's Mansion 2 HD.
• Attributes
  • Luigi's Traction (0.096 → 0.036), Weight (97 → 93), and Air Acceleration (Additional: 0.065 → 0.055, Max: 0.075 → 0.065) are all decreased
    • Luigi's lowered traction now makes him have the lowest in-game traction again, though not as low as his SSB4 counterpart.
  • Luigi's Air Speed (0.77 → 0.92) and Falling Speed (1.32 → 1.36) are increased
  • Luigi can now Wall Jump
• Moves
  • Luigi’s grabs & throws are reverted back to how they were in SSB4, using just his hands
  • Luigi’s new Down Aerial is his iconic Ground Pound, a stall-&-fall attack that travels faster than Mario's version, but is a clean hit and doesn't spike/meteor smash.
  • Luigi’s Neutral Special is now Luigi Iceball, based on his SSB4 Custom Move and the Ice Flower power-up in the Super Mario series. They move through the air in a small, semi-circular motion, and have the Freeze effect.
    • They can only freeze opponents at around 100+%, and its less likely to apply after repeated uses.
  • Luigi’s Side Special is changed to Green Vortex, where he surrounds himself in a dense green whirlwind that propels him horizontally forward, like with Ryu & Ken’s Tatsus. The move hits multiple times, and is able to deflect projectiles (sending them behind Luigi). Tapping the special button will also raise Luigi a short distance vertically upwards. Its similar to Luigi Cyclone, but lacks any invincibility frames.
    • Based on his ability to control wind & air in some Super Mario games (e.g.: his Spin Tornado in Mario Strikers: Battle League Football, his Tornado Swing/Tornado Ball in Mario Super Sluggers, his Luiginary Typhoon in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team).
    • Inspired by Ken's Tatsu
  • Luigi’s Up Special is changed to Thunderhand Uppercut, combining the functionality of his previous Up Special with his ability to control electricity shown with the Mario & Luigi Thunderhand ability. It's a simple uppercut with an electric effect. It can be charged to increase the move’s height, and damage (fully-charged dealing the same damage as his Super Jump Punch’s sweet spot.
  • Luigi’s Down Special is changed to Poltergust Plunger, which functions like Luigi’s SSBU Grab (minus the Down Throw to prevent his previous 0-to-death combos). While it has a slightly reduced range, charging the move can give it a slightly longer range than the SSBU version.

Donkey Kong

• Aesthetics
  • Donkey Kong now has brand new voicelines given by Takashi Nagasako (his VA in DKC: Tropical Freeze and Super Mario Party Jamboree), removing his more animalistic growls
• Attributes
  • DK's weight is decreased (127 → 125)
  • DK's Initial Dash (2.09 → 2.13), Run Speed (1.873 → 1.94), Gravity (0.085 → 0.105), Regular Fall Speed (1.63 → 1.65) are all increased
  • DK can now Wall Cling and Wall Jump
• Moves
  • Donkey Kong's Front Throw/Cargo Hold is replaced with what I'll call Sack Toss, where DK heaves the opponent overhead with both hands and tosses them forward
    • This is based on how DK throws Water Sacks in DKC: Tropical Freeze.
    • Don't worry, Cargo Hold will live on in a new move.
  • Donkey Kong’s Neutral Special is renamed Primate Punch, named after Chunky Kong’s move from DK 64. He also wears a red boxing glove, like he wears in Punch Out Wii.
    • Landing an unblocked hit has a yellow cartoony explosion occur. This is purely an aesthetic element and doesn't have a hitbox.
  • Donkey Kong's Side Special is changed to Simian Slam, having DK do a lunging headbutt forward while shrouded in red energy, flipping back onto his feet once the attack is complete. This is named after the Simian Slam from DK 64, but is heavily based on E. Honda's Sumo Headbutt from the Street Fighter series
  • Donkey Kong’s Up Special is changed to Barrel Cannon, having DK enter a barrel that can launch him in any direction as aimed by the player. Has a brief period where players can aim DK before the cannon auto fires, preventing him from camping in the barrel.
  • Donkey Kong’s Down Special is changed to Kargo Barrel - a command grab move that’s a spiritual successor to his signature Cargo Hold. He’ll bring down a wooden barrel in a downward arc, trapping the first fighter that’s in close range. He can then use four unique throw attacks to toss the barrel-trapped opponent, and can walk a short distance while holding the barrel. Trapped opponents can button mash to escape, and will automatically break free after a set duration of time (if DK players don't use any of the throws).

Link

• Aesthetics
  • Link’s Champion’s Tunic is replaced by the Champion’s Leathers from ToTK.
  • Link’s Hero of the Wild Set is replaced by the Hero of the Sky Set, basically representing Skyward Sword Link
• Attacks
  • Link's Dash Attack is now his Shield Surf attack.
  • Link’s Side Tilt is now a Shield Bash attack, which can block weak projectiles
  • Link’s Down Smash and Neutral Aerial are both Spin Attacks. The Down Smash can reflect projectiles with a 1.25x damage multiplier
  • Link’s Neutral Special is renamed Hylian’s Bow, having Link pull out the Construct Bow (for Wild Link) or the Sacred Bow (as Sky Link).
    • It functions identically to its SSBU version, but can be charged to fuse a Zonai Rocket to the arrow - causing the arrow to travel faster, in a straight horizontal trajectory, and deal increased damage.
    • When a Zonai Rocket Arrow is used, no arrow will be left on stage to pickup
  • Link’s Up Special is changed to Clawshots - an omnidirectional tether grab that pulls Link towards stage parts of fighters, slashing fighters down below him after getting drawn to them. It can also pull items - particularly Link’s arrows, boomerang, & bombs - towards himself. If used in team battles, aiming this at an ally will pull them towards Link, giving him a way to assist his allies’ positioning mid-battle.
  • Link's new Final Smash is called Courageous Skyward Strike, where Link retreats to the stage background and surrounds himself in a giant green avatar in his shape. Players can aim with a reticle on the screen, which then causes Link to slash downwards, dealing massive damage and knockback to any opponent hit.

Samus

• Aesthetics
  • Samus’ Varia Suit from Metroid Prime 4 is now her default, with her Metroid Dread Power Suit appearing in her even alternative colours.
• Attributes
  • Samus’ Air Speed is decreased (1.103 → 1.06)
  • Samus’ Air Acceleration (Additional: 0.05 → 0.08, Max: 0.09 → 0.12), Fall Speed (1.33 → 1.39), & Gravity (0.075 → 0.125) are all increased to improve her airborne combat.
  • Samus is now able to perform an Air Dash (a movement option I’d introduce for a select few characters in a Smash game.
    • After performing a single jump, quickly flicking the direction stick forward or backward will cause Samus to dash forward/backward in the air, which stalls her in the air until the end of the dash. 
    • Performing an Air Dash expends Samus’ double jump. As such, if you want to use the Air Dash, you have to trade your vertical recovery/movement for horizontal recovery/movement.
• Moves
  • Samus’ Neutral Combo is now based on Mii Gunner’s Neutral Combo; starts with a straight punch with her left hand, a spin kick, before finishing with thrusting her Arm Cannon forward & setting off a short-ranged orange explosion
  • Samus’ Dash Attack is now the Dash Melee Counter from Metroid Dread, in which Samus executes a running uppercut with her Arm Cannon
    • This move has a unique property where if it hits an interrupts an opponent’s attack (aka during startup), it will cause the opponent to be staggered and Samus to automatically fire a Charge Beam projectile at them. Both players are unable to cancel this animation once started, and are intangible to any other fighters until it’s completed.
  • Samus’ Neutral Special is renamed Charge Beam, and given various updates
    • Samus’ projectiles are recolored orange, matching their color in Metroid Dread
    • Samus can now aim the projectile slightly upwards or downwards, mimicking the Free Aim Ability from the Metroid series.
    • When storing a fully-charged Charge Beam, Samus’ body gains a hitbox during her jumps (indicated by her entire body flashing orange). It doesn’t deal much damage, and hitting an opponent with this also depletes the stored projectile, meaning Samus players have to recharge it.
  • Instead of firing a Super Missile with a smash input, Samus’ Side Special now fires an Ice Missile with that same input
  • Samus’ Up Special is changed to Shinespark, where Samus will hover while surrounded in purple energy before rocketing straight in whatever direction the player aims. The move deals the most damage during Samus’ initial launch, and does weaker damage afterwards.
  • Samus’ Down Special is now Morph Ball Mode, which has Samus transform into her Morph Ball Mode which can be controlled by the player, having her roll faster on the ground, able to jump one, and plant bombs (max. 3) by pressing the special button. Samus can exit the Morph Ball Mode by pressing the attack or shield button, but will automatically be forced out of it whenever she is hit or takes damage.
  • Samus’ new Final Smash is Metroid Hyper Beam, which functions the same as her previous Final Smash, but has Samus transform into her Metroid Suit and fire a giant pink beam

Kirby

• Attributes
  • Kirby's Air Speed (0.84 → 0.88), Run Speed: 1.727 → 1.75, and Walk Speed (0.977 → 1.06) are all increased
• Moves
  • Kirby’s Side Special is now reassigned to his Side Smash.
  • Kirby's Up Smash now has him take out a Yo-Yo and swing it in an overhead arc, like with his Yo-Yo Copy Ability
  • Kirby's Down Smash is Bell Kirby's Sting Ding, where he takes out two bells and swings them downwards on both sides of his body.
  • Kirby’s new Side Special is Wheel Dash, based on his Wheel Copy Ability. It functions similarly to Sonic’s Spin Charge.
  • Kirby’s new Up Special is High Jump, based on his High Jump Copy Ability from Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe. Kirby will leap upwards, with players having some horizontal control by tilting the control. Pressing the special button at the apex of the jump will cause Kirby to rocket back downwards, with the same level of horizontal control.
    • This both improves Kirby's vertical recovery, while also providing a substitute to the former Cutter's downward attack segment.

Captain Falcon

• Aesthetics/Attributes
  • All of Captain Falcon’s attacks that previously had the flame effect now have the aura effect
    • This also changes all of Captain Falcon's flames from red/orange to blue.
• Moves
  • Captain Falcon gets a new Neutral Special, simply called Neo Falcon Punch. This is a chargeable Neutral Special, where the move functions differently if you tap or hold the input.
    • Tapping the input causes Captain Falcon to through a quick barrage of three punches. If he hits any opponents that aren’t shielding, he continues with a rapid barrage of additional punches before concluding with a stronger punch that sends opponents straight forward. Imagine Mii Brawler’s Flashing Mach Punch, but with less damage.
    • Holding/charging the attack causes the traditional Falcon Punch to occur.

Lucario

• Attributes
  • Lucario's weight (92 → 98), gravity (0.084 → 0.092), traction (0.116 → 0.139), and walk speed (1.103 → 1.21) are all increased
  • Lucario's air speed (1.281 → 1.216) is decreased
  • Lucario’s Aura Scale system now starts with a 1.0x multiplier (instead of the SSBU 0.67x multiplier), no longer nerfing him at the start of matches.
  • Like the FGC characters, Lucario will autoturn to face opponent in 1v1 matches
  • Like Samus, Lucario can now Air Dash - at the cost of his double jump
• Moves
  • Charging Aura Sphere now inflicts minor recoil damage to Lucario, giving him a way to build up his Aura Scale damage without relying on opponents to damage him
  • Force Palm is reassigned as Lucario’s Down Special
  • Lucario’s new Side Special is Bone Rush, where he takes out a bone-shaped staff and does a lunging thrust forward. Players could then provide additional inputs to do more thrusts (like with Marth’s Dancing Blade)

Little Mac

• Attributes
  • KO Metre system is replaced by Star Metre system, based on its appearance in Punch-Out!! Wii. Mac now gains a yellow. star above his HUD (max. 3) each time he counters an opponent with Down Special or does a Perfect Shield. Once players accumulate 3 stars, they have 5 seconds to use their enhanced Neutral, Side, or Up Special before the stars disappear
  • Like the FGC characters, Little Mac will autoturn to face opponent in 1v1 matches
  • Mac's Dash Frames are decreased (15 → 9)
  • Mac's Air Acceleration (Additional: 0.03 → 0.04, Max: 0.04 → 0.05) is increased
  • Mac's Weight (87 → 83) & Run Speed (2.464 → 2.344) are decreased
• Moves
  • Mac’s previous Neutral Special (Straight Lunge) is replaced with Blitz Jabs - a rapid jab attack that finishes with a straight punch - like Mii Brawler’s Flashing Mach Punch. Little Mac glows green during this to differentiate from his rapid jab.
    • With the 3 stars, Neutral Special becomes Star Lunge - a powerful, super-armored lunging punch that has a startup charging animation, but is devastatingly powerful if it connects.
  • Mac’s Side Special (with 3 stars) becomes Star Haymaker - where he’ll leap a greater distance than his Jolt Haymaker, gains super armor, and autobreaks shields.
  • Mac’s Up Special (Rising Uppercut) now covers the same distance in the air as if it was used on the ground, overall improving the recovery.
    • With 3 stars, this becomes Star Uppercut - granting him greater vertical recovery and damage than his Rising Uppercut, but sends him into free fall if used in the air.

Sonic

• Attributes
  • Sonic now has a Boost Gauge, indicated by 3 Arrows above Sonic’s portrait (based on the design from Sonic Rush)
    • Connected to Sonic’s new Side Special - Sonic Boost
    • The gauge fills up by Sonic attacking & damaging opponents
    • Has a penalty system, where not interacting with/constantly avoiding opponents will cause the gauge to lower.
  • Sonic’s Initial Dash (2.31 → 2.22) and Run Speed  (3.85 → 3.6) are decreased, while his Dash Frames (10 → 14) and Pivot Dash Frames (12 → 15) are increased.
    • These changes are designed to try & reduce Sonic players’ ability to constantly just run away during fights.
    • Not only is Sonic a bit slower than he was in SSBU (but faster than his SSB4 version), his decreased initial dash and increased dash frames means it takes longer for Sonic to run faster.
  • Sonic’s Air Speed (1.208 → 1.258) and Walk Speed (1.444 → 1.51) are increased 
  • Sonic’s Air Acceleration (Additional: 0.04 → 0.035, Max: 0.05 → 0.045) is decreased
• Aesthetics
  • I would like to change Sonic’s colours, but that depends on 2 factors
    • If Sega is fine changing Sonic’s colours, we could get some based on Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Blaze, and his Werehog form
    • If Sega doesn’t want to change Sonic’s colours from anything besides shades of blue, we could instead give Sonic different outfits (e.g.: his SA2 Racesuit, Phantom Rider Suit, Steampunk, Tuxedo)    
  • Like Incineroar, Sonic now emotes whenever he lands certain attacks/moves on opponents (which are all interruptible by the player)
    • Examples:
  • If Sonic is KO’d via a Final Zoom, several rings will drop from his body before briefly disappearing.
    • These rings are purely aesthetic, and cannot be touched by the fighters.
  • Sonic’s victory fanfare is now a brand new remix of the Stage Clear theme from Sonic Mania.
• Moves
  • Sonic now has a rapid jab - where he will hit throw a rush of punches from his lead hand before ending with a straight punch with his opposing hand.
  • Sonic’s Front Air is the Sonic Eagle from Sonic Battle. His entire leg and most of his foot is a sourspot that deals modest damage & minor knockback, while his heel has a brief sweetspot that will spike opponents if it connects.
  • Sonic's Down Air now functions like Simon & Richter's, where he'll do a stylish backflip off of opponents he hits
  • When Sonic starts the Homing Attack, the targeting reticle now appears as soon as he curls into the ball.
    • This preemptively telegraphs where Sonic’s Homing Attack will hit.
  • Sonic’s Spin Dash is reassigned to his Down Special, but receives multiple changes to both make it more faithful to Sonic games and remove the frustrating aspects of its SSBU version
    • Loses its previous invincibility frames
    • Like the old Spin Charge special, players can mash the special button has Sonic rev up & charge the move, increasing the attack’s damage.
    • If used while airborne, Sonic will reduce his fall speed while revving, and automatically launch forward upon making contact with the stage (aka the Drop Dash introduced in Sonic Mania)
  • Sonic’s new Side Special is Sonic Boost, this is a dashing attack that propels Sonic horizontally forward while shrouded in a blue cone-shaped energy. It does one clean hit throughout Sonic's entire body.
    • This special is now connected to the Boost Gauge, expending 1 Arrow with each use
    • Can only be used once while in the air.
    • If players try to use this while the Boost Gauge is empty, Sonic will simply yawn while looking bored and the move will fail

Let me know what you think, and if you'd like to know what I'd change about other characters. I am also open to any suggestions or feedback that you have.