Summary
The fate of the nextSuper Smash Bros.game is somewhat up in the air, and is even somewhat hampered by the success of its predecessor.Super Smash Bros. Ultimatepulled off an incredible feat with “Everyone Is Here”, and a future title isn’t likely to perfectly recreate that effect. However, one franchise has plenty of reason to return, and even more potential if it does.
Sora fromKingdom Heartswas thelast character to joinSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, by way of the Fighters Pass 2 DLC. Sora’s reveal trailer not only introduced him to the series after decades of fan requests, but served as a beautiful send-off toUltimate. Despite being given the honor of ending an era, Sora’s inclusion inSmash Bros.was previously thought unthinkable.
Kingdom Hearts 4 Has Plenty of Potential in the Next Super Smash Bros.
Sora Faced an Uphill Battle Throughout Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Final Fantasy 7’s Cloud Strife is undoubtedly Square Enix’s most iconic character, and even he was once considered an impossibility forSuper Smash Bros. Square Enix was infamously stingy with its characters and other intellectual property, soSmashwas considered too large of an outreach for the company. Against all odds, Cloud managed to make it intoSmash 4. Even more astonishing, the next game saw three other Square Enix characters join him:Dragon Quest 11’s protagonist,FF7villain Sephiroth, and of course, Sora.
Sora’s inclusion seemed even less possible than others for a few reasons. First and foremost,Kingdom Heartsas a series was born by placingFinal Fantasycharacters into various Disney worlds. If nothing else, the House of Mouse is infamous for keeping its intellectual property close to the chest. This was seen as an insurmountable roadblock, which only made Sora’s eventual reveal that much sweeter.
Kingdom Hearts 4 Gives Sora Plenty of Material for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Despite the rocky road toSuper Smash Bros., Sora’s inclusion in the crossover platform fighter remains pretty outstanding. Sora has a great stage, and some of the best costumes in the game.Kingdom Heartsmusic has relatively unimpressive representation inUltimate, but this was likely another IP complication, and could still be expanded upon in a future title. More importantly,Kingdom Hearts 4is already primed to provide even more material forthe nextSuper Smash Bros.gameto adapt.
Kingdom Hearts 4hasn’t revealed its hand yet, but some major details are still there, and they’re rather enlightening about Sora’s potential return to theSuper Smash Bros.series. For example,Kingdom Hearts 3’s endingseparated Sora from his friends once again and left him in a world called Quadratum. Quadratum would be perfect as a stage inSmash Bros., and that’s just scratching the surface.
Sora has a brand-new design inKingdom Hearts 4, and it’s one that would fit right in as an alternate costume. Furthermore, Sora’s inclusion inUltimatewas notably lacking the friends he cherishes so much. While it may be out of place, or downright impossible, for Donald or Goofy to make an appearance, the potential doesn’t stop with them. After all,Kingdom Hearts 4will likely introduce new original characters, and any one of them could potentially appear alongside Sora in futureSmash Bros. outings.
Kingdom Hearts 4speculationstill far exceeds its official news, and even less is known about the nextSuper Smash Bros.game. However, the crossover potential for both is higher than ever.Kingdom Hearts 4has already introduced a litany of new designs and concepts to the series that would feel right at home inSmash. Sora’s inclusion inUltimatewas a great final word for the game, and its successor would do well to run with this momentum.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
WHERE TO PLAY
Gaming icons clash in the ultimate brawl you may play anytime, anywhere! Smash rivals off the stage as new characters Simon Belmont and King K. Rool join Inkling, Ridley, and every fighter in Super Smash Bros. history. Enjoy enhanced speed and combat at new stages based on the Castlevania series, Super Mario Odyssey, and more!Having trouble choosing a stage? Then select the Stage Morph option to transform one stage into another while battling—a series first! Plus, new echo fighters Dark Samus, Richter Belmont, and Chrom join the battle. Whether you play locally or online, savor the faster combat, new attacks, and new defensive options, like a perfect shield. Jam out to 900 different music compositions and go 1-on-1 with a friend, hold a 4-player free-for-all, kick it up to 8-player battles and more!
