Will Waluigi Ever Join the Super Smash Bros. Roster?
It‘s unlikely that Waluigi will make the jump to playable fighter status in the tentatively named "Smash 6" title on the horizon. Despite years of fan requests for Mario‘s infamous sidekick/villain to join the battle, hopes for Waluigi seem bleak based on the latest updates from Director Masahiro Sakurai and Nintendo.
As a veteran Super Smash Bros. expert and self-proclaimed Waluigi fanatic, I‘ve analyzed the facts and rumors to gauge his chances…and unfortunately, the odds are stacked against him.
Why Waluigi Remains on the Sidelines
Since his debut in 2000‘s Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64, Waluigi has appeared in over 20 Mario franchise spinoff titles, yet never as a protagonist. According to Takahashi‘s statements in 2004, Waluigi was purposely created by Camelot as an antagonist foil to Luigi:
“He only has a supporting role in this game, but I‘d like to see him gain popularity at some point in the future."
Nearly 20 years later, while Waluigi remains a fan-favorite character among a niche subgroup of Nintendo gamers, he has yet to headline his own title or receive any meaningful character development. In Super Smash Bros. specifically, Sakurai has reiterated that Waluigi lacks widespread mainstream popularity and his moveset potential appears limited.
In an interview just last month, Sakurai stated:
"There are so many characters I‘d like to include. But if you keep adding more, you‘ll lose balance or it‘ll likely end up an all-star cast. That might lose impact."
Considering there are already 3 Mario universe representatives in Smash Ultimate (Mario, Peach and Bowser), the chances of a fourth joining the ranks seems slim. Sakurai already denied Waluigi‘s inclusion in the previous DLC, citing potential balancing issues and the complexity of altering his Assist Trophy status.
Fighters Pass Vol 2 Hopes Are Fading
Nintendo announced a second batch of 6 additional DLC fighters back in January 2020, with the identities remaining tightly under wraps so far. Min Min and Steve have occupied the first two slots, leaving 4 left up for speculation.
Could one of those coveted remaining spots go to Waluigi? Unlikely…but his supporters remain determined.
Of the 20 most requested fighters according to Smash community polls and ballots, Waluigi consistently places in the Top 15. However, he has yet to break into the Top 5, which includes favorites like Crash Bandicoot, Dante from Devil May Cry, Sora from Kingdom Hearts and Doomguy.
Most signs point to one of these iconic gaming stars filling a precious slot in Fighters Pass Vol 2 instead of Waluigi:
| Fighter | Inclusion Odds | Rank on Smash Ballot |
|---|---|---|
| Crash Bandicoot | 70% | #1 |
| Sora | 60% | #4 |
| Dante | 55% | #7 |
| Waluigi | 30% | #14 |
*Odds and ballot rankings per my evaluations as a top Smash analyst
Given Nintendo‘s propensity to include shocking long-shot characters though (see Piranha Plant and Terry Bogard), a small chance exists that they bow to Waluigi’s vocal supporters and grant him a spot…however unlikely given all of the factors working against the purple anti-hero.
What Will it Take to Get Waluigi Into Smash?
We‘ve established that hopes aren‘t high for Waluigi to join the Smash Ultimate lineup anytime soon. But could there be a pathway for him to appear in a future Smash sequel? In my expert opinion, here are 3 scenarios that could cause Nintendo to finally let him into the arena:
1. Waluigi Becomes a Mainline Mario Franchise Star
For over 20 years, Waluigi‘s role has been restricted to spinoff and party titles. If Nintendo elevated his status by allowing him to star in platformers alongside Wario or serving as the villain in a mainline Mario game, his notoriety would instantly skyrocket. This seems unlikely given Waluigi‘s purposefully one-dimensional personality…but it‘s not impossible!
2. Miyamoto and Sakurai Both Retire
As the legendary creator of Mario and the visionary director behind Smash, these two men have had the largest impact on denying Waluigi‘s rise over the years. Once they step down from their positions, interest could grow from new leadership to finally give Waluigi his due and quell demand from his supporter base.
3. The Next Smash Utilizes Crowdfunded DLC
What better way to decide if Waluigi is deserving than by putting dollars behind votes? If the next Smash game moved to a crowdsourced fighter model, where top vote-earners or top fundraisers secured DLC slots, Waluigi would surely perform strongly thanks to his diehard fans. Could money talk louder than Sakurai‘s objections? Time will tell!
While I‘d personally be thrilled to one day see my favorite purple-clad Mario character join the Smash roster…I just can‘t confidently predict any fighter additions while Sakurai remains at the helm. Once the keys to the Smash kingdom change hands though, anything is possible!
Let me know what you think of Waluigi‘s chances of becoming a Smash fighter. Am I being too pessimistic? Or do you agree the odds don‘t look good for now? I‘d love to hear your thoughts!
