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At this year's E3, Nintendo revealed that Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai (fresh off of Kid Icarus: Uprising) is working on a new installment for both the Wii U and the 3DS.

Needless to say, I’m quite excited. I’ve always wanted to play Smash Bros. on the go, and now it looks like it’s finally going to happen.

But what about the roster? When Capcom announced Marvel vs. Capcom 3, I wrote a piece that guessed at its character list, even though I only had knowledge of the six fighters shown in the debut trailer. Continuing in the spirit of that post and armed with even less information (no title, no trailer…no nothing), I’m going to attempt to take a few guesses at some of the new characters we might see in the upcoming sequel.

 

Waluigi (various series)

He’s wormed his way into every other Mario title for the past 10 years, so why would Smash Bros. be any different? Though he only showed up in the previous installment as an assist character, Waluigi would fit right into the cast, despite the hatred most Nintendo fans have for him.

Issac or Matthew (Golden Sun series)

Super Smash Bros. Brawl’s Assist Trophies offer a lot of insight into what we might see in terms of new characters. Nintendo could easily flesh out Golden Sun's Isaac (who appeared as a Trophy) and his Psynergy move into a full brawler.

Since Smash Bros. is moving into the portable space, it makes sense to incorporate Nintendo’s handheld-only series. While Isaac is definitely a fan favorite, his son Matthew's recent adventure in Golden Sun: Dark Dawn might prove more relevant.

Tingle (The Legend of Zelda series)

No…. Just…no….

Despite the fact the he was an assist character in Brawl and he's received his own game (Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland, which never made it to the U.S.), Tingle will not be a combatant. Unless of course, he is. Did anyone think Jigglypuff would make the cut?

Little Mac (Punch-Out!! series)

Punch-Out!! made its return on the Wii in 2009, and with its release, Little Mac has moved back into the public eye. Little Mac was also an assist character in Brawl, but with a full-fledged move set, this underdog could offer an interesting close-combat experience in the vein of Captain Falcon.

See page two for speculation about non-Nintendo guest characters!

Another Sonic character (Sonic series)

Whether it’s Knuckles, Tails, Shadow, Metal Sonic, or Dr. Robotnik — I refuse to call him Eggman — it seems like a no-brainer to add in another furry friend from the blue blur’s repertoire. While I'm hoping for Knuckles, my money is sadly on Shadow.

Professor Layton (Professor Layton series)

With five games out in Japan and news that the fourth and final DS installment is coming to the States, the Level 5-developed Professor Layton series has been a huge feather in Nintendo’s cap. The Smash Bros. series' arrival on a handheld marks the perfect time to unleash the puzzling professor's pugilistic proficiency. (Seriously, have you seen him with a sword!?)

Mega Man (Mega Man series)

Character co-creator Keiji Inafune’s departure from Capcom could make the inclusion of Mega Man in Smash Bros. either more or less likely. It's possible that Inafune had been keeping the Blue Bomber's guest appearances to a minimum. At the same time, his departure could mean that Capcom will scale back Mega Man’s presence as a brand. In any case, Rockman would certainly fit right in alongside a character like Samus.

Klonoa (Klonoa series)

While not he's not the biggest coup Nintendo could achieve, Namco's Klonoa would easily gel with the current Smash Bros. roster. Since he's a "dream traveler," he could fit into whatever silly plot Nintendo might come up with — which will hopefully be better than Brawl’s ridiculous Subspace Emissary mode.

Also, though it's been a while, Link's appearance in the GameCube version of Soulcalibur 2 may indicate a good working relationship between Namco and Nintendo.

Rayman (Rayman series)

Ubisoft’s lighthearted mascot — I think Ezio and Altair might be a bit too violent for the series — already appeared on the Wii in multiple games, including the highly successful Rayman Raving Rabbids spin-offs. Also, Ubisoft announced the multiplatorm Rayman Origins for the Wii at E3. But more than anything, I think he’s an appropriate addition.

A Resident Evil character (Resident Evil series)

I know I said Ezio and Altair may be too violent for the series, but with two different 3DS Resident Evil titles on the way, it appears that Nintendo and Capcom are getting pretty cozy. Also, Solid Snake has already established a precedent for the inclusion of more realistic, modern weapons.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see a less gruesome character like Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield, though Leon Kennedy seems most likely. His Resident Evil 4 debut on the GameCube gives him a history with Nintendo, and he is one the franchise's few main characters that hasn't yet appeared in a fighting game.

So…those are my best guesses! What do you guys think? Will Snake be back? Will he bring Raiden with him? What franchises and characters do you think will make the cut? What Pokémon will Nintendo choose this time? Who might get dropped? I hope Lucas returns. Will Roy make his triumphant return?