It goes without saying that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has been the most ambitious Smash game, let alone one of the most ambitious video game crossovers yet. With Nintendo all-stars clashing with the likes of video game icons like platforming legends Banjo-Kazooie, Steve from Minecraft, and the villain of all villains, Sephiroth, Ultimate has been the game to make many fans' dreams come true.
However, since its earliest days, speculation and Super Smash Bros. have gone hand-in-hand, with fans regularly creating their own theories and predictions for which video game all-stars they believe deserve a spot on the roster of Nintendo's trademark platform fighter. And while Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has brought a plethora of fan-favorite characters to the table, some fans are still clamoring for their favorite characters, with one notable request being Dante from Devil May Cry.
With this morning's announcement that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will appear during tomorrow's long-awaited Nintendo Direct presentation, fans have gotten Dante trending on Twitter by expressing hope for the character's inclusion in the game. Along with Crash Bandicoot and Phoenix Wright, Dante has long been speculated to join Super Smash Bros. Ultimate since its release, and there seems to be quite a bit of evidence backing up the character's possible inclusion in Smash.
One of the most popular reasons fans think Dante could come to Ultimate is Nintendo's strong relationship with Capcom. Monster Hunter Rise is set to release as a Nintendo Switch-exclusive just next month, and rumors about a Switch-focused Resident Evil game have been floating around lately as well. And while Capcom already has quite of bit of representation in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with Mega Man, Ryu, and Ken as playable characters, as well as Monster Hunter's Rathalos appearing as a boss, most of the substantial Capcom-related content in the game seems to be limited to the Street Fighter and Mega Man series. And while many fans had speculated that an announcement for Dante in Smash would tie-in with the release of Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition on the Switch last year, the character has yet to smash with the rest of them.
It's worth noting that fans have noticed other possible nods to Dante's inclusion in Smash, such as a 2018 Twitter poll created by PlatinumGames' Hideki Kamiya on which characters fans would like to see in Smash, with Dante winning by a large margin. Additionally, Brian Hanford, who serves as the English voice actor for V from Devil May Cry 5 is thought to have let Dante's inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate slip during an interview, saying, "To be part of Marvel vs Capcom or Super Smash Bros would be huge, which is what Dante is going to be."
Although many fans seem to be set on Crash Bandicoot's inclusion in Smash due to the recent announcement of Crash Bandicoot 4 for the Switch, having Dante join Smash as one of the hack-and-slash genre's most iconic representatives would make fans everywhere happy as well. Regardless, only time will tell whether the flippant Devil Hunter will join Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is available now on Switch.