Chalk up another returning fighter for the upcoming fourth Super Smash Bros. game. Marth, one of the most iconic characters from Nintendo’s long-running strategy RPG series Fire Emblem, will be making his third appearance in both the Wii U and 3DS versions of the next installment in the popular fighting game series.
Originally making his debut in the Japan-only first Fire Emblem NES game, Marth made his first Western appearance not in his own series, but in the 2001 Gamecube title Super Smash Bros. Melee, along with fellow Japan-only Fire Emblem character Roy. Since then, most recent games in the Fire Emblem franchise have been translated and released outside of Japan, including the DS title Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, itself an updated remake of Marth’s original game.
An interesting thing to note is that while Marth is not the only Fire Emblem character to appear in Smash Bros., he is so far the longest-lasting. Roy did not return for Super Smash Bros. Brawl on the Wii, instead replaced by the more recent character Ike. At this point, things seem up in the air whether Ike will himself return. I’d personally say there’s a good chance of him being replaced by Chrom, lead character of this year’s fantastic 3DS title, Fire Emblem: Awakening, but only time will tell.
With the addition of Marth, the total number of announced characters for Super Smash Bros. now goes up to 18. The confirmed characters include Marth, Sonic, Toon Link, Peach, Luigi, Captain Olimar, Villager, Mario, Donkey Kong, Mega Man, Link, Wii Fit Trainer, Samus, Kirby, Fox, Pikachu, Bowser, and Pit.
We will keep you updated as more character announcements regarding Super Smash Bros. are made. In the meantime, let us know your thoughts on Marth’s confirmation in the comments section below, and also check out this new gallery of screenshots showing him in action.
