Super Smash Bros. Ultimate received its final content update on October 8th with the inclusion of Sora from Kingdom Hearts. The reveals of each DLC character generated incredible amounts of hype among Smash fans and completely overshadowed one notable aspect of the game's original announcement: the Echo Fighters.
After the announcement that new characters who were similar to existing characters would be called Echo Fighters, many fans thought that there would be additional Echo Fighters added as DLC to Smash Bros. Ultimate. Other fans believed that pre-existing "clone" characters like Dark Pit and Doctor Mario would be reclassified as Echo Fighters but no characters were ever reclassified and no new Echo Fighters were ever added to the game post-launch.
9 Bowser's Echo Fighter Could Have Been His Undead Form, Dry Bowser
Dry Bowser was a boss from New Super Mario Bros. whose skeleton body was the result of Bowser falling into lava after a battle with the Mario Brothers. Instead of fading into obscurity after this appearance, Dry Bowser has shown up in Mario Kart, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, Dr. Mario World, and more Nintendo titles.
As an Echo Fighter, Dry Bowser would have set himself apart from Bowser by weighing less and being faster than the original due to being a living skeleton. Dry Bowser's moveset wouldn't have to differ drastically from Bowser's, but one interesting move he could have gained would involve falling apart and becoming momentarily invincible like the Dry Bones enemies from the Mario series.
8 Many of Sonic's Friends And Foes Could Have Improved Sonic's Moves
Echo Fighters usually resemble the original fighter, so there are many options to choose from since most Sonic characters have similar proportions to Sonic himself. Tails, Amy, Blaze, and Silver might be the most obvious choices for Sonic's Echo Fighter but Metal Sonic would have fit the role best.
As Sonic's Echo Fighter, Metal Sonic would have had the chance to expand upon Sonic's somewhat boring moveset with new moves involving his claws and Plasma Pulse Beam. He also would have floated slightly like Samus' Echo Fighter, Dark Samus. Although a Final Smash like Sonic's wouldn't have bothered any fans, a transformation into Neo Metal Sonic or even Metal Overlord would have been fitting Final Smashes for Metal Sonic.
7 Birdo Used To Serve As Yoshi's "Echo" In Most Mario Spin-Offs
Birdo's appearances as a playable character have slowed down in recent years, but Birdo used to serve as Yoshi's partner or rival in nearly every Mario sports, racing, and party game. This was especially apparent during the GameCube and Wii's eras, where she notably appeared in games like Mario Kart: Double Dash, Mario Hoops, and Mario Strikers: Charged.
As Yoshi's Echo Fighter, Birdo would have remained pretty faithful to Yoshi's moveset but with major changes involving Birdo's use of eggs compared to Yoshi's. Yoshi's eggs are thrown in arcs while Birdo's have always been fired from her mouth (or is it a nose?) in a straight line. Birdo also lacks Yoshi's Flutter Jump, but these changes would have given Yoshi mains new strategies to work with and a fun new character to play as.
6 Kirby Shares Many Abilities With Gooey
The point of Echo Fighters seemed to be to save development time by making characters with few new features. Gooey from Kirby's Dream Land 2 and Kirby Star Allies would have been a great counterpart for Kirby because they share so many qualities.
Gooey shared some abilities with Kirby in Star Allies, like parasol attacks, turning into stone, and a speedy fireball transformation, which are all attacks that Kirby has used in the Smash Bros. series. Instead of transforming into other fighters like Kirby, Gooey could have utilized attacks and transformations inspired by Kirby bosses and his "parent", Dark Matter. One possible issue with Gooey as an Echo Fighter might have been his movement differing greatly from Kirby's own, considering Gooey's lack of feet, but at least Gooey's 3D models are simple.
5 Donkey Kong Could Have Been Joined By The Funkiest Kong
Funky Kong has worn many hats over the years, having shown up as a surfer, pilot, mechanic, and even an arms dealer. Despite his many roles, Funky has always remained an ally to Donkey Kong, Diddy, and the rest of the heroic Kongs.
Funky Kong is nearly identical to Donkey Kong besides their different wardrobes, which would have made creating him a bit easier. Funky's moveset would have been similar as well, but may have included a popgun like Diddy Kong's own projectile attack to reference his role in Donkey Kong 64. Like his appearance in Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze, Funky might have used his surfboard to perform higher jumps and slower falls, and it's possible that he may have used the surfboard in some physical attacks as well.
4 Many Robots Could Have Copied Megaman
There is a veritable army of characters from the Megaman series and its spinoffs who could function as Megaman's Echo Fighter. Some characters that resemble Megaman the most are Bass and Megaman's sister, Roll. Even some villains from the series could function as his replacement, like Elecman, who was an assist trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U but removed in Ultimate.
Each of these characters could have functioned as Megaman's Echo Fighter but with their own twists on Megaman's moveset. Bass could have played nearly identically to Megaman with Treble stand in for Megaman's Rush. Roll could have used her red Mega Buster, comical cleaning techniques, and Tango instead of Rush. Elecman and other Robot Masters would have just replaced Megaman's attacks with appropriate replacements using their different elemental powers and weapons.
3 Solid Snake And Liquid Snake's Battle Could Have Continued
Much of the Metal Gear Solid series revolved around the antagonistic and deadly relationship between Solid Snake and his "brother," Liquid Snake. It would have been fitting for their battle to spill into Smash Bros., just as Cloud and Sephiroth's did in Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Liquid Snake's fighting style has usually been less subtle, and more destructive than Solid Snake's own, so that could have been represented in Liquid's moves by using different weapons, having larger explosions, and being generally flashier than Solid Snake. Liquid's Final Smash might have included his skills as a Metal Gear operator and helicopter pilot but we will never know for sure.
2 There Could Have Been More Than One Pokemon Trainer
Every Super Smash Bros. game has introduced new Pokemon to play as and some of them have played similarly to pre-existing characters, like Pikachu and Pichu. This has never happened to Smash's Pokemon Trainer or their Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard, but maybe it should have.
Nintendo had nearly 900 Pokemon to choose from if they included a second Pokemon Trainer. They could have chosen a Pokemon whose type has not been represented in Smash Bros. yet, meaning any Ghost, Rock, Bug, Ground, or Ice Type Pokemon would have been good choices. They also could have used 3 Pokemon from unrepresented generations, like generations 3, 5, and 8. Realistically, the Pokemon would have to be similar enough to Pokemon Trainer's current Pokemon, so a cross-generational trainer with Pokemon like Blaziken, Servine, and Sobble could have worked.
1 Inkling Could Easily Be Replaced By Octolings
Octolings could easily replace Inkling as Echo Fighters because they are already functionally identical in Splatoon 2. Splatoon 2 featured both Inklings and Octolings using various ink-based weaponry in their turf wars, and the Octolings could have used weapons from Splatoon 2 that are similar to Inkling's but are different models. Some examples include replacing Inkling's Splattershot with the Splattershot Jr. or Inkling's Splat Roller with the Octobrush.
Additionally, Marina of Off The Hook fame could have served as an Octoling skin or even Inkling's Echo Fighter entirely, with Pearl firing her Princess Cannon serving as Marina's Final Smash.