Super Smash Bros. Ultimate ended up with one of the largest and most diverse rosters in fighting game history with over 80 combatants, but there’s still plenty of others who didn’t quite make the list.
One of those left out who could have fit in was the Monster Hunter, so a couple of very talented individuals set out to add her in by recreating Smash Ultimate as well as the game’s trailer style — and this is the impressive final result.
Animator TuxedoPato and 3D Artist TuxedWhale just released their fan project that remade Smash Ultimate in the Unreal Engine while also designing the Monster Hunter’s moves for a very accurate looking reveal trailer.
The trailer starts with the Hunter in her Rathalos armor having set a food trap for King K. Rool before blasting him off with a rolling greatsword strike and giving us her character intro screen.
Monster Hunter X Smash Bros!
I recreated SSBU with @TuxedWhale in Unreal Engine and put in the Hunter. I did the programming, design, animation (including copying SSBU animations), and about half the VFX. It was a lot of work, but it was fun! pic.twitter.com/ViAn3wY1R2
— Martin (@TuxedoPato) February 5, 2024
We’re treated to a bunch more Smash-style visual gags like the Hunter hiding in the grass on Duck Hunt’s stage, snacking on items, using a smoke bomb to hide from Donkey Kong and chasing Yoshi before getting chased herself by Charizard across the other side of the screen.
TuxedoPato also notes this trailer even tells a story with the Hunter taking down smaller creatures with ease yet struggling against the big boys until she trains herself up.
This project wasn’t apparently simply just an animation either, they seem to have created something of a custom Smash build in Unreal, so she’s not even a mod character.
While there are many things missing, I did my best to replicate the animation style and mechanics of SSBU, including how inputs are buffered. The Hunter has over 200 animations right now
When my brother and I tested it, it felt like playing SSBU, so I think it was successful pic.twitter.com/MTqK4fCBOS
— Martin (@TuxedoPato) February 5, 2024
On top of that, they made the Hunter controllable with her own moveset using a multitude of weapons and even a Final Smash to boot.
They claim to have started down this journey back in April 2023, so it took almost a whole year to put together and certainly looks like it from all of the effort put in.
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is not specifically mentioned anywhere, but some of the Hunter’s animations are also looking pretty similar to her only official fighting game inclusion there too.
Each “Special” move (except for Up Special) switches to a different weapon that’s simpler than the default moveset. Neutral is Bow, Side is Lance, and Down is Hammer. Just like Monster Hunter, you cannot dash while the weapon is equipped and it must be sheathed before you can pic.twitter.com/sBvirZiCVs
— Martin (@TuxedoPato) February 5, 2024
Although it’s really awesome to look at, TuxedoPato states that he will not be releasing this project to the public and that it was made for fun.
So all we can do is enjoy this and hope that this is what the Monster Hunter may look like if she ever gets into a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Deluxe or something.