Rate These Smash Bros Characters To Get A Main For Ultimate

Unlike a number of other popular Nintendo franchises, the Super Smash Bros. series has only turned out four games in the last 20 years.

The original installment was released in 1999 for the Nintendo 64, and the crossover fighting game featured 12 playable characters — eight of whom could be utilized right out of the box and another four that could be unlocked throughout the game. The original Super Smash Bros. was an immediate success, selling over 5 million copies worldwide within the first few years of its release, and the franchise has only grown in scope and popularity since.

Now, the fifth installment is set to hit shelves on December 7th of this year, and with the Switch being Nintendo’s most popular console in a number of years, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is bound to be a smash hit.

As if another Smash Bros. title wasn’t reason enough to pick up a copy, Ultimate will feature more characters than any previous installment of the series. Every character who has already appeared will be available for play in Ultimate, along with a number of franchise newcomers — including King K. Rool from Donkey Kong fame and Ridley from the Metroid games.

But before we find out how these characters stack up to the others, let's rank the SSB characters we’ve seen to date and match with a main for Ultimate!

Question 1

Mario

The most famous video game character of all time, Mario has appeared in every Super Smash Bros. game to date, and Ultimate will be no exception. He’s a great pick for those who are new to the SSB series, as he has a very basic move set and no glaring weaknesses or overcomplicated combos.

Question 2

Donkey Kong

Much like Mario, Donkey Kong is another staple of the Super Smash Bros. franchise, having appeared in every game since the 1999 original. He is often depicted as one of the series’ strongest characters, as seen when he can carry heavy objects without being slowed down like the other characters.

Question 3

Samus

The protagonist of the Metroid series, Samus Prime was one of the earliest examples of a strong female lead being featured in a video game series. Fittingly, her character is just as impressive throughout the Super Smash Bros. games, as she has more impressive dodging and rolling skills than most other characters.

Question 4

Yoshi

Yoshi made his character debut in 1990’s Super Mario World — which is still widely considered one of the greatest Mario games ever made. Thanks to that game’s massive popularity, Yoshi was eventually given his own spin-off series, and the lovable dinosaur has also become a staple of the Mario Kart and Smash Bros. franchises.

Question 5

Kirby

Appearing in the 1999 original all the way to the upcoming Ultimate, Kirby has appeared in every Super Smash Bros. game to date. The character is a favorite amongst many SSB aficionados, as one of his abilities includes temporarily swallowing other characters and adopting their power sets — which can be a unique advantage.

Question 6

Pikachu

Much like Mario, Pikachu is one of the most popular video game characters around the world — which makes him a good fit for players who are just becoming familiar with the SSB series. Just like his character from the Pokemon games, one of Pikachu’s main attributes is his speed, mixed with his ability to perform electrical attacks.

Question 7

Luigi

Though he has still appeared in every Super Smash Bros. game to date, Luigi is often featured as a secret or unlockable character — likely because his fighting style is strikingly similar to his brother’s. However, in the newer games, some argue that Luigi’s powers are actually slightly greater than Mario’s.

Question 8

Ness

The protagonist of the 1994 game Earthbound, Ness was an unlockable character in the first Super Smash Bros. game, and he has appeared in every installment to date. In fact, the character is largely known today solely thanks to SSB, as he hasn’t appeared in many Nintendo games since making his debut into the fighting series.

Question 9

Jigglypuff

Much like Pikachu, Jigglypuff is another character from Pokemon fame who has gone on to appear in every Super Smash Bros. game to date. The character first appeared as an unlockable character, with many skills similar to those of Kirby. However, Jigglypuff is massively weaker, leading to poor tournament standings throughout the series.

Question 10

Peach

Despite being one of the most popular female characters in all of Nintendo, Princess Peach has not appeared in all of the Super Smash Bros. games. Because while she does get a mention in the original — along with one of the stages being Peach’s Castle — she did not actually make an appearance in the 1999 original.

Question 11

Bowser

Though he was originally planned to appear in the original 1999 game, Bowser didn’t end up making his appearance in the Super Smash Bros. series until 2001’s Melee. Much like the character’s appearance suggest, Bower is often portrayed as strong but slow — which usually lands him in the middle of most rankings.

Question 12

Sheik

Though she has only appeared in Ocarina of Time, Sheik is still one of the most beloved and memorable characters of The Legend of Zelda series. Though she appears as a male, she is actually revealed to be Princess Zelda in disguise, and her competent skills as a fighter made her a worthy addition to the Super Smash Bros. franchise.

Question 13

Falco

Though he may not be the protagonist of the Star Fox series, Falco is often considered the great pilot amongst his crew. The character first appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee, where he had a very similar move set to Fox McCloud in the original SSB. He often appears as an unlockable character.

Question 14

Marth

The protagonist of the Fire Emblem series, Marth wasn’t a well-known character outside of Japan before he made his debut in 2001’s Super Smash Bros. Melee. He was an unlockable character in both Melee and Brawl before being promoted to a started in Super Smash Bros. 4. He is often ranked as a top tier character.

Question 15

Mewtwo

First appearing in Melee, Mewtwo has only appeared in one other Super Smash Bros. game to date with 2014’s SSB4. However, the popular Pokemon character will return in the upcoming Ultimate. Mewtwo is notable in that the character never lifts up anything with its hands, instead relying on telekineses to lift and hurl objects at opponents.

Question 16

Roy

Similarly to Marth, Roy was another protagonist of the Fire Emblem series who was not well-known outside of Japan until the character was included in a Super Smash Bros. game. Interestingly enough, the character actually appeared in Melee before appearing in any other video game, only to show up in Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade the following year.

Question 17

Meta Knight

First appearing in 1993’s Kirby’s Adventure, Meta Knight has been portrayed as everything from an adversary to an ally of the eponymous hero. In the Super Smash Bros. games, Meta Knight has a number of moves similar to Kirby. However, the character was massively overpowered in his Brawl debut, leading to him being banned during certain tournaments.

Question 18

Pit

First appearing in 1986’s Kid Icarus, Pit underwent a massive redesign before making his Super Smash Bros. debut in 2008’s Brawl. As a result of this appearance, Pit would go on to reprise his role in the long-awaited sequel, Kid Icarus: Uprising, in 2012. The character has since appeared in SSB4 and is set to make a return in Ultimate.

Question 19

Wario

First appearing in the 1992 game Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, Wario has since become a popular Nintendo character in his own right, spawning his own series and becoming a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Wario first appeared in Brawl, where he was notable for being a hard character to KO.

Question 20

Snake

An odd inclusion to the Super Smash Bros. series, Solid Snake has only appeared in one SSB game to date with Brawl, though he is already set to appear in Ultimate. He was the first third-party character to appear in the franchise, and Snake quickly climbed to the top of the ladder when it came to tournament rankings.

Question 21

Diddy Kong

First appearing in 1994’s Donkey Kong Country for the Super NES, Diddy Kong made his Super Smash Bros. debut in 2008’s Brawl. He has strikingly different fighting style than Donkey Kong, which makes sense due to the character’s much smaller stature. He is often ranked amongst the best fighters in the two SSB games he’s appeared in to date.

Question 22

Sonic

Much like Solid Snake, Sonic the Hedgehog was one of the first third-party characters to appear in a Super Smash Bros. game. As one might expect, the character’s speed is his main attribute, and he is one of the fastest fighters to appear in any SSB installment. However, it was his appearance in SSB4 that earned him his top-tier ranking.

Question 23

King Dedede

First appearing in 1992’s Kirby’s Dream Land, King Dedede is often portrayed as the rival of the series protagonist. The character made his Super Smash Bros. debut with 1992’s Brawl, where he appeared with his iconic hammer from the Kirby series, which was often the source of many of Dedede’s most powerful attacks.

Question 24

Lucario

Lucario made its debut in the fourth generation of Pokemon games in 2005, earning the character an appearance in the Super Smash Bros. franchise three years later with Brawl. Lucario is notable in that its attacks actually get stronger with the more damage the character takes, couples with wall clings that are unparalleled by any other character.

Question 25

Mega Man

First appearing in 2014’s Super Smash Bros, 4, Mega Man is set to make his second appearance in the fighting franchise with this year’s Ultimate. The character quickly became a favorite of those who prefer ranged attacks, as he has a number of weapons in his arsenal. His moveset is expected to largely be the same in the upcoming installment.

Question 26

Rosalina

Though she often draws a comparison to Princess Peach, Rosalina has a number of notable differences that set her apart from the iconic Mario character. The character first appeared in 2007’s Super Mario Galaxy before making her debut in the fighting franchise with Super Smash Bros. 4 — where she is paired with Luma.

Question 27

Little Mac

First appearing in the 1986 game Punch Out!! for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Little Mac wouldn’t make his debut into the Super Smash Bros. franchise until Brawl. However, Little Mac only appeared as an assist trophy in the 2008 game, and he wouldn’t become a playable character until SSB4 a few years later.

Question 28

Greninja

A sixth generation Pokemon, Greninja first appeared in Super Smash Bros. 4. The character had impressive speed, promising KO potential, and a number of great combos upon its debut, though some of its abilities were eventually nerfed in an update. The character will be an unlockable addition in the upcoming Ultimate.

Question 29

Palutena

Before she became a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4, Palutena has a number of mentions and brief appearances in Melee and Brawl thanks to her connection with Pit from the Kid Icarus series. Unfortunately, the character’s proper debut really left something to be desired, as she has an overall unimpressive array of offensive and defensive moves.

Question 30

Pac-Man

One of the most classic icons of video gaming, Pac-Man recently made his debut in Super Smash Bros. 4. However, the character is consistently ranked amongst the worst fighters in the game thanks to many of his projectile attacks being able to be parried with ease. Hopefully, this is something that will be remedied in the forthcoming Ultimate.

Question 31

Bowser Jr.

Much like Pac-Man, Bowser Jr. was another character who made his debut in Super Smash Bros. 4 to underwhelming results. Unlike his father, who is often ranked amongst the more powerful fighters in the games, Bowser Jr. is prone to a number of lags that put him well below most other fighters.

Question 32

Ryu

Despite being the main character of the Street Fighter series — which is widely considered one of the best competitive fighting games of all time — Ryu didn’t make his debut into the Super Smash Bros. franchise until SSB4. Here, Ryu was a downloadable character who quickly became ranked amongst the best fighters in the game.

Question 33

Cloud Strife

One of the most beloved protagonists of the Final Fantasy series, Cloud Strife made his debut in the fighting franchise with Super Smash Bros. 4, bringing his iconic Buster Sword with him. Thanks to this massive weapon, Cloud Strife has impressive range and quick attacks to boot, making him a favorite amongst many players.

Question 34

Corrin

As a result of Corrin only being a downloadable character in the more-recent Super Smash Bros. 4, there’s a good chance that many players haven’t even become familiar with this Fire Emblem character. That being said, Corrin has already raked in some impressive tournament stats, making him one of the strongest fighters in the latest installment.

Question 35

Shulk

Thanks to his weapon, the Monado, Shulk has the longest reach of any sword-wielding character in the entire franchise. However, the character is notoriously slow, which puts him toward the middle-bottom of most ranking lists. The character will be featured as an unlockable fighter in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Question 36

Lucas

Before appearing in Super Smash Bros., Lucas had only ever appeared in the Japanese game Mother 3 — an installment of the Earthbound series that Ness is from. In fact, Lucas was originally meant to replace Ness in Melee, but due to time restraints, he didn’t end up making his debut until Brawl was released a few years later.

Question 37

Dr. Mario

After appearing in a number of Mario games — including his own series — Dr. Mario made his debut in SSB in 2001’ Melee as an unlockable character. Here, Dr. Mario is actually ranked as a slightly better fighter than his original counterpart thanks to his ability to knock out opponents easier than Mario can.

Question 38

Toon Link

After appearing in The Legend of Zelda games Four Swords and The Wind Waker, Toon Link made his first appearance in a Super Smash Bros. game with 2008’s Brawl. His moveset is very similar to other incarnations of the character, but Toon Link actually has a higher fighting stats overall.

Question 39

Mr. Game & Watch

When he debuted in Melee, Mr. Game & Watch was arguably one of the worst SSB characters to date. But his abilities were massively buffed in Brawl, skyrocketing him from one of the worst to one of the best. So where you land on Mr. Game & Watch will probably be dependent on which games you prefer.

Question 40

Captain Olimar

A main character of the Pikmin series, Captain Olimar first appeared in a Super Smash Bros. game with 2008’s Brawl. Thanks to his ability to summon different Pikmin into the fight, Captain Olimar was immediately one of the strongest characters in the game. But this was eventually nerfed in SSB4.

Question 41

Ike

Appearing in Brawl, SSB4, and the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Ike is a main character in the Fire Emblem series — first showing up in the 2005 installment Path of Radiance. Ike is known for being a very powerful character thanks to his sword attacks, but he is also notoriously slow.

Question 42

Duck Hunt

After making brief appearances in a few earlier Smash Bros. titles, the Duck Hunt characters made their debut proper in SSB4. The team is not only made up of the dog and duck, but a third, unseen character who is able to fire shots at the screen — much like the original Duck Hunt game itself.

Question 43

Pokemon Trainer

The Pokemon Trainer made his Super Smash Bros. debut in 2008’s Brawl, where he was controlled by the player who subsequently controls the Pokemon the Trainer sends into battle — in this instance, the collection included Ivysaur, Charizard, and Squirtle. This unique fighting style was no doubt a steep learning curve to series’ newcomers.

Question 44

Ice Climbers

While they are consistently ranked amongst the past fighters in their respective games, the Ice Climbers can be a difficult duo to learn how to fight with. For one, the character only controls one player at a time, though the other character follows along and can be just as vulnerable to attacks.

Question 45

Bayonetta

Appearing as one of the downloadable characters in Super Smash Bros. 4, Bayonetta is a witch who practices black magic — which can be utilized during her Witch Time attack. This slows down other players and leaves them more vulnerable to be knocked out. She is set to appear in the upcoming Ultimate.

Question 46

R.O.B.

The R.O.B., or Robotic Operating Buddy, was originally a device that was sold by Nintendo back in the 1980s to increase video game sales. But because of its unique place in history, the “character” has since popped up in a number of video games, including the SSB franchise, beginning with 2008’s Brawl.

Question 47

Mii Fighters

These three fighters — the Mii Brawler, Mii Gunner, and Mii Swordfighter — have been met with their fair share of backlash from Super Smash Bros. enthusiastic. Not only are the characters unpopular, they’ve also been banned from a number of competitive fighting tournaments due to their unpredictable and customizable movesets.

Question 48

Zelda

While Sheik may have more notoriety as a fighter, Princess Zelda brings a unique style of combat of her own to the table in the Super Smash Bros. series. Many of her attacks rely upon magic, making her a match for anyone who prefers to keep a distance from their opponents. However, her slow speed usually results in poor rankings.

Question 49

Wii Fit Trainer

Much like the character from the Wii Fit games, the Wii Fit Trainer uses his/ her exercise moves to take on opponents in the Super Smash Bros. universe — though the Wii Fit Trainer has consistently low fighting stats. The character has only appeared in one game to date, though it is also set to appear in the upcoming Ultimate.

Question 50

Villager

Inspired from the character in the Animal Crossing franchise, the Villager is a newer entry to the Super Smash Bros. universe, showing up in SSB4 as a playable character. The Villager has a number of successful projectile attacks, though he doesn’t have a ton of KO power — ranking him in the middle of most lists.

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