Super Smash Bros Ultimate Characters Guide: Complete Roster, Tier List & Unlock Tips

Man, when I first booted up Super Smash Bros Ultimate and saw that character select screen... wow. That initial moment seeing all 70+ fighters was like Christmas morning. But then the reality hit - how do you even begin to navigate this massive Smash Ultimate roster? Back when I was grinding to unlock everyone, I remember getting stomped by that stupid Mii Swordfighter challenger three times in a row. Almost threw my controller.

This guide's gonna save you that frustration. We're diving deep into every aspect of Smash Ultimate characters - who's here, how to get 'em, who's worth your time, and what makes this roster special. Whether you're just starting out or trying to master that last DLC fighter, consider this your battlefield manual.

Every Single Fighter on the Smash Ultimate Roster

Let's get straight to the meat of it - that unbelievable character list. Remember when Smash 4 launched with 58 fighters? Ultimate said "hold my beer" and smashed that record with 89 playable characters when you count echoes. Crazy growth from the original's 12 characters!

Base Game Characters Breakdown

The core Smash Ultimate roster comes with 74 fighters right out the box (well, after you unlock them all). What's wild is how they've preserved EVERY veteran while adding newcomers. Here's how it breaks down:

That moment when you finally unlock King K. Rool after hours of gameplay... chef's kiss. Worth every minute.

DLC Characters - The Full Fighters Pass Breakdown

Nintendo kept the party going with DLC characters across two Fighters Passes. Honestly, some of these picks shocked me - like that Joker from Persona 5 announcement? Nobody saw that coming. Here's what you get:

Quick tip? If you're just grabbing individual Smash Ultimate characters, they cost $5.99 each. But the passes save you about 20% overall. That money adds up fast - ask my wallet.

The Fastest Way to Unlock Every Character

Okay, real talk - unlocking all Smash Ultimate characters through normal play takes forever. I timed it once - about 8 hours if you do it inefficiently. Here's how to speedrun it like a pro:

• Classic Mode Route: Beat Classic Mode with starting characters. Each completion unlocks someone new. Mario unlocks Yoshi, Yoshi unlocks Captain Falcon, etc.
• VS Match Method: Play 1-stock matches against CPU. After each match, quit to menu and restart. New challenger appears every 10 minutes.
• Adventure Mode Shortcut: Clear World of Light's first dungeon (takes 20 mins) to get 10+ fighters instantly.

Remember that time I lost to Duck Hunt at 3AM? Yeah, not my finest gaming moment.

Who Should You Main? Character Tier List Breakdown

Let's cut through the noise about Smash Ultimate fighters. Tier lists can be controversial - I've seen friends argue for hours over placements. Based on tournament data and my own lab sessions, here's how things shake out in current meta:

Top Tier Characters (Tournament Dominators)

These Smash Bros Ultimate characters consistently make top 8 at majors:

I'll be honest - fighting a good Pikachu makes me want to rage quit sometimes. That back-air is stupidly good.

Most Beginner-Friendly Smash Characters

New to Smash? Don't start with Ryu. These four won't punish you for basic mistakes:

• Lucina: Consistent sword hits, no sweetspots to worry about. My go-to recommendation for new players.
• Mario: Balanced everything. Cap jump, fireballs, up-smash - all fundamentals.
• King K. Rool: Heavy armor survives longer. Crown throw covers approaches nicely.
• Bowser: Fast for heavy, command grab kills early. Side-B is a noob killer.

When my niece started playing, we put her on Lucina. She took her first stock within 15 minutes. Proud uncle moment.

Most Overrated Fighters in Smash Ultimate

Hot take incoming! These popular Smash Ultimate characters aren't nearly as good as people claim:

Ganondorf - Yeah, he hits like a truck. But you know what trucks don't do? Turn corners. His recovery is actual garbage. One good edgeguard and it's game over.

Sonic - Watching two Sonics fight is like watching paint dry. Spin dash spam gets predictable fast at higher levels. Plus his kill options are limited outside smash attacks.

Little Mac - Ground game? Fantastic. Air game? Non-existent. On any stage with platforms, decent players will juggle you forever. That recovery might be the worst in the game.

DLC Deep Dive: Are the New Smash Ultimate Characters Worth It?

That $30 Fighters Pass isn't cheap. Let's analyze each newcomer so you don't waste money:

Must-Buy DLC Fighters

These three justify their price tag in my book:

• Sora: Unique float mechanics, magic combos. Magic > Firaga > dash attack works at low percents. Recovery is bonkers good.
• Sephiroth: Massive sword range. Winged form at 60%+ makes him terrifying. Down-B counter breaks shields like paper.
• Kazuya Mishima: Brutal 10-hit combos if you master electric wind god fist. Rage Drive mechanic turns fights around.

  Personal confession: I dropped Kazuya after two weeks. His crouch dash inputs made my thumbs cramp up. Maybe I'm just getting old.

  DLC Characters You Can Skip

  Unless you're a completionist, these aren't essential:

  Min Min: Her long-range pokes feel oppressive in casual play but top players adapted fast. Linear recovery gets exploited hard. ARMS rep feels more like a gimmick.

  Byleth: Slow movement kills the flow. Why play this when you have Simon/Richter with better projectiles? Only redeemer is up-B recovery catching ledges from insane angles.

  Plant Piranha: Free pre-order bonus, plays like one. Weird hitboxes and sluggish attacks. Only fun for trolling with down-B poison clouds.

  Advanced Character Guides: Pro Tactics for Top Fighters

  Let's get into the lab. These aren't beginner combos - they're tournament proven techniques I've stolen from top players:

  Pikachu Quick Attack Cancels

  Pika's recovery is already S-tier. But mastering Quick Attack (up-B) cancels makes it busted:

  • Approach ledge at 45-degree angle
  • Input up-B toward stage, immediately hold opposite direction
  • Pika will snap ledge without lag
  • Bonus: You can edgeguard with thunder jolt first

  Took me three hours straight in training mode to get consistent. Now I can do it blindfolded (not really, but almost).

  Joker Rebel's Guard Mind Games

  Bad Jokers spam counter. Good Jokers use Rebel's Guard to manipulate:

  1. Against projectile characters (Samus, Belmonts), absorb 4-5 shots to build 30% Arsene meter
  2. In advantage state, intentionally whiff Rebel's Guard to bait aggression
  3. After knockdown, place Guard where opponent MUST tech through it

  Watching MKLeo do this at EVO 2019 changed how I play Joker forever.

  Terry Bogard's GO! Moves

  At 100%+, Terry gets special command inputs. These kill stupid early:

  Move	Input	Damage	Kill Percent	Tips
  Power Geyser	↓↘→ + A	32%	60% center stage	Use after down throw
  Buster Wolf	↓↘→↓↘→ + A	40%	40% near ledge	True combo off jab at close range

  Nothing more satisfying than yelling "POWAH GEYSAH!" when you land it. My neighbors probably think I'm insane.

  Frequently Asked Questions About Smash Ultimate Characters

  How many characters are in Smash Ultimate total?

  Base game has 74 fighters (including echoes). With both Fighters Passes, you hit 89 unique Smash Ultimate characters. Makes it the biggest crossover in gaming history.

  Can you still unlock characters after beating World of Light?

  Yep! Clearing World of Light gives you everyone EXCEPT the DLC fighters. You'll still need to unlock base game characters through VS mode or buy the DLC separately.

  Who's the hardest character to master in Smash Ultimate?

  Hands down, Kazuya. His electric wind god fist requires frame-perfect inputs (just 3 frames!). Not to mention crouch dash movement is unintuitive. Steve is a close second with block placement tech.

  Are Mii Fighters worth playing competitively?

  Surprisingly, yes - especially Mii Brawler. Top players like WaDi have shown their potential. Shot Put projectile kills early, and feint jump recovery mixes up landings. Just customize specials carefully.

  Which Smash Ultimate characters got the biggest buffs in recent patches?

  Patch 13.0.1 (last balance update) helped Kirby significantly. Up-tilt combos better, down-B has less endlag. Zelda also got phantom knight buffs - the thing kills at 80% now near ledge.

  Why does my character unlock progress reset sometimes?

  Common glitch if you close software during unlock sequence. Fix: Go to Vault > Challenges > reset the "Challenger's Approach" counter by completing any challenge. Should reappear in 20 minutes.

  Final Thoughts on This Ridiculous Roster

  After 500+ hours with Smash Ultimate characters, here's my take: This roster shouldn't exist. The licensing alone must've been hell. Getting Snake AND Sora? Cloud AND Sephiroth? Sakurai pulled off a miracle.

  But man, some choices still baffle me. Why three Fire Emblem swordies that play almost identical? Why no Waluigi? That still stings. Yet when I'm landing Ken's shoryuken cancels or spiking with King Dedede's down-air, none of that matters.

  At the end of the day, what makes Smash Ultimate fighters special is there's truly someone for everyone. My competitive side mains Joker. When I'm tired, I spam Samus missiles. And when friends come over? Nothing beats 8-player smash with giant Pyra and tiny Olimar. Absolute chaos.

  Final tip? Don't stress about tiers. My buddy mains Ganondorf and bodies people online daily. Find who clicks with you. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to practice not SD'ing with Kazuya's recovery...