1. #1Banjo & Kazooie

   Keys: Banjo & Kazooie

   Banjo, a brown bear, and Kazooie, a fictional bird, joined forces to rescue Banjo's sister Tooie from the grasp of the evil witch Gruntilda, who had kidnapped Banjo's sister to take her youth by force with a machine. Banjo and Kazooie had to travel to far lands and collect various items from defeating the witch. They would eventually achieve their goal and rescue Tooie while trapping Gruntilda well below ground under the debris from her falling tower. For years, the duo would continue to set off into various adventures, and Gruntilda, her sisters, and her minions continued to terrorize the world of Banjo and Kazooie.

   It was a delightful sight to see the classic duo step up to the Super Smash Bros stage for the first time. After a lackluster release of a sequel in Nuts and Bolts, fans of the series worried that Microsoft soft kill the franchise in the future. Although there have been no new games since Banjo and Kazooie were able to make their way into a Nintendo console, it bodes well for other potential partnerships one of which we have already seen with Minecraft's Steve.

   On the competitive side of things, the duo sits mostly unused. It seemed like they would be a respectable mid to high-tier character for a time after their release. Steeming from their overall positive offensive options thanks to a varied set of special moves. However, a weak grab and throw moveset and heavyweight with a massive hitbox make for many damages, taking in unfavorable fights. But over time, it became clear that anything they could do, other characters could do better. Nevertheless, Banjo and Kazooie are still good characters for those who play them regularly.

2. #2Bayonetta

   Keys: Bayonetta · Secondary: Umbra Witch, Bayonetta

   Bayonetta is the titular character of the franchise of the same name. She’s a witch from the clan of Umbra Witches – ancient practitioners of magic from Europe. Once mighty and old as time itself, it was reduced to merely two members – Bayonetta, and her best friend and rival Jeanne.

   Before the events of the first game, Bayonetta was sealed away for half a millennia. After awakening from her slumber, she stumbled around for twenty years, suffering from amnesia. When she finally came to, she was thrust into action to battle the angelic hordes of Paradiso and to thwart the machinations of the last Lumen Sage, who’s somehow connected to Bayonetta’s fate.

   During the second game, she has to travel into the depths of Inferno, where the soul of her best friend Jeanne was taken. This time she has to fight not only angels but also demons while uncovering the ancient conspiration.

   Bayonetta’s personality is deceptively playful and nonchalant, suiting her femme fatale status. She never loses her cool and is able to maintain her composure even when pressed into a corner. In addition to this, Bayonetta is very fond of banter and often uses sexual innuendos and double entendres when talking to her friends and foes alike. However, deep down, she is a genuinely caring person: a trait that she demonstrates in both games.

   One of the most noticeable traits of Bayonetta is her appearance: she is considered by many, both in-universe and by the players, to be extremely attractive, feminine, and sexy. She is aware of the effect her looks have on people and uses this as a weapon in her arsenal.

   But she also has more powerful tools at her disposal: her whole outfit is made out of her own hair, which she uses in battles with deadly efficiency. More common means of waging war on the angelic hordes include her four iconic pistols created by the demon-blacksmith Rodin. Named Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme, they are colloquially known as Scarborough Fair.

   In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Bayonetta is a strong combo character. Her relatively low damage output is offset by the easiness of staring or following up combos that rack up damage quickly. She’s not an easy character to master, as her combo game is difficult to execute, and her playstyle overall is very high risk, high reward.

3. #3Bowser

   Keys: Bowser, King Koopa

   Is there a better gaming villain than Bowser? The King of the Koopas has style and power. His evil plans are filled with creativity and humor, but they are not evil to the level of destroying the world or something of that sort. Bowser tries to kidnap Princess Peach (or even some other princesses) to… hm… What do those villains usually do with princesses? Anyways, Bowser regularly comes up with tricky kidnapping plans and regularly fails. It’s probably time to start suspecting he is not really focused on the result but rather enjoys the process (maybe he just likes to have fun with his best pal Mario).

   You can meet Bowser in almost every Mario game. He’s been playing the role of the main antagonist since the legendary 8-bit platformer Super Mario Bros. (1985). The players see Bowser at the end of this game — he keeps Princess Peach in his faraway castle and makes turtle-like Koopas and mushroom-like Goombas do the job of creating obstacles for the main hero.

   Bowser himself is of the Koopa kind. But that could be different — the author of the Mario franchise, Shigeru Miyamoto, planned to make Bowser an ox, similar to the Ox-King from the film Alakazam the Great. A bit later, he and the game designer Takashi Tezuka decided that Bowser looks more like a turtle.

   Bowser might seem to be a bad guy, but without him, there would be no reason for Mario to start an adventure, so there would be no Mario games. To entertain the gaming community, Bowser kidnaps princesses in such games as:

   Super Mario Land (1989)

   Super Mario 64 (1996)

   New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009)

   Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010)

   Super Mario Odyssey

   Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (2021)

   It must be boring to sit all day in a castle, doing nothing (even if Peach is there, waiting for the rescue mission). That’s why Bowser loves playing various games. He is a character of many spin-off Mario series, such as Party, Kart, Golf, and Tennis.

   Bowser in the Smash series The King of the Koopas is a natural fighter, and it was a clever decision of Nintendo to bring this creature into their fighting game series.

   Bowser is part of the roster starting from the Super Smash Bros. Melee. There are rumors out there in the wild that Bowser was planned to be in the first game SSB 64, but due to some technical limitations of the Nintendo 64 system, he was excluded.

   Since Melee, Bowser has been entering every following Smash game.

   In his mega dangerous form of Giga Bowser, this character is the main boss in SSB Melee.

   Bowser as a playable character in SSBU This character is traditionally a super heavyweight fighter with very powerful attacks. Bowser is rather slow on the ground, but he can be surprisingly fast in the air. Many players take advantage of Bowser’s high falling speed and fast dash.

   It is really hard to launch Bowser in the air and KO him. Lightweight opponents should use their speed for the hit-and-run strategy, preventing Bowser from landing his mighty blows. Bowser is not good at long combos, but his four-five attacks linked into each other may deal super significant damage.

   Bowser is a pretty beginner-friendly character. His attacks are straightforward, so if you like the heavyweight style, give the King of the Koopas a chance.

   To unlock Bowser in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: In VS Matches reach the 3rd unlockable character. That will be Bowser Bowser appears first in the Classic Mode if you play Donkey Kong Get Bowser in the story mode World of Light by defeating Giga Bowser

4. #4Bowser Jr.

   Keys: Bowser Jr

   Bowser Jr. revers his father Bowser and seeks to be like him. To that end, he manages to get his hand on a magic paintbrush and proceeds to vandalize a tropical resort, Isle Delfino. His moves seem random until it is revealed that Mario and Peach are coming for a vacation there. Bowser Jr. carries out his plan using his alter ego, Shadow Mario, to do the dirty deeds. Upon arriving on the Island, Mario is arrested and tried for the vandalization of the island. During the confusion, Bowser Jr. is able to abduct Princess Peach, and even though Mario rescues the princess, Bowser Jr. is undeterred and kidnaps her again.

   It is revealed that Bowser Jr. did all this under the notion that Princess Peach is his mother, and she was kidnapped by Mario. Bowser Jr. and Mario clash, but the latter is victorious even after Bowser comes around to help his son out. Bowser later admits to his son that Peach is not his mother, but he doesn't say who is. Bowser Jr., rather than condemn his dad, instead reveals that he knew that Peach was not his mother even before his father said anything. Yet, Bowser Jr. is determined to help his father in his evil plans and has even kidnapped Princess Peach again. He still calls her 'mama' sometimes.

   Following his encounter with Mario, he shows no remorse for his actions and instead continues to tow the path of evil exemplified by his father. Due to his dedication to following his father's will, the two are close, and the few times Bowser shows any emotion is to his young son.

   In SSBU, he is a heavyweight character with a slow walking speed. However, his junior clown car is unique in that it has a separate hurt box to Bowser Jr. This means that he is a lot harder to kill than several other characters in the game.

5. #5Byleth

   Keys: Byleth, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Fire Emblem: Three Hopes

   Byleth was born to Jeralt Eisner and Sitri in the year 1159 on the continent of Fódlan. Their mother died shortly after giving birth and was buried at Garreg Mach Monastery, the same place her child would become a teacher at years later. Jeralt left the prestigious position at the Knights of Seiros and formed a mercenary unit. Being a battle-hardened warrior, he trained Byleth in combat until they were good enough to join his crew.

   During one of the skirmishes, three students from the Garreg Mach Monastery, Dimitri, Edelgarde, and Claude, ask for assistance to fight off the bandits who are after them. This battle served as a catalyst for the awakening of Byleth's powers.

   Archbishop Rhea, the headmaster of the Garreg Mach Monastery and the leader of the Church of Seiros, invited Byleth to work as a professor of the Officers Academy and lead one of the three titular houses: Edelgard’s Black Eagles, Dimitri’s Blue Lions, or Claude’s Golden Deer.

   Byleth’s personality is very stoic and subdued. Nothing can seemingly shock them or incite any strong emotional response. However, the students that come to know them closely and become their friend tend to learn to read Byleth’s mood and emotions even when they’re not explicitly conveyed.

   Their upbringing among the ranks of a mercenary company made Byleth a fearless fighter and a skilled warrior. Their leadership qualities are tested several times during their tenure as a Garreg Mach professor, the display of which made them equally respected both among students and the governing body of the institution.

   The time spent with one of the houses of their choice made Byleth close friends with their students, to a point where they will gladly put their lives on the line for each other. Alongside this, the formerly solemn professor learned to express their emotions and be more open to those around them.

   Masahiro Sakurai, a known Fire Emblem fan, would betray himself if he didn’t put a character from the then-new Three Houses title inside Smash Ultimate. In-game, Byleth is characterized by high damage output and disjointed hitboxes, which make them a lethal threat when approached competently. However, the major downsides include subpar mobility and high startup and end lag on the moves that can leave them exposed and punished if not executed at the right time. Their approach requires full commitment and knowledge of the matchups.

   Byleth can be a character of choice for those who like powerful ranged game and are not afraid to bide their time with a patient approach to the fights.

6. #6Captain Falcon

   Keys: Captain Falcon, F-ZERO

   As the brother of Jody Sumer, Andy Sumer took on the false identity of Bart Lemming after Jody was nearly killed in an attack orchestrated by the villain Zoda and required extensive cybernetic prosthetics to live on. A law-abiding but mysterious figure in the circuits, Andy continued to race to find more information about Zoda and the Dark Million Organization. Ultimately, Andy would team up with Rick Wheeler to take down Zoda and the Black Shadows, the antithesis of light in the F-Zero universe, and use the Dark Million Organization as a front for their constant battle. After successfully destroying them, at the cost of Andy's life, Wheeler would take on the mantle of Falcon and become the Captain Falcon persona and continue racing in his honor. A space bounty hunter, the pilot of the Blue Flacon, and champion of the F-Zero Grand Prix are only a few of Captain Falcon's accolades.

   Captain Falcon is not just an iconic Smash character but a piece of gaming culture that spans decades. The iconic line "Falcon... PUNCH!" is ingrained in the minds of many players all over the world. Appearing in all versions of Smash, he is just as important to be in the game as Mario or Donkey Kong. Although not as competitively viable as more contemporary additions to the roster, Captain Falcon remains a high-risk, high-reward character that will always be ready to put up some delightful highlights when push comes to shove.

   His primary drawbacks consist of a terrible recovery from off stage and the fact that many of his attacks will often leave him open to being punished if they do not connect. Most prominently, his air spike, which can leave him falling downwards at high speed off stage if the player dares miss the attack. A Rushdown style with efficient and precise combining is a must for Captain Falcon players in the competitive scene.

7. #7Chrom

   Keys: Chrom

   Chrom is the Father of Lucina, and Husband of his wife, Robin.

   Chrom is the prince of Halidom of Ylisse and the brother of Lissa and Emmeryn. He’s a distant descendant of the famed Hero King Marth, who lived when the lands he’s hailing from were still called Archanea. Being in charge of the defenses of his country, he leads an elite militia force called the Shepherds.

   During one of the scheduled patrols close to the Plegia border, Chrom finds an unconscious person on the ground. This stranger happens to be Robin, a talented strategist, the game’s another protagonist and player’s avatar. This newly met tactician soon proves their worth when the brigands from Plegia launch an offensive towards the nearby town. Following this battle, Chrom convinces Robin to join the ranks of the Shepherds.

   Shortly after this incident, undead soldiers of unknown origin come from the mysterious portal and attack Chrom and Lissa. One of the Risen is dispatched by Chrom, but the second one nearly manages to fatally strike his sister. She is saved by an intervention from a mysterious masked person who introduces themselves as Marth. This person leaves a warning of dire events awaiting the heroes in the future.

   When Chrom tries to gain Khan of Ferox’s aid to battle Plegians, he is attacked by Raimi, one of the nation’s knights. After the misunderstanding is cleared up, she tells them that the country has been previously attacked by the Plegian forces led by Chrom’s look-alikes.

   In a bid to make Flavia a new Khan of Ferox, as she promised to aid Ylisse, Chrom has to battle the current Khan’s champion. This person happens to be "Marth", the same masked figure who saved Lissa’s life previously. After this champion is defeated, Ylisse receives its aid, and this marks the true beginning of the conflict with Plegia.

   Chrom is one of the protagonists of the immensely successful Fire Emblem Awakening, and he made his Smash debut in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. There, he’s an Echo Fighter to Roy, in the same way that his daughter Lucina is to Marth. His main strengths lie in his high mobility, consistent damage output, and strong aerial game. On the other hand, his recovery times aren’t particularly great, and he can be easily put in unfavorable situations due to his very close combat nature.

8. #8Cloud

   Keys: Cloud, Final Fantasy

   Cloud Strife was born in a small mountain village Nibelheim. Growing up, he hardly had any friends, his only confidante being Tifa Lockhart, a girl living next door. An unfortunate accident, during which Cloud failed to save her from a fall up in the mountains, almost left her permanently bedridden. This gave Cloud a big motivation to get stronger and never fail his friends again. Inspired by the tall tales of Sephiroth’s grandiose exploits, he set out to join Shinra Electric Power Company’s elite SOLDIER unit, leaving behind a promise to Tifa to save her one day.

   Years later, Cloud finds himself in Midgar as a sellsword and is recruited by his former friend Tifa to join the Avalanche – an eco-terrorist organization whose goal is to save the planet Gaia and stop Shinra Electric Power Company from draining the energy known as Lifestream from it.

   Their first task together is to bomb the No. 1 Reactor. Cloud comes across as arrogant and proud throughout the mission, but despite a brief moment of weakness, he sees the operation through. After this success, Tifa convinced the leader of this Avalanche cell, loud and passionate Barret Wallace, to hire Cloud for another mission.

   The operation to bomb the No. 5 Reactor went south quickly as the whole place was revealed to be a trap set up by President Shinra. During his attempt to escape, Cloud was separated from the group and fell down into the slums below, landing in the middle of a flower field blooming inside the slums church. There he met with Aerith Gainsborough, a flower merchant. She convinced him to become her bodyguard, essentially giving a start to one of the most important relationships in gaming history. Players can relive their story, try to stop Shinra, and hunt down Sephiroth in a new format of Final Fantasy VII Remake, which was released in 2020. The next chapter of their adventures is slated to be released in the not-so-distant future, and who knows, maybe the gaming’s most famous spoiler will no longer come true.

   Cloud Strife first appeared in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U as a DLC character and was considered one of the best fighters throughout the lifespan of the game. In Ultimate, he became an unlockable character. While heavily nerfed from the previous game, he still retained his signature style, fast movement speed, and powerful Smash Attacks and Special Attacks.

9. #9Corrin

   Keys: Corrin, Water Dragon

   Corrin was born to Queen Mikoto and King Sumeragi of the Hoshidan royal family. They are the half-sibling to the prominent characters like Takumi, Sakura, Ryoma, and Hinoka, sharing a father but having different mothers. In their early childhood, due to a ploy by king Garron, Sumeragi was murdered, and Corrin kidnapped and spirited away to the Kingdom of Nohr, where they were raised as a child of the royal family alongside their adopted siblings Camilla, Xander, Elise, and Leo.

   Corrin was all but a prisoner at the Northern Fortress, unable to set foot outside until king Garron considered them worthy. They were doted upon by all the siblings, by Camilla most of all. Xander taught them how to fight, and others also frequently visited them in the Fortress.

   This status quo would soon change when an inevitable war between Hoshido and Nohr would require Corrin to make a tough choice between his birthright or the family that raised them. Or maybe, they can remain neutral to try to avert the greater calamity looming over their heads.

   Corrin, of royal lineage by birth, possesses the blood of the First Dragons and therefore is able to use the ability called Dragon Vein. This powerful skill allows them not only to alter the whole landscape of the map but also to transfigure themselves into a mighty dragon. Previously, this transformation was thought to be exclusive to those of a Manakete class.

   Personality-wise, Corrin is extremely kind, if somewhat naïve and trusting. The former makes them very likable and gain them allies, while the latter almost costs them their life, as the Fire Emblem Fates is chock full of characters waiting to exploit others naïveté.

   Much like Fire Emblem Awakening protagonist Robin, Corrin made their debut in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U (albeit via a DLC), where they were considered a high-tier character. They’ve been heavily nerfed with the release of Ultimate, but the subsequent patches allowed them to gain some ground. Overall, Corrin has decent airspeed and a good arsenal of moves but lacks mobility and recovery options.

10. #10Diddy Kong

    Keys: Diddy Kong

    Not much is known about the birth of Diddy Kong, but it is clear that both have been friends from childhood. Diddy follows DK everywhere and the two go on several adventures together. Diddy first appears in Donkey Kong Country where he was stationed to protect DK's large hoard of bananas. However, he was overpowered by the Kremlin Krew and placed in a barrel while the thieves made away with a large number of bananas. Diddy is eventually set free from captivity by his best friend and together, the two Kongs set off to retrieve the hoard of bananas. After much adventuring and countless perilous situations, Diddy and DK are able to get the bananas back and defeat King K. Rool in the process.

    In the next game, Diddy is the hero as DK finds himself captured by K. Rool and taken to an island, Crocodile Isle. With DK captured, Rool makes his demands— a large hoard of bananas. Diddy, unwilling to give away such a huge ransom to the kidnappers, instead goes on an adventure with his girlfriend Dixie Kong to save DK and defeat K. Rool and his gang. The two are successful and eventually watch Crocodile Isle sink into the ocean from a distance.

    Following this triumph, both DK and Diddy find themselves kidnapped (a running theme in this story I assure you) and it is up to Dixie and Dinky Kong to save the two friends. This mission is also a success. From the preceding, we see that the Kong community is a close-knit one that is always prepared to save one another.

    Diddy was originally planned to be modeled after DK, but his design eventually turned out to be different. The name 'Diddy' is a slang term in parts of the UK to mean small. As his name implies, Diddy is not as strong as DK but can jump further, run faster, and is generally more agile.

11. #11Donkey Kong

    Keys: Donkey Kong, DK

    Not much is known about the birth of Diddy Kong, but it is clear that both have been friends from childhood. Diddy follows DK everywhere and the two go on several adventures together. Diddy first appears in Donkey Kong Country where he was stationed to protect DK's large hoard of bananas. However, he was overpowered by the Kremlin Krew and placed in a barrel while the thieves made away with a large number of bananas. Diddy is eventually set free from captivity by his best friend and together, the two Kongs set off to retrieve the hoard of bananas. After much adventuring and countless perilous situations, Diddy and DK are able to get the bananas back and defeat King K. Rool in the process.

    In the next game, Diddy is the hero as DK finds himself captured by K. Rool and taken to an island, Crocodile Isle. With DK captured, Rool makes his demands— a large hoard of bananas. Diddy, unwilling to give away such a huge ransom to the kidnappers, instead goes on an adventure with his girlfriend Dixie Kong to save DK and defeat K. Rool and his gang. The two are successful and eventually watch Crocodile Isle sink into the ocean from a distance.

    Following this triumph, both DK and Diddy find themselves kidnapped (a running theme in this story I assure you) and it is up to Dixie and Dinky Kong to save the two friends. This mission is also a success. From the preceding, we see that the Kong community is a close-knit one that is always prepared to save one another.

    Diddy was originally planned to be modeled after DK, but his design eventually turned out to be different. The name 'Diddy' is a slang term in parts of the UK to mean small. As his name implies, Diddy is not as strong as DK but can jump further, run faster, and is generally more agile.

12. #12Dr. Mario

    Keys: Docter Mario, Dr Mario

    Not much is known about the origins of Dr. Mario, but it can be assumed that like many in that world, he was delivered via Stork to his parents. He was always fascinated with viruses, and therefore, he became a doctor to study them more. He works at the Mushroom Kingdom Hospital and is ably assisted by Nurse Toadstool.

    One day, an experiment went horribly wrong at the hospital and soon, the place was crawling with viruses. Dr. Mario had to swing into action. Thankfully, he had been working on a drug which he called 'Megavitamins'. Convinced that these pills would be effective against the viruses, he set to work. Battling hard against an outbreak is never easy, but thanks to Dr. Mario's superior intellect and powerful Megavitamins, he is able to get things under control.

    Later on, Mad Scienstein breaks into Dr. Mario's office and steals the Megavitamins to deliver them to his boss, Rudy. Dr. Mario was then tasked with getting his creation back so that they don't end up in the wrong hands. Accompanying him was Wario who saw the Megavitamins as a great business opportunity. Together, they defeated several of Rudy's henchmen before facing the thief himself. It is here that we are told that Rudy is actually sick and he got Mad Scienstein to get him the drugs so he could use them and get better.

13. #13Duck Hunt

    Keys: Duck Hunt

    Nintendo is well-known for its brave innovations in gaming — both software and hardware. Back in the 1980s, the company came up with lots of brilliant ideas. Some of them defined the gaming culture we know now, and some remained in the past. The game Duck Hunt is of both types.

    It was one of the super innovative shooters. OK, it doesn’t look like this for modern gamers. But imagine sitting in front of a CRT TV (those huge ancient boxes) with a plastic gun, shooting ducks on the screen, and seeing your “bullets” actually reaching the targets. That was a mind-blowing experience.

    By modern standards, Duck Hunt is pretty clumsy — in many aspects. The visuals are obviously old. The gameplay is of the retro style. And even hunting ducks seems to be awful (what did those poor birds do to you, monster!) On the other hand, this game is a predecessor of many advanced technologies, such as shooting VR games.

    The Duck Hunt game was released for the NES consoles and the Nintendo arcade machine Vs. System. Much later, it became available for Wii U via the Virtual Console.

    It’s one of the examples of Nintendo treasuring its legacy. The game contains an unplayable character - a dog that brings ducks to the hunter. This pair (dog and duck) became a two-in-one Smash fighter.

    Duck Hunt in the Super Smash Bros. series The first mention of the Duck Hunt game happens in Super Smash Bros. Melee — players could get the Ducks trophy. SSB Brawl contains a sticker with the Duck.

    As a playable character, the dog and the duck join the roster in Super Smash Bros. 4 (for 3DS and Wii U). Masahiro Sakurai said that such a decision was influenced by the impressive sales numbers of the original game.

    Considering that “everyone is here,” it’s natural to see Duck Hunt in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as well.

    Duck Hunt in SSBU The abilities of this character were significantly changed for the Smash Ultimate release. In general, Duck Hunt has become a much more viable fighter with some reliable KO options.

    Duck Hunt has decent mobility and quite a solid aerial game. It’s a lightweight character, so powerful blows can easily cause KO.

    Duck Hunt is an unlockable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

    In the Vs. Matches, Duck Hunt is the 56th to join the fight In the Classic Mode, you unlock Duck Hunt by playing Donkey Kong or someone from his unlock tree. This fighter is the last one Duck Hunt is obtainable in the story mode World of Light

14. #14Falco

    Keys: Falco, Star Fox

    Born in Corneria, Falco Lombardi attended a military academy from a young age, but instead of pursuing a military career, he turned to gang activity until the threat of Andross became clear. The Star Fox team offered Falco a position in the team, which he accepted. As part of the team, he helped in every mission to the very end, the assault on Andross's base. He also faced Leon from the opposing Star Wolf team and winning in both clashes.

    After the Lylat Wars, Falco parted ways with the Star Fox team and even joined back with one of his gang member buddies Katt Monroe to investigate strange events occurring in the Titania planet. Fox and Falco would meet once again as General Shears threaten the galaxy's safety by attempting to clone Andross. After this, Falco would join the Star Fox team on a more permanent basis.

    First appearing in Super Smash Bros Melee, Falco was a copy of Fox's playstyle, but he began developing its own bespoke character over time. Nowadays, in Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Falco is a very dynamic fighter. One of the highest jumps in the game paired with top 15 rankings in other mobility abilities such as dashing and air acceleration means he can quickly and precisely position himself. This enhanced mobility then augments his offensive skills further with extended juggles and a lot of potential for upper-stage knock-offs.

    But every coin has two sides. The mobility also makes it much more likely to be an inconsistent fighter that can quickly drain a player after a few sets of concentrating on getting the most from him, resulting in a lack of safe KO options. As such, Falco is generally viewed as a character that is best used to punish the errors of others with its quick movement.

15. #15Fox

    Keys: Fox, Star Fox, Fox MCloud

    Fox McCloud grew up with only his father, James, to take care of him. Eventually, Andross expanded his influence across the Lylat systems, forcing James to lead the Star Fox alongside Peppy Hare and many other renowned pilots. Sadly, one such pilot was a double agent and betrayed the Star Fox team, killing James. Peppy informed Fox of his father's passing as the only survivor, which inspired the young man to follow his path and become an Arwing pilot for the Cornerian Army. As part of the new Star Fox team, Fox would be joined by Falco Lombardi, Slippy Toad, and Peppy Hare. The team would then go on missions to find the location of Andross and confront him.

    Beyond the Star Fox series, Fox and Falco are undeniable staples of the Super Smash Bros series. With Fox being one of the original four characters that series creator Masahiro Sakurai put forth as a proof of concept for the game. Fox's quick gameplay lends itself to twitch movements with precise timings and great versatility at a wide range of distances. Something that has remained more or less consistent across all his appearances in Smash.

    In the world of competitive Super Smash Bros, he sees a lot of play in Super Smash Bros Melee as players perfect his playstyle for literal decades. Meanwhile, in Super Smash Bros Ultimate, he is considered good but not great. In general, believed to be a very explosive character with great utility but vulnerable to opponents who adapt to a particular Fox's playstyle. Nevertheless, brand recognition carries him when it comes to pro players picking up the character and making it not just work but shine.

16. #16Ganondorf

    Keys: Ganon, Ganondorf

    Most often, the central antagonist of the Legend of Zelda series. Ganondorf, or in his beast form Ganon. His motives and actions change from game to game, but his objective in life revolves around power and control over others. Be it reigning over Hyrule, kidnapping princess Zelda, and/or obtaining every Triforce part. He is one of the few Nintendo Villans portrayed as intelligent, determined, and capable of achieving his goals through cunning and decisive action with incredible physical strength to boot. It takes the blessing of gods and ancient prophecies to bring him down.

    His appearance in Super Smash Bros Ultimate is based primarily on Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. He led an assault on Hyrule Castle and tried to take the Ocarina of Time under his control. Thankfully, Princess Zelda made her escape before it was too late and threw the Ocarina of Time into the Castle's moat to avoid Ganondorf taking ownership of it. Unbeknownst to him at the time, so Ganondorf made pursuit for the princess.

    As one of the heaviest characters in the roster, Ganondorf is generally not favored for competitive play. However, he has seen an improvement over his Super Smash Bros 4 incarnation. A key highlight of these changes was enhancing his knockback power, making it even stronger than before. There were also improvements in his mobility, but they were considered not that impactful considering the character's limited defensive capabilities. In recent years the characters have seen a slow burn of players leaving him over other more tournament-ready characters. But there is always a place for his incredible strength and powerful presence at any stage.

17. #17Greninja

    Keys: Greninja

    In the wild forests of the Kalos region, you can meet a very unique frog-ninja — Greninja. The Pokémon was introduced to the world with the sixth generation of these creatures and the game Pokémon X/Y.

    Greninjas are very dangerous (like ninjas should be). They are masters of hiding among green leaves and then suddenly attacking with lightning speed. All Pokémon of this species can create their weapon out of compressed water. Their throwing stars are absolutely destructive, and Greninjas use them in Pokémon battles.

    In the Pokémon universe, Greninja is the third (and final) evolution form of the starter Froakie. You can get this cute little froggy from Professor Sycamore in Lumiose City at the start of your Pokémon X/Y adventure. Keep training Froakie, and soon the creature will evolve into Frogadier, which is almost of the same cuteness but has a fresh power in his look. Add more intense training with in-game battles, and eventually, you will get Greninja.

    The journey of each Pokémon player is different. You create your own team and experience the same story in a specific way. Many trainers decide to stick to their Water-type starter and develop a Water/Dark-type Greninja. This Pokémon is an excellent companion with exceptional fighting skills.

    Greninja has become quite popular in the gaming community. He was the main Pokémon of Ash Ketchum in the Pokémon X/Y anime series and one of the creatures in the manga series Pokémon Adventures.

    Some other games where you can meet Greninja are:

    Pokémon Rumble World

    Pokémon Picross

    Pokémon Battle Trozei

    Pokémon Shuffle

    Greninja in the Super Smash Bros. series The addition of Greninja as a new fighter to Smash Bros. was pretty unique. Masahiro Sakurai decided to bring this creature into Super Smash Bros. 4 (for 3DS and Wii U) even before the release of Pokémon X/Y, so he had to reserve a spot first and then work with concepts of a new Pokémon.

    Greninja in SSBU The frog-ninja returns to the new installment of the Nintendo fighting series, which is pretty logical considering how well Greninja was received by the players.

    This character keeps his advantages from the Pokémon games. He is swift and uses a water weapon (kunai instead of katana from Smash 4). The hits of this fighter are strong, and his abilities are versatile. Many players consider Greninja a high or top-tier character. Still, he is not the most accessible one in the Smash roster.

    Down Tilt and Dash Attack are good combo starters for Greninja in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. In the Final Smash, you can see a different form of this Pokémon, more powerful Ash-Greninja.

    Some of the players who use Greninja in pro matches are:

    Stroder Ame Somé JW Lea To Unlock Greninja in Smash Ultimate: Reach the 5th unlockable character in the VS Matches, and that will be Greninja Play the Classic Mode as Donkey Kong or anyone he unlocks; Greninja will be 6th to appear Play World of Light

18. #18Hero

    Keys: Hero

    Within the Dragon Quest game series all the protagonists, besides the in-universe names or titles they have, are being referred to as Heroes. Most of the time the name can be chosen by the players themselves, and sometimes also can be gender.

    Super Smash Bros. Ultimate features several of the heroes within the same character slot, but the default one is the protagonist from Square Enix’s latest – Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age.

    The Hero of Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is referred to as either the Luminary or Eleven, was born to King Irwin and Queen Eleanor in the castle of the Kingdom of Dundrasil. However, an ancient calamity befell the nation, and the Hero needed to be spirited away for his own survival. He was put in a basket and put into the river so that the stream take him away.

    He was rescued by an elderly fisher named Chalky and adopted into his family, where he was raised as a son of Amber, Chalky’s daughter.

    For the next sixteen years, we lived in the village of Cobblestone. The Hero became friends with the girl names Gemma. Coincidentally, they were born on the same day and had to participate in the coming-of-age ceremony at the top of Cobblestone Tor together. At the top of the mountain, an incident happens, and when his childhood friend is faced with certain death, some ancient power awakens inside the Hero and he’s able to save Gemma. After this, his adoptive mother Amber reveals to him the truth about his birth and tells him of the destiny that awaits him.

    In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the Hero is a swordsman with a shield that can passively block some attacks while standing still. The Hero’s main gimmick is the 100 digit MP bar that he can use to unleash some devastating moves on his opponents. This is balanced out by the huge MP costs of the strongest spells, and his options become limited when he runs out of mana.

19. #19Ice Climbers

    Keys: Ice Climbers, Nana, Popo

    It’s definitely hard to find delicious healthy vegetables in freezingly cold northern mountains. But the inhabitants of such areas know perfectly well how important it is to regularly have their portion of vitamins — that’s why they constantly hunt eggplants, carrots, cabbages, cucumbers, and other tasty stuff. Alas, the Condor, White Bears, Topis, and Nitpickers have chosen an evil way to obtain these goodies. They have stolen vegetables from two humans, Popo and Nana. And these characters have to activate their ice climbing skills, take the food back, and teach those impudent beasts a lesson.

    It’s a plot of the classic Nintendo game Ice Climber, which was released for the NES consoles in 1985. The adventure itself is totally not about the story, though — it’s about your playing skills. You control one of the characters and try to reach the mountain peak to obtain vegetables. Nana and Popo have mallets to destroy ice blocks and thus open a way up. They also use this weapon to defeat enemies. It’s a vertically scrolling platform, one of the best in this specific niche.

    Ice Climber was released for the arcade machines Nintendo Vs. series — thanks to its two-player mode. It’s available on the Switch through the Nintendo Online service.

    Ice Climbers in the fighting series Super Smash Bros. This game is an example of how Nintendo cherishes their heritage (even if they don’t plan to return to it in the near future). Popo and Nana have been added to the Smash roster as Ice Climbers with the Melee game.

    They are pretty unique fighters. The player controls only one of the Ice Climbers, and most of the time, the second one automatically copies all the movements. In some situations, the second Ice Climber can act separately — it’s the advanced technique named desynching.

    The Ice Climbers are also present in Brawl but not in Super Smash Bros. 4. The developers faced technical difficulties with adding these characters into the 3DS version of the game, so Masahiro Sakurai decided to remove them — he wanted the roster to be identical for 3DS and Wii U.

    Ice Climbers in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate The Ice Climbers return to Smash Ultimate, becoming unlockable characters for the first time.

    Two Ice Climbers act together, and their ability to fight separately becomes trickier in comparison to the previous installments. Popo deals more damage, while Nana is a bit faster. You can choose who is your primary character.

    The Ice Climbers are midweight Smash characters with very decent attacking abilities, with a projectile (Ice Shot), and even with a freezing feature (Blizzard).

    Difficulties with the Ice Climbers start when they become separated (for example, when one of them has been KO’ed). These SSBU characters are quite tricky, so you should learn how to use their techniques to your advantage. Their recovery option is just not good in many situations.

    Unlock the Ice Climbers in SSBU by: Playing the VS. Matches. They are the 10th to appear Clearing the Classic Mode with Link. The Ice Climbers are 2nd to unlock Obtaining them in the story mode World of Light

20. #20Ike

    Keys: Ike

    Ike is the son of the very famous leader of the mercenary band – Greil. He and his sister Mist have been brought up being a part of this company ever since they were little. At the beginning of the Path of Radiance, the Greil Mercenaries are tasked with the protection of Elincia, the princess of the nation of Crimea, and Ike serves as her personal bodyguard. Some of the band members consider this too high an honor for a green rookie like Ike, so they mock his skills and look down upon him.

    Shortly after Ashnard, the Mad King of Daein, begins his conquest, Ike’s father is killed by Zelgius, Deanian general known as Black Knight. Having witnessed this, Ike declares him his sworn enemy, but soon he has more pressing matters to think about, as he learns some dark secrets about his past.

    Nevertheless, Ike takes up the mantle of leadership of the Greil Mercenaries in a suicidal bid to try to reclaim Crimea for princess Elincia after Daein conquered it. Some of the company members didn’t take this initiative well, especially from a person they used to make fun of, so they left the company and went about on their own.

    Ike’s valiant efforts led to the creation of the Crimean Liberation Army, a coalition army with a singular purpose of liberating the nation of Crimea from the Mad King’s clutches. Soon after, Ike reveals himself to be the wielder of Ragnell, the Divine Blade blessed by the goddess Ashera. With this legendary weapon in hand, Ike strove to lead his people to a better future.

    After his exploits in Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Ike returns in the direct sequel – Radiant Dawn. There, he’s a less central character, albeit still a crucial one, because the story takes the multiple points of view approach.

    Ike also was the first protagonist in the fire emblem not to be noble by his birthright. He shares this trait only with Byleth from Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

    In Smash Ultimate, Ike is considered to be one of the heavyweights: hard to KO, slow-moving and attacking, but boasting high damage and long reach.

21. #21Incineroar

    Keys: Incineroar

    When you go on an adventure, this fantastic fire cat might become your good friend. And you know that perfectly well if you have played Pokémon Sun/Moon and got Incineroar into your team. This Fire/Dark type creature is the last evolution form of one of the starter Pokémon in this game — Litten.

    Like in all core Pokémon games, players start Sun/Moon from choosing their starter – usually, Pokémon of Water, Grass, or Fyre types. Litten is a cute kitty, and it’s so tempting to take him, treat him to berries, and train his fighting skills in many battles. You’ll meet many other Pokémon in this journey, but if you keep Litten in your team, he will eventually evolve. First, Litten transforms into Torracat, a bit bigger cat with more dangerous claws. Keep taking this new creature to Pokémon fights, and you’ll get Incineroar, who looks like a mighty professional wrestler with an impressive fire belt.

    In the original games, Incineroar uses traditional wrestling attacks in combination with his magical fire and dark abilities. He is a nicely-balanced Pokémon, but some players don’t like the lack of specific, especially strong features. Still, if you are not playing Pokémon Sun/Moon competitively, Incineroar might be a perfect member of your roster.

    Beyond gaming, you can meet Incineroar in the Pokémon movie I Choose You.

    Incineroar in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate This wrestler cat is almost meant to be added to the Nintendo fighting game series. The original Pokémon game with Incineroar was released in 2016, so the first Smash game with this creature is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Masahiro Sakurai said he wanted to have a proper wrestler in his game, and that’s why he chose this Pokémon.

    Incineroar is heavy and has very low movement speed. He is good at close-range fights thanks to his wrestling tricks. The hits of Incineroar are super-mighty, so the main task for the players is to land those powerful blows. Luckily, the character has a decent range of a bit weaker attacks that can be used for combos.

    Many Incineroar SSBU combos start with Down Throw or Down Tilt. They are linked to Up Air, Forward Air, Up B, or even Darkest Lariat.

    To unlock Incineroar in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Get the 46th character in the VS Mode - it will be Incineroar; Complete the Classic Mode with Samus or someone she unlocks - Incineroar appears 4th here; Incineroar is obtainable in the story mode - World of Light.

22. #22Inkling

    Keys: Inkling Boy, Inkling Girl

    The story of the Inkling race begins from the demise of humanity. With humans now wiped out due to rising sea levels, subterranean creatures rise to the surface and become the new overlords of the planet. In the new world order, there is limited space for all the species to live; this causes a series of wars which are known as turf wars. The Inklings evolved and gained the ability to switch between squid and humanoid form at will.

    The basic Inkling develops the ability to switch forms at the age of 14 and before that resembles a typical squid. As the Inkling population grew, they were threatened by their enemies, the Octarians, who struggle with them for turf. The Inklings initially suffered defeat due to an inability to rise early, but the tide started to turn bit by bit as the Inklings adapted to the Octarians' tactics. This all culminated into the 'Great Turf War' in which both the Inklings and Octarians clashed. Therefore, the former were victorious, and they drove the Octarians underground, taking over the land turf permanently.

    The Inklings don't die, which may be because of the fact that they have multiple hearts, but they can be splatted. This can happen in one of three ways: by water, falling off a ledge, and being obliterated by the enemies' weapons. When this occurs, the Inkling leaves their clothes and weapons and respawn elsewhere.

    As for abilities, Inklings are powered by their colors which they use to mark large swathes of land. Here, they can move freely and briskly with nothing to stand in their way.

    Within the game, Inkling is fast, with walk and airspeeds that are among the best in the game; however, in many other areas, they are decidedly average. This doesn't mean they aren't viable in tournaments.

23. #23Isabelle

    Keys: Isabelle

    Isabelle is one of the many villagers in the Animal Crossing franchise. Originally appearing in Animal Crossing: New Leaf, she was the assistant to the town mayor, helping the player make their desired changes. Since then, she has grown in the community as the face of the series alongside the Villager and Tom Nook. She is a Shih Tzu breed of dog. Thus her name in the Japanese versions of the game is Shizue. Isabelle was originally just an assist trophy in Super Smash Bros 4. Later, when Animal Crossing: New Horizons was announced, she was also unveiled as fighter 78 for Super Smash Bros Ultimate.

    Competitively speaking, Isabelle shares many moves with Villager, the default protagonist of Animal Crossing and a playable character since Super Smash Bros 4. However, she is not classified as an Echo fighter. She is unable to wall jump and has faster mobility overall. Her down and up aerial are also more consistent thanks to always swinging two turnips instead of either 1 or 3 like Villager. She also loses out on Lloid Rocket and Timber. Finally, her Ballon trip, a very powerful recovery, is slightly nerfed compared to Villager's by having a shorter travel time. On the other hand, her neutral special, a pocket, allows her to trap enemy projectiles and send them back.

    Many professionals players consider her to have a lesser focus on zoning, at least compared to Villager. Her added mobility and utility with the pocket can make up for it at the highest level of play. Nowadays, there are very few full-time Isabelle mains, but the character remains a specialist choice for a pocket pick or a secondary for when a normal matchup could lead to an early loss.

    Isabelle is basically the Task Manager for the Guild

24. #24Jigglypuff
25. #25Joker

    Keys: Joker, Phantom Thieves

    Ren is, at first sight, a typical teenage high school student. But a false assault allegation landed him on the wrong side of the law. As part of his probation period, he was moved to Tokyo, Japan, to attend Shujin Academy. Sojiro Sakura is the guardian assigned to Ren and the owner of the café he lives over. But, he is also the leader of a unique group, the Phantom Thieves of hearts. As part of this group, he takes on the name Joker. Alongside acquaintances and friends, he seeks to change influential individuals by stealing their hearts and turning their morals away from depravity.

    Joker is a rare Persona user called a Wild Card, which allows him to use multiple personas. His initial persona is Arsénse, based on Arsénse Lupin. A fictional gentleman's thieve was created by French writer Maurice Leblanc. But as he and his allies venture into the various Places to undermine a nationwide government conspiracy, Joker claims hundreds of different personas with unique abilities. Most of these personas are retained in the Velvet Room, a space between the conscious and the unconscious that Igor and his assistants oversee.

    In Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Joker poses only Arsénse and is required to charge his rebellion gauge to trigger its appearance. This leads to a very variable play style as Joker players will try to trigger the Persona at the right time to make the best of the increased damage and knockback. His persona will remain on screen until the Rebellion Guage is depleted, which happens at a steady rate unless hit by opponents in which case a chunk of the gauge will be depleted. Without his Persona Joker is not necessarily vulnerable, he is still very much capable of securing a win, but the lack of a powerful attack to safely secure a knockout means that a clear break in the action will happen, one that could give an opponent an opening to strike back.

26. #26Kazuya

    Keys: Kazuya Mishima

    Kazuya Mishima is one of the essential characters in Tekken. He is a muscular young man who had a difficult childhood, to say the least. His father, Heihachi, killed Kazuya’s mother. After, Kazuya was determined to enact revenge and kill Heihachi, but lost. His father disappointedly threw him off a cliff towards certain death. But Kazuya lived. In large part, thanks to the activation of his Devil Genes, which had only happened moments after being thrown off the cliff.

    He also has a brother and rival—Lee Chaolan, an orphan child who roamed the streets until Heihachi took him into his household. In the twisted mind of the wealthy businessman Heihachi, it was the best way to train and strengthen Kazuya in his formative years.

    After losing one of the King of Iron Fist Tournaments, Kazuya was again tossed off a cliffside, this time into a volcano. Presumed dead for years, he was rescued by G-Corporation, specializing in biogenetics and a rival company to Heihachi’s Mishima Zaibatsu. The corporation studied Kazuya’s Devil Genes and eventually unlocked them for him to use as he pleased.

    Eventually, Kazuya would become the leader of G-Corporation and currently leads a war for power and control between him and his father, with various third parties as either mercenaries or unfortunate souls in the middle of a generational clash of the Mishima Family.

    The initial impression of Kazuya from professional and high-ranking members of the competitive Super Smash Bros Ultimate community is that he will likely be a hard character to master and an even harder character to compete against if a specialist Kazuya player emerges to make use of his extensive moves. A good recovery, heavyweight, and strong specials set him up as an imposing figure in 1-on-1 fights.

27. #27Ken

    Keys: Ken, Ken Masters

    Ken Masters is the son of an American tycoon who, aged 12, was sent to Japan to learn under a martial arts master, Gouken. There, he meets and strikes a lifelong friendship with the brooding Ryu. The two trained under Gouken until they turned 23, at which point the two parted ways. Ryu traveled the world in a bid to improve his skills and become the ultimate martial artist. Ken instead headed home, where he won several fighting tournaments, including the US martial arts tournament. While competing, he met the love of his life, Eliza, who is the sister to Guile’s wife.

    Ken and Ryu cross paths, and after that interaction, Ken decided it was best if he took his martial arts seriously again. While traveling, he encountered M. Bison, whom he lost to and was brainwashed by Bison's Psycho Power. Ryu is forced to come to his friend’s aid and was able to free Ken from Bison’s clutches.

    Ken eventually married Eliza, and they had a son together named Mel. Ken still takes his martial arts seriously, but his attention is divided as he now has a family he is devoted to and a business to run.

    He is somehow able to handle all this and has, on occasion, had his family along while on adventures. In the latest Street Fighter iteration, Ken joined Ryu in a daring plan to infiltrate the Shadaloo base and destroy Bison once and for all. Before that, he traveled to Brazil with Cammy and Chun li in tow. While there, he met Laura Matsuda, and after an initial misunderstanding, the two teamed up to fight against Shadaloo soldiers. At the end of the day, Ken returned to being a martial artist and family man while leaving Ryu to continue his wanderings.

28. #28King Dedede

    Keys: King Dedede

    King Dedede's background isn't really known. It is also unknown how he became King of Dream Land. But, while he hardly ever does anything that could be called administrative, the fact that he is generally obeyed and followed by the Waddle Dee lends some credence to his claim to royalty. He takes on the appearance of a large bird with a blueish body. He possesses a hammer which is typically his weapon of choice when going to battle.

    King Dedede is lazy and greedy, which has led him down some dark paths. For instance, his first appearance (in Kirby's Dream Land) sees him as the villain of the game, and he conspires with some thieves to steal all the food in Dream Land, leaving the inhabitants of the land hungry and without sustenance. Kirby goes after the King and eventually vanquishes him in the final fight. Afterward, Dedede is seen in a furious mood, throwing a tantrum over his loss to Kirby.

    In subsequent games, Dedede is a lot more of a positive character. An example is Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, where he takes the Star Rod from the Fountain of Dreams and shatters it into seven pieces. This made it so that the inhabitants of Dream Land could no longer dream. Kirby, in a bid to save the day, goes after Dedede and confronts him. It is only later that we find out that Dedede actually broke the Star Rod to protect the land from Nightmare, a malevolent force intent on using the Star Rod to terrorize the inhabitants of Dream Land.

    In other situations, Dedede is portrayed as the enemy because he has been taken over by a malicious force (mostly Dark Matter). Beyond this, he is more of a positive force and even helps Kirby sometimes. The two share a weird relationship as they are seen to be on friendly terms, but it is hinted that Dedede harbors some reservations towards Kirby. This is mostly because he can't seem to win against the protagonist.

29. #29King K. Rool

    Keys: King K. Rool

    King K. Rool derives his name from a pun on the word 'cruel'. True to the meaning of the name, Rool is a despot who is the leader of the Kremlin gang and is always looking for ways to steal the huge hoard of bananas from the Kongs. He first appeared in the 1994 game, Donkey Kong Country. Here he was the main antagonist who manages to steal the hoard of bananas from the Kongs imprisoning Diddy Kong, who was left behind to guard the bananas, in the process. Donkey Kong goes to retrieve the bananas and saves Diddy from his barrel prison and together they go and fight against K. Rool.

    The motives behind the theft of the bananas is unclear as some sources state that he simply loves bananas and wanted it for himself. Another reason behind the theft—a much darker one, is that K. Rool wanted to deprive the Kongs of their source of food, thereby starving and killing them. If successful, he was going to take over their home and rule.

    It has been suggested that Rool is mentally unbalanced and this would go some way in explaining how he can be so horrible yet so incompetent. He has a younger brother known as K. Lumsy.

    After his initial defeat to the Kongs, K. Rool is not deterred and eventually succeeds in kidnapping Donkey Kong, prompting Diddy Kong to embark on an adventure to rescue DK. This time, K. Rool goes under the alias, Kaptain K. Rool, and battles Diddy and Daisy Kong onboard his pirate ship. He is once again the loser and after yet another final battle (which he loses, go figure) Crocodile Isle, which is where he was holding Donkey Kong, is significantly damaged and starts to sink. Somehow, K.Rool is able to survive this and sails away with a plot to come back and trouble the Kongs yet again.

30. #30Kirby

    Keys: Kirby, Kirbo, Kirb

    When a terrible danger shadows the peaceful world of Planet Popstar, one hero takes the situation into his (cute) hands and saves everyone. He is Kirby, a pink round creature. You might think he is suitable only for warm hugs (and he is actually really good at this), but also, Kirby is fearless in his hero missions. He has some miraculous abilities that help him to defeat any impudent villain.

    Yep, gamers love miraculous abilities. What can we get with Kirby?

    This creature is pretty unusual. He can inhale enemies, absorb their strengths, and split them as a kind of projectile. Useful, isn’t it? In addition, Kirby can inhale the air to become bigger and lighter. This is his way to fly around the virtual stages.

    Kirby is one of the most popular characters in gaming. He’s been here since the 1990s, and Nintendo regularly releases new games with this fan-favorite creature.

    In the core games, Kirby rescues his homeworld from various evil personalities, such as Nightmare and Dark Matter. These adventures have been made in the style of unique platformers — in accordance with the inhaling/floating abilities of the main protagonist. Meta Knight and King Dedede are two other characters from the same universe. They are not villains strictly speaking but rather rivals of Kirby, and their role depends on the game.

    Some core games with Kirby: Kirby's Dream Land (1992) Kirby Super Star (1996) Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land (2002) Kirby Mass Attack (2011) Kirby: Planet Robobot (2016) Kirby Star Allies (2018) Apart from the main Kirby series, there are some interesting spin-offs with the round guy. For example, you can play Kirby Pinball. Fans of the fighting genre might get interested in the game Kirby Fighters — with only Kirbys in the roster. The gameplay mechanics here are based on the feature to change abilities, so one hero looks, feels, and fights differently.

    Kirby in the Super Smash Bros. series It is quite natural to see Kirby in all Smash games. Why? Because these series were created by one person — Masahiro Sakurai. He is the “father” of Kirby, and he has prepared a decent place in Smash for this “child.”

    In fact, Kirby feels like a perfect part of the Smash roster, and many players love him.

    Kirby in Smash Ultimate Like in the previous installments, Kirby is one of the lightest characters in the game, with close-to-perfect recovery options. On the other hand, he is pretty slow on the ground and in the air, having issues reaching the attack position.

    Kirby has very quick frame data, and this is a powerful advantage in SSBU. Both his ground and aerial attacks are versatile and might suit different fighting styles. Kirby’s moveset is very good for landing combos.

    To make the process of playing Kirby in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate even more interesting, the developers keep in this game his core ability to inhale opponents and then use their Neutral Special.

    Kirby is a starter SSBU character, so you get him from the very beginning of the game.

31. #31Link

    Keys: Link, Link (BOTW)

    Though not always the same person, Link is the chosen Hero of Time tasked with saving Hyrule from evil grasps using his part of the Triforce, courage. Whether in Ganondorf's reign by rescuing princess Zelda, saving the realm from a Lunar impact, or any other number of herculean tasks. Link is often a silent protagonist who dares adventure into regions and the world to save Hyrule. Though he does not act alone, many characters have helped Link in one world or across various timelines.

    As one of Nintendo's most valuable franchises, Link has been part of the Super Smash Brothers franchise since its inception. In each taking in the look of one of the recent games in the Legend of Zelda Franchise. For Super Smash Bros Ultimate, this was as Hero of the Wild, from the critically and commercially successful Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild. For Super Smash 4, he was a mix of Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess, which was present on Super Smash Bros Brawl, and the following entry of Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword. In his two initial appearances, The original N64 title and Super Smash Bros Melee, Link appears as his Ocarina of Time self.

    Currently, Link sits in a conformable in the upper half of the character tier lists for most competitors. His Ultimate kit proved an upgrade of previous iterations of the character and, as such, developed a good following of talented players. But as the meta evolved through the years, it became clear that very little made Link strong, though nothing made him clearly weak. Given the existence of another two Links in the game, one of which is arguably stronger, finding good Link players is a bit like finding a golden rupee.

32. #32Little Mac

    Keys: Little Mac, Punch-Out!

    Born in the Bronx, New York, Mac grew up dreaming of fighting the toughest boxers to set foot in the ring. Unfortunately, many coaches refused to train him due to his small stature and slim frame, except for Doc Louis. The former Heavyweight Champion saw brilliance in Mac and later gave him his iconic title of Little Mac. Much of his training then focused on speed, stamina, and defense. Though Mac did train one powerful offensive move, his uppercut allowing him to stun even the most stubborn of boxers or even knocked them out for good.

    As he scaled up the rankings, he faced every harder opponent on the ring and ever harsher training by Doc Louis outside of it. Facing opponents from all over the world, some arguably even cheating by using magic, sodas with enhancing properties, or other quirks to get Little Mac off his feet. It would all pay off in the end, as Little Mac would claim victory against Mr. Dream, the heavyweight Champion at just over 17 years of age. After his success, Little Mac would continue fighting to defend the title from many of the fighters he had faced on his way there, all of whom had adapted their fighting style to face the new Heavyweight champ.

    Little Mac is often used as the butt of jokes in the Super Smash Bros community. And for a good reason. He has one of the worst recoveries in the game and can generally be described as a glass cannon. However, connecting strong punches and launching your opponent out of the stage with Little Mac is an experience worth having, if nothing else, for the bragging rights. Little Mac is a fantastic character in the hands of a player capable of maximizing his defensive and punishing playstyle. For everyone else, there are always off-stage compilations.

33. #33Lucario

    Keys: Lucario, Riolu

    Lucario is a tall bipedal Pokemon that resembles a dog or a jackal. Its evolutionary line includes only Fighting-type Riolu, which gains an additional Steel-typing after evolving into Lucario. The mechanics of it are somewhat rare – it needs to have maxed out friendship or happiness points with its trainer.

    Lucario has several traits that set it apart from the rest and make it notable, even though it’s not a Mythic or a Legendary Pokemon. Most Fighting-types usually specialize in physical attacks. And while Lucario itself learns many great moves, it also has an above-average special attack stat and could be pivoted in unusual directions to surprise opponents. This could be attributed to its nature – Lucario is known as an “Aura Pokemon.” It’s able to sense the energy that surrounds every human and Pokemon, Aura, which gives him many advantages. Lucario can read others’ thoughts and movements, especially strong specimen are able to do it from almost a kilometer away. No living being, however stealthy or small, can avoid detection by it.

    Another big advantage that Aura grants Lucario is the ability to telepathically communicate with humans. Pokemon who are able of even rudimentary communication are exceedingly rare, which makes it very special. It is said that Lucario can sense the justice within the hearts of trainers and will only bond with those who it considers just.

    In addition to this, Lucario itself can gather nearby Aura to create an offensive ability Aura Sphere. In Super Smash Bros., it has a Smash-exclusive move called Aura Storm.

    One final trait that sets Lucario apart from all the other Pokemon is that it was the first to master the extremely powerful Mega Evolution form. The significance of this feat is reflected in the big statue of Mega Lucario erected in the Pokemon X and Y’s Kalos region’s Tower of Mastery.

    Lucario first appeared in Smash in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Its unique trait is that it deals more damage the more punishment it takes. This was preserved for all future appearances and was even buffed and made the centerpiece of his whole character.

34. #34Lucas

    Keys: Lucas

    Lucas, his twin brother Claus, their mother Hinawa, and father Flint visited Hinawa's grandparent Alec in Tazmily Village. While exploring the outskirts of the village with his brother and mother, the Sunshine Forest was set ablaze. As they made their escape from the flames, a Dragos that had so far been friendly with Lucas and Claus attacked them and killed Hinawa. The twin brothers then fell into a nearby river and were later rescued by some of the Tazmily villagers. Lucas, traumatized by the events, shut out those around him, while Claus became enraged and went out into the mountains armed with a knife to find and kill the Dragos, he would not come back.

    Flint distraught by the loss of his wife and a son, became distant to Lucas in the years following the incident and sought to find either of their bodies in the mountain. One day Lucas would find himself and a few other members of the village surrounded by pigmask tanks. Even after defeating them, the army would sweep into the village, and develop the village into a full urban town, influencing the townies to become greedier reshaping the island's environment.

    Years later, Lucas would meet a Magypsy that would teach him how to use Psychic powers while on his way to meet a stage bassist he had heard off. He would also bump into Kumatora, another psychic user he met years earlier when he first faced the pigmasks. The two realized they might have now gathered enough power to face the invading army and push them back. Soon the mysterious bassist Duster would also lend his specialties to aid the town.

    Lucas was originally going to be available in Super Smash Bros Melee, but ultimately it would be Ness taking the spot in the roster. Although not as beloved and played as Ness, Lucas is still a fierce fighter and generally considered a good pick in Super Smash Bros Ultimate thanks to its nearly best in the game edge guard and high damage output when played competitively. The core weaknesses of Lucas lie in his predictability. However, a good player should mix up their play enough to avoid facing opponents at unfavorable distances for Lucas.

35. #35Lucina

    Keys: Lucina

    Lucina was born in Ylisstol, the capital of the Halidom of Ylisse. She is the daughter of Chrom, the protagonist of Fire Emblem Awakening. The identity of her mother hasn’t been canonically set and depends on the player choice in-game. It can be either Maribelle, Olivia, Sully, Sumia, the main character Robin, or a nameless villager. Irrespective of her parent’s identity, she still has to play a pivotal role in the story.

    In the future, where Lucina is from, the main antagonist Grima, the Fell Dragon, has killed her father Chrom, and she inherited his sword, Falchion. Her mother also passed away on the battlefield, and the situation has become dire. Grima was not only threatening the Halidom of Ylisse, the continent, or humanity, he was about to bring the world, the whole creation would cease to exist. Lucina, who possessed four Fire Emblem’s Gemstones out of five, tried to summon Naga, a Divine Dragon she shared a connection with through her birthright. Naga informed her, that there was no way of stopping the Fell Dragon with an incomplete Fire Emblem, but there was another way: Lucina would have to go to the past and try to reverse the catastrophic events before they had happened.

    Witnessing the destruction of Ylisstol at the hands of Grima, Lucina and all the other children of the original characters realize that they have no other choice but to go back in time. However, in doing so, due to the complications of the methods and the presence of Grima, they got separated, and only Lucina managed to reach the time-place she intended.

    She disguised herself upon the arrival, and also took up the name Marth, her ancient predecessor, who was touted as the Hero King. From this point onward, she tried to influence the upcoming events to try to avoid the calamity that has befallen her own timeline.

    Fire Emblem Awakening was a massive massive success, being the first game in the series released on Nintendo 3DS. And ever since the game came out, Lucina has been among the most popular characters in the franchise.

    Her first appearance in Super Smash Bros. was in the title for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, where she was a clone character of Marth. In Ultimate, she’s referred to as his Echo Fighter, still a clone, but with her unique individual traits. She is considered by many to be one of the best characters in the game.

36. #36Luigi

    Keys: Luigi, Player 2, Green Stache, Luigi Mario

    Luigi is what is called a deuteragonist. This is a secondary protagonist who acts as something of a sidekick. Think of Killua from the HxH series or Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes. He was initially planned as a simple pallete swap for Mario to facilitate 2-player gameplay in Mario games. But as the times have passed, Luigi has developed into his own man.

    While there are some sources that consider Luigi to be younger than Mario by several years, the more accurate stance is that the two are fraternal twins, with Luigi only a couple of hours younger than Mario. The two are basically inseparable and are constantly on adventures together. There have been times that Luigi has gone off on his own, most notably in the Luigi Mansion series.

    Luigi is taller and slimmer than Mario with a smoother mustache, and his tendency to be a neat freak is on full display in the Luigi Mansion games. Considered to be inferior to his brother by many, Luigi suffers from esteem issues and constantly battles to get out of his brother's shadow. This doesn't mean Luigi is without his fans as he shares an incredibly close relationship with Yoshi, with whom he shares the color Green. Not only that, but Yoshi considers Luigi as something of a mother figure and enjoys having the younger twin read him to sleep. Luigi is also friendly with Toad, and It is suspected that there is a mutual romantic attraction between him and Daisy.

    In terms of gameplay, Luigi possesses more jumping power than Mario and generally moves faster. He possesses a tether grab and has the ability to crawl. While not the most popular character competitively, he has shown some pretty strong showing in tournaments and is certainly an option for serious players.

37. #37Mario

    Keys: Mario, Mario Mario, Red Stache, Jumpman,

    This guy is a legend of the gaming world, and it wouldn’t be a Super Smash Bros. game without him. Mario started his adventure a long time ago, in the era of 8-bit consoles. Since then, the famous plumber is present in so many games, becoming a well-recognizable mascot of Nintendo and gaming in general.

    Mario is always a hero. The power of love moves him forward and motivates him to perform glorious feats. When wild Donkey Kong kidnaps Mario’s girlfriend, the guy rushes to the beast and fights him fearlessly. That happens in the very first game with Mario - Donkey Kong (1981).

    A more canonical start of Mario’s gaming “career” is the game Super Mario Bros. from 1985. It introduces his beloved one, Princess Peach, and the main enemy, Bowser. Mario (or his brother Luigi) runs to the castle of Bowser to rescue Peach. It’s an amazing platformer that got many sequels and defined the genre.

    Stories of Super Mario games are not very innovative. Bowser kidnaps Peach, and Mario has to defeat the villain again. Sometimes, Peach is part of the rescue team, and the friends should rescue someone else — but the general scenario remains the same.

    Some of the best Mario games are:

    Super Mario Bros. 3 Super Mario 64 Super Mario Galaxy New Super Mario Bros. Super Mario 3D World Super Mario Odyssey Super Mario Maker When Mario becomes tired of his rescuing missions, he takes a break for having a party with friends, playing tennis and golf, or driving a kart. These spin-off games are very popular and allow Mario to prove his other talents.

    Talking about the multilayered personality of Mario — did you know he is a good doctor? Check his skills in the Dr. Mario games!

    Mario in Super Smash Bros. series This fighting series was created as a celebration of all things Nintendo. And Mario, hands down, is the biggest celebrity of this company — naturally, he was added to the roster as the #1 fighter, and he keeps this status in all five installments.

    In all the Smash games, Mario is a starter character, and he is pretty accessible for newcomers.

    Playing Mario in Smash Ultimate This fighter is one of the best for beginners in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Not only is Mario easy to control and get victories, but playing him also gives very good understanding of the game mechanics.

    Mario is a versatile SSBU fighter. His speed is slightly above average on the ground, but Mario is very fast in the air. He is a midweight character with nicely balanced abilities. Mario is good at close-range fights, but he also has projectiles — fireballs from his original games.

    The neutral game of Mario is quite strong. His combos often start with Up and Down Tilts and include Up Air.

    Many players use Mario for a rushdown style. There is an opinion that being average in the stats prevents Mario from shining especially bright in some situations. This also means he doesn’t have apparent disadvantages.

38. #38Marth

    Keys: Marth

    Marth was born in Altea, a small island kingdom on the continent of Archanea, to King Cornelius and Queen Liza. Despite the country being small, its military power was to be reckoned with, mainly due to the considerable skill of its knights, who were known to be the best on the continent. When Archanea, the kingdom Altea swore fealty to, was invaded by the Dolhr Empire and its allies, the king took up his sword Falchion and led his forces to fight for his allies.

    Marth was left behind in Altea with his mother Liza and sister Elice, mainly to continue his studies. With the regular army gone, the city was protected by an allied garrison of the Kingdom of Gra. After the tides turned unfavorably for Archanea, the King of Gra Jiol betrayed his allies and killed King Cornelius on the battlefield. The garrison stationed at Altea did the same, handing the city to the Dolhr Empire.

    Marth’s sister and his friends stayed behind to buy him time to escape. The Kingdom of Altea fell, but the prince managed to escape to safety and fled to the allied Kingdom of Talys, where he and the people loyal to him hid for two years. However, after the vicious pirates of Galder threatened to raid the little island nation, and following a fateful meeting with his childhood friend Caeda, he felt his debt needed repaying, so he took up a sword to protect it. This sparked the events that would lead Marth to spearhead the rebellion against the mighty Dolhr Empire, avenge his father, and liberate his country from the clutches of occupation.

    Marth is very young and talented, but his pure idealism tends to put him into dangerous situations, as his kind heart has complete sway over his actions. Dutiful and honorable, he’s also incredibly shy and has trouble professing his feeling to those he holds the dearest, such as his fiancée Caeda. In the centuries since the events of the games centered around him, Marth’s tale is handed down the generations as the story of the legendary Hero-King.

    Marth is the mainstay of the Smash series, first appearing in the Melee for Nintendo GameCube. He’s the protagonist of the very first Fire Emblem and has been present in many games ever since. He could very well be considered to be FE’s poster boy.

    In Smash, Marth is a quintessential swordsman: a fast, mobile attacker that requires precise spacing to be the most effective. However, due to his dominance in Melee and Brawl, he received several nerfs in Ultimate, making him somewhat more difficult to play.

39. #39Megaman

    Keys: Megaman, Rockman

    Dr. Light, a robotics expert, was working on a series of robots with whom he was sure he could change the world. Unlike other robots, he wanted his creations to have as much autonomy as possible. With this vision in mind, he created a robot called Proto Man. Proto Man was a great creation with thoughts and feelings, but there was a flaw—his power reactor wasn't in the best condition. Hoping to rectify this mistake, Dr. Light tried to modify Proto Man, but the latter ran away, worried that such a change would erase who he was at the time.

    Distraught, Dr. Light decided to perfect his work by creating a couple of robots who would still have the autonomy of Proto Man, but with all the parts created perfectly. Thus, Rock and Roll were born. Rock, who would eventually become Mega Man, was a lab assistant while Roll handled household duties.

    Meanwhile, Dr. Wily, a rival of Light's, was jealous of his colleague's achievements and set out to take over the world. He got a stroke of good fortune when he came across Proto Man, who was in distress and misleading him; he was able to create robots with whom he was going to conquer the world.

    At a loss on how to stop Wily, the city pondered their options. But Rock, who was created with a strong sense of justice, volunteered to have his body modified so he would be able to fight back against Wily's forces. Dr. Light subsequently gave Rock several modifications, and he became Mega Man. With his newfound powers, the young robot went to war with Wily and, after an arduous battle, was victorious. Dr. Wily begged for forgiveness and was granted by Mega Man (something that would become a staple of the series).

    Mega Man has appeared in several games, and his strong sense of justice, affability, and leadership qualities have made him a firm favorite in the Nintendo video game lineup.

40. #40Meta Knight

    Keys: Meta Knight

    Little is known about the origins of Meta Knight, but there is a lot of speculation about who he is. He first appeared in Kirby's Adventure in 1993 and was a sub-boss who stood in Kirby's way. However, from the very beginning, it is clear that he is chivalrous and possesses a strict code of conduct. Even when he is the enemy, he refuses to face Kirby unarmed.

    Following their encounter in the first Kirby game, the two have clashed on other occasions and have even worked together depending on the situation. It is clear that Meta Knight only works for himself and isn't typically strung along by anyone. He is the leader of the Meta-Knights, which includes other distinguished characters such as Javelin Knight, Axe Knight, and Trident Knight.

    Meta Knight is quite powerful and wields the legendary sword, Galaxia. However, he is very frustrated with his inability to defeat Kirby, with the Pink protagonist always getting the upper hand in encounters between the two. This slight on his ego has caused Meta Knight to team up with King Dedede in hopes of being able to take down Kirby even once—it fails.

    Meta Knight's mysterious appearance and shrouded past have been a hotbed for speculation. On the few occasions where his mask has been damaged, and his face revealed, Meta Knight bears a resemblance to Kirby and other creates of that species. This has led to speculation that Meta Knight might be Kirby's father. This point of view is supported by Meta Knight's keen interest in anything that relates to Kirby. Meta Knight differs from Kirby in that he is a much darker hue to Kirby and has hands with digits.

    While Meta Knight is stoic and seems uncaring, it is shown over the course of the story that he is fiercely loyal to his friends and cares for them. The feeling is mutual as the other members of the Meta-Knights are willing to sacrifice themselves for Meta Knight.

    Within the world of SSBU, Meta Knight has several jumps, coupled with impressive mobility, which makes him a hassle for most opponents.

41. #41Mewtwo
42. #42Mii Brawler

    Keys: Mii Brawler, Samuel

    Name: Samuel

    The Miis were created around the release of the Nintendo Wii in 2006. Nintendo developed a slew of titles that used a new avatar system, the Miis, to introduce people to the console's motion control and have some first-party content at release. The basic idea being that players could create themselves and play various games with these avatars. As a matter of fact, Mii titles are among the most sold for the console, with Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort taking first and third place.

    Interestingly enough, the Mii fighters would not make their debut appearance in Super Smash Bros Brawl, the Wii entry in the franchise. It would take until the release of the Wii U and Super Smash Bros 4 for the trio to make their way into the icon stages of Super Smash Bros. Each of the characters focuses on a particular playstyle, with some moves being similar, but not outright copies, of other characters.

    Mii Brawler is a close-quarters specialist with good speed and recovery. Much of his kit revolves around powerful specials and decent combo potential to accompany one of the better edge guards in Super Smash Bros Ultimate. A central flaw of the character is their lack of KO tools at medium and high percentages, as his combos quickly drop off. In current competitive play, Mii Brawler is thought to be a jack of all trades face-to-face fighter, capable of adapting to tricky situations and making the most of their specials.

43. #43Mii Gunner

    Keys: Mii Gunner, Sarah

    Name: Sarah

    The Miis were created around the release of the Nintendo Wii in 2006. Nintendo developed a slew of titles that used a new avatar system, the Miis, to introduce people to the console's motion control and have some first-party content at release. The basic idea being that players could create themselves and play various games with these avatars. As a matter of fact, Mii titles are among the most sold for the console, with Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort taking first and third place.

    Interestingly enough, the Mii fighters would not make their debut appearance in Super Smash Bros Brawl, the Wii entry in the franchise. It would take until the release of the Wii U and Super Smash Bros 4 for the trio to make their way into the icon stages of Super Smash Bros. Each of the characters focuses on a particular playstyle, with some moves being similar, but not outright copies, of other characters.

    Mii Gunner is a range specialist with various tools to maintain zone control. They are also the most survivable of the three Mii fighters giving them a lot of time to land a powerful special. Sadly their limited mobility can be a big disadvantage due to their long start frame times for many of their attacks, which leaves the character open to being punished. Perhaps then it shouldn't be a surprise that they are considered the weaker of the three Mii fighters. In modern Super Smash Bros Ultimate play, there is a time and place for them, but the versatility of the character rapidly falls apart when faced with its flaws. Nevertheless, it is a great secondary or tertiary pick to keep up with the rest.

44. #44Mii Swordfighter

    Keys: Mii Swordfighter, Earl

    Name: Earl

    The Miis were created around the release of the Nintendo Wii in 2006. Nintendo developed a slew of titles that used a new avatar system, the Miis, to introduce people to the console's motion control and have some first-party content at release. The basic idea being that players could create themselves and play various games with these avatars. As a matter of fact, Mii titles are among the most sold for the console, with Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort taking first and third place.

    Interestingly enough, the Mii fighters would not make their debut appearance in Super Smash Bros Brawl, the Wii entry in the franchise. It would take until the release of the Wii U and Super Smash Bros 4 for the trio to make their way into the icon stages of Super Smash Bros. Each of the characters focuses on a particular playstyle, with some moves being similar, but not outright copies, of other characters.

    Mii Swordfighter is the best aerial fighter of the Mii trio and one of the most versatile. Their specials are a great tool to dispense opponents with Gale Strike, a slow-moving projectile, being a great kill confirm thanks to its damage. Their normal attacks are fast, and they give the character good control of the stage and the ability to punish overactive aerial players with great ways to respond to them. In the current competitive Super Smash Bros Ultimate environment, Mii Swordfighter is thought to be a great choice for those whose playstyle revolves around trapping opponents near ledges to make the most of his specials.

45. #45Min Min

    Keys: Min Min

    Min Min is part of a long-lasting line of Ramen Royalty called the Noodle House. Not only a magnificent cook Min Min is a brilliant fighter in the ring with her extendable arms and movement range. When the Invitation to join Smash landed in her world, she was the last remaining ARMS fighter to claim the letter of admission. The other fighters now support her in her fights in the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate world and come in to help with her final Smash.

    She shares a rare gene with other ARMS fighters; thus, her arms developed into their iconic helix-shaped forms resembling cooked noodles. She joined the ARMS League Grand Prix to drive more customers to her family ramen restaurant where she works. Part of her equipment includes the Rambam, a medium-weight circular weapon, The Megawatt, a heavy ball of metal capable of electrocuting opponents and her most recognizable arm, the Dragon, allowing her to blast her opponents with a burst of flame.

    The ARMS franchise, although a relatively small one, has gathered a loving community of competitors of their own. With events worldwide and an extensive library of guides for people to get into the game competitively. It is unclear if there will be a sequel to the title in the future, but if Splatoon is any indication, there right still some hope left to see a new entry in this unique Nintendo IP of the modern era.

    Min Min came in at an unfortunate time for her competitive debut as most events were moving away from offline arenas and locals and into online in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, whether she is competitively viable is still a debate players regularly have. Many players believe her strengths almost always require her opponents to be in a mediocre connection where avoiding her attacks becomes harder to achieve. Min Min is the Guild's Cook

46. #46Mr Game & Watch

    Keys: Mr Game & Watch

    From 1980 to 1991, Game & Watch was a series of handheld games released by Nintendo. Each with a unique game. The entire run was one of Nintendo's first major successes in the commercial electronic entertainment space selling well over 40 million units worldwide by the end of the project. Game & Watch is also considered as inspiration for the Wario line of games later, as these showcased similar quick gameplay snippets with various fun or wacky characters.

    There was a Game & Watch collection release for the Nintendo DS containing all the games from the series. As part of the 35th anniversary of the Mario Franchise in 2020, Nintendo released a new Game & Watch console with a variety of G&W-inspired games and a version of Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, which was originally released for Japanese audiences only. Obviously, this special anniversary version also had a digital clock and alarm, like all Game & Watch before it.

    In the competitive world of Super Smash Bros Ultimate G&W is viewed as a standout specialist character with a very strong glass-cannon complex. He has one of the best offensive capabilities in the game with combos, juggles, and KOs that are a serious threat to everyone on the roster. This on top of a towering offstage presence with both aerial attacks and edge traps that limit the opponent's options. But they are a glass cannon nonetheless. Their lightness and overall lack of range make G&W a very fragile figure for prolonged battles. Mastering the character can take a long time and require a reframing of how one approaches most matchups in the game. As such good G&W players might pivot to a secondary pick for when fights turn sour.

47. #47Ness

    Keys: Ness

    One day a meteorite landed near Ness's hometown Onett. Soon after, his neighbor Porky came to him to ask for his help. His brother Picky had gone missing as they were headed to see the meteorite up close. The two, along with Porky's dog King, head to the meteorite to find Picky. Once reunited, Picky said that he believed Porky was the one who had gone missing in their expedition. As the discussion was getting started, an insect-looking figure approached the three and spoke directly to Ness. He explains his name was Buzz-Buzz, and he was from the future, sent to the past to warn Ness about the threat of the Giygas and tell him about a prophecy he was at the center of.

    On their back to Porky's and Picky's home, Picky, Porky, Buzz-Buzz, and Ness are confronted by a pink figure named Starman Jr. They confirm Buzz-Buzz's prophecy and engages the group in combat. After defeating him with a mixture of physical and psi attacks, the groups rush back into town and Porky's and Picky's home. Sadly, as they reach the house, Porky's and Picky's mother Lardna mistook Buzz-Buzz for a common bug and lethally injured him. With the last of his strengths, Buzz-Buzz gave Ness as much information as possible to help him on the adventure he would now need to face.

    One of the standout aspects of Ness is his special attacks. PK Thunder, Flash, and Fire are all incredibly good tools to either juggle opponents, deal damage at a safe distance, edge guard, or secure a knockout. This also extends to his aerial capability, making him a threat across the entire stage. Finally, his grab and throws are above average thanks to their speed and are a handy tool in close-quarter situations.

    But he also has a few glaring weaknesses. Ness is very vulnerable to opponents who have a keen eye for punishing mistakes. Which is worsen by his limited ground mobility and relatively low-speed projectiles. Meaning that Ness has to keep its distance and be the one dictating the tempo of a fight at all times or risk being put in a high damage situation and KOed.

48. #48Olimar

    Keys: Olimar, Pikmin

    After a long day of work and on his way back to his home planet, Olimar's ship, the S.S. Dolphin, is struck by a meteorite and sent hurtling down planetside. After the crash, he assessed the situation. With his life systems failing and a toxic atmosphere made up of mostly oxygen, Olimar had to rebuild his ship within thirty days. While exploring the surface near his ship, he sees a peculiar lifeform. After interacting with it for a few moments, he quickly discovers their potential to help him gather every part he needs to get his ship back into shape. He would call these creatures Pikmin. Once the ship was back into action, he returned to Hocotate.

    Soon after landing back on his home planet, Olimar is greeted by his employer from Hocotate Freight. As it turns out, a newly hired member of the company, Louie, had lost a major shipment and put the whole operation in such a large debt that the S.S. Dolphin was to be sold to pay for part of it. But after calculating the worth of a piece of a bottle cap that Olimar had brought in from his travel, his employer commands him to go back and gather as much as he and Louie can to pay off the debt. The two then come back to the earth-like planet and, with the help of the Pikmin, payoff Hocotate Freight's debt.

    At the core of Olimar's gameplay is the utilization of his Pikmin, each having a different range, strength, and resistance. With Red, Yellow, Blue, and White, Pikmin can withstand attacks based on fire, electricity, water, and poison damage, respectively. The white Pikmin also deals poison damage. And the final Pikmin, Purple, is the strongest of all but will not cling to opponents. Instead, it applies a knockback.

    In the world of competitive Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Olimar is viewed as a specialist character with various powerful matchups but with a big-time investment. Even with a great grasp of the character player might fall prey to Olimar's weaknesses, such as his weak aerial presence and his punishable playstyle.

49. #49Pac-man

    Keys: Pac-man

    Pac-Man resides in Pac-Land which is plagued by several ghosts but most especially the four 'ghost lords'; Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde who seek to terrorize Pac-Land. It is Pac-Man's duty to get rid of the ghosts with the power of pellets. As a youngster, Pac-Man trained under the revered Pac-Master who taught him everything he knows including how to defeat the ghosts. Pac-Man soon becomes adept at defeating the ghosts and also gets close to Pac-Master's family. It was here he met his future wife, Ms Pac-Man. Soon, Pac-Land came under a terrifying threat— the powerful ghost, Golovis. This malicious ghost had been banished deep into space where he was supposedly unable to come back from. Unfortunately, four young ghosts took it upon themselves to set the menace free and summon him from his other-worldly prison in a bid to defeat Pac-Master.

    The ghosts succeeded in their plot and with Golovis back to his old stomping grounds, he was able to use the power of his magic guitar, Jack, to turn all the Pac-People into mindless spherical objects. Therefore, they were unable to move and Golovis would be able to do away with them with ease. Luckily, Pac-Land's guardian spirit, Krystal, comes to their aid and while she was unable to defeat Golovis, she was at least able to set Pac-Man free. Now, our Yellow hero had to fight Golovis and defeat him. After a difficult battle and with the help of Krystal, he is finally able to take Golovis down and restore everyone back to their normal state.

    Pac-Man would later marry Ms Pac-Man and the two have two kids, Jr. Pac-Man and Baby Pac-Man. Pac-Man takes his responsibility of protecting Pac-Land from the ghosts, but is also an easygoing fellow and a dedicated family man. He also has a positive disposition towards food, especially pellets which make him strong and help in his battles against ghosts.

50. #50Palutena

    Keys: Palutena

    Palutena’s first appearance was in the 1996 Famicom Disk System game Kid Icarus. There, she’s introduced as the Goddess of Light and a direct foil to Medusa, the Goddess of Darkness. She loved people and bestowed them Light to make their lives happy. But Medusa hated them and turned to stone whoever she could. Appalled by this, Palutena punished her and banished her to the Underworld. Spiteful, Medusa conspired with monsters to depose her and invade her residence in the Palace in the Sky. She succeeded and imprisoned her, but at the last second Palutena managed to send a bow and an arrow to Pit, who would then go on a quest to free her from her confines.

    The storytelling abilities of the creators were greatly hindered by the inferior hardware back in the eighties. But with the most recent release, Kid Icarus: Uprising, Masahiro Sakurai, Smash’s game director, managed to flesh Palutena out well as a character. She’s still the Goddess of Light from the Angel Land, and Pit’s direct superior. While she’s usually refined and dignified, as expected from the goddess, she actually has a playful and mischievous side, which she often shows to Pit. Food is a subject that can make her very excited, as she has a huge appetite. And may Light help the poor soul that so much as dares to mention her name. Palutena is also shown to be very wise, and almost entirely omnipotent and omniscient. She also has a nearly absolute mastery over the element of Light. Being Pit’s “boss”, she’s the one who provides him with his tasks and powers.

    Palutena is considered to be a very strong pick in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. She has powerful attacks with high range, excellent airspeed and mobility, and can counterattack. But she tends to get pressured by fast characters and, being tall and lightweight, easily KOd

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