When loading up Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the first time, the starting roster may look underwhelming.
You’re given eight fighters to choose from—the same amount that was offered to players in Super Smash Bros. on Nintendo 64 all the way back in 1999. And you’re expected to unlock the other 66 characters from playing different game modes.
If you have absolutely no interest in playing through the Adventure or Classic modes, though, and you just want to duke it out with your friends, characters will unlock in a specific order over time.
After a match finishes, you’ll occasionally have the option to fight a character in a one vs. one. If you win, that character will be added to your character select screen, permanently joining your roster.
Characters unlock in this order:
- Ness
- Zelda
- Bowser
- Pit
- Inkling
- Villager
- Marth
- Young Link
- Wii Fit Trainer
- Ice Climbers
- Captain Falcon
- Peach
- Ryu
- Ike
- Jigglypuff
- King K. Rool
- Sonic
- Simon
- Zero Suit Samus
- Little Mac
- Isabelle
- Shulk
- Lucina
- Wario
- Ridley
- Pokémon Trainer
- Lucario
- Daisy
- Roy
- King Dedede
- R.O.B.
- Falco
- Luigi
- Pichu
- Richter
- Lucas
- Diddy Kong
- Meta Knight
- Snake
- Ganondorf
- Corrin
- Mega Man
- Bayonetta
- Toon Link
- Rosalina & Luma
- Incineroar
- Sheik
- Olimar
- PAC-MAN
- Dark Samus
- Wolf
- Mr. Game & Watch
- Robin
- Dark Pit
- Cloud
- Duck Hunt
- Ken
- Greninja
- Chrom
- Mewtwo
- Bowser Jr.
- Dr. Mario
- Palutena
If you’ve already unlocked a character on the list, you’ll face off against the next fighter until you unlock them all. If you fail to knock a new fighter, you’ll be given a second chance further down the line.
