You’ve heard the catchphrase “everyone is here,” but when you start playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, you’ll only have eight fighters on your roster. These are the eight starting fighters from the original Super Smash Bros. on N64, including Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Samus, Yoshi, Kirby, Fox, and Pikachu.
So how do you unlock the rest of the roster and bring that roster up to the 88 total characters in Smash Bros. Ultimate? Some people opt to go through Adventure or Classic modes, but if you want to build your roster by fighting with your friends, that’s also an option. After a match, you’ll sometimes have the option to fight a new challenger.
If you win the one vs. one fight, the new fighter will be added to your roster.
But how do you know which fighter will come next? There’s actually a set order that the new challengers will appear.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate character unlock order
Looking to unlock the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster by simply playing some matches against CPUs, Amiibos, or your friend? Here is the unlock order that fighters will appear. And remember, they won’t pop up after each and every match.
- 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 have already unlocked one of the fighters on the above list, you’ll simply face the character next on the list. This will happen until all of them are unlocked. If you lose to a challenger, you will end up facing them again later on, so don’t worry about missing your chance.
Other DLC fighters will be instantly unlocked when you purchase fighter passes. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate currently has two fighter passes with six characters each. The first fighter pass includes Joker, Hero, Banjo & Kazooie, Terry, and Byleth. The second fighter pass features Min Min, Steve, Sephiroth, and Pyra & Mythra.
A new fighter, Kazuya Mishima from Tekken, was revealed at the Nintendo Direct at E3 2021. It’s not clear when this fighter will be available. More information will come on June 28. From there, one more character will come out but it is unknown who it might be or when they will arrive.
