Summary
- Super Smash Bros. Debuted on the N64 with Nintendo characters, setting the stage for future rosters.
- Brawl introduced third-party characters like Sonic, setting a new industry standard.
- Ultimate boasts the most complete roster with Nintendo and third-party fighters, a culmination of the franchise.
Presented to Nintendo in 1997 via a prototype that creator Masahiro Sakurai created in secret, Super Smash Bros. Was approved by the late Satoru Iwata for the N64 and finally launched for the console in 1999. The first roster for the franchise was rather quaint when one looks back on it, featuring only first-party Nintendo characters from across their entire catalog, like Mario, Fox McCloud, and Samus Aran. Since then, Smash has found itself expanding even further beyond the scope of Nintendo, as each subsequent roster has featured a diverse list of fighters to control.
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Each Super Smash Bros. Roster is unique in that it represents a very specific time, not just for Nintendo, but the industry itself. Smash rosters are often indicative of what the industry is going through, as each one has aspects of the past and its ever-evolving future. Third-party characters also carry a bit of weight, as each new entry that utilizes a non-Nintendo character showcases the breadth and depth of video games.
These rosters have been ranked based on their diversity and scope, as well as the legacy that they've left behind.
5 Super Smash Bros.
The Franchise Debuts On Nintendo 64 With An Impressive Roster
Super Smash Bros.
- Released
- April 26, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- HAL Laboratory
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Franchise
- Super Smash Bros.
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo 64, Wii
- How Long To Beat
- 4 Hours
After presenting a prototype to Nintendo in 1997, Masahiro Sakurai's unique vision for fighting games made its debut on the N64 in 1999, packing all the company's most recognizable heroes in one single package. Starring Mario, Captain Falcon, Pikachu, and Ness, among countless others, the roster for the original Super Smash Bros. Remains one of the franchise's most impeccable collection of fighters that the series has ever seen.
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The roster is minimal compared to what was to come, but what is there is a microcosm of Nintendo's culture at the time, as it features the core characters that represented their hardware strategy during this era. Company icons like Mario and Luigi were present, but so were some rather off-the-wall characters like Ness and Jigglypuff, showcasing just how expansive the Nintendo pantheon was growing even in 1999.
4 Super Smash Bros. Brawl
The First Game To Feature Third-Party Fighters
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
- Released
- March 9, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Sora Ltd., Game Arts
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Havok
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Super Smash Bros.
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
- Platform(s)
- Wii
- How Long To Beat
- 12 Hours
Prior to Super Smash Bros. Brawl, previous games in the franchise relied on well-established first-party Nintendo characters to build out their rosters. This approach worked well and helped create some of Nintendo's most iconic game releases, but with Brawl, the franchise really began to showcase just how much power and potential it held in the world of video games.
The roster of first-party Nintendo characters was nothing to sneeze at, expanding to feature the likes of Meta Knight, Pit, and Charizard, but the third-party additions really helped to elevate Brawl into something special. For the first time, characters Sonic and Solid Snake were invited to join the battle, signaling a change in the way the industry would operate moving forward. Impossible dreams didn't seem so impossible anymore, and Brawl's incredible roster was the key to that snowball picking up momentum.
3 Super Smash Bros. Melee
Smash Debuts On GameCube With An Outstanding Cast Of Fighters
Super Smash Bros. Melee
- Released
- December 3, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Comic Mischief, Mild Violence
- Developer(s)
- HAL Laboratory
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Havok
- Multiplayer
- Local Co-Op
- Franchise
- Super Smash Bros.
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
- Platform(s)
- GameCube
After seeing what the GameCube was capable of, as it was one of the most impressive pieces of hardware that Nintendo had ever produced, Masahiro Sakurai went to work on drafting what many still consider the best Smash game of all time and a contender for the GameCube's greatest title. With Super Smash Bros. Melee, the team at HAL Laboratory created a timeless classic and one that features one of the best rosters of any Nintendo multi-character game of all time.
It was before the franchise started embracing third-party characters, but in terms of raw Nintendo star power, it's hard to top it. All the old favorites, like Mario, Link, and Samus, are accounted for, but Melee also stars a host of other Nintendo characters that flesh it out into one of the best first-party-only rosters in the series. Some fan-favorite Pokemon characters also made their debut, including Mewtwo, while Fire Emblem icons like Roy and Marth also appeared, elevating the series into the cult-classic franchise it would become.
2 Super Smash Bros. For Nintendo 3DS And Wii U
Smash Expands The Roster Into Some Uncharted Territory
Super Smash Bros. For Wii U
- Released
- October 3, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Bandai Namco Studios, Sora Ltd.
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Havok
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Super Smash Bros.
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Wii U
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- How Long To Beat
- 5 Hours
Released roughly a month apart from each other on their respective consoles, Super Smash Bros. For Nintendo 3DS and Wii U embraced the winds of change that Brawl started, incorporating even more characters from across the world of Nintendo and the rest of the industry. In terms of first-party Nintendo characters, the classic characters are joined by newcomers like Little Mac from Punch-Out, while Dr. Mario returns after having been absent in Brawl. New additions like Rosalina and the Wii Fit Trainer also fill out the ranks.
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Meanwhile, the third-party characters were absolutely fantastic, with incredible new fighters like Pac-Man, Mega Man, and Bayonetta making their debuts. And in what is still one of the most amazing Direct reveals of all time, Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy 7 was called into the fight, showcasing just how much bigger this iteration of Smash was. Super Smash Bros. For Nintendo 3DS and Wii U still features one of the most stacked fighting game rosters of all time.
1 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Smash Tears Down The House With Most Complete Roster Ever
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- Released
- December 7, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E for Everyone: Cartoon Violence, Comic Mischief, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- n/a
- Cross Save
- no
- Franchise
- Super Smash Bros.
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- no
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
- Platform(s)
- Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- X|S Optimized
- no
After being revealed in stunning fashion during a March 2018 Nintendo Direct, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate had a lot to live up to considering its title promised to be the culmination of this long-running, highly-successful franchise. And now, seven years after launch, with Nintendo having entered a new hardware generation with the Switch 2, it's safe to say that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate delivered, as this roster of combatants from across the entire industry is easily the best in the franchise and also a contender for the best fighting game roster of all time.
Ultimate has the most complete collection of first-party characters to date, as it features an incredible number of new Nintendo heroes, including Isabelle from Animal Crossing and several new Pokemon characters. In addition, third-party fighters are still a miracle of navigating the tricky world of licenses and IP ownership, as iconic figures from the industry far and wide got their Smash Bros. Invitation. Ranging from Joker from Persona 5, Hero from Dragon Quest 11, Sephiroth, and Solid Snake all the way to Sora from Kingdom Hearts and Banjo-Kazooie, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate certainly lives up to its name and remains one of the most popular and successful games on Nintendo Switch.