Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, with its iconic slogan “Everyone is here,” truly lives up to its promise by featuring an astounding roster of 89 playable characters from 43 distinct game series. However, upon starting the game, you are initially limited to only eight characters. To unlock the rest of the roster, you’ll need to embark on a challenging journey of battles and victories. This guide will explain the three primary ways to unlock characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, as well as the process for unlocking the DLC fighters.
Unlocking in VS. Mode:
The most common method to unlock characters is through VS. Mode, also known as Smash Mode. This versatile game mode allows you to set up battles between any two characters on any stage, with various rulesets. Unlike previous Smash Bros. games, where characters were unlocked by playing a specific number of matches or leaving the game on for a set duration, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate takes a different approach.
The game keeps track of your activity during fights and the number of inputs you make. The more actions you perform, the faster new characters will be unlocked. This applies to both single-player and multiplayer matches. Engaging in battles with two or more human players will unlock characters faster than playing alone.
To unlock characters in VS. Mode, play the game normally, and it will usually take about five to ten minutes of regular gameplay to spawn your first challenger. After an unlockable fighter appears, the “input counter” will enter cooldown, and it’ll take another five to ten minutes for the next fighter to appear.
If you lose to an unlockable fighter in VS. Mode, don’t fret. Continue playing, and occasionally check the Games & More menu for a glowing golden door icon in the corner. This icon, called Challenger’s Approach, randomly appears and grants you a rematch against any fighter you originally lost to.
Unlocking in Classic Mode:
Classic Mode is another way to unlock characters. Found in the Games & More section, Classic Mode takes your selected character through a series of fights and challenges, resulting in 86 unique Classic Mode routes (excluding the three Mii Fighters).
Upon completing a Classic Mode route, you’ll face a character you haven’t unlocked yet. Winning the battle will permanently unlock that character. Similar to VS. Mode, the order in which the characters appear isn’t random. The character you’re playing as determines which character you’ll unlock next.
Each character has a list of other characters that will appear when you use them to beat Classic Mode. For example, completing Classic Mode as Mario will unlock Sonic. Completing it again as Mario will unlock Bayonetta, followed by Little Mac, and so on. Additionally, beating Classic Mode with a character you’ve already unlocked will unlock characters from the list they belong to.
Remember, if you lose against a character when trying to unlock them in Classic Mode, they’ll return later. Keep checking the Games & More menu until the golden Challenger’s Approach icon reappears for a rematch.
Unlocking in World of Light:
World of Light, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s story mode, provides another avenue to unlock the base roster characters. Set in a universe devastated by a cosmic entity called Galeem, most characters have been sealed away. As you progress through World of Light, you’ll encounter the characters controlled by Galeem. Winning these fights will unlock the characters not only in World of Light but also in the rest of the game.
Unlike VS. and Classic Mode, you can repeatedly rematch any of the characters in World of Light until you defeat them. However, be prepared for a substantial time investment, as World of Light can take about 20 to 30 hours to complete, and you won’t be able to unlock every character until the final section.
Unlocking DLC Characters:
Since its release, Nintendo has added 12 new fighters to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate through paid downloadable content (DLC). Unlike the original characters, you can’t unlock these DLC fighters by playing the game. Instead, you’ll need to purchase them from the Nintendo eShop as individual characters or as part of the “Fighters Pass” bundles.
For instance, the first DLC character, Piranha Plant, can only be downloaded individually. The Fighters Pass bundles include Joker, Hero, Banjo & Kazooie, Terry Bogard, and Byleth (Fighters Pass Vol. 1) and Min Min, Steve & Alex, Sephiroth, Pyra & Mythra, Kazuya Mishima, and Sora (Fighters Pass Vol. 2). Each character costs $5.99 individually, except for Piranha Plant, which costs $4.99. Fighters Pass Vol. 1 is priced at $24.99, and Fighters Pass Vol. 2 costs $29.99.
Once you purchase a DLC character, they are fully unlocked for all modes in the game, including World of Light. No additional one-on-one fight is required.
In conclusion, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate boasts an impressive roster of 89 playable characters, offering a diverse and exciting gaming experience. To unlock these characters, players can utilize VS. Mode, Classic Mode, or World of Light. Each method has its unique approach to character unlocks, so choose the one that suits your gaming style and preferences. For those interested in expanding the roster further, DLC characters are available through individual purchases or Fighters Pass bundles. So, get ready to brawl, battle, and unlock your favorite characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate!
