My Favorite Super Smash Bros. Characters

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is one of the most entertaining video games ever made.

To own a Nintendo Switch and not have a copy of Smash Ultimate is to have a silverware set without forks. Your system is simply incomplete without this game. Not only has it perfected the gameplay established in the previous four titles, to miss out on this unmatchable package of multiplayer fun would be a huge disservice to everything that video games have to offer.

But on another note, it is also the biggest crossover in media history. (Shut up, Endgame.) Nowhere else can you find an experience where you can see such dissimilar characters like Mario, Snake, Cloud, Banjo-Kazooie, Ryu, and Joker fighting each other on the same screen. No matter how their fighting styles differ from each other, there’s just a distinct novelty in being able to battle against these characters.

However, just because this game has over 80 playable characters doesn’t mean that they all work for every single type of player. Even though I enjoy fighting as many of the characters featured in the game, where someone may find a lot of joy in playing as Jigglypuff, all I experience is misery.

So with that, now that the complete roster of characters is available – at least until I have to update this list again – I wanted to share the ones I respond to the most. Bear in mind that my preferences are not based on any kind of statistical analysis or previous tier rankings. I simply enjoy the following ten characters more than the rest. This list is purely subjective, one that explains my personal playstyle with the characters that reflect it the strongest. And I should also mention that I only picked one character per franchise.

Without further ado, we’ll start things off with:

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#10 — Snake (Metal Gear Solid)

The thing about Snake is that he had some tough competition for this bottom spot on the list. I really like many of the characters in the game, but in the end, he made it into my ranking due to his versatility and physical strength. I tend to be very aggressive with my fighting style in Smash, so his extremely powerful kicks, knee jabs, and tackles are very useful in launching opponents. At the same time, his wealthy assortment of weapons serves many purposes. Plus, his Final Smash is much more reliable and effective in this game as opposed to Brawl. Snake may be a bit awkward for the less experienced player, but there’s a lot to like after getting used to him.

#9 — King K. Rool (Donkey Kong Country)

A king amongst pirates and on the battlefield, this portly crocodile is not to be messed with. It’s no secret among the Smash community that Sakurai gave this beefcake the tools to become a lethal presence in a match. Every single one of his attacks lands with a powerful thud, with his smash attacks being especially notorious for killing fools. Not to mention that he is one of the few characters in the game to have a Down-B that acts as a counter and reflector. The only reason why this beast isn’t higher on my list is that I haven’t played enough matches for me to get really comfortable with him. That being said, I fully recognize that he is a character to be feared when fighting against him, and a sadistic joy to be had when playing as him.

#8 — Cloud (Final Fantasy)

Here we have another character that I would probably rank higher if I simply knew how to do better combos with him. Otherwise, Cloud’s move set is pretty much everything I could ever want from an anime swordfighter, aside from the fact that he doesn’t have a counter. His sheer speed is something I greatly appreciate since the right amount of control applied to his agility is enough to trip up other players. At that point, once someone is confused and just trying to throw random attacks at you, something like the Limit Break moves can provide some needed blow-back. Then Cloud comes in with his powerful swings with the Buster Sword, which doesn’t have quite the same strength as other swords in the game but still gets the job done. People say that he was drastically nerfed from how he played in Smash 4, but considering that I never really got to play that game on an intimate level, I had nothing to compare to. And hey, I like him just fine.

#7 — Palutena (Kid Icarus)

Palutena is somehow more of a floozy in this game than even freakin Bayonetta, but those who know the power behind her move set will know that she’s more than just a pretty face. Just like King K. Rool, her Down-B acts as an unpredictable counter and reflector, but this is only the beginning of how her magical attacks can really mess up other fighters. With the proper timing, every single one of her Smash attacks can launch characters into a K.O. rather early. Mixing these moves with strategic uses of Auto Aim and Explosive Light are also very effective ways to build up damage, even though this may just end up pissing off whoever you’re playing against. However, this could be used to your advantage since if you successfully rile up your opponents and keep your cool, it might be easier to take them out. With a healthy balance of speed, strategic opportunities, recovery, and power, Palutena is worth giving a shot if you haven’t already done so.

#6 — Ike (Fire Emblem)

Inevitably one Fire Emblem character was going to make my list. This franchise’s presence in the game is practically a meme at this point, but I mean, these characters are good. REALLY GOOD. My favorite of the bunch has been Ike ever since Brawl, and now that he has increased speed and launch power, I expect that he always will be. Ike strikes that amazing line between the raw power of Byleth, while also having the potential for tactical gameplay one can find with Marth and Chrom, and I love him for it. A strong recovery with his Side-B move has also proven to be very useful from time to time. Aether may be predictable to a fault, but otherwise, this guy’s move set is so incredibly powerful and far-reaching that despite how slow he may be, acute timing makes a huge difference. Once I discovered how to manipulate other players and land devastating attacks with Ike, I realized that he would be my choice for favorite tank character in the game.

#5 — Ridley (Metroid)

Ridley’s reveal during E3 2018 was one of the most hype Smash trailers of all-time, and thankfully he delivered in the actual game. Granted, I still have a long way to go until I’ve mastered how to land combos and be fully strategic with him. Overall, though, I’ve really come to love how much everything about Ridley’s move set points to being very aggressive. I enjoy fast-paced, energetic gameplay, so the emphasis that his attacks place upon being vicious and conniving is deeply satisfying to me. When you jab someone at the exact right moment with his tail, oh man, it’s amazing. Likewise, moments when you get to drag some fool off the stage is sadistically gratifying. The downside of Ridley is that a lot of his powerful attacks have more frames of animation, meaning that they can be slow and predictable, lowering his competitive potential. In the end, though, he’s just ridiculously fun to play as, and isn’t that what it’s really about?

#4 — Daisy (Mario)

Literally, every person I talk to is shocked when I tell them that Daisy and Peach are among the absolute best characters in the entire roster. After all, on paper, you probably wouldn’t think much of them. But they both have incredibly useful moves that serve offensive and defensive purposes, while also being useful to pros or people who are just trying the game out for the first time. Personally, I just prefer Daisy as a character over Peach to begin with, so that’s why she makes it onto my list. While I wouldn’t consider myself a master of this character, her diverse set of skills have proven time and time again to be highly effective in any kind of match. With an amazing recovery, that wickedly notorious ability to float, a counter move, and a Final Smash that is surprisingly strong depending on how you use it, Daisy has everything you need in the most unexpected ways. If you’re struggling to get good at Smash, consider using Peach and Daisy, for they may be easy to use, but they pack some punches.

#3 — Lucario (Pokémon)

Pretty much any playable Pokémon in Smash Ultimate is handy in a fight. A lot of them were actually close candidates for this list. However, Lucario made it on here because of how easy it is to throw other people off with him. The majority of his attacks aren’t really that strong at first, but once you sufficiently build up an opponent’s damage, then he becomes very deadly. He arguably has one of the most powerful counters, so waiting for that opportune moment to put someone in their place is deeply satisfying. But what’s more, is that Lucario is only the character to actually gain attack power as his damage increases. With this, his potential to wipe the floor with everyone rises exponentially once he feels the heat of a battle because he can then absolutely wreck everyone in his path. He’s fast, fun to experiment with, and interesting to see how players online try to make sense of his move set due to how overlooked he tends to be. Without a doubt, he’s one of my favorite characters to use in just messing with people.

#2 — Mii Gunner

No one cared who he/she was until they put on the mask.

Mii Gunner is the character that has surprised me the most since first playing Smash Ultimate. With the specific special moves that I’ve given my own Miis, on top of the already strong set of attacks they have, the Mii Gunner is suitable for the ruthless, mischievous, and tactical kind of player. I wish their recovery was better, but when their boots are on their ground, attacks can range from subtle to brutal. Most of the best elements of the other gun-based characters in Smash converge here, giving the Mii Gunner plenty of opportunities to inflict damage with explosives, projectiles, and attacks with either plenty of range or strength. The reflector is also an essential choice if you want to play this character the smart way. As a whole, playing as a Mii Gunner has really taught me a lot about how to play competitively, because its diversity of move types has allowed me to tackle all kinds of players and surprisingly defeat many of them. It's easily my favorite character to play in online matchmaking.

#1 — Young Link (The Legend of Zelda)

Being such a Zelda fanboy, one of the three Links featured in this game was bound to make it on the list one way or another. He’s been one of my favorite characters to play as since the very beginning, and I definitely enjoy all three versions. But since I’m forcing myself to choose one, I have to go with the Hero of Time. Not only is his move set the closest to the perfection that is his Melee attacks, but Young Link has the speed and power necessary to fight anyone that crosses his path. And since I pretty much know the strengths and weaknesses of all his moves, it makes it so that I feel confident going into any fight with him. He stands out as my favorite of all Smash characters not simply because I love his franchise, but because I feel like I just sync up with his wavelengths when I play the game. I hate how imprecise activating his Final Smash can be, but nonetheless, I always have a blast when fighting as Young Link.