Top 10 Best Super Smash Bros. Melee Characters

You already know the matchup. One stock. Four minutes. No items. Final Destination. Now the real question: who you picking?

Super Smash Bros. Melee dropped over two decades ago, but it still lives rent-free in your brain and probably your muscle memory too. This isn't just about who hits the hardest or runs the fastest. It's about movement, combos, punishes, recoveries, tech skill, and maybe a little bit of salt when you get shined off the stage at 12%.

Some characters are built for aggressive pressure. Others are waiting to throw you into a blender the second you make one mistake. And yeah, some are just fun as hell to play even if you know deep down you're not making it past pools.

This list is where you decide who's got that main character energy. Vote for the characters that deserve to sit at the top of the tier mountain. Not based on what some chart says. Based on what you've seen, what you've played, and who's clutched it out when it really mattered.

The Top Ten

Fox

Fox McCloud is an anthropomorphic fox and the main character in the Star Fox video game series. He made his debut in Star Fox for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993. Fox is the son of James McCloud, who was presumed lost during a mission.... read more

Fox falls into a unique archetype of character along with Captain Falcon. Most characters are either fast with weak attacks or slow with strong attacks. Fox is fast with strong attacks.
Fox is equipped with an incredibly good recovery, excellent combos, very reliable and strong finishers, and can be completely unstoppable (literally) with someone who has mastered waveshining.

The reason Fox is better than Falco is because Fox is quicker and can do so much more damage in such little time. Fox can jump further and is faster. Why have stronger attacks if Fox can just burst damage you with his blaster then wipe the floor with your face with his ultimate combos.
Marth

Marth is a fictional character from the Fire Emblem series, which is developed by Intelligent Systems and owned by Nintendo. He is a Lord-class protagonist featured in the first and third games of the series, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light and Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem. He... read more

Marth should be number one for sure. He can beat anyone one-on-one, and he is untouchable with his sword. If he hits you into the air, you might as well give up because he belongs in the air. (Notice how Marth hits people further in the air than Roy?)
Marth and Roy are nowhere near the same. You choose which one depending on your fighting style. If you are an airborne player, always jumping into the air and can fly with practically any character, Marth is your best bet. He is a deadly fighter with his Up A. He will keep juggling you until you finally go off the screen. He has very good recovery as well, so it is very hard to counter Marth.
Roy, on the other hand, is an on-ground fighter. He does more damage than Marth but doesn't do much aerial damage. I suggest using Roy if you don't jump much and rely on your smash attacks to kill your opponents.
Falco

Falco Lombardi is an anthropomorphic bird character from Nintendo's Star Fox video game series. He was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and designed by Takaya Imamura. Falco is portrayed as the wingman and close friend of the main character, Fox McCloud, throughout most of the series.

There is actually a big difference between Falco and Fox. They are both really good at combos (obviously), but they execute them differently. Falco is good if you can only do small combos that end the battle decisively.
Fox is better if you're a pro and can put multiple different combos together to create a string of tactics that will decimate your opponent. Fox's speed ensures that you don't hit him at all while he destroys you with his epic combos. But I think that Falco is better because he can kill people much faster than Fox and is still very fast.

Falco is a very effective fighter when it comes to chain combos. His shine is very powerful if used correctly. If you're a player like Westballz or Dr. PeePee, your Falco will be a feared opponent.
Sheik

Sheik, for me, is just too good. Her abilities are through the roof. She is just so fast. She is a one and done character.
Roy

I love Roy right here. My boy from the very beginning when Melee was introduced to me. Though I'm not a big Melee player (meaning I'm not that good at the game), Roy always makes me try and try again. Truly my boy right here and I'm so happy he's in Smash 4 too.

Roy is definitely my boy! I can't tell you how much I love this character. It makes Melee a favorite of mine and definitely always keeps me coming back for more. I've had epic moments and sour moments, but overall, Roy will always remain my boy. Smash 4 Roy is also very good and fun too. - Roy Kuchiki
Captain Falcon

Douglas Jay Falcon, known commonly as Captain Falcon, is a playable character in the racing video game series F-Zero. He first appeared in the original F-Zero game released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990. Captain Falcon is also a prominent fighter in the Super Smash Bros. series... read more

Talk about a character whose power is ridiculously awesome! Falcon Punch always finishes the job.
Kirby

Kirby is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Kirby series of video games, owned by Nintendo and developed by HAL Laboratory. His first appearance was in Kirby's Dream Land, released in 1992 for the Game Boy. The pink, spherical hero is known for his ability to inhale enemies and copy their... read more
Peach

Princess Peach is a major character in the Mario Bros. franchise. She is the lead female character in the series. She is usually the character who needs to be rescued in most Mario games, but she has also appeared as a playable character in main-series Mario games, including Super Mario 3D World, Super... read more

She was good in Melee, but for some reason, she wasn't very good in Brawl!

Peach is boss and can wipe everyone else off the floor!
Jigglypuff

Jigglypuff, known in Japan as Purin, is a round, pink character recognized for its ability to sing lullabies that put others to sleep. Jigglypuff has appeared in various games, anime episodes, and Super Smash Bros. titles.

Jigglypuff is actually one of the best characters, ranking in the top five, but only if you have patience and possess actual skill in the game. Avoid using her B moves unless you are confident in your understanding of them. (Never use Rollout. NEVER EVER EVER) Her side B serves as a recovery move, and only use Sing while descending. (It affects opponents on the edge of platforms) Utilize Rest when you have successfully hit them in the air or when you can dodge into them. (For Rest to work, at least half of your body must be inside theirs)
Limit aerial attacks to opponents below 100% (Smash attacks and regular A attacks are only allowed at the appropriate moments). Continuously maneuver in the air as Jigglypuff is faster in the air than on the ground, providing an easy escape from trouble. Employ a small jump followed by a down A move to trap opponents and accumulate damage. Additionally, this places them right beside you, allowing for a small combo or the use of Rest.
Patience is crucial when utilizing Jigglypuff. When employed correctly, she becomes a formidable and agile player. If you encounter an opponent who truly knows how to utilize Jigglypuff, be prepared for a challenging fight that may result in your defeat.
Mewtwo

Mewtwo is a Psychic-type Legendary Pokémon. Designed by Ken Sugimori, it first appeared in Pokémon Red and Blue in 1996.
Created by Dr. Fuji through gene splicing to clone Mew, Mewtwo is known in game lore as one of the most powerful Pokémon. In later games, it can undergo Mega Evolution into... read more

If there was one character in the Super Smash Bros. games that could put up a fight against Meta Knight, it would be him.
Unbeatable.
Unstoppable.
Amazing.

The Newcomers

?
Zelda

Princess Zelda is a fictional character in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda video game series, created by Shigeru Miyamoto and introduced in its original entry in 1986. She is typically portrayed as a member of the Hyrule royal family and often possesses magical abilities or wisdom. Zelda plays a central... read more
?
Daisy

Princess Daisy is a fictional character in the Mario series of video games, in which she is the princess of the fictional region of Sarasaland. She first appeared in the 1989 game Super Mario Land. Daisy has since become a recurring character in various Mario spin-off games, particularly in sports and... read more

The Contenders

Luigi

Luigi is a major character in video games and related media produced by Nintendo. He was originally introduced as a green-colored palette swap of Mario and is portrayed as Mario's younger, taller fraternal twin brother.
Created by legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi appears in many... read more

He's my main in Melee because he's just got those good fighting mechanics. He needs to be ranked higher.
Ness

Ness is a male video game character who made his first appearance in the 1995 Super Nintendo Entertainment System game EarthBound, known in Japan as Mother 2. He is the main protagonist of the game and uses psychic abilities in battle. Ness later became a recurring playable character in the Super Smash... read more
Link

Link refers to several different incarnations of the same protagonist in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. Each incarnation of Link is typically chosen by the gods to protect the land of Hyrule from evil forces, often wielding the Master Sword and bearing the Triforce of Courage. His main goal is... read more

Ultimate Link is unbeatable. The remote bombs are such a great upgrade, and his Dair spike is really strong.
Bowser

Bowser is the main antagonist of the Mario Bros. franchise. From kidnapping Princess Peach to disrupting games in the Mario Party spinoff series, this king of the Koopas has become a recurring enemy in the series. He first appeared in the 1985 video game Super Mario Bros., in which he kidnapped Princess... read more
Ice Climbers

Ice Climbers are the best. They are pretty fast, do insane damage, have a good up-B, and their ice is pretty good. I'm surprised no one on this list noticed that yet.

The Ice Climbers are the best. They can wobble, desync, and do many other amazing things. They also have some of the best grab games in the game. There is a reason these guys are in the top tiers.
Ganondorf

Ganon, referred to as Ganondorf in his human form, is a fictional character and the central antagonist of Nintendo's Legend of Zelda series. He is a power-hungry Gerudo who possesses the Triforce of Power and seeks to conquer Hyrule by obtaining the remaining pieces of the Triforce. Ganon has appeared... read more
Pikachu

Pikachu (Japanese: ピカチュウ) is a species of Pokémon that appears in video games, animated television shows and movies, trading card games, and comic books licensed by The Pokémon Company. It is the mascot of the Pokémon franchise and is widely considered the most iconic Pokémon. Pikachu... read more
Dr. Mario

Dr. Mario is the persona Mario adopts in the Dr. Mario video game series. In this role, Mario wears a lab coat, a head mirror, and a stethoscope. He first appeared as Dr. Mario in the 1990 puzzle game of the same name.
Mario

Mario, originally named Jumpman, is the main character of the Super Mario Bros. franchise and was created by Nintendo of Japan's game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Mario appears in nearly every game in the series, including many spin-off titles, with a few exceptions such as New Super Luigi U, the Luigi's... read more
Samus

Samus Aran is the protagonist of the science fiction action-adventure video game series Metroid, developed by Nintendo. She is a galactic bounty hunter who typically wears the Power Suit, a piece of advanced armor that provides her with enhanced abilities and access to a variety of weapons. Samus made... read more
Mr. Game & Watch

Mr. Game & Watch is a 2D silhouette character created by Nintendo. He represents an amalgamation of characters from the Game & Watch handheld consoles. The character was introduced in the Super Smash Bros. series and serves as a tribute to Nintendo's early handheld games.

His victory theme should have stayed the way it was in Melee. His Brawl victory theme is terrible!
Young Link

Young Link is the protagonist in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, a video game developed by Nintendo. Unlike his older self, Young Link is a child who is propelled into a quest to save the world of Termina from an impending moonfall.... read more

Just because... it's Young Link you have to admit he is a strong opponent if the person knows his moves (not dancing moves) and is skilled enough. I mean those fire arrows are overpowered, ten out of ten arrows. I know it's a short distance attack but it packs a punch for real, and his spinning attack traps the opponent until the attack is done.
Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong is an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981. It is an early example of the platform game genre, as the gameplay focuses on maneuvering the main character across a series of platforms while dodging and jumping over obstacles. The game marked the debut of both Donkey Kong and Mario (originally... read more
Yoshi

Yoshi, once romanized as Yossy, is a fictional anthropomorphic dinosaur featured in video games published by Nintendo. He often appears as a sidekick and helper to Mario, playing key roles in many of Nintendo's most popular titles. Yoshi is especially well known for his appearances in the Yoshi's Island... read more
Master Hand

I remember doing the glitch, but it can cause the game to crash. It is best to play as him in stamina mode.

Unfortunately, his best attack while playing as him is crashing the game.

The final boss! Duh, he is gonna be great!