Top 10 Strongest Super Smash Bros. Brawl Characters

You've smashed. You've brawled. You've flung Pikachu into the stratosphere with a perfectly timed Smash attack. Now it's time to weigh in.

This list isn't about your favorites. It's about who hits hardest, survives longest, and dominates the battlefield like they pay rent on Final Destination. Think edge-guarding nightmares, up-tilts that juggle you until next Tuesday, and recovery moves that laugh in the face of off-stage pressure. Some of these characters got tournament bans, others just got the fear factor. Either way, they've earned their reputations through pain, precision, and pure chaos.

Your vote helps decide which characters truly ruled the Brawl era.

1. Meta Knight

   

   Meta Knight is a fictional character from the Kirby series of video games created by Nintendo and HAL Laboratory. He is often portrayed as one of Kirby's rivals, although he sometimes allies with Kirby to battle common enemies.... read more

   Damian's Opinion

   Meta Knight is NOT overrated! By far, he's an overpowered beast! When I started, I usually played Kirby a lot. Then we started unlocking many characters, and I decided to start playing Bowser a lot.

   Then I unlocked Ike, and I thought it couldn't get any better until Meta Knight! Every move of his does 20-25% damage! They launch enemies halfway through the map, even at a launch rate of 1.00x and 2.00x. Forget it, you stand no chance - one shot and it's see you later.

   He is so fast and strong. The only not-even-bad thing about him is that he's kind of slow at flying.

   He is just epically great. I see no flaw with him whatsoever. I have never lost a Brawl with him, and I plan not to.

   The only problem with him is sometimes I get confused about which one is who because he is so fast, so I run off the cliff. But still, HE ROCKS.

2. 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

   Damian's opinion:

   I suck at him, but he's terrific. He should be #4. I button mash, and he does crazy damage.

   Donkey Kong can make shockwaves by hitting the ground. He could smash you. He has a punch that gives over 20% damage. He is super strong, no doubt.

   It looks like Donkey Kong is on steroids. He can beat every opponent.

3. 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

   Bowser is the most powerful character I've ever played! I've been using him for 6 years, and he's OP. His side smash can deal more damage, making it the most powerful side smash in the game. His final smash is fun to use.

   He is hard to KO due to his super armor, weight, and size. He can KO characters at 60% or above. I used him a lot for intense difficulty, like boss battles. He has 5,530 KOs, and I'm gonna keep going until he reaches over 9000! He should be first.

   Bowser is too powerful! His head deals 20-25 damage. His fire breath deals 5-7 damage. His punch deals 15-20 damage! That's why he's my favorite character! I used him for 3 years, and he has 4,750 KOs! Bowser RULES, AND HE'S FIRST PLACE!

4. Ike

   

   Ike is the protagonist of the video game Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance for the Nintendo GameCube and one of the central characters in its sequel Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn for the Wii. He is the leader of the Greil Mercenaries and is notable as the first main character in the series who is not of noble... read more

   Ike is the strongest and best in Brawl. He has Counter, and having Counter is like having every single attack in the game. Don't forget his Eruption and Side Smash as well.

   He wrecked a goddess (or at least half-goddess), and even if it wasn't a fair battle, he wielded the Ragnell (a goddess-made sword) with only one hand. If he can do that, he can defeat a goddess in a fair battle.

   And in SSB4, the characters that are stronger than Ike are Roy and Shulk, but Ike is still the best because of his defense, skill (including range and special effects and abilities like super armor, Counter, etc.), and recovery. No one can top Ike.

   Even though Ike's Aether is a lackluster horizontal move, he has Quick Draw, the best horizontal recovery in the game! His attacks are more powerful than any character's!

   Meta Knight doesn't have the KO power to be first. He's below everyone I've talked about. One false move against Ike can send you to the shadow realm! Bowser, DK, and Ganon just don't have the skill to take down the powerhouse known as Ike!

   I mean, this man killed a fudging GODDESS with a two-handed sword blessed by THAT SAME GODDESS!

5. 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

   I think Link is pretty powerful because he has this bow that can kill your target from a distance. Also, his sword is quite powerful. Killing Jigglypuff is pretty simple. I agree Link should be at least sixth on the power list.

   What's great about Link is that he has a balance between his long-range and close-range attacks. This gives you the chance to fire your arrows from a distance to increase the hit ratio and then come in for the final blow with the Master Sword.

   At least he's stronger than Mario, the character who's average in everything.

6. 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

   The only reason he is down here is because he is slow. If he were faster, he'd be number 1. Hands down, the strongest character in the game. Volcano Kick, Warlock Punch? Amazing. He can throw down for sure.

   He has basically a one-hit KO move, and even his A attack can send opponents flying off the screen. Warlock Punch, Side Smash, and The Volcano Kick are insanely powerful. He technically IS the strongest. After all, he is the hardest hitter in the game.

   Come on! Have you seen his Warlock Punch? Most of his other moves are pretty strong if you ask me. This guy is easily the strongest out of all the smashers.

7. 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 is well known for... read more

   Pikachu is pretty epic. He has a good balance between his offense and his speed (normally one is sacrificed for the other), and he has a great recovery move. I recommend him if you are looking for a character that is fast but has the brute strength to back it up.

   One of the easiest characters to control and has some very strong attacks. His Final Smash is what makes Pikachu even more awesome. Pikachu is a character that's easy to master and can make you fare very well against some of the strongest players.

8. 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

   Captain Falcon is definitely the best player in SSBB. He should be first out of everyone. He's super strong, fast, and agile. He is great for making combos, and his recovery is really good if you hit someone with it.

   His Falcon Punch is insanely powerful, and his final smash is a one-hit KO 99% of the time. So I say that Captain Falcon is definitely the best.

   Really? Meta Knight in the top... Meta Knight is so overrated. Their comments are like, "Meta Knight is so strong and so fast." Please, Captain Falcon is faster and stronger than Meta Knight, that's for sure.

9. 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

   Kirby should be fairly high on this list. On the first Smash game, he was quite literally the strongest character. With his special moves, light weight to move around, and smash attacks, he can ace.

   Although in Melee, he was one of the worst characters, by the time Brawl came out, he changed for the better. In the Subspace Emissary, he played one of the most important roles and had a lot to do.

   And in Smash 4, he still remains a good fighter, with his inhale getting copy abilities from fighters, a chargeable hammer that easily knocks opponents off the stage, decent up and down moves, and good final smashes.

   His only weakness is actually his weight, or lack of weight. He can be knocked around so easily, but due to his speed, he can succeed.

10. 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 is much better than Mario and has some strong moves such as super punch and green missile.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    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

    She is definitely the strongest, and her fighting is great.

12. ?

    Ice Climbers

    

    I guess the reason Ice Climbers are so low on the list is because everyone's trying to forget that chain grabbing used to be a thing.

    One of the best characters in the game if you know how to use them.

The Contenders

13. Zelda

    

    Zelda is actually really powerful! All her moves send people flying! She is hard to master, but when you do, you can smash anyone! Not many people know you can control her warping and her fire attack. She should be high on the list because she is so great.

    People hate Zelda because we have Samus. Samus acts like a boy and Zelda turns into a boy. Peach? What does Peach do? Bring out a toad? Zelda actually uses crystals and fire to attack.

    Zelda is a beast with poor attacking. Also, maybe the best Super Smash Bros. female! Meta Knight's the best, though. Why Link? Link sucks.

14. 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

    Ness can burn the heck out of his opponents! I was playing with my friend once, and I was throwing flames over and over! He also has really cool PSI attacks.

    Ness should be in the top 10! He has a wicked strong baseball bat smash attack that can work like a home-run bat if his opponent's damage is over 100%!

    His grab attack is the most powerful grab attack in the game.

15. 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

    His final smash is FIRE god. I do not want to mess with him if he had a smash ball or no weapons at all! Heck, I won as Mario against 8 characters. He should be at least over the tens.

16. Lucas

    

    Lucas has the strongest up smash in the game. (Take that, Ganondorf.) He's incredibly strong with his other attacks too, with good comboing.

    Go Lucas! You almost made the top 10!

17. Wolf

    

    Wolf O'Donnell is a fictional character in Nintendo's Star Fox video game series. He serves as the leader of the rival mercenary team Star Wolf. Wolf is often portrayed as a complex antihero who opposes Fox McCloud while occasionally aligning with him under certain circumstances.

    This is a lie. He is the best if you know how to use him. If you don't think that, I don't care.

18. Toon Link

    

    Toon Link is extremely strong, powerful, fast, and very agile.

    I have never lost a game with Toon Link.

    I did a test on all the characters. Lucas, Zelda, and Meta Knight were pretty good. But Toon Link was one of the easiest to play with because he was extremely strong with the smashes, final smash, and also extremely fast.

    Therefore, Toon Link is the best.

    I would have put Link, but Toon Link is just as impressive. He is just a little too light and has slightly less powerful moves.

    Much more powerful than normal Link. He is faster, and his in-the-air A-down move is very helpful.

19. 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

    Ah, Marth. The poster boy of Fire Emblem. He just doesn't have the advantage that Ike has with the Falchion. For Marth to kill, he has to hit with the tip of the sword, which is easier said than done.

    Tipping a Mail Breaker at 42% can kill a Mac. Enough said.

    Marth is quick, so he can hit and run. His smash is totally KO.

    Marth is life!

20. Sonic

    

    Sonic the Hedgehog is the title character and protagonist of the video game series of the same name released by SEGA. He has since appeared in numerous spin-off comics, several television shows, an animated OVA, and a live-action movie trilogy. Known for his incredible speed and signature blue color... read more

    Sonic the Hedgehog is a very strong character if you can learn how to manage his super fast speed, fast attacks, and his super fast final smash, in which Sonic turns into Super Sonic.

    I think Sonic is a really good character. He should be in the top 3. One reason is because he is super fast and hard to stop. Also, he can jump really high.

    Sonic is the best character. I got to like him after watching the movie. I just realized how strong he is.

21. Lucario

    

    Lucario was created by Ken Sugimori and first appeared as a central character in the film Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew. It was later introduced in the main series games with Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. Lucario has since appeared in numerous sequels, spinoff titles, and a wide range of merchandise... read more

22. 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

    You do realize that he isn't as bad as you think he is. I mean, his grabs and aerial attacks are good enough. Plus, his final smash is a beast!

23. King Dedede

    

    King Dedede is a fictional character and the primary antagonist in Nintendo and HAL Laboratory's Kirby video game series. He is typically portrayed as a rival to Kirby, though his role varies between games. King Dedede is recognizable for his hammer weapon and royal attire.

    He should be number one. There is no way 24 characters are stronger than him. He is easily the most overpowered.

    No thanks! I'm good.

    DDD has a powerful and fast grab. He is also, with Ganondorf, the strongest and heaviest character in the game.

24. Mr. Game and 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.

    He doesn't look like much, but he's really powerful!

    He is just so underrated. I use him every time and win. He should be number one.

25. Pit

    

    Pit is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Kid Icarus video game series developed by Nintendo. He made his first appearance in Kid Icarus for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986, followed by Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters for the Game Boy in 1991. Pit also appears as a playable... read more

    What I fancy about Pit is that he is balanced with flying, ranged shots, and melee. I would recommend him, but I don't want to so people don't steal my character.

    I really like Pit, and after that, it's Palutena. I used his arrows a lot before I learned how to use him, and now he is the one I always win with...unless my brother is playing.

    The point is Pit should be a little higher on this list. If every Kid Icarus fan knows Pit, then you should know how strong and cool he is compared to other characters. PIT IS AWESOME!

    My boy Pit kicks ass if you know how to use him. Win in nearly every match with him.

26. 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

    Peach is a beast.

    Her slaps are fast and do great damage.

    Her upskirt kick is probably the strongest in the whole game.

    She has the most unfair use of the fan. Just try to escape. You can't.

    The strongest, and yes, I am being serious!

27. Diddy Kong

    

    Diddy Kong is a fictional character in the Donkey Kong Country video game series. He first appeared in the 1994 game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo. Diddy Kong is known as Donkey Kong's sidekick and is a playable character in several games.