Top 10 Best Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Characters

Your favorite fighter might be a pink puffball with a hunger problem or a winged menace with a sword longer than your patience for online lag. But here's the thing. With a roster stacked thicker than a triple-decker sandwich, everyone has opinions about who truly rules the battlefield in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

You've got characters who spike like volleyball champs, dodge like caffeinated ninjas, and edgeguard with the precision of a brain surgeon. Some melt stocks with raw kill power. Others frustrate their foes with combos tighter than your Joy-Con drift.

Each pick says something about you, your rivals, and that poor sap you 3-stocked in under a minute.

Now it's your turn. Cast your vote. Boost your mains, shame your nemeses, and scroll through the carnage to see which fighters climb the ranks.

1. Inkling

   

   Inkling Girl is a character from the Splatoon video game series developed by Nintendo. She serves as one of the customizable avatars for players in both Splatoon (2015) and Splatoon 2 (2017), with various gear and appearance options. Inkling Girl also appears in other Nintendo titles, including Super... read more

   I've grown to love this character. I used to struggle using her/him (I prefer the default orange female), but now she's my secondary, just slightly behind Little Mac.

   Also, can I get a woomy in the chat?

   Inkling has some pretty great attacks with a lot of combo potential, as well as amazing speed and agility. That, and the fact that I am a huge Splatoon fan, are the reasons why I'm an Inkling main.

   Inkling is cool and has amazing recovery and speed. Their attacks are decent, but most of their combos and defense are excellent.

2. Ridley

   

   Ridley is a recurring villain in the Metroid series and also appears as a fighter in the Super Smash Bros. series. He is Samus Aran's lifelong nemesis, first appearing in the original Metroid game released in 1986. Ridley is a key member of the Space Pirates and is responsible for the death of Samus's... read more

   As soon as you saw Ridley killing off Mega Man, you almost cried with joy. Ridley, who they previously claimed was too big for Smash, is in Smash, right there. It really is a beautiful thing to see.

   He is the best Metroid villain and the second best in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

   I casually kill someone in 1-3 hits with Ridley. With him, I'm the ninja of SSBU.

3. King K. Rool

   

   King K. Rool is a fictional anthropomorphic crocodile and the main antagonist in Nintendo's Donkey Kong video game franchise. He is the recurring enemy of Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, often appearing in various villainous roles such as pirate, mad scientist, and wrestler. King K. Rool is known for his... read more

   "Now that I have the power,

   This is my finest hour.

   Nothing on this Earth can stop me now!"

   King K. Rool's finest hour, indeed.

   His down smash is the best move in the game, and his recovery is overpowered.

4. 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 is boss. He should lead a protest with signs like, "They did a potted plant before Waluigi!" and "Bandanna Dee for Smash!" Really, guys, we need more Kirby characters for Smash. Sakurai made both games!

   But, Kirby is the best dude out of all the dudes.

   Kirby is usually put in the lower tiers, but in Ultimate his moves are pretty strong. His recovery is almost as good as Meta Knight's. Unlike him, Kirby still has infinite jumps.

   Kirby is definitely the best character!

5. Daisy

   

   Princess Daisy is a fictional character in the Mario series of video games, where she is the princess of the fictional region of Sarasaland.

   Daisy debuted in Super Mario Land in 1989. After a few other appearances, she disappeared for nine years until she was brought back in Mario Tennis (2000).... read more

   Although you can hear Waluigi fans wah-ing in the corner, the reveal of Daisy was somewhat hype. A lot of people wanted her in Smash, and when she was revealed as the new echo fighter, I was pleasantly surprised.

   You may as well label her as Peach. Either way, she's considered top tier.

6. Sephiroth

   

   Sephiroth is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the role-playing video game Final Fantasy VII developed by Square. He is a former SOLDIER operative who becomes mentally unstable and seeks to destroy the world. Sephiroth is considered one of the most iconic villains in video game history... read more

   This dude is strong. Don't believe me? Fight one of the guys who use him.

   My main. Great roster addition!

7. 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

   I like Meta Knight, but he got nerfed a lot. His moveset is more limited, and you can't fly infinitely now. He can't glide either. Apart from that and being difficult to learn, he's still pretty good.

   His attacks are still amazing, and he's still one of the fastest attackers in the game. He still has the best recovery in the game. He's more fun to use now.

   Meta Knight is my main, and he is amazing. Ridley just turned out to be a big pushover. He was hyped and turned out to be not so good. Meta Knight has always been great. FIGHT ME!

8. 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 is beast mode in Smash Ultimate!

   Sonic speed!

   My main. I have three more: Wii Fit Trainer, Bayonetta, and Peach. Sonic for life! I'm a Sonic nerd, lol.

   Tails or Shadow for Smash. Wait, no! Big the Cat.

9. Snake

   

   Everybody loves Snake, everybody. When he appeared, we knew stuff was gonna get real. Then came the Everyone Is Here card, and everybody screamed in joy.

   I thought it would never happen due to the drama between Kojima and Konami (cough Metal Gear Survive cough), but it somehow did.

   He's Snake. It's that simple. I mean, come on. He's Snake. That's my comment.

10. 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

    He's simply the best for multiple reasons. He has one of the best recoveries in the game, insane combos, a really good projectile, and he is extremely speedy.

    He sees major representation in tournaments with players like Esam. He outshines many other top tiers with technical abilities like amazing hitboxes, and the best back air in the game. Need I say more? Pikachu is busted.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Sora

    

    Sora is a fictional character and the central protagonist in Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts video game series. He is portrayed as a cheerful and courageous boy who wields the mystical Keyblade. Throughout the series, Sora travels across various worlds inspired by Disney films in a quest to fight darkness... read more

    The REAL winner of the Smash Ballot. Seriously, Sakurai admitted it in the final "Sakurai Presents."

12. ?

    Terry

    

    Terry Bogard is a video game character created by SNK. He is the main protagonist of the Fatal Fury series and has appeared in the King of Fighters games and other SNK titles since his debut in 1991. Terry is recognized for his red cap, fighting skills, and signature move Power Geyser.

    Voted just to show I actually do know who he is and care more about him than a Mii outfit for a character I only "know" from worn-out memes.

    You can use input commands. That is great detail.

The Contenders

13. 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

    People do not know the power of Falcon. I was on stock 5 against my brother and took only 33.4% damage.

14. 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

    They buffed Bowser a lot. In previous games, his moves were very slow, but they fixed all that and gave him even more strength now. His recovery is also a lot better, and his combos are amazing.

    Best heavy by far. Everything has armor and few startup frames. He's fast and very hard to kill.

    Great fighter with a moveset that's fun to learn. He deserves to be much higher than 41.

15. Chrom

    

    Chrom's up special is one of the best if it's used offensively. If you are at high damage, just dash attack or forward smash the opponent off the stage without getting a KO. Then, use the up special to spike both you and the opponent. It's very useful if you have the stock lead.

    He's pretty much a faster Ike, which is always good!

16. Incineroar

    

    Incineroar, known in Japan as Gaogaen, was introduced in Generation VII. It is a Fire and Dark-type Pokémon and is the final form of Litten, evolving from Torracat at level 34. Incineroar also appears as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

    My joint favorite Pokémon and favorite Pokémon in Smash! (Nintendo, please add Solgaleo) Also, one of my favorite mains.

    Let's face it, Smash Bros. got people to finally stop talking about Decidueye.

17. 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 should be in 1st place because have you seen his spin attack? Anyway, third is close enough.

    Yeah, but basically every braindead Link from Smash 4 switched to Young Link. The new rune bombs are for big-brain players only.

    The redesign of the character had everybody buzzing.

18. Piranha Plant

    

    The Piranha Plant, known as the Pakkun Flower in Japan, is a recurring enemy species in the Mario franchise. It usually appears as a green stalk topped with a red or green globe that is white-spotted and features a mouth lined with sharp teeth. The Piranha Plant has been featured in numerous Mario games... read more

19. Cloud

    

    Cloud Strife is a fictional video game character and the main protagonist of Final Fantasy VII, a role-playing game developed by Square and released in 1997. He also plays a central role in the game's remakes, sequels, and various spin-offs.... read more

    Cloud is a pretty basic fighter, and he's good to start out with if you are new to Smash. His recovery is a bit mediocre, but he makes up for it with good speed and attacks. He also has Limit, which is a meter that charges over time. Once it's full, you have faster move speed and one strong special attack to use before it charges up again. You only have fifteen seconds to use this special attack, so be quick!

20. 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 is S tier in Ultimate! Take that, Peach haters!

    I just love how they made her dress more poofy.

21. 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

    Most underrated character if you ask me.

22. 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

    Ganon is actually pretty buffed. I like using him here. His moves in Brawl were very wonky, and he was extremely slow. He was my least favorite player in Brawl, but he's definitely buffed now.

    His recovery and speed haven't changed much, but most of his moves are buffed.

    I'm so happy they returned to Ganondorf's classic Gerudo Chief look. His new sword looks absolutely amazing! I was once a Ganondorf main in Brawl, but I switched over to Pac-Man on the Wii U. Now, I wanna go back!

23. Joker

    

    Joker is super OP, probably just as overpowered as Brawl Meta Knight. He can fly a lot and has an amazing recovery where he can latch. His attacks and speed are some of the best, and he is super fun to use. Also, his Final Smash is so cool and powerful, and it's easily the best in the whole series.

    Now that he's released, I can confidently say he's a great fighter. Lots of combo potential and a killer Final Smash.

    I guess you could say we never saw him coming.

24. 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

    Mario could be much higher on this list. His move sets are so hard to match, and he has well-balanced skills. He is really good with his combos and has more strength and durability than most of the characters. He is a bit faster than average. Mario is well balanced in power, and in other circumstances, he would be much better. He is pretty good.

    How could Mario be 33? Top 20 at least, because his Final Smash is good, and he has good moves.

    Mario should've been on the list, not Link.

25. 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 is a great character if you know how to hit his tipper attacks. His F-Smash is a great move at the tip, and he has decent recovery and a great set of special moves. His neutral special breaks shields, and it does decent damage. His side special is great at racking up damage at the start of a match. His up special is a decent recovery move, and his down special is a great counter!

    Marth is beautiful. No one is better than him.

26. Bayonetta

    

    Bayonetta, whose real name is Cereza, is a fictional character and the protagonist of the video game Bayonetta and its sequels. The series was developed by PlatinumGames and published by Sega and Nintendo. Bayonetta is known for her stylish combat, magical abilities, and confident personality.

    Most OP character for me. Great combos. I love her guns. So clean. Her ultimate is hard to do, but with practice, she can be the GOAT.

    I love her (come on, look at that damn body, like Jesus), but they made her way too overpowered in this game.

    Bayonetta is insanely OP in Ultimate, so I included her here for now.

27. Ice Climbers

    

    Ice Climbers are extremely popular with the community, and when they were revealed as the first returning characters, we were all pleased. This duo is more iconic in Smash than in their own games.

    The ultimate duo is finally back!

    Finally, the Climbers are back!