What started out as a goofy mashup of a handful of Nintendo characters having a What-If throw-down has spent the last two decades transforming into one of the most beloved, consistently excellent series on every Nintendo console since the Nintendo 64.
As the fifth game in the series Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is well deserving of its Ultimate title, featuring every fighter and stage from previous games while providing a solid balance of new and classic gameplay modes, though it’s still a series built for, and best enjoyed locally rather than online.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a massive crossover fighting game, featuring an enormous roster of over 70 fighters. However, when you first start the game you’re limited to the eight fighters who appeared on the original Super Smash Bros. on the Nintendo 64.
You’ll unlock more fighters just through playing, but it’s not as random as you think. There are multiple ways to unlock characters, and by adventuring through the World of Light single player mode or completing Classic Mode with certain fighters, you can be a bit more proactive and hunt for certain characters.
Read our guide below for the different methods to unlocking characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
The Smash Unlock Order
Every 10 minutes spent playing the game will result in a challenger approaching, in order of the list below. You can spend 10 minutes playing random Smash matches or spending time in the World of Light Adventure Mode or Spirit Battles.
NOTE: You can circumvent the 10 minute timer by closing the game completely and restarting it. At that point the timer no longer matters – as soon as you finish a match, win or lose, a new challenger will approach. The quickest method is to set a Stock battle to 1 and walk off the edge. This is the single fastest way to unlock every character, if a bit cheesy.
You’ll have to beat the challenger to unlock them, and some of them can be quite difficult. In the case of multiple players in a Smash match, the player who won the match will face off against the challenger.
If you’ve already unlocked a character by other means, it will simply skip that character and go to the next one.
Ness
Zelda
Bowser
Pit
Inkling
Villager
Marth
Young Link
Wii Fit Trainer
Ice Climbers
Captain Falcon
Peach
Ryu
Ike
Jigglypuff
King K. Rool
Sonic
Simon
Zero Suit Samus
Little Mac
Isabelle
Shulk
Lucina
Wario
Ridley
Pokémon Trainer
Lucario
Daisy
Roy
King Dedede
R.O.B.
Falco
Luigi
Pichu
Richter
Lucas
Diddy Kong
Meta Knight
Snake
Ganondorf
Corrin
Mega Man
Bayonetta
Toon Link
Rosalina & Luma
Incineroar
Sheik
Olimar
Pac-man
Dark Samus
Wolf
Mr. Game & Watch
Robin
Dark Pit
Cloud
Duck Hunt
Ken
Greninja
Chrom
Mewtwo
Bowser Jr.
Dr. Mario
Palutena
Rematch
Note that if you ever fail to beat a new challenger, you can challenge them again by going to Games & More on the main screen, then clicking on the gate icon in the lower right corner (it may take a few challengers before it appears). This also has the advantage of allowing you to choose your fighter, instead of using the last one you used when they appear.
If you fail to beat them again, you’ll have to wait 10 minutes to be able to face them again (or restart the game and play a match). Multiple failed challenges will queue up at the challenger gate in order.
Mii Fighters
The Mii Fighters are actually unlocked from the start, you just have to create one in the Games & More section. There are three different kinds of Mii Fighters you can make: Brawler, Swordfighter, and Gunner. For the purposes of the official roster (74 fighters at launch, including Echo Fighters), all three count as three separate fighters. You can also customize their movesets and their outfits.
Classic Mode
Classic Mode was the original single player campaign mode. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, one fighter goes through six unique battles, plus an end boss fight. Each Classic Mode is unique and different, and completing a run will always result in a new challenger approaching.
Which challenger appears can be found with this handy chart. For example, beating Classic Mode with Mario will make Sonic appear. If you previously unlocked Sonic, you’ll get Bayonetta instead.
Classic Mode can be found in the Games & More section.
Using this chart you can find the most efficient way to unlocking your favorite characters.
Adventure Mode
The World of Light is the massive single player adventure in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. You’ll start with even less characters here – only Kirby survived Galeem’s initial onslaught. Within the giant map filled with Spirit Battles you can find other fighters waiting to be challenged and unlocked. Unlocking them in Adventure mode will unlock them in your regular roster as well.
It can be very spoilery to see who and where you unlock various characters, but IGN has a map up if you want all the information.
It’s advisable to back out of Adventure Mode every 10 minutes or so, that way you can take full advantage of the Smash Unlock Order above.
No matter which method you choose, or any combination therein, you’ll constantly unlock fighters as you play. Try them all to find your old standbys and discover new favorites.
As we predicted in our Holiday Gift Guide, the Switch is the hottest gaming product this holiday season. Nintendo has officially confirmed that the Switch became the best selling console in Nintendo’s history over the five day Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales weekend (Nov. 22-26) in the U.S.
Thanks to online stat-tracker tool Adobe Analytics, Nintendo has announced that the Switch was the top-selling video game product, and one of the most purchased items online during the sale period, beating out even the Wii motion control craze from a decade ago.
In total sale-savvy shoppers spent over $250 million on Nintendo products, including consoles, games, and accessories.
This year’s sales for Nintendo were a huge increase compared to last year, to the tune of 115%. First party Nintendo games sold a million units, an increase of 78% over last year. The big new sellers included Super Mario Party, which surpassed one million units since its launch in October, becoming the fastest-selling Mario Party game and the fifth Switch game to reach the million-seller tier.
Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! also sold very well, reaching over 1.5 million units sold combined. (read our review).
Nintendo’s mini classic consoles also sold well again this year. The Super NES Classic Edition reached 2.5 million units, with its older brother NES Classic Edition reaching 2 million units.
Nintendo helped lead the way on a record-setting Cyber Monday, which saw consumers spend $7.9 billion in online shopping, making it the single biggest shopping day in U.S. history.
Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime had previously told Yahoo Finance that the holiday sales season is critical, making up about 60% of the company’s yearly revenue.
Pokémon GO’s incredible popularity on mobile phones introduced a whole new audience to the already stalwart Pokémon franchise. The Pokémon Company has leveraged that popularity for Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!.
On the surface the Let’s Go games are glossy, 3D remakes of the first generation of Pokémon (Red/Blue/Yellow) with the much simpler Pokéball throwing mechanics borrowed from Pokémon GO. Despite its relative simplicity compared to recent mainline games like Sun and Moon, Let’s Go includes several brilliant new features that make journeying through Kanto again rewarding and memorable.
Black Friday has become a bit of a misnomer, as the formerly one-day sale event has not only extended though the weekend, but now into Thanksgiving week itself. The gaming sales are some of the best you”ll find all year.
Arm yourself with which games to go after from our Holiday Gift Guide, then check below for the best deals from publishers and retailers.
Note that most sales run through the weekend and include Cyber Monday. Also note that we’re skipping an Amazon section with the caveat that you should always check Amazon for everything you’re interested in, in case it’s on a timed Lightning Deal.
GameStop is offering a $50 Gift Card when purchasing new consoles. That includes Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 (though not the spiffy new PS4 Spider-Man bundle).
You can get some crazy good deals on games, even recent games that just released earlier this year, like God of War ($17), Assassin’s Creed Odyssey ($27), and Starlink: Battle for Atlas ($39).
If you want to clean up on older titles, you can take advantage of their Buy 2 Get 1 Free sale on last gen used games, including Wii U, 3DS, and Xbox 360.
If you want to avoid the crowds, you can get Free Shipping on orders over $35.
There are a number of Switch bundles to choose from, including Diablo 3, Pokémon Let’s Go, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, though none of them save you any money, save one. The Mario Kart Switch bundle may be one of the single hottest selling items this holiday season, as it includes a fantastic game (Mario Kart 8) for the same price as a Switch. You can find it at Target, Best Buy, Warlmart, GameStop, and Amazon.
A nice 2DS deal is also available that includes Super Mario Maker for $80. It plays all 3DS games, which is an amazing library, though Nintendo has all but discontinued it with the Switch’s arrival.
The Nintendo eShop has a nice sale though next Wednesday (11/28) if you’re looking to clean up on Switch games, especially indie games. Skyrim ($30), Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate ($44), Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle ($24), and Valkyria Chronicles 4 ($30) are among the best deals.
If you’re looking to get a regular PlayStation 4, the Spider-Man bundle is the best deal around ($200), and you’ll find it at most retailers, and could easily be the second hottest holiday gaming item after the Switch Mario Kart bundle.
If you have a PS4 this may also be a good year for jumping into VR with the PlayStation VR Bundle, which includes two of the best VR games, Astro Bot and Moss, for $200.
If you play games online you’ll want to take advantage of the sale on a year’s worth of PlayStation Plus, currently just $40, a $20 savings.
You’ll find plenty of deals on games on the PlayStation Store as well, though none quite as impressive as GameStop’s so far.
The Minecraft bundle is a solid gift for younger gamers, and comes in at the very attractive price of $200. Microsoft is heavily invested in its Game Pass program, a sort of Netflix for games, and you can one month’s worth for only $1. The Game Pass sale actually lasts throughout the end of the year, making it a no-brainer for anyone getting an Xbox One this holiday season.
You can save up to 65% on Xbox Games in the Windows 10 and Xbox stores, and Xbox Live Gold members can save an additional 10%.
PC gamers always have Steam to rely on for regular seasonal sales. The Steam Autumn Sale runs through next Tuesday (11/27). Find deals on ARK: Survival Evolved ($20), Monster Hunter World ($40), Divinity: Original Sin 2 ($30), Civilization VI ($18), and Dragon Quest 11 ($41) just to name some highlights.
Electronic Arts hasn’t had a great year, especially if you don’t really care about sports games. You can find deals on Madden, FIFA, Star Wars Battlefront 2 and The Sims 4. Titanfall 2 maybe be the best deal here, at 75% off ($5) on Origin.
Recent Ubisoft releases like Far Cry 5 ($20) and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey ($40) are all on sale for Black Friday. If you purchase directly through the Ubisoft store and spend at least $40, they’ll throw in Rayman Legends for free. Other good deals include Assassin’s Creed Origins ($16), and The Division ($12).
If online PC gaming is your jam, look no further than Overwatch ($15), World of Warcraft ($40), Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 ($48), and Destiny 2: Forsaken ($30), all on sale for Black Friday until Nov. 26.
Compared to the Wii U, the Switch is a runaway success for Nintendo, already selling twice as many units over the entire life time of the Wii U since launch last year.
Nintendo had an explosive launch year in 2017. Things settled down a bit in 2018, with of the biggest releases saved for the holidays.
One of the most anticipated games of the year, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, isn’t even out until December 7. If your family has a Switch, or is getting one this year, it’s safe to say that Smash Bros. will be a must-buy, but may be hard to come by.
Throughout the year the Switch received a ton of slightly older indie games, as well as ports of great games from other systems (including the Wii U). For that reason, the Nintendo eShop Gift Card is one of the best gifts you can give to a Switch owner this holiday season. If you’d like to make your gift card a bit more personable, you can purchase specific indie game gift cards at places like GameStop.
Keep you eyes peeled for Black Friday deals this year, as it could be the first chance to find the Switch at a slight discount. The best deal announced so far by Nintendo is a Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Bundle. For the standard price of a Switch by itself ($299), the bundle includes a digital copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (normally $60).
Since the Switch is still a fairly new system, you may want to check out our 2017 Holiday Gift Guide as well, where you’ll find last year’s huge hits like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Splatoon 2, Mario Kart 8, and Super Mario Odyssey.
Younger Kids
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker was one of the best, most unique first-party games to come out of the Wii U. Toad is the star of this 3D puzzle game where he must navigate and rotate a series of cube worlds to reach the exit. The Switch version includes new levels based on Super Mario Odyssey.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
While Tropical Freeze was a wonderfully nostalgic, yet modernized 2D platformer, it was also notoriously challenging when it launched on Wii U back in 2014. The new Switch version adds Funky Kong as a playable character and an easier Funky Mode, which features more hit points as well as the ability to double jump and hover in mid-air.
LEGO DC Super-Villains
The LEGO games are often the best cooperative family games around, though the quality can vary from game to game. The superhero genre fits together with the LEGO style beautifully, especially when TT Games can craft an original story around it. LEGO DC Super-Villains is unique in starring your own super-powered, customizable figure, as they join forces alongside a cast of comic favorites.
Also available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Nintendo Labo Variety Kit
Nintendo is still the leader when it comes to out-of-the box game design, and Nintendo Labo is the perfect illustration of their design philosophy. Less a game and more an interactive toy, it comes with cardboard material that can be built into different objects, such as a piano or RC car. The Joy-Con controllers can then be inserted and programmed using the free Toy-Con Garage software to produce unique physical toys brought to life with the Switch.
Overcooked 2
Even if you’re not a fan of Iron Chef or Great British Bake Off, you can find a lot to love in this delightfully charming cooperative cooking game. Each level in Overcooked 2 features a kitchen filled with zany hazards and traps as you and up to three others race to chop veggies, bake ingredients, and toss each other dishes across rivers and through portals. Easily one of the best co-op games of the year.
Also available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Pokémon Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!
When Pokémon GO launched on mobile phones two years ago, it became a global phenomena. The hysteria has since died down, but Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have capitalized on the more simplistic capturing controls, using the Joy-Con to launch PokéBalls. Let’s Go is an interesting redesign of the original Pokémon Red/Blue that should appeal to Pokémon GO fans as well as younger kids.
Sonic Mania Plus
How well do those classic 16-bit Sonic the Hedgehog games hold up today? Incredibly well, if Sonic Mania is any indicator. Released last year, Sonic Mania is a love letter to old-school 2D Sonic games that should delight fans young and old. The new Plus version includes the Encore DLC, adding two new playable characters, four player multiplayer, and a new Encore mode that remixes levels in challenging new ways.
Also available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Super Mario Party
The Mario Party series has had its ups and downs over the years. With the Switch version Nintendo has doubled down on the best parts of the gameplay: the fun four-person mini-games. You can play the mini-games online for the first time, but this is still a game best served by a room full of friends and family enjoying easy to pick up and play mini-games.
Older Kids & Teens
Dead Cells
For years indie games have filled the niche of 2D action-platformers in a variety of formats and styles. With a cool neon art style, tight controls, and clever level design, Dead Cells may be the peak of the genre (read our review).
Also available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Dragon Quest Builders
If your kids are into Minecraft but looking for a bit more story and classic video game structure, Dragon Quest Builders fills that role nicely. It combines the brightly colored world design and creatures of Dragon Quest, with the rewarding creativity of building your own town and community from the ground up.
Also available on: PlayStation 4
Fortnite
Fortnite Battle Royale is technically free to play, but if you’re also looking at purchasing a Nintendo Switch, Nintendo has a Fortnite bundle that includes 1,000 V-Bucks (which can be used to purchase a seasonal Battle Pass) and some other digital goodies.
Also available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Mobile
Into the Breach
Into the Breach is basically Chess, if Chess involved time-traveling mechs versus giant insects. From the makers of FTL come this brilliantly balanced tactical strategy game where every turn demands pain-staking attention to detail and perfect planning. It’s incredibly tense for a turn-based strategy game, and equally rewarding.
Also available on: PC
Mega Man 11
One of the most prolific platformers in gaming, Mega Man enjoyed a triumphant return to prominence this year with the well-received Mega Man 11. The action is colorful and fast as the Blue Bomber once again battles a series of themed robot masters, acquiring their powers along the way. Different difficulty modes ensure a wider range of players can enjoy the classically-inspired gameplay.
Capcom brought their Nintendo 3DS Monster Hunter game to Switch this year. The Monster Hunter series is highly complex but very rewarding, and supports multiplayer co-op. Note that this is not the same game as Monster Hunter: World, which launched on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One (and later on PC) and brought many modernized features and impressive new visual detail.
Also Available on: Nintendo 3DS
Octopath Traveler
Usually we rely on indie games to provide the old-school nostalgic 80s and 90s gameplay, but Square Enix has begun returning to this lucrative mine in recent years. Octopath Traveler is their latest RPG, with classic turn-based battles and 2D artwork. Play through the interweaving stories of eight characters, each with their own distinct abilities in this deceptively huge RPG.
Starlink: Battle for Atlas
The once exciting (albeit expensive) toys-to-life genre has all but died, save for Ubsoft’s very late but surprisingly competent sci-fi entry. Starlink uses toys to customize your spaceships, but they’re probably the least exciting aspect, as the game itself lets you zip around planets completing quests, dogfighting enemies, and engaging with fun characters. The Switch version also has exclusive access to Star Fox, instantly making it the best version.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate doesn’t release until December 7, but we’re confident including it on our Holiday Gift Guide. Featuring a jaw-dropping 70+ fighters from a variety of Nintendo (and other) gaming series, the Smash Bros. series has always been one of Nintendo’s best on any console, and a perennial fan-favorite fighting game.
Valkyria Chronicles 4
Valkyria Chronicles presents an intriguing combination of RPG, tactical-combat, and third-person action set in an alternate Earth during World War 2. Take turns directing troops on the battlefield, line up shots in your crosshairs, then enjoy their banter in between battles. Although it’s the fourth game in the series, Valkyria Chronicles 4 is a stand-alone story featuring its own cast of young soldiers.
Also available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Mature Teens
Banner Saga Trilogy
The Banner Saga trilogy reached its conclusion this year with the release of Banner Saga 3. The series is known for both its intricate turn-based tactical combat and its bleak, emotional story-telling that forces you to make tough decisions while facing the end of the world in this Norse-inspired strategy game. All three games are excellent, and included in the bundle.
Also available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Dark Souls Remastered
The original Dark Souls practically invented a new subgenre of action game with obtuse, challenging, but very rewarding gameplay. Develop your preferred weaponry and playstyle as your journey through a darkly gothic world. The original has been given a graphical face-lift and includes the Artorias of the Abyss DLC.
Also available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Diablo III: Eternal Collection
Diablo 3 is six years old this year, and still fresh as ever thanks to years worth of quality content updates, patches, and improvements. The Switch version includes all previously released DLC, including last year’s Rise of the Necromancer. Hack and slash your way through demonic hordes as seven different classes, and join forces with up to three players in online and local co-op. A Diablo 3 Switch bundle is also available.
