Honestly, if you told me back in 2018 that we’d still be debating the super smash ultimate roster in 2026, I would’ve probably believed you. It’s that kind of game. It’s a museum of gaming history that you can punch. We have 89 fighters now. That’s a massive jump from the humble eight we started with on the Nintendo 64.
The scope is kinda ridiculous. You’ve got Mario and Sonic sharing a stage with Sephiroth and Steve from Minecraft. It’s the only place where a Piranha Plant can unironically beat up a literal god from Final Fantasy.
The Final Number and Why It’s Tricky
People always ask exactly how many characters are in the game. The "official" number is usually cited as 89, but that’s only if you count the way Nintendo does. If you’re a purist, you might say it’s more like 82 "slots."
Why the confusion? Echo Fighters.
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Characters like Daisy, Dark Samus, and Ken are technically "clones" of Peach, Samus, and Ryu. They share numbers on the official mural. Then you’ve got the Pokémon Trainer. One slot on the selection screen, but three distinct characters: Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard. If you’re playing a tournament and someone switches from a turtle to a dragon, you’re basically fighting a different roster entry entirely.
- Base Game: 74 fighters (including Echoes).
- DLC Additions: 12 newcomers + Piranha Plant (the weirdest early-purchase bonus ever).
- Total: 89 playable characters.
The DLC era ended with Sora from Kingdom Hearts on October 18, 2021. It felt like the end of an era. Masahiro Sakurai, the series creator, basically went into a well-deserved hibernation after that.
The Super Smash Ultimate Roster Meta: Who Actually Wins?
In 2026, the competitive scene has settled into a very specific, and sometimes frustrating, rhythm. If you go to a local tournament today, you’re going to see a lot of Steve.
Steve is polarizing. Some players think he’s a creative masterpiece; others think his block-building mechanic breaks the fundamental "flow" of Smash. According to major 2025 tier lists like those from Luminosity, Steve sits comfortably at the top of S+ tier. He’s joined by Sonic—who is notorious for "timing out" opponents—and Snake, who turns the stage into a literal minefield.
The Rise of the DLC "Privilege"
It’s a common joke in the community that DLC characters are just "better." It’s not always true (poor Banjo-Kazooie is usually stuck in mid-tier), but characters like Kazuya and Joker have tools that the base roster just can't touch.
Kazuya Mishima is basically playing Tekken inside a platform fighter. He has "Electric Wind God Fist," a move with such high priority and stun that it can lead to a zero-to-death combo if the player has the hands for it. Meanwhile, Joker’s "Arsene" mechanic gives him a massive power boost just for taking damage. It feels a bit like a comeback mechanic on steroids.
Then there’s the Aegis: Pyra and Mythra. They are consistently ranked as the most "agreed-upon" top-tier characters. Mythra is fast and builds damage; Pyra is slow and kills. It’s a perfect loop.
Hidden Roster Secrets You Probably Missed
The super smash ultimate roster is packed with weird trivia that even veteran players overlook. For instance, did you know that King Dedede’s ability to inhale and float wasn’t natural? According to the lore (and Palutena’s Guidance), he actually trained himself to do it because he was jealous of Kirby. That’s some dedicated hating right there.
Other weird facts:
- Olimar's Scale: Lore-wise, Olimar and Alph are less than an inch tall. In Smash, they’re scaled up, but they still have the lightest shields in the game.
- The Monado's Logic: Shulk’s sword, the Monado, shouldn't actually be able to hurt humans. In Xenoblade, it can only cut through metal and machines. So, technically, it should only hurt R.O.B. and Mega Man.
- The Pac-Man Icon: Pac-Man is the only character whose 2D icon changes significantly between different versions of the game because of his specific 1980s design constraints.
How to Handle the Roster Today
If you're just picking up the game now, the sheer volume of the super smash ultimate roster is overwhelming. Don't start with the high-tier technical characters. You'll just get frustrated trying to learn Kazuya's inputs or Steve's block cancelations.
- Start with the "Founding Eight": Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Samus, Yoshi, Kirby, Fox, and Pikachu. These are the only characters unlocked when you first boot the game. They represent the core archetypes (brawler, zoner, rushdown).
- Unlock the rest through World of Light: It’s a grind, but the "World of Light" adventure mode is the most "human" way to learn the roster. You rescue spirits and unlock fighters one by one.
- Respect the Echoes: Don't ignore Lucina just because she's a "Marth clone." In many ways, she’s better because her sword (the Parallel Falchion) deals consistent damage across the whole blade, whereas Marth requires you to hit with the very tip.
The reality of Smash Ultimate in 2026 is that it’s no longer about "who's next." The roster is finished. It’s now about mastery. Whether you’re a Ganondorf main (bless your soul, he’s still the worst character in the game) or a sweat-drenched Fox player, the game remains the most successful crossover event in history.
Actionable Next Steps: If you want to move beyond casual play, focus on "movement tech" rather than "character moves." Practice your "short hops" and "fast falls" in Training Mode with a middle-weight character like Palutena. Once your movement is fluid, the specific character you choose from the 89 available becomes a matter of personal style rather than a struggle against the controller. Check out the latest tournament replays from Genesis or Super Smash Con to see how the top-tier meta handles specific matchups like Steve vs. Sonic—it's a masterclass in patience.