You ever sit at the character select screen for five minutes, thumbing the analog stick back and forth, only to pick the same character you’ve played since 2018? It’s okay. We all do it. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is basically a digital museum of gaming history at this point, but with 89 fighters staring you in the face, the "choice paralysis" is real.
Everyone wants to know who the best is. Or they want to know why that one friend who mains Ness is so incredibly annoying to play against. Honestly, the roster is so massive that most people don't even know how half these characters actually work. They just see a sword or a projectile and start complaining.
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The "Everyone is Here" Reality Check
When Nintendo announced that all characters in smash ultimate would include every single fighter from the previous games, people lost their minds. It sounded impossible. Yet, here we are in 2026, and the game still feels like a miracle of licensing and balancing.
You’ve got the "Original 8" from the N64 days—Mario, DK, Link, Samus, Yoshi, Kirby, Fox, and Pikachu—who are still the foundation. But then you’ve got Steve from Minecraft building walls while Sephiroth tries to poke him from across the stage with a sword longer than a CVS receipt. It’s chaotic. It’s messy. It’s perfect.
The Echo Fighter Confusion
One thing that still trips people up is the Echo Fighter system. Basically, these are characters like Daisy, Lucina, or Dark Samus who are "clones" but with tiny tweaks.
Take Marth and Lucina. Marth is a "tipper" character. You hit with the very end of his blade, or you get nothing. Lucina? She doesn’t care. Her sword deals the same damage from the hilt to the point. Most pro players actually prefer Lucina because consistency wins tournaments, even if Marth’s "sweet spot" kills earlier on paper.
Then you have Ken and Ryu. They are technically Echoes, but they play so differently that calling them clones feels like an insult. Ken is fast, multi-hit, and aggressive. Ryu is all about that "shaku" fireball and heavy single hits. If you play them the same way, you’re gonna lose.
The Tier List Trap
Look, if you aren't playing for a $10,000 prize pool, tier lists are mostly a lie.
Yes, characters like Steve, Sonic, and Joker are "top tier." They have tools that let them cheat the physics of the game. Steve has blocks. Sonic has... well, he has the ability to make you want to put your controller through a wall by running away for seven minutes.
But for 99% of players, the "worst" character in the game—usually cited as Ganondorf or Little Mac—can still absolutely wreck you in a local match. Why? Because Ganondorf kills you in three hits. It doesn't matter if he’s slow if you walk into his F-smash twice.
Why "Low Tiers" Win
I’ve seen a dedicated King K. Rool player dismantle a "top tier" Aegis (Pyra/Mythra) just by knowing their matchups. People get comfortable. They think because they picked a character high on a website's list, they automatically win neutral.
Wrong.
The meta in 2026 has shifted. We're seeing more "mid-tier" representation than ever because the top-tier characters have been labbed to death. Everyone knows how to fight Joker now. Not everyone knows how to handle a high-level Duck Hunt Duo or a Wii Fit Trainer who actually knows how to use Deep Breathing properly.
Archetypes: Finding Your Soulmate
Instead of looking at who is "S-Tier," you should look at how you actually like to play. Most of the roster falls into a few specific buckets:
- Rushdown: You want to be in their face. All the time. Fox, Pikachu, and Roy live here. If you stop pressing buttons, you're doing it wrong.
- Zoners: You like a "keep away" game. Link’s projectiles, Samus’s Charge Shot, or the Belmonts' terrifying wall of axes and holy water. It's about controlling space.
- Grapplers: You want to grab them and make it hurt. Incineroar is the king of this. Luigi too, though he’s more of a "one-to-death" combo machine if he lands that grab.
- FGC (Fighting Game Characters): Kazuya, Terry, Ryu, and Ken. They use "true inputs." If you grew up playing Tekken or Street Fighter, these will feel like home. Kazuya’s "Electric Wind God Fist" is arguably the best move in the game, but only if you have the fingers to pull it off.
The DLC Power Creep Myth
There’s a common complaint that the DLC characters are "pay to win."
Is Kazuya ridiculous? Yes. Is Min Min's range frustrating? Absolutely. But if you look at the actual tournament results over the last year, base-game characters like Fox, Palutena, and R.O.B. are still dominating.
The DLC characters just have more "gimmicks." Hero has a literal command menu with spells. Joker has Arsene. Sora can auto-combo in the air. These aren't necessarily "better," they’re just more complex. They require more "matchup knowledge." If you don't know that Sephiroth gets a third jump and armor when he’s losing (Winged Form), you’re going to get caught off guard. That’s not a balance issue; it’s a homework issue.
Specific Character Quirks You Might Not Know
Let’s get into the weeds for a second. There are some weird interactions with all characters in smash ultimate that even veterans miss.
- Rosalina & Luma: You can actually desync them. A pro Rosalina isn't playing one character; she’s playing two separate entities at the same time. If you kill the Luma, she becomes one of the weakest characters in the game for several seconds.
- Shulk’s Monado Arts: Most people just cycle through these randomly. But did you know "Shield" art actually lets you escape combos that are otherwise "true"? It changes your weight and knockback instantly.
- Snake’s Grenades: Snake is a "trapper." His grenades aren't just for throwing; they are for making the stage a minefield. A good Snake is playing a 4D chess match while you’re playing a platformer.
How to Actually Get Better
If you're stuck and feel like your main has reached a ceiling, stop switching characters.
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The biggest mistake players make is "main-hopping." They lose three games as Mario, decide Mario sucks, and switch to Cloud. Then they realize Cloud’s recovery is exploitable, and they switch to Aegis.
Stick with one. Learn their "out of shield" options. Figure out your "kill confirms"—those specific combos that lead into a finishing move. For example, if you play Palutena, you need to know exactly what percentage "Down Throw to Back Air" works on every weight class.
Actionable Next Steps
Stop looking at the 2026 tier lists and do this instead:
- Save your replays. Specifically the ones where you got washed. Watch what you did right before you died. Were you jumping too much? Rolling into the opponent?
- Go to training mode. Practice your "short hops" and "fast falls." If you can't move your character exactly where you want them, the best moveset in the world won't save you.
- Learn the "weight" of the roster. You can't combo Bowser the same way you combo Jigglypuff. You have to adjust your timing based on how fast they fall.
- Check out Smashboards or specific Discord servers. Every character has a dedicated community of "lab monsters" who have already figured out the math for you.
At the end of the day, all characters in smash ultimate are viable in the right hands. Even the ones everyone laughs at. Especially those. There is no greater feeling than winning a tournament with a "bottom tier" character while your opponent stares at the screen in total disbelief.
Go pick a character that feels fun, not the one a YouTuber told you to play. That's the only way you'll actually put in the hours needed to get good.