It feels like a lifetime ago. Back in 2014, the gaming world was losing its collective mind over the "Smash 4" era. We were all huddled around tiny 3DS screens or arguing about the Wii U GamePad’s bulkiness. But the real conversation—the one that never actually stopped—was about the roster. The super smash bros 3ds wii u characters defined a very specific turning point for Nintendo. It was the moment they stopped playing it safe.
Honestly, the roster was a mess in the best way possible. You had an exercise trainer fighting a literal god of light. You had a dog and a duck teaming up to pelt a space pirate with explosive cans. It was weird. It was chaotic. And looking back now, it was the most influential roster in the series' history.
The Bold Risk of Newcomers
When Masahiro Sakurai first revealed the Villager, people weren't sure if he was joking. This was a fighting game. Why was a kid from a gardening sim here? But that was the genius of the super smash bros 3ds wii u characters selection. It moved away from "who has a sword?" and toward "who has a unique mechanic?"
Rosalina & Luma changed everything. They introduced the concept of a puppet fighter to a massive audience. If you knew how to desync them, you were basically untouchable. It was frustrating to play against, sure, but it was new. Then you had Robin, who actually brought durability mechanics from Fire Emblem into a platform fighter. You couldn't just spam Levin Sword; you had to manage resources. This was a level of depth we hadn't seen in Brawl or Melee.
Little Mac is the perfect example of a design disaster that worked. He’s arguably the most "broken" character in the game—not because he’s too good, but because he’s fundamentally lopsided. On the ground? He's a monster. In the air? He’s a wet paper bag. Most developers would have smoothed those edges out. Sakurai left them raw. It made the roster feel alive and unpredictable.
Third-Party Legends and the DLC Shift
We have to talk about Cloud Strife. Seriously.
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Before the Wii U and 3DS era, the idea of a Final Fantasy character in Smash was a playground rumor. It was the kind of thing you'd see in a fake "leak" on a 2005 forum. When that limit break charging sound played during the Nintendo Direct, the internet broke. It wasn't just about the hype, though. The super smash bros 3ds wii u characters added via DLC—Cloud, Ryu, and Bayonetta—rewrote the rules of engagement.
Ryu brought actual fighting game inputs to Smash. If you could pull off a true Shoryuken motion, you got more power. This bridged the gap between the "party game" crowd and the FGC (Fighting Game Community) in a way that felt earned.
Then came Bayonetta.
If you played competitive Smash 4 toward the end, you probably have some trauma involving her witch twist. She was a controversial addition, mostly because her combo game was so oppressive it felt like she was playing a different game entirely. But she represented the "Smash Ballot" victory. She was the proof that Nintendo was actually listening to the fans, even if the result was a character that eventually dominated the meta until the Wii U's dying days.
The 3DS Limitation Factor
It’s easy to forget that the 3DS version actually held the Wii U version back. This is a fact that still stings for some fans. Because the two versions had to have the exact same roster, certain ideas were scrapped.
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Ice Climbers are the most famous casualty. The Wii U could handle them easily. The 3DS? It turned into a slideshow. So, the duo was cut. This technical bottleneck influenced the design of almost every one of the super smash bros 3ds wii u characters. Transformation characters like Zelda/Sheik and Samus/Zero Suit Samus had to be split into separate slots.
At the time, people were annoyed. But in hindsight? It was a blessing. Splitting Zelda and Sheik allowed both characters to have a full, dedicated move set. Sheik became a top-tier threat because she didn't have to waste a move on a transformation. It forced the developers to make every character a "solo" act, which arguably made the roster more balanced across the board.
The Meta Giants: Who Actually Won?
If you look at the tournament results from 2015 to 2017, the same names kept popping up. It wasn't just about who was "cool." It was about frame data.
- Diddy Kong: Remember the "Hoo-Hah"? For months, Diddy’s down-throw to up-air was an inescapable kill confirm. It was simple. It was brutal. Even after nerfs, he stayed relevant because his neutral game was just that good.
- Sheik: She was the queen of the early meta. If you had the hands for it, Sheik could suffocate an opponent with needles and fair-strings.
- Sonic: Love him or hate him, Sonic defined the "spin to win" playstyle. He forced you to play his game, which usually meant a lot of waiting and a lot of frustration.
- Bayonetta: As mentioned, she was the final boss of the game’s life cycle. Her ability to carry opponents to the top blast zone from a single parry (Witch Time) changed how everyone had to play.
The gap between a top-tier character and a bottom-tier character like King Dedede or Ganondorf was massive. Yet, that's what made the upsets so legendary. When a mid-tier character like Mega Man or Greninja made a deep run in a major tournament, the energy was electric.
How to Revisit the Roster Today
If you’re dusting off your Wii U or firing up the 3DS, don't just stick to the top tiers. The real magic of the super smash bros 3ds wii u characters is in the "weird" picks.
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- Try Shulk’s Monado Arts properly. Most people just cycle through them randomly. Actually learning the "Buster" to "Smash" transition is one of the most rewarding feelings in the game.
- Play Wii Fit Trainer. Her hitboxes are bizarre—some are behind her, some are deep in her limbs—but mastering her "Deep Breathing" mechanic makes her a terrifying sleeper pick.
- Master the 3DS controls. If you can play a high-level Fox on a 3DS XL circle pad, you can play anything. It’s a rite of passage.
- Explore the Mii Brawler/Swordfighter/Gunner. They were often banned in tournaments because of custom move complications, but in casual play, they offer a level of personalization that was stripped back in later entries.
The Wii U and 3DS era was a bridge. It took the foundation of Brawl and infused it with the competitive spirit that would eventually lead to Ultimate. It gave us Pac-Man. It gave us Mega Man. It gave us the dream of a truly global mascot brawler.
Even now, there is a "weight" to the characters in this version that feels different. The gravity is slightly lower than Ultimate, the ledge mechanics are a bit more forgiving, and the "rage" mechanic—where you get stronger as you take more damage—is at its most potent. It’s a unique flavor of Smash that still holds up if you’re looking for a break from the current meta.
Go back and play Duck Hunt. Throw some cans. Remember when we all thought the ESRB leak was fake because the CSS looked "too messy." It was a wild time to be a Nintendo fan, and the characters are the reason why.
Next Steps for Smash Fans:
If you’re looking to dive back in, start by checking your old save files for custom moves. Unlike the sequels, Smash 4 allowed you to swap out special moves for almost the entire roster. Head into the "Custom" menu and try out the different variations of Palutena's or Mario's specials. Many of these moves never returned in later games, making them a "lost" piece of Smash history worth experiencing one more time. After that, look up the "Smash 4" tournament archives on YouTube—specifically the EVO 2015-2017 runs—to see how the pros pushed these specific character mechanics to their absolute limits.