Yesterday, the original Super Smash Bros. celebrated its 20th Anniversary, and the series is still going strong in 2019, as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has drawn rave reviews since a December release. In honor of the original, here are the top OG characters from the Nintendo’s hit game.
10. Luigi
Everyone knows Mario is the usual title character, but Luigi is also a fan-favorite as a similarly easy-to-use option that can throw fireballs and do damage with a well-rounded skillset. It’s understandable that Luigi is a little clumsy considering his experience fighting off ghosts.
9. Samus
Ultimate has Zero Suit Samus and Dark Samus as options, but the original Samus was ahead of her time thanks to advanced weaponry compared to the rest of the roster. The versatile moves can make Samus a frustrating opponent, especially if you find yourself heavily damaged and hit with a charged-up blast.
8. Donkey Kong
Easily the biggest character of the initial 12, Donkey Kong—or “DK” as the selection screen used to say—can be a little tough to control, but he’s stronger than anyone when he’s able to connect with a thunderous fist. Nowadays, there are other characters just as big or bigger than Donkey Kong, but it’s tough to match his raw power.
7. Link
Having a sword and shield is a big edge for Link, who is able to fight from long range or in close quarters without trouble. Plus, Link has good range to save himself from falling to his death, and his size is above-average compared to new iterations Young Link and Toon Link.
6. Ness
Like most characters, a lot comes down to personal preference, and many gamers likely have the bat-wielding Ness safely in their top five. Pound-for-pound, Ness is arguably the most powerful character in the original game, and the same might even hold true today.
5. Yoshi
Despite a consistently happy demeanor, Yoshi currently has one of the more intimidating Final Smash moves—called “Stampede!”—which sees an army of Yoshis trample opponents. Two decades ago, Yoshi’s unmatched high jump and a variety of Egg attacks made him a fun character to use.
4. Pikachu
According to the tier list, Pikachu was the best of the best in Super Smash Bros., and early tier lists for Ultimate have him atop the “S-Tier,” too. The most famous Pokémon is extremely agile, but his special moves clearly bring the thunder… Pun intended.
3. Mario
Mario has easily been the most balanced character since the series’ inception, and he gets a boost in the rankings based on a beginner’s ability to jump right in and use him. In Ultimate, it can take a bit more time than the original game to perfect Mario’s all-around abilities (particularly the Cape counter to deflect projectiles), but he is still a character for everyone.
2. Captain Falcon
As stated, it doesn’t get much better than Donkey Kong in terms of raw strength for the original game, but when it comes to a single move, a Falcon Punch can knockout anyone at anytime. Captain Falcon is also one of the fastest guys you will find, and his non-special moves also pack a punch.
1. Kirby
He is a loveable character, but Kirby can be a stone-cold killer on the battlefield, including the use of his patented Inhale ability to copy an opponent’s neutral special move. Also, a game-best six jumps makes him a survivalist, and Kirby can end a match in a second by delivering an on-time Hammer Flip or a well-placed Stone attack.
Kirby is a stud lol.
PK FIYA PK FIYA PK FIYA
Hahahahaha I can hear that.
Absorb makes Kirby the best. He can be every character.