We now know how to unlock characters in Smash Bros Ultimate. There are 4 routes to unlock characters in Smash Bros Ultimate- VS. mode battles, Classic Mode, the World of Light Story Mode or by backing out of WoL into a battle. A spreadsheet of all character unlock routes was posted on Reddit by Mcgustavo.
Much like previous Smash Bros games, you’ll have to beat characters in a battle to use them in the roster. Here’s a breakdown on how to unlock every character in Smash Bros Ultimate.
How To Unlock Characters In Smash Bros Ultimate Fast
You can unlock characters in Smash Bros Ultimate fighters by playing around 350 vs. Matches. Time in-game and distance moved are factors. You can unlock a Fighter every 10 minutes if you have moved enough in the game.
However, there is a way to circumvent this and unlock every character in 2 hours or less! Check out our guide on the fastest way to unlock every Smash Bros Ultimate character.
You can also check out the Smash Bros Ultimate Character Unlock Order for the fastest way to unlock individual characters.
How To Unlock Characters in Smash Bros Ultimate Classic Mode
Much like with other Smash Bros games, each fighter will unlock specific characters via their Classic Mode campaign. Here’s how to unlock each fighter in Classic Mode.
Dark Samus – Complete Classic Mode as Samus
Luigi – Complete Classic Mode as Ike
Ness – Complete Classic Mode as Kirby
Captain Falcon – Complete Classic Mode as Fox
Jigglypuff – Complete Classic Mode as Ness (first time)
Peach/Daisy – Complete Classic Mode as Falco
Ice Climbers – Complete Classic Mode as King K Rool
Sheik – Complete Classic Mode as King Dedede
Dr. Mario – Complete Classic Mode as Roy (2 Players) or Bayonetta
Pichu – Complete Classic Mode as Isabelle
Falco – Complete Classic Mode as Peach or Captain Falcon
Lucina – Complete Classic Mode as Marth or Ryu
Young Link – Complete Classic Mode as Simon Belmont
Ganondorf – Complete Classic Mode as Ryu
Roy – Complete Classic Mode as Little Mac
Chrom – Complete Classic Mode as Ridley
Mr. Game & Watch – Complete Classic Mode as R.O.B.
Dark Pit – Complete Classic Mode as Wario
Wario – Complete Classic Mode as Cloud (possibly 2 Players)
Snake – Complete Classic Mode as Meta Knight
Ike – Complete Classic Mode as Little Mac
Pokemon Trainer – Complete Classic Mode as Bowser or Donkey Kong (or Mario if you’ve unlocked Sonic)
Diddy Kong – Complete Classic Mode as Dark Pit
Lucas – Complete Classic Mode as Corrin or Ken
Sonic – Complete Classic Mode as Mario
King Dedede – Complete Classic Mode as Pokemon Trainer
Olimar – Complete Classic Mode as Little Mac
R.O.B. – Complete Classic Mode as Luigi
Toon Link – Complete Classic Mode as Richter Belmont
Mega Man – Complete Classic Mode as Wario
Wii Fit Trainer – Complete Classic Mode as Inkling
Rosalina – Complete Classic Mode as Pichu or Pokemon Trainer
Little Mac – Complete Classic Mode as Bayonetta
Greninja – Complete Classic Mode as Rosalina
Palutena – Complete Classic Mode as Lucas, Ryu or Young Link
Pac-Man – Complete Classic Mode as Ness (after unlocking Jigglypuff)
Robin – Complete Classic Mode as Zelda
Shulk – Complete Classic Mode as Pikachu
Bowser Jr. – Complete Classic Mode as Falco or Donkey Kong
Duck Hunt – Complete Classic Mode as Pichu
Ryu – Complete Classic Mode as Marth
Ken – Complete Classic Mode as Duck Hunt
Cloud – Complete Classic Mode as Dark Samus
Bayonetta – Complete Classic Mode as Sonic
Inkling – Complete Classic Mode as Samus
Ridley – Complete Classic Mode as Lucina
Simon Belmont – Complete Classic Mode as Ice Climbers or King K Rool
Richter Belmont – Complete Classic Mode as Snake or Young Link
King K Rool – Complete Classic Mode as Link
Isabelle – Complete Classic Mode as Samus or Shulk
Incineroar – Complete Classic Mode as Wii Fit Trainer
How To Unlock Smash Bros Ultimate Fighters in World of Light
You can also meet and unlock characters in Smash Bros Ultimate: World of Light via the overview map. Here’s a breakdown of where to find each fighter:
World of Light – Ness, Pichu, Falco (Space), Mr Game and Watch, Pit, Zero Suit Samus, Pokemon Trainer, Diddy Kong (near DK Island), Lucas, King Dedede (Sub-area), Toon Link, Little Mac, Shulk, Ryu (World Tour), Inkling, Simon Belmont (near Final Boss)
Villager Route (World of Light) – Link, Yoshi, Dr. Mario, Lucario, Isabelle, Ice Climbers, Captain Falcon
3 Starter Pokemon Routes (World of Light) – Sheik, Marth, Villager
Sheik Route (World of Light) – Jigglypuff
Marth Route (World of Light) – Olimar, Mega Man, Pac-Man, Wii Fit Trainer, Dr. Mario (near Lumiose City), Snake (get Otacon Spirit first), Duck Hunt (Hidden Forest)
The Molten Fortress (World of Light) – Peach, Bowser
Mysterious Dimension (World of Dark) – Luigi, Meta Knight, Mewtwo (after beating Wispy Woods Spirit), Ike, R.O.B., Wolf, Greninja, Corrin, King K Rool
Sacred Land (World of Dark) – Zelda, Young Link, Ganondorf, Chrom, Sonic, Bowser Jr., Cloud (unlock Zelda first)
Dark Realm (World of Dark) – Lucina (right route), Rosalina (top middle route), Incineroar (left route)
World of Dark (after Dracula’s Castle) – Ken (in Dracula’s Castle), Daisy (after beating Dry Bowser Spirit), Dark Pit (after beating Boo Spirit), Wario (after beating Mummy Spirit), Robin (after beating Werewolf’s Spirit), Ridley (after beating the Creature and Flea Man Spirits), Richter (defeat all Dark Spirits in Dracula’s Castle)
The Final Battle – Roy, Palutena (near Mythra Spirit), Bayonetta
Certain characters will also be unlocked at random when you exit World of Light after playing. Currently confirmed characters you can unlock this way are Inkling, Ike, Zero Suit Samus, Marth, Zelda, Sheik, and Peach.
How To Unlock Piranha Plant in Smash Bros Ultimate
Piranha Plant will be available as a DLC Fighter. You won’t need to unlock or battle the character to use it in the roster. Players who buy and register Smash Bros Ultimate before January 31st will get Piranha Plant for free. Here’s more on how to get Piranha Plant free.
You can also get Joker from Persona 5 in Smash Bros Ultimate Challenger Pack 1. This will be the first paid DLC Pack, costing $5.99 or $24.99 for the Fighter’s Pass.
These characters won’t be available in the game until January or February 2019 at the earliest.
Original Blog posted November 26 and Updated December 13 2018.