Every Smash Bros Guest Character RANKED

We’ll admit our lack of knowledge about “Dragon Quest” means we didn’t get too hype over Hero’s inclusion. But the beauty of “Smash” is that it drew from all types of fandoms, pleasing the mainstream and niche audiences alike. However, Hero just isn’t that fun to play as. Aspects from his JRPG roots may sound cool, but an MP meter that affects your moves and power levels can be a bit tricky to maintain. Plus, his down special can overwhelm the player by piling on a ton of spell options, many of which are very situational.

Although the “Bayonetta” series is now published by Nintendo, the character is still owned by her developer, PlatinumGames. The release of “Bayonetta 2” on the Wii U, which was roughly a year before she got added to “Smash” via DLC, means we kind of saw her inclusion coming, which does take some of the hype away. However, she can still be fun to play as. Smashing an opponent with a massive heel or fist is very satisfying, although admittedly a bit cheap. Her special moves leave a bit to be desired, but she still delivers them with incredible style.

“Smash” is usually pretty great about translating a character’s moves and attributes to fit its style. Kazuya from the “Tekken” series is a great example. Some of his moves briefly turn him into Devil Kazuya, he can pull off ground chain combo strings, and he comes with a Rage mode that enhances his strength when at a high percentage. His reveal didn’t reach nearly the same level of excitement as other surprise guests. But it’s still pretty cool seeing another Bandai Namco rep since the studio helped develop “Smash Ultimate.”

While it wasn’t exactly shocking to see some members of the Belmot Clan appear in “Smash,” given how many titles have appeared on Nintendo consoles, Konami’s series had definitely fallen from grace by “Ultimate’s” release. But with Simon & Richter, we were all reminded how badass the Belmonts can be. Their moveset is made up of their holy weapons they’ve used throughout the franchise, such as Holy Water and a boomerang-like Cross. While this makes them easy prey for close-range fighters, it’s still cool to wield righteous weapons against foes. Plus, how awesome is it to fight in Dracula’s Castle?

We would’ve thought that with Cloud, “Final Fantasy” was getting all the representation it was going to get. How glad we are that we were wrong. Although he didn’t instill within us the childlike glee that came with the hero, the one-winged angel’s reveal still gave us chills. As a fighter, he’s fairly easy to knock off the stage at lower percentages. But he makes up for it with Masamune, the longest-range sword in the game, and his Winged Form, which activates when he’s close to death and increases his stats while giving him Super Armor during Smash attacks. He’s certainly a deadly force.

Ryu’s inclusion in the fourth entry signaled a slight change within “Smash.” Characters from traditional fighting games could have their moveset adapted to fit the franchise’s set-up. Which was incredibly cool to discover for those of us that poured hours into perfecting Ryu in “Street Fighter IV.” This could be a bit tricky for unfamiliar players to pull off, but it was by no means a requirement to control him that way. With the addition of Ken in “Ultimate,” players could then infuse their attacks with fire. And both of them have two Final Smashes to cover close or long range. Also, Ryu is the poster child for one of the most famous fighting franchises ever, so it only feels right that he joined the roster.

“Smash” is a celebration of gaming and not just for the newer, more popular characters. First added in the fourth entry, Pac-Man is an icon of the medium. And while you wouldn’t expect it from a character primarily known for exploring mazes and eating pellets, Pac-Man is actually a pretty great fighter. He can be a bit complex to perfect, but his special moves are wonderful for causing chaos in the arena. His Bonus Fruit attack has a lot of variety with each fruit moving differently and causing different amounts of damage. Also, and it shouldn’t be understated, placing a Fire Hydrant in a group of opponents basically guarantees to screw with their strategy.

“Mega Man” is one of the NES’s best and toughest franchises. Nintendo and Capcom’s relationship has flourished ever since the golden days, so the Blue Bomber’s inclusion was a natural and welcome one. And despite his stature, the little guy packs a mean punch…and a ton of other gadgets that will send you flying. His special moveset consists of sticky bombs, a leaf shield, a saw blade, and the best robot dog in gaming, which gives him a lot of variety. But all of his moves, special or otherwise, are loving recreations of attacks and power-ups from his long history.

We here at MojoPlays are big fans of “The King of Fighters,” but we never would have expected a character from the series to make it into “Smash.” Similar to Ryu and Kazuya, Terry’s moveset was adapted to fit the “Smash” playstyle. But he’s much more balanced; his quick speed, survivability due to his weight, and his flame-based attacks make him an absolute powerhouse. He can also pull off super specials while over 100% damage, which can turn the tide against your opponents in a heartbeat. We didn’t know how badly we wanted Terry in “Smash” until he was there, but we’re grateful to have him.

Nintendo kicked off the first Fighters Pass with a bang. Although “Persona” had appeared on Nintendo platforms before, we were all blown away by Joker’s reveal at the 2018 Game Awards. His speed, quick startup for attacks, and varied moveset make him an excellent juggler. He’s also pretty agile, making him an overall nuisance to those fighting him. Just like many other fighters, Sakurai put a lot of love into adapting Joker’s qualities and moves from “Persona 5.” And let me tell you, summoning his Persona, Arsene, and smashing your opponents across the arena with double the attacks is immensely rewarding.

Given how vital a game “Minecraft” is, it makes sense that its protagonist Steve would be put into “Smash.” But we’re still surprised at how well Sakurai and his team adapted him to be a fighting character. Steve can mine resources from any arena, craft and improve weapons, and build blocks in mid-air to reach higher locations. And that’s all tied to the same button! His moveset obviously takes some getting used to. But once perfected, he can frustrate opponents by subtly changing a stage’s layout while simultaneously tossing down blocks of TNT and barreling over everyone in a Minecart. Plus, his alternate costumes include Alex, a Zombie, and an Enderman, which is a nice touch.

Although a couple of “Metal Gear” games had been released on Nintendo consoles, Snake’s addition in “Brawl” was a big surprise and signaled what was to come in the franchise’s future. He was likely the first third-party character players unlocked as Sonic took more of an effort. And he was a fantastic place to start. His moveset draws from his long career of stealth missions, meaning he’s got a ton of gadgets used to rain down hell on opponents. Grenades, mines, a mortar launcher, and a freakin’ RPG can rack up high damage. He’s not the most mobile, but he excels at setting traps and attacking unaware players.

Hailing from one of the most famous RPGs of all time, our jaws dropped when Cloud was revealed as a DLC fighter for the fourth game. It was almost surreal given how “Final Fantasy VII” was a key game in showing the PlayStation’s power over the Nintendo 64. But we’re so glad he’s here. Not only is it cool, but Cloud is an incredible fighter. He’s quick and his Buster Sword hits like a truck, especially when using Cloud’s special attacks. All of them are pretty powerful, but charging Cloud’s limit meter makes them terrifying for any opponent. Seriously, if I’m facing a Cloud with a charged limit meter, I’m getting as far away as I can.

They said it couldn’t be done and we believed them. Sora’s connection to Disney made his inclusion seem pretty unlikely, despite many of his games appearing on Nintendo handhelds. But due to a chance encounter at an awards show between Sakurai and a Disney exec, the wish of many, MANY fans came true. Not only was Sora the perfect character for the DLC to end on, but he’s actually a stellar combatant. Sure, he’s one of the lightest and easily KO’d fighters on the roster. But his standard special cycles between elemental magic attacks and his side special is great for performing juggling combos. Plus, there are all kinds of little aesthetic touches that make our hearts soar.

Another fighter we fully believed to be impossible, Banjo & Kazooie sent waves of beautiful nostalgia through us when they were revealed. And what an excellent reveal it was. Rare may now be owned by Microsoft, but the love behind the bear & bird’s dual N64 titles propelled them to being one of the most requested fighters. Their moves can be a bit tricky to perfect as Breegull Blaster can leave them vulnerable and they’re far from the best when it comes to juggling and comboing. But Wonder Wing can charge through any attack and their Up Special doesn’t leave them defenseless while falling. Also, fighting on Spiral Mountain and hearing their goofy sound effects makes us yearn for a replay every time.

No matter how many years pass, it will always be insane to see Sonic in a Nintendo game. The rivalry between Sega and Nintendo in the early 90s fueled the video game industry to grow bigger and better. And with “Brawl,” we got to finally see how Sonic and Mario would square off in a fight. And they don’t call him the blue blur for nothing. Sonic’s speed can be tough to control at first. But once mastered, you’ll be diving and dashing around the arena so fast, it will make your opponents’ heads spin. Facing someone who’s good with Sonic means you’ll be bouncing around the arena as he quickly racks up damage. While he is pretty easy to launch, good luck catching him.