Here's how to unlock all hidden characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate — spoiler free

Posted by John 'Velociraptor' Guerrero • December 8, 2018 at 3:59 p.m. PST • Comments: 28

Update (12/08/2018): Now that we've had time to play the game for ourselves, we now have a better idea of how the unlocking process works. This guide has been updated with accurate and complete information.

Earlier: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate boasts a cumulative roster featuring every character that's ever been in a Smash title to date plus a handful of new additions totaling no less than 74 brawlers to choose from with even more en route via DLC.

When you boot up Ultimate for the very first time you'll likely notice that the character select screen only offers eight characters. That's because you'll be spending the first few chapters of your newest Smash experience unlocking the 66 remaining fighters.

This seems like a fairly tall order, and it is, but Masahiro Sakurai and the development team have made the unlock process streamlined and efficient as you play through the game's various modes. Whether you're playing alone or with friends, you'll be able to start unlocking new roster additions right away.

There are three main modes that lead to unlocks: Classic, World of Light and Versus. Versus and Classic Mode will unlock fighters in a set order.

This means the first time you play Versus mode you'll wind up with an unlock fight afterwards. The next versus match you finish after 10 minutes has passed will bring on another unlock battle.

We've also heard reports that you can skip this 10 minute buffer period by switching the game off and then starting it back up again. Enter a one-stock Versus Mode battle, KO yourself immediately and that should incite another unlock fight.

If there's a specific character or two that you want to get earlier on then Classic Mode is probably more for you. Finishing Classic Mode with specific characters triggers other specific characters to unlock.

Essentially, you are only required to play one versus match for the "challenger approaching" prompt to show up. The catch is, there is a 10 minute cooldown between unlocks.

If you are looking to unlock characters as quickly as possible, then you'll want to close Super Smash Bros. Ultimate after every unlock. Doing so will actually reset the 10 minute timer.

Using this method, combined with self destructing one stock matches, all fighters can be unlocked in roughly three hours.

Classic Mode playthroughs tend to take longer than 10 minutes, so you won't have to worry about the 10 minute cooldown. Keep in mind that it does still reset the timer afterwards.

There is actually a defined order in which combatants are unlocked based on which character is used. Rather, the challenger is dependent on which "group" the fulfilling fighter originates from.

You can technically unlock Sonic, Bayonetta, Little Mac, Ike, Luigi, Roy, Dr. Mario, and Olimar just by beating Classic Mode with Mario 8 times in a row. You could also do this with — for example — Ike, assuming you unlocked Ike through another method.

The challenger you'll get will always come in the same order, skipping those that you've already been challenged by. Any character in Mario's group is able to unlock any other fighter in that same group.

But what happens if you complete Classic Mode with the last combatant of a given group? You'll then start unlocking challengers of the lowest number group (based on the original character's order) that still has unlockables.

For example, we tested beating the game with Incineroar (found in Samus' group or group 4) six times in the same game file. However, by this point there were only four unlocks remaining in that group. The next two challenges were Sonic and Bayonetta — fighters in Mario's group.

Essentially what this means is that you can technically unlock all 63 unlockables by completing Classic Mode with the same fighter 63 times in a row — if that's really what you wanted to do. If you're looking for a specific fighter, you'll only have to beat Classic Mode at most eight times.

Should you lose a challenger approaching battle, you could potentially rematch them in the "Games and More" section. You'll want to check this section often as it appears to show up after a cooldown period or after a certain number of matches.

Contributions to this story were made by Justin "AdaptiveTrigger" Gordon, Steven 'Dreamking23' Chavez, and Dakota 'DarkHorse' Hills.