Some video game series take some time to find their audience, but it’s nothing short of incredible to see the enthusiasm that’s surrounded Super Smash Bros. right from the very start. Every genre of video game has its advantages and deterrents, but there’s a special type of community that’s formed through the connection of the fighting game genre.
Fighters haven’t always been Nintendo’s strength, but their unconventional idea to deliver a crossover fighting game that pits mascots from their most popular franchises against one another is a stroke of genius. The Nintendo 64 original only contains a dozen fighters, but this total has progressively ballooned to astronomical proportions. Many Smash Bros. fighters stick around for the long haul, but some characters were dropped following their debut— only to return again in a later game.
10 Nintendo’s Ice Climbers Weren’t Viewed As A Priority For The Fourth Smash Entry
The Ice Climbers (Popo and Nana) are odd additions to the series ever since their debut appearance in Super Smash Bros. Melee. These characters represent an appreciated throwback to an iconic NES title, but there hasn’t been any forward momentum on a new Ice Climbers game.
Accordingly, the Ice Climbers are scrapped in the Nintendo 3DS entry in the franchise. This ultimately came down to space limitations and how these characters weren’t a priority because of the dormant nature of the franchise. However, the adorable duo have returned for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
9 Dr. Mario’s Medical Magic Isn’t Properly Appreciated Until Later In The Series
The GameCube's Super Smash Bros. Melee is the perfect sequel that adds a substantial amount of extra characters into the mix. These fresh faces are appreciated, but one issue with them is that many Melee newcomers are largely “Echo Fighters” that feature the same moves as pre-existing characters.
Dr. Mario is an out-of-the-box addition that pays homage to Nintendo’s popular puzzle series of the same name. Dr. Mario doesn’t make the cut in the Wii’s Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but clearly Mario and his medical license were popular because they return in the series’ subsequent entries with a better design and more distinctive moveset.
8 Mewtwo Is A Prestigious Pokémon Whose Popularity Comes & Goes
There are nearly 1,000 unique Pokémon designs that fill up Nintendo’s popular series and there’s been an increasing amount of Pokémon representation in each new Smash Bros. entry. Mewtwo first appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee for the GameCube, but the character was actually considered to appear in the N64 original.
Mewtwo disappears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl in favor of newer and more interesting Pokémon, but he’s found his way back into the fighting series ever since, with even more Pokémon competition to take out.
7 Young Link Was Forced Into Early Retirement Before His Recent Return
The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo’s flagship franchises and there’s some particularly exciting figures from the series that have found their way into Super Smash Bros. titles. A large part of Zelda’s lore is divided by Link’s adventures as a child and an adult, which Smash Bros. makes literal with the addition of Young Link as a separate character to "Adult Link" in Melee.
The addition of more unusual Zelda representation, like Toon Link, pushes Young Link out of the picture for both Brawl and the fourth entry in the series, but he makes his grand return in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
6 Fire Emblem’s Roy Briefly Makes His Exit In Favor Of Bolder Blades
One of the most rewarding elements of the Super Smash Bros. games is that they’re able to bring an audience to some of Nintendo’s more neglected or underappreciated franchises. Super Smash Bros. Melee functions as many newcomers’ introduction to Fire Emblem’s Roy, a revered swordfighter.
Smash Bros. has no shortage of fighters that rely on swords and there have been even more faces from Fire Emblem that get to join the party. As a result, Roy temporarily exits for the Wii’s Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but he’s back for the series’ subsequent entries.
5 Mother 3’s Lucas Is An Elusive Fighter Whose Become Interchangeable With His Franchise
The Mother franchise has never properly found appreciation outside of Japan and there’s a passionate push to localize the acclaimed Game Boy Advance title, Mother 3. Lucas, the main hero in Mother 3, makes his Smash Bros. debut in Brawl, even though American audiences have never played as him in his native series.
There are many similarities between Lucas and Earthbound’s Ness, who has gained a greater standing in the Smash Bros. series. Lucas is unique situation since he’s originally absent in the fourth Smash Bros. game for the 3DS and Wii U, but he’s later added through DLC.
4 Pichu Initially Seems Like A Joke, But Contains Hidden Depth
There are frankly too many Pokémon to choose from when it comes to Super Smash Bros. fighters, which is why the Poké Ball is a popular item that showcases many creatures in a more limited capacity. The GameCube's Melee takes some bold swings. P
ichu is an adorable, albeit complex, new fighter. The Baby Pokémon is vulnerable enough that some of its electric attacks even cause self-damage. The debatable level of Pichu’s usefulness leads to its absence in Brawl and the series’ fourth installment, but the plucky Electric-Type Pokémon returns along with every other past fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
3 Standout Guest Fighter, Solid Snake, Gets Recruited Away For Other Missions
Up until Super Smash Bros. Brawl, all of the fighters in the crossover series still only came from Nintendo properties. Some very exciting strides have since been taken to feature a wide range of guest fighters that reflect a passionate synergy for the video game industry.
Metal Gear Solid's spec ops master Solid Snake makes his triumphant debut in Brawl, alongside Sonic the Hedgehog. Solid Snake is such a breath of fresh air that truly pushes Smash Bros. forward. Snake is in Ultimate, but he sadly sits out for the entry that’s sandwiched between these two games. Or, perhaps he was actually there, but just sneaking around in the background with his stealth camo activated.
2 Star Wolf’s Reign Of Villainy Receives A Temporary Absence
Star Fox, both the character and the franchise, represent an important part of Nintendo’s history. Star Fox is a series that Nintendo continues to experiment with and it’s unlikely to ever completely disappear. Star Fox is present from the very first Smash Bros. game, but his sworn rival, Wolf O’Donnell, joins the fray in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Many Star Fox pilots stick around for the 3DS and Wii U Smash Bros. game, but not Star Wolf. Thankfully, the malevolent individual returns to give Fox a hard time in the Switch’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
1 The Diverse Pokémon Trainer Gets Broken Down Into Parts
The first two entries in the Smash Bros. series feature individual Pokémon representation, but Brawl makes a bold choice with Pokémon Trainer, a character that’s able to switch between three iconic Pokémon from the Generation I titles.
Pokémon Trainer is absent in the series’ fourth entry for the Wii U and 3DS, largely because the character gets split up so Charizard can fight on its own, with no more Squirtle or Ivysaur present. It’s a pivot that makes sense, but Pokémon Trainer returns in all of their glory for the series’ latest entry.