The Tool Desk
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What “best” means in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
A useful recommendation starts with your goal. Someone learning the game for the first time may value a fighter whose basic approach is easy to understand. A player who enjoys keeping opponents at a distance may look for a different experience than someone who wants close-range pressure. Competitive strength is a separate question: it depends on the ruleset and should be supported by a dated, transparent ranking or tournament analysis.
![Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61bkI3XqQ7L._SL160_.jpg)
- First character: Choose based on how clearly you can understand and repeat the fighter’s basic plan.
- Preferred play style: Decide whether you want to approach up close, fight from range, or mix both approaches.
- Competitive choice: Specify the ruleset and look for rankings or results that identify their date, region, and method. No current competitive ranking is established by the official sources cited here.
Start with the roster, not a tier list
Nintendo’s official Ultimate fighter page lists the game’s roster by series, including downloadable fighters. Nintendo’s Australian fighter page provides a numbered roster reference, including DLC fighters through Sora. These pages confirm which fighters are in the game; being on the roster does not establish how strong a fighter is competitively.
Because the available official pages document characters and modes rather than competitive results, they do not support a defensible ordering from “best” to “worst.” Treat an unsourced universal ranking with caution, especially if it does not say which ruleset, region, or date it represents.
#1 Best Overall
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. Game
- Challenge others anytime, anywhere, whether you're on the couch or on the go
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
- Face off in 2-4 player battles, or play against the computer
Match your choice to how you want to play
Use these questions to narrow the roster before committing to a main. They are practical selection criteria, not Nintendo-published fighter ratings.
- Pick your setting. Decide whether you mainly want casual matches with friends or play under a defined competitive format.
- Choose a pace and range. Think about whether you enjoy moving into close exchanges, keeping space between you and an opponent, or switching between the two.
- Try a small number of fighters. Play several matches with each candidate and notice whether you understand how to start an approach, respond when pressured, and return to your preferred range.
- Reassess after learning the basics. A fighter that feels comfortable at first may not suit you once you have a clearer sense of timing and match flow.
This approach helps identify a character that fits your own preferences without pretending that a general-purpose “best beginner” rating or fighter-by-fighter matchup assessment has been established here.
Casual play and competitive play answer different questions
Ultimate supports more than one kind of match. Nintendo describes regular Smash and an in-game tournament mode on its official game-modes page. The page says, “Select your stages, set the rules, and smash with up to eight players total!” It also describes tournament mode for up to 32 entrants.
Those options make context important: the characters you enjoy in a group match do not have to be the same ones you pursue for a particular competitive format. The modes page explains what the game offers, but it does not rank fighters or show their tournament performance.
Rank #3
What the official roster can—and cannot—tell you
The roster pages are useful for confirming the available fighters, including DLC. They are not evidence of a fighter’s ease of use, matchup strengths, win rate, or current tier placement. For a competitive recommendation, use a ranking or event analysis that clearly states its date, region, ruleset, sample, and methodology; without that information, a claim about who is currently strongest is difficult to evaluate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Getting the game
If you want to try the roster yourself, the relevant game is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for Nintendo Switch. Nintendo’s Australian game page provides product information. Availability and price can vary, so check a retailer or Nintendo listing for current details.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- International Version. ESRB rated. This game is tied to the USA region and any DLC content is available on the USA regional Nintendo eShop. Works on all systems worldwide. (Middle East / Southeast Asia -- Official Nintendo Product).
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. game
- Challenge others anytime, anywhere, whether you're on the couch or on the go
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
Rank #4
![Nintendo Super Smash Bros. Ultimate + Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Fighter Pass Bundle - [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/516jRPfTrLL._SL160_.jpg)
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. game
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
