To unlock the base-game fighters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, win the “Challenger Approaching” battles that appear as you play. You can also unlock fighters through Classic Mode or World of Light. If you lose a challenger battle, retry it under Games & More → Challenger’s Approach. Mii Fighters are created separately, and paid DLC fighters are not part of the base-game unlock roster.
What “all characters” includes
The base game starts with eight fighters; most of its remaining roster is unlocked through play. Mii Brawler, Mii Swordfighter, and Mii Gunner are exceptions: create them from the Mii Fighter option rather than waiting for challenger battles. These roster details and unlock routes are documented by the secondary reference SmashWiki’s unlockable-character guide.
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Paid DLC fighters are separate purchases, not hidden base-game unlocks. Nintendo Support lists five Challenger Packs in Fighters Pass Vol. 1 and six in Vol. 2; Piranha Plant is sold separately from both passes. See Nintendo’s DLC details for the pack contents.
Choose an unlock route
| Route | What to do | Best suited to | Important caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Challenger encounters | Play, then win each “Challenger Approaching” battle when it appears. | Unlocking fighters as you play without choosing a separate mode. | Nintendo does not specify a fixed number of matches or a timer for encounters. |
| Classic Mode | Clear Classic Mode with a fighter; the resulting challenger follows that fighter’s unlock route. | Following a more directed sequence or targeting a particular next fighter. | Route and order details are from SmashWiki, not Nintendo’s modes summary. |
| World of Light | Progress through the adventure and awaken fighters. | Combining roster unlocks with the story/adventure mode. | This is a progression route; the available sources do not establish it as the fastest method. |
| Mii Fighter creation | Create a Mii Brawler, Mii Swordfighter, or Mii Gunner from the Mii Fighter option. | Adding the three customizable Mii fighter types. | These are created directly rather than unlocked through a standard challenger fight. |
Unlock fighters through challenger battles
Nintendo describes the basic loop: “While playing the game, new fighters will approach and challenge you to battle. You’ll unlock them if you win!” Play normally until a challenger appears, then win the fight to add that fighter to the roster. Nintendo does not publish a guaranteed encounter count, elapsed time, or cooldown, so there is no reliable fixed-match promise to follow.
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- 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
If you want a more directed order, Classic Mode clears can trigger challengers along character-specific unlock routes. The exact routes are detailed in the SmashWiki unlockable-character reference; use it when you have a particular next fighter in mind. World of Light offers another way: awakening fighters there makes them available to the regular roster.
Retry a challenger fight you lost
- Open Games & More.
- Select Challenger’s Approach.
- Choose the available rematch and win to unlock the fighter.
A loss does not permanently block that character. Nintendo’s modes page explicitly directs players to Challenger’s Approach under Games & More to try a rematch.
Create the Mii Fighters
For the Mii Brawler, Mii Swordfighter, and Mii Gunner, use the Mii Fighter creation option rather than waiting for a challenger to appear. This is a separate roster step from the standard unlock battles.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What it takes to include DLC fighters
Unlocking the base-game roster does not grant the paid DLC fighters. Nintendo Support describes Fighters Pass Vol. 1 as Challenger Packs 1–5 and Vol. 2 as packs 6–11; Piranha Plant is outside both passes and sold separately. Ownership and availability are separate from the in-game base-roster unlock process. Nintendo’s game product page identifies the Nintendo Switch edition; buying the base game alone does not include those separate DLC purchases.
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Quick Recap
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
Rank #3
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