How Many Smash Characters Are There? A Deep Dive into the Evolution of Smash‘s Iconic Roster

As of February 2023, the total Super Smash Bros. playable character roster sits at 89 fighters (including DLC), up from the original 12 that kicked off this legendary Nintendo fighting series in 1999.

But the road to nearly 90 playable video game icons has been over 20 years in the making, filled with heated fan requests, surprises, and careful negotiation to bring back each beloved mascot, villain and rising star.

In this deep dive into the growth of Smash‘s star-studded lineup, we‘ll explore:

• Roster count progression through each Smash game release
• Factors influencing the methodical selection process
• How Smash Ultimate more than doubled its base roster size via $30M+ in DLC sales
• What the future may hold in store for even more playable fighters

Charting the Roster Count Growth Across Smash Generations

Let‘s start from the beginning. Here‘s a breakdown of each Super Smash Bros. core game release, including starting and ending roster size:

*Ultimate‘s final count factors in 12 added DLC fighters

To help visualize the growth in playable fighters over the past two decades, here is a chart showing how each new game stacked up roster-wise against the past iteration:

Smash 64 deserves credit for launching the series with an impressive 12 Nintendo mascots out the gate – nearly triple most other fighting games at the time.

But as Smash became a Nintendo favorite and multiplier phenomenon, the pressure grew to double down on iconic stars from Mario, Zelda, Metroid and introduce exciting newcomers like Ness (Earthbound) and Marth (Fire Emblem) along the way.

Key Newcomer Additions By Game:

• Melee: Peach, Bowser, Zelda franchise expansion (Young Link, Ganondorf)
• Brawl: Sonic the Hedgehog (first 3rd party franchise rep), fan favorite Captain Falcon
• Smash 4: Megaman, Pac-Man (key 3rd party reps), Villager (Animal Crossing)
• Ultimate: Simon & Richter (Castlevania), King K. Rool (Donkey Kong franchise)

Let‘s explore the complex balancing act of assembling Smash‘s all-star lineup even further…

Nintendo‘s Secret Formula for a Winning Roster

Much has been written about Director Masahiro Sakurai‘s secretive and intense selection process for each Smash fighter. But based on 20+ years of roster construction and fan observation, we can deduce a few key criteria needed to receive your official Smash invitation:

1) Nintendo Legacy & Relevance

Franchise seniority matters. Before branching out to guest stars, Sakurai focused on building the core roster from Nintendo‘s 30+ years of gaming history and key mascot leaders (Mario, Link, Samus). Newcomers hailing from established first-party franchises are likely to take priority.

2) Fan Requests & Popularity

Sakurai has noted the team pays close attention to fan requests through surveys, online buzz and speculating videos. While not the only deciding factor, grassroots campaigns have influenced long-awaited additions like King K. Rool (Donkey Kong)

3) Distinct Fighter Potential

As the roster has filled out, novelty and diverse moveset potential became increasingly important. Hence offbeat additions like Wii Fit Trainer with her yoga flavored smash attacks, or quirky weaponry from Byleth (Fire Emblem).

4) Nintendo Relationships & Dealmaking

Licensing third party mascots like Sonic, Pac-Man and Solid Snake involves complex contract negotiations above Sakurai‘s head. But seniority (Sonic appearing in Brawl) and shared clever ideas (Pac-Man‘s Famicon throwback) can help grease the wheels.

Now let‘s examine the culmination of this meticulous, decades-long roster construction process with 2018‘s Smash Ultimate…

Inside Super Smash Bros Ultimate‘s Starting & Ending Roster

When initially unveiled at E3 2018, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate made immediate headlines for its staggering starting roster – every past franchise fighter making a return, plus additions like Inkling and Ridley totaling 66 characters out of the gate.

But the starting 66 would slowly expand to the current 89 fighters through a combination of surprise reveals both pre and post-launch:

Pre-Launch Unlockables

10 Additional Fighters

• Veterans Returned from Past Games

  • Pichu, Young Link, Wolf

• New Challenger Unlockables

  • Daisy, Chrom
  • Ken (Ryu echo), Inkling

Post-Launch DLC

13 Additional Downloadable Fighters

Looking closer at the 13 DLC additions:

• Nearly 60% (7 fighters) repped third party franchises, headlined by blockbusters like Minecraft, Final Fantasy VII and Kingdom Hearts
• But Nintendo managed to sneak a first party reveal or two like ARMS‘ Min Min and Xenoblade‘s Pyra/Mythra as well
• Sales exceeded expectations, generating an estimated $30 million in revenue

This carefully planned mix of pre-launch and post-launch reveals ensured Smash fans always had a reason to come back month after month, while unlocking sought-after icons like Banjo-Kazooie and meme-lord Piranha Plant.

What Does the Future Hold for Smash Roster Expansions?

With Sakurai declaring Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as his final entry, and all five Fighters Passes now complete, what if any room is left to expand the roster? We explore a few different scenarios:

More Ultimate DLC?

Unlikely for Full Fighters, Possible for Mii Costumes

Given the comprehensive nature of Ultimate‘s roster and Sakurai‘s well-deserved break, full fighter DLC beyond the 12 released seems improbable.

However, smaller content like Mii Fighter costumes themed around newly relevant series like Fall Guys or popular requests like Master Chief could bring profits without demanding another round of balance and creative work.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Deluxe Edition)?

Good Chance on Next-Gen Switch, Bundle All Content + New Stages/Modes

With the next Nintendo console likely still a couple years away, a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate "Game of the Year" or deluxe edition for refreshed Switch hardware in 2024/2025 seems plausible.

Bundling every existing fighter together (which would currently run you $140+) along with some new cosmetics or stages would allow Nintendo to resell the best-selling entry to new adopters, while tossing in a couple new characters to sweeten the deal for past buyers.

A Full Sequel (Super Smash Bros. 6) Down the Road

5+ Years Away, Will Reset Roster

While Sakurai laid down the gloves on leading new Smash development, rumors persist of Bandai Namco and Nintendo quietly prepping the next generation of Smash already.

History says we‘re likely 5-8 years away though from any kind of teaser or full reveal. But when it does arrive, expect the new director to put his or her spin on the formula – likely with roster shakeups, a renewed focus on faster 1v1 play and elimination of complex fighters like Steve.

Until then, Ultimate‘s 89 characters creating countless dream crossover matchups should satiate fans for years to come.

89 Characters & Countless Memories: Closing Thoughts on Smash‘s Iconic Roster

If you made it to the end of this nearly 2500 word journey through twenty years of Super Smash Bros. roster construction, congratulations and I tip my cap to your dedication!

It‘s not hard to see why Smash holds a special place in every Nintendo fan‘s heart after reflecting on the thoughtful assembly of each wildly diverse character, melee fighting style and franchise representation.

From only having one available Earthbound fighter (Ness) alone on his own franchise island way back on the N64, to now witnessing fellow oddballs like Mr. Game & Watch congratulate Final Fantasy‘s Cloud Strife on his KO count…Smash‘s universe provides endless, series-bending magical moments.

Here‘s hoping whichever creative visionary eventually inherits the directing torch from Sakurai down the road remembers that no game, or selection of its iconic stars, can ever truly be considered "ultimate".

There will always be one more fan dream fighter over the horizon tomorrow. So let the speculation begin anew…

Until then, we eagerly await what creative DLC spirit (costume or otherwise) might yet possess Smash Ultimate next!

Let me know which character you most want to see added to the roster. And thanks so much for reading!