How to Unlock Characters in Smash Ultimate: Complete Guide to Expanding Your Roster

Learning how to unlock characters in Smash Ultimate is one of the first things I do whenever I start a new file in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. With more than seventy fighters available at launch and even more added through DLC, unlocking them all can feel like a game unto itself. This guide explains every method to unlock fighters, the order they appear in, and the fastest ways to get your favorites ready for battle.

How to Unlock Characters in Smash Ultimate: Key Methods

When you first boot up Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on Nintendo Switch, you’ll only have access to eight characters from the original 1999 release: Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Samus, Yoshi, Kirby, Fox, and Pikachu. With a full launch roster of over 70 fighters (and even more through DLC), unlocking characters becomes a core part of the experience. Fortunately, there are several ways to expand your roster:

• Smash mode and Spirits mode: Play timed or stock matches to trigger a hidden countdown that spawns a new challenger.
  
• Classic mode: Clear a themed gauntlet with a specific fighter to unlock a predetermined opponent.
  
• World of Light: Free fighters in the adventure map to make them available in all modes.
  
• Mii Fighters: Create your own Mii Brawler, Swordfighter, and Gunner to add three more characters instantly.
  
• Downloadable content: Purchase the Fighters Pass or individual Challenger Packs to add DLC characters without any in‑game unlocking.

As a long‑time fan, I’ve tried every method. Smash mode offers the fastest unlocks when you know how to reset the hidden timer, while Classic mode is great for targeting specific characters. World of Light takes longer but doubles as a story campaign. Below, I’ll break down each approach in more detail.

Smash Mode Unlocks: Hidden Timer and Quick Matches

In Smash mode (also called Smash and Spirits), the game uses a hidden timer. Every time you finish a battle, the clock ticks down; when the timer reaches zero, the screen flashes, a siren blares, and the message “A new foe has appeared!” pops up. Defeat the challenger, and that fighter joins your roster.

How the timer works

The hidden timer starts at about ten minutes of active play. “Active” is the keyword here. If you stand still or spam a single button, the timer pauses, and you’ll wait longer for your next challenger. 

Playing with higher CPU difficulty or multiple human players speeds things up because the game counts button inputs and movement. After the sixth unlock, the timer lengthens, so matches take longer to produce challengers. To speed up the process:

1. Play short matches: Set rules to a single stock, one CPU, or a friend, and knock yourself out of bounds quickly. Even better, have Player 2 jump off the stage while you stand by. This finishes a match in seconds while still counting as active play.
   
2. Reset the software: Once you defeat (or even lose to) a challenger, press the Home button, close Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and reopen it. This resets the hidden timer instead of waiting the full ten minutes. After relaunching, play another quick match, and a new challenger will appear.
   
3. Stay engaged: Avoid idling; jump, attack, and move around the stage. The game needs to see inputs to count down.

Using this loop, I unlocked the entire roster in under four hours. It feels repetitive, but if you’re eager to play with friends using every character, it’s the most efficient route.

Classic Mode Unlocks: Following the Paths

Classic mode is a single‑player gauntlet that pits your fighter against a series of themed opponents before a boss. Each completion unlocks a specific character rather than a random one. This makes Classic mode ideal if you want a particular fighter without relying on Smash mode’s randomness.

The unlock order is tied to your starting character. Each of the eight default fighters has its own path. After you clear Classic mode with a fighter, the game offers a challenger according to that path. If you’ve already unlocked a character through Smash mode, the game simply moves to the next on the list. Here is a compact look at the Classic mode paths:

Starter Fighter	Unlock Path (in order)
Mario	Sonic → Bayonetta → Little Mac → Ike → Luigi → Roy → Dr. Mario → Olimar
Donkey Kong	Bowser → Pokémon Trainer → Rosalina & Luma → King Dedede → Sheik → Greninja → Diddy Kong → Duck Hunt
Link	King K. Rool → Ice Climbers → Simon → Meta Knight → Snake → Young Link → Richter → Toon Link
Samus	Inkling → Wii Fit Trainer → Pit → Incineroar → Dark Samus → Cloud → Wario → Dark Pit
Yoshi	Lucario → Marth → Ryu → Ganondorf → Lucina → Ridley → Chrom → Ken
Kirby	Ness → Jigglypuff → Pac‑Man → Zelda → Robin → Corrin → Lucas → Palutena
Fox	Captain Falcon → Zero Suit Samus → Peach → Falco → Daisy → Bowser Jr. → Wolf → Mewtwo
Pikachu	Villager → Shulk → R.O.B. → Mega Man → Isabelle → Game & Watch → Pichu

After completing a path, the next unlock cycles to another path until every fighter is available. Classic mode runs take about ten minutes each, so unlocking all characters this way requires a couple of evenings. I prefer Classic mode when I want to learn a fighter’s moves because it feels less like grinding and more like a challenge.

World of Light: Adventure Mode Unlocks

World of Light is the game’s story mode. You start as Kirby and traverse a sprawling overworld, freeing characters from puppet‑like spirits. Each time you rescue a fighter, they become available across all modes. If you enjoy exploring maps, solving simple puzzles and battling spirits with unique rules, this is a fun way to unlock characters.

However, World of Light is the slowest method. It can take 20 hours or more to unlock everyone here because the adventure covers multiple regions and boss fights. It’s worth noting that characters unlocked through Smash mode or Classic mode do not automatically appear in World of Light. To play as them in the adventure, you still need to find and defeat them on the overworld map.

I sometimes use World of Light to unlock my initial main (you choose between Marth, Sheik, or Villager early on), then switch to Smash mode for the rest. This way, I enjoy the story without sacrificing speed.

Challenger’s Approach: Getting Another Shot

Occasionally, you may lose the battle against a challenger. You only get one chance when they first appear, but you can try again through the Challenger’s Approach option. After several challengers appear, a glowing door icon will show up in the lower‑right corner of the Games & More menu.

Enter this door to fight any challengers you’ve missed, in the order they appeared. You can pick any fighter you’ve already unlocked, giving you a stronger character to handle tricky opponents. The door shows up more often when you have multiple missed challenges, so check after each match. Losing doesn’t lock you out forever; it just delays the unlock until you take them down here.

Smash Mode Timer Tips and Tricks

Unlocking characters quickly requires some finesse. These are strategies that shaved hours off my unlocking sessions:

1. Use a second controller: If you have a friend or spare Joy‑Con, have Player 2 immediately walk off the stage. This ends the match instantly while still counting toward the timer.
   
2. Set CPU difficulty high: A Level 9 CPU tends to input more actions, which the timer recognises. Even if you let the CPU knock you out, the match counts as active play.
   
3. Mix-match types: If the Challenger doesn’t appear after a quick match, play a two‑stock round or bump the timer to two minutes. Some players report that varying rules helps trigger the hidden timer more consistently.
   
4. Take breaks wisely: The timer pauses in menus, so take breaks between matches. Don’t set the controller down mid‑match; you’ll only lengthen the wait.
   
5. Watch for CPU input counters: On the records screen in Vault > Stats you can view Play Time and Smash Bros. Powered Time Count. Although you can’t see the hidden timer directly, comparing these numbers gives you an idea of how much active play you’ve logged.

Using these techniques, my roster filled out much faster than when I simply played ten‑minute matches. It can feel repetitive, but there’s satisfaction in seeing that new challenger pop up every couple of minutes.

Unlocking DLC and Mii Fighters

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has more fighters than any previous entry thanks to downloadable content. These characters – including Joker, Banjo and Kazooie, Sephiroth, Pyra/Mythra and Sora – cannot be unlocked through gameplay. You must purchase each Challenger Pack or a Fighters Pass from the eShop. Once you buy a pack, the character appears instantly on your roster.

I remember hesitating before picking up the Fighters Pass. After months of watching new challengers like Joker and Hero dominate online matches, I finally grabbed it. Having those extra characters instantly gave me more variety and reignited my interest in the game.

Mii Fighters are another special case. Instead of unlocking them in battle, you create them yourself. From the main menu, select Games & More and then Mii Fighter. You can design a Mii Brawler, Swordfighter and Gunner by choosing a Mii avatar and assigning moves. Each type plays differently and offers customisable special attacks, so they’re worth experimenting with.

Unlock Order and Time Estimates

While Classic mode paths determine specific unlocks, Smash mode follows a mostly fixed order. The game starts with easier characters like Ness and Zelda, then moves into heavier hitters like Bowser and Pit. Later slots include newcomers such as King K. Rool, Incineroar and Dark Samus. 

On average, unlocking all 63 fighters through Smash mode takes around four to five hours if you reset the software after each challenger. Classic mode takes closer to ten hours because each run is longer, and World of Light can stretch to 20 hours or more.

If you only care about a few characters, use Classic mode’s targeted paths or explore early areas in World of Light. For example, if you main Ganondorf, he appears early on Yoshi’s Classic mode path. Want Cloud? Clear Classic mode with Samus or use Smash mode until he shows up in the mid‑game. Tailor your strategy to the fighters you love.

Selecting the Best Method for You

The best unlocking method depends on how you play:

• Competitive players: Smash mode with the reset trick is the fastest. You’ll have every character ready for tournaments in a single evening.
  
• Casual and completionist players: Classic mode offers more variety, letting you learn each fighter’s moveset while progressing through themed rounds. Unlocking characters feels like a reward rather than a chore.
  
• Story enthusiasts: World of Light combines unlocking with a robust single‑player adventure. If you love exploring and collecting spirits, this is the mode for you, even though it’s slower.
  
• Collectors: If you want every DLC fighter, purchasing a Fighters Pass is necessary. Mii Fighters are free but require a bit of creativity to design.

Personally, I enjoyed mixing methods. I started in World of Light to savour the narrative, then switched to Smash mode for speed. Whenever I wanted a break from quick matches, I jumped into Classic mode with a new fighter to learn their moves. This variety kept the process fresh and prevented burnout.

Why Unlocking Characters Matters: My Experience

Unlocking characters isn’t just about filling a roster; it shapes how you experience Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Each new fighter changes the feel of a match. When I unlocked Inkling for the first time, I spent hours mastering ink‑charging mechanics and roller combos. Unlocking Ridley let me bully my friends with giant tail swipes. Gaining access to Cloud and Sephiroth made our group sessions feel like epic crossover battles straight out of our favourite RPGs.

The process also deepens your appreciation for the game. Working through Classic mode with different characters highlights how varied their paths and bosses can be. Fighting your way across the World of Light map introduces you to spirits and music tracks from franchises you might not know. Even the act of resetting the software for quick Smash mode unlocks becomes a lesson in game mechanics and efficiency.

If you need more ideas for Nintendo party games while you’re unlocking fighters, our 12 Best Switch Party Games list names Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as one of the must‑have titles for chaotic gatherings. 

For larger groups, our article on 14 Top 8‑Player Switch Games highlights how Smash supports up to eight players and why it shines at parties. We also ranked the game among the Best Nintendo Switch Exclusives, applauding its crossover roster and endless replayability. These reads can help you discover other games to play once your roster is complete.

Master the Roster and Join the Fight

Learning how to unlock characters in Smash transforms Super Smash Bros. Ultimate from a simple party game into a deep, rewarding quest. No matter if you choose Smash mode’s quick resets, Classic mode’s curated paths, or the expansive adventure of World of Light, each method offers its own flavour of fun. Mii Fighters and DLC packs add even more variety once you’ve mastered the base roster.

If this guide has inspired you to fill out your roster, you can grab your digital copy of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate or the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Fighters Pass from our marketplace. Buying through our store ensures a secure transaction and competitive pricing. Once you have every fighter at your command, invite friends over, set up an eight‑player brawl, and discover why this crossover brawler remains one of our highest‑ranked exclusives.

FAQs

What is the fastest way to unlock characters in Smash Ultimate?

The fastest way to unlock characters in Smash Ultimate is to play short one‑stock matches, close and reopen the software after each challenger, and keep moving during matches. This resets the hidden timer and spawns a new challenger every few minutes.

How long does it take to unlock all characters in Smash Ultimate?

To unlock all characters in Smash Ultimate, it typically takes around four to five hours using the quick reset method in Smash mode. Classic mode takes closer to ten hours, and World of Light may require over twenty hours.

How do you unlock characters in World of Light?

To unlock characters in World of Light, you start as Kirby and travel across the adventure map, freeing fighters from puppet masters in one‑on‑one battles. Once freed, each fighter becomes playable across all modes and remains unlocked permanently.

Do you need to complete Classic mode to unlock characters?

You do not need to complete Classic mode to unlock characters because Smash mode and the reset trick are faster. Classic mode is useful for targeting specific fighters and learning movesets, but it isn’t required for unlocking everyone.

Can you buy characters in Smash Ultimate?

Yes, you can buy characters in Smash Ultimate via downloadable content; purchasing a Fighters Pass or individual Challenger Packs instantly adds DLC fighters to your roster without any in‑game grinding.