True fans ofSuper Smash Bros.know every trick in the book. However,Super Smash Bros. Meleeinvites players to a whole other side of crossover fighting. First released in 2001 for the GameCube,Meleeis the second game in theSmash Bros.series and there are even more great characters that fans can explore.
Famously, Meleecombines characters fromMario,Pokemon, Star Fox,andThe Legend Of Zelda, and offers a fun party-fighting experience with its swift, solid mechanics. Long story short, it’s a Nintendo fan’s dream game, and a fun go-to for parties and social gatherings. There are many characters that are available to play right from the start, but there are also plenty of great ones that need to be unlocked. In case fans don’t know how to unlock each fighter, here are instructions on how to complete the roster.
Updated July 31, 2025 by Stephen LaGioia:While the robust Super Smash Bros. Ultimate proved popular, there’s a certain charm and quality to Melee that’s hard to deny — and it’s why many diehards swear by it today.Put simply, there’s a reasonthis groundbreaking Smash Bros. rompis still a hit when it comes to the rising esports scene. Its blend of depth and accessibility — along with tight mechanics — brought an appeal scarcely matched in couch multiplayer gaming. While therecent tease of Switch 2has fans fantasizing about what a true next-gen Smash Bros. may entail, many still swear by this staple in the party-fighting franchise. As such, we thought we’d re-enter the ring and add some refinements to this guide regarding how to unlock each fun, distinct unlockable fighter.
Super Smash Bros. Melee’s starting/default lineup is as follows: Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Samus Aran, Yoshi, Kirby, Fox McCloud, Pikachu, Ness, Captain Falcon, Bowser, Princess Peach, Ice Climbers, Princess Zelda, Sheik.
While those are available at the start, the characters below must all be unlocked in order to play with them in single player or multiplayer. Unlocking them all brings the total to26 characters.
11Marth
Play A Game With Every Starter Character
The swordsman supreme fromFire Emblemis one of the easier characters to unlock. All players have to do is play a game in eitherClassicorAdventure Modewith every starter character. Specifically, combine the levelJungle Japes with Level 9 CPU. The starter character simply runs forward and kills themselves by falling off the bridge in Jungle Japes. This allows for a relatively quick way to hit this requirement.
Once every starter character is used, Marth appears as the new foe, and players are taken to the visual spectacle that is Fountain Of Dreams. Once Kirby takes care of Marth, he’s locked in the lineup for good. While he’s a fairly quick character, he shouldn’t put up much of a fight, though he may be a bit tough to strike at times.
10Jigglypuff
Complete Classic Or Adventure Mode
Unlocking the cute ball of singing, rolling joy is a breeze for the most part. All players have to do is completeClassicorAdventure Modewith any character of their choice.
Alternatively, those who prefer the addictive nature of the multiplayer gameplay can notch50 VS matches.
Jigglypuff appears as the new foe, and players go to the level Pokemon Stadium to engage in the Poke-battle. Players should make sure that this Jigglypuff does not sing them to sleep—and the pesky ball can be evasive as well. For the most part, though, Jigglypuff is pretty easy to beat.
9Dr. Mario
Complete Classic Or Adventure Mode As Mario With No Continues
It’s-a him, Dr. Mario! To unlock Mario’s doctor alter-ego (and as players would suspect, he’s aMarioclone), players need to completeClassicorAdventure Mode. There is, however, a bit of a catch, asMariois fittingly required to trigger this showdown; and he cannot use any continues.
Dr. Mario appears on Princess Peach’s castle; a stage that’s somewhat minimal, but can still be a bit hazardous. This sibling squabble can be tough at times, as Dr. Mario’s long jumps and quick moves can keep unprepared players on their heels. The up + BSuper Jump Punchis quite handy here.
Classic Mode is easier for some players since the alternative is playing100 VS matches, but it’s really up to the player.
8Falco
Complete The 100-Man Melee
This fan-favoriteclonefighteris not the easiest to unlock, so be ready! Players have to complete100-Man Melee, which involves the player staving off and taking out a whopping hundred polygonal foes of varying fighting styles and moves. So it’s advised to select one’s absolute best fighter and saddle up for an intense, grind-it-out battle.
The alternative is for players to fight in300 VS matches.
Using techniques that players have mastered over time is a surefire way to defeat Falco, particularly speedier or disruptive attacks to counter the swift opponent. The fight will be on the Battlefield stage with raised platforms, so using fighters with solid upward attacks and up + B specials are a good idea. Be ready to shield yourself from his gunfire as well. Those diehardSmashplayers can also usethe Master Hand glitch.
7Ganondorf
Complete Event 29
Ganandorf is essentially a more potent, but more sluggishCaptain Falcon clone.Players can channel their inner-villain with this sinister character. Believe it or not, Gannondorf’s a fairly easy fighter to beat in battle, but getting there still requires effort. One option is for the player to play600 VS matches.
The alternative is to completeEvent 29, which is theTriforce Gathering.
Players will need to have knocked outallthe previous event matches to get to the Triforce Gathering. Keep in mind that neither Link nor the CPU-controlled Zelda can be KO’d, or the event ends in failure. Completion of this situational fight will bring players to the Final Destination stage, where the new foe Ganondorf awaits. With his sluggish mechanics and the minimal nature of the arena, this one shouldn’t be too tough. Still, Ganondorf both literally and figuratively packs a punch, so be ready!
6Roy
Complete Classic Or Adventure Mode As Marth
Many players will likely enjoy securing this potentFire Emblemswordfighter. All that’s required is to completeClassicorAdventure ModeusingMarth. While players will need to be sure to have Marth unlocked beforehand, the task becomes a degree simpler once this is achieved.
Alternatively, players can play900 VS. matches, which will take quite a bit longer.
Players dual with Roy at the level Hyrule Temple, and despite Roy’s speed and offensive prowess, the fight is usually pretty simple and uneventful. Cheekier players can opt to try and lure Roy into the trap on the lower part of the stage, where he can be coaxed into getting stuck and falling from the lower platform off to the right side. But for those who wish to play it straight, whittle down his health with Marth’s quick sword strikes and be ready to counterattack.
5Luigi
Finish Mushroom Kingdom’s First Level With A ‘Two’ In The Seconds Meter
At last, Luigi gets to step out of Mario’s shadow and shine in all his underrated glory! To get Mario’s brother andclone fighter, players must complete thefirst level of Adventure modeat theMushroom Kingdom.
But there is a rather odd caveat — they must also finish with atwoin the seconds meter. Mushroom Kingdom is a pretty simple platforming stage to deal with, and hitting that time isn’t as tough as it seems, as long as players keep an eye on that clock when hitting the flag.
When these tasks are complete, a cutscene showing Luigi kicking Mario out of the way will roll before he and Peach fight the player. Then begins a pretty quick, frantic showdown against Luigi, whose defeat triggers the unlock. The process is somewhat lengthy, but the actual steps are typically pretty simple.
4Pichu
Complete Event 37
He might look cute and cuddly, but the even cuterPikachu clonePichu can really be a force of nature! To unlock him, players must completeEvent 37:Legendary Pokemon.
This one isn’t too bad given the weak state of the polygonal fighters, but it can get deceptively rough and chaotic, as players will be dealing with a barrage of unpredictable Pokeballs which fittingly spawn legendary Pokemon. Players will then head to Pokemon Stadium and have a chance to “catch” their own Pichu by defeating the feisty electric rodent in combat.
Instead of this, those who favor the multiplayer skirmishes can choose to fight in200 VS matches.
3Young Link
Complete Classic Or Adventure Mode Using Ten Characters
Players are likely accustomed to the iconic Link as a go-to fighter, but as it happens, his youthful counterpart can also be unlocked.ClassicorAdventure Modewill need to be completed—withten different charactersof one’s choice.
Players are then directed to the level Great Bay to fight theLink cloneYoung Link. It’s generally a short fight, however—as the relatively small size of the stage will allow for Smash Attacks that can sufficiently blast the small fighter into the water. Players might also choose to lure him to the bottom platform, where he can be knocked underneath the top platform. This tight space will make it tough for him to recover.
Alternatively, players with more time on their hands can fight in500 VS. matches.
2Mewtwo
Play VS. Mode For 20 Hours
Much likethe Pokemon titles he’s featured in, much time and patience will be required to score this coveted creature. This is the most time-consuming character in the entireSuper Smash Bros.series to unlock. Here, players have to play VS. Mode for a whopping20 hours.
The other lengthy option is that700 matchesin VS. Mode can be played.
However, a nifty little trick is that one can cut this time down tofive hoursby usingfour players and four controllers. The fewer players and controllers involved, the longer it takes to run out this clock. Another option is to simply leave the game rolling overnight. Players will then be sent to the level Final Destination to defeat Mewtwo. While he’s on the slower side, Mewtwo can really pack a punch, so be prepared to shield, counter, or dodge his blasts. Don’t be too discouraged if the fight is lost, as he’ll soon show up again.
