The anticipation for new fighters often fuels excitement leading to the new release of a Super Smash Bros title. Since the series' fourth installment, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS & Wii U, a lot of attention has been given to revealing each individual fighter. This is often done with a cinematic video that surprises fans.
Oftentimes, these videos are shown in conjunction with one another at events like E3 or in Nintendo Directs. Other times, characters share videos entirely. These clusters of character reveals have become significant memories for diehard Smash Bros fans. Which of these moments in Smash's history holds the best memories?
15 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Fighters Pass Vol. 2
The character reveals for the second batch of DLC Fighters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was often a quiet time in the Smash community. By the time the first trailer for the ARMS character Min-Min dropped in June 2020, the game had been out for two years. However, this group would include some of Smash's biggest reveals yet.
Over the next year and a half, more reveals caught fans off-guard. Steve and Alex from Minecraft made their debut in the all-star fighter, while Final Fantasy villain Sephiroth joined Cloud in the game. Pyra/Mythra from Xenoblade, Kazuya from Tekken, and Sora from Kingdom Hearts rounded out the game's final reveals.
14 Piranha Plant
Smash fans had mixed feelings over Ultimate's first DLC fighter. As a bonus for buying or downloading the game early, fans were puzzled to see that Piranha Plant, the infamous Super Mario enemy, would be joining the fray. This potted plant probably takes the cake as one of the most surprising Smash reveals of all time.
That is, to say, some fans were disappointed with the character's inclusion. However, others' reactions fueled online reaction videos with more laughter than Chris Pratt's reveal as Mario. Overall, many Smash fans probably don't look back on this moment with a lot of hype, letting it fall short on this list.
13 Robin & Lucina
Many fans expected Chrom to be the Fire Emblem franchise's representative for the 3DS title Fire Emblem Awakening. However, expectations were subverted on July 14th, 2014, when a new character trailer was streamed live on the Super Smash Bros website. As it turns out, Chrom would have to wait until Ultimate for his shot.
In this trailer, Awakening's other protagonists, Robin and Lucina, were confirmed to be playable in the game. While Lucina was a pretty standard clone of Marth, Robin was a unique addition to the game as a magic user. The trailer even used Awakening's 3D cinematics to showcase Robin and Lucina fighting Captain Falcon.
12 Super Smash Bros 4: Nintendo Direct Drops
Many characters in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U were revealed at the beginning (or end) of Nintendo Direct showcases. These brief, live-streamed presentations were opportunities for fans to stay up to date on all the latest Nintendo news. But, often, they were subtle announcements of new Smash characters.
Among the characters who surprised fans during these presentations were some of the franchise's most-wanted additions to the game. Rosalina & Luma graced the battlefield, as did Little Mac from Punch-Out and Shulk from Xenoblade Chronicles. The best of them all, however, was Greninja's shared trailer with a solo Charizard.
11 Super Smash Bros Brawl Release Trailer
The first time Nintendo made a big show of their newcomers was in the reveal trailer for Super Smash Bros Brawl at E3 2006. Here, several characters were revealed, and have gone on to become staples of not only the franchise, but Nintendo in general. Among them were Meta Knight, Pit, Zero Suit Samus, and Wario.
However, the real kicker was saved for last. Fans were treated to Smash's first third-party character in Solid Snake from the Metal Gear Solid franchise. Internet-goers at the time all have the moment burned into their brains: a cardboard box sitting in the back of Battlefield, before Snake stood up, saying the iconic line: "Showtime!"
10 Super Smash Bros Ultimate: Nintendo Direct Drops
Ultimate followed a similar manner of introducing characters as SSB4. Given the smaller amount of newcomers in the base game, the trailers were only shown during a handful of Nintendo Directs between E3 2018 and the game's release. However, these reveals would feature some pretty shocking additions to the series.
Among the biggest reveals that would get fans excited was King K. Rool, the long-dormant antagonist of the Donkey Kong Country games. Simon and Richter from the Castlevania series were also memorable. The final trailers included Isabelle from Animal Crossing, Incineroar from Pokemon, and Ken from Street Fighter.
9 Super Smash Bros 4: DLC Fighters
Super Smash Bros 4 was the first entry in the series to feature DLC characters. Initially, this was a way for beloved characters in previous games, such as Lucas and Roy, to make a return. However, some other DLC characters were jaw-dropping in their ambition and importance in video game history.
Ryu from Street Fighter was a pretty significant reveal at E3 2015, mashing two of the most iconic fighting game franchises together. Corrin from Fire Emblem Fates and Bayonetta topped the roster off in a special Final Video Presentation in December 2015. Bayonetta was also added thanks to the Smash Bros Fighter Ballot.
8 Super Smash Bros Ultimate: Fighters Pass Vol. 1
Downloadable content made a return in Ultimate, featuring two separate Fighters Passes for players to purchase. The first one included the first five characters to be added following Piranha Plant's bonus reveal. It all began at The Game Awards 2018, when Joker from Persona 5 was confirmed in a brief cinematic video.
Future reveals included the Hero from Dragon Quest, Terry from Fatal Fury, and Byleth from Fire Emblem: Three Houses. However, the most shocking and hype-inducing reveal was at E3 2019, where Banjo & Kazooie were announced for the game. Longtime fans of the character cried tears of joy at seeing him reimagined.
7 Inkling
Most Nintendo fans were probably not even expecting a new Super Smash Bros title so soon after the release of SSB4. However, a Nintendo Direct on March 8th, 2018 would turn everybody's expectations upside down. The presentation ended with a cinematic of Inkling from Splatoon, making fans think it was related to that series.
However, the Inkling turned to face the burning symbol for Super Smash Bros, as well as a cavalcade of characters, including, of course, Mario. Eagle-eyed fans even spotted Link in his Breath of the Wild appearance. Overall, the reveal of Inkling began the hype train that was Super Smash Bros Ultimate's release.
6 Mewtwo
All the DLC Fighters for Super Smash Bros 4 were exciting enough to induce hype. However, one, in particular, had pretty unique circumstances to their reveal. On October 23rd, 2014, Nintendo held a 50-Fact Extravaganza hosted by Smash Bros developer Masahiro Sakurai. The best fact, however, was saved for last.
It was at the very end of this presentation that Sakurai announced that DLC characters were being developed for the game. The character to kick off this reveal was none other than Mewtwo, returning from Super Smash Bros Melee. Sadly, the character wouldn't be released, or receive a proper trailer, until April 2015.
5 E3 2013
E3 2013 had a lot of hype surrounding it, as Nintendo was expected to reveal their newest Smash title for the first time. During the Nintendo Direct, fans saw the long-awaited reveal of an Animal Crossing representative in Villager. At the end of the Direct, another big reveal was announced in Mega Man's addition to the game.
However, that wouldn't be the end of SSB4's character reveals at E3 2013. During a demo live at E3, fans present were treated to another newcomer, this one a little more unpredictable. To represent Wii Fit U, the Wii Fit Trainer made her debut. She and Villager would also be the first characters able to choose between genders.
4 E3 2014
By the time E3 swung around the next year, it had been many months of character reveals for Super Smash Bros 4. However, given E3's importance in the gaming industry, there were big shoes to fill. These character reveals had to be big, and Nintendo delivered with their annual Nintendo Direct presentation.
After a trailer showcasing Nintendo executives Reggie Fils-Aime and Satoru Iwata battling, Mii Fighters were revealed for the first time. Additionally, fans were also treated to a second trailer revealing Palutena from Kid Icarus Uprising. Finally, at a private conference covering the game, Sakurai himself revealed Pac-Man's addition.
3 E3 2018
After the reveal of Inkling and a new Smash game on the horizon, fans all around the world tuned in to watch Nintendo's presentation for E3 2018. They would certainly not be disappointed once things were handed over to Sakurai. From there, the developer announced this new game would feature the return of every character.
As if the return of characters like Cloud and Snake wasn't enough, there was still more to be revealed. Daisy from the Super Mario franchise introduced fans to the concept of Echo Fighters. Finally, screams were heard all around the world when Samus' arch-nemesis Ridley was finally revealed to be playable in a Smash game.
2 Cloud Strife
Any DLC character is a great addition to Smash, especially for a series that already includes so much in their base games. However, there was a real shift after the reveal of Cloud from Final Fantasy 7. Somehow, the impossible became possible as Super Smash Bros X Final Fantasy 7 crossed the screens of fans' computers.
It could be argued that Cloud's addition to Smash altered the rules for third-party characters. Until that point, it was an unspoken standard that only characters who have appeared on Nintendo consoles could be added to Smash. Cloud was not there to represent Nintendo's history; he was there to represent video game history.
1 Sonic the Hedgehog
There's only one character whose reveal in the game could be seen as more surprising than Cloud. Smash fans who were around during the release of Super Smash Bros Brawl will remember logging onto the Super Smash Bros DOJO to check Sakurai's daily update. One day, they were struck from way out of left field.
It was through a simple website update that fans worldwide were alerted to the addition of Sonic to Brawl. Yes, the mascot of Nintendo's longtime rival would finally appear next to Mario in a game. Complete with a trailer showcasing the character, voiced by Jason Griffith, the iconic voice actor for Sonic X and the mainline games.