Super Smash Bros Ultimate, as of the most recent DLC pack, features a total of 89 playable characters who span video game history. Alongside Nintendo’s greats like Mario, Link, and Pikachu, the Nintendo Switch game’s roster includes retro characters, third-party icons, and more modern video game heroes likeMinecraftSteve and Min-Min.
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Super Smash Bros Brawlfor the Nintendo Wii introduced the gameplay mechanic known asFinal Smashes. By breaking the floating Smash Ball, or filling up a Final Smash Meter, players can perform this devastating attack inspired from the character’s source game on their opponents. Of the game’s 89 characters, theseFinal Smashes are the coolest.
10NES Zapper Posse
Duck Hunt was an unexpected addition toSuper Smash Bros. 4, adapting the dog and bird from the classic NES titleDuck Hunt. Famously,Duck Huntwas one of several NES games to be compatible with the NES Zapper, a plastic light gun that players point and shoot at their TV screens. Most of Duck Hunt’s moveset in Smash are based off NES Zapper games.
Appropriately, Duck Hunt’s Final Smash features an onslaught of enemies from the NES titlesWild GunmanandHogan’s Alley. Duck Hunt’s opponents are caught in a shootout between characters from both games, as the Duck Hunt Dog does his iconic laugh. It’s a stunning, and painful, tribute toa unique age of Nintendo games.
9Petey Piranha
When it comes to unexpectedSuper Smash Brosfighters, most fans probably agree that Piranha Plant takes the cake. TheSuper Marioenemy appeared as the DLC character forSuper Smash Bros Ultimate. Though its moveset incorporates aspects of Piranha Plants in theMariofranchise, its Final Smash pays tribute to the history ofSuper Smash Bros.
InSuper Smash Bros Brawl, theMariocharacter Petey Piranha appeared as a boss character in the game’s Adventure Mode. Petey reprises his role as Piranha Plant’s Final Smash, complete with the cages it used inBrawlto trap Piranha Plant’s opponents, burn them, and slam them against the ground in its signature immature manner.
8Zero Laser
When Final Smashes were first introduced, Samus’s served a much different function than it did for other characters. After Samus fired her massive Zero Laser, her armor would break apart, allowing players to control Zero Suit Samus. Similarly, Zero Suit Samus’s Final Smash would change her back into regular Samus, but this has worked differently in recent games.
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Now, Samus and Zero Suit Samus are considered separate characters, meaning their Final Smashes doesn’t transform them anymore. However, they still pack quite a punch, with Samus’s being a static horizontal laser beam. Zero Suit Samus’s similar Final Smash finds her retreating into her Gunship for a targeted vertical laser beam against players.
7Critical Hit
Many of theFire Emblemseries representatives share the shame Final Smash: Critical Hit. It was originated by Marth inSuper Smash Bros Brawl, finding the hero dashing at the nearest opponent and one-hit KOing them. The move was later shared by Lucina fromFire Emblem Awakening, who is Marth’s Echo Fighter inSuper Smash Bros Ultimate.
While Roy isn’t Marth’s Echo Fighter, he features a similar, fiery version of the Critical Hit Final Smash. Like critical hits in theFire Emblemseries, the Final Smash is incredibly satisfying to pull off, though it does take some precision and timing or else you’ll miss your target. Still, it definitely tops any Final Smash that doesn’t guarantee a KO.
6Ganon, The Demon King
Ganondorf has had a strange journey in theSuper Smash Brosseries. Despite beingan important figure inThe Legend of Zeldagames, for most of the games Ganondorf has been a clone of Captain Falcon. The one area where they differed was Ganondorf’s Final Smash, which inBrawlandSmash 4transformed him into Beast Ganon fromTwilight Princess.
InSuper Smash Bros Ultimate, Ganondorf received some updates, including attacks utilizing Ganondorf’s sword. His design also more resembles Ganondorf’s look fromOcarina of Time, which is also reflected in his Final Smash. While still depicting Beast Ganon, this version will be a nostalgic reprise for those who have beatenOcarina of Time’s final boss battle.
5Triple Finish
Pokemon Trainer was sadly left out ofSuper Smash Bros 4due to the 3DS’s hardware limitations, but Charizard remained in the roster with a Final Smash turning him into Mega Charizard X. The trio of starters return forSuper Smash Bros Ultimate, with their original Final Smash returning fromSuper Smash Bros Brawl:Triple Finish.
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For each of the three characters (Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard), all three are summoned at once to use their most powerful attacks. Charizard uses Fire Blast, Ivysaur uses Solar Beam, and Squirtle uses Hydro Pump, which devastate any opponent to Pokemon Trainer’s right. Though it’s not a guaranteed KO, it’s an incredible sight forPokemonfans.
4PK Starstorm
When it comes to fan-service, few Final Smashes go as above and beyond as Ness and Lucas’s.The two protagonists fromEarthboundandMother 3, respectively, use the move known as PK Starstorm. As they stand invulnerable, comets fly down from the top of the screen, which are difficult to avoid for many of the opponents scrambling on stage.
However, the real great part of this move are the cameos by Ness and Lucas’s fellow party members. For Ness, the characters Paula and Poo join alongside him (while their fourth party member, Jeff, is an Assist Trophy in the game). Lucas is accompanied by two of his own party members, Kumatora and Boney, the latter of whom is Lucas’s dog in the unlocalized game.
3End Of Day
Many of the best Final Smashes inSuper Smash Bros Ultimateaccurately represent their game’s origins. That’s certainly the case for Captain Olimar,the protagonist ofPikminandPikmin 2, who debuted inSuper Smash Bros Brawlalongside the inclusion of Final Smashes. His Final Smash mimics the end of a day’s events in thePikminfranchise.
After accomplishing that day’s tasks, players must return to their spaceship with their Pikmin army in tow to fly into space as predators come out at night. Any Pikmin that are left behind are killed, which applies to Olimar’s opponents as him and his Pikmin fly into the night sky for the Final Smash. Though it’s grim, it also makes for a fun tribute to the game series.
2Wario-Man
In previousSuper Smash Brosgames, Wario’s Final Smash transformed him into Wario-Man, powering him up and allowing him to dish out a whopping amount of damage. However, forSuper Smash Bros Ultimate, transformation Final Smashes like this were removed. However, Wario-Man still makes an appearance in Wario’s cartoonish Final Smash.
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Like many other Final Smashes, this move is executed when Wario dashes head-first into one of his opponents. In the following cinematic, Wario-Man makes quick work of his opponents before sending them blasting off. Though it loses its originality, it makes up for it with speed and style, which are certainly the style of theWarioWaregame series.
1Infernal Climax
Bayonettawas the final DLC character added toSuper Smash Bros 4, while alsobecoming an incredibly overpowered addition to the roster. Her gimmick involved slowing down other players with her Down Special, Witch Time, which acts as a counter. However, her Final Smash, Infernal Climax, allows Bayonetta to slow down time even more for great rewards.
If Bayonetta is able to string together a combo during this slow-down time, she will unleash the powerful demon Gomorrah. However, Bayonetta players can’t relax yet, as this moment requires a quick-time event not unlike theBayonettaseries of games. If the quick-time event is executed properly, she’s guaranteed a powerful, and stylish, instant KO.
