Want to find out what characters to try out if you're a newcomer?
Getting into competitive Super Smash Bros. Mele can be tricky. The game can be intimidating and seem as if it requires hundreds of hours to learn technical tricks and moves just to start playing. The truth is, there are plenty of fun and interesting characters that beginners can start out with and learn from with no need for advanced skills. Here are ten fun beginner characters that you can play as in Super Smash Bros. Melee.
10. Mario
Mario crouches on top of the Great Fox as an Arwing flies by.
As the face of Nintendo, Mario was designed to be a simple character. That said, he is not very competitively viable. If you’re brand new to the Smash Bros. series, he might be worth trying out to get a hold of the mechanics.
Despite his simple character design, Mario does leave some room for depth. His recovery can be very flashy and technical if his down-special, wall-jump, and up-special are used properly. Just don’t expect to get very far in the competitive scene exclusively playing Mario.
What’s Great About Mario:
- Has an easy-to-understand kit that anyone can pick up and learn.
- Being a jack-of-all-trades, you’ll learn about several types of tools that fighters can have.
- Has a good wavedash, which allows you to learn to use wavedash while fighting.
9. Fox
Fox taunts his opponent while on one of the platforms of Yoshi's Story.
“Fox is ranked as a good beginner character?” I hear you say. “I thought he was very complex!” You’re right. Fox does have a lot of depth and requires a lot of skill to be played at the highest level. But if you can stomach playing him as a beginner and start learning his tricks, you’ll have a head start compared to if you learned another character first and later switched to Fox.
Even if you don’t know how to waveshine or apply insane shield pressure, you can still do well with Fox. Just knowing when to use single moves like his up-smash or up-air effectively are simple ways to use Fox as a beginner. And there are plenty of great professional players to watch and learn from as well.
What’s Great About Fox:
- Powerful single moves that allow him to secure KOs easily.
- Lots of room for learning and skill expression.
- Plenty of resources and tutorials exist regarding Fox.
8. Captain Falcon
Captain Falcon dashes forward, showing off his stylish racing gear.
Captain Falcon is another great character that a beginner can enjoy. He might seem a little unwieldy, but Captain Falcon’s over-the-top demeanor and moves make him fun to play as a beginner and just as fun to watch.
Captain Falcon, like many fast characters, can be hard to control at times. But his “in-your-face” playstyle means beginners will get a lot of experience with comboing and jumping off the stage to get a KO. Just be ready to deal with a character who has a weak recovery.
What’s Great About Captain Falcon:
- Allows you to get comfortable with a fast fighter.
- Can make you overcome your fear of engaging fights.
- His “Falcon Punch” is a move beginners love to use and feels great to KO with.
7. Samus
Samus sending off a charge shot on Pokémon Stadium.
If you’re looking for a more slow-paced fighter, Samus might be the pick for you. Unlike many other good fighters in the game, Samus does not need to be crazy fast and technical to succeed. She makes use of her projectiles and great defensive abilities to play the long game.
Using her projectiles is just a matter of pressing the B button. And there’s no need to worry about jump-canceling them like you would Falco or Fox’s projectiles. However, her slow speed can cause her to get tossed around by opponents.
What’s Great About Samus:
- A very great recovery both vertically and horizontally.
- Unique techniques like the “Extender” and “Super Wavedash” allow for depth.
- Can succeed against top-tier characters despite her lower-tier placement.
6. Pikachu
Pikachu minding his own business in Onett. A fire flower sits behind him.
Pikachu is a character, like Mario, that doesn’t necessarily have one defining trait. This makes Pikachu great for learning about different ways characters can interact with one another while also excelling as a high-tier character who can do well against some of the best fighters in the game.
Whether it’s edgeguarding, knocking out opponents, his speed, or his recovery, Pikachu has a lot of areas where he does above average. However, his short-range attacks mean you’ll have to get in close and overcome your fears of engaging fights in order to do well. Prepare to work on your mind games as well!
What’s Great About Pikachu:
- Has a very unique and powerful projectile that beginners can easily use.
- His good recovery means you can mess up and still have a good chance of surviving.
- Like Fox, his up-smash allows for easy and early KOs.
5. Dr. Mario
Dr. Mario strikes forward as if he is throwing out his pills.
Like many clone characters, Mario and Dr. Mario have a lot in common. But Dr. Mario manages to retain a lot of the simplicity of Mario’s kit while performing better in the competitive realm. If you try out Mario and do well with him, it might be worth switching to Dr. Mario.
Doc can do well in many areas, just like his plumber counterpart, but he has one Achilles’ heel: his recovery. Doc will have a much harder time recovering. If you can get past that and learn some of his intricacies, you might as well have a more competitively viable Mario.
What’s Great About Dr. Mario:
- His pills are a great set of projectiles.
- His unusual neutral-air properties allow for nice edgeguards.
- Easy to pick up and play, much like Mario.
4. Falco
Falco striking the pose he makes after winning a match.
Falco is another character that demands a lot from the player if you want to play at the highest level. But many traits that make him different Fox also make him easier to learn and play while still remaining very, very viable at even the highest levels of play.
If the speed of Fox is a little too much for you, Falco is a great choice for a beginner. He’s got a great projectile in the form of his laser pistol, some simple and effective KO potential in his back-air and down-air, and can introduce you to more complex combos once you’re comfortable enough.
What’s Great About Falco:
- He has a very easy-to-pull-off short hop.
- Being a clone of Fox can make learning Fox a nice transition.
- Moves like his down-air and down-tilt are easy to use and powerful.
3. Marth
Marth poses as his cape blows in the wind.
According to some, Marth might be the best character in the game. And on top of that, he is very beginner friendly when compared to many other top-tier characters. You will have to be comfortable performing combos and going in for the KO, but his sword can make the task a little easier.
The trick with Marth is that you have to use spacing effectively. Therefore, playing Marth will allow you to better your spacing skills. And while spacing might be essential to playing Marth, it is still a great skill to have while playing as any other character. This means you can take what you learn with spacing as Marth as a beginner and apply it to other characters you might play as later.
What’s Great About Marth:
- Efficient and powerful edgeguarding abilities make it easy to close out KOs.
- His sword gives him a range that not many other fighters have.
- Can remain mobile and quick without being harder to control like Captain Falcon or Fox.
2. Jigglypuff
Jigglypuff peacefully resting on one of the platforms at the Fountain of Dreams.
If we’re talking characters you can excel at with little to no technical knowledge, Jigglypuff might as well be number one. However, she is very unique in her slower, more campy playstyle, so what you learn with her might not be as transitional to other characters you might pick up and play as in the future.
Jigglypuff thrives while fighting in the air. As long as you can stay in the air and use your moves effectively, you can do very well with her. Just be sure to L-Cancel and you’re golden, even as a beginner.
What’s Great About Jigglypuff:
- Has a very low technical ceiling for a top-tier character.
- Other players can have a hard time comboing her due to her being so lightweight.
- Has access to a lot of simple-to-learn “Rest Combos” that can land early KOs.
1. Sheik
Sheik in the middle of a powerful kick at Kongo Jungle.
Unlike Jigglypuff, who has a playstyle that is very different from most of the cast, Sheik plays like most other top-tier characters. She’s quick, nimble, and aims to run down the opponent rather than waiting them out or playing for the long game. Not to mention, she’s easy to succeed as.
Many of Sheiks moves combo into one another, such as her dash attack into her forward-tilt, or forward-tilt into up-air. It makes executing combos a lot easier than on characters like Fox or Falco while also letting you practice the skills to transition to those characters and learn the game. Look into Borp, a Sheik player who has gotten a reputation as a surprisingly decent player despite having little to no technical knowledge of the game.
What’s Great About Sheik:
- Can rack up damage easily through her forward-tilt and up-tilt.
- The range on some moves, like forward-air, makes them easy to connect.
- Can take you far, past beginner-level play, if you learn to play as her early.
