A version of this article was originally published on 31 July 2017 at Nerds4Life.

We’ve already established that Smash Bros. is a big deal to Nintendo fans. And the rosters themselves may be the most important aspect of all.

With each edition that comes and goes, a large percentage of fans hold their breath in anticipation over whether their favourite character is going to make the cut. Captain Falcon marks feel a tangible nervousness each time, as the F-Zero star always seems to be confirmed late in the piece. Fringe fighters like Falco or Ganondorf never have a spot secured, at least until Ultimate said “hooray! Everyone’s a winner.”

With all this being said, I thought it was time to take a long hard look at the roster and decide once and for all… who really should be in a Smash Bros. game? This ranking is based solely on how much significance the character has in Nintendo lore — either directly or through the presence they permeate as an icon — and it has no bearing on my actual opinion of the character, or how fun they play in Smash.

So be prepared to be besmirched, because I’m pulling no punches here, ladies and gents. Think of it in this way: if you were to tell someone who had never heard of Smash Bros. before that ‘it’s a fighting game with Nintendo characters’, who would they most expect to be present? It’s time to separate the Super Smash Bros. from the Subpar Smash Bros..

So let’s get started with this marvellous* ranking of WHO MOST DESERVES TO BE IN SMASH BROS!!

*speculative. I can’t ensure that this list will actually be marvellous in any way, shape or form.

85. Piranha Plant

Previous ranking: n/a

If you’ll pardon the spoiler, I never expected that the previously lowest ranked character (Pichu) would ever lose its inglorious wooden spoon award.

Smash Bros. is Nintendo’s pantheon of legends, after all, and a gimmicky addition from a game that is now 25 years old seemed like a surefire bottom feeder. Then, Ultimate came along, and with it came the joke character to end all joke characters: ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the goddamn Piranha Plant from Super Mario Bros..

As I indicated when I ranked the most evil Smash characters, the Piranha Plant is little more than an anonymous minion, fairly insignificant to its own franchise, let alone the greater Nintendo universe. But in it went; a moment that was both hilarious to see, and a tragic indicator that the spot I had long dreamed for Koopa Troopa was gobbled up by a hungry plant.

84. Pichu

Previous ranking: 62

Not only does this squeaky runt hover near the bottom of the Melee tiers, it has almost managed to come dead last in our rankings for Smash viability, too. When Pikachu’s pre-evolution was unveiled in Pokemon Gold and Pokemon Silver, it heralded a new mechanic in the white-hot franchise: your little babies… THEY WAS HAVIN LITTLE BABIES OF THEIR OWN.

To capitalise on this, Pichu was inserted into the Melee roster as a Pikachu clone with some curious quirks to set it apart. Namely, every time Pichu used an electric attack, it did damage to itself, in line with the creature’s Pokedex entry. Combined with its nonexistent weight, Pichu is nearly impossible to use effectively — a curious way of promoting the new Pokemon games.

Other than being the poster boy for baby Pokemon, Pichu doesn’t really have much of a role in the franchise. The Pichu Bros and Spiky-eared Pichu have appeared in the anime and movies, but they’re supporting players to the main stars. And beyond adding a neat gameplay mechanic and being morbidly fun to use, Pichu adds nothing major to the Smash scene. It was one of the biggest beneficiaries of Ultimate’s all-encompassing roster, reclaiming its spot after being a Melee gimmick inclusion.

83. Dark Pit

Previous ranking: 60

Dark Pit’s lone appearance came in the form of a role in 2012’s Kid Icarus: Uprising, a fine game in which he played a fairly significant part. Though he first fills the common ‘evil clone’ role, by the end he shifts to the also common ‘evil clone becomes friendly rival’ trope. He assists Pit in the final fight against the Underworld, and they fly off into the sunset, a mutual respect formed between them. How nice.

When you’re thinking of ‘Ninendo’s all-stars’, Dark Pit would most likely not be in your top 85 — but lo and behold, here he is. His inclusion, one would assume, comes from a combination of being easy to create and cross-promoting with Uprising, as Sakurai was the director of both. I was quite certain he would not return after Smash 4, and if Ultimate’s successor does scale back the lineup, his ass is surely grass.

82. Dr. Mario

Previous ranking: 61

Mario has worn many hats throughout his storied career (sometimes, literally!)

He has been a race car driver, a referee, a hotel manager, a demolition expert, a zookeeper, and perhaps most notably, a physician. Not necessarily a licensed physician, because I don’t recall ever seeing Mario go to med school — and considering his diagnosis for every single ailment appears to be lobbing gigantic multicoloured pills at his patient, he’s probably not very good at his job.

He starred in the puzzle game of the same name, and despite simply being Mario with a wardrobe change, he has made the occasional appearance in Smash, writing up prescriptions for pain. His dubious inclusion on the roster is strengthened only by the fact that it’s our dude Mario, and he makes his own rules. If two versions of LeBron James appeared in the next NBA game, you’d accept it because it’s LeBron, and it’s much the same here.

81. Wolf

Previous ranking: 59

“You’re good… but I’m better!”

Unless you’re referring to the previous entrants, Wolf, you’re probably lying. The lead pilot of the Star Wolf team, this furry fellow was treading down a dark path for a while. When he made his official debut in Star Fox 64, he was a cheesy, arrogant secondary villain who made a handful of appearances. It was great.

Later games shifted his personality to some kind of weird father figure to Fox, eventually ending up in the aforementioned ‘evil clone becomes friendly rival’ schtick. It wasn’t pretty, but fortunately Star Fox Zero seems to have retconned a lot of the series’ narrative woes, and we’re back to basics.

In Brawl, Wolf was still in creepy daddy mode, making his inclusion uncomfortable, at best. Once he took up his smash license for Ultimate (the second most important after the pen license), he was in full Zero regalia, erasing the last fragments of his tragic Assault fursona. Let it forevermore remain in the past, never to be evoked again. Can’t let you do that, Wolf.

80. Palutena

Previous ranking: 58

Suck it up, fanboys. Palutena’s playful personality puts her atop our hearts, but let’s not mistake affinity for importance. She made her start as a plot element, before Kid Icarus: Uprising fleshed her out and gave her the role of commander. Amongst other things, she also adds another female competitor to the Smash Bros. ranks, and that’s definitely a good thing.

At this point, despite being a long-tenured character, her catalogue isn’t exactly robust. Her retooling in Uprising certainly did a lot to boost her stock, but one has to consider (and this may be hard to believe), that game came out 12 years ago. We’ll have to wait and see what else lies in store for her, if indeed anything at all.

79. Dark Samus

Previous ranking: n/a

Thanks to Ultimate’s introduction of Echo Fighters, we have been gifted with a very particular subsection of character inclusion: those who aren’t a 1-to-1 stylistic match to their moveset originator, but are basically just souped up versions who would never get in based on their own merits.

That’s how we ended up with Dark Samus, who serves as the overarching main antagonist of the fabulous Metroid Prime trilogy. Like Little Mac one generation earlier, she put in the work as an Assist Trophy in Smash 4 before ascending to the playable roster in Ultimate. She serves as the only Echo Fighter of the original Smash 12, which is a mildly interesting factoid.

Regardless, it would be disingenuous to glorify a non-playable antagonist with two major appearances and one end-game teaser under her belt. At the conclusion of Metroid Prime 3: Echoes, she is seemingly destroyed in glorious fashion, meaning that she won’t get further opportunities to boost her stock. Unless Prime 4 introduces ghosts. Ahh, spooky!

78. Jigglypuff

Previous ranking: 57

The original sore thumb. Though Jigglypuff has been present in every game in the Smash series — and is therefore an expected participant with each title yet to come — the fact that it ever got the nod to begin with still raises some eyebrows.

Jigglypuff’s main claim to fame comes from its charming anime appearances, wherein its singing would put people to sleep. It would then furiously draw on their faces with a marker, storming off in a huff (or a puff). With Pokemon’s fame at an all-time high around the first Smash Bros., Jigglypuff was simply riding on that wave all the way to a roster spot.

I mean, including a second Pokemon to join Pikachu makes sense, but the fact they went with Jigglypuff boggles my mind, frankly. Eventual combatant Charizard would have made a lot more sense, particularly since the inaugural roster was decidedly lacking in heavyweight competitors.

77. Min Min

Previous ranking: n/a

Lots of the Smash Bros. roster choices are odd (I’m looking at you, Piranha Plant). But to me, Min Min is just downright bizarre.

This isn’t to say that I dislike her, or the franchise from which she hails. ARMS is the new kid on the Nintendo block, and it’s gotten off to a surprisingly solid start. Though people don’t seem to be talking much about its lone entry, it sold over 2.7 million units — a number that I was actually shocked to see.

The reason why Min Min’s inclusion is bizarre to me is because she is not the lead character from said game. Spring Man is the presumed face of ARMS, but according to Sakurai, his choice was narrowed down to either Ninjara or Min Min, with the latter edging out the victory at the request of the ARMS producer, Kosuke Yabuki.

Yabuki would also explain that “everyone’s the protagonist,” placing them on equal footing (or arming) in his mind. To me, however, that would be like adding Chun-Li to Smash instead of Ryu. It wouldn’t be bad, just… unorthodox.

Because of this, and because of ARMS’ comparative infancy, Min Min is relegated to the lower tiers of this ranking. Personally, if everyone was on the table, I’d have gone with Twintelle and her show-stealing booty.

76. Ice Climbers

Previous ranking: 55

Because of their involvement with the Smash Bros. franchise, we tend to assume that the Ice Climbers are a bigger deal than they actually are. For perspective, they were the stars of one forgettable NES title from all the way back in 1985, and brought to the Smash limelight purely to have representatives from a bygone era.

We all bemoaned their exclusion in the Smash 4 roster, but that was purely based on gameplay reasons, rather than any particular affinity for the characters themselves, nostalgic or not. They could definitely use the kind of boost Pit got with the revival of the Kid Icarus series, but their sole offering doesn’t really lend itself quite so well to a modern title. Plus, guys… they club seals, and that’s totally not cool.

75. Daisy

Previous ranking: n/a

HI, I’M DAISY.

Of all the Echo Fighters unleashed in Ultimate, Daisy is perhaps the most echoiest. Her colour scheme had long been covered as one of Peach’s alternate outfits, and in my mind, she really could have just been added as a costume replacement, a la Alph or Alex.

But perhaps for the sole reason that her animations convey a more bubbly personality than Peach, she was gifted a coveted Smash slot as the very first Echo Fighter. HI, I’M DAISY.

Her beginnings were rather humble, as a one-off damsel in distress for Mario’s first Game Boy foray, until she entered the extended family for sports and party spinoffs. HI, I’M DAISY. Then, in 2023, she hit the big time, garnering a playable role in Super Mario Bros. Wonder — something not even the golden girl Rosalina could achieve.

I wouldn’t necessarily anticipate this as being a recurring theme moving forward, but it’s a feather in her cap that has shot her up in the rankings much higher than she would have otherwise been when Ultimate was released. It’s time for us to say hello, for she is Daisy.

74. Ken

Previous ranking: n/a

When Street Fighter’s Ryu was revealed as the latest addition to Smash Bros. 4’s lineup, it felt like a huge deal. At last, the golden boy of fighting games was arriving in Nintendo’s pugilistic franchise. When Ken Masters was added as an Echo Fighter in Ultimate, it was clearly much less of a huge deal. But it’s still neat that it happened.

Although canonically Ken was absent in the first Street Fighter game, functionally he’s been there from the start, as an alternate outfit for Ryu. Despite this, he has always been the Luigi to Ryu’s Mario, which means that top billing has long escaped him.

Considering that, technically, not even Ryu is the main character of every Street Fighter game, Ken’s stock is pushed down even lower as someone who’s always a guy, but never the guy. As such, he takes a D+ ranking here today.

73. Greninja

Previous ranking: 56

Let’s talk about a disturbing trend that I’ve noticed in the Pokemon franchise.

The starters are, in theory, meant to be represented as equals: you have a choice between three different allies that will grow with you on your adventure. But if you’ve been paying attention, one of them is probably just that little bit more important. Charizard was the golden boy of gen 1, and Incineroar remains the current flavour of the month. In gen 6, you either chose Froakie or you chose wrong, sucker.

I mean, the ninja frog that wears its own tongue as a scarf is obviously the best of the bunch, but why are they being so explicit about it? Delphox isn’t without its charms, and Chesnaught kinda looks like a rejected Robot Master, and I dig that, man. Neither of them received an offshoot form like Ash-Greninja, nor did they score a cameo in Detective Pikachu, so the line has clearly been drawn.

I dunno, I just don’t like the favouritism. It probably comes with being a Bulbasaur guy.

72. Incineroar

Previous ranking: n/a

Whether it’s Fire Emblem or Pokemon, certain Nintendo franchises are destined to receive a few token Smash inclusions intended to promote their latest product. As previously alluded to, Incineroar seems to be starter du jour from the Alolan region, and it’s anyone’s guess who’s next (I hope it’s Sprigatito, that’s my lil homey).

Despite now being several generations old, Incineroar has shown potential to have even greater lastability than its predecessor, Greninja. This isn’t so much as a result of deliberate over-saturation as it is a strange phenomenon in the competitive scene: Incineroar is ridiculously good in-game. It was a tournament staple for a while, owing to its handy moveset and the hidden ability, Intimidate.

In actuality, Incineroar only made Smash specifically because they had a Pokemon slot open for Ultra Sun & Moon, and Sakurai wanted a wrestling character. This intersection of coincidences suggests that Incineroar’s notoriety could burn out sooner or later, but man, what a ride it was while it lasted.

71. Sephiroth

Previous ranking: n/a

Let’s break things down a little bit here. Final Fantasy VII has rightfully staked its claim as one of the greatest video games of all time, and its anarchy-loving villain, Sephiroth, has staked a similar claim as one of the greatest villains of all time. We love him, we fear him, we have a collective crush on him.

But I cannot stress this enough: he hails from a franchise with a rotating door of characters, and he was slain a long, long time ago. You might cite his repeated cameos in the various Final Fantasy spinoff games, but I’d like to remind you that many of those have been absent on Nintendo consoles, and if you want to play that little game, even Pichu has been far more prolific in that regard.

So yes, I am lumping Sephiroth much lower than my adoration for him might indicate. I don’t expect you to like it, self-proclaimed chosen one, but you’ll have to accept it (because you’re a fictional character with no say in the matter).

70. Pyra/Mythra

Previous ranking: n/a

Once Min Min opened the floodgates for secondary main characters to land in Smash, it was only a matter of time until a subsequent DLC fighter would follow suit. In the case of Pyra and her alternate ego Mythra, not only is she not the lead hero, but she’s a gosh darn sword. People complain about the prevalence of sword users, I wonder how they feel about a sword be-er.

Pyra is, at the very least, the deuteragonist of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, playing a significant role in the proceedings as the mysterious Blade discovered by the scavenger Rex. Were they to add the latter as a playable character, he would have surely been too similar to Shulk, so it makes sense that they opted for the more unique pairing of Aegis heroines. He does at least get representation as part of their Final Smash.

Nifty as they are in Smash, Pyra and Mythra’s tale seem to be all but completed, with a group photograph representing their only presence in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Like many newer heroes, they hold a bit more relevance than previous generation’s one-timers for now, but we’ll have to wait and see how long that lasts.

69. Ridley

Previous ranking: n/a

Oh heck yeah, baby. Fans have been clamouring for this Space Pirate to land on the Smash roster for decades, and in Ultimate, Sakurai finally found a way to make it work. He’s not quite chibi-fied, but he’s the smallest he’s been since appearing as the Little Birdie in Other M.

As far as Metroid villains go, he is amongst the most prominent alongside the grizzly chonk lord Kraid, but he is consistently cast as second banana. Although he occasionally manages to claim final boss honours — as Mecha Ridley in Zero Mission and Proteus Ridley in Samus Returns — for the most part, he’s a dastardly stepping stone en route to the real threat.

His lastability and notoriety help to boost him up a few notches, but we mustn’t get ahead of ourselves just because he’s a natural fit for Smash. He’ll never be the face of Nintendo, now will he? That would be far too upsetting for the children.

68. Wii Fit Trainer

Previous ranking: 54

Don’t let this low ranking leave you thinking that I dislike the Wii Fit Trainer’s inclusion on the Smash roster. Quite the contrary, his/her (it’s mostly her though, right?) surprise appearance is exactly the kind of bizarre decision that we love in Smash Bros.

It’s anyone’s game, and I’m still convinced that my dude Mr. Pants will make it sooner or later. It’s more likely later, if we’re being perfectly honest with ourselves. Anyway, she’s here, she’s fairly terrible, I love using her more than words can describe. I mean, words beyond ‘I love using her’.

The Wii Fit Trainer is an interesting case in the sense of her more being a host than an actual player character, because the protagonist of the Wii Fit series is actually your own flabby behind, and they most certainly weren’t going to make that into a fighter, now were they? I’ll be eating my words when the Mii entry comes across this screen. That’s not all I eat, you know, while we’re talking about flabby butts…

67. Bowser Jr.

Previous ranking: 53

For the record, I absolutely love the fact that Bowser Jr. is in Smash, because it means that the Koopalings are in there, too. Though the dastardly septet have been popping up in every Mario title nowadays, there was a long time where we thought we’d never see them again. AWOL for an entire decade, when they resurfaced in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, I was delighted.

Taking my own adoration out of the picture though, let’s try to contextualise their appearance in Smash. Appearing as minions in several Mario titles, neither Bowser Jr. nor the Koopalings have ever been more than sub-bosses (or racing enthusiasts) in the greater scheme of things.

It’s not that they shouldn’t be in the game, of course — it’s just that their impact on the greater Nintendo tapestry is minimal. This is what my brain tells me, while my heart is loudly shrieking ‘LUDWIG VON KOOPA FOR LYFE’.

66. Lucas

Previous ranking: 52

It’s really not Lucas’ fault that he’s so low. We all love him, after all, but Nintendo just doesn’t seem to love him quite as much as we do.

The Mother series has achieved cult status with its memorable characters, quirky villains and unsettling sense of morality and loss, but it has rarely ventured outside of Japan. You may have forgotten; EarthBound was the first title to reach international waters, and its initial response was tepid, at best.

Mother didn’t receive a translation until being repackaged as EarthBound Beginnings on the Wii U Virtual Console in 2015. As for Mother 3, where this jittery blond spunk originated, it’s still yet to venture away from the homeland. Kind of appropriate, considering Lucas’ meek personality, actually.

Mother is almost the redheaded stepchild of Nintendo’s franchises (at least of the ones they still acknowledge), and despite the acclaim Mother 3 received, another sequel may never happen. Such apathy towards the franchise doesn’t bode well for Lucas’ future down the track, though the fact that he eventually made Smash 4’s roster as a DLC character shows that the fans want him around.

65. Falco

Previous ranking: 51

On the micro level, Falco Lombardi is a stalwart in the Star Fox series, a popular character (perhaps second only to Fox himself), a steadfast ally with an awesome design and intriguing personality, a staple of the Smash franchise and in fact my main.

On the macro level, he’s a member of Fox’s AI-controlled team who never has more of an impact than Slippy Toad. It’s the macro level we’re considering here.

It’s likely due to his popularity that Falco has managed to eke out a role in Smash, because beyond that, he’s never really been a major factor. Before Star Fox Command (or Star Fox 2 if you want to feel exploratory), Falco hadn’t even had a playable role outside of multiplayer mode. Perhaps down the track, if he had his own spinoff game, he could climb these rankings, but for now, let’s just call a spade a spade: Falco is a bit player. Girl, you know it’s true.

64. King K. Rool

Previous ranking: n/a

I will try my darnedest to put personal bias aside here, but it’s really, really hard. To me, Donkey Kong Country represents the pinnacle of 2D platforming, and throughout its SNES tenure, King K. Rool was the big bad lurking at the end of your adventure.

A Smash reveal has never quite brought me to tears, but seeing the Kremling king brought back to life certainly touched my blackened heart. Therein lies the issue, though, with the fact that he had to be brought back in the first place. Other than continued references here and there as a trophy or Mii outfit, K. Rool has laid dormant for far too long.

He’s something of a villain from yesteryear, with both of the DKC revival entries foregoing him entirely. So unless you were a 90s Nintendo fan (or you like dated CGI cartoons), you might not recognise him at all.

I’ve held other characters to task for this, so I must do the same for my personal faves. Hopefully Retro Studios sees fit to dust him off and take him down from the shelf before he’s completely expired.

63. Roy

Previous ranking: 49

I know what some of you may be thinking — ‘such blasphemy! Without Roy’s appearance in Smash Bros. Melee, some of us wouldn’t even have heard of Fire Emblem! How dare you belittle my husbando!’

And yes, that’s fair enough; I hadn’t been aware of Fire Emblem before, but two things I know now. Firstly, Marth alone would have been enough of an introduction, and more significantly, in the echelons of Fire Emblem lore, Roy is actually something of an afterthought.

Brought onto the Smash scene to help promote his upcoming game, The Binding Blade, Roy was an inferior facsimile to Marth whose best asset was a special move that, when fully charged, was an assured OHKO. The fact that it takes five seconds to get to that point is a major drawback. It doesn’t sound like a long time, but it’s Melee’s equivalent to the hyperbolic time chamber: by the time it’s ready, the other competitors have been training for months, and probably achieved Super Saiyan status.

62. Richter

Previous ranking: n/a

Where you stand on Richter Belmont’s inclusion in Smash Bros. likely correlates with your stance as a Castlevania fan. He is one of the franchise’s most enduring figures, with several well regarded appearances under his belt, and even starred in Netflix’s Castlevania: Nocturne.

But to casual gamers, he could be considered something of an enigma. To the strictest letter of the law, this ranking is based on the Nintendo stardom of these characters, and let’s not forget that Richter’s finest work, Rondo of Blood, took place on a rival console. Were we allowed to choose a second Castlevania rep without development resources being a factor, I’d have perhaps preferred Alucard instead.

Regardless, Richter is a fine pick, if you’re not being too picky like me. My biggest regret is that they didn’t include his emo fuckboy hairstyle from Symphony of the Night.

61. Chrom

Previous ranking: n/a

It could be said that Chrom is the cuck of protagonists. To wit, he is one of the only Fire Emblem lords to play second fiddle in his own game. Though he may be the rightful heir to the Halidom of Ylisse, Awakening is all about that book loving avatar, Robin.

Undoubtedly, Chrom stans were stung with a sense of injustice when the tactician later made the roster for Smash 4, alongside the next generation’s princess, Lucina. He was at least present in Robin’s Final Smash, but that’s all he seems to get: token efforts of appreciation. For crying out loud, he’s still in Robin’s Final Smash in Ultimate, despite now being playable himself.

He’s seemingly just fated to be tethered to Robin forevermore, as evidenced by their shared Emblem in Fire Emblem Engage. It’s better than nothing, but of the three Awakening tritagonists, he is clearly at the greatest risk of being forgotten entirely.

60. Joker

Previous ranking: n/a

Here’s a guy who thinks if you just keep laughing, it’ll somehow make you funny. Check out this Joker.

On a gaming front, landing Ren Amamiya on the Smash roster is a huge get. Persona 5 is considered one of the best games of all time, and the series as a whole was typically reserved for the juggernaut PlayStation family of consoles. Nabbing him, then, is somewhat akin to landing a Sony mascot, but with one caveat — his story is a one-and-done, aside from spinoff media (which admittedly, there’s a lot of).

How big a deal is Joker to the casual consumer? Gosh, that’s hard to say, but he’s surely less recognisable than Cloud or Solid Snake, both of whom are also big deals for the Station of Play. I might be undercutting his value unfairly by placing him so low, but it’s also worth recalling that, up until 2022, he had never even appeared on a Nintendo platform.

I’m trying to balance industry impact with Nintendo relevance here, and compared to some of our other heavy hitters, Joker is more of an acquired taste.

59. Sheik

Previous ranking: 46

It’s a testament to Ocarina of Time’s ongoing influence that Sheik doesn’t feel out of place in modern Smash rosters. Originally appearing as a mysterious ally who aided Link on his quest, when the secret identity of Sheik was revealed to be (26-year-old spoiler incoming) Zelda, it was a nice little surprise, and it really showed how far Nintendo had come in a storytelling capacity. Unable to reveal herself properly while Hyrule had fallen under Ganondorf’s power, she refused to sit by idly, and chose to assist the hero incognito.

The thing is though, other than that and an appearance in Hyrule Warriors, Sheik hasn’t done anything else of note. She made sense as a Zelda transformation back in Melee (only a few years removed from OoT), but does she still deserve her own character slot all these years later? Whether it’s due to the everlasting love for the classic game, or simply not wanting to needlessly remove a popular fighter, her spot is likely safe for quite some time.

58. Terry

Previous ranking: n/a

The addition of SNK’s Terry Bogard was an absolute “hell yeah” moment in Smash Bros. history. As a longtime staple of a competing console, Terry was a minor rival to Nintendo as well as a despised adversary to Capcom’s place on the fighting game throne. Who would have ever known that a few decades later, he would become a guest character in both Smash and Street Fighter? We are living in the strangest timeline, friends.

As welcome as Mr. Bogard is to the franchise, we must temper our expectations of his fame. Fatal Fury was a major player in the 90s, and its spinoff series King of Fighters has carried the torch in its stead, but in the greater gaming landscape, neither could be considered more than B+ franchises, as far as recognition goes.

He’s been in a lot of games, dwarfing other competitors’ output handily. That being said, those games are primarily the territory of fighting game and/or SNK enthusiasts. To the average schmuck who knows about Mario, Pikachu, and maybe Animal Crossing? Not so much.

At the very least, his home turf, the King of Fighters Stadium, is a treasure trove of SNK’s most iconic characters (aside from Mai Shiranui, of course, because Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is for good boys and girls).

57. Shulk

Previous ranking: 50

I really struggled trying to work out where to slot Shulk into this list. Though he starred in Xenoblade Chronicles, he quickly ceded the limelight in its sequels, taking on a greatly reduced role exclusive only to expansion content.

As far as the Xeno lore goes, he’s an all-timer, eventually founding the Liberators alongside the sequel’s lead, Rex. But as time goes on and the timeline progresses further and further into a distant future, he is less assured of remaining present in anything other than the memories of those who succeeded him.

The entries aren’t quite as disparate from one another as, say, Final Fantasy, where each tale begins anew in a completely separate reality, but there is clear intent here to have every title feel fresh and distinct. As such, we’ll give the wielder of the Monado a somewhat modest ranking and call it a day. I guess he didn’t see that coming!

56. Banjo-Kazooie

Previous ranking: n/a

Ga-hyuk!

The sting of Rare’s sale to Microsoft in 2002 is one that I’ve never entirely gotten over. For three console generations, they were practically a Nintendo 1B studio, pushing out certified classics at a breakneck speed. Amongst their finest works were the Banjo-Kazooie titles on the Nintendo 64, showcasing the unlikely duo of a good-natured bear and a foul-mouthed bird.

Once they were out of Nintendo’s jurisdiction, things really went downhill. Nuts & Bolts was okay, but the way it spat in the face of its own legacy didn’t sit well with me, and its disappointing sales have kept Banjo locked in the Microsoft dungeon of inactivity ever since.

Then, something wonderful happened. As part of Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Fighters Pass DLC, Rare’s prodigal son (and daughter) hit the scene in one of my favourite gaming trailers of all time. At long last, Banjo and Kazooie were back home, at least for a welcome visit. I’m still so grateful that it happened.

With that out of the way, let’s give ourselves a reality check. Banjo-Kazooie are N64 royalty, but not a whole lot more than that. So it’s best that we remain objective, and place them somewhere in the muddled middle of superstars. Now that that’s out of the way, let me explain to you my reasons why they are technically Mario characters…

55. Ike

Previous ranking: 43

Is it fair to rank Ike this much higher than Roy? Like his crimson counterpart, Ike has faded into the shadows somewhat over the years, but has shown a few more signs of life. For starters, he starred in two Fire Emblem titles, which is more than can be said for almost every other protagonist in the series’ history.

Additionally, he returned as a recruitable ally via amiibo interaction in Fire Emblem Fates. You may consider this a win based on technicality, as Roy surely would have been playable too, had he possessed an amiibo of his own at the time, but it’s my damn list and my damn rules. If you think this is whack, wait until you see how I try to justify Robin being so high on the chart.

On that note, Intelligent Systems have shown a recency bias towards the newer Fire Emblem titles, most evident in their casting choices for Fire Emblem Warriors. Though Ike missed the boat there, he did return in Engage, alongside, you know… nearly every other lead character.

54. Meta Knight

Previous ranking: 44

Finding Meta Knight’s proper place in these rankings is not unlike conducting a chemistry experiment. It requires implementing the proper balance of factors, including significance in his game series, influence on the greater Nintendo landscape, and the amount of support garnered by fans. Also like chemistry, a miscalculation is liable to blow up in my face. And that’s no good.

Kirby’s sometimes rival/sometimes ally/sometimes blue doppelgänger mostly plays second fiddle to King Dedede on the villain ranking, though has had the occasional dalliance as lead baddy, and sometimes even playable chum. All of these lend credence to the concept that he should perhaps figure higher onto this chart, but in all fairness, he’s never been top banana himself. I would totally play a Meta Knight game, for the record.

53. Duck Hunt

Previous ranking: 38

Hypocrisy, thy name is Tony.

Whereas I dismissed previous characters for having only one title under their belts, I anoint a character concept that is literally based on one game so much higher than them? Well, yes. Yes, I do. And I have reasons. They’re not good, but they’re there, so let’s give them a go.

Primarily, Duck Hunt trumps other retro characters for its significance. A launch title for the NES in North America, the dog, duck and unseen Zapper are iconic staples of Nintendo lore. Throw in their references to other light gun titles like Hogan’s Alley and Wild Gunmen, and you have a character so deeply entrenched in the foundations of the company, you simply can’t deny its legendary status. I mean, you can, sure, it’s a free country, but I don’t wanna do it.

52. Corrin

Previous ranking: 40

Smash Bros. is notorious for adding a ‘flavour of the month’ Fire Emblem protagonist into the mix. In Melee, it was Roy; in Brawl, it was Ike; and in Smash 4, it was Corrin. It makes perfect sense, allowing a wider audience to discover these characters, but once the next hot new thing comes out (in this case, it was Three Houses’ Byleth as a DLC addition for Ultimate), the predecessors are shoved aside like a slightly less adorable sheep.

In Smash 4, Robin and Lucina were still riding high off the success of Awakening, while the avatar for the Fates trinity, Corrin, had only just hit the scene a few months prior. It seemed as though Intelligent Systems were pretty keen on the draconic noble at first, but the somewhat divisive response to Fates and the eventual rise of Fódlan would put an end to those machinations.

While Corrin did receive a role in Engage as an Emblem, such was to be expected, and things have been otherwise quiet for the fallen child of Valla, short of Fire Emblem Heroes and its many, many feet. On the plus side, if you separate Fates into three separate games, Corrin has still starred in more entries than even Marth himself. Take that, you smug prick!

51. Sora

Previous ranking: n/a

For the final touch on the Smash Bros. Ultimate roster, they really had to go out with a bang. And by adding Sora of Kingdom Hearts fame, they absolutely succeeded. It’s still mind-bending to me that the Mickey Mouse logo is in Smash — it truly feels like the fever dream of a fan’s unrealistic expectations come to life.

Let’s put the hype aside for a minute, however, and try to break down Sora’s greater significance. Since his debut in 2002, this spiky-haired lad has been blurring the line between the Square Enix universe with Disney’s beloved fables, adding yet another bonafide hit to a PlayStation 2 library that is steeped in legend.

Though the games would eventually find their way to the Switch (alongside bespoke spinoffs like the GBA’s Chain of Memories), they were initially within the sole custody of Sony. With sales in the multimillions and a rabid fandom who lost their collective shit at Sora’s trailer, he’s a true star of the gaming industry.

I couldn’t in good conscience place him above Cloud, however, due to Final Fantasy VII’s industry redefining significance. One need only look at the adulation pored into the remake games for further evidence.

50. Lucario

Previous ranking: 48

Another effort to promote a recent title around Brawl’s release, Lucario gets more of a pass than prior culprits for having maintained a prominent role in the franchise: it got the titular role in the movie Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, received its own Mega Evolution, and scored an inclusion on the Pokken Tournament roster (amongst such luminaries as Braixen and Chandelure).

Beyond that, it’s ultimately one of many Pokemon from Diamond and Pearl, and was appointed to its current status simply through selection, rather than merit. If I had my way, Gastrodon would have been the big star from gen 4, because it is a giant stupid sea slug and it is amazing. Maybe in Smash 6, god willing.

49. Inkling

Previous ranking: n/a

To most Nintendo fans, Splatoon wouldn’t exactly be considered amongst the company’s heavy hitters. Its origins were on the floundering Wii U, for starters, and its gameplay premise — a competitive squad shooter where the main objective is to dirty the floor — isn’t nearly as ubiquitous as those starring Mario or Link.

But lo and behold, the series is apparently a big hit in Japan, and collectively across three titles, they’ve shifted more than 30 million copies worldwide. So yeah, it doesn’t matter if you’re a kid or a squid, even Square Enix is eager to shamelessly copy your slick moves.

With this in mind, the Inklings have more than earned their spot on the roster, coming in all kinds of variations in honour of their customisable nature. Whether Splatoon will ascend to Nintendo’s A-tier of franchises remains to be seen, but for now, they’re an up-and-comer worth keeping an eye on.

48. King Dedede

Previous ranking: 39

Kirby’s longtime nemesis was one of many villains fans had been hoping to see make the Smash roster, and though some were left waiting in the dark for much longer (hello Ridley, you slimy fiend you), Dream Land’s self-appointed ruler made the almighty leap in Brawl.

As I alluded to previously, Dedede gets bumped a few spots above the more popular Meta Knight because he’s more significant to the Kirby franchise. Chiefly playing the role of final boss, he too has put his differences with the pink puff aside for the greater good. He has also appeared in some capacity in every single Smash game despite only being playable in just over half of them. He was featured as a trophy in Melee, and was chilling in the background in the original title. Good on him.

47. Ness

Previous ranking: 34

Has there been a more prominent one-time protagonist in Nintendo’s history? Outside of the Smash Bros. series, the psychic star of EarthBound has been dormant since 1995. Despite this, the game’s cult status combined with the success of Smash has kept Ness a vivid part of our imaginations for decades.

Ness has a foothold over other ‘one hit wonders’ by virtue of his series only having three entries to its name (thereby having fewer counterparts to deal with), with that particular title having one of the most passionate, reasonable and driven communities in all of gaming. …Trust me, I’ve seen some of the others, and my god, is it grim.

About the only thing on my wishlist would be for one of his alternate outfits to be rebranded as Ninten, since the character designs are nearly identical. Just throw on that bandana that fan art enthusiasts have been clinging to for so long, and the OG psychic lad is back in the fold.

46. Cloud

Previous ranking: 47

Ready the angry mob, because blasphemy has been spoken.

I remember when Cloud was announced as the final downloadable character for Smash 4 — the complete shock and thrill was simply electrifying. As always, Sakurai had done the impossible: he delivered on one of the most requested characters in Smash history, despite that particular character being a longtime mascot for Sony.

It was magic. It still is magic. I love the fact that Cloud is in Smash Bros.. It feels right in so many ways, most of all because it really shouldn’t have happened. And let’s think on that aspect for just a moment, putting all sentimental feelings aside.

Cloud has no significance in the world of Nintendo: by my calculations, prior to FFVII being ported to the Switch, he had only ever appeared in the context of Kingdom Hearts or Theatrhythm. His inclusion is based solely on starring in one title from all the way back in 1997 on a rival console. It just happens to be one of the greatest games of all time, so there’s that.

45. Byleth

Previous ranking: n/a

It was surely inevitable that this was going to happen, but I can say with confidence that once Byleth was unveiled as the next DLC character for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the response was rather tepid.

We had far too many azure-haired Fire Emblem protagonists as it is, and though Three Houses was both very new and very, very successful, its avatar character was arguably the worst we had seen up to that point. I am entirely invested in the story of Fódlan, but that is due to almost everyone except for Byleth.

The way the various Heroes’ Relics are integrated into Byleth’s playstyle makes them unique to play as, but I’d have much preferred to see the house leaders appointed a spot instead: ideally all three in one, but even just that wicked bitch Edelgard in the worst case.

Byleth ranks higher than Corrin strictly because of being more recent, but I can say with near certainty that if I revise these rankings down the track, this sleazy professor is bound to tumble in similar fashion. Seriously, dude, stop fucking your students.

44. Snake

Previous ranking: 45

Cloud’s reveal may have been great, but Snake’s might just barely get the edge. When Brawl was first revealed at E3 2006, ‘guest characters’ were a foreign concept most of us hadn’t even considered. At the trailer’s end, when that familiar incoming transmission sound comes in, and we find Snake sitting inconspicuously in a box on the battlefield, our minds were blown. It was perfect in so many ways, and opened the door for all kinds of possibilities.

Another one of Sony’s golden boys, Snake has had his fair share of Nintendo appearances (I FEEL ASLEEP!!), but alas, with Kojima and Konami no longer in cahoots, he is mostly spinning his wheels with ports and remakes.

Thanks to Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes on the GameCube, however, I did get to hear Raphael get killed by Leonardo. Such fun!

43. Hero

Previous ranking: n/a

In the same way as the Hero is banned from Smash tourneys, I almost feel as though he should be banned from this ranking. Typically, costume alternate characters are a chance to stash lesser known characters with a shared moveset as a bonus surprise, like the Koopalings, or the nefarious Enderman from Minecraft.

For this character, however, we have four leading men from the Dragon Quest series — Luminary from Dragon Quest XI, Erdrick from Dragon Quest III, Solo from Dragon Quest IV and Eight from Dragon Quest VIII — billed simply as Hero, and technically speaking, each therefore being of comparable significance.

How can you rank them fairly, then? Do you go based on their median value? Or just based on who amongst them is the biggest deal? Of the four, Eight is the only one whose debut was on a non-Nintendo console, however he was deemed the most popular in the west. Luminary’s DQ XI was the bestselling title, and as of now, the newest entry.

Honestly, I don’t know. I’m more inclined to just anoint their position based on the significance of the Dragon Quest franchise, the grandfather of the home console RPG genre. It’s a phenomenon in Japan, and thanks to its inclusion, we get to enjoy the artstyle of the legendary Akira Toriyama in Smash Bros.. Overall, the Hero is probably much more important than I’ll ever really understand.

42. Zero Suit Samus

Previous ranking: 41

God this list is hard to work out sometimes. Technically, Zero Suit Samus figures to be a costume change, like Dr. Mario or Sheik. But she has more appearances to her name, including prolonged gameplay in such titles as Zero Mission and Other M. So this wardrobe choice is more significant somehow, I guess? Ahh, the plight of the opinionated.

ZSS isn’t nearly as iconic as she is in her traditional Power Suit getup, but it’s still our girl, one of the first heroines of gaming. The only reason she doesn’t end up higher on this list is because it’s that cumbersome suit of armour that takes top billing in all of the Metroid games when it’s all said and done, leaving this slinky blue number as a secondary option.

41. Pit

Previous ranking: 32

The upward trajectory of Pit across the Smash Bros. franchise was something to behold. Unmentioned in the first title, he received a trophy in Melee that posited the question: ‘will Pit ever fight again?’. Brawl answered with a definitive, bow-wielding YES, and by the time SSB4 rolled in, he had seen a franchise revival in the form of Kid Icarus: Uprising.

After being gifted with such kindness for Sakurai across the years, the franchise has long since been completely dormant, threatening to put Pit back into the shadows once more. Although he’s missed the boat for a Switch revival, a new entry on the eventual console successor could have him rubbing elbows with the Nintendo greats once more.

40. Ganondorf

Previous ranking: 36

Though Zelda’s most prolific villain doesn’t quite have the robust catalogue of some of his sinister cohorts, he gets by just fine based on his status as Ocarina of Time’s antagonist. His enormous wicked piggy form has been a franchise staple since day 1, but I much prefer this lesser seen appearance.

Link has downed monsters left, right and centre over the years without so much as breaking a sweat… then this hulking brute comes storming out from Hyrule Castle, the very embodiment of evil atop his steed, and fells the boy with one magical blast. Daaaaaaaamn!

Basically, Ganondorf is a BAMF. His rather limited appearances just strengthen his legend, in my book. Too much dilution removes his mystique; I’m fine with him only being seen as Ganon from hereon. That being said, his hairstyle in Hyrule Warriors is just to die for.

39. Bayonetta

Previous ranking: 42

These guest characters are tricky to rank fairly, but here goes. Whereas someone like Snake may have more of a history with Nintendo, Bayonetta 2 being a Wii U exclusive published by Nintendo themselves was absolutely huge. Yanking the license away from Sony and Microsoft was a big win, and eventually led to the titular protagonist making the jump to Smash.

As a reward for this display of loyalty, Nintendo have held onto the publishing rights ever since, with Bayonetta 3 only made available on the Switch. The Umbra Witch and her naughty antics offer a change of pace in Nintendo’s library, and the more the years go by, the more natural her fit seems to be on the platform.

38. Steve

Previous ranking: n/a

I’m kinda in the same boat here as I was for the Hero entry. While the addition of the Dragon Quest protagonists brought unfathomable hype in Japan, seeing Steve and company hit the Smash Bros. scene was likely the equivalent for western fans. It was also a lot more unexpected, too, because Minecraft is nearly as entrenched as an Xbox IP as Halo.

But now we’re in something of a conundrum. Whereas Minecraft has more universal recognition, it’s a game that’s played from the first-person perspective, which would suggest that its in-game characters are somewhat anonymous. I just have to assume that the cultural impact is enough to do the heavy lifting here, and rank them cautiously high.

Of all the Smash Bros. characters, these are the ones I was the least hyped about on a personal level, but the legend of Minecraft is undeniable.

37. Rosalina

Previous ranking: 35

Gotta be honest with you, I don’t quite get the infatuation people have with Rosalina. Since her debut in Super Mario Galaxy as a mysterious woman from the stars who bore a striking resemblance to Princess Peach, she has been the subject of adulation from young and old alike. A quick squiz around the Internet is enough to confirm that. A more thorough squiz is enough to confirm that humanity is indeed doomed.

Though most of her appearances have been as a member of Mario’s extended party roster, she climbed the ranks of credibility mightily with an unlockable playable role in Super Mario 3D World. It confirmed the idea that, though the Galaxy series is over, Rosalina is here to stay.

36. lucina

Previous ranking: 28

Should Lucina, tritagonist of only one title, really be ranked up so high? Not necessarily, but I am optimistically hopeful that she will remain a staple of Fire Emblem, and moreover, a staple of Nintendo itself, because she is absolutely awesome in every way. Perhaps I’m clouded by favouritism, but I think Lucina’s a keeper.

It’s common knowledge that Awakening saved the franchise from an early grave, and as such, its cast have ascended to an almost godlike status above their predecessors. People get excited for Ike. People get freaking ecstatic for Lucina.

She was practically a necessity for Warriors, and took Awakening’s Emblem slot for Engage, leaving Chrom and Robin to share the leftover DLC crumbs. Just for the record, she certainly has my vote, as she might have the best storyline in all of Fire Emblem (maybe all of Nintendo? Maaaaaaaybeeeeeee?)

35. Captain Falcon

Previous ranking: 30

Feeling like old Dougie here should be higher? Why, he’s an old Nintendo classic? Classic, maybe. But you can count the amount of titles he’s appeared in on one hand. So let’s not go crowning him as Nintendo royalty. Honestly, if you were ever to meet Captain Falcon, you’d probably think he’s kind of a jerk. I’d rather hang out with Pico, and he’s just the lowest kind of scum.

Falcon gets a boost by also being the star of his own anime, mostly notable for the time he punched his enemy in the face so goddamn hard, he exploded into oblivion. The nature of the character means that several different people have taken up the mantle, but we won’t let that influence his ranking. If we did that, that would play all kinds of havoc with a guy like Link — and he’s everyone’s bishi, I’ll have you know.

34. Little Mac

Previous ranking: 25

For such a quick, scrappy guy, Little Mac sure took his sweet ass time in making the Smash Bros. roster. First dipping his toes in the water as an assist trophy in Brawl, he obviously liked what he saw, joining the fray full-time in Smash 4.

Another one of those culprits of a thin library, Mac is regardless an iconic Nintendo character, thanks chiefly to going toe to toe with Mike Tyson himself. Rarely has Nintendo ever been so entrenched in popular culture as they were with that business venture, and though they wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole now (he’d probably bite it!), it was a risky move that paid off.

Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! is the stuff of legends, and by extension, so is our plucky protagonist. I’m more of a Bear Hugger guy myself, but whatever.

33. Diddy Kong

Previous ranking: 26

There was a time in the mid-90s when a game starring the Kongs was perhaps a bigger deal than Mario. One of Rare’s finest gifts to Nintendo, Diddy Kong was one of the major players in the Donkey Kong Country trilogy. He may never again quite see that peak, but the Donkey Kong Country Returns revival ensures that he is still hopping, bopping and popping his way into our hearts.

As we are still left waiting for another go-round with that franchise since 2014’s glorious Tropical Freeze, Diddy’s place in these rankings has been steadily tumbling for quite some time. The charming chimp was briefly a safe bet for an appearance in the extended Mario titles, though he seems to have even taken a backseat in that regard.

That means a lot less airtime, but at the very least, he’s a crucial component of Donkey Kong’s capers. Not like poor old Kiddy Kong, who I’m assuming is probably 40 by now, still lounging around in his long johns.

32. Robin

Previous ranking: 24

I could only ride my bias train for so long, and the final stop is station 32. It was a fun ride — I enjoyed it while it lasted. Seriously though, Robin’s lofty position atop Diddy Kong (appropriate only in perverse fan fiction) is sure to draw the ire from some, but my justification lies in the fact that the Awakening meal ticket brought Fire Emblem from obscurity into one of Nintendo’s current darling franchises, and our boy/girl Robin was the star of the show.

The good times would roll on throughout the 3DS era, with cameos in every subsequent Fire Emblem game, including Warriors. But once Three Houses hit the Switch, the torch was passed, and our humble tactician has settled into a B-tier role; chucked in alongside Chrom as an Emblem Ring in Engage, and more likely than not to cameo in any FE title with allusions to past heroes.

31. Olimar

Previous ranking: 31

I don’t talk about Pikmin a whole lot, but the franchise is simply gaming at its most exquisite. The problem solving, delegation, strategy and occasional moments of mad panic are absolute pleasures to experience.

Part of me is sad that there have only been four Pikmin games so far. Another part of me thinks that the titles’ scarcity adds to their mystique. A third part of me realises I’ve already made this point in the Ganondorf entry. A fourth part ponders how much Olimar was magnified from his original stature for the purposes of Smash. A fifth part thinks that this gag has been overplayed, and I’ll stop now. Sozzies.

Captain Olimar, the rather useless star of the first two titles, has since ceded the limelight to various newcomers, delegated to guest appearances in Pikmin 3 and 4. Alph even gets a slot in Smash 4 and Ultimate as a costume change for the beloved Captain.

Despite this shift in the narrative focus, Olimar remains entrenched as the de facto face of the Pikmin franchise. He also starred in Hey! Pikmin on the 3DS, which is more than you can say for that meathead Charlie.

30. Simon

Previous ranking: n/a

Much like Capcom’s Mega Man, Simon Belmont of Castlevania fame was such a juggernaut in Nintendo’s early console days, he’s practically part of the family. He’s the OG vampire slayer from way back in the 80s, and an obvious choice for spinoff media — though Trevor and Richter got the nod for the Netflix animated series, Simon nabbed a plum spot on Captain N: The Game Master.

The point is, he’s an integral part of Nintendo’s greater tapestry, and his ascent to Smash was long overdue. About the only knock against his legacy is the fact that he’s been long dead, with Dawn of Sorrow taking place in 2036, over 300 years after Simon was out there duelling with Drac.

As seen by the latter’s presence in Dead by Daylight, the vampire lord himself is perhaps the more significant face of Castlevania, but it’ll be a cold day in hell before he’s ever added to the Smash roster. The fact that he was a boss in Ultimate really blows my mind, considering that the character’s origins stem from outside of the gaming sphere.

29. Mewtwo

Previous ranking: 29

For every gamer in the 90s, catching Mewtwo was the finest achievement of their storied career as a Pokemon Trainer.

Whittling away the mighty foe’s HP was hard enough, compounded by its ability to recover its health in a pinch. Its psychic-type moves were devastating, and could lead to an entire team wipe. Finally, its low capture rate meant that it would frequently break free before that Poke Ball shook three times. …Or you flung a Master Ball at it immediately, assuring its imminent enslavement.

Either way, Mewtwo has long been considered the OG of legendary Pokemon. It took a step back in Melee, somehow finding itself near the bottom of the tier list, but its prominent role in the first Pokemon movie (a film where issues were solved through crying), as well as its continued appearance in the games, meant that its shameful removal would only be temporary. Lucario was merely a pretender to the sphere-flinging empire; the king has returned, baby.

28. Mii Fighters

Previous ranking: 23

Much in the same way that Mr. Game & Watch represents the bygone era of the Game & Watch titles, the Mii Brawler, Mii Swordfighter and Mii Gunner deserve accolade for being interweaved with the success of the Wii.

After seeing steady declines with each generation, Nintendo bucked the trends and unshackled themselves from tradition, unveiling a console unlike any that had been seen before. The controller was a remote? And the whole gimmick was motion control?? It could have ended disastrously, but it took the world by storm. And every step of the way, there were the Miis. And what do you know? They were Yuu.

Player avatars are a dime a dozen these days, but the novel aspect of creating yourself, as well as your friends, family and favourite celebrities was incredibly good fun. Tragically, Nintendo have very much placed the focus on Miis on the backburner, with the Mii Maker being an almost hidden aspect of the Switch. I hope we haven’t seen the last of them, because they are emblematic of Nintendo’s proclivity for quirky fun.

27. Kazuya

Previous ranking: n/a

How many franchises can you think of where the main character would later go on to become its biggest antagonist? The first one that comes to mind for me is probably Attack on Titan, but as far as gaming goes, few have done it quite as well as Kazuya Mishima.

Back in the early days of Tekken, Kazuya was the plucky upstart out for revenge against his volcano chucking papa, Heihachi. Once he had bested him, however, he went on to follow in his footsteps, upping the ante by becoming a maniacal entrepreneur on par with Elon Musk.

Amongst the fighting game community, Tekken is one of the heaviest hitters out there, outranking even the legendary Street Fighter by some accounts. Kazuya loses some points by virtue of only being an occasional visitor on Nintendo consoles, but otherwise, he’s about as much of a big shot as they come.

26. Charizard

Previous ranking: 37

My own personal feelings for Charizard aside (team Venusaur, baby), it is undeniable that it is one of the most popular Pokemon in franchise history. The mascot of Pokemon Red, the fully evolved starter for trainers who chose poorly Charmander, and the most hotly coveted trading card of the late 90s, this fiery lizard has always been a prominent member of the Pogey squad.

Bolstered by a significant role in the anime, a roster spot in Pokken Tournament, serving as Leon’s trademark monster in Sword/Shield, and not one but two Mega Evolutions, there’s no doubt in my mind that Charizard will continue to push its way to the forefront ahead of other, more deserving counterparts.

…Yeah, I’m bitter. But looking at the SSB4 tier list, perhaps I had the last laugh after all.

25. Toon Link

Previous ranking: 27

When I originally made these rankings, I struggled mightily with the notion of whether to delegate Toon Link and Young Link as separate entries, or if they could be smushed together to encapsulate the notion of a pre-teen boy wonder.

In the end, I opted to divide them in twain, and I’m glad I did, because Ultimate’s most surprising return would be Young Link himself, at last giving him back his place in the sun. As for the Toon version, since his debut in the delightful Wind Waker, he has been hacking, slashing and occasionally multiplying around the kingdom of Hyrule and beyond.

What remains to be seen is whether he can keep his stranglehold on the realm of 2D Zelda games, as was seen with The Minish Cap or Spirit Tracks. It’s worth noting that A Link Between Worlds opted for a classic Young Link design instead, and new Switch entries have added a chibi version entirely — who I guess would be more Young than Toon? I’m not sure, I mostly just go based on his cat eyes. Meow.

24. Villager

Previous ranking: 33

I like Animal Crossing a whole lot, you know. I can spend months at a time, diligently caring for all of my townsfolk’s needs, carefully altering my fledgling burgh towards perfection and, every now and then, digging a hole out in front of Freckles’ house so that she can’t get back in, and has to sleep outside. These are all very important things.

When I originally wrote this article, the Villager claimed a humble 33rd place out of the 62 characters available up to that point. This was prior to the sales juggernaut that was 2020’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons, however, and its 46 million+ sales that made it the second-best-selling Switch title of all time, with more units sold than every other entry in the franchise combined.

With this newfound notoriety, the Villager has been bumped up a few notches, though they are still hindered by the anonymity that comes with being a blank canvas as the player’s self-insert. Someone else, on the other hand…

23. Wario

Previous ranking: 20

I’ve alluded to the ‘evil clone’ trope a few times so far, and it’s been done to varying degrees of success. One of the earliest instances — the greedy, repulsive Wario — is among its finest examples. Whether you know him as the frantic, transforming, occasionally invulnerable treasure seeker of old, or from the bizarre, offbeat and altogether ludicrous WarioWare series of games, odds are, you like what you see.

In this way, perhaps no Nintendo personality has shifted genres so radically and successfully as Wario; to some, his helmet, goggles and denim vest are the look they’re most accustomed to. Me, I’m a purist: it’s yellow and purple all the way.

With that being said, WarioWare has very much done the heavy lifting for this chonky boi; in the 16(!!) years since his last platforming endeavour on the Wii, there have been approximately seven doses of mini-game madness. As a result, he’s more of a gimmick character on the Mario periphery nowadays, but he’s still going strong.

22. Mr. Game & Watch

Previous ranking: 21

To understand the importance of Mr. Game & Watch, one needs to consider the uncertainty that Nintendo faced in its early days as an electronics developer. Leaving their previous ventures as a card and toy company behind, there was no indication as to how successful video games would be in the future. Atari made gaming a household phenomenon, but that was later proven to be an unstable market (more on that later).

In the Game & Watch, Nintendo were able to produce little bite-sized samples of portable gaming, the success of which led to the creation of the Game Boy. Mr. Game & Watch, though not necessarily a character from any of those particular titles, is the amalgamation of 11 years worth of gaming. From Manhole to Octopus and everything in between, it was a crucial step for Nintendo towards becoming the industry leaders they are today.

21. Bowser

Previous ranking: 17

A more iconic villain in gaming, you may never find. He’s huge. He’s mean. He’s kind of dopey. And he’s here to stay. Bowser would have been in the game right from the start, had it not been for the technical limitations of the Nintendo 64. They quickly righted this injustice in Melee, as Bowser’s introductory trailer was one of the first things they showcased. He simply should be there, after all.

It’s interesting to note the development of Bowser over the years, from emotionless beast to today’s version — a bumbling, temperamental fool and almost a sentimental figure. I like both of them for different reasons, though modern Bowser perhaps has the edge based on his shenanigans in the second Paper Mario title, the Thousand-Year Door. Even when he isn’t the central antagonist, his hilarity shines through. And if you’re not a fan, that’s okay — the Smash version acts more like the monstrous beast of yesteryear.

20. Fox

Previous ranking: 15

“We need your help, Star Fox! Andross has declared war! He has invaded the Lylat System, and is trying to take over Corneria. Our army alone can’t do the job… Hurry, Star Fox!”

This bit of dialogue bounces around my head perhaps more often than it should; a solid indication of how memorable Star Fox 64 was. Fox McCloud is either a wily veteran or a fresh-faced rookie, depending on how you perceive the constant reset of the timeline. Has he saved the Lylat system from Andross,  Aparoids and Anglars? Or has he seen much less alliteration, and only bested the former? Is Krystal a real person? Is Fox McCloud, Sr.? Aaaaaarrrgh, it shatters my mind. I’m just fairly confident that daddy Wolf is no longer a thing, and that’s the best news of all.

Fox is unique from most of Nintendo’s protagonists by virtue of being a bit of a chatty Cathy. Though this was just represented with curious animal sounds in the SNES Star Fox (‘de-de-dab-de-de-dab-de-dab!’), he has been gifted with full voiceover in almost every title released since then. As such, he does most of the talking at all of the social functions.

At this juncture in Nintendo’s history, Fox has been bumped down a fair few notches, having previously scored a spot in the top 15. He’s still the star of his own show, of course, but his only appearance within the last eight years was as a guest cameo in Starlink: Battle for Atlas. It’s never entirely clear where this franchise is headed, and presently, it’s somewhere out of this dimension.

19. Peach

Previous ranking: 22

I get mixed signals about the capabilities of old Princess Toadstool here. While in games like Super Princess Peach and Princess Peach: Showtime she has shown that she can more than hold her own, she seems more often relegated to the role of kidnapping victim. If we’re being honest, I think her main issue isn’t helplessness, just pure apathy.

Regardless, she’s an iconic Nintendo character who perhaps hasn’t really been given enough of an opportunity to showcase her talents. She’s at her best in RPG games, as one of the few Mario protagonists who is actually afforded dialogue, but she’s also a certainty to make her mark in the sports/party/miscellaneous activity offshoots. Seems awfully frivolous for a member of the royal family, but hey, the monarchy still stands.

18. Isabelle

Previous ranking: n/a

It could be considered recency bias for me to anoint Isabelle so high in these rankings. I can scarcely think of another time when an NPC would outdo the presumed protagonists, but this plucky secretary’s presence in Animal Crossing is synonymous with its recent rise to Nintendo stardom.

Not even including her spinoff cameos, her two appearances so far (New Leaf on the 3DS and New Horizons on the Switch) account for 72% of the franchise’s total sales, allowing her to yoink mascot status from K.K. Slider and that thieving asshole, Tom Nook.

Isabelle is simply adorable, encapsulating everything that makes Animal Crossing such a lovely, cosy experience — which is why it’s kind of surprising that she would then be subjected to the brutality of Smash Bros.. As the years go by, she perhaps might lose the lofty position she is currently enjoying, but for now, she’s good as gold(en retriever).

17. Marth

Previous ranking: 16

The original Hero-King, Marth is rightly synonymous with Fire Emblem. Despite this, he only ever starred in two of them (in addition to two remakes later on), riding on a wave of symbolism ever since. You need a Fire Emblem guy? You go with Marth.

Although Engage obviously revived legends of yesteryear from all walks of life, this dreamboat’s stock was boosted considerably by his significant role as Alear’s dead bestie. It made it clear that, while Robin’s star has begun to fade, the Hero King’s is still shiny as ever.

Like his contemporaries, Marth also benefits largely from cameos provided via his amiibo, from playable roles in Fire Emblem Fates and Codename: S.T.E.A.M., to a brief appearance as a phantom in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. The skeletal pirate Brook even donned a Marth outfit in the Japan-only title One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X, and that’s certainly something to be proud of. I wish skeleton pirates dressed up as me every now and then.

16. Ryu

Previous ranking: 19

Ryu’s history with Nintendo may not stretch much further than Super Street Fighter II on the SNES, but considering it is perhaps the most important fighting game of all time, it is more than enough to earn him a role in Super Smash Bros..

Without players discovering that weird little glitch that would later become known as the combo system, who knows where fighting games would be today? Would Smash Bros. even exist? Would we?

I mean, I’m sure that we would, but the role that Street Fighter played in shaping the modern fighting game cannot be overstated. I never would have expected for Ryu to make the jump to Smash, but I’m thrilled that he did. He even saw fit to bring Ken into the fray later on, as you may have noticed previously on this list… unless you jumped straight to #16 for some unearthly reason.

15. R.O.B.

Previous ranking: 12

If we’re talking strictly in-game, R.O.B. would be at the bottom of this list. It had two titles of its own; Gyromite and Stack-Up. Neither made much of an impact. The significance of the Robotic Operating Buddy is quantified not by library, but by singular influence on Nintendo’s history.

In the year of 1985, the recent North American video game crash had brought the industry to its knees. Cleverly, desperately, someone pitched the R.O.B. peripheral not as a video game product, but as a toy. Toys still being lucrative at the time, it acted as a gateway of sorts to the goods.

Legendary Nintendo games like Duck Hunt, Excitebike and even Super Mario Bros. itself debuted that year. Would they have hit North American shelves had R.O.B. not lubricated the process? In all honesty, it’s not a one-to-one yes/no answer. But it played a large, perhaps even critical role in ensuring Nintendo’s survival in one of gaming’s worst periods.

I talked about the Game & Watch series being influential in Nintendo’s development, but on a base level, the minor success of R.O.B. helped keep the entire industry afloat, in some way. Next time you’re playing your Call of Duty or Battlefield games, you think about that for just a moment, you soulless ghoul.

14. Zelda

Previous ranking: 18

The reason that Princess Zelda is important in the Nintendo echelons goes beyond the simple fact that the series she hails from happens to be named after her. Link is the hero, obviously, and the saviour of Hyrule when it’s all said and done, but if you think about it, Zelda herself is more integral to the plot. The wheels are all sent turning based on her actions, or the actions of others towards her, and her decisions shape the very path that the player must go on.

Though she occasionally needs rescuing from wicked clutches, hers is not the archetypical role of ‘damsel in distress’. She has simply fought for as long as she can against the forces of evil, with Link ending up as her last faint glimmer of hope.

And hey! She was even the protagonist a few times! This occurred most recently in the excellent Echoes of Wisdom, though it was also true of the CD-i games, Wand of Gamelon and Zelda’s Adventure (which were decidedly less excellent).

13. Mega Man

Previous ranking: 6

The NES and Mega Man go hand-in-hand so intrinsically, you would be forgiven for mistaking the Blue Bomber for an actual Nintendo character. His exploits were among the most iconic gaming moments for the console, and (you knew this was coming) some of the most difficult, to boot. I can hardly count the amount of times a jump over a pit was foiled by some bastard robot leaping from the abyss, sending me down to oblivion.

Much like Final Fantasy before it, the series made its way onto the PlayStation as the years went on, and the character underwent multiple alterations, leaving this diminutive original design to rest. Then, the reveal trailer happened. The mysterious silhouette observing the fray from a mountaintop. The helmet appearing on his head. This was it — our boy was back. And it was long overdue, as if we had been waiting since 20XX.

In a final bit of delicious acknowledgement to the exploits of a legendary character, Mega Man’s Final Smash brought the various other iterations into the fray, including of course X, my personal favourite. It’s almost like Mega Man never left us, and I hope it means he never will leave us again.

12. Luigi

Previous ranking: 13

A lot of people have talked about Bowser’s personality change over the years — myself included, if you were paying attention — but fewer seem to address the alteration in Luigi’s persona. Once a carbon copy of Mario (except he jumps higher and slides like a penguin on ice, interpret that as you will), since his starring role in Luigi’s Mansion, he has become a cowardly egomaniac. It’s interesting and fun, and has added another layer of depth to a fellow who sorely needed it.

Though he has become famous as the ‘other guy’, Luigi’s proliferation of appearances has solidified him as a star in his own right. Most of his attention may be tongue-in-cheek, where RPG titles in particular have personified him as an inept goon, but let’s not ignore the simple truth — in terms of ability, he’s actually got Mario trumped. He’s leaner, more athletic, and capable of defying gravity. Such a shame he also happens to be a bit of a dropkick.

11. Pac-Man

Previous ranking: 9

Synonymous with arcade games, Pac-Man was one of the first true heroes of gaming. Before he hit the scene, the player avatar was typically some kind of generic object. But now we had this hungry yellow… thing. And the world went nuts for it.

Transcending the world of gaming alone, Pac-Man was a symbol of the 80s themselves — a brighter, neon time, where the synthesisers were loud, the fashion was garish, and the cocaine flowed freely. Our boy Pac never really managed to get much of a foothold as gaming evolved, many of his later games ultimately being forgotten. But the original title remains just as much frantic fun now as it did all those years ago.

Frankly, Pac-Man didn’t necessarily need to evolve. He just had to stick around, and stuck around he has. His appearance in Smash was one of many shockingly unexpected and yet satisfyingly justified inclusions. And if you’ve been keeping score, we may have a few more of those yet to go…

10. Yoshi

Previous ranking: 11

I pose the question to you: Who best represented the SNES era? You might say Donkey Kong for the stellar Donkey Kong Country series. Maybe you’ll suggest Mega Man, whose Mega Man X retooling made him sleeker and cooler than ever. Or perhaps you’ll spout Captain Falcon, because you’re an anarchist who loves throwing popular perception into chaos.

To me, Yoshi tops that list. The springy-tongued dinosaur represented the hip new 16-bit era; the very game from which he originated, Super Mario World, even featuring levels titled Gnarly, Tubular and Mondo. The 90s had well and truly arrived, and everything was twice as good — so let’s embrace it.

Yoshi was the infectious catalyst for all of this. Not quite the star initially, Yoshi regardless generated hype every step of the way. Yoshi was playable in Super Mario Kart? Everyone had to play as Yoshi. Irrelevant puzzle title featured our idol in its title? Everyone had to try Yoshi’s Cookie. When Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island finally arrived, it was a necessary validation on something we had known for years; Yoshi had quickly ascended to the status of Nintendo royalty.

9. Samus

Previous ranking: 7

One of the most memorable moments in gaming came in the form of completing the original Metroid with the highest rating. Our badass, macho protagonist finally sheds their bulky suit of armour, revealing the shocking fact that they are in fact a woman.

Some might call Princess Peach the ‘first lady of Nintendo’, but Samus Aran is where it’s really at. She doesn’t need rescuing, she doesn’t need assistance (unless it’s from a group of loveable animals), she takes on the space pirates as a one-woman army.

Alongside Castlevania, the Metroid titles created a genre unto themselves — action-based exploration on a large, sprawling world map. Challenging, isolating, innovative. Amongst her contemporaries, Samus was unique, catering to a more mature market.

Noticeably absent in the N64 era, she made a grand return with the impeccable Metroid Prime series; the first two titles easily among the GameCube’s top 10. The fourth entry is probably maybe someday going to exist, but in the meantime, Metroid Dread was a fabulous return to her 2D roots. Samus may have a tendency to go through long absences, but at long last, it looks like she’s back, baby. So gear up and get ready!!

8. Kirby

Previous ranking: 14

Nintendo’s favourite little pink ball of death. Kirby has been inhaling, gobbling and floating through a multitude of titles over the years, with no signs of slowing down any time soon. He’s successfully dabbled in both the traditional platforming style as well as some more experimental titles; Kirby: Canvas Curse showed us the magic of art, while Kirby Mass Attack made him into a one-man street gang.

A serious contender for the largest catalogue of adventures under his belt, Kirby’s wealth of abilities have made him as pliable a star as any. The fact that he can kidnap the very souls of the hapless foes in his bottomless stomach, wielding their own techniques against their horrified friends, lends him endless versatility. And hats! I have to admit, I spend a significant amount of time with each new Smash Bros. title cannibalising every fighter to see Kirby’s snazzy new getup.

7. Donkey Kong

Previous ranking: 5

It’s hard to believe that, in the early 90s, Donkey Kong was a forgotten entity. Practically untouched, he was still personified as the simple, barrel-throwing ape from the original arcade game. So unclear was the character’s future, his liege Donkey Kong, Jr. was inserted into Super Mario Kart in his stead.

Then Rare happened. And they did something that would shape the character forevermore. It was like they had put the bland DK into a bag with a whole slew of spices and shook it about until he was practically unrecognisable. I loves me some Shake ‘n’ Bake, particularly when the end result was the hottest gaming mascot of the mid-90s.

Donkey Kong Country was groundbreaking in more ways than one. The significance of the eye-popping visuals goes without saying, but the level design deserves special mention — each stage having its own unique gimmick created a gratifying experience, overcoming new challenges and discovering new secrets.

DK was king of the jungle, and moreover, the king of Nintendo for a couple of years. Such platforming perfection hasn’t been attained by any other game (in my humble, presumptive opinion), and it may never again — so if you haven’t given it a shot yet, do yourself a favour and go play it now! And make sure you PLAY IT LOUD!!

6. Young Link

Previous ranking: 10

There’s an interesting byproduct that comes with the aforementioned separation of Young Link from his Toon contemporary. As a combined pair, they actually ranked higher on this list, but removing some of the Toon Link games from the catalogue bumped Young Link down a few notches. If you don’t like it, make your own damned list. I’ll see you in about a week, tears streaming down your face and bottles of whiskey littered across the floor.

To some, this is the true version of Link, and the one we grew up with in the NES and SNES eras. Made to represent the wonderment of going out into the great unknown in search of adventure, our heroic child has faced off against all manner of foes.

He’s us, in a way, you know? A kid challenged with seemingly insurmountable odds, who takes his sword in hand and fights back. His adventures were our adventures — side by side we bravely took on the monsters of the world.

Whether he will continue to be featured in the franchise moving forward may be the greatest test of his time, but as we all know, time is something this little dude has already bested once before.

5. Pokemon Trainer

Previous ranking: 8

Though Pikachu was the face of the Pokemania gripping the globe in the late 90s, it was this silent, brooding protagonist at the heart of it all. Altogether anonymous while at the same time instantly recognisable, the Pokemon Trainer took us all on a journey we would never forget, searching in the long grass, spelunking through pitch-black caves, and finally besting our rival (Blue, or Gary, or ASSFACE, depending on your preferences) to become the Champion of Kanto.

As the male version is basically Red, it is interesting to note that the character has popped his head up more frequently in recent times, including Sun and Moon and the Let’s Go titles. But even if you just interpret this as any old Pokemon trainer, be they from Kanto, Paldea, or ancient Hisui, they remain a constant in this juggernaut franchise.

About the only question mark moving forward is whether this character is at risk of getting scrapped — as would occur in Smash 4 — or retooled to brandish a different trio of starters. I certainly hope not, because I do adore Squirtle, Ivysaur and even that old jerk Charizard.

4. Sonic

Previous ranking: 4

I’ll spare you the history lesson here (you probably got enough of that from the Donkey Kong entry), but Nintendo vs. Sega was the biggest deal of the early 90s. You had to pick a side, and though I am and always will be a Nintendo guy, Sonic was my dude. Had to get all the games. Had to get all the merchandise. Had to bankrupt my entire family in my efforts to worship a blue hedgehog.

The fact that Mario and Sonic would be rubbing elbows someday seemed a foreign concept, only feasible in the alternate universe of some twisted head canon that emerged from a dank basement. But it happened. I mean, sure, it happened at the Olympics first, which was a little anticlimactic, but when Sonic landed in Brawl, we finally got to pit the legendary figures against one another.

Sonic’s influence was generational. It was electrifying. He took everything we thought we knew about how a protagonist should look and act, and he kicked it to the curb. We were hardwired to love him, and with games like Sonic Mania and Sonic Frontiers in his recent catalogue, odds are good that a new generation has fallen in love with him all over again.

3. Link

Previous ranking: 2

Certified gold. That’s what the Legend of Zelda series is to Nintendo. Each new entry is like an event unto itself, and becomes synonymous with the system. A Link to the Past with the SNES. Ocarina of Time with the N64. Breath of the Wild with the Switch. The Faces of Evil with the CD-i. Wha-ha-hah!

In Nintendo’s pecking order, there is perhaps no more treasured a character than Link. He’s brave, he’s humble, he’s frankly gorgeous, and he has conquered everything that has come his way. The Zelda series piques our imagination unlike anything else in gaming — it’s like a window into a fantasy world, filled with horrible monsters, quirky characters and a scope of adventure that’s truly tremendous.

Practically everything about Zelda is important enough to garner interest, whether it’s comparing the toughest bosses, discussing the most useful weapons, or if you’re feeling really game, trying to decide which is the best entry of them all. Everyone has their opinions and reasons, and each is just as valid as the next.

…Especially if their answer is Majora’s Mask. Mic drop.

2. Pikachu

Previous ranking: 3

No franchise has ever transcended gaming quite like Pokemon did in the late 90s. Not Mario, not the Legend of Zelda, not anything else. The games were uproariously good fun, but the actual critters themselves launched an empire: the anime, the manga, the toys, the movies, the T-shirt, the colouring book, the lunchbox, the breakfast cereal, the flamethrower — they were to the 90s what the Rubik’s cube had been to the 80s.

It’s hard to picture any game ever reaching such heights again (a modern day equivalent might be something like Roblox, if you’re willing to accept that), but Pokemon is still a huge deal. People go nuts for each new entry to the franchise, and want to be the first through the door to grab their copy. Trust me, I sold enough copies of Sun and Moon to verify this.

And of course, Pikachu was the mascot who made it all happen. Had they gone with Clefairy, as early rumblings suggest, would the franchise have been so lucrative? It’s hard to determine, but I have to say, there’s something completely captivating about the yellow electric mouse that’s hard to quantify.

1. Mario

Previous ranking: 1

I mean, of course it was going to be Mario. We all knew it was coming. He IS Nintendo, and any attempts to suggest otherwise was just going to be a practice in futility.

Mario has been leaping, bounding, flipping and occasionally cleaning (hello Super Mario Sunshine) on our televisions for decades. He single-handedly created a new genre in Super Mario Bros., then did the same for the 3D platformer in Super Mario 64. Whether it’s Super Mario Kart or even Super Mario Maker, this charming Italian plumber is finding new ways to delight us. I mean, there’s a reason why he’s called Super, you know — he’s simply sublime in most every way.

Sometimes Mario reinvents himself, and sometimes he just has minor tweaks added to spice things up. His latest exploits of Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Bros. Wonder have added abilities such as possession and elephantism to his extensive repertoire, neither of which would have been on my bingo card just one console generation earlier. It’s anyone’s guess what he’ll have up his sleeve next, but rest assured, it’s going to be fantastic.

Biggest climb (since 31/07/17): Charizard, Villager ↑ 9

Biggest fall (since 31/07/17): Dark Pit ↓ 23