Thanks for reading this Super Smash Bros. Ultimate guide on TendoSource!

Today, I’m going to help you learn how to efficiently unlock all characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate by playing Classic Mode.

Beat Classic Mode multiple times to unlock all other available locked fighters.

Keep in mind that downloadable content (DLC) fighters cannot be unlocked by beating Classic Mode.

DLC fighters must be purchased and will become immediately unlocked upon buying them.

Benefit Of Unlocking Characters In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate By Playing Classic Mode

Beating Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Classic mode is a definite way to unlock locked fighters.

A locked fighter will appear every time Classic Mode is beaten until all fighters are unlocked.

Furthermore, completing Classic Mode only requires 7 or 8 battles and can be done on any Intensity difficulty you desire.

Personally, I suggest setting your difficulty to the lowest if your priority is to beat Classic Mode as-fast-as-possible in order to unlock fighters quickly.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Classic Mode is also a fun game mode to play and can be accessed at any time to unlock fighters, get new high scores, or simply enjoy.

Now, continue reading for a detailed picture guide of how to efficiently unlock fighters by beating Classic Mode in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate!

How To Unlock All Fighters By Playing Classic Mode In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo Switch)

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Classic Mode allows players to unlock every standard fighter in the game by simply beating the game mode.

Each completion of Classic Mode provides an opportunity to fight against one locked fighter.

Win the fight and the locked character will become unlocked and available to play in most other Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game modes.

A total of 63 characters can be unlocked this way and Classic Mode can be played as many times as one desires.

Important things to note about unlocking fighters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Classic Mode:

• any difficulty setting can be selected
• only one fighter can be unlocked per completion
• each fighter unlocks specific fighters (see next section)
• new challenger battles can be lost
• new challengers lost against can be re-battled

*This guide is based on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate [ver. 13.0.2]

*A Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Pair/Nintendo Switch Pro Controller required for this guide

*Button prompts used in this guide are default settings

1) Begin Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s “Classic Mode”

Select Classic Mode from Super Smash Bro. Ultimate’s Games & More menu.

2) Select A Fighter From The Roster Select Screen

Choose a fighter from the roster selection screen.

Use the directional buttons or (left) analog stick to choose a character from the roster.

Press the confirm button twice to select your character and be taken to the difficulty select screen.

3) Choose Your Difficulty

Move the difficulty Intensity bar left and right with the (left) analog stick or directional buttons to adjust the game’s difficulty.

Press the confirm button to pick your starting difficulty and be taken to the use a ticket screen.

Select the Let’s Go or Use a ticket with the (left) analog stick or directional buttons and press the confirm button to be taken to the first Classic Mode match.

4) Win All Of Your Matches And Beat The Boss

Win all six or so Classic Mode battles as well as the final boss battle.

• If you lose a fight, you will be asked if you want to spend Gold or a Ticket to continue
• Choose your preferred in-game payment to continue Classic Mode from where you left off

Interactive credits and multiple results screens will appear following beating Classic Mode.

Navigate through them, pressing the confirm button when needed, to prompt the Challenger Approaching screen.

5) A New Challenger Appears To Battle

A new challenger (a locked fighter) will appear for battle after Classic Mode is completed.

The battle will automatically load and begin.

6) Unlock The Character By Winning

Defeat the new challenger in battle to unlock the character for multiple Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game modes.

7) Enjoy Playing As The Newly Unlocked Character

Enjoy playing as your newly unlocked Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fighter.

Have fun beating Classic Mode again, and again, and again to unlock the rest of the game’s massive roster!

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Classic Mode Character Unlock Order

Now, let’s take a closer look at the specific order in which characters are unlocked by beating Classic Mode dependent upon the character selected.

Classic Mode Unlock Order Detailed

Each of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s eight unlocked starting characters unlocks a series of fighters in a predetermined order after each Classic Mode completion.

Beating Classic Mode will prompt a battle with a locked fighter. Win the battle and unlock the character (as shown in the guide above).

Repeat Classic Mode with the same fighter–or the newly unlocked fighter–to continue unlocking the next fighter in the route.

Route 1: MARIO’s Classic Mode Character Unlock Order

1. Sonic
2. Bayonetta
3. Little Mac
4. Ike
5. Luigi
6. Roy
7. Dr. Mario
8. Olimar

Beat Classic Mode as Mario to prompt a battle with Sonic.

Beat Classic Mode a second time as either Mario or Sonic to prompt a battle with Bayonetta and so forth.

Remember, you must win the challenger battle to unlock the character.

Route 2: DONKEY KONG’s Classic Mode Character Unlock Order

1. Bowser
2. Pokémon Trainer
3. Rosalina & Luma
4. King Dedede
5. Sheik
6. Greninja
7. Diddy Kong
8. Duck Hunt

Beat Classic Mode as Donkey Kong to prompt a battle with Bowser.

Beat Classic Mode a second time as either Donkey Kong or Bowser to prompt a battle with Pokémon Trainer and so forth.

Remember, you must win the challenger battle to unlock the character.

Route 3: LINK’s Classic Mode Character Unlock Order

1. King K. Rool
2. Ice Climbers
3. Simon Belmont
4. Meta Knight
5. Snake
6. Young Link
7. Richter Belmont
8. Toon Link

Beat Classic Mode as Link to prompt a battle with King K Rool.

Beat Classic Mode a second time as either Link or King K. Rool to prompt a battle with Ice Climbers and so forth.

Remember, you must win the challenger battle to unlock that character.

Route 4: SAMUS’ Classic Mode Character Unlock Order

1. Inkling
2. Wii Fit Trainer
3. Pit
4. Incineroar
5. Dark Samus
6. Cloud
7. Wario
8. Dark Pit

Beat Classic Mode as Samus to prompt a battle with Inkling.

Beat Classic Mode a second time as either Samus or Inkling to prompt a battle with Wii Fit Trainer and so forth.

Remember, you must win the challenger battle to unlock the character.

Route 5: YOSHI’s Classic Mode Character Unlock Order

1. Lucario
2. Marth
3. Ryu
4. Ganondorf
5. Lucina
6. Ridley
7. Chrom
8. Ken

Beat Classic Mode as Yoshi to prompt a battle with Lucario.

Beat Classic Mode a second time as either Yoshi or Lucario to prompt a battle with Marth and so forth.

Remember, you must win the challenger battle to unlock the character.

Route 6: KIRBY’s Classic Mode Character Unlock Order

1. Ness
2. Jigglypuff
3. Pac-Man
4. Zelda
5. Robin
6. Corrin
7. Lucas
8. Palutena

Beat Classic Mode as Kirby to prompt a battle with Ness.

Beat Classic Mode a second time as either Kirby or Ness to prompt a battle with Jigglypuff and so forth.

Remember, you must win the challenger battle to unlock the character.

Route 7: FOX’s Classic Mode Character Unlock Order

1. Captain Falcon
2. Zero Suit Samus
3. Peach
4. Falco
5. Daisy
6. Bowser Jr.
7. Wolf
8. Mewtwo

Beat Classic Mode as Fox to prompt a battle with Captain Falcon.

Beat Classic Mode a second time as either Fox or Captain Falcon to prompt a battle with Zero Suit Samus and so forth.

Remember, you must win the challenger battle to unlock the character.

Route 8: PIKACHU’s Classic Mode Character Unlock Order

1. Villager
2. Shulk
3. R.O.B.
4. Mega Man
5. Isabelle
6. Mr. Game & Watch
7. Pichu

Beat Classic Mode as Pikachu to prompt a battle with Villager.

Beat Classic Mode a second time as either Pikachu or Villager to prompt a battle with Shulk and so forth.

Remember, you must win the challenger battle to unlock the character.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Classic Mode Fighter Unlock Tips And Tricks

Enjoy some of my personal tips to unlocking Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s fighters by playing Classic Mode.

Lower The Difficulty

Lower Classic Mode’s Intensity difficulty to 0.0 to make each Classic Mode playthrough as fast and easy as possible.

Skip The Interactive Credits

To save a couple of minutes per Classic Mode playthrough, skip the interactive credits sequence by pressing the + (plus button).

Doing so will speed-up the credits, turning a 2 minute sequence into approximately 10 seconds.

Self Destruct In The Bonus Game

Each Classic Mode playthrough includes a Bonus Game round before the boss fight which provides an opportunity for extra points.

The extra points do not affect unlocking fighters which makes the Bonus Game unnecessary to complete if you’re primary concern is completing Classic Mode as-fast-as-possible in order to unlock characters.

Therefore, jump into the first bottomless pit you come across in the Bonus Game to end the round quickly.

Doing so will not penalize or affect the chance of a new fighter appearing once Classic Mode is completed.

Instead, this will shave precious seconds (or minutes) from each playthrough.

Play As Any Character

Playing as any unlocked character in a route will prompt a battle with the next locked character in the route once Classic Mode is completed.

So choose the fighter you are most competent at playing or you simply prefer the most.

EXAMPLE:

Beating Classic Mode as Mario will prompt a battle against Sonic.

Beating Classic Mode a second time as either Mario or Sonic will prompt a battle against Bayonetta.

And beating Classic Mode a third time as Mario, Sonic, or Bayonetta will prompt a battle against Little Mac and so forth.

Keep Playing Classic Mode To Unlock Everyone

Once all characters have been unlocked in a route, fighters from another route will appear for a battle.

The order of these additional fighter unlock battles are determined by which characters you have already unlocked.

Keep in mind that you can also unlock fighters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate by playing versus battles or by progressing through the game’s story mode, World of Light.

Additional fighter battles will be pulled from Mario’s character unlock route order, then Donkey Kong, Link, Samus, Yoshi, Kirby, Fox, and Pikachu in that order.

EXAMPLE:

If all characters from Kirby’s route have been unlocked then characters from Mario’s unlock order route will appear when Classic Mode is completed.

And if all characters from Mario’s unlock route have already been unlocked, characters from Donkey Kong’s will appear, then Link’s next, Samus’, Kirby’s, and so on in that order.

Does Classic Mode Difficulty Affect Unlocking Characters In Classic Mode?

Any Classic Mode Intensity difficulty level can be used to unlock characters.

A challenger battle will occur each time Classic Mode is completed no matter the difficulty selected (as long as there are more fighters to unlock).

Will I Unlock Characters By Using The Same Character In One Unlock Route?

All locked characters in a single Classic Mode fighter unlock route can be unlocked by playing as one character from that route.

EXAMPLE:

Anyone from Mario’s route can be used to beat Classic Mode multiple times to unlock everyone else from Mario’s route.

Unlock Sonic by beating Classic Mode with Mario. Then, unlock Bayonetta by beating Classic Mode a second time as Mario and so forth.

Simply choose the character you prefer from each route and beat Classic Mode multiple times to start unlocking fighters.

Can I Play As One Character To Unlock Every Character In Classic Mode?

It’s entirely possible to unlock all characters by beating Classic Mode multiple times as one character.

Therefore, any single character of your liking can be used to repeatedly beat Classic Mode in order to unlock all 63 fighters.

EXAMPLE:

Samus can be used to unlock all character in her unlock route.

Afterwards, characters from other routes will begin to appear upon every subsequent Classic Mode completion playing as Samus.

What Happens If I Don’t Win The Classic Mode Challenger Battle?

Losing the new challenger battle after beating Classic Mode will not unlock a locked fighter. The fighter will remain locked.

Therefore, Classic Mode will have to be beaten again for another chance at fighting and unlocking the next locked character.

Alternatively, new challengers that you have lost against will appear in Challenger’s Approach option in the Games & More menu.

The Challenger’s Approach option allows you to “win battles to unlock new fighters” you have previously lost against.

Learn how to access Challenger’s Approach in order to unlock fighters by reading my detailed picture guide, How To Easily Unlock Fighters You Have Lost Against In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Helpful Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Tips You Should Know About

As a bonus, enjoy three of my personal Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tips-and-tricks that improved my play experience.

1) Play Training Mode

Practice each of the game’s 80+ characters in Training mode to improve at playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Why You Should Play Training Mode

Training mode provides players with a stress-free, non-competitive environment to learn how to play each character. Additionally, Training mode allows players to customize a wealth of training options in order to improve at specific areas of the game.

Learn how to access Training mode in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with my picture guide How To Easily Access Training Mode In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and then have fun smashing!

2) Adjust The Screen Brightness

Tailor the screen brightness of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to match your personal taste, whether you’re engaging in epic battles on a TV or immersing yourself in handheld mode.

Why You Should Adjust Screen Brightness

By simply adjusting the brightness, you can create a more comfortable viewing experience for your eyes. So don’t let eye strain hinder your gaming enjoyment. Take a moment to customize the screen brightness based on your eye sensitivity before diving into an intense play session.

Learn how to change brightness settings in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with my picture guide How To Easily Change Screen Brightness Settings In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate then start smashing!

3) Learn Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Controls

Learn how to play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate by understanding the game’s basic controls such as what button is used to attack, block, grab, and more.

Why You Should Learn Basic Controls

Being familiar with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s basic controls can help you improve over time. That’s because it’s easier to know what to do in a heated battle when you know what buttons to press and how to perform essential actions.

Read my detailed guide Learn Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Controls Right Now and then start smashing!

How To Get Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Looking to play or gift Super Smash Bros. Ultimate now that you know a bit more about the game? I’m here to help!

Firstly, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is only available on Nintendo Switch since it’s made by Nintendo.

It’s tons of fun for all ages while providing a lot of replay value. The game is stuffed with things to do and unlock, alone or with family and friends.

Personally, I’ve played Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for nearly 300 hours, and I still have so much more to do and unlock.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the perfect single and multiplayer game for all ages

I’ve had fun beating the game’s adventure mode and played countless matches against others online.

Furthermore, I’ve taken my Nintendo Switch to work and played Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with friends and coworkers for exciting in-person play sessions.

Playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has provided some of the most fun on the Nintendo Switch I have ever had.

And I really hope you, your family, friends, or gift recipient have just as much fun.

Please feel free to use my Amazon affiliate links to view Super Smash Bros. Ultimate availability on Amazon by clicking here or by using the links below.

Doing so helps me earn at no cost to you which supports the ongoing creation of awesome free game guides (just like this one).

You can also visit Nintendo’s official Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s website by clicking here.

I hope you enjoy Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for Nintendo Switch just as much as I have!

More Great Nintendo Tutorials To Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed learning how to unlock all characters efficiently by beating Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Classic Mode in this helpful guide.

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Images credited. All others owned by Nintendo or respective owners. Screenshots taken by me.