Some fan-favorite characters are returning to Super Smash Bros., but you won’t have access to them when you start it up for the first time.
The publisher’s four-player fighting game — which has you taking control of Mario, Link, and other famous Nintendo mascots — already has a huge lineup of characters. The 3DS edition just debuted in Japan, and we’re discovering that it includes some returning heroes as well as some newcomers. You’re just going to have to complete some challenges to unlock them.
[aditude-amp id="flyingcarpet" targeting='{"env":"staging","page_type":"article","post_id":1549991,"post_type":"story","post_chan":"none","tags":null,"ai":false,"category":"none","all_categories":"games,","session":"C"}']Bringing back old characters is important to the large number of fans who are poised to make Smash Bros. for both 3DS and Wii U two of the biggest hits of the year. (The handheld release debuts Oct. 3, and the Wii U version will hit sometime this holiday.) Both games should play a significant part in helping Nintendo with its efforts to return to profitability.
Hidden characters found in the 3DS version include the following:
- Ness from Nintendo Entertainment System role-playing game Earthbound
- Falco from Super Nintendo spaceship shooter Star Fox
- Alph from Wii U strategy game Pikmin 3
- The dog from NES light-gun shooter Duck Hunt
- Mr. Game and Watch from Nintendo’s old black-and-white handheld devices
- Dr. Mario from the NES puzzle game of the same name
- Wario from the GameBoy WarioLand series
- Ganondorf from Nintendo 64 action-adventure game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- Koopa Kids Larry, Roy, Wendy, Iggy, Morton, Lemmy, and Ludwig from Super Mario Bros. 3 for NES
- Jigglypuff from Game Boy role-playing game Pokémon
The game may feature still more characters, but with these newly discovered fighters, Super Smash Bros. for 3DS now features everyone from the previous entries in the series.
A number of Japanese players have taken to Twitch to broadcast Smash Bros. for 3DS, and fans on forums like NeoGAF have collected a ton of images of the action. For example, here’s Duck Hunt Dog doing his intro, which is probably familiar if you ever played that NES classic:
Above: Duck Hut Dog’s opening intro should send shivers down the spines of anyone who was playing games back in the 8-bit days.
Check out some more of the newly discovered characters in action below:
