Editing List of SSBM tier lists (NTSC)

Though this was the first tier list, [[SmashBoards]] was rife with discussion about tiers long before the Melee Back Room released its "MBR Tier Averages".  The term "F/F/S" (short for "{{SSBM|Falco}}, {{SSBM|Fox}} and {{SSBM|Sheik}}") was popular as a quick reference to Melee's top tier, and likely because coincidentally, [https://www.dictionary.com/browse/ffs it was also used as a term to display anger]. Members on Smashboards, perhaps in backlash against novice sentiment towards {{SSBM|Roy}} and {{SSBM|Link}}, generally disdained those characters, and generally favored the game's fastest characters.

This tier list was released soon after {{Sm|Ken Hoang}} won {{Trn|Tournament Go 4}}.  Before Ken, {{SSBM|Marth}} strategy largely encompassed [[rolling]] and [[C-stick]] [[smash attack|smashing]] symptomatic of low-level play today, but Ken introduced to the community the uses of [[dash-dancing]], [[chain grab|chain throwing]] and [[aerial attack]]s, all techniques that largely improved Marth's [[metagame]] and moved him to top tier for years to come. Ken's focus on aerial combat also caused significant movement for some characters; {{SSBM|Zelda}}, for instance, fell from 6 to 20.

For the first time since December 2002, the Smash Back Room published each character's numerical scores. This tier list was originally intended to be the final tier list for ''Melee'', with the expectation being that players would move over to ''Brawl'' and result in the ''Melee'' metagame becoming static, similar to the tier lists for the original ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' (which ironically eventually ended up happening for ''Brawl'' instead). However, ''Melee''{{'}}s tournament scene remained strong even as ''Brawl''{{'}}s tournament scene grew and ''Melee''{{'}}s metagame experienced drastic changes (such as Jigglypuff dominating as well as or more than the top-tier characters); as a result, the tier list ultimately did change several times even after this supposed "final" revision.

This list was originally publicized as the tenth tier list despite having qualities that made it seem incomplete or rushed in some way. It was heavily criticized for its very large number of ties - it has not only the most ties of any tier list, but the biggest tie, involving the entire Negligible tier. In addition, this list was claimed to have been mostly the work of the single user {{sm|KirbyKaze}}, which was then slightly modified by the Back Room. Likely spurred by the topical [[Master Hand glitch]] (which was discovered between the creation of the ninth tier list and this one), the Back Room also included a "Gengar" tier in the list below the Negligible tier as a joke, where "Master Hand and other glitches" were placed.

Jigglypuff rose into the top 3 for the first time since the tenth tier list. Similarly, Captain Falcon and Yoshi both rose 2 spots due to advancements in their metagames as well as efforts from players such as {{Sm|Wizzrobe}} and {{Sm|aMSa}}. Conversely, both Falco and Dr. Mario fell two spots, the former due to the rise of Jigglypuff and Marth, and the latter due to a stagnant metagame. In the lower tiers, Pichu rose 2 spots and is no longer a bottom 3 character, while Zelda dropped 2 spots into the bottom 3. For the first time since the fifth tier list (not counting the April Fools sixth tier list), Bowser fell back to the bottom of the list.

PG Stats also released a [https://www.pgstats.com/articles/over-1-000-melee-community-members-rank-the-characters 2021 Melee Community Tier List], compiled from 1,077 survey responses from members of the Super Smash Bros. Melee competitive community. On this community list, Jigglypuff and Falco switch spots, Young Link and Donkey Kong switch spots, and Ness and Pichu switch spots. Otherwise, the ordering is the same.

*[[List of SSBB tier lists (NTSC)]]

*[[List of SSB4 tier lists]]

*[[List of SSBU tier lists]]