The term "Original 12" refers to the twelve veterans from the original Super Smash Bros., and, by extension, the only characters that appear in every single game. The term is mostly used when talking about characters in Super Smash Bros.' sequels, Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
A related term, "Original 8," refers to the default eight characters in the game who was playable from start. These are the characters who are always playable in the series.
The "Original 12"
- Captain Falcon*
- Donkey Kong
- Fox McCloud
- Jigglypuff*
- Kirby
- Link
- Luigi*
- Mario
- Ness*
- Pikachu
- Samus Aran
- Yoshi
* denotes secret characters