User:MontztheMan/List of fighters by debut

A list of all Smash Ultimate fighters by their debut. This lists the character's first appearance and the date they were revealed. Characters are separated if they had different debuts. Also included are alternate costumes that are different characters. I'm assuming that the Smash character is a representation of all versions of the characters (so the debut of Link and Donkey Kong is the first time an incarnation of those characters appeared).

Characters

# Character Debut[1] Smash reveal
01  
Mario
1981.07.09
Donkey Kong
  1999
02  
Donkey Kong
1981.07.09
Donkey Kong
  1999
03  
Link
1986.02.21
The Legend of Zelda
  1999
04  
Samus
1986.08.06
Metroid
  1999
04ε  
Dark Samus
2002.11.18
Metroid Prime
  2018
05  
Yoshi
1990.11.21
Super Mario World
  1999
06  
Kirby
1992.04.27
Kirby's Dream Land
  1999
07  
Fox
1993.02.21[2]
Star Fox
  1999
08  
Pikachu
1996.02.27
Pokémon Red Version
  1999
09  
Luigi
1983.03.14
Mario Bros. (technical debut)[3]
1983.04.04
Mario Bros.
  1999
10  
Ness
1994.08.27
EarthBound
  1999
11  
Captain Falcon
1990.11.21
F-Zero
  1999
12  
Jigglypuff
1996.02.27
Pokémon Red Version
  1999
13  
Peach
1985.09.14
Super Mario Bros.
  2001
13ε  
Daisy
1989.04.21
Super Mario Land
  2018
14  
Bowser
1985.09.14
Super Mario Bros.
  2001
15  
Ice Climbers
1985.01.30[4]
Ice Climber
  2001
16  
Sheik
1998.11.21
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
  2001
17  
Zelda
1986.02.21
The Legend of Zelda
  2001
18  
Dr. Mario
1990.07.27[5]
Dr. Mario
  2001
19  
Pichu
1999.11.02
Pokémon Gold Version
  2001
20  
Falco
1993.02.21[2]
Star Fox
  2001
21  
Marth
1990.04.20[6]
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light
  2001
21ε  
Lucina
2012.04.19
Fire Emblem Awakening
  2014
22  
Young Link[7]
1998.11.21
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
  2001
23  
Ganondorf[8]
1998.11.21
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
  2001
24  
Mewtwo
1996.02.27
Pokémon Red Version
  2001
25  
Roy
2001.11.21[9]
Super Smash Bros. Melee (technical debut)[3]
2002.03.29[6]
Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade
  2001
25ε  
Chrom
2012.04.19
Fire Emblem Awakening
  2018
26  
Mr. Game & Watch
1980.04.28[10]
Ball
2001.11.21[9]
Super Smash Bros. Melee (as Mr. Game & Watch)
  2001
27  
Meta Knight
1993.03.03
Kirby's Adventure
  2008
28  
Pit
1986.12.19
Kid Icarus
  2008
28ε  
Dark Pit
2012.03.22
Kid Icarus: Uprising
  2014
29  
Zero Suit Samus[11]
2004.02.09[12]
Metroid: Zero Mission
  2008
30  
Wario
1992.10.21[13]
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
  2008
31  
Snake
1987.07.13[14]
Metal Gear
  2008
32  
Ike
2005.04.20
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
  2008
33 - 35  
Pokémon Trainer
(Male)
1996.02.27
Pokémon Red Version
  2008
33 - 35  
Pokémon Trainer
(Female)[15]
2004.01.29
Pokémon FireRed Version
  2008
33  
Squirtle
1996.02.27
Pokémon Red Version
  2008
34  
Ivysaur
1996.02.27
Pokémon Red Version
  2008
35  
Charizard
1996.02.27
Pokémon Red Version
  2008
36  
Diddy Kong
1994.10.25
Donkey Kong Country
  2008
37  
Lucas
2006.04.20
Mother 3
  2008
38  
Sonic
1990.10.03
Rad Mobile (cameo)
1991.04.28
Sonic the Hedgehog
  2008
39  
King Dedede
1992.04.27
Kirby's Dream Land
  2008
40  
Olimar
2001.10.26
Pikmin
  2008
40  
Alph
2013.07.13
Pikmin 3
  2014
41  
Lucario
2005.07.16[10]
Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (technical debut)[3]
2006.09.28
Pokémon Diamond Version
  2008
42  
R.O.B.[16]
1985.07.15
Family Computer Robot (as Robot)
1985.10.18[17]
Nintendo Entertainment System[18] (as R.O.B.)
  2008
43  
Toon Link[7]
2002.12.02
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past[19] (technical debut)[3]
2002.12.13
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
  2008
44  
Wolf
1997.04.27
Star Fox 64
  2008
45  
Villager
2001   2014
46  
Mega Man
1987   2014
47  
Wii Fit Trainer
2007   2014
48  
Rosalina & Luma
2007   2014
49  
Little Mac
1984   2014
50  
Greninja
2013   2014
51  
Mii Brawler
2006   2014
52  
Mii Swordfighter
2006   2014
53  
Mii Gunner
2006   2014
54  
Palutena
1986   2014
55  
Pac-Man
1980   2014
56  
Robin
2012   2014
57  
Shulk
2010   2014
58  
Bowser Jr.
2002   2014
58  
Koopalings
1988   2014
59  
Duck Hunt
1984   2014
60  
Ryu
1987   2015
60ε  
Ken
1987   2018
61  
Cloud
1997   2015
62  
Corrin
2015   2016
63  
Bayonetta
2009   2016
64  
Inkling
2015   2018
65  
Ridley
1986   2018
66  
Simon
1986   2018
66ε  
Richter
1993   2018
67  
King K. Rool
1994   2018
68  
Isabelle
2012   2018
69  
Incineroar
2016   2018
70  
Piranha Plant
1985   2019
71  
Joker
2016   2019
72  
Luminary
2017   2019
72  
Erdrick
1988   2019
72  
Solo
1990   2019
72  
Eight
2004   2019
73  
Banjo
1997   2019
73  
Kazooie
1998   2019
74  
Terry
1991   2019
75  
Byleth
2019   2020
76  
Min Min
2017   2020
77  
Steve
2011 [20]   2020
77  
Alex
2014   2020
77  
Zombie
2011 [21]   2020
77  
Enderman
2011 [22]   2020
78  
Sephiroth
2017   2021
79  
Pyra
2017   2021
80  
Mythra
2017   2021
81  
Kazuya
2017   2021
82  
Sora
2017   2021
  1. ^ The date of publication listed on the U.S. Copyright Records is used here, anything else will be clarified separately.
  2. ^ a b Release date according to Star Fox's Super Famicom Nintendo Switch Online listing
  3. ^ a b c d This character was developed for a certain game. However, a tie-in/promotional game or movie was developed alongside that game and happened to come out first. The game the character was designed for is being counted as the true debut of the character.
  4. ^ Release date according to Ice Climber's Nintendo Classic Mini: Family Computer listing.
  5. ^ Release date according to Dr. Mario's Family Computer Nintendo Switch Online listing.
  6. ^ a b Release date according to Fire Emblem World's History page.
  7. ^ Ganondorf, meaning the humanoid version. The original Ganon debuted in 1986.02.21 with The Legend of Zelda
  8. ^ a b Release date according to Melee's Japanese website.
  9. ^ a b Release date according to Wikipedia.
  10. ^ As in Samus with her Zero Suit, not just a suitless Samus.
  11. ^ Release date according to IGN.
  12. ^ Release date according to Super Mario Land 2's Japanese website.
  13. ^ Release date according to Metal Gear's page on the Truth behind Metal Gear website.
  14. ^ Both Pokémon Trainers are meant to be representations of a Pokémon trainer, not a specific one. However, the design for the female trainer is specifically based on Leaf. This wasn't an issue for the male trainer as he is based on Red, the first Pokémon trainer. This means the first appearance of a Pokémon trainer, and the specific one the male Pokémon Trainer is based on, are the same game. For the purposes of this list, I am counting the Pokémon Trainers as the characters they are very clearly supposed to be, and as Leaf makes her first appearance in a later game, that game will be counted as the female Pokémon Trainer's first appearance.
  15. ^ Known as just Robot in Japan, to better match the Japanese name Family Computer Robot. The icon here is also the icon for the Famicom colors, which is the default in Japan.
  16. ^ Release date according to WIRED. The release date is listed as October 1st in the Copyright Offices Public Catalogue, this usually means that it was released in October, but when it was filed, they put the 1st just to be safe. The release date for the NES is generally contested anyways.
  17. ^ He was released in the Nintendo Entertainment System: Deluxe Set outside the initial October 1985 Test Market run, but during that initial run, the packaging just said "Entertainment System" with a large Nintendo logo further away (Proof).
  18. ^ I'm choosing to be obtuse here. The game's title in English is just The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, the Four Swords part is not in the title. It is in the Japanese release, but that came later.
  19. ^ Official release. Minecraft had a public alpha in 2009, two years before the game's official release.
  20. ^ Official release. Introduced in the 0.24_SURVIVAL_TEST build of Minecraft in 2009.
  21. ^ Introduced in the pre-release 1.8 beta build of Minecraft.