Super Smash Bros. Melee is well over ten years old, but its community is still very much alive! Its competitive metagame really picked up after the game’s inclusion in EVO 2013’s tournament line-up. Simply put, Melee is relevant to this very day despite its age. For players deciding to get in on the action, there are several unlockable characters, stages, and features to work towards — and we’ve got the full run-down on how to access them all right here.
Characters
Super Smash Bros. Melee boasts a large number of unlockable characters! Unfortunately, some of their criteria are annoying and take quite some time to fulfill. Mewtwo and Mr. Game & Watch come to mind as the best examples, but their tough unlock requirements give the game additional longevity in a casual setting.
- Unlock Jigglypuff by completing Classic Mode or Adventure Mode as any character. Alternatively, play 50 matches in Versus Mode.
- Dr. Mario unlocks by completing Classic Mode or Adventure Mode as Mario without using any continues. Alternatively, you can just play 100 versus matches.
- Pichu is your reward for completing Event Match #37: Legendary Pokémon. Or you can play 200 matches.
- Falco is your reward for completing 100-Man Melee. You could also play 300 total versus matches instead.
- Marth unlocks when you use all fourteen starter characters in Solo Mode or Versus Mode matches. Alternatively, you can play 400 Versus Mode matches as any character you want.
- Unlock Young Link by completing Classic Mode with ten characters — two of whom must be Link and Zelda. You could also play 500 Versus Mode matches, but that’s a lot!
- Ganondorf is your reward for completing Event Match #29: Triforce Gathering. Alternatively, you can play 600 Versus Mode matches.
- Mewtwo is a tough one. You either have to play 20 hours’ worth of Versus Mode matches or play and finish 700 of them. The easiest way to unlock Mewtwo is to hook up four controllers and let them run overnight in a Versus Mode match (stock). When you wake up, self-destruct the characters until a winner is declared. Afterward, you should have Mewtwo unlocked!
- Luigi is another complicated unlock. First, complete the first stage of Adventure Mode with the timer’s seconds slots ending in a “2” (ex. 03:02:84). Then, defeat Luigi and Peach in under one minute and complete the rest of Adventure Mode like normal. Alternatively, you can just play 800 Versus Mode matches.
- You can unlock Roy by completing Classic Mode or Adventure Mode as Marth without using any continues. Alternatively, you can go for 900 Versus Mode matches instead.
- Mr. Game & Watch is your reward for completing Classic Mode, Adventure Mode, or Target Test as every character in the game (not including Mr. Game & Watch, of course). 1,000 Versus Mode matches will do the trick instead, if you’d prefer.
Stages
There are several stages to unlock in this game, and each one is interesting in its own way! At the time of writing, Poké Floats and Icicle Mountain are the only stages in Melee that don’t return in any future installments. Remember to give them a go while you’re here — especially the former.
- Brinstar Depths unlocks after playing 50 Versus Mode matches.
- Fourside unlocks after playing 100 Versus Mode matches.
- Big Blue unlocks after playing 150 Versus Mode matches.
- Poké Floats unlocks after you play 200 Versus Mode matches.
- You can unlock Mushroom Kingdom II by obtaining the Birdo trophy. It’s a random drop from single-player modes or the lottery, so tracking her down may take a while.
- Complete All-Star Mode as any character, and you’ll unlock the Battlefield stage.
- Final Destination is your reward for completing Event Match #51: The Showdown.
- Flat Zone unlocks after completing Classic Mode as Mr. Game & Watch.
- Dream Land (64) unlocks when you complete Target Test as all 25 characters.
- Kongo Jungle (64) unlocks when you complete 15-Minute Melee as any fighter.
- Unlock Yoshi’s Island (64) by hitting Sandbag at least 400m in the Home-Run Contest. Easily achieved by characters like Ganondorf and Roy!
Features
Unlike in the previous game, Super Smash Bros. Melee’s Item Switch is unlocked from the very beginning — it’s about time. Strangely enough, now it’s the score display that requires unlocking, and its criteria will take some time to meet, to say the least.
- All-Star Mode only becomes available after you unlock every character in the game.
- The Score Display unlocks after you get a total of 5,000 KOs in Versus Mode matches.
- The Sound Test and Random Stage Switch are automatically unlocked after you unlock all of the game’s stages.
Exion is home to many more guides pertaining to the Super Smash Bros. series! If you’re playing Ultimate as well, check out our full-length amiibo training guides. You can also join our Discord server if you’re looking to participate in a friendly Smash Bros.-oriented community! Also, feel free to ask any questions you may have regarding unlockables in the series. Have fun!
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