Start with the eight original fighters, work through the 1P Game, then use the bonus challenges to unlock the rest of the Nintendo 64 roster. This guide covers the campaign battles, all four hidden fighters, Mushroom Kingdom, Sound Test and the Item Switch.
Getting started
Damage is shown as a percentage. Taking a hit raises that percentage and usually makes the next attack launch you farther. Build damage with quick attacks, then look for a safe smash attack or throw near an edge. Repeatedly throwing out slow smash attacks gives the opponent time to dodge and retaliate.
Before attempting a full run, practice returning to the stage. Jump toward the ledge, keep your midair jump available until you need it, and use your character’s recovery move. For most fighters that means up + B, though each move behaves differently. Kirby’s extra jumps make him a forgiving starting choice; they do not make him immune to attacks while recovering.
The starting roster is Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Samus, Yoshi, Kirby, Fox and Pikachu. Luigi, Captain Falcon, Ness and Jigglypuff become playable after you meet their conditions and defeat them in a challenger battle.
1P Game walkthrough
The campaign follows the same battle order with every fighter. Choose a manageable difficulty for your first clear. When you later attempt Ness’s unlock, select Normal or higher, start with no more than three lives and finish without continuing.
Stage 1: Link
Link waits at Hyrule Castle. Fight on a stable part of the castle rather than chasing him into the tornado. If the tornado approaches, move away before committing to a slow attack. Block or avoid an approaching attack, answer with a short combination, and finish with a launch toward the edge when his damage is high enough.
Stage 2: Yoshi Team
The Yoshis are easy to launch, so a clean hit is often more useful than a long combination. Stay where you have room to recover after attacking. Use attacks that cover your sides when several Yoshis approach, then reposition before the next group surrounds you. Avoid following an already defeated Yoshi off the platform.
Stage 3: Fox
Sector Z provides plenty of room, but the Arwings can interrupt your attacks. Keep an eye on the space around the ship instead of watching Fox alone. Let him approach, punish a missed attack and push him toward an edge. Only follow him into the air if you can still return safely.
Bonus 1: Break the Targets
Each fighter has a different layout. First locate the targets that need a projectile, a recovery move or a particular jump. Clear the accessible targets while you still have a safe route between platforms, then attempt the awkward ones. You can practice individual layouts from the bonus-game menu rather than repeating the entire campaign. Completing this challenge with the eight starting fighters is required for Luigi.
Stage 4: Mario Bros.
You and a CPU partner face Mario and Luigi at Peach’s Castle. Concentrate on one brother while your teammate keeps the other occupied. Once one opponent is gone, help your partner instead of taking unnecessary risks at the edge. Luigi appears in this battle even before you unlock him.
Stage 5: Pikachu
Pikachu’s speed makes a constant chase unreliable. Hold a useful position at Saffron City and attack when Pikachu lands or misses a move. Watch the building’s opening as well: a Pokémon emerging from it can interrupt you during a charge or knock you into an unfavorable position.
Stage 6: Giant Donkey Kong
Two CPU allies help you at Congo Jungle. Giant Donkey Kong is easy to hit, but trading blows with him can raise your damage very quickly. Use short attacks during his recovery, move out of his reach and let your allies maintain pressure. Fight away from the edge while you are still building damage.
Bonus 2: Board the Platforms
Land on each marked platform. Plan the route around your fighter’s jumps and recovery move, especially for platforms below the main structure. Landing on a platform activates it; simply passing beside it does not. Practice the difficult layouts separately before working toward Sound Test.
Stage 7: Kirby Team
The Kirby team attacks at Dream Land with a variety of copied abilities. Keep enough space to react to the next Kirby rather than charging every opponent immediately. Their low resistance to knockback makes a reliable launching attack effective. Recover to the main platform before pursuing another knockout.
Stage 8: Samus
Planet Zebes adds rising acid to the fight. Move to the upper platforms before the acid reaches your footing. Avoid starting a long attack while standing low in the arena. Once the acid drops, use the extra room to approach Samus, then move back toward safety as the hazard returns.
Stage 9: Metal Mario
Metal Mario resists launches, so an early smash attack rarely ends the fight. Build damage without allowing him to push you off Meta Crystal. A sideways launch gives you a chance to stop his return. Guard the ledge from a safe position instead of jumping deep beneath it after him.
Bonus 3: Race to the Finish
Reach the exit before time runs out. The enemies and obstacles are distractions, not a requirement to clear every floor. Keep moving toward the next opening, slow down only when a bumper or explosion blocks your route, and avoid spending the remaining time fighting an opponent you can pass.
Stage 10: Fighting Polygon Team
Several weak opponents can still trap you if you stay between them. Hold a position with room to retreat and use attacks that cover their approach. After a knockout, turn toward the next active threat rather than continuing the same attack in an empty direction. Preserve your lives for the final battle.
Stage 11: Master Hand
Master Hand has an HP meter, so this battle is won by dealing damage rather than knocking him off Final Destination. Watch the hand’s preparation, move out of the attack path and strike while it pauses afterward. Aerial attacks are useful when the hand floats above you, but landing safely matters more than adding one extra hit.
Keep enough distance from the edge to survive a mistake. Repeatedly holding your shield through every attack can leave you vulnerable when it shrinks or breaks. Alternate movement, well-timed defense and short counterattacks until the HP meter is empty.
Unlock all four hidden fighters
Meeting a condition triggers a challenger battle. You must also win that battle to add the fighter to your roster.
- Jigglypuff: complete the 1P Game with any fighter.
- Captain Falcon: complete the 1P Game in 20 minutes or less.
- Luigi: clear Break the Targets with all eight starting fighters.
- Ness: clear the 1P Game on Normal or higher with a starting stock of three or fewer lives, without using a continue.
For a first set of unlocks, complete an easy campaign run, then practice the eight starting Target layouts. Attempt the timed clear once you know the campaign order. Save Ness for a run with a fighter whose recovery you can use consistently; losing lives to missed recoveries is harder to compensate for than taking a little extra damage in a normal battle.
Stages and Mushroom Kingdom
The eight initial VS stages are Peach’s Castle, Congo Jungle, Hyrule Castle, Planet Zebes, Yoshi’s Island, Dream Land, Sector Z and Saffron City. The campaign also uses special arenas that are not selectable as ordinary VS stages.
To unlock Mushroom Kingdom, complete the 1P Game with each of the eight starting fighters and play on all eight starting VS stages. If the stage remains locked, check both requirements rather than repeatedly clearing the campaign with the same character.
Unlock Sound Test
Clear both Break the Targets and Board the Platforms with all twelve fighters. Unlocking the hidden roster comes first, because their bonus layouts count too. Sound Test then becomes available through the Data menu.
Unlock the Item Switch
Play 100 VS matches to unlock the Item Switch. This menu lets you change which items appear and their overall frequency. Use it to practice ordinary combat without the interruption of a Hammer or a particularly favorable Poké Ball result, or select the items you enjoy for multiplayer matches.
Finding Mew
After at least one hidden fighter has been unlocked, Mew can occasionally emerge from a Poké Ball. It flies away instead of attacking. Its appearance is a rare bonus, not another playable-character unlock, so you do not need to wait for it before completing the roster.
Combat and recovery tips
Use grabs against a defensive opponent. A shield stops many attacks, but it does not protect against a normal grab. Approach carefully and grab when an opponent keeps shielding; repeatedly hitting the shield with slow attacks makes your own next move predictable.
Guard the edge without losing your own stock. Once an opponent is offstage, watch how they return. A well-placed attack near the ledge is safer than chasing below the platform with no jump left. Learn your own recovery range before trying an offstage finish.
Treat stage hazards as part of the fight. Move before the acid rises, before an Arwing crosses your position or before the tornado reaches you. Winning a favorable exchange is little help if a hazard immediately takes your last life.