Character usage chart (1v1 FG)

[SteadyDisciple]

Since September 2016, I've been collecting data on how frequently each character in the roster is used in 1v1 FG mode. This came mostly on a curious whim, but I figured if I was playing anyways, why not catalog my results? Now that the numbers have become large enough to easily yield statistically significant results, I decided to share it with you all, on the off chance that someone else had the same question that I did.

First thing first, the method.
1: Rather than tallying every character I played against, I counted only the first character any given player used, so as to avoid any bias caused by counterpicking.
2: After playing someone, I left to the lobby selection screen before returning. I'll be honest, I'm not 100% certain how matchmaking works for the online system, but this was taken as a precaution against the possibility of a matchmaking system based on consecutive wins/losses.
3: The same player was never counted twice in a row. Should re-entering the lobby match me with the same person I had just left, they were not included in the count. This also holds true across sessions.
4: No players were blocked at any point during this study, so as not to skew the numbers.
5: This was performed entirely on a single console, at a single location. I do not expect any variance in usage by region or console, unless a matchmaking system that sorts by the console win percentage exists.
6: Samples were collected at various hours of the day, with the majority being between 4pm and 6pm EST on any given day of the week, though many were also taken throughout the day Friday through Monday. Initially the numbers for different times of day or days of week were tracked separately, but with very little variation in the data this ceased being tracked around the 500 mark.

With that out of the way, here's the data that I have collected thus far.
KEY: Character name | Number of matches | Percentage of matches

Spoiler: Alphabetical list

Bayonetta | 48 | 2.91%
Bowser | 29 | 1.76%
Bowser Jr. | 11 | 0.67%
Captain Falcon | 89 | 5.39%
Charizard | 21 | 1.27%
Cloud | 68 | 4.12%
Corrin | 45 | 2.73%
Dark Pit | 15 | 0.91%
Diddy Kong | 32 | 1.94%
Donkey Kong | 28 | 1.70%
Doctor Mario | 18 | 1.09%
Duck Hunt | 8 | 0.48%
Falco | 33 | 2.00%
Fox | 40 | 2.42%
Ganondorf | 50 | 3.03%
Greninja | 21 | 1.27%
Ike | 26 | 1.58%
Jigglypuff | 27 | 1.64%
King Dedede | 30 | 1.82%
Kirby | 42 | 2.55%
Link | 49 | 2.97%
Little Mac | 43 | 2.61%
Lucario | 10 | 0.61%
Lucas | 37 | 2.24%
Lucina | 30 | 1.82%
Luigi | 27 | 1.64%
Mario | 99 | 6.00%
Marth | 85 | 5.15%
Megaman | 24 | 1.45%
Meta Knight | 10 | 0.61%
Mewtwo | 29 | 1.76%
Mr. Game & Watch | 15 | 0.91%
Ness | 34 | 2.06%
Olimar | 3 | 0.18%
Pac-Man | 19 | 1.15%
Palutena | 6 | 0.36%
Peach | 21 | 1.27%
Pikachu | 23 | 1.39%
Pit | 10 | 0.61%
R.O.B. | 14 | 0.85%
Robin | 23 | 1.39%
Rosalina & Luma | 11 | 0.67%
Roy | 29 | 1.76%
Ryu | 39 | 2.36%
Samus | 38 | 2.30%
Sheik | 33 | 2.00%
Shulk | 19 | 1.15%
Sonic | 35 | 2.12%
Toon Link | 20 | 1.21%
Villager | 19 | 1.15%
Wario | 13 | 0.79%
Wii Fit Trainer | 11 | 0.67%
Yoshi | 35 | 2.12%
Zelda | 24 | 1.45%
Zero Suit Samus | 32 | 1.94%

Spoiler: Numerical List

Mario | 99 | 6.00%
Captain Falcon | 89 | 5.39%
Marth | 85 | 5.15%
Cloud | 68 | 4.12%
Ganondorf | 50 | 3.03%
Link | 49 | 2.97%
Bayonetta | 48 | 2.91%
Corrin | 45 | 2.73%
Little Mac | 43 | 2.61%
Kirby | 42 | 2.55%
Fox | 40 | 2.42%
Ryu | 39 | 2.36%
Samus | 38 | 2.30%
Lucas | 37 | 2.24%
Sonic | 35 | 2.12%
Yoshi | 35 | 2.12%
Ness | 34 | 2.06%
Falco | 33 | 2.00%
Sheik | 33 | 2.00%
Diddy Kong | 32 | 1.94%
Zero Suit Samus | 32 | 1.94%
King Dedede | 30 | 1.82%
Lucina | 30 | 1.82%
Bowser | 29 | 1.76%
Mewtwo | 29 | 1.76%
Roy | 29 | 1.76%
Donkey Kong | 28 | 1.70%
Jigglypuff | 27 | 1.64%
Luigi | 27 | 1.64%
Ike | 26 | 1.58%
Megaman | 24 | 1.45%
Zelda | 24 | 1.45%
Pikachu | 23 | 1.39%
Robin | 23 | 1.39%
Charizard | 21 | 1.27%
Greninja | 21 | 1.27%
Peach | 21 | 1.27%
Toon Link | 20 | 1.21%
Pac-Man | 19 | 1.15%
Shulk | 19 | 1.15%
Villager | 19 | 1.15%
Doctor Mario | 18 | 1.09%
Dark Pit | 15 | 0.91%
Mr. Game & Watch | 15 | 0.91%
R.O.B. | 14 | 0.85%
Wario | 13 | 0.79%
Bowser Jr. | 11 | 0.67%
Rosalina & Luma | 11 | 0.67%
Wii Fit Trainer | 11 | 0.67%
Lucario | 10 | 0.61%
Meta Knight | 10 | 0.61%
Pit | 10 | 0.61%
Duck Hunt | 8 | 0.48%
Palutena | 6 | 0.36%
Olimar | 3 | 0.18%



Highlights currently include:

, congratulations on being the most commonly played character in 1v1 For Glory. Honorable mention to and , who are 10 and 14 reps behind, respectively. Combined, the top 3 slots have made up more than 16.4% of all players since the initial posting of this thread.

and are currently tied at the mean number of matches, which is also the number every character would have if everyone was playing on random.

and are currently tied for the median number of matches, putting them exactly at the center of the list for most/least often seen characters. Again, meaningless, but interesting.

, appologies for being the least commonly played character in 1v1 For Glory. Honerable mentions to and , who are 3 and 5 reps ahead, respectively. Combined, the bottom 3 slots have made up less than 1.1% of all players since this thread was started.

And... that's it! this list was last updated on 2/24/2017, with updates ending due to lack of interest.

 

[Nathan Richardson]

I'm actually stunned that charizard is used more often then pikachu (but less than jigglypuff? boo!)

 

[SteadyDisciple]

Edited to include a numerical listing, so it's easier to see the most/least common characters.

 

[Dig Dug]

Not counting salty dittos and people fooling around with the Nolimar challenge (a ditto I've yet to lose) I've run into exactly three Olimars out of about 2000 matches. Good luck finding one. We're a critically endangered species.

Unlike Olimar's, Cloud's placing surprises me a little bit. Expected him to be number 1. For me, it seems like it's always cloudy out these days...

 

[SteadyDisciple]

Cloud actually had a very solid lead for the first few weeks I was collecting data, then they suddenly seemed to drop off of the map. It wouldn't surprise me terribly to see them make a resurgence as data continues to come in.

Also, hooray for first update! What can I say, I got bored yesterday...

 

[Mythzotick]

I was actually somewhat jokingly expecting to see the top 5 be comprised of all Fire Emblem characters except for since I see them ALL...THE...TIME. I see them show up even more in 2v2 on For Glory to the point where sometimes I'd rather see some of the unlikable smash characters like as it can get stale seeing the same characters over and over again in a game when you have 55 characters to choose from. (58 if you count miis, but they're not available on For Glory so...)


---

Even if it is a small size, no surprise to see tied for the #1 spot. A lot of people including myself view him as the unofficial mascot of the "Smash series" more so than characters like roaming around. That's just me though.

 

[FamilyTeam]

You know, I find it funny but not surprising that there are so many Marths on FG.
It's funny because they're all freaking terrible. So much so that I am actually yet to find an exception.

 

[SteadyDisciple]

Updated! At 935 samples, this study is rapidly approaching the point where it would be the largest of it's kind here on Smashboards... probably. I believe there have been 2 studies previously performed like this, the larger (and older) of the two having 1,000 samples. I wish I could find that old thread for comparison...

I was actually somewhat jokingly expecting to see the top 5 be comprised of all Fire Emblem characters except for since I see them ALL...THE...TIME. I see them show up even more in 2v2 on For Glory to the point where sometimes I'd rather see some of the unlikable smash characters like as it can get stale seeing the same characters over and over again in a game when you have 55 characters to choose from. (58 if you count miis, but they're not available on For Glory so...)


---

Even if it is a small size, no surprise to see tied for the #1 spot. A lot of people including myself view him as the unofficial mascot of the "Smash series" more so than characters like roaming around. That's just me though.

Admittedly, at the time I'm writing this (match count 935) Marth has been holding a solid 2nd place position, with Corrin sitting just outside of top 5, so it can certainly feel that way. In fact, looking at it now, all but one Fire Emblem character is in the top 50%, something none of the other large (4+ character) franchises can claim.

Edit: FINALLY! At the 990 mark I have found my first Olimar. Based on the current numbers, fun fact: If you were pick up a controller right now and start playing 1v1 FG, playing against an olimar in your first match is less likely than you having been born with an extra finger / toe. I don't care that this type of statistical comparison is useless and nonsensical, it amuses me.