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Discussion: The Process of Unlocking Characters and Other Content

Do you like the unlock process in past games?

  • YES! I love spacing out the reveals!

    Votes: 256 54.7%
  • I don't mind it. It's neat once.

    Votes: 114 24.4%
  • I'm not a fan. I try to complete it quickly.

    Votes: 48 10.3%
  • NO! Just lemme play the game!

    Votes: 50 10.7%

  • Total voters
    468

Mario & Sonic Guy

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Any chance that you'll have to play through the World of Light adventure to unlock characters? It would definitely reference the Subspace Emissary's unlocking method.
 

Ryu_Ken

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Sakurai said something along the lines of it being "easy" to unlock characters in this game despite the starting roster, so I assume there'll be multiple ways to unlock them (and those conditions won't be super challenging or tedious like in Melee). I am 100% confident that the World of Light Adventure Mode will allow the player to unlock every fighter since you'll come across them in the various scenarios/events. It was also mentioned in the Direct that the focus would be more on fun rather than a serious story, so although it's not really Subspace 2.0, it's definitely a step up from previous single-player modes in the past.

Spirits Board and Adventure Mode were the proper RPG modes I was waiting for since customs were introduced in Sm4sh, and I can't wait to play them once I get tired of labbing Link against Lvl 7-9 CPUs.
 

Michael the Spikester

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I still stand on with what I say.

1. Amiibo
2. Vs. matches (Say per 5 or 10 vs. matches you unlock a character)
3. World of Light
4. Some characters unlocked certain ways (Beating Classic Mode as Samus to unlock Dark Samus and playing a Mario stage a few times to unlock Peach)

I think those will be the four ways to doing so.
 
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Blackwolf666

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Looks like story mode but I’d still rather there be obscure challenges related to unlocking them like in the 64 and melee days... I feel old now.
 

Jexulus

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World of Light will likely be the most streamlined way to unlock all the characters, though I suspect it might take a while if you go that way. Playing a certain amount of Vs. matches makes sense as a returning method, though I hope this time the counter slides down the queue if you unlock characters in other modes first. For example, if the OG unlockables are 5-10-15-20 matches respectively, I hope if you unlock, say, Luigi and Captain Falcon early, then Jigglypuff and Ness would take 5-10 matches instead of 10-15. And of course with failsafes built in to force the challenger to appear in the intended order and not lock you out of unlocking a character that way. Beyond that, I think the more scattershot approach from Smashes past like "clear Classic with Mario to unlock Dr. Mario" will also make a return.

I think this time, since they highlighted the Shop contains not just one type of item this time (trophies giving way to Mii Costumes, music, etc.), characters you haven't unlocked yet may pop up for purchase. I'm not sure how likely it is, but it makes enough sense to me that it might happen.
 

S_B

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Hoping we find out the fastest way to unlock characters prior to launch because I have a tournament the next day and need to bring in a fully unlocked roster. O_O
 

DeltaSceptile

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It would be neat if there was an option that let you unlock fighters in a random order
It would be neat if stadium was back so fighters actually had fun ways to be unlocked. (Target smash, 100 man melee, homerun, events... the list of missing modes is endless and quite disappointing) It would’ve been more fun if we had a throwback to melee with game&watch being unlocked via target smash with all characters.
 
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Mogisthelioma

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It would be neat if stadium was back so fighters actually had fun ways to be unlocked. (Target smash, 100 man melee, homerun, events... the list of missing modes is endless and quite disappointing) It would’ve been more fun if we had a throwback to melee with game&watch being unlocked via target smash with all characters.
Well, hopefully not the super hard ways of unlocking in melee......
 

SonicMario

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I have to admit it's still a little annoying we don't have any clue of all the criteria for unlocking characters. Obviously the adventure mode within Spirits is probably going to be considered the most streamlined way to do it as was Subspace in Brawl. And then there's the rumor about Amiibo unlocking characters if you have characters outside of the Original 8. But it'd be nice to at least know if some characters can be unlocked through Classic Mode or Multi-Man/All-Star modes.

I also imagine the Vs. Match method would return as well. But even if it's the same pattern of 10 vs. matches per character. That's more then 650 vs. matches. It wasn't so bad to do Vs. matches in Smash 4 since it only took a little over 100 due to the Starting roster being so huge. But in Ultimate it's only the original 8.

If all the characters can be unlocked through Classic Mode. I may prefer doing that. But yeah, i hope we get more information on unlocking characters soon. Hopefully there's information about unlocking from people who get review copies a week or so before release and what not. I want to know as many unlock criteria as possible before release.
 
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Ryu_Ken

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I have to admit it's still a little annoying we don't have any clue of all the criteria for unlocking characters. Obviously the adventure mode within Spirits is probably going to be considered the most streamlined way to do it as was Subspace in Brawl. And then there's the rumor about Amiibo unlocking characters if you have characters outside of the Original 8. But it'd be nice to at least know if some characters can be unlocked through Classic Mode or Multi-Man/All-Star modes.

I also imagine the Vs. Match method would return as well. But even if it's the same pattern of 10 vs. matches per character. That's more then 650 vs. matches. It wasn't so bad to do Vs. matches in Smash 4 since it only took a little over 100 due to the Starting roster being so huge. But in Ultimate it's only the original 8.

If all the characters can be unlocked through Classic Mode. I may prefer doing that. But yeah, i hope we get more information on unlocking characters soon. Hopefully there's information about unlocking from people who get review copies a week or so before release and what not. I want to know as many unlock criteria as possible before release.
Oh gosh... Bless those who get review copies. They'll be spammed SO much with messages from eager fans.
Do you guys think there'll be a few hidden unlockable modes in Ultimate? I noticed there were a couple of modes missing in the Nintendo Live Event like Target Test and Home Run Contest, and it'd be a bummer if they don't return.
 

eldavo2090

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I know it kind of sounds dumb, but what of maybe they release some kind of free dlc to unlock all the characters for vs. mode?
Like maybe for a normal user that's stupid, but for TO would be a awesome I guess...
 

Michael the Spikester

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If all the characters can be unlocked through Classic Mode..
I would imagine that only applying for a few characters such as unlocking Dark Samus by beating Classic Mode with Samus or unlocking Dark Pit by beating Classic Mode with Pit.
 

R O F L

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I'm 100% fine with unlocking characters through World of Light if that is not the only way to do it.

Me and my friends are going to do FFAs for several hours first thing after we get our hands on the game, I don't want to be stuck with 8 character for a while. Unlocking characters through playing rounds like the previous games would work much better on this game than others. That system could encourage you to try all the fighters at the rate you unlock them.
 

nirvanafan

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I just do not see the game forcing us to play world of light, im sure they know that there are bound to people uninterested in the whole thing only here for multiplayer but who knows, i still think we will get match count unlocks at least and maybe even one sort of other method if we are lucky.
 
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TheBuzzSaw

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I certainly hope World of Light isn't required to unlock fighters (quickly). I hope the rumor of Amiibos unlocking fighters ends up being true. It's gonna be awkward being forced to play those first 8P matches with only 8 fighters to pick from.
 

NintenRob

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I hope there are alternatives to 10vsMatches and World of Light, it's more satisfying when I trigger by performing a special task. But I'm concerned due to how little side modes there are, that might not be the case.

First thing I'm doing is an 8 player match, followed by classic as Samus. That should answer it for me. I don't want to start World of Light until I have every character. I like my challenger approaching screen too much
 

Smashoperatingbuddy123

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I hope there are alternatives to 10vsMatches and World of Light, it's more satisfying when I trigger by performing a special task. But I'm concerned due to how little side modes there are, that might not be the case.

First thing I'm doing is an 8 player match, followed by classic as Samus. That should answer it for me. I don't want to start World of Light until I have every character. I like my challenger approaching screen too much
Yes

But bare in mind

Smash melee ain’t have that many modes either and had lots of techniques to unlock characters

This should be the same case

I think beating/catching certain spirits in the event portion of spirit mode may have some stuff

Classic mode with different difficulty level maybe certain ko order on specific levels or time

Certain number of kills in multi-man/all-star/cruel mode

Maybe for Ridley beat classic with samus at a certain difficulty or catch a legendary spirit with samus


But really they would never remove the siren of a challenger approaching and have to beat the character
 

DeltaSceptile

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But really they would never remove the siren of a challenger approaching and have to beat the character
Remember smash 4? That took everything we loved about unlocking things and removed it, and you only needed about 110 vs matches to unlock things (which really only took 2 hours because 1v1 final destination with 1 stock).
 

NintenRob

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Remember smash 4? That took everything we loved about unlocking things and removed it, and you only needed about 110 vs matches to unlock things (which really only took 2 hours because 1v1 final destination with 1 stock).
There was an alternative for every character. It was just easier to do the matches
 

Smashoperatingbuddy123

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Remember smash 4? That took everything we loved about unlocking things and removed it, and you only needed about 110 vs matches to unlock things (which really only took 2 hours because 1v1 final destination with 1 stock).
Yea. But it still had it though it just made it easier to unlock characters and there were alternative means in smash 4 to unlock characters

By the way there’s factor we are not considering there may be hidden modes as well in smash ultimate and those modes could involved unlocking characters
(Besides the boss rush mode for finishing world of light.)
 
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DeltaSceptile

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In ultimate though, we can basically confirm at least 2 way to unlock every fighter, + several will probably have three because classic + 100-Man melee.
 

TheBuzzSaw

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Are there any updates with regard to whether amiibos will outright unlock fighters? Confirmed? Deconfirmed? Still surrounded in mystery?
 

TheBuzzSaw

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Confirmed in the last direct, I think.
Wait, really? Does someone have a timestamp? I've watched that Direct multiple times, and I've missed any mention that amiibos definitively will unlock fighters.
 

Diem

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Confirmed in the last direct, I think.
Wait, really? Does someone have a timestamp? I've watched that Direct multiple times, and I've missed any mention that amiibos definitively will unlock fighters.
Just went back and checked, and there was no mention of Amiibo unlocking fighters.

Either way, I have my R.O.B. sitting right here on my desk, so I'll try that out when the game releases and confirm it in case it's still a question.

Unfortunately, looks like I'll have to wait a year or more before I can get a Dark Samus amiibo :c
 

Michael the Spikester

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I certainly hope World of Light isn't required to unlock fighters (quickly). I hope the rumor of Amiibos unlocking fighters ends up being true. It's gonna be awkward being forced to play those first 8P matches with only 8 fighters to pick from.
At the same time I get the intent Sakurai did there. Starting off with them is a reference/homage to the original N64 where you start off with them.
 

SorrowOfAcheron

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I haven't really read into how World of Light works but it seems like an Adventure mode of sorts, no?
I personally wouldn't mind running through that if I could unlock every character that way.
 

Michael the Spikester

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I haven't really read into how World of Light works but it seems like an Adventure mode of sorts, no?
I personally wouldn't mind running through that if I could unlock every character that way.
From what I heard Reggie said you can only unlock some that way not all.
 

Smashoperatingbuddy123

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3:40

:glare::glare::glare::glare::glare:

Only..... a couple.....of hours to unlock 60+ characters

That’s worrying me that made it so easy a cave man can do it.
 

SonicMario

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3:40

:glare::glare::glare::glare::glare:

Only..... a couple.....of hours to unlock 60+ characters

That’s worrying me that made it so easy a cave man can do it.
Gah, a little frustrating that the people who got to demo it had the full roster already unlocked for them and that any Nintendo contacts they had still wouldn't give anything about unlocking characters outside of World of Light were still mum about giving details on how they're unlocked.

I guess at least they confirmed there's multiple parameters. And that there are faster ways then the World of Light. It's something, but man I just want a big list of all the methods soon so I can plot out my unlocking plan. Also would preferably hope to have a "Challenger Approaching" moment for every single one if it applies. Though World of Light does seem to have a Challenger approaching in itself seeing how you get Mario early on in it.
 

TheBuzzSaw

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:glare::glare::glare::glare::glare:

Only..... a couple.....of hours to unlock 60+ characters

That’s worrying me that made it so easy a cave man can do it.
I, for one, appreciate the smooth unlock path. I mean no disrespect to those who enjoy a slower pace with epic reveals, but I just want the roster open. I'm going to spend all my time learning fighters in great depth. The unlock phase just gets in the way of that (particularly since I'm not super interested in the starting 8). I'm grateful to Sakurai for making it easy for us to blast through this.
 
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