Top Pokémon Soundtracks

The world of Pokémon is full of mystery and magic.. oh, Pokémon are there too! One thing that I found Pokémon to always do well is music. The sound editing in any of these games is always on point. As someone you delves a lot into the soundtrack of movies, television and video games; these tracks happen to always be a great listen. So, (in no particular order) here are the soundtracks I hold most dear from Pokémon games. PS You can also click on the text to hear the tracks.

Title Screen (R/B/Y), 
Remake: Fire Red/Leaf Green Version.

The first sound you've probably heard playing a Pokémon game. The opening title screen music is a piece of 8 bit joy. It's a warm and welcoming tune to the world of Pokémon.

Lavender Town (R/B/Y), 
Remake: Fire Red/Leaf Green Version

This is most likely the only music from a town in a Pokémon game you will remember and will instantly recognize. The Lavender Town Theme is creepy and eerie; fitting for the only place with Pokémon graves. That's right. Pokémon graves. So far, you know that your Pokémon faint when they take too much damage and you heal them at a Pokémon Center to put them back in fighting shape. You didn't know Pokémon died until now… That'll always be memorable and so will Lavender Town.

Final Battle! (Rival) (R/B/Y), 
Remake: Fire Red/Leaf Green Version

You've been training for hours on end; honing your team and beating the best. You've beaten all 8 Gym Leaders and have finally taken down the last of the Pokémon League's Elite Four. Dragon-Type Trainer Lance tells you that you're about to become Champion… if your Rival hadn't done the same thing not too long ago. He's the Champion and now you'll have to take him down too to beat the game. All the mockery, all the insults he's thrown even after losing to you, all boil down to this one true moment. The music reminds you that this is the battle to end them all and you'd better take the chance.

Battle! (Champion/Red) (G/S/C), 
Remake: Heart Gold/Soul Silver Version

With your Rival taking the position of Champion in the previous game, your final showdown was against him. Not in the sequel of Gold, Silver and Crystal. Your comrade Lance has advanced in rank to the Champion of Indigo Plateau and his dragons keep him at the top. It's now up to you to topple these mythical beasts with all your strength. This also plays when you fight Trainer Red atop Mt. Silver, making this the theme the boss music to the end of the main game and the post game.

Battle! (Gym Leader) (R/S/E), 
Remake: Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire Version
Gym Leaders are the bosses of the Pokémon world. With the previous entries on Game Boy and Game Boy Color, the chip tune sound was iconic. But the anté was upped with the 3rd Generation Games on Game Boy Advance, and they did not disappoint. Hoenn was famous for utilizing trumpets into their soundtrack and they ARE present in the Gym Leader battles. They make these fights FEEL like the boss battles they are.

Battle! (Brendan/May) (R/S/E), 
Remake: Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire Version
In Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald; you're rival isn't mean or scary. It's your new next door neighbor! In Red/Blue, Professor Oak's cocky grandson is your rival and an angst-filled stranger (later revealed to be Team Rocket Boss Giovanni's son) in Gold/Silver. But in the 3rd Gen game, Professor Birch's child was your rival and became the first rival that wasn't out to get you and the soundtrack along with their battles is iconic. It switches from a friendly and upbeat tune to a dark and tense beat. It reminds you that although you're on good terms, this is a battle to the end.

Battle! (Team Aqua/Team Magma) (R/S/E)
Remake: Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire Version
Team Magma and Team Aqua are memorable for many reasons. They are the first criminal organization besides Team Rocket to appear in a game and they are the only crime group so far to be version exclusive. Team Magma are the antagonists in Ruby Version and Aqua are in Sapphire. It makes for a hodgepodge of a mess when it comes to Emerald, as the plots intertwine and it gets hard to decipher who the villain truly is in that version. Nevertheless, the soundtrack fighting against a Team Magma/Aqua member is too catchy not to love.

Battle! (Team Aqua/Team Magma Leaders) (R/S/E)
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire Version

Just like how fighting Grunts is awesome. Fighting against the Leaders is even more of an adrenaline rush. You only fight them 3 times in one play through, so its very rare and sooooo satisfying. It's an experience you won't forget...

Battle! (Super-Ancient Pokémon) (R/S/E)
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire Version
Taking down the boss of Team Aqua or Magma isn't always the piece de resistance, it's fighting against the Legendary Pokémon of that game. When Groudon or Kyogre escape captivity and cause a massive scenery change in Hoenn, you know thing's have gotten downhill. It's now up to you to calm the Ancient Beast and the music reminds you with every note.

Battle! (Steven) (R/S/E)
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire Version
Seeing Steven as the Champion of the Elite Four isn't a huge surprise in Ruby and Sapphire, as you've seen him take on Team Magma and Aqua before. He's still a Champion and is still a tough fight nonetheless. Most of his Pokémon are Rock or Steel, making him the first Champion to favor defense over offense. It's also a nice treat to find Steven tucked away in a cave in Emerald after Wallace becomes Champion. Either version of Steven is difficult to defeat and the music reminds you that you're in for a rude awakening.

The Trick House (R/S/E)
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire Version
Possibly my favorite Pokémon soundtrack to date, I spent a lot of time in The Trick House in Ruby. I would constantly go back after every new town to see if there was a new puzzle to solve. Needless to say, I was disappointed many times but the music kept my spirit afloat at all times.

Battle! (Rival) (D/P/Pt)

The Rival Theme in Diamond, Pearl and Platinum holds a special place in my heart. Just how Brendan/May is your first friendly rival thus far, Barry steals the rug out from under their feet. Barry is your hyperactive neighbor and best friend. The music that plays during your fights with him is totally upbeat and cheery to remind you of this friendly competition.

Battle! (Champion) (D/P/Pt)

Cynthia is by far my most fearsome competitor yet. As a Champion, type coverage is a must and Cynthia carries it in spades. She has the broadest type coverage I've seen and she also starts with the fearsome Spiritomb, a Pokémon that didn't have any weaknesses until Fairy types! Her music reminds you that it's going to take your very best to take down her team.

Battle! (Team Plasma) (B/W)

The Team Plasma theme is one of the few good things of Generation 5. I was very disappointed in Gen 5, but still enjoyed it nonetheless. One thing I enjoyed was Team Plasma. The Grunts in Black and White make me laugh with their outfits, add on the fact they are seriously telling me to release all of Pokémon for the betterment of man. No thanks… I liked the more ruthless and normally nasty Team Plasma in Black and White 2.

Battle! Elite Four (R/S/E) (D/P/Pt) (B/W)

If Gym Leaders are the bosses of Pokémon world, then fighting against the Elite Four is like a final boss rush. You have to fight four trainers of increasing difficulty one after the other before facing the final challenge in the League Champion. The Elite Four can be very intimidating because even though you have a break in between each battle, you have to make sure you've brought the enough healing items and strong enough Pokémon to tackle the gauntlet. The Elite Four themes I find the best are from Ruby/Sapphire, Diamond/Pearl and Black/White. The R/S Theme is a nostalgic one that is severe yet full of energy. The D/P one is very serious in tone just like their Champion's mix. Finally, the B/W mix is a mix of both previous versions. It's serious and moody with a uppity beat along with it all the way.

Decisive Battle! (N)

This soundtrack is a doozy. It's essentially the Champion theme for Black and White without being the actual theme. In B/W, you don't actually fight the Unova Champion Alder until you retry taking down the Elite Four a second time around. The first time around, the mysterious N of Team Plasma confronts Alder and defeats him before you can show up. He uses one of the Legendary Dragons of Unova, but before you fight him the other Legendary will appear before you. After defeating or capturing it, you'll fight against N in a final bout. The tune is extremely hype as it is nothing but pulse pounding food for your soul.

Battle! (Champion Iris) (B2/W2)

Champion tunes always have the promise of being the final boss fight and the only track from Black/White 2 has to be the Iris's Champion theme. As intimidating as it is to face her, her theme is upbeat and catchy. Like many past soundtracks, it reminds you that this is the match to end them all and you need to be focused on achieve victory.

Battle! (Gym Leader) (X/Y)

As the bosses of the Pokémon games, Gym Leaders have some of the best music to listen to whilst fighting them. I really like the theme in X and Y. For some reason, it reminds me of a game show theme where you have to risk it all to win it all. In a Gym Battle, that's one of the best feels you can have.

Battle! (Xerneas/Yveltal) (X/Y)

There have been some insane Legendary Pokémon in the past and X and Y are no exception. Although their inclusion in the games is somewhat short and useless, they still give off the same glorious feeling that Title Pokémon should. Whether it be the struggle to capture them for yourself or the awesome music. This theme for Xerneas and Yveltal is very menacing and heavy, just a reminder of the weight on your shoulders while you're basically trying to battle the Pokémon of Life or Destruction... No biggie 

Battle! (Champion) (X/Y)

One of the greatest sounds to ever come from a Pokémon game is this one. Probably on of my Top 5 favorites; the theme to Kalo's Champion, Diantha, is pulse pounding. It's that upbeat thrilling, rock and sock 'em feel. It drives you to keep up the challenge, no matter how bleak things might look. Seriously, it's just awesome.

 

Alola Region Theme (Sun/Moon)

This song was the one I needed to hear when the game launched. I had to analyze every piece of info and trailer for our blog that covered all pre-release information. This song was in every trailer and I fell in love before the game even came out. Alola's theme fits the motif of the region to a tee: a place to enjoy life and be free.

Battle! (Hau) (Sun/Moon)

Hau is your Sun and Moon rival and boy is this lad raring to go! Much like Barry from Generation IV, Hau seems to be a ball of unstoppable energy. He's always bright and cheerful and the moments he is fearful or struck with grief really hit home. Hau's theme is pretty similar. It is cheery and even goofy at certain points that really emphasize his personality, even if he is a tad slower than you.

Ride Pokémon (Land) (Sun/Moon)

In Sun and Moon we saw the disappearance of Hidden Machines for traversal and got the handy Ride Pager to summon Ride Pokémon to assist us in traveling. The Land music is one that speaks to me. Whenever you use Tauros Charge, Stoutland Search, Mudsdale Gallop, or Machamp Shove it makes  everything better. The way your character model moves (roughly) to the notes of the song makes me appreciate the effort that went into it.

Team Skull Appears! (Sun/Moon)

Team Skull is by far the funniest villain team in a Pokémon game thus far. Their nonsensical code of conduct and relentless passion make them more of a laughing stock than a threat. Even the NPCs think so! Unlike the other villains where you can see their plans effect the world, Team Skull does little outside of challenging you every step of the way.

Battle! (Island Kahuna) (Sun/Moon)

As much as the Totem Pokémon are the new bosses as of Generation VII, the Island Kahuna theme is the real deal. You face 4 kahunas in total, one for each island, and they remind us Gym Leaders prior. Like the Totem Pokémon, they have strategies so it's best to have a plan of action going in. The kahuna theme starts out dark and menacing like you're about to face a monster. The beat then picks up from there and doesn't stop for anyone! It might turn lighter and upbeat, but the pacing is reminiscent of a time trial more than a Grand Trial. It's fast, fun and frantic at the same time.

The Battle at the Summit (Sun/Moon)

I'm a sucker for champion themes and Sun/Moon's is no exception (well a little). In this title, the Pokémon League has just formed so there isn't even a Champion yet. That's where you come in. Since every Title Match takes place on the summit of Mount Lanakila, the music feels appropriate and especially as the finale to the main game. It hits every beat of intimidating and joyful, it puts that twitchy and excited hand you have alongside the lump in your throat into a song.

Top 10 Pokémon Gym Leaders by Marshall

The next entry in our series of Pokémon blogs leading up to Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire will be about Gym Leaders. They are the bosses of the Pokémon games, as you trek through their Gyms to reach them and battle them for a League Badge. They specialize in a specific type of Pokémon and are pretty dang tough. Here's where we'll toast to the best of them.

Honorable Mentions: Lt. Surge, Watson & Clemont

Gym: Vermilion City Gym, Mauville City Gym, Lumiose City Gym

Type: Electric Type

It is a small coincidence that every one of my honorable mentions goes to an Electric type Gym Leader. I do enjoy each and every one of them in a different manner. Lt. Surge is a veteran of an always speculated Pokémon war. Yes… Pokémon. War. Watson is a very charismatic Leader. He doesn't mess around when it comes to battling, but he wants to make sure you will grow as a trainer and mature as a person too. Clemont's excessive use of gadgets and other accessories makes him so memorable. He also has a Quiz based Gym in Lumiose Tower. Those are always the best ones.

10. Volkner

Gym: Sunyshore City Gym, Sinnoh

Badge: Beacon Badge

Type: Electric Type

The number 10 spot goes to the top Electric Type Gym Leader, Volkner. When you enter Sunyshore City, you learn that it's Gym Leader doesn't really care for battling anymore. Besides that fact, you still enter his Gym and make it to him. He begrudgingly accepts your challenge. If you wipe the floor with him, he pauses upon his defeat. Afterwards, he bursts out laughing with gusto. He says that your fight has inspired him and the strength and courage you showed him reminds him of the trainer he was. Volkner takes this motivation to heart and begins to enjoy his battling once again.

Most Gym Leaders we meet in Pokémon games aren't around very long. If they're not apart of the story, you battle them and that's it. One and done. Volkner is one of the former, a Gym Leader you rarely see outside of their respective Gym. But in the few moments we have with the man, we see character development. We see a drastic change. A revelation. It's this development that boosts Volkner above his Electric comrades.

9. Tate and Liza

Gym: Mossdeep City Gym, Hoenn

Badge: Mind Badge

Type: Psychic Type

Tate and Liza are an interesting duo. They're ESP twins and (you guessed it) use Psychic Type Pokémon. The only cool thing about these two is that they're the only Gym Leader(s) who have a Double Battle format. They have a similar Gym to Kanto's Saffron City Gym, containing warp pads but adding the moveable puzzle format to it, and use Psychics as well. It also changes the pace of things very easily. All of your Pokémon fair pretty well up to this point by themselves, but a Double Battle changes up the format so much. Suddenly, two of your most powerful Pokémon are constantly hindering each other in battle and making it that much easier for Tate & Liza to get the win. Check yourself before you wreck yourself when it comes to these two.

8. Whitney

Gym: Goldenrod City Gym, Johto

Badge: Plain Badge

Type: Normal Type

Yes… Whitney's Miltank was here… Besides the fact that Whitney's Miltank will crush your hopes and dreams, she's actually a decent trainer. That Miltank is a very hard Pokémon to beat that early in your career and overcoming it is no easy feat. But just like Volkner, Whitney shows us some actual human development in the time we see her.

After finally triumphing over her, she breaks down and cries her eyes out. She refuses to give you a badge and you have to leave. After a few steps, one of her subordinates tells you to go and ask again. In the few steps you took, she realizes her actual defeat and is able to overcome her sadness to present you with the Plain Badge. To see Whitney go from a stingy crybaby to an actual Gym Leader is a nice moment to be witness of.

7. Koga

Gym: Fuchsia City Gym, Kanto

Badge: Soul Badge

Type: Poison Type

Koga is a ninja. Ninjas are cool. That's all there is… On a serious note, Koga has an interesting type and one of the best gyms ever. Koga's Poison type Pokémon have beefy defenses and few weaknesses to exploit. Koga also had one of the single hardest Gym puzzles to date: those invisible walls. If you looked closely enough, you could see them but they were a huge pain if you didn't. That along with the fact that Koga ascended into the Elite Four from his Gym Leader position make him a force to be reckoned with.

6. Crasher Wake

Gym: Pastoria City Gym, Sinnoh

Badge: Fen Badge

Type: Water Type

Crasher Wake is nothing but personality. Even in his sprite form in Diamond, Pearl and Platinum; the man reeks of spirit. This Water Type Gym Leader is a wrestler and that's where most of his strengths come from. He reminds me of Chuck from the Cianwood Gym, just so much better. With so much energy backing him up, Wake jumps high onto this list.

5. Blaine

Gym: Cinnabar Island Gym, Kanto

Badge: Volcano Badge

Type: Fire Type

The Hot-Headed Quiz Master himself, Blaine of Cinnabar Island. Blaine is another personality defined Gym Leader. His Fire Type Pokémon hit close to home in my heart. His Gym is also NOTHING BUT TRIVIA!!! Even though I know every answer, I still challenge the trainers there. I've always preached that if grinding in a game is fun, there's something seriously right going on there. In Gold and Silver, Blaine's undying and fiery spirit lives on as he relocates to the Seafoam Islands after Cinnabar is the victim of a volcanic eruption. Blaine literally sits in a small cave all day and waits for challengers. The determination is strong with this one.

4. Drayden

Gym: Opelucid City Gym, Unova

Badge: Legend Badge

Type: Dragon Type

Dragons are cool, therefore Drayden is cool. He's the Dragon Master of Opelucid City and an all-around badass to boot. Drayden is a strict teacher and instructor in the ways of Dragon Pokémon. His Dragons are hard to take down for a reason. Although he is usurped by his student Iris, who becomes the Unova Pokémon League Champion, we have nothing but respect for this man. Drayden is Opelucid's Mayor and an equal of the Dragon Elders as well. Plus, you can't deny that super sweet beard of his.

3. Clair

Gym: Blackthorn City Gym, Johto

Badge: Rising Badge

Type: Dragon Type

Just beating out the only other Dragon Type Gym Leader is the OG Dragon Leader, Clair. Similar to Drayden, Clair is a Dragon Pokémon Trainer and the final Gym Leader of their respective regions. Clair's Gym Puzzle is a bit more memorable than Drayden's as it consists of scaling multiple levels AND reconfiguring puzzles to advance. Clair is also a childhood friend of the iconic Lance of the Pokémon League.

What makes Clair great is her supreme judge of character. After defeating her, she does not give you a Rising Badge in similar fashion to Whitney's outcry. Clair's reasoning is much more solid. You may have beaten her, but you just aren't worthy of it just it. You'd think taking down her Kingdra would be proof enough. She has you go into the Dragon's Den behind her Gym and retrieve a Dragon Fang. After that, she recognizes your abilities and gives you the badge. This is a memorable moment for fans and Clair stands out even more for this reason.

2. Giovanni

Gym: Viridian City Gym, Kanto

Badge: Earth Badge

Type: Ground Type

The Carmine Falcone of Kanto is Giovanni. When you pass through Viridian City, you lay your eyes on your first Gym. Unfortunately, the Gym is closed as the Gym Leader is away. After your destroy Giovanni and disband Team Rocket, the Viridian City Gym opens up after you obtain the Volcano Badge from Blaine. After navigating the familiar arrow pads, you come to the end and encounter Giovanni. YES, this diabolical man is the last Gym Leader you need to face before the Pokémon League. Sure enough though, you trounce him for the final time and he gives up Team Rocket for good this time. You then take your Earth Badge and look towards the Indigo Plateau.

This is THE twist back in the day. With no internet to spoil anything, this was one of the biggest revelations during games of that time. That still holds true today and makes Giovanni one of the best Leaders to date.

1. Norman

Gym: Petalburg City Gym, Hoenn

Badge: Balance Badge

Type: Normal Type

Meet Norman. He's your dad. 

Most Pokémon games start off the same. You wake up. You're 10 years old (sometimes a bit older). You go downstairs and talk to your mom. She sends you on your merry way as you leave home to become a Pokémon trainer. Every. Single. Generation… All but one. In Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald, you move to Littleroot Town in Hoenn because your dad has recently become the Gym Leader of the Petalburg City Gym. After spending much time apart from him, your mom thought it'd be best to move to the Hoenn region so you'd both be with him.

That's Norman's greatest strength. Out of multiple versions of heroes, he's the only father out of them all. An increasingly huge fan theory talks about the Pokémon war hinted at in past lore. This theory uses the fact that there are few older males in the Pokémon world. Even if was to be true… It just adds even more to the fact that Norman deserves this spot even more. Norman's Gym is also one of my favorites to explore. It's a Normal-Type Gym where the trainers use stat boosting battle items like X-Attacks and X-Speed. As much as I don't utilize these items at all, it made me appreciate these items and how much they can actually affect the tide of battle. Thank you Norman. Thank you for being the father we needed.

Top 10 Kalos Region Pokémon by Marshall

We love us some Pokémon here at Entertainment Hangover! And to kick off the weeks till the release of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, we'll be bringing you Pokémon blogs every week!! To start, we're going to take a look into the past... the past being one year ago to the release of Pokémon X and Y that introduced us to the 6th Generation of Pokémon. Most of the community thought that the remakes of Ruby and Sapphire would come in this generation, but Game Freak pulled the wool over our eyes and dropped X and Y. But hey, we get the 3rd Generation games in 3D now! Half Life 3 confirmed! Anywho, we're going to go through my 10 favorite Kalos Pokémon. There are NO Mega Evolutions on this list for a reason, as Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are introducing more Megas. We'll wait till after their release to look at the Top 10 Mega Evolutions.

10. Diggersby

The Digging Pokémon - #660

Type: Normal/Ground

Diggersby is surprisingly a really cool Pokémon. The evolution of the Kalos region's staring rodent Bunnelby (along the lines to Rattata and Bidoof), Diggerby is my favorite out of all the bunches. His unique Normal and Ground typing is cool and lets him do weird things. Diggersby also has access to the Huge Power ability, which is pretty popular as it doubles the Attack stat. Diggersby design is pretty cool too. It's stated they work at construction sites because their large ears are powerful digging tools. They are The Digging Pokémon you know. Diggersby do have that gruff construction worker look to them and as someone whose spent a lot of time around construction as a kid, it helps Diggersby's design appeal. It's ears can also LIFT MORE THAN A TON!! Side note.

9. Florges

The Garden Pokémon - #671

Type: Fairy

Say hello the the first Fairy you'll meet in Pokémon X and Y: Florges. It's pre-evolution, Flabebe, is the first Fairy type you'll encounter in the game and evolves from its evolution of Floette into the beautiful Florges via a Shiny Stone. To me, Fairy type truly embodies what a Fairy is: a magical (or in Pokémon's case, a Special) creature using odd moves to beat down foes. Florges is very useful with its high Special Attack stat and massive Special Defense. Florges truly shines in Double and Triple Battles, where its variety of support moves keep allies alive and hinder the opposing team. That plus its simple yet creative design net it this spot.

8. Chesnaught

The Spiny Armor Pokémon - #652

Type: Grass/Fighting

Who wouldn't want a juggernaut on their team?! A good amount of people were upset about Chesnaught's design at first, since so much speculation had already gone into what the 3 starters' final evolutions would become. Chesnaught has always been awesome to me, both through design and playability. Chesnaught plays opposite Florges, since it has bulk in Defense and standard Attack and HP. Although outclassed by some, Chesnaught holds pretty fair in competitive play as well. Despite his 6 weaknesses, Chesnaught has the stats and the moves to last in a battle and in our hearts.

7. Hawlucha

The Wrestling Pokémon - #701

Type: Fighting/Flying

Hawlucha gets points right off the bat for being a combination of Fighting and Flying types. I'm not saying every Pokémon type combination will be good, but there's something about this that just works. His design reflects his type too, taking nods from Native American culture and the Luchador Mexican wrestling style. Because of this, Hawlucha has a more versatile movepool compared to other Fighting types. Hawlucha is also the only Pokémon so far with access to the move Flying Press, which is the only dual type attack in the franchise. Flying Press is a Fighting and Flying type move, same as Hawlucha, and makes using it very interesting as the mix of types in an attack is somewhat cloudy to judge. That's Hawlucha and that's just awesome.

6. Malamar

The Overturning Pokémon - #687

Type: Dark/Psychic

Malamar is the another new dual type Pokémon introduced in X and Y. Malamar and its pre-evolution, Inkay, are the only Dark/Psychic Pokémon and it creates a weird combination that can be even weirder to work around. It only has two weakness, but oddly enough it has no resistances and an immunity. As creepy as Malamar is; Inkay steals my heart for its own but Malamar is much more useful. They are exceptional cool thanks to an Ability called Contrary and a signature move they both learn called Topsy-Turvy. 

Topsy-Turvy is an awesome Dark-Type move that reverses the target's stat changes. Say your opponent raised their attack with a Swords Dance and then you use this move, their Attack is now weakened instead of being increased. The ability Contrary is what gets me though. Similar to Topsy-Turvy, it reverses stat changes that are done to itself. Your opponent tries to lower one of your stats with a move like Screech or Growl? Thanks to Contrary, they just raised that stat. Malamar also learns Superpower as its final move. A powerful move that lowers Attack and Defense after being used... NOT WITH CONTRARY. Contrary existed in the previous Generation 5, but was a Hidden Ability and hard to achieve. Inkay and Malamar have made Contrary accessible and deserve this spot. You also have to hold your 3DS upside once Inkay hits Level 30 to evolve it... So precious.

5. Talonflame

The Scorching Pokémon - #663

Type: Fire/Flying

How many of you reading this wouldn't want a hawk that can generate fire?! Talonflame is a very interesting choice, as the Kalo region's 'fodder bird' (like Pidgey, Hoothoot and Pidove). It ranks really high with me and is the only one of these early birds to make it into the useful competitive tier. It's a real breath of fresh air with this one. Let's quickly breakdown the regional birds: Pidgeot is alright and only really gets nostalgia points. Noctowl has pretty useful and pretty bulky. Swellow is just terribly fragile. Staraptor is actually very offense heavy. Unfezant was just... interesting. But Talonflame is awesome. It's also the only regional bird to lose its Normal/Flying typing.

Talonflame broke shrugged off it's stereotypes and began blazing a trail! It has an impressive Attack and even better Special Attack. Up until now, Noctowl was the only one of these birds with decent Sp Atk, and that was because of it had access to Psychic-Type attacks. With Gust as a first Flying move and the now impressive Hurricane as well (both being Special Attacks), Talonflame simply excelled past it's brethren. It also has the best Ability with Gale Wings, an Ability that gives it's Flying-Type moves priority over the opponent. 

4. Goodra

The Dragon Pokémon - #706

Type: Dragon

Goodra is possibly the cutest Pseudo Legendary Pokémon yet, just beating out Dragonite! A Pseudo Legendary is a creature with a base stat total of 600 and part of a three stage evolutionary line. The others consist of: Dragonite, Tyranitar, Salamence, Metagross, Garchomp and Hydreigon. Goodra was very surprising as a Pseudo. You could catch it's basic form, Goomy, halfway through your journey when you usually have to wait until close to the end to catch a Pokémon from a Pseudo line. Goodra breaks the trend and is super cute while it does it. Goodra is a well rounded Pokémon, just like Dragonite, but it can also take many a hit and deal massive damage. Sold.

3. Klefki

The Key Ring Pokémon - #707

Type: Steel/Fairy

Klefki is such a hit or miss with people. I find Klefki's design really intriguing and its moveset cool too. If you've read my past blogs, you'll know I love and know how to use a Sableye and Klefki plays very similar. Compared to its Prankster brother, Klefki is more skilled in stalling the opponent and buffing its own team whereas Sableye eats at away at any enemy. This is the scariest key ring you'll every come across.

2. Greninja

The Ninja Pokémon - #658

Type: Water/Dark

Greninja is my angel of darkness. As a person who always (and I mean ALWAYS) picks the Fire-Type starter no matter what, Froakie and Frogadier and Greninja were just too good to pass up. Greninja has great stats, a wide movepool and an awesome design. That's what makes a good Pokémon.

1. Aegislash

The Royal Sword Pokémon - #681

Type: Steel/Ghost

I defined what makes a Pokémon good with Greninja and Aegislash does it all, but just a little bit better. Hence why it sits at the top of this list. Aegislash is so good and so diverse that it has been banned to the Ubers tier in competitive. It sits in the same tier as Mewtwo and other Legendary Pokémon. It's just that good.

Aegislash's unique typing has only a few holes it can cover quite easily. It also has two forms: Sword Form and Shield Form. It'll start off in Shield Form and will stay that way if you use Status/Support moves. Shield Form boasts a lot of bulk in both Defense and Special Defense with little attack, which is unusable actually. Once it uses an attack, it'll switch into Sword Form where it's attack and defense stats flip around. The only way for Sword Form to switch into Shield is to use Aegislash's signature move called King's Shield. It'll switch and protect itself and also drop the Attack stat of a Pokémon that hits it. There's a good reason Aegislash has been banned to Ubers and there's a good reason that it's won the hearts of so many trainers.

Top 10... Err I mean 15 Super Smash Bros. Characters by Marshall (Redux)

Now that Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS has been on the market for a while and we've had some time to handle all the characters, it's about that time where we updated this list of personal favorite characters. The first thing that might pique your interest is that we've taken the standard 10 we originally published and have extended it to a 15, because the roster has had so many great additions with Smash 4. Since this update will swallow up the original, we've slapped that list beneath the intro. Remember: this is purely preference and opinion. If you've got your own picks, be sure to let us know at the end or on any of our social media whatchamacallits...

OG List
(10) Samus   (9) Meta Knight   (8) Fox   (7) Mewtwo   (6) Sonic   (5) Captain Falcon              
(4) Lucas      (3) Marth              (2) Mario                      (1) Link

15. Ganondorf

Series: The Legend of Zelda

First Appearance: The Legend of Zelda, NES, 1986/The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Nintendo 64, 1998

First SSB game: Super Smash Bros. Melee (GameCube)

The King of Evil is upon us. Quickly, I've split Ganondorf's first appearance for a few reasons. In the original Zelda, Zelda II and A Link to the Past, he appeared as a large pig monster named Ganon. It wasn't till Ocarina of Time that he donned his human appearance as King of the Gerudo Thieves. Albeit, they're the same person but just different incarnations of the hatred will of Demon King Demise.

Anyway, Ganondorf sneaks onto the list due to all his improvements in SSB 4. He's much faster with buffs to a majority of his standard moves. There's also a big enough variance for Ganon to step out of Captain Falcon's shadow. For the newcomers to Smash, Ganondorf was a clone of Captain Falcon in his first appearance. He was a last minute clone, as his stature was similar to Falcon and so he was adapted for Melee on the GameCube. He was much slower, but had stronger blows and was arguably the heaviest hitter in Melee. Ganon's move set has improved and diversified in the past 3 games and he stands on his own now. He's heavy, but has enough speed that allows him to keep up with any fighter. The Triforce of Power is in Ganon's capable(?) hands here.

He is still very similar to Falcon, so translation between the two is easy. His Warlock Punch is a devastating blow with a lengthy charge however. Dark Dive now has a much higher lift than Captain's Falcon Dive. Dark Kick is a truly unstoppable move that you better dodge. Flame Choke is my favorite Special Move, it allows Ganon to pause the battle (if it connects) and deliver a massive hit. Aerial Flame Choke also ends in a smash against the ground, making a great move to suicide use too.

 

14. Shulk 

Series: Xeno

First Appearance: Xenoblade Chronicles, Wii, 2012 (for North America)

First SSB game: Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS

I'm really feeling it!!! Shulk is one of the reasons why we waited to play both versions of the game. Shulk handles good on 3DS, but so much better with an actual controller. Shulk is the wielder of the Monado blade, a sword that can change into different modes and allows the user to also see into the future via a short vision. These translate into Shulk's move set greatly. He's a welcome sword fighter to the mix, giving us more diversity than the Fire Emblem fighters and the Links.

Most of Shulk's moves stem or are based off of attacks from his only appearance in his Xenoblade Chronicles ARPG game. The Up Special Air Slash is similar to Marth/Lucina's Dolphin Slash, but Shulk can use an additional slash at the top of the attack for major knock back. His Side Special is his iconic Back Slash, as it's the first skill you pick up in XC. It's a nice jump attack in tandem with Link's new dash attack, the lock-on jump striker in all 3D Zelda titles. As the name implies, it deals greater damage when it makes contact with the back. His best moves are Vision (Down Special) and Monado Arts (Neutral Special).

Vision is your standard Down Special counterattacking move like Counter or Double Team, wait to get hit and strike back, Shulk's Vision is one of the better counters. It has a long hit window and the strike is so broad that it has a huge chance of hitting more than just the one intended target. The Monado Arts circles through Shulk's available Arts to give him buffs at a cost. Jump allows insane jump height, but you rack up damage faster. Speed gives him blinding movement, but lowers jump height and attack strength. Shield buffs defense and launched distance at the cost of jump height, attacking power and speed. Buster gives attacking a boost by sacrificing defense and launching power. Smash excels at launching power in exchange for weaker attacks and lowered defense from getting launched.

13. Meta Knight

Series: Kirby

First Appearance: Kirby's Adventure, NES, 1993

First SSB game: Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)

Fight me!!! It's the Dark Knight of Dreamland, Meta Knight. Just as a quick reminder for those who may have forgotten.... Meta Knight was so overpowered!!! In Brawl, Meta Knight had great attacks that hit quick and hard, he could jump up to five times like Kirby and had access to the now-dead glide mechanic... That has all changed in Smash for Wii U and 3DS. Unlike most of the entries on this list, Meta Knight has received little buffs in favor of many nerfs to his character. He's very lucky he's still on this list actually.

Meta retains all of his special moves from his previous entry. His standard is still Mach Tornado as Meta will spin at a high enough speed with his sword and has the ability to maneuver around the stage easily. The Side Special Drill Rush is a great horizontal move where Meta Knight propels himself forward at a great speed. This move can also be curved vertically as well, giving MK a lot of versatility. His Up Special is Shuttle Loop, a sweet upward loop-de-loop with a lot of sweeping to it to get back up to a stage and strike many a character within its range too. Meta's Down Special is the Dimensional Cape, a teleportation move unlike any other. Unlike other teleports like Palutena's Warp and Shiek's Vanish which teleport in any direction, Dimensional Cape can only move horizontally because it's not a recovery move. The plus side to this is that if you hold the Special button, MK will deliver a sword slash upon reappearing that has decent damage and great knock back. He may have been kicked off his high horse, but Meta is still a character to fear in the long run.

12. Pac-Man

Series: Pac-Man

First Appearance: Pac-Man, Arcade, 1980

First SSB game: Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS

Waka Waka!! Pac is back baby! The console wars are rolling in their graves. As soon as Bandai Namco was brought on board the help with Smash 4, Pac-Man was always on people's most wanted list. Luckily for us, we've got him now. A lot of Pac's moves incorporate a lot of references to his old school Namco brethren too. As much as I didn't think I use Pac-Man competitively, he's one of my favorites on the online scene. He's a gimmick character like Olimar and Duck Hunt, but he pulls it off with such range and control and that's what makes Pac what he is. Pac-Man also has the hitting power of a semi-truck so that helps as well.

His Neutral Special is Bonus Fruit, a move that cycles through Namco power ups that can be used as projectiles. Items from the slow but powerful Melon, to the agile Galaxian and the ALMIGHTY Key too. Pac-Man's recovery Up Special is Pac-Jump. He spawns a three use trampoline beneath him that allows him to be launched back upwards. Each use provides a bigger jump than the one before and the tramp will dissolve after its third use. His Power Pellet move his Side Special. Pac-Man unleashes a Power Pellet along a trail of dots with the Power Pellet being maneuverable. Once it extends as far as it can, Pac will follow the path and end at the Power Pellet, a great move for faking out opponents and anyone hit along the path will experience severe knock back. His Down Special is the Fire Hydrant, a move that plops a hydrant beneath Pac that will spray water similar to Mario's F.L.U.D.D but from a standstill position. The great thing about using this mid-air is that you drop it down from above for a massive damage output. Ain't no school like the old school.

11. Dark Pit

Series: Kid Icarus

First Appearance: Kid Icarus: Uprising, Nintendo 3DS, 2012

First SSB game: Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS

Who wants some?! The world's most unrequested clone outshines his pretty counterpart for a spot on this list. The main difference between Pit and his double are subtle but there. They're affected by the Dr. Mario effect. Dark Pit is a slower version than his original but with minor tweaks and more damage output. He is a bit heavier than Pit, but can still easily utilize his multi-jump ability to get back to the stage with ease.

His Neutral is his Silver Bow, similar but different than Pit and his Palutena's Arrow. DP's Bow has more damage, but cannot be curved as much as Pit's and is much slower. Since I main Link, I find the Silver Bow much easier and useful to my play style. The other change in his Specials is that his Side Special is the Electroshock Arm. Compared to Pit's Upperdash Arm, the Electroshock provides more damage at the cost of a more sideways launching angle, making it more of a damaging move than a finishing one. The cool thing most players forget is that both Arms will reflect projectiles at opponent, making them so versatile. Also probably because they both posses another reflecting move called Guardian Orbitars. This Down Special works the same for both angels as they cast a shield on both sides that pushed enemies away and reelects projectiles. Their Up Special remains the same across both fighters as well. Although it deals no damage, the Power of Flight allows them to shoot off in one direction very far. You better beware this dark angel of death.

10. Greninja

Series: Pokémon 

First Appearance: Pokémon X Version and Pokémon Y Version, Nintendo 3DS, 2012

First SSB game: Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS

Ninja, Ninja!! Greninja stole my heart in Smash Bros. just like it stole my heart in Pokémon Y. As a trainer who undoubtably chooses the Fire-Type starter, Froakie made me reassess my life choices. Greninja is a welcome Pokémon in Smash. It moves swiftly across the field and smacks opponents around using its water attacks.

Greninja's Down Special is Substitute. Like Lucario's Double Team, it's a counter move that results in a lunging strike rather than a single swipe. This allows it to hit multiple targets along with the intended. Its Up Special is the amazing recovery move, Hydro Pump. Similar to Pikachu's Quick Attack, it allows Greninja to shoot in one direction for a long recovery or two separate directions quickly. His Side Special is the illusive Shadow Sneak attack. It allows Greninja to disappear and reappear on a horizontal path to recover and also to attack any opponents near it once it reappears. Greninja's signature Water Shuriken is the Standard Special. It's an awesome charge move that allows Greninja to shoot a Water Shuriken attack. The length of the charge determines the speed and power of the attack, so use wisely. This is one ninja you might not be able to handle.

9. Little Mac

Series: Punch-Out!!

First Appearance: Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, NES, 1987

First SSB game: Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS

Smash ain't no joke!! Don't mess with Mac!! That guy from Punch-Out!! is now a player in Smash Bros. and he's a perfect fit. Ever since Little Mac's appearance as an assist trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, there's been a lot of fan support for him to become an actual character and it hath come to fruition. As a character from a fighting game, it makes a whole lot of sense. The only reason I have to put Mac so low on the list is because he's not very good when he's not on the ground. Like Doc Louis says: "You ain't no air fighter Mac!!" Mac loses so much power when he's airborne and makes him pretty much useless. He has such limited momentum and recovery, so you want to keep his feet planted at all times. 

Mac is devastating on the ground, to make up for his nonexistent air game. He hits like a heavyweight (and doesn't flinch either) and moves around the stage at a speed that rivals Captain Falcon and Greninja. Little Mac also has a Power Meter, similar to his Star Uppercuts from Punch-Out!! After dealing and taking enough damage, the meter will fill up and allow Mac a KO Uppercut move. As awesome as it sounds, it's not as useful as one might think it would be. It replaces Mac's Neurtal Special move for the time being, a move I like to utilize often in scare tactics. The move itself is slow and has a small niche window to hit and lots of ending lag. You think with these flaws that the damage would be real super fantastic... Not really. For a move that was conveyed as a One-Kit KO move before launch, it was very lackluster. The move does a lot of damage and has decent launch, but  probably won't KO anyone below 50% damage. Besides these negatives, Mac's a great fighter to use. His power and speed will keep any opponent on their toes for the entire match.

Onto Little Mac's move set now. His Neutral Special is the Straight Lunge, a charge move that shoots Mac forward depending on the charge. It's a useful and hard hitting move as it covers a lot of ground. The Side Special is the infamous Jolt Haymaker. I say infamous for a few reasons. The Haymaker covers quite a bit of distance and is Mac's primary move for a horizontal recovery. Since it covers a vast distance, you don't want to use this close to any ledge... ever... Up Special is the Rising Uppercut, the vertical recovery move. It correlates to Mac's style, as the move has more lift when used on the ground compared to being used mid-air. It can trap opponents easily in it's connecting frames too. Mac's Down Special is the Slip Counter. Despite so many new characters getting a standard Counter as their down special (Shulk, Palutena, etc.), they all have enough diversity to make them matter and Mac is no different. The Slip Counter hits hard and fast and is probably my favorite Counter move of the bunch.

8. Ike

Series: Fire Emblem

First Appearance: Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, GameCube, 2005

First SSB game: Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)

We like Ike! We like Ike! I wasn't the biggest Ike fan in Brawl, but I still used him to a degree. He's received many good buffs to his moves and make him a more useful character in my book. He might be heavier, but hits harder and has better recovery than Brawl Ike. It's enough usefulness to put Ike at No. 8.

Ike's buffed move set remains primarily the same though. Like move heavyweight veterans, he's been given more weight, more power and a dash of speed. It's these buffs to him and his move set that make him greater. Ike still has his iconic Eruption (the mirror of Marth's Shield Breaker), a charge move that has Ike stab his sword into the ground and surround himself in flames. Quick Draw is another charge move with a literal charge. The charge determines how far Ike will skid across the field and attack.This is THE horizontal recovery move as people tend not be prepared for a recovery that will smack them in the face and Quick Draw has the range to do it. Aether is your recovery move and (fun fact) Ike is invincible during the entire animation. Just be careful when using it horizontally, as it has little lateral movement and it speeds towards the ground (like Kirby's Final Cutter) after Ike hits the height of the move. His last Special is Counter, so he sure to exploit this whenever you're under fire. It'll hit the opposing character back for damage, and the severity of the strike will be redistributed to them.... Remember that....

7. Sonic

Series: Sonic the Hedgehog

First Appearance: Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega Genesis, 1991

First SSB game: Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)

Gotta go fast!!! It's the blue blur himself: Sonic. Sonic still sits high on this list for a reason as he still retains his trademark speed and much more. I mentioned in our original list that Sonic's never at a full stop, his speed keeps him at a momentum and he never truly stops. This was slippery and unnerving in Brawl, but now it has been refined into a controllable tone. This makes Sonic one of my favorites to use as he can maneuver ever so quickly around any opponent.

He has his trademark Homing Attack to lock on to a nearby enemy. This is useful, as the starting animation will bump Sonic into the air if on the ground and have him stall in mid-air if used as an aerial. This makes it nice for countering and faking out opponents. Spring Jump allows for a massive vertical recovery, allowing Sonic to get back to the ground with relative ease. His Spin Charge and Spin Dash are very similar in use. Spin Dash is the Side Special and is a charge move. It is the slower of the two but has some invincibility frames during charge and it's slower speed can be used to track opponents for juggling. Spin Charge is the Down Special and can be revved up. This makes it much faster and more frightening to other players. Spin Dash should be Sonic's horizontal recovery as Spin Charge keeps you on a downward path and Charge takes you to the side immediately. Charge is more powerful, so you can use it when you're not too far off to come back and wreck someone unsuspecting. You can shorthop out of both moves and jump during both, this makes for some tight air game and fun juggling of the enemy.

6. Captain Falcon

Series: F-Zero

First Appearance: F-Zero, SNES, 1991

First SSB game: Super Smash Bros. (N64)

You'd better SHOW YA MOVES!!! Captain Falcon still retains his high ranking from the original list, minus one space. The Cap was nerfed going from Melee to Brawl, but have restored him to his glory days in this latest outing. Falcon is a very good example of a projectile-less fighter. He has great speed and heavy hits plus a fantastic air game. Captain Falcon is just a joy to use.

Falcon Punch returns in all of its glory. Time it right and you can send any opponent flying. You can also flick the control stick in the backwards direction to execute a Reverse Falcon Punch that'll turn around and deal more damage than its standard. Raptor Boost covers ground really well and can easily KO opponents just over 100%. Falcon Kick covers a bit more ground than Raptor Boost at the cost of speed and adding damage. It will cause a spike if used mid-air, so use it when returning to the stage from above to hit someone unaware. Falcon Dive has been given a big vertical boost, making it a much better recovery move now. You can also use it to grapple an opponent in mid-air, which is great if your both recovering as you can get back to the stage whilst sending them to their doom.

5. Lucina

Series: Fire Emblem

First Appearance: Fire Emblem: Awakening, Nintendo 3DS, 2013

First SSB game: Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS

The future isn't written!!! Lucina comes to us from the future to take the spot away from her ancestor Marth. This descendant of the Hero King is a clone of him, but I tend to prefer Lucina over Marth. The only big difference between the two is their swords. Marth's Falchion does the least amount of damage at the base of the sword and it gets more powerful towards the sword's tip. Lucina's Parallel Falchion has its power distributed evenly throughout the blade, meaning that any point on the sword does the same amount of damage. Lucina is also a bit shorter than Marth... but besides that they're pretty much the same. 

They share all the same special moves too. Although the execution is different, Lucina's Shield Breaker performs the exact same way. Be careful of this move as it can completely destroy a fighter's shield and net you some valuable time in any match whilst the opponent is stunned. Dancing Blade is great combo move, as you can easily trap opponents between your blade swings that you can choose between. The Dolphin Slash is a great recovery swing, so make sure to use it during a recovery. Lucina's counter is great rebuttal move too. The strength of the counter-slash varies upon how hard the opponent would've hit you. Counter a charged or smash attack and you'll definitely send an enemy flying off stage.

4. Mario

Series: Super Mario

First Appearance: Donkey Kong, Arcade, 1981

First SSB game: Super Smash Bros. (N64)

It's-a me!! Mario still manages to make the Top 5 of this list, falling from his #2 grace. Don't get it twisted though, he's still one of my favorite fighters. Mario retains his all-around greatness, with a good bit of buffs added to the mix as well. He's still a jack of all trades and an expert at none.

Fireball is still his standard projectile move. It can also be tricky to track it as it bounces along the ground and drops when used in mid-air, instead of going straight like most projectiles. Super Jump Punch is a great recovery move too. It allows Mario great height and deals a good amount of damage because it traps opponents in its different animation frames. It adds to Mario's excellent airborne maneuverability. Cape is a favorite of mine, as it will turn an opponent around and reflect projectiles as well. The Cape also allows Mario to stunt his fall to allow him to transition horizontally back to the stage. A favorite of mine is to hit a recovering opponent with the Cape. This allows me to get back to the stage and screw over the opponent. The last Special is Mario's F.L.U.D.D pack that allows  him to push away opponents with water. It's range and power has been increased from Brawl, also allowing you to push away recovering opponents from the stage too.

3. Bowser

Series: Super Mario

First Appearance: Super Mario Bros, NES, 1985

First SSB game: Super Smash Bros. Melee (GameCube)

The original Super Mario boss beats out his rival this time. Bowser is another heavy case, like we've seen before with Ike and Ganondorf. The difference is that Bowser got HUGE speed boost. His walking speed is the same, but who walks in Smash?! Bowser's dash speed has greatly improved, allowing him to keep up with adversaries like Mario and his power is still there. Bowser can easily KO opponents before they hit 100% damage.

His Fire Breath is like any constant fire attack, it starts out strong and will get weaker over time. This is good for keeping opponents you need to get in close at a fair distance and will usually stun them enough to get an attack in once done with. His Flying Slam is a melee slash attack with good range. If you get hit with it on the ground, Bowser will grapple you and force you into a airborne suplex and you will crash into the ground. This is a very tricky move to dodge and it has its reasoning, as Bowser can easily maneuver during the airborne portion and take you with him offstage for a suicide kill. His Up Special is the Whirling Fortress, he retreats into his shell and spins around. This will propel him upwards when used in the air, as it is his main recovery move. 

His move devastating move has to be the Bower Bomb Down Special Move. Similar to the Ground Pound that Yoshi does, Bower will jump into the air and slam himself into the ground or just slam down if used in the air. This move is one that will strike fear into the hearts of children everywhere... The Bowser Bomb is so strong that it will do massive damage and send foes flying and BREAK ANYONE'S SHIELD SHOULD THEY TRY AND BLOCK IT!! A direct hit with the BB will break any shield, which will leave the user in a helpless state for a few seconds. This is frightful with any player but especially with Bowser, whose moves can KO an opponent at very low damage percentages. There is a huge reason why he IS the Koopa King.

2. Zero Suit Samus

Series: Metroid

First Appearance: Metroid: Zero Mission, Game Boy Advance, 2004

First SSB game: Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)

Is that all you've got? This version of everyone's favorite female bounty hunter made her first appearance without her famous Power Suit in Metroid: Zero Mission, a GBA re-release of the original Metroid game. Zero Suit Samus is usually a tease at the end of most Metroid games, whether it be the original that showcased he was actually a girl or more recent entries that offer you a look for beating a certain percentage or more in the game. Zero Suit has been given a good buff to her everything!! She's a much better fighter on, mainly because transformations were cut and she cannot transform to and from her armored form. She now has added Jet Boots to her arsenal that give Zero Suit more moves to finish off an opponent with AND with style to boot... Get it?

Her neutral Special Move is the Paralyzer, her stun pistol that can be charged up to unleash a projectile. The longer the charge is held, the longer the opponent is stunned for if it makes contact. Side Special unleashes Plasma Whip, which has Samus throw out a beam of energy to smack opponents. It also works as a tether alongside Zero Suit's standard grab move and allows her to snag ledges from a distance for awesome recoveries. The Up Special is been altered from Brawl and is now Boost Kick. She launches herself vertically into the air via Jet Boots and finishes with a  powerful kick, like a combination between Mario's Super Jump Punch and Shulk's Air Slash.

1. Link

Series: The Legend of Zelda

First Appearance: The Legend of Zelda, NES, 1986

First SSB game: Super Smash Bros. (N64)

The champion retains his title!!! Just like many of the higher ups on this list, Link has received many generally positive buffs in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS. These on top of the fact that Link has always been my main keep him at his glorified #1 spot. He's now faster with a bigger jump height and more mid-air maneuverability to boot. Link's dash attack has also been replaced with the standard Jump Attack from many Zelda games and can easily send foes caught in his slash flying towards an early grave.

All of Link's Specials stay the same, with a few tiny tweaks. Link's Standard Special move is the Hero's Bow, a move that will travel farther the longer you charge it. A very straightforward projectile that works great to keep opponents at a distance. The Side Special is the Gale Boomerang, a tornado powered boomerang Link can throw. The angle he throws it can be altered when it's launched. When the Gale Boomerang returns to Link, any opponents that are in its return path will be pulled along with it. The Spin Attack is his Up Special, a spinning attack that spirals him higher in the air. If used on the ground, it can be charged to deal more of a devastating blow. Link's Down is still his Bombs, allowing you access to standard item to throw as well. Bombs can be scary because you can throw them in any direction and they WILL explode. One new feature is that if Link's Bomb hits another character and explode, he won't be damaged by the fire and can follow up the explosion too.

I still love Link for all the same reasons I've loved him in the past: his versatility is unlike no other. He has great melee attacks, but can also command the battle from afar using his many projectiles. His weak ends tended to be his speed and mid-air maneuverability, which have been given a decent sized buff since Brawl. These changes keep Link a cut above the rest.