Character matchup (SSBM)

The All Characters Match-Up Chart is a colour-coded table detailing the approximate difficulty of all possible matches for any given character against any other character in Super Smash Bros. Melee based on two players of equal skill. Created by phanna and updated for 2007, the chart is based loosely on community consensus regarding character match-ups and there are future plans to use the data collected for deeper analysis of the subject and potential expansion of the chart/project.

The chart offers several interesting analyses about the dynamics of the game and is also open to a variety of interpretations; players may use the chart to further their chances of tournament success by using it as a guideline for what matches to avoid, or as a constructive tool indicating how much they will have to improve a given character in order to overcome a difficult counterpick.

Chart & Format


The characters are listed left-to-right across the top and top-to-bottom along the side in an order identical to that of the current tier list. This forms a grid that allows one square for every possible match-up. Each square is represented by one of eleven digits (numbers 0-9 and "A") which approximate the likely result of a best-of-9 set of matches between the two corresponding characters in a tournament setting. The number on the left refers to the character listed on the left-hand side of the chart.

For example, Peach is known to be a very difficult opponent for the Ice Climbers and conversely, it is one of Peach's easiest matches. By looking at the Ice Climbers position in the grid on the left, you will find that under the "Peach" heading it reads 2.

A "2" on the attached legend is defined by a win-loss record of "2-5," indicating that based on Smash community standards and consensus, an Ice Climbers player in a tournament environment would finish a best-of-9 set with two wins and five losses against a Peach player of equal skill.