In Super Smash Bros., each character had at least four costumes, one for each of the costume changing C buttons. Some characters had an extra costume or two, to accommodate for Team Battles if their four costumes lacked a red, blue, or green variation, these costumes cannot be selected outside of Team Battle since there are only four C buttons.
N/A: Color that is original to Super Smash Bros. and doesn't have any particular reference.
Characters
Mario

![]() Red |
Based on his appearance in Super Mario 64. |
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![]() Yellow |
Based on Wario. |
![]() Black |
Based on Foreman Spike from Wrecking Crew. |
![]() Blue |
Based on his appearance in promotional artwork for Mario Bros., with the colors of the overalls and shirt swapped, including the appearance of the Balloon Fighter. The blue shirt and red overalls are also based on Mario's sprite in Super Mario All-Stars. |
![]() Green |
Based on his appearance on the Japanese box art for Wrecking Crew. |
Donkey Kong

![]() Brown |
Resembles his appearance from Donkey Kong Country, and the Nintendo 64 era. |
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![]() Black |
Resembles the appearance of an actual gorilla. |
![]() Red |
Resembles his sprite in the original Donkey Kong arcade game. |
![]() Blue |
N/A |
![]() Green |
Resembles his in-game sprite from Donkey Kong Land. |
Link

![]() Green |
Based on Adult Link from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. |
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![]() Red |
Based on the Red Ring from The Legend of Zelda and a Shield Spell from Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Also based on the Goron Tunic from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. |
![]() Blue |
Based on the Zora Tunic from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. |
![]() White |
Based on Link's appearance having obtained the Blue Ring in The Legend of Zelda. |
Samus

![]() Orange |
Based on the Varia Suit as it appears in Super Metroid. |
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![]() Pink |
Based on the Gravity Suit's in-game sprite from Super Metroid, but is also based on the color scheme of the Varia Suit of the original Metroid when missiles are selected. |
![]() Black |
N/A |
![]() Green |
In Japan, the original Super Smash Bros. website referred to this alternate costume as "Production Model Samus", often referred to as "Mass Produced Samus" in the community. A reference to the mass-produced mechas from the Gundam series, which are almost always green. |
![]() Purple |
Based on artwork of the Gravity Suit from Super Metroid. |
Yoshi

All of Yoshi's costumes appear as different variations of the Yoshi species in Yoshi's Story. The only way a Blue Yoshi or Pink Yoshi can be controlled by a human player is by hacking.
Kirby

![]() Pink |
Based on his appearance in Kirby's Dream Land 3. |
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![]() Yellow |
Based on Keeby, the yellow Kirby that the second player controls from Kirby's Dream Course, known as Kirby Bowl in Japan. Resembles Beam and Needle Kirby from Kirby Super Star and Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, without the hat. Shigeru Miyamoto also reportedly wanted Kirby to be colored yellow in his debut, but Masahiro Sakurai wanted him to be pink. Also references Yellow Kirby in Kirby & the Amazing Mirror and Kirby: Squeak Squad, including Player 2 Kirby in many multiplayer Kirby games. |
![]() Blue |
Based on Ocean Kirby in Kirby & the Amazing Mirror, Ice Kirby in Kirby Super Star, and Kirby: Squeak Squad, including Player 3 Kirby in many multiplayer Kirby games. |
![]() Red |
Based on Fire Kirby in Kirby Super Star, and Red Kirby in Kirby & the Amazing Mirror and Kirby: Squeak Squad. |
![]() Green |
The original Super Smash Bros. website referred to this costume as "Kusa-mochi Kirby". |
Fox

![]() Grey |
Resembles his appearance from Star Fox 64. |
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![]() Red |
Resembles Fox's appearance in the original Japanese version of Star Fox. Also resembles the color of Falco's flight suit from Star Fox 64. |
![]() Blue |
Resembles the color of Slippy's flight suit from Star Fox 64. |
![]() Green |
Resembles concept art of him for the original Star Fox. |
Pikachu

![]() Yellow |
Based on its appearance from the Pokรฉmon games. |
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![]() Red |
Based on a Pikachu with a red hue is possible in Japanese Pokรฉmon Stadium 1 and 2 and International Pokรฉmon Stadium as the game did change the colors of Pokรฉmon if they were given nicknames. |
![]() Blue |
As mentioned, Pokรฉmon Stadium allowed for alternate colored Pokรฉmon if they were given nicknames. |
![]() Green |
As mentioned, Pokรฉmon Stadium allowed for alternate colored Pokรฉmon if they were given nicknames. One of the Rental Pokรฉmon, a Pikachu called Pikachikun, has a green hue. |
Luigi

![]() Green |
Resembles his appearance in Super Mario World. |
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![]() White |
Resembles Luigi's appearance in Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System, especially his sprite from the original Super Mario Bros., and Fire Luigi. |
![]() Blue |
Resembles Mario's appearance in North American box art in Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System. |
![]() Pink |
The original Super Smash Bros. website referred to this costume as "Strawberry Luigi". Also resembles his appearance in Wrecking Crew. |
Ness

![]() Red |
Based on his appearance from EarthBound. |
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![]() Yellow |
Based on the uniforms of the Hanshin Tigers, a Japanese baseball team with a large following. The shirt's pattern is reminiscent of the Gigantic Ant enemy from EarthBound. |
![]() Blue |
Based on Ness' younger self that he encounters briefly in EarthBound, who was wearing a blue hat. |
![]() Green |
Based on Everdred from EarthBound. However, Ness wears a green hat instead of black, which is the color of Everdred's hat. The shorts, also with a color change, are orange instead of green. |
Captain Falcon

Captain Falcon is the only character to have six different playable colors, even though two of them can only be accessed during Team Battles.
Jigglypuff

![]() Pink |
Resembles its appearance from the Pokรฉmon games. |
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![]() Red |
N/A |
![]() Blue |
Resembles the nicknamed Jigglypuff in Pokรฉmon Stadium, as it appears to be violet colored. |
![]() Green |
Resembles the nicknamed Jigglypuff in Pokรฉmon Stadium, as it appears to be cream colored. |
Trivia
- There is a total of 56 alternate costumes (48 playable and 8 not playable).
- The average number of costumes per character is 4.
- Captain Falcon and Yoshi share the highest amount of color swaps at 6.
- There are 6 fighters with only 4 color swaps, and 4 fighters with only 5.
- In the files, there are unused stock icons for Pikachu wearing a yellow party hat and Jigglypuff wearing a yellow bow.
- Fox's alternate costumes were supposed to be his teammates from Star Fox and Star Fox 64: Falco Lombardi, Slippy Toad and Peppy Hare. It got however scrapped because it would have been strange to see Slippy agile, but he and Falco are referenced with, respectively, Fox's blue costume and his red costume, making Peppy the only Star Fox member to not be referenced by Fox's alternate costumes.
Palette swaps | |
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Lists by Game | Super Smash Bros. ยท Melee ยท Brawl ยท for 3DS/Wii U ยท Ultimate |
Characters | Builder Mario ยท Dark Link ยท Pikachu Libre ยท Alph ยท Koopalings ยท Meta Ridley ยท Heroes (III, IV, VIII) ยท Zombie and Enderman |