A veteran or veteran fighter is a playable character who appeared in a previous version of the Super Smash Bros. series and has returned in the following incarnations. All characters return in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Super Smash Bros. Melee[]
Total of 12 Veterans
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[]
Total of 21 Veterans with Dr. Mario, Mewtwo, Pichu, Roy, and Young Link being cut.
- Bowser
- Captain Falcon
- Donkey Kong
- Falco
- Fox
- Ganondorf
- Ice Climbers
- Jigglypuff
- Kirby
- Link
- Luigi
- Mario
- Marth
- Mr. Game & Watch
- Ness
- Peach
- Pikachu
- Samus
- Sheik
- Yoshi
- Zelda
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U[]
Total of 36 Veterans counting the first three DLC Fighters and Ice Climbers, Pichu, Pokémon Trainer including Ivysaur and Squirtle, Snake, Wolf, and Young Link being cut.
- Bowser
- Captain Falcon
- Charizard
- Diddy Kong
- Donkey Kong
- Dr. Mario
- Falco
- Fox
- Ganondorf
- Ike
- Jigglypuff
- King Dedede
- Kirby
- Link
- Lucario
- Lucas (DLC)
- Luigi
- Mario
- Marth
- Meta Knight
- Mewtwo (DLC)
- Mr. Game & Watch
- Ness
- Olimar
- Peach
- Pikachu
- Pit
- Roy (DLC)
- Samus
- Sheik
- Sonic
- Toon Link
- Wario
- Yoshi
- Zelda
- Zero Suit Samus
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[]
Total of 65 Veterans counting echo fighters
- Bayonetta
- Bowser
- Bowser Jr.
- Captain Falcon
- Cloud
- Corrin
- Dark Pit (Pit's Echo Fighter)
- Diddy Kong
- Donkey Kong
- Dr. Mario
- Duck Hunt
- Falco
- Fox
- Ganondorf
- Greninja
- Ice Climbers
- Ike
- Jigglypuff
- King Dedede
- Kirby
- Link
- Little Mac
- Lucario
- Lucas
- Lucina (Marth's Echo Fighter)
- Luigi
- Mario
- Marth
- Mega Man
- Meta Knight
- Mewtwo
- Mii Fighters
- Mr. Game & Watch
- Ness
- Olimar
- PAC-MAN
- Palutena
- Peach
- Pichu
- Pikachu
- Pit
- Pokémon Trainer
- R.O.B.
- Robin
- Rosalina & Luma
- Roy
- Ryu
- Samus
- Sheik
- Shulk
- Snake
- Sonic
- Toon Link
- Villager
- Wario
- Wii Fit Trainer
- Wolf
- Yoshi
- Young Link
- Zelda
- Zero Suit Samus
Perfect-attendance fighters[]
Less commonly, "veterans" can also denote the "eight regulars", "perfect attendance fighters" or '"the original 8", terms which refer to the eight starter characters in the original Super Smash Bros. These fighters are also present as playable characters in Melee, Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, and Ultimate. The first two terms originated in the description for the 10th Brawl event match All-Star Battle Regulars, as follows.
- The Smash Bros. perfect-attendance crew! Fight the eight regulars in order!
"The original 8", and by extension "the original 12" are fan coined terms, the latter referring to the entire playable cast of the original Smash Bros.: Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Samus, Yoshi, Kirby, Fox, and Pikachu are the "original 8." The term "original 12" refers to the eight aforementioned characters as well as Luigi, Captain Falcon, Ness, and Jigglypuff, who are unlockable characters in the original Super Smash Bros. and Brawl. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Luigi and Captain Falcon are starter characters, but Ness and Jigglypuff are unlockable. In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, the whole "original 12" are starter characters. The original 8 also serve as the starting roster for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.