How to Unlock Ness in Super Smash Bros

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: May 6, 2021 References

Ness is a small character with powerful PSI powers. He comes ready to play with (meaning he is already unlocked) in Super Smash Bros Melee and on the new Wii U version of the game, but must be unlocked in all the other versions. Luckily, this powerful little tyke is easy to get a hold of.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Original Smash (N64)

1
Start the game and go to One Player Mode. Ness is likely one of the first people you unlock, since he only requires that you beat the single player game once on normal.
2
Set the game difficulty to "Normal," with exactly three lives. You can win any one-player game on normal to get Ness. It doesn't matter what character you choose. However, you must only use three lives, and you cannot lose all three of them.
- Though any character will work, quick and powerful characters like Pikachu, Kirby, and Fox are often the best against Ness. You will have to defeat Ness before he is unlocked.^{[1]
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3
Complete One Player Mode without using continues. Continues are when you run out of lives and start a stage over again with three lives. You must beat the game with only your three original lives.
- This includes beating Master Hand, the games last boss.
- Playing defensively is often your best bet, especially on team levels (giant DK, Mario Bros, etc.). Use projectiles often so conserve life and do damage.^{[2]
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4
Beat Ness after you've completed the game. Once you've beaten Master Hand, Ness will challenge you to a battle on Dream Land. Defeat Ness to unlock him.
- Ness is small, with a very good grab and throw. However, he is slow on the ground and much better at fighting in the air. Stay low and use lots of A attacks to win quickly. Note that he can absorb ranged attacks (like Samus's cannon), so use them with caution.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Brawl (Wii)

1
Play through five games of Brawl. A Brawl is simply a match with 2-4 people. You find it right in the main menu to the upper left. Play five matches of any type, mode, or character group and you'll get to fight Ness. Beat him to unlock him.^{[3]
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2
Reflect 10 projectiles in any game mode for a chance to fight Ness. You can use a variety of characters to do this, the easiest being Fox, who's Down+B move reflects any projectiles shot at him. Once you've reflected 10, across any mode, you'll get the chance to fight Ness.^{[4]
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3
Beat Ness to unlock him. If you lose, you can simply play another round of Brawl to get another chance. Ness is small, with a dangerous grab, but he has low range on almost all of his attacks that makes him easy to beat. Use your speed and A attacks to weaken him for an easy kill.
4
Alternatively, find Ness in the Subspace Emissary game mode. This single-player mode is a great way to unlock characters quickly. You won't even have to fight against Ness to get him! To get Ness, you must get to and beat the level "Subspace."
- This level is pretty far along in the game, almost at the end. It is usually faster to use the other two methods to get Ness instead.^{[5]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Super Smash Bros (3DS)

1
Play ten matches for a chance to beat Ness. Play any ten fights, then beat Ness when he challenges you. You'll also get the stage "Magicant" for winning.^{[6]
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2
Play and beat "Classic" mode. This is identical to the one-player mode in the original game. Simply pick any character and beat the classic mode to fight and defeat Ness.
3
Defeat Ness to unlock him. Ness hasn't changed much from earlier games. He still has a good grab, if not the best in the game, so keep some distance and use your speed to rack up damage while avoiding grabs.^{[7]
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Community Q&A

Question

Can I use these strategies to unlock Ness in SSB Ultimate?

Samuel

Community Answer

Unfortunately, no. As almost all other unlockable fighters in SSBU, he may randomly challenge you at any point after completing a match or tournament. Just play a lot of matches or tournaments, and he'll appear eventually.