A final Nintendo Direct focused on the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate introduced a whole new mode, which pairs hand-in-hand with its revised way to include beloved characters from a wide variety of new and retro video games. The new “Spirits” system replaces Trophies, letting the company give power-up attributes to still artwork rather than attempt to render 3D models of every character it wishes to reference.
You earn Spirits by battling in Spirits Mode, and then they can be used to buff your character. The Spirits come in two varieties: Primary Spirits, which mostly have stat increases, and Support Spirits, which attach to Primary Spirits and imbue you with special skills or abilities. Spirits are ranked by rarity: Novice, Advanced, Ace, and Legend. They also come in three power types: Attack (Red), Grab (Green), and Shield (Blue), in a rock-paper-scissors circle of vulnerabilities.
The presentation showed dozens of Spirits rapid-fire style and with some attributes obscured by the various menus. While this list isn’t complete, it shows several of the Spirits shown so far, with their special attributes, color affinity, and rarity. Check out the list to see just how deep Nintendo is reaching with its references.
Smash Bros. Ultimate releases on December 7. Check out our pre-order guide for more details.
Primary Spirits
- Gooey — Advanced
- Yuga — Shield, Ace
- Articuno, Zapdos, & Moltres — Attack, Legend
- Cranky Kong (Speed Down) — Attack, Ace
- Klaptrap (Weight Down) — Attack, Advanced
- Revali — Attack, Advanced
- Rabbid Peach — Shield, Advanced
- Kid Dracula — Grab, Ace
- Primid — Novice
- Bonkers — Attack, Ace
- Reinhardt Schneider — Novice
- Flare — Novice
- Bokoblin — Novice
- Smeargle — Novice
- Lakitu & Spiny — Grab, Advanced
- Gordo — Shield, Advanced
- Guts Man — Grab, Advanced
- Owain — Attack, Novice
- The Imprisoned — Shield, Advanced
- Bullet Bill — Attack, Novice
- Melia — Advanced
- Leon Belmont — Grab, Advanced
- Zael — Attack, Advanced
- Prince Fluff (Weight Down) — Grab, Novice
- Micaiah — Grab, Ace
- Severa — Novice
- Shy Guy — Novice
- Skull Man — Shield, Advanced
- ST Falcon — Attack, Novice
- Skull Kid — Grab, Advanced
- Sigma — Attack, Ace
- Starfy — Ace
- Jimmy T — Shield, Ace
- Mumkhar — Attack, Advanced
- Blooper — Shield
- Ephraim — Attack, Ace
- Zoroark — Attack, Advanced
- Octoling Girl and Octoling Boy — Attack, Ace
- Kyogre — Shield
- Princess Ruto — Shield
- Cut Man — Grab
Support Spirits
Unknown
- Mouser — Novice
- Silver the Hedgehog — Advanced
- Dry Bowser — Legend
- Clefairy
- Metal Sonic
- Urbosa
- Eliwood
- Loftwing
- Piantas
- Pandora
- Kaitlin and Katie
- Chibi-Robo
- Piplup
- Tails
- Dr. Wily
- Waddle-Dee
- Metroid
- Mr. Resetti
- Majora’s Mask Moon
- Zero
- Rambi the Rhino
