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. Thus far there have only been 10 cut characters from the series, and one has returned, though this may change when Super Smash Bros. (Wii U and 3DS)'s full roster is revealed.
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Total of 12 Veterans
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Total of 21 Veterans
- 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. (Wii U and 3DS)
- Bowser
- Captain Falcon
- Charizard
- Diddy Kong
- Donkey Kong
- Falco
- Fox
- Ganondorf
- Ike
- King Dedede
- Kirby
- Link
- Lucario
- Luigi
- Mario
- Marth
- Meta Knight
- Mewtwo
- Ness
- Peach
- Pikachu
- Pikmin & Olimar
- Pit
- Samus
- Sheik
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Toon Link
- Yoshi
- 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, and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. 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.