Start by choosing one of your favorite characters. Go to a 'Smash' if you just want to set up a fight with some computer controlled opponents of your choice at skill levels of your choice. Go to 'Games and More' if you want to try 'All-Star Mode' where you face off against computer controlled opponents organized in generations they were introduced, 'Classic Mode' if you want to fight opponents under computer chosen conditions; this branches and you can choose your own path, ending with Master Hand & Crazy Hand & ? , depending on your Difficulty choice...

There are 'Special Orders' where Master and Crazy give you challenges for certain rewards; I suggest you get comfortable with the game before getting too deep into this or...

'Event Mode' where you play as a character the game chooses under specific victory conditions...

Remember, this game is all about nostalgia, you play it to reminisce about generations of video game history and characters... you play at your own pace, unlock Trophies gradually using Coins you earn in battle...  everyone plays as you would expect them to... so start with someone you enjoy and let the game open up to you slowly. Online and the addictiveness of it all comes later on.

Errr... Ness is kinda a tough one!   !

He doesn't play all that much like Lucas, actually...  

Don't get discouraged and try out a few characters!  

...or just try and master Ness... If you DO, you'll probably be able to kick a lot of ass!  

Link is the best and you know it.

Iga_Bobovic said:

The best characters tiers wise seams to be Diddy Kong, Rosalina, Zero Suit Samus and Sheik. This might change once the meta game evolves, but as of now these seems to be the best characters to play as when you want to win tournaments!

Yup. Damn the chicks are running things. And a monkey (ape before the robot corrects me)

travo said:

No, he's a monkey because of the tail.  Apes don't have them....I think.

Do you have a tail?

travo said:

Yes!  Thanks for bringing that to everyone's attention!😢

Apes don't have tails. Opposable Thumbs > Tails.

Dvader said:

Link is the best and you know it.

Most of his moves are projectiles and they are pretty weak.

Hey, guys, I'm pretty sure you've probably discussed this in the news section, but I think it should be brought up here, too: the Smash Ballot!

Specifically, what I'm doing here is pimping the best character for inclusion: Isaac, from Golden Sun.

As the last link shows, he has an enormous amount of potential for an interesting and unique moveset, and it would get even better with the custom moves introduced in this version of Smash.

Isaac is a Venus, or an Earth, Adept, meaning he can control rock and plants. Want some spikes to drop on your foes, an earthquake to shake them up, or the earth to open up and erupt its contents at them? Isaac is your man. Want prickly vines to grow at blinding speed and wrap up and damage your pathetic opponents? Isaac's got you covered.

And did you ever fantasize about a giant hand doing unspeakable things to people? Yes, Isaac knows no bounds! He shines here, as well.

The above -- Move -- is the ability his Assist Trophy (no longer present in the new Smash games!) used in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. It would push characters away, hopefully to their doom. But besides Move, Isaac has multiple other psychic hand-based abilities at his disposal.

Catch: Snatches an object from a distance and brings it to Isaac. This would make a good grab or grab-like move.

Carry: Lifts an object and allows you to move it and drop it into place. This would make a good throw or off-stage gimp move.

Pound: Smashes an object into the ground. An obvious choice for a downward throw.

Lift: Lifts an object into the air and leaves it there. A good upward throw.

Force: Hits an object powerfully. In Golden Sun, this would knock things down at a distance. It would make either a good forward throw or a good ranged special move.

As for his earth-based moves, consider the implementation of these babies in Smash!

Quake:

Growth:

Rockfall:

Thorn:

Spire:

Gaia:

Punji:

Ragnarok:

Odyssey:

Sand (dissolve into sand and move under walls -- would make a great roll):

Then there are the little critters known as Djinn. They are elemental, and Isaac would, naturally, possess the Venus (i.e. Earth) Djinn. Each one has a different effect in battle, from unique attacks to buffs and debuffs. And, when they've been used, they go into Standby mode and can be used for increasingly more powerful summons that depend on the number of them in Standby. One gives you bursts coming up from the ground. Two gives you a giant stone fist that smashes into your foes. Three gives you a creature that causes vines to grow from beneath your opponents, tangling and damaging them. Four gives you Judgment, the most powerful pure Venus summon: a blast is fired at the ground and the blast wave engulfs everything for miles around, throwing up huge amounts of debris as it goes. Judgment would make an excellent Final Smash.

There are also weapon unleashes -- abilities that many weapons in Golden Sun have. The most consistently powerful unleash is called Megiddo: Isaac leaps high into the air, sword searing with heat, and he bats down at his foes a giant, meteor-like rock from the sky. It's always impressive to witness in-game.

Please, do vote for Isaac to be in Smash! Of every character being voted for, he has perhaps the most possibilities for a superb moveset. As well, Golden Sun is barely represented in Smash as it is, having been relegated to a measely two songs. Isaac is one of the top contenders for fighter DLC in most polls, once you remove third-party characters that don't have a chance due to inter-company relationships and licensing, so he's not a far-fetched choice at all. His inclusion would also spark interest in the Golden Sun series, as Marth's and Roy's inclusion did for Fire Emblem in the West. We did wait a very long time for the third Golden Sun, and it's going on five years since it was released and gave us a cliff-hanger.

If you feel the same as I do about having this powerful, unique, and deserving character battle it out with the rest of Nintendo's gaming titans, please, for the love of all that is fun in games, spread the word to all you know and...

VOTE ISAAC FOR SMASH!

I had no idea Isaac from Golden Sun was popular enough for a post of that length.