We could all use a little help in the middle of a heated Smash Bros. game with friends, and what better way to get some help than from a handy little assist trophy? The assist trophy is one of the most powerful and iconic items you can get your hands on thanks to the random effects they can have. Some assists may be rather simple, but some can be brutally devastating to your opponents.
A single assist trophy can turn the entire tide of a fight if you luck out with what you get. The trophies feature famous characters from some of the many franchises represented through the various playable characters. It hurts to not be able to use some of the assists as actual characters, but at least you can call on them for some help when you need it most.
10 Nintendog
While it is fair to say that the Nintendog is a bit of a hassle for every player in the game, the person who used it included, players with an in-depth knowledge of the game will likely have little issue with the temporarily blocked screen.
The assist trophies effect is simple - a big dog hops up and obscures the vision of every player in the game. If you are well-versed with the game's levels and your favorite character’s skills, you’ll likely be able to secure a few KOs, if your opponents don’t accidentally fall to their doom on their own.
9 Chain Chomp
If you’re constantly being pressured by the other players in a game, Chain Chomp is one of the best assist trophies you can get. The big metal creature from Mario games lashes out with fairly damaging attacks that have a good amount of knock-back as well.
You can use the beast for some cover for a brief period of time or as extra help with some zoning, and anyone who gets too close is sure to be sent flying. A small stage and tons of players only make the Chain Chomp assist trophy even more dangerous than it already was.
8 Knuckle Joe
It may be the case that Knuckle Joe isn’t nearly as dangerous as he once was, but he still packs a punch in Smash Ultimate. Anyone who gets in Knuckle Joe’s path will be met with multiple series of quick strikes that can lead to either a big punch or a wild uppercut.
He can get low damage enemies up to a higher percentage pretty quick, though he might not get a KO. Anyone with a high percentage is likely doomed to the brutal wrath of the mighty Knuckle Joe. If you’re being swarmed by other players, he can at least take one off of your back for a short while.
7 Moon
The Moon may be a simple assist trophy, but it can be an incredibly effective one. Essentially, that classic creepy moon falls from the sky, hitting a wide area and damaging opponents multiple times before launching.
In the middle of a game that sees multiple opponents at mid to high damage percentages, that horrific face from Majora’s Mask may be the last thing they see. You’ll likely end up with at least one KO, but depending on other factors, you may be able to get way more than that.
6 Wily Capsule
While it can be easy to dodge the attacks from the classic brilliant scientist every once and a while, additional player pressure can make it easy to fall victim to the damaging attacks. Wily spreads out shots of different elements that seek out and strike your opponents.
The elemental attacks can keep your opponents stuck in place or left burning, but Wily gets even more dangerous. He can lash out with the sharp point on his capsule, something with high launching power, especially after it’s already dished out some serious damage.
5 Tiki
A great assist from the lore-heavy series Fire Emblem comes in the form of a fire-breathing dragon. It takes to the skies and blasts multiple streams of fire down toward the players. If it connects with the ground, it will leave a brief patch of fire behind as well.
The attack itself is fairly damaging, and it has decent launch ability, putting players in a rough spot at pretty much any damage level. A player that can’t get out of the way could quickly go from no damage to nearly 100 in just a few seconds.
4 Phosphora
Something that makes Phosphora so good, is that whether or not it’s intended, she can hit multiple opponents with pretty much every attack. She lashes out with a series of quick, low-damaging electrical attacks at the target or targets of her choice.
Her ability to teleport around will keep your enemies on their toes, and hoping to predict when the next speedy attack will be coming. Pairing an assist like this with your own pressure makes it easy to earn a quick KO or two before Phosphora finally leaves the game's many unique battlefields.
3 Andross
One of the toughest assist trophies for players to deal with is Starfox’s Andross. The giant head rushes into the background and blows multiple series of tiles toward your enemies. While that sounds simple, the tiles are incredibly tough to reliably dodge.
Whether playing against one opponent or seven, players will feel the pressure as attacks rush toward them constantly. Rather than taking the fight out of your hands, your added pressure will surely result in a KO from either your own attacks or Andross alone.
2 Rathalos
Monster Hunter's Rathalos is big, can instantly KO players at high percentages, and can easily take players from no damage to the low hundreds before it even leaves the field. It has a ton of different attacks but primarily dishes out physical and fire damage.
When it charges at players, anyone who can’t get out of the way will be sent flying, something that is a sight to behold if multiple beginner players are lined up. Players that stick to their Rathalos will essentially be unhittable thanks to its large area of attack.
1 Sheriff
Most players tend to agree that once Sheriff takes the field, the match just became ten times worse. Sheriff launches some simple attacks, but the lack of wind-up, speed of the attacks, and ability to dish out decent damage with high knockback make it incredibly dangerous.
You can try to dodge the attacks, but it can change the angle of its shots and even switch the height that it’s at. Once the strange creature takes the field, you’ll be shocked if you don’t earn multiple KOs before it finally finishes dishing out some pain.