Choose your returning fighter!

Metal Ajit Pai
Geno
Off the Hook ft. Paruko
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Pitbull and the Aliens
Nintendo Power
Men in Black

ZUN
Thanos
Wario Partners, LLP
King Dedede
Solid Snake
DJ Professor K

See also: Newcomers, Bonus Characters

Men in Black

It’s rewind time! Agent J (played by Will Smith) and Howard the Alien are here to investigate alien activity! Facing all-new threats they’ve never seen before — and a few that they definitely have — the pair will need the best of the best of MIB tech to turn their opponents into slime. Neuralyzers in hand, they will stop at nothing to keep the public safe from all extraterrestrial threats… except for Howard. He’s cool.

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring aliens
  • Rips related to Will Smith
  • Rips featuring music by Lil Uzi Vert
  • Examples
  • Metroid series, Half‑Life series, Pikmin series
  • The Fresh Prince of Bel‑Air soundtrack, Wild Wild West, Gettin’ Jiggy wit It
  • Money Longer, Bad and Boujee, XO Tour Llif3
Individual portraits: Agent JHowardIllustration: Marrow (@mrmarowak), LarryInc64 (@LarryInc64), Alexander A. McDonald (@ColorFairie)

Solid Snake

Kept you waiting, huh? Solid Snake makes his miraculous return to the field of battle! He seems to have snatched a stylish outfit on his way here, and it’s a look only he could pull off. His weapons are also fully-loaded this time around! Get out there and show them what you’re made of, Snake! No regrets!

  • Sources
  • Rips from any franchise Hideo Kojima has worked on
  • Box-related rips
  • Examples
  • Metal Gear series, Silent Hill series, Castlevania series
  • Snatcher, Zone of the Enders, Boktai: The Sun Is in Your Hand
  • BOXBOY! series, Squeeze Box by The Who, Heart‑Shaped Box by Nirvana
Illustration: Galacksy (@GaIacksy) ft. linkandorf and SmokyThrill77

ZUN

With his imperishable love for alcohol, and his influences on his sleeve (along with the rest of his shirt), ZUN is ready to re-enter the tournament! He’s the embodiment of bullet heck with music that spans across the entire bullet hell genre. Anybody who crosses his path better be prepared for a carousel of agony!

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring songs composed by ZUN
  • Rips featuring music related to the Touhou franchise (including fan projects)
  • Rips featuring music from games in the bullet hell genre
  • Rips related to alcohol
  • Examples
  • Beloved Tomboyish Daughter, Lunatic Eyes ~ Invisible Full Moon
  • Hate not the Wind, Spring Blossoms, Far‑East El Dorado
  • DonPachi, Ikaruga, ESCHATOS, Radiant Silvergun
  • U Was At The Club (Bottoms Up), Tipsy, songs by Alestorm, VA‑11 Hall‑A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
Illustration: Coach (@CoachArt_) ft. Lenox (@Lenoxmst)

Nintendo Power

No one’s body is ready for the true might of Nintendo Power! After Reggie retired, Miyamoto decided Reggie needed a boost from inside the company, and Bill Trinen is the perfect match. Now that these two gaming industry legends have brought their Joy-Cons together, this tournament has truly been switched on!

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring music from the Animal Crossing, The Legend of Zelda, and Wii franchises (excluding Wii Music)
  • Rips featuring music from the Fire Emblem and Xenoblade franchises
  • Rips featuring music from Nintendo system software and presentations
  • Examples
  • Mor Ardain 〜Roaming the Wastes〜, songs by K.K. Slider
  • Wii Sports, Wii Play, Wii Fit
  • Music from the Nintendo eShop, Wii channels, Nintendo Direct jingles
Individual portraits: Reggie Fils-AiméBill TrinenIllustration: Andre (@Oh_Turbo_Nerd)

Pitbull and the Aliens

Mr. Worldwide is back, and this time, he’s got dancers to back him up! YEEEEOOOOO! Pitbull, Popoy, and Marcianito have overcome both controversy and heartbreak in order to make their return to this tournament, and they hope that their newfound alliance will bring the adoring masses the Hispanic flavor they don’t know they need. There will be two li’l aliens and Mr. 305 checking in for this remix. Dale!

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring songs by Pitbull (or songs he features on)
  • Rips featuring songs by El Chombo or Antonio Ríos
  • Rips featuring cumbia, reggaeton, or 2000s Latin pop music
  • Examples
  • DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love, Feel This Moment
  • Dame tu Cosita, Nunca me Faltes, Chaccaron Maccaron, Yo me Estoy Enamorando
  • Livin’ la Vida Loca, El Sonidito, Hips Don’t Lie
Individual portraits: PitbullPopoyMarcianitoIllustration: SHF1 (@ElJosephMuente), mitsooru (@mitsooru), Alexander A. McDonald (@ColorFairie)

Thanos

With the newfound power of Disney behind him, Thanos re-enters the fight! After the previous tournament upset the balance of the universe, this Deviant once again seeks to restore it. Gauntlet on his fist and mouse cap on his head, the Mad Titan is prepared to win the tournament, and, of course, celebrate by going to Disneyland with those sweet half-length lines — there is only a 1 in 14,000,605 chance that he won’t!

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring music from Marvel properties
  • Rips featuring music from the Disney animated canon and theme parks
  • Rips featuring music from Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar movies
  • Rips featuring music from Star Wars
  • Rips featuring Fireflies by Owl City
  • Examples
  • The Avengers theme, music from the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtracks
  • When You Wish Upon a Star, Hakuna Matata, Let it Go
  • It’s a Small World, Grim Grinning Ghosts
  • Cantina Band, Han Solo and the Princess, Duel of the Fates
Illustration: Alexander A. McDonald (@ColorFairie)

“Weird Al” Yankovic

After his first-round loss in the last tournament, “Weird Al” Yankovic has returned for seconds! His burning desire for victory has manifested into a stand called 「BEAT IT」, which allows him to use the musical powers of the King of Pop himself in battle — hopefully, he’ll be the king of this tournament, too!

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring songs Weird Al has composed or parodied
  • Rips featuring music by Michael Jackson
  • Examples
  • Eat It, White & Nerdy, Dare to Be Stupid, Albuquerque
  • Thriller, Billie Jean, Smooth Criminal
  • Music from Sonic 3 & Knuckles
Illustration: 813N (@813N_)

Metal Ajit Pai

After his crushing defeat in the last tournament, Ajit Pai, now a sentient pile of dust, comes back with a vengeance… and a giant mech sponsored by Reese’s® peanut butter. Armed with a massive Nerf gun and fidget spinner, he is equipped to rule the Internet with an iron fist… and, of course, finally make his dreams of a Harlem Shakeover a reality.

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring Ajit Pai-related memes
  • Mecha-related rips
  • Rips featuring latency (such as slow internet)
  • Examples
  • Harlem Shake by Baauer, the Reese’s Puffs rap, fidget spinners
  • Gundam franchise, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Transformers franchise
  • Online Practice Stage from Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Illustration: thefluffyslipper (@fluffySlipper1) and Eevee (@eivuiee) ft. art team

Geno

Returning from the stars, Geno blasts back into action! This denizen of Star Road has once again sensed his calling at this gathering of powerful rivals, and this time around, he’s brought lots of jams from a certain “higher authority” — let’s wish upon a star that this extra help will boost him straight to the crown!

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring songs composed by Yoko Shimomura
  • Rips featuring music from Super Mario RPG and the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series
  • Examples
  • Kingdom Hearts series, Street Fighter II
Illustration: iahtruong (@iahtruong)

Wario Partners, LLP

Wario’s successful game development company has set the business world on fire, and a strategic partnership with a certain street food business has created the corporate merger of the century: Wario Partners, LLP! They’re wasting no time diversifying — now in addition to making games, they’re kicking ass and taking names. And thus, their first order of business: win that tournament and get all that sweet free advertising! Wahaha!

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring music from Wario games
  • Rips featuring music from the Mario Land games and other Mario spin-offs (excluding Super Mario RPG and its descendants)
  • Examples
  • Greenhorn Forest, Hurry Up!, Its-all Mine
  • Muda Kingdom, Star Maze
  • Coconut Mall, This Way That, Creative Exercise
Individual portraits: WarioWaluigiIllustration: SparkBag (@spark_bag)