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Paid DLC fighters and free software updates are separate things in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. A Challenger Pack or Fighters Pass changes which additional fighters, stages and music your Nintendo account can use after purchase. A free game update changes the software itself—adding fixes, balance adjustments or features—and may prepare the game to work with DLC, but downloading it does not give you ownership of paid fighters.
Nintendo’s own update notes distinguish downloadable content that is “usable after purchase” from changes included in the update. You also need the base game, and everyone playing together online must be on the same software version.
![Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61bkI3XqQ7L._SL160_.jpg)
The short answer: DLC is content, an update is software
Think of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as having two separate layers:
- Downloadable content (DLC) is an entitlement attached to a purchase. It unlocks additional playable content for the account or console arrangement covered by Nintendo’s licensing system.
- A software update is a new version of the game program. It can fix bugs, adjust gameplay, improve online behavior or add general features that Nintendo distributes without charging for the update itself.
The two layers can arrive around the same time. Nintendo may release an update that adds the code, menus or compatibility needed for a new fighter, then make that fighter usable only for players who bought the relevant Challenger Pack or Fighters Pass. The free download does not replace the paid entitlement.
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- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. Game
- Challenge others anytime, anywhere, whether you're on the couch or on the go
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
- Face off in 2-4 player battles, or play against the computer
Nintendo Support summarizes the paid side this way: “Players can purchase new fighters (some including their own stage and music) as DLC for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.” The relevant purchase is a pack, a pass or, in one case, a standalone fighter—not the routine software update.
What paid DLC adds
Challenger Packs
A standard Challenger Pack contains three core pieces of content:
- One additional fighter.
- One stage associated with that fighter.
- Music for use with the game’s stages and modes.
Nintendo lists Challenger Packs individually and also groups them into Fighters Pass bundles. Buying one pack gives access to that pack’s fighter and its associated content; it does not unlock every other DLC fighter.
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Fighters Pass bundles
The original Fighters Pass covers Challenger Packs 1–5. Fighters Pass Vol. 2 covers Challenger Packs 6–11. Each pass is therefore a bundle of several packs rather than a different kind of software update.
The official bundle descriptions also list a bonus Mii Fighter costume with each pass. The first pass includes the Rex Mii Fighter costume bonus, while Vol. 2 includes the Ancient Soldier Mii Fighter costume bonus. Those bonuses are additional to the fighters, stages and music in the packs themselves.
The Piranha Plant exception
Piranha Plant is sold as a standalone fighter. It is not presented as a normal Challenger Pack bundle and does not include a stage or music. That means the usual “one fighter, one stage and music” description applies to Challenger Packs, not to every paid fighter product.
Nintendo’s DLC catalog and purchase pages provide the current product descriptions:
What a free software update changes
A free update changes the installed game software for everyone who downloads it. Nintendo’s update history includes examples of balance changes, gameplay fixes and feature changes. An update can also contain the technical support required for downloadable content, but the update itself is not a purchase record.
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This distinction explains why a player can see a new version number without seeing a new fighter in the roster. The game may know how to load the fighter, stage and music, while the account still lacks the DLC license. Nintendo’s update notes use language such as “usable after purchase” for this situation.
Free updates can still matter even if you never buy DLC. They may fix crashes, correct online behavior, adjust character balance or improve compatibility with other players. They can also be required before the game lets you join someone using a newer version.
DLC and free updates compared
| Question | Paid DLC | Free software update |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Additional content licensed after a purchase. | A newer version of the game software. |
| Does it unlock paid fighters? | Yes, for the fighter or bundle purchased. | No. Installing an update does not grant DLC ownership. |
| Typical contents | Fighters, stages, music and listed bonus items. | Fixes, balance changes, features and compatibility changes. |
| How do you get it? | Buy a Challenger Pack, Fighters Pass or the standalone Piranha Plant fighter through Nintendo’s store. | Download the game’s update when Nintendo releases it. |
| Is the base game required? | Yes. Nintendo says the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate software is required to use its DLC. | The update applies to an installed copy of the base game. |
| Can it be needed for online play? | The DLC itself is not a substitute for updating. | Yes. Players must use the same software version to play together. |
Current US purchase options and listed prices
Nintendo’s US purchase listings show the following prices and bundle sizes. They are official US listings checked on October 13, 2026; prices, taxes, availability and regional product catalogs can change. Check your own Nintendo eShop before paying.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match| Offer | Contents listed by Nintendo | US price listed |
|---|---|---|
| Fighters Pass | Challenger Packs 1–5: five fighters, five stages, music and the Rex Mii Fighter costume bonus. | US$24.99 |
| Fighters Pass Vol. 2 | Challenger Packs 6–11: six fighters, stages, music and the Ancient Soldier Mii Fighter costume bonus. | US$29.99 |
| Individual Challenger Pack | One fighter, one stage and music. | US$5.99 each |
| Piranha Plant standalone fighter | One fighter only; no stage or music. | Listed separately; current price should be checked in the store. |
If you want every pack in a pass, the listed US prices make the bundle’s arithmetic different from buying each pack separately: five individual packs at US$5.99 would total US$29.95 before any applicable tax, compared with US$24.99 for the first pass; six would total US$35.94 compared with US$29.99 for Vol. 2. That calculation only helps if you actually want all of the packs in that pass. A pass is not automatically the right choice for someone who wants one specific fighter.
Use Nintendo’s live listings for the purchase decision:
Do free updates give you the new Smash fighters?
No. A free update can install the software needed to display or run DLC, but it does not transfer the paid fighter entitlement to your account. To use a paid fighter, you must own the corresponding Challenger Pack, Fighters Pass or standalone product, and you must have the base game installed.
That is why two players can have the same update version while having different rosters. One player may own several passes; the other may own only the base game. Both can still receive the same bug fixes and balance changes included in the update.
Do you have to buy a Fighters Pass?
No. A Fighters Pass is optional. You can buy an individual Challenger Pack if you want one fighter and its associated stage and music. You can also buy a pass if you want every pack included in that pass. The original pass and Vol. 2 are separate products, so buying one does not automatically grant the other.
Choose based on the content you actually want:
- Choose one Challenger Pack when you care about a particular fighter and do not want to commit to the rest of that pass.
- Choose the original Fighters Pass when you want all five packs numbered 1–5 and its listed costume bonus.
- Choose Fighters Pass Vol. 2 when you want all six packs numbered 6–11 and its listed costume bonus.
- Choose the standalone Piranha Plant product when that fighter is the only additional content you want and you do not need a stage or music bundle.
Do not assume a pass is better value merely because it contains more items. Its value depends on whether you would have bought the included fighters individually. The US prices above are a purchase comparison, not a promise that every region uses the same currency or amount.
The current listed update: version 13.0.5
Nintendo’s update instructions page lists version 13.0.5, released September 1, 2026, as the current version shown there at the October 13, 2026 check. Nintendo describes the listed change as fixing behavior that occurs when invalid data is sent or received in online battles.
Version 13.0.5 is an example of a software update, not a newly announced fighter pack. The update description does not say that it adds a fighter, stage or music. The DLC catalog continues to identify Challenger Packs and Fighters Passes as purchasable content.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteNintendo also says players need the same software version to play together. If one console is on an older version, updating that console may be required before an online match can begin.
There is an important replay warning: Nintendo’s update instructions caution that replay compatibility can be affected. If you have replays you care about, review Nintendo’s current guidance before installing a new version and preserve anything you need according to that guidance.
Read Nintendo’s instructions at How to Update.
How to update the game without buying DLC
You can update the software without purchasing a fighter. On a Nintendo Switch, the usual process is:
- Connect the console to the internet and open the HOME Menu.
- Highlight the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate icon.
- Press the + or − button to open the software options.
- Choose Software Update, then Via the Internet.
- Allow the download and installation to finish. Restart the game if the console requests it.
This procedure updates the game software. It does not purchase or unlock a Challenger Pack. If you later buy DLC, the console may download the associated content separately or make it available after the purchase is recognized.
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Confirm the purchase and the correct Nintendo account
Check the Nintendo account that made the purchase and verify that the product appears in the account’s eShop history or downloadable-content list. A purchase made on a different account may not appear under the account you are checking.
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![Nintendo Super Smash Bros. Ultimate + Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Fighter Pass Bundle - [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/516jRPfTrLL._SL160_.jpg)
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. game
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
Update both the console and the game
Nintendo’s DLC troubleshooting guidance advises checking system and game update status when purchased DLC is not appearing. Install any pending system update, update Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, then restart the console and the game.
Check the in-game roster and content
After the purchase is recognized, check the fighter-selection screen and the relevant stage or music lists. Remember that Piranha Plant is fighter-only; not seeing a matching stage or music track for that product is expected.
Understand the console-sharing limit
Nintendo’s DLC support article says that when DLC is purchased by one player on a console, it is also available to other players on that console under its virtual game card arrangement. This is a console-sharing statement; it should not be expanded into a blanket claim about every account, every console or cross-console ownership setup.
If the content still does not appear, follow Nintendo’s dedicated troubleshooting page: DLC is not appearing in game (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate).
Why a DLC release and an update can seem like one event
Players often see a download notification, a new fighter in videos or a changed version number and conclude that the fighter should be free. The timing creates that impression, but the transactions are separate:
- Nintendo distributes a software update that changes the game’s program.
- The update may include compatibility or data related to downloadable content.
- A player buys a Challenger Pack or pass, which supplies the entitlement to use the paid content.
- The purchased fighter, stage and music become usable for that player.
Someone who completes only the first step has updated the game but has not bought the DLC. Someone who buys DLC but has not installed a required game update may need to update before the content works correctly or before online play is allowed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common situations and the correct answer
“I installed the latest update, but the fighter is still locked.”
That is normal if you do not own the relevant DLC. Confirm whether the fighter belongs to a Challenger Pack, a Fighters Pass or the standalone Piranha Plant product, then check the Nintendo eShop listing for that product.
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Owning the same base game and software version does not mean two accounts own the same DLC. Your friend may have purchased a pack or pass that you have not.
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![Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Fighters Pass Vol. 2 - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/513xrBEbo0L._SL160_.jpg)
- Challenger Pack 6 includes Min Min as a playable fighter, their stage, and a selection of music
- Challenger Pack 7 includes Steve & Alex as a playable fighter, their stage, and a selection of music
- Challenger Pack 8 includes Sephiroth as a playable fighter, their stage, and a selection of music
- Challenger Pack 9 includes Pyra/Mythra as a playable fighter, their stage, and a selection of music
- Challenger Pack 10 includes Kazuya Mishimia as a playable fighter, their stage and a selection of music
“Can I play someone online if I do not own their fighter?”
The update requirement is separate from DLC ownership. Players must use matching software versions, but the fact that another player owns DLC does not by itself transfer that DLC to your account. Online modes can have their own rules about encountering content you do not own, so follow the game’s prompts and Nintendo’s current online guidance.
“I bought the pass but expected Piranha Plant too.”
Piranha Plant is listed as a standalone fighter, while the passes cover their numbered Challenger Packs. Check the product description rather than assuming every additional fighter is included in a pass.
“Will updating delete my old replays?”
Nintendo warns that replay compatibility can be affected by updates. Before installing, read the current update guidance and take any preservation steps Nintendo recommends for replays you want to keep usable.
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Base-game requirement
DLC is an add-on, not a complete copy of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Nintendo’s product listing says the game software is required to use the DLC. If you do not own the base game, buying a Challenger Pack or Fighters Pass alone does not provide the complete game experience.
The base game can be purchased as a Nintendo Switch software product, including a physical edition where available. Confirm the edition and region in your local Nintendo store before purchasing an add-on.
See Nintendo’s product listing at Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
A practical buying checklist
- Do you own the base Super Smash Bros. Ultimate software?
- Which exact fighter do you want?
- Is that fighter in an individual Challenger Pack, one of the two Fighters Pass bundles or the standalone Piranha Plant listing?
- Do you also want the associated stage and music, or only the fighter?
- Would you use every pack in the pass you are considering?
- Have you checked the current price and availability in your own region?
- Is your game updated to the same version as the people you want to play with?
- Do you have replays that require checking before an update?
Bottom line for “What’s the difference?”
A paid DLC purchase determines which extra fighters and associated content your account can use. A free update determines which version of the game software is installed and can deliver fixes, balance changes, features and online compatibility. Updates may support DLC, but they do not give away paid fighters. Buy a Challenger Pack, Fighters Pass or the separately listed Piranha Plant fighter for the content you want; install the free software updates so your game remains compatible and secure.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
