The first-ever SSB game was Super Smash Bros. (1999), a game released on the Nintendo 64 with only 12 playable characters. These characters, and the series they originated from became the core of the SSB series. These franchises included The Legend of Zelda, Mario, Star Fox, Yoshi, Kirby, Donkey Kong, Pokemon and others. The original SSB sold 5.55 million copies worldwide, making it the fifth-best selling game for the Nintendo 64.
Playable Character Gender Breakdown:
Male: 9
Female: 1
Player’s Choice: 0
Ambiguous: 2
Total: 12