Super Meat Boy 3D Guide | How to Unlock All Characters

Super Meat Boy 3D has 20 playable characters in total, and none of them are just cosmetic. Each one has its own speed, weight, jump height, hitbox, and in some cases a unique ability like a double jump or wall stick. That means the character you pick actually changes how a level plays. 

Some characters are better for hitting A+ times, others make grabbing Bandages easier, and a few can help you get through sections that feel impossible with the default character. You can switch characters on the world map by pressing the button shown at the bottom of the screen.

Characters are unlocked by collecting Bandages, finishing secret levels, clearing Dark Worlds, beating the final boss, and finding all five Glitches.

All 20 Characters And How to Unlock Them

Super Meat Boy is available from the start and is a solid all-around character. Meatball Boy unlocks at 5 Bandages and is always bouncing. Ed unlocks at 10 Bandages and is fast with long jumps. Skeleton Boy unlocks at 15 Bandages and is lightweight. Cheese Boy unlocks at 25 Bandages and can stick to walls. Nate unlocks at 40 Bandages and has a double jump. Bandage Girl unlocks at 55 Bandages and is solid all-around. Headcrab unlocks at 75 Bandages and has a large dash.

Super Meat Boy 64 unlocks by beating The Forest secret level and is fairly light. Bridge Constructor Truck unlocks by beating The Wastes secret level and is fast. Squirrel unlocks by beating The Forge secret level and turns into a cardboard box when standing still. The Kid unlocks by beating The Core secret level and has a small double jump. Pumpkin Jack unlocks by beating The Visceraville secret level and also has a small double jump.

Gunslinger unlocks by beating Dark World 1 and performs a front flip. Brownie unlocks by beating Dark World 2 and is solid all-around. Sandman unlocks by beating Dark World 3 and can become tiny. Bing Bong unlocks by beating Dark World 4 and is light. Tofu Boy unlocks by beating Dark World 5 and moves very slowly. Dr. Fetus unlocks by beating the final boss and has a long dash. Glitch Boy unlocks by finding all five Glitches and causes terrain and obstacles to glitch out.

Fans of other games will spot crossovers among the roster, including characters from Hell Pie, Bridge Constructor, and Peak.

The Best Characters To Use

Ed

Ed unlocks at 10 Bandages and is essentially a better version of Super Meat Boy when it comes to covering ground. He runs fast and jumps far, which makes him a good pick for any level that needs you to move quickly and clear big gaps. The one thing to watch out for is his height. He's tall enough that low ceilings can catch his head.

Skeleton Boy

Skeleton Boy unlocks at 15 Bandages and is one of the most useful characters in the game for speed. He's so light that a jump and air dash can carry you over entire sections of a level. While falling, you can change direction several times because of how little he weighs. The downside is that his jump doesn't go very high, so there are some objects he can't clear straight on. In most cases you can jump around them, but there are levels where another character works better.

Both Ed and Skeleton Boy can be unlocked early by collecting all 15 Bandages in The Forest.

Nate

Nate unlocks at 40 Bandages, which means you can get him partway through World 3 if you've been keeping up with Bandage collection. His double jump is the biggest of any character who has one, which lets him skip over obstacles or cut through sections of a level entirely. He's not the fastest character, but when a level feels like it's blocking you, Nate is the one to try.

Also, check our Super Meat Boy 3D Review and other guides below:

• Super Meat Boy 3D Beginner's Guide | Gameplay Tips & Tricks
• Super Meat Boy 3D Guide | World 1 Bandages Location
• Super Meat Boy 3D Guide | How to Unlock Dark World
• Super Meat Boy 3D Guide | How to Find Secret Levels
• Super Meat Boy 3D Guide | All World 2 Bandages Locations
• Super Meat Boy 3D Guide | All World 3 Bandages Locations
• Super Meat Boy 3D Guide | How to Unlock Glitch Boy
• Super Meat Boy 3D Guide | How to Defeat Maggot Larry
• Super Meat Boy 3D Guide | How to Defeat Dr. Fetus
• Super Meat Boy 3D Guide | How to Defeat The Forge Master