* DemonicSpiders:
** In addition to Lakitus and Hammer Bros., the Buzzy Beetles acquire this status due to their invulnerability to everything except the GoombaStomp. Later versions make them vulnerable to certain special weapons[[note]]such as Hard Knuckle[[/note]], mainly ones with limited ammunition to make up for the fact that not all characters can stomp on them (unless you activated the "Anyone can stomp" cheat).
** Can be {{Invoked}} and taken up to eleven with two cheats: "All Hammer Bros" and "Evil Hammer Bros". The former turns every single enemy in the game into Hammer Bros except Bowser, Lakitu (who ''throws'' Hammer Bros) and Bullet Bill Launchers (which ''fire'' Hammer Bros). The latter makes Hammer Bros chase you relentlessly throughout the entire level - even though you're ''sure'' you left them in the dust at the beginning of the level, they just keep on coming. Combine both for every platform gamer's ''nightmare''.
* GameBreaker: Several of the characters, owing to the fact that simple platforming levels are trivialized by putting in people who could already be considered overpowered in their own games, thus rendering most challenging spots a cakewalk:
** Once Bill gets the Fire Flower upgrade in the original, he gains his Spread Gun, a rapid-fire multishot weapon that destroys bricks in one shot and fires in eight directions. Not only did this make underground levels laughably easy (just hold the fire button and walk forward), but the Spread Gun could kill Bowser in less than two seconds, and hardly anything in the game could get close while you were firing it. The Spread Gun's rate of fire was nerfed in the 2.0 update.
** Before Bass came along, [[{{Franchise/Castlevania}} Simon Belmont]] was the other ridiculously overpowered character, with a pinpoint-accurate double jump, and (once upgraded) a Morningstar Whip that had extended range and more damage, and unlimited axes that could be thrown in front of Simon.
** [[VideoGame/BlasterMaster Sophia the 3rd]] comes with all of its abilities (that is to say, regenerating hovering, wall/ceiling climbing and free underwater movement), plus homing missiles. It was nerfed in 2.0 by having the climbing and hovering abilities be separate powerups instead of innate abilities, just like in the actual Blaster Master games.
** [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic Bass]]. Let's recap: standalone dashing (which can be canceled into a bigger and higher jump), double jumping, autofire in seven directions with power equal to Bill's Spread Gun (and faster). All of these abilities available just by choosing him.
** [[VideoGame/MegaMan1 Cut Man]]. Basically, take Mega Man's uncharged Mega Buster shots, and then make them ''[[OneHitPolykill tear through bricks and enemies]]''.
** Or how about Fire Man? Make his attacks slightly stronger, and then make him '''immune''' to the rotating firebars that populate castle levels and the Hard Mode versions of the majority of levels?
** Link's jump is easy to control and rather high, he can GoombaStomp every enemy in the game safely (via down-thrust), and since Bullet Bills are unaffected by it, he can GoombaSpringboard on them all the way to the end of the level. Jumping upward-thrusts help deal with Lakitus and Spinies. His normal thrusts, like Simon's whip, freeze enemies momentarily as you hit them, but can be spammed until they are dead. He always has the boomerang, which freezes enemies, giving you plenty of time to deal with them or use them as a stepping stone, and can also use bombs and the bow.
** Samus' wave beam upgrade oscillates, can be aimed up, moves through obstacles, and reaches across the entire screen, meaning she can rapidly obliterate terrain and enemies regardless of distance, cover, or height. The only enemies impervious to this are Bullet Bills and Buzzy Beetles, and they can be taken out with missiles.
* HilariousInHindsight:
** Fast-forward to ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker'', where you can scan amiibo of characters. In the ''Super Mario Bros.'' style only, Mario can become other characters upon picking up a Mystery Mushroom, and they'll function exactly like Mario. You can even put characters like Link in there as well!
** It gets even better. An update for ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker2'' added the Master Sword power-up, turning the player into Link, who has several unique abilities at his disposal using as his sword, arrows, and bombs.
* MemeticMutation: Jay spawned this when [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGIIkDkJP3U playing his own game]], using Link's downward sword thrust.
--> '''Jay''': ''"Downward thrust, [[ThisIsForEmphasisBitch motherfucker]]!"''
* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: There are at least a few players who weren't pleased with Sophia being significantly nerfed since version 1.2.03.
* UnexpectedCharacter:
** [[VideoGame/RetroGameChallenge Robot Ninja Haggle Man]] of all things is in Version 2.0, as a skin for Ryu. The "Demon Returns" game from ''Game Center CX 2'' also provides both level graphics and a pair of skins for Mario.
** ''Dr. Wily himself'' is a skin for Bass, making him [[GoKartingWithBowser one of the first three playable villain characters in the game, alongside Dark Samus and Dark Link]].
*** Wily himself also gets two skins based on [[VideoGame/MegaMan6 Mr. X]] and two more skins based on Quick Man.
** Toad and Peach as skins for Mario and Luigi respectively. Similarly, [[VideoGame/KidIcarus Pit]] can replace Samus, Roll and VideoGame/RokkoChan can replace Mega Man, and Zelda, the Old Man, and the heroes of the BSX Zelda remake can replace Link.
** A "T" tetrimino from ''VideoGame/{{Tetris}}'' is a skin for Sophia.
** Shadow from ''Videogame/FinalFantasyVI'' is a skin for Ryu. He comes with some ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' tracks (mostly from his own game).
** [[VideoGame/MegaMan1 Cut Man, Ice Man and Fire Man]] serve as skins for Mega Man, while [[VideoGame/MegaMan2 Quick Man]], [[VideoGame/MegaMan3 Gemini Man]] and [[VideoGame/MegaMan4 Skull Man]] serve as skins for Bass. Some of these skins even differ from Mega Man and Bass:
*** Cut Man's projectiles pass through blocks and enemies.
*** Ice Man's uncharged shots do less damage, but his charged shots can freeze enemies like Samus' Ice Beam.
*** Fire Man is immune to the rotating firebars, but receives more knockback from enemy attacks.
*** Quick Man has a different movement pattern[[note]]He moves faster and jumps higher but he can't do Bass's double jump or dash maneuvers[[/note]].
** 3.0 brings us [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyMysticQuest Benjamin]] as a skin for Link, complete with his game's music (including awesome boss theme). He isn't functionally different from Link at all.