This page contains unlock spoilers and names every playable character.
Fast answer
The answer before the background
Start with any of the four knights, then follow the campaign chains: Green Knight to Royal Guard to Saracen, Red Knight to Skeleton to Bear, Blue Knight to Industrialist to Fencer, and Orange Knight to Fire Demon to Ninja. Beat the listed arenas in single-player to unlock Gray Knight, Barbarian, Thief, Peasant, Iceskimo, or Conehead, then clear the game with most of those characters to continue their chains. Special characters use platform-specific Insane Mode, DLC, or cross-game unlock rules. On Steam, Painter Boss Paradise also adds Paint Junior and Workshop-based custom characters.
Roster
Every official playable character
The current official roster contains 32 characters if Paint Junior is counted. The first 23 form the regular progression roster, eight are special or formerly downloadable characters, and Paint Junior is the newest official addition.
Character roles are not formal classes. In practice, players usually choose between elemental magic, crowd control, ranged pressure, mobility, or a preferred weapon animation. Magic is shared by some characters, so a new unlock may feel mechanically familiar even when the character looks different.
- Starting knights: Green Knight, Red Knight, Blue Knight, and Orange Knight. Their signature elements are poison, electricity, ice, and fire respectively.
- Campaign unlocks: Royal Guard, Saracen, Skeleton, Bear, Industrialist, Fencer, Fire Demon, and Ninja.
- Arena unlocks and follow-ups: Gray Knight, Stove Face, Barbarian, Killer Beekeeper, Thief, Snakey, Conehead, Peasant, Civilian, Iceskimo, and Brute.
- Special characters: King, Open Faced Gray Knight, Necromancer, Cult Minion, Blacksmith, Pink Knight, Alien Hominid, and Hatty Hattington.
- Newest official character: Paint Junior, available with Painter Boss Paradise on Steam.
| Character group | Best described as | How it enters the roster |
|---|---|---|
| Four knights | Straightforward elemental starters | Available immediately |
| Campaign chains | Progression characters with familiar magic families | Clear the game with the preceding character |
| Arena characters | Challenge and alternate-style unlocks | Beat the matching arena, usually in single-player |
| Special characters | DLC, Insane Mode, or cross-game rewards | Depends on platform and release |
| Paint Junior | New official character with its own magic moveset | Painter Boss Paradise DLC on Steam |
The game does not assign tank, healer, or damage classes. King is often chosen for support-oriented play because of his healing magic, while the knights and many later characters are best compared by their elemental effects and spell behavior. Treat these as practical recommendations, not official class labels.
Unlock chart
Campaign and arena paths
For the main unlock route, finish the campaign with the character on the left. A normal campaign clear means completing the required checkpoint levels and Final Battle with that character. Simply joining a late-stage run may not register the full clear for the player who skipped earlier checkpoints.
Arena characters are the exception to the campaign-chain pattern. Beat the named arena in single-player to receive its first character. Then use that character for a full campaign clear when a second character is listed.
- Green Knight → Royal Guard → Saracen.
- Red Knight → Skeleton → Bear.
- Blue Knight → Industrialist → Fencer.
- Orange Knight → Fire Demon → Ninja.
- Defeat Barbarian Boss → Gray Knight → Stove Face.
- King’s Arena → Barbarian → Killer Beekeeper.
- Thieves’ Arena → Thief → Snakey.
- Volcano Arena → Conehead. Conehead does not lead to another character.
- Peasant’s Arena → Peasant → Civilian.
- Icy Arena → Iceskimo → Brute.
| Goal | Fastest reliable approach | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Unlock a chain character | Use the preceding character and clear the campaign | Skipped checkpoints can prevent the unlock |
| Unlock an arena character | Beat that arena alone | Co-op completion is not the safe method for arena unlocks |
| Continue an arena chain | Clear the campaign with the arena character | Conehead has no follow-up character |
| Unlock Insane Mode for a character | Complete the required checkpoints and Final Battle with that character | Insane access is tracked per character |
Progression is saved per player and per character. If a friend carries you through the final fight while your character has missed required checkpoints, the expected character unlock or skull may not appear. Replaying the missing checkpoints and Final Battle is the practical fix.
Platform guide
Special characters and version differences
The four main modern releases—Steam, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch—include the classic special roster, but the exact method can vary. The Behemoth confirms that Castle Crashers Remastered includes King, Open Faced Gray Knight, Necromancer, Cult Minion, Blacksmith, Pink Knight, Alien Hominid, and Hatty Hattington as free unlockable characters. Older Xbox 360 releases handled several of these as separate packs or cross-game rewards.
On the modern non-Xbox-360 versions, the commonly documented Insane Mode unlocks are Open Faced Gray Knight from Catfish, King from Pipistrello’s Cave, Necromancer from Industrial Castle, and Cult Minion from Ice Castle. Complete the named level on Insane Mode with a qualifying character, then check the character menu. If your platform presents one of these as paid DLC instead, follow the platform’s store listing rather than mixing instructions from another release.
Hatty and Alien Hominid are the two names most likely to cause confusion. Their requirements changed across releases and companion games, so do not assume an Xbox 360 guide applies to Steam or Remastered. Check the game’s own unlock prompt, platform store, or current publisher support information before buying another title solely for one character.
- Steam’s Pink Knight and Blacksmith are associated with their character packs in the base game’s DLC listing.
- Castle Crashers Remastered includes the special characters for free according to publisher support.
- Xbox 360 has the largest historical difference because several special characters were sold through DLC packs.
- A character’s weapon, magic, or availability can differ by version even when the name is identical.
| Character | Common modern requirement | Version note |
|---|---|---|
| King | Complete Pipistrello’s Cave on Insane Mode | Older Xbox 360 versions used the King Pack |
| Open Faced Gray Knight | Complete Catfish on Insane Mode | Older Xbox 360 versions used the King Pack |
| Necromancer | Complete Industrial Castle on Insane Mode | Older Xbox 360 versions used the Necromantic Pack |
| Cult Minion | Complete Ice Castle on Insane Mode | Older Xbox 360 versions used the Necromantic Pack |
| Pink Knight and Blacksmith | Included through the relevant release or character content | Confirm the platform listing |
| Hatty and Alien Hominid | Platform or companion-game unlock | Requirements are not uniform across releases |
The campaign and arena chart is consistent across major guides, but special-character rules are platform-dependent. Where publisher support confirms inclusion but does not state the exact stage requirement, this guide identifies the difference instead of presenting one universal unlock code.
Steam only
Custom characters and magic
Painter Boss Paradise is a Steam DLC released on August 6, 2025. It adds Paint Junior, updated artwork, a character manager, and Steam Workshop support. It does not add new levels or bosses.
To use a custom character, install the DLC, subscribe to a Workshop creation or import your own approved artwork, enable it in the character manager, and assign it to a character slot. Customization covers the head, body, weapon, shield, portrait, beefy form, and Back Off Barbarian artwork.
Custom characters do not receive completely new magic. You choose one existing magic moveset from an official playable character, so the visual design can be original while the combat behavior remains tied to a real roster character. A player without the DLC can use an enabled custom character when playing with someone who owns the DLC on Steam. Console versions cannot load these Workshop characters.
- Use Workshop to subscribe to community-made characters or publish your own.
- Choose an existing official magic moveset rather than designing new spell animations.
- Do not upload the complete creation template if you want to protect your work.
- Custom characters are cosmetic and moveset-based; they do not create a new campaign progression tree.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can I make a new spell? | No. Select one existing official magic moveset. |
| Can I use Workshop characters on console? | No. Painter Boss Paradise and its Workshop features are Steam-only. |
| Does the DLC add stages? | No. It adds character features, artwork, Paint Junior, and Workshop support. |
| Can a non-owner join a DLC owner? | On Steam, a player can use enabled imported characters in that player’s session. |
A Workshop skin should not be counted as a new official character. For completion tracking, count the named roster above; for Steam collection goals, maintain a separate Workshop list.
FAQ
Common questions
How many playable characters are in Castle Crashers?
The modern official roster has 32 named characters when Paint Junior is included. Older guides may say 31 because they predate Painter Boss Paradise, or use a smaller count that excludes certain DLC characters.
What is the best character for beginners?
Start with Blue Knight for straightforward ice control, Red Knight for electric crowd control, or Orange Knight for fire damage. Green Knight is also easy to understand, but poison damage behaves differently from the other starter elements. There is no universally best character.
Can I unlock characters by beating the game in co-op?
Yes for many campaign-chain unlocks if the character has completed the required checkpoints. For arena characters, use single-player because that is the reliable documented method. If an unlock fails, replay the missing checkpoints and Final Battle with the same character.
How do I unlock all characters on Remastered?
Follow the four campaign chains, beat the five relevant arenas and Volcano Arena, then complete the documented Insane Mode stages for special characters. Remastered includes the classic special roster for free, unlike some older Xbox 360 arrangements.
Are custom characters available on PlayStation, Xbox, or Switch?
No. Painter Boss Paradise custom characters and Steam Workshop support are currently Steam-only. Console versions retain the official roster and their normal unlock systems.
Do custom characters get custom magic?
No. They can use the magic moveset of any official playable character, but the DLC does not let you create new spell animations or an entirely new magic system.
Sources
What we checked
Official listings establish current availability and product facts. Community pages are used for mechanics and build history, then labeled separately.
- OfficialThe Behemoth: Castle Crashers Remastered character availability and platform differences
- OfficialThe Behemoth: Painter Boss Paradise custom-character guide and FAQ
- OfficialThe Behemoth: Painter Boss Paradise release platform support
- OfficialSteam: Painter Boss Paradise DLC listing
- CommunityCastle Crashers Wiki: playable-character roster and unlock paths
- CommunityCastle Crashers Wiki: character unlock paths