How Many Characters Are in Subway Surfers

In Subway Surfers, characters are known as Surfers. At the start, everyone kicks off with Jake character, but as you collect Coins, Event Coins, Keys, Character Tokens, or Hunt Tokens from Season Hunts, you can unlock more characters.

Mostly two basic types of characters: Non-limited, like Tricky and Fresh, always there for availability, and limited, like Tony and Carmen, available for a short time. However, Those who have limited characters unlocked can play up to seven of them at any time.

These characters can also play different outfits, some characters have no unlockable outfits and some have one or two unlockable outfits.

How Many Characters Are in Subway Surfers?

After analyzing the character data from the official Subway Surfers website, the total number of characters currently in the game as of 2024 is 189. New character’s numbers are constantly growing and are released with every new update.

Some key points about the total character count:

The game was launched in 2012 with 4 original characters: Jake, Tricky, Fresh, and Spike.

A new character has normally been added with each new edition, with some editions adding multiple characters.

Limited and promotional characters the numbers have also increased due to.

So in summary, Subway Surfers began with just a handful of characters in 2012 and now the number of characters in Subway Surfers has reached 189.

Total Number of Characters in subway surfers apk

Character Additions by Year

Let’s explore the significant character additions that have occurred each year since the game’s launch:

2012

The original 4 characters: Jake, Tricky, Fresh, Spike
Yutani was added as the 5th character

2013

20 new limited characters were added as part of the 2013 edition

2014

11 new limited characters

2015

8 new limited characters

2016

8 new limited characters

2017

8 new limited characters

2018

7 new limited characters

2019

15 new limited characters

2020

17 new characters, including both limited and permanent additions

2021

26 new characters, the highest amount added in a single year so far

2022

30 new characters were added throughout the year’s major updates

2023

16 new characters have been introduced so far

2024

14 new limited and permanent characters

As you can see, the pace of new character releases has steadily increased each year. From 2020 to 2022 years with the most significant boost to the roster so far.

Character Types

Not all characters in Subway Surfers are created equal – there are two main types with different unlock conditions:

Permanent Characters

Always available to unlock using in-game currency like coins or keys
Examples include Jake, Tricky, Fresh, Dino, Miss Maia, Frank, etc.
A total of around 40 permanent characters so far

Limited Characters

Only available for a limited time, often during special events
Must be unlocked within the event window using event tokens
Examples include Tony, Carmen, Nina, Festive characters, etc.
The vast majority of the roster, around 150 characters, are limited types

Character Unlock Methods

With so many characters to collect, it helps to understand the different methods used to unlock them:

Coins: The best way to unlock permanent characters in-game currency like coins
Keys: Uncommon currency, mainly used to unlock older limited characters directly.
Character Tokens: Event-specific tokens that unlock one character each.
Hunt Tokens: get buy from Season Hunts to spend in the store.
Real Money: Some characters require direct purchase with real currency.
Event Completion: Finishing all stages of certain time-limited events.
Achievements: Reaching certain milestones may reward character unlocks.
Login Rewards: Special characters are sometimes given out this way.
Bundles/Deals: Packages combining characters with other bonuses.

So, this method is best for unlocking permanent and limited characters in Subway Surfers.

Popular & Favorite Characters

Some characters stand out more than others due to their design, abilities, or backstory. Here are some of the most popular characters based on player surveys:

Jake (Mascot): The original protagonist, featured heavily in marketing.
Tricky (Agile): Smallest character perfect for tight spaces, has a mischievous look.
Fresh (Musician): Always jamming to his headphones, laidback skater vibe.
Zoe (Extreme Sports): Daredevil pro skater girl, flashy outfit and tricks.
Tony (Street Artist): Graffiti artist who brought urban style, a unique spray paint bag.
Carmen (Dancer): Beautiful dancer who moves elegantly down the tracks.
Frank (Scientist): Nerdy yet lovable character, brings humor with experiments.
Yutani (Alien): Outlandish alien design stands out, and rides a UFO hoverboard.
Nina (Cyberpunk): Edgy hacker girl with neon pink hair and tech, cool animations.

While playstyle is subjective, character design, backstory, and animation quality all factor into their popularity amongst players.

Tips for Unlocking All Characters

It is challenging but not impossible. Here are some pro tips if your wish is to collect every single character in Subway Surfers:

Give priority to limited characters during events before they expire.
Watch ads daily for free coins, keys, and other rewards to spend.
Complete all daily, weekly, and monthly challenges for bonus unlocks.
Level up your profile for login reward boxes containing character tokens.
Participate in community events for exclusive character tokens.
Save up coins and keys to spend all at once during special deals.
Set alerts on the Subway Surfers Discord for new character releases.
Consider a VIP subscription for boosted unlocks if you’re a long-time player.
Be patient, as some older characters may require waiting for re-releases.

With a dedication to daily play, efficient resource management, and patience between updates, it is very possible to eventually unlock every character in the game over time.