Smash World News

Armada Interview 8-14-09

Ryusuta — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:24:37 -0400

For the past three months, one of the main buzzwords for Smash players around the world has been "Genesis." This wildly successful tournament was the talk of the town for Smash players before it began, and prompted even more discussion afterward.Not only did gamers from coast to coast in the United States make the trek to attend this momentous event, but even gamers from overseas made the pilgrimage. One such participant is Adam Lindgren, a visitor from Sweden that made a gigantic impact at this competition. Adam (known by the gamer tag of "Armada&quot is 16 years old and the fifth child in a family of eleven kids. Unsurprisingly, he loves video games, and is into football... that is to say, the kick-kick kind, not the tackle-tackle kind. We sat down with Adam in order to get his thoughts on the tournament, as well as his trip to America and the Smash community in general. Special thanks to his brother Aniolas for providing interpretation for this interview.Smashboards: Describe your experience arriving in the United States for a Smash Bros. tournament. Was this an exciting experience?Armada: It really was an exciting experience indeed. I had never played against the US top players before. But I felt prepared. After all, I have attended tournaments for 4 years here.Smashboards: How big of an impact do you think you made competing at Genesis? Do you like the attention you've received since then?Armada: In my opinion, U.S. players have always underestimate European ones, so it was fun to make it across the pond and prove that we, too know how to play Smash.Smashboards: How much different do you feel the competitive environment was in Genesis than locally?Armada: There are more good players in the United States, and the scene is so much bigger. But I think that the top players from Europe would give the top players from the States a good match.Smashboards: All told, how much money did it cost to make the trip to Genesis?Armada: The flight cost a little more than 1300 dollars. Then BART, bus, and things like that cost maybe 50 dollars total.Smashboards: How long have you been gaming competitively? And how much time have you spent playing the Smash Bros. games specifically?Armada: My first tournament was the Swedish Nintendo Championships 2003, and my first Smash Bros. tournament was RoS, hosted by Helios, in 2005.Smashboards: There has been a constant on-going debate on whether Meta Knight should be allowed in tournament play. What is your region’s stance on this? And do you personally agree with it?Armada: Brawl isn't played as much in Europe as it is in the States. Maybe that's why don't just have MKs in the top. At any rate, there's no one talking about banning MK here, and I'm fine with that.Smashboards: Where do you feel the metagame of Brawl will go from here? Do you foresee certain characters being used more in the near future?Armada: I guess we will see more Ice Climbers in the future. That's my only guess for now.Smashboards: Who do you feel were some of the stand-out performers at Genesis?Armada: I was really surprised that Zhu got that far. I had heard about him before I came to Genesis, and thought he was top 20 in the US, but he still impressed me quite a bit. The other one that really stepped up was Hungrybox, I don't think anyone would guess that he would get 3rd.Smashboards: One question that people always want to know the answer to is what sort of mindset the big winners have going into tournaments. What sorts of things do you think about as you prepare to compete?Armada: I tell myself that I will win. The other guy may be good, but he won't beat me. The second you doubt yourself and think you'll lose, you'll lose. Believe in yourself.Smashboards: As a follow-up, what general advice would you give to gamers new to the competitive scene?Armada: Stick to one character and practice until you really master that character. It's better to be good with one character than not-so-good with several. Try to play against different people, and against all characters so you learn how to play in a certain matchup.Smashboards: How do you feel about online Smash Bros? Do you play online much?Armada: Don't like it at all, it lags too much for me. Like the idea, but I don't play it.Smashboards: What other games (if any) do you like to play competitively now?Armada: SSB64... ohh, and Mario Party. Awesome game to have tournament in!Smashboards: Do you feel you’ll probably come back to America for another major Smash tournament?Armada: Yeah, I'll come to Pound 4, if I and my brother can get housing. Otherwise, I won't be able to afford it.Smashboards: And finally, if you were faced with a horde of zombies, what weapon would you use to fight them all off? Style factor is a major grading point, here.Armada: I would pull up a stichface and combo them like I did with Mango.~

The King Interview 07-08-09

MLG_JV — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:25:03 -0400

Daniel “The King” Hutchinson is no stranger to the competitive tournament scene. Having participated in Super Smash Bros. Melee tournaments since 2004 as well as competing in the MLG Pro Circuit with some success, The King is quite familiar with what it takes to play a game competitively.

On July 10-12, Daniel will be expanding upon his resume, hoping to add wildly successful tournament host alongside his accomplishments as a competitor. Smash players across the country are gearing up for Genesis, a major Super Smash Bros. tournament being run by The King in Antioch, California. We sat down with him to get his perspective on this fast-approaching event.

Smashboards: Let’s talk numbers for a second. Given the overall response from the gaming community and the monetary investment that has gone into running this event, what sort of turnout are you expecting?

The King: Well, what has really taken us aback in the months leading up to Genesis is just how high our conservative attendance expectancy keeps rising. We originally hoped, planned, and budgeted for around 250 people, but as the event approaches we're expecting around 500-600 people to show up!

Smashboards: Do you feel you will be prepared to meet the needs of the individual players in this event, should it be required?

The King: First and foremost, we've tried to set up the schedule structure so that it is equal parts time-efficient and competitively satisfactory for anyone who enters. We've tried to set up pools to allow for a generous amount of matches per person, while not making it too harsh to advance. Even those who attend simply for the experience of playing great players will definitely get their money's worth.

As far as the venue itself, luckily we had enough foresight to arrange for a building to hold twice as many people as we initially expected. We've made reservations for plenty of tables, chairs, and bleacher-seating, all within a building with central A/C to combat any midsummer heat that swings our way. Not to mention we've got a full menu of food & beverage concessions to be sold right on the spot, so nobody has to put their tournament attendance in jeopardy to snag a bite to eat.

Apart from that, we're making as explicit a ruleset as possible and combining that with a decent-sized group of staff & volunteers, so any individual issues which may arise during the tournament should be easily handled.

Smashboards: With a crowd of 500-600 people, you will almost certainly get a very healthy mixture of not only tournament veterans, but also people relatively new to the competitive scene. This tournament could be the first major competition many players have experienced first-hand. What sort of advice would you give to those players who are new to this sort of environment?

The King: Basically to just take everything in stride. Especially for anyone going to a tournament for the first time, something you don't want to bring with you are unrealistic personal expectations. At events of this size, even seasoned professionals are often left humbled in the event's wake. Just go into every match knowing it's a learning experience, and take from it everything you can. Take a deep breath, enjoy every match you watch or get the opportunity to participate in, and should you find yourself against Mew2king in a match, don't forget to keep breathing!

Smashboards: (Laughs)

The King: For a new player, the first thing they'll realize is that the atmosphere of tournament pressure is unlike anything they've experienced in friendlies. You'll want to stick to your basics, and bring with you into the match only what you truly know; pressure wrings a lot out of you, and flash should only be reserved for friendlies or the professional players.

I'd say bring some food & drinks with you if you can; especially water. Take it from me, two to three consecutive days of being engulfed in smash for 16+ hours a day will take its toll if you don't bring something to stay energized.

The one thing I'd suggest is to bring a sharp memory and leave your ego at the door. Every Smasher but one leaves the tournament humbled, and it's those that remember the hows and whys of their losses that will return to the next event a better player.

Smashboards: You'll obviously have a rather full plate in running this tournament. Do you think you'll be participating in it yourself, or will you simply be too busy?

The King: I really still haven't decided. (Laughs)

I'm sure I’ll be entering the Melee events at least, for old time's sake. As for Brawl... words can't describe how rusty I am at that game.

Smashboards: Now let's talk about the games in general. Melee's metagame has basically been solidified at this point (insofar as any fighting game’s competitive level can be), and Brawl's is starting to come into focus as well. Do you feel that we'll see any changes in the usage of certain characters/stages/rulesets? Which sort of changes do you expect to take place, if any?

The King: All I can really say is that I know first-hand how quickly a community can be inspired by just one break-out player. For many, it's hard to grasp a character's potential and the possible ramifications on the metagame until they've seen a stellar example with their own eyes.

Melee saw players like Bombsoldier revitalizing the nation's interest in Falco; HugS practically re-invented Samus and flip-flopped many of the matchups with his style. Players like Ken, Azen and eventually Mew2king kept showing the nation just how far one could push the envelope with Marth. Even late in Melee's timeline, Bum showed us just how competitive one could be even with a generally scoffed-at character like DK.

As far as rulesets go, the community did a pretty solid job with giving everything a chance while eliminating the more obvious issues with competitive fairness early on. The current ruleset for Brawl pretty much fits the style and pace of Brawl's gameplay, and like Melee I'm sure amendments will be made later on as new "degenerate" issues arise (Indefinite stall tactics, etc.).

For the available stages, it has pretty much slowly been filtering down as many expected. The metagame shifts and evolves to a point where suddenly, stages fit for a neutral offer glaring counterpick possibilities and stages acceptable for a counterpick become extremely one-sided; so much so that it becomes impossible to justify its legality. We saw cases of this in Melee with stages such as Onett, and in some sects even Mute City to a degree.

Smashboards: There are some gamers that don't feel that Smash Bros. in general and Brawl in particular should be considered competitive games. What would you say to these people?

The King: Well, while I'll be the first to admit that Smash doesn't look very complex on the exterior, this is the one case that proves the age-old axiom that looks can be deceiving. There's a whole lot more to these titles than meets the eye, and I would say that they are some of the most technically-demanding fighters on the market right now. Like any title you're new to, give it a try sometime... you might just find out that Mario fighting Ganondorf isn't just fun & games.

Smashboards: Do you have any final thoughts that you'd like to give the people that will read this?

The King: (Laughs) Well, I covered some of my more inspirational pieces earlier on, and I guess all I can iterate now to anyone coming to Genesis is to just sit back, kick up your feet, put your trust in DBR, and enjoy the ride this weekend.

Smashboards: And finally, if you could be any Smash Bros. character, who would you be and why?

The King: I'd definitely pick Captain Falcon. Pretty self-explanatory... he's just too amazing to waste the choice on anyone less.

Genesis will run the weekend of July 10-12, 2009. For more information, you may refer to the following links:

-http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=211141 – Smashboards dedicated topic

-http://norcalsmash.com/forums - Northern California Smash Forums

-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvTflvxzpkc – A video tour of the venue

Full Credit goes to Sir 0rion for putting together and doing a great interview and thanks to King for taking some time out of his gotta be hectic tournament prep stuff to do the interview.

Pro Interview: M2K 1-21-09

MLG_JV — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:51:04 -0400

SCOTU
What's your biggest driving force in competing in tourneys? Money?
Competition? Fun? Being the Best?
M2K: All of them (even though I don't even use the money lol, I just play cuz like there's no reason not to play. If you're good at something do it. It's kind of fun too, makes life a little more interesting)

Vyse
-What are your plans for the future?
M2K:I don't know some field of game design I'm not sure AT ALL what yet
though. I just like video games a lot lol

Nica K.O
-What's the most important tactic to learn or prepare with before a
tournament..is it mind games, execution, reaction time, or even
something else?
M2K:Lol this may sound weird but I mostly got good playing computers
and just setting up stuff humans would do most of the time. Example -
If I'm MK fighting a computer Snake and I hit them high in the air I
would jump toward them early, try to barely hit the top of my Uair,
then fast fall early. That way, if I was fighting a HUMAN, they might
have air dodged it, but I would be falling with them, so I could
usually always react and get them. Just stuff like that, and tech
skill. I rarely ever play though, usually only just before a big
tourney and that's it ever for the most part. My reaction time isn't
even good it's average at best LOL

Frown
-When was the last time you played a 4-player FFA with items on?"
M2K:I don't know like at the Jersey monthly this week I think or the
day before it with Forte and Deez and Pyronic Star. Mushroomy Kingdom
is fun I got Malcom to kill himself at 0% there with Wario's fart LOL

Istudying
-'Who do you think is the best player in brawl except yourself?" In the
future what one player do you think has the best chance to beat you in
a tournament?
M2K:That's hard to say, so many good people. Probably Azen and Ally and
maybe DSF and some WC guys I don't know of like Fiction might be up
there too (no WC experience I can't make an opinion on that). I hear
LeeMartin's been getting really good lately too. Chu's really good.
There's so many good players now. I'm afraid of any of them if they are
playing good against me, same with Reflex and some other guys. I never
think I'll do good at a tourney, that's one of the reasons I don't talk
trash. I'd have to eat my words, and I would also be setting a bad
example by trash talking, so that's why I either never or very rarely
do that esp. in person.

Gheb
-Would you drop MK for somebody else if he turned out not
to be the best? Or would always keep him at least as a 2nd?
M2K: I'd already be good with him why would I drop him? LOL. My 2nd
would probably just go back to DDD if MK got banned but there's no
reason he should be banned that's ridiculous. Overswarm's dumb

DA K.I.D
-if you could change some thing about the game, preferably to make it
more balanced what would it be.
M2K: Make Mario's FLOOD better!! I think Metaknight's tornado should
suck people up, just like a real tornado. He should also have giant 30
damage fireballs; I'm tired of always having to approach Snakeee MK
needs some projectile love too

Unseen Killa
-Did anything in particular inspire you to get good at Smash? Or were
you just like this game is fun so I'm going to play more.
M2K: Originally it was just fun so I just played it more LOL but after
I got really good I was like why not go a little bit further.

Meta-Kirby
-What could you say to those of us who long to be in your position, and
are trying to get better at Smash? Any training tips?
M2K: I'm not sure, just try to be smart and have good technical skill.
I really don't know what to say if you can't play smart though, unless
all you guys want to do is copy. Sorry Ignatious
-What should the character tier list look like, in your perspective?
M2K:
1) MK
2) Falco/Snake/Diddy/Wario/Olimar/DDD/GW among some others are right
after that I think. I don't know an exact list I just know MK is
probably the best but not by that much and I know all those characters
are also really good and close after him
-"What is your most common or aggravating mistake within your
competitive play?"
M2K: Getting frustrating/discouraged and messing up a lot I guess

Phillyrider807
-Is there another char that u play with that you think is on par with
your mk??
M2K: DDD is the next closest then Snake but I put far more time into MK
than both of them combined it's not even semi-close.

-I over heard that u entered a mk banned tournament and placed 5th is
this true?
M2K: I went to one MK banned tourney and I beat everyone except
Chillin's Falco with my DDD where all he did was roll around a lot then
CG me and laser camp into rapid As or illusions to the other side of
the stage when I approached him sometimes. After being sent to losers
we all split top 4 (I split with them SOOOOOO many times in the past).
I didn't play Azen or Atomsk, even though I have the advantage over
them based off the average of past sets. DDD vs a good Falco is too
hard if they are just playing gay and camping perfectly the entire
time. Even Atomsk was convinced that after playing Chillin; my DDD did
a bit better than Atomsk's DDD did vs Chillin. That's why chillin hates
brawl because camping is too dominant and he likes to attack but he's a
lot more disadvantaged with some characters by doing that. That's one
of the reasons I like MK it's more fun you just go out and rape people.
I had to use DDD like 3 or 4 times to make sure I won some sets at
FAST1, despite mainly MK at that time. I'm trying to go only MK now
though because I'd rather fully master 1 character than need to
counterpick if I don't have to.

Hence
-What exactly 'runs through your mind' when playing brawl against a
very formidable opponent?
M2K:I don't know I just try to play and rape

S.O.L.I.D
-M2K, you are thought of as the best Brawl Player in the world. Does
this make you feel like you have a huge target on your back and that
people go for you to attempt to take a game or even stock off of your
MK because they want to boast that they did that to the best? If you
think so, how do you feel about this?
M2K: Yeah it's kind of gay I like always have to be playing good or
people brag about everything. It's dumb cuz I can't always play good
I'm kind of random, and unless it's tourney I don't always want to try
100% although I usually do.

Chis
-How do you feel about your life outside of smash?
M2K:What life? lol I just sleep, go to college, watch anime, play
random games, talk on aim, browse boards, stuff like that. I wish I had
friends to play or do stuff with :\ I was too shy so I never really
made any around where I live

Tornadith
-"What other games do you play besides Smash?"
M2K: Used to play lots, mostly Nintendo genre
-How long do you think that you will be in the
professional scene?
M2K: I don't know as long as Smash is around?

-Since you are planning on making games in the future, what kind of
games would you like to make?"
M2K: Not sure, maybe something similar to Super Metroid?? I loved that
game.

Skater Trainer
-How did you get into the competitive melee scene?
M2K: I just played for fun a lot and then I accidentally got good and
then I was like let's just get better enough so that I win and then
keep doing that.

TheStig
-Did you audition for any reality shows since Ken has been
on survivor?
M2K: LOL no I would suck at that anyway

Epsilon933
-What was you greatest gaming moment in Smash and outside
of the Smash franchise?
M2K: Sorry I have no answer to that right now

LinkSpecialist
-Did you have anyone you ever looked up to, and if so, who?
M2K: No not really I just kept wanting to be better than the next
person even though I started really late

MeloManiacal
-How many tournaments did you attend before you began placing well?
M2K: Only a few

MarkO X
-What's your favorite stage in Brawl?
M2K: Delphino/Smashville. Delphino is fun and Smashville at night looks
cool . That's my main reasons lol

Hylian
-In melee or brawl, have you ever felt like you hit a certain point in
which you had trouble getting better? How did you push past this and
continue improving? What would your advice be for players who are stuck
at a certain skill level and can't seem to push past it?
M2K: I just kept playing and try to have fun and I'll randomly,
accidentally get better LOL. Again I only really play just before a big
tourney for the most part but I do it listening to OC remix most of the
time. I can't really give you an answer for that The Sauce Boss

-There are a lot of "good" smash players but none are nearly as
dominant as you. What is the fundamental difference between you and the
other top players. Ability to read people? Fast fingers? A strong drive
to win? IS there a difference?
M2K: I think everyone says I have a better mind for smash than them, or
understand the game better. I guess I'll just go with that answer since
I don't have one.

Ook
-What's your favorite restaurant, and what do you order from there?
M2K: I loved Ponderosa when I went there around the same time Melee
came out, but the one near me closed down sadly. I loved those chicken
wings among the other stuff they had. I don't know if all Ponderosas
are the same though, I just really enjoyed the one around me.

Teran17
-How do you personally view Falco vs Meta Knight?
M2K: I think MK has a small advantage, if he just stays away from CGs.
If he gets CGed Falco wins. Falco doesn't even have to approach ever
that's why it's dumb.

-Do you agree that Sheik is actually the best character in Melee? M2K:
I think Sheik and Fox are the best. If I'm playing really well it's Fox
but on average Sheik is the best and she has more easy-rape-matchups
IMO. I think Marth is 3rd best. I main all 3 equally now just so you
know. The other 1% of the time in tourney I use Captain Falcon! He's
too fun!

Tianxiazhai
-Seriously, What happened to Ken, Pc Chris, and Korean DJ?
Husband and Wife?
M2K: They all quit except Wife still plays Melee occasionally and PC
just got back into Melee and he's already 2nd best in the EC again
after only playing for like a month or so

Xiahou Doun
-If I hugged you would you hug me back? O__O
M2K: Depends, are you a girl?

Flamingo
-Do you have any lucky charms you bring with you to tournaments?
M2K: No

Shaya
-do you consider yourself the world no.1 brawl and melee
player? Have you or
are you considering taking trips to places like Japan to vs
their best?"
M2K: Ya I think if I'm playing good I'm the best at both probably, I
just don't think I'm nearly as consistent as I'd like to be. I might go
to Japan soon with Vidjo, but I don't think it was for smash, it was
just go to there. I don't think I'm going to go but I'm considering it
slightly.

Ph00t bag
-What's your favorite hoodie?
M2K: lol I just wear random hoodies that I have

Shadowlink84
- What is your current view on Brawl. Is it a competitive game that
will be successful into the future, or is it simply riding on the
initial momentum built from its release?
M2K: It's pretty competitive if you don't play super lame. I try to
stay away from super lame most of the time, but if they play super lame
back then I don't have a choice. I used to think Brawl sucks but now I
think it's a really good game, but not Melee-good of course.

Somiyah
-What are your goals in life?
M2K: I don't know I just like video games a lot I really do not know
what I am going to do in the future

Popular questions
-Who could you see yourself using in the lower tiers?
M2K: Ike? But chibo's banning him so I'm not entering that. I play
really simple with Ike anyway I'm sure there's tons of better ones
anyway. I don't really care about low tiers.

TwentyTwo
-Is it lonely at the top?
M2K: Kind of but it's hard to make sure I always win because that
requires always playing good at tourneys and I only do that sometimes.

SMYN: Episode 39 (08/26) - Brawl is Not in the Realm

Kirby King — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:11:55 -0400

Youko and SamuraiPanda are back for another discussion-filled episode of Show Me Your News for the month of August. The co-host of "WTF, Pokémon!?!" and Youko's brother, SwordHunter, joins the Roundtable this month due to cramped schedules caused by an impending move-in into the SMYN Apartment. Topics discussed include an SMYN fansite, hacking Brawl, Evo results, your Mailtime questions, future projects from the SMYN gang, and...mindgames galore? A can't-miss episode from Show Me Your News, all in all!

Melee World Champ Ken is on Survivor

M3D — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:52:19 -0400

I hope everyone here knows who Ken is from his days at the King of Smash. If not, you can check him out on Survivor this season and become a fan. Good luck Ken!

Intro Video:
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivo...true&cc=67

Ken's Bio:
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivo....php?season=17

Ken's Video:
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivo...=true&cc=0

I should remind everyone that when the time comes to vote on "fan favorites" we need to vote like crazy for Ken.

SMYN: Episode 38 (07/23) - Bangers and Smash

Youko — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:34:29 -0400

E3 has come to a close and it's up to Show Me Your News to give their analysis! Youko, SamuraiPanda, and guest Mic_128 cover all the major press conferences, give details about a new contest, talk about their Stickam channel, and much, much more!

Contest details FOR A GUEST SPOT ON EPISODE 40 can be found here at the official SMYN thread: http://smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=108829

Our Stickam channel where we stream live episodes and have Wii footage with commentary and more is: http://www.stickam.com/smyn

SMYN now has its own website (and soon forums), thanks to our dedicated fans! It can be found here: http://www.freewebs.com/showmeyournewsyouko/index.htm

SMYN: Episode 37 (06/18) - Guns of the Podcasts

Youko — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:24:47 -0400

June is here and Show Me Your News is here to catch you up on the latest Brawl and gaming news! Youko and SamuraiPanda delve into what's made the Smash community tick for the past month, plus some insights into future gaming news tidbits!

The BuzzSaw is our guest host this month as we discuss the EVO ruleset, Metal Gear Solid 4, Pre-E3 hype for 2008, and much more! It's two and a half hours of insightful discussion and humor abound from your podcasting fix - Show Me Your News!

SMYN: Episode 36 (05/11) - A Glorious Wii-turn

Youko — Sat, 10 May 2008 11:59:58 -0400

Show Me Your News returns for the month of May with Episode 36. After Episode 35 in March, and our Video Review in April, Youko and SamuraiPanda come back with a vengeance in a podcast you won't want to miss! It truly is among the best episodes yet!

Gimpyfish is our guest host as we discuss Melee vs. Brawl, Mario Kart Wii, Wii Fit, Wii Ware, Rock Band, and answer some Mailtime Questions! It's two and a half hours of insightful discussion and humor abound from your podcasting fix - Show Me Your News!

SMYN: Super Smash Bros. Brawl Video Review

Kirby King — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:30:39 -0400

Youko and Samurai Panda review the game they've been so devoted to with Show Me Your News -- Super Smash Bros. Brawl! Check out the full video review below, or download the audio version.

SMYN: Episode 35 (03/02) - All Good Things...

Youko — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 10:16:50 -0500

This is it. This is the final WEEKLY episode of SMYN. The podcast will attempt to continue in other ways, as we discuss, but this is it for your weekly weekend podcasting source recapping the biggest news in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

But we go out with a BANG! After covering this week's updates, we have a two-and-a-half hour Q&A segment where we answered live questions from some of SMYN's biggest fans! Listen to find out things you didn't know before about SMYN's hosts!

And yes, I am posting it a day early. But it might be a lot to soak in...

It's been an honor to do this on a weekly basis, and we'll definitely be adding new things over time to the SMYN Youtube account over at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/SMYNYouko

Be on the lookout for our Video Brawl Review in a few weeks!

Until then, see ya around the boards!