Climbing the Smash Summit 2
As it turns out, combining Dota 2’s most eccentric event an equally eccentric eSport in Super Smash Bros. Melee isn’t so bad.
The decision for Beyond the Summit, Dota 2’s largest casting studio, to run an SSBM invitational last year was met with surprise by members from both communities. Regardless, the team managed to put on an event that showcased not only high-level gameplay from top players but also a more personal view of them, similar to Starcraft 2’s Homestory Cup.
On April 21st – 24th, a cast of 16 players will again be battling it out at the Summit House in Los Angeles, California for a growing prize pool of over $20,000. For reference, the largest prize money a Super Smash Bros. Melee player has received in its 15 year history was Juan “TL | Hungrybox” Debiedma’s $13,000 victory at Battle of the Five Gods last March 19.
This time around, you’ll see these faces competing:
- Joseph “C9 | Mango” Marquez (Fox, Falco, Marth)
- Juan “TL | Hungrybox” Debiedma (Jigglypuff)
- Adam “ALL | Armada” Lindgren (Peach, Fox)
- Jason “MVG CoG | Mew2King” Zimmerman (Marth, Sheik, Fox)
- Jeffrey “Tempo | Axe” Williamson (Pikachu, Falco)
- Justin “PG | Plup” McGrath (Samus, Sheik)
- Zac “CLG | SFAT” Cordoni (Fox)
- DeJuan “WFX | Shroomed” McDaniel (Sheik)
- Eric “PG | ESAM” Lew (Samus)
- Aziz “Hax” Al-Yami (Fox)
- Otto “Secret | Silent Wolf” Bisno (Fox)
- Weston “Tempo | Westballz” Dennis (Fox, Falco)
- Robert “PG | Wobbles” Wright (Ice Climbers)
- Mustafa “mYi | Ice” Akcakaya (Fox)
- Johnny “MIOM | S2J” Kim (Captain Falcon)
- Kevin “CLG | PewPewU” Toy (Marth)
The Summer of Smash 2016 is here, and it’s looking packed with majors such as Dreamhack, EVO and CEO around the horizon. Zip up your jackets, strap on your climbing shoes and get ready for the first major of the season: Smash Summit 2.
Hungrybox Dominant: Anti-20XX
Hungrybox at Pound 2016. Photo Credit: Matt Demers via Flickr. CC BY 2.0, modified for cropping.
There lies a meme in the community about a hypothetical scenario called 20XX that talks about an inevitable future where everyone mains the game’s best character, Fox McCloud. Ironically though, the meme has been slowly coming to a reality with players such as the BOAT (Best Of All Time) Adam “ALL | Armada” Lindgren being forced to pick up Fox in addition to his Peach in order to adapt to the Fox-centered meta-game.
Enter Hungrybox. Out of the current top 5 players, he is the sole non-Fox. Using only his signature brand of Jigglypuff, he has recently overcome his streak of 3rd-2nd place finishes and won the past 2 majors, PAX Arena and Battle of the Five Gods.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTFqJWmLPgg
A critical point to note, is that quite a few pros are disinterested with Hungrybox dominating the meta-game. Known for being a “defensive” player, the term “666XX” was coined to refer to a future wherein Jigglypuff, instead of Fox, is dominant.
In addition, a key factor in his victories is the fact that he is one of the two active Jigglypuff in the game’s top 50 which leads to match-up unfamiliarity. To this extent, some top players have recruited Abhishek “Glacial | Prince Abu” Prabhu, the other active Jigglypuff, in order to serve as a resource against Hungrybox.
That doesn’t mean he’s invulnerable. In fact, Armada maintains a 1-1 record against him this year. What he is however, is a metaphorical wall for everyone else below him to climb over, Joseph “C9 | Mango” Marquez in particular.
MarthGo?
Mango at Pound 2016. Photo Credit: Matt Demers via Flickr. CC BY 2.0, modified for cropping.
Maverick. Unpredictable. Aggressive. For many years, Mango has been all of these and has done so whilst dominating the game.
A Jigglypuff-turned-Falco specialist, Mango’s results slowly deteriorated throughout 2015, forcing him to adapt his risky play-style to the current meta-game and utilize his Fox more often.
His match at Pound 2016 against Aziz “Hax” Al-Yami gave viewers a sneak peek at what might be his new main: Marth. Compared to a contemporary Marth of Kevin “CLG | PewPewU” Toy’s style, what little we saw of Mango’s take on the character was very unorthodox, using his lesser known options like Reverse Dolphin Slashes.
It’s too early to know whether or not this will be his new character-to-go but Mango himself says that he is shifting towards a dual Fox-Marth with Falco being kept as a side character.
A week of practice time might be the perfect opportunity for The Kid to test the waters further, especially with his worst match-up in the form of Armada present.
That’s not all there is to it for the Smash Summit 2. Aside from the players, there will also be a multitude of side events in the form of Doubles, Shared Controller Bracket, Rivals of Aether, Mafia and more.
You can catch the event unfold on https://twitch.tv/beyondthesummit starting April 21. For more coverage on Smash Summit and Super Smash Bros., stay tuned on eSports by Inquirer.
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