Destroying the competition in ‘Super Smash Bros.’

Having six giant CRT televisions in one room might seem a bit strange, and even more so when a Wii is connected to each one. In a Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament, however, this setup is the norm.
On Nov. 30, the De Anza College Competitive Gamers club hosted its first Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament which attracted not only De Anza students, but De Anza graduates and Foothill students as well.
21 people competed in the tournament, in which Marc Gabe Datuin, 22, kinesiology major, dominated to place first with the avian star pilot, Falco.
Justin Cha, 20, sociology major and club treasurer, said that this was the club’s first event, and they hope to hold tournaments bi-weekly in the future. There is the possibility of League of Legends tournaments as well. The De Anza eSports club held a similar tournament with both Melee and Project M. The world’s top Project M player, hailing from Oakland, took first place in Project M, and second in Smash playing a “suboptimal character” according to president and founder of eSports club, Calvin Truong, 20, business Major. “The Smash community is a very friendly, family-oriented community,” Cha said. “We’re all pretty close. Hopefully these tournaments can bring people together and start lasting relationships.”
“De Anza’s Smash Bros. culture is sort of similar to everywhere else,” said the co-president of the Competitive Gaming Club, Michael Zhang, 21, computer science major. “People who play Smash kind of just find a place to congregate around and then just play all day because, opposed to other online games, you need to find people to play with in person.”
Truong also said the Smash community is passionate and vocal. “It’s hard for any community, not just esports, to match their passion. I can see some bigger games like “League of Legends” fading out sooner or later but with Super Smash Bros., it’s hard for me to imagine.”
Both Zhang and Cha invited people to the Smash Bros. gatherings in the Fireside lounge that happen on most days.
“Feel free to join us,” Cha said, “We’re happy to teach new people how to play. Even if you don’t want to play, feel free to have a conversation. We’re all very approachable.”
If you aren’t sure about joining a tournament or checking out the Smash gatherings in the Fireside lounge, take Zhang’s self-admittedly cliched advice: “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take!”