SamuraiPanda
Smash Hero
- Joined
- May 22, 2006
- Messages
- 6,924
So you want to be part of the Smash scene? Great! There is nothing that would make us old smashers happier than to make Smash 4 the biggest competitive scene we've ever had and put Smash on the map. With the 3DS release around the corner its time to start thinking about how to do it. Here's a quick guide on how to get started using available resources like Smashboards here. Note these are not in order! I highly suggest you do all of these at the same time for the best success.
Want to know how I did it? I shared my own story in the second post here.
If anyone thinks I'm missing a point or a useful website, share it in the thread and I'll add it to the OP!
#1 Choose your main
The first thing on everyone's mind is choosing a competitive main. The TL;DR of the thread is that there are three criteria to choosing a main: 1. Fits your playstyle, 2. Actually like as a character, and 3. You win with.
You don't need to think too hard on this step though because you can always change your main as you get better at Smash. Your old main will always make a solid second.
#2 Find or Make a scene
Competitive Smash Bros started as grassroots and it shows in how we get together. The biggest hurdle to becoming a competitive smasher is finding your local scene. Look for the thread for your state in Regional Zones or go to Facebook and search for the group nearest to you (i.e. "Arizona Smash 4" or "Michigan Smash 4" are the names of groups I'm in). Find some people near where you live and start hanging out with them. A lot. The secret to success in competitive Smash is play, play, play. Play with people around you constantly and help get each other better as players. These are your training partners. Tell them how you are beating them or areas they could improve and they'll do the same for you. Be each other's rival and play as often as you can.
Is there no scene around you? Play online! Resources like SmashLadder (new site by famed Pikachu player, Anther) or Nintendo Dojo or r/smashconnect can help you find other online warriors. Players who are probably much better than matchmaking could find for you. There is always a way to get good at competitive Smash Bros.
Or you can even make a scene where you are. Find one or two like-minded people and train with them. Get better and better then travel to tournaments and start placing in them. If you keep at it, you'll find people that will be willing to join your scene. You could help grow competitive Smash in areas where there never has had much activity as long as you have a passion for Smash.
#3 Attend tournaments
Part of playing is having somewhere to show off your achievements and test in the field. Play in as many tournaments as you can. These will be like your hyperbolic time chambers in the beginning, and you'll often see yourself jumping in skill level as you attend more. Find them in the Tournament Listings, on your Facebook groups, or on All is Brawl.
You won't do well your first few tournaments if you are going where the best players will be. Keep going to those tournaments. Continue to challenge yourself against the best and you'll start to do better. Play tons of friendlies before or after the tournament against people you lose to and keep trying to beat them. Becoming a solid competitive player doesn't happen overnight. It takes perseverance to start placing well. It can take months to really make a dent in your placings early in the game's lifespan because everyone else is getting better too. But keep at it. Keep playing. You'll start climbing the ranks after you put your time in.
#4 Be part of your community
Share your thoughts, smack talk your new friends, and start learning about the people around you. Post often in your Smash group on Facebook. Become a regular on the character board for your main. Make your new home the thread for your state in the Regional Zones.
Being a part of the community for your region and state makes going to tournaments feel like seeing friends more than just playing Smash.
#5 Learn about the game
There is a LOT of information about Smash Bros. Can you B reverse or wavebounce your specials? Did you know Ness can PK thunder twice if he hits the wall? Do you even know what your opponent's custom move does? Have you heard of the Rage Effect or Vectoring (whatever we're calling it now)?
Learn about Smash. Use your resources. The character boards contain a lot of information. The new Smash Academy board is bursting with great info. General boards like this one will often contain threads with compiled info you can look over.
Keep up to date with discoveries and you'll start to learn the nuances that make Smash such a deep game. You don't need to memorize frame data (unless you want to be Mew2king) but you'll never know when an obscure factoid about the game can save your butt in a tournament match.
#6 Don't give up
You're going to lose. A lot. Best thing to get better is to lose to people more experienced or skilled than you.
Don't get discouraged. Don't stop going to tournaments. It will get better as long as you keep playing. Your tournament jitters will fade over time and you'll stop being as star-struck playing against the best players of your region. It takes time and effort but you can do it. We all did.
Its really that simple. Follow these steps and you can be part of our world. Who knows? Someday you could be the next ZeRo, Armada, or Mew2king. You just need to try.
TL;DR Smash Bros is more than just a game. Its a community, an experience, and a journey. Give it a try and you'll love every step of it.
Want to know how I did it? I shared my own story in the second post here.
If anyone thinks I'm missing a point or a useful website, share it in the thread and I'll add it to the OP!
#1 Choose your main
The first thing on everyone's mind is choosing a competitive main. The TL;DR of the thread is that there are three criteria to choosing a main: 1. Fits your playstyle, 2. Actually like as a character, and 3. You win with.
You don't need to think too hard on this step though because you can always change your main as you get better at Smash. Your old main will always make a solid second.
#2 Find or Make a scene
Competitive Smash Bros started as grassroots and it shows in how we get together. The biggest hurdle to becoming a competitive smasher is finding your local scene. Look for the thread for your state in Regional Zones or go to Facebook and search for the group nearest to you (i.e. "Arizona Smash 4" or "Michigan Smash 4" are the names of groups I'm in). Find some people near where you live and start hanging out with them. A lot. The secret to success in competitive Smash is play, play, play. Play with people around you constantly and help get each other better as players. These are your training partners. Tell them how you are beating them or areas they could improve and they'll do the same for you. Be each other's rival and play as often as you can.
Is there no scene around you? Play online! Resources like SmashLadder (new site by famed Pikachu player, Anther) or Nintendo Dojo or r/smashconnect can help you find other online warriors. Players who are probably much better than matchmaking could find for you. There is always a way to get good at competitive Smash Bros.
Or you can even make a scene where you are. Find one or two like-minded people and train with them. Get better and better then travel to tournaments and start placing in them. If you keep at it, you'll find people that will be willing to join your scene. You could help grow competitive Smash in areas where there never has had much activity as long as you have a passion for Smash.
#3 Attend tournaments
Part of playing is having somewhere to show off your achievements and test in the field. Play in as many tournaments as you can. These will be like your hyperbolic time chambers in the beginning, and you'll often see yourself jumping in skill level as you attend more. Find them in the Tournament Listings, on your Facebook groups, or on All is Brawl.
You won't do well your first few tournaments if you are going where the best players will be. Keep going to those tournaments. Continue to challenge yourself against the best and you'll start to do better. Play tons of friendlies before or after the tournament against people you lose to and keep trying to beat them. Becoming a solid competitive player doesn't happen overnight. It takes perseverance to start placing well. It can take months to really make a dent in your placings early in the game's lifespan because everyone else is getting better too. But keep at it. Keep playing. You'll start climbing the ranks after you put your time in.
#4 Be part of your community
Share your thoughts, smack talk your new friends, and start learning about the people around you. Post often in your Smash group on Facebook. Become a regular on the character board for your main. Make your new home the thread for your state in the Regional Zones.
Being a part of the community for your region and state makes going to tournaments feel like seeing friends more than just playing Smash.
#5 Learn about the game
There is a LOT of information about Smash Bros. Can you B reverse or wavebounce your specials? Did you know Ness can PK thunder twice if he hits the wall? Do you even know what your opponent's custom move does? Have you heard of the Rage Effect or Vectoring (whatever we're calling it now)?
Learn about Smash. Use your resources. The character boards contain a lot of information. The new Smash Academy board is bursting with great info. General boards like this one will often contain threads with compiled info you can look over.
Keep up to date with discoveries and you'll start to learn the nuances that make Smash such a deep game. You don't need to memorize frame data (unless you want to be Mew2king) but you'll never know when an obscure factoid about the game can save your butt in a tournament match.
#6 Don't give up
You're going to lose. A lot. Best thing to get better is to lose to people more experienced or skilled than you.
Don't get discouraged. Don't stop going to tournaments. It will get better as long as you keep playing. Your tournament jitters will fade over time and you'll stop being as star-struck playing against the best players of your region. It takes time and effort but you can do it. We all did.
Its really that simple. Follow these steps and you can be part of our world. Who knows? Someday you could be the next ZeRo, Armada, or Mew2king. You just need to try.
TL;DR Smash Bros is more than just a game. Its a community, an experience, and a journey. Give it a try and you'll love every step of it.
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