ZephyrSP

Ever heard this story before? An insulated but rampant Nintendo fanboy gets Smash 64 on release day 12 year old, and spends the next 2 years with his friend spamming Thunder vs Brick. They go on to buy Melee on release day and spend the next decade pretending they know what they're doing. But they never take their interest beyond the living room to the internet and beyond, and relegate Melee to throwback diversion in high school, college, and beyond.

Years later, one of them discovered DOTA and, by extension, esports. Then he discovers that Melee, one of the great loves of his gaming life, has not only a still-existing esports community but a THRIVING one. So he watches. And watches. And watches.

Then he finds the Smash Documentary, and is consumed with the feels of a deep community that has been right under his nose for a decade without his knowledge. He spends the next year becoming a major fan of the competitive scene community.

So here he sits at 28, a potent mix of nostalgia for the game itself and a newborn passion for its competitive community. He'll never be any good himself, with hands already giving out after a lifetime of abuse, and yet after 14 years he finally learns to wavedash. And he finally registers on Smashboards. A true success story.