Even Matchup Gaming's Toronto Joe Interviews Top Players at EVO

[The Derrit]

Smash Brothers organization Even Matchup Gaming's Toronto Joe sat down with some of the top players in Super Smash Brothers Melee during the EVO 2014 weekend to collect their thoughts on the tournament, their play, and their approach to the game. Joe has been making the rounds to several large tournaments lately, and this latest set of player interviews is catches these Melee all-stars at the apex of this year's incredible Summer of Smash.

Toronto Joe caught EG PPMD, C9.Mang0, Leffen, Fly Amanita, CT ZeRo, Crs.Hungrybox, Mew2King, and Mor | Axe (twice!) for interviews. Watching these, it is clear to see that many of the top players approach Smash very differently than the rest of us, and even each other. Enjoy!

EG PPMD: "Being the best doesn't matter to me."

C9.Mang0: "I never wanted to be the best - I wanted to be the greatest."

Leffen: "Being nice won't make people get better."

Fly Amanita: "Innovation comes from learning to solve your problems."

MOR | Axe: "I want to break into the Melee Big 5."

CT ZeRo: "I play to win for my supporters, not to entertain."

Crs.Hungrybox: "I think I will destroy any Fox I play at EVO."

Mew2King: "Succeeding at anything comes from motivation."

MOR | Axe: "I accomplished what I wanted to at EVO."​

Which player do you like the most? Do you want to see more interviews like this? Make your voice heard in the comments below, and follow TO Joe on Twitter at @TorontoJoeSSB.

The Derrit wishes he had been at EVO. That's what next year is for! Follow him on Twitter at @TheDerrit.

 

[TheFadedWarrior]

Who the heck is Fly Amanita?

 

[Toronto Joe]

thanks for the article derrit! great write up

silent wolf and d1s interviews will be up later today!

 

[Hokori]

PP - so calm and relaxed in his interview. I appreciated his lengthy responses. Aside from HBox and Fly, his interview almost doubled all others in length. Lol.

Mango - Taking a break He's always fun to watch play, but the break is definitely deserved.

Leffen - Going on a hiatus is news to me.

Fly Amanita still has the best facial expressions.

Axe - Still hype over that 4 stock in a minute performance. I still can't make sense out of it.

Zero - Really does suck that he has been getting so much hate in his direction. Nice to know he brushes it off though.

HBox - I was rooting for HBox. Soooo close.

M2K - Always apart of the funniest interviews. It doesn't get serious until around 1:02 in the video. Lol.

Axe2 - Still hype. Pika brought all the hype. Both in Melee and in plush form. I respect his determination. Pikachu's as well.

Thanks for the goods @ The Derrit & @ Toronto Joe !

 

[OnFullTilt]

Who the heck is Fly Amanita?

He is probably the current best Ice Climber player. Wobbles was arguably better but he retired.

 

[Winchester7314]

I love Derrit's articles, don't get me wrong, but was the article necessary, these interviews are already in a smashboards article
EDIT: well its got a few more, but couldn't the old article have simply added on?

 

[PandaPanda Senketsu]

He is probably the current best Ice Climber player. Wobbles was arguably better but he retired.

Wobbles is better in tournaments where wobbling is legal.

 

[Renji64]

Hbox seems very natural on the mic.

 

[Remo]

I wanted Hbox to win SO bad. Too bad M2K isn't playing at his best. I figured Mango would break after this if he won.
Stay up guys!

 

[Siro]

These interviews are so good. ^^

 

[FumiQyn]

Who the heck is Fly Amanita?

he's really good with ice climbers.

 

[Kirito-]

I wanted Hbox to win SO bad. Too bad M2K isn't playing at his best. I figured Mango would break after this if he won.
Stay up guys!

At least someone else was cheering for HBox and M2K. I REALLY wanted an M2K vs HBox winner finals.

I feel that M2K plays too many characters which is why he can't bring out his best all the time. Unlike the other 4 who have there character they specialize, M2K is a jack of all trades, master of none. I really think that he should main Marth, and just focus on him.

Phenomenal performance by HBox.

 

[Scruffy_Scoundrel]

I think Axe would have beaten Armada if he took him to a stage with a short ceiling like FoD or Yoshi's.

 

[Remo]

At least someone else was cheering for HBox and M2K. I REALLY wanted an M2K vs HBox winner finals.

I feel that M2K plays too many characters which is why he can't bring out his best all the time. Unlike the other 4 who have there character they specialize, M2K is a jack of all trades, master of none. I really think that he should main Marth, and just focus on him.

Phenomenal performance by HBox.

You and I think alike. Watching his Marth on FoD (Minus getting wrecked by Mang0's Fox) is fantastic.I love Hbox. Always have. Such a good player and seems like a very nice guy.

 

[Garrett Williamson]

Mango's highlighted statement sounds about right. That sounds like Mango to me.

These are all entertaining and I like most of them, but I think I like M2K's highlighted statement the most:

Succeeding at anything comes from motivation.

What else I noticed at the end of the interview with Mew2King was how the guy asked where he think he'd be if it wasn't for Melee. And instead of M2K answering with some response like "I don't know what I'd be doing, this has completely changed my life... etc.," he instead responded by saying (and I'm paraphrasing) "I'd be working hard and being motivated in some other area and I'd get good at it because if you are really motivated about something and work hard at it, you'll most likely succeed."

I don't care what anyone else says, I honestly think that's genius right now. The guy is freaking smart.

 

[DavemanCozy]

He is probably the current best Ice Climber player. Wobbles was arguably better but he retired.

In my opinion, I think Wobble's neutral game was definitely better than Fly's back in '13, so I would say he was better back then.

But as you said, he retired now so it's hard to tell. Fly's gotten so much better too.