Is 28 too old to want to get better?

[PunkDemon90]

Didn't know exactly where to post this, and I apologize if it ends up being a ramble. Last time I was on this site was at least a few years ago and was surprised that my account was even still here (my profile pic is still an old picture of Dio). Anyway, I had joined this site back in 2015 out of a desire to get better at the game and find some kind of community. But, I soon found myself sucked into other games (I got an Xbox One and spend lots of time in Destiny) and drifted away from Smash (not to mention this site for three years). I've managed to play some Smash with my cousins from time to time (who I love to death, but were hardly tournament-caliber competition) but have never been able to really, meaningfully develop my skills. Didn't help that I've always lived in a small town far from most tourneys and events, and I've never had a large circle of gamer friends (socializing isn't my strong point). Now, seeing that Ultimate is coming out this year, I've been drawn back to Smash 4, watching lots of videos on YouTube for it and playing it again.

The big concern I have is simple; is it too late? Not in terms of the game, since it's almost four years old and Ultimate's soon going to supersede it, but rather for me to have any interest in competitive Smash. I just recently turned 28 and I've got more adult commitments now (like a job). Granted, I was already 25 by the time I first got to play Smash 4, but it just feels like I've let my window close. I look at a lot of these (much) younger guys that have been playing for years and I just feel like it would be a waste of time to even try at my age. I mean, I don't intend to be the next ZeRo (if you'll pardon the name-drop), but sometimes I feel like that at this point, it's too late for me to aim to even be moderately competitive;. This stuff is like football, it's a young man's game. Which is a shame, because I've been saving up my money with plans to finally attend Super Smash Con near DC in Chantilly (I live in Central VA) next month. As much as gaming has been a part of my life, I've never been to a major gaming convention or Smash event before.

I know this is a bit of a dour post, but these kinds of thoughts have been swirling around in my head as I've started playing Smash again, and since I don't really have anyone to personally talk to, I felt like saying something here was the thing to do. I just needed to get these thoughts out. The age thing really has become a mental block (among other things), since there's so much I'd have to learn and improve, and knowing I'm getting older, like I'm running out of time, just brings me down. It's frustrating, because I really love the Smash franchise.

 

[Dr. James Rustles]

Just play smarter than those nerds

Also, study frame data. That will train your brain to actually look for things, so the speed up is automatic

 

[Frihetsanka]

Mew2King is 29.

To answer your question, I don't think you're too old to play the game at a decent level. I recommend trying to find ways to improve quickly rather than time-consuming ways, one good way is to play people slightly better than you, preferably with a low amount of lag. Join some Smash Discords and see if you can find some people that fit the bill. Initially you might have to play people much better than you, but if you keep at it you might improve quickly enough to play at a more reasonable level (and thus end up closer in skill to some other people).

You can find Discord servers here: https://smashcords.com/smash-4/

 

[Nethermoosen]

If it’s fun, it simply isn’t going to be a waste.
And whether or not you really master the game shouldn’t matter. The game is functional from the time you first pick it up all the way to mastery.

Easy to learn, but has an impressive depth that will take time. That’s also why you shouldn’t worry. Many, many people are fairly average at the game. Smash Wii U has just as many average online players as pros, even to this day. I consider myself just above middling for the competitive scene and that’s only because I win more than I lose. Anyone who regularly attends a real tournament will stomp me every time, but random folks online range from poor to scary.

I’m also 28 and I have only actually started learning competitive since 2014. I also have a job, I’m going back to school and I have a child.
Never stopped me from using my free time for such a fun game that always has room for me to grow.

If you want to get better at a responsible adult’s pace and need advice, feel free to message me personally. I’ll even play some games with you.

My personal favorite way to learn is watching YouTube’s IzawSmash. He has the “Art of Character” videos and he doesn’t miss a detail.

Good luck!

 

[Skitrel]

Plenty of the melee crowd are close or into their thirties now.

Chudat. 31. Rank 11
M2K 29. Rank 4 and plays/ranks in multiple games.
MikeHaze. 28. Rank 25.
Dizzkidboogie. 30. Rank 27.
Amsah. 31. Rank 39.

The only thing that being older is going to do is make you feel a bit older at events which will be largely dominated by the teen to 26 age range. If this is not a factor for you then there is nothing in Smash that should prevent you from getting good. Smash is not a reaction based game, it is a knowledge, experience and prediction based game. I firmly believe that the only thing separating age groups is the quantity of time people have to dedicate to it.

Nobody is playing using reactions. Everyone is playing using muscle memory built up through practice alongside predictions based on understanding how a character is played and what options they have in whatever the current situation happens to be. It all hinges on game knowledge.

 

[DT Raw]

I joined the community a few months ago and Im almost 31 married amd have 2 kids and a full time job. Been going to my locals amd lose but have gotten better. We have a monthly or bi monthly here too that does a waterfall bracket and I managed to advance out of division 3 and into division 2 where I was then bounced. Smash is fun and unlike any other community ive been part of

 

[Keeshu]

28 eh and you're already feeling too old? As long as you're taking care of your body and keep learning stuff, you shouldn't worry about age. There's people in their 90s that can run and haven't lost their wit at all. When I was 19 I couldn't even run. Though even if you think you're in a bad spot, just keep improving yourself and you'll do better and improve. I can run now easily and I'm healthier than I ever was than when I was a kid or teenager as well.

You're only as old as you make it out to be. Don't let age be an excuse to do anything. Whether it's smash or anything else in life. Just do the thing you want to do and don't look for excuses like that. You'll love yourself a lot more in the long run because you'll be doing the things you love.

 

[Deleted member]

Didn't know exactly where to post this, and I apologize if it ends up being a ramble. Last time I was on this site was at least a few years ago and was surprised that my account was even still here (my profile pic is still an old picture of Dio). Anyway, I had joined this site back in 2015 out of a desire to get better at the game and find some kind of community. But, I soon found myself sucked into other games (I got an Xbox One and spend lots of time in Destiny) and drifted away from Smash (not to mention this site for three years). I've managed to play some Smash with my cousins from time to time (who I love to death, but were hardly tournament-caliber competition) but have never been able to really, meaningfully develop my skills. Didn't help that I've always lived in a small town far from most tourneys and events, and I've never had a large circle of gamer friends (socializing isn't my strong point). Now, seeing that Ultimate is coming out this year, I've been drawn back to Smash 4, watching lots of videos on YouTube for it and playing it again.

The big concern I have is simple; is it too late? Not in terms of the game, since it's almost four years old and Ultimate's soon going to supersede it, but rather for me to have any interest in competitive Smash. I just recently turned 28 and I've got more adult commitments now (like a job). Granted, I was already 25 by the time I first got to play Smash 4, but it just feels like I've let my window close. I look at a lot of these (much) younger guys that have been playing for years and I just feel like it would be a waste of time to even try at my age. I mean, I don't intend to be the next ZeRo (if you'll pardon the name-drop), but sometimes I feel like that at this point, it's too late for me to aim to even be moderately competitive;. This stuff is like football, it's a young man's game. Which is a shame, because I've been saving up my money with plans to finally attend Super Smash Con near DC in Chantilly (I live in Central VA) next month. As much as gaming has been a part of my life, I've never been to a major gaming convention or Smash event before.

I know this is a bit of a dour post, but these kinds of thoughts have been swirling around in my head as I've started playing Smash again, and since I don't really have anyone to personally talk to, I felt like saying something here was the thing to do. I just needed to get these thoughts out. The age thing really has become a mental block (among other things), since there's so much I'd have to learn and improve, and knowing I'm getting older, like I'm running out of time, just brings me down. It's frustrating, because I really love the Smash franchise.

Speaking from Other World...

Honey, age is just a number. Why let that stop you from doing what you are passionate about? I will be 57 years old next month and still keeping up with my knowledge on Smash since I began playing in 2005. Started out playing my first fighting game in Tekken 3 back in 1999 not knowing much except button-mashing but in 2001 Super Smash Bros. and Melee really appealed to me that I eventually forgot about Tekken. I was nearly 50 years old since I jumped back into Tekken series knowing much more than I did back in the day (combo execution, better understanding of commands for attacks, etc.). This year, this old lady is also getting into Soul Calibur series for the first time. My first step is to get to know the characters by looking at move lists and work from there.

But yeah...never allow age to be a barrier. Let me tell you something: since graduating in the class of 1979 I never went to college but it is not too late for me to do that. But I chose not to and decided to maintain my education by self-teaching. If it is not too late for me to go to college and continue my education, it ain't too late for you to improve.

With that, good luck on the path to improvement!

Sayonara

 

[Crucible]

After a 5+ year hiatus from competitive Smash in Brawl at 26 years old now and seeing the average age of players at tournaments I started to have these same doubts you’ve mentioned. Glad to see I’m not alone. Love the game but worried that my reactions simply were slowing down and although I’m learning the game more and more in depth, I just couldn’t keep up as well as I used to. But I’ve realized that Smash is a lot about experience, prediction and execution and I stick to characters I feel I can perform well with without having to do many advanced techs. Above all, I’m just having fun and have noticed improvement in areas where I lacked wisdom in my younger days.

 

[PunkDemon90]

Wanted to come back here so it wouldn't appear to just be a 'post and run." I finally committed to Super Smash Con and registered for Smash Wii U singles (I'd register for the other Smash games, but since I've never really done this kind of thing before, I'm focusing on one game). I'll be there under the name "Punk D", a reference to my username here and also a bit of a tribute to Chuck D from Public Enemy. I'm currently sorting out what my first main could be, and I find myself drawn to Mario, Captain Falcon, Pikachu, and Greninja, but Mewtwo is who I'm really interested in. Don't know why, but I see Mewtwo and I'm like, "I'll pick him." Actually reading what's been posted here has made me feel better, and now that I'm going to SSC and I have a goal to work toward, I've got some training up to do. I know online play has its pitfalls and there's no substitute for playing in a live setting, but it's the best I can currently do right now. Looking through some Discords at the present moment.

Seriously, thanks for the input, y'all (Yes, I said "y'all." That's how we talk where I'm from). I might get whipped at SSC, I might find out I'm better than I thought, but either way I'm committed. I've recently been looking up some Vince Lombardi quotes for motivation, think I'll start by sharing one here: “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but a lack of will.”

 

[Donkey_Butter]

You’re never too old for anything...except for those tubes at Chuckee Cheeses that you see kids crawling around in.

 

[PunkDemon90]

Guess I'll post here for another follow-up. (Maybe I should start some blog about this or something) Had my first ever experience in a tournament setting, albeit a very small local one. Let's just say Punk D got his punk a-- kicked. I did not win a single match, which I honestly expected as someone who's really just getting started with this competitive stuff. Replaying the matches in my head, I did have some good moments with some decent combos and there were several moments where I felt like I had a decent chance to win, but I also made some dumb mistakes and couldn't close the deal. Obviously, I need to step up my practice so if I'm ever in those situations I can make the right play and actually win. For those curious, I went with Mario. Most of the guys there at least seemed friendly and some of them had some knowledge to pass on. My Smash career (if you could call it that) didn't have an auspicious start, but it was a start nonetheless. It was a reminder that I have a lot to work on, but I appreciated the experience anyway.

 

[Keeshu]

Does your tournament upload their matches to a channel somewhere so you can re-watch your old matches so you can self-critique yourself a bit better? Don't forget to look at what the opponent is trying to do so you can better understand what an opponent wants so you can avoid those situations. Of course, showing some videos to people and asking them what you could improve on could help too, especially if you have a hard time seeing what you are doing wrong.

Failing the first time you try something is to be expected. It'll make future victories in tournaments all the better because you'll see how much you've improved. Also don't let a small size tournament discourage you as there's always the chance that there's a ton of extremely good players in your area. Making it hard to win, but on the flip side, you'll probably improve a lot faster because bad players won't be letting you get away with bad habbits. Let's just say with the people in my town, it's better to just play For Glory players instead as it's difficult to even find someone that does something as simple as shielding, despite many saying they play Smash competitively. So you got lucky having some good players to play against to have some really fun matches with.

 

[aarchak]

Had my first ever experience in a tournament setting, albeit a very small local one.

Wow, I still haven't actually worked up the courage to go into a tournament yet, even a local one. Props to you for being willing to have your butt handed to you in order to learn and get better. Really takes guts.

 

[Phil Time]

"You're only as old as you feel."

"Age is nothing but a number."

These are a few inspirational quotes that everyone should try to memorize.

Personally, I don't even think about my age.

However, to be precise, I am also 28 years old.

 

[Bayopuff]

You can't be too old for Smash, just play it more and keep improving.

 

[Smooth Criminal]

I'm 32 years old and I'm entertaining the idea of competing yet again when Ultimate drops later this year. Don't let your aspirations wither on the vine, fam. Keep on keeping on.

Smooth Criminal

 

[Darches]

The human brain starts to decay at 24, which is why competitive eSports players lose their luster faster than physical athletes. But I'm sure the decay isn't that bad, you should be good to go. Knowledge is power; you don't need reaction time if you can read your opponent like a book. If you're intending to win big tournaments it'll be a little harder, but nothing significant until you're really old.

I've never even been to a tournament because 80% of the cast is unviable and I'm not going to pick up Bayonetta just to win. Games should be about fun, not winning. When I do win though (by inflicting fear status and spawning into reverse dropkick), I'm like . Playing with the local tourney***s is much more fun than laggy For Glory though. So do whatever makes you happy.

 

[Scicky]

I'm 25 and I've noticed myself getting better just in the last month. The problem with being older is that adult responsibilities get in the way of being able to dedicate the time to the game that younger players or people who do it full-time/semi-full time are able to, but that doesn't mean you can't get better or make the time for it.

Age isn't really a problem I don't think, just that some of the other things that come with age make it harder, but not impossible. Put the work in, you'll get there.

 

[Deleted member]

I never bought into the belief that people start to get worse cognitively past 24/25 or so. Back when I used to play America's Army 2.5, I came across someone who was like 60-or-so years-old, and he still dominated most other players. I hope that guy's doing well, wherever he is. The way I see it though, it's never too late. You should never let anybody convince you of what you can and cannot do, even if that happens to be yourself. Trust your heart and do what makes you happy. This is coming from someone who had to go through clinical depression for more than half of his life (I'm 21 as of this post, for perspective). I don't mean to be all touchy-feely, but I really can't stress it enough—do what you love.

You’re never too old for anything... ...except for those tubes at Chuckee Cheeses that you see kids crawling around in.

You know... unless you're aiming for that.

 

[Keeshu]

I gotta say the idea of people's mind getting worse past 25 I can see a little. However, that is because that's when people no longer have to do anything school related. Also because people work a lot, people don't take the time to learn new things. Also, with people treating lack of sleep like a normal thing, that doesn't help people sleep doesn't help the brain function properly either. So their mind just kind of stagnates. Also some people will just stop exercising at that point, which also doesn't help the body and mind either. Also, people at that age probably won't be hounded by their parents to eat healthy, so they'll probably start eating terrible foods which can make it harder for the brain to function properly. It's like not repairing a machine or tool for a long time. Sure it still works, but it will degrade after a while. If you repair it and such it will last you a life time.

I highly reccomend replacing soda with water. I used to have 3-5 cans daily until I decided to replace it with water. I didn't change anything else, but doing that let me lose 50 pounds in 6 months (330lbs my heaviest weight, I'm 6'2" ->280lbs). It made me realize I was playing life in hard mode for so long because I was so dehydrated. Everything in life is so much easier now. Try to always have a water bottle nearby so you don't default to soda or something. There's probably other diet stuff that could make your life a lot easier if you ate something healthier. I'm no dietitian though, so you'll have to figure out what diet is best for you or find someone who knows this stuff. Anything that can make your life easier.

Basically, keep learning things and take good care of your body. It might take a bit of time to properly take care of yourself, but you'll have more energy and feel better making it easier to do more things more quickly and efficiently as well which will in turn make you feel even better because you're doing stuff.

 

[Essora]

I figure you may not peak as high as if you started young but you can still get pretty good

 

[Darches]

I figure you may not peak as high as if you started young but you can still get pretty good

That's usually from something called synaptic pruning. It's an evolutionary feature to ensure the mind runs efficiently. No solution for that unfortunately.

 

[Terios the Hedgehog]

You'll be fine. Tokido won Evo twice in a row at 33 and Daigo was on such a tear he was considered almost a lock for top 8 at 37. Just look at why you lose instead of assuming its because of your age or something and you're fine.

Different game I know but it really does work out the same. This community just trends younger so you're going to see younger people on top. Most older ones are still on Melee.

 

[Smash Lampjaw]

If people in their 60s can take up powerlifting and be successful, a 28 year old should have no problem picking up Smash. Pay attention to learning the tricks and know what to look for, and practice responding to situations. Know the characters and their tells, take advantage of player patterns. Some are surprisingly common. Watch how some of the top Smash players play with whichever characters you want to main, and get a feel for their style. You'll get a sense of what exploits they're looking for in their opponents. It's a process, but so is everything else. If you're serious, you'll get there.

It's never too late to start doing something you want to enjoy.

 

[SSb64champ]

I'm also 28 and have wondered if i'm too old to get into smash 4 and Ultimate and play it competitively at a respectable level. I began playing ssb64 competitively when i was 19 and had no problem learning that game back then.

 

[Essora]

I'm also 28 and have wondered if i'm too old to get into smash 4 and Ultimate and play it competitively at a respectable level. I began playing ssb64 competitively when i was 19 and had no problem learning that game back then.

A respectable level? Sure, absolutely. Unfortunately with age your reflexes naturally decay and there's sadly nothing that can be done about that, but you can still improve your tech skill and knowledge and can probably make respectable placings in your locals and probably even bigger tourneys. It's hard to hit "top" player level around that age but I've noticed a lot of people don't even want to strive for that high of a peak

 

[grizby2]

im 28 and still perfecting my art.
one of my dreams is to be an old man who is challenged by some over confident youngsters, thinking they can easily win, only to be completely WHOMPED by some grey-haired wrinkly champion of the past!

 

[Darches]

If people in their 60s can take up powerlifting and be successful...

This argument is already worthless as muscles don't work like the mind and are easily replaced. It's the reason low skill/physical jobs tend to have less pay. It's also the reason physical athletes tend to last a bit longer than eSports ones.

It's never too late to start doing something you want to enjoy.

This part is true.

 

[BlowingUpMyGoodEye]

I feel the same way and I'm only 17, it's just a matter of perspective. Are there highly competitive players who are younger than you? Yes. Older than you? Yes. Does it matter, assuming that every player is at a similar level of skill and success? No.

I get what you mean though, it's a lot harder to pick up something with the intention of breaking into the competitive scene when it's filled to the brim with people who've been playing seriously for years. Good luck!

 

[Just a random scrub]

It's absolutely not too old. Smash is meant to be enjoyed by all types of people.

 

[Q-Long]

I'm 25 and I feel old too, I have those feelings of resentment in regards to starting my passions late as well

But a friend of mine (same age) makes alot of friends and business connections playing competitive gaming (his game is Under Night) and he is now a sponsored player who can balance his work life with his gaming life. So its never too late

also Daigo of Street Fighter fame is like 37

 

[Uffe]

I'm 33, and I'm trying to get better at this game. Of course when Ultimate comes out, I'll be trying to get good at that. When it comes to wanting to improve, age doesn't matter. You just worry about how to get good and not your age.

 

[Essora]

I'm 33, and I'm trying to get better at this game. Of course when Ultimate comes out, I'll be trying to get good at that. When it comes to wanting to improve, age doesn't matter. You just worry about how to get good and not your age.

Yeah, this exactly. You're probably not going to be the next ZeRo (because, let's face it, if you were, you'd have started your path of destruction already), but you can absolutely positively get pretty freaking good. Don't let your age discourage you from wanting to get better. Not just to OP, but for everybody thinking about getting into Smash. Unless you're playing high-level melee, you don't really require the same APM as, for example, competitive StarCraft, so the age-induced loss of reflexes is going to be pretty negligible at all but the highest rungs of the ladder.

 

[Xsyven]

You're never too old to have a hobby.

Just play the game and have fun.

 

[Grevmak]

I'm 25 and I feel old too, I have those feelings of resentment in regards to starting my passions late as well

But a friend of mine (same age) makes alot of friends and business connections playing competitive gaming (his game is Under Night) and he is now a sponsored player who can balance his work life with his gaming life. So its never too late

also Daigo of Street Fighter fame is like 37

Well that makes me feel 100% fine with going into Ultimate while being 23 which is probably pretty close to the average though.

Go OP, do what makes you happy!