The premier Super Smash Bros. fan mod, Project M, celebrated its 14th anniversary a few months ago. In that time, it has seen many changes, overcame unthinkable obstacles, and boasted a thriving competitive scene going strong to this very day. Due to its complicated history, the many eras of Project M are concretely split and the many talented players throughout the game's lifespan are not often recognized or celebrated as much as they deserve. In an attempt to bring visibility back to the underground smash game’s history, the Plus Side team is proud to present the Top 100 Project M/+ Players of All Time! For more information on the methodology behind this list, please check out our introduction article.
Without further ado, let us begin the release of the Top 100.
One of the most hidden of hidden bosses until his breakout, Cory (aka Sabre, aka “The Ivy Player”) long held an iron grip on his region of upstate New York. He would occasionally have strong performances at New England regionals, but his true breakout came in the 2022 season.
At Blacklisted 6, Cory took down ~CP9~ and longtime legend Switch before losing to techboy and AssTAStic in close game 5 sets. This performance swayed enough hearts to allow him to be voted into the Project M Theatre, where another nail-biter game 5 ended in his favor versus dvd. His last appearance came at Blacklisted 7, where he placed right outside of top 8 on a run consisting of ~CP9~ (again), Yung Quaff, and Twisty. Cory may no longer be actively going to tournaments, but he was able to firmly make his mark on this list of all-time greats before once again fading into the shadows.
Written by: Motobug
If you’ve ever been able to tune into a SoCal local, it’s likely that you’ve spotted Aion, whether it be in the classic Balc days or in the modern era of Pico Plus. After Wizzrobe’s retirement, Aion was the first Sonic player to make a national splash in the 3.6 era alongside fellow SoCal Sonic Zenokids. Notably, Aion had a strong rivalry with Jonny Sosa even as he rose to be a top 5 player, with the Sonic taking him out both at locals and national events as well.
Aion may not travel for competition nowadays, but his Sonic is still competing within his home state almost ten years after his PMRank debut - that’s longevity that’s hard to match for any player, and his Sonic inspired and continues to inspire future generations of mains across the world.
Written by: Motobug
2019 was an important year for the PM community. There were many changes in this time period, such as the transition to using Project+, and a new wave of high level competitors challenging the established top players. One of those such competitors was Bubbles, the incredibly stylish New York Falcon. While he competed in the multiple years prior, even being an honorable mention on PMRank 2018, it wouldn’t be until his explosive breakout at Frozen Phoenix 2019 that he became a nationally known rising star, taking out the likes of Rongunshu and Twisty. Following it up soon after at Smash ‘N’ Splash 5 with a win over Morsecode in one of his best seasons, Bubbles was a serious threat and a top 20 player that year.
Coming out of the COVID era, Bubbles switched gears to a different game, becoming an equally flashy and well respected Ryu in Third Strike. As he soars to new heights including a 17th place finish at EVO this past year, us in the PM community will always cheer him on and brag to all about where he started out.
Written by: Tuck
The player at the forefront of PM 3.6 Sonic, Wish (aka Jfyst aka Scarfy aka Jose) was the only Sonic to be ranked twice in the 3.6 era of PM. His two-year active period saw him take down Phresh, Venom, Silver, Twisty, Flarp, Junebug, and more. One of his most notable sets is taking ThundeRzReiGN to the brink of elimination at 17th place at The Bigger Balc, and being the only player to take ThunderRz to game five throughout his entire loser’s run.
Wish shifted his focus to real life priorities (and later HDR) after his active seasons, his contributions to Sonic were vast. His near-perfect balance of normals and specials was influential in directing the playstyle of the character later in the meta, and combo trees he established can still be seen in modern Sonic play to this day.
Written by: Motobug
Imogen Heat, the most recent in a long line of New England multi-mains that includes the likes of Darc and Silver, has been steadily rising through the rankings since first appearing on PMRank 2022, employing various amounts of Fox, Zero Suit Samus, Sheik, Roy, and others. She currently sits at 18th on PMRank 2024, and has begun a journey featuring a suspicious amount of Bowser in the first quarter of 2025. Her rise to prominence was punctuated by a victory over Dirtboy at The Bigger Mile High Club, but wins on Shiny Zubat and Comb at other events reaffirm talent goes beyond a single big upset. Imogen Heat’s meteoric rise is a shining example of what happens when hard work and unfettered passion meet, and her latest ranking on PMRank 2024 may be just another step on the ladder to achieving even higher aspirations.
Imogen Heat’s passion for the game is tangible, and can be felt any time you sit down at a setup to play with her. She’s the kind of player who will play serious friendlies for hours at a 6 person local on a Thursday simply because she doesn’t know any other way to play and not playing hard isn’t even a possibility that enters her head. Regardless of whether she continues to pursue even loftier goals beyond being top 20 worldwide or decides to take a step back from the game’s competitive scene moving forward, no one can argue how much she loves the game and the people who play it.
Written by: Serb
Tealz will always tear up the competition. A masterful pilot of Meta Knight, on his best days he has channeled murderous intent into victories against heavyweight contenders like Shiny Zubat, Sneez, and Rongunshu.
One must also recognize his incredible synergy alongside YadoR as the Star Allies in Doubles, who placed Top 4 together at the biggest Project M event of all-time. Tealz will always be appreciated for his role in building up and representing SoCal Project M alongside his peers, and we are fortunate to have such passionate players involved in our scene.
Written by: Frequency
Much like his extensive history with Melee, ChuDat was around in the very first years of Project M. He competed in Zenith 2012, one of the first large events in PM’s history, taking down early developers and top players JCaesar and Ryoko. What separated ChuDat from the other players of that time, however, is that he continued competing throughout 2014 in the boom of PM 3.0. It was in this era that he switched to his infamous ledge camping, swallow-ciding Kirby.
At CEO 2014, he earned a victory over #1 contender Armada, cementing himself as a solid high level player for multiple eras of the game.
Written by: Tuck
If you’re new to the Project+ scene, you may not know Connor. His story, however, is one of the quietest, yet most impressive, one-hit-wonder stories in the history of the scene. While Connor had some strong performances in 2018, including a win over Pikmon, 2019 was Connor’s breakout year. Notably, Connor made a run to top 8 at Blacklisted 5, defeating the region’s defender Twisty, taking another set off of Pikmon, and most impressively defeating ThundeRzReiGN in one of the biggest upsets of that year.
Connor’s drive to compete would diminish as the world entered a new decade, though his rare appearances in netplay tournaments in 2020 and 2021 were as strong as you’d expect from his 2019 performance, including defeating Morsecode’s Samus with his ASR (yes, really). With all of these accomplishments, Connor will be remembered as one of the sleeper picks for greatest Project M players of all time.
Written by: Motobug
Reslived wore many hats during his time: community leader, member of 3.6’s backroom, tournament organizer, commentator, and competitor, just to name a few. Reslived went through various levels of activity in his near decade of experience starting in 2014. Reslived rarely attained the consistent and top tier success that some of the other players on this list may have, but he is part of a much more exclusive club: players who have beaten Malachi. At Even Bigger Balc, in an unassuming loser’s round 2 match, Reslived would defeat Malachi, throwing the whole bracket into chaos and earning himself a spot on PMRank 2018. He would never quite follow up on that performance, but would continue coming in and out of the scene over the years with varying levels of involvement and still occasionally shows up to locals to this day.
There are many things Reslived may be remembered for, but it's the flashes of high level play which earned him the 92nd spot on this list.
Written by: Serb
There weren’t many players who stuck with Mr. Game and Watch following the nerfs he received in the initial release of P+, but Mr.Watch&Learn might love that little 2D guy more than anyone on earth. Of course, he didn’t make it on this list just because he loves Mr. Game and Watch, he also stands as one of the best modern Game and Watch players. Approaching nearly 10 years of activity, Mr.Watch&Learn has amassed a considerable portfolio of tournaments attended, but Resting Stitch Face 2 was likely his most impressive run. There he beat Erg, Flarp and Narq to secure 5th place.
Mr.Watch&Learn’s genuine love of the game oozes through the mic at every major broadcast he sits down at as a commentator, and his genuine sincerity and authenticity makes him one of the scene’s most treasured individuals. Mr.Watch&Learn truly embodies everything this game is about.
Written by: Serb
No matter who you ask, Jason Waterfalls is an OG SoCal Project M legend. The man behind the still relevant Project M Essentials YouTube channel and head T.O. for the biggest Project M tournament of all-time is also a long-standing SoCal PR member who has slain the likes of Dirtboy, Violet, and Blue with his prowess as a pressure fighter. JFalls is directly responsible for SoCal presenting a unified front, and any region with their own JFalls is a fortunate region indeed.
Written by: Frequency
From Juanpi, to Cala, to (until very recently) Jagz$, Florida has had a long history of talented players who rarely see the spotlight. These hidden bosses are widely considered top tier by their fellow statesmen, and occasionally these players manage to just eke out eligibility for PMRank. Hero of Time is one such case. Utilizing far more usage of Link's normals than typically seen today, Hero of Time made a splash in 2015, immediately securing a spot in the top 20 after a 5th place finish at Low Tier City 3 with wins on M2K, Ripple and Strong Badam. Factor in 9th place finishes at Final Boss and Bigger Balc, and it’s not hard to see why many in Florida were so confident in their hero.
As quickly and explosively as he entered the scene, following a much quieter 2016 (where he ranked 43rd), Hero of Time returned to Florida and ceased traveling, content with what he had accomplished. Modern Links looking to round out their gameplan could do a lot worse than doing VOD review of 2015’s most accomplished Link player.
Written by: Serb
Imagine it’s late 2015. Junebug has just started his dominance, winning Low Tier City 3 and Blacklisted. Then, at We Tech Those, he runs into this pesky Ohio Luigi player, XYK, sending him down early to the losers bracket. Not too bad of a first impression, as this would be XYK’s first of many solid performances for his multi-year career.
XYK made it onto PMRank twice in 2016 and 2017, and competed consistently up until 2019. What separated XYK truly among the rest of the pack was his comeback in 2022, entering his first major tournament in about 4 years at Undertow 2022. There, he racked up multiple top 50 wins in Sabre and Ellipsis as well as a 4th place finish in doubles, proving he could be a threat to this day - that is, if he wasn’t too busy teaching the next generation of smashers as a collegiate Ultimate coach.
Written by: Tuck
While the Canadian class clown Blitz has only been ranked once in 2024, his career spans back all the way back to 2016. Making the journey to the states many times throughout his tenure, along with impressive placements at the Frozen Phoenix series, Blitz already had built up an impressive resume before he tore the scene up in the past 2 years.
Starting at Honeypot 6 in 2023, he beat the Illinois pair of metroid and Chaloopy, with the former match being one of the greatest sets of the year. Coupled with wins on Morsecode and Comb in 2024, he became the highest ranked non-statesman on PMRank 2024, and one of the best Ike players in the game.
Written by: Tuck
Fly Amanita is an essential piece of SoCal Project M history. The inaugural #1 player on the SoCal PM Power Ranking helped proliferate the activity of top players from Melee competing at the highest level in our game. The Melee Icies main opted instead to patiently drive a King Dedede sized bus over his opposition in Project M, including deadly players like Oracle, Strong Badam, and Sethlon. Fly is one of our earliest gifts to SoCal PM, and his professionalism is highly laudable.
Written by: Frequency
There is no unscrupulousness to observe in Machiavelli, only cunning. The intellectual Ivysaur/King Dedede main not only helped create the game but also molded the competitive landscape with his peaks of beating not only the godlike ThundeRzReiGN but also the elite Lunchables and Bacon Pancakes. You can try and conceive of a world without Machiavelli, but ultimately our scene is all the better having had him be a part of it.
Written by: Frequency
With raucous chants of “Muk Lyfe!” behind him, Marshall was among the army of talented Mr. Game and Watch players taking the scene by storm following 3.6’s release. Debuting on his lone PMRank in 2016 at #35, Marshall's performances at EVO 2016 and especially Smash n Splash 2, showcased that Mr. Lz was not the only Game and Watch player to watch out for. At Smash n Splash 2, where he placed 3rd, he defeated Ripple as well as Junebug and Hungrybox, both former PM #1 players, before placing 3rd. At Evo 2016, Marshall lost early in winners, but defeated Hungrybox again in losers before bowing out at 7th place. Many consider Hungrybox’s loss here to Marshall (as well as being double eliminated at Smash n Splash 2 by Marshall and Mr. Lz) to be a major reason he stepped away from PM, as he has been quoted specifically claiming issue with Mr. Game and Watch’s design specifically.
Marshall would attend events sporadically after 2016, never meeting qualification for PMRank again, but a pair of high profile bracket placements, with wins at both on one of smash’s all time greats, cements Marshall’s place among the elite of Project M.
Written by: Serb
Pink Fresh should be a household name to most Smash fans for his career lasting well over a decade. He’s a top 100 Smash 4 player of all time with Bayonetta, as well as an incredibly strong Ultimate player whenever he competed with Min Min. Despite having much longer careers in those games, so many people associate Pink Fresh with one character - Lucas.
Starting his Smash career off as a strong Brawl Lucas player, when PM 3.0 released and Lucas became one of the strongest characters in the game, Pink Fresh capitalized heavily on his expertise with the PK kid. Peaking at Big House 4 with a top 8 finish and a famous set win over Armada, he had an incredibly solid year in the golden age of PM. He dwindled in attendance the years following, but will always be one of the first players people associate with Lucas in Project M.
Written by: Tuck
For those familiar with Hakeem, or who know them by any of their many evocative tags including Jodeci Joestar, Corduroy Condoms, WouldSmokeCraq, AssTAStic, or something else entirely, may be shocked to discover that they’ve only been ranked nationally a single time, in 2022. One of Project M’s most lethal hidden bosses, Hakeem has been actively attending majors since 2016, but has rarely met the criteria to be considered in yearly rankings. One of the many modern Nesses to push the character, Hakeem utilized a brutal punish game and methodical neutral, allowing them to slowly dissect their opponents. Hakeem’s single most impressive win came at Undertow 2021 where they contributed to Malachi’s Ness curse by defeating him early in bracket, while a 5th place at The Bigger Mile High Club will likely remain as their most impressive tournament placement in the modern era.
While many have not had the opportunity to meet Hakeem in person, as their sparse attendance and quiet demeanor at bigger events make them a bit of an enigma to most, it only takes a single conversation with any of Connecticut’s Hall of Gaming regulars to understand the kind of impact Hakeem has on those around them.
Written by: Serb
“When Kirk picked up Bowser, he would read the absolute sh*t out of you” - metroid
The demo era of Project M was a time that looked completely different from any other. The metagame was in its infancy, and character balance was wildly different. One of the top characters in the early metagame was Bowser, and Kirk was the premier pilot of Bowser for 2012 and 2013.
He ended up victorious at the largest tournament of 2013, The Big House 3, defeating Hungrybox, Oracle, Jaden, and PikaChad, locking him in as one of the best players in the world that year. While he has seemingly not touched Project M since around the end of 2014, Kirk’s imprint on the first steps of the game won’t be forgotten.
Written by: Tuck
Other Top 100 Articles:
4/18/2025 - Project M/+ All Time Top 100: Intro and HMs
4/21/2025 - Project M/+ All Time Top 100: #100-81
4/22/2025 - Project M/+ All Time Top 100: #80-61
4/23/2025 - Project M/+ All Time Top 100: #60-41
4/24/2025 - Project M/+ All Time Top 100: #40-21
4/25/2025 - Project M/+ All Time Top 100: #20-1
4/21/2025 - Project M/+ All Time Top 100: #100-81
4/22/2025 - Project M/+ All Time Top 100: #80-61
4/23/2025 - Project M/+ All Time Top 100: #60-41
4/24/2025 - Project M/+ All Time Top 100: #40-21
4/25/2025 - Project M/+ All Time Top 100: #20-1
Credits:
Project Lead: Tuck
Graphic Design: Motobug
Renders: RedipsTheCooler, tyleto, VirtualBeef, CSProject, and the Project+ Development Team
Writers: Frequency, ilikepizza107, Motobug, Serb, shad, Tuck
Special Thanks: Sabre
Last edited:
