I'm trying to compile a list of the greatest matches of all time for a video I'm putting together; any epic events in the history of SSBM should go here, recent or otherwise. Links would be great but 90% of this stuff is on YouTube so I can just search it up.
A few examples of what I'm looking for:
Taj and Forward vs. Ken and Isai (The First set that Ken and Isai ever lost as a team, including invisible ceiling glitch)
Ken vs. PC Chris, both sets of MLG finals
Ken vs. Bombsoldier
in fact Ken vs. Anyone awesome (Azen, Neo, etc)
Mango vs. M2k
Shiz vs. Chu, Forward, M2K, etc.
Darkrain vs. Forward and PC
Anything like that that you can remember.
While maybe not technically the best, the most significant matches in the history of Smash were IMO the following:
Note: For the record, I love looking at legacies and the legacy of competitive Melee I find very interesting. I haven't posted in years, but so many seem to forget the real matches that started the competitive scene.
Preface:
Every story has a beginning. The Smash tourney scene has had a long and illustrious history, with literally thousands of players from all over testing their will and their skill at this competitive fighting game. With SSBB finally here, let’s take a look back at the three most significant fights in the history of Super Smash Bros. Melee.
Tournament Go 4: Sam vs. Ken
January 12, 2003
Sephiroth Ken caused a huge surprise by stopping the previously unbeaten Sultan of Samitude in the first superfight in the history of competitive Super Smash Bros. Melee.
Before the MLGs, the FCs, and the GSs, there was only one tournament to truly prove your mettle: The semi-annual Tournament Go series of California. The 4th installment of the Tournament Go series became the venue for the first true superfight in Smash history: Southern California’s Sultan of Samitude versus Northern California’s Sephiroth Ken.
The Sultan of Samitude had a brash personality, an arrogant smile – and a serious knack for competitive Melee. Possessing agile fingers and a penchant for aggression, Sam’s in-your-face Falco was revolutionary in Smash terms. Utilizing stunning lasers, short-hop spikes, and a primitive form of shuffling, Sam tallied wins at two consecutive Southern California tournaments, including stopping the TG3 champion Recipherus in a tournament final. Few thought that anyone on the current Smash scene could even threaten Sam.
The relatively unknown Sephiroth Ken, who led a small Northern California crew called the Elite Four, first garnered attention by frustrating a traveling Southern California crew. Ken defeated the entire crew, including Recipherus and TG host Matt Deezie, with relative ease in a series of exhibition matches. As a direct result of these victories and Ken’s invitation to TG4, Sam called out Ken for a pre-tourney money match. The battle was to be the first hyped fight, before a live audience, ever.
The match-up between newcomer Sephiroth Ken and the brazen Sultan of Samitude was a battle of significant proportions. A video game rivalry morphed into a summit meeting between two unbeaten, rising stars at the biggest tournament available. Sam versus Ken became something special.
Unlike many money fights that followed, there seemed to be a real hostility between the combatants. The young Sam lashed out at Ken in a verbal assault on the Smashboards online forum. Ken, modest and silent, returned this trash-talk with very little.
The pre-fight analysis was exhausting, but many Smash sages picked Sam to lose the early matches and rally to defeat Ken overall. Picking Sam as the favorite only fueled the player’s ever-growing ego. On the day of the fight, the Sultan of Samitude arrived brimming with confidence.
Before a capacity crowd at the house of Matt Deezie, Sam battled Ken. Despite Sam’s controlled aggression, Ken dominated the match. Sam would have his moments, backing Ken’s Marth up with short aerials and spikes. Ken’s relentless dash grabs and juggling, however, prevented Sam from ever getting inside on Ken for too long. Ken defeated Sam in a best-of-7 set, knocking Sam out 4-1.
Ken had begun his road to greatness, following this victory by winning Tournament Go 4 and the California Title. A complacent Sam, placing third, now respected and admired the new champion. Ken would continue to dominate for years to come, but this match was the first significant step in his storied Smash career.
Ha-Ha You Lose Presents - Game Over: Azen vs. Ken
January 9, 2004
No questioning that Sephiroth Ken is the best Smash player in the nation after his close yet clean victory over the talented Azen Zagenite.
This was it – Ha Ha You Lose (H2YL) versus the Elite Four, California versus Virginia, East Coast versus West Coast. When Azen Zagenite and Sephiroth Ken finally met, months after they first might have, it was a pre-ordained watershed - for Azen, the opportunity to gain the respect and admiration of the nationwide Smash community; for Ken, a chance to cement his legacy by silencing the skeptics. Because of the coastal rivalry, the dominance of both fighters, and their respective fan bases, Azen vs. Ken carried a lot of weight on the Smash tourney scene.
Sephiroth Ken held an unparalled and impressive record – nearly half a dozen straight tournament victories against a single loss. Unquestionably the top-rated Smash player in the nation, many considered Ken to be downright invincible - except H2YL.
Azen Zagenite was – hands-down – the best player on the East Coast. He led H2YL, the most successful crew within his realm. He dominated players from the streets of New York City to the hills of North Carolina. Furthermore, Azen became the first player to diversify – to play various characters at a tournament level and still succeed.
One thing he couldn’t do, however, was command the respect of the West Coast Smash community. In his first journey to California, Azen competed in Tournament Go 5. He finished 4th, after losing a controversial match against the popular Isai. Out of the top 3 and out of the money, Azen felt slighted.
H2YL Presents – Game Over gave Azen another chance to prove himself. His tournament. His rule set. His turf. His time to shine. Sephiroth Ken, along with Isai, Sam, and a few other West Coast players, agreed to travel to Virginia to compete at Game Over. Thus, the stage was set for the most important match in Smash history.
Doubt and controversy arose, however. Chillin, a young, loud talent from H2YL, upset Ken and sent him to the loser’s bracket. Showing a true champion’s grit, Ken rallied to win all his next matches against the best players in the game. Meanwhile, Azen went undefeated in his ascent to the finals.
Ousted from the original venue due to time constraints, the top contenders and dozens of others journeyed to Azen’s home for the finals. When Azen and Ken arrived at the tournament’s end, everyone gave a collective sigh of relief. Finally, Azen vs. Ken was on.
The match began tentatively, a battle of wits. Azen, the consummate counter-puncher, feinted, dashed, and dodged to get inside Marth’s reach, but Ken proved too tough. Finding some success in a Marth vs. Marth ditto match, Azen actually forced Ken to switch characters to Captain Falcon, leading to some quite explosive rounds. Nevertheless, Ken won the majority of the opening stanzas and sent Azen to the loser’s bracket.
From this point on, Azen cycled through his endless list of characters. From Peach to Samus, Azen tried desperately to find a solid answer to Ken’s Marth. In the end though, Ken managed to hold Azen off and claim victory in Azen’s own home.
The tournament over, their match completed, and history served, Sephiroth Ken emerged the victor. Azen Zagenite, despite the loss, did not disgrace himself in the fight. Though there could only be a sole winner, Ken and Azen both climbed to the top of the heap and proved they were the absolute best in the business.
Tournament Go 6: Azen vs. Jack
August 22, 2004
Azen Zagenite in a round-by-round struggle defeats Japanese national champion Captain Jack to claim the title as the first undisputed SSBM world champion.
The last match of any real significance, on the world scale, came at the swansong of the Smash community’s most famous tournament. Matt Deezie’s Tournament Go series practically defined the Smash community and was the first world-ranging Smash series ever. The final installment of the legendary series reached far-and-wide for the best players in the world.
For TG’s farewell, Matt Deezie decided to do something never before accomplished. Deezie invited the most well-known and arguably best Japanese player, Captain Jack, to Tournament Go 6. With Jack’s presence, along with players from the Netherlands, Canada, England, and other places throughout Europe, TG6 promised to crown the first ever world SSBM champion.
Captain Jack’s attendance meant new things for the Smash community. A Japanese player had crossed over to test himself against the rest of the world. Though certainly possessing experience and undeniable talent, Captain Jack’s ethnicity gave him an aura of invincibility. Captain Jack had mystique and intrigue written all over him.
In contrast, to many Azen Zagenite was already an open-and-shut case. While the community respected him, Azen always lived in the shadow of Ken. Azen had lost to Ken at Game Over, and then subsequently lost to Ken again at MELEE-FC. People understood at the time that Azen was an astounding player, just not the best out there.
As the world gathered in California, thousands of others logged on to Smashboards to receive up-to-the-minute results straight from the tournament. Anyone ever interested in competitive smash, or with knowledge of Smashboards’ existence, followed TG6. With so many spectators, many predicted the indomitable Sephiroth Ken would be left standing in the end.
A shock to many, then, when Ken was defeated twice and placed out of the top ten.
Ken’s loss set the stage for a miraculous main event. Both defeating high-caliber players in Chu Dat and Sastopher (the latter of which eliminated Ken), Captain Jack and Azen Zagenite saw themselves facing off. In perhaps the most cerebral match ever played at the world-class level, Jack and Azen edge-dashed and chain-grabbed their way through a see-saw battle. Each player took a set from the other, but Azen’s Marth eventually prevailed over Jack’s Doctor Mario.
Azen Zagenite had the career-defining fight of his life. However fleeting, Azen finally got the Smash world to acknowledge his greatness. Japan was undefeatable no longer. At long last, there was one undisputed SSBM world champion. And surprise, surprise - that one was not Sephiroth Ken.
So there you have it. After that, MLG blew up the competitive smash scene. Before that, those matches were the most important matches: first superfight, first crowning of a national champion, first crowning of a world champion.
We've come a long way.
