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Editor’s note: Some responses have been slightly altered for clarity. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the interviewer and interviewee; they do not reflect Shoryuken as a whole.

When it comes to competitive Super Smash Bros. Melee, most players will pick Fox, Falco, Sheik, Marth, Jigglypuff and Peach to place high in tournaments. Sometimes, there is the occasional Captain Falcon, Samus or Ice Climbers player making a mark with decent to amazing results. Other than those “top tier” characters, you rarely see players climbing up the ranks with the rest of the cast unless, perhaps, your name is Axe or Abate.

However, there has been one player in the Melee community who has been competing since its beginnings as a competitive game with Link, who’s considered by many to be a mid to low tier character. The player I’m speaking of is of course none other than German “Germ” Roverso.

 

Roverso, 30, who hails from Concord, California, has been a big part of the Smash Bros. scene since March 2002. Besides beating down opponents with the Hero of Time for almost 15 years, he is one of the event organizers and producers for Genesis, one of the biggest Smash Bros. tournament series. He also has a passion for art and graduated from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA with a Bachelor of Arts in Illustration in 2011.

I got to meet German for the first time at the Folsom Street Foundry during one of their weekly tournaments, Get Smashed at the Foundry, after many years of following his competitive career as a high-level Link player. He comes every Tuesday to compete, mingle and have a few drinks with some of the casual and notable players in the Northern California Melee scene such as DaJuan “Shroomed” McDaniel and Zac “SFAT” Cordoni.

German has a few interesting stories to tell about his time in the Smash Bros. communities. I recently sat down with him at DNA Pizza to talk about a variety of topics concerning his thoughts on the past, present and future of Melee and the rest of the Smash Bros. community.

Marcos Blanco: Why did you choose to play as Link who is considered by many players in the Melee community to be not a strong character in this game?

German Roverso: I picked up Link first in Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 64 and it’s not because I liked The Legend of Zelda. I liked the way his bombs sounded when they hit something. His up+B got better in Melee, and I just stuck with him ever since. Also he was just untapped still. The fact that I could invent a character was very appealing to me.

 

MB: I remember you told me recently that you don’t like Link as a character and that you actually like Samus from the Metroid series. Do you play any other characters in Melee besides Link and Samus? I’ve also seen you play Super Smash Bros. for Wii U a couple of times at the Foundry with Mega Man. What are your thoughts on the game?

GR: I used to destroy SFAT with Samus! I have the record of beating Zac with the most characters. I also do play Falco. If someone destroys my Link, I pick him. Playing Link takes so much concentration. You have to out-think everyone with Link even if they suck. Sometimes I just want to autopilot (laughs). I played Smash 4 [competitively] for a few months and then stopped. I still enjoy playing it for fun. Technically, it gets to a point where you hit a ceiling.

MB: The differences between Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and, most recently, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U seems to have caused a huge divide in the Smash community at large over the last several years. Why do you think that is and do you feel animosity between the Melee and Brawl/Smash for Wii U communities has subsided or is there still some left over?

GR: It’s hard to say, really. It comes down to what each community is owed or entitled to. Especially as far as eSports goes as a whole. The [Melee] community thinks they’re owed because of time invested, longevity and that it’s the more competitive game. Smash 4 is like ‘We’re the new game. We’re the better-looking game that has corporate backing.’ The Smash 4 community is so different. I don’t think the level of camaraderie is there like it is with the Melee community.

MB: After 15 years, Melee and Super Smash Bros. in general has become more popular than ever and seems to have been accepted as a true competitive fighting game series in the FGC as well as getting more exposure in the eSports world. Where do you see the franchise heading in the future? Can it get bigger than it already is and how so?

GR: We need to make more noise. We’re trying to push the envelope as far as production goes. Once production comes, the corporate sponsors will come as well. We can eventually get to the level of DOTA 2 where you could win a million dollars. Also, if Nintendo makes Super Smash Bros. Melee HD, that would be it (laughs).

MB: Can the meta in competitive Melee evolve further than it already has? When I was at Genesis 3, the reactions from the spectators and competitors as Mango was tearing through the losers bracket in top eight, it looked like they were watching him for the first time playing as if he’s showing new things they’ve never seen before.

GR: Melee is the chess of fighting games. It’s a timeless game with an infinite ceiling. As long as you have that, I can’t see the game ever going away. When you watch insane, high-level Melee now, it’s like players say ‘Wow. How can I play that fast?’ It’s those little things that nobody thought of back then that collect to make one giant advantage that’s not super obvious to the casual player.

Sources: Showdownngg, VGBootCamp

Editor’s note: Some responses have been slightly altered for clarity. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the interviewer and interviewee; they do not reflect Shoryuken as a whole.

When it comes to competitive Super Smash Bros. Melee, most players will pick Fox, Falco, Sheik, Marth, Jigglypuff and Peach to place high in tournaments. Sometimes, there is the occasional Captain Falcon, Samus or Ice Climbers player making a mark with decent to amazing results. Other than those “top tier” characters, you rarely see players climbing up the ranks with the rest of the cast unless, perhaps, your name is Axe or Abate.

However, there has been one player in the Melee community who has been competing since its beginnings as a competitive game with Link, who’s considered by many to be a mid to low tier character. The player I’m speaking of is of course none other than German “Germ” Roverso.

 

Roverso, 30, who hails from Concord, California, has been a big part of the Smash Bros. scene since March 2002. Besides beating down opponents with the Hero of Time for almost 15 years, he is one of the event organizers and producers for Genesis, one of the biggest Smash Bros. tournament series. He also has a passion for art and graduated from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA with a Bachelor of Arts in Illustration in 2011.

I got to meet German for the first time at the Folsom Street Foundry during one of their weekly tournaments, Get Smashed at the Foundry, after many years of following his competitive career as a high-level Link player. He comes every Tuesday to compete, mingle and have a few drinks with some of the casual and notable players in the Northern California Melee scene such as DaJuan “Shroomed” McDaniel and Zac “SFAT” Cordoni.

German has a few interesting stories to tell about his time in the Smash Bros. communities. I recently sat down with him at DNA Pizza to talk about a variety of topics concerning his thoughts on the past, present and future of Melee and the rest of the Smash Bros. community.

Marcos Blanco: Why did you choose to play as Link who is considered by many players in the Melee community to be not a strong character in this game?

German Roverso: I picked up Link first in Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 64 and it’s not because I liked The Legend of Zelda. I liked the way his bombs sounded when they hit something. His up+B got better in Melee, and I just stuck with him ever since. Also he was just untapped still. The fact that I could invent a character was very appealing to me.

 

MB: I remember you told me recently that you don’t like Link as a character and that you actually like Samus from the Metroid series. Do you play any other characters in Melee besides Link and Samus? I’ve also seen you play Super Smash Bros. for Wii U a couple of times at the Foundry with Mega Man. What are your thoughts on the game?

GR: I used to destroy SFAT with Samus! I have the record of beating Zac with the most characters. I also do play Falco. If someone destroys my Link, I pick him. Playing Link takes so much concentration. You have to out-think everyone with Link even if they suck. Sometimes I just want to autopilot (laughs). I played Smash 4 [competitively] for a few months and then stopped. I still enjoy playing it for fun. Technically, it gets to a point where you hit a ceiling.

MB: The differences between Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and, most recently, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U seems to have caused a huge divide in the Smash community at large over the last several years. Why do you think that is and do you feel animosity between the Melee and Brawl/Smash for Wii U communities has subsided or is there still some left over?

GR: It’s hard to say, really. It comes down to what each community is owed or entitled to. Especially as far as eSports goes as a whole. The [Melee] community thinks they’re owed because of time invested, longevity and that it’s the more competitive game. Smash 4 is like ‘We’re the new game. We’re the better-looking game that has corporate backing.’ The Smash 4 community is so different. I don’t think the level of camaraderie is there like it is with the Melee community.

MB: After 15 years, Melee and Super Smash Bros. in general has become more popular than ever and seems to have been accepted as a true competitive fighting game series in the FGC as well as getting more exposure in the eSports world. Where do you see the franchise heading in the future? Can it get bigger than it already is and how so?

GR: We need to make more noise. We’re trying to push the envelope as far as production goes. Once production comes, the corporate sponsors will come as well. We can eventually get to the level of DOTA 2 where you could win a million dollars. Also, if Nintendo makes Super Smash Bros. Melee HD, that would be it (laughs).

MB: Can the meta in competitive Melee evolve further than it already has? When I was at Genesis 3, the reactions from the spectators and competitors as Mango was tearing through the losers bracket in top eight, it looked like they were watching him for the first time playing as if he’s showing new things they’ve never seen before.

GR: Melee is the chess of fighting games. It’s a timeless game with an infinite ceiling. As long as you have that, I can’t see the game ever going away. When you watch insane, high-level Melee now, it’s like players say ‘Wow. How can I play that fast?’ It’s those little things that nobody thought of back then that collect to make one giant advantage that’s not super obvious to the casual player.

Sources: Showdownngg, VGBootCamp

After a week hiatus, SpoTV will return this Saturday night (in the west) with the latest installment of Street Fighter Crash, and it aims to be a big one. Three of the four seeded teams have ultimately made it through to the Top 4 of the event, with Team Topanga (Tokido, Momochi, and Mago), Team Razer (Infiltration, Fuudo, and Xian), and Team Southeast (Poongko, HumanBomb, and Gamerbee) all still in the hunt. However, there is one Korean team still poised for competition, with IsaCenter (Sandbag, 200won, and Sazabi) proving to be a formidable force going up against the minefield that has been the Crash bracket so far.

With Team Topanga and Team Razer already having squared off in the Top 8 with one of the most impressive upsets in Momochi handily dispatching Infiltration before he could even face his chief rival, Tokido, Poongko and Gamerbee wanting to prove that they are of the highest caliber in this game, and a relatively unknown team from Korea wanting to prove that they’re not a fluke, this episode is shaping up to be quite dramatic. Who will make it to the Grand Finals in the season finale next week? Who will go home salty? You owe it to yourselves to tune in and find out live on Twitch. Be sure to tune in for the broadcast at 1 AM EDT Sunday, May 29th (10 PM PDT Saturday, May 28th)!

Source: SpoTV Games

The hype for Combo Breaker is slowly reaching a critical level, and tons of Guilty Gear Xrd players are prepping this week for the announced brackets. But one event that’s sure to be a memorable appetizer for fans of this airdasher is the Guilty Gear Xrd Battle Summit, a 5v5 exhibition that showcases the best players from their respective regions.

Let’s take a look at each team’s lineup and analyze what they bring to the table.

Team Chicago

1. FF|ElvenShadow (Faust)
2. Sym (Millia)
3. BlackSNAKE (Venom)
4. ChosenNinja (Millia)
5. Kizzercrate (Ky)

This team practically screams “OG.” The trio of scene veterans–and I mean veterans to the truest degree–Elven Shadow, Sym, and BlackSNAKE have an incredible weight of experience behind them. It’s going to be very tough to break them. BlackSNAKE is the type of player who calculates and mercilessly grinds nearly every situation imaginable. He’s one of the only two Venoms in all of the teams. Oddly enough, this team has two Millias, which could turn out to be a weakness or a strength. While both Sym and ChosenNinja have strong mastery over the setplay character, this is the matchup that a lot of the top players will have figured out by now. A strong Elphelt or Johnny could be trouble for this team.

Team Michigan

1. CORN|AxisTheBeast (Johnny)
2. ShinSin (Chipp)
3. SRM|Leonil Requiem (Ramlethal)
4. YASE|Mr. U Suk (Sin)
5. Gekioh (Axl)

What’s strong about the composition of this team is a combination of powerful characters with a few unconventional ones. This is the only team to feature a Ramlethal and Axl. Ramlethal has been hurt by a patch from the -SIGN- era, but her setplay can get intense if she gets you cornered. Similarly, Axl Low can throw off anyone who hasn’t practiced against this somewhat niche character. As for the rest, Johnny, Chipp, and Sin are all quite scary in the right hands.

Team Nebraska

1. Cue (Zato)
2. Dekline (Sin)
3. YooYoung (Sol)
4. JaMarvelous (Leo)
5. TS|NerdJosh (Elphelt)

A pretty straightforward team, and what’s bizarre, YooYoung is the only Sol in the team exhibition. Dekline is a very solid Sin player, and that character has emerged as one of the stronger ones in Xrd. The real ace is going to be NerdJosh, as Elphelt is a universally feared combatant. He reached 3rd place recently at the West Coast Warzone tournament, losing to Kizzie Kay’s Sin. This team might be very troublesome for those who don’t have an Elphelt on their lineup. Most of these matchups are also advantageous to Sin, so hopefully for them, they’re not matched against Team South.

Stardust Crusaders

1. AKA (Zato)
2. KBnova (Bedman)
3. Mr. K (Leo)
4. Zinac (Faust)
5. Grant (Slayer)

This Midwest team also has some niche characters on its roster: Bedman and Slayer. That’s definitely going to be an advantage, especially for those opponents who haven’t specifically faced KBnova or Grant. Grant, a younger Chicago-based player, enjoys developing off-the-wall tech for Slayer. As for the rest, they are experienced Guilty Gear players who may be a little weak to the top-tier choices. But still, any of them have the potential to pull through and beat the popular characters.

Team South

1. TXrd|FaultyDefense (Sin)
2. Doren2k (Jam)
3. Shinobi! (Ky)
4. Hotashi (Elphelt)
5. Ryan Hunter (Venom)

This team has a well-rounded cast. There’s an all-out zoner, Venom, and both Ky and Elpehlt have some zoning capabilities. FaultyDefense terrorized the recent Texas Showdown, beating out the competition, especially Oso’s Elphelt, in grueling finals. However, the rest of the squad has also frequently placed in top 8s, making this one of the scarier compositions for Combo Breaker.

Team West

1. Beautifuldude (Zato)
2. Bears (Chipp)
3. Foo (Johnny)
4. Shtkn (Ky)
5. AS|Tasty Steve (Leo)

The West Coast has a strong Anime scene, and this team’s roster is filled with experienced players. It’s hard to say whether Foo can utilize Johnny as well as the other teammates, since it’s a character new to -REVELATOR-, but he undoubtedly could be an asset. By now, there’s a lot of Johnny tech posted on Twitter and YouTube. There are only two Chipp players in the Battle Summit, and both are a force to be reckoned with.

Team East

1. PG|MarlinePie (Zato)
2. D-Link|Lord Knight (Millia)
3. Lost Soul (Elphelt)
4. LoCal|Sway (Faust)
5. Flux (Jack-O’)

MarlinPie recently triumphed at Toryuken, while Lord Knight placed fourth. While they’re both incredibly solid players, Lost Soul recently beat out one of the top Japanese players, Dogura, at Final Round. This pushed the Japanese playerbase to declare Lost Soul as the top American Elphelt player; whether he is or not doesn’t matter as much as his actual talent. I can see how facing this team can be terrifying for the other players, and they definitely have a lot of potential to win the exhibition. It’s also nice to see a Jack-O’ in the tournament, and the new character may catch people off-guard.

Who are your favorites to win the Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- Battle Summit? We can’t wait to find out, and Combo Breaker 2016 is shaping up to be an incredible event. Make sure to stay tuned to our coverage!

Source: Combo Breaker, SymzStudioz, TheSassageKing, Latigular FG, Khaos Gaming, theloafingone, FunkyP