The Smash Brothers: Documentary series

[jayseven]

 

A 9-part documentary about SSB:M 'pro' gamers. It's a fantastic series that really maps out an anime-worthy stock of characters that took the game to national (US) level competitive tourneys. I watched all the episodes over a couple of evenings and it really opened my eyes to pro-gaming.

 

Thought it was worth sharing!

 

EDIT: I fell in love with the theme tune too - it's here on soundcloud;

-- haven't been able to find it on youtube yet; Huw Williams - Juicy Fruit. Edited October 18, 2013 by jayseven

[Ramar]

Thanks for posting this jay, watched three episodes so far, I'm hooked.

[dwarf]

Enjoying it so far but that narrator is such a try-hard!

[Ramar]

Finished watching this last night, really enjoyed it. Having invested lots of time in the past in e-sports a lot of it resonated with me.

[Goron_3]

This really is a fantastic watch and I have to admit I got a bit nostalgic watching it. Me and @Zell became such good friends primarily because of our love for Melee, but actually it started off as a huge rivalry. I also followed the Melee competitive scene for some time and to watch a documentary going over how the rivalries actually formed and when Ken fought Bombsoldier....Crazy.

 

Well worth the watch.

[jayseven]

I thought it was a brilliant story - so many legends and almost mythological players. Sad to see when it was dropped from MLG but epic when it came back one last time. If anyone knows of any similar documentary then hit me up!

[Rummy]

I'm just finally getting round to watching this now and it is giving me such a nerdgasm. Competitive gaming is never something I've followed or been interested in, but Smash Bros is. Whilst I never learned or cared to learn the advance shit to win(I only played for fun with mates), I can definitely appreciate how this game became such a big thing. Hell, I'm only just finished episode 1 but damn, damn damn damn.

Edited November 6, 2013 by Rummy

[Rummy]

Beautiful man. One of the best things I've ever had the pleasure to watch possibly. As with my post of this morning, it's something so far out from myself, yet I can see at the same time why it's so much what it is. Smash Bros, the party game? I can't deny that it definitely brought people together, at least. Together in a big way.

[Hero-of-Time]

I'm just finally getting round to watching this now and it is giving me such a nerdgasm. Competitive gaming is never something I've followed or been interested in, but Smash Bros is. Whilst I never learned or cared to learn the advance shit to win(I only played for fun with mates), I can definitely appreciate how this game became such a big thing. Hell, I'm only just finished episode 1 but damn, damn damn damn.

 

You took the words right out of my mouth. I have never took the time or effort to learn all the tricks of the trade as I just play for a laugh but I have a massive amount of respect for the players that do, especially these guys.

 

I just finished watching episode 7 last night ( are there 8 episodes? ) and I love it. I would easily buy this on DVD if they released as it's such a good watch.

 

I have to say that i'm not a fan of Ken. The dude seems arrogant and cocky. Yeah, he is a fantastic player but he isn't humble at all. During the No Johns episode he went on about people using excuses when they lost and then when he lost in the stock East Coast Vs West Coast match he complained it was noisy and Chillin was screaming in his ear. Needless to say I always cheer for whoever is fighting against Ken.

 

The differences between Japanese players and Western players was great to see. In Japan they would be friendly and if you beat them they would still be friendly. In the West its much more agressive.

 

I remember listing to 8-4 and then were on about playing Monster Hunter online. When playing in Japan and someone dies in the game people just shrug it off and say something like " Don't worry. We'll get it next time". In the West if you die on Monster Hunter, most of the time you get abuse hurled at you and called a noob.

 

The whole MLG thing was a real eye opener in terms of Nintendo's attitude. Sure, there were rumors that they were being bitchy about Smash at Evo this year but the comments made in this video pretty much solidify the fact that Nintendo just didn't/doesn't want Melee to be played in a this way.

 

The guy was saying just how helpful and open Microsoft and Sony were in helping them promote the games, tournaments etc. In typical Nintendo fashion they just shun such things and make it difficult to get anywhere.

 

Brawl always seemed off to me and even to all my mates as well. We never knew what it was but watching this guys play it and then dissect it to the point where they can point fingers at Nintendo for making it a less competitive experience was a great watch.

 

I don't understand why Nintendo would do this? These guys were making Melee and Smash in general bigger than it already was and yet Nintendo decided to give them a middle finger.

[Rummy]

On the EVO front, obv saw the story when it happened this year - but didn't know as much until seeing the documentary. Still, even though I might be Serebii-ing a bit, I'm willing to give Nintendo the benefit of the doubt on Evo not actually doing their legal side - then filing it/whatever and Nintendo being ok with it. They're such stubborn motherfuckers that if they really didn't want it to happen, it wouldn't have.

 

As for me with Brawl vs Melee - both have given me good experiences and good memories. Given I never did anything all that high level in melee, I'm not hugely fussed by the changes. Things evolve, that's how it is. It doesn't detract from the game, though I understand the question - why seem to actively move away from it? Why not allow an option(melee mechanics switch on/off, for example...possibly even walled behind a tricky challenge) for those that want it.

 

(think there's 9 episodes btw)

 

As for Ken, I dunno, I didn't think he was too bad. I certainly saw some Johns from a number of the players(tho I definitely noted his in that episode) - I think on the whole he seemed okish; at least now anyway. These guys were young, and literally at the top of their game - I'm arrogant enough without that sometimes, but if I was? Shiiiet. Top it up with a crowd that hates you because you're good, people gunning for you etc, what else does one do except toughen up against it all?

Edited November 7, 2013 by Rummy

[Goron_3]

Really enjoyed reading your comments on the videos..currently in lectures but I'll jot down a proper reply regarding melee vs Brawl and why I think Nintendo dropped the ball a bit.

 

I do love Ken but these videos made me realise how amazing Wife is. He is so articulate and gets his points across so well and I must say I felt for him when they showed him losing to Ken

 

I should also admit I shed a tear rewatching the final episode again when they all discuss what smash means to them. I hear you, (smash) brothers.

[Rummy]

Btw @jayseven and anyone else, found the youtube version for the song(which is now epic by association) -

 

Wife annoyed me at first, but he's quite an important part for the documentary, and whilst he irks me I can still totally understand/get where he's coming from. Well, I guess for most of them, I can identify somewhat - and I think that's what makes it such a great documentary. They're all just people with stories, brought together by Smash, but the stories are where it's at.

[Hero-of-Time]

I started watching episode 8 but knocked it off as it failed to grab me. It seemed to be following a bunch of new guys rather than the likes of M2K, Ken, Wife, Chillin etc. I will give it another try over the weekend and see how it plays out.

[jayseven]

Yeah it's weird -- the latter episodes you kinda feel like you're in 'filler' territory. In a way, I was watching a lot of the eps hoping that some of the older legends would return and make a kind of mythological triumph; in a way the realism of the situation diffused the attraction. I think the doc could've done better at integrating some of the latter 'stars' earlier on. If this was an anime I'd've liked to have seen a final episode where the old are pitted against the newer guys, but hey.

 

@Rummy thanks bro I've not listneed to this for like a week - I seriously love this track. Once again -- if anyone knows of a decent docu thing on any game then share it!

[Goron_3]

I started watching episode 8 but knocked it off as it failed to grab me. It seemed to be following a bunch of new guys rather than the likes of M2K, Ken, Wife, Chillin etc. I will give it another try over the weekend and see how it plays out.

 

Yeah the last couple of episodes are weird but are well worth watching simply for the Hungrybox-Mango rivalry. Hungrybox kind of came out of nowhere and so did Armada (a kid from Sweden) so it would be difficult to plug them in earlier. Def worth watching though, especially for episode 9. Awesome stuff.

 

Also, I now have the theme on repeat...girlfriend thinks I'm weird

[Rummy]

I understand your criticisms(though mention of m2k? he was as late as the rest) but tbh...I think that appeals to me about it. There's a very heavy focus in the first half of the docu on the original players, the people who made it all what it was, and then the latter episodes bring in the new blood. PC Chris got a larger focus of the new for being the first to properly challenge Ken, he broke the mould - but then the others are to be expected no? KDJ was interesting, Mango had a rather smaller focus imo(or rather just less of a personable appearance) but that's because the scene's getting bigger and there's a higher average and larger amount of good talent. The pioneers were exactly that, PC Chris and the following(M2K, KDJ, Mango) were just fitting into something that was already made - they're less remarkable in some senses whilst actually being thoroughly more so from the game's/technical point of view.

 

It's important to follow the story to that end of the new blood, with the olds out of it, but yeah. Just my take really. I googled a name or two the other day, they seemed to carry on(most still brawled despite how it'd seem) and so then I wonder if there's an edge of romanticism intentionally put on it all.

 

Yeah the last couple of episodes are weird but are well worth watching simply for the Hungrybox-Mango rivalry. Hungrybox kind of came out of nowhere and so did Armada (a kid from Sweden) so it would be difficult to plug them in earlier. Def worth watching though, especially for episode 9. Awesome stuff.

 

Also, I now have the theme on repeat...girlfriend thinks I'm weird

 

It's chronological though, that's the style. They've got no place being early on, they're placed where they are(and importantly the greats AREN'T) because that's how it was. The greats died down, they found other things, new blood came in - I feel it's a parallel of the scene wanting them to be in the later episodes just as much as you do watching it. But they just weren't so much.

[Fused King]

Been going through this with my girl (we're at M2K episode now) and it is soooo incredibly fun to watch!

 

I had a friend a few years back who I helped get into NINTENDO gaming, which led to him getting into Brawl and into the competitive Brawl scene as a result. He started putting so much time in Brawl that he soon became better than me and his knowledge about the Smash community grew substantially.

After he had done a few tournaments locally, in Belgium and when he had hosted some he got into contact with someone in New York who happened to know the guy who would host the first APEX (in 2010, I believe). This host his nickname was 'Alex Strife'.

So my friend, another smash friend of him and myself signed up for Apex 2010 and we were hosted by wonderful smashers in New York who would also help us get around and show us parts of the city. We got to meet Japanese people as well, one of which became 2nd in Brawl. We rode back from New Jersey in a van with 12 TVs and 6 smashers (one of which was the grand champion of Apex in Brawl who was a really cool dude) and arrived back at Alex Strife's house at about 9 o' clock in the morning ready for bed

 

They were mad times. Looking back at it now I feel so grateful that I was able to experience those two weeks of Smashing (even though I sucked big time compared to the avid players) and sightseeing, but then it was quite an ordeal and rather tough to go through. Still, even though I wasn't there for competitive smash, I met such awesome people and it be times like those that I truly thank the wonders of the internet and the ways in which it can bring people together from all over the world.

 

I saw Armada play, Mew2King and Mango. As well as sick ass Japanese players and brothers from the West Coast.

 

Such an amazing array of people, such an amazing series.

Edited November 28, 2013 by Fused King

[Debug Mode]

Sorry I'm so late in posting this, I only just realised some people here may be interested.

 

If you watched the documentary and are a little intrigued about professional level Melee (and Brawl), the grand finals of Apex 2014 are currently being streamed live now.

 

Team Spooky Stream

[drahkon]

Sorry I'm so late in posting this, I only just realised some people here may be interested.

 

If you watched the documentary and are a little intrigued about professional level Melee (and Brawl), the grand finals of Apex 2014 are currently being streamed live now.

 

Team Spooky Stream

 

Wow. That's amazing. Awesome matches.

 

I have no idea what's going on, despite having spent over 800hours playing melee.

 

And the crowd? Fucking mental!

[Rummy]

The creator wants $26k on KickStarter to help fund a feature-length episode focusing on one of the newer players, Armada, and a few others.

 

 

Original was so good that I'm mightily tempted.