Every October since 2011, Michigan has hosted a Smash tournament, The Big House, for Super Smash Bros. Melee, and in 2015, Super Smash Bros. 4 joined the ranks of Melee. Over the weekend, the latest tournament in the Big House series took place, The Big House 7. The weekend was full of action with two events for Smash 4 and three for Melee. Spoilers ahead for those who have not watched the finals unfold.
This year at The Big House, Smash 4‘s most notable players, ZeRo, Nairo, Salem, Tweek, Larry Lurr, Dabuz, and Ally, all participated in the event. The singles portion of Smash 4 was the standard tournament style. Two players fight with two lives for six minutes. First one to beat the other twice, or three times at top 64, wins the game and moves on through the double elimination bracket. The top eight players at this year’s Big House consisted of fan favorites, ZeRo, Salem, Larry Lurr, Dabuz, Ally, with upsets coming from MVD and Marss, and breakout tournament for Cosmos. In the loser’s bracket semi-finals, the biggest upset in top eight happened with Marss vs ZeRo, with Marss winning three games in row against ZeRo. Marss not only beat the defending Big House 6 champion, but arguably the best Smash 4 player in the world. Marss eventually made it to the grand finals to face off against Dabuz. Dabuz ended up taking first place in only three games.
On the doubles side of things, the style of play where two players fight two players under the same ruleset as singles, the top 4 teams consisted of CaptainZack and Mistake, Nairo and ZeRo, komorikiri and Mew2King, and Light and Pugwest. Light and Pugwest had close series, barely winning 3 – 2 over komorikiri and Mew2King to make it into grand finals where Nairo and ZeRo waited for them. Nairo and ZeRo won against the opposing duo in quick 3 – 0 grand finals, taking home first place.
In Melee, the “Gods” of Smash, Mango, Armada, Hungrbox, and Mew2King (the top four active players in the world who rarely lose outside of themselves) entered, along with other notable entrants, Plup, Leffen, SFAT, Axe, S2J, and Wizzrobe. With similar rulesets from Smash 4, with the exception of four lives and eight minute games, players battled it out until the top eight were decided: Armada, Mango, Hungrybox, Mew2King, Leffen, Plup, S2J, and Wizzrobe. The biggest upsets happened at the start of the winner’s bracket quarter-finals, where Plup beat Mew2King 3 – 1, and Leffen beat Mango 3 – 0. Entering into winner’s semi-finals, Leffen took on Hungrybox, #2 in the world for Melee, and Plup took on Armada, #1 in the world. Leffen managed to beat Hungrybox 3 – 2 in intense games, and Plup managed to take down Armada 3 – 1, feat that he has never done before. Armada has also not lost to a player outside of the active “Gods” and Leffen since 2008. Plup went to to defeat Leffen 3 – 1, securing him a place in the grand finals, and Hungrybox clawed his way to grand finals, taking out Armada 3 – 2 and Leffen 3 – 2. In grand finals, Hungrybox played against Plup and his winner’s side advantage (an extra set is played if the loser wins set against the player from winner’s) and managed to win two sets 3 – 1, taking first place.
In doubles for Melee, the top 4 teams consisted of Armada and Android, SFAT and PewPewU, S2J and Shroomed, and Hungrybox and ChuDat. Grand finals had the brother duo, Armada and Android, vs the comradery of SFAT and PewPewU. Armada and Android closed out grand finals with 3 – 1 victory over SFAT and PewPewU, marking the third win against the team this year in grand finals.
This year also featured regional crew battles, a playstyle where five players from a region (i.e. Southern California, Florida, Europe) a team, and fight another team by sending in one player at a time until one team has players left. Teams consisted of players from Canada, Europe, Northern California, Southern California, the North/South/Mid West, and Tristate. At the end of the single elimination tournament, Florida and Europe were left standing. Although it was close, the Floridian smashers ended up triumphing over the European players.
Finally, Wizzrobe and S2J had the opportunity to play against each other for an invite to the premier tournament, Smash Summit 5. Wizzrobe ended up winning 3 – 2 against S2J, securing him an invite to the tournament in early November.
Overall, the tournament was a success with thousands of players from around the world showing up to attend. Smashers can expect to have The Big House 8 in Michigan again next year for another action packed weekend.