[Smash Bros. SP] Tournament participation guide for beginners | How to participate safely even for the first time

While “Super Smash Bros. SPECIAL” can be played casually, it is also a competitive game with a very mature tournament culture.
Many people feel that “tournaments are only for advanced players” or “Wouldn’t it be a nuisance if beginners showed up?” However, in reality, there are many tournaments that welcome beginners.

Author: “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournaments are not just places to win. They function as places to gain experience, interact, and improve.”

In this article,

• Types of Smash Bros. SP tournaments
• Contests that beginners can participate in and tournaments that should be avoided
• Specific steps to participate
• Etiquette you should know when participating for the first time
• Why it’s meaningful to lose

I will explain

carefully from a beginner’s perspective.

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There are two main types of Smash Bros. SP tournaments

The first thing to understand is that there are different formats of competitions.

Online tournament

• Participate from home
• Line environment is important
• Mostly for beginners

It will be held mainly through tournament management sites such as “start.gg”.
For beginners, online competitions are the best choice.

Offline tournament (offline tournament)

• Gather and compete at the actual venue
• Ability level is slightly higher
• High value for watching and interacting

The hurdles may seem high at first, but there are also off-line tournaments that are open to beginners.

Author: “The best way is to first get a feel for the atmosphere in online tournaments, and once you get used to it, go to offline tournaments.”

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Competitions that beginners can participate in and tournaments that should be avoided

Characteristics of tournaments that are OK to participate in

• The event name or outline states “Beginners welcome” or “Anyone can participate”
• Regularly held weekly competitions
• High capacity (more than 32 people)

These are operated on the assumption that there are differences in ability, so there is no problem for beginners to participate.

Tournaments to avoid

• “Invitation only” “Invited players only”
• “Limited to top players” “Limited to ○○ and above (performance condition)”
• A competition that is extremely small (less than 8 people) and has a strong pool of talented players

Author: “One of the criteria for judgment is whether it clearly says “Beginners welcome”.”

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Basic flow to participate in the tournament

The process for beginners to enter the tournament is surprisingly simple.

① Search for tournaments

• Contest sites such as start.gg
• Search for “Smash Bros. Tournament Beginner” etc. on X (old Twitter)
• Discord community

② Enter

• Register your handle name
• Enter the character to be used (in many cases it is OK even if undecided)
• A quick check of the tournament rules

③ Check-in on the day

• For online tournaments, press the “Check-in” button by the specified time
• Discord participation may be required

④ The war begins

• Contact your opponent
• Build a room and fight
• Report results to competition page

Author: “Most of the time, even if it’s your first time participating, the management and participants will give you detailed instructions.”

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Etiquette you should definitely know when participating for the first time

In a Super Smash Bros. SP tournament, there are things that are more important than technique.

Basic block

• Greetings (“Nice to meet you” “Thank you very much”)
• Tell the truth if there is a line problem
• Do not abuse or provoke people even if you lose

This is all you need.

Author: “People with good manners will be accepted by the community.On the other hand, people who are strong but have a bad attitude will be shunned.”

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Do beginners always lose? The meaning of still appearing

Let me start with the conclusion.

You will almost certainly lose at first.

But that’s fine.

Advantages of participating in competitions

• You can play against opponents you don’t normally encounter
• Your weaknesses become clear
• You can experience the tension of a “serious match”

There is an experience that cannot be obtained in free play.

Author: “One loss in a tournament is worth more than 10 free matches.”

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Relationship with Smash Bros. Ultimate (Supplementary)

In the current competitive scene, the name “Smash Bros. Ultimate” is also used, but
Basically, Smash Bros. SP (Ultimate) is the competition title.

• Ultimate = official name overseas
• SP = Common name in Japan

There is no need to worry about this difference when participating in the tournament.

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Common beginner anxiety Q&A

Q. Can I leave if I am not a VIP?

A. It doesn’t matter at all.

Q. Is it a nuisance if the characters are weak?

A. It’s not a nuisance. Please come out with the character you want to use.

Q. Does it matter if I lose in the first round?

A. There are enough.

Author: “It’s not about “going out until you can win” but “getting stronger because you play””

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Summary | Super Smash Bros. SP tournaments are also for beginners

The Super Smash Bros. SP tournament is

• Not just for advanced users
• A place for beginners to gain experience
• Entrance to the community

It is functioning as

.

It takes courage to take the first step, but once you take the step, your impression will change dramatically.

Author: “You can only see the real fun of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s tournament culture by participating in it.If you’re unsure, please try participating once.”