December is historically a mediocre month for Melee: coming into 2014, it had produced just 5 tourneys of 100+ entrants all-time, and went four years without a 100+ entrant tourney between 2009-2013 before KoC 3 and Tipped Off 9 ended that drought last year. This time should be different; Smash 4 Wii U has hit the shelves, providing an opportunity for TOs to leverage dual game turnouts, and the hype from the Apex 2015 World Circuit will gain excellent momentum with an installment of the circuit taking place every weekend of the month.
Last month, Fight Pitt V impressed with 200 entrants, and we saw a record-breaking weekend on November 8-9th with an incredible five Melee tournaments cracking the 100+ entrant milestone: Kings of the North 3, SSW, Shuffle VI, GameClucks November, and Smash or DI 3.
December 6
The Come Up takes place this weekend. The Toronto region has flourished in 2014; McSmasher in January, a Canadian Arcadian in both May and November, and Get On My Level all gained 100+ entrants, with GOML amassing 250+ entrants; a hugely impressive feat for the region considering the fact that East Coast Canada had never hosted a 100+ entrant Melee tourney before this year. As part of the Apex 2015 World Circuit event, TO Joe is bringing the next big regional to the area with The Come Up, one of the first significant Melee and Smash 4 Wii U dual game events. Top names such as Mew2King, KirbyKaze, Kage, Duck, Toph, and more are confirmed. Prediction: 188 entrants (registration closed).
SSS 29 also takes place this weekend. World-class Melee champion Mango back home in SoCal, check. Revitalized branding and renovated Super Arcade, check. Apex 2015 World Circuit event with a free flight to Apex 2015 for the winner, check. Although the series has hit a couple bumps recently with the departure of LevelUpLive and an abrupt name change to SSW (“Super Smash Weeklies”) that lasted just one installment, this edition of SSS should be one for the ages. Prediction: 150 entrants.
December 13
BattleGateway 6 hits Japan this weekend, representing its Apex 2015 World Circuit event. Very little documentation exists on Japanese Melee tourneys these days, as the scene is much bigger on the Smash 4 side of things. Recently, top-ranked player Flash came to America and proved he can take down top players like SFAT and Silent Wolf. Can the rest of Japan keep up? aMSa, Kou, Gucci, and others will try their best to do so. Prediction: 70 entrants.
December 20
Forte 2 lands on the third weekend of December. The premiere Texas Melee event will be taking on Apex 2015 World Circuit status this year, moving to a two-day event streamed by TourneyLocator. Unlike MLG’s ill-advised decision to go with WHOBO as its qualifier back in the summer of Smash, the Apex staff has chosen much more wisely by investing in tournament organizer MT, who took the Texas Melee scene to new heights with the original Forte at this time last year. That tourney nearly cracked 100 entrants in Melee Singles, and this upcoming installment will surely top it. Prediction: 140 entrants.
Pacific Northwest Regional takes place this weekend, presented by Northwest Majors. Last month’s GameClucks monthly finally broke triple digits after several close calls in previous editions. Melee is alive and well in Seattle; this tourney will represent the region’s Apex 2015 World Circuit event. Over 250 have confirmed on Facebook, although that number is likely skewed due to crossover attendance from other fighting games. Prediction: 120 entrants.
Big Beach House also takes place this weekend. Tournament organizer SonuvaBeach has a solid track record of events ranging from large locals at his house to recent biweeklies at The Great Escape arcade — a venue in Howell, MI reminiscent of the Super Arcade that hosts SSS. With the Michigan Melee scene at an all-time peak in the aftermath of TBH4, and the presence of both round robin pools and a “2014-only” amateur bracket here, this tourney has a great shot to attract the masses and break 100 entrants. Prediction: 110 entrants.
SSS 30 also takes place this weekend, representing the second straight Apex 2015 World Circuit event for the series, back-to-back on December 7 and December 21. Tournament organizer TheCrimsonBlur and Team OXY have been entrusted with an unprecedented two consecutive Apex circuit events, which should end 2015 on an incredible high note for SoCal. The most competitive Melee region in the world will be sending at least two top players on a flight to Apex 2015 on Twitch’s dime. All in all, the weekend of December 20-21 is likely to go down in the Melee history books. Prediction: 150 entrants.
December 27
(none)
See you next month.
MIOM | Juggleguy
[…] Last month, Forte 2 was the highest-attended tourney, gathering an incredible 227 Melee entrants into Texas to compete with the likes of Javi and Wobbles. In Toronto, The Come Up also made headlines, creating Canada’s unprecedented third straight weekend with a 100+ entrant tourney. Elsewhere, several Apex 2015 World Circuit events shined with big turnouts, including SSS and Pacific Northwest Regional. […]