The Smash for Wii U (Smash 4) excitement continues to grow with exciting narratives and more entrants than ever before. Evo 2016 yet again breaks a record with a total of 2,662 Smash 4 entrants, up from last year's total of 1,926.
The journey from 2015
In 2015, everyone knew that TSM's Gonzalo "ZeRo" Barrios was the heavy favorite to win; in the eyes of spectators, Evo 2015 was just another stop on ZeRo's endless streak of tournament victories.
Despite the heavy set of expectations, ZeRo flew through the entire bracket without dropping a single game. The potential jankiness of customs along with the heavy international competition could not slow ZeRo down. After Evo 2015, his streak continued all the way until MLG World Finals in October 2015, where Team Liquid's Nairoby "Nairo" Quezada defeated him in two sets. Nonetheless, ZeRo still won the majority of majors, including Genesis 3 in January 2016.
Shortly thereafter, ZeRo disappeared from the scene due to a mix of personal reasons and health issues. The time spent away from the game opened up the opportunities for other players to take his throne. After a four-month break, he returned but found that his competition had become much stronger. In addition, patches made nerfs to Diddy Kong and Sheik, two of ZeRo's mains.
The field is wide open
Although still a strong player, ZeRo has fallen off a bit, losing in pools at CEO 2016 and eventually finishing in ninth place. Instead of ZeRo on the runway at top eight, it was Jason "ANTi" Bates who stole the show, "making it rain" on the audience and putting on a stellar display with his Mario and Cloud to win the event.
And every event seems to bring in a new champion. ANTi won CEO 2016, ZeRo won Low Tier City 4 and Elliot "Ally" Carroza-Oyarce won Get On My Level 2016. The Smash 4 competitive field presents a library full of skilled players who can make massive upsets, place in the top eight or even win a major. Panda Global recently released global rankings featuring the 50 best players and has provided a massive spark to players who aim to rise up in the rankings and become the best.
Characters are also very well represented, as balance patches have made it so nearly every character can make a top-eight finish and over half could potentially win an Evo.
So who are some players to look out for?
Gonzalo "ZeRo" Barrios
Country: USA
Even though he has been in a minor slump, ZeRo is still an incredible threat to win any given event. While some may write off ZeRo's chances in light of his recent performances, he is still the defending champion of Evo and will fight determinedly to keep his title. He has an uncanny ability to make the right reads and readjustments during the course of a set. Recent injuries have set him back in 2016, but he should be back at 100 percent for Evo 2016.
Samuel "Dabuz" Buzby
Country: USA
One of the recent pickups on Dream Team, Dabuz has performed magnificently in 2016 and can make a case for No. 1 in the world. Over the past few months, he won Apex 2016 and WTFox 2, while also finishing third at CEO 2016. He is one of the most cerebral players, known for consulting his iconic laptop full of notes against other top pros. While many perceive him to be a defensive player, Dabuz is more than capable of switching to a more aggressive playstyle when needed. A win at Evo 2016 would strengthen his case for being the greatest in the game.
Ramin "Mr.R" Delshad
Country: Netherlands
Hailing from the Netherlands, Mr. R has been one of the most consistent players in Smash 4 with his steady and unfailing Sheik. He finished last year as the runner-up to ZeRo at Evo 2015 and has continued to place consistently at all of the majors. He is easily one of the most well-traveled Smashers and has quite a résumé of wins, including a recent victory over ZeRo at WTFox 2. He wants to add an international super-major trophy to his list of accomplishments.
Jason "ANTi" Bates
Country: USA
Dream Team picked its players extraordinarily well, as demonstrated by ANTi winning CEO 2016. In recent months, he has decided to dedicate more time to competing and traveling to events. ZeRo always lauded ANTi's talent, and now people are beginning to see why. He has an arsenal of characters that play very differently than normal, which throws off his opponents who expect otherwise. His success also comes from his strong fighting game fundamentals and his ability to figure out his opponent's habits quickly.
Yuta "Abadango" Kawamura
Country: Japan
Earlier this year, Abadango surprised the world by winning Pound 2016 with Mewtwo. Throughout the history of Smash 4, he has brought out multiple unorthodox characters at a very high level, including Pac-Man, Wario and Metaknight. Ever since Pound 2016, he has stuck to Mewtwo with solid showings in the U.S., which include a fifth-place finish at Smash N Splash 2 and a fourth-place finish at CEO 2016. Watch his exciting Mewtwo as he bamboozles his opponents with creative setups into combos and kills.
All the action in less than a week!
The momentum continues to grow for Smash 4 as each event brings in more attendees and viewership. Whereas last year most people picked ZeRo to win, no one is a clear favorite to win this year's Evo. Expect countless upsets throughout the tournament and plenty of surprises as players bring out new characters and never-before-seen techniques. With more than 2,000 players, plenty of international representation and a diverse and evolving metagame, there's never been a better time to be a Smash 4 fan.